Review: Sweet Soul (Sweet Home #4) by Tillie Cole

****3.5 Stars****

 

 

When I'm asked the question "Who is your go to author?", "Which author is a guaranteed 5 stars?", Tillie Cole is almost always one of my answers, so the fact that I can even consider awarding less than 5 stars is a travesty in itself.

Don't get me wrong, I enjoyed this story, I really did, but Tillie's books usually are so unique, the men are usually of the Alpha variety and with this book, we have two characters, Elsie and Levi who are, for me, just too similar. They are both equally inexperienced when it comes to the opposite sex and both have things from their past that torments them immensely. Personally I like my fictional men and women to contrast each other and for much of this book that didn't happen so much.

Levi is the youngest is of the Carillo brothers and my main issue with him is that I've never really imagined him as anyone other than a pubescent teenager, so it was at times difficult to connect with him as one half of a couple. I found the idea of him having any sexual thoughts a little hard to take at times.

That being said, the book really picked up for me for the final 20%. Levi finally became a man in my eyes.

I loved Elsie and personally I much preferred her interactions with other characters in the book, especially Clara. There was a lot more of the emotion, I come to expect from Tillie's books, during these scenes. Both of these characters had suffered a similar torment in their past and had similar problems to overcome. This storyline would also have been a great opportunity to feature more of an antagonist in the story. Harper would have been great in that role, had she appeared more. I never got a real sense that Levi and Elsie's relationship was in jeopardy.

There were a few instances of Levi having had discussions with his brothers Axel and Austin, but many of these details were mentioned after the fact, so as a reader I didn't get to experience these interactions first hand and the ones there were still didn't give me the impression that Levi was in fact an adult.

For me I just needed a little more from this story to sink my teeth into, but I've no doubt Tillie's books will continue to wow me in the future.

 

Reviewed by Louise Dale

 

 

One shy lost soul.
One silent lonely heart.
One love to save them both.

Life has never been easy for twenty-year-old Levi Carillo. The youngest of the Carillo boys, Levi is nothing like his older brothers. He isn’t dark in looks or intimidating to everyone he meets. In fact, he’s quite the opposite. Haunted by a crippling shyness and the tragic events of his past, Levi spends his days with his head buried in his books, or training hard for his college football team. Too timid to talk to girls, Levi stays as far away as possible and completely on his own… until he saves the life of a troubled pretty blonde, a troubled pretty blonde that might just be the exception to his rule.

Elsie Hall is homeless. Or at least that’s all anyone ever sees. Everyday is a fight for survival on the cold streets of Seattle, everyday a struggle to find food and keep warm. Alone in life—a life that’s dangerous and cruel—her will to keep going is an ever-losing battle. In her world of silence, Elsie has given up hope that her life will contain anything but constant struggle and pain… until the beautiful boy she has severely wronged comes to her rescue at precisely the right time.

 

 

Amazon UK - http://amzn.to/22asAPa
Amazon USA - http://amzn.to/1mpIYLd

 

 

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