Brent In college, I had everything I could ever want: A budding career and the love of my life, Crystal Macintosh. She was my high school sweetheart and my twin sister’s best friend. But one night, a practical joke went bad, and the joke was on me. I lost Crystal that day, and along with her, all I ever wanted. Soon, I had a daughter to raise, but when Grace was diagnosed with autism, her mother … mother took off. I was all alone… until the day Crystal walked into a conference room with the key to my daughter’s success, and the key to my heart. However, convincing her I’m worth a second chance is proving much harder than I ever imagined, and asking her to meet Grace and face the ghosts from our past may be more than either of us are ready for.
Crystal
Brent Stevenson broke my heart in college. I never knew why he did what he did, but it took years for me to bury the pain — with bad dates, one-night stands, and my passion for working with kids with autism. Just when all my hard work was about to pay off, I discovered the man who ripped my heart out years ago was now the financial investor of my biggest project. Now, I have to convince him to fund my life’s work, and he isn’t going to make it easy. After being assigned to work with his daughter, in his home, I find myself facing some hard truths. The circumstances that drove us apart aren’t what they seem, I’m still in love with Brent, and… I’m falling in love with his daughter, Grace. The baby that once drove us apart, is now the little girl bringing us together.
Raising Grace is a full-length steamy, romantic comedy that will tug at your heartstrings and prove that love knows no boundaries, nor does autism.
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I have been waiting for this book to come out for awhile and it was well worth the wait. It is well researched and heartbreakingly personal to me, and I am sure other parents with children of ASD when they read stories like these. They make our children and our struggles human. This book is a powerful tool. It is well written. It also shines a light on the fact that men can also be raped, as they can be too incapacitated to consent to sex and be taken advantage of by women. Love is tenacious and Chrystal and Brent have to focus on that tenacity to get past all the hurt and find the goodness on the other side. “Looking back on it all, if it led me here every time, I would do it all over again, because sometimes it was the obstacles in our lives that guided us right back to where we always belonged. And, I was finally there.” This aptly describes the essence of this story that Mia Pride has so eloquently written. This is her first piece of contemporary work and she has done a fantastic job.
Brent and Crystal’s lives come full circle in this touching story. They grew up together and were sweethearts in high school. When they went to college together, their lives were changed by an incident that will tear them apart. It will take years for her heart to heal along with a very special girl. Do Crystal and Brent have what it takes to get their lives back on track to a happily ever after?
Graduation day, Brent, Monica, and Crystal were getting pictures taken by the parents. Brent and Monica are twin’s, Crystal is Monica’s best friend and the love of Brent’s life. Crystal and Brent go to college and moved in together with each other Crystal joins a sorority. Brent doesn’t join a fraternity but spends quite a bit of time at a frat for his friends live. After they finish a week of extensive exams Crystal sorority and Brent’s friends have parties to celebrate the end of exams. Lawrence a friend of Brent’s gets Brent drunk and drugs at least one of his beers with ecstasy he passes out wakes up feels the woman next to thinks it’s Crystal and has sex with her. Brent doesn’t tell Crystal about what happened after she left the party at the frat house. After a month Brent decides to tell Crystal the truth about what happened only before he can tell her Amber girl he had sex with calls and tells them that she’s pregnant and he’s the father. Brent tells Crystal and she walks out on him. If you want to find out what happens Brent, Amber, and Crystal you have to read the book to discover what happens to the rest of the book.
This is Mia Pride’s first contemporary, I hope she writes another one. Two best friends, Brent and Callie, become lovers and live together in college. A fraternity party goes wrong and the consequences tear them apart. Six years later they meet again for a mutual partnership to help autistic children. Forced to be together and face their past, a little girl will be the one to bring them together. You can tell this book was written from the heart. A beautiful love story.
Raising Grace is a contemporary romance. It was not my cup of tea. I quickly tired of the f-bomb being dropped every few paragraphs. In my mind, that particular word is just foul and distracting. I did like the hero of the story Brent Stevenson. He is a man who walks in loyalty and honesty. I didn’t like the heroine of the story – Crystal Macintosh. Crystal’s character comes across shallow and bitter. She doesn’t respect herself or Brent.
I have enjoyed Ms Pride’s other books immensely. Her medieval romances are books that I can’t put down. But this book, it was a struggle to get through for me. I grew weary of Crystal’s shallow responses and of the language. She was also completely self centered. It’s hard to like a personality like that. There are quite a few steamy sex scenes in the story. And I’m not sure why it’s being called a comedy?
I will stick to Ms. Pride’s Medieval romances. I was gifted a copy of this book.
This was the first book I’ve read from this author,,,, I really liked her work,,,,
This was kinda a feeling type book,,,, but I really enjoyed reading it,,,, Brent Stevenson and Crystal MacIntosh were together, it seemed, like always,,,, they were friends that hung out with each other, went to school with each other, and yes, eventually, they started dating, they fell in love with each other,,,, .now, they are a couple who are there for each other always, including living together,,, this was it for both of them,,,, this was true love from the start,,,, and then it happens,,,,people, like friends of Brent’s, play a very cruel trick on him not thinking of the “what if’s”,,,,,, They put Brent in bed with another girl, and wouldn’t you know, she gets pregnant,,,, unable to trust him anymore, Crystal leaves him,,,,, and the other shoe drops, and he’s a single father to a little girl, named Grace,,,,,
Six years comes and goes and Brent is a successful investor and Crystal makes robots that help children with Autism,,,, and now she has to put all her feelings in a box because she has to work with Brent’s daughter, Grace,,,, and all the old memories flood in and as much as she doesn’t want,,,, her fortress she has built up around her starts cracking,, this is one of those “Second Chance” books you just CAN NOT go without reading,,,, you won’t be sorry,,,, I know I’m not,,,, I would so totally recommend this book to anyone,,,, !!!
