Review – Starting Over (Treading Water #3) by Marie Force

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Description:

In a drunken stupor, Brandon O’Malley frightens his brother Aidan’s girlfriend, enraging his brother and the rest of his family. Aidan offers Brandon the choice of rehab or jail, and Brandon reluctantly enters treatment. While in rehab, he confronts the lifetime of secrets and resentments that fueled his spiral into alcoholism, and these revelations have a major effect on his entire family. When he returns home expecting to resume his supervisory role in the family’s construction business, Brandon learns his father has retired and put his younger brothe, Colin,r in charge. Brandon is unhappy to be given the job of renovating an apartment building where he loses his heart to an adorable five-year-old tenant named “Mike.” After he falls hard for Michaela, Brandon becomes involved with her mother Daphne, who is running from a past that will later test his sobriety and his mettle as a man.

This was another wonderful and emotional story from Marie Force. We met Brandon in Marking Time and knew he had a lot of demons to work out. From the moment I met Brandon I wanted to know what his story was. How could someone from such a strong, loving and supportive family be so down in the dumps that he had to turn to alcohol. Brandon’s story touched me in more ways than one. My Uncle is a recovering alcoholic and lives his life by the Big Book and the Good Book. Before my Aunt’s recent death she was very involved in Al-Anon and I never really knew what Al-Anon was and why she left so strongly about it. With this book I have a new respect for my Uncle and understand why so many people from Al-Anon were touched by Aunt’s commitment to Al-Anon.

Brandon is finally getting treatment and we get to see him sturggle with his alcoholism and coming to terms with what he has done to his friends and family. Once Brandon comes to terms with his alcoholism he must learn to live his life without alcohol. Brandon’s first order of business out of rehab is to earn the trust he has lost with his family and his co-workers. Brandon’s Dad puts in charge of the remodel of an apartment building he owns and it is there that Brandon meets the loves of his life and a reason to stay sober not only for himself but for those who love him.

Daphne and her daughter Michaela “Mike” has some secrets of their own, but when Mike sets her sites on Brandon to make him theirs, he has no choice but to fall in love with Mike and her mom. I completely fell head over heels in love with Mike and Daphne. But, will the start of something wonderful for Brandon be the thing that sends him back to Jack Daniels.

I do not even know if I can put into words what I felt for this book and these characters. I was touched in so many ways. I felt like I might be reading my Aunt and Uncle’s love story and with her recent passing it only touched me more. Brandon has had so much hurt and anger in his life that he has kept in that I was affaid that I was going to have to watch him fail again and again with his alcoholism, but that was not the case. Brandon worked the steps and finally saw what he was missing by not living a sober life. Marie takes the reader on a wonderful journey with Brandon, Daphne, Mike and the whole O’Malley clan. There is just something about Marie’s writing that draws you and and stays with you long after you finish the book. This book will make you laugh and cry and leave a lasting impression on you. This book left with the feeling that no matter what life throws at you, you can over come it, and anything is possible when you have love in any form. Thank you Marie Force for three wonderful books that will stay with me for a long time to come.

Happy Reading!

4.5 Stars

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