Wow I had no idea how this book was going to go about within this group of friends, I was stunned. Rachel is brave, strong, resilient, sweet and loving. But I think I might be in love with Sam Shea I had read a lot of reviews before reading this series and know everyone else is in love with him too. This is a great book about facing truths and listening to your heart and opening up. Simply Incredible. This is a wonderful book series. Living with Regret Lisa De Jong 5 beautifully written starsEverything happens for a reason right? Memories are so valuable after you lose a loved one but what if you couldn't remember 24 hours of your life during which you lost that loved one, believed you were responsible and the cause of death for said person. Is that your brain protecting you from a deeper pain? Rachel did lose a very important 24 hours. In those 24 hours she had an accident, lost the love of her life Cory, and doesn't remember why. They told her she was driving. But why? She didn't ever drive when she had been drinking. What pushed her to that point? When Rachel and Cory started dating right at freshman year she made a choice between a childhood friend, crush, best friend - Sam Shea and Cory. She chose Cory. Sam never thought Cory was good enough for Rachel, hell, he didn't think he was good enough for Rachel. But he let her go. When Sam heard of the accident he reaches out to Rachel. He's there for her. He helps take care of her, becomes her emotional punching bag, and was always always there for her. I LOVED Sam. He should have whiplash for all the going back and forth Rachel did but he doesn't. He steps up to the plate, ever so slowly, reminds her daily why she should be living life to the fullest. She got a second shot at life and love. If she will just reach out and grab it. He loves her. He was patient, kind, trustworthy, protective, and respected her and her past. He never pushed her into anything and just let her take her time. So, as in Lisa's other books in the series, this is an ugly cry but in a different manner. I didn't cry with Cory's death. I cried with Sam and Rachel. I hurt with Rachel when she realized her world wasn't as perfect as she thought it to be. When she remembered the hurt and betrayal she endured those 24 hours her brain had protected her from, I hurt for her. I hurt more for Sam, though, than I did Rachel. He was such a man. A trooper. He stayed through it all and never once pushed, guys. Not once. When Lisa writes, I read. When Autumn at WordSmith asked me to review this I jumped at it. Stopped what I was in the process of and just picked this one up and began reading. I love Lisa's works and what she puts into it and how we feel all the she writes. Every hurt, cry, laugh, pain, - we as a reader always feel that with her books. I loved that we met back up with Kate and Beau. They'll always hold a special place in my heart. So you really owe it to yourselves guys to read this book and meet Sam and fall in love with him. Favorite Quotes:The darkness was a much better place. Sometimes it's better not to know....I want to fall back to naivety, but it's too late. What's done can't be undone. Life is like a sealed cardboard box. Some are full of wanted treasures, but others are just empty. That's mine. I struggled for years to remove the heavy tape and shook it in hopes of feeling something, but it's hollow. No feeling. No hope. Just empty. Choices. We make them everyday, but this one.......this one is one I'll live to regret forever.
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