Jack McKenna is a man with two very distinct pasts. One ended with a car accident involving his girlfriend, Ally, and a split-second decision with horrific consequences. Desperate to escape the guilt, he carved out a new life for himself. Four years spent hiding in the shadows, punishing himself for not having the courage to go back to her. Then, out of the blue, a phone call forces him to face up to everything and everyone he left behind.
Ally Connor’s life was split in two – before the car accident that shattered her spine, and after Jack’s sudden disappearance. Abandoning her when she needed him most, she fought hard to make it back from the brink. The face she shows to the world is strong and courageous, but behind the mask, the pain is burrowing deeper.
But fate had more in store for these two broken souls than either could have imagined. A funeral, a homecoming and a journey of self-discovery that would change both their lives – if they let it.
Suddenly, the secrets they want to hide from each other are the very secrets that could make them whole again.
She believes in love at first sight, in women’s intuition and in following your heart. She is rather partial to dark chocolate and believes in the power of a good vanilla latte.
What lights her fire is writing stories about real people in trying situations. Her passion is finding characters who are forced to test their boundaries. She is insanely curious about how we, as human beings, react when pushed to the edge. Most of all, she enjoys writing about human behaviour – love, loss, joy, grief, friendship and the complexity of relationships in general.
After living in Scotland for five years, she has now settled back home in New Zealand, where she lives with her husband and two children.
Her debut novel, “Absolution”, was released on 29 October 2013 (with the second edition releasing on 6 January 2015). Her second novel, “Between Before and After”, was released in May 2014. Her third novel, “Into the Void”, is scheduled to release in July 2015.
Website: www.amandadick.com
Facebook page: www.facebook.com/amandadickauthor
Carla’s Review:
5 stars for Absolution by Amanda Dicks! This is easily one of the best books that I have ever read! It will take you on a roller coaster ride of emotions. So make sure you are strapped in tight and sit back and enjoy the ride!
This book evoked a myriad of emotions within me. I felt the characters heartbreak as well as their joy. This is a story of learning how to forgive and moving on. The message of this story is simple-if we can’t let go of our past mistakes and hurts, we can never move on to a happier and brighter future.
I instantly fell in love with all of the characters in this book. Ally is a remarkable young woman who has overcome her physical limitations and learned how to find a new normal where her new life is concerned. While Ally’s limitations are of the physical kind, Jack’s are mental. His initial reaction to tragedy is to run as far away as he can. After four miserable years alone, he finally returns home to face his demons head on. He is consumed with guilt over the accident that left Ally changed forever. He has to learn to forgive himself. Ally and Jack and their small group of close knit friends chose to travel a path that leads to acceptance, forgiveness, and second chances.
The story line of this book flowed well. I liked the way it alternated between past and present because it gave the reader a lot of background information on both the characters and the story line itself. I am simply blown away that this is Amanda Dick’s first work! Talk about hitting a home run your first time up to bat! This book is phenomenal, and I highly recommend it!
*I was given a copy of this book as a gift from the author in exchange for an honest review.
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