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What's done in any darkness will come to light Sep 27, 2010
By Readers Paradise
"Book Club"
Forgive Yourself is the provocative debut novel by Allie Sager which mixes the supernatural with heartfelt emotions dipped in betrayal. It's about letting go so that you can move forward; or continue to be sifted like wheat.
Samantha Logan looks like that woman that has it all, but if you look closely you will see through the cracks. You will see that the man she is married to has not forgiven her for a past she simply had no control over. Samantha lives each day struggling with her truth and finding it hard to forgive herself. Haunted by her past she follows her heart and turns to Connor Simpson; someone she has always held close to her heart.
Connor and his wife were both reckless people who at every turn used up everybody they knew. But as Justin Timberlake sang "What goes around goes around goes around comes all the way back around" and for Connor and his wife it certainly did. I'm not one for drama but this book had a different type of dark drama that was dark and evil. I enjoyed meeting Grandma Mamie who spoke to Sammy (Samantha) through dreams; guiding her on the way to remission, and love of family which she had all along but couldn't believe.
I thought this was a good read even with the darkness the author did a great job of mentioning the abuse and rape but she didn't stay there long. Sager's characters experienced a lot in this less than 200 page book but the theme spoke volumes. God will make good out of evil. Thank you for the voice of Grandma Mamie; I hope to hear from her again.
Missy
4 book marks
Readers Paradise
Don't let the cover fool you Sep 13, 2010
By Literary Litter
Wow! This is a perfect example of not judging a book by it's cover. Honestly, I've put off reviewing this one as long as possible because the book just looks so boring! Of course, the back doesn't sound boring, but when faced with a plain blue book that simply has a bridge and a cloud on the front, it just doesn't seem that appealing. After reading, I realize the symbolism in the front cover, but honestly the book packaging itself is a turn off. I'm really glad that I forced myself to see past that, as well as the lack of editing, and devour the story inside.
The characters are extremely unlikable. They're not sweet and endearing. They evoke a strong emotional response in the negative. Personally,I didn't like any of them and was reminded of a book I'd read once before where I just couldn't get through the book because I couldn't stand the characters. In this instance, however, I had the pull of the sweet 'other world' to keep me entrenched in the story instead of letting my hatred and rage at the 'live' characters push me away.
The story is staged pretty well. I had an issue with the ending, but I can't really go into that without adding spoilers to my review. I can say that though I wasn't a fan of the ending, I do appreciate the fact that Sager was able to pull it off to the point that I was just a little disappointed instead of being angry and frustrated.
Over all, this was a good read that I just couldn't put down. It's definitely not for the faint of heart, as some of it is quite graphic and the actions of some of the characters is a bit depressing and over the top. It's a fast-paced read that keeps you engrossed throughout. It also has a moral message throughout the book, which is always a plus. It's nice to have an entertaining story that leaves you with a feeling that you've had a new insight.
 Twisted, short and repetative Aug 10, 2010
By CozyReadersCorner
Forgive Yourself is a novel about a woman named Samantha. Sam has been having an affair with Conner because her husband Rich does not show her love. Rich grew up differently than Samantha and has never had the family closeness that Samantha had. The result ends up in a difficult marriage. Their marriage has been long and faithful until the affair, but Sam has always been lonely. To add to the marital issues, Sam harbors deep regret and secrets of her past. She has been torturing herself over these secrets. Conner, who is also married, has a secret life outside of Sam. It is a twisted and perverted life. As the story unfolds all the secrets and all the lies are revealed. Each of the characters in the story will go through hurt and pain only to free themselves and learn forgiveness. The story is guided by Samantha's dead grandmother, who reveals herself in spirit and helps Sam forgive herself once and for all.
Forgive Yourself is a short novel. While it doesn't take long to read, it is taxing on the reader. The novel is devoid of substance and repeats it self time and time again. While the novel is full of drama and intertwined stories, they are short. The novel is extremely twisted and disturbing. It is written in a narrative style by an unrelated character. The story is guided by and happens due to Samantha's dead grandmother, Mamie. Mamie, who visits from the other side of the moon, has intentions that are pure and simple. She wants to help her granddaughter forgive herself and move on with her life. While that moral is good, the rest of the story is twisted and overwhelming. Everything is linked together at points by Mamie and Samantha.
I did not enjoy this novel. I was unprepared for what the novel really represented. I felt the synopsis could have been better preparing for the reader, when choosing, if this book was for them. The books narrative style works well, but the sentences are short, making the reader feel they are reading small statements, one after another. The novel repeats itself, sometimes adding a little more to the story. By the time you arrive at the end you are well aware of all the pieces to the story, but read them over and over again in each characters confession. The novel was part erotica, part fiction. The description of the novel did not prepare me at all for what I read. While I commend the author for writing a book, this novel was not for me. I would not be able to recommend this book to others based on my experience.
Forgive Yourself Aug 10, 2010
By Brenda Casto
Forgive Yourself by Allie Sager isn't what it seems. When I first picked up this book I thought it was going to be another story about an unhappy woman who is cheating on her husband. It really isn't that at all.
It is a story of one woman's journey to forgiving herself, and learning that everyone that matters has already forgiven her.
This story captures your interest from the beginning, it is so easy to relate to because I think we all know someone that is unhappy in their marriage, but are afraid to do anything about it. Sammy chooses to turn to Conner Simpson but in the end did she make the right choice?
Its hard to label this book a romance because it really is so much more. There is mystery, suspense as well as the theme of forgiveness. There is also a spiritual influence at play from the ghost of Sammy's grandmother. Wrap all of these elements together and you have a very interesting novel.
I liked this book, but I must warn that there are scenes that speak of rape and abuse, but the writer doesn't get overly graphic in her descriptions.
Congrats to Ms. Sager for a great debut novel, I look forward to reading more from her in the future.
I was provided a copy of this novel by the author in return for an honest review.
This book takes you on a great journey Jul 24, 2010
By Lacey Wolfe, Romance Author
I read this in an afternoon. I loved it. It was completely different then i thought it was going to be when i sat down to read it. This story draws you in from the beginning. It is a short book, 195 pages. There is a spiritual person in this book who helps Sammy and the rest of her family to where she needs to be. She needs to forgive herself for things from the past, because everyone else has already forgiven her.
The book is one of those, that is hard to describe because i will give too much away. The ending is happy. And you see two things that you didn't even expect in the beginning. The book when i first sat down to read it, i thought i was going to be reading a classic romance with a woman with two lovers, but this book was so much more complex then that. There was mystery, suspense, hurt, forgiveness, love, all mixed into one book.
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