Stealing Our Hearts

THIS REVIEW CONTAINS SPOILERS.

I’ve been waiting for this book for months and it’s finally here!! I love this story of bravery and perseverance with all my heart. These characters, this world…it’s all so raw and real and it HURTS, but it is freaking incredible. This is the second book in Thomas and Nadia’s journey. The first book, The Sound of Salvation, introduces us to these two characters and how they fall in love. We also find out about Nadia’s past and who she’s running from.  In this book we continue on her journey of self compassion and healing. It’s beautiful.

Nadia is a victim of domestic violence. She lived in New York with her boyfriend Adrian for years while he suffered from substance abuse which turned him violent. One instance got so bad that she ran away to London to be live with her brother, and that is where the beginning of the first book begins. Throughout book one, Nadia meets and falls in love with her brother’s friend, Thomas. A playboy-turned-hero by Nadia’s standards. He calms her. He’s the only person whose touch doesn’t make her cringe or remind her of abuse. At the end of book one she leaves Thomas in London and flies back to New York because Adrian tried to commit suicide and failed. She feels indebted to him, like it’s her responsibility to help him get back on track. And of course she still loves him, but she’s not in love with him anymore. This is where book two begins.

We suffer through the first fifty percent of this novel. Why? Because Thomas is miserable and Nadia is in pain, both emotional and eventually physical. Thomas tries to drown his sorrows in alcohol but nothing works. He’s so in love with Nadia that he can’t think straight. Nadia is back in New York with Adrian but she can’t sleep without Thomas. She misses him like the air in her lungs. She stole a t-shirt of his and brought it with her because his scent helps keep her calm, but eventually his scent fades. Things with Adrian get out of hand again and eventually she gives up hope that he will get better. She realizes that there’s nothing she can do to save him if he doesn’t want to save himself. She moves back to London. That’s when sh*t gets real. Thomas is dating someone new and it’s like taking a knife to the chest every time Nadia sees them together. It burns. Thomas is only trying to move on but he can’t. The moment Nadia finally tells him how she feels, it’s like a switch is flipped. All the walls he built come crashing down. He’s so in love with her that he can’t breathe or think straight. IT IS GLORIOUS. 

There’s so much to say about this story, but it’s difficult to find the words. It’s difficult to understand what it’s like to be a victim of domestic violence if you’ve never been one. I think that sometimes makes Nadia difficult to relate to. Her actions and decisions seem ridiculous at times. It’s hard to get behind her decision to go back to New York to help Adrian after everything he did to her. It’s even more difficult to stay on her side when she continues to feel for him after he almost kills her a second time. But that’s just it, there’s no way to understand it, you just have to hope that she will learn to accept everything when the time is right for her. Which she does, in the book. She’s one of the strongest female characters I’ve ever read. The strength it takes to fight her fear and show compassion for a man who hurt her? That’s amazing! She is resilient and a phenomenally written character. I adored her. Thomas is just as incredible. Yes, he did struggle with anger towards Nadia, at the beginning of this novel, for her leaving him. But he continued to be there for her, as a grounding tool, when she needed him. He found the strength to forgive her and move forward with her when he realized that he truly is lovable. He is a good person and a strong partner. He had to learn to love and accept himself before he could understand why Nadia would choose him. 

Overall, this was another 5 star read for me. It was so passionate and gorgeously written. I’m so thankful that I had the opportunity to read and review this ARC! I.A. Dice is a truly remarkable author, please give her a chance if you have some time! 5 stars!

I received this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

WARNING: SPOILERS

After reading Grinder, I wasn’t sure any of Samantha Whiskey’s book could compare, but I was wrong. This book completely blew me away. The character development, the flow of the story, and the witty banter was enough to keep me addicted and anxiously awaiting the next book in this series.

Rory and Paige are an outstanding couple. Rory is a man-whore hockey player with a bad temper and Paige is a headstrong business woman with the world’s biggest crush. I’m pretty sure that Paige loved Rory before she even knew him. He was all she could think about. Paige has a secret sexual bucket list and Rory is number 7. She decides to offer him a contract, one where they see each other for 3 months and she gets to check off items on her bucket list all while he gets to date her for his image. Rory is notorious for fighting and getting thrown in jail. According to management, if he doesn’t get his act together, he will be kicked off the professional hockey team. Rory agrees to Paige’s contract, but unbeknownst to her, he has also craved her just as much as she craves him. 

