Aly Martinez

The first book in this duology was excellent, and the conclusion is just as good. It's a roller coaster of a ride as Caven and Hadley/Willow find love and resolve the issues of their youth, which are major. The twists continued coming, and I didn't see any of them right to the end. Caven and Willow are wonderful characters. The author did a good job in actualizing their traumas and working them through it. Rosalee is a doll, and the author does a great job of making her sound like a real child. I loved this book, and I'm looking for more from this author.… (meer)

Caven and Hadley are caught in a mall shooting when he's a teenager and she's eight. Both are wounded but survive. Years later, Hadley has a one-night stand with him and becomes pregnant. Unable to care for the baby, she leaves the little girl with Caven. She reappears four years later, wanting to become reacquainted with her daughter, but Caven is dead set against it.
This is the premise for the story, but there are so many twists that nothing is what it appears. Ms. Martinez masterfully uses flashbacks to gradually reveal what's really going on with a big cliffhanger at the end of the first book.
This was recommended to me, and what a wonderful story it is. There are so many layers to uncover in this excellent story. I can't wait for the second book.… (meer)