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A Way to Get By
What happens after The Ballad of Brenda and Eddie?
This is not a romantic comedy.
This is not a fairytale.
This is not what you’re expecting.
Lies, secrets, betrayal.
Marriage, divorce, sex.
Love, heartbreak, money.
Best friends.
Old enemies.
Soul mates.
Happily Ever After comes in many forms.
A WAY TO GET BY is the story of how Brenda and Eddie found theirs.
***For ages 18+ ***READ WHEN YOU’RE IN THE MOOD FOR: Angsty, surprising, heart-breaking, infuriating true love.***
WARNING: This book is told in dual POV with a non-linear timeline.
This is not a romantic comedy.
This is not a fairytale.
This is not what you’re expecting.
Lies, secrets, betrayal.
Marriage, divorce, sex.
Love, heartbreak, money.
Best friends.
Old enemies.
Soul mates.
Happily Ever After comes in many forms.
A WAY TO GET BY is the story of how Brenda and Eddie found theirs.
***For ages 18+ ***READ WHEN YOU’RE IN THE MOOD FOR: Angsty, surprising, heart-breaking, infuriating true love.***
WARNING: This book is told in dual POV with a non-linear timeline.
Unknown Binding
First published May 16, 2016
25 people are currently reading
404 people want to read
About the author
T. Torrest
23 books1,673 followersT. Torrest is a romance and chick-lit author from the U.S.; her alter ego writes eroticomedy under the name T. Torrid. Her stories are geared toward readers of any age that know how to enjoy a good laugh and a dreamy romance.
Ms. Torrest was a child of the eighties, but has since traded in her Rubik's cube for a laptop and her Catholic school uniform for a comfy pair of yoga pants. She's a pop-culture junkie, a movie aficionado, and an enthusiast of talking about herself in the third person. A lifelong Jersey girl, she currently resides there with her husband and two sons.
She also really digs it when she hears from readers, and is known to use words like "dig" in a non-sarcastic way. You can find out more about her books at her website: www.ttorrest.com
She also LOVES to get friend requests on goodreads and facebook http://www.facebook.com/pages/TTorres... and personal messages from readers via email ttorrest@optonline.net.
Ms. Torrest was a child of the eighties, but has since traded in her Rubik's cube for a laptop and her Catholic school uniform for a comfy pair of yoga pants. She's a pop-culture junkie, a movie aficionado, and an enthusiast of talking about herself in the third person. A lifelong Jersey girl, she currently resides there with her husband and two sons.
She also really digs it when she hears from readers, and is known to use words like "dig" in a non-sarcastic way. You can find out more about her books at her website: www.ttorrest.com
She also LOVES to get friend requests on goodreads and facebook http://www.facebook.com/pages/TTorres... and personal messages from readers via email ttorrest@optonline.net.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 56 reviews
May 15, 2016
*****4.5 STARS******
{ARC Generously Provided by Author}
How was I supposed to live without her? I had no idea how I was going to face the next hours much less the endless years to come. Actual tears gathered behind my eyes as I let out with a choppy breath, the pain in my chest an unbearable ache.
T. Torrest is one of my favorite authors. I became a fangirl over her when I first read her book, REMEMBER WHEN. To this day, it is still one of my all-time most treasured series. You can never accuse T. Torrest of being a predictable writer. Her stories never follow the same formula and this woman is definitely a risk taker. I admire the hell out of her. She has definitely delivered a story that is very different from what I’ve read thus far.
A WAY TO GET BY takes place over a span of a few decades, the late 60s to early 80s. The story is inspired by several songs by Billy Joel. We follow the story of Eddie and Brenda, who started off as high school sweethearts, and now after several years of marriage, they find themselves at a crossroads. They’re unable to make things work anymore between them and are about to file for divorce. We go from the past to present seamlessly and little by little we see how strongly these two loved each other and feel the heartbreak when their relationship starts to fall apart.
This book is seriously angsty, which is what I crave most in books!! I really had a very hard time liking Brenda. I actually hated her because her reasons for wanting a divorce were just loathsome to me. My heart broke for Eddie and all I could think throughout was that he deserved a woman that was a million times better than Brenda.
I know people are going to have a hard time liking this lady but stick with this one. You’ll be glad you did!
A WAY TO GET BY is due to release on May 19th. Make sure you one-click!!!
{ARC Generously Provided by Author}
How was I supposed to live without her? I had no idea how I was going to face the next hours much less the endless years to come. Actual tears gathered behind my eyes as I let out with a choppy breath, the pain in my chest an unbearable ache.
T. Torrest is one of my favorite authors. I became a fangirl over her when I first read her book, REMEMBER WHEN. To this day, it is still one of my all-time most treasured series. You can never accuse T. Torrest of being a predictable writer. Her stories never follow the same formula and this woman is definitely a risk taker. I admire the hell out of her. She has definitely delivered a story that is very different from what I’ve read thus far.
A WAY TO GET BY takes place over a span of a few decades, the late 60s to early 80s. The story is inspired by several songs by Billy Joel. We follow the story of Eddie and Brenda, who started off as high school sweethearts, and now after several years of marriage, they find themselves at a crossroads. They’re unable to make things work anymore between them and are about to file for divorce. We go from the past to present seamlessly and little by little we see how strongly these two loved each other and feel the heartbreak when their relationship starts to fall apart.
This book is seriously angsty, which is what I crave most in books!! I really had a very hard time liking Brenda. I actually hated her because her reasons for wanting a divorce were just loathsome to me. My heart broke for Eddie and all I could think throughout was that he deserved a woman that was a million times better than Brenda.
I know people are going to have a hard time liking this lady but stick with this one. You’ll be glad you did!
