Review: One of THE BEST of 2014 - Not To Be Missed!!!
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 07 19, 2014
This has got to be one of THE BEST books I have read in 2014.I'm going to put this in the TOP THREE category.If the writing is so beautiful that I find myself highlighting practically the entire book, then to me, the book is pure MAGIC!!"Loving Mr. Daniels" is my GOLDEN!!!!Ashlyn Jennings is a beautiful 19 year old girl, who has just lost her best friend in the entire world.Her twin sister, Gabby, just recently died from her battle with cancer.She's lost, devastated, and her world is about to be flipped upside down, when she learns her mother is sending her off to Wisconsin to live with her estranged father, who left them when she and Gabby were five. He's never come to visit or call them in all the time he's been gone from their lives.Her relationship with her mom is strained and Ashlyn believes that her mom wishes it was she who had died instead of Gabby.Gabby's boyfriend, Bentley, delivers to Ashley, a box filled with some of her prized possessions plus a bucket list with numbered letters for her.Every time she crosses something off the list, she gets to read a letter from her sister.On the train ride from Chicago to Wisconsin, Ashlyn sees a gorgeous man/boy or as she called him "Banmoy". His blue eyes captivate her.Beautiful. Breathtaking. Brilliant. Blue eyes.Daniel Daniels strikes up a conversation with the beautiful girl with the sad green eyes when they arrive at their destination.He invites her to come to the bar his band is playing at, the following weekend.The chemistry between these two is undeniable.Ashlyn is very much affected by her sister's death and having to move in with a father she has deep resentment for and abandonment issues with, I have to say I was really impressed at how strong she was.Her dad has a new family and she, of course, feels that he just replaced her and Gabby with his step children.There were numerous secondary characters that were developed so perfectly that I actually enjoyed their scenes and think that the author has plenty of material for follow up books if she wanted to make this a series.I loved Ryan and Hailey.The step brother and sister.Ryan!! OMG. That boy tugged at my heart strings and never let go.I cried many tears for him!!Now back to my most favorite part of the story...Daniel!!Daniel is gorgeous.He's a musician!!He's freaking brilliant and quotes Shakespeare!!Ashlyn also is a Shakespeare fanatic.So of course this is another reason why they just seem to be made for each other.But there's one BIG problem.Daniel is her AP English teacher!!Oh I just love a good Student/Teacher love affair!!There were parts of this story that reminded me of "Slammed", but only slightly.There will be angst because of the whole, student/teacher relationships are forbidden deal, but Ashlyn and Daniel are so enamored of each other that it will be quite impossible for them to stay apart.I loved almost everything about this book.The writing was exquisite!!If I were to post all the quotes that I adored in my review, it would probably be a ten pager.At this point, I know I have gone on too long but I can't even express just how affected I am by this story.There are no amount of words that can truly express how I feel!It is books like this, that have my heart soaring and makes me believe firmly that there is NOTHING better than coming across a fantastic story that leaves you utterly breathless.If you haven't read this book, you need to bump it up your TBR!Don't let any more time go by before you pick this one up!!