Book Reviews: Come to Me Quietly & Come to Me Softly by A.L. Jackson

Come to Me Quietly
Closer to You #1
Author: A.L. Jackson
Reading Level: New Adult
Genre: Romance
Released: January 7th 2014
Review Source: Purchased

Aleena Moore is content with her life. She has goals and dreams and an easy smile. She also has a secret she holds locked inside.

Jared Holt believes he doesn’t deserve to love or be loved. He destroys everything he touches. Haunted by the mistake that shattered his life, he’s fled from the memory of that pain.

Jared doesn’t know why he’s compelled to return, but finds himself drawn back to the place where it all began. The exact place where it ended. When he runs into his childhood best friend, Aleena’s older brother Christopher, he agrees to share Christopher and Aleena’s apartment while he looks for a place of his own.

Aleena is no longer the little girl Jared remembers from his past and evokes feelings in him he never wanted to feel again. Terrified of destroying her, he fights to keep her away. But her touch is something he can’t resist—the touch that sealed his fate.

Their pasts are intertwined and their futures uncertain. The only truths they know are the secrets they whisper in the night.

I consider myself a fan of AL Jackson. I read a couple of her books and adore her stories. I actually met her last year at Book Bash in Orlando. I also freaked out when I first saw her. I even hugged her while I took a picture with her. I love her writing styles and the characters are well developed. But I was not very fond of this story. I didn’t hate it but didn’t fall for it, like I usually do with her stories.

Jared Holt is a broken man. He lost his family at such age and he blames himself for this. With a shattered history, he doesn’t return home after he is released from juvenile detention. But as always, one can never forget the past and Jared returns home. As he roams around town, he runs into his childhood best friend Christopher. His friend invites him to stay with him at his apartment he shares with his sister, Aleena. Jared has always been fond of Aleena. He has always protected her. Now as attracted as ever, Jared fights with his inner demons and tries to stay away from Aleena. But as always, one can never defeat love.

I love sad stories and broken men, but Jared’s story… I am not sure but I didn’t feel sorry for him. He was also too hardheaded to open up, which bother me a lot. I wanted him to let Aleena in, but ugh, was he determined not to let anyone in. One the bright side but too late, he discover the light! So I cannot wait to find out what he does to win Aly’s trust.

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Come to Me Softly
Closer to You #2
Author: A.L. Jackson
Reading Level: New Adult
Genre: Romance
Released: June 24th 2014
Review Source: New American Library | Penguin

From the New York Times bestselling author of Come to Me Quietly comes a scorching new adult romance in the Closer to You series.

A second chance at life…
A second chance at love…

Jared Holt never thought he deserved either—until he found both in the arms of Aly Moore. Aly has loved Jared for as long as she can remember, and she’s more than ready for the future they’re making together. But Jared can’t help remembering his own family. And he’ll never forgive himself for what happened to them. How can he allow himself the very happiness he once destroyed?

To live a life worthy of Aly, Jared knows he has to stop running and finally put his past to rest. But when he decides to face his demons head on, he encounters more than he bargained for: a dangerous mix of jealousy, lies, and dishonest intentions. When those intentions threaten Aly, Jared loses all control, giving into the rage that earned him his bad boy reputation years before. And he’ll fight to protect her no matter what it costs…even if he destroys himself in the process.

AHH! For me, this story was such a turn-around from the first book! As the story proceed right where it ends, Jared has come to term that Aly is too important to let his demon’s take over his love for her. He knows he needs to work it out and let her in. And finally, I get to understand his broken heart and he had me falling hard.

If you read the first book, then you know Jared had issues letting go of the past. I don’t blame him. But like I mentioned, since he wouldn’t open up, I really didn’t feel sorry for him. But as he begins opening, the feelings start pouring out and oh boy, he will break your heart. It was absolutely breath taking and heart pounding reading all of it.

Come to Me Softly is worth swooning. The love Aly and Jared share is unconditional. Aly is such a great supporter, I wish I was her. She truly loves Jared and is there for him no matter what. God, Jared deserves her love more than he believes.

Seriously, I felt the sequel was such a great comeback to the first novel. ALL THE FEELS! Come to Me Softly is a wrecking ball; it will shatter your heart into pieces!