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Crutches
Megan, Alice, and Ellie have been best friends since high school. In the 15 years of friendship they have faced nearly every obstacle Weddings, babies, Megan's near fatal car crash, and Ellie's infertility. When Ellie's husband, Levi, decides he doesn't want the family life after all and leaves her; The friends decide that it's just another storm for them to weather out. But things quickly go from bad to worse when Levi is found dead and the police believe that there may be more than the friends are letting on.
248 pages, Kindle Edition
First published March 7, 2013
4 people are currently reading
10 people want to read
About the author
Kate Hershberger
8 books32 followersKate Hershberger was born in South Bend, Indiana and later raised in the foothills of North Carolina where she lives with her wife and their menagerie of rescue pets. She dreams of writing full time in New England, living as a modern day Jessica Fletcher (minus the murders).
*This author is part of iReadIndies, a collective of self-published independent authors of women loving women (WLW) literature. Please visit our website at iReadIndies.com for more information and to find links to the books published by our authors.
*This author is part of iReadIndies, a collective of self-published independent authors of women loving women (WLW) literature. Please visit our website at iReadIndies.com for more information and to find links to the books published by our authors.
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Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
August 26, 2019
This book has a little bit of everything in it. It is a book about friendships, relationships, romance and has a mysterious crime element. The main women have been friends for a long time and much has happened over their years of friendship. Those details are revealed little by little, as are the details of each woman's character.
Each of the three main characters is in a different life situation. One has failed relationships, another a very successful, understanding, loving relationship, and the third is quite complicated.
Unfortunately when the soon-to-be-EX husband of the complicated woman is found dead, life becomes seriously entangled for all involved.
Can their friendship survive? Will an innocent woman be sent away for a crime she did not commit? Is she keeping secrets from the other two?
Intensely emotionally draining, this one will keep you turning pages.
I requested a copy of this book through Voracious Readers to review.
Each of the three main characters is in a different life situation. One has failed relationships, another a very successful, understanding, loving relationship, and the third is quite complicated.
Unfortunately when the soon-to-be-EX husband of the complicated woman is found dead, life becomes seriously entangled for all involved.
Can their friendship survive? Will an innocent woman be sent away for a crime she did not commit? Is she keeping secrets from the other two?
Intensely emotionally draining, this one will keep you turning pages.
I requested a copy of this book through Voracious Readers to review.
October 6, 2019
Overall, I did enjoy this novel. While I understood it to be a mystery, I think billing it as such was an unfortunate choice. It read more as the portrait of a friendship, with the main conflict or adversity being the fallout from the death of one of the friends' husbands.
I think telling the story from alternating viewpoints was a successful choice. It allowed the three primary characters not only demonstrate their complexity, but also provided opportunity for extra insight into the relationship dynamics between the women (I think there a lot missed opportunities in the latter case). I think including the one male perspective was a distraction from the main plot and I would have preferred it be omitted. In fact, I found all the male characters were thinly constructed (which may well have been an intentional choice as the focus was - and needed to be - on the women).
However, I found that the story read more as a draft than a complete work. There were a lot of mistakes both in the language (including some really awkward wording), but also some messy bits in the story itself.
For starters, I felt that the pop culture references (SERIOUS props for working in a Remington Steele reference - it remains my absolute favourite show) were out of step with the purported ages and setting of the story. To provide some perspective: I am 41 years old, and, while I remember Remington Steele being on the air, my recollections are extremely vague (I rediscovered it in my 20s - I was about 10 when it concluded airing), and my great-uncles would have been of an age to serve in WW2 - but both my grandparents and parents were older when they had children. Had the novel been set in the early 2000s, I would have been much more convinced of the characters' familiarity with these references. I should clarify that I didn't catch any indication that the story was set in a time other than present day.
In the second place, I felt that the author should have done deeper (or any) research into the legal profession/legal system. (I am not in the legal profession nor have I done any research - I just like crime procedurals). There was at least one element - possibly two - in this novel that would have seen Alice up on disciplinary charges - or possibly even disbarred. In addition, another lawyer demonstrated some seriously questionable behaviour that, I suspect, is at least frowned upon in the field.
