Ever Locked is a powerful, heartbreaking and emotional love story about two souls destined to be together.
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Ever Locked is a powerful, heartbreaking and emotional love story about two souls destined to be together. Its also a story about risking everything in the name of love.

Iris is engaged to the most eligible bachelor in Dallas, heir of one of the most influential families, Trip should be her charming prince. However, behind the facade of the perfect couple, Iris hides dreadful secrets. Somehow Trip is far from her dream man and despite her endless efforts to forgive him some things are meant to be broken.

While working with her uncle in Austin she meets a sweet little boy living with his brother, Zo. These two lost souls are ready to be evicted from their house but Zo conditions is not good so Iris decides to step in and help them.

Iris has a huge heart, she is kind, generous, gentle and human and its easy to understand most of her choices. I truly like her even in her darkest moments. Zo is not only handsome, charming and a good person. He is everything Iris needs, protective, tender and above all a man who loves her just as she is. Their relationship is idyllic. They are one soul in two bodies. Theres no tension between them and their love blossoms page by page.

There are other great characters in this book. Buddy is this little force that touches so many lives only with his innocence and energy. Ella is a great friend and it was really good to have her near Iris and Zo.

This story includes an insight about abusive relationships. Its never easy to read about them and this time is no different. When an abuser uses the other's weakness to gain power over him or her, friction is created. This dynamic where you are afraid of provoking anger in your abuser while living constantly in fear when at the same time the other feels like the rightful owner of a person, seems too much to bear. Reading about this kind of abuse is both sad and stressful.

The feelings and emotions are beautifully described. The author has a gift with words; her writing style is flawless and creates a solid world. Its so outstanding that there were moments where I had to stop because the anguish was too much. It was almost as if I was living those events. The book really drags you into its pages and traps you there. Of course, not only the sad moments are great, when we read about their love and happy scenes, you heart warms and a sensation of fullness surrounds you.

This one is a sweet NA book; it contains a pure love, a love that goes beyond the physical. I say this because you won't find heated scenes in this book.

Overall, Ever Locked is a book about more than love. It will leave you on the edge of tears more than once. If you enjoy profound characters with deep emotions you should read this one.

Side Note: I have to confess that I cheated. No, I didn't read the end before getting to it. I went to read the synopsis for the next book. I knew I couldn't handle if one of my theories was correct, there was one outcome that would kill me so I had to know what the sequel was about before continue. Its the first time something like that happens to me. It only proves how bad the book affected me.

*** I received a complimentary copy in exchange of an honest review. ***
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This is one of those stories that will touch you from the beginning and keep you glued to every word until the end and then leaves you wanting more. It was a great emotional roller coaster ride for me. Wrynn and Tripp are the perfect couple. They are best friends and it got better from there, it is always great when you find you soul mate and marrying him makes life better. This story will go from present to the past and it was not confusing to me at all. It really helps to show the reader all sides of Wrynn and Tripp.

Youre my everything. Youre the reason I breathe, the reason I live. I cant imagine my life without you. I've loved you forever and that love will never die.  Tripp

This line really got the tears flowing and I can't help but love a story that will bring out all my emotions. This was Kathryn McNeill Crane's debut novel and I loved it. I won the ebook last year and can't believe I let life get in the way of reading this one and can't wait for Finding Hope for Today (book 2) due 2015.
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'Make Me Sin by J.T. Geissinger triggers a whirlwind of feeling with a deeply emotional story of love, heartbreak, and hope. A follow up to Sweet as Sin in her Bad Habit series, I wasn't quite sure what to expect after hearing how much it 'wrecked' her to write this book, and I could not imagine what she had in store for for A.J. Edwards and Chloe Carmichael with them having so much animosity between them. In Make Me Sin, Geissinger has gifted their beautiful, achingly tender, and touching journey crafted with many unique layers of character depth and suspense.

