BOOK REVIEW: In the Likely Event by Rebecca Yarros

In the Likely Event by Rebecca Yarros
Purchase on: Amazon
Add to: Goodreads

Synopsis:

When Izzy Astor gets on a plane to go home, she isn’t expecting much. It’s the usual holiday travel experience: busy, crowded, stressful.

Then she spots her seatmate, who is anything but ordinary. Nate Phelan sports dark hair, blue eyes, and a deliciously rugged charm that Izzy can’t resist. Their connection is undeniable. Izzy never believed in destiny before, but she does now.

Just ninety seconds after takeoff, their plane goes down in the Missouri River.

Their lives change. They change. Nate goes on to a career in the military while Izzy finds her way into politics. Despite a few chance encounters over the years, the timing never feels right.

Then comes a high-stakes reunion in Afghanistan, where Nate is tasked with protecting Izzy’s life.

He’ll do anything to keep her safe. And everything to win her heart.

Review:

“Did you ever think about me?” she questioned, her voice dropping to a whisper.
I clenched my jaw, fighting off the urge to tell her the truth. Every fucking day.

In the Likely Event was a story that will easily pull on one’s heart. It was emotional, steamy, and impossible to put down. The dual time line was brilliantly done and the characters were beautifully flawed and leapt from the pages. But make sure you have a Kleenex near you, I already had tears by the 6th chapter, and there was still many more to come. This romance story was gritty, brimmed with emotions, had off the charts chemistry and became an instant favorite!

Ten years had passed since we’d met on a very different tarmac, and the sight of her still left me speechless.

In the Likely Event alternated between the past and the present.  I loved how I never wanted to leave either time line. They both pulled me in and left me desperately needing to know what happened next! We started in the present, with Nate being stationed in Afghanistan. And he was tasked with protecting Izzy’s life. From there we jumped 10 years into the past, with the most fabulous of meet cutes that played out like I was watching a movie. Izzy found herself sitting next to Nate on a plane, and she was a nervous basket case. Whereas Nate was calm, collected and so easy for her to talk to. They clicked right away, but then disaster struck and their plane went down. It was emotional, scary and horrific isn’t a strong enough word to describe what Izzy and Nate went through together. As the tale unfolded, I loved seeing how their friendship evolved over the years and how much heart was packed into their story!

“She’ll be safer with me.”
“Because you’re in love with her?” Torres questioned.
I shook my head. “Because Jenkins isn’t willing to die for her.”

Nate was a man who would put his life on the line for Izzy. But we saw over the years how he didn’t get a choice at times, that duty called and he had to keep moving ahead. So in the past chapters I fell so easily in love with him. And the present chapters my heart bled for him. The horrors he battled. The situations he was put in. The things that haunted him. Nate was strong, brave, protective and I loved when he even showed a little bit of jealousy. Yet he never seemed to be able to hold on long enough to what he wanted most, which was Izzy.

I looked down at the device and huffed a sarcastic laugh. “So this is what it takes to get your phone number? A girl has to haul herself into a war zone?”
“Izzy,” he whispered, stepping back and putting a few feet of distance between us.

We learned why Izzy got into politics, why she was overseas, but I had so many questions. Why was there anger and pain? Where did it all go wrong between them? So as we got to know the both of them, I loved what a multifaceted person Izzy was.  She was so easy to love. Her family life, friendships, and work, all showed us what a kind, hardworking woman she was.  Yet it seemed like the bright spots in her life were her sister, and Nate. The moments Nate would appear in Izzy’s life, it gave me chills and so many happy tears!

“Don’t, Izzy.” He shook his head. “I have one weakness on this entire planet, and you’re feet away when you’re supposed to be halfway round the globe.” That mask he wore like armor fell away, and the pain in his eyes was enough to make me suck in a sharp breath.

As we alternated between Nate and Izzy, it was impossible to ignore that fate kept trying to push them together.  In those past chapters, they had the highest of highs. But there was always that knot in the back of my throat, I continually had to keep the tears at bay. Because life wasn’t fair. They were pulled apart as much as they were pushed together. And their timing never seemed to work. So it was beautiful seeing that after all of these years, they still had a connection. There was still that pull. Not only from a deep, beautiful friendship. But also one that felt like it was laced with love. So the fire that raged between them was scorching hot.  Their moments together were seductive. And while assumptions were made, we watched as answers were given and got to see that loyalty ran through both of their blood.

“Say it again.” His jaw flexed, and his hand gripped my hip.
“I want you, Nathaniel,” I whispered, leaning up to kiss him. “So take me.”

I cried more times than I could count and I fell completely in love with this love story. I’m still in shock over one thing. My heart is still struggling to process it. But I know that I will be reading this book many times in the future and I’m keeping my fingers that that hurts a little less next time. This story ended with a beautiful epilogue that was set years in the future, so I closed this book with happy tears in my eyes and a smile on my face.  This military romance, with forced proximity, owned me!  And was yet another Rebecca Yarros book that I fell hard for.  I can’t wait to see what she releases next!

PS I loved the JLA Half-Blood reference! I loved the highlighting of the books! And the call sign?! Oh my heart!

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