Review: The Christmas He Loved Her

Title: The Christmas He Loved Her
Series: Bad Boys of Crystal Lake, #2
Author: Juliana Stone
Publisher: Sourcebooks Casablanca
Release Date: September 24, 2013
Pages: 352
Buy Links: Amazon (Paperback) | Amazon (Kindle)

Blurb:

All he wants this Christmas is her...

In the small town of Crystal Lake, Christmas is a time for sledding, hot chocolate, and cozying up to the fire with those you love. For Jake Edwards, it's also time to come home and face the music. He thought there would never be anything harder than losing his brother. Turns out there is: falling in love with his brother's widow, Raine.

Ever since they were little, Jesse was the Edwards brother who was always there for her, and Jake was the one who knew just how to push her buttons. Raine can't imagine a life without them, which is why it was doubly decimating when Jake left town after his brother's sudden death. Now he's back and she doesn't know whether to be mad or thrilled. Maybe both. Or maybe it will be the perfect chance for both of them to finally find happiness again.

Review

So very sad and touching...

Juliana Stone knows how to touch a heart. This entire book was full of sorrow, despair, guilt, regret, and pain. There was so much pain, so much feelings hidden away. There were moments when my eyes would just blur, the same way it did with the characters.

Honestly, it took me a while to finish this book. It was definitely heavy. I loved that the "bad boys" were still involved, even just towards the end. Bottom line, they're always there for each other when they needed comfort or honesty - no matter how much it hurt.

My favorite part was when Raine and Jake finally decided, individually, that they were done - done with feeling guilty.

I also really admired Jake's parents. They were so understanding and at the end of the day, they only cared about the only son they had left. Whatever other people might say, as long as their son was happy, that's all that mattered.

I can't wait for the third book! I already know who the characters would be. It should be interesting. Hopefully it won't be as heavy as this one. It takes a toll on me because I get really into it.

Check out this funny scene!

Raine: "Oh my God, Jake. You've got to get upstairs."
Jake: "What? Why, what's--"
Mrs. Lancaster: Raine? Honey, are you all right? We're starting to get a little worried out here."
Jake: "That sounds a lot like--"
Raine: "Yes! It's Mrs. Lancaster, and she's not alone. Pastor Lancaster is out there with her. Now get your ass upstairs and don't you dare come down until they're gone."
Jake: "I distinctly remember you saying at some point last night...maybe after you did that amazing move with your--"
Raine: "Get going."
Jake: "I'm just saying that you were all gung ho about not giving a damn what anyone thought about our...about our situation."
Raine: "Yeah, that's true, but I don't feel like explaining to our pastor and his wife that we've just spent the night having all sorts of kinky sex just yet, thank you very much. Oh my God, what if they can smell it?"