BUY LINK: KINDLE
These Battered Hands by Laurel Ulen CurtisMy rating: 5 of 5 stars
Reviewed by: Michelle
ARC provided by author in exchange for an honest review
"Hope. It spread like an infection and tainted clean version and dedication. It made me think about, and long for, other things outside of the one thing that encapsulated my entire life."
Majestic. Laurel Ulen Curtis charms her readers in one of those most beautiful inspiring tale of hope, perseverance, and love in her newest release, These Battered Hands. Ms. Curtis did an amazing job with this book as she gave her readers not an ordinary sports romance but she allowed them to feel and walk through the journey of what every professional athletes have to endure. The pressure to succeed. The pressure to be the best. The pressure of fulfilling a lifelong dream built on hard word and dedication. And the pressure to have that one last shot before you can walk away from a career. Whether we realize it or not, our hands holds and tells a story of our life. And in These Battered Hands, Ms. Curtis tells us a story of a young woman's battered and tired hands of her last shot at a Olympic glory.
Callie Nickleson is a two time Olympic gymnast and at the age of twenty-six, she is trying to earn the spot for her third Olympic games. She is well aware that she passed the typical normal standard for a female gymnast since she competes with young girls, whose bodies are less worn and tired. But behind her battered hands that is rough, ripped and filled with calluses, lies a woman who seeks perfection, strength, and determination to succeed. Her life has always consisted of gymnastics. And so when her father hires a new coach to help train Callie, she never expected to have such an intense connection and bond to her coach, Nikolai Bagrov. Nikolai immediately sees the spark, the drive and passion that Callie once had for the sport begins to lose it's gleam. As Callie and Nikolai begin to spend more time together, she begins to see a whole new world of possibilities. Happiness begins to shine and radiate in her eyes. Love begins to beat. And so with the help of Nikolai, can she reach her dream of Olympic glory? Or will she realize that happiness and the greatest prize is having someone hold her "battered hands"?
"I never wanted it to end, but I also wanted more than stolen kisses and unsure rendezvous. And that kind of more was only founded on more. More communication, more understanding, and more respect."
I loved and adored this book. These Battered Hands is one of those stories that instantly grips and touches your heart. Ms. Curtis allows her readers to really FEEL for her characters. Feel all the sacrifices, the hurt, the pain, the heartbreak, the pressure, and the dedication each athlete endures for their craft. What I especially loved about the book was how the author opened up each chapter with one word. That one word was a relevant introduction to the story line that added so much depth and meaning to the story. The writing in this book was written with such raw passion and intensity that Ms. Curtis really emphasized that sometimes our dreams and goals can take a new route that opens new possibilities and happiness. And maybe it's not about being embarrassed at one's battered hands but seeing the space between the fingers that fits perfectly with the person you love.
"I learned to love those battered hands, but I learned to love you better."
Laurel Ulen Curtis
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