Title: Wrecking Ball
Author: B.N. Toler
Release Date: April 24, 2014
Find on Goodreads
Author: B.N. Toler
Release Date: April 24, 2014
Find on Goodreads
But even the strongest of foundations can be crumbled.
Sometimes all it takes is one moment, fleeting as it may be, to crush what was once strong and indestructible, like a wrecking ball.
Now Sophia has left and as she rediscovers herself, Brandon is left holding the shattered pieces of their lives, trying to figure out how to put them back together.
He loves her.
She loves him.
All he needs now is to make her remember that.
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ARC received from the author for an honest review
A realistic, heart-wrenching, beautiful page turner. Wrecking Ball wreaked havoc with my emotions. Every single page made me want to finish it in one sitting... and I did!
Sophia and Brandon Dalton have been married for 10 years with 2 beautiful daughters. Brandon wooed and pursued Sophia during their college years, something a ladies' man like himself haven't done to any girl before. Sophia changed everything for him, his approach in relationships and how one girl is "it" for him. Sophia was spunky, a cool girl who was fun and is not afraid to speak her mind. At first, she has her reservations about Brandon's intentions with her. I couldn't blame her on that one, though. Brandon did have a reputation with the ladies, but I liked how Soph handled it. She was cool about it, only kindly rejects Brandon's invitations of going out without her being whiny or playing a game. Besides, she wasn't big in believing ugly rumors, add to that that she is attracted to him and Brandon did one of the silliest yet sweetest thing ever just to get her to accept a date. That, or Brandon just doesn't want anyone touching her.
The blossoming of their relationship was sweet and fun. I got to feel their chemistry and fall in love with them.
But it's not always rainbows and butterflies in a marriage, right? After 10 years of being happily together, one mistake can cost Sophia and Dalton everything they have built together. 10 years of love and happiness. 10 years of marriage. All threatened by that 1 mistake.
I haven't been married, so I don't have first-hand experience about this kind of problem, but how B N Toler wrote this story was deeply touching. If you are in a relationship, especially a long-time one, I believe you can sympathize well with this couple. But regardless of the first-hand experience or lack thereof, B N Toler will make you feel like you are the one in the story, falling in love and getting your heart broken.
B N Toler started Soph and Dalton's story in the middle of the "after effect", occasionally going on flashbacks about the early days in their relationship. If you're not a fan of flashbacks, don't worry, Wrecking Ball's only focused on the "highlights", the main parts -- where and how their love grew, and it's only until 50% of the book. The flashbacks were from both POVs alternating between past and present.
Sophia's struggle on how to forgive Dalton was understandable. Heck, I'm not even sure I can get out of bed for a week from how I felt just reading what happened that night when it all broke apart. I was broken, too! For that, I admire Sophia and I like how the author truly delved into the emotions of a woman, a wife, who felt betrayed. There's no "I forgive you" after one "I'm sorry" and then wallows in self-pity behind closed doors. There was a journey to forgiveness and I appreciated that.
Aside from the realistic story (because come on, that kind of thing does happen and most of the time it's even worse) and the main characters, what made me really love this book was the punch to the heart effect of the author's writing in this book. Seriously, it just gutted me. There was never a dragging part for me in this story. Everything just flowed together easily, the backstory only touched the vital parts but there was never a part where I felt like it was rushed or gapped. The storytelling of B N Toler was effecting in making me, the reader, feel like I was part of the characters' journey.
The secondary characters are all wonderful, too. Tia, Sophia's younger sister, played a huge role in the couple's relationship after that mistake. The advices she and Antonio gave are direct, spot-on and are eye-openers. Tia and Sophia's sisterhood is something I want for my future kids!
Wrecking Ball is not just a love story, it's also a story about family, of love and loss and faith. It's so much more than the heartbreak from that mistake. Tia taught not only Sophia, but me, about living and loving to the fullest with no regrets. Nothing in life is guaranteed and making the best of everything is a good advice to live by, so when Ms. Toler took a little turn in the story... ugly tears were shed! This book really has it all!
Stars: 5+++ (okay, 6) Stars
POV: First person. Dual POV. Flashbacks.
Recommended to: Everyone!!!
Series: No. Yes? I believe the author is working on another book for Tia.
Extra Comment: Tissues, you might need them. Or a warm blanket to comfort you.
