Years in an Instant

When we last left our heroine at the end of the critically acclaimed novel "Like a Closed Fist", Phoebe was floundering. Left with a broken heart and shattered pride, she turns to the much older Mitch to pick up the pieces. This time, her father’s best friend doesn’t resist her.

Bruce, everyone’s favorite tough-love dad, finally takes a stand and tries to break the mismatched pair up. Phoebe, hurt and humiliated once again, runs away from home. Out on her own for the first time, she learns life’s greatest lesson: how to grow up.

Phoebe 2.0, mature and enjoying her independence, is determined to take a break from romance. But, as often happens, her best-laid plans go awry. Is it just a rebound, or will Phoebe fall in love?

With Bruce, Mitch, Annie, Mark, Frankie, Mason, Leo, and another trip to beautiful North Carolina, this California girl has another adventure in store for her!

*May Contain Spoilers*

Years in an Instant by E.H. Nolan is the sequel to Like a Closed Fist, which I reviewed a little over a year ago. With the ending of that book leaving Pheobe's life in complete chaos, the second part of the story was bound to come out. Though highly immature in the first book, this sequel shows Pheobe attempting to grow up and be her own person -- but relationships, love, and heartbreak get in the way once again. 

In this installment of her story, Pheobe tries to be a mature adult, but the way she begins is anything but. Involved with a married man since her wedding-that-never-happened, Pheobe thinks Mitch will leave his wife for her. But he won't. Though she doesn't realize this -- her dad does and puts a stop to Mitch's interest in his daughter. Thank goodness! Pheobe's dad was my favorite character in the first book and he is sadly absent for most of this novel. Though he does do the right thing for his daughter before he steps aside from the cast list. Pheobe's reaction to her father's actions are a bit ridiculous. She moves out of their family home without so much as a text message and into an apartment listed on Craigslist. Then Frankie comes back in the picture and she's completely over Mitch and moving on to fall in love with the Merchant Marine who lives across the country. 

Though the book was entertaining, it was really difficult to take Pheobe seriously. She falls in and out of love a lot. And I know that your 20s are all for figuring stuff out, but I was judging her decision-making skills from the start. A few times throughout the book I almost didn't want to continue, but it never got that bad. 

However, let me emphasize it wasn't the writing style. It wasn't the storyline. It was the main character. I felt like I couldn't connect with her. She's described as the woman who every man wants because she's so beautiful, but she's so trusting and naive that those men end up using her or trying to abuse her. To say it's bothersome is an understatement. Overall, I didn't feel like she was realistic enough to connect with. I want her to grow into a stronger character and a stronger woman who doesn't need to fall in love with every man who shows interest in her. And I want her to decide for herself who she wants to be with, not jump at every opportunity. I also want her to put her life goals ahead of her constantly shifting love life. I mean, she loses her job in this book because she's chasing after a man who told her he did not want to be with her. 

I'm starting to ramble, which is something I do a lot. My own character flaw. As a novel full of drama and entertainment, I would recommend this book. However, as a book that readers can connect to, I think that's a struggle... And even though there was a cliffhanger ending (again) I don't know if I'll read the next book. It doesn't seem like my cup of coffee. 

Rating: 2.5/5 Cups

Read the review of book one, Like a Closed Fist. 

Teaser Tuesday (306)

Welcome to Teaser Tuesday, the weekly Meme that wants you to add books to your TBR, or just share what you are currently reading. It is very easy to play along:
• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page
• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
• Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers! Everyone loves Teaser Tuesday.

Years in an Instant (Kindle 29%)

    - E.H. Nolan

"Hey! You're playing hard to get, Mister."

"No, I'm not," Frankie insisted, the playfulness gone from his voice. "I'm comin' to California. That's as easy to get as you can get."

What's Next, Wednesday (94)

•  To play along share a book you've been looking forward to reading, whether it's new or has been on your reading list for a while.

I'm looking forward to...

