AFFAIRYTALE : A MEMOIR by C. J. ENGLISH

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Reviewed by Gitte & Jenny

✯✯✯✯ Stars

“I had a feeling it was you.”

You guys know that we will read anything and everything as long as it has romance. Nothing really deters us from picking a book up. This story could have scared us off, after all, we often read about cheating in books yet this is a true account; A Memoir.

We found ourselves riveted; after all we could be classed as cheeky voyeurs of CJ and Grant’s love affair. Sceptical, as in would someone really bare their souls in this manner and invite vilification into their lives? Intrigued because of this very fact. Mortified as we found behaviours and actions quite disturbing and vindictive. Yet at the same time we absolutely revelled in the beautiful enduring love of soul mates. This Author can truly write.

‘I’d been longing for him like a lost soul longs to go home. He was my Home, my place of refuge that I always longed to go back to.’

How do you review a story based on the true life experiences of the Author herself? If we didn’t enjoy it – if we didn’t like the characters – are we not passing judgement and reviewing the very people involved in the story? Would it feel as if we are judging and sentencing these people for taking a path, a journey if you will that we disparage of? We had to ask ourselves this very question as we read, thinking how the hell do we review this book? Well, we decided to review it as we would any other book – honestly and impartially! Once you send your words out in the world for everyone to read you have to accept an opinion; come what may. It is what it is – the nature of the beast.

‘I ached for red silk romance, and carry me away passion, and I ached for it with nobody else but him. He was a breed of charming I couldn’t resist.’

When you read a true to life account from the voice of woman in love with a man, who’s not her husband, you feel sad at an opportunity lost. How could you not when the very essence of love is denied and your soul mate is unreachable yet a constant presence in your life? Is emotional cheating and betrayal on par with the act of physical cheating? There’s many arguments for and against of this very question.

“I guess this is how it feels when two people find true love.”

Affairytale is not one of those reads where you ever feel truly comfortable as you read. Though we have to say the romance is heartfelt and overwhelmingly real and honest in its emotional love. CJ made it harder at times for us to settle in; what with her behaviour and actions towards Levi, her husband whilst struggling with the intensity of her emotions towards and for Grant.

As we read this memoir the overpowering experience as readers were the emotions and thoughts of CJ. We do not see or experience any intrinsic evidence nor a balance and equal behaviour patterns nor actions overall. This enhances the inability to avoid forming opinions and passing judgements under certain circumstances. Perhaps, in some respects this portrayal of events were somewhat too one sided – yes CJ is under no illusion of who she paints herself to be – she bares her very being. However; in order to see past the fundamentals of adultery – we as readers perhaps needed to experience a more level pegging and see for ourselves in order to fully understand the aggressive behaviour. A woman scorned and kept away from what she truly believes is the love of her life – her soul – is one powerful Lady.

‘I wanted that. I wanted to find someone who belonged with me like the stars belonged with the sky. Someone I could get lost in, who would make me forget about reality for a while, who would adore me second to none.’

How could you possibly question the overwhelming love and passion for who is clearly your soul mate? You can’t – how you deal is an entirely different scenario. We found this to be an extremely addictive and un-putdown-able recounting of a love affair that was meant to be, written in the stars. A love that is almost obsessive, consuming and inherently true above all. The forever kind of love. Affairytale is brave – selfish – questionable – yet pure romance wrapped up in an ugly package that somehow managed to be beautiful in its honesty.

“Is this for real?”

“It is for me.”

**Reviewed from an ARC copy provided by the author, with thanks & Photos of the couple with thanks**
**Some photos used in collage courtesy of CJ and Grant English used with permission**

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AFFAIRYTALE – A MEMOIR by C.J. ENGLISH
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