Light in the Shadows

Find You in the Dark #2

by A. Meredith Walters

In the bestselling sequel to Find You in the Dark, A. Meredith Walters continues the emotional story of Maggie, Clay, and the power of unconditional love.How do you keep going when you feel like your life is over?Maggie never thought she’d see Clay again. So, she attempts to put her life back together after her heart has been shattered to pieces. Moving on and moving forward, just as Clay wanted her to. Clay never stopped thinking of Maggie. Even after ripping their lives apart and leaving her behind to get the help he so desperately needed. He is healing…slowly. But his heart still belongs to the girl who tried to save him.When a sudden tragedy brings Maggie and Clay face-to-face again, nothing is the same. Yet some things never change. Can the darkness that threatened to consume them be transformed into something else and finally give them what they always wanted? And can two people who fought so hard to be together, finally find their happiness? Or will their demons and fear drive them apart for good?The thing about love is that even when it destroys you, it has a way of mending what is broken. And in the shadows, you can still see the light.

Genres: Romance, New Adult, Young Adult, Contemporary, Contemporary Romance, High School, Mental Illness

345 pages, Kindle Edition

First published March 26, 2013

About the author

The New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of Contemporary and New Adult romances including the Bad Rep, Find You in the Dark, Reclaiming the Sand, and Twisted Love series.

Follow her on-

Facebook: http://on.fb.me/1CkvffQ

Twitter: @AuthorAMWalters

Instagram: a.meredith.walters

Reviews

[Aestas Book Blog · Rating 5 out of 5]

PHENOMENAL! I was in love with this story from the first word, until the very last.

"For those searching for the light... Never stop."

I can't even tell you how much I needed this book after finishing book #1 Find You in the Dark. FYITD was one of the absolute best books I've ever read and I felt so connected to the characters and drawn into the story that, honestly, my world was just not complete until I was able to read this book.

This book kept me up till 5AM. I just had to read it in one sitting, there was no way I was putting this book down!

The story was a direct continuation of book #1. It focuses a lot on healing, on recovery, on finding a healthy balance to life... on finding the light in the shadows ♥ (sniff... I'm getting teary here)

I want to take a minute and talk about Clay. I loved how well the author described him. Because despite having a mental condition, he was downright swoony. Everything about him was just pure, gorgeous, normal, rational, hot guy swoon material, he just also had an illness.

With the way the author described his POV, I felt like I got right inside his head. She wrote him in such a way that I couldn't help but sympathize with everything he went though. I experienced his mood swings with him. I was right there with him every step of the way. He had good days and bad days, days of coming to terms with things, days of gut wrenching pain and days of elation. I felt his highs, I felt his lows, I was totally connected to everything he went through.

"Just when I thought I had things under control, the reality of who I was smacked me squarely in the face. Being nuts was no fun let me tell you... my kind of nuts was scary and consuming... I was a far cry from being the man I wanted to be. But I was getting there."

I think also that the fact that he had this condition made how much he loved Maggie so much stronger. Because he truly did - with every fiber of his being. And the fact that that love he felt was strong enough to make him push through everything was heart warming, inspiring and just downright beautiful.

"For a guy who struggled with finding his place in the world, standing next to Maggie, I understood one thing on a very fundamental level. Wherever she went, whatever she did, that is where I belonged."

Maggie was such a strong heroine. She had her moments of weakness, but the depth of her love for Clay was enough to get her through anything. I loved watching them work together to make things work.

"My love for this beautifully broken, yet slowly healing boy, made me strong.... My soul belonged with him, was so entangled in him that I was no longer a single being."

Clay and Maggie's connection had always been intense to an extreme. Everything about them was heightened. And as a reader, I felt it SO strongly. Regardless of if they were even in the same scene together, sometimes just their feelings for each other would hit me so strongly (in a thought, memory, or note) and I'd just start to tear up.

The struggle they went though broke my heart. But I loved how strong they both were. I honestly have to say that despite the struggle of what they went through, they were really one of the most functional relationships I've read. To go through what they went through and to be able to come out of it strong and together was downright admirable.

They were both trying with all their heart, fighting the odds, and proving that love could truly conquer all.

"It was just two people who loved each other, trying to make some sense in a world where there was none."

It was a rough, bumpy road. It was raw. Imperfect. Messy. But my dear God did I love this journey and this story.

It was no fairy tale, but it was true love that you felt with your whole heart.

I cried my way through the epilogue and when I finished the book, I literally just sat there with tears pouring down my face for several minutes... just over flowing with emotions ♥♥

Yes, there is a happy ending. It was believable, real, and absolutely perfect for them. The author truly did these beautiful characters justice.

Guys, this book duet is just incredible. I highly recommend them if you are in the mood for a beautiful, emotional, and unconventional love story.

Clay and Maggie's story will remain in my heart forever ♥

"You are everything good in my life. Even when I had thought all I had was the darkness... you gave me something to live for."

CASTING (see above images) and see my review of book #1 for individual casting images: http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/...



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[Christy · Rating 5 out of 5]

5+ I <3 CLAYTON REED STARS!!!

The thing about shadows is that they’re not all darkness. You need to have light to have shadows. So just look for it.

Clay and Maggie’s journey continues...





Find You in the Dark was one of my favorite books of 2012. I fell in love with Clayton Reed... and I loved Maggie too :D I have been waiting and waiting for this book, and it was worth the wait!!! Now, back to Find You in the Dark- The ending was crazy... After Clay’s suicide attempt, Clay was institutionalized and Maggie was left home, broken.

Light in the Shadows starts off where FYitD left off. Clay is in Florida, trying to better himself and Maggie is at home in Virginia, trying (unsuccessfully) to move on with her life after Clay. She’s depressed, upset, and after receiving a letter from Clay- she gets angry. Clay doesn’t know what to do. He has to focus on himself and getting better. He doesn’t think he’s good for Maggie. He is doing good for himself, making progress. He learns a lot about himself and how to cope.



Clay is still in love with Maggie, but he can’t do anything but focus on treatment, and Maggie is still very much in love with Clay, even if she is angry.

I would never move on from Clay. My soul belonged with him, was so entangled in him that I was no longer a single being.

After tragedy strikes in Virginia Clay’s aunt Ruby’s partner Lisa dies... tears :( Clay comes back. He and Maggie see each other for the first time in three months. They are cordial, but try to keep their distance at first. Their attempts are futile.

It was like every time we were together, our bodies orbited around each other as if pulled by an invisible force that we had no control over.



After much contemplation on both sides, they decide to give it another go. They both know it won’t be easy. There are a lot of unresolved issues, but they both are still very much in love with each other.

Was it possible to go back to the beginning? To try and re-write a history that had already come to define us? To change the direction of fate and see where it took us?



This time will be different.



They have to learn to communicate, Maggie can’t be her old self, and Clay can’t go into his old patterns. It isn’t an easy road for either of them, but they are willing to fight for it. I love being in Clay’s head for half of this book. Seeing his struggle, and him doing the right thing in the end, I was so happy for him, so proud. No matter what happened between him and Maggie, they were willing to figure it out together.



Oh Clay and Maggie... I love them both so much! Seriously, one of my favorite fictional couples. This book just made me so happy! Clay has his issues, but he is still one of my favorite book boyfriends. He is the sweetest, kindest guy... plus he is down right sexy and swoonworthy! And Maggie... she is strong. The unconditional love these two have is just beautiful.



Such an inspiring and gorgeous story.... I cannot say enough good things about these books! The author is so talented. It is a story with characters I will never forget. I cried so many happy tears, it was just wonderful- the ending and epilogue was perfection. Incredible, phenomenal, fantastic and heartwarming. If you haven’t read these books, you are truly missing out.




[⚔Irunía⚔ · Rating 3 out of 5]

"I love him/he is the love of my life" and "I love her/I'll never be able to love anyone else" bullshit in this book 😂 really 👏🏻 grated👏🏻 on👏🏻 my👏🏻 nerves. 🤡 Actions speak louder than words, would ya chill out, bros?? Not 17-year-olds declaring their undying love right in front of my cynical, adulterated eyes.

I still liked this toxic af couple (although a bit less toxic than previously).
I guess I just vanilla overdosed reading this?


Clay's POV I didn't find that much interesting...I thought I'd enjoy his bipolarity affected train of thoughts. Honestly, my thought process is messier half the time. 🤡

I'd prefer it if the guy remained a mystery, not every female author may pull off the male pov... 📴

[Debra · Rating 5 out of 5]

♥ 5+ WONDERFUL, MESMERIZING, EARTH-SHATTERING STARS. ♥

"The thing about the shadows is that they're not all darkness. You need to have light to have shadows. Just look for it."

After how the first part of the series ended I just HAD to know how the story of Maggie and Clay would continue. Therefore, I'm extremely glad that I waited to read this series until the second part was released. Just like the first one, Light in the Shadows made me feel *so many emotions*. It was heartbreaking, sad and some parts were difficult to read but after all, all the emotions were so worth it... This series really managed to hold my attention from the first moment I started reading it and after a while it became a HUGE page-turner for me, and I was constantly anxious to find out what would happen next.


At the end of Find You in the Dark Maggie made herself a promise:

"Because I was Maggie Young. And from now on I vowed to stay out of the dark."



After her entire world has been shattered to pieces, she tries to move on and not let her past with Clay consume her. But, deep down, she knows she might never be able to get over someone like him. For Clay himself, the dark still loomed around the corner as well...

It all starts out with a heartbreaking and beautiful prologue.

Forgive.

Such a small word. Only seven letters but they carried the weight of the world.

Seven letters between me and the one thing I wanted most in my life.

No word in the history of words was harder to give and even more difficult to receive.