A WAY TO GET BY is due to release on May 19th. Make sure you one-click!!!
May 16, 2016
4 Italian Restaurant STARS
”Eddie and I were the love of each other’s lives.”
Fans of Billy Joel ever wondered what happened to Brenda and Eddie once the song ended?
Tina Torrest takes this famous couple and gives them life as Brenda Rinetti and Wilson Joel Edwards. The two main characters married for love very young and struggle financially to the point where they call it quits.
”You’re not a disappointment. You’re…You’re everything. It’s our life together that hasn’t lived up to my dreams."
Fans of the Billy Joel’s music will love the little additions of other songs and inferences as Brenda and Eddie end their relationship and marry other people. The story is told in dual POVS as they push forward in their new lives and the past chapters gifts a reader of the epic love they share.
”Of course we loved each other; that was never a question. But I knew that love wasn’t enough. We both did.”
The story is well paced, well written and entertaining. The twists and turns sadly were very predictably played out. However the story was nonetheless well paced, well written and entertaining. Lastly, its set in the 1970s-1980s and no one gives the real feel of an era (Prell, ruffled shirts, rainbow suspenders) quite like Tina!
”The choice between love or money should be an easy one.”
**ARC provided in exchange for an honest review**
”Eddie and I were the love of each other’s lives.”
Fans of Billy Joel ever wondered what happened to Brenda and Eddie once the song ended?
Tina Torrest takes this famous couple and gives them life as Brenda Rinetti and Wilson Joel Edwards. The two main characters married for love very young and struggle financially to the point where they call it quits.
”You’re not a disappointment. You’re…You’re everything. It’s our life together that hasn’t lived up to my dreams."
Fans of the Billy Joel’s music will love the little additions of other songs and inferences as Brenda and Eddie end their relationship and marry other people. The story is told in dual POVS as they push forward in their new lives and the past chapters gifts a reader of the epic love they share.
”Of course we loved each other; that was never a question. But I knew that love wasn’t enough. We both did.”
The story is well paced, well written and entertaining. The twists and turns sadly were very predictably played out. However the story was nonetheless well paced, well written and entertaining. Lastly, its set in the 1970s-1980s and no one gives the real feel of an era (Prell, ruffled shirts, rainbow suspenders) quite like Tina!
”The choice between love or money should be an easy one.”
**ARC provided in exchange for an honest review**
May 21, 2016
A Way to Get By by T Torrest
4.5 stars!!!
T Torrest is one of those authors that I can always count on to deliver a fantastic read that will make me cry all while intertwined with great music and time travel through the eras that I grew up in. Yes, A Way to Get By covers the seventies and eighties as well as the current, but this was a step away from her usual type of book and I have to say she shocked me. I got everything I expected, but I also got a heck of a lot more. This was a very different read from T Torrest, very unexpected but also very addictive. I could not put this book down and from the first to last page I was totally captivated in Brenda and Eddie’s story, couple that with a soundtrack from one of my favourite singers and I was totally sold. So I read and I listened to Billy Joel, a slice of heaven. If you are unfamiliar with Billy Joel, I would highly recommend that you listen to “Scenes from an Italian Restaurant,” this was the inspiration behind this book and is where Brenda and Eddie make their debut, but what did happen to Brenda and Eddie? T Torrest may have just hit the nail on the head…
A Way to Get by is the story of unconditional love, a love so deep and all-consuming you will do anything and everything to make that person happy including make the hugest sacrifices.
I have to say, I will be surprised if anybody and I mean anybody likes or even loves Brenda. Brenda was one of the most shallowest, self-centred and self-absorbed heroines I have ever had the misfortune to read about. She was a woman that wanted everything and wanted it now and she was the one behind all the anger I had while reading this book. She made me really really really really really angry. Like, do you get how angry I was? But I love a book with these type of characters, there are these types of women in real life, ones that have dreams and aspirations of incredible wealth yet ones that never appreciate what they have in front of them. While Eddie and Brenda lived on the breadline, they had something far more important…love, and by god did Eddie love Brenda. It is testament to the talent though of T Torrest to evoke these emotions, hate is a hard one to get out of me personally, I try to always see the best in everyone, but, alas, she had no redeeming qualities whatsoever. In Eddie’s case, love was definitely blind.
Eddie was the school manwhore, he was tall, dark and handsome and he knew it and made the most of it. But there was one girl he had always had his eye on, he knew that she was “the one” and she wasn’t a one-night girl, she was a lifetime love…his Brenda. Eddie loved Brenda with a passion, he would lay down his life for her, would do anything for her and loved her with every fibre of his being. Their love was passionate and fiery but they were the couple from high school that actually made it, they got married and they were winning. T Torrest wrung out every single emotion with these two, I felt Eddie’s love, I lived it, she was his everything and this really came across with every word and every action. It is this love that makes Brenda’s attitude all the more reprehensible.
Eddie worked hard, but it was never enough…Brenda always wanted more.
This is one incredibly angst filled ride, one that will take you on a roller coaster journey with many ups and downs and blind bends, a book that will elicit so many emotions your heart and soul won’t know what has hit it. But this is the journey of Brenda and Eddie and T Torrest’s imagination, a story borne from a classic song and one that I have been singing since I read this book. So, as Billy Joel says, grab “A bottle of red, a bottle of white. Whatever kind of mood you're in tonight” pick up A Way to Get By, get nostalgic and read an amazing book. Totally loved it, adored it even, despite the plethora of emotions that were evoked. Go in blind, listen to the song and prepare to be amazed.
Kudos to T Torrest, you nailed it.
www.theromancecover.com
4.5 stars!!!