Chloe Carmichael is a seemingly simple people pleaser who puts her heart and soul into building her successful floral business, and A.J. Edwards is a very tough and closed off yet talented musician who seems to detest Chloe and continuously throw insults at her. With their friends Kat and Nicos wedding quickly approaching, they are constantly forced to be around each other being that they are Maid of Honor and Best Man. For some reason, A.J.s aggression towards Chloe begins to ignite a certain fire (or misfire?) between the two of them, and she becomes determined to find out what his problem is with her. Although she sometimes gets small glimpses of a softer side to A.J., he continues to shut her out and push her away. Will she ever solve the puzzles that lie within him, and is it possible for them to build any type of civil relationship together?

Some of my favorite things in Geissingers books are her unique and creative story lines and her character depth...

Chloe had so much more determination and strong belief in A.J., and she was surprisingly undeterred in what others thought about her relationship with. him.  He had such heart, tenderness, and passion in his soul, and it was very touching how he expressed it to Chloe in many unique ways through his words, the art of origami, and of course his music. It was so sad that deep within A.J. lay such an inner turmoil of self-loathing and hatred for himself stemming from his haunting past and resulted in his feelings of not deserving any happiness.

Their story was so poetically written as it transformed from his troubled past and pain to the possibility of finding hope and having something beautiful.  There was such an uncertainty in whether their love for each other could ever come to fruition and if A.J. would be able to get over the fears of his past and be able to take a chance on Chloe. It was absolutely impossible not to feel and be all encompassed with them in their struggle - it was so heart breaking!

Honestly, I was completely unprepared for the unexpected relationship between Chloe and A.J. Geissinger completely drew me in and kept me turning page after page with suspense and yearning for the answers. Just when I thought I was getting them, I was completely thrown off course with yet another unexpected turn.  Make Me Sin had me on pins and needles throughout, and I must say that it definitely touched my heart. I am so looking forward to her next book in this series not only to see if there will be a HEA for Chloe and A.J. but also what lies ahead for Grace and Brody!

Absolutely a 5-Star read for Make Me Sin, and I definitely recommended reading the Bad Habit Series!

***ARC kindly provided via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review***
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They say there are two sides to every story, and I suppose in most cases, thats true. But the one I lived inside of? It had three. On the northeast side of Mount Lebanon, Pennsylvania, there was a house. But there was no longer a home.

I am absolutely speechless, this story was hands down one the best I have read , Kandi Stein totally blew  me away from the start of this emotional roller coaster. What he doesn't know is the first book of the duet . It's a romantic, emotional love triangle between Charlie whose a married school teacher , Cameron , Charlie's husband and Reese Charlie's childhood neighbors and first crush. The story had too much angst and emotional undercurrents and was written so beautifully, I was literally flipping the pages to find out what would happen next .

They say there are two sides to every story, and it was in that moment, in that dark, desperate snapshot of my life that I realized I hadnt asked him for his.

This book lights to how much importance communication hold in a relationship, regardless of how bad or good our relationships our with our spouses or we should always communicate with them rather than stop communicating and creating more distances between each other. It was a thought provoking and emotionally wrecking journey. But nonetheless I throughly enjoyed it .
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An intense love burdened by their past. Intense driven an everlasting.
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A story about William/Maggie's lost love that comes full circle. It's sad, dark, angsty and emotional with some big time drama. A heartache filled story that's centered on Maggie's life of domestic violence either at the hands of her father or her boyfriend-husband/Troy. There's a child involved and that always gets to me. Tough one to get through. While William/Maggie finally get their HEA it's a gut wrenching journey. In the end you're left with realistic good feelings knowing this couple is on the mend with the love they both deserve. You also realize William, Maggie and little Jonathan have a long road ahead of them with all the mental/emotional/physical pain they've endured but that healing will surely come. While I'm a big fan of A. L. Jackson's Take this Regret, When We Collide is not a bk I'll want to put on my re-read list. Once down this road was enough for me. Feeling all over the place with this one, but I'm giving it 4 stars for a well written story.
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PUSHING THE LIMITS is an incredibly captivating, intense and emotional love story that brings together two characters who bear the scars of the tragedies they've had to face and are still trying to overcome. Told from the alternating viewpoints of Echo Emerson and Noah Hutchins, this book allows readers to get to know both characters in depth through their own perceptions and from each other's.

