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nellesnightstand1's review against another edition
4.0
I've read the entire Risking It All series and have loved every one of them! Mark and Jessica have chemistry that's off the charts! A breakup in the past deters them for quite a while. Mark is a closed off guy and Jessica is very bitter towards him.
In this book they start to meet in the middle and then it moves quickly from there. I loved the end to this great series!!
In this book they start to meet in the middle and then it moves quickly from there. I loved the end to this great series!!
nellesnightstand's review against another edition
4.0
I've read the entire Risking It All series and have loved every one of them! Mark and Jessica have chemistry that's off the charts! A breakup in the past deters them for quite a while. Mark is a closed off guy and Jessica is very bitter towards him.
In this book they start to meet in the middle and then it moves quickly from there. I loved the end to this great series!!
In this book they start to meet in the middle and then it moves quickly from there. I loved the end to this great series!!
kbranfield's review
3.0
3.5 stars.
Can't Forget You by Rachel Lacey is a wonderful second chance at love romance between former high school sweethearts. This third installment in the Risking it All series features Mark Dalton (le sigh) and Jessica Flynn and can be read as a standalone.
Mark and Jessica have avoided each other as much as possible ever since he returned to Haven to go into business with his best friends, Ethan Hunter and Ryan Blake. Of the three men, Mark is the most damaged by his childhood and he is the epitome of the strong, silent type. Intensely private, Mark does not reveal much about his childhood, the years he has been away or his Army career. Although he has no regrets about moving back to Haven or going into business with his friends, Mark still struggles with feeling like he does not belong. After he continues to cross paths with Jessica, Mark realizes his feelings for her have not changed over the years but will he be able to overcome his fears that he is not relationship material?
Jessica is still pretty hurt and angry over Mark's decision to leave her behind when he joined the Army. Despite sharing friends in common, she has been fairly successful in avoiding him but when their business interests end up overlapping, she has no choice but to spend time with him. When he continues to show his caring and compassionate side while she is going through a difficult time, Jessica tentatively agrees to explore their simmering attraction. Eventually deciding to take their relationship public, will they finally find their happily ever after?
Despite his emotional baggage, Mark is a very kind-hearted and affectionate man. He finds it difficult to discuss his problems and when he is stressed or worried, he needs time alone to process his emotions. Due to how their romance ended years earlier, Jessica wants full transparency from him which is a reasonable request when it comes to issues that pertain directly to their relationship. When it comes to other aspects of Mark's life, this is a bit of an unrealistic and unfair expectation since everyone is entitled to their privacy. He should also have the choice to decide what he wants to share and he should also be able to decide when to share this info. This becomes a problem when Jessica stumbles across information that has NOTHING to do with her or their relationship but in her opinion, she feels like he should have divulged this to her. She then blindsides Mark with her discovery and proceeds to issue an unfair ultimatum that will either make or break their relationship. This is the "big misunderstanding" that becomes the pivotal moment for their future and although it was wrapped up fairly quickly, this entire situation felt entirely unfair to Mark since it is tantamount to emotional blackmail by Jessica.
There was one other part of the story that did not make a good impression. Mark is an intensely private person so it felt like a bit of betrayal when Jessica discussed extremely intimate details about him with her friends. If they were having a casual fling, it would be slightly more acceptable to disclose this information but since Jessica is hoping for a long term relationship with him, these revelations were very inappropriate.
Despite a few flaws, Can't Forget You is a sweet yet very sensual romance. Mark has been a bit of an enigma throughout the Risking It All series so getting to know him on a more personal level is an absolute joy but also a bit heartbreaking once the truth about his past is revealed . Jessica has many good points but she treated Mark very unfairly when she discovered unexpected information about his past. Mark and Jessica have an explosive chemistry and their sex scenes are blazing hot. Readers of contemporary romances will enjoy this newest release from Rachel Lacey.
Can't Forget You by Rachel Lacey is a wonderful second chance at love romance between former high school sweethearts. This third installment in the Risking it All series features Mark Dalton (le sigh) and Jessica Flynn and can be read as a standalone.
Mark and Jessica have avoided each other as much as possible ever since he returned to Haven to go into business with his best friends, Ethan Hunter and Ryan Blake. Of the three men, Mark is the most damaged by his childhood and he is the epitome of the strong, silent type. Intensely private, Mark does not reveal much about his childhood, the years he has been away or his Army career. Although he has no regrets about moving back to Haven or going into business with his friends, Mark still struggles with feeling like he does not belong. After he continues to cross paths with Jessica, Mark realizes his feelings for her have not changed over the years but will he be able to overcome his fears that he is not relationship material?
Jessica is still pretty hurt and angry over Mark's decision to leave her behind when he joined the Army. Despite sharing friends in common, she has been fairly successful in avoiding him but when their business interests end up overlapping, she has no choice but to spend time with him. When he continues to show his caring and compassionate side while she is going through a difficult time, Jessica tentatively agrees to explore their simmering attraction. Eventually deciding to take their relationship public, will they finally find their happily ever after?
