COLE (The Leaves #2) by J.B. HARTNETT

Purchase THE LEAVES SERIES below

Inky Book One  : Amazon US | Amazon UK
Cole Book Two : Amazon US | Amazon UK
Nico Book Three (can be read as standalone) : Amazon US | Amazon UK

SYNOPSIS
Cole Carlyle, successful hotelier, has lived his life on his own terms.

Burned by a gold digging ex-wife, he never expected to find his soul mate in Anika “Inky” Redding.

Anika Redding, talented artist, overcame her past to live her life free of shame. Betrayed by people she thought she could trust, the last thing she expected was to find true love in Cole Carlyle.

Their love for each other has helped them overcome their demons before, but now faced with an unimaginable challenge, Cole must turn to the last person he wants involved in his life, and hope that those demons don’t once again try to swallow them whole.

Inky and Cole’s romance and passion ignite and in the sequel to “Inky” we follow their journey to overcome their pasts once and for all, while building their love into something everlasting.

 Reviewed by Jenny & Gitte 

Jenny:  Well G, after being left with that heart pounding cliffy in Inky, we were certainly hanging out for Cole weren’t we?  So many questions to be answered and we really couldn’t wait to see if these two were afforded their closure they so desperately and rightly deserved.

‘He knows my pain and I know his, and neither one of us is afraid to swim through the darkness of the other.’ – Anika

Cole certainly started out on a drama induced moment and reading those first two chapters were indeed heartbreaking and heart stopping that’s for sure! What a way to start a book! How much more did this couple have to endure?  I felt so sorry for both Inky and Cole.  They really do share such a strong bond and they absolutely deserve a break don’t they G?

Gitte: Absolutely yes!! I’m so glad we didn’t have to wait too long for Cole after that cliffy. My heart broke in Inky and I was desperate for it to be fixed again in Cole. I can’t believe how intense Cole started out, it was dramatic and heartbreaking but so overwhelmingly emotional too in a good way I suppose. Cole and Inky really did deserve calm, happy and togetherness without life throwing any more crap their way. They’ve suffered enough. Their love so incredibly strong and being so truly emotionally connected that yeah Jenny, they needed to be safe and get their happy!

“Yes. No matter what happens. That’s my answer if something goes wrong. I love you, forever baby. Forever.” ~ Anika

I have to say that not only did I frantically turn the pages because of the suspense and drama, I also laughed my arse off in certain scenes and swooned to the max in others. Cole just had that perfect balance to keep me addicted and unable to put my kindle down.

Jenny:  Anika (Inky) completely stole our hearts in book one didn’t she G?  We adored this quirky, tenacious, damaged, beautiful girl who had been dealt such a rough hand in life. Possessing a beauty inside and out, here was a woman who deserved it all. Inky really was remarkable that’s for sure. Above all else, Inky especially deserved love, and in Cole, she would find exactly that. Here was a man who truly, deeply and madly loved her, needed her and was there to protect her and cherish her at all costs. What a guy! Loved him and he is no less than Inky deserved.

“But it’s waking up next to him, and hearing him breathe and knowing he would slay a dragon if he had to for me…” ~ Anika

Yes, this man certainly did shower love and affection on her and understood Inky and her pain as no other would. The bond between them was so strong, so He was her soul mate in every sense of the word and I was completely swept away with their love story. What about you Gitte?

Gitte: Seriously love Anika. She really is so incredibly strong despite everything she’s had to go through and still does to an extent. She has such lovability that as a reader you just wanted her to be safe. How could you not cry for her and laugh with her? This girl is amazing! The love she found with Cole was breathtaking at times. The love so intense, pure and unconditional that there was no question these two were soul mates! Their love was all encompassing and their relationship was not only intensely emotional, it was fun and sizzling too!

“I had no doubt Cole would do everything possible to save me. He would move, not just mountains, but continents to save me. He already had. He had healed wounds that had laid dormant in me for so long…” ~ Anika

Jenny:  Now Cole.  Wow! This man! I’m in love, lust..you name it, with this guy! Cole had such a beautiful heart.  Cole was the whole package! The way he treated Inky melted me. Handsome, rich and who had the most wonderful giving and gentle nature, especially where Inky was concerned.

