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Boston Love #1
Searching for Harmony: A Boston Love Novel
From New York Times bestselling author Kelly Elliott comes the gut-wrenching story of a love that transcends all odds—and transforms the deepest pain into the brightest hope.
Firefighter and first responder Preston Ward thought he had grown immune to the job’s emotional burns. But when he goes out on a particularly tragic call, he realizes that some scenes are too devastating to forget. And yet, if it weren’t for that terrible night, he never would have met the woman who makes him want to risk his heart.
More than once, Harmony Banks has watched her perfectly ordered world torn apart by fate. Now she’s finding out that what she lost wasn’t as perfect as she thought—and it’s tearing her apart. The only thing that keeps her going is the kindness of a the firefighter who saved her life the night everything changed.
Preston isn’t like the men who have come before. For one thing, he’s far more genuine. And the love Harmony feels growing between them is almost too intense for her wounded soul. But if she and Preston can push past heartbreak, they’ll find that something incredible awaits in each other’s arms.
Firefighter and first responder Preston Ward thought he had grown immune to the job’s emotional burns. But when he goes out on a particularly tragic call, he realizes that some scenes are too devastating to forget. And yet, if it weren’t for that terrible night, he never would have met the woman who makes him want to risk his heart.
More than once, Harmony Banks has watched her perfectly ordered world torn apart by fate. Now she’s finding out that what she lost wasn’t as perfect as she thought—and it’s tearing her apart. The only thing that keeps her going is the kindness of a the firefighter who saved her life the night everything changed.
Preston isn’t like the men who have come before. For one thing, he’s far more genuine. And the love Harmony feels growing between them is almost too intense for her wounded soul. But if she and Preston can push past heartbreak, they’ll find that something incredible awaits in each other’s arms.
249 pages, Kindle Edition
First published July 12, 2016
364 people are currently reading
1400 people want to read
About the author
Kelly Elliott
107 books6,561 followersKelly Elliott is a New York Times and USA Today bestselling contemporary romance author. Since finishing her bestselling Wanted series, Kelly continues to spread her wings while remaining true to her roots and giving readers stories rich with hot protective men, strong women and beautiful surroundings.
Her bestselling works include, Wanted, Broken, Without You, and Unconditional Love, to name just a few.
Kelly has been passionate about writing since she was fifteen. After years of filling journals with stories, she finally followed her dream and published her first novel, Wanted, in November of 2012.
Kelly lives in central Texas with her husband, daughter, and two pups. When she’s not writing, Kelly enjoys reading and spending time with her family. She is down to earth and very in touch with her readers, both on social media and at signings.
To find out more about Kelly and her books, you can find her through her website.
www.kellyelliottauthor.com
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 341 reviews
July 12, 2016
1 - "You just made this so much easier." Star.
DNF @ 22%
Quick sum up, this book in the 22% I read pretty much had every trope I despise in my love stories –
That is just the cliff notes, but what I was expecting to get from the blurb (recovery from grief, slow-burn romance, and a bit of an emotional rollercoaster) basically morphed into erroneous drama overload pretty much from the end of the prologue.
"Everything happens for a reason."
That may be so, but in twenty years Harmony has experienced more than a normal family would go through in a lifetime (and this is just in the first 20% of the book) let alone one person. I can live with drama and angst if its relevant and provokes a reaction, but the main points of the story were lost because of the above spoilers as well as a total lack of emotional development between the H/h, they have a connection apparently according to Preston, which in one aspect is true but that is as far as it went for me.
This is my first book by this author, an author I have seen a massive amount over my GR and Facebook feeds over the last couple of years. I knew her stories were emotionally charged and high on angst levels, so I had pretty high expectations. Unfortunately, Searching for Harmony to be frank, left me a little cold in the blasé nature of its telling.
ARC generously provided, I am sorry I cannot offer a more positive review.
DNF @ 22%
Quick sum up, this book in the 22% I read pretty much had every trope I despise in my love stories –
That is just the cliff notes, but what I was expecting to get from the blurb (recovery from grief, slow-burn romance, and a bit of an emotional rollercoaster) basically morphed into erroneous drama overload pretty much from the end of the prologue.
"Everything happens for a reason."
That may be so, but in twenty years Harmony has experienced more than a normal family would go through in a lifetime (and this is just in the first 20% of the book) let alone one person. I can live with drama and angst if its relevant and provokes a reaction, but the main points of the story were lost because of the above spoilers as well as a total lack of emotional development between the H/h, they have a connection apparently according to Preston, which in one aspect is true but that is as far as it went for me.
This is my first book by this author, an author I have seen a massive amount over my GR and Facebook feeds over the last couple of years. I knew her stories were emotionally charged and high on angst levels, so I had pretty high expectations. Unfortunately, Searching for Harmony to be frank, left me a little cold in the blasé nature of its telling.
ARC generously provided, I am sorry I cannot offer a more positive review.
July 16, 2016
This was overall a sweet book and a fast read. I have to admit that after reading the blurb I had way higher expectations about the book than what I eventually got. Even though the blurb points to a super angsty read, this is anything but. Like I said, is overall very sweet and romantic.
The book starts on a super tragic note. Harmony and Preston meet on what is definitely the worst day of her life. Harmony suffers a great loss and Preston feel connected to her in a strange way. While Harmony is trying to pick up the pieces of her life, she finds a great friend in Preston and their romance develops from there. They both try to keep their relationship on the friend-zone until they can’t kid themselves anymore and have to accept that they have lots of feelings for each other.
Harmony and Preston are both great characters albeit underdeveloped in my opinion. Preston is a sweetheart and a true gentleman. And poor Harmony is trying to do her best to live with the aftermath of losing everything. I totally understood her feeling guilty about rebuilding her life but I wasn’t thrilled about some of the decisions she made.
Overall, this was an ok read, it didn’t evoke the feelings I thought it would but it is super sweet nonetheless. I didn’t like some parts of it, especially the “big conflict” and also there are some random things that seemed misplaced. I just overall had a hard time connecting with this characters, especially Harmony. This is my first book by this author but I will definitely try some of her other books, as her writing style is nice and relatable. If you are looking for something sweet and not too long, then give this book a try.
**An ARC was generously provided in exchange for an honest review**
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The book starts on a super tragic note. Harmony and Preston meet on what is definitely the worst day of her life. Harmony suffers a great loss and Preston feel connected to her in a strange way. While Harmony is trying to pick up the pieces of her life, she finds a great friend in Preston and their romance develops from there. They both try to keep their relationship on the friend-zone until they can’t kid themselves anymore and have to accept that they have lots of feelings for each other.
Harmony and Preston are both great characters albeit underdeveloped in my opinion. Preston is a sweetheart and a true gentleman. And poor Harmony is trying to do her best to live with the aftermath of losing everything. I totally understood her feeling guilty about rebuilding her life but I wasn’t thrilled about some of the decisions she made.
