Time Stands Still by Stacy Froumis

Time Stands Still is a beautiful story of love by Stacy Froumis.

Lauren and Stavros dated in college. Shortly after graduation, Stavros went back to Greece with his family but not before making a promise to Lauren that he would find a way for them to be together.

Except for a single phone call, Lauren did not hear from Stavros again, so she decided to place a call. Although it was met with indecipherable yelling in Greek, Lauren kept on calling for weeks. Finally, Stavros' sister, Athena answered the phone and told Lauren that Stavros was about to announce his engagement to Daphne, the girl their parents chose for him. Naturally, Lauren was devastated. 

Eight years had passed. Lauren moved on and was now engaged to her high school classmate, Noah. A few months before the wedding, however, Lauren received a letter from Stavros. Then one day, Stavros, himself, came face-to-face with Lauren.

The story was fast-paced and was devoid of irrelevant details. It was concise and written in casual and conversational manner, hence, easy to read. The plot was interesting, intriguing and, somehow, unpredictable making the reader clueless about Lauren's choice. 

The characters were relatable especially Lauren. She was torn between two men whom she both loved and for good reasons. She was a smart woman who was willing to do what she thought was right under the circumstances. 

Moreover, the author adeptly described the beauty and charm of Greece. She added mystery to the plot by including a visit by Lauren to centuries old monasteries where she met a mystical elder whom she asked for advice.

All in all, it was a well-written and very enjoyable book. It was a story, though basically about love was also about life; the decisions a person makes, no matter how difficult it is and no matter how painful it will be for the people he loves. In the end, everything will fall into place because that is exactly where everything should be. As stated in my favorite excerpt from the book:

'There is no right decision or wrong decision. All decisions lead you to where God wants you to be.'

Congratulations to Stacy Froumis ( @StacyFroumis )  for such an amazing book! Looking forward to the next one.