College senior Kate Camden has learned to adapt - to her last year of school, to the promise of motherhood, to the fact that she’s doing it all alone. But just when she’s learned to adjust, heartache threatens to break her apart.
Pro hockey player Jason “Ryke” Ryker has it all: adoring fans, a promising career, and a beautiful wife. But when his seemingly perfect life is shaken by tragedy, he’s left questioning whether having it all is ever more than an illusion.
When circumstance brings Kate and Ryke together, they discover they don’t have to hurt alone. Bound by a grief that haunts them both, they must rely on one another to survive heartbreak. But that grief is more powerful than they realize, and the tie that binds them together may ultimately tear them apart.
****4.5 Heartfelt stars****
Bound by Brenda Rothert can be summed up with these words: Loss, Grief, Sadness, Heartache, Depression, Coping, Moving On, Second Chances, Romance, Laughter, Friendship, Happiness, Closure, and Life. Bound is a story that united two individuals who were bound together with the same pain: LOSS of a loved one. When is it okay to finally move on? Is it right to move on? Why is our sadness and loss sometimes associated with guilt? Do second chances really exists? This is a story that reminds us that there is no right or wrong way to grieve, there are healthy ways to cope with the pain that, in time, can renew you and permit you to move on.
Kate Camden is a 22 year college senior when she becomes unexpectedly pregnant by her boyfriend, Quinn. The boyfriend is overwhelmed by the sudden responsibility and breaks it off with Kate leaving her to accept the fact that she will have to be a single mother. Just 17 weeks into her pregnancy, Kate finally accepts the fact that she’s going to be a mom and is looking forward to her baby. At her sonogram check up, Kate is informed devastating news: her baby doesn’t have a heartbeat. She is completely destroyed and left broken by this. She is left numb, depressed, and closed off. The once upbeat and lively Kate is shut off from the world.
Jason “Ryke” Ryker is a 27 year old professional NHL star hockey player. He is one of the rising stars in the NHL and a hotshot model endorser of an underwear ad. His career is on the fast track but behind the success is a man who is left a widow at such a young age. His wife was tragically taken away from him by a drunk driver. The perfect life of Ryke is shattered and his world is turned upside down.
When Kate finally decides that she needs to get help for her depression, she meets Ryke at a bereavement support group. Ryke is drawn to Kate. He sees something in her and so he decides to reach out to her. Seeking a way to spend more time with Kate, Ryke hires her as his personal assistant. From then on, friendship blooms. They begin to lean on each other for support. The attraction and chemistry between Ryke and Kate are palpable. As much as they are attracted to each other, Kate is hesitant to move on. She doesn’t feel worthy to be loved and cared for. She feels Ryke is too good for her.
As much as you want to shake Kate and tell her that she has a good thing in front of her, I understand where she is coming from. Loss of a loved one is something that can never be forgotten. It takes times and closure. The budding romance of Ryke and Kate felt real and not rushed. As much as you want them together as couple, I enjoyed the pace they went. Ryke didn’t pushed Kate to move on. He understood that Kate needed to get to that place where she can be at peace with herself. I admired Ryke for his sweetness, gentleness, patience and loved for Kate.
Bound is one of those stories that I personally can relate to having experienced a sudden loss of my mother last year. Loss and grief can take a toll on a person. Losing a loved one is never easy and sometimes it might take days, months, and years to fully cope and move on. Reading this book brought back lots of memories for me since I experienced what Ryke and Kate went through losing a loved one. Personally for me, I felt both Ryke and Kate’s pain, fears, heartaches and loss. My heart ached for them whenever memories and flashbacks would remind them of the past and the what if’s of the future. Bound was more than a romance book, it was a story of coping, moving on and second chances. Second chances not only in love but at LIFE. Ryke and Kate’s story was about survival and two individuals who were able to claw out of the darkness and find the light and peace they both deserved.
Ms. Brenda Rothert did a fabulous job in this stand-alone book. She was able to incorporate sadness, loss, grief, humor, sexiness, and romance all in this book. This is a third book that I have read from Ms. Rothert and her books have never failed me. She makes her readers FEEL and those are the books I tend to gravitate towards to. I really enjoyed this book so I recommend everyone to go read this book.
~ Review by Michelle
Brenda Rothert started her writing career as a print journalist. She now writes Romances, some Contemporary and others with a twist of dystopian society and adventure. Rothert lives in Central Illinois with her husband and three boys.
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