| Title | : | Love is Blind |
| Author | : | |
| Rating | : | |
| ISBN | : | - |
| Format Type | : | Kindle Edition |
| Number of Pages | : | 247 |
| Publication | : | First published April 1, 2019 |
Ever since a childhood accident left her with severe facial deformities, Sophie Pasternak has been hearing that incredibly insulting suggestion from friends and busybodies. After all, who else but a blind man could love someone who looks like she does? But as the lonely years go by working in the library, living vicariously through the romances in her favorite books, Sophie wonders if there’s any truth in this hurtful piece of advice.
Then she meets Colin Kelly, a veteran of Operation Iraqi Freedom, who lost his vision in combat. Colin is the sexiest man Sophie has ever met, from his taut muscles covered in tattoos to his alluring grin. He’s also the only man who has shared her deep passion for reading, which is why he enlists Sophie’s help to learn braille. Sophie finds herself falling hard for Colin Kelly… and she suspects he feels the same way.
The only problem?
Colin Kelly has no idea what Sophie Pasternak really looks like.
And she’s terrified for him to find out the truth.
Love is Blind Reviews
-
Blatant slut-shaming and cheap thrills
“I’ve got condoms,” Ashlynn whispers to me. Good thing because I definitely don’t have one, and if I’m hooking up with a girl who keeps a stack of condoms in her room, I’m guessing there are some transmittable diseases I should be worried about.
As the main character You.Do.Not:
> Insult a girl, that you're in no way involved with, for expressing her sexuality as she pleases.
> Disrespect her even as you're about to sleep with her!
> Complain about her having condoms even though you admitted to frequent ONSs in your own past.
As the author You.Do.Not:
> Dehumanize a woman that you introduced as a plot device just so your main character can feel like a man. Little pro tip: If you want the MC to sleep with another woman before falling for his intended love interest, DO NOT BLAME THAT OTHER WOMAN, stand by your own story!
For more than a century, women have fought for the right of self-expression (sexually and otherwise) and this is what we get spoon-fed today…… I can't even.
Other than that, it's what you'd expect based on the blurb, not horribly written but nothing to write home about, either. -
I decided to read this story.. the blurb was so heartbreaking and different.. the story so far had me in tears and i was so excited!!
Then chapter 20ish?? It went down hill for me that i stopped and skimmed the rest of the book since i couldn't finish it.. Colin i enjoyed Colin he was broody growly and tried to learn how to adapted to being blind.. then at one point thanks to his pushy friend he goes to a womans house and fakes (he didn't want to at first but that changed) that he's not blind, he already met sophie and likes her and he thought about her before sleeping with ow cuz hes horny... :/ and figured he could be normal with a random woman then with sophie who knew he was blind.. i couldn't after that.. it tainted this wonderful growing friendship/relationship i was reading even if they werent together.. also sophie not really telling Colin about her condition and when it comes out.. . 😭 the way he acted was bad.. like i understand he was lied to..also coworker is a bitch for that.. she wanted to fill normal so i understand why she kept it hush hush..and also hearing him say that stuff towards his friend about he would never date a deformed person broke my heart..
i would have loved this book if it weren't for that scene with the ow..
Only reason it got a star was the story and plot was interesting..
Agnst, ow he sleeps with one due to his pushy friend and lied he was blind, drama, 1 sex scene that was meh, no virgins..
Reccomend- maybe if your cool with sleeping with ow
Cover-⭐⭐⭐
Slowburn
Disabilities -
I had this book marked on my Preordered Books calendar, as Mrs Annabelle Costa is one of the very few “contemporary romance” author I do read, she has a talented to make me travel with her so unusual characters. They are nor billionaire or princess, nor gorgeous or hero (well here Colin is one), they are real and struggle with life but they are all beautiful in the inside for what they lack in the outside.
I do not know if it was the author’s purpose but I do loved this kind of revisited story of the beauty and the beast.
Sophie and Colin have their flaws, but they have reasons for them.
Their journey to get to know another is pretty cute even if I knew at one time it will become bumpy.
It was obvious literally speaking that hiding her physical aspect to Colin will get to blow on her face but hell, how could she just tell it to a guy who can’t see her : “hello, before you get to nice with me, you should know I was so severely burned that I have an alien face!”, not really easy to break it in a casual discussion.
So yes she took advantage of his disability but not to mock him, to just for once feel like a normal girl and go on a date.
Oh I do understand Colin’s anger, he felt played and betrayed but he also reacted as Sophie expected, not running away from Sophie as he can’t but overwhelmed by her face damage.
Then Colin endorsed his battle hero suit and decided to win his lady back.
I just loved their story, it was such a feel good one with ordinary persons who manage grand little things for those they care for. -
I like that this author writes book about the characters who have disabilities.
I love her books.
But this book..... I just can’t read.
The h has facial deformities and so she dates a blind guy.
This is too sad for my taste.
