Coming Home
4.5
14
5
1
Product Details
| ISBN-13: | 9781493530687 |
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| Publisher: | CreateSpace Publishing |
| Publication date: | 01/20/2014 |
| Pages: | 412 |
| Sales rank: | 1,202,670 |
| Product dimensions: | 6.00(w) x 9.00(h) x 0.92(d) |
About the Author
Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
Coming Home
4.5 out of 5
based on
0 ratings.
14 reviews.
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First impression:
Priscilla Glenn is an author I've come to love, so this was an immediate 'yes' read for me. I also love the colors in the cover.
The story:
This story is the kind of story that builds slowly, but once it blows...it blows big. I won't go into the details of the story in this review for that reason. What I can tell you, is that I'm never disappointed when I read a Glenn novel. The way she develops her characters and the story is always done with care. She has a way to her writing that makes you feel as if you actually know the characters and creates stories that are relatable. Of course, there are dramatic moments to add some impact, but I always find a way to connect with the way the characters react to their circumstances. And I have to say that when I read Glenn's first novel, Back to You, I knew I had found an author who truly has talent. Coming Home is her third novel and her skill just keeps getting better and better.
The characters:
I liked Leah right away. She's responsible, caring, loves her family and she is definitely resilient. She had some obstacles to overcome in her life, but she's remained strong throughout. I had the feeling that she took those hardships and learned from them rather than let them break her down. I admired her.
Danny is the kind of man you want to build a forever with. He does have an edge to him, but it's not like a bad boy vibe. It's a bit more like you can tell there is a depth to him and you can't wait to discover what's inside. Here's what I know about Danny: he's loving, loyal, honorable, hard working and at times, a bit funny. And even though he had a big secret, I still loved his honesty. It's the little things that get me, like when he said things like this:
~Leah lifted her brow. "Is that so? Since when are you a wine connoisseur?"
"Since I asked the guy at the liquor store to give me his best bottle, and he have me this and said it was the top-rated wine last year."
I just love that. If that were me, it would have made me laugh and swoon...just a bit.
Danny and Leah together were truly great. Even though they felt a connection and attraction to each other when they first met, their relationship developed gradually. They really took the time to get to know each other. They had really great chemistry too. The sexual tension was strong and once it finally broke...the intimate scenes were off the charts steamy! The sexy scenes weren't overly graphic, it was more that you could really feel the emotion between them. I will say that this is the steamiest Glenn novel to date. Of course, I loved those parts!
Overall:
I loved it! I'll go as far to say that this is my favorite Glenn novel. I really connected to the story and the characters. I highly recommend any book that Priscilla Glenn writes.
Favorite Quotes:
~"I want you," she said, running the backs of her fingers over his stomach. "And I don't just mean tonight. I want us, Danny."-Loc 3100
~Because for her, being in Danny's arms felt like coming home.-Loc 3185
~"I could suffer through anything if you were my reward."-Loc 5149
~"Thank you for trusting me--for giving me your heart and your body, and changing me forever in the process."-Loc 5326
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Excellent book, story line, characters. I truly loved it. Such angst, love, and hope brought to these two people. I wanted more and want the story to end. I totally recommend this to anyone who loves a simple yet powerful love story.
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Priscilla Glenn is a fantastic author and don’t let this review tell you otherwise, okay? Because there will be some ranting, but let me tell you this: BACK TO YOU—Priscilla’s debut novel is one of my absolute favorite novels and Emancipating Andie was a good read as well. So these little occasional, very mild rants that are waiting for you in this review? Don’t take them that seriously ;)
“I don’t mind a little disappointment now and then. It just means you’ve got high standards. I’d rather shoot high and be disappointed sometimes than just live in the middle with the illusion of being satisfied.”
Let’s get the bad stuff out of the way first. I really feel like the only real flaw Glenn’s writing has is the third POV. I’m not a fan of those in contemporary books since it makes connecting with the characters so hard. Sigh. It was a little hard to connect with these characters as well. That isn’t to say that Glenn’s writing is bad or wrong in any way, nope! That’s just my personal preference *shrugs* So yep, while I felt bad for the two main leads, I never really felt a big emotional connection towards them.
So what didn’t I like? Um.. While the previous two books by Priscilla were more of the slow-build kind, then this one was a little too intense in the insta-attraction department for me. Hence I felt like the L-bomb was too early. Yes, the feelings between Daniel (I refuse to call him Danny because it reminds me of the psycho Tyler from Revenge calling Daniel like that and Danny’s behavior during season 3 on that show makes me sick to my stomach *gags*) and Leah were pretttttty darn intense, and let us not forget the situation they were in, but in my honest opinion? Saying the L-word was still a little too early. Also, I get Daniel’s hesitations and the reasons behind his behavior, but it was still wrong of him to be so hot and cold, so it was a bit of a let down. All I could think was "dude, stop hesitating and tell her, or walk away".
