Tag Archives: emotional

Two hearts, one life-changing summer, and a long-awaited second chance… 

But neither Quinn or Jonah can stay away from each other, especially when old feelings resurface. Something is pulling them back together, and they can’t deny their chemistry for long. One Georgia summer could change both their lives forever, if they can work through their past to have a future together

My Review

“Happiness isn’t in being strong or alone or angry. Happiness isn’t in the past. Happiness is found as you turn away from the past and toward the future you make”

As You Turn Away was an intense, emotional read for me. This book follows the story of Quinn and Jonah.  Quinn left home at the age of 18 after years of trying ,but failing to be the perfection her mother demanded.  She was suffocating, lost and couldn’t stay home a moment longer. Her decision to leave home was anything but easy. Quinn’s now in New York, living her own life and living her dream. Years have passed, and Quinn finally returns home for a visit. She knows that the visit is not going to go well, but had no idea her visit would play out the way that it did.  Quinn is left trying to cope with the tragedy that has struck her and to put the pieces of her life back together. The last thing she expected, was for Jonah to suddenly reappear……. When Jonah left home with his heartbroken, he cut ties with everyone. He became someone he didn’t even recognize anymore. But, the time has come for him to come home and make things right. It’s time to repair the damage with his family and be the man that he knows he can be……Meanwhile, Fate has plans of her own. Try as they might, Quinn and Jonah can’t seem to stay away from one another.  They still feel that pull, that connection to one another that refuses to be denied. Their lives have been forever changed. But will they be able to put the past behind them? Will Quinn and Jonah finally have a future together??
 

As You Turn Away took me on one heck of a roller-coaster ride. I felt that it was well written and pulled me in from the very first page.  It was a great story of first love, heartbreak and that second chance at love:

“What we have…is something most folks wait a lifetime for, and only touch for a heartbeat. They let go too quickly, or they’re too scared to hold on, or they never see what’s right in front of them. But we’re going to hold on as tight as we can.”

“Quinn, the Walker boys were raised right-to love, serve, and respect women. To treat us as equals. They’re a rare breed, and once you’ve loved one of them, you’re ruined for anyone else”

This story also handled some tough subject matter with loss and grief. I think the author did an amazing job of dealing with the loss and the struggle to get help. As well as the struggle to admit that things are not okay and the path that you have to take to fix yourself.

“This summer had been about finding herself, and learning to accept love in its various forms — and to give love.”

I really enjoyed the characters in this story as well. I felt that they were all very easy to connect with and the Walker boys were very entertaining.  And I hope that they will get their own stories in the future!

Jonah….What can I say about Jonah. I felt so bad for him. Quinn broke his heart. Completely destroyed him. But Quinn wasn’t the only one who said or did something hurtful. Jonah played his part and had to live with the regret of his decisions. He tried to deny that he still had feelings for Quinn, but as they saying goes “true love never dies” and once he realizes that his feelings aren’t going anywhere, he starts focusing on how to repair what was lost.

“He hadn’t believed it was possible when his brother’s told him the past could be the past, but now the seconds between them stretched full of infinite possibilities. Infinite moments full of laughter and hope and love. Infinite days, strung together into a future that was their own. He had to be the man he’d spent so long waiting to be.”

And that was one of things that I admired so much about Jonah, was that he never gave up. Even when things looked terrible and all hope was lost, he refused to give up on his love.

I found this book to be a very enjoyable read.  I was captivated and got lost in Quinn and Jonah’s story. As You Turn Away is going to be one those books that stays with me for a long time. It’s beautiful, heartbreaking and full of hope all at the same time. I can’t wait for the next book and see what happens next!

* I was given an ARC copy of this book in exchange for an honest review*

*Teaser Credit: Via Author’s FB Page