ABOUT THE BOOK
Truth, like love, isn’t always obvious.
Seventeen-year-old Ruby Brooks has never had a boyfriend. After moving to small-town La Luna, New Mexico following her mother’s untimely death, boys aren’t even on her radar. Ruby just wants to forget the last horrible year and blend in. But when she discovers an ancient pueblo ruin hidden in the forest behind her house, and meets Ezra, a bitter recluse whose once-perfect face was destroyed in an accident he won’t talk about; Angel, the town’s handsome sheriff’s deputy, and Leo, a stranger who only appears in the forest, Ruby finds herself caught between love, mystery, and other worlds. What happened to Ezra’s face? And why is she so attracted to the one boy in town everyone despises? As Ruby unravels her own powerful connections to both Ezra and the pueblo ruin, she’ll learn surfaces are deceiving. Especially in the heart of New Mexico, where ghosts and legends aren’t always just campfire stories.
MY REVIEW
What a refreshing and thoughtful novel exploring love, death, and inner peace.
Ruby’s struggles to understand her mother’s death is very real and insightful. Add to that having to repeat her senior year at a new high school and meeting new friends is a challenging task. However, Ruby’s tenacious and beguiling nature are addicting to everyone who comes in contact with her. Her willingness to give everyone a chance, including the moody and broken Ezra, is a tribute to her good character. As for Ezra, he appears unlikable at first with his scarred face and heart, but his inner turmoil and surprising secrets are enough to weigh anyone down.
I loved the diverse characters in this story. Ms. Edelson has a wonderful way of writing that immerses you in the moment whether it be romantic, tragic, or imaginative. Ruby is a strong and caring person and I would be honored to call her friend. Her relationship with Ezra is tumultuous at best, but I have always loved the enemies to friends theme and this one is magical.
Overall, this engaging and unique paranormal romance has many lovely and intriguing facets including the rich history of New Mexico and a thought-provoking twist on inner beauty. I eagerly look forward to reading more about Ruby and Ezra.
Thank you to Ms. Edelson for giving me the opportunity to read this book with no expectation of a positive review.
Between Wild & Ruin Series
- Between Wild & Ruin (2019)
- Wild Open Faces (2020)
- $20 Amazon gift card
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Jennifer G. Edelson is a writer, trained artist, former attorney, pizza lover, and hard-core Bollywood fan. She has a BFA in Sculpture and a J.D. in law, and has taught both creative writing and legal research and writing at several fine institutions, including the University of Minnesota.
Originally a California native, she currently resides in Santa Fe, New Mexico with her husband, kids, and dog, Hubble after surviving twenty-plus years in the Minnesota tundra (but still considers Los Angeles, the Twin Cities, and Santa Fe all home). Other than writing, Jennifer loves hiking, traveling, Albert Camus, Dr. Seuss, dark chocolate, drinking copious amounts of coffee, exploring mysterious places, and meeting new people–if you’re human (or otherwise), odds are she’ll probably love you.
Follow Jennifer on her website, Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook.
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Great review! This sounds like a well written and compelling story! 🙂
Great characters and story!