Please Release Me (Choc Lit)

I loved this book so much. It is so depressing that on Sally wedding night that she ends up in a coma. Peter in Sally's perspective is a handsome. malleable and wealthy. Peter does not know if she will ever wake up from the coma because the book skips several months and she is still in the coma. there are some very heavy themes in this books like guilt, dishonesty, and so forth. Sally is in the book a lot despite her being in a coma which was nice. This book was different feel then most romance novels I have read. The author did a really good job with this book. I enjoyed it. Very emotional and I was there with Sally Grace and Peter. It was one of those books I wanted more. By the way love the cover.

What a gorgeous heart-felt read!

'Please Release Me' is the first book I have read by Rhoda Baxter, but as soon as I finished it, I immediately ordered a copy of 'Doctor January' to read. Baxter has a brilliant flare with words, and I was swept into Sally, Peter and Grace's story, and didn't want to leave.

The hardest thing for an author to pull of is making an unlikable character, or at least one who is a barrier between two characters you root for, sympathetic and relatable. I loved Sally, despite all her faults, and it was from getting inside her mind and understanding just how much her past has affected her ability to trust and love, even though she thinks she lives safer. Her attachment to Peter, and how he begins as a challenge she has to win, but through her reluctant and unexpected friendship/hateship with Grace begins to show her the error of her ways in trying to trap him.

I adored Grace, and rooted from her from the get go. One of the most satisfying elements of this novel was witnessing Grace starting to live her life for herself, and putting herself first. I was sad for her with all the drama that Sally put her through, but really felt there was a special relationship between the two, one that made for some brilliant chapters and interactions. The romance between Grace and Peter was also perfectly timed, and I loved the will they/won't they storyline which had me biting my lip and crossing my fingers that they would make it through.

This is a story that deals with emotional and tough issues, and manages to do so with smatterings of humour which doesn't detract from the sensitivity with which they are dealt with. There is the underlying question throughout the novel which weighs on all the characters, which is; When is it right to let go of a loved one?

I adored this romance with a twist and am excited to read more from Rhoda Baxter!

5 Stars!

*Review copy was kindly provided by the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review*

This book was outside my normal genre of crime fiction but was a nice sweet read. Sally has the perfect life with her new.life until a car accident puts her in a coma. The way she deals with it - while in the coma - and her perseverance for.love was really heartwarming. It was such a sweet read and highly recommended.

This is the third book by Paula Daly I've read, and I'm still not disappointed..... In this book we meet Roz, a single mother with a 9 year old child. I could identify with her struggle on so many levels, as I'm also a single mother, and struggle on a daily basis so survive. The choices she has to make, and decisions she has to cope with, made me wonder how far will I go to survive and deal with life. I really can recommend it to anyone wanting too enjoy an awesome read.

To start off, this is the first book I have read by this author. I was pleasantly surprised and would love to read more by her in the future. I am a total fan. Although the book description does give away some of the story it does take a major twist into the taboo of relationships. I was drawn in by this book and hooked. I loved each and every one of the characters, some more than others but I loved them still the same. Without giving too much about what happens or any spoilers away, if you like paranormal romances or Choc Lit then this is the book for you. Job well done Rhoda Baxter!!

Rhoda Baxter has just demonstrated her skill at leading her reader (aka me) completely up the garden path. I expected something like Fractured and instead I got something completely different!
Sally and Peter appear the perfect newly weds that is until the unthinkable happens. Setting the book primarily in a hospice was ambitious, but well handled with an almost perfect portrayal of grief. Well done

I trust Choc Lit so much that I didn't read the blurb and was startled by the unusual story. However, I did really enjoy it. It starts with a wedding and more or less ends with a funeral - very roughly! I'll say no more as I don't so spoilers!

The three main characters, Sally, Grace and Peter are like chalk and cheese. Grace and Peter have far more in common but it is Sally who, being very strong-willed, runs the storyline. I felt very sorry for Glenda - Sally's family situation really helped to explain a lot.

Grace was lovely - seeing her come alive and start living again was quite wonderful. Peter seemed to be a bit of an innocent to start with, but he actually has remarkable inner strength. Sally was.....well Sally! And I was not expecting her to do what she did at all! I couldn't have ever guessed the end - in fact I had it completely wrong!

Sadly, a sequel would not be possible in this instance...or would it?

A woman in a coma, following a car accident on her wedding day. A devoted husband who visits her every day, reads to her, and generally lets the rest of his life pass by while hoping his wife will wake up. Another woman whose own life is in a rut following the deaths of her parents. A ghost who is not exactly a ghost.

While drifting in black nothingness, unable to move or speak, Sally slowly realizes she is in a hospital. She hears nurses talking about her, hears her husband talking to her. Telling her inane stuff about his day, his business. Stuff she was never interested in, didn't care to know about, before the accident. I'll admit I didn't much like Sally at first. I quickly came to the conclusion that she was a spoiled gold-digger.

