Lead Me Home

Fight for Me #3

by A.L. Jackson

Fourteen years ago, my life changed forever.

My sister disappeared. That day I was selfish. That day I chose myself over her. And that day, I lost everything.

Including Nikki Walters.

She's the girl I’ve loved my whole life. She’s gorgeous. Caring. Every single thing I’ve ever wanted but denied myself. She was my sister’s best friend, and I destroyed any chance of keeping her.

When her safety is threatened, I have a second chance to do the right thing. But as soon as she moves in, I want her in all the wrong ways.

All it takes is a brush of her hand, and I’m losing all control.

The fire between us is only burning hotter.

But neither of us saw what was coming.

And it just might be Nikki Walters who destroys me in the end.

The highly anticipated sexy, suspenseful stand-alone second-chance romance from NYT Bestselling Author, A.L. Jackson.

Genres: Romance, Friends To Lovers, Second Chance, Contemporary Romance, Contemporary, Audiobook, Suspense

396 pages, Paperback

First published April 20, 2018

About the author

A.L. Jackson is the New York Times & USA Today Bestselling author of contemporary romance. She writes emotional, sexy, heart-filled stories about boys who usually like to be a little bit bad.

Her bestselling series include THE REGRET SERIES, CLOSER TO YOU, BLEEDING STARS, FIGHT FOR ME, CONFESSIONS OF THE HEART, FALLING STARS, REDEMPTION HILLS, TIME RIVER, and MOONLIT RIDGE novels. Start your binge with the first book in her latest series, From Here to Eternity! A broody single dad, a heroine on the run, and all the steam and suspense!

If she’s not writing, you can find her hanging out by the pool with her family, sipping cocktails with her friends, or of course with her nose buried in a book.

GET TO KNOW ME EVERYWHERE

Website: www.aljacksonauthor.com
Facebook: facebook.com/aljacksonauthor
Twitter: @aljacksonauthor
Instagram: @aljacksonauthor
Snapchat: aljacksonauthor
Newsletter: http://smarturl.it/NewsFromALJackson
Reader Group: http://smarturl.it/AmysAngelsRock

Text "aljackson" to 33222 for special updates!

Want to know what music inspires my books?
I have book specific playlists on Spotify!
https://open.spotify.com/user/1255231879

Represent by Brower Literary & Management
subrights@browerliterary.com

Reviews

[A.L. Jackson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I hope you love Ollie & Nikki's story as much as I loved writing it. It is intense and sexy and filled with so much emotion. I'm so proud of it.

[Bibi · Rating 1 out of 5]

Pretty turn of phrase (aka purple prose), angsty plot, insubstantial story, and characters to whom I simply couldn’t connect. Further, the writing style of single sentence paragraphs became annoying after the first chapter. Obviously, it’s me and not the book.

[KAS · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 Forever and Ever, You and Me! Stars

What an engaging ‘friends to lovers’ second chance romance!

Best friends since grade school, Ollie and Nikki’s love and lust for each other runs deep, but an unfathomable tragedy from the past has been standing in their way, has kept them apart for fourteen years.

Guilt and hurt consumes their present and threatens their future.

  ”It doesn’t matter how many years go by, it feels like it was yesterday. Feels like I’m stuck there, and I’m never gonna get out.”

  ”I was there with you. But you wouldn’t let me be there for you. You wouldn’t let me stay.”

  ”Couldn’t let you stay there because you didn’t need to be in the middle of my mess.”

  ”You know it’s true, Ollie. You can’t erase the fact that I was there with you. That we were together. That I’m every bit as responsible as you.”

Ollie, is a gorgeous, overbearing, tatted, alpha male with a heart of gold. He takes being protective to the nth degree. His sex appeal oozes off the pages!

Nikki, is a beautiful, confident woman with a bright and bubbly personality. She has a real stubborn streak and she drives Ollie crazy in need for her.

This is the third book of this series, and IMHO is the best of the bunch. It is written in dual POV, and interspersed throughout are chapters taking you back in time which ties everything perfectly together as to why Ollie and Nikki’s past is so integral to the storyline.

I loved the wit and the the bantering. I loved how they struggled to reconcile past mistakes and explore being a couple. I loved their combustible chemistry. I loved the angst!

Yep, I do believe I loved it!!

[Lana ❇✾DG Romance❇✾ · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 STARS

Oliver Preston was armor and stone. Bitterness and venom.
Broken fragments. Shrapnel waiting to bust. He was the bullet that pierced right through the center of me.

AL Jackson sure knows how to sucker punch her readers with some feels. And while I felt like the entire series has been leading up to this conclusion for me, nothing could have prepared me for the potency of emotion it brought. Each book in the series focuses on a different couple, but I highly recommend reading the previous two books to truly appreciate this one to its fullest.

I had always belonged to Oliver Preston. The problem was, he’d never fully belonged to me. I owned his gazes. His protection. His regret.

Ever since you learn Ollie's heartbreaking past, you're left craving for this man to finally have some light in his life. Nikki Walters has been in love with Ollie for as long as she remembers. And he's been her biggest heartache almost just as long. Lead Me Home details their full connection, starting from the time they were just children, leading up to the tragedy that changed both of their lives, and all the ways it ripped them apart in the aftermath.

He was an enigma. A veiled mystery. A cliffhanger waiting to be written

After years of heartache and hope, Nikki is done taking a chance on Oliver. She can't settle for the little scraps of himself he has to give and she refuses to stop her life right along side his. Oliver is a shell of the person he once was, refusing to move on and blaming himself for the tragic disappearance of his sister and Nikki's best friend. While the events of that night inevitably changed every person in their group of friends, no one took it harder than Ollie. And while he knows he has nothing left to give Nikki and she deserves more, when a mysterious threat appears, he knows he'll stop at nothing to protect her. Even if it means being faced with their undeniable connection that has only grown through the years.

This girl was a wave getting ready to take me under. And I didn’t think she’d ever let me up for air.

This was definitely the most emotional book in the series for me, and it was most definitely my favorite. I adored Nikki and Ollie together. Even when Ollie was too blind to see what was right in front of him, he didn't stop fighting for her. And I loved how solid and determined Nikki was when it came to him. She doesn't take any of his bull, but she's still there for him. She still cares. As you get a closer look at the potency of their connection, you fall harder and harder for them. I loved their push and pull. I loved their chemistry. I simply loved everything about this couple. Their light and their dark, their love and pain, their tragedy and happiness.