Years in an Instant by E.H. Nolan. This book is a sequel to Like a Closed Fist which I reviewed a couple of years ago. I'm excited to continue on with this main character, Pheobe, while she stumbles through falling in love as she tries to claim her adulthood. 

Like a Closed Fist

It was harmless enough: her best friend's wedding. But for California girl Phoebe, forty-eight hours in North Carolina changed her life.
No one is more surprised than Phoebe when she falls hopelessly in love with her dad’s much older, very married friend. Although she wants nothing more than to jump headfirst into an affair with Mitch, he refrains, telling her she’s just a kid.
Determined to prove him wrong, young Phoebe learns the irony of best laid plans. She travels to North Carolina for a wedding and accidentally falls head-over-heels for two very different men: Mason, the hotel concierge, and Frankie, a captain in the Merchant Marines. Throw in two old flames and a hunky masseur and you’ve got a most complicated love hexagon in this cautionary tale of love, sex, grief, and growing up.

*May Contain Spoilers*

The calm life of twenty-four year old Phoebe is about to swirl with drama in E.H. Nolan's book, Like a Closed Fist. After being off the dating scene for a few years, Phoebe is suddenly juggling more men than one hand can count while trying to deal with a deep scar that caused her to isolate herself in the first place. 

Phoebe is a girl who doesn't know what she wants. She's twenty-four but claims to be twenty-two, dreamed of being an actress but walked away when things got tough, and has no idea what she wants in a boyfriend. But that's what the twenties are for -- time to figure all that out. And that's exactly what Phoebe tries to do. However, her past has scarred her and she's struggled to move on. When she was younger, Phoebe was raped at a party which resulted in a pregnancy that she decided to terminate. It's completely understandable that this froze her in a place of depression, sudden mood swings, uncertainty, lack of confidence and fear.  She also lost her mother in a car accident not too long ago and as a result, Phoebe doesn't drive. 

Yet, Phoebe tries incredibly hard to put on a happy face while trying to wade through the maze of finding herself. This shows readers how brave she is, even when she doesn't feel strong. Although, there are points in the book that shine a bad light on Phoebe. She doesn't make the best decisions and trying to date her father's friend who is married is just one of them. Her constant relapses between men is annoying at times, while her lack of ambition in other areas of her life prompts frowns and head shaking. 

Though, that is the main theme of Like a Closed Fist. Phoebe struggles with her love life, creating more problems for herself than she needs to, because she doesn't yet know what direction she wants her life to go in. Which is where my favorite character comes in, her father. Phoebe's dad is incredibly supportive even though he's struggling with his new widower status. When he finally realizes that time isn't what Phoebe needs, he's there to give her a push in the right direction. 

Like a Closed Fist is a dramatic novel that is simultaneously sad and entertaining, annoying and understandable. Yes, it takes time to figure out what you want out of life and what you want your life to be like. However, it's okay to make mistakes and test the waters while you're trying to discover that. Even though Phoebe isn't the most likeable character, she's three dimensional with an interesting personality and a heart full of hope. Her struggles are relatable and realistic which gives a deeper level to this novel, even though on the surface it seems like a simple love story. Really, it's a love story that has nothing to do with romance and finding the perfect partner and everything to do with loving yourself no matter the number of mistakes or scars. 

Rating: 3.5/5 Cups

Teaser Tuesday (251)

Welcome to Teaser Tuesday, the weekly Meme that wants you to add books to your TBR, or just share what you are currently reading. It is very easy to play along:
• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page
• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
• Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers! Everyone loves Teaser Tuesday.



Like A Closed Fist (Kindle 68%)
   - E.H. Nolan

"I can't just sit around the house every day, waiting for you to call, pining away when it's more than likely we'll never see each other again anyway. Going out with guys, it helps distract me. It helps me, you know, not think about you." 

What's Next, Wednesday (41)

•  To play along share a book you've been looking forward to reading, whether it's new or has been on your reading list for a while.

I'm looking forward to...

Like A Closed Fist by E.H. Nolan. The synopsis of this book describes a woman who enters into a whirlwind of falling in love. Pheobe is heading to North Carolina for a wedding but she doesn't expect to meet two new potential love interests while seeing a couple exes. This book sounds fun and a little dangerous, promising entertainment and uncertain waters. 