But I needed it. Craved my redemption deep in my bones.

Clay is determined to work on himself first in order to become the kind of person, Maggie deserves. While trying to control his issues with the much needed help of professionals, Clay slowly but surely learns how to find the light within the darkness of his shadows.

The journey of Maggie and Clay is not an easy one. It's an extremely emotional ride with a lot of ups and downs but still, I enjoyed every second of it. Because it was real, truthful and it was their journey. Clay and Maggie are such complex, yet highly endearing characters. Especially Clay's way of thinking, isn't always easy to relate to, but in the end, I perfectly understood why he acted the way he did and all I can say is that I LOVE him for it. And reading his POV, only made me understand where's coming from even better.

Together with the help from the people who truly care about him (unlike his coldhearted and awful parents, who I truly despised!), Clay learns that the darkness doesn't have to be all-consuming. You just have to fight for it and remember that there's always light at the end of the tunnel.

"You are everything good in my life. Even when I thought all I had was the darkness, you were there. And you gave ma something to live for. I couldn't let you go. No matter how hard I tried. I know now that's because to lose you would be losing the very best part of myself."

"Over six years ago I met a girl who saved me. I didn't realize at the time, mostly because her attitude pissed me off, that she would become the most important thing in my life.

But then I got to know her and when I was drowning, she became my air. In the cold, she became my warmth.