Despite his emotional baggage, Mark is a very kind-hearted and affectionate man. He finds it difficult to discuss his problems and when he is stressed or worried, he needs time alone to process his emotions. Due to how their romance ended years earlier, Jessica wants full transparency from him which is a reasonable request when it comes to issues that pertain directly to their relationship. When it comes to other aspects of Mark's life, this is a bit of an unrealistic and unfair expectation since everyone is entitled to their privacy. He should also have the choice to decide what he wants to share and he should also be able to decide when to share this info. This becomes a problem when Jessica stumbles across information that has NOTHING to do with her or their relationship but in her opinion, she feels like he should have divulged this to her. She then blindsides Mark with her discovery and proceeds to issue an unfair ultimatum that will either make or break their relationship. This is the "big misunderstanding" that becomes the pivotal moment for their future and although it was wrapped up fairly quickly, this entire situation felt entirely unfair to Mark since it is tantamount to emotional blackmail by Jessica.
There was one other part of the story that did not make a good impression. Mark is an intensely private person so it felt like a bit of betrayal when Jessica discussed extremely intimate details about him with her friends. If they were having a casual fling, it would be slightly more acceptable to disclose this information but since Jessica is hoping for a long term relationship with him, these revelations were very inappropriate.
Despite a few flaws, Can't Forget You is a sweet yet very sensual romance. Mark has been a bit of an enigma throughout the Risking It All series so getting to know him on a more personal level is an absolute joy but also a bit heartbreaking once the truth about his past is revealed . Jessica has many good points but she treated Mark very unfairly when she discovered unexpected information about his past. Mark and Jessica have an explosive chemistry and their sex scenes are blazing hot. Readers of contemporary romances will enjoy this newest release from Rachel Lacey.
sasha2599's review
5.0
4.5 stars! I adore this series so much! I love this group of three men who run Off-the-Grid Adventures and met in a group home as boys and have stayed close. I was so glad to finally get to know Mark in Book 3 with a second chance romance. Lacey writes with warmth and creates such real characters who show authentic emotion. Closed-off Mark has never stopped caring for his high school girlfriend Jessica- and she's never met anyone who held a candle to Mark either. Thank goodness business dealings brought these two back together! Their chemistry was immediate and off the charts! This was a fast read, perfect for a winter day by the fire. I'm super sad to see this series come to an end!
**I voluntarily read an advance copy via netgalley.com**
**I voluntarily read an advance copy via netgalley.com**
rankkaapina's review
3.0
I liked this, but I think I will like the other books more... But I got this from a library, so I'm pretty happy :)
whiskeyinthejar's review
2.0
Hero broke up with heroine after high school without a goodbye to join the army. A suicide bomber ends his career and he comes back state side to run an adventure company with two buddies. The hero and heroine end up having to buy a parcel of land together and reconnect from there.
This was so lifeless and had a couple paint-by-numbers points, highschool love, PTSD from military service, and abandonment issues from parents. Then had a couple random thrown in points, heroine suffering from mysterious illness, turns out to be, and None of the random points are really fleshed out, especially the last one, a lot of what was the point, story elements going on.
The romance and relationship development between the two was seriously lacking, they just kind of start meeting up and then having sex again. This was a lifeless story that felt like it was just going through the motions.
This was so lifeless and had a couple paint-by-numbers points, highschool love, PTSD from military service, and abandonment issues from parents. Then had a couple random thrown in points, heroine suffering from mysterious illness, turns out to be
Spoiler
Lyme's diseaseSpoiler
hero's mother shows up randomly.The romance and relationship development between the two was seriously lacking, they just kind of start meeting up and then having sex again. This was a lifeless story that felt like it was just going through the motions.
xakyr's review against another edition
4.0
FTC DISCLAIMER: I RECEIVED AN E-ARC FROM THE PUBLISHER/AUTHOR THROUGH NET GALLEY. I VOLUNTARILY OFFER MY HONEST REVIEW OF THE BOOK, THOUGH IT IS NOT EXPECTED OF ME! RECEIPT OF THIS BOOK IN THIS MANNER DOES NOT AFFECT MY OPINION OF THE BOOK OR THE CONTENT OF MY REVIEW!
I've been pleasantly surprised by this entire series, so this book was no exception to that standard either! It made me very interested in reading more of this author's small town romances!
I really enjoyed the second chances trope in this story, and it is rare that I do enjoy those types of stories. Jessica and Mark reminded me of the story of my romance with my current husband, which was a tribute to the storytelling that the author did. Mark even reminded me of my husband, with his failure to communicate, even though that was a mark against him as a character!
