∎ Download Ghosts of Our Pasts Sophia Duane 9781612130828 Books

Ghosts of Our Pasts Sophia Duane 9781612130828 Books

Download As PDF : Ghosts of Our Pasts Sophia Duane 9781612130828 Books

Ghosts of Our Pasts Sophia Duane 9781612130828 Books

Review originally posted to Words at Home June 11, 2012: [...]

Ghosts of Our Pasts is an excruciatingly heartbreaking love story and an exploration of how one can begin to heal after a devastating loss. I wasn't prepared when I started reading Ghosts of Our Pasts for the level of emotion that I was about to encounter, both from the characters and from what this novel stirred up in myself.

At first I really didn't appreciate Will's character. He was just too damaged and broken and it felt as though the "traumatized-shell-of-a-man" characterization was a bit overdone. I found that the first half of the novel moved a little slowly because there was so much explanation of how these characters were damaged (things they were afraid to do, their inability to commit to a relationship etc.) with no real reference to why they were so damaged. It wasn't until I began to find out about their pasts that I really stared to care more about them. My thoughts on Will definitely changed in the second half of the novel, and I found myself much more interested in the characters. I was rooting for Will towards the end and every bit of progress that he made and every step that he got closer to Emily felt like a small victory.

Emily was also a difficult character to figure out. She was complex, and while on the surface she seemed sort of shallow and just not the kind of girl that I like to read about, it was evident that there was so much more going on beneath the surface. I did find myself to be interested in her character much quicker than Will. Perhaps it was because she was more of an open book. We knew at least a part of the reason why she acted the way she did, and through her interactions with her friend's and brother we saw a little more of her than we did of the reclusive Will.

The storyline was absolutely perfect. It took a little while to get going there wasn't much in the way of action, and that bothered me at the time that I was first reading the story but now that I have had time to reflect on it I can appreciate the pacing. As readers we got to know the characters at the same pace that we would if we were the ones meeting them in real life - and that rarely happens in novels. Leaning about Will and Emily was like peeling an onion, we slowly peeled one layer away at a time and it was absolutely the right thing to do with this story.

Sophia Duane definitely knows how to draw out the romantic tension! The romance between Will and Emily was definitely more of a slow smolder than a fiery romance, but this added to its believability. Emily and Will slowly got to know each other before any love began to bloom, but don't let the innocence of their developing friendship fool you, it was wrought with tension. I found myself sitting on the edge of my seat just waiting for something to happen, and when it did it was worth the wait!

If you are looking for an emotionally tense and simmering read you should definitely pick up Ghosts of Our Pasts. It is a contemporary fiction novel for our generation, and the perfect novel for a lazy summer weekend. This is a book to be savored, not rushed!


Tags : Ghosts of Our Pasts [Sophia Duane] on Amazon.com. *FREE* shipping on qualifying offers. As a successful owner of a small gourmet food store in SoHo, Emily Martin's fierce independence is a brutal lesson learned as the result of a tragic loss in her youth. Engaged to marry the love of his life and on the cusp of a brilliant financial career,Sophia Duane,Ghosts of Our Pasts,The Writer's Coffee Shop,1612130828,Fiction - Romance,Fiction Romance General,Romance,Romance & Sagas,Romance - General

Ghosts of Our Pasts Sophia Duane 9781612130828 Books Reviews

This author has an amazing ability to write about emotions - I was gripped by her style and drawn through the book, constantly in awe of her skill.

Two residents of New York, Emily, the owner of a gourmet food shop and Will, a florist, are united by Emily's suggestion that they join resources to offer food and flowers in one delivery. There is an instant attraction but both have ghosts in their pasts that must be overcome before they can move on.

In fact, not a lot happens. The strength of the novel is the unraveling of this relationship, but it is so beautifully written that it drew me along effortlessly until I lost interest a bit near the end.

I see Ms Duane has a second novel out, 'My Only', and I shall most certainly be purchasing this. Hopefully this one will will combine her marvelous way with words with a bit more action - that would be the perfect book.
Ghost of Our Past is a gripping story about love, acceptance, friendship, grief, loss, and about what you do after everything falls. Emily Martin is a young shop owner who has a fear of emotional relationships and looks for little bits of comfort in the arms of several different men. William Darcy is a florist who used to have it all.
These two worlds come crashing together in a twist of fate disguised as a business opportunity. Will lets Emily into his life and with that brings a fear he hasn't been able to deal with in the last ten years. In a effort to get to know each other, they realize that they are each haunted by a past that is closely related.
Will and Emily have the means to either love each other like they have never known, or to crush one another in ways that can never be repaired.
Sophia Duane has given a voice to the victims of 9/11 in this heartwarming tale. I laughed, I cried, I cried some more. Ghosts of Our Pasts is a beautiful story that digs deep into what it was like for a New Yorker ten years ago and how to find something worth living for again. I was pleasantly surprised at how tender this story was. Ghosts of Our Pasts touches your heart and takes you on an emotional ride that is nothing short of breathtaking.
This is the debut novel by Sophia Duane and it is simply stunning. She did an incredible job of capturing her characters emotional depth and struggles and letting the reader into their lives. If this is any indication on what her writing is going to be like, I cannot wait to read future books.

Amanda Wesley
She Who Blogs Behind the Rows
behindtherows.com

This book was received free of charge for the purpose of a review.
Review originally posted to Words at Home June 11, 2012 [...]

Ghosts of Our Pasts is an excruciatingly heartbreaking love story and an exploration of how one can begin to heal after a devastating loss. I wasn't prepared when I started reading Ghosts of Our Pasts for the level of emotion that I was about to encounter, both from the characters and from what this novel stirred up in myself.

At first I really didn't appreciate Will's character. He was just too damaged and broken and it felt as though the "traumatized-shell-of-a-man" characterization was a bit overdone. I found that the first half of the novel moved a little slowly because there was so much explanation of how these characters were damaged (things they were afraid to do, their inability to commit to a relationship etc.) with no real reference to why they were so damaged. It wasn't until I began to find out about their pasts that I really stared to care more about them. My thoughts on Will definitely changed in the second half of the novel, and I found myself much more interested in the characters. I was rooting for Will towards the end and every bit of progress that he made and every step that he got closer to Emily felt like a small victory.

Emily was also a difficult character to figure out. She was complex, and while on the surface she seemed sort of shallow and just not the kind of girl that I like to read about, it was evident that there was so much more going on beneath the surface. I did find myself to be interested in her character much quicker than Will. Perhaps it was because she was more of an open book. We knew at least a part of the reason why she acted the way she did, and through her interactions with her friend's and brother we saw a little more of her than we did of the reclusive Will.

The storyline was absolutely perfect. It took a little while to get going there wasn't much in the way of action, and that bothered me at the time that I was first reading the story but now that I have had time to reflect on it I can appreciate the pacing. As readers we got to know the characters at the same pace that we would if we were the ones meeting them in real life - and that rarely happens in novels. Leaning about Will and Emily was like peeling an onion, we slowly peeled one layer away at a time and it was absolutely the right thing to do with this story.

Sophia Duane definitely knows how to draw out the romantic tension! The romance between Will and Emily was definitely more of a slow smolder than a fiery romance, but this added to its believability. Emily and Will slowly got to know each other before any love began to bloom, but don't let the innocence of their developing friendship fool you, it was wrought with tension. I found myself sitting on the edge of my seat just waiting for something to happen, and when it did it was worth the wait!

If you are looking for an emotionally tense and simmering read you should definitely pick up Ghosts of Our Pasts. It is a contemporary fiction novel for our generation, and the perfect novel for a lazy summer weekend. This is a book to be savored, not rushed!