NEW ADULT
Come To Me Quietly - A.L. Jackson (2014)
Jared Holt was Aly Moore's first crush but after he was sent down six years ago she's heard or seen nothing of her childhood friend, that is until she finds him sleeping on the couch in the flat she shares with her brother. It's clear that the demons of Jared's past have changed him, but to Aly he's still the guy who stole her heart. Now she finally has him back in her life she's determined not to lose him all over again, but telling Jared how she really feels could end up pushing him away. From the first page this absorbing story draws you in and doesn't let you go. Jackson's writing is mesmerising and she moves seamlessly between Aly and Jared's narratives and past and present, with some particularly poignant depictions of Aly and Jared's childhood. I liked the portrait of their platonic but beautiful relationship as youngsters and how this develops now they're adults. I thought it felt refreshing and real. Aly and Jared are great characters, in fact Jared may be one of my favourites. With only a slight niggle over how the story progresses when Jared goes away for three months, otherwise I felt this was a real page-turner that was genuinely hard to put down. Definitely New Adult at its intense best. (JC)
