Can't Stop Lovin' You
This story was sooo sweet. Something I really like in the books/movies/shows I take in is when I can't figure out how things will resolve. Oh I knew they'd get together in the end, which is okay - that's a given, but I didn't want either of them to give up what they'd worked so hard to achieve.Yeah, I was mad at Brawley. He thought he was doing the right thing, and he probably was - but at 18 who really makes the right moves? And he didn't have all the info he should've. That's all on Mags. Again, she didn't know how to disseminate, and how could she? it was just a big ol' mess.
So when Brawley comes back to settle in their home town, it's not a shock that Maggie isn't sitting around waiting to get back together with him. She's about ready to embark on a new life in New York - and that means she'll be thousands of miles away from him.
The irony is that he left her for the big city all those years ago, and now the tables are turned. He's never stopped loving her though, and even though she totally deserves the derision she sends his way, he figures there's some love left for him as well.
But he has to let her live her dream. It's the fair thing to do. And he feels compelled to support her and let her know how much he cares. Even if she keeps throwing it back in his face. Maybe they can even be friends.
Y'know, for about half of this book I just wanted to kick Brawley in the nuts - but then I wanted to maybe hand him an ice pack to fix it. Such mixed emotions for the guy, so I totally got how Maggie felt about him.
And I felt pride when Maggie went off to New York and lived out her dream. Some worrisome things happen there, but nothing to get worked up about (at least for the reader - Brawley's a different matter).
Some heartwrenching stuff happens to turn things around, and decisions get rethought - I wasn't shocked at how things turned out, but it wasn't totally predictable either.
I hadn't read the first two books, but this one was fabulous enough that I'm going to go back and find them.
**ARC provided by NetGalley in return for an honest review**