Based on this having been billed as a mystery, I found the element of mystery to be very weak. There wasn't any real tension for me in finding out the whodunnit element. Partly, this was the way Levi had been set out as character, and partly, it was the way the resolution unfolded. I think there was a lot of room to develop this element.
I think another editing pass to clean up some of the discrepancies and language problems, as well as perhaps some clarity about what this novel is really trying to be would make a big difference to this book.
Having said that, the characters (female) were interesting, compelling, and left me want to know more of their stories. I would be open to reading more from this author.
I received a copy of this novel through Voracious Readers Only.
I think telling the story from alternating viewpoints was a successful choice. It allowed the three primary characters not only demonstrate their complexity, but also provided opportunity for extra insight into the relationship dynamics between the women (I think there a lot missed opportunities in the latter case). I think including the one male perspective was a distraction from the main plot and I would have preferred it be omitted. In fact, I found all the male characters were thinly constructed (which may well have been an intentional choice as the focus was - and needed to be - on the women).
However, I found that the story read more as a draft than a complete work. There were a lot of mistakes both in the language (including some really awkward wording), but also some messy bits in the story itself.
For starters, I felt that the pop culture references (SERIOUS props for working in a Remington Steele reference - it remains my absolute favourite show) were out of step with the purported ages and setting of the story. To provide some perspective: I am 41 years old, and, while I remember Remington Steele being on the air, my recollections are extremely vague (I rediscovered it in my 20s - I was about 10 when it concluded airing), and my great-uncles would have been of an age to serve in WW2 - but both my grandparents and parents were older when they had children. Had the novel been set in the early 2000s, I would have been much more convinced of the characters' familiarity with these references. I should clarify that I didn't catch any indication that the story was set in a time other than present day.
In the second place, I felt that the author should have done deeper (or any) research into the legal profession/legal system. (I am not in the legal profession nor have I done any research - I just like crime procedurals). There was at least one element - possibly two - in this novel that would have seen Alice up on disciplinary charges - or possibly even disbarred. In addition, another lawyer demonstrated some seriously questionable behaviour that, I suspect, is at least frowned upon in the field.
Based on this having been billed as a mystery, I found the element of mystery to be very weak. There wasn't any real tension for me in finding out the whodunnit element. Partly, this was the way Levi had been set out as character, and partly, it was the way the resolution unfolded. I think there was a lot of room to develop this element.
I think another editing pass to clean up some of the discrepancies and language problems, as well as perhaps some clarity about what this novel is really trying to be would make a big difference to this book.
Having said that, the characters (female) were interesting, compelling, and left me want to know more of their stories. I would be open to reading more from this author.
I received a copy of this novel through Voracious Readers Only.
July 21, 2019
One could sell this book as a murder mystery- When the errant husband Levi is suddenly found dead in a hotel room , all fingers raise to his wife's beautiful friend Megan as the possible murderer.
But I would not recommend this book as a murder mystery .
To me this book was all about the great friendship between three high school friends .The simple Ellie ,the hot shot lawyer Alice and the beautiful once famous now crippled Artist Megan.
Their kinship is heart warming.
Megan's character is so beautifully etched that one can relate to her and get inspired by character of a strong girl .
The murder mystery could have been made little more interesting but then not everything in life has to be as complicated !
To sum it up, this book makes for a great read - I recommend !
But I would not recommend this book as a murder mystery .
To me this book was all about the great friendship between three high school friends .The simple Ellie ,the hot shot lawyer Alice and the beautiful once famous now crippled Artist Megan.
Their kinship is heart warming.
Megan's character is so beautifully etched that one can relate to her and get inspired by character of a strong girl .
The murder mystery could have been made little more interesting but then not everything in life has to be as complicated !
To sum it up, this book makes for a great read - I recommend !
July 19, 2019
Over all I found this book enjoyable, especially when it comes to Megan’s arrest and her, understandably so, believing she’s going to be locked up for life. My only criticism was that prior to that, the development of the story felt somewhat...incomplete. I was left wondering what the characters looked like, what they might sound like, the details of their lives that would have connected me to them on a deeper level. So it was an easy read, enjoyable once the action started taking place and I appreciated the challenges that Ellie, Megan and Alice had as friends who grew up together.