“Brenda and Eddie were the
Popular steadies
And the king and the queen
Of the prom
Riding around with the car top
Down and the radio on” ~ Billy Joel
T Torrest is one of those authors that I can always count on to deliver a fantastic read that will make me cry all while intertwined with great music and time travel through the eras that I grew up in. Yes, A Way to Get By covers the seventies and eighties as well as the current, but this was a step away from her usual type of book and I have to say she shocked me. I got everything I expected, but I also got a heck of a lot more. This was a very different read from T Torrest, very unexpected but also very addictive. I could not put this book down and from the first to last page I was totally captivated in Brenda and Eddie’s story, couple that with a soundtrack from one of my favourite singers and I was totally sold. So I read and I listened to Billy Joel, a slice of heaven. If you are unfamiliar with Billy Joel, I would highly recommend that you listen to “Scenes from an Italian Restaurant,” this was the inspiration behind this book and is where Brenda and Eddie make their debut, but what did happen to Brenda and Eddie? T Torrest may have just hit the nail on the head…
“But when you have a marriage where only one person is invested in making it work, it can’t work.”
A Way to Get by is the story of unconditional love, a love so deep and all-consuming you will do anything and everything to make that person happy including make the hugest sacrifices.
“…can I really be blamed for the things I’ve done in the name of love?”
I have to say, I will be surprised if anybody and I mean anybody likes or even loves Brenda. Brenda was one of the most shallowest, self-centred and self-absorbed heroines I have ever had the misfortune to read about. She was a woman that wanted everything and wanted it now and she was the one behind all the anger I had while reading this book. She made me really really really really really angry. Like, do you get how angry I was? But I love a book with these type of characters, there are these types of women in real life, ones that have dreams and aspirations of incredible wealth yet ones that never appreciate what they have in front of them. While Eddie and Brenda lived on the breadline, they had something far more important…love, and by god did Eddie love Brenda. It is testament to the talent though of T Torrest to evoke these emotions, hate is a hard one to get out of me personally, I try to always see the best in everyone, but, alas, she had no redeeming qualities whatsoever. In Eddie’s case, love was definitely blind.
“She’d just want more. More money. More adventurous sex. More goddamn red pistachios in the fucking snack jar on the counter. More, more, more all the time. I just got tired of living up to her failed expectations.”
Eddie was the school manwhore, he was tall, dark and handsome and he knew it and made the most of it. But there was one girl he had always had his eye on, he knew that she was “the one” and she wasn’t a one-night girl, she was a lifetime love…his Brenda. Eddie loved Brenda with a passion, he would lay down his life for her, would do anything for her and loved her with every fibre of his being. Their love was passionate and fiery but they were the couple from high school that actually made it, they got married and they were winning. T Torrest wrung out every single emotion with these two, I felt Eddie’s love, I lived it, she was his everything and this really came across with every word and every action. It is this love that makes Brenda’s attitude all the more reprehensible.
“He left a trail of broken hearts almost as plentiful as the number of broken hymens.”
Eddie worked hard, but it was never enough…Brenda always wanted more.
“They started to fight when the
Money got tight
And they just didn't count on
The tears.” ~ Billy Joel
This is one incredibly angst filled ride, one that will take you on a roller coaster journey with many ups and downs and blind bends, a book that will elicit so many emotions your heart and soul won’t know what has hit it. But this is the journey of Brenda and Eddie and T Torrest’s imagination, a story borne from a classic song and one that I have been singing since I read this book. So, as Billy Joel says, grab “A bottle of red, a bottle of white. Whatever kind of mood you're in tonight” pick up A Way to Get By, get nostalgic and read an amazing book. Totally loved it, adored it even, despite the plethora of emotions that were evoked. Go in blind, listen to the song and prepare to be amazed.
“Everybody has a dream, Bren. I had one, too. I dreamed we’d stay together forever. It’s all I ever wanted. It’s the only dream I ever had.”
Kudos to T Torrest, you nailed it.
www.theromancecover.com
May 19, 2016
4.5 stars
“I’ve loved you during every moment since then. I will love you every minute we’re apart. I will love you even when my soul is beyond soothing, my heart is still bleeding. I will remember your smile and your laugh and the smell of your skin, although I’ll be trying my damnedest to forget. I’ve loved these days. I’ll hate the days to come.”
What a FANTASTIC concept and didn’t this show a VERY different and enthralling side to T. Torrest. We couldn’t put this addictive read down for a single minute. We almost want to say….”Will the real T Torrest please stand up!” because this was so unexpected and so unlike anything we’ve previously read by her. This author deserves a big pat on the back for this original and novel concept. Wow! What a compulsive read!
We firmly believe you will gain so much more from this story if you limit yourself to reading the synopsis and if it sounds like something that might grab your fancy then that’s really ALL you need to know! It’s best to read this story as the author intended without spoilers but be prepared to throw your Kindle a time or two ’cause this one is angsty!
‘How did I get so lucky? Just look at that girl. She was incredible, inside and out. Nobody smiled like Bren. Nobody laughed harder. Nobody looked finer. Nobody fucked better. My forever girl.’
We were immediately drawn into the story and once we twigged who the main characters were and what this story was about (we read an early copy before a synopsis was available), we were excited at the notion of discovering what happened to this mysterious couple, asking each other many a time…."where is T Torrest taking us with this story?"
If you’ve ever listened to the song, Scenes from an Italian Restaurant by Billy Joel, a song that gave us a sardonic and romantic glimpse into Long Island middle-class life in the late 70′s, then Brenda and Eddie will be familiar to you. They were the loved up King and the Queen of the prom, the couple all others aspired to, the darlings of the dating scene.
'Eddie and I were the love of each other’s lives.'
