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The LoveLock: A Romantic Suspense Novel Kindle Edition

4.3 4.3 out of 5 stars 49 ratings

Torn apart by Life... Can Destiny bring them back together?

From multi-award winning author, Eichin Chang-Lim, comes a heartbreaking and inspiring love story that will grip you from beginning to end.

AWARDS and PRAISE for The LoveLock
  • 2019 IndieReader Discovery Award, WINNER - New Adult
  • 2019 American Fiction Awards WINNER - Urban Fiction
  • 2019 Independent Publisher Book Award, Bronze - Urban Fiction
  • 2019 eLit Award, Bronze - Romance
  • 2018 Writer’s Digest Self-Published Book Award, FIRST Place - Young Adult
  • 2018 National Indie Excellence Award, Finalist - New Age Fiction
  • 2018 Annual Indie Book New Apple Literary Award, Official Selection - Psychological Suspense
  • 2018 Readers' Favorite, Honorable Mention - Young Adult Romance

★★★★★
"Beautifully written, captivating and compelling..."

★★★★★
"This is a beautiful story, at times aching, and filled with compassion and pathos." ~ Readers' Favorite

★★★★★
"Far from any fairytale, Dr. Chang-Lim draws from her own experience with the circumstances of real people. As a medical professional, she illustrates her vast knowledge of drug abuse, post-traumatic stress, mental illness, Multiple Sclerosis, and other maladies she deftly employs in the story."

★★★★★
"Extremely enchanting, suspenseful and thrilling."

Life changes on a dime.
Few understand this painful truth quite like Violet and Dylan, former college sweethearts united by their troubled childhoods.

When a gut-wrenching tragedy strikes in their adult years, they're torn apart—their relationship unable to survive the blow. Though they go their separate ways, they remain connected by a meaningful token: a locket, which Dylan bestows upon Violet on a blissful day by a gorgeous beach in Coronado, California—to which he holds the key.

This lovelock remains to be their only connection as they struggle to rebuild their lives. Violet, an aspiring actress, grapples with mental illness and ends up stripping for a living. In the meantime, Dylan faces his own challenges while trying to manage his past trauma with an unknown future.

They each venture down their own dark path laced with drugs and manipulative, taxing characters. All the while, neither can shake off their longing for the love they once shared and endeared.

In spite of life's impediments, can they heal their past and find happiness alone, or together?

Other Books by Eichin Chang-Lim:

Ultimate Revenge
A Mother's Heart: Memoir of a Special Needs Parent
Love: A Tangled Knot: New Adult Romance
FLIPPING: An Uplifting Novel of Love
Your Precious Sight: An Optometrist's Most Memorable Cases

Editorial Reviews

Review

"Eichin Chang-Lim injects a huge dose of realism into the narrative and makes the characters really believable." ~ Readers' Favorite Book Review
"Plot stands as very well-crafted, circular, with breathing space at the perfect places, and exceptional voice for all characters. Well done." ~Award judge's commentary
" The book has a lot of twists to it." ~Award judge's commentary
"I fell in love with this story, the characters, and the author's amazing writing style swept me away from beginning to end. So, I loved this book. What else can I say?" ~ Award judge's commentary
"...on the technical side, this is clean, concise writing with a smooth writing style and an author whose voice is perfect for the genre. No issue with pacing, structure, or anything plot-wise." ~Award judge's commentary
"Strong character development is probably the best part of this book. I feel like I know Violet and Dylan. They are real, relatable, sympathetic characters." ~Award judge's commentary
"...intriguing and easy to read. I was happy with the plot and the ending." ~Award judge's commentary
"...no black holes or unsatisfying moments or ending. And, I appreciated the way the author handled the mental illness angle. Nicely done." ~Award judge's commentary
"Beautifully written, captivating and compelling..."

"Well-crafted divergent storylines and evenly paced 'surprises' maintained the suspense throughout this romantic tale."
"A captivating suspense, thrilling romance and a healthy dose of inspiration!"

