Review: Vacant by Evelyn R. Baldwin

Title: Vacant by Evelyn R. Baldwin

• Released: February 23, 2013

• Genre: New Adult / Adult Romance (Mild Erotica) • Stand Alone Novella

 

 

Blurb:
Ethan Parker gets up every day, surviving the only way he knows how—alone. Orphaned as a child and forced into the child welfare system, he knows better than to depend on anyone but himself. He’s learned trust is a word used all too often, but rarely earned. Ethan believes that his best chance for maintaining a simple and solitary existence is to live by a simple mantra: Don’t get involved. Keep things simple. Take care of yourself! When a young woman moves in next door, Ethan is forced to reevaluate his beliefs. He tries to keep his distance, but his new neighbor’s infectious smile and outlook on life leave him struggling with the decision of living the life he knows, or taking a chance on the unexpected. As Ethan develops a relationship with his new neighbor, Emily, he realizes nothing is simple and learns that life is about more than just surviving... it’s about living.

**This version contains sexual content only suitable for adult audiences

http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17409269-vacant-adult-version

Reviw:                                                                   

It is very rare that a book makes me cry.

And Vacant did just that.

This is a short story about two people who are far too young to have had so much loss and deal with everything an adult has to worry about, as a teenager. However, Emily and Ethan show an enomorous amount of heart, strength and drive. There wasn't a moment in this story that I gave up on either one of them. They aren't perfect, who really is, and they certainly have moments of weakness, but they rally back to learn things about themselves that they never would have if they didn't go through the bumps along the way.

Ethan is the narrator for most of the story. After losing his dad and spending a few years in the state foster system, he is working at a grocery store making just enough to have a place to live and food on the table. Considering everything he has gone through, he is doing fairly well and content, though he seems some-what isolated.

Until he meets Emily.

She is a 16 year old squattor, who whas gone through her own share of struggle, but unlike Ethan she hasn't let everything that has happened impede enjoying even the small things. Opening himself up, Ethan insists Emily live with him instead of illegally next door.

The rest, as they say, is history.

After some long years of possibly the happiest pieces of their lives til that point, Emily has graduated from high school and looking to work part time while completing classes in college. Ethan goes a little sideways when she tells him that she loves him. Now, I don't think for one second that Ethan ever doubts he loves Emily but he has a hard time excepting it and letting his life be open enough to let someone in that close.

He runs.....hard.

This is were the story gets a little squirrely for me. Ethan drives for a WEEK.

A week....

Take that in for a second...

.

.

.

He just drives off for a week because the girl he has been living with for 2 years says "I love you" and he loves her back! Stupid. Men.

After this excruciating scene things get pretty good for the two of them culminating in the tear inducing end, that I will let you read for yourself.

This was a great story about two people that deserve to be loved and who seem to heal each other being only who they truly are. It is a short story, but I felt like I read a full length book and loved every minute of it! There are some hot and heavy scenes that are definitely not okay for everyone but I would recommend this to literally anyone....and be prepared to feel- My Opinion: BUY!!!

About the author:
 Evelyn R. Baldwin was born in the Midwest and spent her childhood on a horse ranch. As an only child, Evelyn was often forced to entertain herself with the family's horses as companions, and her imagination the only limitation.

After moving to St. Louis to attend college, she earned a degree in Education. During her Master’s program, Evelyn discovered her fascination with behavior and psychology.

Her first professional job experience was as a juvenile counselor, which led her to venture into other human sciences, eventually making a career with Behavior Analysis. While writing is a hobby for Evelyn, she often uses her experiences with human behavior to guide her characters.

She’s written short stories since childhood but only recently began exercising her real writing muscles. While she does not consider herself a professional writer in any sense of the word, she continues to polish her craft and hopes for success in her writing ventures, even if they are just as a hobby.

Check her out here:
Website
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