When Holly Tierney-Bedord contacted me and asked me to review her book, I jumped at the chance. The plot was interesting and it was something out of my wheelhouse. This book held my attention from beginning to end. It will be released on April 14th, 2019 and I definitely recommend picking it up.
While her parents aren't often there for her, the kindness of strangers, friends, and teachers helps to make up for what she's missing at home, and opens her eyes to the vast potential in the world around her and within herself.
This book is the prequel to stand-alone thriller The Woman America Loves a Latte.
This book was difficult to read. Veloura's parents are complete garbage, and that's putting it nicely. Their love story starts sweetly enough. They meet in 1977 when Paul comes into the diner where Marla works. He then begins to come in as often as possible to get her attention. She finally agrees to go out with him, and he ends up buying her engagement ring the day after their first date. Fast forward to their wedding day. His mother refuses to fly to the wedding because she doesn't like Marla. He's totally in love with her and she seems to space out for the entire day. Paul quits his job in 1980 to pursue his country music career and isn't successful. Meanwhile, while Paul is trying his hand at music Marla is receiving love letters from her old flame.
Fast forward to 1982, Veloura is 4. Paul has released one song that he wrote about Veloura (titled "Little Miss Eyes of Blue") that has gained traction. They go on a family vacation and Marla finds a dead woman with a bag full of drugs. Marla ends up taking the drugs with her, which seems to be the beginning of her drug addiction. Paul and Marla fight, deciding to get separate apartments. Marla is super strung out and mean to Veloura. Paul finds a younger woman and falls in love with her. They meet at a McDonald's towards the end of 1982 and are so preoccupied with their own selves that they LEAVE VELOURA ALONE AT MCDONALD'S.
Unfortunately, it only gets worse for Veloura from here. Her mother is late putting Veloura in school, leaving her alone with the official because she claimed to not have the time to register her. Paul is God knows where. He sends love letters to Marla claiming he wants to get back together. Marla keeps bringing loser men around Veloura. In 1994, Marla has this grand idea that they will find Paul's parents in Colorado, and get the child support he owes her from them. They spend roughly a week with them before his parents tell them that Paul died in 1989.
In 1995 Marla finally admits she has a drug problem, and she and Veloura move to a place called New Horizons (a drug rehab community). Veloura is in high school, still being judged by her mother's actions. In 1997, we learn that Marla died of a drug overdose. The story basically ends with Veloura repeating some of her mother's terrible choices in men.
I did like this book. It held my attention beginning to end, despite being the difficulty I had reading it. Veloura has the worst set of parents. She truly had no chance to grow up and be a decent human being, and I felt awful for her. I found myself rooting for her so much. The ending frustrated me so much because she just ended up making the same mistakes her mom made. I did feel like it was missing a resolution in certain parts. How did Paul die? Why didn't Paul's parents fight for Veloura? Where were Marla's parents in all of this? Why didn't any of Veloura's teachers hound social services to get Veloura into a safer household? It's possible that some of these answers exist in the next book, but my ratings are based solely on this book.
I enjoyed Little Miss Eyes of Blue. I don't regret reading it, but it wasn't my favorite book either.
🌟🌟🌟/5 Stars
The Plot (From Goodreads):
Veloura is off to a rough start in life.
While her parents aren't often there for her, the kindness of strangers, friends, and teachers helps to make up for what she's missing at home, and opens her eyes to the vast potential in the world around her and within herself.
This book is the prequel to stand-alone thriller The Woman America Loves a Latte.
This book was difficult to read. Veloura's parents are complete garbage, and that's putting it nicely. Their love story starts sweetly enough. They meet in 1977 when Paul comes into the diner where Marla works. He then begins to come in as often as possible to get her attention. She finally agrees to go out with him, and he ends up buying her engagement ring the day after their first date. Fast forward to their wedding day. His mother refuses to fly to the wedding because she doesn't like Marla. He's totally in love with her and she seems to space out for the entire day. Paul quits his job in 1980 to pursue his country music career and isn't successful. Meanwhile, while Paul is trying his hand at music Marla is receiving love letters from her old flame.
Fast forward to 1982, Veloura is 4. Paul has released one song that he wrote about Veloura (titled "Little Miss Eyes of Blue") that has gained traction. They go on a family vacation and Marla finds a dead woman with a bag full of drugs. Marla ends up taking the drugs with her, which seems to be the beginning of her drug addiction. Paul and Marla fight, deciding to get separate apartments. Marla is super strung out and mean to Veloura. Paul finds a younger woman and falls in love with her. They meet at a McDonald's towards the end of 1982 and are so preoccupied with their own selves that they LEAVE VELOURA ALONE AT MCDONALD'S.
Unfortunately, it only gets worse for Veloura from here. Her mother is late putting Veloura in school, leaving her alone with the official because she claimed to not have the time to register her. Paul is God knows where. He sends love letters to Marla claiming he wants to get back together. Marla keeps bringing loser men around Veloura. In 1994, Marla has this grand idea that they will find Paul's parents in Colorado, and get the child support he owes her from them. They spend roughly a week with them before his parents tell them that Paul died in 1989.
In 1995 Marla finally admits she has a drug problem, and she and Veloura move to a place called New Horizons (a drug rehab community). Veloura is in high school, still being judged by her mother's actions. In 1997, we learn that Marla died of a drug overdose. The story basically ends with Veloura repeating some of her mother's terrible choices in men.
I did like this book. It held my attention beginning to end, despite being the difficulty I had reading it. Veloura has the worst set of parents. She truly had no chance to grow up and be a decent human being, and I felt awful for her. I found myself rooting for her so much. The ending frustrated me so much because she just ended up making the same mistakes her mom made. I did feel like it was missing a resolution in certain parts. How did Paul die? Why didn't Paul's parents fight for Veloura? Where were Marla's parents in all of this? Why didn't any of Veloura's teachers hound social services to get Veloura into a safer household? It's possible that some of these answers exist in the next book, but my ratings are based solely on this book.
I enjoyed Little Miss Eyes of Blue. I don't regret reading it, but it wasn't my favorite book either.
🌟🌟🌟/5 Stars
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