Overall, this was an ok read, it didn’t evoke the feelings I thought it would but it is super sweet nonetheless. I didn’t like some parts of it, especially the “big conflict” and also there are some random things that seemed misplaced. I just overall had a hard time connecting with this characters, especially Harmony. This is my first book by this author but I will definitely try some of her other books, as her writing style is nice and relatable. If you are looking for something sweet and not too long, then give this book a try.
**An ARC was generously provided in exchange for an honest review**
JOIN THE SISTERHOOD! FIND US ON: FACEBOOK / INSTAGRAM / TWITTER / BLOG
June 4, 2016
My feelings were all over the place with this one.
Full review to come, closer to release date
I was provided a copy of this book via NetGalley, in exchange for a honest review
Full review to come, closer to release date
I was provided a copy of this book via NetGalley, in exchange for a honest review
Read
October 25, 2016DNF at 33%.
I'm not connecting with Harmony at all. The emotions and dialogue are not coming off as natural for the situation, and what's with all this winking? I don't think people in real life wink so much and in the face of loss it seems completely strange.
A copy was kindly provided by Loveswept via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
I'm not connecting with Harmony at all. The emotions and dialogue are not coming off as natural for the situation, and what's with all this winking? I don't think people in real life wink so much and in the face of loss it seems completely strange.
A copy was kindly provided by Loveswept via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
July 14, 2016
Preston Ward met Harmony Banks the day she lost everything. After being a firefighter for several years, Preston thought he became immune to the emotional tolls of his job. But he can't shake Harmony or the complete devastation in her eyes while she begged him to save her son. Preston watches from the wings as Harmony struggles to get her life back together.
The pair eventually forms a friendship which leads to deeper feelings developing. Preston is ready to take the chance at loving Harmony, but is Harmony? She still struggles with moving past the betrayal of her late husband and the loss of her son. Preston is able to be the calming force in Harmony's life, but can she allow herself to risk her heart again...
This is a book about grief, moving on, and finding that inner strength to move on. As a mother and a wife, I cannot (nor do I want to) imagine the heart-wrenching pain of losing your family in one moment. The guilt of living when your son and husband did not. And learning to cope with the pain and learn that life goes on. And sometimes life after loss can surprise you...
RATING: 4.5 out of 5
Head over to my blog for an excerpt of Searching for Harmony.
**I received an ARC from Netgalley and InkSlingerPR in exchange for a honest review.**
OTHER PLACES TO FIND ME:
Blog: http://alysenovak.blogspot.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AlyseNovakBlog
Twitter: www.twitter.com/alyseypoo21
Bloglovin': https://www.bloglovin.com/alyseypoo21
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The pair eventually forms a friendship which leads to deeper feelings developing. Preston is ready to take the chance at loving Harmony, but is Harmony? She still struggles with moving past the betrayal of her late husband and the loss of her son. Preston is able to be the calming force in Harmony's life, but can she allow herself to risk her heart again...
This is a book about grief, moving on, and finding that inner strength to move on. As a mother and a wife, I cannot (nor do I want to) imagine the heart-wrenching pain of losing your family in one moment. The guilt of living when your son and husband did not. And learning to cope with the pain and learn that life goes on. And sometimes life after loss can surprise you...
RATING: 4.5 out of 5
Head over to my blog for an excerpt of Searching for Harmony.
**I received an ARC from Netgalley and InkSlingerPR in exchange for a honest review.**
OTHER PLACES TO FIND ME:
Blog: http://alysenovak.blogspot.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AlyseNovakBlog
Twitter: www.twitter.com/alyseypoo21
Bloglovin': https://www.bloglovin.com/alyseypoo21
Google+: https://plus.google.com/+AlyseNovak
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/alyseypoo21
May 17, 2016
ARC kindly provided via NetGalley for an honest review
Overall it was a book I just couldn’t finish (I stopped at 30% - and I hate not finishing books) and that is because I couldn’t connect with the characters
I felt there was lack of emotions, lack of chemistry and everything was so predictable even their dialogues.
Overall it was a book I just couldn’t finish (I stopped at 30% - and I hate not finishing books) and that is because I couldn’t connect with the characters
I felt there was lack of emotions, lack of chemistry and everything was so predictable even their dialogues.
June 14, 2023
Okay being a firefighter's wife, I had to read this. I will say it's a must read, and I cannot wait to read book number two Fight for Love. This was one of the best romances I have read this month.
July 12, 2016
Searching for Harmony by Kelly Elliott
I enjoyed reading Searching for Harmony, if you have read anything by Kelly Elliott you will know you are going to be reading a sweet sometimes heartfelt romance story.
Harmony is suffering and is trying to deal with the loss of her family, learning how to live alone and move on.
Preston who was the firefighter at the accident cannot forget Harmony and the way she looked at him that dreadful night. He feels a connections to her and decides he has to see how she is doing.
The friendship that develops between these two start off sweet and kind but you can see and feel the underlying feelings that start to appear even guilt and denial.
Dealing with loss and the new feelings she has is not easy for Harmony and then feeling scared of losing someone again is something Harmony may not be able to cope with.
Can Preston and Harmony find their way to each other and will this be a happy ever after ending? You must read this sweet, heartfelt romance story. Kelly Elliott has done a wonderful job as you can feeling the emotions the two main character are dealing with.
I have rated Searching for Harmony a 4 star rating. I love Kelly's Elliott's books, one of my favorite authors. These are the types of stories I love to read on a Sunday afternoon.
***ARC kindly provided via NetGalley for the exchange of an honest review***
I enjoyed reading Searching for Harmony, if you have read anything by Kelly Elliott you will know you are going to be reading a sweet sometimes heartfelt romance story.
Harmony is suffering and is trying to deal with the loss of her family, learning how to live alone and move on.
Preston who was the firefighter at the accident cannot forget Harmony and the way she looked at him that dreadful night. He feels a connections to her and decides he has to see how she is doing.
The friendship that develops between these two start off sweet and kind but you can see and feel the underlying feelings that start to appear even guilt and denial.
Dealing with loss and the new feelings she has is not easy for Harmony and then feeling scared of losing someone again is something Harmony may not be able to cope with.
Can Preston and Harmony find their way to each other and will this be a happy ever after ending? You must read this sweet, heartfelt romance story. Kelly Elliott has done a wonderful job as you can feeling the emotions the two main character are dealing with.
I have rated Searching for Harmony a 4 star rating. I love Kelly's Elliott's books, one of my favorite authors. These are the types of stories I love to read on a Sunday afternoon.
***ARC kindly provided via NetGalley for the exchange of an honest review***
Want to read
May 10, 2016******ARC provided via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review******
April 25, 2016
I received this as an ARC from Net Galley. It was touted as "perfect for fans of Claudia Connor" and I'm a fan of Claudia Connor, so I requested it. Sadly, I did not find this to be anything like any of the Claudia Connor books I've read.
It's New Adult. Harmony is the heroine and she's 20. When the story begin, I think she's about 17 and she's just broken up with her long-time boyfriend because they agree that they love each, but they aren't IN love with each other. The very next day, she discovers she's pregnant. Her parents tell her to have an abortion or they'll disown her, because the parents have to be horribly sucky, right? She ends up being disowned and she marries the father of the baby, Trey.
