Wednesday, February 27, 2013

Collide by Gail Mchugh Giveaway and review

Collide by Gail Mchugh
 
Our 4 star review

I had the pleasure of reading an advanced copy of Gail Mchugh's debut novel, Collide.  For her first
novel, the author did an amazing job. With her writing, she managed to convey many
emotions through out this book. Emily has recently lost her mother to cancer. She
decides to move to New York City to be closer to her boyfriend Dillon and her best friend Olivia.   Dillon has been everything she could hope for in a boyfriend. He is her rock and has supported her in every possible way.  Physically, emotionally and financially he was there for her.  He is her world and she cannot see her life without him. That is until Gavin Blake enters her life.

Oh Gavin how I loved you from the moment I (or Emily) met you. Gavin is Mr. tall, dark and handsome. Everything about him is sexy. Gavin has had his share of woman but when he meets Emily for the first time he knows that he is meant to spend his life with her. He understands for the first time what his father meant when he told him that he will know love at first sight when he sees it.  Gavin tries his best to persuade Emily to go out with him but she refuses because because she has a boyfriend that she loves. While she feels the same attraction for Gavin, she owes everything to Dillon and feels great love for him.  Just when she thinks that Gavin will be out of her life forever, they find that they are connected through friendships and staying away from him is going to be an impossible task.

"Here's to bottle caps, the Yankees, and 'birds', and most of all...and most of all to a beautiful girl named Molly who refuses to believe the man who loves her-the man who loves her more than she'll ever know" -Gavin Blake

 Emily fights very hard to keep Gavin out of her thoughts,and to push her feelings aside. The hard part about trying to stay away is knowing that Gavin has feelings for her.  Emily has become a permanent fixture it Gavin's head that he can't seem to get rid of, nor does he want to.  But given the circumstances and the friendships that surround them he knows that he cannot have her. If the only connection they can have is through a friendship, then he decides to take what he can get. But being friends isn't always that simple when you have feelings that are out of your control. Especially if giving in to those feelings will destroy friendships and affect those around them. The only choice is to put those feelings aside and try to move
on, but Gavin and Emily find that is easier said than done.

The author did a wonderful job in the way she introduced the main characters along with background info.   Although Dillon had always been there for Emily, I was not a fan.   He was always there for her when she needed him to be, but honestly I did not trust him at all.  I don't doubt his love for her, I just don't think he deserved her. Emily's character had many likeable qualities, but her decisions frustrated me!  I honestly loved her, but she was very frustrating at times because of the decisions she made. Emily's misplaced sense of loyalty for Dillon caused her to revert back to what was comfortable for her, rather than to seek the unknown with Gavin. She fell weak to Dillon many times and it was mainly because felt a sense of loyalty to him and owed him for being there for her.

Countless flights from New York to Colorado to be with her.  Beautiful gifts he sent to take her mind off the madness that consumed her life. Late night calls talking with her to make sure she was okay. Even down to arranging for the funeral, giving her advise on selling her childhood home and ultimately moving her out to New York. It was all part of why she adored him.



I cannot say enough about Gavin.  The sweet an tender moments that Gavin and Emily shared as friends just made me smile and all warm and fuzzy inside. Gavin just wanted her, all of her and to love her the way she deserved to be loved. McHugh's secondary characters are not mere props, but have strong story lines of
their own. . Her best friend Olivia who had the best nick names for Dillon;  she is not a big fan either.  Then you have Olivia's brother and Emily's co-worker Fallon were strong players in this novel reinforcing the storyline.

Overall I loved this book. This book was filled with two things I love in a book: drama and angst.  I love when a book makes you smile, laugh and even shed a tear, and this book did all of those.  Just when you think you know what is going to happen the author throws some twists in there and it changes everything. Just when you think things are going to go great and you are smiling, bam!! There is another twist that makes your heart just break and you become frustrated all over again.  Let me warn you, this book does not tie up the characters' stories in a nice pretty bow. Having said that, the events leading up to the cliffhanger, are in a word, awesome.


"I've never felt so heart broken and in love at the same time. If you would've told me the day we met that your were going to break my heart-that days, months or even years would pass, and I would still be hurting like this-it wouldn't have stopped me from falling in love with you."

My heart broke for Gavin at times. I loved Gavin and if at all possible, loved him even more in the end.   This was a great ride of emotions and definitely a must read. I actually read the ending twice because it was one of those endings that I couldn't stop thinking about. Great job Gail Mchugh, and please don't keep us waiting too long to see what happens.



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6 comments:

  1. Thanks for the giveaway! :)

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  2. Fantastic Giveaway, I would love to win a signed copy of this book.

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  3. Awesome giveaway! Thank you ! :)

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  4. I would love to have a signed copy of this book! I loved reading it on my Kindle & plan on re-reading it over the summer. Thanks for the giveaway!

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  5. I reviewed the book three times for Gail in three different places!! I loved this book. I was totally absorbed into it and gave it 5 stars!!

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