In the dark, she became my light." ~ Clay <3




Find You in the Dark is one of the best series I've ever read and I would highly recommend everyone to embark on this beautiful and unforgettable journey with Maggie and Clay, and hopefully you'll fall in love with them just as much as I did.

~~~

♥ "There is more beauty inside you than in anyone I ever met." ♥

[Annie Brewer · Rating 5 out of 5]

FIRST OF ALL, THANK YOU WALTERS AND KIM FOR AN ARC!!!!

5 UNBELIEVABLE*FANTASTIC*SUPERB*EMOTIONAL*BITTERSWEET*PHENOMENAL* STARS!!!!!!

Okay, well I've put off writing my review long enough. It seems when it comes to this series, my emotions will never be the same. These books are just too incredible for words, it's hard to think about them without shedding so many tears. Tears of joy for the outcome of this beautiful story. Tears of heartache for all these beautiful characters had to endure. Tears of sadness for the very fact that this series is over, no more Clay and Maggie. Oh how I'll miss them so much. So. Damn. Much.

I loved Find You in the Dark. Like LOVED it. I raved about it. I knew it was dark and disturbing when I picked it up. I knew it wouldn't be a fluff or fairy tale kind of story. But as I started it, I was so immersed in the story I didn't care. Clay was such a sick boy, he needed to be saved. And Maggie comes along and falls for him just as the rest of us had. He was mentally sick, yes. But underneath the illness and unstable behavior, he was just a boy trying to fit into the world. His parents didn't show him love, they were ashamed of him because of his illness. Let me talk about that for a minute....

What the fuck kind of parent tells their only child that they're an embarrassment and should be locked away so it doesn't have an effect on how THEY look to the public?? OH MY FUCKING GOD! It's no wonder Clay was ashamed of himself and so fucked up. He had no support from the people who are supposed to love him unconditionally. They made him feel like he was worthless, a fuck up. Well, let me tell you....he was far from a fuck up because in my eyes, he was strong and perfect. It wasn't his fault that he sick. Fucking A those assholes wanted to send him away so they wouldn't have to deal with their son's mental instability. GAH, I'm furious. Just thinking about them makes me want to vomit and then gauge their eyes out.

That said, I won't go into FYitD because if you've read it, you know what happens. I don't have to go into that....though, I will say this book picks up where FYitD left off. Yes, there was a cliffhanger and I was DYING, DYING for the next one. And thanks to Walters and Kim for sending me an ARC of this amazing conclusion. I was so thrilled to get my hands on this gem. It was like a dream come true. I got into it right away and was again, immersed into the whirlwind rollercoaster of Clay and Maggie. It was worth every heartache and tear I shed, and believe me, I shed A LOT of tears. This book met every expectation I had and then some.

The prologue. Oh god, that prologue had me in tears. It was amazing.

"Forgive. Such a small word. Only seven letters but they carried the weight of the world. Seven letters between me and the one thing I wanted most in my life."

*wipes tears*

So Clay is in Florida at the Center getting help. He's been there for almost 3 months. And almost 3 months ago he tried to end his life. Maggie saved him but she had to let him go. He needed more help than she could give him. So now she's at home in Virginia trying to pick up the pieces of her crazy life and move on.

Only one problem....she can't. She loves the only boy who made her life worth living. He showed her how to live, even though he was so sick. When they were together and doing good, they were REALLY GOOD. But things took a turn quickly and it started to become too much for her. After all, she's only 17. How does one handle such a monumental circumstance? She did the best she could and she loved this boy with all her heart and soul, which is why she had to set him free. But she's struggling to let go completely. Deep down she knows they belong together.

"My love for this beautifully broken, yet slowly healing boy, made me strong.... My soul belonged with him, was so entangled in him that I was no longer a single being." -Maggie Mae Young

Tragedy strikes, sending Clay back to Davidson for a funeral. Ah, my heart. My heart was crying for these people. Clay. Ruby. Lisa. So sad.

Clay and Maggie see each other.

"It was like every time we were together. Our bodies orbited around each other as if pulled by an invisible force that we had no control over. I wanted this. And I wanted to run from it. I wanted to pull her in and never let go. And I wanted to push her away."-Clay

"Seeing him again had only confirmed what my subconscious already knew. I would never move on from Clay. My soul belonged with him, was so entangled in him that I was no longer a single being." -Maggie

The two of them, together again, it was like nothing had changed. Yet everything had changed. But it was beautiful and heartbreaking. Real and hopeful. The whole time, I kept thinking, they have to be together. They have to be. But how are they going to make it work? I had so many fears for them. I was nervous, happy, scared and overjoyed at their reunion. The circumstance which brought them back together was so hard to see. I cried the whole time. Clay had suffered so much yet more shit piled on top and I was so scared he'd relapse. But god, he was so strong compared to FYitD. I was so proud of him. Not to mention, he had a great support...Dr Todd was fantastic in helping with his progress.

"There’s nothing weak in acknowledging when things are greater than you.” -Dr Todd

There were times he'd have a panic attack and had to calm himself, fight his demons because he so badly wanted to give in and give up, and cut himself so he wouldn't feel the pain anymore. But with the steps he remembered from treatment, he overcame the urge to give in. I was sooooo proud of him. His struggles were so real and heartbreaking. I felt everything he went through. I loved that we got his POV. Thank you Walters for writing it that way. I don't think I would have felt his heartache and emotions so clearly if we didn't have his POV, and to be honest, I wouldn't have felt so connected to him either. I actually don't think it would have worked at all without it. Some books are mandatory for both MC's POV and this was one of them. I cried when he cried, I felt happiness when he did, I felt his fears, sorrow, guilt, love, loss and grief so deeply that I couldn't concentrate on anything else while I was reading it. This book both shattered my heart yet healed my soul.

I loved Daniel and Rachel so much in this book. At first they pissed me off when they kept urging Maggie to move on and get over Clay. I wanted to punch them in the face a few times. But I also understood they were just looking out for their best friend. They saw what she went through the first time. Hell, they went through it with her. I admire them for being such amazing best friends. But once things with Clay and Maggie started up again, they backed off. And then....Daniel made me cry.

“Look, man. I know I haven’t been the most… uh… supportive of you and Maggie. And I’m still not sure how I feel seeing the two of you all up in each other’s asses again. But, I know you’re a decent guy. So for now, I’m reserving judgment."
“Okay, so that sounded way assier than I meant it to. What I’m trying to say, is I know you’re dealing with shit. A lot of shit by the looks of it. And for Maggie’s sake… well… and yours too, I won’t be the speed bump on your road to the candy castle or whatever.” -Daniel Lowe

He really tried to be friends and give Clay the benefit of the doubt. I loved him for that. It made my heart happy to see them getting along. Things between Maggie and Clay couldn't have been more rockier or intense. But when they were together, it was the most beautiful thing I'd ever seen. Maggie was so supportive and the fact that she agreed to go to therapy with Clay just made me cry with happiness for them. They wanted to really make it work this time. Clay went to great lengths to change and be the man he felt she deserved. Maggie went to great lengths to show the boy she loved with everything she has that she would support him no matter what. And she really grew in this one. She didn't stand down when he occasionally lashed out at her or cower to him. She stood up and made him see she wasn't going anywhere this time. It was just...perfect. Beautiful. God, I love them so much. These two endured so much yet they overcame it and came out stronger in the end. My heart is so full of emotion when I think about these books. Walters portrayed such a tough subject so real and raw, you could feel the realism in your bones. It was as if you were experiencing it yourself, which in a way you were. Walters has an amazing gift.

I'll never forget this story as long as I live. Clay and Maggie will FOREVER live in my heart and I will take them with me to my grave and never forget them. I love them so much. I cried for over 30 minutes when I finished reading this book. I was glad to have read it and experience it, but was so sad to say goodbye to my favorite fictional couple.

The ending. Oh god, that ending had me in a weepy mess. So amazing and wonderful and bittersweet. Oh Clay, how I love the fuck out of you.



“Over six years ago I met a girl who saved me. I didn't realize at the time, mostly because her attitude pissed me off, that she would become the most important thing in my life. But then I got to know her and when I was drowning, she became my air. In the cold, she became my warmth. In the dark, she became my light,”-Clayton Reed

Oh Clay, I'll never, ever forget you. You've ruined all other fictional boys for me. You'll forever be in my heart and I'll love you for all eternity. *wipes tears*

"For a guy who struggled with finding his place in the world, standing next to Maggie, I understood one thing on a very fundamental level. Wherever she went, whatever she did, that is where I belonged."

If you haven't read these books, you really need to. These books are phenomenal and it shows that love is above all the most important thing in life. Thank you Walters for writing such an extraordinary series that will forever live in my heart.

I got to interview Mrs. Walters so it will be on my blog for the blog tour.







PLEASE.









CLAY & MAGGIE














I LOVE CLAYTON REED!!!!!




Update:

LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I want CLAY! I WANT CLAY FUCKING REED! Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!

Review to come after release! But to everyone worried, don't be...just have lots of tissues handy and enjoy the emotional rollercoaster ride. It is every bit worth the heartache. I'm at a loss for words and this exceeded my expectations. I love Clay. I love him so damn much!!!!!! I can't wait for you all to read it! Now I must go finish crying because this book took so much out of me and I'm not done being emotional.

[Georgia ♥ · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 LUMINOUS Stars

"When I was drowning, she became my air. In the cold, she became my warmth. In the dark, she became my light.”



Darkness' true meaning is the absence of light. But it takes both for stars to shine, for shadows to comfort you, cloud your mind and relieve the burden in your soul. Light and darkness, forever entwined. Healing and loving, scabbing over wounds and mending the pieces of broken hearts.



Picking up, where Find You in the Dark left us almost "dead", this second book in the riveting and emotional series by A. Meredith Walters, again manages to enthrall and fascinate.

In alternate POVs, Clay and Maggie share their story. These two kids will fight heaven and hell for their much deserved happily ever after, coming to realise that sometimes, when you can't banish the darkness completely, just light a candle and hope to find the other half of your damaged soul, waiting for you.



In the end of Find You in the Dark, Clay made the ultimate sacrifice. He set Maggie free. To love again, to have a life.

He tries to heal and find the courage to move on and become whole. To earn a second chance at living.

"You can make this work for you. And when you feel like you can’t do it, that’s when you need to ask for help. Never be ashamed to admit you can’t handle it. There’s nothing weak in acknowledging when things are greater than you.”

He feels inadequate and undeserving of love, happiness and his Maggie.



A tragedy will summon him back to place he left his heart and give him the opportunity to see his mistakes and move past them. But above all to prove himself to Maggie. His salvation and his trigger, hoping she will want him back.

“You are everything good in my life. Even when I thought all I had was the darkness, you were there.”



Maggie was left alone and she can't forget. She tries to move on but there is no life and happiness without Clay. Can she trust him? Or are they doomed to make the same mistakes, all over again?



Will they have a future? Or just a few precious moments of sanity, until once again the dreaded, all-consuming darkness descends upon them?

“Pour toute ma vie, de tout mon coeur.”



As I have already mentioned in my review of the first book, this story handles a very serious and real issue, with care, dignity and tenderness. It evokes all your feelings and it speaks directly to your heart. You root and cheer for love. And you pray that it will prove enough.