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B07CRRGT23
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ ; 1st edition (April 29, 2018)
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ April 29, 2018
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 3844 KB
  • Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 300 pages
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.3 4.3 out of 5 stars 49 ratings

About the author

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Eichin Chang-Lim
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Dr. Eichin Chang-Lim is a semiretired optometrist, a multi-award-winning author, a wife, and a mother to 2 children. She and her husband had a private optometry practice in Los Angeles. They live in Orange County, California.

In a recent interview, the author said, “You might have noticed that romance and inspirational are my niche genres. I write romance because I find it to be an intriguing genre. Relationships are quite involved in real life. Therefore, I use romance to depict the intricacies of relationships. Ultimately, it evolves into an inspirational and thought-provoking tale. Readers will discover that I tend to tell love stories beyond the confines of romance. I strive to convey the kind of love that is much broader and more profound than romantic or physical love. I strongly believe that love is more than a four-letter word. It’s multidimensional. It involves sacrifice, forgiveness, trust, demoting one’s ego, or even ‘letting it go’ at times. I also like to encompass the love of friendship, family, and even little pets in my stories.”

“As a romance writer, I write with my heart and soul. My mindset is that if my story can make a difference in even one person’s life, it’s all worth it, and that’s what love is all about,” she added.

Eichin modeled during college in Taiwan and was in several short films, including a supporting role in the comedy Indy/feature film Winning Formula. She has written six books: FLIPPING: An Uplifting Novel of Love, A Mother’s Heart: Memoir of a Special Needs Parent, Love: A Tangled Knot, TheLoveLock, YOUR PRECIOUS SIGHT: An Optometrist’s Most Memorable Cases, and Ultimate Revenge.

During the preorder period, YOUR PRECIOUS SIGHT hit the #1 New Release in seven categories at least once: Optometry, Physician & Patient Diagnosis, Eye Problems, Reference, Preventive Medicine, Aging, and Ophthalmology.

Besides acting and writing, she loves opera and a big bear hug. Learn more about the author at www.eichinchanglim.com

Customer reviews

4.3 out of 5 stars
49 global ratings

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Customers say

Customers find the story captivating, gripping, and compelling. They praise the writing style as beautiful and straightforward. The emotional content is vividly described, including struggles with tragedy and mental illness. Readers appreciate the realistic character development and evolution. Overall, they describe the book as a good read that can be read in two sittings.

AI-generated from the text of customer reviews

16 customers mention "Story quality"16 positive0 negative

Customers find the story captivating and emotionally charged. They appreciate the well-crafted divergent storylines with surprises that keep the suspense. The gripping, realistic love story is about loss and courage to keep love. Readers enjoy the drama, self-reflection, and tragedy in a love story. The storytelling is delivered in succinct pieces that capture their imagination.

"The Lovelock by Eichin Chang-Lim is a beautifully written, emotionally charged story of two people in love who are torn apart by tragedy and forced..." Read more

"...I won't spoil the book by telling what happens after that. It's a good story, but I felt cheated by the way the author chopped the story into bits..." Read more

"...The path of the plot builds interesting characters that empathetically draws the reader into their emotional journey, while the time jump creates a..." Read more

"...The affectionate, sweet, unwavering love between Violet and Dylan certainly make this book well-qualified in the romantic genres...." Read more

10 customers mention "Writing style"10 positive0 negative

Customers find the writing style engaging and straightforward. They describe the book as a well-written love story with a touch of realism, making it well-qualified in the romantic genre.

"The Lovelock by Eichin Chang-Lim is a beautifully written, emotionally charged story of two people in love who are torn apart by tragedy and forced..." Read more

"...love between Violet and Dylan certainly make this book well-qualified in the romantic genres...." Read more

"...It is much more. It’s a beautifully written, emotional story about enduring love...." Read more

"This story exceeded my initial expectations of a light romantic read as it developed into a mystery about what traumatic event tore these two soul..." Read more

8 customers mention "Emotional content"8 positive0 negative

Customers find the story engaging with its vivid portrayal of depression, struggles with tragedy and mental illness, and realistic love scenes. They appreciate the affectionate, sweet, and unwavering love between Violet and Dylan. The music and details are carefully crafted to set the mood and evoke emotions.

