Synopsis.
Abby Porter's husband dies unexpectedly and she is left with the daily struggle of raising three girls on her own. Her friends, Derek and Lexi, decide to help her rediscover the self she lost during her marriage by composing a list of all the things she wanted to, but could never do.
While completing one of tasks on the list, Abby finds herself at an Awakening concert, where fate plays a hand in bringing her together with the lead singer, Alex Morgan.
Will her extreme attraction to Alex hep her open the door to a second chance, or will she allow the protective instinct for her heart and her daughters push him away?
SJ's Review.
What you do to me is the first book in the unexpected love series and I loved it!!
Abby Porter is Mother of three, widowed and crushed! Abby's husband died and left her to deal with the shit he left behind. Finding out he had a string of affairs behind her back was harder on her than finding out her husband David was dead. The relationship between Abby & David was one of convenience, they vowed forever and that's what she was committed to, even if she wasn't in love with him any longer. Abby finds herself at an
Awakening concert courtesy of her best friends Lexi and Derek. Little does she know this concert will change her life in more ways than one.
Alex Morgan is the lead singer in the band Awakening. When his eyes skim across Abby in the meet and greet line he is hooked. She's beautiful and not swooning over the band like all the other fans. She isn't dressed slutty just in jeans and a jumper. He makes it his aim to get to know her. Abby tries her hardest to resist Alex and his charm, but come on who could resist all that sexiness? Abby is secretly swooning but she isn't about to show Alex that.
Abby's best friends Lexi & Derek were the ones to pick her up when she was in a hole. Her husband of ten years died and she wasn't living anymore. Living day to day was a struggle, Abby creates a list and her friends are determined to get her to do everything on that list..
I loved this story, simple because you didn't see the Abby & David marriage you only saw the aftermath. I liked this because it was different. Abby is learning to live again, but how much of a life can you actually have when you have three girls to look after. With the help of her best friends and her parents Abby does start to live again.
Abby finds I hard letting Alex into her home, her heart and her families lives. After all it isnt just herself she has to think about but also her girls. She can't bring Alex into their lives just for him to leave when the going gets tough, but Abby needs to learn to talk to Alex. Its not fair to just shut him out without letting him decide if he wants the whole package or not.
I would give this book 5 stars. I liked the characters, the story setting and the back story. Brilliantly written also.
Kate's Review.
This book centres around a small town woman Abby Porter, a recently widowed mother of 3 girls Lily the oldest and twins Jasmine and Josie, as she embarks on rebuilding her life. She creates a list of things she wants to do and things to accomplish.
We're introduced to her when she is just about to go and watch her favourite band, Awakenings, in concert, that her best friends Lexi and Derek organised. They bought her tickets for front row
seating and a meet and greet with the band. The concert is number 2 on Abby' s list. She meets the band and their front man Alex Morgan arranges for her to watch the concert from the side of the stage instead of being on her own in a mosh pit.
Abby can't believe her luck but is equally reluctant to do it as she doesn't believe anything will happen to her. It's only when she's sat at the side of the stage that she sees what the front is like that she is truly grateful to the band. At the end of the show Alex comes and tells her not to leave but Abby being Abby doesn't want to impose and so when the band go on for their encore she leaves.
She gets back to her hotel and sits in the bar to reflect on her night and to her surprise Alex shows up and asks her up to his room for a drink and a chat. Of course she's not interested but goes anyway. Alex is not your typical rock god. Yes he's very good-looking and covered with sexy tattoos and ripped but he's got a lot more about him and as you read this book you realise he's just a genuinely nice guy. He's drawn to Abby because she's not like the other girls he's known and he pulls out all the stops to spend as much time as he can with her.
This is a lovely story of second chance love and like real love there are lots of bumps in the road that have to be overcome. I give this book 4.5 stars as I got a little frustrated with some of the decisions Abby made.
DO NOT read past this point if you have not read 'What You Do To Me'
Below are reviews of Faithfully and WILL contain spoilers.
Synopsis.
The second book of Alex and Abby
Will there be a Happily Ever After for Alex and Abby?
With ten months until the wedding, Abby and Alex were learning to navigate their new relationship. Abby was learning to open up and allow Alex to help and be a part of her life with the girls. Alex was adjusting well to small town life and the roll of a stepfather.
However, when Alex takes in a new up and coming artist, who is young, beautiful and
hot, will Abby be able to trust him or will Alex falter and return to his old ways?
The stress of the heart attack that Abby’s dad suffered, managing the pub and the new book agent paying extra special attention to Abby, would she be able to stay true to herself and Alex.
