Feel Again
By: Faith Andrews
Release Date: 1/12/15
A dare.
A dying wish.
Fate…
After years of loneliness, widowed Gabriella is ready to fill the void—as long as she doesn’t have to give her heart to another man.
Caleb’s screwed himself right into a dead-end existence. Faced with an ultimatum, he’s hell-bound on changing his reckless ways.
A chance meeting has these two instantly attracted to one another, but when their paths cross again—this time as professor and student—the roles reverse on Professor Edwards as Caleb teaches her how to feel again.
As I stretch my vision past Aubrey, to another group of barely-dressed girls, I notice her. Long, coffee-brown hair falling down her back and almost touching her perfectly rounded ass. The ass that’s encased in a skin-tight black number and silky legs accentuated by heels that look dangerous. It’s a sin that someone who looks like her should have her eyes focused on the ground. Focus them on me, I will her. A package as beautifully put together as she is deserves attention—my attention. If only she knew she blows every woman in this room away. And not just because of how striking she is. There’s something about her, something different. This woman is a rare find in a room full of cookie-cutter imitations.
Her shiny waves cascade over her shoulders, bouncing as she walks in my direction. The deep chocolate hue compliments her radiant olive skin tone and her glistening green eyes. This woman is fucking gorgeous. Not the kind you take home to screw, the kind you take home to Mom . . . or, er, Grandma.
“Caleb. I was talking to you.”
I snap back to find Aubrey’s hands around my waist. “Conversation’s over. There’s someone I need to talk to.” I walk away, not even glancing back at Aubrey. I need to know who this woman is. I’m not a spiritual man, but she just might be sent from heaven. She’s the type of woman who could change the whole game. At least that’s the vibe I’m getting.
As I escape Aubrey, it’s as if I’m being magnetically pulled toward the woman now sitting at the bar. I watch her from afar at first, gauging her body language. Her fingers tap on the marble bar top as she waits for the bartender’s attention. She’s new to this. No regular waits for her order to be taken when she looks the way she does. Dude, I want to scream at the bartender, how can you not see her? She’s . . . God, not only is she gorgeous but there’s something about the way she’s fidgeting that tells me she’s completely out of her element. How could this sophisticated beauty be out of her element in a club full of women who wish they had half her class? And why is she here alone? If she were my girl, everyone would know it. My arms would be wrapped around her, my fingers settling on the small of her back, claiming her as mine.
I watch this classy creature as she plays with the curled edges of her hair, twisting the strands around her index finger. I play with my hair when I’m nervous. Is she nervous or just timid? Either way, I want to know. I want to know everything about this damn woman, starting with her name.
When she orders herself a Ketel and Seven I decide to be brave. “Make that two,” I add, getting comfortable in my stool.
At first she eyes me like I’m some creep, but then . . . shit! When our eyes meet it’s as if the universe has made up for every shitty thing that ever came my way.
*****5 AMAZING Stars*****
It’s no secret that I am a huge fan of Faith Andrews and her phenomenal books. I’ve absolutely loved each and every one of her books to pieces. There’s just something about her writing, the way she creates her remarkable characters, and the emotionally driven stories she tells through her books.
I was not surprised one bit to find that I loved Feel Again immensely. I was taken in immediately with the emotional, beautiful, and spectacular story and characters within its pages.
Feel Again is hands down just a breathtaking story that tells a story of two people who know a heck of a lot about pain and loss, but are just beginning to see possibilities of light beyond all that darkness they feel. Gabriella and Caleb’s story is a journey as they explore what it could be like to open themselves up to the possibility of feeling again, of embracing again, of loving again.
What I absolutely loved about Feel Again:
- The realness of Gabriella. Gabriella was such a real character to me. The things she felt and experienced felt so authentic to me, and that realness made her character come to life as I read her heart tugging story. It also made it so easy to connect and relate to her, even though I’ve never experienced anything like she has. That relatability and level of connection allowed me to understand and love her character more, and it gave me the remarkable chance to step into her shoes. Faith Andrews creates such an authentic female character with Gabriella, which allows all the doubts and questions, and love and feeling she has feel extraordinarily real because of how magnificently Gabriella’s character is created and developed.
