Blog Tour Stop: Reaching Rachel by L.L. Collins: Review, Excerpt, Book Trailer, and Giveaway

Title: Reaching Rachel

Series: Living Again #2

Author: L.L. Collins

Release Date: January 19, 2014

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Synopsis

Rachel has always been seen as a wild child, never committing or settling down. She wants it that way, so that no one ever finds out the truth. Deep down, she is crushed over something that happened years ago that resulted in losing the only man she ever loved. Then she meets someone who tries to convince her that she’s ready to commit again. But some things are not what they seem. Realizing too late that she’s in over her head, and with her life on the line, she comes face to face with her past in a way she never thought possible.

Devin was in love once, and it destroyed him, making him swear off love forever. After a promotion and subsequent move unexpectedly brings him into the middle of her dangerous situation, he must come face to face with his past and to the woman who broke him into pieces. But she needs help. Desperately. And maybe, just maybe, he didn’t know the real truth of their past. Can he help her survive the terrible ordeal she’s been through, and during it all, can he safeguard his heart from her? Or will the truth of the pain that has kept them apart show him that he can’t live without her after all?

Buy Links

Amazon ~ Amazon UK ~ Amazon CA ~ B&N ~ Kobo

Review

***Arc was provided by author in exchange for an honest review***

In Living Again, L.L. Collins shows how to find love again when death takes your other half far too soon. Through Kayley’s struggles to move on…to get past all of her loss and have her second happily ever after, Rachel, the heroine in Collins’ second novel, Reaching Rachel, is a great friend who helps Kay every step of the way even though readers can tell behind Rachel’s eyes lies devastation just as deep as Kay’s. Going in, I anticipated Rachel’s story to be heart breaking, but I was not prepared for the emotional roller coaster L.L. took me on in this book.

Reaching Rachel begins with a flashback to five years before, and although it uses only the pronouns she and he, it is obvious this is Rachel’s secret…the man who has ruined her for any other relationship…who leaves her heart locked up because she refuses to feel so deeply again. The backstory of this relationship is deliberately vague; the pieces, though, fall in to place as Rachel’s past and present collide in a gut wrenching way.

Rachel’s story is not an easy one to read; it is full of traumatic situations that bring tears to your eyes and a nauseous feeling to the pit of your stomach, but don’t let that dissuade you from reading this text. It is a MUST read for exactly the same reasons. It is one woman’s and one man’s journey back to each other despite the length of time apart…despite the misunderstandings…despite the damage done.

Five years ago, Devin left Rachel and never looked back, but now he’s back to stay; he’s back to reclaim what’s his, and he won’t let anyone – not even Rachel – prevent this second chance. He helps Rachel battle her demons and insecurities as she tries to move past the traumatizing events that keep her frightened and anxious. Her strength is amazing, and Devin’s commitment to her is what every woman wants from a man. They bring each other back to life and remain steadfast in being each other’s everything.

L.L. Collins is one fabulous storyteller. She makes her readers feel so many emotions throughout the text; at times, I had to stop reading because my eyes were so blurred with tears. Her characters are realistically flawed and brilliantly written. You can’t help but fall in love with them and root for them as they fight through obstacle after obstacle – sometimes ones they endure due to their own insecurities. Just like her characters, L.L. broke me apart and then put me back together. To be able to draw such emotion out of a reader is a true gift, and I can’t wait for the next time she puts me through the ringer and then eases the pain through an amazing love story!

5+ poison apples!

Book Trailer

Excerpt

Rachel lifted her face and pressed a kiss to her favorite arm her spot. “Devin, all of these years, I’ve been trying so hard to replace you, to make my mind forget by filling it with…men. But, every time, Dev. Every single time, I was disappointed. No one can ever be you because you are the only one for me. And to answer your question, yes. I’m more than okay. That wasn’t just sex, Devin. That was you, bringing me back to life. I want to do that over, and over and over again. And next time,” she rolled over to face him, a glint in her eye. “I want it like I know you wanted to do it this time. Hard, fast, and in whatever position you want it. We had some fabulous times together. Let’s do that again.”

“I want nothing more than to do it all,” Devin said, his voice low. “But don’t mistake what just happened for me just being gentle on you. I wanted to make love to you, to show you what you mean to me. I can tell you all day long, but I wanted you to feel it; feel me. My heart is beating only for you. My body is yours. I love you, Rachel.”

She climbed back on top of him, pressing her body against him. “Devin,” she said, her face even with his. Pressing kisses to his eyes, nose, then lips, her body started shaking. Why was this so hard for her? She knew it like she knew her own name, but saying it was so difficult for her. “I…” She dipped her head down and kissed his ear, running her tongue along it, then his neck. When goose bumps broke out on his body, she grinned against his neck. Going back to his lips, she put her hands against his face and looked at him in the eyes. “I love your eyes,” she whispered. “And your face. God help me, that body is to die for. But Devin?”

“Yes.”

“What I really love?” Rachel paused, willing her body to stop quivering. “Is you. I always have.” There, that wasn’t so bad. “I have since the night I met you, and I’ve never stopped. All this time, all these years, it’s only been you for me, Dev. I know we have shit to work through. But, I love you. I do. I don’t think there will ever be a moment where I’m not completely and totally in love with you.”

About the Author

LL Collins is a teacher who loves spending her days in the Florida sun with her husband and boys, reading, and writing. Her love of writing has found a home in the self-publishing world. Living Again and Reaching Rachel are available on Amazon Barnes & Noble, Kobo and iBooks, in both eBook and paperback. LL has been writing since she was old enough to write. Always a story in her head, she finally decided to let the characters out and start writing and try to make her lifelong dreams of becoming an author come true. She has been a teacher for over ten years, a wife for 14, and a mom to two boys, 11 and 9.

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Purchase Living Again (Living Again Series #1) on sale for $1.99!