"...This is the most accurate and vivid description of depression that I have ever read, she focuses the in depth of her characters in the story by..." Read more

"...the surroundings, smells, food, music---every detail is carefully crafted to set the mood and evoke the emotion the characters are feeling...." Read more

"...capture a reader’s imagination while taking them right into this emotional story...." Read more

"This story has hardship,suspence, Sorrow, Challenges, and lost love,keeps you turning the page to read what happens next,looking forward to reading..." Read more

4 customers mention "Character development"4 positive0 negative

Customers find the characters become relatable and familiar. The book's writing evokes emotions through character development and setting.

"...I found the characters to be realistic and compelling. My emotions were fully engaged with each of them...." Read more

"...The subtle foreshadowing is spot on. The characters are authentic. The struggles with tragedy and mental illness are realistically portrayed...." Read more

"...The evolution of the personalities is executed to perfection...." Read more

"...Upon The LoveLock's pages, Ms Chang-Lim's characters become real and familiar...." Read more

4 customers mention "Readability"4 positive0 negative

Customers find the book easy to read. They say it's a good story and recommend it for an evening read.

"...I was all in with this story and read it in two sittings, although I tried to do it in one...." Read more

"...This is a captivating story I truly recommended for an evening read." Read more

"An enjoyable read with many twists and turns. The story revolves around Amber and Dylan's love for one another...." Read more

"Good read..." Read more

TRUE LOVE NEVER DIES
5 out of 5 stars
TRUE LOVE NEVER DIES
Remember your first love? For most of us, it's unforgettable, but life often takes us into many other relationships. Sometimes, though, that first love leaves an indelible imprint on our hearts that just can't be forgotten! In The Love Lock, Dylan and Violet experience just that. Life can take us down paths we never dreamed of, and despite their once in a lifetime love, Dylan and Violet are separated by unforeseeable events. The issues that they deal with are timely themes that many readers can easily relate to. Eichin Chang-Lim brings her characters to life by giving them very human qualities. They are, at times, weak and vulnerable, but in the end love reigns. This love story is deep, has unexpected shocking twists and turns, and underscores the undeniable power that faith plays in our lives. The Love Lock was hard to put down once I started reading it. If you are looking for a predictable, shallow romance novel, with lots of erotica, this book may not appeal to you, but I easily recommend this well-written book of love and longing!
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Top reviews from the United States

  • Reviewed in the United States on August 25, 2023
    The Lovelock by Eichin Chang-Lim is a beautifully written, emotionally charged story of two people in love who are torn apart by tragedy and forced into separate life paths. Dylan and Violet found each other as children during the respective illnesses of his mother and her only sister. When they reconnected in college, Dylan gave Violet a symbol of his love, a necklace with a heart-shaped lock pendant, while wearing the key around his own neck. They believed their love was forever. The story takes a turn, and we see Violet a year or so later, alone. She encounters obstacles and begins a downward slide that takes her increasingly farther from any hope of life with Dylan. Later, we see Dylan, ready to find Violet again but unable to as he encounters his own obstacles. The tension builds as they make choices and take pathways that lead them away from each other.

