Man of My Dreams by Faith Andrews Series: Dreams #1
Published by Self-Published on September 15, 2013
Genres: ChickLit, Contemporary Romance
Format: eARC
Purchase @ AMAZON or BN
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Mia Murphy may be married to the man of her dreams. But the man in her dreams is the one that got away—her high school crush.
Mia’s stuck in a rut, just like every other stay-at-home mom, and the only thing saving her from her monotonous routine is her perfect husband, Declan. He’s gorgeous, he adores her, and the man stole her heart with his sexy singing voice. Mia feels like the luckiest girl in the world, until she discovers that Mr. Perfect is not Mr. Faithful. Mia is devastated. Everything she once believed about Declan and their marriage is now covered in a big cloud of doubt and regret. On impulse, she kicks the cheating bastard out, pushing them into a separation that could mean the end of the picture-perfect couple.
But when Mia receives an invitation to her high school reunion, she finds herself abandoning the present for the oh-so alluring pull of the past. Although her heart still belongs to her husband, inescapable thoughts of her crush, Noah, resurface. And ten years later, Noah isn’t afraid to make his move. When the build-up of fantasies and ‘what ifs' comes to a head, sparks fly and it’s Mia’s turn to question if her marriage is everything she wants out of life. Searching for answers, Mia dives head first into dating Noah, falling further away from her husband and closer to her old flame.
But Declan’s not giving up so easily. Mia is his one and only and he’s not about to let another man win her heart.
Liezel’s Thoughts:
Declan and Mia’ s relationship is what I would call a whirl wind relationship. Their insta-attraction, romance , relationship and the start to a happily ever after progressed so fast it made my head spin. They both were younger when all of this happened and there was never a doubt how much they loved each other but sometimes that just is not enough. Like any other relationship they hit a bump in the road early on. Because of one tiny lapse in judgement, one “almost” mistake it nearly cost them everything.
I adored both Mia and Declan’s character and I thought they fit perfectly. Reading about their past and seeing how fast everything happened ,I did have my doubts just like Mia did but Declan was able to convince me over and over again that they were meant to be together. This was one of the reasons why I enjoyed his character. He was also a romantic, swoon-worthy and I was very surprised about his “situation” when he met Mia.
He was dedicated husband and father. I loved how honest he was. He knew he was in the wrong and rather than brushing it off and keeping things quiet he was man enough to admit to Mia what happened. He fought fiercely for them even if it caused so much embarrassment on his part. He didn’t care as long as he got his wife back.
“…I’ve always wanted you. I’ve never stopped. And I know this is all my fault because I fucked up, but…I’ve only ever wanted you, babe. You’re my first, my last, my everything.”
I adored Noah too. He was what I would say “the ENTIRE package” and I totally understand why any woman would want him. I loved how patient and understanding he was. Knowing Mia’s situation, he let everything happen naturally rather than forcing Mia to choose. I thought he was a great guy and I felt just as torn as the heroine in this story.
That is one of the major reasons why I loved this book. I thought the character building was superb. Between these two amazing men, how do you choose? I couldn’t imagine the pain and the heartbreak each one of the went through in all of this. Just as emotional as this story was, it made me laugh too. I thought that the 90’s references was spot-on and I couldn’t help but experience flashbacks of my own. It all felt so natural and true to life which I loved.
Let’s face it, we rarely get to read stories about marriage and the difficulties that younger families go through and I thought this was book was a perfect portrayal of such. If you are looking for a wonderful story about falling in love and second chances then I would definitely recommend reading this one.
The Verdict:
Teaser:
It’s not ‘til I get home, walk into my empty house, that the reality starts to sink in. My husband had an affair. An affair. Saying it over and over in my head doesn’t weaken its meaning. What a dumb word to describe—this. What he did. Affair seems too formal, too politically correct, to encompass what it really means. It’s bullshit! That’s what it is. Pure, heart wrenching, holy-shit-this-is-not-happening-to-me bullshit!
How will I tell my parents? My friends? The girls. This will devastate them. Am I going to be divorced at twenty-eight years old? How did I miss the warning signs? What did I do to deserve this?
I collapse on the couch, already tired from the unremitting tears and the questions popping up like microwave popcorn in my head. I cry so hard my body shakes, trembling and convulsing. I run to the bathroom because the sobs have lodged themselves in my throat, causing me to gag and heave. I fall down to my knees in front of the toilet and spew my guts up. I’ve had stomach flus, drunken wild nights, and morning sickness, but vomit has never left my body this violently before.
I rest my head on the toilet, giving in to the self-inflicted mental and physical beating I’ve just taken and I hear the sound of the front door slam shut, followed by frantic footsteps.
“Mia, baby? Mia? Where are you?”
If I had the energy to get up and lock the door I would. I would lock myself in here until the hurt and disbelief vanish, but there’s no telling if and when that will ever happen.
A few seconds later, Declan is at my side, rubbing my back. “Are you okay?”
Yes, Declan, I’m perfect. Just fucking peachy. “Get the hell out. Leave me alone.” If only it were that simple. I actually don’t want him to leave me alone. I never wanted him to leave me alone, and ironically, now that he’s done the unthinkable, that’s what I’m going to be – all alone.
Declan’s crying now. I don’t think I’ve ever seen him cry. It’s unsettling, even if I want to see him hurt as badly as I’m hurting. “Mia, I’m sorry. I don’t know what else to say, but I want to talk to you about it. I need to make you understand.”
“Understand what, Dec? You lied to me. You cheated on me. You…ruined our marriage and our family…for one night with some…whore. I can’t believe these words are coming out of my mouth. Why Declan? I need…to understand…why?” The sobs distort my speech. I can’t even get the words out without insufferable sniffling.
“There is no explanation, Mia. But you’re not letting me talk. It’s not what you think. I didn’t…”
“You know what, spare me all the details and just get the hell out.”
“Mia…”
“GET OUT!” I scream so loud my throat feels raw. “Get out, get out, get out!” I can’t say it enough. I need him to leave. I can’t hear one more word out of his mouth. The mouth that was mine, that has now been all over someone else’s body. The thought disgusts me so much I start to wretch again, spilling out more, emptying my body to match the same empty feeling in my heart.
By the time I’m finally done, Declan is nowhere to be found.
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