Customer Reviews

Toughest Battle

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In this sequel to her debut novel SMALL SACRIFICES, Regina Pride follows her protagonist Brian Clark as he returns home to Akron, Ohio, seeking to repair the damage he caused with his abrupt flight five years earlier. Newly sober after a year in treatment, he wants most of all to win back his former fiancée Pam and become a real father to their daughter Latoya.

Given all that has happened in those five years, this project would be a difficult challenge all by itself. In Brians case, there are people who not only want him to fail but will go to whatever lengths necessary to guarantee it.

It is to Ms. Prides credit that one need not have read her first book to enjoy this one. She begins by providing a moderately well-handled recap of the past, only occasionally stumbling by having characters telling one another things they already know. There are other, mostly mechanical, problems a good editor would have helped her fix, but on the whole they arent sufficiently intrusive to be a nuisance.

Compelling characters are one reason for this. Although they are not particular unique, they are solidly drawn, and their very familiarity is an asset. That they are all clearly middle class makes it easier to identify with them and their problems than it is with, say, the poor rich in a Danielle Steele opus.

Inarguably, this book is the equivalent of daytime drama, but the solid, no-nonsense writing and excellent pacing keep it from falling too deeply into predictability. One is reminded of the best of the soaps of the sixties and seventies, before they became saturated with glamour, glitz and ever more improbable plots.

One element that is less than successful, however, are the sex scenes. When they arent repetitive they have a rather off-putting chemical flavor that makes them seem gratuitous. It almost seems as though Ms. Pride isnt quite comfortable writing them but felt her choice of genre required them. In fact, the book wouldnt have suffered a bit had she instead opted to fade to black at appropriate moments.

Nevertheless, TOUGHEST BATTLE is a worthy and fully entertaining sophomore effort readers of contemporary romance are certain to enjoy.

When Brian Clark decides to return to his hometown to reunite with his long lost family he never imagined just how hard it would be. Could he get his brother to forgive him for deserting him? Would he ever be able to earn his respect after he finds out about his past?

How would LaToya handle her fathers return after years of never knowing him?

And what about his beloved Pamela? He had left her pregnant to run of and chase his dreams. Would he be able to rekindle their old flame? Did he still have what it would take to persuade her not to marry Greg?

He could only hope he still had time to right the wrongs and win back his family, especially when Allen had stepped out of the past to pay him a very unwelcome visit.

What a fantastic book!

Just when you think you have it all figured out...wrong! What a twist you never see coming!

Great job! I'm looking forward to reading the next one!

Cynthia Godin

Brian Clark left his pregnant girlfriend Pam Carlyle, and his younger brother, Tommy; who he raised since their parents' death. Brian left to attend college at Ohio State, and later ended up in a hospital to receive help for his alcoholism.

Now, five years later, Brian returns to his hometown in Akron, Ohio in hopes of putting his past behind him. Brian hopes to start a new future with his daughter whom he has never met, Pam, and his brother. Upon returning, Brian finds things are not as easy as he had hoped they would be. Pam is engaged to be married, his daughter doesn't want anything to do with him, and Tommy still holds a grudge against him for leaving and not keeping in contact.

"Toughest Battle" is just what it is for Brian, it is Brian's toughest battle to start a new life for himself as he battles with his alcoholism, tries to find a home and job, and reunite with the ones he left behind. This is a wonderfully written story that is sure to touch your hearts, emotions, and keep you turning the pages for more. The character development is very realistic. This is a must read for everyone! My compliments to Ms.Pride for a job well done!

Brian Clark returns to his hometown five years after he fled, leaving behind a younger brother and a pregnant girlfriend. Thousands of miles away, he finishes his college education only to discover what he left behind was much more important to his becoming a man. Without the support of people he loves and cares about, Brian quickly grows disillusioned and guilt-ridden for the awful act of abandoning people when they needed him most. He turns to the bottle for comfort and escape, only to discover he's only added to his problems, and soon he's an alcoholic battling more than guilt.

Escape proves elusive, and he finally finds the strength to conquer his addiction, though his victory is a day-by-day test of his fortitude. Determined to mend the fences he broke, he returns to Akron, where he must deal with a brother who no longer respects him, a daughter he's never seen, and his former girlfriend, Pam, who's now engaged to another man.

Can he pick up the broken pieces he left behind and somehow rebuild the trust of the people he realizes are more important to him than anything else in his world? Or is it much too late? Subplots involving Pam's sister and her fiance add tension to Brian's struggle, but he's determined to succeed, no matter what it costs him.

Ms. Pride has delved into the world of a recovering alcoholic; the fear, the uncertainty and the daily struggle not only to resist temptation, but also to regain the confidence and trust one loses with such an addiction. Her character development is skillfully woven into the plot, and evokes a myriad of emotions from the reader. This is the second book in a series, but could stand alone with its strong message of hope, determination, and acceptance.

This book is about how a man, Brian Clark, tries to reclaim his life that he left five years ago. He has realized what he has done to the woman he loved, Pamela, and his daughter LaToya, whom he has never met. He also tries to reestablish his relationship with his brother, Tommy. He is able to rebuild his life slowly and show everyone that he is serious about becoming a man they can all trust and love again. Throughout all of this trying, there are two people who are out to get Brian.
Ms. Pride does a fantastic job in pulling the reader into Brian's life. She has the reader hoping that Brian is able to regain Pamela's love and reconnect with his brother. The reader wants Brian to meet his daughter and prove to her that he wants to be her father, not just another man who jumps in and out of her life. This is a perfect book that will grab you in and make you forget about your own life. So if you want a book that you can sink your teeth in, pick up a copy.