Review: 'See Me' by Nicholas Sparks (2015)

Colin Hancock is giving his second chance his best shot. At 28, he's focused only on walking a straight line -- getting his teaching degree, working out at the gym religiously, and avoiding all the places and people that proved so destructive in his earlier life. The last thing he's looking for is a serious relationship. But when Maria Sanchez crosses paths with him on a rainswept night in North Carolina, his plans are upended in a way that will rattle the foundations of his carefully structured life. As for Maria, the hardworking lawyer and daughter of Mexican immigrants, Colin will challenge every notion she's ever had about herself and her future, making her question what truly makes her happy.
Before the couple has a chance to envision what a life together might look like, however, menacing reminders of events in Maria's past begin to surface. And as the threat of violence begins to shadow her every step, she and Colin will be tested in increasingly terrifying ways. Will demons from their past destroy the tentative bonds they have forged, or will their love protect them, even in the darkest hour?
I am SO incredibly excited about the review I get to share with all of you today, I don't even know where to begin! If you visit my blog more often, you will probably know that I'm: 1) a hopeless romantic and 2) Nicholas Sparks is one of my favourite authors of all time. I've fallen in love with all of his books and films and I wish I'd have a new Nicholas Sparks novel waiting for me every few months. His last novel 'The Last Ride' was released in 2013, so it has been a bit of a wait, but his newest book is finally here! 'See Me' was released on October 13th and I couldn't believe my luck when I found an exclusive review copy of the book on my doormat a few weeks ago. I couldn't wait to start reading it and hoped I would enjoy it as much as his other novels!
In his past, 28-year-old Colin Hancock has made a number of mistakes; mistakes he is ready to leave behind and focus on building up a new life for himself. He is focused on getting his teaching degree and spends a lot of time working out in the gym, staying away from places that could get him into trouble. If there is one thing he certainly isn’t looking out for, it is love. But when he meets Maria Sanchez, he is immediately taken in by her and can’t seem to get her out of his mind. Maria starts to fall for Colin as well, but the start of their relationship is quite troublesome as things from Maria’s past start to come back to haunt her and the ones she loves. Will Colin and Maria be able to overcome everything that is thrown their way to be together or will it simply be too much…?
I can’t believe ‘See Me’ is already Nicholas Sparks’ 19th novel and I have to say I was, as with all his works, once again completely intrigued by the characters and the storyline. The two main characters in the novel are Colin Hancock and Maria Sanchez and they both had their own background story and personality, which the author managed to convey in his own distinctive way. I was immediately taken in by Colin, who is unlike other Nicholas Sparks male characters, and it was incredibly easy to warm to Maria. While the chemistry between the two of them didn’t necessarily spark off the pages straight away, there was definitely a connection between them, and it’s wonderful how this came across and how the story between them developed.
The novel is, of course, a romance read, but there is definitely a good dose of mystery/detective added to it this time around, which actually had me guessing until the end. Nicholas Sparks’ writing style is just fantastic and no matter what he writes about, I am always intrigued and captivated from the start and sad when I’ve reached the very last page, and this was also the case with ‘See Me.’ I wouldn’t say this is my favourite one of his novels, but it’s another stunning read and one I can’t recommend to any romance fans out there, or someone who is just looking for their next good read. ‘See Me’ is an enthralling, stunning and well-written romance read with that distinctive Nicholas Sparks touch; I loved it and already can’t wait for the next one!

Rating:9,5/10

  For more information about this book: Amazon.co.uk / Amazon.com / Goodreads

Thanks to the publisher for providing me with a review copy in exchange for an honest review.

Top Ten Tuesday: 10 Books to Read If You Like Nicholas Sparks

'Top Ten Tuesday' is an original feature/weekly meme created at The Broke and the Bookish. I love making lists, so this feature fits me perfectly! If you also take part in this feature or have any additions to my lists, please get in touch; I'd love to hear from you!  

  10 Books to Read If You Like Nicholas Sparks
I am absolutely head over heels in love with Nicholas Sparks and I'm not afraid to say it. I love love love his romantic novels and he's one of my favourite authors ever. He just really understands what romance is all about and I envy his wife, to be honest! So, for today's Top Ten Tuesday list I went through the list of books I've read over the last couple of years and decided to find 10 books I think would be perfect to pick up if you enjoy Nicholas Sparks' novels. So, if you're in the mood for a good romance, be sure to pick up one of the novels below!