I really love how long it took for Rory and Paige to actually sleep together – I mean, it was halfway through the book! Rory sees Paige as this unattainable, too-good-to-be-true woman that he doesn’t deserve. He wants their first time to be perfect, so he keeps her guessing and begging for more each time they are together. When they finally sleep together, it’s explosive. The chemistry is undeniable between these two, it’s almost as if they were made for each other. Rory falls in love with Paige SO FAST. And by fast, I mean, like within a month. That’s pretty fast for someone like him. He’s head over heels for this woman before he knows everything about her and before he’s let her in on his dark secret. His rage comes from a deep place inside of him, it’s genetic. He struggles with the fear that he will turn out like his father and that skews his view of his own future. There is a rather large plot twist in this novel, it’s pretty obvious that it’s going to happen, but I won’t speak about it now. You’ll have to read it for yourself to find out! This novel is truly something special. This series is so so so enjoyable. I can’t wait to get my hands on the next book! 5 stars!

“I know you may need me, but I want you.”

“Dance with me,” he whispers. My heart swells and I rest my head against his chest. “There’s no music,” I say, even thought it doesn’t matter. Our bodies are already swaying together. “There’s always music. Listen to the sound of the rain drops and our heart beats.”

Was this the best taboo, age-gap romance I’ve ever read? I’m leaning towards yes. I can’t contain my excitement. This book was absolutely everything. This was my first time reading anything by Carian Cole, but now that I know that all of her books are in this same world…how can I not fall down the rabbit hole? Give me everything. 

“I’m just waiting for the one that makes me feel like forever wouldn’t be long enough.”

Alright, let’s start from the beginning. Toren is best friends with Asher and Ember. Asher and Ember have a baby when they are fifteen years old, her name is Kenzi. Kenzie grows up calling Toren her uncle and he’s basically a live-in babysitter. He is the only one who can stop her crying, she falls asleep in his arms, he makes everything better for her. Growing up, she idolized him and loved him more than anything. She even told him, when she was five, that they would get married one day. Well, now as our story begins, Kenzi is seventeen going on eighteen. She isn’t a child anymore and she definitely doesn’t look or act like a teenager. She spends all her time with Toren, cleaning his house, cooking him dinner, being his friend. One night they share a moment together that brings forward tons of romantic feelings for both of them. Kenzi takes those feelings and runs with them. She’s tried dating guys her age and she’s just not into them. None of them make her feel the way she knows she should feel…until Toren. Torn is on the opposite end of the spectrum. He is embarrassed and ashamed of seeing Kenzi as a woman. He feels like it’s wrong and it’s betraying her father. 

As our story progresses, Kenzi and Toren finally give in. They love each other so deeply. It’s insanely romantic. I’m telling you guys, this is probably one of the most romantic romance books I’ve ever read, as crazy as that sounds. Toren says things to Kenzi that are so outrageous, they could almost be laughable, but between these two it doesn’t feel that way. The things he says just feel right. 

“You still look at me the same way you did when you were a baby,” he murmurs. “How’s that?” “Like I’m just the only thing you ever want to look at.”

Their dynamic is also really interesting because Kenzi is still much younger. She doesn’t understand Toren’s fears or his hesitation in wanting to be with her. She’s self conscious of the fact that she has zero experience. I mean, she’s a virgin for crying out loud. She’s never done anything but kiss a guy and Toren takes her almost immediately after they give in to each other. Kenzi is so strong though, she stands her ground on issues and fights with Toren when she needs to. He’s a very alpha-type personality, so she has to assert herself sometimes. Kenzi fights with jealousy over Toren’s ex girlfriends. We get to experience a large range of emotions as Kenzi falls in love for the first time. First love is always the most painful, isn’t it? Toren admits at one point that this is his first time falling in love too. He’s been alone his entire life, his sole focus being Kenzi and caring for her. I know it almost sounds like Kenzi didn’t have parents, but she did! Toren was just her main caretaker because she was so attached to him from such a young age. As Toren falls in love with Kenzi, he deals with his own insecurities about his age and his fear of her father’s wrath. Asher is his best friend and he doesn’t want to lose that connection. 