Brenda was the lazy girl who loved Eddie with a passion, the girl with champagne dreams on Eddie’s beer budget. Eddie, the sexy guy with the engineer boots, leather jacket and tight blue jeans, loved his Brenda to his core, but could he provide her with the lifestyle she craved? Was love enough for these two? Did you wonder what became of them and what really transpired? Did you ever ponder if these soulmates found their way back to each other or did their dreams disintegrate completely?
‘I would have been perfectly happy living out the rest of my days wrapped up in her arms. But when you have a marriage where only one person is invested in making it work, it can’t work.’
Well thanks to the brilliance of this authors mind, and a a little help from Billy Joel’s many songs, we at long last uncover the ins and outs, the intricacies, the angst, the passion, the love, the heartache and the complexities that is the relationship between Brenda and Eddie as T Torrest so deliciously fills in the gaps of their love story and their lives over the decades and what an exasperating and gripping story it is! We think Billy Joel will be very surprised at the path travelled by Brenda and Eddie.
‘I just got tired of living up to her failed expectations.’
We have to say that Brenda grated on us and wasn’t a particularly easy person to warm to. Whereas we fell completely in love with Eddie and our feelings never wavered in that regard, we found Brenda’s reasoning’s incomprehensible and it seemed she was incapable of seeing, and appreciating what was in front of her, but don’t let that deter you from this story because it’s one worth staying with…..not that you’ll be able to stop once you start!
“You’re not a disappointment. You’re…you’re everything. It’s our life together that hasn’t lived up to my dreams.”
What we learned about this couple blew our minds! This story had it all! Passion, yearning, heartfelt emotion, angst galore and many infuriating moments , and didn’t we LOVE IT ALL! So don’t delay! Bubble wrap your Kindle, grab a bottle of white, a bottle of red, perhaps a bottle of rose instead and prepare to devour a read you’ll be thinking about for the longest time.
Come visit and follow us at:
✲ TotallybookedBlog
✲ TB on Facebook
✲ TB on Twitter
✲ TB on Pinterest
May 19, 2016
4.5 stars
“I’ve loved you during every moment since then. I will love you every minute we’re apart. I will love you even when my soul is beyond soothing, my heart is still bleeding. I will remember your smile and your laugh and the smell of your skin, although I’ll be trying my damnedest to forget. I’ve loved these days. I’ll hate the days to come.”
What a FANTASTIC concept and didn’t this show a VERY different and enthralling side to T. Torrest. We couldn’t put this addictive read down for a single minute. We almost want to say….”Will the real T Torrest please stand up!” because this was so unexpected and so unlike anything we’ve previously read by her. This author deserves a big pat on the back for this original and novel concept. Wow! What a compulsive read!
We firmly believe you will gain so much more from this story if you limit yourself to reading the synopsis and if it sounds like something that might grab your fancy then that’s really ALL you need to know! It’s best to read this story as the author intended without spoilers but be prepared to throw your Kindle a time or two ’cause this one is angsty!
‘How did I get so lucky? Just look at that girl. She was incredible, inside and out. Nobody smiled like Bren. Nobody laughed harder. Nobody looked finer. Nobody fucked better. My forever girl.’
We were immediately drawn into the story and once we twigged who the main characters were and what this story was about (we read an early copy before a synopsis was available), we were excited at the notion of discovering what happened to this mysterious couple, asking each other many a time…."where is T Torrest taking us with this story?"
If you’ve ever listened to the song, Scenes from an Italian Restaurant by Billy Joel, a song that gave us a sardonic and romantic glimpse into Long Island middle-class life in the late 70′s, then Brenda and Eddie will be familiar to you. They were the loved up King and the Queen of the prom, the couple all others aspired to, the darlings of the dating scene.
'Eddie and I were the love of each other’s lives.'
Brenda was the lazy girl who loved Eddie with a passion, the girl with champagne dreams on Eddie’s beer budget. Eddie, the sexy guy with the engineer boots, leather jacket and tight blue jeans, loved his Brenda to his core, but could he provide her with the lifestyle she craved? Was love enough for these two? Did you wonder what became of them and what really transpired? Did you ever ponder if these soulmates found their way back to each other or did their dreams disintegrate completely?
‘I would have been perfectly happy living out the rest of my days wrapped up in her arms. But when you have a marriage where only one person is invested in making it work, it can’t work.’
Well thanks to the brilliance of this authors mind, and a a little help from Billy Joel’s many songs, we at long last uncover the ins and outs, the intricacies, the angst, the passion, the love, the heartache and the complexities that is the relationship between Brenda and Eddie as T Torrest so deliciously fills in the gaps of their love story and their lives over the decades and what an exasperating and gripping story it is! We think Billy Joel will be very surprised at the path travelled by Brenda and Eddie.
‘I just got tired of living up to her failed expectations.’
We have to say that Brenda grated on us and wasn’t a particularly easy person to warm to. Whereas we fell completely in love with Eddie and our feelings never wavered in that regard, we found Brenda’s reasoning’s incomprehensible and it seemed she was incapable of seeing, and appreciating what was in front of her, but don’t let that deter you from this story because it’s one worth staying with…..not that you’ll be able to stop once you start!
“You’re not a disappointment. You’re…you’re everything. It’s our life together that hasn’t lived up to my dreams.”
What we learned about this couple blew our minds! This story had it all! Passion, yearning, heartfelt emotion, angst galore and many infuriating moments , and didn’t we LOVE IT ALL! So don’t delay! Bubble wrap your Kindle, grab a bottle of white, a bottle of red, perhaps a bottle of rose instead and prepare to devour a read you’ll be thinking about for the longest time.
Come visit and follow us at:
✲ TotallybookedBlog
✲ TB on Facebook
✲ TB on Twitter
✲ TB on Pinterest
October 7, 2016
I highly recommend this gripping work of fiction. It's sexy and funny, sad and frustrating... and brought me back to the 70s and 80s unlike any story in recent memory. The author must be a genius or something.
