Book Review ~ Where Life Takes You by Claudia Y. Burgoa

Where Life Takes You

(Life #1)

by Claudia Y. Burgoa

Becca is caught between sanity and nightmares. Between therapy, work, and her constantly looming past she can’t seem to find room to breathe. The memories of her late step-sister, Lisa, are her closest company. But with the help of her best friend and longtime confidant, Dan, she might just learn how to live for herself.

Note: This is the first part of a two book novel

Additional Information about the Book
Becca Trent lived her childhood next to a cruel woman—her mom—who lived to torment and neglect her. During her high school years, her mother married; bringing home not only a new husband, but a step sister her same age. The latter took over her Mom’s role—making Becca’s life miserable. Including stealing Ian—Becca’s best friend and boyfriend—Lisa treated her worse than her mother had for the previous fifteen years. A couple of years later, things ended up in tragedy.

Becca buried that part of her life in the deep corners of her psyche, but that only work during the days when the nightmares didn’t come back to haunt her. Her best friend, Dan gives her that family love she always lacked. Everything was close to perfect, until everything and everyone from her past came back. Now, she’s trying to figure out how to survive and keep that bond which seems now to be held together by a thread.

I really had high hopes for Where Life Takes You after reading the reviews and seeing the high ratings, but I am going to have to admit that it was somewhat of a struggle for me to get through this story.  Was it bad?  Absolutely not!  In my opinion there was just too many characters and too much back and forth with past and present events.  The information was valuable to the story but it was just challenging to keep up with everything that was going on.

This was definitely a very emotional story that dealt with some tough issues and I became emotionally vested with Becca.  She has some major psychological issues stemming from parental neglect, bullying and rape, but as I read the story, I watched her grow emotionally and battle her demons, becoming a much stronger woman as the story progressed.

Initially I really liked Dan.  I mean, what's not to like? He's rich, sexy and he deeply cares for Becca, ensuring that her every need is taken care of.  But (and this is a deal breaker for me) he is extremely overprotecting and controlling, and at times I felt like I was being smothered by his presence in the story. I love a strong Alpha male character in a book, but he was a bit too much for my liking.

Overall, this was a well written book that will definitely take the reader to places they weren't expecting in a romance novel.  It deals with some very tough issues that will leave you with feelings of anger and sadness.  I am glad that I was given the chance to read and review this book and was given the opportunity to take this emotionally charged journey with Becca and hope she finds her 'Happily Ever After' in book two.

My rating:  3 out of 5 stars

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Born on the mystical day of October 30th in the not so mystical lands of Mexico City, Claudia grew up with
a childhood that resembled a caffeine-injected soap opera. Seventeen years ago she ventured to the lands of her techie husband—a.k.a. the U.S.—with their offspring to start a new adventure.

She now lives in Colorado working as a CFO for a small IT company, managing her household filled with three confused dogs, said nerd husband, two daughters wrought with fandoms and a son who thinks he’s the boss of the house. To survive she works continually to find purpose for the voices flitting through her head, plus she consumes high quantities of chocolate to keep the last threads of sanity intact. 

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Blog Tour ~ Where Life Takes You by Claudia Y. Burgoa ~ Excerpt+Giveaway!

Where Life Takes You

Claudia Y. Burgoa

(Life #1)

Publication date: July 31st 2013

Genres: Contemporary, New Adult

Becca Trent lived her childhood next to a cruel woman—her mom—who lived to torment and neglect her. During her high school years, her mother married; bringing home not only a new husband, but a step sister her same age. The latter took over her Mom’s role—making Becca’s life miserable. Including stealing Ian—Becca’s best friend and boyfriend—Lisa treated her worse than her mother had for the previous fifteen years. A couple of years later, things ended up in tragedy.

Becca buried that part of her life in the deep corners of her psyche, but that only work during the days when the nightmares didn’t come back to haunt her. Her best friend, Dan gives her that family love she always lacked. Everything was close to perfect, until everything and everyone from her past came back. Now, she’s trying to figure out how to survive and keep that bond which seems now to be held together by a thread.

Note: This is the first part of a two book novel.

~Excerpt~

I drenched the pancakes with maple syrup, took a bite, and moaned. “Amazingly good! I’m impressed. You dominate the kitchen like it’s your boardroom. Who taught you how to cook?”

Dan poured orange juice for us both, as well as a cup of coffee for him, and a glass of milk for me. He sat next to me, covered his own pancakes cautiously—not Becca style—cut a piece of pancake, and ate it. “Hmm. They are good, but they don’t seem to affect me the way they do you.” He chuckled.

I awaited his answer curiously.

“My last foster family.” He’d gone through more than one foster home? “My foster mother taught her surrogate children to fend for themselves. Our chores included cleaning, cooking, and washing dishes and clothes. No, she didn’t want cheap labor. She did it to teach us how a normal house hold functioned, and to care for ourselves.”

“She sounds smart. I’m guessing you helped her—or them—after you became the all-powerful Daniel Brightmore?” I asked, while sneaking my fork onto his plate to steal a piece of his pancake. Mine had disappeared way too fast. He playfully fake-slapped my hand away, and I pouted at him. “Selfish. That’s why no one likes you.”

“You not only like me, you love me, Little One.” He fed me a fork full of pancake and gave me a satisfied smile. “After my first company became fully successful, I set up a trust fund for the Swansons. It made sense to help them after everything they did, and didn’t, do for me.” I knitted my eyebrows in confusion. “They didn’t hit me, or abuse me. Very few children get to spend their years in the system with people who truly care. Richard Swanson taught me how to hold a hammer, use power tools, and fix cars.” His voice became more animated as he continued with the story, and those gray eyes smiled at the fondness of the moments he told. “Thanks to him and those skills, I held a few jobs during college, and was able to begin my first company. Last year I moved them to Austin, Texas. They’re getting old, and the weather is nice there year-round.”

“Are you going to raise your children the same way?” He gave me a strange look. “To be self-reliant, even though they’re the children of a billionaire.” I gestured dramatically toward the luxurious penthouse. “The beautiful wife you were talking about in Telluride, who went to catholic-private schools and spent her summers in Europe, might not want her beautiful children to be exposed to hammers, power tools, and pans. You have the means to give them whatever their hearts desire, and staff to service them. All the comforts she’s accustomed to.” His face screamed, What’s this girl talking about. “Oh my, that never occurred to you. What would you like in a wife? Ooh, I’ve got a great idea. We should make a chart. Don’t you think?”

He tipped his head to the side, looking at me curiously, though he had a wide smile. He shook his head. “A chart, you say. And what will be the purpose of this exercise?”

“Ingenious. This is the best idea ever.” I clapped my hands, excited. “Bring me a paper and pen… no, a pencil. We have to do this, so when you’re ready to start the search, you have a clear idea who she is. Go, go…. This is going to be fun.”

He handed me a legal yellow pad, a pencil and eraser, a bottle of crisp water, and blueberries to munch. I made a border with hearts and flowers. In the center I wrote the title: Dan’s wife.

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~About the Author~

Claudia lives in Colorado with her family and three dogs. Two beagles who believe they are human, and a bichon who thinks she’s a beagle. While managing life, she works as a CFO at a small IT Company. She’s a dreamer who enjoys music, laughter and a good story.

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