My whole life, all it took was a glance from you, and I knew I was exactly where I was supposed to be.”

Lead Me Home was a poignant, emotional, and unforgettable story of loss and pain. It was a story of an undeniable love and heartbreak. It was beautiful and the writing was stunning. I love AL Jackson's way with words. The woman's writing is lyrical and almost poetic. I couldn't imagine a more captivating conclusion for a series that has grabbed me from the very beginning.

ARC courtesy of author in exchange for an honest review

Find me on:

[DJ Sakata · Rating 5 out of 5]

My Rating:

4.5

Favorite Quotes:

My attraction to him was so intense I wondered how he didn’t taste it in the air.

Human emotions were such tricky little things. They could be fleeting and fast, forgotten before we gave ourselves time to ponder them, or they wiggled their way in, so deep that it was impossible to imagine they hadn’t been part of us all along.

Lily was looking at me as if she were chipping pieces of me away and labeling each one as evidence.

I think that’s what missing someone means. They’re missing from you, not just from your life, but from your heart. And nothing, no matter how hard you try, really works or fully functions because you’re missing that piece.

My Review:

Add another heart-squeezing, steamy, and angst-filled romance to your TBR, as it was well worth the anguish; and the mystery that has plagued me all through this well-crafted series was finally, finally, yes finally solved as to what happened to Sydney. I was flailing more than usual for fear this book was going to be a total angst-fest - as the characters were in constant conflict with themselves as well as with each other for over two-thirds of the book. Oh, the agony! That much angst is just – tedious torment for me. Thank goodness Ms. Jackson tossed in some amusing testosterone-fueled banter between the well-bonded and tightly-knit he-men, steamy sensual scenes, a well-woven mystery, and a sexy, filthy talking, and cranky lead character that I could forgive anything for. Written in my favorite dual POV, I got past my pet peeve and sighed with satisfaction on reaching that delightful HEA.

[Sabrina · Rating 4 out of 5]

LIVE EARLY!!
Amazon US * Amazon UK
Enter Giveaway HERE.



I feel like I've been waiting forever to get Ollie's story but that wait was so very worth every slow moving minute. Lead Me Home proved that I was right to love Ollie and Nikki and seeing their struggles up close, not just as secondary characters, was heart wrenching. I thought those brutally emotional moments added so much to the story though and they really showed that these two were perfect together.

The previous books did a really great job at leading up to this conclusion for Ollie and Nikki but I was so not prepared for it to be so emotional. Ollie's pain was laid right onto the pages and it killed me to watch him go through that. The loss of his sister was a hugely defining moment in his life, and also something that was keeping him away from the woman he really wanted. Nikki had her own pain over Sydney's disappearance that she was dealing with in her own way. She never gave up on Ollie though, even when she told herself she should, and I really liked that about her character.

There was also some suspense thrown in that kept this book even more intriguing than it already was. It was written into the romance really well and added a lot of depth to the story. I think it let the book end on a really good note and mended my heart after these characters broke it right in half.

Overall, this book was emotional, and captivating, and just so sweet it could give you a sugar rush. It's a definite must read, and even though it could be read as a standalone without spoilers I would recommend reading the series in order so that you can experience the brilliant way A.L Jackson led up to this conclusion.

ARC kindly provided in exchange for an honest review.

[Megan✦❋Steamy Reads Blog❋✦ · Rating 5 out of 5]

“After all this time, he continued to remain possessive of me. Keeping me under his guarded watch. As if I were a child he needed to protect. As if he’d forgotten everything we’d been through together.
What we’d almost been to each other.
I’d made the mistake of falling for him a long, long time ago.”

Lead Me Home is book three in the Fight for Me series and the one I have been anticipating the most. I absolutely loved this emotional story of second chances; the ups the downs and all that occurred in between. I am a huge fan of A L Jackson and a massive fan of this series, but I just did not anticipate the feels and emotions Lead Me Home would evoke from me. I was quite complacent and prepared to finish the Fight for Me series in a formulaic sort of way and then… BAM… I was brought to my knees in a tailspin of emotion and heartbreak, but with that came the ultimate hope of a second chance.

Ollie has had a heartbreaking, earthshattering past full of loss, sorrow and pain and it was all laid bare for the world to read. I felt his pain and heartache with every consuming turn of the page and wanted nothing more than for him to finally see the light at the end of his dark tunnel. I wanted him to ultimately learn to forgive himself for past choices and actions which had changed his life forever.

“He was an enigma. A veiled mystery. A cliffhanger waiting to be written.”

If there is one person who has always occupied Nikki’s heart and soul, it is Ollie. Nikki has been there side by side with him through it all; all of the pain, all of the loss and the all-consuming guilt Ollie has been enduring. Nikki has also been struggling, trying to deal with her own heartache and pain over the same events that have irrevocably altered and changed their lives. Nikki has seen firsthand how Ollie has changed and there comes a time when you can only help someone for so long, before you have to let them go, in order for them to help themselves.

Nikki has watched Ollie delve deeper into the dark side for so many years now. She loves him so much and she too has endured this tortured road he has taken, but she just can’t watch him beat himself up anymore, it has become too emotionally draining and just too hard. This spiral revolves around the fateful night when Ollie’s sister, who also happens to be Nikki’s best friend, disappears. They can never change that devastating event, but perhaps they can move forward, begin to heal and live for the future.

“Tears filled my eyes when he pressed his forehead to mine, and a confession fell from his mouth on a low moan,
“I miss her. I miss her so much. When will it stop? When will this feeling ever go away?”

Even through everything Nikki and Ollie have endured over the last few years, they still had such a profound connection and intense physical and emotional attraction towards each other. No amount of time and suffering could prevent these two from being drawn to each other once more. Ollie’s need to protect Nikki at all costs, and their undying love was still burning bright.

Lead Me Home was an emotional and intense ride that I devoured from start to finish, with A L Jackson’s signature beautiful storytelling and carefully crafted characters you can’t help but fall in love with. This story is about love, loss, heartbreak, guilt, the power of forgiveness and faith that true love will shine once more. If you’re anything like me and love you’re second chance love stories, then I cannot recommend this one enough. Ollie and Nikki’s beautiful love story is sure to melt your heart.