Sorry I don’t have guts to read this. -
When I first started reading this story, I was anxious to see how it would unfold. Mostly because when you read an Annabelle Costa book, you know it's going to be good and suck you in. This book did not disappoint. I quickly fell in love with Colin and Sophie, both separately and together. Both characters are facing huge obstacles in their lives and this made for some very sweet, entertaining and engaging reading. Once I started this book, I couldn't put it down. I had to know how their story ended. This one is an absolute must read for me!
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I think Annabelle Costa did a really good job of making these characters real. I loved the way Colin and Sophie's relationship developed. Yes there is a one night stand with ow, but I think this was written very realistically and Costa successfully got across that Colin wanted to feel 'normal' in the same way that Sophie wanted to be 'normal' and have a relationship/boyfriend. I think this has to be one of my favourite a from this author. Love her writing. Her characters are so real you can't help but love them.
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One of my all time favorite authors is back again with her latest novel. And besides making me cry she also surprises again in finding a new approach on her "trademark" genre. Also I feel the need to go a little deeper into some things along the storyline therefore this review contains spoiler and is hidden (which is unusual for me but necessary I feel)
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Šis ir stāsts par Sophie Pasternak, bērnu nodaļas bibliotekāres, un Colin Kelly, Irākas kara veterāna, satikšanos, draudzību un romantiskajām attiecībām. Sophie bērnības traumas rezultātā ir smagas sejas deformācijas, bet Colin kara traumas rezultātā kļuvis praktiski akls. Viņus saved kopā grāmatu mīlestība.
Ir muļķīgi no romantiskajām grāmatām par daudz gaidīt.
Iesākums bija tik cerīgs, bet tad notikumi izvērtās par otrdienas vācu romantiskā kino vakara filmas cienīgiem un visu sabojāja.
Grāmatā ir abu galveno varoņu skatupunkti, kas ļauj ieskatīties viņu ikdienas dzīvē un grūtībās, kas jāpārvar saskarsmē ar cilvēkiem, Sophie gadījumā, un jaunu prasmju apgūšanā, lai izdarītu ikdienišķas darbības, un iegūtu patstāvību, Colin gadījumā. Kas arī bija grāmatas stiprā puse. Un par to tad arī visas 3 zvaigznīte tiek! Bet tad parādās drāma, ar indīgajiem kolēģiem, skolas biedreni – sociālās antikropļu kampaņas uzsācēju, pārpratumiem, cilvēkiem, kas vēl labu, bet ir nespēcīgi stāties pretī sabiedrības spiedienam, un, protams, labestīgais varonis Colin saves the day! Ah… #vilšanās
Aklu cilvēku ikdienas tēma mani uzrunāja, pateicoties YouTube personībai Molly Burke un viņas
kanālam. Viņa ir akla, bet aizraujas ar modi, kosmētiku, video filmēšanu, lec ar izpletni un izmēģina vēl visādas lietas, kuras parasti akliem cilvēkiem “nepiedien” darīt.
Un priecājamies, ka Liepājas pilsēta rūpējas par saviem neredzīgajiem iedzīvotājiem un viesiem, un izvietojusi pilsētas kartes dažādās vietās:
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3.5 stars, this was cute, but i felt really bad for the h. The H pulled a real jerk move.
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Love is Blind is the story of Sophie Pasternak, who is a sweet librarian with a subtle sense of humor and an independent spirit. She also loves working with kids and reading to them in the library’s Storytime. Conflict arises when a woman complains that Sophie will scare the kids and give them nightmares. Why? Because Sophie is horribly disfigured from a tragic burn accident as a small child.
Colin Kelly is a handsome Iraqi war hero who is still trying to adjust to losing his sight. When the story begins, he is bitter and has basically given up—until his mother drags him to the local library where he meets Sophie.
I know the setup seems cliche—blind guy falls in love with girl who is unattractive on the outside but lovely on the inside—but with her usual wry, witty style, Costa keeps this story from becoming a cliche.
In her depiction of Sophie’s injury and what her life is like, Costa doesn’t pull any punches. Sophie’s injury isn’t just a bit of scarring, like on half her face or something, to make her a tragic figure. Her scarring is devastating and unavoidable. It’s the kind of scarring that makes people turn away, not in disgust so much as it causes a gut-wrenching horror of how badly things can go wrong for a person. It’s the kind of injury that makes people afraid, the kind of injury that could give a person nightmares if they thought about it too deeply.
And then, as if the childhood trauma itself isn’t tragic enough, Sophie has had to live with being ostracized and avoided her whole life. While she is smart, funny, and kind, her prospects are not good for ever finding romantic love.
Sophie is okay with this. She is happy in her life and has adjusted as well as anyone could to living with her scars. She truly does not need a man. Until she meets Colin.
For the first time in her life, she has met a guy who can look beyond the scarring because he can’t see it in the first place. As she gets to know Colin, she starts to think that maybe it could work between them. They are perfect for each other in every way. The catch? She just has to make sure he falls for her before anyone tells him what she looks like.
