What do you think?
Rate this book
Restoration
When your life is shattered you can live damaged or repair it.
With a signed death warrant and final appeals running out, Tess Olsen anticipates the execution of the man her mother deserted her family for thirteen years ago. Randall Wright s death will expel his disturbing legacy and return her mother to her; it s as simple as that, or so she believes. But Wright robbed her life of more than just her mother and like a splinter slowly and painfully working its way to the surface, those stolen pieces begin emerging.
Working as an art conservator in New York City, Tess keeps an emotional distance from co-workers. She has no close ties since isolating herself during her teen years when the tale of Wright s crimes, trial, and marriage to her mother was published in a Pulitzer Prize winning article. She yearns for the family she had and is unable to accept who they are now.
Tess is dating Ben Elliot, an art critic for the New York Times. The relationship both intrigues and unnerves her. Unlike men she s dated in the past, he is more interested in her than her physical attributes and any sex she can offer. Although drawn to Ben, she is more comfortable with men like Kenyon LeMere, a brazen artist Ben introduces her to who has a reputation for translating his sexual liaisons into art.
Restoration chronicles Tess Olsen s challenge to restore her life, relationships, and dreams back to the promise they held before Randal Wright.
With a signed death warrant and final appeals running out, Tess Olsen anticipates the execution of the man her mother deserted her family for thirteen years ago. Randall Wright s death will expel his disturbing legacy and return her mother to her; it s as simple as that, or so she believes. But Wright robbed her life of more than just her mother and like a splinter slowly and painfully working its way to the surface, those stolen pieces begin emerging.
Working as an art conservator in New York City, Tess keeps an emotional distance from co-workers. She has no close ties since isolating herself during her teen years when the tale of Wright s crimes, trial, and marriage to her mother was published in a Pulitzer Prize winning article. She yearns for the family she had and is unable to accept who they are now.
Tess is dating Ben Elliot, an art critic for the New York Times. The relationship both intrigues and unnerves her. Unlike men she s dated in the past, he is more interested in her than her physical attributes and any sex she can offer. Although drawn to Ben, she is more comfortable with men like Kenyon LeMere, a brazen artist Ben introduces her to who has a reputation for translating his sexual liaisons into art.
Restoration chronicles Tess Olsen s challenge to restore her life, relationships, and dreams back to the promise they held before Randal Wright.
334 pages, Paperback
First published September 15, 2013
1 person is currently reading
663 people want to read
About the author
Elaine D Walsh
4 books165 followersThe latest...Amazon Breakthrough Novel Award quarter finalist and recipient of an honorable mention at the 2012 Southern California Book Festival.
Nimitz Highway and River Street is an intersection on the island of Oahu in Hawaii. It is also the place I impatiently came out of the womb ready to start my own personal history. Plan A was the military vehicle whisking my laboring mother toward the base hospital for a traditional birth. That did not happen. Plan B has been my life since.
I was one of two children but with my father being one of nine, I enjoyed the richness and craziness of growing up in a larger extended family. Being brought up Catholic I have an appreciation for the history and tradition of the church that stays with me although I did not stay with the church. My mother suffered bouts of guilt about birth control and other church teachings I never let bother me. I struggled in other ways, dealt with it, and moved on.
Mom did her best to prepare me for life as a woman. Secretarial courses and domestic chores would prepare me to be a wife. Growing up in the flowering women’s rights movement as a child of the 70’s, we had differing ideas, and I had other plans. I went off to college in upstate New York majoring in psychology with the intent of being a “death & dying” counselor. This would be my paying job while I wrote the next great American novel. Plan B kicked in and I graduated with a B.A. in English, packed my car, and upset my parents by moving to Florida in search of my destiny.
This is where you will find me now, along with tens of thousands of northern transplants who invaded the Sunshine State. I adopted the sports allegiances of my adopted home state (Tampa Bay Rays and Buccaneers) much to the chagrin of my New York Yankee baseball and football Giant family. Without ever having taken one business course, I created my own brand and became a successful business executive by day and women’s fiction writer by night. So far, I have lived a Lifetime Movie Network life, a mixture of extraordinary, ordinary, mundane, and terrifying, providing me great inspiration and fanning my creative flame.