It is a story that delivers realistic characters who have experienced tragedy and loss, who are forced to make difficult decisions and who must decide upon just how they want to let their burdens affect their present and their future. It is a story that is heartbreaking and beautiful. It is a story that is full of raw emotion. And it is a story that will leave its mark on those who read it.

Echo is still in the dark about what happened to her to cause the disfiguring scars on her arms. Scars that changed her from the confident girl she once was to the introverted one she is now. If she could just regain her memories without risking her sanity, maybe she'd be able to get her life back on track. Maybe she could find normal again.

Noah lost everything the night of the fire. His family. His future. Himself. And while he can't return things to the way they were before, he is determined to do everything in his power to get his brothers back. If he could just find out where they are, maybe he'd be able to put what remains of his family back together. And maybe, just maybe, he could remember what it means to be normal.

Katie McGarry has created a heart-wrenching love story that is beautiful and fragile, romantic and hopeful. She introduces two incredibly sympathetic characters who are damaged and distrusting and appear to be complete opposites, but who, when together, draw strength from one another. She adds tension and suspense to her story by keeping secret events from each character's past, revealing bits and pieces as the story progresses. And she makes the relationship between them one that isn't instant but with chemistry that is electric.

Powerful, breathtaking and moving, PUSHING THE LIMITS lives up to its name. It tests the boundaries of love, trust and inner fortitude. It offers the promise that love may be worth the risk. And it gives readers a gripping, emotional roller-coaster of a story that is utterly unforgettable.
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Dark, gritty, and absolutely gripping.

Not everything is what it seems and sometimes, darkness outweighs the light.

Noah and Amy are cousins with a love/hate relationship. In the war between love and hate, more often than not, hate wins.

Noah was adopted, something Amy constantly reminds him of. It chips away at him and when he responds, it is always in kind.

The hatred, however, masks misunderstandings and secrets. Revelations lead to something both never saw coming.

In order not to spoil, this story is about personal growth and survival. It's about finding a love you never thought possible and courage that's buried within.

This is beautiful story: passionate, tragic, and it kept me engrossed from the start to the finish.

Highly recommended.
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Two victims. A love forged out of tragedy. A connection that could never be denied. Now if only the outside world could just agree and leave them alone. But is that ever truly a possibility?

Please note that Never Let You Go is the conclusion to the story that began in the Never Tear Us Apart, so this series must be read in chronological order. The below review contains spoilers for the first book. If you haven't yet read Never Tear Us Apart, please see my review for that title.

Never Let You Go picks up where Never Tear Us Apart leaves off. Katie has just found out the big secret that her boyfriend, Ethan, the man she believed to have been falling in love with, is actually Will, the boy who saved her all those years ago from the brutal and savage man (Will's father) who abducted and repeatedly raped her when she was only 12 years old. He would have killed her too, but for Will.

Though she always thought of Will as her savior, and still believes that she owes her life to him, she feels betrayed even worse than before. She trusted Will and the man she felt a renewed sense of safety with, Ethan. The fact that they are one in the same, and she never suspected it, only causes her to question her own already fragile state of mind following years of counseling to recover from the horrific kidnapping. Was Will just playing with her this entire time?

Will, who now refuses to be called by that name, has formed his own new identity and longs to just leave the old one behind. Even though he saved her, and he was victimized by the same man, his father, society never seemed to accept his innocence, instead longing for the next big juicy gossip filled story.

As if contending with the press, including one very determined, overzealous reporter, Lisa, who is determined to get to the "real story" in a live interview, and a society who sees them as wrong is not enough, Katie must also fend off her own feelings of doubt and her family's insistence that they will disown her if she continues any sort of relationship with Will.

Can there possibly be a HEA in the cards for a couple under such large odds?

I will say that the only reason I didn't give this book a 5 star rating, is because Aaron (Will's father), who now is sitting on death row (not just for what he did to Katie, but also because of other little girls he murdered) also plays a part in this book. In fact a few of the chapters are written from Aaron's warped point of view. While the ever present danger of the clearly insane Aaron provided some heightened sense of suspense to the book, the way the plot evolved around his character at the end of the book, was just a little too unbelievable for me to accept.