Skip ahead three years (I think). Harmony is arguing with Trey about whatever while they're in the car with their son, TJ, in the back seat. Trey has to work late *again* because he works for his dad and they owe his parents a lot for helping them out, etc., etc., etc. Harmony is upset about this. Trey wants to tell her something. Then they have a horrific car accident. This is where she meets the hero, Preston (he's 23). He's a firefighter at the scene of the accident and he works to try to save TJ. Trey and TJ both die. Preston and Harmony both feel a connection from the scene of the accident and Preston visits her while she recovers in the hospital.
This drags out for a while. Preston is attracted to Harmony and spends time with her. He also makes friends with her brother, Jack. Preston also has a live-in long-term girlfriend. Her name is Sherry and she's portrayed as a total bitch.
I am not a fan of this book. It's supposed to be highly emotional, given all the horrible things that happen to Harmony. But, I found myself looking at her like she's a big drama llama. She cries over everything. When she's not crying, she's "giggling". I hate for women to be described as gigglers. HATE IT. I felt very non-committal about everything that was happening to Harmony while she was breaking down. I'm pretty sure that's not what the author intended.
Even Preston I kind of didn't care for. He didn't love Sherry. He knew he didn't have the proper feelings for her. But, he remained with her until he finally woke to his feelings for Harmony. Sherry was portrayed as a user and a total bitch and he still stayed with her. I don't think that says good things about him or his judgement of other people.
Everyone in the story is black or white - no real shades of gray in their behavior. Harmony's parents are horrible parents. Trey ends up being a terrible bastard. Trey's parents are horrible people. Sherry is a raging bitch. Preston's parents are wonderful.
I also found myself seriously questioning how a person (Harmony) who is going to school and working as a nurse could just "run away" for a month (maybe it was two) without any explanation to anyone and come back and pick right back up. Preston also left his job as a firefighter right in the middle of a shift several times because Harmony had a crying jag about whatever. This cannot happen without people losing jobs..
Apparently, money is no object, either. Because nursing and firefighting are such high paying jobs in the city of Boston, right?
Every action was predictable. This is kind of everything I don't like about NA.
I had high hopes when I saw "Claudia Connor", but I don't think this lived up to that.
It's New Adult. Harmony is the heroine and she's 20. When the story begin, I think she's about 17 and she's just broken up with her long-time boyfriend because they agree that they love each, but they aren't IN love with each other. The very next day, she discovers she's pregnant. Her parents tell her to have an abortion or they'll disown her, because the parents have to be horribly sucky, right? She ends up being disowned and she marries the father of the baby, Trey.
Skip ahead three years (I think). Harmony is arguing with Trey about whatever while they're in the car with their son, TJ, in the back seat. Trey has to work late *again* because he works for his dad and they owe his parents a lot for helping them out, etc., etc., etc. Harmony is upset about this. Trey wants to tell her something. Then they have a horrific car accident. This is where she meets the hero, Preston (he's 23). He's a firefighter at the scene of the accident and he works to try to save TJ. Trey and TJ both die. Preston and Harmony both feel a connection from the scene of the accident and Preston visits her while she recovers in the hospital.
This drags out for a while. Preston is attracted to Harmony and spends time with her. He also makes friends with her brother, Jack. Preston also has a live-in long-term girlfriend. Her name is Sherry and she's portrayed as a total bitch.
I am not a fan of this book. It's supposed to be highly emotional, given all the horrible things that happen to Harmony. But, I found myself looking at her like she's a big drama llama. She cries over everything. When she's not crying, she's "giggling". I hate for women to be described as gigglers. HATE IT. I felt very non-committal about everything that was happening to Harmony while she was breaking down. I'm pretty sure that's not what the author intended.
Even Preston I kind of didn't care for. He didn't love Sherry. He knew he didn't have the proper feelings for her. But, he remained with her until he finally woke to his feelings for Harmony. Sherry was portrayed as a user and a total bitch and he still stayed with her. I don't think that says good things about him or his judgement of other people.
Everyone in the story is black or white - no real shades of gray in their behavior. Harmony's parents are horrible parents. Trey ends up being a terrible bastard. Trey's parents are horrible people. Sherry is a raging bitch. Preston's parents are wonderful.
I also found myself seriously questioning how a person (Harmony) who is going to school and working as a nurse could just "run away" for a month (maybe it was two) without any explanation to anyone and come back and pick right back up. Preston also left his job as a firefighter right in the middle of a shift several times because Harmony had a crying jag about whatever. This cannot happen without people losing jobs..
Apparently, money is no object, either. Because nursing and firefighting are such high paying jobs in the city of Boston, right?
Every action was predictable. This is kind of everything I don't like about NA.
I had high hopes when I saw "Claudia Connor", but I don't think this lived up to that.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 14, 2016
Amanda's review posted at Guilty Pleasures Book Reviews
Searching for Harmony is an emotional love story for a young woman who lost her whole world in just one moment. At 18 Harmony became a mother and a wife. 2 years later tragedy struck and she lost it all in a tragic car accident. Preston, the firefighter who tried to save her son, felt a connection to Harmony and wanted to be there for her. As Harmony works through her grief she accepts the small acts of kindness Preston shows her to get through the day and move on with her life.
This story tells how love can come from tragedy and show you the one person who you were meant to spend the rest of your life with. That is what happened for Preston. He is such a good guy and wants to do right by Harmony and starts slow with a friendship but hopes for more. Harmony doesn’t understand at first why Preston wants to hang with her but she begins to feel things for him that she has never felt before, even with her marriage to Trey. Love may have bloomed fast but the feelings they felt for each other felt genuine coming across the pages and it made the heartbreak lessen as the story progressed.
Their relationship might have started in tragedy, but Preston and Harmony found that one person they were looking for to start a life together. What made this story more enjoyable were both their families. They were there in spades to show them what a close family means to love and care. Preston needed it when Harmony couldn’t handle the dangers of his job and show him what he needed to do in order to have Harmony in his life again. This story had my emotions all over the place but I was so glad to have happy tears at the end for Harmony and Preston. HEA always make me happy and these two definitely deserve it.
Review copy provided for an honest review.
Searching for Harmony is an emotional love story for a young woman who lost her whole world in just one moment. At 18 Harmony became a mother and a wife. 2 years later tragedy struck and she lost it all in a tragic car accident. Preston, the firefighter who tried to save her son, felt a connection to Harmony and wanted to be there for her. As Harmony works through her grief she accepts the small acts of kindness Preston shows her to get through the day and move on with her life.
This story tells how love can come from tragedy and show you the one person who you were meant to spend the rest of your life with. That is what happened for Preston. He is such a good guy and wants to do right by Harmony and starts slow with a friendship but hopes for more. Harmony doesn’t understand at first why Preston wants to hang with her but she begins to feel things for him that she has never felt before, even with her marriage to Trey. Love may have bloomed fast but the feelings they felt for each other felt genuine coming across the pages and it made the heartbreak lessen as the story progressed.