May 22, 2016
So good! Review to come! <3
July 6, 2017
Wow... just wow! T. Torrest, you killed it in this one. Even though I wanted to throw my iPad a few times, I loved every minute of it.
OuteffinStanding!
5 Forever Stars!
OuteffinStanding!
5 Forever Stars!
Read
April 2, 2017Seriously? THAT is the twist?? WTeverlovingF!!
Here I was hurting for the H and h (if you even want to call them that because they are no hero and heroine), and even though I was angry with Brenda because Eddie was in so much pain, my heart still ached for both of them.
But after getting to the end and seeing what the twist is, any feelings I had for either one of them have completely transformed into loathing.
I was really enjoying this book and the emotions it elicited, and then the "twist" happened and ruined the whole damn thing. Any twist which makes me feel like I need a shower is NOT a good twist for me.
Here I was hurting for the H and h (if you even want to call them that because they are no hero and heroine), and even though I was angry with Brenda because Eddie was in so much pain, my heart still ached for both of them.
But after getting to the end and seeing what the twist is, any feelings I had for either one of them have completely transformed into loathing.
I was really enjoying this book and the emotions it elicited, and then the "twist" happened and ruined the whole damn thing. Any twist which makes me feel like I need a shower is NOT a good twist for me.
May 24, 2016
I finished this book last night at 1:30 am and I'm still recovering. I'm not even sure how to review this one other than READ THIS BOOK!!!!
T. Torrest is back and she is back with a BANG!!!
A Way to Get By is her newest release and it’s inspired by the song Scenes from an Italian Restaurant by Billy Joel.
When you read the lyrics you will have no clue what to expect. We didn’t lol Its a story of Eddie and Brenda, they meet in high school, fall in love and live happily ever after…
Or they maybe don’t?
What is marriage? Do we have soul mates? If life gets hard, do you stay and fight together or do you just walk away? Is the grass greener on the other side?
Eddie and Brenda love each other but struggle at dead end jobs. The bills are pilling up, there is never enough money. To love someone is so easy when everything is coming up roses, but when hardship clouds the blue skies, some are easier to outrun than others.
“…if you change nothing, nothing changes. The life you choose to lead is up to you.”
Let’s us prepare you… You will be angry. You will be sooooo pissed. You may want to walk away and quit.
But please don’t. Ride along through the journey that T. Torrest takes you on. Experience Brenda and Eddie’s one of a kind journey spanned over 10 plus years. This story will make you swoon, chew you up, spit you out and you’ll be ready to throw your kindle at times.
T. Torrest is back and she is back with a BANG!!!
A Way to Get By is her newest release and it’s inspired by the song Scenes from an Italian Restaurant by Billy Joel.
When you read the lyrics you will have no clue what to expect. We didn’t lol Its a story of Eddie and Brenda, they meet in high school, fall in love and live happily ever after…
Or they maybe don’t?
What is marriage? Do we have soul mates? If life gets hard, do you stay and fight together or do you just walk away? Is the grass greener on the other side?
Eddie and Brenda love each other but struggle at dead end jobs. The bills are pilling up, there is never enough money. To love someone is so easy when everything is coming up roses, but when hardship clouds the blue skies, some are easier to outrun than others.
“…if you change nothing, nothing changes. The life you choose to lead is up to you.”
Let’s us prepare you… You will be angry. You will be sooooo pissed. You may want to walk away and quit.
But please don’t. Ride along through the journey that T. Torrest takes you on. Experience Brenda and Eddie’s one of a kind journey spanned over 10 plus years. This story will make you swoon, chew you up, spit you out and you’ll be ready to throw your kindle at times.
May 27, 2016
I love this author. Her Remember When trilogy was one of my favorites. But I just did not like this. At all. I gave it 2 stars because I finished it, and I wanted to find out what happened. But that's it. For me, the whole story line was ridiculous, and I felt nothing for either of the main characters. Actually, I hated the girl, but I'm trying to be nice. I won't give up on T. Torrest, but this one is not one I would recommend to anyone.
May 19, 2016
READ. THIS. BOOK. Seriously. Read it.
I finished A Way to Get By a month ago and I’m still thinking about it. I’m also probably annoying Tina Torrest by pestering the life out of her with my questions and observations! This is one of those books where I would give it more than 5 stars, I loved it that much.
This was a completely different style to Tina’s previous books and I couldn’t get enough. I loved the dual point of view, and also the switch from past to present. The story flowed effortlessly back and forth, and I couldn’t turn the pages fast enough. I just NEEDED to know what had happened between Eddie and Bren, to take them from a couple very much in love, to so much heartache now.
Brenda and Eddie were high school sweethearts, before it all went wrong, and their tale of courtship was so sweet. Their story is set in the mid 70’s to early 80’s, and fans of Ms Torrest’s books will be pleased to know the location is the fictional town of Norman with a few Easter eggs hidden amongst the pages. Once you finish the story, make sure you head to the last few pages and you can check if you caught them all!
It’s easy to wax lyrical about a story you’ve read, and want to shout about it from the rooftops, but it’s really hard to do it for this book, because this is one of those stories where you really need to experience it for yourself. One thing is for sure, the ballad of Brenda and Eddie will leave you breathless. Their story has taken over my life! I even had to give them their very own blended name. Ladies and gentlemen, I give you *drum roll* #Breddie.
The blurb said “it’s not a romantic comedy”, but it does have some pretty funny moments.
The blurb said “it’s not a fairytale”, but the start of Eddie & Brenda’s relationship was the typical fairytale/high school sweetheart romance.