My father instilled in me a strong sense of family. Semper Fidelis is not only his beloved Marine Corp motto but also a guiding principle in his life. My family stood by me, accepted me, and supported me during my difficult times. Other times, we laughed and created memories. He brought to life the words unconditional love.
From my mother, I gained an appreciation for the complexities of relationships and richness in life one finds exploring and experiencing everything from a recipe, to a historical site, to lunch with friends, or a glass of wine. Material possessions meant little to her. She was a collector of experiences. We journeyed together and grew as individuals and as mother-daughter. I shared her journeys battling cancer, surviving one and succumbing to another. In one of our last soulful conversations before she died, she told me she was glad I also had a daughter and she hoped I would enjoy my own daughter as much as she enjoyed me.
Being a daughter, mother, friend, and soul mate are the most powerful influences in my life and my stories. But as a women’s fiction writer, does this surprise anyone?
Nimitz Highway and River Street is an intersection on the island of Oahu in Hawaii. It is also the place I impatiently came out of the womb ready to start my own personal history. Plan A was the military vehicle whisking my laboring mother toward the base hospital for a traditional birth. That did not happen. Plan B has been my life since.
I was one of two children but with my father being one of nine, I enjoyed the richness and craziness of growing up in a larger extended family. Being brought up Catholic I have an appreciation for the history and tradition of the church that stays with me although I did not stay with the church. My mother suffered bouts of guilt about birth control and other church teachings I never let bother me. I struggled in other ways, dealt with it, and moved on.
Mom did her best to prepare me for life as a woman. Secretarial courses and domestic chores would prepare me to be a wife. Growing up in the flowering women’s rights movement as a child of the 70’s, we had differing ideas, and I had other plans. I went off to college in upstate New York majoring in psychology with the intent of being a “death & dying” counselor. This would be my paying job while I wrote the next great American novel. Plan B kicked in and I graduated with a B.A. in English, packed my car, and upset my parents by moving to Florida in search of my destiny.
This is where you will find me now, along with tens of thousands of northern transplants who invaded the Sunshine State. I adopted the sports allegiances of my adopted home state (Tampa Bay Rays and Buccaneers) much to the chagrin of my New York Yankee baseball and football Giant family. Without ever having taken one business course, I created my own brand and became a successful business executive by day and women’s fiction writer by night. So far, I have lived a Lifetime Movie Network life, a mixture of extraordinary, ordinary, mundane, and terrifying, providing me great inspiration and fanning my creative flame.
My father instilled in me a strong sense of family. Semper Fidelis is not only his beloved Marine Corp motto but also a guiding principle in his life. My family stood by me, accepted me, and supported me during my difficult times. Other times, we laughed and created memories. He brought to life the words unconditional love.
From my mother, I gained an appreciation for the complexities of relationships and richness in life one finds exploring and experiencing everything from a recipe, to a historical site, to lunch with friends, or a glass of wine. Material possessions meant little to her. She was a collector of experiences. We journeyed together and grew as individuals and as mother-daughter. I shared her journeys battling cancer, surviving one and succumbing to another. In one of our last soulful conversations before she died, she told me she was glad I also had a daughter and she hoped I would enjoy my own daughter as much as she enjoyed me.
Being a daughter, mother, friend, and soul mate are the most powerful influences in my life and my stories. But as a women’s fiction writer, does this surprise anyone?
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews
November 5, 2013
The very effective cover of "Restoration" draws readers into the story, and Elaine Walsh's compelling plot and characters will keep them there to the last word.
The complicated emotions between mothers and daughters is the strongest theme running through this novel, but it's not the only one. The decision by Tess Olsen's mother to leave her family and marry a serial killer colors so many other aspects of Tess's life, including her relationships with her father, her siblings, men, friends and co-workers, not to mention her ability to create as an artist.
