For What It's Worth


Monday, September 1, 2014

Review: Since You’ve Been Gone by Anouska Knight


18528411How do you learn to love again?

In one tragic moment, Holly Jefferson s life as she knows it changes for ever. Now to the external world, at least she s finally getting back on her feet, running her business, Cake. Then she meets Ciaran Argyll.

His rich and charmed life feels a million miles from her own. However, there s more to Ciaran than the superficial world that surrounds him, and he too is wrestling with his own ghosts. Will Holly find the missing ingredient that allows her to live again and embrace an unknown and unexpected tomorrow?

~ Goodreads

Source: Purchased

Review:To be perfectly honest, I bought this book because of the cover. Look at the pretty cakes! The protagonist, Holly owns a bakery, appropriately named CAKE, and I love food so I was in!

While there is cake, Since You’ve Been Gone isn’t really about any of that.

What could have been an over the top,cliché, story about a “dowdy” (Holly’s word) widow and an arrogant, millionaire, turned into a truly beautiful story about second chances and trusting enough to let go and love again.

Holly has been a widow for two years, going through the motions but only finding comfort in dreams with her deceased husband Charlie. She meets Ciaran ( & his crazy pants father) delivering a somewhat unorthodox cake to their mansion – a testicle cake with a stiletto heal piecing through. Yeah – you read that right and it’s hilarious.

Ciaran takes an interest in Holly but isn’t sure how to woo her since she’s not at all impressed by his flash and money. Like I said – this could have taken the cliché route at any time. Ciaran is big, gorgeous and bossy but  Knight really takes the time with this romance and focuses more on Holly’s journey to move forward without Charlie. The romance is sexy as hell but doesn’t overwhelm everything.

Never once was Holly and Charlie’s marriage dismissed or treated lightly. It was a HUGE part of Holly’s life and Ciaran fully respects that, even if he comes on too strong in other ways. He is used to women using him for his money and thinks that’s the way to Holly’s heart. Dumb boy but well intentioned. lol

There is also a cast of eclectic supporting characters including Holly’s overbearing, perfectionist sister and mom, her wonderfully gruff neighbor Mrs. Hedley, co-worker Jesse (who seriously needs his own book!), and Ciaran’s eccentric, inappropriate and flawed father, Fergal.

It often walked on the edge of going too far with the drama (as these books & rom coms tend to do at times) but the author reigned it in and the characters always felt sincere, heartfelt and grounded.

This was just a really sweet, wonderful book and I wish Anouska Knight had another book published so I could go on a reading binge.

19 comments:

  1. Replies
    1. It was a sweet story - and CAKE! lol

      Delete
    2. I must confess that over here in the United States, it is very difficult to get a powerful spell caster that will be able to restore broken marriages or relationships, But through the help of the internet, i was able to get in touch with this powerful spell caster called Grace Ude, after reading a lot of good reviews about her on the internet, so i contact him through these details via email: greatspellofsolutiontemple@gmail.com, And after i told her about my relationship stress then Grace Ude told me to calm down that my lover will come back to apologies to me, for leaving me, I never taught that this was going to be possible, Just within 48 hours that i contacted Berit Haldis my lover sent me and a sms text saying that i should forgive him and before i knew it he was already at my place begging me to accept him back. you can contact her on greatspellofsolutiontemple@gmail.com

      Delete
  2. I must admit I was drawn to the book by its cover. Great review, I'm glad you found it as sweet as the cover suggested.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I enjoyed it because there wasn't the over the top angst like in so many books these days.

      Delete
  3. oooh this sounds like a book I might enjoy! CAKE!!! and rich boyfs!! I totally get what you mean about romcoms etc. tending to go a bit far w/drama but hey, I guess that's part of their appeal too. lovely review.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I don't mind it going too far when he story and characters stay grounded like they did here. It had a nice balance of quirky and sweet.

      Delete
  4. Whew! I loooooved this book and was super nervous when I saw this review. I was so happy that Holly and Charlie's marriage was always respected. As a first wife -lol- that's very important to me. And yes, Ciaran's dad was CRAZY and I loved it. Ciaran, too. Lovely review!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Oh! I had the same thought about Anouska Knight - I'm so ready for her to have more books cos I want to binge!

      Delete
    2. Ciaran could be so overbearing in a lot of ways but not with the first husband and I really loved that. It was better for me to see Holly move on in her own time rather than be pushed or so enamored of a hot new guy that all was easily forgotten.

      Delete
  5. The cakes def do get my attention as well, and good to hear there is more to the book though :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I wish there was more cake. I'm a sucker for chef/cooking in books lol But it was a great story.

      Delete
  6. You know, I'd never heard the name Ciaran until my HS friend met a lovely Irish lad named Ciaran. Such a great name and, yeah, the cover pulls me in, too. Mmmm...cake.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Can't go wrong with cake! I think the tone of the story fits the cover too.

      Delete
  7. I love this cover, and I'm liking your review, so I guess I'm sold! Plus, I just really want to know the story behind the testicle cake. :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks! Yeah - the testicle cake…it's a funny story. lol

      Delete
  8. Okay, I would totally love to read a book about cake. I'm not such a fan of frosting, but I do love cake!!
    And yeah, I'm always really apprehensive when a main character is already in a relationship, because that's nothing but trouble, but I will trust you that it's handled well..
    Jen @ YA Romantics

    ReplyDelete
  9. After been in relationship with a guy for 3 years,he broke up with me, I did everything possible to bring him back but all was in vain, I wanted him back so much because of the love I have for him, I begged him with everything, I made promises but he refused. I explained my problem to someone online and she suggested that I should contact a spell caster that could help me cast a spell to bring him back but I am the type that don't believed in spell, I had no choice than to try it, I meant a spell caster called Dr, Aduwawa and I email him, and he told me there was no problem that everything will be okay before three days, that my ex will return to me before three days, he cast the spell and surprisingly in the second day, it was around 4pm. My ex called me, I was so surprised, I answered the call and all he said was that he was so sorry for everything that happened, that he wanted me to return to him, that he loves me so much. I was so happy and went to him, that was how we started living together happily again. Since then, I have made promise that anybody I know that have a relationship problem, I would be of help to such person by referring him or her to the only real and powerful spell caster who helped me with my own problem and who is different from all the fake ones out there. Anybody could need the help of the spell caster, his email: (aduwawaspiritualtemple @ yahoo . com) or you can call him on +2348112019701, you can email him if you need his assistance in your relationship or anything. CAN NEVER STOP TALKING ABOUT YOU SIR.

    ReplyDelete
  10. I must confess that over here in the United States, it is very difficult to get a powerful spell caster that will be able to restore broken marriages or relationships, But through the help of the internet, i was able to get in touch with this powerful spell caster called Grace Ude, after reading a lot of good reviews about her on the internet, so i contact him through these details via email: greatspellofsolutiontemple@gmail.com, And after i told her about my relationship stress then Grace Ude told me to calm down that my lover will come back to apologies to me, for leaving me, I never taught that this was going to be possible, Just within 48 hours that i contacted Berit Haldis my lover sent me and a sms text saying that i should forgive him and before i knew it he was already at my place begging me to accept him back. you can contact her on greatspellofsolutiontemple@gmail.com

    ReplyDelete