Review: A crazy, angst-filled romance that's balanced out by their wonderfully steadfast group of friends.
Rating: 4 out of 5
Date: 10 9, 2012
Letting Go is the second book in the Rock Bay series. You should read the first book in the series, Coming Home, just because it's a good read, but it's not necessary to enjoy this one.  The reason I say that is because the first part of this book retells everything important from Coming Home. It also gives a thorough introduction to Mason, who was a very minor character in the first book. I've never seen an author give such a detailed account of the previous book and I'm still a bit torn on how I feel about it. It was good in that it refreshed my memory on some of the smaller details but it was also boring because I already knew the outcome of the events. What made it interesting was that it was told from Drew's perspective whereas in the first book he was a peripheral character. Going into this book I was not a fan of Drew. After Going Home, I saw him as a 32 year old man buried in the closet because of his best friend, a homophobic jerk he doesn't even like.  I thought he was pathetic and I didn't like or respect him at all. In my opinion, Drew needed to grow a pair.Once I got to see the drama of the previous book from Drew's perspective, my opinion of him changed. He became a guy with whom I could empathize. That's important because it made a romance between Mason and Drew believable. In this book, Drew's love interest is Mason. Mason is more my style, he's a guy I would want to be friends with. Mason is young and he made some mistakes in his past, but he learned from them. He's trying to get his life back on track and make a new start in a new town. He's a little unstable, but I like that.  Drew and Mason brought out the best in one another and I really liked them together. They made stupid mistakes with each other along the way, but they were understandable mistakes, even if they were a little overly dramatic. I thoroughly enjoyed the build up of their romance, even though there was a ton of angst.  I was feeling the chemistry between them and loving them as a couple. Their chaotic courtship was balanced out by the stability of their friends. This series revolves around a core group of friends who are constantly in and out of each other's lives. They're an odd mix of people. They hang out just about every day, they joke around and tease each other constantly, but they always have each other's back. They're wonderful and continue to be one of my favorite parts of these books.There is nothing earth-shattering or life altering here, it's just a good book. I liked the writing style and I found the story comfortable and enjoyable. It's a nice, easy read that left me feeling happy. I liked it.