When the climax hits in the last twenty percent of the books, it’s heartbreaking. Kenzi has to step up and make a big decision on her own. Toren has to face his fears and deal with the confrontation he’s been hiding from. Our couple has to try and weather the storm. It’s nearly impossible, but they are able to. As you read the book, there are little italicized romantic sayings at the beginning of each chapter. You don’t find out what they are until the very end, but it makes it all so much more romantic. Like I said before, this is probably the most romantic romance book I’ve ever read. This was truly the definition of a masterpiece. I’m in complete awe of Carian Cole’s writing. Such bravery and brilliance. I can’t wait to delve deeper into this world as I read more of her books. 5 stars!

“My love, for all the times I pushed you away my heart was trying to pull you closer.”

“I’ve always known who I am in spirit. I was searching for my home…and you’re my home, Rogan, my person, and no matter what, I’ll always belong to you.”

I was thoroughly unprepared for how much Harper and Rogan’s story was going to affect me. This novel ripped me to pieces. Second chance romances tend to be a more difficult subtrope for me, but this one really did me in. 

Harper and Rogan are best friends who become high school sweethearts and then their relationship tragically ends in college. You don’t find out the real cause for the breakup until you’re well into the novel, which I think was really smart on our author. It’s catastrophic. Like I said…I was not prepared. Anyway, when our novel begins, it’s been seven years since the breakup, and Harper has moved back to her hometown after living a nomadic lifestyle when she dropped out of college. She is faced with having to see Rogan, her ex-best friend and childhood sweetheart, every single day. Can you even imagine? This is a story about second chances and forgiveness. Harper and Rogan had to learn to forgive themselves and each other for the mistakes they made in the past.

Like I said before, this was a very emotional read. It was tough. There’s a lot going on under the surface with these two characters. Even though their breakup happened seven years ago, Harper is still nursing her broken heart. She’s never been able to get over Rogan and that pain is still so fresh. Rogan is still struggling with some of the aftermath of his past, even though he has built his own real estate empire in their small town. Both of them have a lot of healing that needs to happen in this book. I can’t even begin to go into how romantic this book is. It’s off the charts, I’m not kidding. The lengths that Rogan goes to win Harper back? Insane. And even the things he does for his own heart, before Harper is even in the picture again, are outrageously adorable and sweet. The sentimentality of this story speaks volumes and I’m completely and utterly blown away by Meghan Quinn’s talent. 

There’s so much more that I want to say about this book, but I can’t. You have to read the novel and get the full experience. I promise you, it’s worth it. This is my favorite Meghan Quinn book to date. I love her current baseball romance series, but this one takes the cake. Round of applause. 5 stars!

“Love me,” I plead. “Fuck, Harper, just fucking love me.”

“Because you’re much more fascinating than all the stars in the sky.”

This is my favorite Winter Renshaw book. I think I say that every single time I finish reading one, but I’m serious this time. No joke. This is the best book I’ve read by her. It’s everything I could have wanted and more. I’m a sucker for a good ol’ fashioned cowboy romance, and this is that and so much more.

River is a dream. He’s mysterious, handsome, and broken. He comments continuously on Leighton’s “sad eyes” at the beginning of our story, but I think he probably has sad eyes too. He’s angry with the world and closed off, he doesn’t want to let anyone in, especially a young woman he’s just met. Leighton is in a loveless relationship with a man who doesn’t care about her. When she finds out he’s been cheating on her, it’s the last straw. She packs up and heads to her hometown in South Dakota, planning to stay at her childhood home that was up for rent on a BnB site. When it comes down to it, she finds out that she was scammed and her home isn’t actually for rent, it’s owned by a handsome, rude stranger named River. Out of money and desperate, Leighton ends up sleeping in her car and River finds her. He offers to let her stay in her childhood home with him, as long as she helps around the farm and pulls her weight. A sweet romance begins to form.

River can’t stop thinking about Leighton the more he spends time with her. She makes him feel alive again after so long. There’s a bit of a love triangle that happens towards the beginning of the novel including Seth, River’s brother, but we soon find out his true colors and the romance evaporates. Seth and River’s relationship is complex and painful. There’s so much going on under the surface between those two, a lot of which you don’t find out about until the very end of the novel. You get to see how loyal and brave River is when his past catches up with him. Leighton shows her strength in compassion throughout the novel. She is patient and understanding with River, she gives him space when he needs it, apologizes when she have overstepped, but also pushes him outside of his comfort zone sometimes. She’s exactly what he needs and everything he thought he would never have. 

