Personal Experiences Book Tour Review

January 3, 2014 / 7 comments

Personal Experiences by Tracy Lee
Series: Personal #1
Published by Self-Published on September 9, 2013
Genres: Contemporary Romance, Dark Romance
Format: eARC
Purchase @ AMAZON or BN or Purchase @ eStories
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Rating

Elleny Barker and Trevor McHale have loved each other since the second grade. Growing up in a small Georgia town, they had the same group of friends and they all had dreams of leaving Richland. Elle’s life was perfect; going to the perfect college, had the perfect life plan of becoming a doctor and had the perfect boyfriend going to college on a full ride football scholarship. Until the day Elle’s life was turned upside down; making a decision that she thought would be the best for both her and Trevor, she turned to the one man she thought would be willing to help her, Trevor’s best friend, Willie “Bear” Jackson.

Seventeen years later; Elleny, brought on by violent abuse and still feeling the sting of losing the only man she’s ever loved; is a changed woman, for the worse. She has locked her heart away and refuses to give it to anyone. Then it happened, a millionaire, whose company just bought out the local plant where Elle’s husband is a foreman moves into town; or should I say BACK into town; turns out that it’s Trevor McHale. Secrets have kept them apart for seventeen years; will they end up keeping them apart for the rest of their lives?

Life teaches us harsh lessons; Personal Experiences teach us life’s true meaning.

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Liezel’s Thoughts:

Item: Personal Experiences
Rating: 5
Author: testbook

“…bendable….not breakable…”

I took a chance on this one. If you have read some of my reviews from the past months you would know that I do not find stories that contain graphic violence that enjoyable especially if those details were just added in to give it unwarranted “shock value”.

It is rare that I find a story of this nature where an author was able to pull it off and make those elements justifiable. In Personal Experiences, I was impressed how the author was able to do just that. She manipulated all that ugliness and created something so moving and so powerful.

The characters of this story were remarkable. From the very beginning, I knew that Elle and Trevor were destined to be together. They loved each other like no other and were willing to give up anything for each others’ happiness. That is what this story is about -Elle sacrificing her entire life for Trevor. She made these rash decisions that she thought would protect Trevor. She endured so much to protect those she loved. She tries to forget and learn to love again for her sake and her children but Trevor was always bound to her heart.

Trevor character was also outstanding. I loved the way that he went about reconnecting with Elle. I loved that he was persistent and knew when to give her that little push in the right direction. Even when they weren’t together it seemed that Elle was always the center of his universe and that he was building his entire life around hers. The chemistry and the passion between the two was outstanding. I loved the alpha male persona that Trevor exhibited inside and out of the bedroom.

The supporting characters were also impressive. I was glad that Elle always had someone to turn to. First there was her father. Their relationship was unparalleled. Her best friends were Elle’s backbone. I thought that she would have never been able to survive so much pain without them. At times, I was disappointed that they didn’t do more, but it was their loyalty that prevented them from doing so.

The bottom line is I think this story was very heart breaking and amazingly beautiful at the same time. I can not tell you how many times this one pulled at my heart-strings and made me an inconsolable mess.

There are some aspects that will make you cringe but if you start it out with an open mind, I think you will agree with me that story is a diamond in the rough.

The Verdict:

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About Tracy Lee

“I am a lover of chocolate, an outspoken dreamer who cannot survive without chaos! Those who truly know me can attest that I am obsessed with chocolate peanut butter anything. I write about hot, alpha men and the women who love them and the only way that I can get anything accomplished is in a crisis.
I am no good in math; as a matter of fact, I suck in math. My true love is the English language. My children are my world that not even a hot man could come between. I am originally from outside Tampa, Florida but currently reside outside Tulsa, Oklahoma. I am digging the farm animals that live behind my house.”

Tracy lives with her husband and 4 children in a small town just outside Tulsa, Ok. Originally from Brandon, Florida she was a city girl at heart. Growing tired of living in the concrete jungle she wanted a change of scenery and pace; she packed her kids up and moved to Oklahoma where she met her husband. Now she’s seen snow, touched pigs and has cows and chickens in her back yard.

Being a stay at home mom she became an avid reader and part-time blogger; she decided to put the three of them together and try her hand at writing and fell in love. In between running kids from band practice to PTO meetings, she enjoys her “me time” working on her next book. She thoroughly enjoys head-banging heavy metal and a kickass game of Black Ops and will be your slave if you offer her chocolate.