Their relationship might have started in tragedy, but Preston and Harmony found that one person they were looking for to start a life together. What made this story more enjoyable were both their families. They were there in spades to show them what a close family means to love and care. Preston needed it when Harmony couldn’t handle the dangers of his job and show him what he needed to do in order to have Harmony in his life again. This story had my emotions all over the place but I was so glad to have happy tears at the end for Harmony and Preston. HEA always make me happy and these two definitely deserve it.
Review copy provided for an honest review.
May 21, 2016
3.5 stars
If there is one thing I could say about reading a book penned by Kelly Elliott, it would be that I know that I am guaranteed a sweet romance story. And sometimes I really need to read something that isn't too complicated or angsty.
Harmony's life gets completely flipped on it's head in one soul destroying moment that takes everything she has ever loved away from her. She hasn't had it easy the past few years anyway and now something that will completely test her faith in the universe has her completely immersed in sorrow.
Preston bore witness to the tragedy that ripped apart Harmony's world and even though he has been conditioned to not get emotionally affected by incidents like this, he just can't stop wondering about this beautiful girl and how she is doing.
Harmony is dealing with life one day at a time and when her path crosses with Preston again she is surprised at how comfortable she feels around him. There is just something there between them that seems to be building the more time they spend together. He makes her feel safe and not so alone anymore. Love begins to blossom but Harmony begins to doubt if she can put her heart through any further heartache by giving it to a man who puts his life at risk every day.
Sometimes the most beautiful moments in life come from our greatest struggles.
'Harmony, I wish I could turn back time. I would have found you sooner so that I could have loved you longer.' - Preston
If there is one thing I could say about reading a book penned by Kelly Elliott, it would be that I know that I am guaranteed a sweet romance story. And sometimes I really need to read something that isn't too complicated or angsty.
Harmony's life gets completely flipped on it's head in one soul destroying moment that takes everything she has ever loved away from her. She hasn't had it easy the past few years anyway and now something that will completely test her faith in the universe has her completely immersed in sorrow.
Preston bore witness to the tragedy that ripped apart Harmony's world and even though he has been conditioned to not get emotionally affected by incidents like this, he just can't stop wondering about this beautiful girl and how she is doing.
Harmony is dealing with life one day at a time and when her path crosses with Preston again she is surprised at how comfortable she feels around him. There is just something there between them that seems to be building the more time they spend together. He makes her feel safe and not so alone anymore. Love begins to blossom but Harmony begins to doubt if she can put her heart through any further heartache by giving it to a man who puts his life at risk every day.
Sometimes the most beautiful moments in life come from our greatest struggles.
'Harmony, I wish I could turn back time. I would have found you sooner so that I could have loved you longer.' - Preston
February 13, 2017
2.5 stars
Searching For Harmony was an OK read.
I failed to connect with the main characters and some of their actions didn't sit well with me which affected my overall enjoyment. This makes me sad as the blurb sounded like my kind of read.
Hoping the next book in the Boston Love series is more to my liking.
Thank you Random House Publishing Group - Loveswept via NetGalley for the advance copy.
Searching For Harmony was an OK read.
I failed to connect with the main characters and some of their actions didn't sit well with me which affected my overall enjoyment. This makes me sad as the blurb sounded like my kind of read.
Hoping the next book in the Boston Love series is more to my liking.
Thank you Random House Publishing Group - Loveswept via NetGalley for the advance copy.
July 8, 2016
The first thing that comes to my mind when I think about this book is how damn sweet it is. The story starts out with tragedy that is very emotional. However the story soon turns into a more positive flow.
The author takes us on a journey of in-depth love that fills your heart and truly is a very sweet story. You find yourself rooting on the characters and hoping for the best.
However, as in all romance stories, there has to be some kind of angst and this one included it in such a manner that I knew it is geared to the YA genre. I'm not going to give up what it happens but it's a frustration to me as a reader to wonder if someone would actually do that and yet end up with a HEA. For me, I would have done away with that whole part of the story and it would've been the perfect read.
Even with that small personal annoyance, I did enjoy the story even as sweet as it was. The author did a great job giving us the depth of emotion and honor to each other which is important in any type of relationship. Something that's often missed in many romance books today.
The author takes us on a journey of in-depth love that fills your heart and truly is a very sweet story. You find yourself rooting on the characters and hoping for the best.
However, as in all romance stories, there has to be some kind of angst and this one included it in such a manner that I knew it is geared to the YA genre. I'm not going to give up what it happens but it's a frustration to me as a reader to wonder if someone would actually do that and yet end up with a HEA. For me, I would have done away with that whole part of the story and it would've been the perfect read.
Even with that small personal annoyance, I did enjoy the story even as sweet as it was. The author did a great job giving us the depth of emotion and honor to each other which is important in any type of relationship. Something that's often missed in many romance books today.
July 12, 2016
I loved every bit of this book! It was touching and emotional. I can't even put into words how it would feel to be in Harmony shoes in the beginning of this book. The turmoil of losing everything you love and having to pick up and move on. Preston happens to be the firefighter and first responder to come upon the wreck and cannot seem to get over the emotional fall out of this one. He seeks out Harmony to try to figure his way out of the emotional burden, but what he finds is so much more. Harmony has no idea how to move on, but the connection she shares with Preston is a leading her to believe there might just be a happy future to still be had.
I was given an ARC of this book by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
I was given an ARC of this book by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
June 28, 2016
This was one of those books I enjoyed reading for a few chapters, thinking this is really going to be a sweet romance, then, not so much. The plot line was very good. I mean, who can resist the story of a young woman who tragically loses everyone close to her, only to be saved by the devastatingly handsome firefighter, who was there that fateful night. But the constant vulgar language was just too much for me. Wish there were disclaimers in the book description. The characters were quite sweet and likeable.
*I received a copy of this book, via Netgalley, in exchange for an honest review*
*I received a copy of this book, via Netgalley, in exchange for an honest review*
April 11, 2023
This is a beautiful story and probably one of Kelly Elliott’s most emotional - and it’s been a few years since I read it so it makes sense to do a reread and fall for these characters all over again. It also reminds you how precious life is - and that is why I love to read!!!
July 29, 2016
Never did I ever for one minute think Kelly Elliott could make me love a book boyfriend more than Gunner Mathews. She came close with Thano, but hands down I am ridiculously in love with Preston Ward.
OMG Kelly! Dark messy hair, light green eyes, sick body and HE'S A FIREFIGHTER! I know, I know, Riley you're so superficial. But seriously looks are the first thing you see. Keep reading though because Preston is just as beautiful inside as he is outside. He's loyal, caring and adores his family.
I'm not going to lie to you. The beginning of this book. The way Harmony and Preston meet is completely gut wrenching. But, as bad as it is when their eyes meet, Preston can't get Harmony out of his mind.
Harmony has suffered quite possibly the worst tragedy that can fall on another person. She's broken and literally left with only her older brother Jake for support. You'll find out all the details when you read Searching For Harmony.
Harmony has made quite an impression on Preston. At first his coworkers worry his attachment to Harmony is for the wrong reason, but soon they come to see how much she means to Preston.
