Leo - Book Review

By Mia Sheridan

Synopsis

Evie and Leo met in foster care as children and formed a bond of friendship. As they grew, their bond turned to love, and they vowed to make a life together when they turned 18 and were no longer a part of the system.

When Leo unexpectedly gets adopted as a teen and moves to another city, he promises Evie that he will contact her as soon as he gets there and come back for her in a few short years. She never hears from him again.

Now eight years later, in spite of the odds, Evie has made a life for herself. She has a job. She has friends. She’s content. Then a man shows up out of the blue, claiming that her long lost love, Leo, sent him to check up on her. The attraction between them is undeniable. But, should she trust this sexy stranger? Or is he keeping a secret about what his connection to Leo is really all about and why Leo disappeared all those years ago?

THIS IS A STANDALONE SIGN OF LOVE NOVEL, INSPIRED BY LEO. New Adult Contemporary Romance: Due to strong language and sexual content, this book is not intended for readers under the age of 18.

Review

At the tender ages of fourteen and fifteen, Evie and Leo love each other very much. They’ve known each other for a few years and have formed a bond that is unbreakable. They’re older beyond their physical years given all they endured prior to being placed in foster care. They have plans to stay together forever, until Leo is adopted by a wealthy couple and moved across the country. Before he leaves, he promises he’ll write to Evie everyday and will come back for her when she’s eighteen to start their lives together. But after he leaves, she’s left heartbroken when she never hears from him and he never returns, breaking every promise he ever made to her. When Jake enters her life eight years later with information about Leo, hurt is not a strong enough word for what she’s feeling. Attraction is another word not strong enough to describe her feelings towards Jake. But how will she cope when she learns the truth about Jake and Leo?

Evie is an amazing woman who was dealt a crappy hand in life, but she didn’t let it break her. Those who take the time to really see her know how special and amazing she is. She works hard for everything she has and is loyal to her friends; people she considers her family. Leo also had a rough upbringing that sadly didn’t get any better after he was adopted. But where Evie made positive life choices despite all the negativity, Leo didn’t, and it caused him to spiral for years until an accident forces him to take a good look at his life. Jake’s connection to Leo was obvious, but I don’t think the surprise twist was really supposed to be that surprising, given the title of the book and all.

LEO is another great read from Mia Sheridan, which if my quick investigation is accurate, appears to be her debut novel. It’s a story that alternates between past and present events and while it is a stand-alone, there is a companion novel, LEO’S CHOICE, that is told in Leo’s POV. The story talks about child abuse and rape, so take caution if these are triggers for you. But there are moments of levity; the stalker/creeper jokes between Jake and Evie are funny and those scenes helped lighten up the book a little. And of course, the story comes with a beautiful HEA.