The blurb said “This is not what you’re expecting” – and that is so true.
It’s an unorthodox love story. It’s about seeing the bigger picture. It’s about putting the love of your life first, and doing whatever it takes to make them happy. Even if that means you end up miserable.
And just like Forrest Gump, that’s all I have to say about that.
May 19, 2016
My initial reaction upon finishing A WAY TO GET BY was "OMG...what did I just read...phroawwwww..." and now weeks later, I still have no idea how to explain how I feel about this book, my brain is a mess of conflicted emotions. I went into the AWTGB blind, I had read the blurb when it was first revealed but had only a vague recollection of it by the time I began, brief memories of lies and divorce and love and heartbreak, that in itself was intriguing, in an age where as a reader of predominantly contemporary romance I expect my books to be heavy on the love, I may have become entitled, I may have come to expect a certain chain of events, a predictable formula, and yet within moments of turning the first page I sat spell bound, utterly unprepared for what was unfolding before me. Am I being deliberately vague? Definitely, there's no way for me to write this review, doing this story justice that won't take away some of what makes it so special, so captivating, so riveting.
T Torrest ensured I was a fan way back with Remember When, she absolutely cemented that with the subsequent releases in the trilogy, when Down The Shore and Breaking The Ice were released I dove in reckless abandon, desperate for more of her words, I'll be honest, I absolutely thought I had her writing style pegged, I *knew* the kind of the story she was bound to release, it would no doubt meet the high expectation she had previously set, and it did, but it absolutely exceeded it as well, A Way To Get By is unlike anything I have read recently, the depth of emotion, the raw unquestioning angst, the pain and devastation of marriage breakdown, the grief of no longer having the future you planned, of what comes when I Do isn't forever, and you have to begin anew. For fans of Torrest, this will be an automatic #1click, for those new to the author, I implore you, set your expectations by the door, sit down with Eddie and Brenda and let them remind you that sometimes life isn't what you envisioned, sometimes you just need to find a way to get by.
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September 22, 2016
A Way to Get By has been on my Kindle for awhile now. I think I was holding off on starting it because of the blurb saying it was not going to be a typical romance story. I've enjoyed all of T. Torrest's other books, so I finally decided to just go for this and read it.
As with all her books, Torrest has a great storytelling voice and a way with words that draws me into the story. This book was no exception. I loved that the story was set in the 60s through 80s, and enjoyed the various pop culture and slang references from that era. For those romance and smutty book junkies out there, this book did not have any smut and any sex was pretty much implied or there were minimal details. This was fine because the story of Brenda and Eddie really did not need to focus on that stuff. You could literally feel the love and sexual tension between these two as you read their story of when they meet in high school, all through the time they share (and not share) together thereafter. This book was truly angsty because when we first meet our characters, we learn they are going through a divorce and then the subsequent chapters delve into where their marriage went wrong. Although I enjoyed this story and thought it was a fun and unique story, it was a bit frustrating for me to read due to the non-linear timeline. Every chapter began with a date, and I found myself constantly going back and forth between chapters to make sure I understood the timeline.
Overall, A Way to Get By was a fun book to experience. It was definitely not something I've read before, but as I was reading I kept finding myself thinking I could totally see this being made into a movie! I definitely recommend reading this if you're getting sick of all those cookie cutter romance and smutty books out there. This definitely focused more on an actual story. Probably not the story you are expecting, but a crazy and interesting story nonetheless.
As with all her books, Torrest has a great storytelling voice and a way with words that draws me into the story. This book was no exception. I loved that the story was set in the 60s through 80s, and enjoyed the various pop culture and slang references from that era. For those romance and smutty book junkies out there, this book did not have any smut and any sex was pretty much implied or there were minimal details. This was fine because the story of Brenda and Eddie really did not need to focus on that stuff. You could literally feel the love and sexual tension between these two as you read their story of when they meet in high school, all through the time they share (and not share) together thereafter. This book was truly angsty because when we first meet our characters, we learn they are going through a divorce and then the subsequent chapters delve into where their marriage went wrong. Although I enjoyed this story and thought it was a fun and unique story, it was a bit frustrating for me to read due to the non-linear timeline. Every chapter began with a date, and I found myself constantly going back and forth between chapters to make sure I understood the timeline.
Overall, A Way to Get By was a fun book to experience. It was definitely not something I've read before, but as I was reading I kept finding myself thinking I could totally see this being made into a movie! I definitely recommend reading this if you're getting sick of all those cookie cutter romance and smutty books out there. This definitely focused more on an actual story. Probably not the story you are expecting, but a crazy and interesting story nonetheless.
July 12, 2016
A Way To Get By is a great tribute to a song Scenes From An Italian Restaurant by Billy Joel. I love that the author used her inspiration from this great song to write a story of Eddie and Brenda. The whole book will give you little tidbits from the songs lyrics and will take you back in time to the 60's, 70's and 80's in New Jersey. I love all the nostalgic references like Prell shampoo and Noxzema cold cream. The book is super funny and told in dual alternating POV. Eddie is my favourite character because he is just so funny and he has this Italian Jersey boy attitude. You must read this book to find out what happens to Eddie and Brenda! 5- big stars!!!!!
For More Indie book reviews: Myindieauthorfix.com
For More Indie book reviews: Myindieauthorfix.com
May 28, 2016
What does it mean when I really hate the heroine but can't quit the book? Either I'm a glutton for punishment or the author just really knows what she's doing. Or probably both. I don't want sound negative bcuz I really loved this book. But Brenda was horrible. And it was pretty predictable. But I could not put this down. I read it straight through. One sitting. And then listened to Billy Joel on repeat as soon as I finished. I loved the concept. I loved the setting. It was addicting. Solid 4 stars.
