BIG UGLY, UGLY CRYING TEARS!!!
Kate McCarthy, you made me into an ugly weeping mess. Fighting Redemption was tough to get through simply because of the emotional toll it took to read. Instantly, I was drawn to our heroine Finlay. Instantly, I also knew to prepare myself for heartbreak. Finlay wasn't the only one to capture my attention and my heart, she was the first of several characters who I found had large doses of humor, strength, and soul. It wasn't really possible to prepare myself for the potential loss of a beloved character- they were all so lovable and I found myself attached to each and every single one of them.
We had Ryan, our hero. He was truly broken and fighting some awful demons created by a traumatic youth and a lack of love from the people who failed so miserably at their duty of raising their own son. He found solace and light when he was 10 years old when a little seven year old girl quite literally stumbled into his life. With the young and accident-prone girl, came a loud, funny and loyal 10 year old brother named Jake who would become one of the two most important people in his life. Ryan instilled a sadness and a lot of heart to an already gut-wrenching story. His fight for redemption became a battle I was invested in seeing through- I hoped and hoped that he would find some peace and calm after filling his head and heart with so much sorrow and undeserved guilt.
Jake, Finlay's older brother was a wonderful and amazing character who I was dying to read more about. He was so incredibly loyal and strong for the people he loved. His devotion and care for his sister was heartwarming and sweet to experience. Jake possessed a gentle understanding for Ryan that helped to forge the ultimate road to his best friend's redemption. He was the catalyst for so many life-altering and hopeful changes in Finlay and Ryan.
Kate McCarthy wrote a beautiful story about a girl who fell in love with her soulmate at a young age; a broken boy who grew into a complex and tortured hero and a brother who eventually healed them all. Four and a half stars well-earned and I can't wait to read more of her work in the future.