A highly recommended series in the young adult genre. But truly YA is just a label. Don't let it bother you. Clay and Maggie are above such things...

Read these books and I'm sure you won't regret it!



This review can be found on my blog: infinity-of-time.blogspot.com also known as...

[Smitten's Book Blog · Rating 5 out of 5]

Noooo!!!!

No, there was no cliffhanger, I just sooo did not want this series to end.

"I love you, Maggie May Young. Always and forever." And then my mouth touched hers and I felt my future begin.

I stumbled upon Find You in the Dark by chance when I saw someone else's review, and never expected it to pack such a punch. I didn't realise that the first book had a cliffhanger when I went into it, and I remember being so completely floored by it.

"Our heads have a nasty habit of ruining what can make us happiest. And there are times in our lives when you have to put aside what we think is best and do with what you feel is best."

And now I've read the second book. I got the HEA I wanted for Maggie and Clay and I'm left feeling a little bereft.



I love Clay, so so so much. He is probably one of the most complex, tortured characters I have ever read, but he has had such a profound effect on me. This is the type of book that opens up your mind and your heart. I cried for Maggie and Clay, I laughed with them and I lived every second right along side them.

"You are everything good in my life. Even when I thought all I had was the darkness, you were there. And you gave me something to live for. I couldn't let you go. No matter how hard I tried. I know now that's because to lose you would be losing the very best part of myself."

The writing is freakin' awesome. There are some priceless one liners that will made me snort my cuppa' tea through my nose. A. Meredith Walters has quite the sense of humour. The writing is candid and perfectly fitting for the age and gender of each character. I loved reading Clay's POV through his therapy, and Maggie is just perfect as a heroine throughout. She is likeable, realistic and ordinary. Gosh, the strength of character she has to show in some part of this story are totally humbling.

Knowing the author's personal experience with counselling children and teens with mental health issues just makes the story that much more intense. It gives the reading weight and authenticity and made my empathy for the characters just that much rawer.

There were times I left my sessions feeling like I was a step closer to being the person I wanted to be. The guy who would be able to show up on Maggie May Young's doorstep and tell her that his life would always begin and end with her.

I'd love another novella about Rachel and Daniel, Maggie's two best friends, who's book, 'Cloud Walking', was a great addition to this series, and maybe even something a little extra about Maggie and Clay. Fingers tightly crossed that we hear more from these fabulous characters.



If you haven't read this yet, or you've been hanging on for the happy ending, don't wait any longer. It's simply superb!

Don't miss the amazing giveaway for one eCopy of Light in the Shadows right now over on my blog. http://smittensbookblog.wordpress.com/



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[Amy | Foxy Blogs · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you to everyone who showed their love and support for me after I finished Find You in the Dark. I love you all and I feel blessed to have bonded with everyone over books.

After my personal heartbreak, at the end of the book one, I knew I had to finish this series. My driving force was I needed Clay to have the HEA my friend, Bill, never got.

Clay and Maggie's persevered through the darkness to find little glimpses of light in the shadows. Even though they stayed together their lives will never be a bed of roses but instead one full of hope and determination.

This two-part series is a realistic fiction about a beautiful love story with a person who has a mental illness. Light in the Shadows is the healing process Clay and Maggie go through as they learn to manage the mental illness that is part of their relationship.

Just remember there is light at the end of the tunnel.

SERIES:

Continuing story

Novellas:

(#1.5)(#2.5)

[BookHeroin · Rating 5 out of 5]

* 5 EARTH SHATTERING STARS*
Lets start this by saying you can't read this without reading Find You In The Dark.


Just cut it all away. One slice and you’ll feel better

Maggie Young







Clayton Reed











This series blew my mind, broke my heart, made me smile, cry, and laugh. I was honored to read the heartbreaking journey of Clay and Maggie , this wasn't simply just a book! millions of teenagers are going through what Clay has been going through everyday and Depression, suicide and cutting are serious issues they are not to be taken slightly.


I loved reading Clay's point of view, it made me even more heartbroken. i was inside his head i was going through every thing he was. i was feeling the same things, so that made everything intense!

You’d be better off dead.


After everything that happened in Find You in the Dark i needed hope i needed to have my happily ever after through Clay, because i'm feeling him, so on some level i understand him. So for me especially it was very tough for me to read this series, because i felt VERY emotionally connected to the characters.

This is for sure one of my Favorite books ever! i fell in love with everything in it, the message that this book is presenting is amazing.

“For those searching for the light… Never stop.”

OneRepublic - Mercy This song is very fitting.

I took several days to finish this, because i wanted to Extend this reading as much as i could, i guess i wasn't prepare to say goodbye to the characters yet.

this books was a roller coaster! everybody's emotions were all over the place- mine included

the suffering that Clay went through, i just wanted to jump in the book and hug him and make it okay :(

“Just when I thought I had things under control, the reality of who I was smacked me squarely in the face. Being nuts was no fun let me tell you… my kind of nuts was scary and consuming… I was a far cry from being the man I wanted to be. But I was getting there.”

And at the end as Clay believed Maggie's love did saved him.

“My love for this beautifully broken, yet slowly healing boy, made me strong…. My soul belonged with him, was so entangled in him that I was no longer a single being.”

“It was just two people who loved each other, trying to make some sense in a world where there was none.”


And the Epilogue was beautiful, and i wanted more! i guess i'll always want more when this guy is concerned. “What is this?” she whispered, her eyes never straying from the new artwork. “Did you paint it?” she asked, looking at me over her shoulder.
I nodded, letting her take the time to absorb what I was trying to tell her through my picture. It was a silhouette of the two of us, darkened in shadow but with a brilliant, bright light behind us revealing the intricate details of our faces bowed in close together. Butterflies rose in flight around us and it vibrated with the love I felt for the girl standing before it.
On the bottom, in neat script, I had carefully written: And he asked her to share his forever.
While she stared at the picture, I pulled out the small velvet box I had kept in my pocket all day and got down on one knee. When Maggie turned around and saw what I was doing she gasped, her hands flying to her mouth. And then she did the craziest thing. She fell down to her knees in front of me.
“I’m the one who’s supposed to be on my knees here. You’re ruining the moment,” I teased her. She held her hands to my cheeks and gave me one of her earth shattering smiles. It was a smile that could cure cancer. It told me that I was responsible for this perfect slice of happiness in her life.
With tears rolling down her face, I tried to tell her with words that could express everything I felt for her, everything she was to me. But words could never be enough to explain the way she had completely filled me.
“Over six years ago I met a girl who saved me. I didn’t realize at the time, mostly because her attitude pissed me off, that she would become the most important thing in my life.” Maggie playfully punched my shoulder as I wiped the wetness from her cheeks with my thumbs.
“But then I got to know her and when I was drowning, she became my air. In the cold, she became my warmth.” I cupped her face in my hands as she quietly sobbed and for once I didn’t feel any guilt for her tears. Because these tears were filled with nothing but joy. And those were tears I was glad to give her.
“In the dark, she became my light,” I whispered, my voice breaking and my own tears started to make their way down my skin.
“Our road hasn’t been an easy one. But good things rarely are. You taught me that the person I am is worth loving, worth fighting for. You gave me strength when I had none. You held me up when I wanted to fall. And now, I want to give you everything. I want to give you the world. Because, Maggie, you’ve given me mine. And it’s you. It will always, forever, be you,” I said, the lump in my throat making my voice a harsh whisper.
“Clay,” Maggie sobbed and she fell against me, pressing her forehead into my shoulder.
Holding her tight against my body, I whispered in her ear, “Will you marry me, Maggie?” She tilted her face up and her smile was absolutely radiant.
“I think you already know the answer to that,” she quipped as I slid the diamond ring on her finger, over top the promise ring I had given her all those years ago. Even in the middle of this intense, emotion filled moment, her sarcasm was ever present. And I loved that about her. I kissed every inch of her face, over and over again. “And just so you know, I already have the world. You’re just expanding my universe a little bit,” Maggie added, touching the side of my face and I captured her mouth, kissing her with every ounce of love and adoration I felt for her.
And I held her, this girl who had saved me and continued to save me every day. Our path would never be smooth but I hadn’t lied when I said good things were never easy. And I was okay with going the hard way. Because as long as she was beside me, as long as we were together, I knew we could face anything.
So together we walked into our future. One that we had mapped out. And that future was nothing but light." << Parts of the Epilogue
Six years later, Clays POV.



There is more beauty inside you than in anyone I have ever met. These pictures don’t lie. I won’t ever forget you. Or stop loving you. You can ask me to. You can tell me to move on. But I won’t. And I never will. Just don’t forget how beautiful we were. How beautiful we can still be. Please.

-Maggie



Healing,endurance. And most of all courage
^^^ that what Maggie offered him, and they were the most important things that he needed. she provided that for him. And this is why i loved Maggie. she's such a strong heroine. It's very rare for me to love a heroine in a book , but i absolutely loved her.


Depression, suicide and cutting are serious issues.
Self-injurious behaviors is often a way for people to cope with bigger issues.
If you or someone you know is dealing with cutting or depression, it important to talk about, to get help and find a way to stop!
There are so many great resources out there, taking the first step and reaching out is the place to start.


Depression and bi-polar Support Alliance (DBSA)
www.dbsalliance.org

Teen Self Injury hotline
1-800-Don’t Cut

Teen Suicide Hotline
1-800-SUICIDE

Great resource and information about self-injury
www.selfinjury.com


Make sure to follow my reviews

[Kristalia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Final rating: 5/5 stars

"The thing about the shadows is that they're not all darkness. You need to have light to have shadows. So just look for it”

One word to say about this series: Wonderful. And to add more words: heartbreaking, powerful, lovely, cute, dark, fascinating, feelings crusher, and so much more. And Light in the shadows is a fascinating and beautiful sequel to Find you in the Dark. And it's definitely one of my favorites now.

"“You are everything good in my life. Even when I thought all I had was the darkness, you were there. And you gave me something to live for. I couldn’t let you go. No matter how hard I tried. I know now that’s because to lose you would be losing the very best part of myself.” I opened my eyes to see Clay staring back at me, tears sliding down his face. He leaned in and his lips a whisper as they closed in.
“I love you, Maggie. More than you could ever possibly understand.” "

And i am sad that the journey of Maggie and Clay is over... Because it will never be over for me... And the ending of this book was so beautiful....

This is a story of redemption, of bravery and of love...

[insert dramatic music]

And the life gives us a question...would you live with someone who is mentally unstable? Would you love a person who suffers from it? Even if that person is someone you fell in love with?

“It the rune Uruz. It’s for healing, endurance, courage. I found it in one of the books Ruby gave me a few weeks back. It just, I don’t know, made sense. I like what it stands for.”

____________________________________________

CHARACTERS :
____________________________________________

♦ Maggie:

“I don’t want to wake up ten years from now regretting that I let this slip through my fingers. I don’t want to waste another moment without you in my life"

