Author: T. Torrest

Breathless. Spent. Euphoric.
Eyes wide open now. Awake.
His.

Aaaaaah and here we are at book three, the only book in the series that made me happy inside and out. There was angst (the RIGHT kind), there was uncertainty, and, most of all, there was love-Lots and lots of love. They fought, sure. Did they disagree on a ton? Yeah. Did they maybe solve things a little too quickly from prior books in the beginning? Absolutely (IMO). But…that’s the point. I didn’t want a perfect book, I wanted flaws and all-but the past books just didn’t have what I was necessarily craving, just bits and pieces. But in this one? They finally, finally talked their shit OUT.

I mean, GD guys, how many more times could they have skimmed over all the failures from the past?? How many more times could they screw shit up??

Layla Effing Warren. The most beautiful girl I’ve ever known. The girl who makes me laugh. The girl who loved me.
Who loves me.
Right?

So, I think I’ve exhausted the negatives over the past two reviews, so it’s time for the positives. Trip was everything I knew he could be in this book. He’s been battling demons, both physical and mental, and he still is-but now he has the girl he’s always loved by his side. They have a lot to work on out in California-things are different. People in Hollywood are living a lie, putting on a face. Girls, both those he has slept with and those who want to sleep with him, drape themselves all over Trip, and, oh yeah, the tabloids are having a ball with Trip’s new ‘tramp.’ And Layla isn’t loving any of it, aside from supporting the man she’s always loved.

He slipped a hand around the back of my neck, holding my teary eyes fixed to his. “You were my first love, babe. I want you to be my last.”

I think something that internally always bothered me about the past books was how they were always so aware of the opposite sex clinging to the person’s arm they secretly loved, but never made a huge stink about it….call me a drama llama, but I adore when the significant other gets crazy jealous and makes a scene. Guilty. So, I’ve been waiting forever for these two to flip their lid, and finally, finally, in the great state of California, they do. And I suppose all their drama in this one just felt…warranted. Like, it’s okay because they’re on the same page. I don’t know. I just really loved this one-It’s what I’m used to and always like to read, so I felt right at home.

“Shut up. Just shut up. You had me at ‘Damn the birds have gotten huge’.”

I’m not going to keep running on, because I’ve been writing reviews for this series for three days in a row and I am probably rehashing everything. Plain and simple? I loved book three. I loved that while there was a super bumpy road, Trip made me swoon the entire novel. I loved that there were disagreements and that not everything came easily to them. I loved that they could look back at the moments I adored from the previous two installments and make them stand out while reminiscing against all the negatives that shrouded those moments…and I loved that we got little bits and pieces of Trip’s thoughts. Ultimately, I love that I loved it, and that’s all there is to it. Finally.

You find the man you know you’re supposed to be with, you do whatever you have to do in order to be with him.

It’s not often I finish a book in the same day, let alone a whole trilogy in one weekend. But, for the first time in a long time, I managed to do just that. This trilogy came to me as a big blur of convoluted issues, miscommunications, and misinterpreted feelings for life-long love. It took my heart and crushed it into minuscule and insignificant little pieces. I was both happy and sad, pissed and relieved, broken in spirit and hopeful. I loved and hated it.

Cigs were made to be sucked into my lungs; Trip’s mouth was made to suck my lips.
Both were equally as dangerous to my heart.

I don’t…quite know what to say. What can I say when it’s obvious that while I both loved Trip and Lay together, I then grew to an all consuming anger the minute they misunderstood their feelings for one another time and again. There are glaring problems that killed me inside, but I also am torn because this does happen in real life. Maybe not as dramatically as this fictionalized story between two high school sweethearts, but it does happen.

At the age of twenty-six, I hadn’t yet mastered the art of growing up. Truth is, I was a bit lost. I wasn’t quite sure I knew who I was or if I’d ever be found again.

If I had a nickle for every time me and my significant other miscommunicated what we felt back in high school (and college, ugh, we never quite learned our lesson up until recently) I’d be a very rich 24 year old. It happens, it really does. I am a testament to that-but when it repeatedly occurs, each time worse and more threatening to them than the last, it kills me as a reader. It’s so funny-I was talking to one of my best GR friends on here and I came to the conclusion that if it’s paranormal or dystopian (or both) then I am all for the angst, all for the peril, all for the miscommunications because it causes conflict and action for the story-but make it a NA/YA and I flip my shit if the two main characters can’t figure it out. It’s the damndest thing.

I licked my lips, and the subconscious gesture must have served as an invitation. His words were the final attack that broke through my defenses. “I’m going to kiss you now. And when I do, you’re going to kiss me back.”

This book centered more around the idea that Trip is lonely over in Cali, he’s missing his old life, or namely-Layla, and when they see each other on a ‘chance’ encounter, they realize they haven’t missed a beat in the attraction department. Despite my rating for book one and book two, I am skeptical as to which one I liked more as a whole. Both stories killed me a little inside, but I think it deciphers based on my mood. In book one, it covered everything I hold dear-high school sweethearts finding their way to one another. I loved the playful moments, the moments that no one knew about, those secret times where he snuck to her window, stolen moments flirting at their high school video store job-I loved that aspect, but then I hated how they played games-it hurt. Then in book two we see them all grown up….and still flirting and playing games with one another. Both with, ahem, significant problems in their lives…I loved how they reconnected (especially that movie theater scene and the hand holding, awww) but again, it fractured me when they would get pissed at one another. And, I guess my largest complaint with the whole series (watch out, here it is)-the fact that they admit they are undeniably in love with one another in their own ways….and then they end up with or around other people. This ANGERS me. He loves her so much…but in both book one and two he flirted and played around with other girls/women? I just never got over that (until book three). And then HER. He OBVIOUSLY is obsessed with her. IRREVOCABLY so. But she has a hard time taking a chance? Nah-NOT okay.

His words caused a crack to form within my heart, splitting it down the middle, breaking at the thought of this incredible man questioning his value. The uncertainty he lived with, the need for me to confirm his worth. How could he even ask? Didn’t he know the amazing man he was? Nobody before or since had ever made me feel the way he did. Maybe it wasn’t everything, but it should’ve at least counted for something.

So, I don’t know. I love these two. They are adorable and I loved seeing them reconnect and how determined he was to be with her or spend time with her. This story will resonate with many people-second chances are so popular…I just wish I loved second chance stories more. So, to all who loved the first, you’ll likely adore the second. If not, guess you need to read to find out. 🙂