Costa shows the heartbreaking pain Sophie experiences every day from others’ reactions to her face, and it was at times hard to read. At the same time, though, I was pulling for this heroine more than any other because her story was so poignant. Her obstacle was so huge that I wanted her to have a huge payout.
Costa also does a great job of getting into Colin’s head and showing what it’s like to be blind. Her depiction is realistic and makes the reader aware of things that he or she normally wouldn’t think about—like the fact that, although Colin’s hearing is just fine, people often address his mother or best friend to ask what Colin’s preferences would be rather than asking Colin himself. In a way, he experiences the same kind of avoidance Sophie does.
Overall, Love is Blind is a well-written story about two strong people who just want to live their lives like everyone else, but they keep having to fight the labels and misconceptions of society to do so. It is one of Costa’s best novels to date. -
4.5🌟
This book is thoroughly engrossing and a very emotional read. Colin is severely injured in Iraq, and is blinded as a result. He is angry, frustrated, depressed. He is having a difficult time adjusting to life as a blind man. He is a tormented soul, but no one is able to help him. As I read the book though, Colin sounded much younger than his 31 years. I was saddened by the way he was treated. It just illustrates that while people talk about acceptance, they can never seem to treat or talk to a disabled person, well, like a person.
Sophie is a librarian and the children love her, especially her twice-weekly story time with them. When Sophie was two years old, a pot of boiling water was left on the stove, and Sophie accidentally pulled the pot down on top of her head. As a result of the fourth degree burns, she suffered horrendously. She lost her ears, her nose and mouth, and her chest was scarred as well. She underwent over 30 surgeries during her younger years. She has made peace with herself and she immerses herself in the world of books. Almost everyone treats her differently, and not in a good way. Sophie has resigned herself to a life without a man.
One day, however, Colin, walks into the library to get books in braille, which he finds extremely difficult at the second level. Sophie cannot take her eyes off of the gorgeous hunk. What happens when these two people who are grappling with some pretty hefty issues meet?
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. Colin’s and Sophie’s characters were well fleshed out. There were a couple of petty people who did mean and malicious things to further torment and harangue Sophie and rounded out the story nicely. I enjoyed this book immensely and it was a worthwhile use of my time. -
Loved this book!!
Some books really touch your heart and this book definitely touched mine! I read it the first time a week ago in one day...then I started reading it again slower so I could really savor it. I generally read inspirational and sweet/clean romances. Annabelle has a gift of taking characters with disabilities, and making them not only the most unique heroes and heroines, but also the most authentic. She shows their vulnerability as well as their courage. Their imperfections and their strengths. I absolutely feel in love with Colin, the blind war hero and Sophie, who had a facial deformity but was one of the most beautiful in spirit heroines I have ever read. Their story deeply touched my heart. As I mentioned earlier I usually read sweet and inspirational fiction so this story differs from that genre with strong language at times and sexual references. But the plot is worth overlooking those things. Sophie and Colin will long live in my heart as one of my favorite H/h. Highly recommend!! -
An Incredibly Compelling Story Interweaving Romance, Drama, and Wit! WHAT a good book! I immediately cared so much about Sophie I kept reading this book at demon-speed to find out what happens to her - not just with Colin, but with the hateful forces in her life that despise her because of both her injuries and her strength to succeed despite all the haters. Costa builds an epically wonderful relationship between Colin and Sophie, who just plain like each other so much that it quickly sizzles into something more. And the climax, the dark moment, the How-will-this-ever-work-out ending ARE JUST SO BRILLIANTLY DONE- with expert plotting that takes you through emotional highs and lows that will have you re-reading again and again just to feel all those feels one more time. I highly recommend this book!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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2.75 stars ⭐️.
A heartwarming story that is not safe☹️.
An injured war hero and a burn survivor, sweet heroine, I loved them both. Their day to day struggles just reminds us how fortunate and blessed we are. Loved the secondary characters too.
As hero had a one night stand after meeting and being somewhat attracted to the heroine, this is not a safe book. Moreover I think that scene wasn’t relevant to the story. -
Love is Blind is a sweet, often heartbreaking story of the challenges Colin and Sophie face on their road to find love. It's wonderfully written with relatable characters as well as a few horribly despicable one! Annabelle Costa can certainly create ignorance and evil as well as the goodness of others. Great read!
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4.5*
This is a new author for me and I went into this book knowing very little in advance. I found it from a fb group and Ive got to say im so glad I did. This book actually made me cry. I loved Sophie (and not because my daughter has the same name lol) I can' count on one hand hiw many books I have read with a Main Character who has severe injuries like Sophie does but it is never as moving as this one
I really liked Colin, yes ok he didn't handle finding out about Sophie in the best way partly because she hid it from him and the way he found out.and what he did say about her (not knowing she could hear and wasn't actually directed at her since her didn't know) But he did redeem himself in the end and I'm so glad he stood up for her.
I loved that Sophie wasn't anything but accepting of Colin due to him being blind (due to injury from been in the Army) and how she helped him over come his issue with learn to read braille and get his love of reading back.
