Pulse, Gail McHugh

Pulse – The sequel to collide, where do I even begin?

I was so happy when this book picked up exactly where Collide finished, as I hate it when sequels continue ‘6months’ or ‘a year later’ and Gail McHugh did not disappoint me.

I found myself going through the same emotions as Emily did I was that enthralled in the book. The beginning of this book you followed Emily through a really emotional time, from the beating she took from Dillon to her flying to find Gavin and fighting for him. It was an emotional rollercoaster.

This book from the beginning to the end shows that love in its strongest form can beat anything that is thrown at it. With Gavin and Emily finally getting ‘officially’ together and jumping into their relationship at full pace, everything is good at them and they can finally just be. That is until more drama happens at Christmas which brings unwanted Dillon back into their lives. But without giving too much away they over come every hurdle that is thrown their way and end up being stronger than ever.

Gavin’s ‘swoon worthy’ attitude is back in full force and he is still as arrogant as ever if not even more so as he finally got the girl, he has be laughing, he has me 'awwing', also the way he describes what he’s going to do to Emily is extremely intense. He is one of my favourite book boyfriends, hands down.

In this book Emily’s character grew on me a bit more, she was almost stronger in a way, I feel that she felt stronger in herself and Gail did a really good job of showing the audience that, yes she had her whiny, vulnerable moments, but she wouldn’t be Emily if she didn’t, but being without Dillon and with Gavin she owned herself and reading that progress amazed me.

The sex scenes in this book did not disappoint, they were as hot and steamy as ever. They weren’t too graphic but the way the emotions and the movements were described was powerful and mesmerizing.

The thing I love about reading is the way an author is capable to drag you into a different world and for that moment while you are reading you are part of the book and even when I put the book down I find myself in this place between reality and the book, it’s honestly amazing what authors can do and Gail McHugh did not disappoint in anyway, she dragged me into Gavin and Emily’s world from beginning to end of both books.

This book and series as a whole deserve a 5* rating!

Collide, Gail McHugh

Emily is moving away from town she’s always called home after the death of her mother and to New York City to be with the one she loves Dillon Parker. Trying to get her life on track after the move until Gavin storms into her life and changes all the rules.

After his fiancé leaves him, Gavin doesn’t think he’ll ever find love again, let again find love at first site that is until Emily walks into his office delivering his food and turns his world upside down, he’s never chased after a woman before, but he was not going to let Emily slip through his fingers.

I read both Collide and Pulse in one day because I could not put them down, the constant battle between Emily and Gavin made my heart ache. But also I have never been so infuriated with a character like I was with Emily, the moment she saw Gavin she should have broken up with Dillon, should have left his sorry arse behind and been with Gavin, but instead she sticks with Dillon lets him control her, lets him slowly manipulate her.

At the beginning Dillon and Emily’s relationship seems normal, but as the reader you pick up on things that Emily didn’t, Dillon’s slimy behaviour, his controlling nature and his cheating, all oblivious to Emily’s eyes. You also see how Gavin looks at her, how he wants to consume her, own her soul, her heart, her every desire, and you can’t help but want to scream at her to notice.

It makes you crave the attention and love that Gavin would give Emily, you want to have that for yourself and you get angry because she could easily have it but she’s pushing it away, pushing Gavin away so much and she does this by agreeing to marry Dillon.

After some drama between Dillon and Emily they separate for a couple of days and in this time she comes to terms with the fact that she has fallen head over heels in love with Gavin without even meaning too. Refusing to keep fighting her feelings she goes to his apartment and they devour each other and have the most intense sex, they are both finally able to give into their desires and the way Gail McHugh describes it is amazing.

However their story doesn’t end there, not even close, they don’t get their happily ever after there. Emily walks in on something as she tries to surprise Gavin at his apartment and leaves before he is given a chance to explain, he doesn’t even know what’s happened. And Emily goes running back to Dillon and agrees to put the wedding back on.

“Why are you marrying someone you don’t love?”
“Isn’t it obvious? I’m marrying someone who loves me!”

The rehearsal dinner was where this story really broke my heart; I could envision the look on Gavin’s face at the end before he was driven away by Olivia, the heart break he had to endure, the scare that Emily had left him. The ending of this book was the reason I had to continue to read Pulse straight after, I needed their happily ever after.

A review for 'Pulse' will be coming soon, I happily give this book a 4* rating.