Lauren's Crammed Bookshelf: Blog Tour: My Image of You by Melanie Moreland

Summary/ Cover Image from Publisher's Website:

She was the first good thing that ever happened to me. The only person who made me want to stay put. Until she disappeared. My name is Adam Kincaid, and I’m the most daring freelance photographer in the world. Or, at least, I used to be. After losing my parents way too young, I hid behind a camera lens—and discovered a talent that took me all over the planet. No assignment was too dangerous, no location too remote, no subject too painful.

Then came the accident, and the hospital, where I met her: Alexandra Robbins. My nurse. My savior. With her fiery red hair and crystal-clear blue eyes, the most striking woman I could’ve imagined—and the kindest too. How could such a big personality fit into such a petite package? But she was running from something too, something I never had: her family. She thought she’d escaped their control. But she was wrong. And now they’ve taken her away from me.

Today is her engagement party. I may not get an explanation, but I’ll be damned if I don’t get a photograph. A picture really is worth a thousand words. And just like love, it never fades away.

Review:

After reading Melanie Moreland's The Contract and The Baby Clause back in August, I've been dying to read another book by her. So when I learned about My Image of You, her new book for Fall 2017, I eagerly added it to my wish list and began the countdown to its release date.

As it turns out, My Image of You was compelling, romantic, and fast paced, and while I didn't love Adam and Alexandra's adventures nearly as much as I loved Katharine and Richard's adventures (they're an incredibly hard act to beat, what can I say), My Image of You was still a solid romance read.

My Image of You is primarily told in Adam's POV. I really enjoyed getting to know him through his chapters. He was kind as well as caring, but I especially loved the touch of danger and recklessness he had to him. I find the job of a freelance photographer - especially one who focus on natural disasters and tragedy - so incredibly intriguing. Therefore, I loved that his job was such a big part of the book. I also found his conflict between pursing his passions by going to these remote and dangerous locations and becoming a family man and staying closer to safe and known areas realistic as well as slightly suspenseful. It's a hard choice to make, in my opinion, and I thought Melanie did a great job of presenting Adam's back-and-forth on the issue as well as presenting it in a way that perfectly intertwined it into the overall picture of Adam and Alexandra's relationship.

Now, on to Alexandra. I have to admit: I could not connect to her. I think this was largely due to the fact that so little of the book was told in her POV. I feel like knowing her thoughts would not have only made her actions more understandable but also would've added that depth to her character that I craved. However, I did like her and root for her just the same. She was a girl who always received the short stick in life, and there was nothing I wanted more for her then for her to find the home and family she deserved.

The plot in My Image of You is split between two time periods: Alexandra and Adam's romance until they're torn apart and then Adam's journey to win Alexandra back. I thought Melanie did a great job of fleshing out both sides of the story. Adam and Alexandra's relationship was well developed and likable so much in fact that I could almost forgive the insta-love feeing that came with it at times. I also liked the feeling of suspense that the middle of the book brought, as you know that Alexandra and Adam are not together when the book starts but you don't know why exactly. It was exciting to try to guess what exactly had happened, and the end result was certainly something I didn't see coming!

In all, My Image of You is perfect read for a weekend. I honestly think I would've liked it better had I not read The Contract first (has that ever happened to you all with books?); however, I still throughly enjoyed it overall. I can't wait to see what Melanie comes up with next!

Grade: B

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About the Author:

New York Times/USA Today bestselling author Melanie Moreland, lives a happy and content life in a quiet area of Ontario with her beloved husband of twenty-seven-plus years and their rescue cat Amber. Nothing means more to her than her friends and family, and she cherishes every moment spent with them.

While seriously addicted to coffee, and highly challenged with all things computer-related and technical, she relishes baking, cooking, and trying new recipes for people to sample. She loves to throw dinner parties, and also enjoys travelling, here and abroad, but finds coming home is always the best part of any trip.

Melanie delights in a good romance story with some bumps along the way, but is a true believer in happily ever after. When her head isn’t buried in a book, it is bent over a keyboard, furiously typing away as her characters dictate their creative storylines to her, often with a large glass of wine keeping her company.