When We Collide by A.L. Jackson
Published November 2nd 2012 by Sapphire Star Publishing
Purchased on Amazon
About the book:William has spent six years running from his past and the last eight months trying to rid his mind of the dreams that increasingly haunt his nights. Trapped in a world of false ambitions and feigned affections, William knows he’s reached a breaking point and something’s going to give.
Maggie had lived her entire life without hope until one man showed her what it meant to be loved. He’d been her light in a lifetime of darkness. Six years ago, that darkness stole him away. Without him, she’s surrendered herself to an existence she doesn’t know how to escape.
When the family William left behind is struck by tragedy, he is called back to the one place he’s sworn to never return to again.
In a moment that will change his life forever, William comes face to face with the girl who, with one look, captured his heart. He is unable to ignore the buried desires and the hope for the future they’d once believed they’d have.
Now William is ready to fight to take back what had been stolen from him six years before.
But he never imagined what that fight might cost him.
A.L. Jackson gives you an intimate look into the lives of a family bound by an unseen connection in this new contemporary romance.
My Thoughts:
I still can't stop thinking about this book. A very emotional, suspenseful, gut-wrenching read!
William is going through the motions of life, but he's miserable and lonely. Such an unhappy person, he's in a dead relationship with a woman he can't stand, working for her family's business. He's unfulfilled but most of all he's haunted. Haunted by dreams of a little boy and a past he ran from 6 years prior - where he had fallen in love and she had broken him. But the distance and years did nothing to help him forget her.
I'd lost myself somewhere along the way, and maybe my subconscious was telling me it was time I found that person again, because I sure as hell wasn't happy with who I'd become.
Then tragedy strikes back home and he makes the decision that it's time to go back and leave this horrible rut he's been stuck in. Knowing his family is still hurt by his abrupt departure years before - he knew it was time to face them and make amends or he would continue to live a life of misery.
He returns home and has an encounter with Maggie (and her little boy) - the woman who broke his heart and left him in ruins all of these years. When they first met 6 years ago, he was on a break from college and was at a party with his brother. She was there with her jerk of a boyfriend, who was treating her poorly. It took one look for William to fall hard for her and he was desperate to know her. Then she turned up at his parents house, after his mom had hired her to do their housekeeping. They started spending time together and sneaking off to a park to talk. It was during those times that they confided in each other and started falling in love. He was the only person she could talk to and who knew the truth about her life. And all he wanted was to save her from it. But crushing circumstances would tear them apart and make William run from his family and home in order to try to forget her.
It was everything that I wanted her to know, that it shouldn't hurt to be touched, that it was okay to be adored.
He fought for me. And I'd let him go without putting up my own fight.
Maggie has been through such a horrible ordeal in her life. Abused by her father for years, she's now in an abusive marriage with a man she hates. Out of fear for herself and her son, she's continued living this life of horror, too afraid of what would happen if she tried to leave. But now that William is back home, she starts to feel things again and sees a shadow of hope for some sort of happiness for her and her son, if she's just willing to do something about it.
William's life is completely up-ended when he sees Maggie again and it becomes his obsession to save her and make sure she's safe. This will be a huge challenge and the dangers these two face are horrific and frightening. But even after all of the years that have passed, their connection is still strong and they've never stopped loving each other.
My heart BROKE for these two. William was so sad and full of sorrow over the loss of his one true love and it was gut-wrenching. And to read the horrors that Maggie went through in her life - it was just so emotional and heartbreaking. These two deserved LOVE and happiness!
This story is told in alternating POV's, including flashbacks to their time together 6 years before. Normally I'm not a huge fan of flashbacks - but those parts of the story were so important in setting the stage for their love and the heartaches that came along with it. You had to see what these two went through to get to the place they were now - and then it made the story all the more sweeter at the end.
