Ashley Stoynaoff Reviews:Finding Abigail by Christina Smith

★ASHLEY STOYNAOFF'S REVIEW★

Ashley Stoynaoff Reviews: Finding Abigail by Christina Smith.

Title: Finding AbigailAuthor: Christina SmithNumber of Pages: 352Publication Info: Christina Smith (December 2012)Genre: Adult Contemporary Romance

Shelf:Review Copy

Rating: ★★★★★

Goodreads:here

Purchase:here

Author’s Website:here

Summary from Goodreads

Abby Watson thought she'd know a monster if she ever saw one. It's what she does for a living, writing children's fantasy books. But what she didn't realize is that monsters are not always fiction, and they come in all shapes and sizes.

She wasn't really looking for her Prince Charming; her family and friends were doing that enough for her. In her line of work she is immersed in the fantasy world and fairy tales. Then one day she meets a man in a shiny police uniform. He is attentive and showers her with compliments and gifts—he is the perfect man. Or is he? When he shows his true colors, she realizes he might not be her Prince Charming after all.

After a traumatic year, Abby loses who she once was. She hides herself from the world and stops doing what she loves the most—writing.

Will she give up looking for love because of one toad, or will she open herself up to new things, and in doing so find herself, and a man worthy of her love?
Due to violence and language, this book is recommended for 17+

My Review

Smith does it again! Finding Abigail is a wonderful story of heartbreak, love, and most of all, a woman’s journey as she pulls herself from her darkest point in life and fights to find herself again.

What I loved: I have to admit that when I read one of the first drafts of this book I was on the fence. There was just something…missing. But I can tell you that whatever it was, it is not missing anymore. Smith pulled Finding Abigail together, and in the end, delivered a wonderfully heart wrenching, and completely breathtaking story.

I loved the raw intensity. Smith didn't sugarcoat anything. She gave us the truth about domestic violence, letting us dive into Abby’s head and showing us the turmoil that causes so many women to stick around through relentless beatings and emotional distress.

"On the edge of consciousness, I gazed into the deep brown eyes that stared into mine. They were full of hate and disgust as the man attached to them drained the life from my body.

He said he loved me, but continually treated me with violence and ridicule.

He said he wanted to marry me, except to him, I was a possession.

He said he wanted to be together forever, but my life, my essence, my soul, was slipping away at the hands of the man who loves me."

But even with defeat threatening to consume her, I absolutely LOVED that Abby did not give into it. She was strong and determined and really, she was the kind of character that you want to succeed, to rise above and fight back.

What I liked: Noah, well, I liked him. He was nice, outgoing, and really, he was exactly what Abby needed. There were a few things about him that just rubbed me the wrong way, which is why he fell into the “like” category, but those things are probably the residual damage left behind by Prince Charming. I’m still wondering if I would feel this way if Noah had been a lead in another book or if I had met him first in this one. I guess I found it hard to cheer for another man when the first one was just so…horrible.

What drove me crazy: Honestly, (and this may be a first) there really wasn't much that drove me crazy, at least, not in a bad way. There were many (and I mean MANY) cringing, skin crawling moments, but each one was the good kind—sort of. At times, Nick made me want to scream and want to throw the book away and even made me feel sick, but that was the point of his character and without him there wouldn't have been a story.

My overall thoughts: This book was a real eye opener to the world of domestic violence. Smith takes care to make the scenes realistic and intense and really dives into the inner thoughts of the victim, Abby. If you are looking for a book that tackles real issues, and will make your skin crawl one moment, but then the next, make heart flutter, then try Finding Abigail. You won’t be disappointed.