Nonetheless, I view this as primarily being a story about Will and Katie, and in that respect the connection between these two lost souls--and the fact that they seem to be the only two people in the world who truly understand each other--really resonated with me. This tie, and the way Ms. Murphy wrote this aspect of the story, kept me glued to my Kindle and rooting for them to surge on and hopefully persevere over all the doubts and other obstacles to find their HEA.

Source: Review copy provided in exchange for an honest review.
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A.M. Johnson is so incredibly talented as a writer.  Each story she creates is emotional and beautifully written, and Possession is no different.  What is different, though about the first book in her Avenues Ink series is the religious as well as psychological tones of this particular romance, leaving readers with a story that is heartbreaking yet beautiful.

These characters are incredibly broken, more so than any other character I can recall reading about in a long time.  The hero, Declan, struggles psychological throughout the book. He often hears voices in his head that degrade him and make him feel unworthy, and these voices induce sympathy from the reader.  Hearts will break for this sensitive, yet brilliantly artistic man, with a pure and good heart.  Readers will desperately want him to find his light and hold onto it.  Paige has also been traumatized in her life by the people who are meant to care for her.  Her religion is used to manipulate her and control her, and when she makes an attempt to rectify the mistakes of her life, she earns readers respect.  These two together heal each other.  They are damaged and broken, but with each other they find peace, they find love, and they find a life together that they both deserve.

The plot of this story will intrigue readers from the beginning, mainly due to the interesting characters and their backstories.  What drives the decisions of the characters and ultimately the plot is painful to witness.  They were young when it occurred and ill-equipped to handle the decisions they had to make and the effects on them individually and as a couple. This decision not only hurts them in the past, but it is still affecting them in the future.  This story is about more than just their past and the mistakes they made.  It is about love and how love can provide you with a safe haven, how love brings hope and healing, and how love brings peace. And, no two characters deserve peace and happiness like Paige and Declan.

No matter what A.M. Johnson writes, I know it will be beautiful.  This author has a way with words, making her stories scream out the emotions of the characters.  She puts readers in their place, forcing them to feel their pain and their joy, and they truly live the journey with the characters.  Possession is just another example of an emotional journey that not only wrecked my hear but healed it as well, and I am excited to see where the series goes next.

ARC received in exchange for an honest review.
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After reading the first book in this duet I eagerly counted down the days until I could get my hands on this book. I thought I was prepared but What He Always Knew took me on a rollercoaster ride that absolutely wrecked my emotions in the best possible way.

As much as I wanted to dive into this book when I first got it I was also a bit apprehensive of where Charlie, Cameron, and Reese's story would go. Each character is beautifully flawed and their story is heartgripping and captivating. The triple point of view gave me a better understanding of each of the characters and I loved seeing  through their eyes. Their love is complicated and messy but they all love with their whole heart.

What He Always Knew was the perfect ending for this duet. The last quarter of the book held me spellbound as my heart felt like it was torn in half right alongside Charlie's. I was a bawling mess when I finished this book but I loved the journey I took with these unforgettable characters. This amazing duet is one full of angst, emotions, forgiveness, hope and love. It left me questioning my beliefs and what it truly means to love someone.
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Surviving Regret is honestly like nothing I have ever read. This story was heartbreaking and inspiring, what these five friends go through over the course of three years is intense. This is not the type of happy go lucky love story. There is real pain and suffering that each one of these friends goes through and deals with differently. As a rule I don't normally read stories that have such a present theme as this one. I like to read light happy stories that I can lose myself in so I had certain reservations about this novel. However I completely lost myself in Surviving Regret. The mix of emotions that rolled through me were intense. I feel completely in love with these characters, their triumphs, their pain, their love, and their lost. I think we can all relate in some way to each of these characters in some way, making this story even more real to the reader.  I have to connect to the characters in some way shape or form and considering the complexity and depth to each and every one it was more than easy to find that connection. This story has so many levels that I believe you could come away with something different every time you read it. It is that good. I cannot recommend it enough honestly. Surviving Regret is a heartbreakingly beautifully written story about a strong love and connection between a boy and a girl, friends, sisters, and family. They all work through their own struggles in such intense ways its impossible to not lose yourself in their process. So go read this and get lost and see what you find in yourself when its finished, as I did.
-Mackenzie
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"Love can grow in the darkness..."

