Official Review: Decide To Hope by June Converse

[Okafor Prosper]

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "Decide To Hope" by June Converse.]

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3 out of 4 stars

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Decide To Hope, by June Converse, is a story that centers around Kathleen Bridges and Matt Nelson. Kathleen, who is psychologically traumatized, lives by a beach in North Carolina, where the rest of the world can't see her. Matt, a tax attorney at Nelson, Nelson, and Johnson (NNJ) who lives an uneventful life, is convinced by his father, Joe Nelson, and family friend, Jessica, to take a vacation to North Carolina planned by his deceased mother. Matt is given a box of ten letters written by his mother, which will help him find a special gift on his vacation. On Matt's first day in North Carolina, he decides to go to a bar to get a meal. It was there that Matt crossed paths with Kathleen. The electric feeling Matt has when he first meets her and the clues in his mother's letters convince him that the mysterious, quiet Kathleen was the gift his mother spoke about.

Can Matt figure out the mystery behind Kathleen? How will meeting Kathleen affect Matt's life? Is Kathleen actually the gift Matt's mother referred to? These were the few questions that crossed my mind as I read the first few chapters of this intriguing book. I wasn't entirely sure what genre this book falls into, but after reading, I would say that it's a romance novel. The book also includes themes of self-discovery and hope. The author also uses Kathleen to paint a picture of how post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is like. The flashbacks, irritability, anxiety, nightmares, mistrust, and loss of interest associated with PTSD were realistically described. While I applaud the author on the character development of the two main characters (Matt and Kathleen), Kathleen's story made me really sad. I would have also liked to know more about some of the other characters in the story.

The book was generally a slow-paced book, but it wasn't a boring read. I liked the pace of the book, as it gave me more room to think and react emotionally to the story. The author's description of events and feelings was also another part of the book I enjoyed. The author's reliance on relatable similes and metaphors made it very easy for me to visualize what was going on almost throughout the story. The sex scenes in the story were also well described. Even though the author left some things in the sex scenes to my imagination, I don't think this book would be appropriate for younger readers.

Furthermore, there were a few things I didn't like about the book. The first issue I had with the book was how confusing the timeline was at times, especially with Matt's mother's death. There were also times when flashbacks confused me, as there was nothing to indicate that I was reading a flashback. The book was also not well edited. It contained a lot of grammatical errors that were difficult to navigate through at certain points of the story. However, the intriguing plot kept me going till the end.

Overall, Decide To Hope was an interesting read that gave me an insight into what PTSD really feels like. Its message of hope was also inspiring. The book also taught me that one can get through the toughest of times, especially with the support of family and friends. I rate Decide To Hope 3 out of 4 stars. The grammatical errors and the confusion with the timeline in the story prevents me from giving the book the maximum rating. I would recommend this book to fans of romance stories. People that like self-love and self-realization stories will also have fun with this book.

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Decide To Hope
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[DogoMulla]

Sounds as though the two were dealing with a mouthful. It's this kinds of union and situations that surely give us 'hope'. Nice job on the review.

[Jessacardinal]

Everything about this book is right up my alley of preferred reads! This is the first review I have read that showcases something so close to what I would choose from a library shelf. I am very excited to read about the journey Kathleen and Matt take together. Thank you for a lovely review!

[kaymontacell]

Thanks for the review! Pacing is pretty critical when it comes to books with emotional narratives, since you want the audience to be able to feel the story beats with the characters. Glad you enjoyed the book as much as you did.

[randompersonavility]

I am intrigued by the characters. I am also happy that the author chose to discuss PTD, however I don't know if I'm in for a slow paced book. Thanks for the review!

[BelleReadsNietzsche]

This sounds like an interesting and enjoyable romance novel. (Although PTSD is not enjoyable- but I’m glad to see more characters with it these days, normalizing it.) Thanks for the review!

[InStoree]

Romanticism mixed with PTSD sounds tumultuous. PTSD would involve a traumatic event most probably, and that is something that I'm not looking for right now. Maybe for another time. Thank you for your review!

[kandscreeley]

Timelines can be tricky. Still, I'm curious as to what Kathleen's issues are and how she and Matt progress. Thanks for a lovely review.

[DaniM18]

To me the mix between ptsd and romance is alot to take in ... I've been reading alot of book where the girl always tried to figure out the guy never where the guy dedicates his time to figure out the girl and make moves towards that!! It was truly refreshing