Anyhow, off to the good parts, yeah? Even though it seems, based on the two paragraphs above, that there were more things I didn’t like & less things I enjoyed, it ain't exactly so *shakes head* The chemistry was adorable—something Glenn always excels at! Yeah, not big emotional connections to the characters on my part, but oh boy, the chemistry! *fans self* Also, the quote by Leah where she says she’s scared of dark + ocean = MEEEEEEE!!!!!!!! I’m not scared of water or dark per se, but I am scared of the unknown. Moreover, there were some stereotypical BFF-s, but written in a very compelling way so I was not put off by the secondary characters. I actually quite liked them. Oh, and the camping scene? THE cutest :) *swoons*
I really appreciate the originality of this story. Don’t make the same mistake by going to the end to see how it ends (I’M LOOKING AT YOU, JENNY!!!) because you don’t want to guess the secret Daniel carries. I wish I hadn’t because I would have been more shocked, but it was still nice to know that I guessed correct based on the letter Daniel sent to Leah. At the end of the day, it’s original in concept and extremely heartwarming, even if it’s not my favorite story by Priscilla. Recommend even though I had some issues? YES!
Overall rating: 3.4 out of 5.0
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What an amazing story! Coming home had the perfect combonation of sweet, funny, sexy, and sad! This book will stay with me for a long time!, WOW, just WOW! Must read!
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Such an incredible read! The est book this year so far! Higly recommend it!
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5 stars - Laughter, tears and fanning makes this one a perfect fit
Five star books are hard to come by and I don't give them out randomly. There are a lot good books out there but I rate books based on my experience reading them. And this book worked for me. It has everything I love in a great romance...
Laughter - lots of laughter
I loved the way Danny and Leah interact. They have great chemistry, sure, but they make each other laugh. Then there is the their friends. Both of them have friends that are irreverent and blunt. I loved it.
Tears - real ones running down my face
Yeah, Danny has a secret and I tried to figure it out. I had one part right but it didn't stop me from tearing up as it all played out. He beat himself up about it and I just wanted to cuddle him. At one point, I was so not speaking to the author but in then end I told her I loved it.
Fanning - oh yeah this one brings the yummy
These two have chemistry and I really enjoyed this aspect of the book. It was just the right amount of heat for me. Had me slowing down my reading without feeling like I needed to be embarrassed for reading it. Perfect balance.
And WHY is Danny my Book Boyfriend?
Causes he's perfect. I so love him. He needs cuddling. He takes care of Gram. He sacrifices for those he loves. He's loyal. He's gorgeous. He's sexy. He's thoughtful. He remembers birthdays. He agrees to take bubble baths. He eats birthday cake in bed. He brings the honesty. He takes responsibility.
Did I mention he's sexy? And the chemistry... of yes that...
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Enjoyed the story.
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It's easy enough to swear off romance after you've been hurt when you're not even remotely attracted to anyone you meet. This goes on with Leah for almost two years after her heart was broken. Once she meets Danny, she's hooked. She can't push those feelings down despite how much she wants to keep her heart guarded.
Danny is a bad boy, at least on the surface, deep down he's a real sweetheart and he feels the pull and the electricity with Leah.
Fall in love with Danny and Leah as they learn to open themselves back up, if not to the world, at least to each other. Journey with them as they deal with her walls and his secrets. A powerful, romantic tale, light on the graphic steam and heavy on the heart gripping emotion.
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A beautiful, original story with a twist! I loved Back to You and was so happy that Coming Home was just as amazing. It was such a touching, gripping story I couldn't put it down. "...when you love someone, you don't bail when it gets hard. That's when you stay the most." A must read!
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I laughed, cried, smiled & mourned throughout Coming Home. Fans of Colleen Hoover's writing will absolutely adore this book! 5+
"Traditions are good. They help keep memories alive."
Priscilla Glenn falls into a certain category of authors-I will read ANYTHING she writes because I know it will be a fantastic read and perfectly edited! She's an English teacher for heaven's sake, and she can write those scenes that make me feel like I'm in the story, and I can feel exactly each and every emotion that I'm reading. (Do you remember the piano playing scene from Emancipating Andie? Holy hotness and sweet emotion! ) Well, Priscilla is now three out of three for me! She knocked this one out of the park with a grand slam. :)
I typically do not read teasers for upcoming novels (as I do like to be surprised) and hadn't even read the synopsis for Coming Home. So it wasn't until I was twenty-five percent into the book (and curious) when I finally went back and read the synopsis. (Again, that proves to you that I will read anything she writes.)
