Review: Absolutely love Rachel and Jared!!
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 02 7, 2014
Third installment of the Take My Hand series.  This is Rachel and Jared's story, also written in dual POV with the reader finding themselves in both character's heads.  I've read all three books in this series so far, and I have to admit each one I read was the best of all, this one takes top rank for me.  I predict I'll end up feeling this way about the next book that will be coming out as well.  I find myself singing the author's praises each time I've reviewed one of these books, but it's truly deserved.  She does an amazing job of fleshing out her characters and the plot, drawing you in to the point of feeling you're part of the story!I loved this book!!  It had my heart breaking with just the prologue alone, so Nicola jumped in feet first with this book to grab you.Rachel and Jared have been spending time together as Rachel finds herself without BFF Emily who is still in the states with Dexter and has fallen off the grid with no contact.  Finding herself in that situation, she does as any other red-blooded woman would do....she falls for the hot sexy man!  But wait, this is Rachel we're talking about:  Ms. Independent, takes no shit, needs no help.  So how can this be?  Because Jared has made up his mind that it's Rachel he wants and he refuses to give up!We find out more about Jared in this book which was a definite eye opener.  I found these two funny in the first book, and discovered this time around that barely scratched the surface.  Rachel and Jared are crazy funny, together it's even crazier!  How can you expect anything less with a sex aid named Cindy?As with any romance you read, the happy couple has bumps in the road.  I'm glad there's not some jilted lover hanging in the shadows trying to break them up.  There is one point where the trust is broken and it seems the end might be near, but thankfully it is short-lived as it's cleared up almost as quickly as it happened.We find out a secret about Jared that he has kept hidden from everybody but Mick.  So you know that spells trouble when Rachel finds out about it.I only viewed Jared as a funny sidekick character in the other books.  I now admit that I went full tilt and fell head over heels for him here!  He's loving, caring, considerate, sentimental, protective and just plain sexy! Who doesn't want a boyfriend like that??  When he came out and professed his love for her, I was a big puddle of mush!  I liked getting to watch Rachel come to terms with the relationship as she realized Jared's actions weren't pity, it was love.  Of all the character/reader "conversations", I adore Jared's the most...You feel like his best friend the way he talks and confides in you as the story moves along.Not to say this book is all sunshine and rose petals, it's got it's moments that will knock you on your butt.  Thankfully, the characters are strong enough to grow from those moments and not just turn the other cheek and get beat down.There is something huge that comes up and I love how it's handled, not just with Rachel and Jared but how the other characters are involved as well.  But it's awesome how close it brings our beloved couple and you see just how great they are together.Only drawback is how the story ends.  Don't take that as a bad thing, it's just preparing you for the story to continue in the next book.  The second and third books both end at the same point basically, just from two different points of view.  So it should all come to fruition and all four characters back together once we get to crack open Never Let Go.  I just know I hate all this waiting....