Maggie struggles to do what is right for her life... She can't stop loving Clay and she can't move on, even when he told her to do it. She knows he is lying, and she believes it, but then again, she starts to doubt it. She was always there for him, always and forever, she was and is his ever living support, his life, his happiness, every part of his being. And she can't stop loving him, no matter what happens. She is so brave, so wonderful, that even i can't help but love Maggie.

♦ Clay:

"For a guy who struggled with finding his place in the world, standing next to Maggie, I understood one thing on a very fundamental level. Wherever she went, whatever she did, that is where I belonged."

Clay...So broken, so destroyed, but he is slowly recovering and healing... He looked beyond what he saw, he saw that maybe, just a little maybe, there is a possibility for him to have a normal life... Maggie is his life...and he really depends on her. She had shown him that in every darkness there is light... And now she has become his light. And because of her, he wants to change.

♦ OTHER CHARACTERS:

Clay's parents => The worst people i have ever read about...
Rachel & Daniel => cuteness.
Ruby & Lisa => oh my god...beautiful and wonderful people...
Maria & Jake => shoo shoo shooooooooo!!!! ( i don't need you two around)
____________________________________________

OVERALL :
____________________________________________

I cannot describe how much i love this series...Story about Maggie and Clay ended, but i won't forget about them... But i am really really sad that there won't be more :(

Fantastic work Meredith Walters. You are amazing!

____________________________________________

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REVIEW(S) RELATED TO THIS BOOK:

◈ Find You in the Dark (Find You in the Dark, #1)
◈ Cloud Walking (Find You in the Dark, #1.5)
◈ Light in the Shadows (Find You in the Dark, #2)

This review can be found on my blog: infinity-of-time.blogspot.com also known as...

[Lise *friends don't flag* · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Healing and endurance. And most of all courage. I finally felt, after all this time, that I was mastering these qualities."

When I read and reviewed FYITD, this is part of what I wrote:
This heartbreakingly real and gut-wrenching portrayal of a young man suffering crippling mental illness and his journey of survival through the love and salvation of a young woman totally gutted me; I fell completely and deeply in pain and in love with Clay and Maggie.

I thought about their story for a long time and when the sequel was written, I could not wait to get my hands on it. I had to know how this story would continue and ultimately end. I could not be more pleased with the way the author wrote Light in the Shadows.

Where FYITD was a fast-paced frenzied emotional roller coaster of the highest highs and the lowest of all lows, LITS was a slow long road to recovery. I fell in love all over again with “this beautifully broken, yet slowly healing boy.”

Yes, there were tears-many tears and also thoughts of oh no… this is not going to go well moments. But… the way the author portrayed Clay’s journey, was simply heartbreakingly beautiful. He fought his awful demons with the help of his counselors, Aunt Ruby and of course Maggie- “the one pure thing in his life.”

Healing did not happen overnight and nothing was a quick easy fix. Maggie and Clay started over in their relationship and even though I did not feel the excitement and intensity I did in the first book, I reflect now and think ‘wow… this is the way it should or would be- healing and recovery from crippling mental illness does not happen overnight and it never goes away.



Even though Clay and Maggie are fictional characters, I was full of pride over the maturity in which Clay handled his emotions and how he considered his health and well being over impulsive decisions.
He came to grips with his need for professional help and recognized that it would be something he had to deal with for a very long time.

The slow build to the end of the book was so worth it and even quite surprising. I did not predict the ending to play out the way it did and I have to say to Ms. Walters….lovely… absolutely perfect!

"The person who had always been my light in the shadows and who continued to love me even at my worst. Who reminded me that everyone deserved love, even me."

[Farah · Rating 5 out of 5]

"For those searching for the light…"
"Never stop."




"Over six years ago I met a girl who saved me. I didn’t realize at the time, mostly because her attitude pissed me off, that she would become the most important thing in my life"
"But then I got to know her and when I was drowning, she became my air. In the cold, she became my warmth.”
"In the dark, she became my light,”"




Wow! God knows how long I've been waiting for this book! I was an absolute wreck after Find You In The Dark.

"The choices we make in our life don't have to define us. It's what we learn from them that's important. You making the decisions that you did, while the fact that they were made in pain doesn't change, the outcomes are what you make of them"



This is such a special and beautifully written story! It picks up where the first book left off.
Clay now in a mental facility in Florida coping with his bipolar and personality disorder. He is so brave in his mental struggle... Every day is a fight, a fight sanity, to keep the pain away.. To fight the need not to cut. To easy the pain of loosing Maggie..

"I hated that my fucked up mind had taken something so wonderful and warped it into...well....something ugly."

Maggie is back home- 3 months later she is still trying to pick up the pieces after Clay left. After he broke her heart into a million pieces with the letter he sent telling her to move on with her life.
Sadness turned into anger is the only way Maggie is coping...

An unfortunate accident happens and Clay is forced to leave the Grayson Institute and go back 'home'

The problem is... Clay isn't strong enough for himself, let alone strong enough to be there for Ruby and his worst fear....to see Maggie again...

"The thing about the shadows is that they're not all darkness. You need to have light to have shadows. So just look for it,”"

The girl that will forever hold his heart, the girl he broke... Can he find his way back to her?

"I was an addict and Clay was my crack."

Offcourse Maggie and Clay cannot stay away from each other, like to magnets drawn to each other...

"There are times in our lives when you have to put aside what we think is best and go with what you feel is best.”
"I don’t want to wake up ten years from now regretting that I let this slip through my fingers. I don’t want to waste another moment without you in my life"

Maggie tells Clay exactly how she feels about him... Life is too short to waste these special feelings and moments...



"It’s because of everything we’ve been though that I can say it. I love you, Clayton Reed. God, I love you so damn much"

"I would never move on from Clay. My soul belonged with him, was so entangled in him that I was no longer a single being."

Love isn't the problem, it never was... Clay fights his inner demons. To change the Pattern...

"I think the person who said it’s better to have love and lost than to never have loved at all was full of shit."

Not to fall into the same things, this is a 2nd chance to do things right. Being without Maggie wasn't an option for Clay...


"You are everything good in my life. Even when I thought all I had was the darkness, you were there. And you gave me something to live for. I couldn’t let you go. No matter how hard I tried. I know now that’s because to lose you would be losing the very best part of myself.”


I am so incredibly proud of Clay!

He doesn't bottle up his emotions, he tells Maggie exactly what his feeling. They go to therapy together..



Its not the present that makes Clay crazy... Its the future

Faced with his demons again, he thinks his loosing Maggie to school and Ruby moving away... Clay is again that the same familiar cross road in his mind... To hurt himself or just DEAL with it..

"I’m not going anywhere. Because no one is abandoning you. People can move on and live their lives but that doesn’t mean you’re not a part of it anymore. I love you, Clay. Ruby loves you. Because you, Clay are worthy of that love. You deserve it. All of it."

I cannot commend A.Meredith Walters more! Fantastic writing in both Maggie and Clay's POVs!
We get to see the feelings from both sides.

Life isn't easy.. Love isn't always enough.. But Love conquers all..



"Looking down at Clay, his dark hair slicked back, his eyes radiating warmth and devotion, I knew that now, this love that had taken me to the highest heights and the lowest depths, that had terrified me and filled me with hope. This love between us was something I wanted to feel for the rest of my life."



"It’s a promise ring. A long time ago, they would be engraved with the words Pour route ma vie, de tout mon coeur, For my whole life, all of my love. I wanted to give you something that showed my complete and total devotion to you, to us."

So many emotions in this book! I loved loved every minute of it!!!

The ending was absolutely perfect!


Again, Clay blew me away!!

Instead of pretending he was okay and everything was hunky dory, he knew what he had to do...
Instead of going on summer vacation with Maggie he made the decision to
Check himself back in at Grayson Institute for more treatment!He needed to do this for himself, to heal and to be the person he wanted to be for Maggie.
Clay asks Maggie to wait for him..



"I live and breathe for you. That I would lay down my life a million times over for you. And no matter what happens tomorrow, next week, next year, my heart will always be yours.”

Clay manned up! He took Charge Of His life!
I loved the fact that it wasn't a happy ending straight away! No ponies and rainbows!

"Life with Clayton Reed would never be sunshine and roses. It would be lots of shadows with intermittent light. And I was beginning to figure out ways to appreciate the light when I saw it. Because that darkness was still there. It most likely would always be there."

This was life and it was shitty and Clay dealt with it for Maggie and himself..

And it just gets better and better!!

"The Maggie and Clay story was far from over. And we would always be looking for the light…together"

The Epilogue!! Wow oh wow!
5years later Maggie and Clay are still together!!
Yay!!!!
This definitely was true love which WAS destined to be..

"Our road hasn’t been an easy one. But good things rarely are. You taught me that the person I am is worth loving, worth fighting for. You gave me strength when I had none. You held me up when I wanted to fall. And now, I want to give you everything. I want to give you the world. Because, Maggie, you’ve given me mine. And it’s you. It will always, forever, be you,”

"So together we walked into our future. One that we had mapped out. And that future was nothing but light"






This heartbreaking, soul touching series Will stay with me for a long time.. And it's books like these that make us read <3

[Mo · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Over six years ago, I met a girl who saved me .... I got to know her and when I was drowning, she became my air. In the cold, she became my warmth..... In the dark, she became my light."

Sigh. Well this was a rocky road to travel with the beautiful and troubled Clay and the fantastic Ms Maggie May. I will admit that I was disappointed with but really, really wanted to find out if Clay and Maggie got their pot of gold at the end of the rainbow. It was a tough road. You could feel the depths of Clay's total mindset. Don't know anyone personally with bipolar, have read some books with characters that have it and have seen some TV shows where people are suffering from it. But Ms Walters seems to have done her research. His utter feeling of hopelessness came across totally. And the belief that Maggie had in him. Such a strong, strong girl. It was great. It was one of those books that leaves me with a headache, in a good way. Because I get so involved in the plot and characters I feel as if I am going through what they are going through. And on a final note, his f###ing parents, I mean seriously could people be more selfish. And Ruby, lovely Ruby - God only knows what he would have done without her. Off to find my next book now. Happy Easter Holidays to me and all of you.

[Jennifer Kyle · Rating 5 out of 5]

Light in the Shadows is a well done and completely believable conclusion to the book Find You in the Dark by A. Meredith Walters. It possessed pain, beauty, courage and light.

This book is written in alternating povs which gifted the reader the full scope of emotions both of our main characters felt from the first page. Their fears, anxiety, insecurities and most important a full look at what it’s like to struggle and live with mental illness. I related to Maggie, I to love someone who looks for the light daily and I can honestly say that the author’s presentation of hospitalization, therapy and medication treatments are spot on.

This story is Clayton Reed’s road to the light. He is at Grayson Center and is enrolled in a 90 day program of medication, therapy and most important reframing. Clayton had let Maggie go at the end of Find You in the Dark and he struggles with what he did to their relationship as well as a gamut of emotions triggered by his illness.

“I had turned on her. Turned on myself. And I had almost taken us both down in my delusions.”~ Clay

When tragedy strikes, Clayton finds himself back in Virginia. He sees how his actions affected Maggie and he tries desperately to become the man he always wanted to be while struggling to handle his illness.