The two keep telling themselves that they're just best friends. It doesn't take a rocket scientist to see the attraction between them begin to grow. They spend a lot of time together and Preston even becomes good friends with Harmony's brother Jake. Their friendship continues to grow and of course their attraction becomes harder and harder to ignore.
They become close enough for Preston to invite Harmony to spend Thanksgiving with his family. She agrees because well they're just friends and friends spend holidays together right? Of course everyone but Harmony and Preston can see that they belong together. I love Preston's little sister. Everything she says is on point.
Guess what? They realize they can't stay away from each other anymore and Harmony goes to Preston's attic room one night. Good thing Preston's room is far from the rest of the family because together they are steaming hot. Preston is unbelievably romantic and the things that he says to Harmony turned me into a puddle of goo.
Kelly Elliott knows how to write insanely romantic characters. Preston is just so perfect. He absolutely worships Harmony and treats her like a princess.
Their need for each other continues to grow and they wind up spending a lot of time together. When someone from Harmony's past comes and dredges up memories from the past, the first person she runs to is Preston. Scarily, Preston is fighting a big house fire and gets trapped in the house. Losing someone she loves is something Harmony fears more than anything so she runs.
Will Preston find Harmony? Will Harmony get over her fears? You know you have to one click to find out. Searching For Harmony is just an amazing story. And it's true, Kelly's going to tear you apart with this book, but she'll also beautifully put you back together again.
Kelly Elliott will forever be one of my go to authors. She can write a story like nobody's business and manages to make you fall in love with her characters. So yes, it finally happened, Kelly created a character I love more than Gunner (sorry Gunner). Five Texas sized (even though Searching For Harmony takes place in Boston) lip smacks for Kelly Elliott and Searching For Harmony!
OMG Kelly! Dark messy hair, light green eyes, sick body and HE'S A FIREFIGHTER! I know, I know, Riley you're so superficial. But seriously looks are the first thing you see. Keep reading though because Preston is just as beautiful inside as he is outside. He's loyal, caring and adores his family.
I'm not going to lie to you. The beginning of this book. The way Harmony and Preston meet is completely gut wrenching. But, as bad as it is when their eyes meet, Preston can't get Harmony out of his mind.
Harmony has suffered quite possibly the worst tragedy that can fall on another person. She's broken and literally left with only her older brother Jake for support. You'll find out all the details when you read Searching For Harmony.
Harmony has made quite an impression on Preston. At first his coworkers worry his attachment to Harmony is for the wrong reason, but soon they come to see how much she means to Preston.
The two keep telling themselves that they're just best friends. It doesn't take a rocket scientist to see the attraction between them begin to grow. They spend a lot of time together and Preston even becomes good friends with Harmony's brother Jake. Their friendship continues to grow and of course their attraction becomes harder and harder to ignore.
They become close enough for Preston to invite Harmony to spend Thanksgiving with his family. She agrees because well they're just friends and friends spend holidays together right? Of course everyone but Harmony and Preston can see that they belong together. I love Preston's little sister. Everything she says is on point.
Guess what? They realize they can't stay away from each other anymore and Harmony goes to Preston's attic room one night. Good thing Preston's room is far from the rest of the family because together they are steaming hot. Preston is unbelievably romantic and the things that he says to Harmony turned me into a puddle of goo.
Kelly Elliott knows how to write insanely romantic characters. Preston is just so perfect. He absolutely worships Harmony and treats her like a princess.
Their need for each other continues to grow and they wind up spending a lot of time together. When someone from Harmony's past comes and dredges up memories from the past, the first person she runs to is Preston. Scarily, Preston is fighting a big house fire and gets trapped in the house. Losing someone she loves is something Harmony fears more than anything so she runs.
Will Preston find Harmony? Will Harmony get over her fears? You know you have to one click to find out. Searching For Harmony is just an amazing story. And it's true, Kelly's going to tear you apart with this book, but she'll also beautifully put you back together again.
Kelly Elliott will forever be one of my go to authors. She can write a story like nobody's business and manages to make you fall in love with her characters. So yes, it finally happened, Kelly created a character I love more than Gunner (sorry Gunner). Five Texas sized (even though Searching For Harmony takes place in Boston) lip smacks for Kelly Elliott and Searching For Harmony!
July 12, 2016
* A review copy was provided by the author/publisher via NetGalley for the Blog Tour *
~ 5 Finding Your Harmony Stars ~
Full REVIEW Now Posted ::
“ Every Princess deserves her Happily Ever After. Follow your heart.”
This sentence sums up what Searching For Harmony was all about. This was a book about tragic loss, healing, and moving on.
As always I love anything Kelly Elliott writes. She is always able to give us a story that is full of emotion, love and romance. I have to say that I felt this book is one of her most emotional books yet. She had tears coming to my eyes in the beginning of the story, but don’t fret…..by the end of the book I had a huge smile on my face.
Even though this storyline was fairly predictable, I found the characters so engaging that I couldn’t put the book down and couldn’t turn the pages fast enough. I truly devoured this book!!! Kelly has this great ability in her writing that sucks the readers in and you feel like you are a part of the story. You can’t help but feel what the characters are feeling and you can’t help but root for them to get their HEA.
In this book we follow the healing journey of both Harmony and Preston. Both characters are in their early 20’s in this book, but Harmony’s story starts when she was 17 and just finishing her high school career. She was dating Trey but had decided to end things when she found out she was pregnant. Doing the right thing Trey and Harmony get married and raise their son together, until one fateful day a tragic accident happens and Harmony loses everything. What she didn’t know that day was fate had another plan for her. This is where Preston came into the picture. Preston is a firefighter and was one of the first responders for Harmony’s accident. What happens at that accident changed both Harmony and Preston’s lives forever. Will these two people be able to pull themselves together and heal?? You’ll have to read the book to find out.
I thought Kelly’s flow and pacing of the story was great. I enjoyed that she had Preston and Harmony become friends and it wasn’t an instant attraction/love situation. These two were both broken in their own way that I truly believed they needed to work things out first before going forward together. I loved how they were able to lean on each other when they needed someone. Another thing about this book I liked a lot was that there wasn’t a lot of outside factors in their way. Yes there was that one character Kelly always gives us that we love to hate (Sherry) but she didn’t stir up drama like we usually see in Kelly’s books. That was quite refreshing.
So if you’re looking for that emotional love story about loss and healing, this is the book to read. Searching For Harmony is a standalone novel, but I am kind of hoping she writes a book for Preston’s siblings. I think they could have interesting stories!!! As I have said before….this is another GREAT read from Kelly.
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~ 5 Finding Your Harmony Stars ~
Full REVIEW Now Posted ::
“ Every Princess deserves her Happily Ever After. Follow your heart.”
This sentence sums up what Searching For Harmony was all about. This was a book about tragic loss, healing, and moving on.
As always I love anything Kelly Elliott writes. She is always able to give us a story that is full of emotion, love and romance. I have to say that I felt this book is one of her most emotional books yet. She had tears coming to my eyes in the beginning of the story, but don’t fret…..by the end of the book I had a huge smile on my face.
