Naomi's Reading Palace: Review ~ If You Leave by Courtney Cole

Title: If You Leave

Author: Courtney Cole

Series: Beautifully Broken #2

Genre: NA Contemporary/Romance

Published: August 6^th 2013

26-year old Gabriel Vincent is a badass hero. Or he used to be, anyway. As an ex-Army Ranger, Gabe never thought he needed anyone. But after one horrible night in Afghanistan scars him in a way that he can't get past, he needs someone who can help him heal...even if he doesn't realize it.

25-year old Madison Hill doesn't need anybody...or so she thinks. She grew up watching her parents' messed-up abusive relationship and she knows there's no way in hell that she's ever letting that happen to her.

They don't know it in the beginning, but Gabriel and Madison will soon develop a weakness: Each other.

But Gabriel's got a secret, a hidden monster that he's afraid Maddy could never overcome... And Maddy's got issues that she's afraid Gabe will never understand. They quickly realize that they need each other to be whole, but at the same time they know that they've got demons to fight.

And the problem with demons is that they never die quietly.

If You Leave was a beautiful story. I often wonder what soldiers go through when they have been deployed overseas into battle areas like Afghanistan. Once they get home, how do they adjust to their normal lives? Are they suffering from PTSD? How does it affect their families? This story, although it is a contemporary/romance, touches on these issues and a number of times, it left tears in my eyes as the characters sort through the tragedies of war and learn to function again in the real world.

Maddison we met in If You Stay (book 1) as the sister of Mila. Maddison returned home after the death of her parents 4 years ago and gave up her career choices to run the family business. She has shouldered a lot of responsibility throughout her life, and is beginning to regret some of her decisions. She has a beautiful nature, she is kind and constantly pushing her fears aside to ensure those around her are ok. I really liked Maddi, she is one tough chick!

Gabriel..... Sigh.... What a great guy. He is as tough as they come. He's rugged, gorgeous, and definitely hawt! He has come back a broken man since being in Afghanistan and is dealing with it in his own way – by picking up women. He meets Maddison early on in the book and comes across all cocky and self assured, but an incident occurs that leaves him a bit of a mess. Maddison deals with it quite well, considering what has happened in her life, but it does drag up some bad memories for her.

These characters deal with things that most people really don't have to. Gabe especially hits some real lows before he gets better, but they both need closure before they can move on. Having Mila and Pax play important roles in this book gave the story even more depth, if you can believe that is possible. Courtney Cole has blown me away again with her amazing writing style and the amount of emotion she has woven into this story. I was flicking through the pages wanting to know how things turn out. It is one sensational journey and you will feel attached to these characters in the end. I am DEFINITELY looking forward to more by Courtney Cole!!

I received a copy of this book from the Publisher, Forever (GCP) via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.