4.5 to 5 stars. From the first page until the last, Girl in Love is a roller coaster ride of emotions. I'm happy and sad at the same time, as a series I love with characters who are real comes to a perfect end. The journey from the first page to the last is an experience of first love, tortured hearts, and second chances.
This book picks up with the aftermath of Trace's exit and Stephen's entry into Kylie's world. Let the heartache begin, and boy, does it ever! The agony of wanting Trace and Kylie to talk to each other and work through things was consuming me! I was on edge throughout most of my reading, and just when I thought the author was giving me what I wished for, *yank* she pulled the rug out from under me...again. Of course, that made me love this book all the more. The experience, the emotions, the build up, and the anticipation of how the Kylie, Trace, and Stephen triangle would play out had me reeling. Not to mention Gretchen still hanging around in the background. My heart was on standby for an attack more than a few times.
Trace Corbin...I didn't think I could love this guy any more! I loved him before and even got angry with him and felt bad for him in the previous installments, but he absolutely took hold of my heart and held it in his guitar strumming hands. His love for Kylie was crushing and powerful.
He still has his demons to fight and is haunted by the past in his nightmares, but he has overcome so much. His misplaced guilt and the thought of Kylie having moved on with his nemesis has nearly broken him, but he isn't broken enough not to "throw his hat in the ring" and fight for what's his. *shivers*
I LOVED the Trace we got in this installment! He's still throwing the sexual innuendos, but he has so much heart. His secrets surrounding his absence and Gretchen are revealed in this book, and what secrets he has! Can I ever get enough of this man? I don't think so! His humbleness is one of the things I love most about Trace. He finds himself doing things for Kylie he swore he would never do.
Kylie has made the big time in the country music circuit, and her career dreams are coming true, but she isn't very happy. The tables have turned and while Trace is out of rehab, Kylie has picked up the drinking pace to numb her pain and give her false courage. I understood Kylie's sorrow, but I also wanted to just shake her sometimes....or was it the author I wanted to shake for putting me through such agony? Kylie is so broken-hearted that she can barely function and is willing to try anything to relieve her pain of missing Trace.
Kylie is a changed woman in this book. She's surrounded her heart with walls of steel and is thinking first for a change. Every thought is calculated before voiced, and every move is an escape...or self-preservation. She's no longer the hot head that Trace knew. She just wants to move on in the hopes of forgetting Trace and without attachments.
I did NOT want to like Stephen. I wanted to hate him, in fact, because I am a die-hard Trylie fan. But the author developed his character in such a way that I couldn't help but like the tattooed rocker and be happy with his presence. I actually felt bad for the guy as he fought through his own problems.
There are several moments in the book that had me cringing in fear that my heart would be obliterated. The fighting and lack of communication between Trace and Kylie had my heart breaking. I found myself wanting to rush the story that was holding me captive awaiting an outcome that wouldn't have me crying in my sleep. But, the waiting and anguish were part of the journey, and I wouldn't have missed this journey for anything.
Caisey Quinn has ended this series with a beautiful bang. From agony and misunderstandings to preservation and possession, Girl in Love has everything wrapped in a heart-pounding package with an angsty little bow on top. The book is well written, the story closes nicely, and the epilogue gives us a glimpse into the future from Kylie's viewpoint. If you are a fan of Trylie, you'll definitely want this one on your shelf. If you haven't read this series, it is certainly one of my favorites, and the books are meant to be read in order.
Thank you to the author for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.