Beyond Believing by D.D. Marx
Next Century Publishing
ISBN: 978-1629038148
Published: April 7, 2015
Hardcover, 248 pages

My Review
Reviewed by Laura Fabiani

Beyond Believing is ultimately a story about friendship and the power of believing that friendships last forever. The story is told alternatively from the viewpoints of Olivia and Finn until they finally meet. It begins in the 1980s when Olivia is in high school and follows her as she graduates from college, gets a job, and finally meets the love of her life later on in her forties.


I grew up as a teen in the 1980s so all of the references to that time brought back memories for me. Olivia is a fun-loving, feisty, headstrong girl who loves to socialize. She has many friends and her best friend is a boy named Dan. When he dies in a car accident, she is devastated. But life goes on and we follow as both Olivia and Finn, living in different parts of the world learn to live with tragedy.

The story is told in a diary fashion with little dialogue, so there is a lot of telling rather than showing. It took me awhile to get used to this at the beginning, but once I did, I felt like I was privy to Olivia's private thoughts and it made for an intimate read. Three-quarters into the book when Olivia finally meets Finn and their stories merge, I couldn't put the book down. At one point I was roaring with laughter. Olivia is so genuine and honest and she is downright funny. The scenes about her getting ready for a date had tears running down my cheeks.

So this was a fast read, with a little bit of a slow beginning for me but then the pace picked up and I felt I could relate to Olivia. Her story became more interesting as the book progressed. It's a feel-good story that will leave you with a smile on your face. Beyond Believing is the first book in a trilogy. Look out for Beyond Love and Beyond Forever coming up soon. I look forward to seeing what else Marx has in store for our heroine Olivia now that she found her happy ending.

Note: This book is rated PG-13 for some f-words and a sexual scene that is not explicit.
To read more reviews, please visit D.D. Marx's page on iRead Book Tours.

D.D. Marx is a contemporary romantic fiction writer and blogger, as well as a lover of all things social. She is a graduate of the University of Dayton, as well as the Second City program in Chicago, where she currently resides. A proud aunt and self-described hopeless romantic, Marx has always has a knack for humorous and engaging storytelling. Her pen name is a dedication to her beloved friend Dan, who continues to guide and inspire her in her daily life.


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Disclosure: Thanks to the author for sending me this book for review. I was not compensated in any other way, nor told how to rate or review this product.