I have this ARC voluntarily to leave an honest review,,,,
Raising Grace is a story about second chances and the impact that one stupid move can have on your entire life, especially if it involves starting a baby! Brent falls prey to a mean college prank that ends his relationship with his childhood sweetheart Crystal. One bad night. Six years later they are both single and hurting but life is so much more complicated now. Grace is now his special-needs daughter to raise and she totally steals the show. Nothing better at Christmas than a love story that involves a special child and forgiveness. Brent’s commitment to his daughter and her autism is wonderful and heartwarming but Crystal is afraid to trust him again. But the spark is still there and there is no denying the attraction and sexual tension they feel. Brent and Crystal were always good together. This book has lots of angst, pain and intensity as they pull back and forth, but never fear, there is a perfect Christmas ending. Be sure to read the postscript by Mia because this story and the subject of autism has a special meaning to her as well! This tale is a departure for Mia who normally rights historical fiction but it is so sweet. I volunteered to read an advanced copy and this is my review.
A powerful story that touches on so many subjects that are in the world today. Being young, Brent and Crystal seemed to have everything. Until suddenly they did not. But one terrible night, with a plan by someone else to break them apart and their lives changed forever. Crystal broken hearted and Brent, in the end, left with an autistic child, Grace to raise. It seemed everyone lost in this situation but really so much was gained. Even if they did not know it then.
But a fated meeting years later, when ironically (or was meant to be) Crystal’s passion and work in life was for kids with autism. She meets Brent again when he is the financial investor in her biggest project to help the kids. Finding herself assigned to work with Grace at their home, brings them full circle, because you see, their love never died.
Told in first person which I really enjoyed because it brought you into the minds of the characters. Be prepared for a whirlwind of emotions that will tear at your heart in this well written and poignant story of lost chances and healing power of love.
ONE WICKEDLY AMAZING READ!!!
OMG! Talk about getting blown away from the start. Mia doesn’t mess around. She doesn’t pull her punches, no holds barred, take no prisoners intellect that can bring you to your knees in one second and standing tall the next. The characters are complex and believable with such depth and individuality it really digs deep. A whirlwind of emotions and events that really pulls those heartstrings and make the storyline pop. The characters and scenes are written with such realism it really pulls this little jewel together beautifully. Twists and turns abound with unexpected surprises and unpredictable circumstances that leave you reeling. The scenes are so graphically detailed and descriptive it’s easy to picture each scenario as they play off one another in perfect balance. Mia did a remarkable job bringing this read to life brilliantly. Fantastic job Mia, thanks for sharing this little guy with us.
I gave this Book a rating of 5 ’s
Title: Raising Grace
Series: Standalone
Genre: A contemporary Romantic Comedy
Author: Mia Pride
Format: Kindle Edition
Published on: Dec 14, 2018
>-< >–< >–< >–< >–<>–< >–< >–< >–< >–< >–< >–< >–< I voluntarily received a Courtesy Copy of this book from the author and am choosing to leave a review. >–< >–< >–< >–< >–<>–< >–< >–< >–< >–< >–< >–< >–< What I liked/Didn’t Like: This was a very funny and heartfelt book about a single father raising an autistic child and a second chance romance. Very well written and the characters in this one will make you laugh and perhaps cry too.
Good story. Ms Pride tells the story from the points of view of both characters, and her writing gets you into the feelings and emotions of the hero and heroine.
This book is so well written and the subject is so near to my heart. Since my nephew has autism I could really relate to Brent and how hard it is raising a child like Grace and the lack of funding it could take to get help with a child that is autistic. Raising Grace by Mia Pride is truly an original with lovable characters and more ups and downs than a roller coaster. This second chance at love is amazing and the way Mia wrote this story as both Crystal and Brent told their side of the story. I am in awe over this book. This story has heart-break, a horrible scheme, dedication, a best friend, kindness, abandonment, doing what’s right, misunderstanding, mistrust, caring and a love that never died. I very highly recommend this book!!
***This book was gifted to me and I am voluntarily reviewing.
Brent Stevenson & Crystal Macintosh were high school sweethearts and she’s his twin sister Monica’s best friend. But one night, a practical joke went bad, and the joke was on him. He lost Crystal and along with her, all he ever wanted. Soon, he had a daughter to raise, but when Grace was diagnosed with autism, her mother Amber took off.
Six years later the pair are thrown together when Crystal’s project comes to fruition only to find Brent is a partner in the firm interested in investing in her project
Contemporary romances aren’t one of my favourite reads but I’ve realised if one of my must read authors writes a different genre then 99% of the time I’ll love it – & I loved this book. Strong characters & a strong story that grabbed me at the beginning & didn’t let go until the end. My heart broke for the teenage Brent & Crystal & I would have willingly throttled Lawrence. Of course Grace utterly stole the book. At times a heartbreaking read but also warm & endearing as it was written with so much sensitivity. The launch event had tears streaming down my face, I only hope some of the secondary characters have their stories
My honest review is for a special copy I voluntarily read