Title: Where One Goes Author: B.N. Toler
Editor: Marilyn from Eagle Eye Reads
Copy Line Editor: Rae from 77 Peaches for Proof
Publication Date: March 18th 2015 by B N Toler
Plot: I was never one to believe in spirits—until six years ago, when a bone-chilling accident changed my life…forever.
My name is Charlotte, but most people call me Char…and I have a special gift.
I talk to the dead.
Make no mistake, I can’t summon them. I’m only able to see and speak to the spirits that linger when they’re unable to crossover. They’re somehow weighted to the world with unfinished affairs. And for the last six years, I’ve relentlessly used my gift to help their lost souls.
But it’s come at a price. My life is dark. Feeling despondent, I’ve begun to give up. And in helping the dead, I’ve realized I haven’t allowed myself to live. With no money, no place to go, and most importantly… no hope, I’ve decided there is only one option—to end it all.
But fate is a funny thing. One minute, I’m about to leap to my death, and the next, I’m saved by Ike McDermott. The strong, striking soldier stopped me from putting an end to my despair. He’s the kind of man that smiles and brightens an entire room. Sweet and gentle.
He is my savior.
And he’s dead.
We’ve made an agreement. He’ll help me find a place to stay and a new job if I’ll help him with his unfinished business so that he may crossover.
Ike’s unfinished matter involves his twin brother, George. George has been falling apart since Ike’s death and Ike has not been able to compel himself to crossover in peace until he knows George will be okay.
When I agreed to help, little did I know that I’d fall in love with the charming folks of Bath County, and…Ike and George McDermott.
Now, as both brothers own equal parts of my heart, I am faced with a cruel and unfair predicament. In saving George, I must let go of Ike.
But how does one let go of half of their heart?
☆✮ My Review ✮☆
☆ I received an ARC via the author in exchange for an honest review. Thank you! ! ☆
Where does one truly go when they die? Heaven?…Hell?… The in between?... No where? … What happens when you leave with unfinished business and the only person can help you is afraid of their own shadow?.:
There aren’t many books that can actually make me cry but Where One Goes managed to pull a fast one on me.
To state the obvious, this book centers around love, loss, coping with death, and moving forward with your life.
Charlotte “Char” is a young women who’ve after one fatal tragedy, developed the ability to see and hear those who have passed away.
Reeling from the affects it’s forced upon on her, her family, and friends-- Char finds herself floating adrift around the country while trying to grasp and hold on to what normal life she can get while keeping her gift a secret.
You see, the dead come to her, and with that Char’s [reluctantly] compelled to help them so that they can crossover to the next life.
That is, until one day she decides to end it all and ends up meeting Ike McDermott--- a strapping soldier who had died in Afghanistan months prior.
Ike, who’s been in this ghostly limbo ever since his passing, propositions Char if she can save his family, more particularly his twin brother, George, and fellow war buddy from falling apart—then he can help guarantee her a place to live and work and find some sort of normalcy and stability.
There’s just a few catches that neither Ike, Char, and even George never expected to find--- love.hope.salvation.home.family.healing.
Now with Char slowly getting to know and falling for these two different guys—one who happens to be dead. The other alive.
How will everything pan out?
I shouldn’t be reacting this way to him. I’m only meant to help him crossover…I mean, what kind of person develops a crush on a set of brothers, let alone with a dead one in the mix? But I can’t deny I’m drawn to the McDermott twins.
How will George and his family react to Char’s gift and her wondrous talent to see and converse with the dead? With Ike? Will Char’s capability prove to be a blessing in disguise? Or will it be her greatest downfall?
And when that time comes to bid the final goodbye.... can these characters learn to gather what they’ve learned and make the best of what little and precious time we have on this earth?
Will Ike find the peace and tranquility he’s looking for? Will he be able to let go of the girl he never got to get in life, but in death?
Will George be able to let go of his guilt and his inner rage? Will he stop dwindling himself into oblivion and find the absolution he so desperately seeks?
