Hey Everyone! Thanks for stopping by my stop for the
SAVING TOBY BLOG TOUR!
Title:
Saving Toby
Author:
Suzanne McKenna Link
Release
date: August 26th, 2013
Genre:
New Adult
Goodreads Rating: 3.88
My Rating: 4.5 out of 5
Book
Description:
Loving someone
through their hard fall from grace takes a lot of grit.
In school, Toby
Faye was a moody kid who sat in the back of class and looked like he wanted to
be anywhere but there. Claudia Chiametti, the perfect student, always sat in
the front row. She might have forgotten him if it weren't for the fact that his
family had been involved in two tragic events. In the small town of Sayville,
Long Island, many knew of the family’s dark history.
Hired on as a
caretaker to Mrs. Faye, Claudia is thrown into the lives of the widow and her
son — a world where sadness lingers and old wounds run deep. Now twenty-one,
Toby is not so quiet. A mass of muscles and unruly hair, he is a real head turner.
He is jaunty with the confidence his masculine good looks afford him. While not
immune to his sexual advances, Claudia sees beyond the cocky grin. Up close,
his blue-grey eyes expose something else.
Despite her
father’s stern warnings about the family’s violent history, Claudia is
empathetic to their plight and vows to help both mother and son move past the
hurt. This endeavor forces her to face situations she never imagines possible.
She must be tougher than she's ever had to be. Does Claudia have the grit to
love Toby through his fall?
Saving Toby, the author's debut novel, is the first book of a two-part story that follows the emotional and gritty tale of a young couple's journey to find themselves and the love they never dreamed existed.
Saving Toby, the author's debut novel, is the first book of a two-part story that follows the emotional and gritty tale of a young couple's journey to find themselves and the love they never dreamed existed.
*Due to some explicit scenes and language, this fictional story is meant for mature readers.
My Review:
I have to say that I'm really liking New Adult books. But this book really stood out for me for many reasons. For one main reason there was no INSTA-LOVE that is becoming a very predictable, and an almost given aspect of New Adult for me.
This book had me smiling almost from page 1. There was just something about it that was very heart warming. I think it had to do with the authors writing. Both of her protagonists were very real and honest characters. First off I already knew what I was going to like Claudia, because of the fact that she was going to be working as a care giver. Yes, I am a little biased, but her career path was something I could relate to, hence making me like her even more. When she becomes reacquainted with Toby, she is immediately attracted to him, but is doing her best to remain professional and not allow herself to fall for him. She is also Aware of his family's history and is warned by her father not to get too close to him. But despite his warnings she can tell there is more to Toby that what everyone thinks.
Toby, on the other hand can not believe that that girl he had a crush on from grade school will now be working under his own roof. Toby is determined to connivence her to go go with him, but at the same things that are going on in his life, that can be dangerous for both of them and he is determined to keep her away from the problem and keep her safe. Toby not only has issues that he had to deal with present day, but he also has past that he has to resolve. As his relationship with Claudia starts to blossom his mother's health starts diminishing. Will Claudia's love be enough for him to keep him from falling off the edge or will the anger and termoil with in him take over and force Toby to push away the one things in his life that keeps him happy?
The thing that I loved most about this love story was the fact that it was realistic. They both had things going on in their life that was separate from their relationship. Claudia is torn between following her dreams and her father's inability of letting his only child go. She also had to deal with how her decision will effect Toby. And in the end I was really happy with the decision she made, because it was keeping true to herself.
I also loved seeing the budding relationship between Claudia and Julia, Toby's mother. She in a way became a surrogate mother to Claudia and it was beautiful to watch, but also heartbreaking when Julia's health takes a turn for the worse.
Just like Claudia having to find her way, we also see Toby having to face his own problems. Another thing that I loved about this book, was seeing how Toby grew as a character. He went from having Claudia being the only source of happiness in his life, to realizing in order to keep Julia in his life, he has to find the happiness within and not just have Claudia be the center of it. It was very touching.
There are some scenes in this book that make you shed massive tears, so make sure to keep some tissues handy. Some scenes will make you smile. Some will make you want to scream, and some will make you say I can't believe he just did that! All in all this is a great book, that you will end up reading in one or two sitting. I highly enjoyed it and can not wait to read the next installment :D
**FAVORITE QUOTES**
"We're going to be good together, Claude," he said. "I make the serious girl laugh, and you make the bad boy behave."
"There are moments in life that stay with you. As he drove away, I knew this was one of them. With vivid clarity, I would remember the day Toby Faye walked into my life as much as the day he walked out of it."
"Come on, Ray. I haven't gotten laid since Florida," I continued, just to bust his chops.
"If I hook up with your mom, you can call me 'Daddy.'"
About
the Author:
Suzanne McKenna Link is the debut author of SAVING
TOBY. The literary love story follows the moving journey of a damaged
young man and his love for a girl who might just save him. An avid interest in
psychology has Suzanne digging deep into the reasons for her characters'
behaviors. The native Long Islander is fascinated by the how and why of
people's actions. As a result, her characters come to life on the pages.
Suzanne is
currently working on "Keeping Claudia," the emotional sequel and
finale to Saving Toby. To keep up-to-date on Suzanne’s newest writing endeavours.
Tour Giveaway
The author is also giving away books on Goodreads: BUT DON"T ENTER CAUSE I WANT TO WIN :D
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