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9 of 9 persons found the following review helpful.
Much more than a love story
By Vampires and Tofu
This book was so much more than I expected! I started reading thinking it was going to be another formulaic teen paranormal romance (as much as I love ‘em ya gotta admit, a great deal of of them ARE gorgeous predictable.) And yes, there is romance but, more importantly, this is the story of a family engaged in a struggle to cope with a difficult situation. Zoe’s five year old sister, Abria, has been diagnosed with autism and that has changed things for everyone in the family. Laurens doesn’t take the Hallmark greeting card approach here which I thought was a brave and honorable writing decision. The strain of taking care of Abria affects everyone in the family, Zoe turns to drinking and hooking up to deal with the stress while her younger brother has turned to drugs.
Enter Matthias, guardian angel to Abria. Zoe is the only one who may see him but even more importantly, he turns out to be the only one who may REALLY see ZOE…see past the drinking and the partying to the girl she is inside. After years of her parents not actually giving her much attention (they’re good people just so overwhelmed with Abria,) and friends seeing her as a party collaborator and boys seeing her as an easy hookup…well, it’s no wonder she starts to fall for Matthias.
The romance in Heavenly develops naturally and believably (yes, even altho he is an angel =) which I loved. They genuinely expended time together and talked to each other and had REASONS to construct feelings. Not just the old cliched “she couldn’t explain her sensations but she saw him and was in love.” I liked that the romance made sense. It’s not all smooth sailing for Zoe and Matthias though, there are rules guardian angels have to follow, rules that make things difficult to say the least!
There’s more I would LOVE to talk about here, but I don’t wanna give any spoilers so I’m just gonna go in front and say give this one a try, I don’t think you will be disappointed. As a matter of fact, there’s a good chance you’ll find yourself shedding a tear or two before it’s over (I did.)
15 of 18 people found the following review helpful.
Jennifer Laurens’ Heavenly – An Amazing Book!
By MirrorMarie
This book blew my mind. I read it in one sitting, I was so enthralled. It captures so well the struggle of a family dealing with an autistic child, as well as teenagers who abuse drugs and alcohol. I speak from experience when I say that this novel described with perfective accuracy the struggles, heartache, and emotions a family like Zoe’s would live through. Her kinship with Matthias is beauteous – fulfilling the need within all people to be loved for who they are, even with all their flaws and shortcomings. The forbidden love aspect just adds a little spice to the romance – keeping me on the edge of my seat (and often squeaking with teen-girl-ish delight) all around the entire experience. Also, for readers who are hesitant to embark on a literary traveling involving angels – don’t let that stop you for a second. No matter one’s beliefs, this story is timeless, and one that everyone, without exception, may relate to. Read it. It will lift you up and stick with you long after you’ve stopped devouring the pages at unbelievable speeds… 
This is unquestionably my favored book by Jennifer Laurens so far, and I can’t wait for the story to continue.
15 of 19 people found the following review helpful.
Loved it!
By Marlee DiCristofano
Highly commend this book. Pulls you in from commence to finish. Jennifer Laurens helped me feel the tangle of emotions, the love and the heartache, and how much isolation, an autistic child may cause in a family.
Heavenly is a outstanding story and a powerful read. Just when we think there is no hope, along comes somebody in our lives that helps us to be a better person. Matthias will have to be each girl’s dream because Matthias demonstrates unconditional love and expects those he cares for to respect and honor themselves. Don’t miss out! This book is worth the time.
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