I liked the side storyline of Jessica's illness. It imparted some interesting information about the disease, without going into excessive detail. It made me wonder if the author had experienced anything similar, which made the character easier to relate to.
I liked seeing how the previous couples in the series were doing, as it gave me a glimpse into their lives after the Happily Ever Afters. This is definitely a book where reading the previous books in the series enhances the book, even if it isn't absolutely necessary to do so.
All things considered, this was a great read, and I see a lot of potential for continuing the series with other heroines from Jessica's circle of friends. I would definitely recommend reading this book!
I've been pleasantly surprised by this entire series, so this book was no exception to that standard either! It made me very interested in reading more of this author's small town romances!
I really enjoyed the second chances trope in this story, and it is rare that I do enjoy those types of stories. Jessica and Mark reminded me of the story of my romance with my current husband, which was a tribute to the storytelling that the author did. Mark even reminded me of my husband, with his failure to communicate, even though that was a mark against him as a character!
I liked the side storyline of Jessica's illness. It imparted some interesting information about the disease, without going into excessive detail. It made me wonder if the author had experienced anything similar, which made the character easier to relate to.
I liked seeing how the previous couples in the series were doing, as it gave me a glimpse into their lives after the Happily Ever Afters. This is definitely a book where reading the previous books in the series enhances the book, even if it isn't absolutely necessary to do so.
All things considered, this was a great read, and I see a lot of potential for continuing the series with other heroines from Jessica's circle of friends. I would definitely recommend reading this book!
jcmbank's review
emotional
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
nwreader's review
2.0
*TON OF SPOILERS*
I wanted a quick, simple read which I did get from this but oh boy did the female lead irritate me towards the end. She knows that her love interest is very private and they promised not to tell their friends about their relationship just yet--but she went ahead and told about 5 people (which he found out about because the said friends confronted him randomly one day).
Towards the beginning of the story, he discovers that his birth mother who abandoned him at the age of 6 is back in town trying to get ahold of him. This is so traumatic in general, let alone he already has some PTSD from the Army he's been living with. Well, long story short the Mom leaves him a note, he's pissed and gives it to his dog to chew up. Well, his girlfriend goes to his place while he's away, finds the note and calls his mother. Wtf?! THEN she brings it up to him and somehow makes herself the victim because "he didn't tell her about everything with his mom".
Girl...I just can't.
I get some of the whole, "don't lie to me" or "be honest" but jeez...family traumas take a bit of time to process and handle before divulging to your new partner who tells people everything.
Again, I didn't completely dislike the book obviously (haha) but Jessica's character needs to get her head out of her ass and worry about her own crap.
P.S. I agree with the other reviewers this is now k own as the Lyme Disease book.
I wanted a quick, simple read which I did get from this but oh boy did the female lead irritate me towards the end. She knows that her love interest is very private and they promised not to tell their friends about their relationship just yet--but she went ahead and told about 5 people (which he found out about because the said friends confronted him randomly one day).
Towards the beginning of the story, he discovers that his birth mother who abandoned him at the age of 6 is back in town trying to get ahold of him. This is so traumatic in general, let alone he already has some PTSD from the Army he's been living with. Well, long story short the Mom leaves him a note, he's pissed and gives it to his dog to chew up. Well, his girlfriend goes to his place while he's away, finds the note and calls his mother. Wtf?! THEN she brings it up to him and somehow makes herself the victim because "he didn't tell her about everything with his mom".
Girl...I just can't.
I get some of the whole, "don't lie to me" or "be honest" but jeez...family traumas take a bit of time to process and handle before divulging to your new partner who tells people everything.
Again, I didn't completely dislike the book obviously (haha) but Jessica's character needs to get her head out of her ass and worry about her own crap.
P.S. I agree with the other reviewers this is now k own as the Lyme Disease book.
ssejig's review
3.0
Mark Dalton grew up an orphan in a small-ish town. The one person he clung to was Jessica Flynn. At least until he unceremoniously dumped her right and left town to join the Special Forces. He's been back in town for awhile and now is trying to buy the plot of land that is in between her spa property and he and his friends outdoor recreation area.
Jessica isn't thrilled that Mark is back in town but she's mostly been trying to avoid him. Even if that old heat is still there....
There were some B plots that weren't woven into the main plot very well and I didn't love the Big Misunderstanding that was woven throughout the story but it was still a fast, fun, and fluffy book.
Three stars
This book comes out December 19
ARC kindly provided by NetGalley
Follows Crazy For You
Jessica isn't thrilled that Mark is back in town but she's mostly been trying to avoid him. Even if that old heat is still there....
There were some B plots that weren't woven into the main plot very well and I didn't love the Big Misunderstanding that was woven throughout the story but it was still a fast, fun, and fluffy book.
Three stars
This book comes out December 19
ARC kindly provided by NetGalley
Follows Crazy For You