Shrinking Violet by Jessica Prince | Review

*** Blogger Note: (I received an ARC from the author in exchange for an honest review.) Shrinking Violet is the second book in the Scattered Colors series but can be read as a standalone. ***

*** Spoiler Free ***

The meaning of the word forgiveness is a constant struggle for Cassidy Ashworth. She has a past she is not proud of and for that, asking for forgiveness is something that haunts her.

Carson Langford knows what it feels like to be thrown away. He was a foster child who moved from home to home, never was adopted and aged out of the system. He met a young girl in one of the last homes he lived in and decided she was his only hope at having a family. When she aged out of the system, her last home kicked her out… Carson takes her in and they give themselves the chance at being a family.

When Carson looks for a second job and is given an excellent paying job on a ranch, he takes it knowing it was going to help put his little sister Navie through college in the fall.

When Carson meets Cassidy, the unexpected happens. Carson breaks down Cassidy’s wall and shows her everyone is worth the chance to be given the opportunity to fix their demons… Forgiveness and all.

This is the second book I have read and reviewed for author Jessica Prince. As much as I loved Nightmares From Within, I loved Shrinking Violet even better.

This book went a little deeper and it showed us how cruel teenagers can be as I read the backflashes as teenage Cassidy. There is bullying in this book. It shows us that peer pressure can be a b@$^h and with that comes the pressure to bully to fit in.

Carson turns her world upside down, proving to her that the past is the past and everyone deserves a second chance. I loved Carson! Even with being raised in crappy home after home, he knows right from wrong. All he wants is to love and be loved and he finds that in Cassidy and her family… Eventually becoming a part of this little beautiful family.

Jessica Prince knows how to write angst, agony, and unforgettable actions but she also knows how to weave in love in just the right moments of the story to make you feel love for Cassidy. Sometimes you want to hate her but she is just trying to find a way to live with herself as an adult, not being able to get over her actions she lived and breathed as a teenager, doing everything she thinks she can do to try to fix her past, even though she believes she doesn’t deserve love or forgiveness.

This is a HEA with an excellent ending. Emotional but wonderful.

**4 Night Owls**