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Love #1
Let Love In
This is an alternate-cover edition for ASIN B00CPE10JY.
What would happen if you lost everything? If the people who were supposed to love you unconditionally were no longer there for you, how would your world change?
Madeleine Becker lost everything when her parents died when she was ten years old. Ripped from her home and everything that she has ever loved, she is forced to start all over again. The only way for her to move on is to build walls around her heart and keep everyone at a safe distance. Her logic: she can't get hurt if she doesn't fall in love.
That theory is blown to pieces when she meets Reid Connely during her freshman year at college. He is gorgeous and darkly mysterious. He understands Maddy's pain all too well, but sharing his pain would mean breaking down the walls he put up around his own heart. Conflicted between loving Maddy and hiding his dark past, Reid starts to reevaluate his world. Maddy's inner strength, snarky personality and breath taking beauty help Reid to make peace with his past.
Together they find out what happens when they let love in.
What would happen if you lost everything? If the people who were supposed to love you unconditionally were no longer there for you, how would your world change?
Madeleine Becker lost everything when her parents died when she was ten years old. Ripped from her home and everything that she has ever loved, she is forced to start all over again. The only way for her to move on is to build walls around her heart and keep everyone at a safe distance. Her logic: she can't get hurt if she doesn't fall in love.
That theory is blown to pieces when she meets Reid Connely during her freshman year at college. He is gorgeous and darkly mysterious. He understands Maddy's pain all too well, but sharing his pain would mean breaking down the walls he put up around his own heart. Conflicted between loving Maddy and hiding his dark past, Reid starts to reevaluate his world. Maddy's inner strength, snarky personality and breath taking beauty help Reid to make peace with his past.
Together they find out what happens when they let love in.
323 pages, ebook
First published May 9, 2013
414 people are currently reading
6584 people want to read
About the author
Melissa Collins
29 books1,302 followersMelissa Collins has always been a book worm. Studying Literature in college ensured that her nose was always stuck in a book. She followed her passion for reading to the most logical career choice: English teacher. Her hope was to share her passion for reading and the escapism of books to her students. Having spent more than a decade in front of a classroom, she can easily say that it’s been a dream.
Her passion for writing didn’t start until more recently. When she was home on maternity leave in early 2012, she read her first romance novel and her head filled with the passion, angst and laughter of the characters who she read about it. It wasn’t long before characters of her own took shape in her mind. Their lives took over Melissa’s brain and The Love Series was born.
Her passion for writing didn’t start until more recently. When she was home on maternity leave in early 2012, she read her first romance novel and her head filled with the passion, angst and laughter of the characters who she read about it. It wasn’t long before characters of her own took shape in her mind. Their lives took over Melissa’s brain and The Love Series was born.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 567 reviews
July 31, 2017
This was a sweet, yet emotional, story. It was straightforward and very predictable, but it worked. I listened to the Audible version and it was well-narrated and easy to follow along with.
The book focuses on the romance between two emotionally-scarred college students, Maddy and Reid. Both have lost their parents in one sense of the word or another. They're also emotionally distant with trust issues galore.
Sparks fly immediately when they meet at a party. Briefly, Reid tries to fight the attraction, only to have his jealousy and lust get the best of him. Thereafter, a whirlwind romance ensues.
Cue the drama and angst. The last 25% of this book has enough ups and downs for a lifetime. Good grief! When these two need some conflict, they go for broke!
Although I liked this book, I have to admit that it was full of clichés. Reid, our hero, is the manwhore that is transformed into serious boyfriend material overnight. Then, we have Maddy, the innocent virgin girl who catches his eye and turns into a nymph as soon as they have sex. There is insta-attraction and a "deep emotional connection" after they've hardly met. Reid also acted like a complete asshat for the first part of the story and Maddy just dismissed his behavior once he confessed his feelings for her. The dialogue was also nauseatingly sweet at times, which made me roll my eyes. So yes, I had some frustrations with this story at times, even though I did mostly like it.
All in all, it was a decent story. I found it to be entertaining and likable for the most part. There were several unresolved issues at the end of this book, so I'll probably pick up the sequel at some point to see how things work out.
The book focuses on the romance between two emotionally-scarred college students, Maddy and Reid. Both have lost their parents in one sense of the word or another. They're also emotionally distant with trust issues galore.
Sparks fly immediately when they meet at a party. Briefly, Reid tries to fight the attraction, only to have his jealousy and lust get the best of him. Thereafter, a whirlwind romance ensues.
Cue the drama and angst. The last 25% of this book has enough ups and downs for a lifetime. Good grief! When these two need some conflict, they go for broke!
Although I liked this book, I have to admit that it was full of clichés. Reid, our hero, is the manwhore that is transformed into serious boyfriend material overnight. Then, we have Maddy, the innocent virgin girl who catches his eye and turns into a nymph as soon as they have sex. There is insta-attraction and a "deep emotional connection" after they've hardly met. Reid also acted like a complete asshat for the first part of the story and Maddy just dismissed his behavior once he confessed his feelings for her. The dialogue was also nauseatingly sweet at times, which made me roll my eyes. So yes, I had some frustrations with this story at times, even though I did mostly like it.
All in all, it was a decent story. I found it to be entertaining and likable for the most part. There were several unresolved issues at the end of this book, so I'll probably pick up the sequel at some point to see how things work out.
August 1, 2015
DNF at 25% and here's why:
"The real show-stopper, though, is my eyes. They’re a bright, vibrant green. They look almost fake, but as I lean into the mirror to get a closer look, I catch small little flecks of gold around the outside that I know no contact lens could replicate. I have always loved my eyes.”
Then this...
“As our eyes lock, wow — just wow. Endless seas of the deepest blue I have ever seen meet my green eyes, and I am transfixed.”
Wait, there's more...
“His hand returns to my cheek, and his eyes meet mine. He gazes intently and I’m mesmerized, completely glued to the honesty shining through their blue depths.”
And I gave up around this point:
“He lines my face up with his and stares even deeper, if that’s even possible, into my green eyes.”
Ok just so we're clear, she loves her green eyes and she loves his deep blue eyes. Got it? Yeah, sorry I just don't have time for this.
"The real show-stopper, though, is my eyes. They’re a bright, vibrant green. They look almost fake, but as I lean into the mirror to get a closer look, I catch small little flecks of gold around the outside that I know no contact lens could replicate. I have always loved my eyes.”
Then this...
“As our eyes lock, wow — just wow. Endless seas of the deepest blue I have ever seen meet my green eyes, and I am transfixed.”
Wait, there's more...
“His hand returns to my cheek, and his eyes meet mine. He gazes intently and I’m mesmerized, completely glued to the honesty shining through their blue depths.”
And I gave up around this point:
“He lines my face up with his and stares even deeper, if that’s even possible, into my green eyes.”
Ok just so we're clear, she loves her green eyes and she loves his deep blue eyes. Got it? Yeah, sorry I just don't have time for this.
July 21, 2013
Let Love In is one of those books that is filled with so much emotion I seriously had to take some time afterwards to process what I read but at the same time I'm .......
Madeline lost her parents when she was 10 years old to a horrible car accident. She has no "family" left and she has carefully constructed walls up around her heart to protect herself from getting hurt because her skewed thinking is if you don't let anyone in you can't get hurt. Well Maddy does have family she has her best friend Mel and Mel's mother Momma C who love her immensely. Maddy & Mel head off to Ithaca college where Maddy is about to come face to come face with the one thing she needs actually the one person who will bring those walls down for her!
Reid also has walls constructed around his heart to avoid the tragic heartbreak that he experienced 5 years ago. He is the gorgeous player who's never been in a relationship and is known for typically never being with the same girl twice. Well when he first lays eyes on Maddy he does the one thing I didn't expect
yep that boy was scared with a capital S ~ She looked right into his eyes and he just knew she saw ALL of him not just the front that he puts on for everyone. Two completely broken people that I think fate intervened in bringing together to show them that you can't truly live your life without "love." Now this book was a tilt-a-whirl of emotions for me. The books starts off and I seriously ...
I don't care that Reid was the gorgeous boy he was a complete ass at times but don't worry that didn't last too long which is one thing I truly liked about Reid is that once he accepted that he actually wanted to get to know Maddy that boy went balls to the wall to do everything in his power to form a relationship yep he sure had me
The first in this book were major and there was some very steamy love scenes~ When Reid & Maddy come together it was ...
yes they had instant chemistry but they had to or this wouldn't work. The love Reid showed towards Maddy was beautiful ~ actually I think I was jealous ;) when those walls came down and the two of them shared their tragic past with one another I was ...
and this just solidified their relationship! but Maddy does something that had me...
and Reid's reaction to Maddy's admission had me wanting to
but the repercussions from that fall out had me
but not nearly as much as what is ultimately revealed towards the end. Oh the end ~ well let's just say I got to the end and my first reaction was
and then I was
not that there was anything really to laugh about I just think I finally went crazy and once I moved past that I
cause this book literally had me twisted in knots and wanting to throw my freaking Kindle against the wall. Now I have to FREAKING WAIT for the next book and right now I'm not sure how long I can wait cause I want to see what happens like RIGHT freaking NOW!
I'm highly impressed with this being the authors first book~ O.M.G. I can't believe the emotions she was able to wrangle out of me and I can't believe how beautifully written this book is and the love sex HOLY FREAKING HOT BATMAN ~ Total 5 STEAMY angst ridden stars for Let Love In ~ this is one book you need to read NOW and this is one author that I will definitely keep an eye out for because dayuuuummmmm she can write and any book that has me like this
at the end deserves huge kudos! I don't need sunshine and unicorns all the time and I don't need butterflies and daisies in every book I want a book that makes me FEEL and Let Love In did just that!
Madeline lost her parents when she was 10 years old to a horrible car accident. She has no "family" left and she has carefully constructed walls up around her heart to protect herself from getting hurt because her skewed thinking is if you don't let anyone in you can't get hurt. Well Maddy does have family she has her best friend Mel and Mel's mother Momma C who love her immensely. Maddy & Mel head off to Ithaca college where Maddy is about to come face to come face with the one thing she needs actually the one person who will bring those walls down for her!
Reid also has walls constructed around his heart to avoid the tragic heartbreak that he experienced 5 years ago. He is the gorgeous player who's never been in a relationship and is known for typically never being with the same girl twice. Well when he first lays eyes on Maddy he does the one thing I didn't expect
yep that boy was scared with a capital S ~ She looked right into his eyes and he just knew she saw ALL of him not just the front that he puts on for everyone. Two completely broken people that I think fate intervened in bringing together to show them that you can't truly live your life without "love." Now this book was a tilt-a-whirl of emotions for me. The books starts off and I seriously ...
I don't care that Reid was the gorgeous boy he was a complete ass at times but don't worry that didn't last too long which is one thing I truly liked about Reid is that once he accepted that he actually wanted to get to know Maddy that boy went balls to the wall to do everything in his power to form a relationship yep he sure had me
The first in this book were major and there was some very steamy love scenes~ When Reid & Maddy come together it was ...
yes they had instant chemistry but they had to or this wouldn't work. The love Reid showed towards Maddy was beautiful ~ actually I think I was jealous ;) when those walls came down and the two of them shared their tragic past with one another I was ...
and this just solidified their relationship! but Maddy does something that had me...
and Reid's reaction to Maddy's admission had me wanting to
but the repercussions from that fall out had me
but not nearly as much as what is ultimately revealed towards the end. Oh the end ~ well let's just say I got to the end and my first reaction was
and then I was
not that there was anything really to laugh about I just think I finally went crazy and once I moved past that I
cause this book literally had me twisted in knots and wanting to throw my freaking Kindle against the wall. Now I have to FREAKING WAIT for the next book and right now I'm not sure how long I can wait cause I want to see what happens like RIGHT freaking NOW!
I'm highly impressed with this being the authors first book~ O.M.G. I can't believe the emotions she was able to wrangle out of me and I can't believe how beautifully written this book is and the love sex HOLY FREAKING HOT BATMAN ~ Total 5 STEAMY angst ridden stars for Let Love In ~ this is one book you need to read NOW and this is one author that I will definitely keep an eye out for because dayuuuummmmm she can write and any book that has me like this
at the end deserves huge kudos! I don't need sunshine and unicorns all the time and I don't need butterflies and daisies in every book I want a book that makes me FEEL and Let Love In did just that!