Mabel Crowley: Book One

Mabel Crowley, the only child of a wealthy English banker, wants nothing more than to be rid of her last name and wed her first love, stable-boy Charlie Archer, whose own hopes reside in becoming a partner in his father’s livery yard. Her parents forbid the union and whisk the impulsive child away to Bath so that she might forget her troubles. Distraught and vowing that she will never love again, Mabel impulsively accepts a teaching position while on vacation in Bath, certain that this will ensure her spinsterhood and prove her undying love for Charlie.

Irene Hartley, a five-year-old student desperately in love with her new teacher, persuades her parents to offer Mabel a position as governess to their growing brood. Her father is Theodore Hartley, the obscenely wealthy and renowned railroad tycoon. Theodore sees how his daughter has grown attached to Mabel, and after his wife dies in childbirth, he makes Mabel an offer of a permanent nature to make his eldest daughter happy. Still madly in love with Charlie, Mabel returns home to find out whether he has carried the same love in his heart in the years they’ve been apart. She finds him boarding a train, in uniform, ready to serve his country in World War I. Will she act once again on impulse, or will she make her decision based on hope for her future?

 

*May Contain Spoilers*

 

E.H. Nolan begins an epic tale of love and sacrifice with Mabel Crowley: Book One. Finding one's first love is always a life changing experience, but when it's true, that love never ends. Mabel and Charlie grew close as children and fell in love shortly thereafter. The differences in their social stations stopped them from joining their lives and each of them regret that decision every day.

 

Mabel Crowley is an emotional young girl at the beginning of the book. She has fanciful whims that often lead to passionate focus. She falls in love with Charlie and fears it is unreciprocated while her parents push her to understand that he's beneath her in social status. Readers will witness Mabel's growth into an intelligent young woman in this first book. Through heartbreak, Mabel finds that teaching is a respectable and fulfilling position. Readers will enjoy her love for children and understand her decision to remain unmarried, though we all hope she'll end up with Charlie in the end. As Mabel turns from teacher to governess, readers see her blossom into a loving and deeply caring woman. This lays a strong foundation that book two will surely build upon.

 

Since Charlie fell in love with Mabel, he's had eyes for no one else. Charlie is the heir of Archer and Sons, a business that boards horses and offers riding lessons. Charlie is a down to earth gentleman, focused and level-headed. Mabel is the only woman he has ever wanted but he's convinced himself that she's married and happy and has forgotten all about him. Readers will understand this line of thinking as it offers Charlie a chance to move on, but we know the truth. It seems that Mabel and Charlie are meant to be but will Nolan write them together or are the next installments filled with more heartache?

 

The love story of Mabel and Charlie seems doomed at the end of book one, but readers will be hoping for a miracle. After tragedy strikes, Mabel is offered a position to inherit a fortune and three children. It seems perfect but it comes with heavy stipulations. Meanwhile, Charlie is off to war to defend his country. Surely if there are four more books then Charlie doesn't meet death like everyone believes he will. The cliffhanger ending certainly adds an air of mystery and nervousness to the novel. The only thing I didn't like about the story is that I felt like it was being told to me instead of making me feel like I was part of it. The writing style is clear and concise, without a lot of flair or dramatics. Readers who enjoy easy reads with simple semantics will like Mabel Crowley as it has just enough action to keep readers engaged and a love story that resonates with many.

 

Rating: 3/5 Cups

Teaser Tuesday (209)



Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of A Daily Rhythm/Books and a Beat. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:
• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page
• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
• Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers



Mabel Crowley (2% Kindle)
     - E.H. Nolan

Mabel Crowley hated her name. Oh, "Mabel" was alright; it was "Crowley" that displeased her so. Whenever she heard it spoken aloud, she pictured someone so wrinkled and old, it would be necessary to stare as one would at a confusing painting in order to determine whether or not the massive wrinkle could ever have been considered a woman.