Dane's Storm

This review was originally posted on Addicted To Romance *May Contain Spoilers* Dane's Storm is a story that I have been seeing popping up ALL over the Audible ads and I just had a feeling that I needed to try this one out and with this being my first time reading this author I admit to feeling a bit of apprehension...as you do whenever you pick up a new author and narrators that you are not super familiar with although I do think Erin Mallon (the female narrator) I have heard before on previous books but its been a long while since I have heard her but I really love the way she narrated this book. Both of these narrators seemed to be a perfect fit for these characters and I felt like Mia Sheridan did a great job in choosing them. Dane's Storm is a second chance love and it's such a beautifully written one. This story does contain quite a few flashbacks. Now I am all for flashbacks, but the way that these flashbacks were written into the story were a bit distracting at times and I felt it was a bit too strong however I really enjoyed having the flashbacks there, seeing what their relationship was like "before" and then the present. Now the first few pages really throw you off course, the prologue leads you to the conclusion that something disastrous happens to the heroine with how it happens and so you know as the story progresses that something big is to happen. The story begins with our heroine, Audra, who runs her own flower shop and works with brides. She has created a co-op in her own building with other vendors to work with engaged couples and even though she is living in a house she hated, she is saving every penny to make her business a success but then life throws her a curveball. She receives a notice that her ex-grandmother in law is seizing the building for the family business, but Audra knows something is wrong because her ex-husband gifted her this building when they were married so she could have her dreams. At first, she is furious that Dane could have something to do with this seizure especially since her ex grandmother in law implies that is the case. But her good friend convinces her to contact her ex first before she makes any rash decisions. And after a week of being unable to contact him she goes to California to see him and Dante is shocked to see his ex in his office and even more shocked that his grandmother would oust Audra. Dane has never stopped loving Audra, but they fell in love when they were really young and full of hopes and dreams but it was all shattered when the baby they had together died and it tore their marriage apart and its been seven years since. But the love they have had has always been there and when they travel back to Colorado,  their plane goes down into the Colorado Mountains and they have to cling to each other to survive the winter wilderness and find themselves reconnecting as they learn what is truly important in life .... Dane's Storm was a truly emotionally and heart breaking story at times and my heart really reached out to these two. Now Dane has struggled with losing his infant son, but he faced his grief but Audra is a very different story. Audra never faced the pain and the grief of losing her baby, she put it in a dark corner of her mind and ignored it and what it did to her marriage with Dane. Audra pushed Dane away and out of her life because she couldn't face the pain or the fact that Dane was facing the grief and she could barely survive it. But now seven years later, we see that Audra is still pushing that grief away and never really facing it. What is truly beautiful is that Dane forces her to face the pain she has been in denial about and this is the moment that they really connect on a whole other level, the true intimate bond between them grows even more powerful. You come to have so much admiration for both of these characters and all the courage they hey have to overcome the past and embrace what they have built together in a storm in the mountains. Dane is a hero to really admire though, I love how steady he is and confident and he knows that Audra is his true love and never gives up on her, she has always had his heart and when he sees her for a second time, he is going to do everything he can to keep her in his life. You see how much he adores Audra and he is so understanding even when she is always hurting him on an emotional level even without realizing what she is fully doing. But I love how he stands up for Audra and supports her no matter what happens. Now Audra was a complicated character because there is much to admire about her. There are many aspects of her character I truly love but she was in denial about many things especially in how she treats Dane. She does have a passion for her business and for art and she is at the heart of who she is a kind and genuinely sweet person. But she is still in great pain from her loss and you see how much it affects her and what she goes through in this book to overcome that pain and face it. The romance that we see in this book is such a powerfully written one and I was consumed by their story. I especially want to thank these talented narrators that really brought the emotion and zest of the story to vibrancy. We see these two find each other again and reconnect in the worst of circumstances and come out on top with determination, courage, and love. What these two sacrifices for each other is so heart wrenching and I loved seeing their devotion to one another and that their love is WORTH fighting for, no matter the cost to themselves. Dane's Storm is a heartachingly beautiful romance that will break through to your emotions and to your heart and soul and give you a tale of sacrifice, loyalty and the power of true love in the face of great adversity. A HUMBLING TALE!