The only thing letting it down for 5* is I wanted more of their relationship after getting together and and epilogue of more into the future for them than a yesr later (but that is just my opinion).
Honestly this book was excellent and so glad I found it would recommend that anyone who wants an emotional heartwarming read to try this book. -
This is my second book by Annabelle Costa and I really liked it. The message about body shaming and the prejudice about disabilities are serious topics and I felt like she nailed it. I like both Sophie and Colin and I could understand why she was hesitating to tell him about her face and it wasn't like she intended to keep this to her self forever. She was starved for affection and when he showed her some, I couldn't blame her for keeping the secret a bit longer, seeing how people react to her appearance. Colin was angry with the world about his accident which ended his career in the army or so he thought. Coming to terms with his new life was really hard for him. Meeting Sophie was a turning point and I was really glad how he made up after messing everything up.
I enjoyed the story. 4 stars
NOTE: I saw some bad reviews here and everybody is entitled to have his own opinion. However, I'm always stunned when I read comments on those reviews from people who say: "Oh, it sounded nice but if you say it's bad then I won't read it!" Guys, I almost missed some really great books just because reviews said it was awful. Give it a try and if you don't like it then you can quit and no harm done. I was lucky to read it with Kindle Unlimited for free. -
This was a very engaging and sometimes humorous read, told from the dual perspective of the H/h.
The H - Colin - starts off as sullen, argumentative, and just plain 'ol pissed off. Returning home after being injured in Iraq, he's now blind and living at home with his parents. He used to be an avid reader and with that, knows that he really needs to learn braille. Colin's hating life.
The h - Sophie - is a sweetheart. She has a calm, patient demeanor, and the kids at the library where she works love her. Considering her facial disfigurement from being burned as a toddler, this woman has been through a lot- painful surgeries over the years, as well as mistreatment, revulsion, and just plain ol' nastiness. Yet, she maintains her kindness and dignity. One could see how/why Colin fell for her.
I loved watching the growing attachment between these two semi-awkward bookish friends. And I loved when the main meanies in the book got their comeuppance.
With the exception of the scene where Colin and his friend Dan pick up two girls at a bar (which was funny) and near the end, there really wasn't any sex in this book, but that's okay. It was a great, well-written story. -
This book had such potential. I loved the angsty setup. My heart broke for the FMC!
I was sort of disgusted by how dehumanized the other woman the MMC slept with before hooking up with the FMC. That scene was more explicit than any with the FMC and it put a damper on the story for me, as did the slut shaming.
Also the poor FMC was constantly described as disgusting and treated as such because she suffered horrific burns as a child. I know some people are disgusting pigs, but surely the majority of people aren’t so awful!
Anyway, the resolution was pretty anticlimactic and I wasn’t feeling the chemistry between the MC’s. -
Annabelle is a one click author for me. I know that every time I read one of her books it’s gonna suck me in. I love her quick wit, unique storylines and her engaging characters.
This is Annabelle’s first story with a blind character (who also was a veteran) and I couldn’t wait to read it.
We meet Sophie, a sweet librarian who loves to read to children and enjoys her job. Sophie is also badly disfigured from an accident as a child.
Colin former veteran and a hottie, blinded in the line of duty. He goes to the library in search of some braille books for practice after his parents urge him to get out of the house.
They meet, sparks fly and it has all of the great chemistry between a couple that you’d expect from one of Annabelle’s novels.
Yes, at first I feared the setup would be a bit cliche, and you KNOW the inevitable fall-out is coming about Sophie not revealing her disfigurement to Colin. But Annabelle never disappoints. As usual, the author tackles a difficult subject with dignity and humor and keeps the pages turning with her compelling storyline not only with the main conflict of the couple, but the individual conflicts the characters are going through.
Because of her disfigurement, Sophie has been shunned her entire life and had to endure judgment. But in spite of all this she’s happy, and loves the person she is on the inside. Still, her looks cause issue when having to work in a position with facing the public on a daily basis. She deals with rude bosses, mean girls and work drama.
At the same time Colin is fighting for his independence from overbearing parents, trying to come to grips with his blindness.
I love how all this internal conflict adds to the richness and depth of her character development. We really get to know these characters and the struggles that each of them face on a daily basis, and understand WHY they make the choices they do. THAT is what is so great about all Annabelle’s books. Her characters aren’t perfect. They make mistakes. They’re REAL people. That is how you know her books will NEVER be boring.
Such a beautiful, heartwarming story, with the wit and humor you’d expect sprinkled in from one of Annabelle’s books. -
How I wish real life reflected books that we read. Liked this story about love being blind. Author wrote likeable characters.
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☺☺☺☺
A clever romance, with quirky interesting characters, a good plot and nice pacing. Sophie and Colins story is a good read, but be aware it's not really "clean". -
There is none so blind as him who will not see.
