Review: Deep Down by Brenda Rothert

I’m falling.
Faster.
Further.
Deeper.
Sometimes you fall so hard you can’t get back up. My closest companions now are shame and loss. But a sliver of hope lies in the only person I have left in this world – the one who’s growing inside me.
Survival becomes living again because of my child, and the town where I begin anew. That’s where I meet the man who starts to melt the ice inside my heart.
As we get closer, reminders of my past become sharper. Clearer. To confront the pain, I have to discover what’s deep down inside me. Is there enough left there to become whole again, or am I too wounded to heal? 

A portion of sales from this book will benefit the Keith Milano Memorial Fund at AFSP



4.5 Star Review by Jen Skewes

I became a fan of Brenda Rothert’s after reading Bound and from that moment I fell in love with her writing and her stories.  I knew that Deep Down dealt with some very delicate issues so yes I was a bit nervous going into this book because I had no idea what I was going to get.  And after reading the first chapter and I understood where this story was going it was nothing of what I expected it to be and unlike anything that I have read before.  And I mean that in a really good way. 

Ivy had just lost her mother about 6 months ago and now she is trying to focus on her education so she can move on and go to the college that she has always dreamed of going.  But then the unthinkable happens and it leaves Ivy alone and a shattered mess, not knowing how to move on or pick up the pieces.  But she knows that no matter what she has to get through this.  She has to finish school and then get out of town and start a new life.  It’s 3 years later and Ivy has been doing her best to move on and live her life.  She has people that care about her and that is her main focus.  And then she meets Reed and things change because for the first time in years she feels something and that scares the crap out of her.  

Reed Lockhart is sweet, kind and an all around good guy and not to mention very easy on the eyes.  He just moved back to his hometown to work with his father.  He sees Ivy at the local diner and is instantly attracted to her in a way that he never felt before.  She is just beautiful to him.  Ivy is not ready for any relationship and the more she pushes him away the more he wants her.  Is Ivy ready to open herself up to someone or will she continue to keep pushing Reed away?

I loved this book but I think I mostly loved Ivy.  Normally I am drawn to the hero in the book well because let’s face it we all love a hot and sexy swoon worthy man to capture our heart.  Reed was exactly that but it was Ivy’s strength and ability to move on that I loved.  I cannot imagine going through what she did and I am not sure that I would have half the strength as she did in picking the path that she would go down.  She was strong in every way possible and I had nothing but admiration for this young girl.   My heart just broke for her and all the pain that she endured.  I honestly think that her strength and courage grew as the story went on, allowing her to confront her past in a way that would set her free.   

Reed was just simply a great guy who really cared about Reed.  He was burned in his past before and swore he would never fall in love but Ivy changed that for him.  She was special and different and he knew that something was holding her back.  He was patient and loving with her and never gave up. 

Deep Down does deal with a very tough topic but I think that Ms. Rothert handled this topic in a very delicate way.  This book is about strength and survival but it is also about moving on and learning to let people in.  Learning how to love.   Ivy is a survivor in my book and the strength and courage that she showed to move on touched me in so many ways.   I felt her emotions, the hurt and the pain and wanted nothing more than for her to find happiness.  For her to be able to move on and give her heart to Reed because she deserved his love.  I think my ony issue is that I wanted to feel more of a connection between Ivy and Reed.  It was there and I loved them two together but I wanted a little more.  Deep Down is an amazing and beautifully written story and one that everyone should read.  The supporting characters were a perfect addition to the story and I cannot wait for more of the Lockhart brothers.  A must read!!