January 3, 2015
*ARC Give to Blog for Honest Review*
4 “you make me happy” Kisses
You know those books that you think are going to be nice, cute, sweet, easy reads…that’s what I thought Let Love In was going to be. A nice, cute, sweet, easy read. Something that would give me that perfect little balance of angst, romance and sexy appeal. A heroine I could love, a hero I could drool over and a happy little HEA at the end. I had to take a step back and give myself time to let this book sink in before I wrote a review…this is a direct quote of the first thing I typed after finishing the book… ‘I am going to try…try being the operative word here…to calmly and rationally write out my thoughts and feelings about this book. I will be challenged greatly because while I loved this book through about 80-90% of it, the last 10% just knocked me so flat on my ass, I dunno what to think, say or feel. I live for books to bring out emotions in me, it’s like my crack addition, but lord sweet JESUS…I was not prepared. *Breathing exercises* I can do this….maybe….’ Yeah…so that all those nice, cute, sweet, easy feelings…that’s not all I got!
Madeleine Renee Becker...5’7”, soft wavy golden blonde hair and bright vibrant green eyes – she's a gorgeous, sad girl. Maddy has suffered more tragedy in life than one should have to deal with before the age of 18. At 10 years old she lost both her parents in a car accident ‘It seem like my life was plagued by death and I was only in fourth grade.’ …how can you read a statement like that and not internally break for this character. She’s raised by her elderly Aunt until she passes away and then lives with the only other family she knows, her best friend (Melanie Crane) and her mother, Momma Crane. Maddy pulled on all my heart strings…she’s strong, resilient, but oh so very sad and fragile…she just holds it in too well.
‘The tears are quickly followed by sobs – gut wrenching, chest heaving sobs. I sink down to the sand and cover my face. I’m crying because I’ve hurt Jay, but more so because I hurt. Just when I thought that maybe, just maybe, I could start to feel better about my life, it all comes crashing down around me. I know I don’t love Jay, but not loving him makes me feel like I’m never going to love anyone. If I can’t love someone like him, then I am broken beyond repair.’
So she’s getting ready to go off to college with her bestie and what’s a better way to start off a new school year then to crush your boyfriend of 2 years. It’s not that Maddy isn’t capable of love, it’s just easier to keep people at arms length when you’ve suffered such an enormous loss. She has walls that are 10 feet thick and if poor Jay couldn’t break them down in two years, you would think she’s a lost cause. She even thinks she’s a lost cause. So she goes off to college with a set of rules…
‘They’re very simple promises, but ones that I hope will wipe the slate clean.
1. Choose happy.
2. Appreciate beauty.
3. Let love it.
Like I said, simple, refreshingly simple.’
And it really is…so enter Reid Connely, ‘…six feet two inches of solid, gorgeous, beautiful man….’ – he’s a droolworthy little sucker but I gotta be honest…I didn’t like Reid at first. It worried me because even when my hero’s are ass holes, there is still a small masochistic side of me that secretly loves them despite it. You love them because of their flaws – Reid’s flaws just pissed me off a little bit. He’s fragile and broken like Maddy, they need each other so very badly – and he fights it because he is not the relationship guy. It doesn’t last…it never does. :-P
‘For the first time ever, I want a girl for more than just one night, for more than just sex. She’s alive and vibrant. I just feel like she sees me, the real me. Scares the shit out of me, but I can’t deny it any longer.’
I really enjoyed watching Maddy and Reid’s relationship develop, I think that this was one of the best developed couples I’ve read. You get to seem them piece by piece as they go thru, not only do they ‘talk’ about their relationship and their feelings but you really do actually get to see a lot of it, which helped me fall in love with them more. They grow with each other, which in turn brings them together more as a couple. It wasn’t an easy or fast love, it took time to mature…but once again, it makes you appreciate it that much more. It feels genuine and real.
“You’ve completely knocked me off my game. I’ve never met anyone like you and it scares the shit out me. It’s like you don’t see my.” My brow furrows in confusion and I move to interrupt but he continues before I get the chance. “You don’t see me; you see straight through me. You see beyond the outside and it’s like you see the me that no one else sees. I saw it in your eyes that first night I met you and it knocked me on my ass. I was a goner and since then I guess I’ve just been trying to push you away.”
There was quite a bit of angst throughout the book…you’re dealing with two people who have never really been in a relationship like this before – fuck up’s are bound to happen, and they do…but it’s how they deal with them that matters. How they let those mistakes shape them as individuals and as a couple, which in turn makes them better together. But the last 10-20% I mentioned – lord have mercy, I was not expecting that angst.
“You’ve completely knocked me off my game. I’ve never met anyone like you and it scares the shit out me. It’s like you don’t see my.” My brow furrows in confusion and I move to interrupt but he continues before I get the chance. “You don’t see me; you see straight through me. You see beyond the outside and it’s like you see the me that no one else sees. I saw it in your eyes that first night I met you and it knocked me on my ass. I was a goner and since then I guess I’ve just been trying to push you away.”
It took me by surprise���I did not know this wasn’t a stand alone – not that that is a bad thing, it just took me by surprise cause the closer I got to the end, the more it hit me that ‘wait a minute’ feeling when you finally realize this book is not going to be able to wrap it up in time! And then holy cliffhanger from hell! OMG my emotions….I wanted to clap and be proud but then cry and scream and be frustrated…the ending messed with my poor little brain big time.
“Happy? Are you kidding? Maddy, you are the reason I breathe. Without you, my life would have no meaning at all, so saying that you ‘make me happy’ is a huge fucking understatement.
You bring more happiness into my life than ever thought I deserved.”
So we bounce back and forth with POV’s between Maddy and Reid…it was clear and never confusing, and I did enjoy seeing things from both perspectives. And we also get a good dose of Maddy’s best friend that I mentioned earlier, Melanie. It’s actually really cute, because Reid is no dummy – he knows the quickest way to a girls heart is thru her best friend…so what does he do? Becomes good friends with Mel. It’s actually pretty adorable. Oh and I forgot to mention the ‘six degrees of Kevin Bacon’ – Reid is roommates with the boyfriend of one of Maddy’s suitemates.
‘And then there’s the impossible to ignore fact that he makes me happier than I’ve ever been in my life. I could be lame and quote some cheesy ass chick flick saying that he completes me, but that’s a load of crap. He doesn’t make me whole; he doesn’t erase the pain I’ve felt for most of my life. Being with him isn’t some cure all to everything I’ve ever dealt with, but when I’m with him, I’m me. I’m the person I have always wanted to be – fun, lighthearted, playful, flirty, sexy, seductive, and loving. He’s opened me up to the possibility of a completely different future than I ever envisioned for myself – a future that I just can’t imagine him not being a part of.’
Melissa has set this up for an amazing sequel and I can’t wait to see what she does with it. Reid and Maddy have a lot yet to accomplish and I know there will be an HEA well worth the aguish and havoc that was unleashed upon my psyche. I can act like I was mad and frustrated that it was a cliff, but at the end of the day, what matters is that Let Love In evoked enough emotion out of me to be mad. I’m invested in the characters and story enough to care that it didn’t end HEA. So now I just have to anxiously await Let Love Stay. :-)
4 “you make me happy” Kisses
You know those books that you think are going to be nice, cute, sweet, easy reads…that’s what I thought Let Love In was going to be. A nice, cute, sweet, easy read. Something that would give me that perfect little balance of angst, romance and sexy appeal. A heroine I could love, a hero I could drool over and a happy little HEA at the end. I had to take a step back and give myself time to let this book sink in before I wrote a review…this is a direct quote of the first thing I typed after finishing the book… ‘I am going to try…try being the operative word here…to calmly and rationally write out my thoughts and feelings about this book. I will be challenged greatly because while I loved this book through about 80-90% of it, the last 10% just knocked me so flat on my ass, I dunno what to think, say or feel. I live for books to bring out emotions in me, it’s like my crack addition, but lord sweet JESUS…I was not prepared. *Breathing exercises* I can do this….maybe….’ Yeah…so that all those nice, cute, sweet, easy feelings…that’s not all I got!
Madeleine Renee Becker...5’7”, soft wavy golden blonde hair and bright vibrant green eyes – she's a gorgeous, sad girl. Maddy has suffered more tragedy in life than one should have to deal with before the age of 18. At 10 years old she lost both her parents in a car accident ‘It seem like my life was plagued by death and I was only in fourth grade.’ …how can you read a statement like that and not internally break for this character. She’s raised by her elderly Aunt until she passes away and then lives with the only other family she knows, her best friend (Melanie Crane) and her mother, Momma Crane. Maddy pulled on all my heart strings…she’s strong, resilient, but oh so very sad and fragile…she just holds it in too well.
‘The tears are quickly followed by sobs – gut wrenching, chest heaving sobs. I sink down to the sand and cover my face. I’m crying because I’ve hurt Jay, but more so because I hurt. Just when I thought that maybe, just maybe, I could start to feel better about my life, it all comes crashing down around me. I know I don’t love Jay, but not loving him makes me feel like I’m never going to love anyone. If I can’t love someone like him, then I am broken beyond repair.’
So she’s getting ready to go off to college with her bestie and what’s a better way to start off a new school year then to crush your boyfriend of 2 years. It’s not that Maddy isn’t capable of love, it’s just easier to keep people at arms length when you’ve suffered such an enormous loss. She has walls that are 10 feet thick and if poor Jay couldn’t break them down in two years, you would think she’s a lost cause. She even thinks she’s a lost cause. So she goes off to college with a set of rules…
‘They’re very simple promises, but ones that I hope will wipe the slate clean.
1. Choose happy.
2. Appreciate beauty.
3. Let love it.
Like I said, simple, refreshingly simple.’
And it really is…so enter Reid Connely, ‘…six feet two inches of solid, gorgeous, beautiful man….’ – he’s a droolworthy little sucker but I gotta be honest…I didn’t like Reid at first. It worried me because even when my hero’s are ass holes, there is still a small masochistic side of me that secretly loves them despite it. You love them because of their flaws – Reid’s flaws just pissed me off a little bit. He’s fragile and broken like Maddy, they need each other so very badly – and he fights it because he is not the relationship guy. It doesn’t last…it never does. :-P
‘For the first time ever, I want a girl for more than just one night, for more than just sex. She’s alive and vibrant. I just feel like she sees me, the real me. Scares the shit out of me, but I can’t deny it any longer.’
I really enjoyed watching Maddy and Reid’s relationship develop, I think that this was one of the best developed couples I’ve read. You get to seem them piece by piece as they go thru, not only do they ‘talk’ about their relationship and their feelings but you really do actually get to see a lot of it, which helped me fall in love with them more. They grow with each other, which in turn brings them together more as a couple. It wasn’t an easy or fast love, it took time to mature…but once again, it makes you appreciate it that much more. It feels genuine and real.
“You’ve completely knocked me off my game. I’ve never met anyone like you and it scares the shit out me. It’s like you don’t see my.” My brow furrows in confusion and I move to interrupt but he continues before I get the chance. “You don’t see me; you see straight through me. You see beyond the outside and it’s like you see the me that no one else sees. I saw it in your eyes that first night I met you and it knocked me on my ass. I was a goner and since then I guess I’ve just been trying to push you away.”
There was quite a bit of angst throughout the book…you’re dealing with two people who have never really been in a relationship like this before – fuck up’s are bound to happen, and they do…but it’s how they deal with them that matters. How they let those mistakes shape them as individuals and as a couple, which in turn makes them better together. But the last 10-20% I mentioned – lord have mercy, I was not expecting that angst.
“You’ve completely knocked me off my game. I’ve never met anyone like you and it scares the shit out me. It’s like you don’t see my.” My brow furrows in confusion and I move to interrupt but he continues before I get the chance. “You don’t see me; you see straight through me. You see beyond the outside and it’s like you see the me that no one else sees. I saw it in your eyes that first night I met you and it knocked me on my ass. I was a goner and since then I guess I’ve just been trying to push you away.”
It took me by surprise���I did not know this wasn’t a stand alone – not that that is a bad thing, it just took me by surprise cause the closer I got to the end, the more it hit me that ‘wait a minute’ feeling when you finally realize this book is not going to be able to wrap it up in time! And then holy cliffhanger from hell! OMG my emotions….I wanted to clap and be proud but then cry and scream and be frustrated…the ending messed with my poor little brain big time.
