'Crossing Oceans' by Gina Holmes -Review-

   A singularly incredible book! 'Crossing Oceans' was a deeply affecting and moving story about limitless and unconditional love. This debut novel by author Gina Holmes is a must-read. There was a ball in my throat for the majority of this book, and once I finished it, I couldn't believe the degree of emotions I experienced.
   Genevieve Lucas thought she left behind her troubled past and dysfunctional relationships in North Carolina for good. But when circumstances beyond her control forces her to return home and settle some things, almost nothing goes according to plan. Terminally ill, with just a few months left to live and her 'father-less' 5 year-old  daughter's future to secure, Jenny will have to reluctantly rely on her none-to-perfect family.
   The past threatens the future, an unlikely relationship will form, and lessons in forgiveness and letting go will take center stage. But when it comes down to it, all you need to know is that a mother's love is ever-lasting; even from across the ocean.

Read an excerpt: here

Book Trailer:
                        

   Nearly six years ago, Jenny Lucas had her heart broken by her ex-boyfriend David Preston. He said it just wouldn't work out for them, but little did he know, she was carrying his child. Sooner or later SOMETHING would have to work between them, but as determined as Jenny was to keep David out of little Isabella's life, circumstances would ultimately force her hand on the matter.
   She left behind all that hurt, both David's rejection and  her father's emotional neglect, and re-established her life elsewhere. But now, six years later, she has to go back to the place that harbors so many unpleasant memories.
   The fact of the matter is that Jenny was dying. Diagnosed with metastatic melanoma, a form of cancer that had already begun to spread throughout her body, Jenny knew she would soon face the same fate as her own mother had. She hadn't told anyone besides her 'Mama Peg' about her illness and didn't know how she would go about informing her father. She knew Jack Lucas hadn't been the same man he was once he lost his beloved wife to cancer, his stoic and guarded demeanor driving a wedge between father and daughter ever since, but unless she wanted to tell David of the child she had bared and hidden from him for all these years, her father was her only choice.
   Initial cynical of his daughter's sudden reappearance, and curious about the granddaughter he didn't get the chance to know before they both left,  Jack probes for answers and eventually storms out of the family home in a temper. He knows David would be the only logical guess for being Isabella's father, and having blamed David's father for misdiagnosing his wife and causing her death, he was not happy about the revelation whatsoever. When he returns home hours later all battered-up and it's discovered that he had went to speak with David's father about Isabella, Jenny knows that it is only a matter of time before David finds out. She sets out to find him so she can tell him the truth before his father can reach him, but the meeting doesn't bode well. She briefly encounters David with his wife at their home, has a nasty argument with him, and leaves before she has a chance to tell him about Isabella. Eventually, David starts to seek out Jenny and learn more about the daughter he never knew he had.
   Even with all that drama going on, the persistent, yet soothing presences of Jenny's old high school friend starts to take a turn toward something more than a renewed friendship. Craig Allen, now living in the saddle barn on her father's property, has always had a crush on Jenny. Even though he knows she's dying, he can't help but be attracted to her and want to be with her. The relationship is hard on Jenny, because she wants him just as badly, but knows she will never have him. While Craig tries to coax Jenny into living the last few months of her life to the fullest, David proves to be a huge distraction, as he fights for visitation and soon custody of his daughter.
   The final months of Jenny Lucas' life are filled with trials and acceptance, new experiences and harsh realities, and when given the chance to do one last thing to ease Isabella's transition into her new life without her mommy, Jenny makes the ultimate sacrifice and then we all will understand the real meaning of love.

-Rating- 5 Smooches -Rating-

My Favorite Part of the Book: (not my favorite because its so sad, but most memorable) Is when Jenny is explaining that she will die soon to her daughter. Isabella's  innocence and confusion just make the difficult talk almost unbearable. The analogy and purpose for the title 'Crossing Oceans' comes into play here as well. It was beautifully done and emotionally jarring to read through.

   This is a romance blog, and you should be use to my recounting of sexy tales filled with sensual bliss. But the main reason why we read romances is because, at the end of the day, through all of the grouping and caressing, the Hero LOVES the heroine and it's beautiful in it's genuineness. This book brought us through many forms of love, most specifically that of a mother for her daughter. Jenny and Craig's relationship was short lived but poignant, and Jenny's love for her daughter was the catalyst of the story that will bring tears to your eyes. 'Crossing Oceans' was more than just a book; it was a lesson on life. After reading this novel, I wanted to be a better person. Only great novels can evoke that feeling in a reader. Whether the lessons from this book stay with me forever or not is an indeterminable question, but its importance is indisputable. It was inspiring and tear-jerking and amazingly liberating. This book will make you reevaluate the priorities in your life and appreciate the blessings you have today. Do yourself a favor and read this book!

[special thanks to Gina Holmes for sending a review copy]

*More from Gina Holmes will be coming in Spring 2011! 'Dry As Rain'