I'm really enjoying this series by Jennifer. Each book just gets better and each character's arc and development is just amazing. I'm loving Calla's story, at first we meet her and see her through her friendships with the girls, and we see that she's just a little bit in love with one of their friends. I absolutely love Calla's voice, she's an amazing and witty young woman, who knows quite a few of her limits and as the story progresses she learns and accepts a few new ones and discards a few.
Calla's lied to her friends because she never wanted them to pity her for her upbringing, and the weight of the lie is getting to her, she's almost finished with school when a devastating blow is dealt by someone she never would have thought and we get to see her world slowly then quickly unravel. Calla has to go back home where she said she never would and find a way to fix the screw up that has taken place and thus begins the journey down a road Calla never expected.
The character development in this book is one of the best I've read from Jennifer, and I absolutely loved reading Calla's journey. She first must learn to deal with her grief, learn to let go of her expectations of her life, and learn that some people can't be saved before she gets a new path that mirrors the one she saw before but is more enriched due to the friendships, and relationships that she now has formed. I loved Jax as well, he's a realist and he isn't afraid to tell Calla like it is and there are quite a few times where she needed to hear what he had to say and I loved every second of their interactions. Both of them were strong stubborn characters and Jax went out of his way to do what he could for Calla, and I loved how he realized that she was even more confined than he was and helped her embrace so many firsts. Although this is a love story, we also get Calla's journey into adulthood, and a mystery that helps to fuel the story. Most of the mystery ahs to do with Calla's past and someone from it and the things they have done that is now affecting her life.
Jax was a wonderful character to read and much like the other men in the series so far, was a well rounded and complicated character. He had a few secrets of course but he wasn't an awful human being masquerading as a love interest. The heat coming off the screen when these two interacted was amazing to read and i loved how they just flowed together. The bar scenes were very realistic and I loved seeing the way a real bar worked being represented here, including how to really poor shots, Yes ladies and gents this is a real bartender approved.
I laughed with these characters and yelled at Calla and Jax quite a bit, because sometimes they would have their stupid moments. The mystery of the novel deals with Calla's past and how it's impacting her future. Calla has a few lessons to learn, and we get some great interaction between her and her friends from college. I loved seeing how the men from the other books were about being around her and seeing her as one of heir own to protect. I loved her relationship development with the girls and her new foundling relationship with the people of her town, especially with Roxy, (I can't wait to read that story, I'm sure it's going to be a good one). I loved Calla's old school mate who was just a riot!! (I'll cut a bitch), she was necessary comedic relief and at the same time a voice of reason and sometimes the devil on Calla's shoulder tempting her. Jax also had character growth and man oh man did he grow and share and embrace being with Calla. I loved the way he drew her out of her shell, the way he protected her and the way he was there for her when she needed him to be. He also had his idiot moments that made me wonder about his intelligence but when he finally got it boy did he embrace it.
Jennifer knows how to write the hell out of a love scene and she writes quite a few steaming hot ones for Calla and Jax. The growth of their relationship was beautiful to read and I was rooting for them once I realized he was a great character. And man oh man could they burn up the sheets together, those were also fun to read.
I totally loved this book and the character we were introduced to and I can't wait to read the other stories. I'm kinda hoping we get some back stories because there are relationships mentioned that I want to see develop, and there are characters I would love to see in relationships as well.
I loved how the mystery was solved, I felt Calla's emotions as she finally learnt to accept the new future for herself, the pain and the grief and I loved the ending. Just plain ole' loved this story.
I highly recommend, and you don't even have to read in order but it creates a richer story to do so. Besides you don't want to miss out on the hot man brigade. With Captain Cam and second in command Jase do you??
★★★★★