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1. Tasmina Perry - 'The Proposal'

I loved this Tasmina Perry novel which included a lovely romance. It's really well-written and I just loved it from start to finish.

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2. Cecelia Ahern - 'Where Rainbows End'

If you enjoy Nicholas Sparks' stories, you should definitely give Cecelia Ahern a go, if you haven't already. I love the magic feel of her novels and 'Where Rainbows End' is my favourite.

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3. Amanda Prowse - 'Will You Remember Me?'

The love sparks off the pages in Amanda Prowse's novels and 'Will You Remember Me?' is one that will certainly make you cry a tear or two!

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4. Lisa Jewell - 'Vince and Joy'

One of my favourite books as a teenager. I used to love the romantic story of main characters Vince and Joy and definitely want to pick up the book again, see what I think about it now I'm older.

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5. Hannah Beckerman - 'The Dead Wife's Handbook'

Perhaps a bit more dramatic than Nicholas Sparks' novels, but still an emotional and beautiful story that's definitely worth picking up.

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6. Melissa Hill - 'A Gift to Remember'

Oh, I loved this book. The story inside is just as lovely as the book cover!

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7. Charity Norman - 'The Son-in-Law'

Another author whose writing reminds me of Nicholas Sparks. Charity Norman is an amazing author and her novels always make an impression and have me thinking about the characters for weeks.

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8. Ella Harper - 'Pieces of You'

Okay, there are quite a lot of real tearjerkers on this list, haha! 'Pieces of You' is another one, but a simply stunning novel as well.

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9. Amy Silver - 'The Reunion'

Amy Silver's 'The Reunion' is a novel that really stayed with me and one that deserves to be read by a lot more people.

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10. Jane Austen - 'Pride and Prejudice'

Of course this novel deserves a place on this list, did you expect anything else? The mother of all romantic stories, if you ask me <3

What did you focus on for this week's Top Ten Tuesday? Be sure to leave your link in the comments section below!

Blog Tour: 'The Longest Ride' by Nicholas Sparks

Two couples. Two love stories. One epic tale.
Ninety-one-year-old Ira Levinson is in trouble. Struggling to stay conscious after a car crash, with his mind fading, an image of his adored - and long-dead - wife Ruth appears. Urging him to hang on, she lovingly recounts the joys and sorrows of their life together - how they met, the dark days of WWII and its unrelenting effect on their families.
A few miles away, college student Sophia Danko's life is about to change. Recovering from a break-up, she meets the young, rugged Luke and is thrown into a world far removed from her privileged school life. Sophia sees a new and tantalising future for herself, but Luke is keeping a secret that could destroy it all.
Ira and Ruth. Sophia and Luke. Two couples, separated by years and experience, whose lives are about to converge in the most unexpected - and shocking - of ways.
Today I can't even begin to explain how excited I am to be a part of the read-it-before-you-see-it blog tour for Nicholas Sparks' latest release 'The Longest Ride.' I love Nicholas Sparks; he's undoubtedly one of my favourite authors of all time and I don't think I will ever get enough of his romantic love stories. As most of you will know, numerous of his books have been turned into films (such as 'The Notebook' and 'A Walk to Remember') and the screen version of 'The Longest Ride' will hit cinemas soon, starring Scott Eastwood and Britt Robertson. However, I personally always prefer to read a book before I see the film, so I definitely wanted to read 'The Longest Ride' before going to see the film version. Thankfully, I got the chance to be part of this blog tour and I couldn't wait to read and review the book!
91-year-old Ira Levinson has crashed his car due to the icy weathher and slippery roads. While he is trying his very best to stay conscious, he is visited by his late wife Ruth, whom he loved with all his heart. She continues to tell him to hold on because it isn't his time to go just yet and together they bring back all the memories of their life together. At the same time, Sophia Danko, an art history student at college, is trying to recover from a broken heart after she discovered her boyfriend cheating on her. However, she now finds herself at the start of a new love story when she meets Luke, a cowboy and bull rider. Sophia feels herself falling for Luke more and more every day, but she doesn't know that Luke is hiding something, something that could change everything within seconds...
No one can write a love story like Nicholas Sparks can, and this book once again proves that. Especially since it includes not just one tale of romance, but two which are also connected to each other. I immediately warmed to the characters and was intrigued by their stories and what would happen to them. Ira's story was on the one hand heart-breaking, but on the other also really gripping and enchanting. The love between Ira and Ruth is the kind of love most people hope to find at one point in their lives and Nicholas Sparks managed to describe this in such a brilliant and captivating way. The fresh and new romance between Luke and Sophia is in contrast to the deep and timeless love between Ira and Ruth, but I enjoyed reading both of them just as much.
Like with every Nicholas Sparks novel, love has its obstacles, and this makes the story realistic. There is also a great twist at the end which made this novel even more wonderful, in my eyes. This author is such a great storyteller, I honestly can't get enough of his books and I already can't wait for the next one. What is there left to say? Nicholas Sparks has once again treated us to a fabulous love story. 'The Longest Ride' is a beautifully written, engaging, wonderful book which revolves around two parallel love stories; a simply stunning read which I can't recommend enough!