“Happy? Are you kidding? Maddy, you are the reason I breathe. Without you, my life would have no meaning at all, so saying that you ‘make me happy’ is a huge fucking understatement.
You bring more happiness into my life than ever thought I deserved.”
So we bounce back and forth with POV’s between Maddy and Reid…it was clear and never confusing, and I did enjoy seeing things from both perspectives. And we also get a good dose of Maddy’s best friend that I mentioned earlier, Melanie. It’s actually really cute, because Reid is no dummy – he knows the quickest way to a girls heart is thru her best friend…so what does he do? Becomes good friends with Mel. It’s actually pretty adorable. Oh and I forgot to mention the ‘six degrees of Kevin Bacon’ – Reid is roommates with the boyfriend of one of Maddy’s suitemates.
‘And then there’s the impossible to ignore fact that he makes me happier than I’ve ever been in my life. I could be lame and quote some cheesy ass chick flick saying that he completes me, but that’s a load of crap. He doesn’t make me whole; he doesn’t erase the pain I’ve felt for most of my life. Being with him isn’t some cure all to everything I’ve ever dealt with, but when I’m with him, I’m me. I’m the person I have always wanted to be – fun, lighthearted, playful, flirty, sexy, seductive, and loving. He’s opened me up to the possibility of a completely different future than I ever envisioned for myself – a future that I just can’t imagine him not being a part of.’
Melissa has set this up for an amazing sequel and I can’t wait to see what she does with it. Reid and Maddy have a lot yet to accomplish and I know there will be an HEA well worth the aguish and havoc that was unleashed upon my psyche. I can act like I was mad and frustrated that it was a cliff, but at the end of the day, what matters is that Let Love In evoked enough emotion out of me to be mad. I’m invested in the characters and story enough to care that it didn’t end HEA. So now I just have to anxiously await Let Love Stay. :-)
June 19, 2013
3.5 Stars
Melissa Collins bursts onto the New Adult scene with the sexy and emotional Let Love In! Those who love the drama of this genre are sure to be happy with this debut effort.
A particular quote from Maddy Becker’s first boyfriend, Jay, really sums up her character and what she struggles with:
Honestly, I can’t say it any better than Jay does. This is exactly who Maddy Becker is, and it’s exactly what she struggles with through the course of this book. Meeting Reid, the quintessential bad boy, ratchets that struggle up to another level. He’s sexy. He’s gruff. He’s got his own baggage. LOTS-O-BAGGAGE. And these two are back and forth throughout the entire story.
I have to admit here that I never really warmed up to Maddy all the way. I couldn’t quite connect with her, hard as I tried, and, frankly, I became quite frustrated with her attitude early on. There was just a bit too much self-pity for my taste. She had moments, here and there, where I thought, okay, I see what’s really under the surface. For instance, here:
I was rooting for that girl to shine through. But, at least to me, it didn’t happen often enough. While those moments were rare, they were also golden. There were a few really lovely moments in the story from Maddy’s point of view, and I only wish there had been more.
Reid was very sexy, as I said, and he and Maddy had great chemistry together!! These two generated some real heat, and it was really nice to see that during a number of those instances, there was genuine emotion, as well. That worked for me. That really worked for me! Reid had his moments, too, where I sort of lost touch with him and couldn’t quite get into his headspace, but, oddly enough, it happened less with him than it did with Maddy.
The ending is just….whoa! Obviously, I can’t give away what happens, but the story does not end in one book. There is a cliffhanger. Nothing here is going to pummel your emotions, but it will have you awaiting book two, which, by the way, is titled Let Love Stay, and is due out in July!
Let Love In is a great first effort from this new author. I know with time and experience, the writing kinks will work themselves out. Nicely done!
3.5 Stars
**ARC provided by the author in exchange for an honest review**
For more reviews, please visit Sinfully Sexy Book Reviews or visit us on Facebook.
Melissa Collins bursts onto the New Adult scene with the sexy and emotional Let Love In! Those who love the drama of this genre are sure to be happy with this debut effort.
A particular quote from Maddy Becker’s first boyfriend, Jay, really sums up her character and what she struggles with:
“You deserve love. You are not broken and empty like you think you are.” He places his finger over my lips as I try to interrupt him and wipes the tears from my eyes intent on finishing his ‘Maddy is worth loving’ speech. “You are. Now let me finish. I know losing your parents was difficult and that, in a lot of ways, you’re still reeling from it, but it will never get better until you let it get better. You have to let them go and move on with your life. I know that you deserve to be loved. And for fuck’s sake, I was so hopeful that I would be the one deserving enough of the honor to do so, but I’m not. I just hope that one day you realize you deserve it—that one day you’ll be able to let love in.”
Honestly, I can’t say it any better than Jay does. This is exactly who Maddy Becker is, and it’s exactly what she struggles with through the course of this book. Meeting Reid, the quintessential bad boy, ratchets that struggle up to another level. He’s sexy. He’s gruff. He’s got his own baggage. LOTS-O-BAGGAGE. And these two are back and forth throughout the entire story.
I have to admit here that I never really warmed up to Maddy all the way. I couldn’t quite connect with her, hard as I tried, and, frankly, I became quite frustrated with her attitude early on. There was just a bit too much self-pity for my taste. She had moments, here and there, where I thought, okay, I see what’s really under the surface. For instance, here:
I made a few promises to myself. They’re very simple promises, but ones that I hope will wipe the slate clean. 1. Choose happy. 2. Appreciate beauty. 3. Let love in.
I was rooting for that girl to shine through. But, at least to me, it didn’t happen often enough. While those moments were rare, they were also golden. There were a few really lovely moments in the story from Maddy’s point of view, and I only wish there had been more.
Reid was very sexy, as I said, and he and Maddy had great chemistry together!! These two generated some real heat, and it was really nice to see that during a number of those instances, there was genuine emotion, as well. That worked for me. That really worked for me! Reid had his moments, too, where I sort of lost touch with him and couldn’t quite get into his headspace, but, oddly enough, it happened less with him than it did with Maddy.
The ending is just….whoa! Obviously, I can’t give away what happens, but the story does not end in one book. There is a cliffhanger. Nothing here is going to pummel your emotions, but it will have you awaiting book two, which, by the way, is titled Let Love Stay, and is due out in July!
Let Love In is a great first effort from this new author. I know with time and experience, the writing kinks will work themselves out. Nicely done!
3.5 Stars
**ARC provided by the author in exchange for an honest review**
For more reviews, please visit Sinfully Sexy Book Reviews or visit us on Facebook.
Want to read
November 2, 2014
FREE today on Amazon US (11/1/2014)
BLURB:
What would happen if you lost everything? If the people who were supposed to love you unconditionally were no longer there for you, how would your world change?
Madeleine Becker lost everything when her parents died when she was ten years old. Ripped from her home and everything that she has ever loved, she is forced to start all over again. The only way for her to move on is to build walls around her heart and keep everyone at a safe distance. Her logic: she can't get hurt if she doesn't fall in love.
That theory is blown to pieces when she meets Reid Connely during her freshman year at college. He is gorgeous and darkly mysterious. He understands Maddy's pain all too well, but sharing his pain would mean breaking down the walls he put up around his own heart. Conflicted between loving Maddy and hiding his dark past, Reid starts to reevaluate his world. Maddy's inner strength, snarky personality and breath taking beauty help Reid to make peace with his past.
Together they find out what happens when they let love in.
http://www.amazon.com/Let-Love-Book-1...
freebie
April 6, 2015FREEBIE - http://amzn.to/1NYXulM
October 15, 2013
3.5/5 hearts
I am ugh... I don't even know where to begin. I think maybe its me, IDK maybe its not. I... damn how do I even say this. I didn't not like the book but I didn't love it either.
Okay lets see I am going to give you the good then the reasons it could have been better.
We have Maddy or Madeline who parents die when she is young she goes to live with her only relative far away from everything she knows. There she meets her BFF Mel. They form a special bond but Maddy has put up walls to not let others get close to her.
She is in a relationship with Jay at the beginning but she knows she doesn't love him and she is going to start college and doesn't want to be with him as she isn't in love with him. Her and Mel go to college and guess what she meets Reid. A hot guy with walls of his own.
Maddy feels all these new things she's never felt before, he feels the same. He doesn't want to admit it, then something happens where he decides he wants her and only her. Oh she's a virgin. Then they date and are happy he does things for her he's never done for any girl because he was a player and never stayed with one chick for longer than 1 night. Except for one girl who understands no strings attached.
So a number keeps calling Reids phone and he doesn't want to answer it, Maddy thinks he's cheating. And you know drama ensues, secrets are revealed and tragic things happen.
What I liked, I liked the friendships and bonds that are formed as this is college and could totes see this happen. I liked that Maddy is strong and confident yet vulnerable. The fact that she is able to recognize her unhappiness and does something about it made me say "YESSSS" because I like when girls or people are able to self reflect. Writing flowed and I enjoyed it for the most part.
Ok so what I am not happy about. Maddy and Reid's relationship happened waaay to fast for me. I mean I get he's hot and all but he was a total douchnozzle to her. She forgives him rather quickly for my taste. I think its just so fast paced, that I wanted more angst and build up. I wanted to be sucked in and see exactly why he was so worthy of her love.
Then ok idk about everyone else but I just felt like was the cliffhanger necessary? I think a few more chapters would have sufficed and the story would have worked better for me.
I am really big on books and I hate I mean hate to be negative ever. I know that with so many books out there its hard to write and original story, plot, etc. I know this author put lots of time and effort into this book. I am just expressing my take and how I saw things and what I felt did and did not work for me.
I am ugh... I don't even know where to begin. I think maybe its me, IDK maybe its not. I... damn how do I even say this. I didn't not like the book but I didn't love it either.
Okay lets see I am going to give you the good then the reasons it could have been better.
We have Maddy or Madeline who parents die when she is young she goes to live with her only relative far away from everything she knows. There she meets her BFF Mel. They form a special bond but Maddy has put up walls to not let others get close to her.
She is in a relationship with Jay at the beginning but she knows she doesn't love him and she is going to start college and doesn't want to be with him as she isn't in love with him. Her and Mel go to college and guess what she meets Reid. A hot guy with walls of his own.
Maddy feels all these new things she's never felt before, he feels the same. He doesn't want to admit it, then something happens where he decides he wants her and only her. Oh she's a virgin. Then they date and are happy he does things for her he's never done for any girl because he was a player and never stayed with one chick for longer than 1 night. Except for one girl who understands no strings attached.
So a number keeps calling Reids phone and he doesn't want to answer it, Maddy thinks he's cheating. And you know drama ensues, secrets are revealed and tragic things happen.
What I liked, I liked the friendships and bonds that are formed as this is college and could totes see this happen. I liked that Maddy is strong and confident yet vulnerable. The fact that she is able to recognize her unhappiness and does something about it made me say "YESSSS" because I like when girls or people are able to self reflect. Writing flowed and I enjoyed it for the most part.
Ok so what I am not happy about. Maddy and Reid's relationship happened waaay to fast for me. I mean I get he's hot and all but he was a total douchnozzle to her. She forgives him rather quickly for my taste. I think its just so fast paced, that I wanted more angst and build up. I wanted to be sucked in and see exactly why he was so worthy of her love.
Then ok idk about everyone else but I just felt like was the cliffhanger necessary? I think a few more chapters would have sufficed and the story would have worked better for me.
I am really big on books and I hate I mean hate to be negative ever. I know that with so many books out there its hard to write and original story, plot, etc. I know this author put lots of time and effort into this book. I am just expressing my take and how I saw things and what I felt did and did not work for me.
June 21, 2013
A FAVORITE I CANT WAIT TO RE-REID!!
Really I cant believe i only paid 99c for this book ONLY 99c!!, i would have paid more for this because the story is JUST THAT GOOD. For me, this author touched every base. It had real issues that teens face today, I had feelings of loss, lust, love and the best for me was the sense of humor, Maddy and Reid were fuckin' hilarious.
