Top positive review
5.0 out of 5 starsA story that is the very definition of poignant. I felt every single word of this superb book!
April 21, 2019
This last book in the Confessions of the Heart series, could very well be the most powerful one of all. All along I've been very curious about Maxon Chambers. The man who seemed to have the weight of the world on his shoulders as he made sure that his brothers, his best friends in Jace and Ian Jacobs, rose above their tortured pasts and had the lives they deserved. His protective ways seemed to help everyone else he cared for, but who was going to save him? His loner ways broke my heart and yet A.L. Jackson in her wickedly masterful ways gave him the only balm that could ever repair his shattered soul: the woman he had to let go of all those years ago, his Izzy.
Oh my goodness. From the very start I fell into the gloriously perfect pace Of Pieces of Us. It is just written so damn beautifully. I was afraid to put it down for fear that I would regret finishing it way too quickly. The words are full of the kind of angst I can't help but get lost in with Jackson once again, bringing her writing to a whole other level. It's honestly an honor being able to experience her gift of storytelling.
Getting both Mack's and Izzy's POVs told the whole story. The way they separated when just 18 years old. The way they still loved each other from afar and the way they both hurt deep inside. The secrets they held from back then are revealed in a timely manner and the shock felt by Mack at what Izzy has been hiding for so long gutted me as well. I could feel every ounce of pure heartache at what Mack may have felt was his fault. That revelation continued the thoughts in his head that he would never truly be the Dragon who could slay anything in the path of his Little Bird. The notion of never being good enough still at the forefront of his mind. These deep feelings felt by both Mack and Izzy are literally dripping off of each page and I was more than happy to soak up each and every one.
What these two have been through at times felt as if they had been cheated because of simply wanting what was best for the other. Even if that meant never seeing each other ever again. But in their misguided and youthful brains, being a bit rash seemed to be the answer. Now in the present, it was painstakingly clear that both Mack and Izzy have grown. They have become more than worthy of each other's love and their journey, full of stops and starts, was finally on the right track.
I loved that Mack knew what he wanted, no matter what challenges he might be facing. Izzy was his and there was no way in hell he was ever letting her go. And I also loved that Izzy didn't make him wait too long before she let him back into her life, allowing him to be a part of her crazy world, which now included than he could have imagined.
A.L. Jackson lets this second chance romance simmer at the right temperature. Mack and Izzy have that undeniable heat that even 13 years apart can't extinguish. There is the right amount of passion, mixed impeccably with sincere emotion as they finally find their rhythm once more. This one has ALL the feels times ten and I happily got lost in every single one. There is also a bit of mystery and danger that is truly an added bonus. It gave Izzy and Mack even more reason to show why they are a caring and dedicated couple and how their pasts and past actions don't define them. They are fierce together and that was all the more reason to smile through some nail-biting moments.
With scene-stealing characters in Dillon, Benjamin and Mr. and Mrs. Lane, not to mention the continued support from Jace, Ian, Faith and Grace and their expanding families, Pieces of Us is definitely the ultimate conclusion to this incredible trilogy. I have thoroughly enjoyed every single minute and honestly can't recommend this book and series highly enough.
5++++ stars!
