Review: Letting Go by Molly McAdams

Received from BookSlapped

Title: Letting Go
Series: Thatch #1
Author: Molly McAdams
Publisher: William Morrow
Publication Date:
Source: Review Copy
Rating: 3/5

Synopsis from Goodreads

Grey and Ben fell in love at thirteen and believed they’d be together forever. But three days before their wedding, the twenty-year-old groom-to-be suddenly died from an unknown heart condition, destroying his would-be-bride’s world. If it hadn’t been for their best friend, Jagger, Grey never would have made it through those last two years to graduation. He’s the only one who understands her pain, the only one who knows what it’s like to force yourself to keep moving when your dreams are shattered. Jagger swears he’ll always be there for her, but no one has ever been able to hold on to him. He’s not the kind of guy to settle down.

It’s true that no one has ever been able to keep Jagger—because he’s only ever belonged to Grey. While everyone else worries over Grey’s fragility, he’s the only one who sees her strength. Yet as much as he wants Grey, he knows her heart will always be with Ben. Still they can’t deny the heat that is growing between them—a passion that soon becomes too hot to handle. But admitting their feelings for each other means they’ve got to face the past. Is being together what Ben would have wanted . . . or a betrayal of his memory that will eventually destroy them both?

REVIEW

I’ve got to be honest, I always enter a Molly McAdams with a great deal of trepidation, waiting for my heart to get ripped out of my chest and pulverised to dust. Yep, this is the effect her stories have on me, it doesn’t help that she tends to torture her poor characters with all kinds of emotional hell. Be Warned At least we know someone dies right at the start of this one (yeah I’m totally not letting that one go Molly)

OMG – Jagger is just the best book boyfriend, I utterly adore him. You can tell he is the right choice for Grey from the very beginning. He is protective, her rock yet he allows her to grow independently praising her strengths instead of focussing on any weakness the way others end to treat her following Ben’s death. Obviously, there is a lot of guilt over his feelings for Grey considering she was due to marry his best friend. However, I think it is Ben that should have felt like a douche when he took Grey knowing how Jagger had always felt about her.

The story tends to focus on the conflict both Jagger and Grey feel as their feelings for each other grow into something so much more. I constantly questioned why Grey had been with Ben rather than Jagger from the start. Things just didn’t feel right; the way in which Jagger and Grey fit together perfectly added to my confusion.

I was a little annoyed at how much Grey seemed to wallow in her grief at the beginning of the book. Then grew even angrier when certain people accused her of not caring about Ben when she finally was able to get herself under control. The revelations woven through the story added to the heart-ache and made all the accusations and interactions painfully clear. I told you Molly has a habit of emotionally torturing her characters The dark side of human nature rears its ugly head leaving pain and destruction in its wake. Do we really know people or are they a sum of the things we/they allow us to see. Intense emotions and situations alter people irrevocably.

I just love the idea that a person is your home – that feeling of comfort and security no matter where you are. I hope I’m not too old to find that person for me. I have to say I never felt that way with my Ex – not surprising that he is my Ex than I guess, LOL.

I really like that Molly doesn’t romanticise the families she portrays. They all have their flaws and some have huge negative aspects that serve to add strength to the characters in those situations. I hope that makes sense.

With all the hurdles life can throw in your path; being with your true soul-mate means never having to stumble on your own. Their strength is the safety net you can carry in your heart forever. Pure swoon-worthy romance all wrapped in heart melty goodness that is what Jagger and Grey embody Anything life throws at you ultimately leads you to where you should be and who you should be with.