Review for Crossing Paths by Melanie Stinnett

Crossing Paths

Melanie Stinnett

Stand Alone

Rating: 4 Groupie Stars

Buy Now: Amazon Link

Synopsis:

The crossing paths of friendship, family, love, and loss are often complicated.

June Deckert and Caroline Smith sparked a friendship in college that carried them through graduation. Although they are complete opposites in every way, they have spent the last four years inseparable.

That is, until now.

June finds herself falling for a man who seems unattainable. As she works side by side with him on a new media campaign, their feelings for each other come alive. But when his actions start to speak louder than words, she wonders if she’s missing something.

Meanwhile, Caroline is fighting against her feelings for a recent acquaintance, and she decides to keep her new love interest a secret from June. Overwhelmed by these new emotions, her moods change swiftly, swinging up and down like a yo-yo.

While June and Caroline try to maneuver their way through new relationships, Caroline starts lying to June to protect her from a truth that threatens to break her heart and tear them apart. 

In the end, Caroline’s deceit will test their friendship, and June will have to decide if her chance at love is worth putting her heart on the line.

My Review

This book is a standalone with a HEA I was soooo in the need for a non-series book. I really enjoyed this book and the fact that there were no love triangles (as Rebecca likes to call them tridickathons).  The story line was very original and had me captivated and needing to keep reading to find out how everything was going to fall into place. There were many times I found myself thinking both I so called it and I did not see that coming. Because of this the review is going to be very hard to write. There are so many twists and turns and secrets in the book that I do not want to reveal too much, but to instead encourage you to read this book yourself and discover them all.

 The main characters of the book are June and Caroline. They met during their freshman year of college and were inseparable ever since. They are complete opposites from each other but that is why there friendship works so well.

"Friendship came easily as we bonded over alcohol consumption, ridiculous roommates, and relationships with losers. We complemented each other with our differences."

They have now both graduated, found jobs, and moved to Texas, where June is original from. They have both been unlucky in their love lives, but soon each find themselves in
"complicated" new relationships. Caroline meets Liam (June's brother) at a Sunday family diner. This is the same dinner that June warns both Caroline and Liam to not get involved with each other.

 "You never told me he was a Chris Pine on the hotness scale." 
"Probably because he's my brother, and Texas isn't know for incest."

However, there is an instant attraction and connection between the two, but they decide to take things slow and to keep there relationship a secret. For Caroline lying to her best friend is eating away at her and causing problems in their friendship. Going behind June's back and their hectic work schedules are just a few of the obstacles this couple experiences.

"I touch my hand to his, and immediately, the breath, rushes back into my lungs. If his touch has this impact on everyone, he should look into a job at the ER. He could save lives with that kind of superpower."

June meets Cohen on a work trip to New York. They first make eye connect in the airport, and they both feel a pull towards each other. The second interaction is when June assaults Cohen with her magazine on the airplane. The next time they literally run into each is when June is running to get to her meeting and slams into Cohen, who happens to be who she has the meeting with, of course! After the meeting Cohen asks June to get something to eat with him and then they part ways. June gets the contract with Cohen's company, and they have to work together on it. Cohen wants to pursue something with June, but he has secrets and baggage that he is afraid that will push her away. He also believes that he does not deserve happiness

"You might not believe it, but I know you crossed my path that day for a reason. I wasn't sure what it was about you, but I had to get to know you. My life has been so hectic over the past few years. I haven't been in the market for a real relationship in a long time." (Cohen)

Can both couples work through there issues and survive all the secrets?

The book is mostly in June and Caroline's alternating POVs, but we also get a few chapters from Liam and Cohen's point of views too. You really get a lot of information and learn about them from there chapters. The book shows that things aren't always as they seem, people can change, and that certain people cross our paths because they are meant to be in our lives. I would definitely recommend this book. The fact that this was the author's debut novel makes me anticipating what she writes next.

About this author

 

 

I have enjoyed reading and writing since I was very young. Some of my fondest memories from childhood are of spending time with my mom or grandma reading a good book. Over the years, it never crossed my mind that writing my own novel would be an attainable goal. After reading several independently published novels by Jamie McGuire, Colleen Hoover and others, I decided I needed to give that dream a chance. So, here I am.

My first novel, Crossing Paths, will be released on August 29, 2013.

When I’m not reading and writing, I enjoy spending time with my three favorite guys: my husband and my two little boys.

In addition to being an author, I work as a Speech Language  Pathologist to provide therapy to adults who are dealing with speech, language, cognition or voice deficits. My day job is rewarding in many different ways and I love having the opportunity to help others in a time of need.

Website http://www.melaniestinnett.com

Facebook: Melanie Stinnett Author

Twitter username: melstinnett_ 

Genre:  Contemporary, Romance, Fiction