Reid was a character you cant help but love to hate and then love some more, if you love books that have caveman tendencies then this is the one for you, Reid is a real asshole with so many deep issues and it honestly hurt to hear some of the things he would say to Maddy but eventually you do get to see the sweet side of him and its beautiful and so romantic
When it comes to Maddy, you cant help but love her and feel her pain, she's a really lovable character who's smart, beautiful and so sassy, she knows how to put Reid in his place when no other girl could. I really hope Maddy get's her happily ever after, with every thing that's happened to her in her life she definitely deserves it.
I keep reading that this is the first book for this author and i'm in awe, it's written so well and i'm really excited with what she is going to come up with next.
I've seen reviews where people are complaining about the swearing and it pisses me off (stop being a prude, there teens for fucks sake who this day in age swear alot, seriously what do you expect), i hope Let Love Stay has twice as much swearing, double the heartbreak, 10 times the laughter and loads more of SMOKIN' HOT SEX!!!!
Really I cant believe i only paid 99c for this book ONLY 99c!!, i would have paid more for this because the story is JUST THAT GOOD. For me, this author touched every base. It had real issues that teens face today, I had feelings of loss, lust, love and the best for me was the sense of humor, Maddy and Reid were fuckin' hilarious.
Reid was a character you cant help but love to hate and then love some more, if you love books that have caveman tendencies then this is the one for you, Reid is a real asshole with so many deep issues and it honestly hurt to hear some of the things he would say to Maddy but eventually you do get to see the sweet side of him and its beautiful and so romantic
When it comes to Maddy, you cant help but love her and feel her pain, she's a really lovable character who's smart, beautiful and so sassy, she knows how to put Reid in his place when no other girl could. I really hope Maddy get's her happily ever after, with every thing that's happened to her in her life she definitely deserves it.
I keep reading that this is the first book for this author and i'm in awe, it's written so well and i'm really excited with what she is going to come up with next.
I've seen reviews where people are complaining about the swearing and it pisses me off (stop being a prude, there teens for fucks sake who this day in age swear alot, seriously what do you expect), i hope Let Love Stay has twice as much swearing, double the heartbreak, 10 times the laughter and loads more of SMOKIN' HOT SEX!!!!
October 26, 2013
I am going to just come out and say this...THANK GOODNESS I HAVE THE NEXT BOOK because that ending...WTF?!? I was a sobbing, blubbering mess. Fantastic book...full review to come 9/26 with the blog spotlight!
**FULL REVIEW**
“Life has a funny way of going on. You don’t have a choice, really. You wake up, force yourself into some clothes, drag your ass to school, smile and nod as if on cue, do enough work to keep your head above water so as not to raise concern – in short, you deal.”
Madeline Becker has found a way to move forward with her life after the death of her parents; as empty as it may seem she is still living. Meeting her best friend in seventh grade, shortly after moving to live with her aunt, Maddy slowly begins to open up. Melanie Crane is bubbly and open and just happy, it’s infectious really, allowing Maddy to find just a tad-bit of happiness in her grief-stricken life.
Getting close to people is nearly impossible for Madeline and besides Mel (along with her second mom), Maddy keeps a pretty high wall around her heart. If she doesn’t let anyone in, she can’t get hurt. She has friends, even a boyfriend who loves her, but never has Maddy had feelings where she can open herself completely up and truly be free to love and be loved by another…it just hurts too much to feel those things, when the number one feeling she carries is pain.
“You deserve love. You are not broken and empty like you think you are…I know losing your parents was difficult and that, in a lot of ways, you’re still reeling from it, but it will never get better until you let it get better. You have to let them go and move on with your life. I know that you deserve to be loved…I just hope that one day you realize you deserve it – that one day you’ll be able to let love in.”
Deciding that with life taking her to new places, namely college (with Mel of course as her roommate), Madeline makes a few promises to herself. Things that only she can do; a way to be happy, appreciate the beauty of life and her surroundings, but mostly, to let love in. Never did she think it would come so quickly…or wrapped up in an extremely hot, dark and mysterious package. Reid Connely.
A chance meeting at a college house party has Maddy reeling. This guy, whom she has just met, pulls her close and sees right.through.her. What is strange, is that she sees right through him too…and they are both terrified of the meaning behind each of the other’s painful stares.
“There’s some pull, some draw between us, and I just know that he feels it. He has to…I want to dig deeper; I want to know him better. I want to learn what put the pain in his eyes. I want to soothe it. I want to share my pain with him in the hopes that he can help me wash it away, because despite his anger, I have seen compassion in his eyes, too. I’ve heard the hope in his voice. I’ve seen him laughing with his friends, and I know there is a good guy in there somewhere.”
It’s not hard to see that they have each found their missing half, their soul mate. I loved this instant connection between Reid and Maddy. I loved that he fought it, trying to hold onto his “bad boy” ways but not really wanting to. The relationship between them is something movies are made of, especially his sweetness and underlying attention to details. To have a man treat a woman with the utmost care and devotion (especially at their age) is not common. I LOVED that about this story…it reminds me of my husband. <3
The struggles that they face, both as individuals as well as a couple had me laughing one second and sobbing the next. My emotions were all over the place—I loved it. Every. Single. Second. Collins weaves a beautiful love story laced with two very different types of grief (along with a completely heart-wrenching backstory) that each has gone through. I loved the understanding that while the scenarios may be different, they are the same…and ultimately, Maddy & Reid get their happily ever after…oh wait, did I say that? I meant to say, she leaves you hanging like a monkey on a limb with no ground underneath! Seriously!?!? I cried SO HARD as I read the last page and then “THE END”. I was like, “That’s it?!? Surely, there has to be more?” Thankfully, there is and I cannot wait to see how Maddy and Reid’s story ends…or begins in Let Love Stay.
“Leaning into my ear, he whispers, “Goodbye for now, sweet Maddy. I love you. I’ll always love you, no matter what, and I will prove it to you.” His lips softly graze my cheek, and then he’s gone. He’s walking past me…His dark silhouette is illuminated by the bright sun shining through the sliding glass doors…Reid, the love of my life, has always been the darkness in search of the light…I hope for his sake, for my sake…that he can finally find it.”
**5 Painfully Sweet Stars**
**FULL REVIEW**
“Life has a funny way of going on. You don’t have a choice, really. You wake up, force yourself into some clothes, drag your ass to school, smile and nod as if on cue, do enough work to keep your head above water so as not to raise concern – in short, you deal.”
Madeline Becker has found a way to move forward with her life after the death of her parents; as empty as it may seem she is still living. Meeting her best friend in seventh grade, shortly after moving to live with her aunt, Maddy slowly begins to open up. Melanie Crane is bubbly and open and just happy, it’s infectious really, allowing Maddy to find just a tad-bit of happiness in her grief-stricken life.
Getting close to people is nearly impossible for Madeline and besides Mel (along with her second mom), Maddy keeps a pretty high wall around her heart. If she doesn’t let anyone in, she can’t get hurt. She has friends, even a boyfriend who loves her, but never has Maddy had feelings where she can open herself completely up and truly be free to love and be loved by another…it just hurts too much to feel those things, when the number one feeling she carries is pain.
“You deserve love. You are not broken and empty like you think you are…I know losing your parents was difficult and that, in a lot of ways, you’re still reeling from it, but it will never get better until you let it get better. You have to let them go and move on with your life. I know that you deserve to be loved…I just hope that one day you realize you deserve it – that one day you’ll be able to let love in.”
Deciding that with life taking her to new places, namely college (with Mel of course as her roommate), Madeline makes a few promises to herself. Things that only she can do; a way to be happy, appreciate the beauty of life and her surroundings, but mostly, to let love in. Never did she think it would come so quickly…or wrapped up in an extremely hot, dark and mysterious package. Reid Connely.
A chance meeting at a college house party has Maddy reeling. This guy, whom she has just met, pulls her close and sees right.through.her. What is strange, is that she sees right through him too…and they are both terrified of the meaning behind each of the other’s painful stares.
“There’s some pull, some draw between us, and I just know that he feels it. He has to…I want to dig deeper; I want to know him better. I want to learn what put the pain in his eyes. I want to soothe it. I want to share my pain with him in the hopes that he can help me wash it away, because despite his anger, I have seen compassion in his eyes, too. I’ve heard the hope in his voice. I’ve seen him laughing with his friends, and I know there is a good guy in there somewhere.”
It’s not hard to see that they have each found their missing half, their soul mate. I loved this instant connection between Reid and Maddy. I loved that he fought it, trying to hold onto his “bad boy” ways but not really wanting to. The relationship between them is something movies are made of, especially his sweetness and underlying attention to details. To have a man treat a woman with the utmost care and devotion (especially at their age) is not common. I LOVED that about this story…it reminds me of my husband. <3
The struggles that they face, both as individuals as well as a couple had me laughing one second and sobbing the next. My emotions were all over the place—I loved it. Every. Single. Second. Collins weaves a beautiful love story laced with two very different types of grief (along with a completely heart-wrenching backstory) that each has gone through. I loved the understanding that while the scenarios may be different, they are the same…and ultimately, Maddy & Reid get their happily ever after…oh wait, did I say that? I meant to say, she leaves you hanging like a monkey on a limb with no ground underneath! Seriously!?!? I cried SO HARD as I read the last page and then “THE END”. I was like, “That’s it?!? Surely, there has to be more?” Thankfully, there is and I cannot wait to see how Maddy and Reid’s story ends…or begins in Let Love Stay.
“Leaning into my ear, he whispers, “Goodbye for now, sweet Maddy. I love you. I’ll always love you, no matter what, and I will prove it to you.” His lips softly graze my cheek, and then he’s gone. He’s walking past me…His dark silhouette is illuminated by the bright sun shining through the sliding glass doors…Reid, the love of my life, has always been the darkness in search of the light…I hope for his sake, for my sake…that he can finally find it.”
**5 Painfully Sweet Stars**
November 3, 2013
Sizzling Pages Romance Reviews
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4/5 Sizzling Stars
4/5 Sizzling Hearts for Heat!!
I first have to say that I am so glad I decided to read this after book the next 2 books are already in my hands. I had no idea it had a cliffhanger. I just have to jump into book 2 now!!
So we have the textbook playboy (Reid) and the innocent broken girl (Maddy)
But Reid had his dark and painful past too. Don't most of the playboys have something that keeps them from taking a risk on love? Well these 2 fell hard and fell fast ..but it worked for them. I didn't feel like it was instantaneous on the "love" just on the lust which ...thinking of Reid is pretty understandable. The love took time and was pretty sweet and beautiful. I loved how when Reid would spoil Maddy and made sure she felt loved. There were some moments where I was so freaking frustrated at Maddy but I understood why she was afraid and why she overreacted. The ending shocked me and I'm excited to find out what happens.
The heat was pretty surprising. Very pleasantly surprising. Hoping to see a lot more heat in the next books. Just easy on the cliffy's..Mama Nic's heart can't take it.
The Sappy Romantic in me gives this one a big thumbs up.
See more of my reviews
December 21, 2018
Ranting review ahead. Don't proceed unless you are prepared for a review that isn't kind.
October 11, 2018
I was looking for something light to read and went searching through my unread books on my kindle and this caught my eye. This is the first book in the Love series by Melissa Collins.
Maddy may be 18 years old but she is very much still a ‘little girl’ carrying around a lot of pain and sorrow from losing her parents when she was 10. She is now off to college with her best friend Melanie and is excited about this new chapter in their lives.
In an effort to spread her wings a bit more the girls joing their new roomies in attending a few parties and this is where Maddy meets Reid. He is that whole hot college guy thing going on. He is very good looking, works out and is known as a bit of a player.
Reid sets his sights on having Maddy the moment he first meets her, it’s first time he has felt someone really see him. Maddy recognised the pain in Reid’s eyes as she sees it reflected back every day in her own. There is just something about this guy that is pulling her towards him.
Reid knows that Maddy is not like any other girl he has met and he needs to tread slowly with her so that he can win her trust and she can see how good they would be together. Spoiling her seems to be his plan and he does a really good job at it ☺
Maddy has never felt so loved and adored. Reid is like a dream come true, she is falling fast. These two are opening up to each other in every way and it feels good to have such a solid base to begin a relationship with. However, there is one thing that Maddy wants or Reid which turns out to be a huge sticking point for them both. Reid feels like he is being backed into a corner and Maddy is wondering if they even have a future together anymore…
I enjoyed this, there is a bit of angst and this story continues in Let Love Stay.
