Strong & Wilde: Part Three

Strong & Wilde #3

by L.G. Castillo

The heart-wrenching conclusion to the Strong & Wilde novella serial.

Professing his love for high school sweetheart, Cassie Strong, is the smartest thing Cody Wilde has ever done. With his lifelong enemy, Seth Baker, moving to Austin and Cassie by his side, Cody thinks his life is finally looking up. Then he receives a devastating phone call that turns his world upside down and leads him to break the promise he made to his father so long ago.

Cassie’s love for Cody is so fierce that even when Seth and his brothers return for revenge, she stands against them fearlessly. Despite her best efforts, she can’t stop the attack, and she’s left with a broken body and spirit.

Determined to avenge Cassie, Cody makes an impulsive decision that tears them apart. Promises are broken, consequences have to be paid, and Cassie’s left to face the biggest challenge of her life without Cody. Can their love survive?

Genres: Romance, Westerns

Unknown Binding

First published October 17, 2014

About the author

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Known for her heartfelt cowboy romance and action-packed paranormal romance, USA Today Bestselling Author L.G. Castillo writes books that explore the tumultuous and psychological journey of self-discovery and falling in love. Her stories feature dramatic, life-changing events interspersed with a good dose of humor, feisty heroines, and the swoon-worthy men who love them.

When she's not writing, L.G. is binging on Netflix or adding up frequent flyer miles for her next vacation. She's been married to her own swoon-worthy hero for over two decades.

Reviews

[Michelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

My Review:
OMG THE FEELS!!!!! The numbness I felt at the end of book two continued as soon as I started this book. My heart was beating so fast and I had to put the book down a few times, I was so nervous about what was going to happen. This book takes on a serious situation and I thought L.G. Castillo handled it brilliantly. Seeing Cassie deal with what happened was heartbreaking and watching her over come it was empowering. This book had me yelling at both characters and praying that things would finally go right for them. Since I read this on a kindle at 71% I literally had to put the book down and take a moment to recover from what I had read. My heart just couldn't take anymore and the emotions I had, it was overwhelming but I needed to make sure these characters were going to be ok...they needed to be ok!

The Story of Cody and Cassie is heartbreaking and beautiful. I can't tell you enough how this book with so few pages can give you so much and make you feel like you read an entire novel with so many feels, good and bad. This series is amazing, she did a phenomenal job telling this story. This is the last book in the Cody and Cassie story and I loved how everything come to a close. This book/series is AMAZING!!!!! I can rant and rave all day!!! I am now eager to read Mandi and Nic's story.

Thank you so much for stopping by to check out my review

Hope you have a great day and Happy Reading!

This review was originally posted on Because reading is better than real life

[Kaj Samuelsson · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was sometimes very realistic and sometimes not at all. And for me it was a bit too much of hopelessness, like a wet fuse on the fighting spirit. However, the fighting spirit came, but for me it was too slow and lacking umph and it made the book less interesting. The ending was very good though, I didn't see that coming.

[U. N. Elle · Rating 5 out of 5]

An inspiring ending to a lovely three part read. Tales of two, with a love so strong that bonded them beyond anything that threatened to tear them apart. Their blossomed friendship turned romance. And their strives surpassed with resilience.

Don't leave me," I whispered. "Never," he breathed against my lips.

Everything in this story just came together. It was exciting to see such a tie between Cody and Cassie. Their love for each other was electric—emotionally and physically. The obstacles that they faced were horrible and yet they held onto what little spark they had left.

You will always be my perfect angel because you are perfect for me. I love you. Nothing could ever take that away. Nothing.

The story was told in the POV of both Cody and Cassie. In this read I loved it. I really got a sense of what struggles they were encountering—psychologically—and how they dealt with each one. Despite the one scene in the book, I didn't feel such darkness. It was sort of overcome by the joy these two leads had for each other in the end. All the while, I was expecting some bump in the road, but this one blindsided me. I was like, WHAT!?! NO! This CANNOT be happening. It was a total low in the book. But the bounce back was all the more better because of it.

Love, family, and friendship was the foundation of their undying love. Seeing their relationship develop from when they were kids to present day was a nice break from the love-at-first-sight reads.

Thank you L.G. Castillo!! This book overflowed with emotion written with words that created scenes full of life.

There's a thousand reasons why I love you. I love the way your eyes twinkle when you laugh at my lame jokes... I love the way you danced in the rain when we were at the drive in. You even had me dancing with you, and I didn't care if people thought we were crazy because all I saw was you.

***This story told more than romance. Weaved into this, was the apparent message on sexual assault and how we should all do our part to support and/or help those who have gone through crimes such as this. Some will talk behind backs, but nothing beats the truth when it's on your side.

 

STRONG AND WILDE #1  Read my Review

STRONG AND WILDE  #2 Read my Review

STRONG AND WILDE #3

[L.G. Castillo]

.