“What the...” My lap dog slid off me as I stood and spun around to see what hit me. And that’s when I laid eyes on the audacious Sophia Marie Campbell.
“Oh, my God! I’m so sorry!” she groaned as she bent down and picked up the ball.
I was speechless. She was a wet dream in a red bikini with long blonde hair and legs that went for miles. My eyes immediately fell to her chest when she stood back up, ball tucked under one slim, but toned arm.
“Are you okay?” She gazed at me, concern in her eyes. Everything was stunning about her. Her eyes, her body, her boobs. Her boobs. “Uh, yeah. I—”
“That hit to your head must’ve messed with your vision. My eyes are up here,” she interrupted me, bending down slightly trying to meet my gaze with hers.
“Busted!” Ryan laughed from behind me. My gaze snapped to hers and I mumbled some sort of excuse, but was saved by Jake.
“You’ve got quite the arm,” Jake noted as he approached us, and I could tell he was scanning her body from behind his sunglasses. My teeth clenched at the thought.
“Yeah, just poor aim,” she laughed.
“Sophia!” One of her friends called from the volleyball net and she turned.
“Be right there,” she yelled back before returning her focus to me. “Seriously, I’m really sorry.”
“No worries.” I rubbed the back of my head and shrugged. My mind fumbled for something witty and clever to say to make her laugh again, but her presence overwhelmed me. Most girls went into flirt mode when they were around me, batting eye lashes, biting their lower lips, twirling their hair. Not this girl. With that, she gave a slight nod and spun around to head back toward her friends. I couldn’t let her go. I had to think of some way to speak with her. There were guys playing with her. Could one of them be her boyfriend? Did I care?
“Aw, shit.” I shook my head and took off after her. “Where you going, Brandon?” Ryan shouted, but I didn’t answer. Every one of my bodily senses honed in on the beautiful bronzed blonde running away from me.
“Hey,” I yelled catching her off guard as she spun around. “Yeah?” Her eyes were big and brown, almost exotic-looking when paired with her blonde hair.
“Um, I was wondering if...” I hesitated. When I was chasing her, asking her out didn’t seem like a big deal, but facing her, staring into those beautiful eyes, I wasn’t ready to take the chance she’d say no. “Do you guys need another player?” She bounced on her feet for a moment and spun the volleyball between her hands, running her eyes up and down my body as if sizing me up. “You sure you can hang with us?” she challenged with one eyebrow quirked.
“Yeah. I’m pretty good,” I lied. What the hell am I saying? I suck at volleyball! Truth was, I’d maybe played five times my entire life, but those games went pretty well so I convinced myself I could easily play with a bunch of girls and a few guys.
“Okay.” She grinned, a playfulness lurking in her eyes. “Let’s see what you got.” When we reached the sandpit where everyone was waiting for her to return with the ball she motioned to me. “Guys, this is...” Her last word trailed off and she turned to me, biting her lip. “I’m so rude. I didn’t even ask your name and I hit you in the head with a ball.”
“Brandon.”
“Everyone this is Brandon,” she yelled and ran across the pit to her spot, kicking up sand. “Can you play setter?” “Uh, sure.” I shrugged and took the only empty spot I saw, hoping it was where I needed to be. I was glad asking to play didn’t backfire and she included me, but I was disappointed when we weren’t beside each other.
The game pressed on and the other side immediately gained five points on us. No one on our team outright blamed me, but I could tell the general consensus was—it was my fault. I had a hard time staying in the game because I was too busy trying to catch glimpses of her. I finally snapped to as the ball was flying over the net, and I lunged toward it only to collide head on with Sophia. We both crashed to the ground, tangled in one another, the ball landing right beside us.
“Game!” one of the girls from the other side squealed and everyone on our side groaned.
“Are you okay? I’m so sorry,” I apologized frantically. Nice move dumbass, you just physically crushed the girl you have the hots for.
Rubbing her head where it hit mine, she asked, “So, you don’t really play, do you?” She laughed as she pushed up with her hands. Sand coated most of her, like sugar against her tan skin, and it looked sexy as hell.
“That obvious?” I questioned shaking my head, humiliation surging through me.
“I’m Sophia, by the way.” She grinned as she hopped up and reached a hand down for me.
“That’s a pretty name.” I took her hand and let her help me up.
“We should go rinse off.” She held on to my hand and pulled me toward the water with her. “I guess now were even, huh?”