Maddy may be 18 years old but she is very much still a ‘little girl’ carrying around a lot of pain and sorrow from losing her parents when she was 10. She is now off to college with her best friend Melanie and is excited about this new chapter in their lives.
In an effort to spread her wings a bit more the girls joing their new roomies in attending a few parties and this is where Maddy meets Reid. He is that whole hot college guy thing going on. He is very good looking, works out and is known as a bit of a player.
Reid sets his sights on having Maddy the moment he first meets her, it’s first time he has felt someone really see him. Maddy recognised the pain in Reid’s eyes as she sees it reflected back every day in her own. There is just something about this guy that is pulling her towards him.
Reid knows that Maddy is not like any other girl he has met and he needs to tread slowly with her so that he can win her trust and she can see how good they would be together. Spoiling her seems to be his plan and he does a really good job at it ☺
Maddy has never felt so loved and adored. Reid is like a dream come true, she is falling fast. These two are opening up to each other in every way and it feels good to have such a solid base to begin a relationship with. However, there is one thing that Maddy wants or Reid which turns out to be a huge sticking point for them both. Reid feels like he is being backed into a corner and Maddy is wondering if they even have a future together anymore…
I enjoyed this, there is a bit of angst and this story continues in Let Love Stay.
July 3, 2013
Purchased it for my wife, I decided to read a bit to see what it was about. I wasn't sure I was going to like it, I thought for sure it was just for chicks, but I really enjoyed it.
Very well written. I didn't feel like I was reading a book, but instead having a conversation with a friend. It was written like real people talk, which I like.
***mild spoiler alert***
I couldn't wait to see who was calling. It was like a mystery, wrapped in a love story, inside a fun college times book.
Said aloud numerous times in the last chapter "whaaat??- I didn't see that coming"
Looking forward to the sequel.
Very well written. I didn't feel like I was reading a book, but instead having a conversation with a friend. It was written like real people talk, which I like.
***mild spoiler alert***
I couldn't wait to see who was calling. It was like a mystery, wrapped in a love story, inside a fun college times book.
Said aloud numerous times in the last chapter "whaaat??- I didn't see that coming"
Looking forward to the sequel.
June 9, 2013
It's true... I am completely and hopelessly in love with Reid and Maddy's story. So it's going to come as absolutely no surprise when I tell you I need more. Not want, but need. A beautifully messed up pair they make but together they make everything beautiful!
Maddy experienced the loss of a lifetime when she was 10, when she lost her parents, she lost everything. She built a wall around her heart and her life that only one person has ever been able to break through, her best friend, Mel. The two of them are now away at college, but Maddy feels more alone than ever, except that she's got Mel and two other absolutely amazing suitemates with her.
One night, one party and something changes. That's when she meets big time player on campus, Reid. But Reid is nothing more than a one night stand on campus. But one dance and one glance and she knows there is so much more to him. He knows it too. But why is he being such a jerk about it?
Reid comes with his own set of baggage and a wall built so tall and so thick that nothing can penetrate it or break it. Until that one look at that party. He knows Maddy is the one that is going to not only scale the wall, but knock the entire thing down.
Can the two of them break the walls that have been built in their lives and around their hearts and can they let love in?
I loved the characters in this book, Maddy, Reid, Momma, Mel... all of them. Maddy and Reid have everything going against them, but the only thing stopping them from shutting each other out is their passion for each other. They can see things in one another that most can't and it is breathtaking to say the least.
The passion between these two characters goes a long way to healing their pasts and what has happened to them. But is that passion enough to make the relationship last?
I should have prefaced my review of this book by saying I was crying on page five. I wasn't even 10-percent into it and I had tears running down my face. The end of the book left me gasping for air. This book had everything in it to make it a great book: drama, angst, hot sexy as hell guy, amazing passion and love.
This book kept me wanting more and kept me reading until the very last page hoping beyond hope that the book would end exactly the way I wanted it to. Did it? Well, let's just say I am anxiously awaiting the next book because I feel like there is so much more of this story waiting to be told.
**I received a complimentary copy of Let Love In in exchange for an honest review.**
Maddy experienced the loss of a lifetime when she was 10, when she lost her parents, she lost everything. She built a wall around her heart and her life that only one person has ever been able to break through, her best friend, Mel. The two of them are now away at college, but Maddy feels more alone than ever, except that she's got Mel and two other absolutely amazing suitemates with her.
One night, one party and something changes. That's when she meets big time player on campus, Reid. But Reid is nothing more than a one night stand on campus. But one dance and one glance and she knows there is so much more to him. He knows it too. But why is he being such a jerk about it?
Reid comes with his own set of baggage and a wall built so tall and so thick that nothing can penetrate it or break it. Until that one look at that party. He knows Maddy is the one that is going to not only scale the wall, but knock the entire thing down.
Can the two of them break the walls that have been built in their lives and around their hearts and can they let love in?
I loved the characters in this book, Maddy, Reid, Momma, Mel... all of them. Maddy and Reid have everything going against them, but the only thing stopping them from shutting each other out is their passion for each other. They can see things in one another that most can't and it is breathtaking to say the least.
The passion between these two characters goes a long way to healing their pasts and what has happened to them. But is that passion enough to make the relationship last?
I should have prefaced my review of this book by saying I was crying on page five. I wasn't even 10-percent into it and I had tears running down my face. The end of the book left me gasping for air. This book had everything in it to make it a great book: drama, angst, hot sexy as hell guy, amazing passion and love.
This book kept me wanting more and kept me reading until the very last page hoping beyond hope that the book would end exactly the way I wanted it to. Did it? Well, let's just say I am anxiously awaiting the next book because I feel like there is so much more of this story waiting to be told.
**I received a complimentary copy of Let Love In in exchange for an honest review.**
June 15, 2013
3.75 Stars
If you’re in the mood for a bad boy with a secret past, gone swoon-worthy hard-core romantic, then Let Love In is the book for you!
Madeline ‘Maddy’ Becker has had a tough childhood, losing her parents at 10 years old and sent to live with a Great Aunt who she didn’t even know. She befriends Melanie Crane in the 7th grade and becomes “whole again” as she becomes part of their family. The book starts out strong, with Maddy breaking up with her high school boyfriend, and heading off to her Freshman year at Ithaca College with Melanie. She wants to start over and wipe the slate clean of her sad past and her inability to get too close to anyone because of her fear of losing them.
Maddy first encounters gorgeous bad boy Reid Connely at a College party on the first night at school. He is the type of guy who won’t commit and hooks up with a different girl every night. Maddy and Reid do some seriously sexy flirting on their first encounter, but Reid backs off unexpectedly, and winds up with another girl that night. He and Maddy play a game for several weeks avoiding each other, but things take a turn when Reid rescues her one night from a creep who roofies her drink at a bar.
Their relationship fast forwards at warp speed and Reid turns from bad boy to hopeless romantic in no time. This is where I wish that he had retained more of his bad boy personality. For the majority of the book, we see Reid swoon over Maddy and treat her like a Princess, and there’s nothing wrong with that, but it seemed out of character based on his initial introduction in the book. I will say though that the sex scenes between Maddy and Reid were out of this world smokin’ hot! The Author really knows how to write quite the steamy scene ;)
Let Love In ends with quite a surprise, but I will not tell! Melissa Collins did a fabulous job on her debut novel and I’m really looking forward to book 2, Let Love Stay, due out this summer!
An ARC was kindly provided by the author for an honest review.
Review posted at Love Between the Sheets
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If you’re in the mood for a bad boy with a secret past, gone swoon-worthy hard-core romantic, then Let Love In is the book for you!
Madeline ‘Maddy’ Becker has had a tough childhood, losing her parents at 10 years old and sent to live with a Great Aunt who she didn’t even know. She befriends Melanie Crane in the 7th grade and becomes “whole again” as she becomes part of their family. The book starts out strong, with Maddy breaking up with her high school boyfriend, and heading off to her Freshman year at Ithaca College with Melanie. She wants to start over and wipe the slate clean of her sad past and her inability to get too close to anyone because of her fear of losing them.
…I made a few promises to myself. They’re very simple promises, but ones that I hope will wipe the slate clean.
1. Choose Happy
2. Appreciate Beauty
3. Let Love In
Maddy first encounters gorgeous bad boy Reid Connely at a College party on the first night at school. He is the type of guy who won’t commit and hooks up with a different girl every night. Maddy and Reid do some seriously sexy flirting on their first encounter, but Reid backs off unexpectedly, and winds up with another girl that night. He and Maddy play a game for several weeks avoiding each other, but things take a turn when Reid rescues her one night from a creep who roofies her drink at a bar.
Their relationship fast forwards at warp speed and Reid turns from bad boy to hopeless romantic in no time. This is where I wish that he had retained more of his bad boy personality. For the majority of the book, we see Reid swoon over Maddy and treat her like a Princess, and there’s nothing wrong with that, but it seemed out of character based on his initial introduction in the book. I will say though that the sex scenes between Maddy and Reid were out of this world smokin’ hot! The Author really knows how to write quite the steamy scene ;)
Let Love In ends with quite a surprise, but I will not tell! Melissa Collins did a fabulous job on her debut novel and I’m really looking forward to book 2, Let Love Stay, due out this summer!
An ARC was kindly provided by the author for an honest review.
Review posted at Love Between the Sheets
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July 13, 2013
Let Love In is the debut novel by self published author Melissa Collins. It is the first book in a series. I was looking for a light happy read but got that and so much more.
Madeline Becker a/k/a Maddy is a young girl who has experienced more than her share of heartache before turning 18. At the age of 10 she loses her parents in a car accident and is forced to leave all that is familiar to go and live with her elderly Aunt whom she had never met. A few years later tragedy strikes again and having no family left Maddy moves in with her best friend Melanie and her mom, Momma C.
College a place for a new start. Maddy makes herself some promises:
"Choose Happy" "Appreciate Beauty" "Let Love In"
Reid Connely is an engima even to his college roommates. Sure he's good looking but no one seems to know anything about his home life. He's known as the loose cannon of the group and bounces from girl to girl...No Attachment No Commitment.
Tragedy and guilt have formed walls...will their attraction to one another be enough to Let Love In?
Reid and Maddy had me pulling for them from the start. The story is told through both Maddy and Reid's POV so their inner voices and battles with themselves had me laughing and smiling.
"Jack didn't tell me this was a family reunion. I'm so not in the mood for this tonight." (I am in the mood for ripping Maddy's clothes off and hearing her scream my name. Now, that doesn't sound like a horrible plan.) ~Reid
"I am a big girl. I can take it if you really don't like me." (I'd be crushed and eat my way through a few pints of ice cream to get over it. But I would eventually. Like when I am sixty.) ~Maddy
As the story unfolds it pulls you in and makes you fall in love with them. You see them slowly open themselves up to the possibility that things can be different, they can be different.
I read the book within a few hours. I needed to see where their journey would take them. As with any relationship, there are ups and downs but I was truly pulling for them to come through the otherside together. So if you are looking for a new read with hope for young love, Let Love In and enjoy.
Madeline Becker a/k/a Maddy is a young girl who has experienced more than her share of heartache before turning 18. At the age of 10 she loses her parents in a car accident and is forced to leave all that is familiar to go and live with her elderly Aunt whom she had never met. A few years later tragedy strikes again and having no family left Maddy moves in with her best friend Melanie and her mom, Momma C.
College a place for a new start. Maddy makes herself some promises:
"Choose Happy" "Appreciate Beauty" "Let Love In"
Reid Connely is an engima even to his college roommates. Sure he's good looking but no one seems to know anything about his home life. He's known as the loose cannon of the group and bounces from girl to girl...No Attachment No Commitment.
Tragedy and guilt have formed walls...will their attraction to one another be enough to Let Love In?
Reid and Maddy had me pulling for them from the start. The story is told through both Maddy and Reid's POV so their inner voices and battles with themselves had me laughing and smiling.
"Jack didn't tell me this was a family reunion. I'm so not in the mood for this tonight." (I am in the mood for ripping Maddy's clothes off and hearing her scream my name. Now, that doesn't sound like a horrible plan.) ~Reid
"I am a big girl. I can take it if you really don't like me." (I'd be crushed and eat my way through a few pints of ice cream to get over it. But I would eventually. Like when I am sixty.) ~Maddy
As the story unfolds it pulls you in and makes you fall in love with them. You see them slowly open themselves up to the possibility that things can be different, they can be different.
