Wednesday 25 June 2014

Review ~ Come to Me Softly (Closer to You 2) by A.L Jackson

Reviewed by Donna ~ 3.5 Stars

**ARC received for honest review**

“I always thought I’d be her ruin. But right then, I was pretty sure she’d be mine.”

Come to Me Softly is the eagerly anticipated and long awaited sequel to Come to Me Quietly, continuing the journey of Jared and Aleena (Aly). Their journey has always been emotional and that does not change in this book. This is a story packed with emotion, feelings, love and angst. An emotional rollercoaster that will put you through the mill but will leave you with the warm and fuzzies at the end.

This is a book about finding yourself, accepting love, learning to love in return, redemption and forgiveness, learning to let go of the past and looking to the future but most of all, the journey to fight those inner demons and come out the other end the winner.

“Promise me you won’t run when it gets ugly, Jared. Because life always does, and I can’t bear the thought of living without you in mine.”

This book continues where Come to Me Quietly finished, with Jared and Aly reunited. Jared is still emotionally scarred, still frightened, still plagued by his inner demons but one thing he has learned from their time apart is that he needs Aly in his life. Aly grounds him, loves him warts and all, even if he doesn’t think he deserves it, he strives to be a better man because of her, she is his soul mate but most of all she is his lifeline. I did think that Jared became a bit too dependent on Aly in this one, he was extremely needy but you understood why, he didn’t want to discuss his past, he didn’t want to deal with it, didn’t want to accept it, even though he knew that it was killing him from within.

Aly was super strong in this book, she needed to be. She had her moments, but she knew that she had to be strong for Jared. Aly constantly supported him, championed him, loved him, adored him but she struggled to make him see the light, he needed help. At the end the day, you can lead a horse to water…but you cannot make them drink.

“When beauty breathes life back into the broken.”


You saw the glimpses of the “real Jared” and you will find yourself supporting him, willing him on and waiting for him to take that next step. To see his constant battles both inside and out are heart breaking at times but you know deep down that he needs to work his way through it, he desperately seeks atonement, but is too stubborn to see that he should already have it. Throughout, Aly is her determined, supportive self and you hope that deep down that the love and connection that these two share will be enough.

“It thundered in my ears and danced with my spirit, this man that was mine.
Volatile yet pure.
Corrupted yet worthy.
My beautifully broken boy.”


I love AL Jacksons writing and this book is no different, so emotive, so swoon worthy, you know that she has that ability to pull those emotions out of you and she does so brilliantly in this book. However, the first half of this book, I personally felt was a little padded which made it a little difficult to keep my full attention, I must admit I did struggle a little. There is a lot of love in this book, both in actions, dialogue and inner monologue. I knew they were in love, I knew their connection but it just felt the first half was packed with this when nothing actually really happened in between. The second half is packed and will keep you gripped from page to page as you bear witness to the struggles that these two encounter in the battle to stay together.

A solid closure for this couple that will leave all Jared and Aly fans extremely happy, even if it was emotional torture to get there. You will feel, you will probably cry, you will be happy and sad but most of all you will know you have been on a journey, one that has finally come full circle, you will just have to read and see how that full circle closes.

“This amazing love that began in a boy who grew up to be my man.”

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