Consolation (Salvation, #3)

by Corinne Michaels

[Cocktails and Books]

HOLY CRAP! I knew from reading the author's Belonging Duet that she can write an emotionally challenging story. That she can create characters you absolutely fall for and cheer to get their HEA. But she has completely outdone herself with CONSOLATION. To quote my thoughts on Goodreads after I finished reading this: "OMG! What did I just read? Why? ARGH!!!!!" Yep, I still feel this way.

Natalie suffers an unimaginable loss, while at the same given her reason for living. Her daughter Aarabelle is the reason she gets out of bed in the morning and ultimately why she manages to put a sense of order to her life and move forward. It's not easy for her and she's drowning in grief and anger. It takes her husband's best friend to spend a month with her to learn how to smile again and to start to live.

Liam took his leave, figuring he'd help Natalie do the things he knew she'd been putting off. Her understood, to a point, what she was feeling, but he also knew she needed to move forward. He never expected to have feelings for the woman that was always off limits or to have them returned.

I loved Liam and Natalie together. His arrogance and charm brought our her sarcastic wit. The two of them just fit together, in fun times and in sadness. Liam pushed Natalie, but only when he knew she needed it. He was there to stand behind her when she needed his strength and cheered her on when she didn't. The sexual tension between the two of them could leave the pages smoldering, but Liam never pushed that either. He was willing to do everything at Natalie's pace. From practically the first moment we met Liam, I was enamored with him, but seeing him with Natalie and Aara made me fall hard for this sailor.

As many endearing scenes as there were with Liam and Natalie, there were scenes that had me wanting to toss my kindle or slap a fictional character. They are necessary to the storyline moving into CONVICTION (releases May 27, 2015), but they left me wanting nothing more than to see Liam and Natalie get their HEA at the end of the CONVICTION to prove to those a-hole characters that they can't have it all.