REVIEW - LEO (A Sign of Love #1) by Mia Sheridan:

TITLE: Leo
SERIES: A Sign of Love
SERIES PLACEMENT: #1
AUTHOR: Mia Sheridan
AGE GROUP: New Adult
GENRE: Contemporary Romance
RELEASE DATE: Nov. 27, 2014
PUBLISHED BY: SPA
FORMAT: eBook and Paperback
PAGES: Approx. 191

MY GOODREADS REVIEW LINK
RATING: 3.5 Stars!
CLIFFHANGER: No

BOOK BLURB:
Evie and Leo met in foster care as children and formed a bond of friendship. As they grew, their bond turned to love, and they vowed to make a life together when they turned 18 and were no longer a part of the system.

When Leo unexpectedly gets adopted as a teen and he moves to another city, he promises Evie that he will contact her as soon as he gets there and come back for her in a few short years. She never hears from him again.

Now eight years later, in spite of the odds, Evie has made a life for herself. She has a job. She has friends. She's content. Then a man shows up out of the blue, claiming that her long lost love, Leo, sent him to check up on her. The attraction between them is undeniable. But, should she trust this sexy stranger? Or is he keeping a secret about what his connection to Leo is really all about and why Leo disappeared all those years ago?

THIS IS A STAND-ALONE SIGN OF LOVE NOVEL, INSPIRED BY LEO. New Adult Contemporary Romance: Due to strong language and sexual content, this book is not intended for readers under the age of 18.

3.5 "Because I Like Your Face" Stars!

A Beautiful, Compelling Story About Lost Loves, Painful Pasts and New Hope! 

The Review: 

This was a touching and sweet story with a good bit of mystery and wistful angsts. I absolutely loved the flashbacks to the MC’s childhood as I’m a huge sucker for reacquainted love. There’s just something special when the characters have history to draw from, and the author did a fantastic job sucking me in and allowing me to float between past and present... from sweet, beautiful childhood, to steamy, bewitching adulthood!

Characters/Story...

Evie and Leo are foster kids, both young and both with painful pasts, just trying to survive in the now. They quickly form a bond in their meager circumstances, even though both are not quick to trust, so their friendship is unique and built on something real and solid.

After years of surviving in the system, Leo gets adopted out and has to move away. But he vows to come back for Evie when she turns eighteen, making her promise to wait for him. And she does... but things don’t always go according to plan when you’re young and sometimes promises get broken.

I really loved when Jake came into her life. Though Evie was a pleasant and bright character, Jake brought something extra special out in her and together, they found love quickly. These two characters were really wonderful together. 

Jake had an entire closet of past secrets and they were constantly threatening to overshadow his present, which left him broody and introspective at times but he wasn’t a cold character. And even though Jake was dragged down by his past, we see a strong, vibrant character set on making Evie’s life better. He was a mystery but also very charming and sincere. I loved how he was with her and I loved how she was with everyone!

Evie is probably one of my favorite heroines this year so far! She didn’t let any of her circumstances weigh her down. She was beyond winsome and used her past as a learning tool, not allowing it to break her spirit or turn her cold. She had absolutely no reason to trust anyone, but she does. And even when Evie gets confronted with suspicious behavior, her heart wins out and this is why I loved her so much. 

She has a solid cast of friends that support her and who she’s opened her heart to, and their interactions were fun.

And the sex scenes! Wowza! Jake and Evie steamed up the pages with their chemistry. Loved it!

Thoughts...

So why not a full four stars? There were several points where the story stalled on trivial things, such as wardrobe choices and some of the dialogue was a bit lengthy and I felt it bogged in a few instances. Don’t get me wrong, I really enjoyed this story. The characters were real and their situations heartbreaking to read about. I also found a few places where it was a bit gushy and sappy for my tastes and the story sometimes got buried in details. 

I recently read Archer’s Voice by this author and loved it so much, I vowed to read the other books in her line up. This book was her debut novel and I could see a difference between this book and her latest works, as the author has definitely found a passionate and unique voice and style. 

The Wrap Up: 

This is a feel-good story that will draw you in and keep you reading until the end and Mia Sheridan is a brilliant storyteller! I’m on to read book two in this series, Leo’s Chance, which I’ve heard is brilliant.

Buy the Book!

  

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