Title: Come Alive
Series: The CityScape Series – Book Two
Author: Jessica Hawkins
Genre: Literature/Fiction (Adult), Romance
Blurb: Determined to move on with her life, Olivia Germaine has vowed to forget David Dylan. Struggling to keep her head above water, she focuses on her new promotion and refuses to drown in the memory of their night together.
But when Olivia realizes what life without David means, she must decide if she is willing to risk everything for him… and if she is ready to reopen the wounds of her past.
Can Olivia move forward with her marriage despite her feelings for David?
And can David stay away like he promised?
Thoughts: After reading the first book in this series, Come Undone, I was very excited to get started on this book! Again, the way this author tackles the idea behind this book is really original, and I have yet to read anything quite like it. The author did a great job drawing readers into the books, allowing you to really “feel” what the characters are feeling.
I really did find myself growing more and more frustrated with Olivia and her refusal to make a choice. She was very much like an ostrich trying to hide her head in the sand. By “pretending” everything was normal, she could almost make fool herself into thinking she was happy. I really enjoyed the fact that she did not turn the husband into the villain of the book. It really made her struggle with her feelings all that more profound. And the chemistry between Olivia and David is nothing short of electric. No matter how you want the story to turn out, the author will draw you in and have you really trying to wish Olivia through sheer force of will alone to pick a life – and pick between the two men who want to live out the rest of their lives with her. And I, personally, was very happy with her choice at the end of it!
My only complaint with this one is that I really wanted to “see” more at the end of the book. Olivia does eventually make a choice, but that is where the story ends. After following this for two books, I wanted not only for Olivia to choose, but to also witness the aftermath. I wanted to see where it went after all the down and dirty choices were made. I wanted to “see” Olivia be happy – free of recriminations, self-hatred, and doubt.
But again, just like the first, this is an exceptional novel. If you haven’t read the first one – definitely do so – it’s a memorable read that is simply in a category all on its own! And you really need the background of it before you start this one. If you have read the first one already, you already know why you simply have to read this one! Just like in the first one, however, if you have problems with extra-marital affairs or issues of that nature, this is just not the book for you. I really hope to read more from this author soon!
Rate: A
*Update* The series is to be continued in a third installment, COME TOGETHER, due out 9/19/2013! Can’t wait!