Even though this storyline was fairly predictable, I found the characters so engaging that I couldn’t put the book down and couldn’t turn the pages fast enough. I truly devoured this book!!! Kelly has this great ability in her writing that sucks the readers in and you feel like you are a part of the story. You can’t help but feel what the characters are feeling and you can’t help but root for them to get their HEA.
In this book we follow the healing journey of both Harmony and Preston. Both characters are in their early 20’s in this book, but Harmony’s story starts when she was 17 and just finishing her high school career. She was dating Trey but had decided to end things when she found out she was pregnant. Doing the right thing Trey and Harmony get married and raise their son together, until one fateful day a tragic accident happens and Harmony loses everything. What she didn’t know that day was fate had another plan for her. This is where Preston came into the picture. Preston is a firefighter and was one of the first responders for Harmony’s accident. What happens at that accident changed both Harmony and Preston’s lives forever. Will these two people be able to pull themselves together and heal?? You’ll have to read the book to find out.
I thought Kelly’s flow and pacing of the story was great. I enjoyed that she had Preston and Harmony become friends and it wasn’t an instant attraction/love situation. These two were both broken in their own way that I truly believed they needed to work things out first before going forward together. I loved how they were able to lean on each other when they needed someone. Another thing about this book I liked a lot was that there wasn’t a lot of outside factors in their way. Yes there was that one character Kelly always gives us that we love to hate (Sherry) but she didn’t stir up drama like we usually see in Kelly’s books. That was quite refreshing.
So if you’re looking for that emotional love story about loss and healing, this is the book to read. Searching For Harmony is a standalone novel, but I am kind of hoping she writes a book for Preston’s siblings. I think they could have interesting stories!!! As I have said before….this is another GREAT read from Kelly.
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July 9, 2016
3.5 Stars
Review by Trinette Dungee
At the tender age of twenty, Harmony Banks has suffered the ultimate lost. With the help of her brother and firefighter Preston Ward, Harmony is slowing learning to build her life back up and eventually open her heart again.
As a firefighter Preston Ward has seen tragedy but he’s never been as close to the tragedy. While some feel like Preston’s attraction is more out of guilt for not being able to prevent her loss, Preston knows his feelings for Harmony are real. He’s will to be the friend she needs to help her work through her pain and loss.
I’m very particular about certain subject matters that I chose to read and losing a child especially tragically is something I definitely stay away from. When I first started I thought it was going to be Harmony losing her husband but once I realized it was her son too, I almost put the book down; but for some reason I felt the need to continue.
While this was a book about surviving loss and learning to live again Harmony was not what I expected. I thought I was going to spend hours reading about her despair and pain and her spiraling out of control until she reached rock bottom only to come to life again. That was far from what I read. While Harmony grieved she also lived. While she did struggle with the guilt of moving forward with her life she hit a few snags but she made it through and not because she had to but because she wanted to. I wasn’t quite sure what to think of Preston at first because he was just a little too perfect, but I think that was the point. Preston was perfect for Harmony. While his attraction was instant he was completely aware of how fragile their situation was. He patient with Harmony, he was attentive, he was willing to be the friend she needed and he was truly in love with her.
This was a bit of a tear-jerker with just the right amount of sweetness and humor to help you get through it. Quick read…another to add to the summer beach read list.
Review by Trinette Dungee
At the tender age of twenty, Harmony Banks has suffered the ultimate lost. With the help of her brother and firefighter Preston Ward, Harmony is slowing learning to build her life back up and eventually open her heart again.
As a firefighter Preston Ward has seen tragedy but he’s never been as close to the tragedy. While some feel like Preston’s attraction is more out of guilt for not being able to prevent her loss, Preston knows his feelings for Harmony are real. He’s will to be the friend she needs to help her work through her pain and loss.
I’m very particular about certain subject matters that I chose to read and losing a child especially tragically is something I definitely stay away from. When I first started I thought it was going to be Harmony losing her husband but once I realized it was her son too, I almost put the book down; but for some reason I felt the need to continue.
While this was a book about surviving loss and learning to live again Harmony was not what I expected. I thought I was going to spend hours reading about her despair and pain and her spiraling out of control until she reached rock bottom only to come to life again. That was far from what I read. While Harmony grieved she also lived. While she did struggle with the guilt of moving forward with her life she hit a few snags but she made it through and not because she had to but because she wanted to. I wasn’t quite sure what to think of Preston at first because he was just a little too perfect, but I think that was the point. Preston was perfect for Harmony. While his attraction was instant he was completely aware of how fragile their situation was. He patient with Harmony, he was attentive, he was willing to be the friend she needed and he was truly in love with her.
This was a bit of a tear-jerker with just the right amount of sweetness and humor to help you get through it. Quick read…another to add to the summer beach read list.
April 9, 2023
Oh my word! That was a real smorgasbord of emotions, I think I felt them all!
With the love in abundance, I loved how Preston was a very caring young man! He seemed to have an old head on his young shoulders.
Harmony , oh my! That poor girl. What she had been through boy! So tough, but she was a very strong woman, when she thought she was moving in, bamm something came and knocked her right back on her butt! Testing her strength even further!
Whilst they met under the saddest of situations, I felt that date had a big hand in. Ringing them together, as a parent j can’t even begin to imagine what Harmony was going through, she had to learn to navigate through her ‘new’ normal and with everything that came with it - fear, guilt, suspense, surprises, and love in the unexpected of places.
I loved her big brother Jake, what a great man to have in your corner, they had a great relationship, and I loved that Jake and Preston formed a friendship out of a tragedy.
Loved the close bond of Preston’s family, how they all saw just how far he’d fallen for Harmony, his parents were great, he had a great relationship with both of them, plus his siblings.
I got ALL the feels, a subject matter that’s tough, told in a very sympathetic way.
With the love in abundance, I loved how Preston was a very caring young man! He seemed to have an old head on his young shoulders.
Harmony , oh my! That poor girl. What she had been through boy! So tough, but she was a very strong woman, when she thought she was moving in, bamm something came and knocked her right back on her butt! Testing her strength even further!
Whilst they met under the saddest of situations, I felt that date had a big hand in. Ringing them together, as a parent j can’t even begin to imagine what Harmony was going through, she had to learn to navigate through her ‘new’ normal and with everything that came with it - fear, guilt, suspense, surprises, and love in the unexpected of places.
I loved her big brother Jake, what a great man to have in your corner, they had a great relationship, and I loved that Jake and Preston formed a friendship out of a tragedy.
Loved the close bond of Preston’s family, how they all saw just how far he’d fallen for Harmony, his parents were great, he had a great relationship with both of them, plus his siblings.
I got ALL the feels, a subject matter that’s tough, told in a very sympathetic way.
