Off the Shelf : Transcend by Jewel E Ann

*ARC REVIEW*

Please note that this book was provided for free by the author's publishing PR in exchange for an honest review. Feel free to check out my full book review policy here for more details.

I can honestly say it’s been a while since I’ve connected with the plot of and loved a book as much as I love Transcend. This book was more than story it was more like an experience. There were elements of romance, the paranormal and a emotional tug of war that left me breathless. I am so glad I was given the opportunity to review the ARC by Jewel E Ann and I will be adding this author to the list of people to keep up with. I have already pre-ordered the second book in this series and I am so glad I only have a few days to wait until I see the ending of this wonderful tale. 

I don’t really want to speak too much about the plot. I don’t want to spoil this book for anyone. All I’ll say is this: the story revolves around a girl named Swayze who has a unique gift that she’s struggled to figure out her whole life and a recently widowed man called Nate whose life story brings everything to a head when Swayze takes a job as the nanny for his baby Morgan.

There are so many elements to this story: there’s romance, suspense, the paranormal and some interesting philosophical questions that are posed. The romance involves Swayze and her boyfriend Griffin and the struggles they face as a couple in light of Swayze’s gift and her relationship with Nate and Morgan. The suspense comes in at the end of this first book and involves an alleged murder which I am keen to delve deeper into in the second book. The paranormal element essentially comes in the form of Swayze’s gift and exploring its true meaning and parameters. The philosophical question posed by this story is essentially what happens to our souls when we die? Do they live on? Can aspects of our souls be found in others? What does that mean for those left behind to mourn us? 

Man, this book was a trip but only in the best way. I just constantly kept wondering what would come next, what boundary would be pushed and would the characters end up better or worse for it. I am honestly enthralled at this book and the world created by it. It’s really simply written. There isn’t any spectacle to this book but it still manages to be stunning all the same. Ordinarily paranormal elements of stories take up the bulk of the plot, after all a werewolf story or a vampire tale are so clearly paranormal, but with this novel the unfamiliar aspect of it was so seamlessly woven into the familiar that it was believable and so much more enjoyable for it.

I am going to resist the urge to share too much about this book except to say that if you love romance, love stories of family, of love lost and how one goes about dealing with it, if you love to smile as you read heartwarming paragraphs and still be on the edge of your seat, wondering what comes next, hoping and wishing it all turns out alright for everyone involved then this book is for you. This book is for everyone in my opinion. It had it all and I for one am very appreciative I have discovered Jewel E Ann! I can’t recommend it enough! I can’t express the way it moved me enough! 

Just go get it already!

This book was a 5 star read all the way.

Check out more of Jewel's work here. 

TK MAJ