“Even?” I questioned unsure of what she was talking about.
“Yeah. I hit you with a ball and you nailed me to the ground. We’re even.”
The douchebag in me wanted to say something like, do you like to be nailed to the ground, but I refrained. This girl was different. I had no idea what it was about her I found so alluring, but I was hooked.
“Yeah, I guess so.” We waded into the freezing cold lake, until we were waist deep when we both started splashing water, rinsing our skin. My mind wandered to devious places as I imagined her naked and wet, moaning my name as I thrust inside her. I sank into the water planting my ass to the mush bottom, to hide the hard on I was getting.
“I think your girlfriend is waiting on you.” She nodded to the shoreline where what’s her name stood with one of her friends, trying not to look obvious as she casually glanced our way while they spoke.
“That’s not my girlfriend,” I clarified a little too enthusiastically.
“Oh. Guess you just let anybody sit on your lap, huh?” She smirked at me and I cursed to myself. Of course she would think I was just some player after seeing me with a random girl on my lap.
I had to change the subject and fast. “Do you go to Alabama?”
“Yeah. Business. It’s my last year. You?” She pulled a hair tie off her wrist and began pulling her hair up, extending her torso, which only exemplified her tiny defined body. Damn, I was a goner.
“Biology. It’s my last year, too. I’ll go for my masters after this.”
“Oh, wow. You’re smart.” Her eyebrows rose as if she was surprised. She wasn’t the first person I ever told my major to that seemed shocked. I didn’t exactly fit the nerdy scientist bill.
“Not what you expected?” I smirked.
“You don’t quite strike me as a biologist, but what do I know?” She shrugged and began wading out of the water toward the shore. Panic flooded me. I had to keep her here. Here, we were away from everyone and I could speak with her, but up there she would surely go her way and I’d be forced to go mine. This could be my only chance to ask her out.
“What do you do besides school?” I blurted. Lame question, I know, but I was desperate.
Sophia stopped and turned slowly, facing me, squinting as if she were trying to determine something about me. With a sly grin, she said, “Go on then. Do it.” She gave me a pointed look and crossed her arms.
“Do what?” I stammered wondering if I had been that obvious. Did she know I wanted to ask her out?
“You’re going to ask me out, right? Or at least you want to.” Yep, she knows. Dear God this woman is a ball buster. All of the blood drained from my face. There was no more pretending. This girl didn’t waste any time. My heart pounded in my chest. What the hell is wrong with me? Why am I acting like such a pussy?
Before I could come up with some coherent response she said, “I tell you what. You seem to be a little...” She paused and looked to the sky as if waiting for her next word to fall from it.
“Confused.” She finished as she put her hands on her hips. “Maybe that ball hit you a little harder on your head than I thought. When you think of what you want to say, I bartend over at Bradley’s just outside of campus. Maybe I’ll see you in there sometime.” With that, she rushed out of the water and back to her friends.
With a heavy sigh I made my way back to shore. I knew deep down I acted like an idiot in front of her and she probably thought I was an ass, but I knew one thing for sure. Sophia would be mine.
“Well, that was...” Jake let his last word trail off.
“Pathetic.” Ryan finished for him, laughing.
“What?” I shrugged as if I had no idea what they were talking about.
“First, you practically latched on to her leg and started dry humping her,” Ryan noted before chugging the remainder of his beer.
“You looked like a jackass out there playing volleyball. They must all play for the school or something. They were good,” Jake added, and I rolled my eyes.
“I wasn’t that bad,” I grimaced.
“Brandon.” Ryan said my name as he stared at me blankly.
“You sucked dick man. It was bad. You fucking head-butted her.”
I squeezed my eyes shut. “Shit,” I breathed. It was bad.
Push It by Salt-N-Pepa
Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap by AC/DC
Take Me Home Tonight by Eddie Money
Brown Eyed Girl by Van Morrison
Unforgettable by Nat King Cole
Like A Virgin by Madonna
She enjoys shopping (way too much) and is on a first name basis with several employees at the local Target in her town.
She loves music,(bluegrass, country, 80's, actually she loves most music ~her favorite song is American Pie by Don McLean and she worships anything that is Elvis and Johnny Cash and Eric Church) dancing, (even though she sucks at it)reading, writing, eating (too much) sleeping late, (which she rarely gets to do) and laughing. If you can make her laugh, she will love you forever.
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