I did Peter. I loved his devotion and dedication to his comatose wife. And I liked Grace, who invited Peter to join her and other fundraiser volunteers in redecorating a common room at the hospice, and in doing so drew Peter back into the world. Or at least a small part of it. And as I got to know Sally better, and began to understand her, what made her the way she was, I began to actually like her as well, and to feel sorry for her.

This is one of those books where I can't say too much about the story without giving away the plot. Suffice it to say that it's light and amusing while also addressing some serious issues, the characters are well developed, the plot wasn't predictable, and the author gave us a fresh new take on love triangles. I quite enjoyed it.

What a great book. I found it really thought provoking . After a terrible accident on their wedding day, Peter goes to visit his wife Sally every day in the hospice, where she lies in a coma. There is no level of communication- but he talks to her and reads aloud. I've heard that hearing is the last sense to go- so it would make sense that even in a coma the patient may be aware of the voices of loved ones.

One day he meets Grace who nursed her own parents and now visits an elderly lady. She invites him to help with decorating one of the common rooms- and it is the spark of a new reach out into the world for both of them. He starts to emerge from the dark place he's been in since the accident. Is Grace the reason?

After a storm things take an interesting turn and this was the part that really made me think about things that I've never really thought about before. The way it was written could make sense of some unexplained things that happen in the world sometimes. To find out about the twist, you really need to read this book. Giving it away would spoil the premise of the story really.

I have already looked up the authors back catalogue and I'm keen to read more.

With many thanks to Net Galley and Choc Lit for a chance to read this book

What a unique story Please Release Me (Choc Lit) by Rhoda Baxter is. To say brilliant, splendid does not seem to give this story the justice it deserves. Also to say it is different from any wedding story I have ever read in an understatement. It is a well-written tightly woven plot full of astonishing surprises. Even more is the surprise of the emotional gamut I ran through while reading this book; sad one minute, smiling the next, then mad a few times too with everything in between along the way. I don’t want to say too much to give this story away. It is one to read and savor yourself.

I will say this even after finishing this book I am wondering which of the three main characters the title is speaking for. I know the easy answer but all three seem to me to be needing to be released in some way.

Lastly like the Dickens’ novel, Tale of Two Cities, which one of the characters tries to quote even the unlikable character becomes better in the end so that you can’t help but like her too. Masterful how the author pulls this off.

Please Release Me is one of the best books I have read this year! First book by Rhonda Baxter I have read but very definitely not the last.

Please Release Me is a love story like you have not often read. Actually, I’m not really certain just how to tell you much about the story without giving away major spoilers.

Sally’s life was coming together just the way she had always dreamed, the handsome groom, the beautiful wedding, the life she deserved were all at her fingertips now – the ring on her finger and her new husband’s devotion proved that. Until one thing, one chance decision sets her life tumbling.

Peter loved his wife very much. And ten months after their wedding day that love is still as strong. Everyone says their love must be as solid as the day they wed, since every single day like clockwork he arrives at her bedside, tells her how much he loves her and waits. Sally has been in a coma since their wedding day accident.

I was captivated by Please Release Me. A story that has layers, and the deeper you go into the complicated reality of Peter and Sally the more those layers grow until what is and what shouldn’t be possible blend almost seamlessly.

This story has twist and turns, lies and truth, reality and possibility all messed up in a delightful tale at moments sad and others laugh until you cry. There are no limits on emotions in this one. And by the ending you will have experienced a unique love story that will stay with you long after the final page.

Please Release me is one of those stories that shouldn’t be told to you, really it’s best if you come into this story with no preconceived ideas because you will be on a roller coaster. This is one you need to experience for yourself.

I would recommend this novel to any reader who loves a good love story and possibilities.

*I received an e-ARC of Please Release Me from the publisher and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. That does not change what I think of this novel.*

The premise of this novel is what drew me in, but Rhoda Baxter's writing ability kept me reading. The heroine is achieving her dream; marriage and financial stability at last. Things go terribly wrong, she ends up in a coma, visited daily by the husband she barely knows. The premise that those in comas can hear what's happening around them was genius. The hero meets another woman while visiting. Though the heroine is in a coma, she somehow (ghost?) manages to connect with that "other woman" The love triangle is well crafted, the characters layered and vivid. I constantly changed my mind about how I wanted the story to end! Thanks goodness, Rhonda Baxter was in charge and not me. I highly recommend Please Release Me, and I will look for more from this talented author.
*I received my copy through NetGalley.com in exchange for an honest review.

