Credence Woods by Alexandria Sure – Review by Angela Hayes

Credence Woods by Alexandria Sure
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Credence Woods by Alexandria Sure is a great read- a contemporary romance with angst, emotion, and drama. It’s a sweet, tender, heart-warming story that was true to life, realistic, and relatable.
Kennedy Hewson lives her life on fast-forward. A successful property sales executive whose life revolves around her work. She’s so focused on her career, she has little time for anything else, let alone a relationship. She’s worked incredibly hard to get to where she is and has the penthouse, clothing, shoes, and lifestyle to prove it. But she has a lot of scars, and not just physical ones, but also of her mind. Even with everything she’s accomplished, and how far she’s come- Kennedy is still stuck in the past and unable to move forward, no matter the ‘put-together’, confident image she presents to the world. She’s chronically insecure about her appearance and can’t escape the distorted image of herself that she has in her mind. Even after the weight loss surgery and workout regime that changed her life- she’s still stuck in her head- wanting and needing to leave her former ‘life’ behind, but unsure how to accomplish that. While on a business trip to Tennessee she has a car accident that wrecks her car, and results in Kennedy being rescued by a handsome local. He takes her back to his place to recover- turning her ‘scheduled’, compartmentalized, and organised life into chaos, right along with her heart.
Who is the handsome stranger you ask? What makes him perfect for Kennedy? Will the sparks between them ignite, or fizzle out? What happens when the job in Tennessee finishes up and she has to go back to Chicago- will it bring their budding relationship to an abrupt end? Will Kennedy ever be able to leave her past behind her and move forward and embrace her ‘new’ life? Your really should read this book to find out how it all plays out.
This was a lovely story. There was a lot of inner dialogue from Kennedy that really makes the reader aware of just how insecure she really is- her thought processes are quite negative and self depreciating. She frustrated me so much with how hard she was on herself and how unattractive she felt- when in reality, she was anything but. It all just made her all the more realistic and endearing. Max was just so perfect for her in every way… swoon. I will let you read all his scrumptious details for yourself- there’s nothing like a mysterious, sexy man to gain my attention!
There were a few minor issues that annoyed me just a little. Sorry, Ms. Sure…… The story seemed a little awkward leading into very ‘closed door’ sex scene/s- I felt that Kennedy was so honest and intimate with us in sharing all her body image issues and vulnerabilities- but then we get closed out when she’s being sexually intimate? It wasn’t that big of a deal, just a minor issue for me personally, which didn’t detract from the overall story, just made me question why. I also thought the drama that was added towards the end wasn’t really warranted, it felt like adding drama just for the sake of it. But I respect that I am NOT the author, and this is Ms. Sure’s story to tell however she wants. Just sharing my though process that’s all. I would also have liked to hear from Max, get his point of view and how he thought about things- as the story is told entirely from Kennedy’s point of view. I feel like we missed out from hearing what he had to say and learning more about him.
The characters are so well crafted, fully developed individuals who really added to the overall storyline. I absolutely love Hank, he is such a wonderful guy, a great asset and friend to Kennedy. I also loved Cora, she was a wonderful addition to the story. All their friends were great too- loyal, supportive and fun.
The story is a wonderfully romantic- with opposites attracting, overcoming obstacles, releasing body image issues, learning to love yourself, new beginnings, learning to ‘live’ again and embracing life elements that made this story hard to put down.
Looking forward to more from Ms. Sure.

Thank you, Ms. Sure!

Reviewed by @angelahayes

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