ARC Review: The Story of Us by Tara Sivec

I received this book for free from Publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
 
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Released: June 13th 2017
Pages: 288

“That being said, Tara Sivec does a superb job creating a twisty, didn’t-see-THAT-coming, plot that had me sucking in a breath (dayum!) and even had me crying at one point.”
~ Under the Covers

The Story of Us begins with a horrific scene-two Marines held hostage and nearly beaten to death at the hands of terrorists.

Eli has been held captive for five years (along with his best friend, Rylan) and their loved ones back home believe they are dead. The only thing that has helped Eli hang on is thoughts of Shelby.

Her laughter, her smile, the smell of her skin.

And the lie he told her before being deployed.

I never should have left you. I’ll never stop loving you, even if you hate me for walking away.

Shelby has lied to protect the only man she’s ever loved. Even though Eli broke her heart, she is prepared to sacrifice her life to defend the memory of the boy she loved.

The Story of Us is filled with secrets and lies and when Eli returns home from the dead–everything comes crashing down around a prominent, wealthy, Southern family.

While I ended up loving the conclusion of this heartbreaking love story, I did have a difficult time connecting with the hero and heroine. The reader doesn’t get to see the beginning of Shelby and Eli’s relationship until later…and then, it only comes in bits and pieces. And it also comes from Eli, through written letters that Shelby never received. I think the way their past was told had an effect on my lack of caring for these characters. It wasn’t until about 2/3 of the way into the book that I felt a deeper connection, but by then I had started shamelessly skimming just to see what was going to happen. Maybe if the story had been written in a more linear fashion, I would have connected sooner? I dunno.

That being said, Tara Sivec does a superb job creating a twisty, didn’t-see-THAT-coming, plot that had me sucking in a breath (dayum!) and even had me crying at one point. So, I am not left feeling totally deflated.

The Story of Us is told in dual POV and has some epic moments and surprises in store for the reader—they just happened a little too late for me to justify a higher rating.

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