June 17, 2016
I was thoroughly engrossed and really rooting for Eddie and Brenda until the 90%ish mark. I'm not going to give anything away. All I'm going to say is that the end of the book ruined the entire story.
May 31, 2016
2 stars
May 28, 2016
took me down the garden path, and slammed me into a thorny rosebush
Read
May 27, 2016Absolutely Amazing book!! Loved everything about this book♡♡♡ So intense,lots of raw emotions! Loved the characters ♡
April 3, 2017
At C.O.P.A. Saturday, April 1, 2017, when I came across Tina Torrest , heard the name but didn’t have the opportunity to read her work. Walked over introduced myself, turns out she is a North Jersey girl, just like me, I grew up in Paterson, she lives in the next town up. She starts telling me about her books, WOW, really impressed, trying hard to rein in the fangirling, but it’s impossible. Sold me by saying, A Way to Get By is loosely based on Billy Joel’s song about Brenda & Eddie. Stranger album one of my favorites started singing as I was waiting to purchased the book, yup. Oh and Tina Torrest is now my new best friend, she may not be aware of this information yet, I’m trolling, stalking, fangirling really hard. Today I sat down to read it in a few hours so here is my review. It’s nothing compared to her writing but it might or might not persuade you to read her work, if not, please don’t let her know it’s cause of this review.
This is Brenda and Eddie’s story, yes, they bought a waterbed and a couple of paintings from Sears. Truth be told this is no love song, no one compares to them. Their story is unique and so is the way in which the story is told, it will leave you shaking your head, singing to yourself, and remembering a fonder time in your life, that is, if you were born and lived in the late 70-80’s. BTW, this is an emotional read; feeling may range from anger, betrayal, frustration, hatred, love, and restlessness. I enjoyed reading this unique story and look forward to more of Ms. Torrest writing.
This is Brenda and Eddie’s story, yes, they bought a waterbed and a couple of paintings from Sears. Truth be told this is no love song, no one compares to them. Their story is unique and so is the way in which the story is told, it will leave you shaking your head, singing to yourself, and remembering a fonder time in your life, that is, if you were born and lived in the late 70-80’s. BTW, this is an emotional read; feeling may range from anger, betrayal, frustration, hatred, love, and restlessness. I enjoyed reading this unique story and look forward to more of Ms. Torrest writing.
March 3, 2021
Eddie is a schmuck and Brenda a money hungry troll. So what better then to divorce remarry rich folks and then make out with your divorce settlement and get back together.
Yes I see the 'one true love' story within the pages but it just didn't do it for me.
Yes I see the 'one true love' story within the pages but it just didn't do it for me.
May 24, 2016
Roxie and Jen's Review
T. Torrest is back and she is back with a BANG!!!
A Way to Get By is her newest release and it's inspired by the song Scenes from an Italian Restaurant by Billy Joel.
When you read the lyrics you will have no clue what to expect. We didn't lol Its a story of Eddie and Brenda, they meet in high school, fall in love and live happily ever after…
Or they maybe don't?
What is marriage? Do we have soul mates? If life gets hard, do you stay and fight together or do you just walk away? Is the grass greener on the other side?
Eddie and Brenda love each other but struggle at dead end jobs. The bills are pilling up, there is never enough money. To love someone is so easy when everything is coming up roses, but when hardship clouds the blue skies, some are easier to outrun than others.
Let's us prepare you…
You will be angry.
You will be sooooo pissed.
You may want to walk away and quit.
But please don't. Ride along through the journey that T. Torrest takes you on. Experience Brenda and Eddie's one of a kind journey spanned over 10 plus years. This story will make you swoon, chew you up, spit you out and you’ll be ready to throw your kindle at times.
T. Torrest is back and she is back with a BANG!!!
A Way to Get By is her newest release and it's inspired by the song Scenes from an Italian Restaurant by Billy Joel.
When you read the lyrics you will have no clue what to expect. We didn't lol Its a story of Eddie and Brenda, they meet in high school, fall in love and live happily ever after…
Or they maybe don't?
What is marriage? Do we have soul mates? If life gets hard, do you stay and fight together or do you just walk away? Is the grass greener on the other side?
Eddie and Brenda love each other but struggle at dead end jobs. The bills are pilling up, there is never enough money. To love someone is so easy when everything is coming up roses, but when hardship clouds the blue skies, some are easier to outrun than others.
"...if you change nothing, nothing changes. The life you choose to lead is up to you."
Let's us prepare you…
You will be angry.
You will be sooooo pissed.
You may want to walk away and quit.
But please don't. Ride along through the journey that T. Torrest takes you on. Experience Brenda and Eddie's one of a kind journey spanned over 10 plus years. This story will make you swoon, chew you up, spit you out and you’ll be ready to throw your kindle at times.
May 22, 2016
I fell in love with T. Torrest's writing when I read the Remember When Series (if you haven't done that, you need to) and my heart was broken my Trip and Layla. Well here we are again with Eddie and Brenda!
These two characters will break your heart, make you cry, make you hate them, love them, despise them, root for them, and overall be completely overwhelmed by them! Words cannot describe the feels their story will give you. It's been a long time since I've read a book that made me feel so many mixed emotions and T does it perfectly! This epic love story grips you from page one to the very end. I can't talk too much about this book because I'm SO not a spoiler, so I'll leave you with this....the very first thing Eddie says is "You're going to think I'm an asshole"...he's right, you will, but you will absolutely fall in love with him at the same time!
I own every book T. Torrest has written and I can't wait to add this to my collection, this is unlike anything else she's published. If you have read her other books, you will be pleasantly surprised by the Easter Egg tie ins....I personally love that kind of stuff so it was fun for me to recognize things/people/places that happen later on in her other books.
