Reviewed by Cheryl
TITLE: Extraordinary Things
SERIES: Star Shadow #4
AUTHOR: Beth Bolden
PUBLISHER: Self-Published
LENGTH: 229 pages
RELEASE DATE: June 26, 2020
BLURB:
Leo and Caleb have been through hell—addiction, destruction, and even a five year separation—but they’ve come through on the other side with their love stronger than ever.
Caleb knows he’s earned Leo’s forgiveness. He wants to believe he deserves it, but just when Leo needs him more than ever, a voice in his head insists that maybe he doesn’t. It’s so loud, he can’t block it out. So loud, he’d do anything to silence it.
Including risking everything he and Leo, and the rest of Star Shadow, have built together.
Extraordinary Things is a continuation of Leo and Caleb’s love story from Terrible Things. It should not be read as a standalone.
REVIEW:
I was really pleased that the series cycled back to Leo and Caleb. So many writers, where there are deeply scarred and/or troubled characters, stop when they get their HEA – which can only ever be a HFN – and leave us to believe that everything is resolved, they’re healed, their relationship is fine and the future is happy. But that’s not how it works, and this author took time to show that it’s really an ongoing process where both parties slip and make mistakes and second guess themselves on everything, mainly what it would take drive them apart and what it would take to keep them together. In real life, the healing process can go on for months, even years, possibly forever, and the issues that broke them in the first place, pop up again – like Caleb and Leo.
Whilst this book wasn’t as intense as the first, it throws everyone’s feelings back into the mixing bowl and shines light on their weaknesses, as well as their strengths. As usual, the author creates a sense of reality that bolsters some of the weaker part of the book, and the characters always stay true to their voices. The author is not afraid to go to dark places or to flay the souls of her characters, leaving them bare and bleeding.
It’s difficult to say much more without giving away a whole host of spoilers. This book is full of loose ends being woven neatly into the tapestry, culminating in an extremely satisfying ending.
Caleb and Leo remain very much my favourite couple and they’ve really had their share of pot holes on their yellow brick road. I hope they’ve finally found their Oz, no matter how beautifully imperfect it might be.
The story draws to an end, but my association with this author doesn’t. I’m pleased to see other series with new, broken characters ready to put back together again.
RATING: 
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