- Charming and confident Caleb. I think I need a little bit more Caleb Waters in my life. His character oozed charm and a level of confidence that had my heart beating faster while simultaneously making me fall head over heels in adoration with him. There is so much more to Caleb than meets the eye, and Feel Again gives you the opportunity to see the true depth that there is to him. Getting to understand who Caleb is, will allow you the chance to see the amazingness that is him. Caleb is sweet, charmingly protective, and just a person looking for something he never knew he wanted. Caleb honestly just melted my heart throughout this entire book, and to say I loved his character is putting it too mildly.
- The family relationships. I loved the family dynamics that come into play in Feel Again. Creating these unique, interesting, and truly engaging dynamics is one of Faith Andrews strong suits in my opinion. I loved reading these interactions and relationships that Gabriella and her family had. Each experience with these relationships made me smile, or made me feel something I’ve felt in my own family relationships, or made me feel even more connected into the story than I already was. The family relationships in Feel Again are fantastic, and they add just another phenomenal layer to Gabriella and Caleb’s story.
- The attempt to overcome the pain and loss. Both Gabriella and Caleb have an immense amount of pain and loss in their respective pasts. Each has experienced their own darkness, and at the beginning of the story they’re still kind of living in that darkness. The events of this book allow both Caleb, but especially Gabriella the chance at overcoming that pain and loss. It gives them the opportunity to experience the lightness that they both deserve. Reading how these two attempt to overcome the pain and loss they’ve felt for so long is nothing short of breathtaking, and it’s going to pull at your heart in the best possible way.
- The push and the fight. The events of Feel Again force Caleb and Gabriella to push and fight. Both Caleb and Gabriella push each other to be more. They push each other to places they never thought they’d be or even knew they wanted to be. The level of fight that goes along with that pushing characterizes these two in the best possible way. Their story together isn’t an easy one. It’s filled with so many emotional and heart pulling moments, and that push and that fight from them for what they want will have you fighting like all get out right along with them in hopes that they actually get it.
- The little and big things that add up to seriously beautiful things. There are so many little pieces to this story that add up to make bigger pieces that just make a simply beautiful picture. There are the signs that speak volumes, and the interactions between all these wonderful characters, and then there’s the little nuances they all have. The glances, the feelings, the pushes and the pulls, and all the emotions in between. There are just so many little things that create big things that end up making something truly magnificent. And you will love the fact that you get to experience that. Trust me.
- What this story makes you feel. The level of feeling I had reading this story is one of the things I loved most about it. I didn’t just read this story and I didn’t just meet these characters. I felt this story, I experienced this story, and I was enveloped into this story fully. You will feel every big and little thing these characters do, and that will connect you into their story in an extraordinary way. At times my heart soared and at others it hurt like all get out, and in between there was plenty to smile at, instances that will bring a tear to your eye, and many moments that’ll warm your heart and your cheeks. You’re going to feel this story immensely and the enormity of what Caleb and Gabriella share together.
Feel Again is a poignant story about Caleb and Gabriella, and the chance they explore together as they attempt to overcome their pasts and see the light that they could share and feel together. Their story has its ups and its downs, and it’s not without sadness, but it’s also filled to the brim with so much hope and light.
I absolutely loved this book. Caleb and Gabriella’s journey together just really spoke to me and I loved how connected I felt to their characters. This book, these captivating characters, and their truly emotional story will have you feeling it all again in no time. I promise you.
I want to end this review in a somewhat different way in an effort to show you how much Caleb and Gabriella’s story really meant to me, and how much I connected with it. I have a quote that’s become a favorite of mine. I read it years ago, but it’s always stuck with me. Reading Feel Again, and meeting Caleb and Gabriella’s enamoring characters instantly made me think of this quote, and something tells me they’d approve of it. I know this might not make a ton of sense, but the fact that Feel Again brought this favorite quote of mine to mind, is an instant tell that this book is one I’ll remember and love forever.
“Keep your heart open. There can be hope after grief. Surround yourself with love. Immerse yourself in the many things that make life, not just bearable, but worth it. Don’t close doors. In fact-do the opposite-keep flinging them open. Cherish the love you receive. Remember, the heart’s capacity for love is unending. Make the decision to live. It would be wrong not to.”
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About Faith Andrews
Faith Andrews lives in New York where she is happily married to her high school sweetheart. They have two beautiful daughters and a furry Yorkie son, Rocco. If she isn’t listening to Mumford and Sons or busy being a Dance Mom, her nose is in a book or her laptop. She’s a sucker for a happily ever after and believes her characters are out there living one somewhere . . .
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Excerpt #2
The Never Ending Book Basket 