Ruth Cardello hit the New York Times and USA Today Bestsellers Lists for the first time back in 2012. Millions of sales are evidence that her that her books are akin to potato chips, addictive from the first one. She has created a multi-series billionaire world with a combination of escapism and realism that has gained her a faithful following of readers.
She was an educator for 20 years, the last 11 as a kindergarten teacher. When her school district began cutting jobs, Ruth turned a serious eye toward her second love- writing and has never been happier. When she’s not writing, you can find her chasing her children around her small farm or connecting with her readers online.
Oh, Ian!
“Be kind to each other—no matter where this goes. That’s all I ask.” Ian’s eyes riveted to Claire’s again. Kind. No, he hadn’t always been that with her. “Is that the secret to making it work?”
Without missing a beat, his father replied, “It’s the secret to being able to look yourself in the mirror and not hate the person looking back. Relationships aren’t easy. Even at their best, they’re messy, gut-wrenching, all-consuming. Nothing will ever cut as deeply as a look of disappointment in the eyes of the person you love.”
–Dale Barrington, Never Goodbye
I have always wondered how Ian Barrington’s story would come about, and I am happy to say that I was not disappointed at all!
Ian was the eldest, the fixer. The one who carried the most guilt when his brother, Kade, was separated from his family. To compensate for what he believed was his shortcoming, he compensated by leading a double life, one who provides results for situations otherwise thought to be hopeless. In doing so, he became ruthless and suspicious of anything and anyone he comes in contact with, especially when it deals with his family.
Claire Wendell put her career on the line when she decided to help Ian’s long-lost brother, Kade, and his wife, Annie–Claire’s best friend, reintegrate into the Barrington family. Ian’s parents decide to visit her in Australia. Ian follows them to see what she was up to, only to end up falling for Claire.
This was exactly how I pictured Ian’s story to end, with him being put in his place by a woman who turned out to be his equal. I love that in the end, Ruth Cardello managed to bring closure to the Barringtons.
I also appreciate the lesson Ruth Cardello imparted to us, her readers–that no matter the situation, trust, and faith, must always be present in everything that we do. Trust and faith in others, and most importantly, in ourselves. Otherwise, everything we live for will be for naught.
A person either adapted or imploded. People thought they wanted fame until every move they made was dissected—and fed to the masses often harshly and inaccurately. Demon or saint, the media chose how to portray someone, and many people fell into the trap of defining themselves in terms of how the public saw them.
–Ruth Cardello, Never Goodbye
Trusting and putting our faith in other’s hands does not mean relinquishing control of our destiny. It does not mean that we are weak. It means, simply, that we are willing to grow.
“Focus on what is within your control to affect and not on the noise of what you cannot.”
–Ruth Cardello, Never Goodbye
It is accepting that whatever life throws our way, be it a happy occurrence or sad, there will always be someone out there who is experiencing the opposite, and that’s okay.
“We are more than what happens to us. Don’t give anyone the power to change who you are, Ian.”
–Ruth Cardello, Never Goodbye
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