Echoing Hearts (The Echo Series Book 1) by C.R. Alam – Review by Tara Johnson Barnes

Echoing Hearts by C.R. Alam
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Rae is a woman focused on her job that has no time to look for romance. She is happy to travel and write articles for magazines without worrying about settling down. Rae does not believe in the concept of a fairy-tale romance with a happily ever after ending because she watched as her mom fell into a deep depression after she had her heart broken. When Rae takes on a last-minute assignment as a favor for a friend, she is only expecting to write an article on an up-and-coming female architect.

When Rae arrives on the property she is to write the article about she is greeted by a man who accuses her of being a trespasser. The man greeting her so coldly unbeknownst to her is the homeowner, Dean. Her first impression of him is that he is good-looking but that does not make up for how rude he is. Dean is home on a break from the hustle and bustle of the big city and his flourishing business. He is not expecting a sassy little redhead to come wandering into his life so unexpectedly. Although he finds her attractive, he has no desire to be in a relationship and wants nothing to do with women after his fiancée left him at the alter. Rae and Dean spend the weekend remaining cordial to each other for Dean sister’s sake. Dean does not want to ruin his sister’s career and Rae finds his sister to be a genuinely kind person.

Once the weekend is over, Rae and Dean expect to go their separate ways and never see one another again. Life has unexpected plans for them when they both end up at the same club. Dean is there for work and Rae is there to see a friend of hers that plays in a band that is playing at the club. Dean cannot take his eyes off Rae but refuses to admit that he is drawn to her. Rae does her best to ignore her attraction to Dean and still thinks he is a jerk. Despite their denial they feel the intense attraction towards one another but refuse to act on it.

This book was very well written, and I enjoyed reading it to see how things would play out between the characters. Both Rae and Dean had their own emotional baggage they were carrying around that came from past hurt and trauma. This made them fearful of getting hurt again so they decided it was best to just stay away from relationships. When they meet they realize that they have to work through their demons and heal from their past trauma so they could move forward. The ensuing journey is an emotional rollercoaster ride as Rae and Dean struggle to overcome their past. A beautifully written love story with passion, chemistry, drama, emotional scars, family, friends, jealousy and raw emotion.

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