Review: Great contemporary romance! 4 Stars!
Rating: 4 out of 5
Date: 10 10, 2013
What is it about tragic stories with emotionally destroyed characters that draw me in? Perhaps I crave their happiness more since they start at such a low point. I have a strong urge to hope for beautiful things to happen since life has been unfair for them. This novel drags out very strong emotions and you cannot help diving into the story.Allyson Monroe has dealt with far too much loss in her life. What started out as the greatest evening tragically turns into her worst nightmare. The death of her fiancé causes Ally to shut down emotionally and give up on a happy ending. Her story ripped my heart apart and it was effortless to feel her pain. I was thankful she had a strong support system in her best friend and older brother.Bumping into Brody McCabe was a delicious surprise but the instant attraction she feels is unwanted. Brody had me at "Cowboys Do It Rough". He is sexy and mouth-watering but refuses to fall in love, as if it was even possible. Brody tries very hard to pretend Ally is just another chick but clearly he is in denial. I loved that they shared their painful pasts with each other when both rarely tell the stories to anyone. Their paths crossed a night years ago yet only one of them remembers it...The secret between them could break their fast growing bond so Brody is afraid to tell Allyson about the night they first met. Even with her strong feelings for him, it might not be enough to free her from the past. While reading this story, I constantly had an overwhelming urge to reach into the book to give Allyson a hug. She is definitely a pained heroine that grabbed my attention and made me realize how precious life is.Overall, this is a great debut novel and I look forward to what A.E. Neal creates next.