“Someday, when I’m living my dreams, I’m going to think of all the things that broke my heart and I’m going to be thankful for them.”

If I could describe this book in two words, I would choose: unconditional love. Not fate, or lust, or ordinary love, no. This is the love of legends. This is the type of love you only hear about in fairytales. Unconditional love: to love someone unselfishly; affection without limitations. This story is both as simple and as complex as those two words, yet is it everything you could ever want. This story is one that speaks not only to your heart, but to your soul. To your very being. There is no simplicity in the trials and tribulations our two young lovers experience, but through it all, there is no doubt in your mind of the unwavering devotion between the two.

“Right here is where I fell in love with you.” I paused and her eyes widened. “I tried to figure it out, after you left. Where was it that I lost my heart? As if the moment…the place would matter somehow, would make it easier for me to get ahold of, to understand. And I did figure it out – it was here. Right here.”

Kyland, our hero, is just that: a hero. A true, solid, courageous man. Even as a young boy, he faced so much adversity on his own, and still came out the brave man he is at the end of our novel. Tenleigh, our heroine (her name is freaking sweeeeet, right?), is smart, strong, and brilliant. She fights for what she believes is right and has the most caring soul. She and Kylan cross paths and it’s like an electric current passes between them. It’s love at first sight on both accounts. I don’t think either would ever admit to that, but what they have is so explosive and real that there’s no need for admittance. It’s plainly obvious. Now, as many other reviewers have mentioned, it is important to acknowledge the elephant in the room. They both have major abandonment issues. And I’m talking MAJOR. Which is why, when both of their hearts get broken, it’s so volatile. Their reactions are both so abrupt. “Go to hell.” “I do. Every day. For you.” It’s interesting thinking back on these two because it could have been so easy for them to fall into a codependent relationship, but instead, because they were both such strong individuals, they hurt themselves in order to better the other. Their unconditional love out-shined everything, it saw through everything, and even after four years past, it stayed through it all.

This novel is not for the faint of heart. I will admit, it destroyed me. You get about sixty percent of the way through and then it jumps to four years later. FOUR YEARS. A song that kept calling out to me as I read Kyland’s sections of the book is The Reason by Hoobastank. It’s all I could think of when trying to imagine of a way to describe Kyland and his massive character shift. He is the epitome of that song. I know it seems cliche, but god, it’s so true and real and raw. I love him so much, the man he is as a high schooler and the man he becomes through loving Tenleigh. 

MIA SHERIDAN IS QUEEN. If you haven’t gotten that yet by reading this review, then I’m spelling it out for you now. She is brilliant and a mastermind. Her talent is exceptional and she is a staple author in the romance genre. I’m sure we all know that because everyone has read Archer’s Voice and knows how insanely talented she is, but I felt it necessary to say it again. I’m devoted to her and all her work now. I will read anything and everything she ever writes. I’m so in love. Ah, I can’t stop gushing. A million stars and awards and all my love. Thank you of writing this, Mia. You are the greatest.

“Because I loved you so desperately. I still do. Because I couldn’t leave you here.”