I have read some reviews and I have to agree that Clay is wonderful but I loved Maggie just as much, her unwavering love is something to marvel at!

This story let a reader know that there are no quick fixes for mental illness, it is a daily struggle. The epilogue gave me the ending I had only dreamed for them in the first book.

[.Lili. · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a hard story for me to rate because I felt such a connection to it. When I was younger I was in a relationship with someone who was depressed and had substance abuse problems. I felt Maggie's and Clay's pain as if it was my own. I thought that Ms Walters' portrayal of the chain of events that took place were realistic. I know first hand the patterns that take place. The love, the worry, the guilt, and the feeling of hopelessness. The feeling that you are not enough and the wondering of you what you could have done differently,

This is an intense story of love and hope, that I would recommend to everyone. 5 beautiful, heartbreaking, heartwarming stars ♥

[Kim Bailey · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you Meredith Walters ... for giving this story and these character no easy answers, no quick fixes ... instead they've been given hardships, depth and substance.

Along with it's predessesor, this book took me on an incredible journey. It was emotionally exhausting. There were points of total darkness. But, just as the title would elude ... it was the light in the shadows that made the whole thing so very, very worthwhile.

I don't think I'll ever forget this gorgeous story ... Definitely one of the best I've ever read. ♥

[* Meli Mel * · Rating 4 out of 5]

♥♥♥ 4.5 Beautiful STARS ♥♥♥

●  ●  ●  ●  ●  ●  ●  ●  ●  ●  ●  ●  ●  ●  ●  ●  ●  ●

"The thing about the shadows is that they're not all darkness. You need to have light to have shadows. Just look for it."

●  ●  ●  ●  ●  ●  ●  ●  ●  ●  ●  ●  ●  ●  ●  ●  ●  ●

This story was heart achingly beautiful. So much has changed since the first book, and I am so happy to see the growth in both Maggie and Clay.





After the way the first book ended--which in my opinion was for the best--I absolutely needed to know if there would be a way for their relationship to work. Maggie is going through a "mourning" phase after Clay left. She doesn't know how Clay is doing at the facility, he has never tried to comunicate with her and she doesn't know how to communicate with him. She feels depressed, alone, and like her heart is completely shattered. Her friends Rachel and Daniel try to get her to move on and live her life. With time, she becomes stronger and more sure of herself. She still misses Clay and thinks she will always have a part of her that will love him always. But now she is taking the steps to move on.

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“There is more beauty inside you than in anyone I have ever met. These pictures don’t lie. I won’t ever forget you. Or stop loving you. You can ask me to. You can tell me to move on. But I won’t. And I never will. Just don’t forget how beautiful we were. How beautiful we can still be.”

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I understood where Maggie was coming from. I understood her sadness and anger. I felt for her because she knew absolutely nothing about Clay's well being. But I also very much wanted her to not continue to be consumed by him. I wanted her to find her independence and to learn how to make herself happy without needing Clay. I was happy that she had a support system in her friends and family. It was a slow progress but she did become more stronger. She was able to stand up for herself when she needed to.

●  ●  ●  ●  ●  ●  ●  ●  ●  ●  ●  ●  ●  ●  ●  ●  ●  ●

"You are everything good in my life. Even when I thought all I had was the darkness, you were there. And you gave ma something to live for. I couldn't let you go. No matter how hard I tried. I know now that's because to lose you would be losing the very best part of myself."

●  ●  ●  ●  ●  ●  ●  ●  ●  ●  ●  ●  ●  ●  ●  ●  ●  ●

Clay is at a facility getting the help that he so desperately needed. He has made an amazing progress when compared to the guy he use to be. Each day is still a struggle for him. He still has bouts of depression, self-hatred, and the need to cut. But he has learned some coping methods to stay away from all that negativity. He is determined to become the man that Maggie deserves. He didn't fool himself into believing that he would be cured in three months. But he has gotten so much better.

I liked the way the author handled Clay's condition. The way Clay--even Maggie---grew, was really believable and really tough. It wasn't easy for them at all.



There was a tragedy that caused Clay and Maggie to reunite. I liked the way their relationship was rekindled and how they went slowly this time. They didn't go at it in a reckless hard and fast pace like in the last book. They thought long and hard before finally agreeing to try again.

I felt for Clay because the tragedy really affected him. But I liked that Clay really focused on his recovery, which is why he didn't want to burden Maggie by telling her how he was doing. Even when this tragedy struck, he still was able to call his doctor to chat about his feelings.

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“My love for this beautifully broken, yet slowly healing boy, made me strong... I would never move on from Clay. My soul belonged with him, was so entangled in him that I was no longer a single being.”

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I really appreciated Clay's POV--something we didn't have in the last book. I was able to understand him more. There were even a few glimpses of how he must have thought or felt in the first book that caused him to lose control. I liked how mature Maggie and Clay have become and seeing them learn how to handle their relationship. Since it was all so familiar to them, it was easy to fall back into their old ways that were destructive. They managed to stay strong, and I was so freaking happy about that.

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“I love you, Maggie May Young. Always and forever.” And then my mouth touched hers and I felt my future begin.

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They're journey to finding the light was a long one, and they still have a long way to go. I really enjoyed this second book more than the first. But the story as a whole was beautifully done. It was done in a realistic manner that caused me so much pain reading it. But it was all worth it in the end to see these two characters find happiness. It was an emotional ride, for sure. The only thing that still pisses me off is Clay's parents. I couldn't believe how they treated and continued to treat Clay. I am so happy Clay now has Maggie, Ruby, and his friends in his life. I was smiling so much with that ending. Especially the epilogue, I loved it! It was a great series. One you should give a try.

[Angie - Angie's Dreamy Reads · Rating 5 out of 5]

This review was posted at Angie's Dreamy Reads!!

Win an eBook copy of this book by clicking on the link above

4.5 INCREDIBLE STARS

After reading the first book in this series Find You in The Dark I was completely in love with A. Meredith Walters writing and characters. The first book left me in complete agony wanting to know how Maggie and Clay were going to heal from what they had just experienced with each other, and how Clay was going to be able to put his life back together and overcome all of the SERIOUS issues that plagued him. If you haven’t read the first book in the series I would ABSOLUTELY recommend you do so. It’s a story of a boy who is suffering with Bipolar and several other issues that stem from that. Maggie is someone that he has an uncanny connection to. Their relationship is extremely toxic and harmful to both of them. It’s hard to read as its extremely angsty and heartbreaking. These two have a love for each other that’s very deep. When it comes to Clay, Maggie is a nurturer. All she wants to do is be the source of healing for this boy that she has fallen so madly and deeply in love with. The problem is that Clay doesn’t have a handle on his issues and they go beyond his control, setting up a disaster waiting to happen.

"The choices we make in our lives don’t define us. It’s what we learn from them that’s important.”

When we left Clay and Maggie last they were both separated from each other. Clay is now in a 90 day treatment facility that is helping him find ways to cope with life and his disorders as well as helping him get his meds under control. He’s had no contact with Maggie and has sent her a letter telling her to move on. Clay has learned in therapy that Maggie is a trigger for him that could send him spiraling in the wrong direction leading him into the same toxic lifestyle that he wants so desperately to get away from. Knowing that is hard for Clay to accept but he WANTS more than anything to be whole and not known as the crazy kid that could lose his shit at any moment.

"My feelings about Maggie May Young were too intense, too consuming and they always threatened to swallow me whole.” -Clay

Maggie (sweet, sweet Mags....I really do love her) is STRUGGLING to move past Clay. The thought of her life without him is unbearable at times but she knows she needs to pick herself up and move on. The problem between knowing you need to do something and actually doing it is the thing that she’s stuck on. She’s angry at Clay for abandoning her and just giving up on their relationship but at the same time understands that he needs to “fix himself”.

"Seeing him again had only confirmed what my subconscious already knew. I would never move on from Clay. My soul belonged with him, was so entangled in him that I was no longer a single being.” - Maggie

An unexpected event happens that leads Clayton out of rehab and back to town. When Maggie and Clay come face to face their lives are inexplicably changed again. Even though things have changed between them while they were separated, a lot stayed the same. The pull they have to each other is still strong and unwavering and the need for each other and love they have still burns bright. There is SO much baggage and trouble that they have to face and learn to deal with. So many issues that Clay has yet to work through and fix. It’s a bumpy ride but so good and so worth every moment of pain and sadness.

"You are everything good in my life. Even when I thought all I had was the darkness, you were there. And you gave me something to live for. I couldn’t let you go. No matter how hard I tried. I know now that’s because to lose you would be like losing the very best part of myself.” - Clay

These two characters are very dear to my heart. Clay and Maggie are both a joy to read about. I love them so much. I understood so much of what they were going through and what they desperately needed from each other. It’s amazing that when you love someone a monumental shift takes place in your life. There's no denying true love whether is be selfish or not and for Maggie and Clay when they fell in love there was a HUGE change in how they lived their lives and how it affected their day to day. The dynamic between the two of them is intense and deep. It’s all consuming and unhealthy at times but nonetheless there and ever present. I LOVE them. I just really do.


Out of all the characters I’ve ever read about I think Clay might be the most inspirational. This boy has a WALK IN sized closet worth of issues. In life Clay has gotten the short end of the stick, between his mental health, parents and the hand he’s dealt as far as tragedy goes, he’s has it rough!!! BUT his determination to change his life, do the WORK and LISTEN to his therapist has him making HUGE strides. Eventually after lots of work he learns to manage and control his condition and that really shows how exceptional of a person he is. You can do ANYTHING that you put your mind to. Life is work but no matter what the choice is YOURS!!! You either let it beat you or you beat it and Clay....He works HARD to beat it and get it under control. Is he perfect NO but he gets back up and tries again and that makes me love him even more.

Overall I thought this was a FANTASTIC continuation of the series. It was heartwarming and inspirational. This is one of my most favorite series because it’s not fluffy and wrapped in a bow!! It’s real and the characters have REAL issues that I thought the author worked through brilliantly. I would HIGHLY recommend this book and the first. It’s a gripping tale of how severe mental issues can be but also offers a HOPE that there is light in those dark shadows and you CAN pick yourself up no matter the situation. I LOVED it. Maggie and Clayton are absolutely AMAZING.

I was provided and ARC of this book for an honest review

[Allison ❤️Will Never Conquer Her TBR❤️ · Rating 5 out of 5]

Brilliant! The only word for this book. 5++++++ stars. Awesome book happy dance going on here.....

"In the dark, she became my light."

This is a story of unconditional love, a story of trials in the face of mental illness, a story of healing and hope. Maggie and Clay have endured so much pain and turmoil in the face of his mental illness, it seems no relationship could survive it- at least not in any healthy way.