It's uplifting to read about overcoming obstacles and with love it's a lot easier. I am happy to read it's do-able too. -
היי חברים וחברות,
רציתי ספר קליל ומתוק כי היום אני מקבלת את המודפס של הספר הכי מרגש שקראתי בשנים האחרונות 😍
חיפשתי בגודרידרס את מה שיכול להתאים לי בול,
נזכרתי בספר שקראתי לא מזמן, של אנבל קוסטה.
ואמרתי שהיא זו שתעזור לי.
עברתי על הספרים שלה וכשקראתי את התקציר של הספר הנ"ל, הבנתי שהוא יהיה מושלם.
א. יש פה חייל
ב. חייל שנפגע בזמן שהגן על המולדת שלו (מי לא ירצה לקרוא?!)
ג. ודוגרי, הכי חשוב... יש פה בחורה לא מושכת.
ולא.. לא בגלל שהיא שוקלת 65 ולא 50 (מה שעושים לרוב).. לא.. יש פה סיבה למה ה love interest שלנו עיוור.
ואף אחד לא עשה את עד כה (וקראתי עכשיו 499 ספרים ופרשתי מעוד איזה מאה) אז זה יתרון ענק (בשבילי)
מה שאפשר להגיד לטובה על הסופרת היא לא מרחמת על הקוראות... ממש לא.
אני אהבתי את זה.. לא בטוחה שכל אחת תחשוב כמוני.
דבר נוסף שמאוד נהנתי ממנו זה שזה ספר נקי...
אין פה סקס.
יש פה עלילה *-*
יש לנו פה סיפור על בחורה מדהימה, עם לב ענק.. שקרה לה משהו נוראי בגיל שנתיים, שהרס את חייה..
פחות או יותר
וחייל משוחרר.. שלומד לחיות חיים חדשים.
אז אתם בטח שואלים אותי, מה הרס לי את הספר אם אהבתי הכל (בהתחלה) ~ זה הפלוט טוויסט.. היה אחד הגרועים שקיים בעולם!
וזה ממש הכעיס אותי... אבל אחרי זה שחררתי.. כי.. בסדר .. מה שקשה להגיד על חברת קריאה הנאמנה שלי, שיודעת למה שקורה בכל ספר שאני קוראת... (בין אם רוצה או לא) היא לא סלחה לבן אדם... מבחינתה שיחזור לאפגניסטן.
הספר מתחיל מסופי, סופי עובדת בספריה, ופעמיים בשבוע היא קוראת לילדים :)
The book I’m reading is The Three Little Pigs, but it’s told from the point of view of the wolf. I like books like that. Ones that show every character in a book has their own perspective on a story.
וכבר בהתחלה מספרים לנו שעל אף שלסופי יש נשמה יפייפיה.. המראה..
“Declan,” the mother says, as she attempts to gently pry the boy from her hip, “this nice lady is reading a fun story. Why don’t you sit down and listen?” “She’s not a nice lady,” the boy, Declan, mumbles into his mother’s pants. “Declan…” He lifts his little blond head just enough that I can see one blue eye staring at me accusingly. “She’s a monster.”
אהבתי מאוד את האופי של סופי
Up close, she’s even more attractive. She’s around my age, and still has that fresh-faced young look that I might have if… well, you know.
היא מאוד חזקה!!
אהבתי את קולין גם כן, לא רק כי הוא חייל משוחרר.. הבן אדם אוהב לקרוא 😍
I know what you’re thinking—the military tough guy can’t read books anymore, big godddamn deal. But to hell with stereotypes—I used to love to read. The guys all thought it was wicked funny that I always had a book stashed in my rucksack. I’ve got two bookcases filled to the brim with books in my bedroom at home. Two bookcases filled with books I can’t read anymore.
בזכות העבודה של סופי בספרייה.. ובזכות האהבה של קולין לספרים... הגיבורים שלנו נפגשים.
אבל לא.. אין פה ניצוצות ופרפרים וחדי קרן מפליצים קשת בענן... לא....
I make my way back over to the desk. I could be upset that Colin was such a jerk to me, but I’m not. This is a good thing. Next time someone makes an idiotic comment to me about how I should date a blind guy, I’ve got a perfect answer: I tried to talk to a blind guy and he was the biggest jerk I ever met.
הבן אדם לא נמצא במצב טוב
Everyone who cares about me is worried I’m going to off myself. But I wouldn’t do that. I’ve never seriously considered it.
אבל בגלל שהיא מותק הם מתחברים
“I have to start somewhere though, right?” “So here’s the thing.” I lean toward him, which is something I wouldn’t ordinarily do. Usually I keep my distance from people when we’re talking and they do the same for me. But Colin doesn’t back off when I lean forward.
ולראשונה סופי ממש נהנת מהיחס
He actually looks happy for the first time since he set foot in the library last week. And the expression on his face is something I’ve never quite experienced before when a man has been looking at me. Is he… interested in me? Maybe he is. After all, he doesn’t have a clue what I look like. And I think we’ll keep it that way.
