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socprofreads's review against another edition
5.0
Loved this sweet story of Ash and Willow. Seemingly opposite, but just what each other needs. A. L. Jackson does not disappoint.
I feel this can be a standalone, but why would anyone NOT want to read the entire Bleeding Stars series??
I feel this can be a standalone, but why would anyone NOT want to read the entire Bleeding Stars series??
j_the_bookworm's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
5.0
This book is Ash's book from the Bleeding Stars series. You do not have to read the others in order to read this one. Ash is the bassist of Sunder. He is the easy going, no relationship guy....but you can tell deep down that there is hurt there. Willow finds Ash on the road outside her shop and they both feel a connection/spark that neither has felt. The two start as friends and find love.......great read, love the journey that the two of these go thru to find their HEA!
beckyrendon's review against another edition
5.0
I may be a bleeding heart for the Bleeding Stars series but when you read poetry like this:
"We bled with the stars.
Where they streaked and wept across the endless sky.
Infinite.
Burning bright right before they quickly burned out.
Ashes."
How do you put into words the way that makes your heart clench? How do you explain the way you have fallen in love with a fictional bad boy? How do you tell someone the joy, the mystifying happiness, and exquisite peace that love brings?
Words that evoke feelings are special. Writing a book that makes me cry isn't that hard, but a book that makes you feel everything- that's priceless.
I read to escape. I read to feel that kind of love over and over again. I read to find more joy in an otherwise lack luster day.
A.L. Jackson has her reasons for writing. I just hope whatever they are she never gives them up.
Stay is another story from the boys of Sunder. It is the story of a closely guarded disguise being shredded. The word "Stay" may not be as powerful to some as love, but it so much more...
reviewed for Sweet Spot Sisterhood
"We bled with the stars.
Where they streaked and wept across the endless sky.
Infinite.
Burning bright right before they quickly burned out.
Ashes."
How do you put into words the way that makes your heart clench? How do you explain the way you have fallen in love with a fictional bad boy? How do you tell someone the joy, the mystifying happiness, and exquisite peace that love brings?
Words that evoke feelings are special. Writing a book that makes me cry isn't that hard, but a book that makes you feel everything- that's priceless.
I read to escape. I read to feel that kind of love over and over again. I read to find more joy in an otherwise lack luster day.
A.L. Jackson has her reasons for writing. I just hope whatever they are she never gives them up.
Stay is another story from the boys of Sunder. It is the story of a closely guarded disguise being shredded. The word "Stay" may not be as powerful to some as love, but it so much more...
reviewed for Sweet Spot Sisterhood
caseroo7's review against another edition
4.0
Find this review and more at Ramblings From This Chick
I am fairly late to the game when it comes to the Bleeding Stars series by A.L. Jackson. I recently became a fan of hers and since then I had only read Wait from this series. I really enjoyed it though, so I jumped at the chance to read Stay. I have to say though that after reading Stay, I am absolutely loving this series and I cannot wait to go back and read the previous books! A.L. Jackson has such a way with words, and I cannot recommend her books enough!
Ash has always embraced the rockstar lifestyle, especially now that his bandmates have started settling down. But when that lifestyle finally caught up to him, he never expected to have someone like Willow come to his rescue. He knows he needs to show her his gratitude, but he finds himself drawn to her and soon things become so much more. But with Willow being as broken as he is deep down, will these two heal each other or destroy everything that they have started to build together?
I couldn't wait to get to know Ash better after Wait, and I loved him even more than I thought I would! I loved getting to see his layers as his facade was stripped away! There was so much more beneath the surface than he showed. Willow was so good for him. Each of these two had so much depth to them, and I felt so emotionally invested in their story. Willow had been through so much in her life, that I really loved seeing her with Ash. Their chemistry was so strong and they were sexy together, yet it was so much more than that. I knew that these two absolutely belonged together, and I knew that their journey wouldn't be easy but that in the end it would be worth it.
A.L. Jackson definitely delivered here, and I couldn't put Stay down. I loved it and it was such an emotional read. If you are new to Jackson's books, they are beautifully written and will draw you in right away. Stay was everything I have come to love and expect from her stories, and I recommend it if you are looking for something sexy, emotional, and truly heartfelt. This book is one of my favorites from Jackson so far, and I can't wait to read more from her.