    The author engages all the senses in setting the scenes. I found the characters to be realistic and compelling. My emotions were fully engaged with each of them. Their struggles, failures, fears, and consequently their growth made for a story I’ll long remember. I highly recommend this book.
    One person found this helpful
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  • Reviewed in the United States on March 27, 2020
    Violet and Dylan seemed destined to be together from their first meeting. They shared death in common, with Violet's twin sister, Amber, dying at a very young age, and Dylan losing his mother to cancer at the same time. I felt for Violet as her mother sank into a deep depression removing herself from all interactions. On the other hand, Violet's father tried to fill both shoes. The author took me through Violet's difficult childhood up to the point that she and Dylan got engaged to be married. From there, I felt that she abandoned me in a crucial point of the book, suddenly switching to the present time and Violet is working in a strip club addicted to drugs without any explanation. Then the author moved on to Dylan and his life which included a stint in the Peace Corps, again with no explanation as to why he would suddenly leave Violet. Just as he is determined to find her, he is in an almost fatal motorcycle accident and ended up married to his nurse, Tess. I won't spoil the book by telling what happens after that. It's a good story, but I felt cheated by the way the author chopped the story into bits that didn't flow together and left me hanging for so long before ever revealing what happened to drive Violet and Dylan apart. I will say the ending was satisfactory.
    One person found this helpful
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  • Reviewed in the United States on September 15, 2018
    Violet and Dylan first met as children during a difficult time when Violet lost her twin sister to leukemia and Dylan lost his mother to cancer. They reconnected in college and developed a deep relationship that appeared headed for marriage. However, a few years later, Violet is on her own, trying to make as an actress in Hollywood, while Dylan is halfway around the world, working with the Peace Corps. Will they be able to overcome the event that upended their lives and the continuing obstacles that fall into their path of refinding each other and reconnect the true love they had? The path of the plot builds interesting characters that empathetically draws the reader into their emotional journey, while the time jump creates a strong mystery into the psychological disruption of that journey, which finds a resolution with a paranormal touch at a climactic point. However, some of the unconnected obstacles in the journey do feel more like manipulative plot devices, and some readers may find the resolution of the mystery to be very dark. If the reader can get past these elements, this mystery romance full of internal psychological drama will lead the leader to a satisfactory HEA journey.
    One person found this helpful
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  • Reviewed in the United States on August 22, 2018
    The Lovelock
    By Eichin Chang Lim
    I think this book is the best demonstration of what it is to live with severe anxiety and still find a way to function and thrive in one’s life. This is the most accurate and vivid description of depression that I have ever read, she focuses the in depth of her characters in the story by exploring specific concerns of their life that they were dealing with PTSD, including intrusive thoughts and traumatic memories, anxiety, avoidance, self-criticism, depression, numbing, dissociation and how PTSD affects relationships. Few understand this painful truth quite like Violet and Dylan, former college sweethearts united by their troubled childhoods. When a gut-wrenching tragedy strikes in their adult years, they're torn apart their relationship unable to survive the blow.

    Dylan faces his own challenges while trying to manage his past trauma with an unknown future. They each venture down their own dark path laced with drugs and manipulative, taxing characters, the concept of abuse is complicated. Unmet needs, emotions, and behaviours remain. All this unprocessed rage, hurt, sadness, loneliness, betrayal, and fear is still there. Sometimes they even become worse because of other experiences and relationships that the person encounters along the way. The hurt tends to pile up, the beliefs tend to become stronger, the behaviours tend to become more automatic, more “natural,” and more unconscious.

    Sometimes it results in acting out on other people and re-enacting onto others what was done to you. But for the most part, it results in self-harmful behaviour or other acts against healthy self-interest (which includes hurting others).
    In extreme cases, people even commit suicide an ultimate act of self-destruction. Since the central theme of The Lovelock revolves around mental illness, there are scenes depicting the relentless pain of depression and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) that the main characters are trapped within.
    Violet and Dylan had faced the worst, the world had to offer and came out stronger, still in the lock of love that was unwavering and endless.
    The affectionate, sweet, unwavering love between Violet and Dylan certainly make this book well-qualified in the romantic genres. In the end, readers will sense inspiration and empowered as the main characters cope to seek for healing and for their lives.
    A captivating suspense, thrilling romance and a healthy dose of inspiration!

    A well-deserved five-star rating!
    One person found this helpful
    Report

Top reviews from other countries

  • Diogenes
    5.0 out of 5 stars A great read for lovers of the romantic
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on December 7, 2018
    “This is my tribe now. A tribe of broken, wounded people.”
    Having read other Eichin Chang-Lim novels, I was eagerly looking forward to ‘The LoveLock’, a somewhat darker excursion into the tribulations of life and love that were present in her earlier books. I also appreciated the clever use of backward and forward timelines to give a slow reveal of the characters’ motivations.
    A catastrophic trip to Hawaii, a family tragedy, childhood trials, the challenges and penury of pursuing an acting career, an unwise marriage, and a descent into the abyss … For Violet and Dylan, love might just hold the key – if it doesn’t become another prison for them.
    Written with empathy, and artfully paced, ‘The LoveLock’ is a great read for lovers of the romantic, and for romantics everywhere.
  • Cheryl fynes
    5.0 out of 5 stars Brilliant
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on April 28, 2019
    What a fantastic read Eichin proves a quote “if it’s meant to be it will happen” thoroughly enjoyed this book

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