William is going through the motions of life, but he's miserable and lonely. Such an unhappy person, he's in a dead relationship with a woman he can't stand, working for her family's business. He's unfulfilled but most of all he's haunted. Haunted by dreams of a little boy and a past he ran from 6 years prior - where he had fallen in love and she had broken him. But the distance and years did nothing to help him forget her.
I'd lost myself somewhere along the way, and maybe my subconscious was telling me it was time I found that person again, because I sure as hell wasn't happy with who I'd become.
Then tragedy strikes back home and he makes the decision that it's time to go back and leave this horrible rut he's been stuck in. Knowing his family is still hurt by his abrupt departure years before - he knew it was time to face them and make amends or he would continue to live a life of misery.
He returns home and has an encounter with Maggie (and her little boy) - the woman who broke his heart and left him in ruins all of these years. When they first met 6 years ago, he was on a break from college and was at a party with his brother. She was there with her jerk of a boyfriend, who was treating her poorly. It took one look for William to fall hard for her and he was desperate to know her. Then she turned up at his parents house, after his mom had hired her to do their housekeeping. They started spending time together and sneaking off to a park to talk. It was during those times that they confided in each other and started falling in love. He was the only person she could talk to and who knew the truth about her life. And all he wanted was to save her from it. But crushing circumstances would tear them apart and make William run from his family and home in order to try to forget her.
It was everything that I wanted her to know, that it shouldn't hurt to be touched, that it was okay to be adored.
He fought for me. And I'd let him go without putting up my own fight.
Maggie has been through such a horrible ordeal in her life. Abused by her father for years, she's now in an abusive marriage with a man she hates. Out of fear for herself and her son, she's continued living this life of horror, too afraid of what would happen if she tried to leave. But now that William is back home, she starts to feel things again and sees a shadow of hope for some sort of happiness for her and her son, if she's just willing to do something about it.
William's life is completely up-ended when he sees Maggie again and it becomes his obsession to save her and make sure she's safe. This will be a huge challenge and the dangers these two face are horrific and frightening. But even after all of the years that have passed, their connection is still strong and they've never stopped loving each other.
My heart BROKE for these two. William was so sad and full of sorrow over the loss of his one true love and it was gut-wrenching. And to read the horrors that Maggie went through in her life - it was just so emotional and heartbreaking. These two deserved LOVE and happiness!
This story is told in alternating POV's, including flashbacks to their time together 6 years before. Normally I'm not a huge fan of flashbacks - but those parts of the story were so important in setting the stage for their love and the heartaches that came along with it. You had to see what these two went through to get to the place they were now - and then it made the story all the more sweeter at the end.
It didn't mean our lives weren't filled with hardships, that each day there wasn't a small struggle we had to overcome or a giant obstacle we had to face. It just meant it was worth it.
Under all the scars that lined my body and lined my soul, William saw me. And he loved me as much as I loved him.
I also loved William's family. They were a wonderful added bonus to the story - especially his brother, Blake.
It saddens me and breaks my heart to know this type of violence does go on in the world and it is eye opening to read a story like this, even though it is fiction. It gives perspective and makes you thankful. This book is incredibly emotional, but I highly recommend it.
Under all the scars that lined my body and lined my soul, William saw me. And he loved me as much as I loved him.
I also loved William's family. They were a wonderful added bonus to the story - especially his brother, Blake.
It saddens me and breaks my heart to know this type of violence does go on in the world and it is eye opening to read a story like this, even though it is fiction. It gives perspective and makes you thankful. This book is incredibly emotional, but I highly recommend it.
5 Suns
Thank you so much for reviewing When We Collide! Maggie & William's story means so much to me, and I'm so glad to hear it touched you as well.
ReplyDeleteBrandi, I completely agree with your review. My heart broke and mended and broke again in this book. It completely wrung out my emotions. This was the very first book by A.L. Jackson that I had ever read and I just loved it. I re-read it a few weeks later just because it was on my mind so much. Since reading When We Collide, I have read all but one of Jackson's books and she has become one of my favorite authors!
ReplyDeleteThank you all so much!
ReplyDelete