Thank you to Voracious Readers Only for the complimentary copy.
Thank you to Voracious Readers Only for the complimentary copy.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 14, 2019
I received a complimentary copy of Crutches from Voracious Readers Only and the author. Once I started reading this novel, I was hooked. I could not stop reading it, and when I wasn't reading it I was thinking about it. I loved how it switched between the 3 friends and eventually James' point of views. By having each character give their side of the story, I was able to form a better picture of what was going on. I also got to know each character better. I can't wait to read more by this author.
July 31, 2019
I received a free copy of this book from the author via Voracious Readers Only.
I really, really enjoyed this book, BUT! I found it very annoying the way it kept on changing voices. (i.e Megan talking; Alice talking; Ellie talking; James talking) I am not fond of books written in the first person anyway WITHOUT the voice constantly changing!
But it is a nice story so worth struggling through the initial confusion.
I enjoyed it so much regardless that I have given it 5 stars.
I really, really enjoyed this book, BUT! I found it very annoying the way it kept on changing voices. (i.e Megan talking; Alice talking; Ellie talking; James talking) I am not fond of books written in the first person anyway WITHOUT the voice constantly changing!
But it is a nice story so worth struggling through the initial confusion.
I enjoyed it so much regardless that I have given it 5 stars.
August 13, 2019
I received this from Voracious Readers Only in exchange for an honest review . My only beef with this book was that the point of view kept changing and I found myself having to go back and see who was talking in the first person . Otherwise this book was pretty good. A story of three friends now in their early thirties ? That have been together since childhood. They’ve grown up but still share a meal every Friday at their local spot and continue to have each other’s backs. A crisis ensues but they all come out of it unscathed, relatively, but I am had that this was just a stand-alone !
August 20, 2019
I received a free copy for review from voracious readers only.
Once I got used to the format I was sent I really enjoyed this book. It was fast paced and entertaining. I liked the bite sized chunks written from the perspective of each of the 3 main characters, making it a quick read but the story flowed without losing track or getting confusing.
I would definitely recommend this book to others.
Once I got used to the format I was sent I really enjoyed this book. It was fast paced and entertaining. I liked the bite sized chunks written from the perspective of each of the 3 main characters, making it a quick read but the story flowed without losing track or getting confusing.
I would definitely recommend this book to others.
July 18, 2019
This story is about three best friends of 15 years and how fate puts one in the wrong place at the wrong time.
This puts their friendship to the test and shows how believing in your friends somehow gets you through.
Three different lives and circumstances get entangled into one.
I really enjoyed this book that was sent via the author through Voracious Readers.
This puts their friendship to the test and shows how believing in your friends somehow gets you through.
Three different lives and circumstances get entangled into one.
I really enjoyed this book that was sent via the author through Voracious Readers.
July 15, 2019
I received a Complimentary Copy of this book from Voracious Readers Only.
I Enjoyed this book!!
I Enjoyed the characters—they were likeable and relatable!!
The death of Levi was
twist that added suspense.
This is a well written book!!
I Enjoyed this book!!
I Enjoyed the characters—they were likeable and relatable!!
The death of Levi was
twist that added suspense.
This is a well written book!!
August 7, 2019
Very enjoyable book.
August 6, 2019
This story overall was about friendships and relationships, with a little murder mystery on the side. Whilst I did like the story and the characters, I just found myself wanting more.
November 8, 2023
A lifetime of friendship is more about the care given to the sister in support of life.
Ellie, Allice and Megan have been friends since high school. I found it heartwarming that even though they did not share all the details of their story with each other their loved remained strong. This mystery had so many twists as the story unfolds and they really share burdens. A great read I loved, full of life moments difficult but endured with love.
Ellie, Allice and Megan have been friends since high school. I found it heartwarming that even though they did not share all the details of their story with each other their loved remained strong. This mystery had so many twists as the story unfolds and they really share burdens. A great read I loved, full of life moments difficult but endured with love.
November 4, 2023
I received this book in return for an honest review. I loved this book,it had everything friendship, romance, murder & more. It had me gripped right from the beginning. Thank you.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews