Indie Book of the Week: Reaction by Jessica Roberts

I fell in love with Jessica's writing after reading her debut novel Reflection last year. Not only was her writing beautiful but the love story was as well. It was a super long and super hard wait for Reaction to be released and when it was I was so very eager to dive right back into the lives of  Heather and Nick. Sadly I wasn't able to get to this as soon as I would have liked but, that was okay because the wait was worth it.

Title: Reaction

Author: Jessica Roberts

Series: Book Two in the Reflections Series (Duology)

Published: November 5, 2012

Genre: New Adult Contemporary

Book Description:

Harmony… 

I’ve previously had that in my life, but only once, briefly, a while ago. It was during the time I’d started my first year of college. My own apartment, a new old car, and a life free of deadbeat stepfathers, all of which was fulfilling enough. But if it wasn’t, I also had a best friend, soul mate, and boyfriend all in one. Yes, life was near perfect.

But one stormy night can change everything… 

For many months I rested in a prolonged sleep, fighting for my life. Well, more than fighting for it, also dreaming of it. Dreaming of him. Thank goodness, the dream is over and I’m back in the real world now. And all I want is for everything to return to the way it was. But nothing’s the same; most of all, us.

Once again, I find myself at the crossroads of a ruthless battle, this time not for life, but love. Do I fight for the guy I twice fell for, or do I let her take him away?

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About the Author:

JESSICA ROBERTS grew up in the San Francisco, California Bay Area where she spent most of her time playing sports alongside her six siblings. She was crowned Miss Teen California her senior year of high school, and went on to Brigham Young University where she graduated in Human Development. Her love of family, church, writing, athletics, and singing and dancing keeps her life busy and fulfilled. She currently resides in Utah with her husband and three children.

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My Thoughts and Review:

I love a good love story and one the stems from friendship and those that you truly have to fight for, are always the best ones, because truly, all great loves should come from great friendship and nothing worth fighting for should ever be easy. 

I fell in love with Roberts' writing after reading the first book in this duology, Reflection. The writing and story was just beautiful and so lyrical that it completely captivated me. The ending left me reeling and sadly feeling at a loss as to what to read next. I didn't want another book, I wanted Reaction the sequel to Reflection and I knew it was going to be a long wait. I knew it was going to be awhile before I could pick up another book and devote my whole attention to it and not still have my thoughts wandering back to Nick and Heather's story, to what their great love would be in the end. Would love prevail? Would they both get their happily ever after? These questions quite frankly haunted me and I was scared for their fate. 

So yeah, I was a little nervous going into this one. I wanted them to be together and whole and have that happily ever after that I so desperately wanted and needed them to have. I had my doubts that they would get it and it wasn't even obvious from the first few chapters if they would. There was no clear path for them to find their way back to each other and that scared me even more because love has to prevail, it just does. My world wouldn't be right if it didn't. 

When I opened this I planned on just reading a few chapters because I just needed to know what happened next. I needed to see some glimmer of hope for Nick and Heather, something that would let me know that they would be okay in the end, whether they ended up with each other or not. I should have known that I wouldn't be able to just read a few chapters. I should have known that I would have to go for it, all or nothing and that is exactly what I ended up doing. I choose going for it, I choose going for all and reading until I couldn't possibly read anymore or until the story was over. 

So, I sat here and I read straight through bedtime, straight through when I should have been snuggled into bed and resting peacefully right into the very early hours of the morning. I couldn't help it, time seemed to stop and I think I held my breath almost the whole way through waiting anxiously to see what would happen. Too see if I would get that ending I so wanted for them and I have to say, Roberts kept me on the edge of my seat. It wasn't ever perfectly clear one way or the other and even though it was torture at the time, I loved it. I really did.

This, once again, was so wonderfully done. So wonderfully told and by the end my heart was full and brimming with happiness at how the author brought it all together and gave them all closure.

All I have to really say is, well done Ms. Roberts and thank you for a beautiful story. 

*All thoughts and opinions are my own and were not influence by the author. I was not compensated for this review.*