[Pavlina Read more sleep less blog · Rating 4 out of 5]

4-4,5 stars

Such a beautiful story!Ollie and Nikki took me to an intense and emotional journey!I loved their story, it has everything I expected and even more!

I feel that this story was a little bit different from what I have read from this author and make it so good!It wasn't an easy read, it's a heartbreaking story.I have so many feelings for Ollie and Nikki.They were so intense and their love story was powerful.

Overall, I really enjoy this one!It took me days to write a proper review, if you are looking for an intense story then you definitely read Lead Me Home.

 

  

[Bev · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.75 stars.

Loved the story, but oh man Ollie drove me nuts with the constant pushing away. He really hurt Nikki over and over, and she deserved so much more than that.

[Jennifer Kyle · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 ⭐️

[Vicky Sp · Rating 4 out of 5]

Recensione sul Blog Valentina Abbr
https://valentinaabbr.blogspot.com/20...

Oliver Preston continuava a tormentarsi, ormai da anni, per la scomparsa della sorella. Il senso di colpa per non aver saputo badare a lei, che era solo un’adolescente, e aver deciso invece di scegliere se stesso e il proprio benessere quella fatidica sera, lo stava corrodendo, facendolo cadere in un baratro nel quale, suo malgrado, tentava di trascinare anche Nikki.

«Quel giorno mi avrebbe perseguitato in eterno».

Anche la ragazza si sentiva responsabile per quanto era accaduto alla giovane Sydney, ma di una cosa era certa: nella vita voleva occuparsi del prossimo e fare la differenza. Se fosse riuscita a migliorare la vita anche di una persona sola, di aiutarla a vedere la bellezza del mondo in mezzo a tanta crudeltà e sofferenza, si sarebbe sentita più che soddisfatta.

Ollie continuava a seguirla “da lontano”. Si occupava di lei e della sua sicurezza, ma quando si trovava a dover combattere contro i demoni che puntualmente gli facevano visita, tornava a rifugiarsi tra le sue braccia.

Lei lo consolava, ma offrirgli conforto non significava diventare uno zerbino. Ed era proprio in questo modo che si sentiva: “un oggetto su cui pulirsi gli scarponi”.

L’attrazione crepitava fra loro, tutte le volte.
Sembrava che il mondo continuasse a girare mentre loro rimanevano immobili: «Non seguivamo più l’orbita terrestre, eravamo intrappolati in un oblio infinito».

Ollie non stava vivendo, e neppure andando avanti. L’angoscia e il tormento per la scomparsa di sua sorella era una ferita che, secondo lui, non si sarebbe mai rimarginata.

«È colpa tua. Mi fidavo di te».

Avrebbe dovuto esserci lui al posto di Sidney. Di questo si rammaricava. Il dolore, atroce e accecante, gli stava lacerando l’anima. E, nella sofferenza più soffocante, non aveva capito che Nikki voleva con tutte le sue forze attraversare la tempesta insieme a lui.

Aveva fatto di tutto per combattere e resistere a quella potente attrazione, ma poi si era arresa. Lo amava e desiderava alleviare le sue pene.
Solo che Ollie era troppo cieco per rendersene conto e sentiva di non meditare il suo amore. Pensava di essere in debito con la vita, che Nikki fosse solo una provocazione, “la visione tormentosa di ciò che non poteva avere”.

In realtà era un dono, ed era sempre stato lì, in attesa che lo accettasse. E che, soprattutto, perdonasse se stesso. Erano sempre stati in tre, lui, sua sorella e Nikki.

Adesso ricominciare senza un elemento del trio era fin troppo difficile.
Le emozioni umane sono complicate. A volte sono incostanti e fin troppo mutevoli. Ce ne dimentichiamo prima ancora di avere il tempo di rifletterci su. Altre volte si scavano un posto dentro di noi, così in profondità che è impossibile immaginare di vivere senza. Vanno e vengono. Fuggono con un balzo prima di fare presa, o durano una vita intera. Rabbia. Gioia. Odio. Speranza. Paura. Attrazioni e cotte e ossessioni.

Una storia nella quale i personaggi hanno molto da raccontare. Eppure qualcosa non è andata come mi aspettavo. Ci hanno messo un po' per ammaliarmi e conquistarmi, non è stato un processo immediato. Niente colpo di fulmine, niente sinergia al primo sguardo.

L’autrice, famosa per le sue trame intricate e colme di emozioni, che scrive sempre in modo diretto, questa volta non mi ha coinvolta del tutto, soprattutto nella prima metà del libro. Ho trovato invece adrenalinica e trascinante la restante parte della storia.

Ho dovuto, dunque, insistere un po' per poterne uscirne soddisfatta al 100%, ma alla fine l'ho spuntata. Ci sono riuscita. Se avete letto i precedenti volumi, in cui i protagonisti facevano capolino, non posso che consigliarvi di leggere anche Ogni cosa mi porta da te

[Betül · Rating 4 out of 5]

**ARC provided in exchange for an honest review**



"I had always belonged to Oliver Preston. The problem was, he'd never fully belonged to me."

I had been looking forward to Ollie's book since the moment I met him in Show Me the Way. I love second-chance and friends-to-lovers romances. There is just something about two people coming together again, who have so much history that will link them together forever. Nikki, has been in love with Ollie since forever however after the disappearance of Ollie's sister, he has been closed off to any woman. He doesn't feel like he deserves to move on and be happy, so he keeps his distance from her. Nikki, continues to love him from afar and tries to be satisfied with being just friends.

"She was a carrot dangled in front of me like a tease. Always right there, always just out of reach. A connection I couldn't keep but wanted more than my next breath."

Even though Ollie keeps his distance, he still is aware of Nikki. He always watches and protects her whenever he feels like she needs it. After blaming himself for not taking care of his sister, he doesn't wants to fail Nikki. The attraction is there, and at moments Ollie is weak and can't resist the pull towards her. He is jealous when he sees her with other guys, however Nikki isn't up for him acting hot and cold towards her. She doesn't wants to be involved if she can't have all of him. I loved that Nikki stood her ground and had her limits. She doesn't want to be used by him whenever he needs her.

