Love Ties
About
“Love Ties: An Unbreakable Bond” takes readers on an emotional journey through the life of Jack Long, a man who experiences an unimaginable tragedy during a peaceful day at the beach with his son. The devastating event shatters his world, leading to years of heartache and despair. But as Jack painstakingly rebuilds his life, he discovers a glimmer of solace.
Just when he begins to find a fragile sense of peace, fate intervenes. A chance encounter with a twelve-year-old boy on a bicycle thrusts him back into a nightmare he thought he had left behind. In this poignant tale of love and loss, we are reminded of the fragility of life and the importance of cherishing the moments we hold dear, for they can vanish in the blink of an eye.
Yet, amidst the darkness, “Love Ties” is also a story of hope. It unveils the profound truth that the bonds forged by love are unbreakable, capable of enduring even the harshest trials that life hurls our way. At its core, this is a moving narrative about a father and son whose lives are forever altered on that fateful, sunny day at the beach.
Praise for this book
Marilyn Freeman portrays a family at the apex of their relationship until the unexpected occurs. Jack Long, father, and husband, feels distanced from his wife after the years it took to have their child Toby. Grace hovers over her son, limiting Jack’s alone time. One day father and son get to spend a day at the beach.
The descriptions immerse the readers in place throughout the book. One initially feels the sand between their toes, hears the waves, enjoys the warm weather, and celebrates bonding. The love between these two, even though the intelligent Toby is young, emanates from the actions of playing and laughing at the beach together. Ms. Freeman does a marvellous job of painting all the scenes throughout the story that draws upon all the senses.
The characters’ distinctive personalities show in their actions and dialogue. When Toby disappears, the emotional upheaval runs the gambit from fear to guilt then blame. The tragedy of the follow-on events continues for ten years after the day on the beach. Jack becomes a shell of a man bent on survival with only a tiny spark of hope buried deep in his heart.
At first blush, you think you know the answers, but this mystery will surprise you repeatedly. The twists and turns of this mystery will have mystery fans trying to determine the proper actions of the characters. The unexpected elements sprinkled in just the right places will make you weep or shout for joy.
The narration of Maria Johnson holds the right pace for the story from start to finish. The voice acting is superb, with voices easily discernible as the story progresses. Listeners will hear the perfect intonation suited to the scene and characters. The accents were impeccable. I highly recommend this for mystery lovers, especially those fond of English settings and dialogue.
There were no issues with the production or quality of this audiobook.
Love Ties Review – Amazon
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 7 September 2023
I have listened to the Audio version of this book on Audible UK.
This is a brilliant story with engaging characters and is very skilfully written. Jack is at the beach with his 2-year-old son Toby for some bonding time. On the way home he calls in for some milk at the shop and leaves Toby outside in his pushchair. When he comes out of the shop pushchair and little boy have disappeared. Despite a massive search Toby has vanished. Jack's wife blames him for the disappearance and later she takes drastic action leaving Jack on his own. Fast forward 10 years and Jack is living on a narrowboat when A 12-year-old boy called Archie takes a liking to his dog, here starts a fantastic story of mystery and intrigue. Fast paced it almost takes your breath away. If ever a book deserved 10 stars, then this is it. Maria Johnson's narration is absolutely superb with her multi voiced telling of a very dramatic story. Can't recommend highly enough.
Love Ties: An Unbreakable Bond review – Amazon.
I enjoyed 'Love Ties' a lot. The writing was beautiful and much of the time I felt like it was a movie because I could picture the scenes vividly in my mind. I will be thinking about this story for a while. It kept me on the edge of my seat and kept me guessing. I would be encouraged to read the author's previous books and any future books she comes out with. I would also be happy to recommend it to others.
Love Ties: An Unbreakable Bond review – Amazon.
Imaginative and keeps you in suspense.
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 12 January 2023
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The plot of the book is its strongest feature. It's ingenious, imaginative, psychologically plausible and keeps the reader in suspense. In my, view a film based on Love Ties could be quite wonderful. All we need is a good film director!