![Stark Memory (Stupid Awesome Love Book 3) by [Grenelle, Ceri]](https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/41OnEA2knGL.jpg)
Their summer together changed everything, and then she disappeared. Almost two decades later and Santiago catches a ghost in his arms, a ghost who has no clue who he is or what they meant to one another. When Opal is given a chance to live her dreams she slowly comes to the realization that she'll need to address the memories of the past that she's been running from; and who better to help her sift through it all than the handsome blast from her past? Together they traverse memories, heartache, and find a love that rivals the one of their youth. But it'll take more than courage to forge ahead, they'll have to find and gift others with the forgiveness that they've been denying themselves and so many others.
Santiago was a pretty solid character from start to finish and his endless patience definitely won me over in the face of Opal's vacillation. I liked that he was so completely honest with her from the very beginning, that he didn't hide himself away or his growing, changing feelings. Even knowing when Opal wasn't ready he came out and warned her that to discuss certain things further was deeper for him and would upset her. It layered their interactions with a complicated kind of hesitant transparency that wasn't expected. His stubbornness and refusal to forgive his family time and time again was frustrating, especially in the face of his two best friends that had lost so much. He eventually pulled it out, though, and gave him greater perspective for when he finally came to terms with his separation from Opal.
Where Santiago was consistent and stable, Opal was back and forth, fearful, and a bit too dismissive. She was also quite damaged and I didn't fault her for running away. Doesn't mean I liked it, just that I can understand and don't judge her too harshly for it. When she did begin to open up and let Santiago help her work through her memories and feelings, though, she softened and became much more relatable.
Throughout the entire story I had a problem with the inconsistent feeling between their voice and how much time was supposed to have passed. It felt more like everyone should have been in their mid-twenties rather than their late thirties. That alone gave it a frustrating element of juvenility where I was expecting something more staid and grown-up. Feeling like that never went away, by the way, it was a disconnect that lasted from start to finish. Along with Opal's insistence at avoiding her memories and then her reluctance to come clean about having them, and I had a lot of moments that I felt as if my eyes would get stuck in their rolled position.
But there were so many gems! I caught myself smiling many times when there were small revelations, confessions that about broke my heart with how much feeling was expressed, and the interplay between friends and family. I'm so in love with the night Opal and Santiago met. The awkwardness, the interest, the humor, the banter, their youth, and the excitement and promise of a happy future. It's what makes their situation that much more devastating and the ending so tenderly triumphant. The journey is pretty long with a few divergent paths on Santiago's part that lengthen the story. Overall, though, the story is as painful as it is sweet and I enjoyed reading it in its entirety.
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Author Bio
Ceri is the author of quirky and sexy contemporary romance
novels. She has a major weakness for sappy cuddle moments as much as hot and
steamy sex scenes, and a penchant for writing snappy and sarcastic dialogue.
She loves romance that isn't afraid to be awkward and uncouth, and thrives on
flawed characters with big hearts.
A New York native, Ceri now lives in California with her two
cats, Mercy and Eugene Fitzherbert, who should be very thankful she didn't name
him frying pan. She is a proud functioning introvert and lover of all things
geeky. You can find her haunting the Twitter machine or posting pictures of her
ridiculous cats on Instagram.
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