Sally and Peter have just been married in a lovely wedding and are driving away to start their honeymoon when they are in a terrible accident. Although Peter has some injuries, Sally sustains severe head injuries and even after numerous surgeries, she is left in a coma. Sally is now in a hospice and Peter visits her faithfully every day. Since there is no response from her, Peter talks to her and reads to her. Peter’s life is very difficult as he struggles to keep up with his job and be with Sally. Peter’s mother has been a great help in that she comes by his house leaving him home-cooked food that he doesn’t always eat. His father tells him that he may need some anti-depressant medication but Peter does not want to rely on pills.

At the hospice one day, Peter meets Grace in the elevator and they chat for a moment. Grace visits a lady in hospice whom she met when her mother was there before passing away. When Grace mentions to Peter that a group of volunteers who will be renovating a room in the hospice and asks him to join them, he agrees. This proves to be good for Peter as he meets other people and doing something constructive helps to perk him up mentally and physically.

Grace and Peter become friends and chat often which helps Peter a lot. Grace feels so bad for him and wishes Sally would come out of her coma. One day, while Grace is in Sally’s room, a lightning storm knocks out power that briefly stops Sally’s monitors until it can be reset by the medical staff. During that flash, Grace sees Sally in a ghost form. It turns out she, and only she, can see, and talk to Sally. Grace keeps this a secret as well as she can, but Sally shows up just anywhere and soon becomes demanding and downright ornery. This is the real Sally that Peter did not see before marrying her.

When Sally is around other people, all they feel is intense cold. Will Grace finally tell Peter that she can see Sally including the vile things she has said? How long can this situation continue?

This was a very different plot. When Sally first appeared to Grace, I wasn’t sure what to expect with the rest of the book, but the author was quite creative in how she handled it all. I enjoyed the story very much and I believe others will as well.

I was also quite touched that the author has agreed to donate 50 percent of the royalties she receives from the sales of the book to Martin House Children’s Hospice in the UK. She wanted to write a book that shows the positive side of hospices.

I could so easily spoil your enjoyment of this book by going into the way the story develops, but I have to say that I thoroughly enjoyed every moment of it. You’ll see from the blurb that Sally is in a coma after an accident on her wedding day. Husband Peter, who’s struggling badly, visits her daily at the hospice - then he meets Grace, also struggling after the loss of her mother. The relationship between those three main characters had me totally engrossed until the very end.

This isn’t a conventional triangular story, it’s the product of an exceptional imagination, but totally believable and so beautifully handled. Grace is such a likeable character, and your heart aches for Peter, but it was Sally who really captured my heart - you won’t like her at the start, but I guarantee you’ll grow to love her. Absolutely wonderful writing, highly readable, really enjoyable, and I was quite blown away by the story - unmissable.

My thanks to netgalley and those lovely people at Choc Lit for my advance reading e-copy.

Please Release Me by Rhoda Baxter is such a lovely touching story told with feeling and respect. I thoroughly enjoyed the interaction between the three main characters, Sally, Grace and Peter. Well written and with good descriptions and characters this book keeps you turning the pages. Highly recommend it.

A bride and groom’s wedding day rarely goes according to plan. The car might be late, the food at the reception a little cold. In Peter’s case, his wife ends up in a coma and he feels it is his entire fault. He spends the next eleven months visiting her in the ward and sitting by her bed, while his wife hovers between life and death….literally. Adding to his despair is the overwhelming guilt he feels when he finds himself attracted to Grace, a volunteer at the hospice.

If you are like me and find it difficult to root for a hero who is already married, please don’t be put off. This is a beautifully told story and I very quickly connected with Grace and Peter and found myself agreeing with all the other characters in the book and rooting for their romance to blossom. All the characters, that is, except Sally, his wife.

The plot is well thought out and, unlike some paranormal stories, there are no gaping holes that cannot be explained. This contemporary paranormal romance is touching and refreshing, whilst tackling very serious subjects with care. I would not consider this a comedy, although there are funny moments in it, however I could easily see it being made into a romantic comedy by Hollywood, where Sally’s frustrations, anger management problems and dramatics steal the show. I would thoroughly recommend it to anyone who wants to read a romance with a difference.

This is a great story and its very entertaining , unusual and very descriptive. Sally is a ghost. She is not dead but in a coma. There was a car accident a year ago on her wedding day. sally married Peter for his money, she is a gambling addict with a troubled past. Peter visits the hospital every day and meets Grace who visits a friend there. They become friends and when Sally's ghost first appears, Grace is in Sally's hospital room. Somehow Grace can see and talk to Sally. Peter and Grace start to fall in love and know there is nothing they can do about it. When Sally finds out she becomes very angry but then realises she must face her own difficult future.

This book was well written, I was hooked from the outset and I really enjoyed reading it. The main characters had a depth that really made you care about what happened. I loved Sally, Peter and Grace (the main characters) and the love triangle that evolves.
Its extremely funny in places and made the storyline fascinating. Well worth buying.