Tess is counting on her stepfather's execution to bring her mother back to her and end the mind games he delights in torturing Tess with. But she learns that solutions, especially those that bring personal growth, to life's most challenging problems aren't always that simple.
"Restoration" represents Elaine Walsh at her best, and readers will be well-satisfied with how it all turns out.
The complicated emotions between mothers and daughters is the strongest theme running through this novel, but it's not the only one. The decision by Tess Olsen's mother to leave her family and marry a serial killer colors so many other aspects of Tess's life, including her relationships with her father, her siblings, men, friends and co-workers, not to mention her ability to create as an artist.
Tess is counting on her stepfather's execution to bring her mother back to her and end the mind games he delights in torturing Tess with. But she learns that solutions, especially those that bring personal growth, to life's most challenging problems aren't always that simple.
"Restoration" represents Elaine Walsh at her best, and readers will be well-satisfied with how it all turns out.
September 17, 2013
Wow. That's was my first reaction when reading Restoration. The book's tag line is "When your life is shattered, you can live damaged or repair it." It's a perfect description for what's between the pages. How do some people end up so damaged? The main character in Restoration, Tess Olsen, got a lot of help from her mother. Unlike her, I grew up knowing I was loved unconditionally by my mother. She fiercely protected me. What would I be like if instead of protecting me, she victimized me by putting her own interests and desires above everything and everyone in her life? Would I be like Tess, untrusting and sabotage the relationships in my life? Certainly, there would be dysfunction.
Tess is damaged, messed up and broken by her mother's selfish decision years before to leave her family to marry a convicted killer sitting on death row. I know in real life, there are people who do such crazy things. My reaction is always "Now that is one messed up person." Restoration changes that for me. From now on, I'll be wondering "who else's life is this person messing up." A good book does that, gets one thinking. I was rooting for Tess as she picked up the shattered pieces of her life and tried putting them back together. Great title. Intriguing cover. Realistic characters. Restoration is the complete package.
I read Restoration because I read this author's other book Atomic Summer and absolutely loved that one. I was eager to read this one to see if the author's second book could live up to her first. That one was so good, I wondered if I would be just as satisfied. My answer is a resounding YES. In the world of Indie Authors, I hope Elaine D. Walsh is one who rises to the top. She deserves a strong following of readers who love character driven novels. I hope she gets them because I want her to keep writing so I can keep reading her work. I can't wait for her next book.
I was provided a free copy in exchange for an honest review.
Tess is damaged, messed up and broken by her mother's selfish decision years before to leave her family to marry a convicted killer sitting on death row. I know in real life, there are people who do such crazy things. My reaction is always "Now that is one messed up person." Restoration changes that for me. From now on, I'll be wondering "who else's life is this person messing up." A good book does that, gets one thinking. I was rooting for Tess as she picked up the shattered pieces of her life and tried putting them back together. Great title. Intriguing cover. Realistic characters. Restoration is the complete package.
I read Restoration because I read this author's other book Atomic Summer and absolutely loved that one. I was eager to read this one to see if the author's second book could live up to her first. That one was so good, I wondered if I would be just as satisfied. My answer is a resounding YES. In the world of Indie Authors, I hope Elaine D. Walsh is one who rises to the top. She deserves a strong following of readers who love character driven novels. I hope she gets them because I want her to keep writing so I can keep reading her work. I can't wait for her next book.
I was provided a free copy in exchange for an honest review.
October 23, 2013
Oh, this was a good read! Had to say it right up front. It’s amazing the level of pain that’s caused in the name of love.
“Restoration’s” main character Tess, appears to be a cool, collected and knowledgeable expert in the art restoration world, but inside she’s almost constantly writhing in pain with the knowledge that the mother she adored, left her and her family when she was just 13 because her mother fell in love with a convicted serial killer on death row.
She shares little about her personal life, and even less about her family to her acquaintances. Lack of trust, lack of faith, and the consuming abandonment she experienced as a young teen removes all color from her world. Will she ever find love? Does she ever want to find it? If she finds it, will she know how to reciprocate? Can she forge a friendship with a mother figure? Will she ever regain the passion that painting brought her?
