Poignant and Impassioned: My Saving Grace by Melanie Moreland

The Gist: A poignant forbidden romance packed with some classic romance tropes: married in Vegas, grumpy Hero, employee-boss relationship and a second chance romance. The novel is riddled with angst and sweet moments and explores what it means to find The One at the exact wrong time and a Hero who will do all he can to win his girl back. Unfortunately, the plot suffers from a dumb misunderstanding, which detracted from my enjoyment of the novel.

Series: ABC Corp, #1*

Release Date: February 25, 2021

Format: eARC

Rating: 4-stars

*Each novel in the series is Standalone

Note: I received My Saving Grace through Melanie Moreland’s team in exchange for an honest review.

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Melanie Moreland has decided to continue telling BAM Corporation’s stories (see my reviews here) with a spin-off series featuring their kids! However, My Saving Grace also works perfectly as a standalone novel; the Hero, Jaxson, is new to the extended family of the Vested Interest series, so the reader gets a quick yet comprehensive introduction.

My Saving Grace is Grace’s story. She is the daughter of Katharine and Richard (you can read their book here). Grace is one of my favourite Heroines of Melanie Moreland. She’s strong and confident and refreshingly open with her feelings.

Sweet Romance

The novel is an overall sweet romance between Grace and Jaxson that incorporates tropes like the employee-boss set-up and the second-chance romance. I really enjoyed seeing the complete evolution of Grace and Jaxson’s relationship, from where they first met to how they ended up married in Vegas. I especially enjoyed how Jaxson was initially the “no strings” type, but once in a relationship with Grace, his behaviour was like a devoted boyfriend; his denial was cute.

Melanie Moreland does such a great job of making the little moments – the mundane moments super romantic. While the boss-employee dynamic is initially hot and fun, hiding their relationship and pretending to not care about each other takes a toll on Grace and Jaxson. In those moments, I felt that Grace was so relatable. She’s head-over-heels for Jaxson and logically understands they have to keep their relationship under wraps because of the no-fraternization rule at their office, but how she feels when Jaxson acts like she isn’t anyone special puts a damper on their whirlwind romance.

Frustrating Hero

Jaxson’s characterization was the epitome of a double-edged sword for me. I love how the author started the book at the beginning of Grace and Jaxson’s romance – from the prequel novella, A Merry Vested Wedding, you already know Jaxson has done something to hurt Grace and he’s trying to get her back. This storytelling decision allowed me to fully invest in Grace and Jaxson as a couple. I appreciate that Moreland didn’t hold back when it came to her Hero’s mistake; Jaxson breaks up with Grace and does so in a really mean way (basically verbally confirming all her insecurities). I never want a break-up in my romance novels. But knowing it was coming at the start of the book and knowing Jaxson would eventually realize he made a colossal mistake assuaged my main concerns (also, it’s Melanie Moreland, so I knew cheating wouldn’t be a thing). However, the break-up is a double-edged sword because when I found out why Jaxson broke up with Grace and his resulting behaviour as he tried to win her back, I knew I couldn’t give My Saving Grave 5-stars.

I understand that Jaxson had never been in a romantic relationship where he had all these feelings; he had never liked someone as much as Grace before. His reason for breaking up with Grace was stupid, considering who her family is (the clout they have, their social power, and everything). Also, the way he executed his break-up was so harsh… he weaponized everything she confided to make sure the break-up would stick, she wouldn’t ask questions, and she would be “protected.” I did appreciate that Jaxson realized he caused more hurt by saying those things to her – purposefully hurting her when he broke up with her – counterintuitive to his excuse: he wanted to protect her.

I got so annoyed with Grace’s family and best friend – except for her father, Richard (although his continued punching was a bit much). Her best friend actually tells Grace that she should “fix him”… as if it’s (1) Grace’s job to make Jaxson (a grown man) a decent human being and (2) Grace already tried what her friend was insinuating by dating him… for a few months!

Also, Jaxson is a freaking stranger who invited himself to – as they understand – his intern’s best friend’s wedding. What type of entitled asshole does that? People don’t allow their best friends to have plus ones at weddings, so I found it mind-bending and infuriating that everyone was like, ya, it’s chill he comes. The whole scene also allowed him to be set up as the Nice Guy to her friends and family, as they, of course, don’t know how he ripped out and stomped on her heart a month ago – so Grace comes across as a bitch. For a guy who wanted to win her over, he didn’t seem aware of how he kept demonstrating his complete disregard for how Grace felt and what she needed. His apologies and efforts to get her back were some, me, me!

Disappointing Themes

I was disappointed her parents reacted the way they did when they found out she married Jaxson in Vegas. Grace is not a child anymore, and while she’s their child, I really didn’t like how they were all, I’m so disappointed in you. She married her ex-boyfriend, with whom she’s still in love, but she is still financially independent and stable and has a fantastic job lined up! They can be hurt if she didn’t tell them (I’d honestly want them to reflect on why she didn’t), but being disappointed is a bit much, especially considering their past.

The worst aspect of the novel is how Jaxson purposely gets Grace drunk in Vegas to manipulate her into marrying him. The fact that she blacked out that whole night means she was too drunk to have sex, never mind get married! There was no consent; it infuriated me when Grace thought that she was in any way to blame for the drama around her getting married when it was not consensual!