This is a well-written story tackling a difficult subject and the author obviously did her research well. and made me want to read more of her work. The only thing I struggled with throughout the book was my dislike of Sally although I did come to sympathize more as details of her challenging past emerged. I wasn't sure how the author would satisfactorily end the book but she did an excellent job.

What a fascinating story Rhoda Baxter has crafted. Peppered with bite-sized portions of scientific references, the author has created a situation with the character of Sally (no spoilers here) and made it seem possible. I loved the interaction between Sally, the antagonist, and Grace, the lonely, grieving heroine, and the way Grace accepts this other woman into her life.
I had a great empathy with Grace, a woman who'd spent years caring for her parents, and the author has captured the feelings and emotions of loving and losing a person around which one's world revolves with great skill, sensitivity and perfect, gentle touches of humour.
And I felt for poor Peter, a man who at the beginning of the story is full of future hopes and dreams, newly married to Sally, the woman he adores. Please Release Me is a book of impossibles becoming possible. A great read and highly recommended.

Intriguing, Entrancing and Inexplicable…

Sally Baxter and Peter Wesley had everything to look forward to on their idyllic wedding day. She has a husband who will provide money, a home and security. He has an outgoing, lovely, entertaining wife to spend his days with. Except…something happens on the way to the honeymoon that throws both of their plans awry. With both of their futures not panning out as they had hoped for and time required to figure out how to make things right the plot thickens over and over with twists and turns, a bit of the paranormal, some interesting people thrown into the mix and a happily ever after sought by all.

Since I am one of those peculiar reviewers that prefer not to give the plot away I will not tell you the plot. I will tell you that you should read this if you like a book that is well plotted with intriguing characters and a plot twist or two that keeps things interesting.

I would like to thank ChocLit and NetGalley for the copy of this book to read and review. It kept me up late last night reading and then thinking about it all throughout the day.

4.5 Stars

It was an interesting read, not my usual kind of book but, I really enjoyed it and loved the characters. It was unusual but enjoyable so go and buy it NOW!!!!

I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
It was a thoroughly enjoyable read with a very unusual subject. I liked the way that this book took a turn part way through that I didn’t expect. The book touches on questions that I am sure many of us have thought about, but will never really know the answer to. I could easily put myself in the shoes of the three main characters and relate to their dilemmas. Once I had started reading, I could not stop. I will definitely be looking out for more books by Rhoda Baxter.

A sensitive novel of a newly married couple who have a car accident on their wedding day and the bride ends up in a coma. The devoted husband meets a woman at the hospital and is attracted to her. Surreal events complicate all of their lives. Intriguing and well-told.

This was a real page-turner - I really did want to know more about the characters and how they would be released from the chains that prevented them moving on with their lives. With shades of 'Ghost' crossed with 'Randall and Hopkirk - Deceased' the literary device used was innovative. The setting was unusual (a hospice) and the situation tragic but then in real life, not everything is plain sailing. As with all romantic fiction, there was a happy ending of sorts. I would love to know what happens next, though! Any chance of a sequel, Ms Baxter?

Please Release Me, written by Rhoda Baxter, is truly an amazing story! This is the first book that I have read by this author, but it definitely won't be my last.

Sally Cummings dream is finally coming true...she is getting married to Peter, the love of her life. On the wedding day, something horrific happens, and Sally ends up in a coma and is placed in hospice. Peter is the perfect husband, and visits Sally every day. He sits with her, talks to her, reads to her, and continues to hope that she will come out of her coma. Whether it is guilt or devotion driving him, he never gives up on her.

Grace has lost her parents, and goes to hospice every day to visit a friend of her mother. She is basically a lost soul in some respects. When she meets Peter, they become a kind of support for one another, as well as a comfort to one another.

Sally may be in a coma, but yet she hears the voices talking to her. She would give anything to be able to talk, but she can't seem to pull herself out of the coma. Then one night, a stormy night, something happens that changes everything.

I had a hard time writing this review, especially since I didn't want to give away too much of the story. This is truly an amazing story. It is beautifully written and brilliantly executed. The author writes in vivid detail and brings the story to life. The characters are complex and well-developed. It is a story that will make you think about things in life. The creative way in which the author tells this story is definitely unique. You can't help but to root for the characters, and you become personally involved in seeing how this story plays out. As the story unfolds, there are characters you love, and ones you end up not liking so much. Again, that is a testament to the author's writing style. This is a story that deals with some tough issues, and although it is emotional at times, it is also filled with humor at just the right moments. The unexpected twists in the story add to the overall plot, making it even more interesting. I can't begin to stress enough just how amazing this story is!! I strongly recommend this book, and hope you read it...you will not regret it!!

I was given a digital copy of this book from Choc Lit and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

The book was truly a page turner---and the reader just did not want to put the book down! The character development was interesting, surprising and certainly not something that was predictable! Thank you again for allowing me the opportunity to read this title before publication!