I read the book within a few hours. I needed to see where their journey would take them. As with any relationship, there are ups and downs but I was truly pulling for them to come through the otherside together. So if you are looking for a new read with hope for young love, Let Love In and enjoy.
December 25, 2014
I read Let Love Live before I read this book (it's the fifth book in the exceptional series) and as soon as I finished it, I knew I needed to read more from Melissa Collins. And I wanted to know more about Maddy and Reid. So, I went back to the start, and I am SO very happy I did.
Madeleine Becker lost everything when her parents passed away. To save herself the hurt of losing someone else, she build walls around her heart, determined to never fall in love.
Reid Connely knows what it's like to lose someone you love. He too has walls around his heart, but Maddy seems to know the way around them. Can they confront their pasts and learn to let love in?
I loved this introduction to the Love series. It was sexy, it was fun and it was more a little heartbreaking. This couple had excellent chemistry and I really loved seeing them together. Yes, there were obstacles. Yes, there was tension. No, it wasn't always perfect. But all that just made me want to turn page after page after page.
I had plenty of time to read and fall in love with these characters, since I was on an aeroplane with nowhere to be, and I can't tell you how happy that made me. I could savor the story, enjoy the ups and the downs, and learn more about these characters who I first met when their path was finally clear. And I fell in love with them all over again - this time knowing that Reid could be an a*s and Maddy wasn't always so perfect.
The ending? Oh damn, that ending! Thankfully I had book two on hand to dive straight in to, because the cliffhanger had me grimacing (in a good way, of course) and desperate to know it was all going to be okay...which, having read the later books, I shouldn't have been too worried about. But Ms. Collins wrote a story that was so good, she still had me on the edge of my seat despite my knowing the outcome...
Let Love In is the first book in the Love series. There is a cliffhanger ending. ~ Beth, 4.5 stars
Madeleine Becker lost everything when her parents passed away. To save herself the hurt of losing someone else, she build walls around her heart, determined to never fall in love.
Reid Connely knows what it's like to lose someone you love. He too has walls around his heart, but Maddy seems to know the way around them. Can they confront their pasts and learn to let love in?
I loved this introduction to the Love series. It was sexy, it was fun and it was more a little heartbreaking. This couple had excellent chemistry and I really loved seeing them together. Yes, there were obstacles. Yes, there was tension. No, it wasn't always perfect. But all that just made me want to turn page after page after page.
I had plenty of time to read and fall in love with these characters, since I was on an aeroplane with nowhere to be, and I can't tell you how happy that made me. I could savor the story, enjoy the ups and the downs, and learn more about these characters who I first met when their path was finally clear. And I fell in love with them all over again - this time knowing that Reid could be an a*s and Maddy wasn't always so perfect.
The ending? Oh damn, that ending! Thankfully I had book two on hand to dive straight in to, because the cliffhanger had me grimacing (in a good way, of course) and desperate to know it was all going to be okay...which, having read the later books, I shouldn't have been too worried about. But Ms. Collins wrote a story that was so good, she still had me on the edge of my seat despite my knowing the outcome...
Let Love In is the first book in the Love series. There is a cliffhanger ending. ~ Beth, 4.5 stars
December 9, 2013
Unfortunately, I didn't really like this book. It wasn't really bad, it just didn't do much for me personally. The writing wasn't anything special and the plot felt like one I've read many times. I'm usually not a fan of insta-love but sometimes it works. In this case, it didn't. Maddy and Reid's relationship felt rushed and artificial. And I don't know about anyone else but I'm really getting sick of authors throwing in I don't think I'm going to bother with the second book, I'm pretty sure I know where the story is headed and I'm just not interested in the characters enough to continue on.
October 2, 2016
I was on board with this book until the end. Boy did Maddy really piss me off with her nonsense. I understand that her parents died but who the hell is she to tell anyone how they can be to their parents. Reid's parents were terrible and what they did was unthinkable. Which is why I stand by Reid. Maddy needed to understand that she is far from perfect and that being a judgmental b**ch is the one thing she shouldn't have been. It's because of that I did not enjoy this book and have no desire to waste my time with the next book.
March 16, 2014
I really enjoyed Maddy and Reid's story. It was an emotional one. I felt both their pain and heartache. Reid's story hit me harder and I could sorta relate to it in a way. I didn't care for the end, but hopefully I'll find time to read the next book.
June 16, 2013
*I received ARC in exchange for an honest review*
Let love in tells the story of Madeline (Maddy) Becker who at the age of 10 sadly loses both her parents in a car accident. Her Aunt Maggie who she never truly knew before then adopts her. The next few years Maddy goes into survival mode just living each day walls go up Maddy never really lets anyone get too close. However things start to change when she meets Melanie Crane the two become best friends and with the help of Melanie’s mum (Momma C) Maddy lets them in and she starts to feel part of a family again.
“Something miraculous happened. I came to life, I was happy”. ~Maddy
Therefore, when her Aunt passes away a few years later, it was only natural that Maddy moved in with Melanie and Momma C.
When Maddy and Melanie leave for college, she meets Reid Connely who is tall, dark, gorgeous and a little mysterious, he has a past that has left him understandably with issues, and he has his own demons. Like Maddy, he too is in survival mode and has built up walls so no one can get close. They have dealt with so much in their young lives that they share a connection, they can see others pain, at first they do not want to acknowledge, more so Reid than Maggie, they do not want to get close as it means their walls are going to come crashing down.
‘There’s some pull, some draw between us and I just know that he feels it’~ Maddy
‘There’s vulnerability and openness that she is trying to guard, and I know it because I’m the same way’~ Reid
I like Maddy’s character she is sweet, sassy, strong, funny and extremely endearing. I liked Reid and Maddy’s relationship they were a truly sweet together, I loved Reid’s romantic side. They do get together very quickly, and I did not mind that as I felt it worked for them. I liked that the physical side took time to develop, as they wanted to trust each other before that took it to the next level and when it did happen it was extremely romantic.
‘We’ll take things slowly. It'll kill me, but we will. I told you I want to do things right’~ Reid
I loved the storyline, told from both Maddy and Reid’s POV. It was emotional and heart warming, and I could relate to Maddy story. I liked how it kept me engaged and with a few twist and turns along the way, it kept me guessing until the end. I must admit I found it hard to put down. The secondary characters are all fun and likable and add to the story, and I can see that some are worthy of their own books. My first choice would be Melanie who is a kick ass best friend.
I will say that this one does end on a cliffhanger, it is not a big one, but I was a shock as I felt it just ended. Like me, it may leave you slightly frustrated, but it does leave you wanting more.
This was the first book of Melissa Collins that I have read and ending aside; I was extremely impressed. I cannot wait to read the next one in the series Let Love Stay, and I’m pleased that the wait is not too long as I want to see Maddy and Reid get their HEA I would highly recommend this book.
Let Love in gets 4 stars from me.
Let love in tells the story of Madeline (Maddy) Becker who at the age of 10 sadly loses both her parents in a car accident. Her Aunt Maggie who she never truly knew before then adopts her. The next few years Maddy goes into survival mode just living each day walls go up Maddy never really lets anyone get too close. However things start to change when she meets Melanie Crane the two become best friends and with the help of Melanie’s mum (Momma C) Maddy lets them in and she starts to feel part of a family again.
“Something miraculous happened. I came to life, I was happy”. ~Maddy
Therefore, when her Aunt passes away a few years later, it was only natural that Maddy moved in with Melanie and Momma C.
When Maddy and Melanie leave for college, she meets Reid Connely who is tall, dark, gorgeous and a little mysterious, he has a past that has left him understandably with issues, and he has his own demons. Like Maddy, he too is in survival mode and has built up walls so no one can get close. They have dealt with so much in their young lives that they share a connection, they can see others pain, at first they do not want to acknowledge, more so Reid than Maggie, they do not want to get close as it means their walls are going to come crashing down.
‘There’s some pull, some draw between us and I just know that he feels it’~ Maddy
‘There’s vulnerability and openness that she is trying to guard, and I know it because I’m the same way’~ Reid
I like Maddy’s character she is sweet, sassy, strong, funny and extremely endearing. I liked Reid and Maddy’s relationship they were a truly sweet together, I loved Reid’s romantic side. They do get together very quickly, and I did not mind that as I felt it worked for them. I liked that the physical side took time to develop, as they wanted to trust each other before that took it to the next level and when it did happen it was extremely romantic.
‘We’ll take things slowly. It'll kill me, but we will. I told you I want to do things right’~ Reid
I loved the storyline, told from both Maddy and Reid’s POV. It was emotional and heart warming, and I could relate to Maddy story. I liked how it kept me engaged and with a few twist and turns along the way, it kept me guessing until the end. I must admit I found it hard to put down. The secondary characters are all fun and likable and add to the story, and I can see that some are worthy of their own books. My first choice would be Melanie who is a kick ass best friend.
I will say that this one does end on a cliffhanger, it is not a big one, but I was a shock as I felt it just ended. Like me, it may leave you slightly frustrated, but it does leave you wanting more.
This was the first book of Melissa Collins that I have read and ending aside; I was extremely impressed. I cannot wait to read the next one in the series Let Love Stay, and I’m pleased that the wait is not too long as I want to see Maddy and Reid get their HEA I would highly recommend this book.
Let Love in gets 4 stars from me.
August 4, 2013
4.5 - 5 Stars
I went through a lot of emotions while reading this book!! I laughed, swooned, squirmed, got pissed... you name it, I felt it. Oh! And yes, I even had those moments where I had to literally fan myself... holy HOTNESS! *whistles*
During "Let Love In" we meet Maddy and Reid. Maddy is just starting off college with her best friend Mel when she comes across my new book boyfriend, Reid. Talk about an instant connection!!! They were both emotionally scarred, so it was just amazing reading how they broke down each other's walls.
Maddy had unexpectedly lost her parents at a very young age, causing her to move in with an old aunt she had never met. It was there where she met Melanie. Once Maddy's aunt passed away, Mel and her mom, "Momma C" took her in, becoming the only family she had. As for Reid's past, I won't get into it... it's something that unravels throughout the story line with a few little twists here and there. But know that it was his past that caused him to be the ladies man he currently was. About to graduate college, he simply did not care about having a relationship... until Maddy.
Reid and Maddy decide to go against their instincts and let each other in... quickly developing a very swoon worthy relationship. Let me tell you, Reid went all out!!! Quite the romantic and protective guy! Queue the swooning and squirming.. I fell completely in love with him... seriously!
The fact that this book is written in dual PoVs helped me feel an automatic connection with both main characters. As for the secondary ones, loved them!!!!! I was super happy to find out that each one is getting a book!!! squeee!!
Okay....
Regarding the ending... Cliffhanger alert !!!! It doesn't end mid scene or anything, but you might want to have book two handy. Trust me..!!!!
Honestly, this was a very well written book. Job well done Melissa Collins!! I highly recommend you buy this!!A definite must read about two broken souls learning to "let love in".
"Choose happy. Appreciate beauty. Let love in."
I went through a lot of emotions while reading this book!! I laughed, swooned, squirmed, got pissed... you name it, I felt it. Oh! And yes, I even had those moments where I had to literally fan myself... holy HOTNESS! *whistles*
During "Let Love In" we meet Maddy and Reid. Maddy is just starting off college with her best friend Mel when she comes across my new book boyfriend, Reid. Talk about an instant connection!!! They were both emotionally scarred, so it was just amazing reading how they broke down each other's walls.
Maddy had unexpectedly lost her parents at a very young age, causing her to move in with an old aunt she had never met. It was there where she met Melanie. Once Maddy's aunt passed away, Mel and her mom, "Momma C" took her in, becoming the only family she had. As for Reid's past, I won't get into it... it's something that unravels throughout the story line with a few little twists here and there. But know that it was his past that caused him to be the ladies man he currently was. About to graduate college, he simply did not care about having a relationship... until Maddy.
"...you see straight through me. You see beyond the outside, and it's like you see the me that no one else sees."
"There's no one else. I've wanted you since I first saw you, and I'm going to try my hardest to not fuck that up."
