Intermission by Serena Chase + Giveaway

"...a favorite old friend I just met."

Title:  Intermission
Author:  Serena Chase

Publisher:  Candent Gate LLC

Release Date:  November 15, 2016
Genre: Inspirational Contemporary Fiction / Young Adult

We are starlight on snow. The reflection of something already beautiful—absorbed, reflected, and remade into something . . . more. 

And this kiss . . . 

This kiss is everything I’ve needed to say . . . and longed to hear.

Sixteen-year-old Faith Prescott eagerly awaits the day she will exchange her small Iowa hometown for the bright lights of Broadway, but her success-driven parents want her to pursue a more practical career, labeling “artsy” people—including their daughter—as foolish dreamers worthy of little more than disdain.

When Faith meets nineteen-year-old Noah Spencer she discovers someone who understands her musical theatre dreams . . . because he shares them.

Faith’s mother despises everything about Noah—his age, his upbringing . . . even his religious beliefs—and she grasps at every opportunity to belittle his plans to study theatre and pursue a stage career. When those criticisms shift further toward hostility, resulting in unjust suspicions and baseless accusations, an increasingly fearful stage is set for Faith at home, where severe restrictions and harsh penalties are put in place to remove Noah Spencer from her life.

But Faith has never connected with anyone like she has with Noah, and no matter how tight a stranglehold her mother enforces to keep them apart, Faith will not give him up. Behind the curtain, Faith’s love for Noah continues to grow . . . as does her determination to hold on to her dreams—and him—no matter how high the cost.

Intermission is a heart-wrenching contemporary YA romance set against a backdrop of musical theatre and family drama. With coming-of-age themes that honestly explore gray areas of moral dilemmas, this novel traces the path of one talented teen girl as she crosses painful thresholds of first love, faith, and betrayal to take the necessary steps toward adulthood, independence, and the dreams that set her heart on fire.

It's like that. "...a favorite old friend I just met." Serena Chase's newest novel, Intermission feels just like that. It's beautiful, it's personal, it's poetic. A tribute and dedication that spoke loud and clear from the get go.

I wished I read this book when I was Faith's age. Wait, I take that back. I take it back not because I don't think it's relevant, but because my understanding of it may very well be different. Intermission is not just a novel about first loves, young love or the happily ever after. It's about reality. It's about what dreams are, and how dreams may never come to fruition, until you find the strength and courage to hold on and wait. 

Faith's story is one of revelation, and I cried for her. For her memories with Noah, her time with Noah and her love with Noah.  Not only, but also for her life, her dreams, and her disconnection with her parents. Tears continues to well and stream down my face, even after my first attempt at wiping them with my sleeves. I tried to control them, but I couldn't. Intermission connected, touched and squeezed my heart without me knowing how it got there so quickly and unexpectedly.  I can't say the reason was that I relate to Faith or Noah, because I don't.  Our dreams and situations were very different. Our lives are very different, yet they are so real to me. Their romance, their journey, their struggles and their faith, all just played out right before my eyes as I read on.

Serena penned a marvelous coming of age novel, with messages that will hit you where it matters.  The great references and nods to classic show tunes created lighter moments within the tough ones. Plus the cover will have you go nuts over with your camera.  Intermission made me smile, sing, cry and felt a moment of sadness when it was over, but that epilogue made up for any heartache I felt. Intermission have not made its "curtain call" in my heart yet, and it may never will because it will have a place on my shelf for years to come.

"Each memory is torture...And bliss." 

  

Disclaimer: I received an ARC of this book from the author/publisher. I was not required to write a positive review, and have not been compensated for this. This is my honest opinion.

For my review policy, please see my Disclosure page.

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SERENA CHASE is the author of the critically-acclaimed Eyes of E’veria series and a regular contributor to USA Today’s Happy Ever After blog. A lifelong performer who sometimes speaks in show tunes, Serena lives in Iowa with her husband Dave, teen daughters Delaney and Ellerie, and a 100-pound white Goldendoodle named Albus, who is the biggest star of her Instagram account. Connect with Serena Chase by visiting her website and signing up for her newsletter, “like” her official Facebook page to stay up-to-date on new release news, and enjoy her sometimes poignant, but more often chuckle-inducing random observations of life on Twitter.

TO CONNECT WITH SERENA:  website,  facebook,  twitter,  pinterest,  instagram

1. Five winners will receive a signed paperback (or a Kindle copy, if preferred) of Intermission
2. One Grand Prize winner will receive a signed paperback (or a Kindle copy, if preferred) of Intermission, plus a $40 Ticketmaster gift card

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