Review: Come Back to Me by Mila Gray

Title: Come Back to Me
Author: Mila Grey (aka Sarah Alderson)
Published: June 19th 2014 Pan Macmillan
Read: July 20th to 22nd, 2014
Add It: Goodreads
Purchase: Amazon | The Book Depository

Home on leave in sunny California, Marine and local lothario Kit Ryan finds himself dangerously drawn to his best friend's sister, Jessa - the one girl he can't have.

But Kit's not about to let a few obstacles stand in his way and soon Jessa's falling for his irresistible charms.
What starts out as a summer romance of secret hook-ups and magical first times quickly develops into a passionate love affair that turns both their worlds upside down.

When summer's over and it's time for Kit to redeploy, neither Kit nor Jessa are ready to say goodbye. Jessa's finally following her dreams and Kit's discovered there's someone he'd sacrifice everything for.

Jessa's prepared to wait for Kit no matter what. But when something more than distance and time rips them apart they're forced to decide whether what they have is really worth fighting for.

A breathtaking, scorchingly hot story about love, friendship, family and finding your way back from the edge of heartbreak.

So you should all know by now that my lovely Jazzy is obsessed with all things Sarah Alderson. I’ve been meaning to read something by her for the longest time since Jasprit can’t shut up about the magic that is Sarah Alderson. And for a good reason too, let me tell you! When Sarah published Come Back to Me under her pseudonym Mila Gray, all of my friends’ blogs blew up with praise and that was honestly where I lost my patience (in a good way). Reading it almost right after Thrive (which I knew would create the biggest bookish hangover) was a risky move, but I just knew that Come Back to Me was something I couldn’t simply ignore.

"When you get a chance for happiness, you have to seize it before it's snatched away."
Come Back to Me opens with a brutal scene and we know immediately that something bad has happened. It’s all painted out for us, but we don’t know the final detail yet. But you can guess! I guessed right (it’s not hard to). However, knowing what the first half of the novel is going to lead to? It’s not easy to force yourself to continue. I DARE YOU TO try though! Why? Well, it’s one of the most adorable, enjoyable romances ever and makes you feel all the feels. I had a constant smile painted on my face, butterflies taking flight in the pit of my stomach and I really didn’t want this story to end.

Jessa is a wonderful young girl whose growth is inspiring. She starts out as a shy, delicate girl and develops into a gorgeous young woman who knows her worth, isn’t afraid to speak her mind or reach for her dreams. Kit is there to help her reach that point and honestly? It felt so horrible to see it all being ripped away with mere words that Jessa hears one day. Don’t worry though! By the end of the novel, she’s still very much the girl we fell in love with and couldn't help but root for. And where do I even begin to describe the amazingness that is Kit? I can’t ever do justice to what I feel for him; to what he portrays in this story. I knew immediately that I was going to fall for these characters and I fell hard, you guys! Their struggles, passion and positive emotions—they all make you feel the feels. I can promise you that.

I loved this novel as you can probably already tell, but it wasn’t without flaws for me. First of all, the reveal about the reasons behind the feud between Kit and Jessa’s dads? It was timed well inside the story, but to me..? I had already figured it out beforehand, so drawing the reveal out didn’t really suit me. But I was still happy to be right! Also, while I loved loved loved the adorable romance between Jessa and Kit, I wanted the first chapter and its aftermath to arrive a tad sooner. It doesn’t arrive until 70% of the book is through and it felt as though the final third of the book was a little underdeveloped thanks to it. I still very much enjoyed how the aftermath was dealt with; just wish it had been explored a little more in depth.

To conclude this overload of “I loved *insert X*” sentences, I truly did adore this novel. So much that it’s a repeat of Five Ways to Fall and I’m going to get myself a paperback so I can re-read it all over again (though may skip all the teary parts for the sake of my sanity) and mark my favorite passages; cuddle and pet this pretty. If you’re a fan of NA, character-growth, amazing romance or just enjoy an inspirational and well-written book, well.. This is me telling you that you should pick Come Back to Me up right now and devour it asap!

Overall rating: 4.5 out of 5.0
Stars: ★★★★

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