Oct 232013
 

Portrait for ToniA Portrait for Toni

Author: Annette Lyon

Published: September 4, 2013

ebook: 279 pages

ASIN: B00EZFOM7S

FTC FYI: Received a Kindle copy in exchange for an honest review.

Reviewed by Mindy

Goodreads Summary

Toni has no idea what she’d do without her best friend, Carter. Who else would she be able to vent to about her parents, her job at the dance studio, or her latest relationship woes? When Toni’s father lands in the hospital, Carter, as always, is there for her.

That is, until he starts questioning Toni, saying he thinks she has an eating disorder. Then she starts dating Clint, the hot new guy at the studio, and somehow that puts a deeper wedge between her and Carter. When she’s hospitalized after an on-stage collapse, and Carter stupidly starts in with advice about food and weight, she sends him away—then instantly regrets it.

One night after a performance, Toni tries to mend the hurt between them. She goes to visit Carter at work, in his art classroom at the high school. She doesn’t see him there, and instead, she stumbles onto proof that he has feelings for her that go way beyond those of a friend. Toni is left with the very real prospect of losing Carter forever, unless somehow she can return his feelings—but that’s impossible.

My Review

I really enjoyed this book.  I loved the way the story was told.  The point of view would change from Toni’s and Carter’s and I loved seeing their side of all that goes on in this book.  Toni is a character that has been through a lot emotionally through her life.  That is why, I feel, she turned to anorexia and bulimia.  She feels unloved by her father, as he has been overly critical of every aspect of her life.  She felt control by starving herself or binging.  Carter has been hiding his feelings for Toni for many years.  He stetches, paints and create portraits of Toni to help him with his feelings for her.  Every time he works up the courage to tell her how he feels, something always stops him.  He tries to move on, dating someone else, but Toni is always on his mind.  Can Toni forgive Carter?  Can Carter just forget about Toni and move on with his life?  You will enjoy the journey these two take to find each other.

4 out 5 stars.  Annette is the author of many awesome books.  Band of Sisters: Coming Home has been nominated for a 2013 Whitney Award, and A Portrait for Toni has as well.  I can tell when I’m reading Annette’s books, she is very smart and knows exactly what she is doing in this writing field.  She is also one of the authors in the Newport Ladies Book Club series.  Her newest installment in that wonderful series, Ilana’s Wish, will be out next year.  Annette also contributes to the Timeless Romance Anthologies.  These are very enjoyable novellas with different themes:  Winter Romance, Spring Vacation, Summer Wedding, Autumn Collection, and coming soon is the European Collection.

Author Links

Goodreads / Website / Twitter / Facebook

Purchase Links

Amazon / Barnes and Noble

May 062010
 


Being Sixteen surprised me. I really enjoyed it. Not that I was expecting not too, I actually didn’t know what to expect. What I liked right away, was how if someone was reading this book that was not of our faith, there are some explanations of our beliefs without being too obvious.

Juliet Kendall is the oldest sister at home, we start her story on her 16th birthday. Right at the beginning, I could tell she is a smart, confident girl who knows her beliefs, but things seemed almost too perfect. She has two older sisters. Emma is serving a mission in Spain, and Maddie is away at college. Carly is 14 and starting her freshman year. Juliet has everything going for her; the start of new relationship, lots of great friends, and a chance to play basketball on the varsity team. But, as like many of us, her trials come slowly, then linger, and then seem to stay for awhile. Little by little events take place that really challenge her testimony, and her self worth. Carly has a secret that effects them all, but Juliet takes it the hardest. And while Carly hides away and struggles, Juliet, while worried about Carly, hides as well. Not just from friends, but her Heavenly Father. Feeling she failed her sister, really takes her down a self destructive path. It just takes stopping the small and simple things that prevented her from asking Heavenly Father for help.
As I read Juliet’s journey, I sympathized with what the girls were going through. I didn’t go through what Carly did, or Juliet for that matter, but I have three daughters, and I can only pray that they stay strong in the gospel and will make good choices. It’s a great story for anyone with daughters.
There was one thing that I felt was unresolved, but this particular event helped Juliet move on to others things.
My rating: 4 stars
I would read it again and recommend it to others
Will I read other book by this author? Yes!
Being Sixteen
Author: Allyson Braithwaite Condie
Published: 2010
Publisher: Deseret Book Company
ISBN-13: 978-1-60641-233-6
Softcover: 249 pages
FTC FYI: Reviewed a free copy from the publisher which did not affect my review.