If you're on the fence with this one, don't be. One-click it, tell a friend to one-click it because you'll need someone to help you through it! One word to describe this one: GENIUS!!!!
These two characters will break your heart, make you cry, make you hate them, love them, despise them, root for them, and overall be completely overwhelmed by them! Words cannot describe the feels their story will give you. It's been a long time since I've read a book that made me feel so many mixed emotions and T does it perfectly! This epic love story grips you from page one to the very end. I can't talk too much about this book because I'm SO not a spoiler, so I'll leave you with this....the very first thing Eddie says is "You're going to think I'm an asshole"...he's right, you will, but you will absolutely fall in love with him at the same time!
I own every book T. Torrest has written and I can't wait to add this to my collection, this is unlike anything else she's published. If you have read her other books, you will be pleasantly surprised by the Easter Egg tie ins....I personally love that kind of stuff so it was fun for me to recognize things/people/places that happen later on in her other books.
If you're on the fence with this one, don't be. One-click it, tell a friend to one-click it because you'll need someone to help you through it! One word to describe this one: GENIUS!!!!
May 20, 2016
A Way To Get By is a story about Brenda and Eddie, two characters some of us may have met in a favorite Billy Joel song. Brenda and Eddie's current story is cool and their back story, clever.
T. Torrest prevailed as she brought us the obstacles Brenda and Eddie faced in their relationship, set to the backdrop of inspiring Billy Joel song titles and for me, memories. Everyone has baggage. Everyone makes choices in their lives they may not believe in with their whole hearts, and A WAY TO GET BY takes us on a winding journey of self discovery and the distinct memories of young love, specifically the moment that hits you in the heart when you meet "the one."
I got a big kick out of the Easter Eggs hidden in this book that T.Torrest fans will absolutely delight in!
Congrats, T. You done good!!
T. Torrest prevailed as she brought us the obstacles Brenda and Eddie faced in their relationship, set to the backdrop of inspiring Billy Joel song titles and for me, memories. Everyone has baggage. Everyone makes choices in their lives they may not believe in with their whole hearts, and A WAY TO GET BY takes us on a winding journey of self discovery and the distinct memories of young love, specifically the moment that hits you in the heart when you meet "the one."
I got a big kick out of the Easter Eggs hidden in this book that T.Torrest fans will absolutely delight in!
Congrats, T. You done good!!
June 10, 2016
Well that was interesting...
And I sure didn't see that coming... But whatever and how ever I am glad it did.
This book is about Eddy and Brenda high school sweethearts who marry and struggle everyday to make ends meet. The book goes back and forth over the years and it helps the reader follow their love story... So when they decide to get a divorce the reader is just as heart broken as eddy and Brenda's Bff's. You feel the pain eddy is going through... You know that Brenda still loves him... So whyyyyy are they putting themselves and their friends and the reader through this torture!!!! Whyyyyyy! Well you just have to read and find out. I have always loved this authors work so I highly recommend this book!!!
May 22, 2016
Another brilliant read by this author.
High school sweethearts, Brenda and Eddie find out that while love is grand you can't eat it or pay rent with it. They marry young out of high school and both work dead end menial jobs. As in most marriages, lack of money starts to wear on them and causes arguments and fights. What happens when love isn't enough?
Alternating POV's and timelines, but they were done well. I never had a problem or was confused. I didn't care for the past chapters as I was eager to see how things progressed with their lives in the present. I did sort of figure it out pretty early on and was actually glad I was right!
High school sweethearts, Brenda and Eddie find out that while love is grand you can't eat it or pay rent with it. They marry young out of high school and both work dead end menial jobs. As in most marriages, lack of money starts to wear on them and causes arguments and fights. What happens when love isn't enough?
Alternating POV's and timelines, but they were done well. I never had a problem or was confused. I didn't care for the past chapters as I was eager to see how things progressed with their lives in the present. I did sort of figure it out pretty early on and was actually glad I was right!
June 5, 2016
Wow, this book was unexpected!! Tina really is the master at writing these nostalgic type books; this was set a little bit before my time (!) but Tina is the perfect scene setter and took me right to that era. I loved that this book didn't have a linear timeline, I loved the back and forth and gaining a greater insight into these characters. I have to say Brenda wasn't one of my favourite characters ever, but everything gets explained in the end....although I'm still not sure I really liked her by the end either!! This was a very unique story, that was told in exquisite style. And I loved the Billy Joel references too. Fab!
August 22, 2016
This book was definitely different from most books that I read. First of all, it was set throughout the 60s, 70s and 80s. It was neat to see some of the references that I remember from my childhood. I don't want to say too much about this book because I went in somewhat blind going in and was grateful for it. Basically Brenda and Eddie are high school sweethearts who get married but hit some rough patches. It chronicles their lives and how they cope with disappointment of not being where they want to be in their life. I can promise you that you will finish this book and be thinking about it for several days.
May 19, 2016
5 STARS
”Together forever “they said, “Never Give Up” they claimed. High school sweethearts, soul mates…love that never dies. If only life worked that way. Bren desire to be an “Uptown Girl” is just too much, and Eddie is just not the man for the job.
Told in a dual POV, with flash backs of better days that flow wonderfully. It’s a great ride! It a different trek through Tina Torrest mind and it will leave you gasping.
”Together forever “they said, “Never Give Up” they claimed. High school sweethearts, soul mates…love that never dies. If only life worked that way. Bren desire to be an “Uptown Girl” is just too much, and Eddie is just not the man for the job.
Told in a dual POV, with flash backs of better days that flow wonderfully. It’s a great ride! It a different trek through Tina Torrest mind and it will leave you gasping.
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