**ARC Provided by Author**
I am fairly late to the game when it comes to the Bleeding Stars series by A.L. Jackson. I recently became a fan of hers and since then I had only read Wait from this series. I really enjoyed it though, so I jumped at the chance to read Stay. I have to say though that after reading Stay, I am absolutely loving this series and I cannot wait to go back and read the previous books! A.L. Jackson has such a way with words, and I cannot recommend her books enough!
Ash has always embraced the rockstar lifestyle, especially now that his bandmates have started settling down. But when that lifestyle finally caught up to him, he never expected to have someone like Willow come to his rescue. He knows he needs to show her his gratitude, but he finds himself drawn to her and soon things become so much more. But with Willow being as broken as he is deep down, will these two heal each other or destroy everything that they have started to build together?
I couldn't wait to get to know Ash better after Wait, and I loved him even more than I thought I would! I loved getting to see his layers as his facade was stripped away! There was so much more beneath the surface than he showed. Willow was so good for him. Each of these two had so much depth to them, and I felt so emotionally invested in their story. Willow had been through so much in her life, that I really loved seeing her with Ash. Their chemistry was so strong and they were sexy together, yet it was so much more than that. I knew that these two absolutely belonged together, and I knew that their journey wouldn't be easy but that in the end it would be worth it.
A.L. Jackson definitely delivered here, and I couldn't put Stay down. I loved it and it was such an emotional read. If you are new to Jackson's books, they are beautifully written and will draw you in right away. Stay was everything I have come to love and expect from her stories, and I recommend it if you are looking for something sexy, emotional, and truly heartfelt. This book is one of my favorites from Jackson so far, and I can't wait to read more from her.
**ARC Provided by Author**
mycatismybookmark's review against another edition
4.0
“What got me most was the familiarity that wouldn’t let go. It was a sense of being ties to her in some fundamental way.”
The Bleeding Stars novels are all filled with beautifully devastating stories that fill your heart with hope then squash it like a grape, and then fill it back up with hope. They leave you with a wistful smile and a contented sigh.
“He made me hope. Sparked something inside that’d been missing for so long. Maybe forever.”
Jackson’s writing makes you feel the hurt, the loss, the anguish in the backstories of both the male and female characters. And she makes you feel the joy, and love, and hope she gives the Sunder boys and their ladies.
“He walked into my store and told me he’d give me anything. To name it and it was done. And the only thing I wanted? I wanted him to stay.”
Baz and Shea’s will forever be my favorite of the series but Ash and Willow are a close second. I love the slow build-up to between them. It’s not an insta-love (maybe insta-attraction) story. Both of their hearts have been broken and the losses between them have closed them off to ever giving their hearts to anyone again. While they say it’s just for pretend, it’s anything but. It’s real. It’s forever.
*****
***** Spoiler-y so skip if you have not yet read Stay *****
I had a few knit-picky grievances with certain elements of the story.
Why did none of the guys who attacked Ash get arrested or go to jail? Bates admitted it was him and at least his best friend, Billy, in front of Willow’s reunion. And I honestly thought there was going to be more storyline dealing with Bates betrayal of Willow but no details came of that.
When the story leads up to the climax issue that sunders Ash and Willow, I just kept think “no, no, no.” I don’t personally like that that connection to both of their pasts. I’d rather that Ash’s Anna was not at all tied to Willow.
I appreciate how Donna from www.theromancecover.com similarly related to my qualms in her own review: “The story did take a direction that I personally felt wasn’t needed and actually left a little sour taste in my mouth…”
I just didn’t care for how I felt once that connection between their past was made. It was the part of the story I wish I could change the most.
*****
As always, Jackson leaves you with a sweet HEA and epilogue. I just wish we got a little more of the HEA after the story buildup and climax. But when the story is so good, how could you not want more? And of course we still have Zee’s story to look forward to, so we’ll see more of all the Sunder boys and their families.