When the climax hits, it’s devastating. I definitely did NOT see it coming and wasn’t prepared for the fall out it would have. The nice thing about Winter’s books though? She always cleans up her messes. When sh*t hits the fan, as it always does, Renshaw knows exactly what to do to make it all better in the end. There’s never any lingering doubt or pain. It’s a true HEA every single time and that’s exactly what we get here. Thank god. It was a perfect ending and exactly what I needed. LOVED THIS ONE!! 5 stars!! 

“I love your heart.”

“I don’t mean to scare you,” I go on. “But you kind of scare me, because I want you like I need air.”

This was everything I wanted and more. This book was recommended by one of my fellow bookstagrammers as a favorite in the taboo romance subtrope. It did NOT disappoint.

Falling in love with your boyfriend’s father? YES PLEASE! That’s delicious. In my opinion, it’s better than the stepbrother angle. It’s taboo AND age-gap romance. Jordan is freshly nineteen when our story begins. It’s the evening of her birthday and she finishes her shift at the bar early. Her car is broken down, so she’s waiting on her boyfriend, Cole, to come pick her up. He doesn’t show, so she walks down to the movie theatre and pops in to see a showing of Evil Dead. She meets an incredibly handsome, kind man and sits next to him during the movie. Turns out that this man is her boyfriend’s father, Pike. Jordan and Cole move in with Pike in order to save on rent while they are saving up for a place of their own. Jordan is paying her way through school, so it’s important to her to maintain priorities. Cole’s only desire is to go out drinking and partying with his friends, leaving Jordan behind to mingle with his father. 

Pike is instantly attracted to Jordan the moment he meets her in the theatre, but when he finds out who she is and how old she is…he tries to shut it down. Pike is thirty eight. Their romance begins very subtly. When I say this is a slow burn book, I mean the SLOWEST. It’s not until the end that we get any action, but it’s all about the temptation and the build up between these two.  For almost the entire book, Pike is fighting his attraction to Jordan. When we find out that Cole is cheating on Jordan (sorry if that’s a spoiler, but you totally see it coming), you’d think it would be a free for all between the two, but sadly, no. Even when Jordan is single and clearly interested, Pike is still cautious and worried about her. He doesn’t want her to feel pressured, he doesn’t want to hurt Cole, and he doesn’t want their age difference to cause an issue if it gets out. He has a lot of insecurities, but I think it all stems from the fact that he’s never had a serious relationship. He’s never been in love…until he meets Jordan. Their connection is magnetic.

I can’t finish my review without saying two more things. First thing: our author mentions Buffy The Vampire Slayer in reference to Pike’s name (LOL Luke Perry’s character in the movie *swoon*). I freaking LOVE Buffy and it made my night to read that little nod. Second, we cannot go without mentioning the ending of this book – Pike’s declaration of love when he finally comes to his senses and goes to Jordan. There is nothing like it anywhere. It was the sweetest, best thing I’ve ever read. It brought tears to my eyes. “I’m sorry I took so long.” Pike apologizes to Jordan, for not only doubting her and being afraid, but for how long it took him to come to his senses. You don’t always get that kind of apology, so it stuck out to me. I made my heart happy. I loved this book so much. I’m so grateful that I took a chance on it. 5 stars!

“You look at each other like…” “Like?” He swallows, an unusually troubled pinch in his brow. “Like the two of you have your own language.”

“You are the sun. You shine brighter than anything in this universe. You burn so hot when I touch you, I’m sure I’ll melt.”

Marvelous. Absolutely outstanding. The best Ava Harrison book I’ve read to date. Such a brilliant, unique take on the classic story of Hades and Persephone. It could not have been written any better than this. I’m in awe.

Cyrus and Ivy are, for lack of a better word, fated. The moment Cyrus laid eyes on Ivy, he knew he had to have her. He “rescued” her after her father sold her in a bet at one of Cyrus’ poker nights. Cyrus is the king of the underworld, the illegal drug, money laundering, firearm, trafficking world. He owns a bank and through it, he circulates money for the leaders (mafia, etc).  Every Friday he holds a poker game where money is tossed around and funds are distributed. One particular night, a man named Boris, also known as The Butcher, shows up to play. He is well known for sex trafficking. Boris plays against Ivy’s father and her father loses and offers Ivy as a reward. Boris accepts. It’s all downhill from there. Ivy’s brother Trent does everything in his power to keep the trade from happening, including calling Cyrus to ask for his help. And help he does. He kidnaps Ivy and keeps her locked away on his private island for her safety. He spends time with her, takes care of her, and falls in love with her. She desperately tries to escape multiple times, but continuously fails. It isn’t until she realizes that perhaps Cyrus is telling the truth about protecting her, does she stop trying to get back home. 

