ibeforem
Written on Oct 1, 2013
- ISBN10 0989104400
- ISBN13 9780989104401
- Publish Date 19 March 2013
- Publish Status Active
- Publish Country GB
- Imprint Seth Clarke
- Format Paperback (US Trade)
- Pages 368
- Language English
Reviews
Cocktails and Books
Written on Apr 4, 2013
I've held off reading this book for a few weeks because I needed to be in a place where I could emotionally deal with the content of this book. I knew what was going to happen. Kyle was going to die. The only question was when it was going to happen in the story and (for me) just how emotionally devastating this was going to be.
If you follow the blog, you know that I have been on a New Adult kick. I like how emotionally challenging and gritty the titles I've picked up are. I figured, based on the buzz for this book, that this would absolutely fit into group of books I've been reading. I won't lie....there are some really, really tough moments.
Nell is absolutely, positively broken by the death of Kyle. She's closed all her emotions off and lives in this place where the only thing she feels is pain and guilt. Her feelings are understandable. Her family's lack of intervention are not. At the beginning of the book, I was given a feeling that Nell was close with her parents. Even if her father is a hard-assed CEO during the day, they seemed like a close family and one that would intervene if their only child seemed to be on a downward spiral. As we met up with Nell in present day and saw how much she had changed after Kyle's death, I had to wonder just why her parents weren't doing something to help her because it was fairly obvious that she was floundering. Luckily for Nell, Kyle's older brother, Colton, crosses paths with her and is able to help Nell start to deal with a lot of her issues.
Colt was special. For the son of a prominent Congressman, he had a truly horrible, horrible late teen/early twenties. He'd done some things he wasn't proud of, but it was what he needed to do to survive when his family turned it's back on him. Colt has a very skewed vision of himself because it's tainted by his parents perception of him, the demons of his past and what he thinks is his lack of worth. With Nell, he recognizes a person in pain and he wants to help her let go of her pain and learn to deal with Kyle's death. His persistance with Nell made me love him. I wanted Colt to find a way to truly be happy and to let go of all the crap that occurred in his past. He had a way of compartmentalizing things he didn't want to deal with and sometimes Nell went into her own little box. But Colt was trying to dig himself out and finding that happy place.
I liked the story and I liked both characters. They were both (story and characters) were incredibly complex. The only thing that was holding me back from loving this book was the response from both Nell and Colt's families. I really needed to see, the families reaching out. To let Nell flounder they way she did was inexcusable to me. She can be broken and not responsive, but they should have been on her to get help. Then there was Colt's family. There was more there that needed to be said between Colt and his parents and we never got it. There was the attempted apology, but that only scratches the surface of their family issues. I'm hoping that with the upcoming release, FALLING INTO US, the author give us that insight so I can feel like everyone was on the road to a better place and not hanging in a sort of "Maybe I'm OK" limbo.
limabean74
Written on Mar 25, 2013
I have started and stopped this review all week. I start typing it and realize, "nope this just doesn't sound right" so I would start over. I'm not sure I can write a review that will do this book justice but I will try my best...
This is by far one of those books that stick with you way after you read it. I finished it on March 24, I know that's not that long ago but I can't get Kyle, Nell and Colton out of my head. I'm sure people are tired of me telling them "OMG YOU MUST READ THIS BOOK!!! BEST BOOK EVER!!!"
So with a little bit of thought as to how to write this review, this is what I came up with :)
My heart hurt for these characters I cried with them and felt their emotions. The story captured not only an amazing love story but all the emotions and feeling you get when you lose someone you love. There were times I wanted to hug the characters and parts were I wanted to smack them in the back of the head and say "get over it already" but I get it. I know what that guilt feels like when you lose someone who you care for whether its a friend or your first love. The burden you carry with you wishing you did something different, called them sooner, spent more time with them or said something to them that you never did. Taking for granted that they would always be there with you. You never expect to have them one day be gone and you realize you had so much to tell them. No matter how hard you try to get yourself to realize they know, there is no comfort from the guilt you carry. But at some point you have to just put it aside, it never goes away but it gets easier with time.
The characters were amazing. I loved Nell as a close friend, I missed Kyle and I fell in love with Colton. I loved the idea of reading in Nell's POV and Colton's POV seen it done but never this well. This is now one of my Favorite books.
Oh and let's not forget.....I'm a huge fan of sex in a book but HOLY CRAP!!!! I needed a cold shower after each sex scene. WOW....JUST WOW!!!! :)
Do I recommend this book?
Did this review do this book justice? Probably not. Jasinda Wilder did an amazing job writing this book I'm not sure my review can completely make you feel how she made me feel reading it. But should you read it? Without a doubt, 100%, Absolutely think you should get this book and sit down for one hell of an amazing emotional roller coaster of love, lose and hot sex ;).
Michelle@ love2readalways.blogspot.com