Cecelia Merrill was used to being on her own. Lost and lonely, Lia couldn’t wait to graduate and watch her judgmental little town fade behind her. All she had to do was survive three more years of high school, and she was free. She wouldn’t let anything hold her back.
Craig Knightly had almost achieved what no one in his family had before – all he had to do was complete his student-teaching assignment, and in less than a year, he would have a college degree. He was ready to put down roots and start his life. Nothing was going to stand in the way of his dreams.
Sometimes all it takes is a moment for everything to change.
A student and her teacher. A coach and his athlete. An unexpected friendship. Forbidden feelings between an unlikely pair.
Neither is playing a game they can win.
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5 Stars
Review by Jen Skewes
**This may contain spoilers if you have not read Forever Red yet**
I don't even know where to begin with this review. I guess I can start by saying how much I loved this book. I wasn't sure if I would be able to fall in love with Craig and Lia as a couple or Craig as a person but I did. For anyone that has read Forever Red this is Lia and Craig's story. We see how they met, what they meant to each other and what really happened between them. This is all before Nate Kelly came into her life. Being a Nate lover I was a little skeptical as to whether or not I could love Craig but Carina Adams made it happen. And that is what I love about her writing and this book.
Lia was the girl that people would talk about behind her back. The girl that people would call trash because of where she lived and how she grew up. But Lia was smart and beautiful and regardless of how things may be at home she gave 100% when it came to school and sports. When she met her coach Craig McKnightly, there was this connection that she felt with him. Everything about it was wrong for so many reasons but she couldn't help how she felt. They formed a bond, a friendship. She leaned on him when she needed to and he had no problem letting her. They never crossed that line in the beginning but as time went on their feelings for each other became too strong for them to ignore or deny. Becoming more than friends, crossing that student/teacher line has very bad consequences for the both of them. So how far will they go? Will they both risk everything to be together?
As I mentioned above I fell in love with Craig. Ms. Adams did such an amazing job with this book that it never felt like anything more than Lia and Craig's story. To me this never felt like a prequel to another story. This book was simply about a girl who fell for her teacher. And a teacher who couldn't help the feelings he has for his student. Craig wanted to take care of her and protect her and love her. No matter how wrong it was, everything about them just felt right. And that is what I loved.
I always wondered about their relationship and you get to see what role Craig played in her life. You see why these two meant something to each other. You see and understand so much of the two of them both separately and together. It was emotional at times, and my heart broke for Lia. she was so much more than the person that people thought she was. She may have come from a broken home, had a mother who was never around, and lived in a trailer park, but she was so much bigger that all of that and the little town she lived in. She was so strong for her age and I admired her so much. she is one of those characters that will always stay with you. I love Craig and while there were times I wanted to throat punch him you could see how much Lia meant to him. You truly see the connection that they have.
I am and always will be a Nate Kelly lover. In my heart I know that him and Lia are truly meant to be. But I am so happy that Carina Adams gave us this story. It was just perfect!. I was able to truly understand the love these two had and why no matter what happened they would always be someone special in their life. He was nothing like the man I thought him to be and that is what I loved. If you have read Forever Red and loved Nate like I did or are too nervous to read this book. My advice to you is to just do it!! Go in with a completely open mind, forget everything else and just embrace this story for what it was. A beautiful love story between a young girl and her teacher. A story about a girl from the wrong side of the tacks and the man who made he feel special and loved. Was it taboo? Of course but never once did it feel that way to me. Thank you Carina or giving us this story. I cannot wait for Craig's story.
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EXCERPT
“Ground
rules. You feel up to making them now?” She nodded. I rubbed my palms on my
sweats. “You start.”
rules. You feel up to making them now?” She nodded. I rubbed my palms on my
sweats. “You start.”
“One:
Whatever
we talk about, whatever I tell you, whatever you tell me, stays between us. I
don’t share with my friends. You don’t share with yours.”
Whatever
we talk about, whatever I tell you, whatever you tell me, stays between us. I
don’t share with my friends. You don’t share with yours.”
I
didn’t even hesitate when it was my turn. “Two: We acknowledge
that we’re attracted to each other and then never talk about it again.”
didn’t even hesitate when it was my turn. “Two: We acknowledge
that we’re attracted to each other and then never talk about it again.”
