review: Saving Toby by Suzanne McKenna Link

Saving Toby 

by Suzanne McKenna Link

4 of 5 stars

Loving someone through their hard fall from grace takes a lot of grit.

Hired on as a caretaker to the ailing Mrs. Faye, Claudia Chiatmetti is drawn into the lives of the widow and her son — a world where sadness lingers and old wounds run deep. Empathetic to the family's plight, Claudia is powerless against the emerging feelings she has for the unruly Toby Faye. Up close, Toby’s blue-grey eyes expose a need she cannot ignore. His dark past will test her fortitude and expose her to danger. Does Claudia have the grit to love Toby through it?

Saving Toby is a powerful and moving debut novel set on the south shore of Long Island. It is the first book of a two-part story that follows the emotional and inspirational tale of a young couple's journey to find themselves.

*Contains strong language and explicit scenes. 

 

My Thoughts - 

Saving Toby is a great heart-wrenching story about love and family. I absolutely just loved this story. I really enjoyed the characters, the storyline and over all just everything!!

I felt so horribly for Toby, that his mother just kind of gave up on everything after his father died. She wasn't really a good mother, but Toby was an awesome son. He dropped everything to take care of his mother and I think that was awesome. In his past he was a thug, but he'd changed. Being around old friends was not good for him though – eventually he saw that, but almost too late. Claudia was really what saved Toby.

Claudia was pursuing and admirable career and wanted nothing more than to escape her controlling father. When she met him, she really didn't want anything to do with Toby. With a lot of determination, he worked his way into her heart and life.

I liked this story so, so much. I enjoyed that fact that it wasn't a “love at first sight” kind of story – which are so unbelievable. This book I could imagine so vividly and realistically. There were gritty, horrible parts, sweet tender parts and heart-breakingly sad parts. I think a good song for this book's playlist (if it has one) is Coldplay's Fix You. Great job to the author - I loved it!!