"The ring will wither away before long. Just like me. Perhaps it's a good thing. No permanent reminder of me. This way, he can recover quicker after I’m gone. [...] He kisses me like he knows he doesn't have many kisses left. [...] I only want him to remember how I made him feel. Nothing more."
„If he's a star and the night is claiming him, I want the night to take us both.”
"Death has its beauty. It makes you see the eternity in every second; it makes you see every moment’s perfection instead of searching an eternity for the perfect moment."
Sentiments, the feelings within, seether and heroes’ unease are main characters in Withering Hope. From the beginning, when salvation seemed certain, until the moment when death is / seems to be imminent, these feelings are discovered, turn, grow - in a natural and plausible way. Doubts, the strange and unsettling feelings, characters’ emotions are prepared and supported by their past, so nothing seems forced or exaggerated.
„Today, I had a taste of how real the possibility of not making it out of the jungle is.”
As survivors, Aimee is feminine, but without being a "damsel in distress" and Tristan is a real, strong man, but he’s not invincible. As lovers, Aimee and Tristan are honest, sincere with themselves, and they don’t want to hurt others. The way in which they are built, the way in which they develop it is in close harmony with what they feel. It is not about lust or just find an outlet, but about love.
"[T]here is no going back. Tristan slipped into my soul they way mist travels in the forest after the rain: unseen, unstoppable, and ubiquitous."
Although the story is pinned on feelings, the rhythm of the book is alert and that action - adventure part of it, which any story involving a survival requires has it, stress and convey very well ... you guessed it… the heroes’ feelings. It is not about the fear of dying, but about the despair of the loved one’s demise.
„If he's a star and the night is claiming him, I want the night to take us both.”
Withering Hope is written from Aimee's POV, in first person. Those few chapters told from Tristan's point of view, short and to the "object" will mark the transformations of Aimee’s feelings and will remove even the smallest risk of monotony. I loved and hated the inspired author’s “avarice” regarding Tristan’s chapters, but they are as many as necessary to incite and make you want more.
"My peace carries her smell and sounds like her voice.
Before she can give me peace, I will take hers away. And she will hate me for it."
A great advantage of the book is also the poetry of the author's language. I left myself delighted by the intense, passionate without being pathetic words.
At the end, the pathos is at its climax. The epilogue is superb and represents the quintessence of the true love. When you get to it, do not think that it's not true just because it is so rare that it seems impossible.
„He loved her so much he never wanted to say goodbye to her. He wanted to leave with her.”
With the constant risk brought by the application of each reader’s own set of criteria, I can only recommend you to read Withering Hope.
About the author:
My name is Layla Hagen and I am a New Adult Contemporary Romance author.
I fell in love with books when I was nine years old, and my love affair with stories continues even now, many years later.
I write romantic stories and can’t wait to share them with the world.
And I drink coffee. Lots of it, in case the photo didn’t make it obvious enough
I've heard a lot about Withering Hope so thanks for the review x
ReplyDeleteGreat review, Cremona! I love how intense and emotional this sounds. I love survivalist stories, too, so the rainforest aspect sounds right up my alley!
ReplyDeleteAwww, I love this review so much <3 i am so glad you enjoyed Tristan and Aimee's story. Your comment about my ""avarice” regarding Tristan’s chapters" made me laugh :-)
ReplyDeleteThank you so much for this beautiful review!!