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Review

“I didn’t know this kind of love existed, the kind that can both shatter you to pieces and make you whole.”

The continuing story of Dean and Olivia picks up right after the ending of Arouse, with the two of them pulling themselves back together after the events in the last book. With their love for each other and their passion burning hotter than ever, they are both fighting hard to solidify their relationship and their future.

When an emergency pulls Dean home to California, he and Liv are faced with the disdainful animosity of his semi-estranged family, and all of the things in his past that he has tried to protect her from. On top of that, they are subjected to a series of devastating events, external to their marriage, that bring them to their breaking points, revealing their personal torments, but which ultimately prove how strong they are together.

“Dean and I didn’t fall in love. We flew in love. Swift and soaring”

This is the story of two people deeply, madly in love who have been through a hard time together, but remain absolutely committed to each other, and who are starting to come to the realisation that they need to face their own issues in order to move forward together. And watching them go through it all is, once again, both amazingly beautiful, and heartbreakingly tragic.

The book is written in dual POV, and I love that we get to see different sides to both Dean and Liv in this story. Especially as the tables turn somewhat and Dean’s vulnerabilities start to show while Liv’s self-confidence and strength continues to develop, and I loved seeing that side of her.

“I now understand the fierce protectiveness that Dean has always had for me. I know that white-hot burn of rage, the certainty that you would do anything, anything, to make things right. I hate the helpless feeling simmering at the edge of my anger, the fear that my husband could be hurt. I want to stand in front of him like some avenging angel, battling anyone who dares to try and destroy what he has worked so hard to build.”

The flashbacks to their past continue, and provide a fuller picture of their relationship, as well as them individually, and of course it’s hot as hell and sensationally swoony.

“Feel that?” he asked. “You’re the first woman who’s ever made my heart beat like that. You’re the first woman I’ve ever wanted to spend all my time with, the only one who could convince me to start a new life. You’re the first woman who’s ever made me genuinely happy. Who makes me glad to be alive, who makes me burn hotter than fire. You’re the first woman who’s ever made me afraid.”
I stared at him. “Afraid?”
“Afraid of how good this is. Afraid it won’t last.” He pushed a lock of hair off my forehead. “Scared to death of losing you.”
“Oh.” I was speechless. I swallowed hard. “You’re … You don’t have to be scared of losing me.”
Something flickered in his expression that I didn’t understand, couldn’t decipher.
“I don’t?” he said.
“No.” I shook my head. “No.”
“Good.” He pulled me closer. “Because you’re the first woman I’ve never wanted to let go.”

“You became my world the minute I saw you, Olivia Rose … You know that, don’t you?”

It all combines to give us yet another amazing chapter in the story of Dean and Liv, and I loved it. The moments of happiness and hope are balanced beautifully with the heart wrenching sadness at their situation and the issues that they have to face, and of course the romance is absolutely sensational, with both beautifully tender and smoking hot love scenes that provide a fantastic reflection of the emotion between them. I absolutely adore these characters, and was cheering, swooning and crying right along with them. I love that there is more to come.

“Our relationship, our love, cannot and will never be perfect. It will, however, always belong only to us in all its flawed, intense beauty. Perfect in its very imperfection.”

Beautiful – 4.5 stars