Also, there was a strong anti-divorce theme in My Saving Grace, which I was not here for. Grace’s best friend was acting as if drunkenly getting married meant anything. I wanted to see Grace and Jaxson divorce, decide to date, and see where things went afterward. I always get really annoyed with romance novels where one character says I love you and the other says I know because I’m the person who needs them to explicitly declare the words. But, I realized in My Saving Grace that saying I know means the character is so confident in their partner’s love that they feel it and don’t need words to affirm it. Grace didn’t get that and didn’t have it for 99% of the book. She was such a great Heroine; she deserved the romance and the assurance that the person she was marrying loved and trusted her and saw her as a partner.

In Conclusion

After reading my Frustrating Hero and Disappoint Themes sections, you probably wonder why I rated My Saving Grace 4-stars. The pre-breakup romance is so freaking sweet, and it takes up more than half the story. Grace is probably my favourite from Melanie Moreland. Typically, the Hero’s perspective takes precedence in her novels, but I enjoyed Grace’s strong characterization and the balance between her and Jason’s POVs.

If you’re a Melanie Moreland fan, you will enjoy My Saving Grace. The book has a nostalgic air because so many familiar faces pop up throughout it, and it comprises BAM’s offspring!

Also, having just finished my third binge of Bridgerton, I adored the ode to historical romances in My Saving Grace. Grace hit the boyfriend jackpot since Jaxson was willing to dress up as a rakish Duke from one of her historical romance novels for Halloween. There are many fun, sweet and cute moments like this throughout My Saving Grace. If you like sweet romances with some angst, this novel is the book: it’s poignant and impassioned.

Buy My Saving Grace

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Other Books I’ve Reviewed by Melanie Moreland

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Finding Ronan’s Heart (ABC Corp, #2)

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Rating: 4.5 out of 5.

The Gist: A delightful and loving story that explores independence, (found) family and meaningful connection. Yet, it falls short of 5-stars for its repetitive scenes and lack of depth in its climactic reveal.

Synopsis

“The boys.”
“The Callaghan Triplets.”
“Three of a kind.”
All his life, Ronan Callaghan has been part of a group. Always looking out for his brothers. Never seen as an individual or judged on his own merits.
When his brothers veer onto their own path, he finds himself alone. Restless.

Then he meets her.
Beth.
A waitress who sees him just for himself. None of the trappings of his wealth or family.
A woman who only wants to know him—Ronan.

She captures his heart, but how will she feel when she discovers the truth he’s holding back?
Can he show her the man he really is?
That he would be rather be hers than anything else?

Tags: Coming of Age, Contemporary, Disability, Emotional, Erotica, Family Issues, Secret Keeping, Single Parent, Strong Heroine, Sweet Romance, Traumatic Past

Read More

Loved by Liam (ABC Corp, #3)

⭐⭐⭐⭐

Rating: 3.5 out of 5.

The Gist: An indulgently sweet companion romance to Finding Ronan’s Heart about the power of family and love that’s pure escapism yet fails to refresh its shared plot.

Synopsis

Liam Callaghan is happy with the way things are.
He has a successful business, a family he loves, and a life he thinks is fulfilling and complete.
Until a favor for his brother brings him to her.
She sparks something inside him. Something he had no idea he was missing.
One touch and he knows Paige Winters is the woman he wants.
She and her daughter become his focus. His world.
He only has to convince her to believe in them.

Liam entered Paige’s life quietly, but from the moment he took her hand, her world exploded.
Larger-than-life, he stepped in, brightening her days and filling her with happiness.
But she has more than her own heart on the line.
Her daughter, Lucy, has to come first.
As much as her soul yearns for him, can she trust his words?
Can the seeds love plants take root and bloom, growing over the past?
If Liam has anything to do with it, they will.

Author Note: You have read their story as told through Ronan and Beth in FINDING RONAN’S HEART. But readers have asked to see it through the character’s eyes – and my characters agreed. This is a companion novel to be enjoyed with Vested Interest: ABC Corp Book 2.

Tags: Disability, Single Parent, Sweet Romance

Read More

Age of Ava (ABC Corp, #4)

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Rating: 5 out of 5.

The Gist: A moving and intimate opposites-attract romance with a perfectly grumpy Hero and badass Heroine that explores family and the rewards of vulnerability.

Synopsis

AVA CALLAGHAN
A woman working in a male-dominated field.
Organized, strong, and tenacious.
That’s how she has to be to succeed.

HUNTER OWENS
A loner.
He needs no one, has no ties, and his future is an unanswered question mark.
It’s all he knows.
Until the day their lives intersect.

He sees the woman she hides from the world.
She nurtures the part of him he lost long ago.
But they both agree—their connection is temporary.
They are only for now.

Can their stubborn natures allow them to bend and accept that maybe, just maybe, there is more to life than they believed?
That love can heal.
That happiness can exist.
That for now can be forever.

Tags: Abuse, Alpha Hero, Angst-AF, Contemporary Romance, Emotional, Erotica, Family Issues, Favourite, Feminism, No Strings to Rings, Strong Heroine, Traumatic Past