Come to Me Recklessly
Closer to You, Book #3
By A.L. Jackson
ISBN# 9780451472014
Author’s Website: http://www.aljacksonauthor.com/
Brought to you by OBS reviewer Heidi
I found this book to be quite the pleasant surprise. I started the series at book two, Come to Me Softly, when we saw Aly and Jared trying to work through their many issues. I found the characters to be pretty immature. I did not think I would continue the series, figuring it was going to be more of the same. But I saw this book was going to be about another couple so I decided to give it a chance, and I’m glad I did! I didn’t even make the connection that this book was about Aly’s brother, Christopher, until I sat down to read it. I have to say that I found this couple much more entertaining!
Samantha Schultz was in love once, when she was in high school, to a beautiful boy named Christopher Moore. But Samantha was the daughter of a pastor and was forbidden to even have a boyfriend. But Christopher would come to her window at night and sneak her away. That is until one night when her parents discovered she was gone. Then they did everything in their power to rip the couple apart, they even went as far as to move across town and enroll her in a different school. The couple was crushed, but tried to hold on to hope that their love would survive.
“You see … there’s this girl who’s on my mind every second of every day, and she drives me kind of crazy because I don’t really understand the hold she has on me. But she has me in a way no one else ever has and more than anyone else ever will. And this girl … she needed me, and I didn’t think twice about that jump, because getting in deep with her is the only place I ever want to be.”
And honestly if a guy in high school said that to me, I’d be head over heels too!
But it all came crashing down when Christopher pushed too hard one night, Samantha ended it and he lost all hope. And, then she walked in on the worst betrayal imaginable, one that ripped the two apart for good … or did it?
Seven years later Samantha is living with the boy that picked up her broken pieces and took care of her, but of course he’s all grown up now! But Samantha has never truly gotten over Christopher. She cares for Ben, but she knows it’s not like the love she had with Christopher. In fact, she didn’t even want to move in with him, but was a bit manipulated by Ben.
While at the store one day, Samantha runs into Christopher’s sister, Aly, and she agrees to meet with her for coffee sometime, even though she knows it’s a mistake, it turns out they live in the same neighborhood! She and Aly become quick friends, which puts her right in Christopher’s path, and he makes no qualms about the disgust he feels for her … if only it was the truth.
Once the duo puts away some of the pain they have inflicted on each other they are able to be friends, but the more time Samantha spends with Christopher, the more distant she becomes with Ben. How can she keep the charade going? She soon must decide which fork in the road to follow.
I really can’t believe how much I enjoyed this book. It was a complete night and day difference from the previous one in the series. I didn’t want to put it down and was cursing things like work that kept getting in the way of my reading!! The book is longer than it looks, but was so worth the read.
It was nice getting to see Jared and Aly again, a much happier couple, then they were before. It was also great getting to know their baby girl. I loved how she had Christopher and Jared wrapped around her little finger!
But I loved Christopher, even if he did have a darker side. But it was a dark side that Samantha has all the power to erase with her light! He was very swoon-worthy overall, and I loved his devotion to fight for what has always been his.
“You’re my world, Samantha. Everything I do, from now until the end of time, I’m going to be doing for you.”
Samantha was a decent character in her own right. She had definitely been through a lot, although was a bit too gullible at times where Ben was concerned. I was glad to see her finally take charge of her own life.
Speaking of Ben, what a jerk! He made the perfect villain in this story though. Acting more of a father figure than a lover, and he definitely didn’t treat Samantha as an equal partner. He was so manipulative and controlling, a prime example of a toxic relationship.
I also loved Samantha’s brother, Stewart! Broke my heart that boy did! But I could not have loved him more. And I loved how much Christopher cared for him to and that he truly got what Stewart meant to Samantha.
Everything was tied up in a nice neat bow at the end of this story, so I don’t expect to see another installment about Christopher and Samantha, but hopefully we do get to see more of them.
This was a great love story and a tear jerker to. You could easily skip the previous two installments and dive right into this one! And, I hope you do! This was a beautiful second chance romance that draws you in early on and doesn’t let go.
“Never stop believing in magic.”