What Tess needed was to start living again. She vowed that she would when her mother’s now-husband, Randall Wright, was finally executed by the state of Florida. That vow to herself leads to meaningless relationships and a tortured, unhappy existence, as she underrates her value.
The book kept my interest very evenly throughout, and I was a little sad that it ended..I wanted to read more. I was impressed with the author’s knowledge of the art world, and of an artist’s mind. (Perhaps she is an artist).
Tess’s character ran the gamut of feelings and emotions, and it illustrated to me why we can’t dwell on the negativity that can surround us every day. Tess developed into someone I wanted to interact with, befriend and comfort, even though she was incredibly strong. One of the neatest characters I’ve read about recently.
“Restoration” followed Evil and how it can destroy by association, but it also showed Love as The major life force and reason for living.
I’m glad I bought it, read it, and would recommend the book without reservation.
“Restoration’s” main character Tess, appears to be a cool, collected and knowledgeable expert in the art restoration world, but inside she’s almost constantly writhing in pain with the knowledge that the mother she adored, left her and her family when she was just 13 because her mother fell in love with a convicted serial killer on death row.
She shares little about her personal life, and even less about her family to her acquaintances. Lack of trust, lack of faith, and the consuming abandonment she experienced as a young teen removes all color from her world. Will she ever find love? Does she ever want to find it? If she finds it, will she know how to reciprocate? Can she forge a friendship with a mother figure? Will she ever regain the passion that painting brought her?
What Tess needed was to start living again. She vowed that she would when her mother’s now-husband, Randall Wright, was finally executed by the state of Florida. That vow to herself leads to meaningless relationships and a tortured, unhappy existence, as she underrates her value.
The book kept my interest very evenly throughout, and I was a little sad that it ended..I wanted to read more. I was impressed with the author’s knowledge of the art world, and of an artist’s mind. (Perhaps she is an artist).
Tess’s character ran the gamut of feelings and emotions, and it illustrated to me why we can’t dwell on the negativity that can surround us every day. Tess developed into someone I wanted to interact with, befriend and comfort, even though she was incredibly strong. One of the neatest characters I’ve read about recently.
“Restoration” followed Evil and how it can destroy by association, but it also showed Love as The major life force and reason for living.
I’m glad I bought it, read it, and would recommend the book without reservation.
August 2, 2013
This book's blurb had me fascinated.
What happens when your mother leaves you and her husband to marry a killer on death road?
Well I don’t know. Hope never to find out. Some people do however and I felt that the author did an exceptional job with sharing some issues that might originate from this. Our main protagonist Tess is however a complicated creature and I at times wanted to shake her and tell her to wise up. At other times I figured, yeah, I guess that would be my response as well.
An interesting read that is a fact.
One more feather in the authors cap, this is an easy read and with such a topic I was surprised to find me moving through the book at the speed I was. The author never over complicates. Her pace is fast and her world building is well done.
All in all, the highest compliment I can give to an author is this…. I will read other work by this author and really hope I get an opportunity to do that sometime soon.
WaAr
What happens when your mother leaves you and her husband to marry a killer on death road?
Well I don’t know. Hope never to find out. Some people do however and I felt that the author did an exceptional job with sharing some issues that might originate from this. Our main protagonist Tess is however a complicated creature and I at times wanted to shake her and tell her to wise up. At other times I figured, yeah, I guess that would be my response as well.
An interesting read that is a fact.
One more feather in the authors cap, this is an easy read and with such a topic I was surprised to find me moving through the book at the speed I was. The author never over complicates. Her pace is fast and her world building is well done.
All in all, the highest compliment I can give to an author is this…. I will read other work by this author and really hope I get an opportunity to do that sometime soon.
WaAr
June 24, 2013
Restoration....beautifully woven into an emotionally rich story
with a unique descriptive style...captivating and compelling
from beginning to end.
Sometimes it's easier to misplace the blame than face the
painful truth.
I was given an advanced copy by the author in exchange for an honest review.
Restoration
with a unique descriptive style...captivating and compelling
from beginning to end.