* Note: While the Bleeding Stars novels are stand-alones (with the exception of Baz and Shea’s story spanning two books: A Stone in the Sea and Drowning the Breathe) I’d feel like you would miss out on a lot of the context and backstories that are presented started with the beginning novels. Plus I love seeing the characters live move forward throughout the books.
The Bleeding Stars novels are all filled with beautifully devastating stories that fill your heart with hope then squash it like a grape, and then fill it back up with hope. They leave you with a wistful smile and a contented sigh.
“He made me hope. Sparked something inside that’d been missing for so long. Maybe forever.”
Jackson’s writing makes you feel the hurt, the loss, the anguish in the backstories of both the male and female characters. And she makes you feel the joy, and love, and hope she gives the Sunder boys and their ladies.
“He walked into my store and told me he’d give me anything. To name it and it was done. And the only thing I wanted? I wanted him to stay.”
Baz and Shea’s will forever be my favorite of the series but Ash and Willow are a close second. I love the slow build-up to between them. It’s not an insta-love (maybe insta-attraction) story. Both of their hearts have been broken and the losses between them have closed them off to ever giving their hearts to anyone again. While they say it’s just for pretend, it’s anything but. It’s real. It’s forever.
*****
***** Spoiler-y so skip if you have not yet read Stay *****
I had a few knit-picky grievances with certain elements of the story.
Why did none of the guys who attacked Ash get arrested or go to jail? Bates admitted it was him and at least his best friend, Billy, in front of Willow’s reunion. And I honestly thought there was going to be more storyline dealing with Bates betrayal of Willow but no details came of that.
When the story leads up to the climax issue that sunders Ash and Willow, I just kept think “no, no, no.” I don’t personally like that that connection to both of their pasts. I’d rather that Ash’s Anna was not at all tied to Willow.
I appreciate how Donna from www.theromancecover.com similarly related to my qualms in her own review: “The story did take a direction that I personally felt wasn’t needed and actually left a little sour taste in my mouth…”
I just didn’t care for how I felt once that connection between their past was made. It was the part of the story I wish I could change the most.
*****
As always, Jackson leaves you with a sweet HEA and epilogue. I just wish we got a little more of the HEA after the story buildup and climax. But when the story is so good, how could you not want more? And of course we still have Zee’s story to look forward to, so we’ll see more of all the Sunder boys and their families.
* Note: While the Bleeding Stars novels are stand-alones (with the exception of Baz and Shea’s story spanning two books: A Stone in the Sea and Drowning the Breathe) I’d feel like you would miss out on a lot of the context and backstories that are presented started with the beginning novels. Plus I love seeing the characters live move forward throughout the books.
gabbysreading's review against another edition
5.0
Stay is my new favorite in The Bleeding Stars series!! My heart is filled with love for this book and for Willow and Ash. LOVE!!! I knew I was going to love Ash. He was always my favorite throughout the series. What I didn’t know was how much I’d love Willow too. She and Ash together have the right combination of love and passion. They’re amazing together. After reading Stay, my obsession with this series only grew.
Willow finds Ash passed out and severely beaten in front of her store. She saves his life. When Ash finds an opportunity to help Willow he takes advantage and hires her to redesign his bedroom. Their attraction to each other is instant and fueled with desire. Only Willow is a forever girl and Ash refuses to fall in love. Ash knows he should stay away from Willow but instead he asks, for the 2 months it takes to finish his bedroom, to pretend to be together. She knows she’ll fall hard for him and he knows he’ll hurt her when he leaves.
God! These characters are EVERYTHING! Willow. I adore her. She’s sweet and vulnerable. Her parents, her sister and her ex-fiancé have left her feeling alone but her strength to get through all her heartache is awe-inspiring. And Ash. My favorite swoony, cocky, broken Ash! I heart him so much. When I first read Drowning to Breathe, I wanted his story. You could tell there would be so much more behind his playboy ways. It’s so much better then I could have ever hoped for. I could say this a billion more times. I love this book and these characters.
It is impossible to read an AL Jackson book and not feel things. AL Jackson’s writing is angsty but beautiful. She’s detailed but not where it overloads you. It’s almost poetical or lyrical. It’s perfection. Reading Stay, it is easy to shut out the world and get lost in this fantastic storyline and equally phenomenal characters. You do not have to read the other books in the series to read Stay but they’re all really really good too.
