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Review
5 heart-clutching stars!
I went into this book not really knowing what to expect, and I have to say it surprised the hell out of me! It’s not your average ‘boy meets girl’ storyline… ok, so that part of it is still there, but it goes so much deeper than that, and the emotion is incredible!
It is the story of Psychology doctorate student, Nessa, who, on the first day of her new job, literally runs into smoking hot Pediatric Oncologist, Dr Aron Lindstrom. With the attraction between them obvious from the very beginning, there is some witty conversation, some sweet flirting, and very quickly Nessa finds herself completely under the spell of the charming doctor.
However, Nessa has a family history of severe mental illness, and lives in fear of developing the disease that destroyed her father. Added to that, the intense pressure that she is under with her study and her work, she fights a constant battle to balance everything in her life without going under.
But Aron is not to be dissuaded and is there for Nessa whenever he can be – supporting her and just being there for her, and it’s gorgeous. She, in return, gives the same back to him, and so we have the set up for a beautifully slowly developing relationship. Despite the feelings they have for each other, Nessa and Aron decide to take things slowly between them – they spend time together, they share, they have fun together, and the build is really realistic as their feelings for each other continue to grow.
“I’m desperate to be with you, Nessa.” His thumb skims over my lips. “But I need you to understand something: I want you completely. Brain, heart, and body. No walls between us. I want you to give yourself to me, but first you have to decide you’re ready for that.” …
I bite my lip and reach for his hand. “Would you stay and be next to me, just because I need you close?”
He looks down at my fingers twining with his … “There’s no way I could say no.”
Aron is incredible. First and foremost – he is a nice guy! He’s a funny, intelligent, respectful and big-hearted sweetheart, and I fell instantly in love with him. But don’t go thinking he’s boring! The man has a bit of a past, and there’s no denying he is sexy as all get out, and certainly brings the heat when he wants to! Yep, things get steamy, and as Aron and Nessa fall hard for each other, he completely sweeps her off her feet.
“I’ve been meaning to tell you something,” he says.
… “What’s that?”
His head lowers so he’s looking in my eyes. “I’m completely in love with you.”
OMG, total swoon!
They are beautifully honest with each other. Sure, they have some ups and downs (Aron’s reputation as a player for one) and they have some horrendous hurdles to get over but, for the most part, they are open with what they are feeling, and the way they open up to each other is absolutely gorgeous.
“I feel more for you than ever have for anyone, and anything we do together isn’t me using you!” He squeezes his eyes shut and sets his forehead on mine. “It’s me giving myself to you.”
However Nessa and Aron’s love is put to the test when the story takes a massive shift and their lives spiral completely out of control. It wasn’t what I was initially expecting from this book, and while I did predict it before it all went down, it was way more intense than I thought it was going to be and it absolutely wrecked me. Seriously, I was floored by the emotion that Ferrara managed to put into even just a few sentences .
“A tear slides from the corner of his eye and falls to the floor. The moment it hits, I feel it, a sharp, rending pain in my chest. My heart, breaking for him. “
I sobbed, and my heart actually hurt! It’s so beautifully written, I felt every moment right along with them. Even now, just writing this, I’m getting all teary just thinking about it. Even though the story is entirely from Nessa’s POV, the dialogue and the honesty between the characters lets us know exactly what they are going through, and I could understand everything that they were feeling.
And I loved that we get so much more following the moment of devastation – the story follows on so we get to see what comes next and, again, I thought the whole thing was amazingly written.
“Can I answer your unspoken ‘what if.’ With ‘I’ll be there’?”
Yes, it’s a hard read, dealing with some very serious subject matter (I mean, they both work on a children’s cancer ward! That alone brings its own tragedy to the story), and yes, it’s an absolute rollercoaster, but I loved every minute of it! I was hooked from the very beginning, and couldn’t stop thinking about it, even when I had to put it down.
While I would have loved an epilogue to finish off the story, I am very happy with the ending, and am enjoying the rare opportunity of falling in love with a standalone that has taken me on an incredible journey, and ended beautifully.
“It’s that sense of throwing caution to the wind, a feeling of standing on the edge of a cliff with my arms spread, daring a gust to carry me over, even wanting it to.”
Absolutely beautiful. 5 stars.