Dirt: An Emotional Second-Chance Romance

I felt it almost immediately after starting this book. I could feel the heartbreak coming. Hanging over me like a dark and stormy cloud, ready to burst at the seams and carry me away in the raging waters. I hoped and prayed I was wrong. Alas, I was not. A heartbreak so great, I dared not to even try to understand it. But for Jack and Laurel life goes on, if only in a horribly dysfunctional fashion. There's a lot of hate sex, but I wasn't even the least bit mad about it. If you're looking for the heat factor, I'll put a big 'ole CHECK beside that box. Hot, hot, HOT! There is the allure of the sexy and mysterious neighbor, with his own heartbreaking past. Although for full disclose purposes, there isn't even a little bit of cheating in this book. So if cheating is a hard limit for you, this one is safe. There is still the mystery of who committed the horrible crime. They do form a easy friendship though., They shared a bond based on their own personal struggles and a shared love of gardening. Overall, the story was a little bit slow paced for me. Maybe it was the angst of waiting for something big to happen because I started to get a bit impatient. Fear not, because that something big is delivered in the end, complete with a heart pounding cliffhanger that left me contemplating murder myself on a certain fictional character. How long do I have to wait for the next one? I need it now.

I became super attached to the characters in this book. To the point that I would think about what's gonna happen next while washing dishes or something. The cliffhanger at the end had me screaming though and I *cannot* wait to find out what happens next. Very good read.

Jack & Laurel have a troubled marriage since the murder of their infant son & Laurel's mother. They struggle to solve their problems on their own without truly communicating. Will they get counseling or join a support group? How do interactions with others affect their marriage?