Sometimes it's easier to misplace the blame than face the
painful truth.
I was given an advanced copy by the author in exchange for an honest review.
Restoration
September 11, 2013
Review to follow.
September 16, 2013
Wow. That's was my first reaction when reading Restoration. The book's tag line is "When your life is shattered, you can live damaged or repair it." It's a perfect description for what's between the pages. How do some people end up so damaged? The main character in Restoration, Tess Olsen, got a lot of help from her mother. Unlike her, I grew up knowing I was loved unconditionally by my mother. She fiercely protected me. What would I be like if instead of protecting me, she victimized me by putting her own interests and desires above everything and everyone in her life? Would I be like Tess, untrusting and sabotage the relationships in my life? Certainly, there would be dysfunction.
Tess is damaged, messed up and broken by her mother's selfish decision years before to leave her family to marry a convicted killer sitting on death row. I know in real life, there are people who do such crazy things. My reaction is always "Now that is one messed up person." Restoration changes that for me. From now on, I'll be wondering "who else's life is this person messing up." A good book does that, gets one thinking. I was rooting for Tess as she picked up the shattered pieces of her life and tried putting them back together. Great title. Intriguing cover. Realistic characters. Restoration is the complete package.
I read Restoration because I read this author's other book Atomic Summer and absolutely loved that one. I was eager to read this one to see if the author's second book could live up to her first. That one was so good, I wondered if I would be just as satisfied. My answer is a resounding YES. In the world of Indie Authors, I hope Elaine D. Walsh is one who rises to the top. She deserves a strong following of readers who love character driven novels. I hope she gets them because I want her to keep writing so I can keep reading her work. I can't wait for her next book.
I was provided a free copy in exchange for an honest review.
Tess is damaged, messed up and broken by her mother's selfish decision years before to leave her family to marry a convicted killer sitting on death row. I know in real life, there are people who do such crazy things. My reaction is always "Now that is one messed up person." Restoration changes that for me. From now on, I'll be wondering "who else's life is this person messing up." A good book does that, gets one thinking. I was rooting for Tess as she picked up the shattered pieces of her life and tried putting them back together. Great title. Intriguing cover. Realistic characters. Restoration is the complete package.
I read Restoration because I read this author's other book Atomic Summer and absolutely loved that one. I was eager to read this one to see if the author's second book could live up to her first. That one was so good, I wondered if I would be just as satisfied. My answer is a resounding YES. In the world of Indie Authors, I hope Elaine D. Walsh is one who rises to the top. She deserves a strong following of readers who love character driven novels. I hope she gets them because I want her to keep writing so I can keep reading her work. I can't wait for her next book.
I was provided a free copy in exchange for an honest review.
October 8, 2013
*I received a copy of this book from Barks Out Loud, via NetGalley, in exchange for an honest review*
4 stars
This book in a beautifully emotionally charged story that will leave the reader on the edge of your seat. This is the journey of Tess, a girl who has been abandoned by her own mother, discarded and left to fend for herself. She thinks that her stepfather's death will bring about healing and return the one woman who she should have always been able to rely on. While she waits she allows her life to always be missing something, she allows her mother to take more than her support and love from her, she allows her to take the spark from her very soul. Restoration is a story of just that, Tess journey to restore her life and herself. It's a powerful journey that I found riveting and deep. Tess was a superbly developed character that I enjoyed following on her journey. I didn't find many of the side characters redeeming but it only added onto the feeling of hope you felt for this character as she grew. The ending didn't tie everything in a neat bow, it allowed the reader's imagination to shape a little bit to suite them. A very powerful book!
July 11, 2013
Intriguing tale of a mother's defection from her family and her marriage to a convicted murderer and its effect on her daughter, Tess. Tess uses sex to numb herself from the pain caused by Randall Wright, the murderer, and his attempts to terrorize her through her own artwork. Tess works through her inability to have meaningful relationships, which was caused by her mother and her relationship with Randall. The author leaves the reader interested in reading more about Tess's interview with Neil, a reporter, and Tess's journey to having more healthy relationships. The characters are well developed and the possibility of further romantic complications and entanglements exists. There are some grammatical errors, which I expect will be corrected by editing prior to the book release. The title suits the story well. I have not been compensated in any way (other than being given a copy of this book to review) and my opinion on the book is entirely my own.