"I'm so lost, and I don't know if that vacant feeling is ever going to go away. Only thing I know is when I'm with you, it doesn't feel so vast."

Lead Me Home is my favorite in the Fight for Me series. I loved that there was a bit of mystery/suspense aspect to the story, and I thought it was done really well by the author. I hope she will write more suspenseful books. I also loved that she included flashbacks to when Ollie and Nikki met, and the strong bond they had from the start. This book also had a couple of very emotional moments, which I read teary-eyed. It was also great seeing what all the previous couples were up to. Lead Me Home was a great contemporary romance and I can't wait to see what Amy will have in store for us next.

"I don't want to be your duty, Ollie. I can't be a sin you're trying to make amends for."

[Copper78 · Rating 1 out of 5]

This physically pains me that I may have to mark this book as a DNF. At one point A.L. Jackson was my favorite author of angsty love stories. I have probably read "Take This Regret" 30 times. Maybe more. But over the years her writing style has changed SO MUCH, and not for the better. All her heroes are the same as one another and they're cave-mannish, brutish, tortured, but not in a good way. In a Lynda Chance way. All her heroines are pretty much the same too. They're super SWEET, loving, loyal, and none of them has a flaw. EVER. And the dialogue has become very Kristen Ashley, like she's allergic to pronouns all of a sudden. And for the love of all things holy and sacred, please STOP using "The Man", "The Girl", "The Child" in the beginning of every. single. sentence. "The man cold, indifferent." "The woman warm, inviting." "The child scared and alone". It's ok every now and then, but I started a game counting everytime it was done and I literally lost count within one chapter and realized I was focusing more on the over done, too-flowery prose than the story. I don't really feel any real connection TO or BETWEEN the MCs in Lead me Home. It's impossible for them to even have one simple conversation without bombarding us with their inner dialogue which is super OTT and exaggerated. I'm at 45% and I'm going to try to go a little further, out of sheer love for the author of Take This Regret. I've read all of her books religiously since that one, but somehow the magic she created there has never been matched unfortunately.

[Karen Mc · Rating 5 out of 5]

Second-chance romances where soulmates find themselves together again are MY KRYPTONITE, and A.L. Jackson’s words are my soul-slayers and heart-hitters. Together, they are unstoppable! A.L. Jackson wrote such a HEARTBREAKING and HEARTWARMING second-chance romance—the perfect story for Ollie and Nikki, and my favorite in this series—that I don’t think I can write enough words to accurately describe how LEAD ME HOME made me feel. UNEQUIVOCALLY MOVING and UNRELENTING, Lead Me Home is a FORCE OF FEELS and I felt its force hit my heart like that of a thousand winds. Push and pull went the book that bled angst; push and pull went my heart, a heart that bled for every word. SO INTENSE. SO IMPACTFUL. SO INSPIRATIONAL. SO IRRESISTIBLE.



After meeting Ollie earlier in this series, I knew his and Nikki’s story would be the hardest to tell and the most heart-rending to read, this slow burn of the beautiful beast and his stunning sunshine. He’s broody, protective, devastatingly handsome, and all alpha. Ollie’s story GUTTED ME. Wrenching pain for his pain. This big, beautiful, blue-eyed beast OWNED ME. ALL OF ME.

He was an enigma.
A veiled mystery.
A cliffhanger waiting to be written.

Nikki, this gorgeous gal and splash of sunshine, I adored her! Her story shattered me too, and her ability to light up the darkest situation wowed me. One powerful and inspirational heroine.

This girl was a wave getting ready to take me under. And I didn’t think she’d ever let me up for air.

I didn’t have to read but a few words to know that this book was going to break me. Lead Me Home didn’t just break me; this devastatingly beautiful book ANNIHILATED ME! Lead Me Home led me around by the heart where I was the earth and it was the sun, pulling me toward every word. A force of feels. I FELT EVERY ounce of sweetness, smolder, swoon, heartbreak, hope, and happiness. I FELT this hero and heroines’ story as if it were mine. I felt every emotion in a story that MEANT AND MEANS THE WORLD!

”I will ruin you, Nik. We both know it.”

“You ruined me a long time ago.”

Each word a spark.
Each spark a feel.
Each feel on fire.
Word for word.
Tear for tear.
Feel for feel.
ALL THE FEELS.
OH DID I FEEL!

”I would kill for you, Nikki. Die for you.”

THIS Robin Hood romance-like line MELTED me into a puddle. This knight of a hero SLAYED me with SWOON. So much swoon! Sweet sigh. A man willing to kill and sacrifice for his lady is the definition of honor and hero. SO MUCH SWOON!!!

”How am I looking at you.”

“Like I mean something.”

“You mean everything.”

A STUNNING and SOUL-SHATTERING second-chance romance of survival, salvation, and slow-burning love, Lead Me Home will claim your heart in a tale with a heartbeat of its own. Lead Me Home tugged my heart from the very first page ... CLAIMING IT ... CLAIMING ME. The lyrical-like Lead Me Home sang to me like a heartfelt country ballad—so full of sweetness and sorrow—so full of heart and soul. My heart is still stuck in this story—my sunshine and my storm—an emotional journey I didn’t want to ever end.

The man who had wrecked me.
The one who had saved me.

LEAD ME HOME, HANDS DOWN, IS A TOP 2018 & LIFETIME ROMANCE! A.L. Jackson paints a passionate, poignant, and stunning story of epic love in Lead Me Home, the kind of love that lasts a lifetime, the kind that sparks the soul where you feel everything. Bravely tackling tough and sensitive subjects in Lead Me Home, A.L. Jackson masterfully shines light on the dark and ugly so healing can happen after heartbreak. This tale of tides—highs and lows, and pushes and pulls—sank into my soul, pulling me under, where I was drowning in emotion, an emotional eclipse that brought my senses to life. Lead Me Home led me and my emotions EVERYWHERE in a story that was and is EVERYTHING.

”It’s always the one who causes the biggest commotion inside us who leaves the biggest mark.”

🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 devastatingly beautiful ‘dragonfly’ stars

➡️ https://amzn.to/2Ki2dDe



Website: http://www.bookaliciousbabes.com
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/bookaliciousb...
Readers Group: http://www.facebook.com/groups/BBBBoo...
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/bookaliciousbb
Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/bookaliciousbb

[TJ *Book Twins Reviews* · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another amazing and emotionally charged read from A. L. Jackson.