Alex and Abby fought hard to have what they had now, but would their love be enough to survive everything that life throws at them. Would ten months be long enough to solidify their bond, or too short, causing both of them to give up?
SJ's Review.
I was more pulled into Faithfully than I was What you do to me, although I gave WYDTM 5 stars I think I preferred Faithfully because it pulled me in. I wanted to see where they were going to go. I wanted to see if there was going to be a big twist and Abby actually ends up with Derek.
So in WYDTM it ended with Alex saying he had brought a house near to Abby and he was here to stay. I loved Alex in WYDTM and I liked him even more in Faithfully. Even thought Abby has never truly trusted Alex, Alex stayed and proved she was the only one he wanted. When Paige arrives in town to work on her album with Alex all of Abby's insecurities hit her full force. After David had a number of affairs Abby is finding it hard to trust.
Alex has proved to no end that he loves Abby and the children but to no avail. He is still not allowed to stay in the house at night, he has upped and moved his life for her and the girls. Too me it felt like Abby was fine taking all she could from Alex but not giving anything in return. How long can Alex put up with Abby keeping him at a distance? How long can Abby keep Alex at arms length?
These two have never had it easy, they have had plenty of drama and it didn't stop when they finally made the relationship offical. When Johnny asks to see Abby & Alex as part of his rehabilitation programme Abby panics. Alex still doesn't know the truth about Johnny hitting her, he still thinks she fell while running. How much more drama can these two deal with?
All in all. Abby grows close to someone, but is it more than just friendship?
Alex spends more and more time with another female instead of his 'family' but is there more to it than meets the eye?
Will Abby realise the relationship her and Alex are fighting for wasn't meant to be?
Will the pressure she is under from her Dad's heart attack and the selling of the pub be enough to push her into someone else's arms?
Will Alex get cold feet and return to his lying cheating ways?
Relationships dwindle, Love is lost, Secret are told and Love is found.
Faithfully gets the full 5 star rating from me. I loved the characters and the story behind how they all got to be. I hope there is more in the series. Maybe from another characters point of view. Maybe Johnny? Or Derek?
My favourite character in Faithfully was Johnny, he really proved himself to be a nice guy and not the drugged up junkie he was in book one. He showed remorse for what he had done and I am keeping my fingers crossed that his story will be next. It'll be good to see the struggles he is dealing with from day to day but how his 'family' keep him strong.
Kate's Review.
This book opens with Alex having moved to Michigan to be with Abby and her girls permanently. He's left his life in LA and bought on old guest house nearby, with plans to move Abby and the girls in with him and convert part of it into a recording studio so he can sign new talent to his record label.
As we found out in book one Abby has trust issues after finding out that her late husband wasn't faithful to her and she seems to struggle letting Alex all the way into her heart and her life for fear he's going to leave her and her bored with the quiet life in Michigan. So I felt she was holding him at arms length quite a lot.
His sister Sam becomes a more involved character in this book, which I liked because her no b.s attitude in book 1 made me chuckle at times.
They is a lot more tension in this book which I enjoyed.
Johnny, Alex's band mate is in rehab and has to personally apologise to the people he hurt following his drug and alcohols addiction. This creates a problem for Abby as she had never told Alex that it was Johnny who attacked her. She aims to tell him before they fly out to LA but the opportunity never arises. She meets Johnny first as Alex is running late and as planned he apologises to her but Alex overhears his confession and, understandably, walks out. She doesn't follow him but decided to go for a walk with Johnny to get to know him better. When they return Alex is waiting and ready to hear Johnny' s apology.
I loved Johnny' s character in this book because he over came his addiction and became the man I wanted him to be, honest and trust-worthy and just a great guy. The back story of him and Alex's sister Sam is something I want to read more of and I'm hoping they get their own book.
Excerpt.
When I was getting to my car, I saw Sam exiting the guesthouse. She was trying
to sneak by and didn’t see me standing next to my car.
“You know, if you want to be sneakier, you might want to sneak back in before everyone I saw her jump. “Fuck.” She turned towards me. “You didn’t see this.” She moved “Yes, I did,” I said in a smart ass tone.
“How the hell can I get back in that house and not have Alex see me?” I could hear the panic in her voice.
“He’ll be taking the girls to school in twenty minutes. Go back in there,” I pointed at the guesthouse, “and when he leaves, crawl your ass back into bed.”
“Thanks.” Sam turned to walk back into the guesthouse.
About the Author Izzy Cullen.
I have dreamed about writing for years and I finally took the leap. What You Do To
Me, Unexpected Love: Volume One is my first book with it's follow up Faithfully
Unexpected Love: Volume Two due out July 2014.
Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Izzy-Cullen/564694793556965
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6654264.Izzy_Cullen