This is a second novella of Lea Darragh that I’ve read. I’ve learnt now that she writes emotionally gut wrenching stories. I mean, isn’t it one of the worse things ever for your bridegroom to die in a car accident on the way to the wedding? And that’s how this story began.

The grief Emerson felt pervaded her whole being and there was nothing left of her. It is time for her to embrace life once again and she feels that she may be ready for it. Life, however, always brings some unexpected twist which sometimes can be the ultimate gift. Personally, I can’t say whether this grief felt by Emerson & Jack are genuine as I’ve never really experience the death of a dearly loved one (*knock wood*). I’m actually not quite sure how realistic it is the story of Emerson & Jack; it just seems to be an enormous step for anyone to make and will require a very very big heart and a ton of courage. Nevertheless, it’s rather nice to think that anyone can.

I was rather amused with the characters checking with Dr. Google. I wasn’t quite amused by the length of the sex scenes which spanned approximately 10% and in one big chunk. I wouldn’t mind so much if it was spread out a bit, I think, but after 5%, I lost interest even though what they’re supposed to have was a lovely act between 2 loving consenting adults. Overall, I rather enjoyed this novella; a quick charming read in yesterday’s heat.

Thanks to Escape Publishing for copy eARC via NetGalley in exchange of honest review

This book is rough. Emerson lost her fiancée and is still trying to find her way. In order to do that she must confront the man who caused his death. Emerson is one of the strongest female characters. She suffers the loss daily and holds it together when she meets Jack. She sees herself in him, in how he wears his emotions on his face. Their relationship is a slow build but full of fire that leaves you breathless. Through the stages of grief both characters find themselves for a perfect ending.

Emmy's fiance' is killed by a speeding driver on his way to their wedding. Emmy arrives as the hospital in her wedding dress to find that her fiance, Ethan, is dead. His brother, Adam, was driving the car and 18 months after the accident, she is still numb from the grief that has weighed so heavily since the accident. Adam, too, can't move past the grief and he wants to have Emmy for his own now. Emmy has no interest in a romantic relationship with Adam, though. The grief between them is too overwhelming. so, Emmy moves to Cobbler's Cove to start over.

While in Cobbler's Cove, she meets Aubrey and Finn, who are planning to open a new restaurant with a star chef. They have ask Emmy to design the restaurant for them. As the renovations are winding down, the new chef arrives. He is none other than Jack Archer, the man who caused her finance's death. She has a very difficult time being around him at first, but she glimpses the pain that he carries because of the responsibility for Ethan's death that he can't leave behind. He feels guilty and unworthy of forgiveness. As Emmy spends more time with him she sees how broken and sorrowful he is about what he did to cause to Ethan's death. She begins to forgive him and as she does, she begins to have feelings for him which are confusing to her.

Adam can't accept that she could possibly forgive Jack and can't seem to come to grips with losing her, even though he never really had her to begin with.

This is quite an emotional read. There were times when the grief was almost palpable between the characters. It is a beautifully told story of forgiveness and the power of love to change people. I didn't really enjoy reading the graphic description of the sex scenes or the foul language that peppered the book, however.

I was give a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This Love by Lea Darragh is a book I’m in two minds about. On one hand I really loved aspects of the book and was deeply moved by the emotions encountered and those it stirred up in myself, and on the other hand I’m left a little bit dizzy by the pace of the book and the quick flip encountered that kind of leaves me feeling like I just read two joined books at once.

Let me start by saying this is NOT a happy go lucky book. In fact it couldn’t be further from that. The heroine is mentally and emotionally scarred almost to the point of no return for part of the narrative. But it does offer hope and lessons in love. Although a relative quick read, I’m not entirely sure this book will be for everyone, or suitable as a summer beach read. For some it will bring back all too real emotions, for others it will bog them down in the first half of the books weighty guilt and despair, but for those brave enough to continue on with the narrative, they will witness a small slice of life – the good and the bad – and be rewarded with a HEA that suits both the characters and the story.

One aspects that I adored about this book was the simple fact that the two leads face perhaps the biggest hurdle life can throw at you: the death of a loved one and a death caused by your own hand, no matter how deliberate it may or may not have been. The hero and heroine are on two very different, and at times opposing, journeys to overcome life and death consequences, grief and learning to move past the blanket of grief and despair that is wrapped tightly around their shoulders. They need to learn to trust themselves again and how to open oneself back up to the possibility of love – to fell worthy and capable of love. For the first time in longer than I can recall the characters in this book face a conflict bigger and more powerful that the stubbornness of ones personality or a simple misunderstanding/miscommunication and lack of courage to ask an underlying questions. It’s a book about the pain in your heart and the grief that swallows you whole. In this regard, it’s one of the most honest and raw books I’ve read in a long time.

As mentioned above, the aspect that confuses me most about this book – and has me constantly flipping my feelings on it – is the two very different but connected stories fit within the one narrative. There is the pain and the grief of the novel’s start, and then the overwhelming love and physical attraction and intense romance of the second part of the book. For me, where this became a problem was the pacing where these two aspects connected. I was still in mourning with Emmy, and then it was like she flicked a switch and was a totally different person pursuing Jack and ranching up the book. This is a very personal observation, but for me, I think I would have preferred a slower, but just as intimate relationship between Emmy and Jack. I didn’t need the door to be so open on their physical manifest of their mutual attraction. I didn’t need the sex to believe them, and while I have no problem reading erotic narratives, it just felt rushed and out of place here.

The biggest and perhaps the most powerful message this book does portray however is the strength of the human spirit and heart to overcome even the darkest and most bleak moments of our lives, especially when surrounded by great friends. More importantly however is the timely reminder that the heart wants what the heart wants; we don’t get to choose who we love or when we love, or why. It’s a powerful message and one this book does deliver in spades.