Feel Again by Faith Andrews - Ready for a Sexy Tearjerker?

“Gina, I can’t. I can’t be here anymore. I’m sorry, but it’s— it’s too damn much. I relive that morning over and over every single day. I never thought I’d say this, but I hate New York, Gi. I hate the new skyline. I hate the flags hanging out of people’s car windows and swaying in the breeze on their front porches, reminding me of all we’ve lost. I hate that the kids are pitied by their classmates and their teachers. I hate that I can’t bask in all the memories I made in this apartment with the love of my life because remembering— it makes me nauseous, Gina. Being here is killing me. 
I need to start over. For me, for the girls. This is the only way.” I can tell by the look of defeat on her face that she knows it as well as I do. And so what if I don’t have her blessing? I know for sure I have Tommy’s. The morning I accepted the position at Berkeley, I’d found one of his signs— a loose nickel, staring me in the face from the ground. They’d been popping up since the morning of his memorial service. At first I thought nothing of it, but when Gina told me the pennies from heaven theory— that when an angel misses you, they toss a penny down from heaven— I started to believe. 

“Don’t pass by that penny when you’re feeling blue. 

It may be a penny from heaven that an Angel’s tossed to you.”
-C. Mashburn

See, Tommy’s birthday is May fifth— 5/ 5 if you’re as slow on the uptake as I was— and that’s the reason for the nickel rather than the penny. Those signs made me feel as if Tommy was guiding me to make certain decisions that were too difficult to make on my own. 
That particular nickel on the morning of the job offer assured me that moving on and getting out of here is what comes next. This is the next chapter of my life. The girls will start fresh— it’ll be good for them, even if they hate me for it now. And me? I can’t be any worse off there than I am here. Guess there’s only one way to find out. “Gina, I’m moving to California. I made a promise to Tommy when I married him that I would always put our family first. This is the only way I know how. I have to heal to be the mother they deserve. I have to get strong again somehow. And, sissy, I just can’t do it here.”

~~~

Feel Again

By Faith Andrews

Gabriela's Tommy had died on 9-11 and she had committed herself thereafter to only her daughters. She had not succeeded totally, because, her love for her husband and his loss had been more than she could accept and handle... Her parents had been killed in an accident before that time; Tommy's loss, especially talking to him as he tried to escape the Tower, was heartbreaking. She had been able to work, raise her children, but both of her twin girls, as well as her sister, knew that she had lost part of herself...she was no longer the woman before she'd lost so many that she loved... But one of the things that kept her going was that, whenever she'd had major decisions to be made, she'd found a nickel somewhere to show that Tommy was watching and approved with what she was doing. That one little symbol added much to readers' moving deeper and deeper into her story...

Until years had passed and her twin daughters were in college and looking toward what they'd be doing afterward...They planned to go back to New York! Gabbi began moving back into depression... But they and Gina, Gabbi's sister started somewhat of an intervention program, pushing her to start going out, making a new life for herself... After all, she was only in her late 30s...

And that's when the fun really begins for readers...

Enter Caleb, who was there that night when Gabbi, finally agreed to go to a club with her sister and daughters...that is, they had "dared" her to go and Gabbi agreed to take that dare...

Gabbi knew she was out of her element, so she slid away to have a drink at the bar...That's when the instant attraction happened between Gabbi and Caleb...They both knew it, felt it...and while together, wanted it... but Gabbi's mind and heart,soon wandered back years to her one and only love of her life, Tommy, and she walked away... 

Caleb is a wonderfully drawn character, with a back story that had created just as much pain to him as Gabbi had faced. Raised by his grandmother who had just died, he was faced with a mandate to him, based upon his love as well as his need to plan for the future...

One thing Caleb knew and acted upon was that he knew he wanted Gabbi in his life, even though he later  learned there was a 12 year age difference... and even though he walked into his English class and learned that Gabbi was his professor... and their were rules against any student-teacher involvement.

What a rollercoaster for these two, who seemed fated to meet, including a discovery of a nickel by Gabbi, but the need for secrecy soon turns into a nightmare...Oh, BTW, that was after Gabbi had taken Gina's advice and went into a relationship based only on...sex... Caleb already had his own plans...

And one of the nightmares turns out to be a stalker...

When I turn around to look at Aubrey again, she’s disappeared. But it’s not for long, because in a feverish whirlwind of curls and enthusiasm, she’s back at my side again. “Wow, Caleb! This place is great. I’m so happy to be moving in . . . roomie!” 

I want to gag.

I gesture to her bedroom, where she’s belting out Lady Gaga at the top of her lungs. Seems likes she’s made herself right at home.

 “Seriously, dude. You have no idea how much I appreciate this. I just hope you don’t kill her, because then I’d have to kill you out of obligation and I like you bro, so that would suck.” 

~~~

You got it, this is a sexy little story about two lovers who have decided to join together in a relationship that starts getting

“So, this is a booty call? For some odd reason I’m . . . insulted.” He laughs then, stroking his chin. “It’s ironic that I get myself involved with a professor and wind up getting schooled. I guess I’m getting a bitter taste of my own medicine.” 
His reference to medicine reminds me of a Bon Jovi song and it makes me giggle. My giggle turns into a hardy, belly-aching laugh. Something to mask the nervousness that’s suddenly rooted itself in my core. 
“What? What’s funny?” He stares at me, wide eyed. 
This poor man’s going to run right out the door. I’ve managed to whip out all the crazy in a matter of minutes. “Nothing. I just . . . this is really weird, that’s all. And I tend to laugh when I’m nervous.” I stare down at my feet, at the coral nail polish I painted on in preparation for my romp tonight. I feel the weight of his stare and look back up to meet his eyes. “I’m nervous, Caleb.”
~~~

deeper and deeper. By that time, I promise you'll be so involved with their lives, that the tears start...every time Gabbi cries...
And every time Caleb does too...

Really, really enjoyed it... But, I have to stop with the story and tell you the first thing that impressed me... This is, first, one of the best "ebooks" that I've ever read. It is formatted like a book. It is professionally done like a paperback with headings, spacing, fancy lettering... Almost immediately I was ready to slide under the covers and start sinking into heavenly reading... Seriously, with my background, a professionally created book done with caring hands is something to behold... Kudos to the author for her writing and all those involved in making this an excellent well-prepared ebook worthy to be highly recommended!

There is such a warm, heartbreaking melancholy when we meet Gabbi, I was instantly wanting to try to help her through what she had lost... But then when I learned Caleb's story, I was more sympathetic with him... Gabbi had lost loved ones, but Caleb had had few loving experiences in his young life... Now, in this book, you see a boy who has partied his life away, come to a decision that he was ready to become the man his grandmother had always wanted him to be... I was quite willing to fully accept the premise that often appeared throughout the book that there had been many working behind the scenes to make this fated relationship happen!

A wonderful, mystical, memorable joyful tale of a love that just might have been made in heaven... Don't Miss It!

GABixlerReviews

Faith Andrews is living out her dream right outside the greatest city in the world, New York City. Happily married to her high school sweetheart, she is the mother of two beautiful and wild daughters, and a furry Yorkie son named Rocco Giovanni. When she’s not tapping her toes to a Mumford and Sons tune or busy being a dance mom, her nose is stuck in a book or she’s sitting behind the laptop, creating her next swoon worthy book boyfriend. Coffee addict, lover of wine and cheese, and sucker for concerts and Netflix, Faith believes in love at first sight and happily ever after.