Say You’ll Stay
By: Corinne Michaels
Series: Return To Me
Book #: 1
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Trope: Second Chance/Angst
Publication Date: June 19, 2016
My Format: Paperback
My Rating: 3 Stars
Blurb:
NEW YORK TIMES, USA TODAY & WALL STREET JOURNAL BESTSELLER
From New York Times Bestseller, Corinne Michaels, comes a new second chance standalone romance.
One word.
Stay.
It was all he had to do. Instead, he got on that bus and took my heart with him.
That was seventeen years ago.
I moved on. Marriage. Kids. White picket fence. Everything I ever wanted, but my husband betrayed me and I was left once again.
Alone, penniless, and with two boys, I had no choice but to return to Tennessee. He wasn’t supposed to be there. I should’ve been safe. However, fate has a way of stepping in.
This time around, the tables are turned. It’s my decision. Second chances do exist, but I don’t know if we can repair what’s already been broken . . .
This week I feel like I actually accomplished something! This week I picked up a book from my shelf, one that has been taunting me for so long, and finally gave it a read. Say You’ll Stay by Corinne Michaels was the book of choice. I bought this one due to all the positive hype surrounding it. The fact that Corinne Michaels is, and continued to be, a new to me author was an added bonus.
In my own words:
Say You’ll Stay is an emotional second chance romance about redemption and self reflection. This novel is the first in the Return To Me series. This series is set to focus on the Hennington Brothers. Say You’ll stay is Zach Hennington and Presley Benton’s story.
Seventeen years ago, Presley and Zach were the perfect couple. He was the all american boy heading off to play college baseball, and she was the girl who packed up all her stuff to be with him. Everyone said they were crazy to get engaged so young, but they knew what they wanted and come hell or high water they’ll have their happily ever after.
But with most young love stories, expectations don’t meet reality. Zach has a great opportunity to follow his career and he’s called up to play for the Dodgers. Presley having just dropped her scholarship to move with Zach, decides her dreams are important too and she’s unwilling to work on their relationship long distance, shattering both of their hearts in the process.
Now Presley finds herself being forced to move back to her hometown in Tennessee with her twin sons and a heart full of secrets and guilt surrounding her husbands death. Tennessee is the one place she swore she’d never step foot in again. But sometimes fate has it’s way of rerouting a life. Because the man she swore she’d never set eyes again was also forced back into moving to their small hometown…… Tricky Tricky….
My Thoughts:
Okay, so before I start this section of my review, I want to be clear and slightly spoiler-ish. For those who are triggered by certain situations, Let it be a warning the first chapter has a rather painfully played out suicide scene. If suicide is a struggle for you, I highly recommend you skip the first couple chapters of this novel. I’m not easily triggered by situations in novels, I can usually separate fiction from reality. But this moment and these chapters had me feeling a bit of panic/anxiety. It definitely needs a trigger warning.
Aside from the lack of trigger warning, I enjoyed most facets of this second chance love story. Due to my rating, it goes to show there were also a few downfalls, in my opinion.
First of all, I am and forever will be a fan of small town romances. I was born and raised a country girl. I have roots and I have wings so I kind of feel for those who leave the small town lifestyle in search of something grander, only to realize home was where the heart was all along. The only difference my love and I left our small town roots together. Bottom line, I love how this novel came around full circle. My heart felt all those small moments and this goes to show Corinne Michaels is a great story teller.
I also loved how close knit this small town community was. I loved all the meddling and prying eyes . I loved how everyone was rooting for Zach and Presley to reconnect! I loved how the town practically forced the two together and fix their shit. I had many moments of laughter during these meddling moments.
Now onto the main issue I had with this novel,
The age thing! They way the characters, mainly Presley, acted i would have sworn she was in her mid-twenties not mid-thirties. She had the mindset of a spoiled twenty year old princess who didn’t get her way and felt like the world was against her. Her feelings were understandable, but her attitude towards those who opened their arms and their home for her and her boys was a bit unsettling. Her mentality came across as ‘I’m better than you’ on one page, while on the very next she was praising her parents for all they’ve done. She was very wishy washy and it nearly gave me whiplash. I couldn’t keep up with her personality changes. In the end, this muddled the waters for me.
Do I recommend this novel?
Honestly, with all the ups and downs and even given the fact that i loved the small town vibe, i don’t feel comfortable recommending a novel that has a suicide scene in the first chapter. I don’t think the details were important in this moment, especially right at the very beginning of a second chance romance. I can say though, once that moment was out of sight and Presley was back home in Tennessee with her boys, this started to turn into a fun read. Also, given the reviews, I expected Say You’ll Stay to be one of those stories where the tears are never-ending. And given all the emotional hype, sadly, that wasn’t the case for me.
I do have to say, there has been one man on my mind since finishing Say You’ll Stay, and he goes by Wyatt Hennington. I need this story and I need it now. you never know, maybe Corinne Michaels will be able to make me a fan for life with her next book in the Return To Me series. We shall see 🙂
Peace Love and Happy Reading,
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I read this book a couple years back and really wanted to enjoy it. The town and the characters were interesting but I found the lead to be whiny and annoying. I like stronger female roles.
I felt the same way! I loved the small town vibes but Presley’s character definitely needed some fine tuning, she lacked a bit of maturity.
I remember loving this series, so I think you’re going to enjoy the next book.