Rating:10/10

  For more information about this book: Amazon.co.uk / Amazon.com / Goodreads

Thanks to the publisher for providing me with a review copy in exchange for an honest review.

Weekly Feature: Once Upon a Story...

 'Once Upon a Story' is a weekly feature in which we go back in time and focus  on a specific novel that was released in the same month we're in right now (in this case May), but a few years back! It can be a women's fiction classic from the 1990's or perhaps a great chick lit read from 2011. I thought it would be nice to not just focus on recent releases, but also take the chance to jump back in time once a week and look back at wonderful reads that have been released over the years!

This week, we're travelling not so far back to September 2013 to look back at...

Two couples. Two love stories. One epic tale.

Ninety-one-year-old Ira Levinson is in trouble. Struggling to stay conscious after a car crash, with his mind fading, an image of his adored - and long-dead - wife Ruth appears. Urging him to hang on, she lovingly recounts the joys and sorrows of their life together - how they met, the dark days of WWII and its unrelenting effect on their families.

A few miles away, college student Sophia Danko's life is about to change. Recovering from a break-up, she meets the young, rugged Luke and is thrown into a world far removed from her privileged school life. Sophia sees a new and tantalising future for herself, but Luke is keeping a secret that could destroy it all.

Ira and Ruth. Sophia and Luke. Two couples, separated by years and experience, whose lives are about to converge in the most unexpected - and shocking - of ways.

Nicholas Sparks is one of my favourite authors; his love stories are simply amazing and I can't recommend them enough to others. In September 2013 his latest novel was released titled 'The Longest Ride.' I haven't managed to read it yet myself, but I definitely plan to before the end of the year. The description of the novel promises not one but two love stories and I don't even have to open the book to know it will be another amazing read. If you are not familiar with Nicholas Sparks' work, be sure to check it out as soon as possible because you're definitely missing out!

Be sure to visit the blog next week for another blast from chick lit past with 'Once Upon a Story...'!

Top Ten Tuesday: Ten Authors I Own the Most Books From

'Top Ten Tuesday' is an original feature/weekly meme created at The Broke and the Bookish. I love making lists, so this feature fits me perfectly! If you also take part in this feature or have any additions to my lists, please get in touch; I'd love to hear from you!  

  Ten Authors I Own the Most Books From
I couldn't join in with the Top Ten Tuesday fun last week, but I'm back again with this week's new top 10 list which includes the 10 authors I own the most books from. There are a few authors which I could straight away add to the list, but I have to admit I found myself counting books to see which other authors would make the list! I'm curious to see who are some of your favourite authors, so be sure to leave a comment or a link to your own Top Ten Tuesday list!    

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1. Jane Austen

I'm a big Jane Austen fan, and even though I already have multiple copies of each of her books, I can't help myself whenever I see a pretty new edition I don't have yet. Austen's name is definitely one that appears a lot of times in my book collection, whether it's different editions of her own work or adaptations or retellings of her stories!
 

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2. J.K. Rowling 

I own all the Harry Potter books, so that already makes 7 J.K. Rowling titles. I do own several editions of some of the parts, and I also have her other books, including the ones she wrote under a different name, which I think at least counts for half in this list! 
 

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3. Lindsey Kelk

I love love love Lindsey Kelk's books. Her 'I Heart...' series is simply fabulous, but next to the 6 parts of that particular series I also have copies of all the other books Lindsey has released so far. 
 

