I purchased an audiobook! That's right, Collide was the first book I have purchased and listened to and it was a great experience! Mary Kowal is an amazing narrator and Gail McHugh has delivered another book that left me wanting more!
Title: Collide
Author: Gail McHugh
Series: Collide #1
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Published: September 17th 2013 by Atria Books (first published 2013)
Buy Now - Amazon | Amazon Audible Audio Edition
Attracting, compelling, colliding, their chemistry—to say the least—was explosive. He felt it the first time he laid eyes on her. . .
On the heels of college graduation and the unexpected death of her mother, Emily Cooper moves to New York City to join her boyfriend for a fresh start. Dillon Parker has been sweet, thoughtful, and generous through Emily’s loss, and she can’t imagine her life without him—even as her inner voice tells her to go slow.
Then she meets Gavin Blake. A rich and notorious playboy, Gavin is dangerously sexy and charming as hell. Their first encounter is brief, but it’s enough to inflame Emily’s senses. When their paths cross again through an unexpected mutual acquaintance, she tries to deny the connection she feels, but Mr. Tall, Dark, and Handsome won’t let go so easily.
As she discovers Gavin’s pain-filled past and Dillon’s true nature begins to surface, Emily knows she must take action or risk destroying everyone—including herself. But how can she choose when she can’t trust her own heart?
On the heels of college graduation and the unexpected death of her mother, Emily Cooper moves to New York City to join her boyfriend for a fresh start. Dillon Parker has been sweet, thoughtful, and generous through Emily’s loss, and she can’t imagine her life without him—even as her inner voice tells her to go slow.
Then she meets Gavin Blake. A rich and notorious playboy, Gavin is dangerously sexy and charming as hell. Their first encounter is brief, but it’s enough to inflame Emily’s senses. When their paths cross again through an unexpected mutual acquaintance, she tries to deny the connection she feels, but Mr. Tall, Dark, and Handsome won’t let go so easily.
As she discovers Gavin’s pain-filled past and Dillon’s true nature begins to surface, Emily knows she must take action or risk destroying everyone—including herself. But how can she choose when she can’t trust her own heart?
I purchased Collide, and decided to buy the audio book as well, and it then became the first audio book that I have listened to. I listened to it over a number of weeks while driving or doing housework. I was surprised as to how much I enjoyed it and was swept away with the story line and how the narrator told the story. Mary Kowal narrates the story beautifully, and I love the way she changes the voices when each character is speaking.
Emily moved to New York after the death of her mother to be closer to her boyfriend Dillon. She moves in with her best friend Olivia – who is a hoot! – and gets a job as a waitress until she can find work as a teacher. When she does a delivery for her boss on the way home, she meets Mr Tall, Dark and Fuckable Handsome aka Gavin, and they both have an instant attraction.
Emily seemed quite naive at times through this book and often frustrated me. I could see that things with her and Dillon weren’t great, but she was quick to forgive him or overlook certain things. But she was still taking the death of her mother quite badly and Dillon was close with her mother too, and did some of the sweetest things during this dark time for Emily and her family.
Now the guys… well, Gavin is my favourite character in the book; he is quite forward with Emily from the very beginning and never really hides his attraction from her. He is such a sweet guy and is willing to do anything to make Emily happy and will stand up to her at any cost. Dillon… nope, didn’t like him one bit! I wanted Emily to kick him to the curb! He is arrogant and forceful when he wants to be and really is an asshat!
Emily has a few friends that have her back in this book. I loved Olivia… she is the voice of reason and often talks sense into Emily and gently encourages her to do things she is unsure about. Fallon is her newest friend, and a little eccentric, but will go above and beyond for her friend Emily. There were other guys that I liked too, and they all support Gavin and Emily when needed.
Even though Emily did frustrate me at times, I could see that she was just trying to find her feet and to be her own person. It may have taken the whole book for her to open her eyes, but she did in the end, for which I was grateful. I have been guaranteed that she is not so weak-minded in the next book, so I am excited to get it and see what happens!
This is the second book of Gail’s that I have read, and even though it’s not my favourite book of hers (Amber to Ashes was AMAZING), it was still a great read! The book was told in the third person and gently moves from one character to the next. Emily’s journey has not been an easy one and she has found it hard to be her own person and I look forward to seeing her take control in the Pulse.
“I think I’ve loved you from the second I laid my eyes on you.” He pulled his head back slightly, and Emily went to speak, but he placed a finger over her lips. “I don’t expect you to say it back. I just need you to know this wasn’t just sex for me.” He placed another soft kiss along her jaw. “I want it all, Emily. I want to spend my nights holding hands with you,” he breathed the words into her ear. “I want the all- day texting.” He kissed her temple and caressed her cheek. “I want the laughing and the forehead kisses.” He softly ran his lips over her forehead. “I want the date nights, the movie watching, and the breakfast making.” He dragged his hands through her hair, his teeth tugging gently at her bottom lip. “I want the late- night drives, the sunset watching, the screaming, the yelling, and the crying.” Still kissing her, he smiled against her mouth. “I know I’ll definitely want the make- up sex that comes after all of the screaming and crying. I want the good, the bad, and the in between. All of it is what’s going to make us amazing together.”
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A self-proclaimed chocoholic, married mother of three, and a lover of writing for as far back as she can remember, Gail McHugh is the author of two New York Times bestselling novels. The COLLIDE series, which includes COLLIDE and PULSE, was acquired by Atria Books on September 17th, 2013.“The first of two sexy contemporary romances about a woman torn between her seemingly perfect boyfriend and a dark, mysterious stranger who will stop at nothing to have her.” – Publishers Weekly on COLLIDE, a Top 10 Romance pick!
Gail’s next novel, also publishing through Atria Books, AMBER TO ASHES: Part One in the Torn Heart Series, is slated to release June 9th, 2015.
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