[Kelly · Rating 5 out of 5]

Heart breaking... great ending

[Trace · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I didn't enjoy this one as much as the previous two, but I still really enjoyed it and I think it's a nice conclusion to Cassie and Cody's story. I marked it as a 5, but it's more of a 4.5 for me.

One of the things I love most about all 3 novellas is the time frame. I love that where one book ends, the next one picks up right at that same spot. It makes me wonder if these novellas should just be combined to create one book?

I love the way Cassie and Cody love each other. I love that he fought for her. I love that she was real enough with herself to admit that she's angry at him for leaving her at the time she needed him the most, and that she actually told him how she felt. In most books I've read, that kind of thing is usually swept under the rug and is never brought up again.

The ending was really nice. I'm not sure how the hell his uncle got that position, but I'm glad things are turning around for all of them.

One of the best parts about this book was definitely page 154. The announcement that said we'll be getting Nic and Mandi's story! AH! I AM SO EXCITED FOR THAT ONE! I really missed them! I'm also curious about what happened with her parents, the reason behind their odd behavior.

I praised the other two books, I didn't have any real complaints. But this one... The one thing I didn't want to happen in this book... happened. WHY?! And you didn't even want to find out?! Again, WHY?! I'm sorry, but it would drive me insane if I wasn't 100% sure who the father of my child was. Not that it would change anything, but at least I would know.

I'm glad Cassie got justice, but we didn't get to see the trial or anything. It feels like everything wrapped up nicely with a pretty bow. I'm not saying that I'd want to see her go through that torment again.. I guess because of the previous two books, I was expecting more conflict and drama, and this one just threw me off. I wanted to see Cassie punch Lynette in the face. I wanted to see her scream at Seth and his brothers. Maybe even push them off a cliff or something. I was so pissed when I found out how long he was put away for! But honestly, I'm not surprised! Unfortunately, that's how it is in the real world. I'm so sad karma didn't pay him a visit. Maybe he'll pop up again in Mandi's story and he'll finally get what he deserves.

Like I said before, I think this was a nice conclusion to the story. I definitely cannot wait to read about Nic and Mandi!

[Blanca · Rating 5 out of 5]

***ARC PROVIDED BY AUTHOR FOR AN HONEST REVIEW***

I couldn't believe the heartbreaking and excruciating pain I felt when I finished the second book, this third book took me there again only to realize my biggest fear for Cassie had actually taken place. This book will take you on an emotional roller coaster Cody decides to finally fight back for what they have done to Cassie but there are consequences for his actions and it takes a huge toll on the least person that wanted to feel more pain Cassie falls into a bigger depression not wanting help from anyone she no longer has Cody to help her heal and can't stand the thought of him not loving her anymore because of what happened to her. They struggle to overcome the darkness that is trying to take over their life's. In order to reconcile with the events that took place they must fight for each other and the love that still lives in their hearts. Cassie and Cody have a lot to keep fighting for and this beautiful story takes an amazing turn that will forever live in your heart. A life full of love after such tragedy is still capable and they have fought so many obstacles to obtain the happiness they both deserve. This series was completely unexpected yet has stolen a piece of my heart. Cody and Cassie are amazing characters I absolutely adored this series. Definitely recommend!

[Vania Nunes · Rating 5 out of 5]

WARNING: Unable to make this review without mentioning certain aspects of the story. So if you have not read the book, stop reading this review now.

I think this third part was the hardest to read.
Well, if you read the previous parts, you know that Cassie was the victim of a rape by Seth and his brothers. And the worst part of all was the emotional/mental state in which Cassie was. She just thought she deserved everything, Cody would hate her and that nobody would believe on her story.
Do you remember the promise Cody made ​​to his father before his death? Forget it! There was no way Cody remain indifferent to what they did with his fiancee.
And there is still a factor that complicates the whole situation...

Joining the three parts of the book, I have to say that LG Castillo wrote a brilliant story, full of drama, emotion, love, compassion and family/friends support.
Real cases, like this has happened to Cassie, happening thousands of times out there. It remains to family and friends support victims, in addition to specialized centers for victims of abuse.
A book to celebrate love.
A lovely ending that makes you cry.
5 stars

[Shannon · Rating 4 out of 5]

***I was given an arc of the complete series, that is what this review is based on.***

What a heartwrenchingly sweet (do these 2 words even go together?!?) tale of young love this book was!
We're there as Cassie and Cody navigate the beginning of their friendship, as they take the first steps to young love, through turmoil, and finally to true love and happiness.
My heart broke at times for both of them, as they had to deal with so much through their young lives, more than many people go through in a lifetime. The book dealt with some hard issues that many people might not be comfortable with, but they were done in a really meaningful and truthful and thoughtful way.
This is a really poignant and at times painful story, that will wrap you up in the lives of these 2 characters...you'll be rooting them on right from the beginning. I really enjoyed this book, the plot, the cast of characters, the story-telling. You'll laugh and you'll cry, you'll want to throat punch a few people and smack a few others, but your heart will be happy and full when it's over!

