Transcendence
by Shay Savage
Released February 13, 2014
Historical Romance
Synopsis
It’s said that women and men are from two different planets when it comes to communication, but how can they overcome the obstacles of prehistoric times when one of them simply doesn’t have the ability to comprehend language?
Ehd’s a caveman living on his own in a harsh wilderness. He’s strong and intelligent, but completely alone. When he finds a beautiful young woman in his pit trap, it’s obvious to him that she is meant to be his mate. He doesn’t know where she came from, she’s wearing some pretty odd clothing, and she makes a lot of noises with her mouth that give him a headache. Still, he’s determined to fulfill his purpose in life – provide for her, protect her, and put a baby in her.
Elizabeth doesn’t know where she is or exactly how she got there. She’s confused and distressed by her predicament, and there’s a caveman hauling her back to his cavehome. She’s not at all interested in Ehd’s primitive advances, and she just can’t seem to get him to listen. No matter what she tries, getting her point across to this primitive but beautiful man is a constant – and often hilarious – struggle.
With only each other for company, they must rely on one another to fight the dangers of the wild and prepare for the winter months. As they struggle to coexist, theirs becomes a love story that transcends language and time.
SELENE'S REVIEW
4.5 - HOH! - KHIZZES
A love story that transcends time
Holy Prehistoric Hotness!!!!
I adored this book!!!! Actually more like I ABSOLUTELY adored this book!!!! Surprisingly, it is an incredible love story.
Ehd is a lonely caveman. His entire tribe is killed in a fire and he's been living a solitary life. One day though, he finds a beautiful young woman (Beh) trapped in one of his hunting pits and he is determined to make her his mate. Aside from the epilogue, the story is told exclusively from Ehd's point of view so our information about Beh is limited .... we are able to gather bits and pieces of information about her and it is clear that she is not from Ehd's world. But where is she from exactly and how did she get here?
Ehd is unable to verbally communicate with Beh. We know she is able to talk as Ehd hears her constant ramblings but he is unable to process them beyond annoying sounds. They learn to communicate and read each other without words.
Despite being a lone caveman, Ehd is pretty evolved when it comes to women. He navigates his new relationship with Beh with tenderness, love, compassion, and passion (lots and lots of passion) despite the fact he can't use words and he's never had a relationship. One of my favorite things about the book was each time Beh "taught" Ehd something new sexually ... he was initially very narrow-minded about sex, his knowledge limited to one position. It was often hilarious when he experienced something new. I was constantly chuckling about how similar a caveman's take on handling women seems pretty similar to modern day man's take on women.
I'm pretty sure there will be two camps for this book .... you are either gonna be a fan or you're not .... I don't think there will be much middle ground on this one. You are either going to embrace the uniqueness of the story or it's not going to work for you. After I finished the book and actually thought about the story in its entirety, I was completely overwhelmed by Beh's love for Ehd. Well, their love for each other was special but Beh more so than Ehd. When you realize all she sacrificed when she chose to live her life with him .... seriously, I'm tearing up now just thinking about it. It truly is a beautiful love story ~ the final chapter had me sobbing.
I so hope Shay will write something from Beh's point of view .... I want to know more about her thoughts and perspective. Doesn't have to be much .... a novella will make me a happy girl!!!
HEATHER'S REVIEW:
3.5 What an ending smooches!
Transcendence doesn't look like a book I would ever read. I have heard so many wonderful things and have been itching for something different. This book was definitely that.
The story:
Ehd is a caveman who has lost his tribe. He is living all alone and barely surviving until he stumbles upon Elizabeth or as he calls her Beh in one of his hunting traps. Beh is a girl from the future. It is clear that she somehow time travels to Ehd's prehistoric time period, although how this actually happens does not come out until the very end. She gives Ehd's life meaning. She gives him something to live for. This truly is an epic love story. It is the story of a love that literally transcends time. How two people with virtually no means of communication learn to understand one another and fall completely in love.
What I loved:
I LOVED Ehd's innocence. The very beginning drew me in. Getting to know him and falling in love with him. He was like a little puppy. I just wanted to pet him and take care of him. Ehd loved Beh completely. He only ever wanted to please her. He loved her so much that he could not live without her. And Beh... she went from a frightened girl to giving up her entire life to stay with Ehd. I loved the way they loved each other.
What I did not like:
While I was extremely into this book for the first few chapters and absolutely LOVED the final chapters and the epilogue; the middle 15 or so bored me to tears. I understand that Ehd is a caveman and is very simple minded but I can only handle so many chapters of the exact same thing.
What could have been better:
I really really wish this book had been told from alternating POVs. I think getting into Beh's head every other chapter or at least every few chapters would have broken up the monotony of poor Ehd's one track mind.
While I normally don't take more than a few days at most to read a book. Transcendence took me a full week. It was a GOOD book. It was just too slow paced for me to fully enjoy it. After a few chapters I found myself unable to keep my eyes open. I am still glad that I read it and would recommend it to anyone who wants to read something a little outside of the box. Ehd and Beh are characters that you can't help but fall in love with and that ending... just WOW! It was worth getting through!
WHAT OUR READERS THOUGHT
We read Transcendence as a group with some of our readers. We gave them an opportunity to tell us what they thought and share it with you. Here's what they had to say:
- " This book was one of the most beautiful and emotional love stories I have EVER read! I fell in love with with Ehd and Beh and it was tough to put down." ~Hilarie
- "This book grabbed me by the heartstrings from word one and refused to let go! 5 stars to Transcendence and Shay Savage for a love story that will stay with me for all time." ~Jess
- "I wasn't wowed by this book at all. It actually bored me more then anything. I get that his primitive mind only understands basic things but it was just so repetitive and one-sided. I think if the author would have done both pov I may have liked it more. For me its maybe a 3 star and that's mostly because I liked the ending so much." ~Nicole
- "The end of this book blew me away. I am speechless right now." ~Beth
Thank you ladies so much for reading with us and sharing your thoughts!
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Shay Savage lives in Cincinnati, Ohio with her husband, two children, and a variety of household pets. She is an accomplished public speaker, and holds the rank of Distinguished Toastmaster from Toastmasters International. When not writing, she enjoys science fiction movies, masquerading as a zombie, is a HUGE Star Wars fan, and member of the 501st Legion of Stormtroopers. When the geek fun runs out, she also loves soccer in any and all forms - especially the Columbus Crew, Arsenal and Bayern Munich - and anxiously awaits the 2014 World Cup. Savage holds a degree in psychology, and she brings a lot of that knowledge into the characters within her stories.
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