“Outside the Lines is an emotionally powerful story of perseverancein the face of doubt, forgiveness, and the healing power of love.”Sometimes fire reveals more than it destroysArtist Seth Stockton’s ranching roots didn’t prepare him for New York City’s cutthroat art world. Sales of his paintings are dismal, future prospects are bleak, and at thirty-three he’s disillusioned, stuck in a pointless … he’s disillusioned, stuck in a pointless graphic design job, and broke.
Then, the unthinkable happens–
Fellow artist Aimee Riesling accidentally sets fire to their studio. Seth’s paintings are ruined, along with his hopes. But Aimee refuses to let him give up, and pushes him to harness the inner passion and arouses the driving force behind his art…and feelings he never imagined he’d experience again.
When an eccentric art dealer sees promise in the damaged paintings, Seth has his first shot at recognition and with Aimee by his side, he’s basking in the spotlight. But the elation is short-lived when he receives word his father is dying and his manipulative ex-wife shows up with a disturbing secret. Aimee finds her and Seth together, assumes the worst, and flees to art school in Italy.
Seth’s future hangs in balance. Caught between family, honor, and love, the choice he makes will challenge his moral fiber, threaten his career, and risk losing Aimee and a second chance at happiness.
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He is trying to make his name in the art world but it is not so easy as he thought. She appears and a fire happens and it seems it may be good for them. Can he really make it in the art world? What will happen when his father becomes ill? What does his ex wife want now? See how he will get on
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
This is the first book I have read by Susan Haught and it was a fantastic, page turning story. It was full of emotions such as hurt, conflict, self-doubt and love, and it will take you through all of them as you follow the story of Seth and Aimee. This is a beautiful, heart-wrenching story with a longed for happily ever after. I highly recommend this book!
This was a very emotional story of love, sadness, expectations and much more. One artist lacking confidence and another giving freely and completely. I love the characters in this story. Well most of them. There was at least one that I didn’t like.
I highly recommend this book. It will pull at your heart. You won’t be able to let this book go.
A big 5 stars and I look forward to reading more by this author.
I received a copy of this book via BookSprout for my honest opinion.
I received the Kindle ARC of this book. I was hoping for a good book and what I got was a GREAT book. I will recommend it 100%. I plan to read it again soon.
The Artist’s Angst
This is the tale of heartbreak, loss and love and how it affects an artist’s work. The story is great. It gets a bit philosophical on occasion, but is very well done. It does not need to be read as part of the series or in series order; it stands alone well. This is a longer book which allows the author room to add rich detail and to fully develop many aspects of the story. She still allows plenty of room for the reader’s imagination. I received this book for free and this is my honest review.
Outside the Lines is a profoundly moving story, written in such lyrical prose that at times I was lost in the images that were woven by its words. Seth Stockton is an artist…talented and creative, but plagued with doubt and insecurities. Seth is also nursing old wounds which keep him from opening up his heart. He is a fascinating and compelling character. While I was reading this book, I felt a deep connection to Seth and his story, and there was something about this book that felt personal; I could tell that the author had poured her soul into every page of this book.
If you’re looking for an easy, humorous romance, this is not that book. When you read a book by this author you can be assured of a happy ending, but the road to it is anything but. There’s plenty of angst as the characters face challenges, uncertainties, and circumstances setting up roadblocks on their path to forever. You can count on the characters burrowing deep into your soul, sharing their every emotion with you, and becoming fully vested in their journey as well as the outcome as you cheer for them every step of the way.
Aimee and Seth are both artists, but they’re about as opposite as night and day. She’s bold, confident and sassy, and it shows in her painting. He’s cautious and orderly, with baggage he still carries from eight years ago and a father in poor health. Aimee challenges Seth to open himself and paint from his heart, and in the process he opens his heart to her, finding success and a love he never imagined. Just as Seth gets the chance to live a life he never dared to dream, his past comes crashing into his present and threatens all that he’s finally beginning to build.
Haught’s books always hit me straight in the heart. With some sort of existential conflict, degrees of self-actualizing and a cryptically profound supernatural nudge, her characters plights are authentic, relatable and abundantly endearing. It’s impossible for the reader to not feel and experience the struggles and successes, the highs and lows, the loss and love, thereby creating a strong connection with the characters. One thing is certain. After reading this profound, poignant, deeply evocative book Seth and Aimee will have a place in your heart. Their story will make you feel and make you think, and it will leave you better for having experienced it with them.
I struggled with this book. If you are looking for a light hearted, feel good, little angst, romantic read, this book is not it.
The characters are complex, there is a distinct aura of tension and angst. Part I and II felt like a dark cloud hanging overhead. The reacting without listening or asking for an explanation I found to be extremely irritating.
There is a ton of conflict, and ultimately there is an HEA.
This is a book that you definitely should read and judge for yourself. It is the first time I have read anything by this author. This was absolutely not my cup of tea, but it would not stop me from trying her work again.
I voluntarily read and reviewed the Advanced Reader Copy.
I really enjoyed this latest by author Susan Haught. The characters are complex, well-developed and real, and the author does an excellent job of conveying Seth and Aimee’s love and emotion. A fast paced, intriguing, page turner of a love story. I highly recommend.
Outside the Lines by Susan Haught is a very powerful emotional book. The story held me captive from the very first page. It had all the emotions of heartbreak, love and loss. This will definitely tug at your heartstrings. The book is filled so much detail that you feel like you are right there living this book. Even though this book is #4 in the Whisper of the Pines Series it can very well be read as a standalone. Very well written, strongly developed characters. I definitely recommend this book. I am looking forward to reading more from this author. I received a copy of this book via BookSprout and I am leaving my review voluntarily.
I enjoyed Seth and Aimee’s story! It left me smiling and with a good feeling!! What a journey! A journey through self-doubt, pain from a betrayal in the past, misunderstandings, and financial troubles. One thing that stood out to me was Seth’s willingness to help the person who hurt him most – even though doing so came at a time when his life was turning around for the better and it jeopardizes all he finally has within his grasp. At the beginning of the book and at a few times throughout, the story was a bit slow to me – I’d say weighed down with some wordy passages – but at other times the descriptive prose was very beautiful. The emotions were real and relatable. I haven’t read the other books in the series yet but I want to after reading this one!
This book held my interest from the very first page a well written story that kept me turning pages. I was not putting this book down until I had finished reading it. A story I recommend. I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
This story has so much depth and emotions, especially in Seth Stockton. He is an artist who does not
believe his art is good enough. He is still hurt by his ex-wife’s betrayal from eight years ago. Once I got into the story I felt mesmerized to see Aimee Riesling bring out Seth’s soul in his paintings. If she could just break through the wall Seth had resurrected around his heart and his emotions. What an interesting story of the past influencing today. I received an advance copy of this book and I willingly chose to write an honest review.