Reid and Maddy decide to go against their instincts and let each other in... quickly developing a very swoon worthy relationship. Let me tell you, Reid went all out!!! Quite the romantic and protective guy! Queue the swooning and squirming.. I fell completely in love with him... seriously!
"You're beautiful and funny and smart and, well, just plain amazing."
"She is not just some girl. She is my girl..."
The fact that this book is written in dual PoVs helped me feel an automatic connection with both main characters. As for the secondary ones, loved them!!!!! I was super happy to find out that each one is getting a book!!! squeee!!
Okay....
Regarding the ending... Cliffhanger alert !!!! It doesn't end mid scene or anything, but you might want to have book two handy. Trust me..!!!!
Honestly, this was a very well written book. Job well done Melissa Collins!! I highly recommend you buy this!!A definite must read about two broken souls learning to "let love in".
"I've already let love in. He's not only in my heart; he owns it."
September 19, 2016
I started this I think in 2014 and just recently I finished it..... I don't know why I never got into this story.
April 16, 2015
OMG!! I just cant with how bad this book was!!!
The dialogue is so incredibly cheesy! The story line is SO lacking. The main female is annoying as heck and it's just so so so bad. Honestly, I feel the author opened up the thesaurus ap and went to town. UGH! YUCK! I am gonna have to read something really good to wash away this horrible memory!
On the positive, yay, it's over!
The dialogue is so incredibly cheesy! The story line is SO lacking. The main female is annoying as heck and it's just so so so bad. Honestly, I feel the author opened up the thesaurus ap and went to town. UGH! YUCK! I am gonna have to read something really good to wash away this horrible memory!
On the positive, yay, it's over!
July 23, 2013
"I am truly alone... I am shocked by the sadness that pervades my feature. My whole body sags under the weight of my life... I want a do-over. I want to be happy for once. I want so badly to love myself and to love my life -- to know that someone really and truly loves me."
This was a really solid read that I devoured in one sitting. It was romantic and sexy with just a little bit of angst. The pacing of the book was interesting to me. When we first learn about Maddy, we realize she's suffered a terrible tragedy, losing her parents at such a young age. Maddy feels alone in the world and for purposes of self-preservation, she's built walls around her heart, unable to really let love in. Before she leaves for college, she is intent on making a change.
"Choose happy. Appreciate beauty. Let love in."
Despite her newly adopted mantra, I expected it to be difficult to break through those walls, but when she meets seemingly bad boy Reed Connely, it's instant attraction for them both... an undeniable pull she feels throughout her entire body.
"Reid is the epitome of tall, dark, and fucking amazingly handsome. And even that description doesn't seem to cut it."
But after their first encounter, Reid pushes her away... he's mean, hurtful and aggressive and Maddy vows to forget him.
"I guess I can choose happy as much as I want, but it doesn't mean much if I'm not chosen back."
For awhile, Maddy and Reid are stuck in a push and pull dynamic. Since the story is told through dual Maddy/Reid POV, we learn more about Reid and what he's feeling and thinking. It seems that Reid is also harboring some real issues related to his past... painful secrets he keeps deeply buried, but that haunt him on a daily basis. He's afraid of what he feels for Maddy, but soon realizes his feelings are only intensifying...what he feels for Maddy will not be waned.
"You've completely knocked me off my game. I've never met anyone like you, and it scares the shit out of me. it's like you don't see me... you see straight through me. You see beyond the outside, and it's like you see the me that no one else sees."
I did feel that the intensity of their feelings built a little too quickly in the beginning and that the character arcs transformed a little too rapidly. What I mean by this is that Maddy's walls broke more easily than I thought, allowing Reid into her heart, while Reid went from bad boy with a notorious reputation, to boy in love rather quickly. I would have loved to see more angst... a slower evolution for both of the main characters to maximize impact and deepen the connection with the reader.
"I've fallen for her hard and fast, and I know it. I'm fairly certain that I fell in love with her that first time we danced, but over the last six weeks those feelings have definitely solidified and rocked me to my core."
Reid, however, does morph into quite an amazing boyfriend... loving, caring, thoughtful and protective and I loved the way he really wanted to make Maddy happy. He took the time to get to know her, figure out what she needed and found a way to give her exactly the right things, the right words to make her happy.
"You bring more happiness into my life than I ever thought I deserved."
The more the story unfolded, the more I was actually drawn into Reid as a character. He's flawed, volatile and aggressive and carries a lot of self-placed guilt. My heart really hurt for him because I could see how good of a person he was. He doesn't think he deserves Maddy and he's sure that she'll leave him when she knows the truth.
"She's already lost so much and dealt with a ton of pain. I know for certain if she finds out what a horrible person I am on the inside that she'd never give me a chance. No matter how close she gets, she can't ever know that part of me."
I have to say, the last 20 to 25% or so of the book was awesome and engaging. It picked up the pace, gave me some of that intensified angst I had been desiring and packed some unforeseen action with plot twists that left me feeling breathless, my heart shattering and my greedy little hands wanting the next book! The story doesn't end in a cliffhanger but it doesn't have an HEA. The plot twists that came into play change the path of the next book and we know there's so much more to happen between Reid and Maddy. I think with the way that this book evolved, knowing what I know at the end of the story, I'm even more excited to read book 2, Let Love Stay. I hope the angst continues before we get our HEA and I also hope we see a more realistic pace for character metamorphosis. The way Melissa Collins set it up, I think that's what we'll be seeing and I can't wait to read more.
Let Love Stay, book 2 in The Love Series will be out July 31st.
"I've already let love in. He's not only in my heart; he owns it. Now I just have to keep him there and never let him go."
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April 19, 2015Hi there insta love, it's almost been a while since we last met!
Joke aside, that's what I managed to get out of this before I finished around 25%. Madeleine is moving to college, hoping for a new start. She's always kept people at an arm's width ever since her parents died when she was ten(?). One night at a party she meets Reid, self-proclaimed asshole who goes through women like one does underwear. After one dance Reid is ready to go to hell and back for Madeleine, but still treats her badly like the asshole he is. Of course, Madeleine can see the pain in his eyes and Madeleine just knows they'd be good together. Doesn't sound terrible – it kind of does, but for the sake of the argument, you know – does it?
Okay so let's go through the typical New Adult clichés:
1. Maddy obviously doesn't know she's beautiful.
2. Obviously a girl can only land hot guy because of her looks. Not, you know, her personality?
3. Maddy is such a unique snowflake not even artificial lenses could make a copy of her eye color. (Google 'weird lenses', then come back and claim they can't be replicated.)
4. It wouldn't be New Adult if the male lead wasn't described as the most beautiful man ever walking this earth, but yet you can't even begin to comprehend what he actually looks like.
5. Violence. Not okay.
6. Proof Reid falls for Maddy after dancing with her once. Yet, even after once dance he wants, and does, punch his roommate who is showing genuine interest in Maddy.
7. Looking back at 6. it's even more prominent Reid's obsession with Maddy is beyond unhealthy.
8. Obviously only men can enjoy 'no strings attached' sex, not women. Silly me, believing women too can have a sexuality. *sarcasm*
9. Hypocricity. Reid has been staring at Maddy's ass as much as the next guy, and he is, still, practically a stranger to this girl. Explain how it's different when this other guy does it and when Reid does it.
and
10. Both heroine and hero come from broken pasts.
So yeah, I'm not finishing this one.
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Joke aside, that's what I managed to get out of this before I finished around 25%. Madeleine is moving to college, hoping for a new start. She's always kept people at an arm's width ever since her parents died when she was ten(?). One night at a party she meets Reid, self-proclaimed asshole who goes through women like one does underwear. After one dance Reid is ready to go to hell and back for Madeleine, but still treats her badly like the asshole he is. Of course, Madeleine can see the pain in his eyes and Madeleine just knows they'd be good together. Doesn't sound terrible – it kind of does, but for the sake of the argument, you know – does it?
Okay so let's go through the typical New Adult clichés:
“Damn, girl! You look hot!” Her words prompt a heated blush to my cheeks. “Quit your blushing, Maddy. One day you will realize just how beautiful you are. I don’t mean to sound shallow, but do you think you could land a guy like Jay if you were anything less than beautiful?”
1. Maddy obviously doesn't know she's beautiful.
2. Obviously a girl can only land hot guy because of her looks. Not, you know, her personality?
They look almost fake, but as I lean into the mirror to get a closer look, I catch small little flecks of gold around the outside that I know no contact lens could replicate.
3. Maddy is such a unique snowflake not even artificial lenses could make a copy of her eye color. (Google 'weird lenses', then come back and claim they can't be replicated.)
I can’t peel my eyes away from his mouth as he moves the bottle to his lips. They are perfect - beautiful and full in a completely masculine way. I watch, completely fascinated, as his throat moves, downing the water in three or four large gulps. He wipes his mouth with his forearm, and I can’t help but let my eyes travel up the rest of his arm to his biceps and shoulders. Those are the same as his lips — perfect. Amazingly, gorgeously, utterly, divinely perfect. Muscled and tanned, his arms are mouthwatering.
4. It wouldn't be New Adult if the male lead wasn't described as the most beautiful man ever walking this earth, but yet you can't even begin to comprehend what he actually looks like.
Reid is in front of us in seconds. He grabs Logan by the collar and lifts him off the couch. Before Logan can even get a word out, Reid cocks his arm and lands a nasty right hook across Logan’s jaw. I scuffle off the couch and move to the edge of the room, where everyone else has retreated to give them space.
5. Violence. Not okay.
6. Proof Reid falls for Maddy after dancing with her once. Yet, even after once dance he wants, and does, punch his roommate who is showing genuine interest in Maddy.
7. Looking back at 6. it's even more prominent Reid's obsession with Maddy is beyond unhealthy.
When most girls agree to the “no strings attached” fling, they usually do so with the hope that it’ll eventually turn into more.
8. Obviously only men can enjoy 'no strings attached' sex, not women. Silly me, believing women too can have a sexuality. *sarcasm*
Watching her bend over the table for the last few hours has been quite the show, one that I catch some asshole at the next table enjoying as well.
9. Hypocricity. Reid has been staring at Maddy's ass as much as the next guy, and he is, still, practically a stranger to this girl. Explain how it's different when this other guy does it and when Reid does it.
and
10. Both heroine and hero come from broken pasts.
So yeah, I'm not finishing this one.
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September 24, 2013
I received this book as an ARC from the author, and polished it off in mere hours.
I am always highly impressed with self published authors. Their desire for their craft of writing speaks volumes when they take they step to publish on their own. It proves to me, as a reader, the au thors confidence in the story they are sharing.
This book is Melissa's first novel, self published and self edited...yep, this lady has a passion for writing and for her career (teacher) in general. Every aspect of this book was spot on A+. It is written wonderfully, with excellent dialougue, a heart wrenching story....just awesome from start to finish.
Now let me fill ya in on Let Love In....Maddy, our heroine is trying to find her way through life. Her parents died when she was 10, so she moved with an aunt. The move was awkward, but this brought Maddy a best friend (Mel) and mother figure (Momma C) in her life. Mel grew into the sister she never had, and Momma C was the role model Maddy needed. Momma C had experienced death as well, but she still conquered life and Maddy was in awe of her for doing so. Years later, Maddy's aunt passes away and Momma C takes her in. She had always been family anyways.
Maddy and Mel soon go off to college, to start their new lives but still in the back of her mind, Maddy realizes that she has never really had a home...just a settling place til the next chapter in her life, but she promises herself that in this next chapter of her life, she will embrace life like something fierce, learn to be happy and let love in.
So, at a party, she meets Reid. Just the sight of this sexy man before her renders her speechless. They share one, sexy intense dance, before he saunters off to the next flavor of the night. Hmmm...so much for that she thought. But, regardless of how hard she tries to push Reid from her mind, she still holds on to the memory of that one night. Their connection was one she had never experienced but it intrigued her. They pass one another a couple more times over a few weeks but she comes to the realization that she is just NOT the hirl for Reid. He is a self righteous man whore and she deserves happiness.
Reid is dark, sexy, mysterious, alpha male, sexy...hmm...did I mention SEXY??!! He is holding onto his own hurt, pain, but that is all left to mystery. He encounters Maddy and every emotion he's NEVER wanted to experience starts knocking on his heart....Being quite the man whore, he realizes he wants a relationship with Maddy and wants to spend his forever days making her smile, making her happy.
