Elina/Halo Boy by M. Garzon – Reviews

Amazon

Description:
How do you fix things when you’re failing at every part of your life? Don’t ask me. 
I did okay in high school. I had friends, dated, even made decent grades thanks to my brainy twin sister. But now high school’s over. It’s time to be a man… if only I knew how. 

I couldn’t live by my stepfather’s rules, so I flew the coop and landed at my genetic father’s, in Spain. A whole new country for me to screw up in. So of course, I did. After I’d burned through a second family, there was nowhere left for me to go. Maybe I was destined to wander the earth—me, the homebody. 

Review:

Halo Boy by M.Garzon spot lights Seth, Tea’s twin brother.  We met Seth in the Blaze of Glory trilogy and learned a little about him, but now it’s time for Seth to stretch his legs and tell his story. 

Halo Boy is about feeling lost, finding oneself and learning that it’s okay to screw up along the way as long as you don’t loose sight of the big picture and forget where you came from.  Seth is your typical teenager, sorta adrift with his life, and not knowing where he wants to go next, or what he really wants out of life.  He feels that by going to Spain and meeting his biological father he can find all this out.  However, it’s the exact opposite, he doesn’t want to be anything like his biological father, in fact he starts to realize that maybe Dec, his stepdad, is the father he truly wants to have in his life.  It’s through his friend Eli who he meets in Spain, and a family he winds up working for in Ireland on a horse breeding farm of all places, go figure eh Seth, back to the horses again, that he finally realizes just what he wants out of life and what direction he wants to go with his life.  He finally figures out what he wants to do once he’s done school.  Once Seth finally comes to this realization he decides it’s time to finally go home to the only real home he’s ever had, and wants to have back in Canada on the farm he loves dearly, and everyone he truly loves and holds dear lives.

Halo Boy is a sweet story about a teenage boy who feels like he’s failed at everything and is destined to be a screw-up the rest of his life.  I enjoyed watching Seth go through his journey and finally realize that he isn’t a screw-up, but only needed to find what he loves most and go for it.  Watching Seth ‘grow up’ and see that he can  do whatever he wants in life if he puts his mind to it and believes in himself was very satisfying for me because I always felt bad for him in the Blaze of Glory trilogy. I was hoping we’d get to see Seth’s side of things and see how he came to the realization he came to in the end of the Blaze series.  Ms. Garzon has knack for writing these coming of age stories and showing just what young people of today deal with in there every day lives.  Seth is a well written character that any teenage boy can relate to and connect with in reading Halo Boy.  Halo Boy is a well written story, with a solid cast of characters and plot development.  It’s a story that any young person can connect with, along with any parents who have teenagers today.  I feel another hit coming on for Ms. Garzon with Halo Boy.

Until next time happy reading everyone. 

  Amazon

Description:
A mother will always do what’s best for her children… even if it means giving up her own chance at happiness.

A decade ago, Elina’s life was derailed by a smooth-talking charmer. Since then she’s toiled endlessly to create a better life for her children, putting thoughts of romantic love aside. But when handsome, intimidating Declan wins her over with his timely help and old-fashioned notions of love, Elina has a decision to make. Her long-awaited financial success requires a move to Montreal, a city too far away to keep new love alive, and Declan runs his family’s equestrian business – he can’t move. How can Elina find happiness when her heart is pulling her one way and her children’s futures are pulling in another?

Discover the story behind the Blaze of Glory trilogy readers have come to love. You don’t know everything about a man until you know his history.


Review:

Well Ms. Garzon has done it again with Elina.  She’s written a story that reaches the  reader on a realistic level with real fleshed out characters who are facing very real everyday problems/issues.  This is Elina’s story, Tea and Seth’s mother, whom we learn a little about in the Blaze of Glory trilogy.  After learning what we do of Elina in the Blaze of Glory triology through her children and Declan, it was nice to finally read her story, and see how she and Declan met and fell in love.  As nice as it was to read Elina and  Declan’s story, it was somewhat sad for me as I knew what becomes of Elina in the Blaze of Glory trilogy.  So for me it was a little bittersweet when I got to the end of this story. 

As we meet and learn who Elina is in this one, we also get to meet a much younger version of Tea and Seth.  These two just steal the show with every scene they are in and watching the mother/child interactions is sweet and adorable.  We can see and feel the love that this little family has for each other and you can’t help but fall in love with them.  Seeing the determination and willingness Elina has, and will do whatever she has to for her children is very strongly written and empowering.  Elina is a very strong female protagonist that anyone can relate and connect with. 

Elina and Declan’s budding romance is rocky at first but slowly moves into a sweet, charming and loving relationship.  For Declan it’s practically love at first sight not only with Elina but her children as well.  You can see Declan’s love for not only Elina but her twins as well with his actions and words whenever they are in scenes together.  He knows they are a package that goes together and stays together and is willing to take them all on because he loves them that much.  When Declan admits all this to Elina it’s a scene that steals the story, and made me wish I didn’t know what was to come for Elina in the Blaze trilogy.  Elina and Declan are a wonderful well written and realistic couple who both have problems of their own, but together realize that they are stronger together then apart.

In my opinion Ms. Garzon has another hit on her hands.  Elina is a lovely, charming, heartwarming and well written pre-quel to the Blaze of Glory trilogy.  I enjoyed finally learning and reading about Elina, the younger versions of Tea and Seth and seeing how Elina and Declan met and came to be.  It’s a fast paced story that is hard to put down once you get going with it.  The events happen quickly and keep the reader interested every turn of the page to the very end.   For anyone who hasn’t had a chance to read these wonderful, heartwarming stories from Ms. Garzon, I say what are you waiting for. 

Until next time, happy reading everyone!

Reviewed by Marcie

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