The
smirk I loved made an appearance. “That’s your ground rule?” The admonishment
in her voice was almost laughable. “Whatever.” She rolled her eyes. “Fine. I
think you’re hot. Until you talk. Then you just bug me.” I laughed, but she
continued, “Three: Our significant others come first. We don’t blow them off to
spend time with each other.”
smirk I loved made an appearance. “That’s your ground rule?” The admonishment
in her voice was almost laughable. “Whatever.” She rolled her eyes. “Fine. I
think you’re hot. Until you talk. Then you just bug me.” I laughed, but she
continued, “Three: Our significant others come first. We don’t blow them off to
spend time with each other.”
“You
have a boyfriend I don’t know about?” The words came out before I could stop
them, and I could tell by the irritated look on her face that I hadn’t hidden the jealous tone. “Have someone in
mind?” I asked, my voice a little more even.
have a boyfriend I don’t know about?” The words came out before I could stop
them, and I could tell by the irritated look on her face that I hadn’t hidden the jealous tone. “Have someone in
mind?” I asked, my voice a little more even.
“Not
yet,” she snapped. “But, when I do, I won’t be blowing off weekend plans with
him to stay home and take care of you. You need to put Whitney first. I’ll
understand. When it’s my turn, you’ll understand.”
yet,” she snapped. “But, when I do, I won’t be blowing off weekend plans with
him to stay home and take care of you. You need to put Whitney first. I’ll
understand. When it’s my turn, you’ll understand.”
“Speaking
of, we don’t talk about them. Whitney and your mystery guy.”
of, we don’t talk about them. Whitney and your mystery guy.”
“Ever?
How is that a good rule?” she demanded, scowling. “No. Four: We can talk about
whoever we’re dating, but we can’t complain.”
How is that a good rule?” she demanded, scowling. “No. Four: We can talk about
whoever we’re dating, but we can’t complain.”
“You
can’t change my rule.”
can’t change my rule.”
“I
didn’t change it. I simply used my turn to overrule yours.”
didn’t change it. I simply used my turn to overrule yours.”
“You
made two rules. If you make two, I get two.”
made two rules. If you make two, I get two.”
“You
are such a pain.” She sighed dramatically. “Go ahead, make two.”
are such a pain.” She sighed dramatically. “Go ahead, make two.”
“Sex,”
she interrupted. “We never talk about sex. I can’t think of anything else.”
she interrupted. “We never talk about sex. I can’t think of anything else.”
“Sex,”
I agreed. “Five: We never talk about sex. I mean it.”
I agreed. “Five: We never talk about sex. I mean it.”
She
lifted a shoulder in a half-shrug.
“That’s all you, buddy. I’m not the one who has a girlfriend.”
lifted a shoulder in a half-shrug.
“That’s all you, buddy. I’m not the one who has a girlfriend.”
“When
you do, we don’t talk about it.”
you do, we don’t talk about it.”
“Not
a problem. Girls are pretty and all, but they’re not my thing,” Lia sassed, completely undaunted as if this was the rule she wasn’t taking seriously.
“That’s one. What’s your next rule?”
a problem. Girls are pretty and all, but they’re not my thing,” Lia sassed, completely undaunted as if this was the rule she wasn’t taking seriously.
“That’s one. What’s your next rule?”
Needing
to make sure she understood this, above all else, was the one we needed to
follow, I clasped my hands and leaned forward. I didn’t need to say anything,
just gave her a pointed look. She knew me well enough to understand I was
getting agitated.
to make sure she understood this, above all else, was the one we needed to
follow, I clasped my hands and leaned forward. I didn’t need to say anything,
just gave her a pointed look. She knew me well enough to understand I was
getting agitated.
“Isn’t
this against your rules? We’re talking about it right now.”
this against your rules? We’re talking about it right now.”
“Lia,”
I growled in warning. I knew her just as well as she knew me. “Not talking
about it means you don’t ask questions. You don’t ask my opinion. You don’t
tell me one tiny detail simply because you insist it’s something I have to know.”
I growled in warning. I knew her just as well as she knew me. “Not talking
about it means you don’t ask questions. You don’t ask my opinion. You don’t
tell me one tiny detail simply because you insist it’s something I have to know.”
“Good
God! This entire conversation is embarrassing. I’m not going to have sex, but
if I do, I swear to all that is holy that I will not mention it to you!” The
blush crept up her cheeks as she threw her hands in the air annoyed. She was
too fucking cute.
God! This entire conversation is embarrassing. I’m not going to have sex, but
if I do, I swear to all that is holy that I will not mention it to you!” The
blush crept up her cheeks as she threw her hands in the air annoyed. She was
too fucking cute.
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