Review: Beautiful!
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 05 3, 2014
Oh where to start with this gorgeous book? What can you say when you just love a book, its characters and its story so much?The subtext of this story is just so meaningful. It was so beautiful to see the wonderful development of the characters and story through this book, I loved seeing how Peyton and Reed helped put each other back together after the pain of their pasts.Peyton was a character that I wanted the best for right from the word go. The horrific rape she’d experienced when at college had emotionally ripped her apart, and not even years of therapy has been able to make her feel like she can be normal. It was so heartbreaking to see the pain that Peyton carried around with her every second, she was such a kind-hearted individual, so genuine and loving that I desperately wanted her to find her other half that could help her past her pain.Reed was an absolute whirlwind of a hero. I liked that his player ways were originally a topic of teasing and subtle flirting between him and Peyton, and I knew from the start that this was the first man that Peyton could smile with, and forget for a time about her past. Despite normally staying hidden behind baggy clothing, her transformation during the beginning of her relationship with Reed was so wonderful to watch. I admired her strength for accepting a date with Reed, even though she struggled to see why he wanted to go out with her.The development of their relationship was stunning to read, and I absolutely adored every moment on the pages that they spent together, getting to know each other, being able to be themselves with no desire to hide themselves. I felt for Peyton when she trusted Reed with her painful secret, and loved Reed all the more for his gentle and moving response to it, proving to himself that he could be the man he wanted to be who would be there for the people he loved even when it was hard for him to do so.Throughout the book though there was one character who I just loved to hate. Poor Griffin probably didn’t deserve my loathing for him, but he just rubbed me the wrong way, which made me identify with Reed all the more. I understood that he had feelings for Peyton, but I couldn’t understand why he would want to cause Peyton more pain by doing everything in his power to keep her and Reed apart. There was something that Quinn said, about him not wanting to go through the hard work of fixing Peyton but wanting to be with her that really got to me. I would have respected him more if he’d been there for Peyton more, listened to her, been a true friend to her and not acted like a jealous lover, and just wanted her to be happy. I felt he was just too wrapped up in wanting Peyton for himself that he didn’t stop to think what would make Peyton happy. It was a strange relationship that I forged with Griffin throughout this story, particularly as I was strongly on Team Peyton, and I just knew that from the different ways that the two men treated her, that she deserved better than Griffin.This really was a spectacular, emotional and beautiful love story, and Reed and Peyton have really stuck with me since I finished reading this story, as it gave me as a reader hope that there is someone out there for everyone who will be there for them and help them through their lowest points.5 Stars!