Willow finds Ash passed out and severely beaten in front of her store. She saves his life. When Ash finds an opportunity to help Willow he takes advantage and hires her to redesign his bedroom. Their attraction to each other is instant and fueled with desire. Only Willow is a forever girl and Ash refuses to fall in love. Ash knows he should stay away from Willow but instead he asks, for the 2 months it takes to finish his bedroom, to pretend to be together. She knows she’ll fall hard for him and he knows he’ll hurt her when he leaves.
God! These characters are EVERYTHING! Willow. I adore her. She’s sweet and vulnerable. Her parents, her sister and her ex-fiancé have left her feeling alone but her strength to get through all her heartache is awe-inspiring. And Ash. My favorite swoony, cocky, broken Ash! I heart him so much. When I first read Drowning to Breathe, I wanted his story. You could tell there would be so much more behind his playboy ways. It’s so much better then I could have ever hoped for. I could say this a billion more times. I love this book and these characters.
It is impossible to read an AL Jackson book and not feel things. AL Jackson’s writing is angsty but beautiful. She’s detailed but not where it overloads you. It’s almost poetical or lyrical. It’s perfection. Reading Stay, it is easy to shut out the world and get lost in this fantastic storyline and equally phenomenal characters. You do not have to read the other books in the series to read Stay but they’re all really really good too.
aporter0522's review against another edition
5.0
I don't even know where to start with Stay. I've been a huge Baz fan the whole series, but after reading Stay I am now pulling more towards Ash!! I was pulled into the Sunder world and didn't want to escape it. I couldn't put this book down! A.L. Jackson's writing is captivating.
Ash has the sweetest heart even though he doesn't think so. He has definitely gone through some tough things in his past as well as the present. Willow is the sweet town girl just trying to keep her shop open when she stumbled upon Ash. Their story is bittersweet and simply beautiful!!
Ash has the sweetest heart even though he doesn't think so. He has definitely gone through some tough things in his past as well as the present. Willow is the sweet town girl just trying to keep her shop open when she stumbled upon Ash. Their story is bittersweet and simply beautiful!!
melsbells3's review against another edition
5.0
I actually really liked this book but realized it was #5 in a series half way through. Now to go back and read the rest!!!
briandthemoon's review against another edition
5.0
Simply beautiful!
Willow stole my heart in this one. She is incredible. Of course, I loved Ash as well. You just cannot go wrong with an AL Jackson read. This book is perfect. It can stand alone but I do think reading the other Bleeding Stars novels first is strongly encouraged. You learn so much about everyone in the earlier books.
Willow stole my heart in this one. She is incredible. Of course, I loved Ash as well. You just cannot go wrong with an AL Jackson read. This book is perfect. It can stand alone but I do think reading the other Bleeding Stars novels first is strongly encouraged. You learn so much about everyone in the earlier books.
thebookishattitude's review against another edition
4.0
Bound. Lost. Hopeful. Love.
Ash, Ash, Ash. Throughout the series Ash has always been portrayed as the life of the party. The fun loving guy, but his past is brutal.
He shoulders the blame for everything that isn't his fault. Never once letting himself allow purpose and meaning into his days.
Willow, the girl with the dreams, the passion. The one who wants to undoubtedly save everyone.
Bound by Ash's near death experience, both Willow and Ash are bound together in pther ways they never seen coming.
I felt this book, mental illness is hard for everyone and to have the main characters sister suffer from it makes you understand the impact it has. Ash was everything I didn't expect his story to be, yet everything it needed to be.
Ash, Ash, Ash. Throughout the series Ash has always been portrayed as the life of the party. The fun loving guy, but his past is brutal.
He shoulders the blame for everything that isn't his fault. Never once letting himself allow purpose and meaning into his days.
Willow, the girl with the dreams, the passion. The one who wants to undoubtedly save everyone.
Bound by Ash's near death experience, both Willow and Ash are bound together in pther ways they never seen coming.
I felt this book, mental illness is hard for everyone and to have the main characters sister suffer from it makes you understand the impact it has. Ash was everything I didn't expect his story to be, yet everything it needed to be.