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4.0
A Beholden Heart
ByPublisher Description
Have you ever looked around at your life and thought to yourself, this can’t be what the universe had planned for me? This thought enters my brain…Every. Single. Day. I have no clue what I’m supposed to be doing, but this isn’t it. I don’t want extraordinary. I’ve never wanted extraordinary. I just want normal…whatever that is. When I enrolled in Middleton High School, I was just looking to find some resemblance to the typical high school experience. Then I met Matt Rhodes. He lives the life of envy: popular, athletic, top of his class. Yet he wants none of it; he would gladly give it all up to gain back everything that he’s lost. Together we will redefine normal.
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Meet readers like you in the Fable For You feed, designed to build bookish communitiesA Beholden Heart Reviews
4.0
“What a beautifully written, highly emotive read that definitely pulled at my heartstrings. When I orignallly read the blurb the first line really spoke to me so I was eager to get started and once I did it captured me from the first word to the very last.
The story centres around Gwen and the impact she has on the people she is surrounded by, bringing perspective to their lives with selfless acts of kindness, acceptance and love. It's a real coming of age story but with so much more to it.
"What makes life liveable are the people we surround ourselves with. Living forever would mean continuously losing those pieces that make life wonderful, I would rather live a short life full of love than a forever of loneliness. Returning to the past would allow me to return to every perfect moment that my imperfect memory might have forgotten."
This book tugged at my heart one minute and the next had me laughing. The dynamics and witty banter woven throughout the relationships of the character's were really well thought out, I felt they had depth and I instantly connected to them. The story even though primarily a YA read was so captivating that by the time I realised I was already invested in the story and could not put it down.
I highly recommend this book to all ages the message intricately woven throughout its pages is so poignant that I feel it's a must read!
ARC provided by the author in exchange for an honest review courtesy of WTMO Book Blog.”
“Disclosure: I received a copy from the author/publisher, in exchange for an honest review. This does not influence my review in any shape or form.
I wasn’t sure what A Beholden Heart was about but I wanted to read it because M.L. Steinbrunn wrote it. I absolutely loved her Redemption series and was eagerly awaiting a new novel by her. She writes the most beautifully broken characters that are often lost and have no hope and turns them into a beautiful woven story.
A Beholden Heart is no different it is the story how one person can change another person’s life just by being themselves. It shows how much one person can have an impact on our life rather we notice it or not.
Matt and Gwen’s point of view tell the story. Gwen is new to Middleton; she is currently living with her grandmother for her senior year. Her parents are moving to London because of a job offer, Gwen turns down going to London (shocking, I know!) but it is for a good reason.
Matt is the town’s golden boy. The most popular boy in school and of course he is the star football player. A bit cliché but it works.
This is no love story (although I did ship one couple then decided it was best if that ship didn’t happen that another ship should happen, I was confused can you tell?). This is truly a story about friendship, the kind that makes you wonder what you ever would have done without that person. The kind that shows you that a person can truly change you for the better.
What I love the most about M.L. Stienbrunn’s novels is that I find a deep connection not just with the main characters but also the minor characters. I absolutely loved Sam and Spencer and their banter. I thought it was perfect for the story. I wanted more of both them and I saw they will be getting their own stories that you of course will see reviews on later within the year.
There were parts I found a bit unbelievable. They weren’t serious enough that they took away from the story. So for me they were easy to overlook. The story was beautiful and left me in tears. It was a bit of a trigger for me but overall it was beautiful and I look forward to the rest of the series.
I hope you pick this up and you walk away knowing that you make a difference in someone’s life. It could just be by simply saying hi to someone or just being yourself you make a difference.”
“Have you ever looked around at your life and thought to yourself, this can’t be what the universe had planned for me?
This thought enters my brain…Every. Single. Day.
I have no clue what I’m supposed to be doing, but this isn’t it.
I don’t want extraordinary. I’ve never wanted extraordinary. I just want normal…whatever that is.
When I enrolled in Middleton High School, I was just looking to find some resemblance to the typical high school experience.
Then I met Matt Rhodes. He lives the life of envy: popular, athletic, top of his class. Yet he wants none of it; he would gladly give it all up to gain back everything that he’s lost.
Together we will redefine normal.
A Beholden Heart is an extremely heartwarming, emotional, and beautifully told story about the impact one person can have on others. Through acts of kindness, acceptance, and a love for light, even in the midst of darkness, Gwen's impact on a small community has life changing power for those with whom she comes into contact. I loved how it took the new girl to bring a friendship back between 3 friends. I recommend this book! I couldn't put it down. Thanks ML! Can't wait to see what else you have up that sleeve of yours.”
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