‘Amazing that in such a short time, Anika had made memories for me here.’ ~Cole

You truly believed this man would be nothing and would not want anything in this life unless it revolved around Anika. He loved her without exception and it was so beautiful witnessing Inky and Cole understand each other’s needs and want. To be able to anticipate what the other wanted. It was mesmerising.

“We have to stop doubting that we’re good enough for each other, Cole.” ~ Anika

Both Anika and Cole are so damaged from events in their pasts and throughout this story we reveal little by little the demons inside Cole. I have to say, after witnessing Inky’s demons, Cole’s, though painful and awful, were nothing of the scale of poor Inky’s, though my heart really did go out to him. After all, there is no level of pain. Pain is pain and each person’s difficult and to be respected. How did you feel when we learn of Cole’s demons G?

Gitte: Seriously Jenny I’m in complete love with Cole. In fact….so many times whilst reading, I wish I could have clicked my heels and jumped into the story. This man is sickeningly perfect. Imperfectly perfect. His heart is huge and despite his own demons his sole aim is to rid Inky of hers. It was beautiful.

“I sang to her….She said it saved her. I have to save her. All I want to do is protect her…” ~ Cole

Cole is a beautiful man who just loves with such intensity, no holds barred and has such understanding and meticulous attention to detail, needs and wants of the woman he loves. Cole’s back story did upset me and my heart broke for him too Jenny. Of course it did. And again, I was so overwhelmed by the way these two people could love and heal like they did in each other’s strength and arms. Truly heartbreaking yet inspirational beauty at the same time.

“When I wake up, it’s to his kiss on my forehead. He tells me I’m beautiful every day. He’s gentle with me. He knows my pain and I know his, and neither one of us is afraid to swim through the darkness of the other. The world could be falling down around us, but together we would be impenetrable. He is the other half of my heart, the other half of my soul….without him, I’m incomplete.” ~ Anika

Jenny:  Ahhh, love that quote! There were times in Cole when I sobbed. A scene in particular was handled with such vivid imagery and description that in my head I witnessed every heartbreaking and beautiful moment as if I was watching it in a movie.  If I thought I loved Cole before….well, what he did for Inky at this time too it to another level. What a truly beautiful man he was and the love he feels for this woman is felt with every breath.

“Cole?”
“Yes.”
“Don’t ever leave me.”

I really did enjoy this instalment and witnessing Inky and Cole deal with their pain, sharing their love, their laughter and the sheer magnitude of the feelings between Cole and Inky tugged at my heart.

I will say I was a little disappointed with the epilogue. It wasn’t what I expected but I can understand why it went that way. It’s a personal thing for me what I love in an epilogue but I have to stress, this in no way impacted on how much I loved this wonderfully written and truly moving story about opening up, trusting and finding your soul mate. Cole was sexy, funny, vivid and a wonderful read.  I cried with them, I laughed with them – and I especially laughed with Inky and Aimes. Love those two!

You truly do wish, with every heartbeat that these two find the peace, serenity and happiness they deserve.  We’ll be looking out for more from this author in the future won’t we G?  Yep! J.B. Hartnett is on our list of faves that’s for sure! Inky, Anika and crew….you’ve stolen my heart.

‘But my revenge is to be happy.’ ~ Anika

Gitte: This Author sure knows how to draw every emotion out of you and her characters worm their way into your heart with their loving and heart-wrenching actions, none more so than Cole! This man is just amazing and his love for Inky is astoundingly beautiful.

This was our fate. Her ugliness and mine made us fit.” ~ Cole

Two completely broken souls that find in each other what they’re missing…what they need. Find a love that is so all encompassing that even when yes, their pasts makes them doubt or back off they know that this is it. This is the ultimate of loves, their redemption and their future…they’re breath and their beating hearts.

“We have to stop doubting that we’re good enough for each other, Cole. We’ve both been so hurt by people that were supposed to love us unconditionally. It makes us doubt our worth….” ~ Anika

I loved the secondary characters. Cole’s parents really shone in this story and one scene in particular involving them had me in fits of laughter. Oh, and I have a real soft spot for Nico and David too. Especially Nico, he intrigues me!!

“Yeah, he knows how to get the demons out of your soul and onto your skin.”

So yeah, I loved this second instalment and J.B. Hartnett has without doubt become an automatic one-click for me with this series!

 Jenny: 4.5 Stars
Gitte: 4.5 Stars

ARC received from author in exchange for an honest review