{BOOK SPOTLIGHT} Let Love In and Let Love Stay by Melissa Collins

Let Love In:

What would happen if you lost everything? If the people who were supposed to love you unconditionally were no longer there for you, how would your world change?

That’s exactly what happened to Madeleine Becker when her parents died when she was ten years old. Ripped from her home and everything that she has ever loved, she is forced to start all over again. The only way for her to move on is to build walls around her heart and keep everyone at a safe distance. Her logic: she can’t get hurt if she doesn’t fall in love.

That theory is blown to pieces when she meets Reid Connely during her freshman year at college. He is gorgeous and darkly mysterious. He understands Maddy’s pain all too well, but sharing his pain would mean breaking down the walls he put up around his own heart. Conflicted between loving Maddy and hiding his dark past, Reid starts to reevaluate his world. Maddy’s inner strength, snarky personality and breath taking beauty help Reid to make peace with his past.

Together they find out what happens when they let love in.

Let Love Stay:

If you’re lucky, you’ll fall in love – truly, madly and deeply in love. But what happens when that honest and pure love isn’t enough to erase your fears? What happens when your past rears its ugly head and threatens your future?

Maddy and Reid had that kind of love – the all-encompassing, Earth shattering, once in a lifetime kind of love. Then life happened. Old wounds that were thought to be long healed and scabbed over are ripped opened and they are forced to face the possibility that, maybe, they are not strong enough to fight their demons and embrace the light.

Together, they found out what love is, but now they will each need to heal on their own before they can ever be together again. They must face their fears and beat down their pasts in order to find their way through this crazy uphill battle called love.

They’ve let love in, but now, they need to find out how to Let Love Stay.

My Review!

I really enjoyed reading the story of Reid and Maddy. Both trying to move on with their lives after tragic events in their past. Neither one of them is doing a very good job of it. Maddy is closed off, and refuses to let people in. Reid is, well, Reid is an ass.

However, they have some sort of connection pretty much right away. While their relationship progresses quickly, it doesn’t feel forced or fake. You genuinely feel the love between the two of them. I can’t lie, there were some parts that I was yelling at my Kindle, telling them to stop being stubborn asses and get their shit together.

The things that Reid did for Maddy were definitely swoon-worthy. For a reformed player in his first real relationship, I have to say, guys could take some pointers from Reid!

You’re definitely going to want to read these books back to back. I won’t say too much, because I want you all to read their story and experience all of those emotions. While their journey isn’t easy, especially when the past threatens to drive a wedge between them. But these two are determined to make their relationship work.

The epilogue in Let Love Stay was perfection. Everything wrapped up so well, and I was so happy for them at the end. You don’t want to miss this series!

I’ve always been an avid reader. Majoring in English Literature was a no brainer. Becoming a teacher and instilling my love for reading into my students was also a no brainer. I’ve spent the last ten years teaching and I’ve loved (mostly) every minute of it. When I was home on maternity leave for my third son, I discovered a new genre that sparked my creativity. My passion for writing sprang from my love of reading and once I knew I had a story to tell, I couldn’t wait to get it out there. I only hope that my readers enjoy reading my story as much as I enjoyed writing it.