This book starts right up where the first book left off. Clay is living in an inpatient mental hospital trying to cope with his Bipolar and Personality Disorder. Maggie is back in Virginia trying to put the pieces of her life back together sans Clay. He's essentially cut off all contact with her other than the Dear John letter he sent her. Maggie still loves him but is angry he took the easy way out by cutting her off completely. Ten weeks and no contact. Ten weeks of looks from everyone at school, the girl who's boyfriend tried to off himself. She's gotta pull it together.

When an unfortunate family emergency forces Clay to leave Grayson Institute and return to VA, Maggie has to face seeing Clay again. Her feelings are mixed. She misses him, loves him, but is angry with him. Clay knows he's no good for Maggie but he's a selfish guy and cannot resist talking to her. The chemistry between them is like it has always been....palpable.

Can these two get past all the hurt they've caused each other, their families, their friends? Can Clay make it on the outside or should he return to Grayson where he truly needs to be? He's torn between family responsibilities and self healing.

I cannot commend the author enough for this book. She brought to light the trials of mental illness, not sugar coating or dramatizing it, just giving us the reality of what living with and loving a person with mental illness is like. I had no idea. I felt so much empathy for both of them. Maggie, for being a young 17 years old was so mature and supportive of all things Clay. She was his reason for everything. I don't think he would've made it without her love and support. Clay, I loved his commitment to his Aunt Ruby and Maggie, putting his own needs on hold to help them when they needed it. But also for realizing he needed to take care of his own demons if he's going to be able have a healthy relationship with Maggie. He saw his limitations and he did something about it. Even if it wasn't the easy way out.

Such a great conclusion to an extremely angsty book full of emotions and mental strife. This will be a book I carry with me for a long time to come.....

[Kirsty · Rating 3 out of 5]

*3.5 stars*

I really, really hate it when I don't like a book half as much as all my bookie friends did, but that's what happened here with LITS. I can't put my finger on what it is I don't like about this series but I felt the same with FYITD too. Maybe it's Maggie, or the fact it seems way too long with too much inner dialogue. I don't know. It just doesn't work for me.

Anyway.. I love Clay ALOT. One of the only reasons I continued with this series is because I wanted Clay to find his HAE. I don't think there's ever been a character deserve it more than him. I love how in this book he is finally taking care of himself and really is interested in keeping himself healthy. I hated seeing him go through so many breakdowns in FYITD so this was such a good change.

As for Maggie.. I just don't like her. I'm not sure if its her age that bothers me but she just seems to immature. Granted she had grown up a ton in this book so it was really good to see that but there's still something about her that bugs the hell out of me. I have to give her credit for never wavering in her love for Clay though.. and this time around she didn't compromise his health once.

All in all I think if you enjoyed FYITD then you will LOVE this series but as I've said it just really wasn't for me. I'd even go as far to say that I'm glad it's over now, but maybe that's just me..

"When I was drowning, she became my air. In the cold, she became my warmth. In the dark, she became my light."

[Monisha · Rating 5 out of 5]

♥ 5- WONDERFUL, MESMERIZING, AMAZINGLY BEAUTIFUL, EARTH-SHATTERING STARS. ♥


After reading the first book in this series Find You in The Dark I was completely in love with A. Meredith Walters writing and characters. The first book left me in complete agony wanting to know how Maggie and Clay were going to heal from what they had just experienced with each other, and how Clay was going to be able to put his life back together and overcome all of the SERIOUS issues that plagued him.




"My feelings about Maggie May Young were too intense, too consuming and they always threatened to swallow me whole.” -Clay




While Clay is recovering at a mental institution, and finally receiving proper guidance for his illness, Maggie tries to put back together the broken pieces of her life. Every day Clay misses Maggie. She was the one who fueled his jealousy and rage, but she is also the one who was and always will be his light in the dark.


I cried my way through the epilogue and when I finished the book, I literally just sat there with tears pouring down my face for several minutes... just over flowing with emotions ??


And at the end as Clay believed Maggie's love did saved him.

“My love for this beautifully broken, yet slowly healing boy, made me strong…. My soul belonged with him, was so entangled in him that I was no longer a single being.”

“It was just two people who loved each other, trying to make some sense in a world where there was none.”



Clay and Maggie's story will remain in my heart forever ?

"You are everything good in my life. Even when I had thought all I had was the darkness... you gave me something to live for."


Such a great conclusion to an extremely angsty book full of emotions and mental strife. This will be a book I carry with me for a long time
to come.....

[ShellTheBelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

FOUR HEART-WRENCHING STARS


Firstly, what a FANTASTIC book cover!! This is exactly how I picture Clayton Reed!

Well, I have to admit, i really loved this book. In a way, I didn't want it to end. I found that I liked it a lot more than Find You in the Dark. I don't usually like stories with a strong illness storyline, and in this case it is mental illness. Clay self harms, and at times it has been near fatal. But this story, this story just had me hooked from book one, and this second is better still.

I wont go into too much detail of the story, the blurb and other reviews do that nicely. But this is what I thought.

The message in this book is a strong and realistic one;

LOVE IS NOT ALWAYS ENOUGH.

This was apparent at the end of the first book, Find You in the Dark and is re-iterated in this one. So many YA/NA books make out that if you love someone enough everything will be okay. Love is seen as a cure for so many things:

It's not. It almost never is. Love isn't a miracle cure, It cant solve all of life's problems, and it wont cure illness - mental or otherwise. It can help a person or persons be stronger, to deal with adversity, or give someone a different, better perspective on things/life. Some would say it gives life meaning, and I would agree with that. What it wont do is change an abusive partner/relationship, (not that this story is about an abusive relationship, btw) or pay the bills, or cure all life's illnesses/woes, etc etc. And that is the message this book gives.

Clay and Maggie love each other but that love alone will never be enough to stop Clay self destructing. Mental illness, particularly amongst the young, is still pretty much unknown territory, but A. Meredith Walters dealt with it brilliantly in this heartbreaking story.

I really did like the duel perspective this time, too. It was fascinating getting into Clay's head. I really, really felt for his character and by 20% in I loved him (not in the book boyfriend way but just as a character!) It is so sad that there are kids going through this kind of thing and at times this book really makes your heart ACHE!!



It was all very believable. The knowledge and research of the subject matter was second to none. I was able to identify with both characters, although I liked Clay's character more than I did Maggie. I think I just found Maggie too out of touch with his condition and what state of mind he had been in when he sent her "the letter" at the beginning and she made too much of it, given what he had just been through.


And throughout the second half of the book she was planning on doing stuff that as a reader I just knew would be sending Clay back to the edge. I kept on thinking, knowing your partners state of mind, and what he has been through, is this the wisest thing to expect? I think though that simply showed Maggie's immaturity, she was only eighteen, after all.

I must admit If I was Maggie's parents, I wouldn't want her to have anything to do with a character like Clay, because I would justifiably fear for her future with someone like that.

I was 88% done with the book and I still didn't know how it was going to all work out! Clay's character IS exhausting, and I don't think, in reality, anyone could stand the pace and stay the course in a relationship with someone like him. Maggie is young, its all so easy to make lifelong decisions when you are so young and not realise that they are simply too hard or not achievable. But anything can happen I guess. The book keeps you guessing to the very end, and I LOVED that about it.


Not sure about the very last chapter - I am not going to give anything away because if you haven't read these two books I thoroughly recommend them - but lets just say it is what I would hope for but even then, would it be a practical reality for Maggie?? I am not so sure. Like I said, she is young.

All in all I really enjoyed reading this, but would recommend with caution as there are disturbing elements to the story.

But most definitely a SHELL YES! from me.

[Lo Bookfrantic · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 Stars!!

What an excellent conclusion to this duet. I absolutely adored Clay and Maggie, I felt it ended perfect!! I wouldn’t have wanted it any other way!!! So many feels and emotions, absolutely unforgettable story.

📖#currentlyreading📖
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Light In The Shadows by #ameredithwalters .
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Do you struggle finding your next read?! I do but mostly I struggle picking up a book to finish the year with 😒😆. I always want it to be a memorable one idky hahaha 😂 .
I’ve forgotten I’ve yet to finished this duet so here I go, off to end my year with this beauty!!! 🙌🙌🙌
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Book Order:

[Catarina · Rating 5 out of 5]

“For my whole life, all of my love.”

This story picks up a few months after Clay sent Maggie the letter telling her to be free and move on and after he has been admitted in Greystone for treatment.
He is miserable but still thinks that he made the best option letting her free and that she’s way better off without him and his problems. The thing is… Maggie didn’t move on. She’s in a bad place without him and doesn’t know or want to move on from Clay.
Until the day that an unfortunate event make Clay take the decision to come home again and they find each other one more time. The feelings that never left are stronger than ever and Clay knows that he already made too many mistakes to try to ask for Maggie’s forgiveness. And Maggie is scared that all the things that happened before will come back because she knows she can’t go through all that again.
But Clay is better, on new meds and things seem slightly better than before, and since they apparently can’t stay away from each other… they try again.



Their story isn’t simpler in this book… is just less angsty because they already know what to expect from Clay and they aren’t hiding his problems anymore. I really loved to see how Maggie’s friends and parents, even with all reservations, accepted Clay back in their life’s and supported Maggie in every way possible.
Their love is once more beautiful to see and is impossible not to fall in love with the two of them together. And they try really hard to be happy but dark clouds are still in the sky and things can go wrong at any time. So they just try to enjoy what they have together while Clay’s find a way to be possible to have a future with Maggie.

“I wish I could say that one day things might be simpler. But the truth is I can’t say that. I wish I could. I can only say, with one hundred percent certainty that I love you. That I live and breathe for you. That I would lay down my life a million times over for you. And no matter what happens tomorrow, next week, next year, my heart will always be yours”


This second book is simply amazing. I loved to see an ending to their sad story and find a way to end up together. I especially love how their love never died even with all the obstacles and problems they had to go through.



One of those books that will stay with me for a long time.
Go read it now, people! :)

[Bren · Rating 5 out of 5]

OH HOW I MISSED YOU CLAY....

my song to clay and maggie.. http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rc...

[Suzana · Rating 4 out of 5]

"The thing about the shadows is that they're not all darkness. You need to have light to have shadows. Just look for it."

["That's All" Ash · Rating 4 out of 5]

…’Cause I am hanging
On every word you say
And even if you don’t want to speak tonight
That’s alright… alright with me.

‘Cause I want nothing more
Than to
Sit outside Heaven’s door
And listen to your breathing…

[image error]

-:- FOUR ASTRONOMICAL STARS! -:-

When we last left Clay and Maggie… all Maggie was left of the scarred boy was the memory of him with thick bandages on his wrists, laying in a hospital bed; and a good-bye letter fluttering in her hand.

And thenLight in the Shadows begins.

Clay is now in a treatment facility, trying to gain higher ground over his inner demons. And he’s finally succeeding with his new medication; new friends; and therapists. It’s a 90 day program, and he’s made it and is even contemplating staying longer to further his efforts.

But he still can’t forget about her.