It’s no secret that I love this author’s words. Her prose is exquisitely beautifully. Her stories are brilliantly plotted and delivered in a manner that simply takes my breath away.

Lead Me Home is no different. Ollie and Nikki’s story is a new top favorite!

Their history and the bond they shared with one another growing up made this book pack an even stronger punch. From start to finish, I was completely captivated and could not put it down. If you looking for a larger than life, take charge, alpha male AND a feisty heroine who drives him to the brink of madness, this one is definitely for you!

Highly recommended!





For more of my reviews:
My Blog: Book Twins Reviews
Facebook Blog Page
Twitter
Subscribe to Blog

[Pick a Book · Rating 4 out of 5]

​​English / Português

4 "fly, fly, dragonfly" stars​

​​Oh my heart!!!! Why do you do this to me A. L. Jackson??!!!!! I knew that was coming but ​​oh my God!​​ ​​ it didn't make it any easier to read it. I enjoyed this series so much. All​.​ ​T​he​.​ ​F​eels!!!

I love, love, lOVE when an author can make us believe that that characters are really in love. And man!! They were. Ollie and Nikki was just meant to each other. So much hurt, and sad about their past but it didn't for a second make that love less​ for​ one another. ​Now ​I wish for a love like that. ​*dreaming*​

Like the other books, this was heartbreaking, emotional but also full of the best kinda of love you can read about. I enjoyed a lot. ​​This was​ the ​first series​ I read from this author. And I can't wait for what is to come.
​
* An Arc was provided by the author. Thank you!
---------
English / Português

4 "voe, voe, libélula" estrelas

Ai, meu coração!!!! Por que você faz isso comigo, A. L. Jackson??!!! Eu já sabia o que estava por vir, mas oh meu Deus! saber disso não facilitou em nada a leitura. Eu adoro essa série. Senti tanta coisa com ela!

Eu amo, amo, AMO quando um autor consegue nos fazer acreditar que os personagens estão realmente apaixonados. E, gente!! Eles eram muito apaixonados. Ollie e Nikki foram feitos um para o outro. Tanta mágoa, e tristeza com o passado deles, mas não fez nem por um segundo que o amor fosse menos um pelo outro. Agora eu desejo um amor assim... *sonhando*

Como nos outros livros, foi comovente, emocionante, mas também cheio do melhor tipo de amor que você pode ler. Gostei muito. Esta foi a minha primeira série que li dessa autora. E mal posso esperar pelo que está por vir.

* Arc fornecido pela autora. Obrigada!
​​​----------------------
* Pick a Book
facebook / instagram / twitter
pb.responde@gmail.com ​

[Katy Loves Romance ❤️ · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 "Fly, fly, dragonfly" Stars



Who doesn't love a broken hero?? Well Ollie is your guy if so..

Back 14 years ago BOTH Ollie and Nikki lost their best friend, sister and the person to their trio. When that happened Ollie lost a part of himself as he felt he was supposed to look after his sister.. And after that fateful night he became dark..

Yet Nikki has always seen his heart, the bigger person he is and with that he's there to make him see it..



Ok I'm not going to delve much more into the plot but this story is more about healing, love and opening up to possibility of living again.. Its a slow burn to the core. And I've been intuiged by Ollie's character throughout this series, there was something 'hidden' that we just didn't know. He was a closed book yet he has such an open heart for all the people around him. He protects, cares and LOVES HARD. So when it came to Nikki he was just scared to hurt her yet couldn't help to protect her.. Gah I loved him..

Amys writing is poetic and just knows how to storytell its why I love her writing so much. You go into her world and you'll be delving into a world of descriptions, quotes and beauty..

Enjoy my loves Xoxo

ARC generously gifted in exchange for a honest review

For more reviews and blog posts

[Beneath The Covers Blog · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow….what a way to end the Fight for Me Series! Just….WOW!!!

Lead Me Home is undoubtedly emotional, angsty, and suspenseful! This second chance love story is excruciatingly painful as well as beautifully inspiring, giving hope that soulmates truly do belong together.

Ollie and Nikki are without question two very unique characters. Having known each other for most of their lives, they’ve both experienced the same tragedy and despair, along with the aftermath of heartbreak and loss. Lead Me Home catapults you into their lives without restraint, eliciting raw feelings and fears that consume you until the very end.

This book finally answers all the questions we’ve had to what really did happen all those years ago, and not just to Ollie and Nikki, but to the entire cast of characters in the series; the unbelievable circumstances they all endured, and the real reason Ollie and Nikki’s relationship took just a drastic turn. The storyline weaves an intricate tale of sacrifice, passion, and acceptance that showcases the power of unconditional love, devotion, and ultimately redemption.

I’m sad that this is the final book in the series, but it couldn’t have ended on a better note! The extremely poignant storyline coupled with the tenacious characters makes this book an unforgettable love story that is sure to leave you with a newfound appreciation for diverse and compelling romances.

Simply incredible! 5 Stars!

*ARC provided for a voluntary honest review.* ~Kelly

[Michelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was everything. Although the books in the Fight for Me series can be read as standalones – I found that Ollie’s story had this bit of anticipation that built up over the prior books which made it just so much more.

And sometimes the hype is just that – but not with this book.

There was chemistry between Ollie and Nikki, but until you get the details, you don’t understand just how much deeper their connection is. How far it goes back. How guilt and grief shaped their relationship.

AL Jackson can write an emotional love story like no other. This story was beautifully heartbreaking at times and I loved every second of it.

Two characters that were so broken, both surviving the only way they knew how.

My. God. This book. Read it. Just trust me. This series was an amazing journey and Ollie stayed my favorite of the group.

[M · Rating 5 out of 5]

Man did I adore Ollie! I am sad to see this series end. I devoured all 3 books.

[Tia Louise · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ahh... perfection. Seriously, this is the absolute PERFECT ending to the Fight for Me series. All the questions are answered, and the closure is so so satisfying.

It's the classic A.L. Jackson lyrical writing you've come to expect--ALL the feels with a dash of suspense to keep you clicking.

I LOVED it, and you will too. Trust me.

Ollie + Nikkie Forever!!!

[Nadine · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars
"He'd always been dangerous. Dangerous to my sanity. Dangerous to my heart. Obviously, none of that mattered. I was drawn to him anyway."

