Wendy'sThoughts's Reviews > Once Perfect

4 Mateo and Evie Stars * * * *

Two people from totally different cultures and economic backgrounds collide. Assumptions are made but once they are stripped away... they understand they are just people who connect and are good for one another. Sounds like any romance story out there, right... except this tale had so much more to it than that.

We get the rich, privileged girl who suffers at the hands of the father's sins. He embezzled, disgraced his family and then ended things in a drastic manner. Evelyn... left alone, fending for herself with only the love and emotional support of her former housekeeper's family. She has been abandon by the boy/man she was supposed to have married... She learned to stand on her own two feet and become something she could be proud of... a nurse. She is almost finished and will be graduating soon. She has worked her way through, waiting tables at a club some nights and weekends. It is not easy. It is not what she was raised to do. It is her life and she is learning to be her own person as best as she can.

We get a man... someone who endured a difficult childhood, survivor of the cultural ways of his family. He dealt as best he could with the violence he saw and experienced by the hands of his father. He saw the harm and acceptance of his passive mother. He wanted more out of his life and sought to get the education and training the Armed Service would provide. A traumatic event involving his 14 year old sister changed his path. Doling out the appropriate punishment to the perpetrator, he was sentenced to prison instead of the society boy who deserved it. Mateo has done his time. He heads the security and bouncers of the club where Evie works. He is helping his mother and sisters financially and is resigned to his life. He will take care of his family. He will fight to make the money to support them. He does not see any advancement or career for himself. This is his life.

These two connect and although each has their issues and concerns... once they commit to each other... you root for them.

This was a winner for me... The cover planted the seed of who to think about as Mateo.... here was the strong, built, caring man. He had seen so much; was sweet and careful with Evie... he sensed there were demons and she would need to work them through first before anything could happen with them. You just adore Mateo from the start and Evie, with her privileged, sheltered background, is learning to be free and open as best she can.

The story was detailed and made terrific sense. It covered numerous plot lines which meshed perfectly. You cared about these people... understood the challenges. There were secondary characters which enhanced the story and will have their own books coming I sense.

This was a good read for me and glad I was able to experience it.

A gifted copy was provided by Random House Publishing through NetGalley for an honest review.

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