June 25, 2016
I read a lot. I read to relax, to take my mind briefly to another, better place. My brother teases me incessantly about those korny book covers, reading the sappy backs describing the story often exaggerating the plot especially if it mentions his straining member and her quivering breasts, and he says too beautiful to be real girl and too muscular and hot to be real boy meet, boy and girl have an instant connection, then boy does something to make the girl mad and he has to fight for her and he laughs hysterically and asks why these stories can't be more realistic. And I say "because real life is around us every day, I read these stories to get away from reality" so saying that, I couldn't finish Searching for Harmony by Kelly Elliott after page 20. I'm sure it's a very good story and romance, but I don't deal with death or grief well, so unfortunately this one is a no go, I might have been able to finish the book had it been her ahole cheating husband or something like that, but not her baby. That's just not light entertainment to me. Sorry.
Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC in exchange for a honest review.
Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC in exchange for a honest review.
April 27, 2023
This is my first time reading a Kelly Elliot's book....it was purely phenomenal.... It gripped my attention from the very dramatic beginning to the very anticipated end....Powerful, compassionate, with strong independent realistic characters. Excellent dramatic storyline....
I love how much Preston Ward cared and cherish Harmony and wanted to wholeheartedly take care of her...their love was unconditionally unique and rare....
Highly recommended
I love how much Preston Ward cared and cherish Harmony and wanted to wholeheartedly take care of her...their love was unconditionally unique and rare....
Highly recommended
July 1, 2016
I really liked this one. There are one or two things I would have liked to see handled differently but overall it was a very enjoyable read. The story starts out very dramatically and had me glued to the pages to see what happened. To me, that's that sign of a great read. I could feel the emotional turmoil that both Preston and Harmony were going through and their connection seemed real and true. I don't want to say to much and spoil the story but this is definitely a book I would recommend.
January 20, 2024
1.5 stars
I usually pick up Kelly Elliot books because they are a quick and enjoyable read for me after a long book or one with difficult subject matter. Thank goodness this was kindle unlimited and I could return it. I was so bored😴
I don't like to give books such low scores but I pretty much skimmed this entire book. I was bored because it was so predictable. Eye rolling sex scenes and one extremely awkward scene with Harmony's co worker Chuck. It was as if the author thought, hmmmm I need to show the readers that Preston is alpha tough so I think I will put this scene in with Chuck and Preston. Before this little scene, Chuck is a side note, a passing character, never one to be concerned with.
Don't even get me started on the dialogue🙄
I usually pick up Kelly Elliot books because they are a quick and enjoyable read for me after a long book or one with difficult subject matter. Thank goodness this was kindle unlimited and I could return it. I was so bored😴
I don't like to give books such low scores but I pretty much skimmed this entire book. I was bored because it was so predictable. Eye rolling sex scenes and one extremely awkward scene with Harmony's co worker Chuck. It was as if the author thought, hmmmm I need to show the readers that Preston is alpha tough so I think I will put this scene in with Chuck and Preston. Before this little scene, Chuck is a side note, a passing character, never one to be concerned with.
Don't even get me started on the dialogue🙄
October 23, 2025
This was my first book by Kelly Elliott and it was great 😊 emotional, touching and romantic 💕 Preston was a true gentleman. When he first meets Harmony it’s the worst day of her life. He is a firefighter and she was in a horrific accident. The story follows their developing relationship amidst Harmony’s tragic past and how they find their HEA.
April 18, 2017
This was pretty good and cute but also terribly fast
August 9, 2017
3.5 stars
June 22, 2016
While searching for a romantic read, I stumbled across this “new to me” author on NetGalley. Though I certainly never shy away from angst, I just got to say this started off as one very depressing storyline. Trey, Harmony’s “married him only because he’s my teenage baby daddy” husband and child are killed right off the bat. It is under that gut-wrenching scenario she meets the firefighter/first responder hero, Preston Ward. After not being able to save her son, he’s drawn into her circle of loss and despair and obviously hopes to find some peace for himself by helping her and her brother, Jake, move on.
Preston has a live-in girlfriend, Sherry. He’s been dating her for two years, so, needless to say, she’s getting ticked off and antsy he hasn’t popped the question. Though he’s considered it, even looked at rings, he can’t seem to bring himself to do it. Why? He can’t picture himself being married to her. (Raising my eyebrow here) So…why the heck is he still with her? It wasn’t hard for me to figure it out. She is one of those sugary sweet, bitchy types who looks down on him because he doesn’t have a high paying job. Sort of like the female character Lemon in Hart of Dixie. Smiles while she is hurling demeaning insults. Unfortunately, that still doesn’t explain why Preston didn’t cut her loose long before meeting Harmony.
Anyway, there are a couple very brief, not overly detailed smexy scenes where Preston allows his girlfriend to help take his mind off of Harmony’s tragic car accident. I’m mentioning because that is a major no-no to some readers. They deserve a heads-up if that’s a deal breaker for them. I can’t say I’m a fan of it myself and didn’t really see the point in including it. Also, there are a few occasions where Harmony mentally compares Trey to Preston…in all possible ways. I think you catch my drift there (physically, emotionally, sexually). Other men/other women drama, dead or alive, is something I prefer left out of all my romantic reads.
It isn’t too long until Preston does break things off with Sherry and finds himself spending more time with Harmony, who recently discovered another reason her husband had been distant the last six months or so. It’s an issue that is explained in even more unwanted details later on. Again, I simply didn’t see the point in adding that element, as well. Marrying him because of the baby was enough drama.
Though most of it was well-written, I must admit if this were a made for TV movie I probably would have changed the channel early on. With its Nicholas Sparks type beginning, I’m usually not up for a lot of sad drama. By 50% into it, I was still waiting for this couple to declare their feelings for one another and take it to the next level. Instead I got a lot of inner dialog why they were attracted to each other and unimportant sub-characters popping out of thin air and hitting on them. I found myself searching for a reason to continue reading. Yes, it was sweet to see them falling for each other but very slow paced, noneventful. That writing trend continued even after they became intimate and officially started dating. My fellow romance book-loving friends, this book just seemed overly l-o-n-g for the limited storyline. When the predictable yet irrational separation came near the end, I was so disengaged I just wanted it to end. In fact, I stopped reading at 90%. Yes, they got their HEA, but by then I didn’t care about any more specific details. I was tired of all the talk about feelings, and frankly, just tired of the whole story.
Title: Searching For Harmony, Author: Kelly Elliott, Pages: not listed, stand-alone, firefighter/first responder hero, heroine’s husband & 18 month old child die, brief OW drama, married due to teenage pregnancy, classy bookcover, slow paced, sweet, innocent, friendship relationship the first half, starts dating around 60%, good guy hero, some steamy scenes with lusty language, young adult romance.
(This review is based on ARC generously provided by the author in exchange for an honest, unbiased opinion. No compensation was paid to the reviewer nor is there any affiliation between the reviewer and author/publisher.)
Preston has a live-in girlfriend, Sherry. He’s been dating her for two years, so, needless to say, she’s getting ticked off and antsy he hasn’t popped the question. Though he’s considered it, even looked at rings, he can’t seem to bring himself to do it. Why? He can’t picture himself being married to her. (Raising my eyebrow here) So…why the heck is he still with her? It wasn’t hard for me to figure it out. She is one of those sugary sweet, bitchy types who looks down on him because he doesn’t have a high paying job. Sort of like the female character Lemon in Hart of Dixie. Smiles while she is hurling demeaning insults. Unfortunately, that still doesn’t explain why Preston didn’t cut her loose long before meeting Harmony.