Lead Me Home is the third book in the Fight For Me series and it can be read as a standalone. It was my first book by A. L. Jackson and I'm glad I got to know a new to me and great romance author.

"That aura she wore was like an additional layer of her skin. Glittering diamonds and glimmering golds reflecting off the sun."

This is a very emotional read and the main characters have to deal with a very heavy past that sits on their shoulder as a very heavy burden. It's for everyone to see how troubled and haunted they are by their past. Their story tells the way of finding back to each other, after fourteen years of separation.

"I wanted him so badly, but sometimes it was the things we wanted the most that would destroy us in the end."

I had really a good time reading it. But I got some trouble connecting with the characters as well as feeling their connection, chemistry and attraction. I also wished for a little more substance to some parts of this story. To the end the book got the thrill I wished for through the whole book right after it was clear that Nikki was in danger.

"The girl I'd thought the bane of my existence. The girl nothing but a tease and a taunt of what I couldn't have. I'd just been too blind to recognize that she was my very existence."

Don't get my rating wrong. 3.5 stars is still a good and entertaining book to me. And I'm pretty sure, it wasn't the last book I've read by A. L. Jackson.

I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy of this book.

[Wendy LeGrand · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh Ollie, Ollie, Ollie!! How I have been waiting for your story!! And A.L. Jackson delivered it in spades! From the moment we first met Ollie in the Fight For Me Series novella Hunt Me Down, I was intrigued by him. And I was doubly intrigued with the way that Nikki Walters would make eyes at Ollie and joke: "I'm going to flirt with Ollie over there and see if I can finally get that man to crack." which of course made me start thinking that there has been something going on that we just haven't been made privy to yet.

Well, whatever I thought might have been going on was not at all what we find out in Lead Me Home. Turns out Ollie and Nikki have known each other for a very long time. Have been integral parts of each others lives since childhood. Lives they thought they would spend together until the most horrific of events occurs that alters their lives forever. Ollie's sister, Nikki's best friend, disappears. Ollie was supposed to be watching over her, but in one small act of selfishness, he wasn't watching over her on that one fateful night.

In each of the previous books in the series, Nikki has always come across as a fun loving, self-proclaimed matchmaker who injects humor into every situation. But the smiles she keeps plastered on her face really are just a mask for the heartache she has been enduring for the past fourteen years. She not only suffered the loss of her best friend, she lost Ollie too when he closed himself off from her. Now she's just been going through life, watching Ollie from a distance, hoping against hope that he'll find his way back to her one day.

Amy injects Ollie and Nikki's story with so much emotion throughout, I had to keep tissues handy at all times. Told in dual points of view, as well as chapters told in the past, the reader gets the whole devastating story of what happened when Ollie's sister Sydney disappeared. And since then, Ollie has spent his life searching for any clue as to what happened to her, always holding out a small glimmer of hope that she might still be out there somewhere. It was his job to protect her, and he failed. Because of this, he doesn't feel like he deserves to ever be happy again, doesn't feel he is worthy of loving anyone. Especially Nikki. She is the only thing that brings him any glimmer of light, but he can never have her again. She deserves to find happiness and love, just not with him. Only, the thought of her finding happiness and love with another man rips his guts out.

This story has a big suspense element in it, with Ollie and Nikki discovering her trashed apartment. Ollie immediately goes into beast mode, demanding she come and stay with him so he can keep her safe. He may never be able to be with her again, but that doesn't mean he hasn't been watching over her all these years. Always keeping Nikki in his sights, keeping his promise to always protect her. He failed his sister, he isn't going to fail Nikki. And with the anniversary of his sister's disappearance quickly approaching, his feelings for Nikki come to the forefront and his resistance to her wears thin, especially with her right there in his house.

I loved how complex and intertwined Amy made this story. Ollie's primary focus has been searching for any clues as to what happened to Sydney. But now someone is threatening Nikki, and the tangled web of characters and events - past and present, are slowly moving them in a direction they never anticipated. Just when Ollie finally gives in to the feelings he's always carried for Nikki and it looks like they may be finding a way to move forward together, devastating revelations hit them from both sides and I found myself reaching for those dang tissues once more! Gah!! Amy just about killed me with the suspense and anticipation of what was coming!

Even though each of the books in this series are standalones, I strongly suggest reading them in order, starting with the novella, Hunt Me Down. I am not just saying that because I am OCD and need to read in order, but I say it because there are interconnected characters who were also heavily affected by Sydney's disappearance all those years ago. And while you will be perfectly fine whichever order you read the books, I think the impact you will feel when revelations come to light in this book will carry a heavier weight. Either way, you will feel the impact and the emotions one way or the other. Just for curiosity sake, I would love to get a reader's opinion of how the story impacted them by reading Lead Me Home prior to reading Show Me the Way.

It was so wonderful to see all of the characters I've fallen in love with through this series. And as the last book, Amy brings everyone and everything full circle and gives her readers the happily ever afters that each and every couple we've met along the way deserve. Although, in my opinion, there's still SO much story that could be told!! If I had my way, Amy would be just keep writing stories about these amazing characters, keeping us updated on their lives, writing the next generation kid's stories.... I would read them all!!

I really can't decide which story of the series I loved the most. Each one stole my heart in their own special way. This is why I love Amy's books so much. She just writes amazing, heartfelt stories that totally captivate me and keep me thinking about the characters long after I've finished reading. I can't wait to see what she has in store for us next!

[Elisabetta Veneziani · Rating 4 out of 5]

Di questa autrice continuo a pensare che la sua scrittura non sia all’altezza delle storie che racconta. Le solite frasi fatte che continuano a ripetersi, quella sensazione che si cerchi sempre di tirare per le lunghe la narrazione anche quando non ci sia niente da dire e poi forse anche sempre un po’ troppa tragedia tutta insieme. In questo caso la seconda parte della storia risulta essere un po’ meglio, forse proprio perché succede effettivamente qualcosa di importante e non ci si gira troppo intorno.
Per il resto questa serie meritava sicuramente di più.

[AJ · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 heartwrenching second-chance stars!

A.L. Jackson has finished off her Fight For Me series with an emotional punch, giving us the story of tormented Ollie, and the reconnection that we have been waiting for as he and his childhood sweetheart, Nikki, finally find their way back to each other.