[Bea LaRocca · Rating 5 out of 5]

The third and final installment in the Strong and Wilde series finds Cody and Cassie dealing with one of the most painful and difficult experiences that an individual and a couple can face. Now separated, they must each deal with the pain, anger, guilt and regret all on their own, each wondering if they’ve lost the love of the other.
With an awful lot of help from family and friends, Cassie begins to heal but when Cody finally comes home to her, they must begin the process of healing as a couple. Although they are still very much in love, Cassie quickly learns that she hasn’t made as much progress in her recovery as she’d thought, but before they can even deal with that, fate throws yet another test their way.
Although certain events in the previous two novels brought tears to my eyes, this one affected me the most emotionally. I applaud the author’s realistic and heart wrenching descriptions of the emotional state and thought processes of the characters as they each dealt with this particular trauma.
I am looking forward to Nic and Mandi’s story, coming soon!

[Cherron Riser · Rating 5 out of 5]

An emotional ending that leaves you breathless! I have been reading these stories as they come out and have been pleasantly surprised with each one. Part three starts out right where two left off in the thick of emotional turmoil that will leave you screaming and crying and hopefully not damaging your reading device. Personally, I could not put the story down. My intentions just read a few pages before bead turned into me staying up all night unable to stop.

The characters are believable and relatable. You cry when they cry and you become angry when they do. The story sucks you in easily and is a wonderful read. However, as I said in other reviews, I personally would have enjoyed it more as one continuous book. Maybe Castillo will republish as a book or with all three in one book. Either way, the story is wonderful and I would recommend it to everyone!

[Michela Walters · Rating 3 out of 5]

So I generally really like L.G. Castillo's books - but this one was a tough read. The subject matter was one I generally stay away from, but not realizing what was involved in this story until the end of book 2, I felt I owed it to Castillo to complete my read of this trilogy.

I will admit I had to skim some of the parts because I really just couldn't read it without causing me some distress, and for a bedtime reader like myself, it was hard to read right before I shut my eyes hoping for a good night sleep. I will say Castillo's writing is well done and being in the field of psychiatry did give her an advantage to dealing with the subject matter in a delicate way. It just wasn't my kind of book - more a personal preference than anything that had to do with the writer's ability.

Thanks to L.G. Castillo for the ARC of this series in return for an honest review.

[Donna Porter · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the third book in the series and I finally get to see what happens between Cassie and Cody. Cassie has just been attack at the end of book two. Cody wasn't there to help her, he was out of town. Now he feels guilty and goes to the bar looking for the people who violated Cassie. He finds them and a fight occurs. The sheriff comes and arrests them all. Noe Cody is in jail and they can't afford to bail him out. Cassie is mad because he wasn't there for her while she needs him. She goes into a deep depression. What will happen to this couple? Read this third book to find out.

[Cassie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was completely engrossed in this series from beginning to end. I love the interaction between all the secondary characters, especially Mandi & Willa Mae. My heart actually felt Cassie & Cody's pain, as well as their happiness. There was a tough subject to write about, but the author did a great job. The fact that it was realistic made it all the better.

I can't wait to read Mandi & Nic's story.....

[Nicole · Rating 4 out of 5]

1st - I received this book in return for my review - 2nd - I was not in love with this one as much as the others . I still enjoyed the book and was glad to see where the whole story went. Sometimes I felt it dragged on and I was not entirely happy with the direction the story took. But overall it was a good book. Liked how it ends and I was happy I read that story

[Olivia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good God. This book is the third and final book in the Strong & Wilde story. It is equal parts utterly heartwrenching and beautiful. A part of me is sorry to see it end, but the other is in awe of the amazing ending. Absolutely fantastic. I so highly recommend the Strong & Wilde books. <3

[Judy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was given an ARC for an honest review. Love Cassie & Cody! I don't care for books that make me cry though. I had a tough time through parts of this. Looking forward to Nick & Mandi's story! Thank you so much L.G. Castillo for providing me with an ARC and thank you for a great series!!

[Sandy Catanzarita · Rating 4 out of 5]

I think it was a great ending to Cody and Cassie story

[Simone · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.75 stars

[Amber · Rating 3 out of 5]

A nice/sweet love story with twists and turns along the way. Definitely worth reading!

[Kirsty Mcdonald · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely amazing! Loved the ending and very inspiring! Excellent writing throughout

[Nellie · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a really interesting story, however, too much steam, and some cussing. In the last book, there is a graphically violent scene.

[PAUL CHIODO · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very good ending.

It's a "and they all lived happily ever after", ending, but not too anticipated. Good finish to a good book series.

[-ˏˋ D ˊˎ- · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5*