Review

This novel conquers some hard subjects.  Jackson is fresh home from war, and he came home minus his best friend, Adam…who is also Charlie’s brother.  There’s a creeper at work that Charlie (and the other ladies) are trying to keep at bay.  Plus, Charlie’s dad is keeping a pretty big secret from her.  Let’s just say I felt like at every point in the story, SOMEONE’S life was being turned upside down.  Charlie and Jackson need each other.  And they even want each other.  But with Adam being gone, and both of them silently wondering if Jackson could have done something more to make sure Adam came home, there seems to be a divide between them that might be too great to cross.

Besides the fact that they truly care about each other, Charlie and Jackson’s chemistry is absolutely undeniable!  There are definitely some swoon-worthy moments in this book!  But Charlie has a hard time letting go of absolute control.  And falling in love is something we have no control over.  There were times when I was frustrated with her, thinking, “How could you possibly even THINK about giving up that feeling and/or that relationship?”  Because she doesn’t want to lose any of that control, she also just plain refuses to deal with some of the things going on in her life, which just made me mad at that point.  And Adam is having a hard time letting Charlie all the way in…his reactions to certain things can be frustrating and heartbreaking, and he doesn’t want Charlie to see that, or to try to help him.  She has enough to deal with without knowing all the awful details of his experience as a soldier.  What he saw while deployed overseas can never be erased from his memory.  Jackson definitely had me flustered as well, but with memories from war etched into his brain, I really couldn’t blame him.

And my favorite secondary character? DEFINITELY Charlie’s best friend Taylor!  Taylor is funny, and sympathetic, but also brutally honest when she needs to be.  I seriously don’t know if Charlie could have survived all the crappy things that happened in her life without Taylor by her side.  Let’s just say I wish I had a best friend like Taylor!

There are some really high highs, and some really low lows in this story, but it is all fantastically written!  The author broaches all of the tough topics in a respectful and real manner, and causes the reader to experience all the emotions right along with the characters.  Will Charlie and Jackson’s love for one another be able to overcome all of the hurdles they face?  Go read it now, and find out for yourself!  Besides, you REALLY don’t want to miss the steamy scenes! :)