And lastly, Char. Will Char be able to find freedom, redemption, and acceptance from those around her and her own self? Will she be able to confront her past and accept her gift for what it is?
Read and you will find out!
So, my thoughts:To say that I wasn’t affected by this read, I’d be lying, as I would think that at a point of time or two, everyone is affected by the passing of a loved one and experiences the devastation and insurmountable grief that follows.
What struck so hard about this novel was this quote---
It’s something so heartbreaking and yet true. To take your own life, you don’t realize the major effect on those you leave behind and it causes for conflicting sentiments of anguish, sadness, anger and desolation. It leaves a deep mark upon your soul.
Granted, this book revolves around those who had not chosen to leave this world by choice but rather tragically. For me, and my case, where I’d lost my younger brother to suicide, it struck an emotional chord in me deep within my heart.
I remember on that dark day, I wanted to beg and curse God at why he had to take my brother away? Why did good people have to die?
What it ultimately made me realize was that in my brother's untimely death, it brought my family together and made me take into value the wonderful family and support system that I do have in my life; and how I could not dwell in the misgivings of the past but move on toward my future.
It’s like how my sister pointed out to me at one time, “death is so final” and it’s not something you can take back. After all, you only get to live once. Figuratively speaking, that is.
Where One Goes was raw, honest, and powerful. Char’s character was so unbelievably strong and courageous throughout as she tries to live her life with this curse as she feels was bestowed upon her. But in the end, she ends up discovering her true calling and potential. And most importantly, how to love her own self.
I think that’s all you can really do when you’re in this world as we navigate through the highs and the lows and unveil our purpose and why we are here in the first place.
No one knows exactly when it’s their time to die. We live. And then we die. It’s the cycle of life really. And as hard as it is, we have to make the best out of it and live everyday like it’s our last.
I really appreciate this read, as EVERY.SINGLE.PART of it made a difference in my life as of now. It wasn’t the type of novel where only a certain part or passage made an impact on me. From the very first time I opened my kindle and began reading it sucked me in and grounded me.
Thank you Ms. Toler, for in a way, saving ME!
My Rating:
♥♥♥♥♥
☆✮ Excerpt ✮☆
Ike and Charlotte
It’s nine in the morning and Charlotte is still sleeping. She looks different with dry hair in the light of day. Her dark hair is shiny and soft, fanned out over the pillows. Her lips are now pink, not blue as they were last night. She’s on her stomach, the blanket just barely covering her ass. Her skin looks so smooth and creamy, I’d give anything to touch it. I know I shouldn’t be staring at her like this, but I can’t help it. I may be dead, but I’m still a man—I like to look at beautiful women.
I have to get her up. She needs to get to her truck, and we need to get her a job immediately.
“Wake up! Wake up! Wake up!” I yell, and clap my hands in front of her face. She jolts up, her eyes frantic. I get a great shot of her breasts, and dear God, they are beautiful, I mean, call me an asshole, but I have no shame in staring at her before she jerks the blanket up, covering herself. Man, I miss the feel of a woman. Their softness, their warmness.
“I’m going to kill you!” she shouts.
“Little late for that, babe,” I reply and jerk my chin. She tosses a pillow at me. It goes right through me and lands on the floor.
I yawn. “Ouch.”
“Don’t wake me up like that ever again!” she shouts. “I don’t have any clothes on!”
“Really? I hadn’t noticed,” I mock confusion.
“Asshole!”
“My, my, we’re grumpy in the morning,” I chuckle as she stands, wrapping the blanket around her. The dead can still get hard-ons. I have to turn from her, so she doesn’t see mine as I mentally lick her long, lean body. Damn!
She grabs her bag and scurries into the bathroom, slamming the door behind her. Apparently, mornings are not her forte. When she exits the bathroom, she’s wearing worn jeans with holes all over and a black tank top. Her dark hair is down and she’s put on a little makeup. Although she still looks tired and frail, she looks refreshed, and that makes me happy. I don’t know her well, but I hope when all is said and done, I can help her find some happiness.
“How much did you see?” she asks as she zips her backpack up.