Cyrus and Ivy have a very interesting dynamic. Cyrus, being a king in his own way, is not used to people disobeying him or mouthing off. Ivy does both of these things on multiple occasions and he finds that he likes her fire. He begins calling her “Sun”. She brings light into his life which has been consumed with darkness for so long. Ivy, just like Persephone, the Goddess of Spring, has a green thumb. She loves flowers and tends to a greenhouse on the private island that Cyrus has tied her to. I loved the different flowers that were spoken about during the novel and the meaning behind them. For instance, the evening primrose, which blooms in the darkness. Such gorgeous imagery and such thoughtfulness taken in the creation of this world. 

I love the story of Hades and Persephone. The romanticized version, at least. Two people so opposite, finding love. It’s beautiful and heartbreaking in itself. The lengths that Hades has to go to be seen by Persephone, and then the lengths Persephone must go in order to win him back, to show her true devotion. Our story mirrors the greek myth so well, it’s exceptional. I’m so impressed. I wish I could go on and on about this novel. Bravo. 5 stars!

“Some of the most beautiful things grow in darkness.”

“You’re perfect.” “I’m not,” she said, even as she writhed against his chest, needing the feel of the friction of his skin against hers. “To me, you are.”

OMG!!! Finally a #metoo movement novel that I can get behind!!! This book was a complex web of intricate details sewn together perfectly to create a gorgeous story. It is important to note that, yes, this tale stems from a rape. Van Birch is raped by a man she trusted and believed she loved. We are not privy to the details of her rape, which I appreciated, but it still stings. It can be really difficult to read about triggering events, so keep that in mind when you pick up this novel. It might not be for you and that’s okay.

Van Birch is a total badass. No joke, she is confident and beautiful and talented and has the world at her fingertips. She’s literal goals. And in the matter of a second, everything is stolen from her. In the wake of her rape, she travels home to Wellville with her best friend Phoenix to stay with her father. A major tornado hit the town and many homes were ruined, so to keep her mind off of the assault, she is helping with the reconstruction of her hometown. Waiting for her in her hometown is not only her father, but her stepbrother, Clay. This is where it gets steamy, ladies. Clay has had the hots for Van since he was sixteen and his mother married Van’s dad. Van has felt the same way towards Clay for just as long. Both fantasizing about the other, but neither one ever made a move, except for one shared kiss right before Van’s career took off. There are a lot of other important characters to comment on too. Bryant, Van and Clay’s childhood friend who has been posing as Van’s fake boyfriend for the media for the last five years. He and Van share a very familial love, but Clay was under the impression that they were dating for real this entire time. There’s also Minnie, who shows up kind of out of nowhere but plays a very important role in creating depth in Van’s character. You’ve just gotta read this book, you guys.

I loved the slow burn between Van and Clay as our story plays out. They get little tastes of each other here and there, but are always interrupted or thrown off. When they finally come together and give in to their desires, it’s fireworks. It’s explosive and rich and delicious. These two are so romantic and their bond runs so deep. They love each other for exactly who they are. This book was fantastic and I adored every second of it!! It was my first time reading anything by Marla Holt, but it surely won’t be my last. Bravo! 4 stars!

I received this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

“You are the embodiment of your last name.” She placed another quick kiss on his lips, but this time Clay held her close, not allowing any space between them. “You are Noble through and through.”

“That’s not even a month! How do you fall in love in less than a month?” Ashton huffs. “you don’t,” Ben answers, squeezing my hand and looking at me. “You do it in an instant.”

This was my first experience of Andrea Johnston’s work and I was beyond impressed. This book was absolutely addicting from the first page through the last. I couldn’t put it down! I’m really hoping there’s a second book so that I can spend some more quality time in this world. 