The Darkest Sunrise duet is hands down one of the most unforgettable storylines I've ever read. From start to finish, this story clawed its way under my skin and into my heart and never let go. Aly Martinez takes her reader through such a roller coaster of emotions on this incredible journey, through darkness and light, through hope and despair, through love and heartache, and every bit of it was a relentless barrage of feels that I never wanted to end. It's incredible. There's no other way to describe it. It's just incredible.

This second part of the duet picks up exactly where the first left us, with these characters caught up in an intense web of unbelievably horrific circumstances. I thought the first book was turbulent and heartbreaking but what these character have to sort through in this follow up might actually be even worse. It's impossible. It all just feels so impossible, and messy, and beautiful all at once. The silver linings don't feel so shiny, it's hard to find joy in the good when the darkness is so constantly present. But there is joy that peaks through the darkness, it's just a profoundly complicated road through it all. Martinez crafts such a complex web of emotion in this sequel. The light is always edged in the dark, the good always peppered with the truth of the past, and the future, no matter how hopeful it COULD be, still feels difficult and impossible and tarnished. The Brightest Sunset is perfect and ugly and beautifully heart wrenching and it evolves in just the right manner, ensuring the reader feels every nuance of pleasure pain along the way.

This series resonated with me as a mother and as a romantic. It's powerful and heavy and you can't read it without coming away feeling deeply effected by all these characters traverse. The Brightest Sunset is as much about acceptance and grief and hope and healing as it is about love and passion and unrelenting attraction. It's about the powerful bonds of family, it's about unconditional love. It's gritty and raw at times, sweet and sexy and funny at others. It's all these ugly and beautiful things woven together in this gripping, meaty story, a brilliant tapestry threaded with undeniable love and unwavering hope. It's a phenomenal story, one that I hope everyone reads. It has left me both speechless and with the desperate need to talk about it with everyone. It's an absolute MUST READ duet, a top favorite of the year, and a story that I'll never, ever forget.
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**I received a paperback ARC from the author in exchange for an honest review**

A Pound of Flesh is Sophie's debut novel, and I must say, if it's any indication of what's to come for her, then she's poised to take the literary world by storm.

Kat is a teacher at Arthur Kill, a penitentiary. Carter is an inmate who, in order to get the possibility of early parole, must start taking classes with her. Sparks start flying the minute they meet, and the two spend more time butting heads than acting as teacher and student. Eventually Kat begins tutoring Carter on a 1:1 basis, and it's through these sessions that she starts to get glimpses of the real man beneath the tough, inmate exterior. But Carter has a secret, one that has the power to destroy the entire repoire he's built with Kat, and in due time he has to make the decision whether or not to reveal it.

The character development in A Pound of Flesh is one of the strongest parts of the writing. Kat and Carter are both complex characters, and they go through a multitude of changes over the course of the story. Sophie takes us along their journey, giving us glimpses into the minds of each character. We witness their struggles, their triumphs, and watch as they peel back each other's layers, and piece by piece start to demolish each other's walls.
This book is filled with twists and turns. Carter has to fight for so many things; the woman he loves, the life he wants, and everything that he deserves and is owed. Kat grapples with difficult pieces of her past, but Carter is by her side to help her navigate everything that's tossed her way.
A Pound of Flesh isn't your everyday romance. The forbidden nature of the main relationship, coupled with the circumstances surrounding Kat and Carter and how they met, and all the challenges they face along the way, make for a unique plot line. The emotions were raw and so well written, I often felt myself feeling what I imagined the characters were. My heart broke when their hearts broke, my tears fell right along side theirs, and I felt a surge of happiness each time they met a triumph.

Be prepared to become addicted after reading this oneto Kat and Carter, to the world encapsulated within the pages, but most of all, to Sophie's writing. I have no doubts in my mind Sophie will continue to blow me away her future works!

5 stars to this book!
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When I pick up a Nicole Jacquelyn book, I expect to fall in love. I know shes going to break my heart, and then put it back together. I know Im going to experience a powerful story that packs a punch. With every novel, she pulls me in, and Im taken on an emotional rollercoaster. Change of Heart pulled at my every heartstring. Its a beautiful tale of love and family, heartbreak and loss.

