Title : Back to Reality
Series : Back to Life #2
Author : Danielle Allen
Synopsis
Her past: Emanuel Mills was her
first love. The guitar playing, adventure seeking, IT whiz was
everything she ever wanted.
Her present: Tyree Barker was her
last love. The cultured, educated, successful entrepreneur was
everything she needed.
But when Sahara Lee’s past and
present collided, a series of events occurred that changed her life
forever, leaving her future up in the air.
As a college
freshman, a tragic accident changed the course of Sahara’s life.
Ten years later, just when she started putting her life back
together, Sahara’s world was rocked again due to a similar
accident.
Heartbroken and guilt ridden, Sahara fell into old,
familiar habits before quickly realizing that she wasn’t the same
Sahara Lee anymore. Unable to live a lonely, loveless, isolated life
anymore, Sahara decided that the way she coped before wasn’t going
to work this time around.
Time didn’t heal her wounds, but
forgiveness might.
My Thoughts
Where to begin?
Well, if you didn’t read the first book, Back to Life, don’t even bother reading this view. A lot of it probably won’t make any sense to you at all.
After the cliffhanger in the first book, I was reeling and overfilled with impatience to get my hands on the next one. Let me share that I hate when stories end like that, shame on you!
Just like the first book, Sahara is still harboring all the guilt, pain, hurt from her past and now her present. After the way things ended in the first book, Sahara did what she thought was best for her and everyone around, to run, more than anything from the men (yes, plural) that she loves. And oh it hurts my ears, when there’s 2 men involved to form a “lovely” little triangle. Oh, how I loathe the infamous love triangles. When she realizes that she loves both, predictions were running in and out of my mind. And questions beyond questions, who will she pick?!
In the first book, I am all for Ty (the beautiful man who became my favorite in the first book, I was all Team Ty). Let me share a little bit about Ty, this beautiful man who cares so much about Sahara and will do anything to take care of her, he brought her strength. And there’s Emanuel (he was not my favorite), Sahara’s first love, he will always be there for her, no matter what obstacles came in their way.
I know this will be rather confusing, but the characters are all very different from the first book. When Sahara starts to go to therapy to overcome her demons, she makes great strides in the emotional department, but her actions went in a completely different direction. Which ticked me off, there were several times when I just couldn’t deal with what she was doing. A lot of the messes she got into was all be her creation, she has a quite a bit of growing up to do. I just wanted to yell, “You’re an adult, Sahara! Suck it up and get over it!”.
It was interesting, when I noticed all the changes with each of the characters. It definitely changed my views on all of them. And that’s when you begin to question who would be better for Sahara. Or will she end up picking anyone in the end?
I loved this book, but not as much as I love the author. I’ve constantly been giving her feedback as I read this book and she enjoyed every little moment of it. Even the times, when the book was driving me completely crazy.
AND, there’s a happy ending … well sort of! Hard to explain, yet I can’t explain at all. It was so hard to write this review without spoiling anything.
SO, if you haven’t read Back to Life, everyone needs to get up on it and then read Back to Reality.
MY RATING :
Meet the Author
I am a married event planner and life coach. My awesome friends
and family and my amazing husband make my life sweet. I love to have
fun and enjoy the life I’ve been blessed with. I love shopping and
football with equal fervor. I’m an amateur movie critic (i.e. my
husband and I watch and critique a lot of movies for fun). I love to
read and I enjoy sharing my love of books with anyone who will
listen. I love music. A good lyric with a good melody can paint a
vivid picture and invoke such a range of emotions. I have a soft spot
for most mediums of creative, artistic expression.
With degrees in psychology, human services, and marriage and
family counseling, I have a unique perspective on life, love and the
pursuit of happiness. As an author, I combine an active imagination
and life experiences to create stories that are easily relatable and
intentionally intriguing. I want to offer you a peek into someone
else’s life and for you to get lost in their story, their trials,
their triumphs. My ultimate goal is to create a character or a story
that stays with you long after you’ve put the book down.
So in a nutshell: I plan. I teach. I read. I write. I watch. I
critique. I shop. I play. I love.
To know me is to love me.
XOXO
Sahara’s Playlist
BTW … I love Danielle’s music choices for Sahara’s Playlist, they’re on Spotify!
“To Build A Home” — The Cinematic Orchestra
“Breathe Me” – Sia
“Trouble” – Coldplay
“Never Felt This Way” – Alicia Keys
“Fumble” –Trey Songz
“Gone” – Nsync
“Your Hands” – Marsha Ambrosius
“Any Time, Any Place” – Janet Jackson
“He Loves Me (Lyzel in E Flat)” – Jill Scott
“I Need Love” – Robin Thicke
“Don’t Speak” – Leela James
“Say Something” –A Great Big World
“Bitter” – Me’Shell NdegeOcello
“Fall For Your Type” – Jamie Foxx ft. Drake
“Stay” – Rihanna ft. Mikky Ekko
“Need It” – Half Moon Run
“Flaws And All” – Beyonce
“Doing It Wrong” – Drake
“When The Right One Comes Along” – Clare Bowen & Sam Palladio
“Like A Star” – Corrine Bailey Rae
“Safe & Sound” – Taylor Swift ft The Civil Wars
“Make You Feel My Love” – Adele
