Book Review — Deep Down by Brenda Rothert

I’m falling.
Faster.
Further.
Deeper.

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I read this book in one sitting yesterday!! It had been on my reading list literally since it was released and SO many readers have recommended this author’s books to me that I’m really glad I finally read one!

It’s a story about a girl who survives her worst nightmare and is left alone and pregnant. But she’s strong and she’s a surviver and she builds a life for herself and her son in a new town… which is where she meets the hero!! I’d consider it a quieter, almost low-angst read, even though there is a very sensitive subject matter involved, and it’s also a slow build (which makes a lot of sense given what the heroine had been through) but it still kept me flipping the pages and eager to see what happened next.

“I’m willing to put in as much time as it takes to earn her trust.”
Mom approached and reached up to cup my cheek in her palm. “Sounds like you’ve got your heart set on her.”
“Noah too. How often does a man get to know a woman’s an amazing mother before he’s even taken her out on a first date?”

I need to address something (as vaguely as I can) that almost made me put the book down near the beginning. It’s not what happened to her, it’s a decision she made after. I actually stopped reading and went to speak to a friend who’d read and loved the book. She said she’d felt the exact same way and that I should just keep going because it ended up working out for this story and I’m glad I did because I really enjoyed the book! So basically this is me telling you that if you have that reaction too, just keep going!

This book portrayed the sensitive subject of rape (and, the worst possible kind of betrayal) in a very honest and respectful way. But more importantly, it showed the heroine’s journey through dealing with what had happened to her, finding the strength to build a better life for her son, and after meeting the amazing (and swoon-worthy) hero, finally learning to trust and love again. In every way, this girl was a surviver.

The bulk of the story takes place three years after, when she and her son have started over in a new town. The hero was part of a large (and wonderful) family of brothers and he just moved back to their town after several years away. Having been left at the altar years ago by his then-fiancee, he was now coming home to practice law and be with his family. He was definitely not looking for a new relationship. But when he saw the heroine, he was smitten. Something about her drew him in and even though he could sense that she has been hurt badly, he was willing to do whatever it took to earn her trust and win her heart.

Like I said, it’s a slow build but I loved the way he was endlessly patient with her. You could see from the start that he was in this for the long haul and he was willing to work as hard as he needed to show her how seriously and deeply he cared for both her and her son.

I’d almost finished building a block tower on the train table… when Noah approached me cautiously.
“Choo choo train,” he said, pointing at it and looking at me.
“Yeah, buddy. Let’s drive it.”
It took about the same amount of time for him to steal my heart that it had for his mom to.

This is a story about a woman facing her worst possibly nightmare and finding the strength not only to survive but to conquer her fears and find happiness again. Overall, I really enjoyed it! Admittedly, I was pissed at the hero for the whole ‘case thing’ (not sure I’d have been that forgiving if it was me, even though I know it wasn’t really something he had control of) and I felt like the ending was a little “too perfect” but hey, its fiction! I just went with it. And, I was really happy that it had an epilogue. I love those!

Since Reed (haha, I can’t believe I haven’t mentioned his name yet) came from a large family of brothers, the next books in this series will each be standalones focused on them.

“Jesus, man. You go to knitting club with your wife? How pussy-whipped are you?”
My brother shoved my shoulder. “I just went to hang out at Mom and Dad’s. I drank beer and talked to Dad the whole time.”
“Or did you knit a pink sack for Hannah to carry your balls around in?”

Heehee! These guys are all quite different (some married with kids, some with marital issues, some single, some determined to always be single)… and they have really fun dynamics so there’s lots of potential for great stories to come next. I’m looking forward to them!

Rating: 4 stars. Standalone (first in a series of standalones).

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