Anyway, there are a couple very brief, not overly detailed smexy scenes where Preston allows his girlfriend to help take his mind off of Harmony’s tragic car accident. I’m mentioning because that is a major no-no to some readers. They deserve a heads-up if that’s a deal breaker for them. I can’t say I’m a fan of it myself and didn’t really see the point in including it. Also, there are a few occasions where Harmony mentally compares Trey to Preston…in all possible ways. I think you catch my drift there (physically, emotionally, sexually). Other men/other women drama, dead or alive, is something I prefer left out of all my romantic reads.
It isn’t too long until Preston does break things off with Sherry and finds himself spending more time with Harmony, who recently discovered another reason her husband had been distant the last six months or so. It’s an issue that is explained in even more unwanted details later on. Again, I simply didn’t see the point in adding that element, as well. Marrying him because of the baby was enough drama.
Though most of it was well-written, I must admit if this were a made for TV movie I probably would have changed the channel early on. With its Nicholas Sparks type beginning, I’m usually not up for a lot of sad drama. By 50% into it, I was still waiting for this couple to declare their feelings for one another and take it to the next level. Instead I got a lot of inner dialog why they were attracted to each other and unimportant sub-characters popping out of thin air and hitting on them. I found myself searching for a reason to continue reading. Yes, it was sweet to see them falling for each other but very slow paced, noneventful. That writing trend continued even after they became intimate and officially started dating. My fellow romance book-loving friends, this book just seemed overly l-o-n-g for the limited storyline. When the predictable yet irrational separation came near the end, I was so disengaged I just wanted it to end. In fact, I stopped reading at 90%. Yes, they got their HEA, but by then I didn’t care about any more specific details. I was tired of all the talk about feelings, and frankly, just tired of the whole story.
Title: Searching For Harmony, Author: Kelly Elliott, Pages: not listed, stand-alone, firefighter/first responder hero, heroine’s husband & 18 month old child die, brief OW drama, married due to teenage pregnancy, classy bookcover, slow paced, sweet, innocent, friendship relationship the first half, starts dating around 60%, good guy hero, some steamy scenes with lusty language, young adult romance.
(This review is based on ARC generously provided by the author in exchange for an honest, unbiased opinion. No compensation was paid to the reviewer nor is there any affiliation between the reviewer and author/publisher.)
September 4, 2019
I got the ARC of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review and I quite enjoyed it... :) yeah, I had some problems with it, but nothing really major... ;) it was more connected to my personal preferences as a reader ;) but I absolutely loved the writing style and will definitely check other books from this author :) so let me tell you a little bit more about the story :)
I'm gonna start with the main characters :) both Harmony and Preston are in their early twenties... and I think that some of my problems with them were connected solely to that fact... that they are actually both very young... so some misscommunications and angst are usually connected to that ;) but that one thing aside, I really loved them... even though they met under very tragic circumstances... Harmony is in a car accident and Preston is one of the firefighters responding to that call... I don't want to say too much about that whole situation, because not much is actually explained in the synopsis, and I don't want to spoil you... it really packs more of an emotional punch, if you know less than more :) but what I can say is that after that event, after a few months, they meet again... and it's really hard to ignore that connection between them.. but because of many different reasons, they start as friends... until that connection takes over ;) sorry for being vague, but I can't really say anything more without spoilers sooo... maybe let me share something else with you ;) I absolutely loved the interactions between Preston and Harmony... the longer they knew each other, the better they were... :) and even though sometimes they did something that irritated me... because usually a lot of drama could be avoided if people just talk to each other... using words and everything... ;) I can't help but understand where they were coming from, so ultimately I forgave them... ;)
Besides the main couple, there were actually quite a lot of secondary characters... and I'm gonna tell you a bit more about the ones I really loved :) so we have Jake, Harmony's older brother... he was protective and supportive and just... so wonderful... and he has a few scenes, especially towards the end of the book, that made me really happy ;) besides him I need to mention practically the whole family of Preston... I mean... his parents, two brothers and especially younger sister... they were amazing :) I adored every scene they were in, and the more members in one, the better ;) they were just such a vibrant and fun group, and I definitely wouldn't mind read a story about some of them ;)
Overall I really enjoyed this book ;) even though some things bothered me a little, who am I really to judge how people handle tragic events in their lives or how much time they need to overcome them... the writing style was phenomenal :) the whole book was told from two perspectives, so we got to see inside the minds of our main couple, and I always like that in books... I had no big problems with Harmony or Preston... actually, the more I read about them, the more I understood where some of the things they did came from... :) so if you are looking for a lovely and emotional story of two people finding each other under very unusual circumstances, with the writing style that will keep you glued to the pages, definitely give this little gem a try ;)
XOXO
A
I'm gonna start with the main characters :) both Harmony and Preston are in their early twenties... and I think that some of my problems with them were connected solely to that fact... that they are actually both very young... so some misscommunications and angst are usually connected to that ;) but that one thing aside, I really loved them... even though they met under very tragic circumstances... Harmony is in a car accident and Preston is one of the firefighters responding to that call... I don't want to say too much about that whole situation, because not much is actually explained in the synopsis, and I don't want to spoil you... it really packs more of an emotional punch, if you know less than more :) but what I can say is that after that event, after a few months, they meet again... and it's really hard to ignore that connection between them.. but because of many different reasons, they start as friends... until that connection takes over ;) sorry for being vague, but I can't really say anything more without spoilers sooo... maybe let me share something else with you ;) I absolutely loved the interactions between Preston and Harmony... the longer they knew each other, the better they were... :) and even though sometimes they did something that irritated me... because usually a lot of drama could be avoided if people just talk to each other... using words and everything... ;) I can't help but understand where they were coming from, so ultimately I forgave them... ;)
Besides the main couple, there were actually quite a lot of secondary characters... and I'm gonna tell you a bit more about the ones I really loved :) so we have Jake, Harmony's older brother... he was protective and supportive and just... so wonderful... and he has a few scenes, especially towards the end of the book, that made me really happy ;) besides him I need to mention practically the whole family of Preston... I mean... his parents, two brothers and especially younger sister... they were amazing :) I adored every scene they were in, and the more members in one, the better ;) they were just such a vibrant and fun group, and I definitely wouldn't mind read a story about some of them ;)
Overall I really enjoyed this book ;) even though some things bothered me a little, who am I really to judge how people handle tragic events in their lives or how much time they need to overcome them... the writing style was phenomenal :) the whole book was told from two perspectives, so we got to see inside the minds of our main couple, and I always like that in books... I had no big problems with Harmony or Preston... actually, the more I read about them, the more I understood where some of the things they did came from... :) so if you are looking for a lovely and emotional story of two people finding each other under very unusual circumstances, with the writing style that will keep you glued to the pages, definitely give this little gem a try ;)
XOXO
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