Book Review: Shades of Grey

Title:  Shades of Grey
Author:  Susanne Jacoby Hale
Pages:  356
Publication Date:  2011
Version:  PDF via author free for honest review
Genre:  Adult Romance

Summary Via Goodreads.com:
"In inner-city New York, horrors lurk in the unruly hallways of Malcolm High School. As in-school riots and gang violence consistently envelop the classroom, Olivia Dalton attempts to teach her students while simultaneously directing a drop-out prevention program that embraces an ever-increasing group of at-risk students. Left with little hope she will ever have children of her own, Olivia becomes entrenched in her students' lives, partly out of love, but also out of an unconscious desire to avoid her own internal anguish.

Meanwhile, Olivia's devoted husband, Tom, is having trouble facing his own disappointments in not being able to create a family. In an effort to protect Olivia, he attempts to hold her back from the one place she feels useful and fulfilled-her career. But despite her husband's efforts to quell her desire to help the troubled and confused, Olivia presses on and believes in change, even in the face of her students' continual mistakes and poor choices. Neither Tom nor Olivia have any idea that everything is about to change when an unassuming gift is left at their door.

"Shades of Gray" is the profound story of one woman's unpredictable journey to the truth, new beginnings, and a kind of love she never knew before."

My Review:
This book was simply a fantastic read!  It speaks to the hearts of all readers, especially those who are in a teaching role of some kind, be it teachers or even adult volunteer positions like Scouting.  It was easy to see the author had a great knowledge of teaching, great personal experiences in teaching, and a passion for it herself.  Olivia Dalton is just an amazing character who is just SO realistic and easy to relate to I felt like I should pick up the phone and call her.  I found myself relating to the teacher role she has and the trying to conceive role she has with her husband.  I also found myself easily drawn into the story and the characters.  I could feel for Olivia as she faced problems and hurtles in her professional and personal life.  The rest of the characters easily pulled at emotions and heartstrings too as I read the book.  They were all well developed and well portrayed through the author's writing.  I was a bit skeptical of this book, I will admit, because of the description being "out of my comfort box" as a reader and because it was work from a first time author.  However, I was very pleasantly surprised and just couldn't put this book down once I started reading it.  The book starts with such action that you can't help but love it from the first chapters.  It was well written and seemed to flow from the pages as I read on.  I never once felt any confusion or choppiness in the book or writing style.  For a first time author that is quite the achievement!  I felt myself learning from this book too and thinking about issues in the book.  You never know who really has more to offer in life...the one who seems to have everything or the one who seems to have nothing.  This book shows how a person's character may not always be the way they seem to portray it in every day life.  There is always something more to people, no matter what the outside looking in looks like.  This book was a touching read for me and I found myself going through a variety of emotions while reading it.  I must say that I can't wait to see what Susanne Jacoby Hale will write next.  I may have found another favorite author to add to my list.  I highly suggest checking out this book, it is well worth any readers time.

5/5 Stars!!

Also take time to check out Susanne Jacoby Hale's Website!  Here you can also find a downloadable preview of the book!