January 13, 2014
I enjoyed this book and really felt for Tess and her struggles. It shows her weaknesses and then flips around and brings her around to fight to regain her strengths as well. I do hope Elaine Walsh writes another follow up book to this. The book doesn't leave you hanging but it does leave you wanting to know what happens to Tess in the future now that she has released her "muse". Great quick read!
April 16, 2026
A very interesting and fascinating read! I tried to imagine what it would be like to be the daughter of someone who falls in love with a convicted killer. It is truly hard to imagine and hard to believe anyone can fall in love with someone so evil, who who has caused so much pain and suffering in others — and the author does a great job of giving you this perspective through Tess. You can feel Tess’ pain throughout and you really feel sad for her and the situation her mother has put her and her family in. The storyline kept my attention and I read the book in three days by the pool while on vacation. I would highly recommend this novel if you’re looking for a riveting story and plot with solid character development.
August 31, 2025
Really enjoyed, great characters and unique story line with some surprises.
September 22, 2013
Convicted serial killer Randall Wright's crimes included more than murder. He also destroyed a family. But death by lethal injection is the worst punishment the state of Florida can give him, so Tess Olsen, one of the "other victims" can exact no retribution. Randall Wright didn't kill Tess in the traditional sense, but he did kill her dreams, wreck her ability to connect to others, and destroy her family. Why did her mother, Alish, fall in love with a murderer when she had a stable, happy family? Why did she leave them all for this monster? And why did she not see the evil he wrought on her daughter? How could he deceive Alish so, and how could she be so blind?
Tess, now an adult, still struggles with the pain of her broken family and smothered artistic spark. She lives a hollow life of temporary flings with men and a career of restoring artwork instead of creating her own. Will Randal Wright's execution set her free from the fear that still strangles her? Can she find a real relationship with the chivalrous art critic, Ben, who pursues her heart and not her body? Will she ever be restored?
Elaine writes a gripping story of the far-reaching destruction that an evil person can wreak whether they live in freedom or not. She also explores the terrible layers of wrong in divorce and the different ways it affects the survivors. Tess' sensitive nature is prostrated by the betrayal of her mother, plunging her into an existence of helplessness and misery. No other family member is tortured so much as Tess, but Randall Wright didn't return their kindness with horrors either.
Though dark and brooding, the tale also zings with the energy of Tess' hope for release and thirst for justice. She hopes for Randall's death and for her mother's eyes to be opened. Ben gives her hope for a bright future of love, though she wrestles with her confidence that she deserves such a life. The characters around her also begin to open her up and relieve her of some of her icy suffering as they show her kindness and care about her.
Restoration is a deep and varied tale that highlights the best of people and the worst. I thoroughly enjoyed Tess' journey through her psyche and her wrestle with herself.
I approve this title for Awesome Indies. http://awesomeindies.net
I received this book from the author for the purposes of an unbiased review.
Tess, now an adult, still struggles with the pain of her broken family and smothered artistic spark. She lives a hollow life of temporary flings with men and a career of restoring artwork instead of creating her own. Will Randal Wright's execution set her free from the fear that still strangles her? Can she find a real relationship with the chivalrous art critic, Ben, who pursues her heart and not her body? Will she ever be restored?
Elaine writes a gripping story of the far-reaching destruction that an evil person can wreak whether they live in freedom or not. She also explores the terrible layers of wrong in divorce and the different ways it affects the survivors. Tess' sensitive nature is prostrated by the betrayal of her mother, plunging her into an existence of helplessness and misery. No other family member is tortured so much as Tess, but Randall Wright didn't return their kindness with horrors either.