“Not much.” I shrug and she sighs with relief. “Just your breasts,” I add nonchalantly, and she throws a hair brush at me, which zips right through me and hits the wall.
“Thought we already established that won’t work.”
“You suck,” she huffs and flings her backpack over her shoulder.
“They were really nice, Charlotte.” I compliment her and she blushes, but she can’t help but smile.
“You’re lucky my gift is limited to seeing and hearing you. If I could touch you, you’d be talking in soprano right now.”
It’s nine in the morning and Charlotte is still sleeping. She looks different with dry hair in the light of day. Her dark hair is shiny and soft, fanned out over the pillows. Her lips are now pink, not blue as they were last night. She’s on her stomach, the blanket just barely covering her ass. Her skin looks so smooth and creamy, I’d give anything to touch it. I know I shouldn’t be staring at her like this, but I can’t help it. I may be dead, but I’m still a man—I like to look at beautiful women.
I have to get her up. She needs to get to her truck, and we need to get her a job immediately.
“Wake up! Wake up! Wake up!” I yell, and clap my hands in front of her face. She jolts up, her eyes frantic. I get a great shot of her breasts, and dear God, they are beautiful, I mean, call me an asshole, but I have no shame in staring at her before she jerks the blanket up, covering herself. Man, I miss the feel of a woman. Their softness, their warmness.
“I’m going to kill you!” she shouts.
“Little late for that, babe,” I reply and jerk my chin. She tosses a pillow at me. It goes right through me and lands on the floor.
I yawn. “Ouch.”
“Don’t wake me up like that ever again!” she shouts. “I don’t have any clothes on!”
“Really? I hadn’t noticed,” I mock confusion.
“Asshole!”
“My, my, we’re grumpy in the morning,” I chuckle as she stands, wrapping the blanket around her. The dead can still get hard-ons. I have to turn from her, so she doesn’t see mine as I mentally lick her long, lean body. Damn!
She grabs her bag and scurries into the bathroom, slamming the door behind her. Apparently, mornings are not her forte. When she exits the bathroom, she’s wearing worn jeans with holes all over and a black tank top. Her dark hair is down and she’s put on a little makeup. Although she still looks tired and frail, she looks refreshed, and that makes me happy. I don’t know her well, but I hope when all is said and done, I can help her find some happiness.
“How much did you see?” she asks as she zips her backpack up.
“Not much.” I shrug and she sighs with relief. “Just your breasts,” I add nonchalantly, and she throws a hair brush at me, which zips right through me and hits the wall.
“Thought we already established that won’t work.”
“You suck,” she huffs and flings her backpack over her shoulder.
“They were really nice, Charlotte.” I compliment her and she blushes, but she can’t help but smile.
“You’re lucky my gift is limited to seeing and hearing you. If I could touch you, you’d be talking in soprano right now.”
☆✮ Teasers ✮☆
☆✮ About the Author ✮☆
B N Toler lives in Virginia. When she's not reading or writing, she's thinking about reading or writing. Before she became a self-proclaimed writer, she worked as a real estate agent and as an orthodontic technician. **She will notice your teeth before your eyes or hair or anything.**
She enjoys shopping (way too much) and is on a first name basis with several employees at the local Target in her town.
She loves music,(bluegrass, country, 80's, actually she loves most music ~her favorite song is American Pie by Don McLean and she worships anything that is Elvis and Johnny Cash and Eric Church) dancing, (even though she sucks at it)reading, writing, eating (too much) sleeping late, (which she rarely gets to do) and laughing. If you can make her laugh, she will love you forever.
She enjoys shopping (way too much) and is on a first name basis with several employees at the local Target in her town.
She loves music,(bluegrass, country, 80's, actually she loves most music ~her favorite song is American Pie by Don McLean and she worships anything that is Elvis and Johnny Cash and Eric Church) dancing, (even though she sucks at it)reading, writing, eating (too much) sleeping late, (which she rarely gets to do) and laughing. If you can make her laugh, she will love you forever.
☆✮ Buy Links ✮☆
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