Together, they decide to Let Love In. Their relationship is beautiful, passionate, sexy, sweet. Every girl's dream really. Until it isn't. Old ghosts start to appear for Reid, and as he tries to ignore it, Maddy is trying to get him to face his demons. All of this creates a downward spiral rather quickly to their short loving relationship.
Enough of the story line, don't want to spoil the rest of it. ;)
This story left me sad. I love all of the characters, I love Maddy and Reid's relationship, the battle with their demons and how the help each other overcome the trials they've been faced with. But the ending left me heartbroke for Maddy and Reid. BUT, the ending is just a hiccip in Maddy and Reid's relationship. I know that Melissa will surprise us all with Let Love Stay and complete Maddy and Reid's story with beauty and perfection.
I am always highly impressed with self published authors. Their desire for their craft of writing speaks volumes when they take they step to publish on their own. It proves to me, as a reader, the au thors confidence in the story they are sharing.
This book is Melissa's first novel, self published and self edited...yep, this lady has a passion for writing and for her career (teacher) in general. Every aspect of this book was spot on A+. It is written wonderfully, with excellent dialougue, a heart wrenching story....just awesome from start to finish.
Now let me fill ya in on Let Love In....Maddy, our heroine is trying to find her way through life. Her parents died when she was 10, so she moved with an aunt. The move was awkward, but this brought Maddy a best friend (Mel) and mother figure (Momma C) in her life. Mel grew into the sister she never had, and Momma C was the role model Maddy needed. Momma C had experienced death as well, but she still conquered life and Maddy was in awe of her for doing so. Years later, Maddy's aunt passes away and Momma C takes her in. She had always been family anyways.
Maddy and Mel soon go off to college, to start their new lives but still in the back of her mind, Maddy realizes that she has never really had a home...just a settling place til the next chapter in her life, but she promises herself that in this next chapter of her life, she will embrace life like something fierce, learn to be happy and let love in.
So, at a party, she meets Reid. Just the sight of this sexy man before her renders her speechless. They share one, sexy intense dance, before he saunters off to the next flavor of the night. Hmmm...so much for that she thought. But, regardless of how hard she tries to push Reid from her mind, she still holds on to the memory of that one night. Their connection was one she had never experienced but it intrigued her. They pass one another a couple more times over a few weeks but she comes to the realization that she is just NOT the hirl for Reid. He is a self righteous man whore and she deserves happiness.
Reid is dark, sexy, mysterious, alpha male, sexy...hmm...did I mention SEXY??!! He is holding onto his own hurt, pain, but that is all left to mystery. He encounters Maddy and every emotion he's NEVER wanted to experience starts knocking on his heart....Being quite the man whore, he realizes he wants a relationship with Maddy and wants to spend his forever days making her smile, making her happy.
Together, they decide to Let Love In. Their relationship is beautiful, passionate, sexy, sweet. Every girl's dream really. Until it isn't. Old ghosts start to appear for Reid, and as he tries to ignore it, Maddy is trying to get him to face his demons. All of this creates a downward spiral rather quickly to their short loving relationship.
Enough of the story line, don't want to spoil the rest of it. ;)
This story left me sad. I love all of the characters, I love Maddy and Reid's relationship, the battle with their demons and how the help each other overcome the trials they've been faced with. But the ending left me heartbroke for Maddy and Reid. BUT, the ending is just a hiccip in Maddy and Reid's relationship. I know that Melissa will surprise us all with Let Love Stay and complete Maddy and Reid's story with beauty and perfection.
December 4, 2013
Wow! I am overwhelmed with emotions right now! I just finished this book and it has me feeling raw and hurting in more ways than one!
This fabulous book was an emotional rollercoaster and I am glad to have had the privilege of Melissa giving me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!
Maddy, is a beautiful girl about to embark on the next chapter in her life-college with her BFF Melanie. The next chapter is scary, very scary for her since she has not had an “actual” home. Actual in her terms since her parents passed away when she was 10 and then the death of her Aunt.... she has been living with her BFF and BFF’s mom who she calls MOMMA C. They both love her and want the best for her but Maddy refuses to open her heart to love… she is afraid and the next journey in her life makes her scared.
She has a wonderful boyfriend whom I must say was a total sweetheart and wish she could have felt the same for him as he did her! The words he tells her are just beautiful,“ You deserve love. . you aren’t broken and empty like you think you are. I hope that one day you will realize you deserve it. That one day you will be able to Let Love In”.
Maddy and Mel embark on their college life and enjoy getting to know their roommates. They are all very nice and ask if Mel and Maddy would like to go to a party. They both agree and this is when Maddy’s life changes. Enter hot, mouthwatering, sexy, playboy Reid! Maddy is smitten with him the instant she sees him!
Reid Connely is the typical Playboy! He doesn’t keep a girl for more than one night and if they are good then maybe the whole weekend! He doesn’t do relationships, but what we don’t know is that he is seriously broken too. He too, has walls and is afraid to bring them down especially for a girl.
However, despite both of them knowing/thinking what they really have wanted in the past seems to be unstoppable when they find each other. Walls come down and love blooms and what a wonderful thing it is to watch! I loved everything that Reid did for Maddy! I mean everything! It was sweet to see how their relationship took time and he wanted to do everything right to make sure that she was happy !
I have to say there were a few quotes from Reid that I loved and have to share them… he is one swoon worthy guy and you have to know that deep down he loves his Maddy! So, I had to take the time in my review to share romantic Reid. ;)
“Happy? Are you kidding? Maddy, you are the reason I breathe. Without you, my life would have NO meaning at all, so saying that you “make me happy” is a huge fucking understatement. You bring more happiness to my life than I ever thought I deserved”.
“I love you more than anything. I would move heaven and earth to make you realize how much I love you.”
“………for now, sweet Maddy. I love you. I’ll always love you, no matter what and I will prove it to you”.
That being said, the book ends with a CLIFFHANGER !!! All I wanted to do was cry but that means that Melissa Collins knows what she is doing and knows how to tug at our heartstrings when it comes to romance! I look forward to the next book with much enthusiasm to find out where Melissa will take us with this wonderful obvious soul mate couple!
This fabulous book was an emotional rollercoaster and I am glad to have had the privilege of Melissa giving me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!
Maddy, is a beautiful girl about to embark on the next chapter in her life-college with her BFF Melanie. The next chapter is scary, very scary for her since she has not had an “actual” home. Actual in her terms since her parents passed away when she was 10 and then the death of her Aunt.... she has been living with her BFF and BFF’s mom who she calls MOMMA C. They both love her and want the best for her but Maddy refuses to open her heart to love… she is afraid and the next journey in her life makes her scared.
She has a wonderful boyfriend whom I must say was a total sweetheart and wish she could have felt the same for him as he did her! The words he tells her are just beautiful,“ You deserve love. . you aren’t broken and empty like you think you are. I hope that one day you will realize you deserve it. That one day you will be able to Let Love In”.
Maddy and Mel embark on their college life and enjoy getting to know their roommates. They are all very nice and ask if Mel and Maddy would like to go to a party. They both agree and this is when Maddy’s life changes. Enter hot, mouthwatering, sexy, playboy Reid! Maddy is smitten with him the instant she sees him!
Reid Connely is the typical Playboy! He doesn’t keep a girl for more than one night and if they are good then maybe the whole weekend! He doesn’t do relationships, but what we don’t know is that he is seriously broken too. He too, has walls and is afraid to bring them down especially for a girl.
However, despite both of them knowing/thinking what they really have wanted in the past seems to be unstoppable when they find each other. Walls come down and love blooms and what a wonderful thing it is to watch! I loved everything that Reid did for Maddy! I mean everything! It was sweet to see how their relationship took time and he wanted to do everything right to make sure that she was happy !
I have to say there were a few quotes from Reid that I loved and have to share them… he is one swoon worthy guy and you have to know that deep down he loves his Maddy! So, I had to take the time in my review to share romantic Reid. ;)
“Happy? Are you kidding? Maddy, you are the reason I breathe. Without you, my life would have NO meaning at all, so saying that you “make me happy” is a huge fucking understatement. You bring more happiness to my life than I ever thought I deserved”.
“I love you more than anything. I would move heaven and earth to make you realize how much I love you.”
“………for now, sweet Maddy. I love you. I’ll always love you, no matter what and I will prove it to you”.
That being said, the book ends with a CLIFFHANGER !!! All I wanted to do was cry but that means that Melissa Collins knows what she is doing and knows how to tug at our heartstrings when it comes to romance! I look forward to the next book with much enthusiasm to find out where Melissa will take us with this wonderful obvious soul mate couple!
June 12, 2013
This book was amazing! I think the author did well getting you invested in the characters. She did great on the character development and you feel an attachment to both Maddy and Reid! Maddy has had a rough life. When she was 10 years old she lost both of her parents to a car accident. She didn’t really have any other family besides her Aunt. So she was ripped from the one home she had and was made to move in with her Aunt. Maddy just goes through the motions of life in a numb state until one day she meets Melanie in school. Mel is this bright and bubbly girl and instantly Maddy feels her heart thawing ever so slightly. They slowly become the best of friends and Maddy pretty much lives at her house. It’s almost like she finally has a small family and she feels so welcomed in Mel’s home.
Maddy finally goes off to college. She ends up breaking up with her boyfriend before leaving. She just can’t seem to make the walls she’s built around her heart crumble for him. She’s not in love with him and she doesn’t see it happening. She wonders if she’ll ever be able to love someone. While trying to live it up at college she goes to a house party with her friends. That’s when she meets Reid. She’s already heard so much about him. He goes from woman to woman without blinking, but instantly there is an attraction. She never felt this way with her high school boyfriend or anyone for that matter. They have one dance together and it seems like everything clicks into place. And in that moment Reid sees understanding in her eyes. An understanding of pain that only two people who have experienced it can share. In another instant he’s gone and already all over another girl at the party. Maddy doesn’t know what just happened.
After the party is over Reid is all she can think about. And the next couple encounters with him are horrible. He’s acting like a complete jerk! She thought there was a connection, but perhaps she was wrong? Reid has his own walls though and Maddy scares the shit out of him! Against his better judgment he ends up giving it a chance and after that he can’t imagine life without her. Reid has a past full of pain and HUGE secret. One he doesn’t think he can share with Maddy. Will she leave him if she ever finds out the truth?
This book took me on a rollercoaster ride! I laughed and I cried and I hugged my kindle in between! You seriously need to take this ride as well! Read “Let Love In” and experience the same journey I took in watching these characters relationship grow! The ending left me speechless. I think at one point it wasn’t something I was expecting, but then on second thought I think the thought was always in the back of my mind. Seriously. Go out and buy this book! I give it 5 yummy cupcakes with sprinkles on top!
Maddy finally goes off to college. She ends up breaking up with her boyfriend before leaving. She just can’t seem to make the walls she’s built around her heart crumble for him. She’s not in love with him and she doesn’t see it happening. She wonders if she’ll ever be able to love someone. While trying to live it up at college she goes to a house party with her friends. That’s when she meets Reid. She’s already heard so much about him. He goes from woman to woman without blinking, but instantly there is an attraction. She never felt this way with her high school boyfriend or anyone for that matter. They have one dance together and it seems like everything clicks into place. And in that moment Reid sees understanding in her eyes. An understanding of pain that only two people who have experienced it can share. In another instant he’s gone and already all over another girl at the party. Maddy doesn’t know what just happened.
After the party is over Reid is all she can think about. And the next couple encounters with him are horrible. He’s acting like a complete jerk! She thought there was a connection, but perhaps she was wrong? Reid has his own walls though and Maddy scares the shit out of him! Against his better judgment he ends up giving it a chance and after that he can’t imagine life without her. Reid has a past full of pain and HUGE secret. One he doesn’t think he can share with Maddy. Will she leave him if she ever finds out the truth?
This book took me on a rollercoaster ride! I laughed and I cried and I hugged my kindle in between! You seriously need to take this ride as well! Read “Let Love In” and experience the same journey I took in watching these characters relationship grow! The ending left me speechless. I think at one point it wasn’t something I was expecting, but then on second thought I think the thought was always in the back of my mind. Seriously. Go out and buy this book! I give it 5 yummy cupcakes with sprinkles on top!
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