Review: Definitely readable as a standalone 4.5 stars
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 07 14, 2014
I'm going to start this review with this, I made a mistake when I was reading this book.  I missed three very important words.  "Part One: Before".  Let me explain.This book is written in three parts.  "Before", "After" and "Forever" (with a prologue thrown in, as well).  I won't explain the meaning of "Before" and "After", because they will become very clear to you early in the book, and it is really critical to the entire story.As I finished Part One, and saw the heading for Part Two: After, it all made perfect sense.  I went back to the beginning and found the words "Part One Before" and it was like a weight was lifted off my shoulders because I could allow myself to absolutely love and enjoy this book, from beginning to end.I won't give any of this story away, because you truly need to experience the entire thing, start to finish.  However, I will say that if you can finish Part One without a tear in your eye, let me know and I will send someone over to check your pulse.  It was all about love and loss, anger and heartbreak, and makes those three little words so very critical to the story.I found this book so intriguing.  I have never read a book quite like this.  This book had two love stories in it, not the norm that we are used to of just one.  And yet, it felt so right.  The characters in this book were flawed.  They made mistakes, some huge ones, some that could not be taken back, but those flaws made those characters so very heartfelt in everything they did.  They loved 100%.  And they loved in real life, with all the realities that go along with it.  Anger and despair, along with the joy and happiness.  Dylan's heart is broken, and only with the patience of a man who loves deeply, could it be mended.This story brought me through the gamut of emotions.  I laughed, I cried (at least four different times, one being one of those ugly cries we hate), I sighed with happiness, and I questioned some of the decisions of the characters.  Mostly, though, I just let this book take me on the journey it was intended to.  I find that sometimes we try to anticipate where a book is going to take us, what is coming next.  I couldn't anticipate it, and found that I didn't want to.  It was a beautiful story, and I can only hope that Ms. Collins sees fit to add a little bit of these fine gentlemen back into another book in this series so we can catch up with them later.I hope that you can spend some time with this book and appreciate it all.  Definite reread! Final review is 4.5 stars.