Maggie.

The girl whose world he completely annihilated along with his own as she tried to save him. The girl with the gorgeous brown eyes and the soul of a titanium butterfly. The girl who sends him an emotional heart-searing gift on his birthday despite his good-bye letter.

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And only when Clayton Reed finally begins to understand that the only way he could be with the girl who is impossible to forget does he begin to truly begin to understand how crucial his recovery is.

Until something happens that sends all that understanding careening into the wind.

And that something brings the war-like Clayton Reed face to face with the casualty-like Maggie Young once again.

[image error]

Clay’s back in town. Just when Maggie has dusted herself off from the hell of a fall three months ago. She followed a beautiful boy into the shadows, and came back a little bit stronger and little more damaged.

She still loves him and craves him and wants him.

“There is more beauty inside you than in anyone I have ever met. These pictures don’t lie. I won’t ever forget you. Or stop loving you. You can ask me to. You can tell me to move on. But I won’t. And I never will. Just don’t forget how beautiful we were. How beautiful we can still be.” -- Maggie

And so they give it another go. But this time, it’s different. Because Clay is half-way recovered and doesn’t want it to be about him anymore. He wants it to be about Maggie. About deserving her.

But the thing about recovery is… is that when you’re half-way to recovery, you’re half-way to a relapse.

So will she love him to restoration?
Or will he love her to ruins?

Grab some alcohol and your favorite security blanket… because there’s only one way to find out. ;)

As much as I missed her and dreamed of this moment, I was scared of it. Too much had changed. Yet seeing her, my heart and body reacted the same as it always had. She had been my crutch and now she was something else entirely, a painful reminder of all the ways I screwed up. But watching my gorgeous girl move through the crowd of people, I only saw the person I had pinned my future on. And that was both exhilarating and terrifying.

[Kim Person · Rating 5 out of 5]

I DISTINCTLY remember the day I got the ARC for Light In the Shadows! I was a HUGE fan of Maggie & Clay's from Find You in the Dark and to receive an ARC for this one left me well.............................



and when I was able to recover from my little episode I was..........



obviously I was BEYOND excited to see what would happen with Maggie & Clay especially after the end of Find You in the Dark! The book opens with Clay's POV and we see that he is in an in-resident treatment center trying to learn to "live" with his mental illness. He seemed to be doing pretty darn good when it started but I was also very.........



see Clay convinced himself he wasn't "good enough" for Maggie and he needed to stay away from her. He hadn't called her, wrote to her heck she had NO idea where he was! We get to re-live what this has been like for Maggie who basically felt like this once Clay was removed from her life..................................................



but will Maggie be able to move forward with her life? Can she enjoy things she once did before without Clay? Without the one boy she is convinced she will always love and there would never be another? Well, my friends you have to read that to find out but don't under estimate the POWER of this story. Don't for one second think this is going to be a ride that's all sweet and fluffy! It can't be that way to be true to form and to "experience" the book! What ultimately brings Clay back town had me..........................................................



Oh yes!! I was a sobbing mess ~ I swear my heart literally hurt! Well I finally had Maggie & Clay in the same generally vincinity now it was time for me to cross my fingers and PRAY that something would happen, well something good that is ~ Now I honestly can say that for most of the book I was alternating between..................................



and of course this.................................................



Of course there were times where I ..................................



and when a "friend" of Clay's from rehab comes to visited I did....



Watching Maggie & Clay slowly dance around one another and then thinking all would be made me feel like I was in a jumpy house ~ up one minute and down the next! The decision Clay makes, which I have to give him huge KUDOS for, had me.....................................



and then boy oh boy I was right back to..............................



I don't think the book would've worked for me if this didn't happen. I loved the decision he made even if Maggie didn't but I also loved that this gave Clay what he really needed actually had to have to learn to really live with his disease because without it I don't think I would've got and ending that had me...................................



Light In the Shadows was Beyond Amazing!!!!!!! Clay & Maggie's story will grip you HARD!!! I'm still living this one and I finished the book quite awhile ago. There is NO way you could limit this to only 5 stars ~ LITS is far beyond a 5 star read!!!

It's BRILLIANT AMAZING GUT-WRENCHING ~ I was 100% emotionally invested in this book! I experienced each and every one of the emotions displayed in the book. I forgot it was a story I really did I felt that I was a "part" of Maggie & Clay's lives and that everything that had transpired I had lived with them. I had moments of very deep despair for what Clay had been through and continued to live through. I felt for Maggie but admired her "strength" and "courage" to ultimately fight for what she wanted and knew she could have with Clay. I'm absolutely THRILLED with the way the book ended and there's not a darn thing I would change about this one! I'm also very sad that it appears Maggie & Clay's journey is over ~ I felt like I just said goodbye to some very good friends.

If you haven't read Find You in the Dark I encourage you to move this up your TBR, buy it and begin this FANTASTIC series! Get to know not only Maggie & Clay but the other wonderful supporting characters in the book. You will adore Daniel and Rachel and many more. Now if you've read Find You in the Dark then I just have to say YOU NEED TO READ LIGHT IN THE SHADOWS NOW.......... NO putting this one off anymore ~ grab it and read it Right.Freaking.Now! You will not be sorry! This is one of my ALL time favorite reads that I can guarantee I will be re-visiting time and time again!!!!

[Chris- Bookaddict · Rating 5 out of 5]

I fell in love with Maggie and Clay in Finding You in the Dark. As dysfunctional as I thought they were, I knew they would over come their shadows and there would be a light at the end of their tunnel .

This Book Was Incredible , It gave Maggie and Clay their light at the end of the tunnel and I enjoyed the journey to that light with them both.

This was one hell of a bumpy road , but it was also the most amazing journey I had ever been on with a book series . The healing, the trying to cope in the outside world, the recovery. It was amazing.

Clay , he was amazing, He loved Maggie with his whole heart, and he fought for that love by working to fix "himself" . As much as he felt like giving in so many times , he knew that he wanted that Happiness at the end of the tunnel with Maggie and by jesus he fought for it all the way to the end .

Maggie , I loved her I truly did , a couple times I will admit she did tick me off , with the whole (are you taking your meds) every time Clay had a moment, But as I read more of the story I understood where she was coming from and I understood that she had to re-build that trust that she had in Clay . The fact that she stood by him through it all Just swooned my heart for both of them completely. I loved watching them both work through things "together" , that in itself was amazing and showed truly how much she loved Clay with all her heart, and just how much Clay truly loved her.


"For a guy who struggled with finding his place in the world, standing next to Maggie, I understood one thing on a very fundamental level. Wherever she went, whatever she did, that is where I belonged."


Book Blurb:

How do you keep going when you feel like your life is over?

Maggie never thought she’d see Clay again. So, she attempts to put her life back together after her heart has been shattered to pieces. Moving on and moving forward, just as Clay wanted her to.

Clay never stopped thinking of Maggie. Even after ripping their lives apart and leaving her behind to get the help he so desperately needed. He is healing...slowly. But his heart still belongs to the girl who tried to save him.

When a sudden tragedy brings Maggie and Clay face to face again, nothing is the same. Yet some things never change. Can the darkness that threatened to consume them be transformed into something else and finally give them what they always wanted? And can two people who fought so hard to be together, finally find their happiness? Or will their demons and fear drive them apart for good?

The thing about love, is even when it destroys you, it has a way of mending what is broken. And in the shadows, you can still see the light


There is an Epilogue I cried my way through it, I was hanging onto every last word and I wanted more of Clay and Maggie, they do get their happy ending and it is the most amazing one . I loved every word of it all the way to the end.

"God I loved her... She was everything I wanted in my life but was still unsure I deserved... I wanted this. And I wanted to run from it. I wanted to pull her in and never let go. I wanted to push her away... I wanted to taste her skin and feel her heart beat beneath my lips."


This was the most amazing journey I have ever been on in a book series, The author did an upstanding job of bringing these two characters to life in this series. You literally feel every emotion with them through the whole ride.

If you have not read this series yet , you don't know what you are missing . Hands down one of the best series ever .



"You are everything good in my life. Even when I had thought all I had was the darkness... you gave me something to live for."

[Aimen · Rating 5 out of 5]

*5 LIGHT AND DARK STARS*

So...wow. This book definitely got to me in all the right places. I mean I'm still struck by that super-duper-epicly-fantastical HEA so I will try to write a good review. My thoughts are all over the place but here goes.

"In the dark, she became my light.”

This is the second book to the series Find you in the Dark. The first book I could only give 4 stars because of some pretty big issues. For one thing, Clay had some really annoying anger issues. Like one minute he was all "God Maggie, mind you're own business! I know you're trying to help but blah blah blah blah blah!" Yeah, okay. And then the next he was all "I'm so sorry baby. I have anger issues. Clearly. Please forgive me!" And then Maggie's all "I looked into his eyes and just...melted" Ohmagod, that word! MELTED. It was everywhere. Basically, both of their emotions were all over the place. It was hard to keep up and quite frankly, gave me a headache.

This book, however, improved drastically! Like you-deserve-six-stars drastically. For one thing, I think adding Clay's POV really helped us understand why he had such mind-racking mood swings. We got an inside look into this yummy boy's head! Though the emotions were still all over the place, I guess you could say this book was more understandable. Like I know Clay and Maggie were in the dark but all their bickering put ME in the dark as well. Just saying. This time, Clay really shone through! He was trying above and beyond for Maggie and well, no one could resist that. If you're a woman then you will fall for Clay and his dark, mysterious, and luring side. If not then there is something incredibly wrong with you. He was so sweet and good to Maggie in this one. He stayed on his meds, went to therapy and did anything if it meant making the two of them work.

“For a guy who struggled with finding his place in the world, standing next to Maggie, I understood one thing on a very fundamental level. Wherever she went, whatever she did, that is where I belonged.”

Maggie also really developed as a character in this book. She went from whiny, bratty, defensive, you-don't-know-the-love-i-share-with-clay-girl to the WOMAN who became stronger and took in everything with her head held high. Sure she still loved Clay after all that (who wouldn't?) but she spoke her mind and actually called him out when he treated her like total BS. And Clay understood, did his best to right his wrongs. Their relationship was full of understanding and support and light whereas in the previous one it was too dark.

All in all, I really enjoyed this one! Definitely goes in my deserves-six-stars shelf! Their HEA was the sweetest one I've read about so far. It was perfect and completely satisfying for all you fans out there. I think Walters really shone in writing this heart-wrenching, gut-twisting, tear-jerking story. I'm so pleased with how this ended! (It is the last one right?) I couldn't have asked for a more perfect conclusion to this series.

“I love you, Maggie May Young. Always and forever.” And then my mouth touched hers and I felt my future begin.”

My Casting:

Clay


Maggie


“She glanced over her shoulder as she made her way into the restaurant, as though to make sure I was still waiting for her.
You crazy girl, don’t you know I’d wait for you forever?”



Enjoy!