At this point in the story Leah was on the phone with Danny and they were asking each other questions. I remember having a wicked grin on my face the entire time. I felt like a teenager again enjoying the "getting to know" you period. I was so vested in Danny and Leah's story already, and there was no going back. Of course, I was very curious about Danny's secret and his intentions at this stage of the book. (Did I mention that I literally laid in bed ALL day reading and put everything and everyone on hold?)
Coming Home is written in third-person point of view, which is great because I felt every emotion that Danny and Leah experienced. I laughed, I cried, I smiled, and I mourned throughout Coming Home. Priscilla included quite a bit of humor in this book, which was a welcome change. Leah had a great relationship with her family, and they were constantly teasing one another. Once again, I felt like I was part of the family and my heart was full with that familiar feeling of being loved and having family to count on no matter what.
Leah is so refreshing to read because she is a confident woman, and she doesn't have too much of a problem telling Danny what she is thinking or what she wants. Oh, can I tell you how much I enjoyed her character? I seriously want to just hang out with her, especially at the Cheesecake Factory or a bar. :)
"I don't mind a little disappointment now and then. It just means you've got high standards. I'd rather shoot high and be disappointed sometimes than just live in the middle with the illusion of being satisfied."
And when she laid her head back down on his chest, he rested his cheek against her hair and closed his eyes, wondering if there would ever be a man on this planet who was worthy of her."
"So if something seems too hard, princess, before you throw in the towel, you should always ask yourself, `Will the reward be worth the suffering.'"
Danny DeLuca (gosh, I love saying his name) is no doubt going to make the list of top book boyfriends. He is sexy, complex, wishy washy, but he is honorable and has his reasons for the way he acts. Yes, he has a secret. He has a past, and he is his own worst enemy.
The hurt will be temporary, she reminded herself as his lips moved against hers. This is the forever.
In addition to Leah and Danny and their families, Priscilla has included their best friends as well. And once again, their scenes are some of the best, both funny and heartbreaking.
If you are a fan of Colleen Hoover's writing, I encourage you to pick up Coming Home, especially if you have never read a book written by Priscilla Glenn. There were two scenes in particular that I honestly thought were written by Colleen. Yes, that is one hell of a compliment, which tells you what a great book this is. Coming Home will no doubt sit on my shelf of Top 10 Reads for 2014!
"I just...I want you to know that no matter what happens, I know you, Danny," she said. "I know who you really are."
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First Impression... What a nice cover. I've loved both of Glenn's books, and hope the streak continues with Coming Home.
The Story... When Leah Marino revisits her childhood home, the kind owner befriends her, and introduces her to her grandson Danny DeLuca. Danny and Leah part ways, but don't want to let the connection go. A friendship forms, but Leah soon wants more. Danny runs hot and cold, and seems to have the weight of the world on his shoulders. Danny promises to tell Leah his secret, but knows he'll lose her.
The Characters... Coming Home is very much a character-driven story. Because of that, the story does have a slow pace. The downside to that is I was slow to get into Coming Home. The upside is, I did have a strong sense for the characters, their feelings and motivations.
Danny and Leah were both strong, likable characters. Looking back, it seems neither had an apparent flaw. It's nice to not feel annoyed by the MCs, for sure. Of course, this means that I didn't find either particularly dynamic, but I liked them both. Their story is more about making choices against outside circumstances.
Leah did have a bit of a sad background, losing her mother young and becoming the caretaker of the family. There was also a backstory with a jerk ex-boyfriend.
As for Danny, the big question with Danny is: What's his secret? What's the big deal? I'm not going to even hint at the secret, but I will say that I was surprised, and that I felt it was handled very well by the author. Very realistic, without taking the easy way out.
The Writing... Priscilla Glenn is a very talented author. As I've stated, I really enjoyed her previous books. Coming Home was an interesting story, and well-written. The style is very subdued, and I always find the powerful moments sneaking up on me. I never feel like Glenn is going for a shock-and-awe type of story, but more like quiet and profound.
The Heat...Perfectly complemented the story. Danny and Leah had a great, slow-building chemistry, one that held strong throughout the story.
In the End... Coming Home is a slow burn type of story. If you're looking for a well-written, introspective, and quietly powerful story, give it a try.
Favorite Quote:
He stared up at her, and the vice-like pain in his chest began to soften for the first time since he had entered her apartment. There was nothing she could have said in that moment more perfect than the words she'd just spoken.
Because no matter what she decided after this, even if she chose to walk away and never look back, in a way, she had just absolved him.
She had looked straight through all the horror and the ugliness, and she still saw him.
And when she laid her head back down on his chest, he rested his cheek against her hair and closed his eyes, wondering if there would ever be a man on this planet who was worthy of her.
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