Though dark and brooding, the tale also zings with the energy of Tess' hope for release and thirst for justice. She hopes for Randall's death and for her mother's eyes to be opened. Ben gives her hope for a bright future of love, though she wrestles with her confidence that she deserves such a life. The characters around her also begin to open her up and relieve her of some of her icy suffering as they show her kindness and care about her.
Restoration is a deep and varied tale that highlights the best of people and the worst. I thoroughly enjoyed Tess' journey through her psyche and her wrestle with herself.
I approve this title for Awesome Indies. http://awesomeindies.net
I received this book from the author for the purposes of an unbiased review.
September 28, 2013
i got this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review..
i think is book is more 3.5 stars for me. it was a very intriguing book, but i think it lacked a lot. I had a hard time staying interested, and think that it could have dealt more with fixing the issues then dwelling on them.
Tess Olson had a great life. her dad was a doctor, and her mother was a stay at home mom. That was until her mother left her family to be with a man on death row. He committed tons of murders, and her mother believed it was all a lie. Her mother would go to the prison on weekend to visit her new husband.
Tess loved to paint. she went to college for it, but she stopped painting once her mother left their family. all she wanted was her mother to accept her and love her. In return all she got was letters in the mail with drawing inside her drawing of how her step father killed his victims. She would move once she would receive a letter from her step father. She didn't care about leaving a job and just moving on to the next state.
Tess would sleep with a lot of men. she didn't care about love, and was never going to be controlled. She have numerous one night stands, and was fine with it. that was until her art critic came into her life. He didn't want anything more that a nice conversation. he didn't want to sleep with her and that bothered her a little bit. She ended up enjoying his company. He saw all of her old paintings that she did when she was in college and suggested that she have her own art show.
Tess would let shut down and explain that anything to do with painting involves her step father.
this book strives on everything that Tess does is because of her step father. I honestly have a hard time writing this review because it doesn't go much farther than that. Tess will have to get over her issues with her step father and his over riding all his death sentences and be able to love again. She will have to trust her friends at work to start building relationships, and staying in one spot.
i think is book is more 3.5 stars for me. it was a very intriguing book, but i think it lacked a lot. I had a hard time staying interested, and think that it could have dealt more with fixing the issues then dwelling on them.
Tess Olson had a great life. her dad was a doctor, and her mother was a stay at home mom. That was until her mother left her family to be with a man on death row. He committed tons of murders, and her mother believed it was all a lie. Her mother would go to the prison on weekend to visit her new husband.
Tess loved to paint. she went to college for it, but she stopped painting once her mother left their family. all she wanted was her mother to accept her and love her. In return all she got was letters in the mail with drawing inside her drawing of how her step father killed his victims. She would move once she would receive a letter from her step father. She didn't care about leaving a job and just moving on to the next state.
Tess would sleep with a lot of men. she didn't care about love, and was never going to be controlled. She have numerous one night stands, and was fine with it. that was until her art critic came into her life. He didn't want anything more that a nice conversation. he didn't want to sleep with her and that bothered her a little bit. She ended up enjoying his company. He saw all of her old paintings that she did when she was in college and suggested that she have her own art show.
Tess would let shut down and explain that anything to do with painting involves her step father.
this book strives on everything that Tess does is because of her step father. I honestly have a hard time writing this review because it doesn't go much farther than that. Tess will have to get over her issues with her step father and his over riding all his death sentences and be able to love again. She will have to trust her friends at work to start building relationships, and staying in one spot.
September 30, 2013
☆☆☆
I received this book for free in exchange for my honest review and opinion,
I gave this book 3 stars and here is why:
Restoration is all about the family that left behind a death row prisoner, sometimes the
people you hear about aren’t the only victims and what do the ones that get left behind
really feel?
Another great story but it seemed kind of flat to me, there was no suspense. no equilibrium – It just dealt with ones woman’s issues and emotions as she watches her step dad/Person she hates most in life face the death penalty and I just don’t believe she was interesting enough to make a character out of!
In some parts it felt a little pretentious, like Elaine Walsh was trying so hard to be sophisticated and classy that she completely missed out the reality of the situation and it just failed to impress me if anything it was another thing that had me turning my nose up!