לקראת רבע הספר, סופי סוף סוף בוטחת בנו מספיק ומספרת לנו מה קרה לה
I wish there were some heroic story behind it. Maybe our house was on fire and I rushed back inside to save my beloved dog or baby sister. But it wasn’t anything like that. It was just a story of stupidity. I pulled a pot of boiling water from the stove over my head. Yes, I did this awful thing to myself. But it wasn’t like it was a well-thought out plan. I was two.
ומסבירה לנו שהיא לא ישבה בחיבוק ידיים עם המראה שלה
Sometimes people will ask me if I’ve considered plastic surgery. I find that hilarious, because to date, I’ve had thirty-eight surgeries. Obviously, I had skin grafts on my face to replace the skin that was removed. This had to be done multiple times due to infection. Unfortunately, skin grafts on the face tend to shrink under the best circumstances, but it’s even worse with a growing girl. The grafts had to be repaired as I got older, but they never really looked anything like normal skin.
אבל יש גבול
There were other surgeries I might have had, but around the time I turned eight years old, I started having panic attacks about my surgeries. I’d had dozens of surgeries at that point, and even the thought of another surgery sent me into a tailspin of terror.
מצד שני, קולין זוכה לקצת אקשן
“So, Colin,” Ashlynn says. “Would you like to see my room?” I would, but I think we can all agree that’s never going to happen.
אנחנו רואים את החיים של סופי, ועל אף שהיא בחורה חזקה, עצמאית ואופטימית... הם קשים.
I don’t need a man. I don’t. But I’d be lying if I said the thought of being alone the rest of my life doesn’t sometimes get me down.
מצד שני, קולין הופך למותק
I want to read A Tree Grows in Brooklyn, just so I can discuss it with her. Sophie. Shit, I really like her.
אחרי האמצע, מתחילים להופיע הניצוצות והפרפרים
We both stand there a minute, staring at each other. Well, I’m staring at him. And he’s sort of looking in my general direction. My heart is pounding so hard, it’s almost painful.
וסופי מנסה בכל כוחותיה לעזור לו
“That’s really cool how you read to the kids,” he says. “I can tell from listening how much they love it.” A brilliant idea suddenly occurs to me. “You should read to the kids next week.” The smile slips from his face. “I should… what?” “That would be perfect!” The more I think about it, the more excited I am about this idea. “I can give you a kids’ book in braille and you can read it to them. They would get such a kick out of that. It would be really educational for them… and you’d have fun too.” Colin’s already fair skin turns a shade paler. “No, I… I don’t think I’d do a good job.”
לא כולם חושבים כמוהה
“There’s an old lady at the counter,” Dan says. “Is that Sophie? You don’t really know how old she is, do you?” “She’s not an old lady, asshole.” “Oh!” He laughs. “There’s this deformed girl at the counter. Maybe that’s her.” I feel like all the air has suddenly left my body. I’m afraid to even breathe. “That could be Sophie, right?” Dan presses him, although I can tell he’s joking. “Should I ask her?” “Shut up.” “She’s missing her ears and… well, she sort of has a nose… not really much of a chin…” Dan is grinning now. “Does your Sophie have ears and a nose?” “You’re an idiot.” “Well, you don’t really know Sophie isn’t deformed, do you?” “She’s not deformed.” “But you don’t know…” “Shut the fuck up, Dan.” “So you’re saying you wouldn’t date a deformed girl?” “Christ! No, I wouldn’t date a deformed girl, okay?”
נשבר לי הלב
I barely make it out to my car before bursting into tears.
ואם זה לא מספיק
“I had nightmares for a year,” she says. I blink at her. “What?” “Because of you,” she says quietly. “Because of seeing you every day in class. Having you in my house. I… I used to wake up screaming…” I get a sick feeling at the pit of my stomach. She used to wake up screaming? Because of me? Dawn focuses her cool blue eyes on me. “Why do you think I switched schools?” I take a step back. I had thought Dawn moved away and that’s why she left school. It never would have occurred to me in a million years it had anything to do with me. “I didn’t know,” I murmur. “Of course you don’t,” she snaps at me. “You have no clue the sort of impact that… someone like you can have on small children. I won’t have that happen to my son. I won’t have him frightened to enter the library the way I was scared to go to school every day.”
רציתי ללכת לרסס את העיירה המחורבנת שלה!
כי הם נוראיים... והיא מדהימה
“That’s completely inappropriate, Sophie.” I stare at her. “It is?” “Isn’t it enough that you read to them once a week?” she says. “Do we really need to subject these poor children to that?” “God, Carrie,” I say. “He’s blind, not a sex offender. I thought it would be educational for the children to learn how people with vision problems read.” “You know the parents won’t like this.” “I’m sure your friend Dawn Sheehan won’t like this,” I retort. “I think the other parents will be thrilled.” Carrie throws up her hands. “Fine. Do what you want. But when Steve starts getting complaints, I’m going to tell him you went behind my back.” “Fine,” I say through my teeth. I’d really like to meet the women who complain about a blind war hero reading a book to their children. But I’m sure Dawn Sheehan will figure out a way to make it sound like a tragedy for the kids.
