"If there were something I could do to Dan that would hurt him, I'd do it."
Emotions are raw in Elizabeth Scott's latest novel Heartbeat.
Emma's mom died from a complicated pregnancy (over 40) -- a baby that Dan, her stepfather, desired more than anything. It isn't surprising that given the option, Dan would choose to keep his wife on a breathing machine until the baby is ready to survive on its own.
But Dan fails to understand Emma's internal struggle. How can she accept her mom is gone when she sees her everyday at the hospital. The womb moving as the baby grows. No wonder Emma is angry and filled with resentment.
Most of the book takes place in the first thirty days following the mother's death, making this quite an emotional read. Bad boy Caleb provides a well needed distraction. And even though Emma is desperately in need of some chemical balance, her attraction to Caleb builds up slowly.
Love-o-meter theme: Sweet, shows the benefits of straying away from instalove.
