This book was simply not my cup of tea.

On the positive side: PTSD is shown in a very detailed way as it affects one of the main characters. You can see how it creates difficulty in every aspect of his life. The novel also explores the effects of racism, when the acts of a few are attributed to an entire group of people. The author handled these difficult themes with a sympathetic touch.

But as for the romantic angle, I’m not a big fan of books where the main characters keep secrets from one another until the very end. I don’t see how you can build a relationship that way. And every major character in the story seems to be hiding at least one secret.

But my biggest problem with this novel was the timeline. It was hard to follow, as the passage of time was sometimes several paragraphs down in a scene. And there’s also a pronounced lack of continuity at times, e.g.: wind that’s so strong it can blow a man off his feet suddenly becomes “a puff of wind—a clean and fresh smell.” OTTH, I felt overwhelmed with minutia about surroundings & character emotions; at times the story seems to ramble on and go nowhere.

Even considering that the book was published in 2018, there were unusual, outdated references: “brown paper” used by USPS (not for 20 years at least—now they’ll sell you boxes); the newness of self-serve gasoline (which became legal in 1973 in Indiana. In fact, in 2018, the full-service station in Peoria IN was so rare, the local paper wrote it up as a “treat from the past”). Maybe things are different in Canada where the author lives, but the book is set in the US.

I also noticed very often that words/phrases seemed to be chosen for the impression they’d make rather than their meaning. The worst offender? Breasts that “ambled” on a counter. Then there was “a lush mane” compared to a “swan chick” (which in my experience would have rather short, fuzzy feathers). There were several others, and they stopped me in my tracks as I tried to figure out just what the author had in mind.

I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review. ( )

Wow! Gloria Joynt-Lang debut novel, Beyond Circumstances, is superlative!! This is a heart-warming romance novel that illustrates the power of true love and friendship. It is a character driven novel about 2 individuals having an internal struggle about whether or not to move their relationship forward.
Lexie and Zak will do anything to help another person, and their relationship is genuine. They want to protect each other at all costs.
These aren't "perfect" people. They are flawed, they struggle, they do their best, and they don't always win. Mental illness is addressed in both characters. Lexie with anxiety and Zak with PTSD. The author handles their mental illness with care and compassion.
Beyond Circumstances is definitely one of my favorite books. If you enjoy reading a riveting, tense, human interest and love story you must read this book! ( )