עוזרת לפוץ הזה למרות הכל.
והוא כן משכנע אותה לצאת איתו לדייט
My first real date since my injury. The logistics of it are troubling. I can’t pick her up because I can’t drive. I won’t be able to open the car door for her or pull out her chair at the restaurant without risking major injury. And when I pay, there’s a fifty-fifty shot I might accidently try to pay with my library card. It’s not what I want by any means. Still, as I say goodbye to Sophie, I don’t feel anything but happy.
ואז מגיע הפלוט טוויסט הכי נוראי שאפשר היה להמציא 🤦🏼♀️
“What did you tell him?” Sophie screams at Carrie. “The truth, Sophie. He deserved to know.” I look up and see the shadowy blur of the woman I’d planned to spend tonight with. I try to squint and make out any features, but of course, I can’t. I can’t make out anything. “Colin…” Sophie’s voice is strangled. I stare at the dark, fuzzy outline of her head. “Is it true?” In response to my question, she lets out a sob. And then I hear footsteps and she’s gone.
וזה שובר אותה 🥺
My goddamn burns have taken everything from me. The job I want. Any chance of love. It’s so unfair.
האידיוט לא מוותר
“You should have told me,” he finally says. “Well, I didn’t,” I say. “Can’t change that now. So…” Leave, Colin. Get out of here. I know you want to. “Listen…” He rubs at the back of his neck. “Can we talk about this over dinner? The smell is getting to me.” I snort. “So you still want to go out with me tonight?” “I want to talk to you more about this.” “Well, I don’t.” I shut my eyes, blacking out the world the way Colin does every hour of every day. “There’s nothing to talk about. I get the message.”
כי בכל זאת יש בו משהו..
“No, Sophie,” he says quickly. “Look, I told you, I want to talk about this.” “We just talked.” “That’s not what I mean.” I shake my head, even though he can’t see it. It’s so hard to let go of expressing thoughts with gestures. “It wouldn’t be a date anymore though, would it?” He hesitates. I don’t know how Carrie described my face exactly, but I have a feeling she didn’t spare any graphic details. He’s imagining kissing lips that don’t really exist. He’s imagining my mangled face close to his. And I can see on his own face that he doesn’t find the idea quite so appealing anymore. “I don’t know,” he finally admits. I can’t reply to him, because if I do, I’ll burst into tears again. “Look, you gotta give me some time to… absorb this,” he says. “I only just found out five minutes ago.” “Right,” I mumble. “I don’t know what you want from me,” he says, the anger growing in his voice again. “I literally just walked through a garbage dump to find you.” I snort. “How gallant of you.” “Come on, Sophie…” “Listen, let me make this easy for you,” I say. “I don’t think it’s a good idea we go out. Not as friends, not as anything. We had some good times together, and let’s just leave it at that. You’re a nice guy—I’m sure you’ll meet someone else who will make you happy.” I hesitate a moment after my little speech. I’m waiting for him to say something like, No, Sophie! Don’t go! I love you! But of course, he doesn’t. He wouldn’t. If he did, it would be a lie. So I walk away.
לא שהוא מספיק טוב בשבילה, כן? 🙄
אבל....
I squeeze my eyes shut, taking a deep breath to try to calm myself down. I can’t believe this happened. Here I was, about to have the best night of my life in a year, and now it’s over, just like that. Why did Dan have to make those dumb jokes at Dunk’s? What the hell is wrong with him? I only said what I said because… well, he was ragging on me and what was I supposed to say? It was a fucking joke. If I knew Sophie was disfigured and she was standing a few feet away from me, I would have obviously put more thought into my answer.
סופי מקבלת את זה יפה
An hour later, I have learned an important lesson: alcohol dulls pain.
ומה שממש אהבתי פה, זה שיש לה חברת אמת מהממת
“So what are you drinking?” “Pinot noir.” “Pinot noir?” She snorts. “Sophie, you know nothing about drowning your sorrows in alcohol.” “I guess not.” “Don’t move,” she says. “I’ll be there in ten minutes.” “Natalie, you don’t have to—” “I’m coming,” she insists. “And I’m bringing whiskey.”
בינתיים קולין מנסה להבין את כל הבולשיט שקורה
“It was really bad,” he says. “Really. You definitely don’t want to go out with a girl who looks like that.” His words tug at me. “What is that supposed to mean?” “I’m just telling you as your friend,” he says. “Trust me. She was like a fucking circus freak or something. You dodged a bullet.” My heart is thumping in my chest. “What kind of shitty thing to say is that?” “What kind of…?” Dan sounds baffled. “I’m just being honest with you, man. I’m being your eyes for you. If you could see, you’d never go out with a girl who looks like her.” My ears grow warm. “Do you think I’m some kind of superficial asshole? That I wouldn’t go out with a great girl just because of how she looks?” Dan’s glass slams on the table. “What the fuck, Kelly? I’m just being honest with you! You’re the one who’s having a shit fit over this!” “Yeah, because she lied about it!” “Well, who the hell could blame her?” He’s right. How could I have expected her to tell me when she knew firsthand how everyone reacted to her appearance? She wasn’t playing me for a fool. She just cared about what I thought too much to tell me the truth. She was terrified I’d ditch her the second I knew. And when I found out, I acted exactly the way she had worried I would. Like a superficial asshole. Like everyone else. “I’ve got to call Sophie,” I say.