Ollie and Nikki grew up together the best of friends. Together with Ollie’s sister, Sydney, who was Nikki’s best friend, they were absolutely inseparable. Ollie and Nikki’s relationship changed as teenagers and they fell hard for each other, but both of their lives, and the lives of their friends, were completely upended when Sydney went missing. It’s been 14 years, and still nobody knows what happened to her, and while most of their group has been able to move on, Ollie has never been able to, and he lives in perpetual turmoil at the loss of his sister, and the guilt of believing that he was to blame.

Ollie has been a bit of a shadow in these books. He’s still right there with his group of friends, he socialises, he laughs, he has fun, but he’s never really full engaged. And that includes with Nikki. There have been longing glances and meaningful looks, and I knew that there was something there between them, but when we finally get to see it, OMG, it’s so freaking intense!

He groaned in misery and released the words between the manic scourge of his mouth. “I need you, Nikki. Need you in a way I haven’t needed anything in all my life. Take it away. Fuck…please take it away.”
If I could, I would.
It was all I’d ever wanted to do.
“Ollie.” His name was grief.
Love.
Regret.
“I need you, too. I’ve always needed you.”

It’s clear that both Ollie and Nikki are in so much pain. There is so much love between them, and they both know it, but Ollie isn’t prepared to go there, instead punishing himself for the disappearance of his sister, and not feeling worthy of Nikki. It’s a storyline that can be annoying, but A.L. Jackson handles this one beautifully, and I could feel the emotion between them both as they battled with the tumultuous emotion between them.

The problem was?
I just…loved him.
I did, and I had for too many years, and it hurt too much that he didn’t love me back.

“You are everything I ever wished I could have.”

When Nikki becomes the target of violence, Ollie is determined to protect her, bringing her into his home and shielding her like he never got the opportunity to do for his sister. And with the two of them in such close confines, it’s only a matter of time before all of those feels bubble to the surface, and their romantic rollercoaster begins.

I loved this story. A.L. Jackson always writes with such intensity, and I could feel every single thing that was happening between Ollie and Nikki. Ollie’s heartbreak broke my heart, and I ached for him and the pain that he was still so clearly experiencing. But Nikki rocked my world with her strength and her determination to be there for him, and I absolutely loved her no-nonsense attitude as she laid it out for him, absolutely having his back but not putting up with his crap either.

“Don’t want to hurt you, Nikki, and I’m pretty damned sure you don’t want me to hurt you, either.”
She blinked up at me. No reservations when she should be running for her life. “Then don’t.”

And when it all happened for them…. wow. The feels are off the charts, the passion is explosive, and the intensity (yes, that word again), makes you feel it all. I literally squeed out loud in one particular scene. The epicness of the moment absolutely insane. Gah, it was everything!

“Sunshine,” he murmured like praise. “You are light and life. My life. My everything. Let me be yours.”
Tears streaked free, and I lifted my chin, our mouths meeting as I whispered, “I’ve always been yours.”

But danger and violence is sadly never far away. And as Ollie and Nikki are faced with the demons of their past once again, it will put everything that have found together to the test in ways they never could have imagined.

This book was just what I was hoping it would be. Ollie and Nikki’s story completely consumed me, and I struggled to put it down. I loved their story, and the way they healed each other and opened their hearts to each other was so beautiful, and I was completely swept away by their romance.

The couples from the previous books in the series are all a part of their journey, and I loved not only catching up with them and seeing where they were at, but I loved seeing them be there to support Ollie and Nikki. There’s a moment between the boys in this book that had tears streaming down my face… again with the feels! Great stuff!

The only thing missing from this book was an epilogue. I would have loved to see this group again in the future as they live out their HEAs. I wonder whether we’ll get to see that in another book or novella, and can only hope so, because this is a hard group to let go of.

I loved this book. A fantastic end to a great series.

4.5 stars.

An Advanced Review Copy was generously provided by the author in exchange for an honest review.

[Heroesinbooks · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 Ollie and Nikki Stars

I enjoyed the two previous books in this series that is set in the town of Gingham Lakes and looks at the lives of a group of friends fourteen years after one of their own, Sydney, disappeared one night. They have all moved on with their lives to some extent but this book concentrates on Ollie who is Sydney's big brother. He was 18 and she was 16 when she went missing and there is very much a huge part of him that cannot move on because he is still searching for his sister - determined to find a clue as to what happened.

Nikki Walters grew up with Syd and Ollie Preston. She's the same age as Sydney but at the ages of 4 and 6 , these three were thick as thieves and Nikki and Ollie have always felt a strong pull between them. After the disappearance all their lives changed irrevocably and Ollie kept Nikki at a distance for his own reasons. Fourteen years later can they still ignore the connection that sparks between them? Just as it seems they could find a way back to each other, ghosts from the past rise up and newer dangers are lurking close by.

This was by far my favourite novel of the series. I thought Ollie and Nikki were both very strong leads and unlike the other books, there was no spectre of a former lover hovering around them. I didn't once feel as though there was another person who held a piece of either of their romantic hearts. I wanted to protect both of them and I thought the scorching hot chemistry between them was believable.

This story does cover some sensitive issues which may be a trigger for some.

A well paced, passionate, dramatic but at times funny book that I really enjoyed.

“And how am I looking at you?”
“Like I mean something.”
I kissed across the definition of his hip, burying my nose in his skin as I muttered the words,
“You mean everything.”

HEA? Yes - gorgeous epilogue.
Cheating? No

[Anna · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautiful! 5 stars!

I loved this series so much! Ollie always had such a pull on my heart since book one ! I needed his story and his happily ever after so badly ! This author is one of my favorites and she writes so poetically ! She tells an unforgettable story of soul-sweeping love ! I always read her books with my hand to my heart and tears falling. Absolutely beautiful and will stay with me forever !

[Sabrina Fornero · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 e 1/2

💋recensione per il blog New Adult e dintorni 💋

A.L. Jackson ci porta l'ultimo capitolo, stand alone e autoconclusivo, della Fight for me Series e conosceremo un amore travagliato con un passato molto ingombrante, Ollie e Nikki ci faranno penare per il loro lieto fine, nel vero senso della parola.