Anita is such a fabulous heroine. She hasn't had the easiest of beginnings, and uses her snarky personality to keep people at arms length. I loved Ani so much. She had to make some truly difficult decisions, and my heart broke for her. Through it all, she remains strong and true to herself.

Abraham is the kind of hero Nicole excels at writing; a stubborn jerk who ultimately finds redemption. I loved his protective nature when it came to his family. While he and Ani may trade verbal blows, he would do anything for her. Hes also hiding a tortured past. He buries his scars deep, refusing to face how his previous experiences have affected him. His behavior stems from a place of vulnerability that he is determined to hide.

These two have been butting heads since the moment they first met. Years of hostility have kept them in a constant battle of wills, until finally, a weak moment leads to more. With so much standing between them, its impossible they will have it easy when it comes to a relationship. When something changes in Anis life, Bram is suddenly confronted with everything hes been running from.

The touchstone of this series deals with adoption, and the fact that families are made out of love, not blood; its a powerful message that is truly heartwarming. During the course of the book, those familial bonds are definitely tested. I loved seeing the family rally around one another in times of trouble.

I devoured this book in one sitting. The writing, as always, is stellar. This story was compelling, captivating, and left me completely transfixed. Nicole writes angst like no other. It always feels organic and not forced just for drama. Her characters are so dynamic; you feel everything right along with them. This is a book that will stay with me and is one I will be reading over and over; another top favorite from one of my favorite authors.

Can this be read as a standalone? Yes, however, I highly recommend reading Unbreak My Heart before this one. Not only is it another favorite, and absolutely fabulous, it first introduces us to this wonderful cast of characters.
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After Find You In The Dark left my heart shattered to pieces, I was so excited to read how Maggie and Clays story would continue with Light In The Shadows. I felt a very personal connection to this story because of similar experiences I shared growing up with a dear friend plagued with anger issues and mental illness. A. Meredith Walters truly captures the very essences of what these struggles are.
In Light In The Shadows, we pick back up with Clay undergoing his treatment after his suicide attempt and Maggie trying desperately to move on with her life without Clay in it. Tragedy brings Clay out of his treatment center earlier than anticipated and he and Maggies lives are thrust back together again. Clay knows that Maggie is the only girl for him, as Maggie knows that her heart will always belong to Clay. This book brings you on the journey that Clay and Maggie travel through trying to find their places in the world and way out of the darkness that keeps threatening to consume them again.
My heart is so full at the ending of this book, and I feel that I truly got the closure I was so desperate to get. As I said, this book struck a chord with me on a very personal level, and I cant commend A. Meredith Walters enough for broaching this extremely difficult subject.
The raw intensity of emotions that are depicted with Clay and Maggie will reach into your soul and leave your heart wide open and vulnerable. This was by far one of the most gut-wrenching and passionate books I have read in a long, long time. I am so grateful that I read these books. I cant even begin to count how many times I cried while reading Light In The Shadows. I cried tears of pain, sorrow and complete contentment. If you haven't read Find You In The Dark or Light In The Shadows, you need to move these up to the top of your list. This is as journey that I will not soon forget.
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This is a beautiful story about two people broken, each at the hand of tragic circumstances.  The story outlines the horror that Hayden witnesses as a young boy and how from that point forward he shuts people out and with his friend Remy ends up working as a collector of debts for their underhand boss Cooper.  Hayden has learnt to keep everyone at arms length until he meets Alex.

Alex too has suffered loss in her life only recently and leaves her home to live with her estranged Aunt.  Alex meets Hayden and slowly but surely she begins to feel safe and cherished by Hayden and as a result she gradually unlocks Hayden's heart stripping away his protective walls enabling him to love, trust and open himself up to Alex.  There are many instances in Hayden's life that he regrets but Alex empowers him, through her love, to change.

I liked this story because the author keeps your attention throughout.  There is a good mix of anxiety, grief and love which had me wondering how the story would end.  This is a 5+ star read.  I will definitely not hesitate to read more from this author.

Lesley S