The Heart of It by M. O'Keefe- A Book Review

  ABOUT THE BOOK: On the outside rich and successful Gabe Paterson has everything.
No one would guess the ghosts from his past are tearing him apart.
Desperate, he reaches out to Elena – a resilient call girl, with her own childhood scars – for help.
In their moments of honesty, the two forge the most surprising relationship of their lives.
But will they be brave enough to make it into something more?
EXCERPT:

“The fuck, Elena? Get out of the way and let the poor man go.But she couldn’t. Her feet were nailed to the floor by the scent of his fear, the power of his desperation.And because it had been four damn weeks of this. All this bravery and all this fear.He’s a fucked up person in a world of fucked up people. Do not get all hooker-with-a-heart-of-gold over this.But he was just so damn sweet. And sad.“Please,” he breathed. “Let’s just forget this.”Oh, fat chance, buddy.”
 MY REVIEW:

The Heart Of It by M. O'Keefe
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
The Heart of it.by M. O’Keefe is a 2016 publication. I was provided a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
This novella was originally a part of the ‘Summer Rain’ anthology, which raised money for RAINN (Rape, Abuse, Incest, National Network). Now, you can read Molly’s contribution to that anthology as a stand-alone.
This novella length story centers around the unusual way one man managed to overcome his issues with sex and relationships without resorting to substance abuse.
The unlikely pairing of a famous athlete and a good hearted prostitute was a unique approach to addressing some difficult and uncomfortable subject matter. Elena has her own crosses to bear, but her willingness to help Gabe, a man with the world at his feet, but struggling with some heavy issues, creates an unbreakable bond between them and opens the door for healing and restoration in their personal lives for a long time to come.
This is an interesting tale, with the powerful message of acceptance at the heart of it. Liking someone, caring for someone, no matter what is going on their lives, no matter how much money they make, or what their occupation or backstory is, can forge the most rewarding and honest relationships we can build.
Although the story is sort of a dark romance, which includes topics many would rather not address, I think it is worth checking out, especially since it does have a sweet message along with some wonderful character development. Gabe is forever changed by Elena and vice versa. Their relationship will be a solid one, no matter how they decide to proceed in in the future.
While this story is a little bit off beat and unusual, it’s a lesson in humanity and proves love and kindness can cross all boundaries, and that is what I liked most about it.
4 stars
ON SALE FEBRUARY 29TH!
PRE-ORDER YOUR COPY HERE:

http://www.amazon.com/Heart-M-OKeefe-ebook/dp/B01ATWSXIY/



ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
  Molly O'Keefe has always known she wanted to be a writer (except when she wanted to be a florist or a chef and the brief period of time when she considered being a cowgirl). And once she got her hands on some romances, she knew exactly what she wanted to write.
She published her first Harlequin romance at age 25 and hasn't looked back. She loves exploring every character's road towards happily ever after.
Originally from a small town outside of Chicago, she went to university in St. Louis where she met and fell in love with the editor of her school newspaper. They followed each other around the world for several years and finally got married and settled down in Toronto, Ontario. They welcomed their son into their family in 2006, and their daughter in 2008. When she's not at the park or cleaning up the toy room, Molly is working hard on her next novel, trying to exercise, stalking Tina Fey on the internet and dreaming of the day she can finish a cup of coffee without interruption.