Oliver Preston è una montagna di muscoli, un uomo sui trent'anni che incute timore con quello sguardo fatto di zaffiri cupi ma attira tutto l'universo femminile con le sue braccia completamente tatuate, i capelli lunghi e rasati ai lati e quell'anima persa tatuata sulle nocche delle mani che nessuno potrà mai ritrovare perché non permetterà mai a nessuno di salvarlo dal suo calvario fatto di rimorsi per un'unica notte, quando perse sua sorella Sidney, per sempre.
Proprietario dell'Olive's, il bar più famoso in quella cittadina persa nella prateria dell'Alabama, Gingham Lakes, non riesce a dimenticarsi dell'unico amore che abbia mai provato, quella ragazza che era stata il motivo di quella grave perdita di tanti anni prima, non poteva lasciarla andare veramente.
Nikki è il suo colpo al cuore, se l'unico modo per tenerla al sicuro, lontano da un aggressore sconosciuto, è portarla a casa sua rischiando di perdersi ancora in lei e di bruciare nelle fiamme del suo personale inferno, lo farà e forse i muri potranno cadere, finalmente.

'Era sempre stato quello il problema con Nikki: era fatta di calore e luce. Una scintilla e una fiamma. Un raggio di sole.'

Nikki è un groviglio di riccioli color miele e selvaggi, i suoi occhi hanno un colore unico e raro: viola, e quelle lentiggini sul naso e sotto gli occhi le conferiscono ingenuità e dolcezza.
È una donna ormai, sono lontani gli anni spensierati, la sua adolescenza rubata dalla morte della migliore amica Sidney e dall'allontanamento di Ollie, improvviso e devastante. Insieme erano tre anime e amici inseparabili, si erano scelti all'età di 6 anni al grido di 'siamo tre, nei secoli dei secoli, io e te' e quella libellula tatuata sotto il polso destro è un amaro ricordo.
Avevano corso tra i campi di piume viola nella prateria, si erano tuffati dalle pietre alte sul lago che era stato il teatro della loro spensieratezza ma crescendo per Nikki e Ollie l'attrazione e un amore appena sbocciato erano diventati i segreti inconfessabili per Sidney e motivo di forte rimorso proprio nella sera della sua scomparsa.
Nikki si sta per laureare in psicologia e durante il tirocinio in un gruppo di ascolto per vittime di abusi e di violenze non solo cercherà di proteggere una giovane donna mettendosi in pericolo ma conoscerà il peggiore degli incubi, un'altra persona alla ricerca di aiuto, insospettabile e devastante.

Nik vuole salvare il mondo, non aveva potuto salvare la sua migliore amica tanti anni prima e adesso doveva salvare qualcuno e avrebbe salvato anche quell'orso di Ollie se solo avvicinarsi a lui non fosse stato un altro, l'ennesimo, proiettile al cuore.

'Lo volevo con tutta me stessa e allo stesso tempo pregavo di trovare il modo di spezzare per sempre quelle catene.'

La storia è devastante, ci sono diversi capitoli ci raccontano il loro passato e quel fantasma che aleggia sempre tra di loro, quella ragazza piena di vita, Sidney che è scomparsa ben 14 anni prima e ancora Ollie spera di ritrovare. A complicare le cose c'è la minaccia all'incolumità di Nikki e una pesante rivelazione che rimette in discussione non solo il passato ma anche il presente dei protagonisti.
Verso il finale i nodi vengono al pettine e abbiamo quelle risposte che fanno male ma che restituiscono un po' di sollievo a questa coppia che ha veramente sofferto tanto e non vede l'ora di trovare l'arcobaleno dopo la tempesta.
I due si avvicinano e si ritraggono consumando una passione irrefrenabile che li attrae e li divora lasciando cenere al suo passaggio.
L' autrice ha sempre un modo di scrivere molto incisivo e diretto, le parole sono ricercate ed emozionano, sempre.
Tra tutti i libri di questa serie questo è sicuramente il più doloroso, il più adrenalinico e il più sentito, ho creduto fino all'ultimo nel loro amore e ne è valsa la pena.

[Liz · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have absolutely loved the Fight for Me series by A.L. Jackson. It has been an emotional and heartwarming journey to get us to this point. And now, finally we get Ollie and Nikki’s story. This series are standalones with interconnected characters who are all friends. Though we have had some backstory on Ollie and Nikki in the previous books, but the author does a great job on ensuring readers do not feel lost and can be read as a standalone.

Fourteen years ago, Ollie’s life changed forever. The guilt he carries for his actions that day haunt him every day. He lost everything and because of that, he does not allow himself the happiness he things he does not deserve. Nikki Walters has wanted and loved Ollie for a long time. But though he has always been a good friend to her, he has never shown her anything else.

We finally get the whole story! Not only their present, but what happened all those years ago and their history. My heart! I was heartbroken. Ollie denies himself so much because of the guilt he carries, but when Nikki’s safety is threatened, Ollie will do whatever it takes to keep her safe. But what happens when he can no longer deny what he feels. Can he keep her safe and at arm’s length?

I have loved Ollie and Nikki from the start. Nikki was always strong and there for her friends. Even as her heart takes hit after hit. Ollie was a good friend, strong and sexy, but his demons were slowly destroying him.

In Lead Me home, we get not only a hot and steamy romance, but suspense as well. A.L. Jackson definitely left the best for last! I have loved the entire series, but this one, this one had all the feels and more! Though this can be read as a standalone, this entire series is fantastic and must-read!

Read and reviewed for Sultry Sirens Book Blog.

Happy reading!

[Arianna ✨ · Rating 5 out of 5]

OMG this book & series has my heart all over the place!

Nikki & Ollie's story is incredibly heart-wrenching & nearly had me in tears from beginning to end! Their entire adult lives have been tainted by the disappearance of Sydney, Ollie's sister & Nikki's childhood best friend, 14 years ago when they were all teenagers. Ollie's convinced it's part of the reason he'll never be worthy for Nikki. He's broken her heart a few times over the years but she'll never get over the love she has for Ollie.

A.L. Jackson has a way with writing incredibly tragic & heartbreaking books while also making them so beautiful at the same time. The Fight for Me series is no exception to that!

Andi Arndt and Joe Arden are two of my favorite audiobook narrators & they brought Nikki and Ollie together so beautifully!