Nobody's Angel

If you want a book with characters that will touch your heart this is it. All of the characters have their own issues. From our hero and heroine to characters you only meet a couple of times they're all exceedingly well developed and wrench at your heart. Personally I loved how the parents of the protagonists are portrayed. Lucy's parents consist of a dominating dad, and a people pleasing mother. Where Richard's mother, on the other hand, is a pretty typical soccer mom.

I also really loved how the love story developed between Richard and Lucy. It feels natural, has a history and depth, and it's fair share of problems. Namely Ashley and Elliot, Richard's soon to be ex-wife, and Lucy's would-be knight in shinning armor.

I also admire how Lucy's problem with alcohol is handled. In the story she's a recovering alcoholic on step nine of the twelve step program. She faces extreme challenges being in her childhood home. Her struggle is realistic and one that so many people face every single day.

This story is chock full of angst. Lucy is back after a lengthy absence to help her mom take care of her dad. Immediately she runs into Richard the man whose heart she broke. He has moved on a gotten married, but that hasn't worked so well. Their are old rivalries, jealous partners, former lovers and addictions in this one. Good read.

4.5 Stars!

Sarah Hegger is a new-to-me author but the blurb caught my interest and I was expecting to read a light, fun story of a mean girl’s redemption and a second-chance love. What I got was a raw and emotional story that deals with the very difficult issue of alcoholism and by the end of the book I felt like I had just gone through a hurricane.

Lucy Flint is a recovering alcoholic and has returned home to Willow Park for the first time after she left nine years ago, to help her mother with her father’s care. When she left town all those years, she did so under a cloud of scandal and her return gives her an opportunity to make amends to the town for all her hurtful and destructive behavior.

Richard Hunter is the nice and good guy with a killer body and good looks. He was Lucy’s teenage love whose heart she broke when she left town all those years. Now Richard is all grown, lives right next door and is her parents’ doctor. With both Lucy and Richard in such proximity, the sparks re-ignite between them.

I was completely drawn into this story because of Lucy. She is an amazing character who did not let her past keep her down. She grew up with an abusive father and a cowering and weak mother and with such parents, it’s no surprise that her self-esteem took a hit that led to her drinking and uncontrolled behavior. Nine years later, they had gotten worse and Lucy was brave and strong enough to deal maturely with them instead of trying to find the answers at the bottom of a bottle.

It’s not an easy thing to boldly own up to mistakes and ask for forgiveness because of the fact that the responses cannot be controlled, but Lucy had to face her demons and a lot of the people in town had very long memories and were not willing to forgive that easily. I hated that almost no-one could see the new Lucy, but that she was being judged and found wanting based on her past and some people just took pleasure in striking out at her.

NOBODY’S ANGEL is a must-read that highlights so many difficult issues but what struck me the most was the responses of some of the people Lucy apologized to. The anger and vitriol had festered for nine years and it spilled out in vengeful ways. It made me realize that trying to atone for past behavior does not come with a guarantee that the gesture would be accepted. One just has to take a chance and hope for the best. At the end, I was all for her leaving Willow Park for good and never returning. The ending was a little too abrupt for me and I wish that it had been extended a little to wrap up the story properly.

All in all, NOBODY’s ANGEL is a great story of redemption and getting a second chance at first love.

Reviews by the Wicked Reads Review Team

Veronica – ☆☆☆☆☆
This is a story I'd recommend your read in your favourite cosy spot. Cuddle up with a drink, blanket and a box of tissues and immerse yourself in Nobody's Angel.

Lucy is a recovering alcoholic, who has returned home after 9 years away to face the people she has wronged in the past and to ask for forgiveness. Older, wiser and no longer under the influence of booze and drugs, Lucy has moved on with her life and is no longer the party girl trouble maker she once was. The problem is, people only know her as that girl and trying to get them to see her for who she is now proves difficult.

This book is dual point of view, with parts of the book told from the point of view of Richard, the love of Lucy's life, who she left behind. Richard is estranged from his wife, Lucy's former best friend, but trying desperately to hang on to his marriage. Lucy's return puts a spanner in the works and he struggles to decide what he really wants.

This is an intense, emotional story, about courage, change, love and forgiveness. The scenes where Lucy goes to people she has wronged to apologise and ask forgiveness are emotionally tough to read and left me a crying, blubbering mess.

Nobody's Angel was absolutely magnificent!

Ruthie – ☆☆☆☆
This is a really satisfying read. Although there are many second chance romances, this one is full of original ideas which are both meaningful and humorous. The opening scene as Lucy returns to her family home is a great start to the story. I loved Richard's mother, and there are a number of characters who are essential to the story.

I'm delighted to see that Josh is going to get his story next, and assume that maybe the absent Thomas will too. With such stylish writing and a talent to tell a tale, Ms. Hegger has gained another fan.