Three Chicks and Their Books: Blog Tour: 53 Letters For My Lover

This is not your typical love story.
It’s not so black and white. Lines are crossed.
Walls are smashed. Good becomes bad.
Bad becomes very, very good.

Shayda Hijazi—the perfect wife, the perfect mother, the perfect daughter. For thirty-three years, she has played by the rules, swallowing secrets, burying dreams and doing whatever it takes to anchor her family. Shayda Hijazi is about to come face to face with the one thing that can rip it all apart, the one thing her heart has always been denied: Love.

Troy Heathgate—untamed, exhilarating, dangerous—a man who does exactly as he pleases. Life bends to his will. Until he comes across the one thing he would give it all up for, but can never have.

Born on the same day in opposite corners of the world, their lives collide. And nothing is ever the same again.

Spanning three decades, 53 Letters for My Lover is a fiercely sensual, emotional ride to the heart of an epic, forbidden love that defies it all—an intimate exploration of love, loyalty, passion, betrayal, and the human journey for hope, happiness and redemption.

"Sexy, intense fiction isn't afraid to step out of the box."

Contemporary women's fiction: Ages 18+

4 Star Review by Jen Skewes

I am honestly not even sure where to begin with my review. And it is not because I didn’t like this book because I did. I loved it. But I am not sure that my words could even do it justice. This book is one big roller coasted ride of emotions. It is a forbidden love story spanning over 3 decades that is beautiful and at times tragic and heartbreaking. This is Shayda and Troy’s story, a story of a love that is so real, and intense and beautiful.

Shayda was sent to live in Canada mainly to get married. She is of Persian descent and it is customary for marriages to be arranged in her culture. She marries Hafez and together they are to start their life. Now let me just explain that their marriage wasn't necessarily arranged but their meeting was. Things weren’t necessarily easy for them in the beginning but they both did what they needed to make it work. Hafez would do anything to make his wife happy, that is the one promise that he had made to her. But he has demons in his past that affects who he is today. Hafez is in his own way broken, but Shayda continues to stay by his side as his wife and tries to make the best of what they have. Honestly he was a really good man who is very loyal. And yes they love each other but not in the way that a husband and wife should love each other.

Shayda's marriage worked desire the demons that continued to affect them. But everything changed one day when Troy Heathgate came crashing into her life and made her feel things that she should not have felt. There is this undeniable connection between the two of them. But at the time of their first meeting they end up going their separate ways never to see each other again. But fate always has a way of stepping in. And somehow they keep making their way back to each other. The feelings and the connection between the two of them is still there. Shayda knows that being with Troy is wrong. But there comes a point where they both just act and give in to the feelings that has consumed them since they first met. Over the years their affair continues and at times life gets in the way breaking them apart. But see, the thing is this, Shayda and Troy were soul mates who were truly meant to be together. And when the moment is right fate will once again step in and help these two find their way back to each other.

Shayda and Troy’s love was so real and so intense. Troy had it all but the one thing he wanted he could not have, well at least all to himself. He loved Shayda with everything he had. He was an amazing man who was very patient and very loving. He made Shayda feel alive, he showed her how to follow her heart. No matter where they were in life, whether together or apart, Shayda was always on Troy’s mind. She was the love of his life and she always would be.

Now I will admit I am not one for cheating in books. But I think you have to fully understand the circumstances of their affair as well as the reality of Shayda’s marriage. Her husband was a good man, but they never married for love. Troy was her true love. And as a woman I understand wanting to find that one true love. And honestly the author has this way of writing this story where you didn’t judge her for her decisions. Because as the reader you understood their love, you felt their connection. You just knew that they were meant to be together and because of that I embraced their love. And I was rooting for them the entire time.

Their love story takes place over 30 years. And in that time we see how much they love each other. We see their first moments together, the fun and happy times that they spend together as well as the obstacles that they face and the fight for them to be together. We experience it all, the pain, the hurt, the guilt as well as the love and happiness that they bring to each other. This story was certainly emotional. Two people whose love for each other is so intense, but you know that they cannot be together. But they take what they can get and live in that moment just so they can be with each other, to be able to feel each other and love each other. It's that love that keeps you hoping they will find their happiness. You go through this journey with them and wonder what decisions will be made. Will they ever be able to finally be together the way they were meant to be? Is their love strong enough to survive all of the obstacles?

This book was so different that what I am used to reading. I think the author did a wonderful job with the story. There is so much more to this story that what it seems. It is a forbidden love but for me personally never did it feel wrong. It felt right in so many ways. This was a beautiful love story and the ending was just perfect. A must read!

Excerpt

The doorbell rings. Repeatedly. Followed by loud thumping on the door.

“Coming, coming! Now what did you what forget?” I swing the door open.

My heart screeches to a slamming halt. “Troy.” I turn pale. “You...you shouldn’t be here.”

“No?” He storms past me into the house. “Where should I be, Shayda? Waiting by the phone? Staking out your office? Checking my email? Where the fuck, Shayda?” His fist slams into the console table, so ‘fuck’ is an obscure, jarring thud, like some censored song on the radio.

“I changed my mind.”

“You changed your mind. Just like that?” He starts pacing the hallway. “And when were you were planning to tell me exactly? When, Shayda?”

“I made a mistake.” My voice quivers. “I got caught up in the moment. We were alone, we were away. It was...it was all an illusion.”

“An illusion?” He pulls me hard against him. Our bodies collide, knocking the breath out of me. “Is this an illusion?”

His lips assault mine.

“And this?” His hand slides under my dress, claiming my thigh.

“What about this, Shayda?” He pushes my panties aside and slides two fingers inside.

“Tell me, Shayda. Tell me this is all in my head.” He shoves me against the door and deepens his strokes. “Tell me this is nothing.” He rubs his fingers on my neck, leaving the unmistakable trail of my reaction.

“This is you, Shayda.” His finger slips inside my mouth. “Your taste, your smell, your skin, your touch.” He grabs me by the hair and pulls my head back. “Tell me you’re not real, Shayda. Tell me!”

I feel the gathump gathump of his heart. Our breath comes in short, shallow gasps. His eyes darken, black holes pushing sky blue irises to the edges of raw emotion. Hunger. Anger. Love. Pain.

Author Bio and Links

Leylah Attar writes stories about love - shaken, stirred and served with a twist. When she's not writing, she can be found pursuing her other passions: photography, food, family and travel. Sometimes she disappears into the black hole of the internet, but can usually be enticed out with chocolate.

Book Links

53 Letters For My Lover

From His Lips

a Rafflecopter giveaway