Review: Great conclusion to the trilogy <3 Lia & Evan
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 05 10, 2014
5 starsThis was a great story. I loved Lia and Evan and their story was exciting and suspenseful. I was drawn in ...well from the cliffhanger at the end of book #2 Otherwise Occupied and this book picked up where the story left off and kept running with it.Lia is a nursing student who has come to Chicago looking for Evan after they meet, spend some time together and make a connection in book #1 Otherwise Alone. She shows up just as Evan is being taken away by the police after he has a breakdown from lack of sleep and other factors. Lia is determined to help Evan and find out what happened to him.Evan (a hit man for the Chicago mob) has been through a lot. He found something with Lia and even though their meeting was brief, he had trouble going back to his own life and he couldn't sleep. After a lot of things happen, including and extreme lack of sleep and betrayal by someone he trusted, Evan breaks down (getting flashbacks due to his PTSD) and shoots up a park (hurting no one) and is taken to jail. His situation just gets worse in jail because being restrained (and his continual lack of sleep) just makes his PTSD worse.Evan is being held in the mental ward of the jail and his doctor is concerned about his lack of sleeping and his inability to focus or even respond to most of what's going on. When Lia comes to see him, Evan doesn't want her to see him in this state and he's worried about her being connected with him and how it could put her in danger. Regardless of this, seeing Lia brings Evan out of his fog and calms him. When his doctor sees this, he arranges for Lia to stay with Evan for a while in order for him to sleep. This works and once Evan has some sleep he can start thinking again and realizing his situation. His boss starts working on getting him out but some Feds come in and put pressure on Evan to turn on his boss. Evan's not willing to do that but the Feds have evidence and make some threats and Evan ends up promising to help the Feds bust one of the other Chicago crime families. Unfortunately, in order to do this, his boss has to think he's gone off the radar and this causes it's own issues.Evan is worried about Lia being in Chicago but she's already connected enough to him that she could be in danger even if she leaves so he wants to keep her close. Also, as soon as he touched her and talked to her again, Evan realized he needs Lia and doesn't know if he can actually let her go if she wanted to go. Lia doesn't want to go anywhere and is happy to see Evan again but she's not a stupid woman and knows there's more that she needs to know. She lets Evan get by with not telling her everything for a bit but soon she insists on knowing what's going on. Evan (reluctantly) tells her about his time as a PoW in the Marines, his work as a hit man and the circumstances they are currently in...not to mention the fact that she's now in danger and needs to stay with him for safety. Lia doesn't take the news easily but she accepts it with the understanding that once they get out of the current situation, they'll leave Chicago and this life behind. Evan and Lia go through a lot in the book as they try to stay safe and maneuver their way through the mire of fighting crime families and people that aren't what they seem. The story concludes with a hell of a bang as they both end up in danger (or should I say more danger...) and drastic measures are needed. While they don't come out of it totally unscathed, Lia and Evan do come out of it whole, together and in love and are able to leave Chicago to start their HEA.This was such a great conclusion to the trilogy. Evan was a damaged man but in the end I couldn't help liking him and rooting for him to get a little peace and happiness with Lia. I liked Lia a lot and thought she was a great heroine. She was a normal, likable woman...not overly annoying but not magically all accepting or perfect either. She was sweet and loving but yet was willing to stand up to Evan when needed. I totally enjoyed this story and just wish it hadn't ended. I'd highly recommend this book (but only after you've ready the first 2 books). 2 thumbs up! :D