הבוקר שאחרי וויסקי תמיד 'נחמד'
The icepick jabs me insistently as I attempt to get into a sitting position. Oh Lord, I feel sick. Why did I do that to myself? Why? Then I glance over at my phone on the nightstand and see several missed calls from Colin Kelly. Oh. Right. That’s why.
והיא לא רוצה רוצה לשמוע את מה שיש לו להגיד
I hover over his phone number. I remember the flash of joy I had felt every time his name popped up on my screen. It always made me smile. After a moment of hesitation, I touch the button that says “Block this caller.”
למרות שהבחור מנסה
I’ve sent her an embarrassing number of texts and called her multiple times. I don’t know if she’s blocked my number or if she’s reading everything I send her and just choosing to ignore me. While I hate the idea of her blocking me, there’s part of me that hopes she hasn’t read all my texts. Some of them are fine, but some are painfully sappy, some are angry, and my more recent ones have veered dangerously into the vicinity of pathetic begging.
עם קמצוץ של סטוקר
Anyway, today is Monday and that means Sophie can’t hide from me anymore. I’m going to the library today to find her.
ממש טיפה
I’ll have to come back tomorrow. And then the next day. I’ll be here every goddamn day until she shows up. Unless, of course, she quits. Then I’m screwed.
החיילצ'ק לא מוותר
I hope I didn’t blow it with her. She’s still blocking my calls. I’m scared I’ve lost my chance forever. I’d do anything to get her back. Even this. My cane hits something in my path.
ויאי יש לנו שיר שמקשר לספר
I said something wrong, Now I long for yesterday
הוא מוצא אותה
“I really like you, Sophie. A lot.” She lets out a snort. “Colin, please don’t feel like you have to—” “I don’t feel like I have to do anything!” I’m trying to keep the anger out of my voice. “The truth is, Sophie, I… I can’t get you out of my head. I’ve been beating myself up for screwing things up with you. Please, give me another chance.” “You don’t mean that,” she mumbles. “I heard what you said to your friend.”
כי הוא אוהההההההב אותה
There are parts of Sophie that are perfect and parts that are not perfect. And I’m falling in love with all of them.
הספר קיבל ממני 2 כוכבים, כי רובו היה לא רע.. אפס כימיה, אבל הסיפור מתוק... אבל הפלוט טוויסט המחורבןןןןןןן בע. -
This was far from a warm and tender book, what with all the ableism floating around. The plot is simple: a blind ex-army guy falls for a woman whose face is badly disfigured stemming from a childhood accident. Colin falls for Sophie the librarian because of her sexy voice, and Sophie withholds the truth of her appearance for obvious reasons, and because she's desperate to go out on a real date with someone she's attracted to and who is attracted to her. Naturally it falls apart.
This book had many enraging parts. Dawn, an old bully from Sophie's elementary days starts a campaign to get her abolished from working in the children's section of the library because Dawn couldn't get over her own self-absorption and how Sophie's disfigurement gave her "nightmares". Dawn was a petty b*tch with a capital B and had an accomplice, Sophie's boss Carrie who was a real piece of work.
Them aside, the pace of this was a little maddening. It took forever for Sophie and Colin to meet, for them to exchange phone numbers because anytime Colin tried to work up the nerve to ask, they were interrupted. The two of them had encounters with horridly unpleasant people who wouldn't be able to last a day in their shoes.
There were a couple of scenes that bothered me which might seem irrelevant or innocuous to everyone else, but stood out to me. There's one scene of Sophie reading what the Disney princesses liked to eat. Tiana and Mulan weren't mentioned (I peeped that although Tiana is a whole CHEF) but Jasmine was; however, one of the children just had to let everyone know her dad had naked pictures of Jasmine. Unclear if it was cartoon Jasmine or a porn star cosplaying Jasmine. In either case, why was this princess of color sexualized?? Also, Sophie just kind of brushed it off while I'm going to myself I'm pretty sure Jasmine is a minor. SMH. The other scene that bothered me was Sophie's first time being of dubious consent. A dude she was with in college was drunk while she was sober. Hmm.
I swear this book and plenty more like it makes me feel like I'm the fun police. Ugh. But this affected my enjoyment of the story. The one positive I can say is how Colin went about groveling to get back into Sophie's good graces. That's a spoiler so I'll just leave it at that. Overall, this isn't a book you read to feel better about the world that's for sure. But I guess you could say it's wish fulfillment: a woman with facial deformities still able to land a hot and buff guy even when he's blind. Or perhaps a lesson on how real love isn't superficial.