I liked the uniqueness of the story and the fact that I have never seen anything like it before, is refreshing. Sometimes I groaned but the majority of it was a nice and it was a well written book. I wouldn’t read it again but I would recommend it to anyone who isn’t after anything thrilling but is looking for a good read!
I received this book for free in exchange for my honest review and opinion,
I gave this book 3 stars and here is why:
Restoration is all about the family that left behind a death row prisoner, sometimes the
people you hear about aren’t the only victims and what do the ones that get left behind
really feel?
Another great story but it seemed kind of flat to me, there was no suspense. no equilibrium – It just dealt with ones woman’s issues and emotions as she watches her step dad/Person she hates most in life face the death penalty and I just don’t believe she was interesting enough to make a character out of!
In some parts it felt a little pretentious, like Elaine Walsh was trying so hard to be sophisticated and classy that she completely missed out the reality of the situation and it just failed to impress me if anything it was another thing that had me turning my nose up!
I liked the uniqueness of the story and the fact that I have never seen anything like it before, is refreshing. Sometimes I groaned but the majority of it was a nice and it was a well written book. I wouldn’t read it again but I would recommend it to anyone who isn’t after anything thrilling but is looking for a good read!
January 12, 2014
Disclaimer: I received a free copy of this book from the publisher. This did not affect my opinion of the book, thank you Barks Out Loud!
This book was not long but every word served its purpose perfectly. This little tome follows Tess. Her mother married a serial killer when she was a young girl. She used to be a painter, but she isn’t anymore because she feels that her new stepfather has ruined her gift. She doesn’t speak to her mother and she avoids closeness at all costs. Randall is about to be executed and Tess is overjoyed that she can finally move on with her life. Tess is a very damaged woman who is clearly living in the past, this is obvious to the reader but not to Tess.
Read the rest of this review at my blog: Written Among the Stars
This book was not long but every word served its purpose perfectly. This little tome follows Tess. Her mother married a serial killer when she was a young girl. She used to be a painter, but she isn’t anymore because she feels that her new stepfather has ruined her gift. She doesn’t speak to her mother and she avoids closeness at all costs. Randall is about to be executed and Tess is overjoyed that she can finally move on with her life. Tess is a very damaged woman who is clearly living in the past, this is obvious to the reader but not to Tess.
Read the rest of this review at my blog: Written Among the Stars
August 24, 2013
** I was given a copy from the publisher for review**
This was a very frustrating read for me. It was well written, don't get me wrong, but I felt as if I was waiting for something to happen, and it really didn't.
I liked the book. Tess seemed like a great lady. Did I bond with her? No. I never really "felt" this story. While Tess was keeping her distance from everyone, I also felt she was distant from me. I was never able to say "you go Tess," or "give 'em hell Tess," or anything. The closest I came to getting a glimpse of a fantastic woman, was when she was describing to Francesca how seeing the Raphael made her feel. That was great.
I know this is one that I will be in the minority on, but this one was just ok for me. I put it at 2.5 stars.
This was a very frustrating read for me. It was well written, don't get me wrong, but I felt as if I was waiting for something to happen, and it really didn't.
I liked the book. Tess seemed like a great lady. Did I bond with her? No. I never really "felt" this story. While Tess was keeping her distance from everyone, I also felt she was distant from me. I was never able to say "you go Tess," or "give 'em hell Tess," or anything. The closest I came to getting a glimpse of a fantastic woman, was when she was describing to Francesca how seeing the Raphael made her feel. That was great.
I know this is one that I will be in the minority on, but this one was just ok for me. I put it at 2.5 stars.
July 12, 2013
I have to say that I had mixed feelings` about this book. It was an easy read for me so I give credit there. What had was the mixes feeling I had was Tess. I felt like she was always trying to run away from her problems. At the end she moves away because she shared to tell the man she was seeing had haven't her happiness
I was given a copy to review for an honest review
I was given a copy to review for an honest review
May 9, 2015
This book was mediocre, as evidenced by the fact that I can't think of a damned thing to say about it.
Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews