A is for Alpha B is for Books : Review & Giveaway Long After by Cheryl McIntyre

Friday, October 11

Review & Giveaway Long After by Cheryl McIntyre

Title: Long After

Author: Cheryl McIntyre

Genre: New Adult, Romance

Publication Date: October 15th, 2013

Purchase Links: TBA

Add to: Goodreads

Synopsis

For Annie Phillips, there is a right way to do things and everything has a place. College and her flawless GPA are top priority, as is planning her perfect future. Anything less than perfection is unacceptable. So when she meets Loden Guiles, she believes she has finally found her perfect happily-ever-after.

Chase Malloy is funny, loyal, and an all around nice guy. He’s also sloppy, tattooed, and undirected. All Chase wants to do is survive college, hang out with friends, and make music. Knowing his best friend’s step-sister since they were fourteen, Annie and he have always had a love-hate relationship. The last thing Chase expects is to fall for Annie, but he knows he’ll never live up to her idea of the perfect man.

On the outside, Annie and Loden’s relationship appears picture perfect. But behind closed doors, Annie quickly realizes Loden isn’t the man he pretends to be. Every time her not so well laid plans crumble, and Loden proves to be not so Mr. Right, Chase is there to pick her up and brush her off. Will she realize the perfection she’s been searching for has been in front of her all this time?

My Review

Disgust. Fear. Pain. Lies

I wear my mask, pretending to be something I'm not.

I'm weak and stupid

I'm dying inside.

Annie Phillips works hard to maintain her perfect persona.
Her life is set with organisation and thought out plans. College is about the perfect grades, meet her perfect man and plan out their future.
When Loden comes into the picture, Annie can see him as the one that could fit perfect her future. The large colonial they'll live in, the 2 children they'll have, the nice cars, and charity events.
On Paper, Loden, is a catch, but Annie soon realises that the man that ticks all her boxes is not so perfect after all.
Stuck in an unhealthy relationship, Annie doesn't know what to do, accept the love she thinks she deserves or get out?
What she didn't count on was the one person who will save her, the one man she has hated for the last 7yrs, Chase Malloy.

Chase and Annie have had a silent rivalry since the age of 14.
From the start, Annie felt inferior to Chase. Her way of dealing was to ignore him, make him feel stupid. Chase knew how to push her buttons and she would retaliate.
Pulling pranks on each other was their trademark, until something changed and Annie didn't want to insult Chase anymore.

I wish I could distinguish the defining moment we become more than… Just More.

But I don't know when it happened. Maybe it has always been this way and I just didn't know it. I think thats possible. Maybe every time I made some smart ass remark, what I was really doing was trying to earn his attention.

But Annie is with Loden, and a future with Chase is going nowhere.
As their new friendship grows, Annie, withdraws more into herself. She is living a nightmare with Loden, he becomes jealous of her friendship with Chase, telling her to stop all contact.
Chase starts to notice small things and reaches out to Annie.

"I won't let it happen again"

I shift away, startled by his vow. Afraid of the way I believe him. Sickened by the way I can't tell him the truth...

But Annie's fear consumes her. She holds on to the only attention she gets, even if it's killing her inside.

When Loden goes to far, Chase is there to protect her.

Her eyes meet mine then and there's this pleading, this vulnerability begging for help that I have never seen in Annie before. And I hope I never see it again. I know with out a doubt, as bruised and bloodied as she is, her real pain is inside.

Chase was just perfect, his patience and care with Annie was just beautiful. I loved his smart mouth and fun attitude, but his softness was just swoon worthy. His feelings for Annie grow and they both find themselves healing from the aftermath of Loden. Chase wants Annie but knows he has to take it slow.

When I kiss you for the first time, it's not going to be overpowered with grief and trepidation…

I want your lips healed. Your heart whole. And I want you to be sure I'm who you want. Because I'm not playing around here. I'm all in.

Annie's journey is a struggle and watching her heal and come to terms with what she went through is a tough battle, but she soon realises that Chase makes her feel safe, he is her home. And sometimes you just need to go home.

There isn't anybody I'd rather be in the dark with.

And Chase, he's been living in the dark with me for so long. I just didn't realise it.

With Chase and Annie living their perfect, everything is about to come crashing down.
Chase soon finds himself in his own kind of darkness. Can he save Annie again? Or will this time be too late?

This was brilliant. Cheryl has done it again. Her writing and delivery is superb. You get drawn into her world and you become so invested into her characters you don't want to leave.
I fall in love with her characters more and more each time. I freaking loved Chase. Sweet and funny and just a little smart ass I couldn't get enough of him.
Annie was funny and broken and you just want to cry for her. My heart was breaking for the broken girl that just couldn't see past they way she saw herself.

I loved their chemistry. I love love/hate relationships it's fun and angry and laugh out loud. You will fall in love with their banter and tender moments. Chase.. Sigh, sweet sweet Chase….

"What do you hear?"

"I hear your heart answering mine… It's like music. I could listen to it all night."

The Epilogue/ Bonus Chapter..
Crying tears of perfection. LOVED IT!

If you haven't read this Series you are sorely missing out.
Long After is a companion novel to Sometimes Never and Before Now. Many of the same characters appear in Chase and Annie's story. However, it can be read as a stand-alone book. I suggest you read all three and fall absolutely in love like me!