Our story begins with a kiss. A earth-shattering, show-stopping kiss between Piper and Ben. Ben is spending some time with his guy friends at a bar and sees a fiery red-head ordering a drink. He can’t stop staring at her, he’s enamored. He approaches her, flirts a little, and then notices that she’s texting some guy…it’s obvious she doesn’t want to be texting this guy. So Ben grabs her and kisses her, taking a photo so that she can send it to this other guy. It’s only after his sister, Ashton, the bartender, smacks him in the face with a wet rag, does he realize that the woman he’s so taken with and is kissing is, in fact, his sister’s best friend, Piper. The girl he grew up with. She’s changed…she got hot. Ben can’t get her out of his head as time moves forward. He can’t un-see her as this precious jewel. He’s completely overcome with emotions. So…he decides to pursue her.

This is NOT going to work for Piper. She is cannot fall for her best friend’s brother! Especially when she realizes that her best friend will most likely never forgive her if the relationship goes south. But she can’t deny her attraction to Ben. She’s been in love with him since she was eight years old when she dressed up as a princess for Halloween and he dressed up as a cowboy. At risk of Ashton’s wrath, our two lovers begin a secret relationship. Now you know that can’t be good. As the reader, you’re just waiting for the other shoe to drop at this point. It’s the worst feeling ever. But also…you can’t help but fall in love with Piper and Ben. Their relationship is so easy, they get along and challenge each other. They make each other better people. Anyway, so Piper suffers from some serious insecurities. A lot of it stems from her mother who was always telling her that she wasn’t good enough and it was okay to settle. Because of that, Piper has had a series of really terrible relationships. She always settles for men who aren’t good enough for her and who treat her like crap. She doesn’t think she’s good enough for Ben, she fears that she will get attached and then he will leave her. This is the root of all of the issues in this book. It’s gets pretty frustrating at certain points because you just want Piper to allow herself to be happy! Like COME ON GIRL. But if you sit with it for a while, and really contemplate her past and what she’s been through, it makes sense. She’s just trying to protect her heart. 

These characters are so complex and beautiful. I loved every second of this book. I won a paperback copy in a giveaway which is how I discovered this author. I will 100% be reading more of her work. I would highly recommend this book to any and all romance readers. 5 stars!

“Something about that girl made of a little whiskey and honey had me seeing things clearly.”

“If I’d known how long it would be until I got to hold her again, I’d have held on a bit longer.”

Maya Hughes won me over yet again with her marvelous stories. I really love her Fulton U series, but that’s all that I had read by her until now. I can’t believe I waited so long to dive into more of her books. Sports romance is my favorite subtrope, this I am 100% sure of. It’s all thanks to authors like Maya, who write addicting, completely swoon-worthy male sports stars.

Declan is just that. He’s charming, handsome, and a killer hockey player. We first meet him when he was a senior at Rittenhouse Prep during prom. He’s crowned prom king and is on top of the world. Then we fast forward to his senior year of college, he’s failing and is kicked off the hockey team until he can bring his grades back up. This is where Makenna comes in. We also meet her at the Rittenhouse Prep prom, the same year as Declan, but even though they dance together, they are not friends. Declan makes an enemy of Makenna that night and she holds a lot of hostility towards him for years after. Makenna ends up transferring to the same college as Declan for her senior year and they are partnered in a class together. Declan has to pass the class in order to get back on the hockey team, and Makenna needs to ace the class so that she can go to med school. Our two lovers form a bond during their study and work sessions and feelings begin to grow.

It’s beautiful to watch Makenna blossom. She goes from being this incredibly uptight, studious girl to a spontaneous, lovable woman. Declan helps her loosen up and, in turn, she helps him buckle down and work harder. He falls for her hard and fast. I think he always knew, if he really got to know her, that he would fall in love with her. That’s why he kept her at arms length for so long. It takes Makenna a little longer to come around because she is so focused on her future. We find out about the death of her brother and her father’s illness, and it all plays into the reasons that she is the way she is. She’s an incredibly complex character. She has flaws, yes, but her strength and her perseverance are what set her aside from the rest. Declan sees that in her and admires her for who she is. 

Of course, when it all comes crashing down, it’s Makenna’s life that is destroyed. Her future, more accurately. It was devastating to read about her loss. I cried real, massive tears for her and her family. But the thing about this girl? She’s resilient. She admits when she is wrong and she finds the strength to move forward. She is the one who approaches Declan after everything happens, she apologizes, she is the one who makes things right. That’s why she’s my favorite character in this novel. She doesn’t give up, she shines. Gah, I love her! This was a wonderful story. It was real and truthful and honest. 5 stars!

“You’re mine now, Books. I was playing the long game. Now you’ll never be rid of me.”