Book Review: Consolation (The Consolation Duet #1) by Corinne Michaels

Liam wasn’t supposed to be my happily ever after.
He wasn’t even on my radar.
He was my husband’s best friend—forbidden.

But my husband is dead and I’m alone. I ache for him and I reach for Liam.

One night with Liam changed everything. Now I have to decide if I truly love him or if he’s just the consolation prize.

 

It's  not very often that I'm able to read a book that wasn't given to me by an author or publishing company. My best friend, Lauren, told me that I absolutely HAD to read this one. She brought it up numerous times and without even reading what Consolation was about, I finally picked it up yesterday. I'm always pushing books onto her and she always gives them a go, I guess it was her turn to put some serious peer pressure on me. I'll tell you this much ... I cursed Lauren. I hated her for having me read this book and then I was happy about it and then pissed again and the cycle just repeated over and over as I dug even deeper into the pages of Consolation. 

Consolation is, in a word, amazing. It has ruined future books for me. It was one of those unicorn type books that readers hear about but very seldom are able to get their hands on; it's a game changer. From the very first page, it made me feel. It took me down this winding path of sorrow, heartache, contentment, fury, happiness and everything in between. I was in tears a few times with my heart physically hurting and then I would be laughing and smiling right before my heart was ripped out yet again, stomped on and then blown to pieces.

This story is a heartbreaking one and one that I wish was completely out of left field and something that no real military wife has experienced but unfortunately, I know that isn't the case. I can't imagine living with the fear that your husband/significant other may not make it home to you because they are fighting for what so many take for granted. That's a horse of a different color though ... this book ... made me feel like I was living that life. It made me ask "what if" more times than I could count. The plot is so nicely paced ... it was like The 3 Bears up in here ... it wasn't too slow, it wasn't too fast, it was just right. Everything was just right. 

The characters are ... yep ... you guessed it ... amazing. There was such depth to each character. Depth that I think some real people don't even have. Gosh, to have created these characters ... characters that felt like my friends ... that's just crazy. Each one was exactly perfect. If Corinne Michaels had changed even one trait for any of them, it would have blown her little house of cards to shit. With the characters, again ... it was The 3 Bears.

I could go on and on about this book but I'm trying to be really careful to not really say anything specific because there are so many things that could get ruined for the next reader and I don't want that because you should get the same magical experience that I had. I will just say this, if you like a book that will make you think and feel, this is it. If you like a book with an impossible love story, this is it. If you're looking for a reading experience that you won't be able to repeat, you're looking in the right place. I just finished this moments ago and I already purchased the second book in the series. This is a duet, so I'm sure things will be tied up by the end of the next book. This one does end in a cliffhanger but the second (and final) book is out already, so there's no wait! Gosh. I feel like I need a cigarette and a glass of scotch while I just sit and stare at a wall for a couple of hours so I can fully absorb what I just went through reading Consolation. Damn fine job, Michaels. Damn fine.

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