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4. Carole Matthews

Carole Matthews has become one of the household names within the world of chicklit. She has released more than 24 books, and I think I own at least half of them, and am still adding to that collection!
 

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5. Meg Cabot 

I fell in love with Meg Cabot's 'The Princess Diaries' book series when I was young and over the years I've continued to read her amazing books. She has some great series for all ages, and I still can't get enough of her writing.
 

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6. Ann M. Martin 

There were no books I loved more than the Babysitters Club series by Ann M. Martin when I was a little girl. I've saved all the copies I ever bought and there are quite a lot of them!
 

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7. William Shakespeare 

 During my time as an English Literature student I think I've had to read every single Shakespeare poem and play that exists. I have all kinds of different Shakespeare books lying around the house, so he definitely deserves a place on this top 10.

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8. Alexandra Potter

Alexandra Potter was one of the first chick lit authors I fell in love with when I was a teenager, and I remember walking around book shops, searching her novels. I have all of them (11 in total, I think), which gives her a place on this list as well! 
 

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9. Nicholas Sparks

My Nicholas Sparks book collection is almost complete, but I'm still missing a few titles. He's one of those authors whose books I pick up without even looking at the description, because I know I'll end up loving it.
 

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10. Sophie Kinsella

Another chick lit author whose novels I can't get enough of. I have almost all Sophie Kinsella/Madeleine Wickham books, and soon a new Shopaholic book will be added to it... I can't wait!

Top Ten Tuesday - Top 10 'Gateway' Books/Authors in My Reading Journey

'Top Ten Tuesday' is an original feature/weekly meme created at The Broke and the Bookish. Lately I've seen some other book bloggers being quite enthusiastic about this weekly meme, so I decided to join in with the fun and try it out myself as well!  

  Top Ten 'Gateway' Books/Authors in My Reading Journey   Today's Top Ten Tuesday is quite a tricky one, namely ten 'gateway' books/authors in my reading journey; in other words, books or authors that played a specific role in my book-reading life. A book that got me into reading, an author that got me interested in a specific genre... Enough to think about this week, and as I'm writing this I am already quite curious to find out which ten books will eventually make the list!

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1. Jane Austen - 'Pride and Prejudice'

If you know me or visit this blog regularly, I suppose it is no real surprise that this book is number 1 on this list! Jane Austen is one of my all-time favourite authors and I love anything that has to do with her. I remember reading 'Pride and Prejudice' for the first time when I was 15 years old and even though I already loved books before reading this story, it definitely was the start of a new passion for me, a passon for not just Austen herself, but also for English literature in general. I ended up studying English literature for 6 years, and I still think back to my first experience with 'Pride & Prejudice' as a defining moment in my life and my love for books!

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2. Josie Lloyd & Emlyn Rees - 'The Three Day Rule'

These days my favourite book genre is definitely chick lit, and I still remember the books I read as a teenager that made me more interested in this genre and made me want to read more and more. I used to love Josie Lloyd & Emlyn Rees' books and every time I went to the library and found another one of their novels I was over the moon. I especially remember reading 'The Three Day Rule' and not wanting to put it down until I had finished it!  

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3. Lisa Jewell - 'Vince and Joy'

Another author who played a significant role when I was discovering chick lit as a teenager is Lisa Jewell. I remember getting really excited whenever one of her new books was released, but I especially remember how much I loved and was impressed by her novel 'Vince and Joy.' The pretty cover, the characters, the storyline... The book is a great read and still one of my favourite chick lit novels of all time. The love story at the centre of this book also inspired me to start writing myself, so it still has a special place on my book shelf.

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4. P.L. Travers - 'Mary Poppins'

'Mary Poppins' has been one of my favourite films ever since I was a little girl. I remember wanting nothing more than a British nanny who could fly through the air with an umbrella and jump into chalk drawings on the street. When I was at university, I decided to write an essay about 'Mary Poppins' which is how I ended up actually reading the original books. I discovered that the books written by P.L. Travers are actually really different from the Disney film (some of you might know the whole story behind this, but I won't go into detail about it right now). This reading experience showed me that film adaptations of novels can be completely different from the original book, which is why I always want to read the book on which a particular film I enjoyed is based, whether it's before I see the film or after. So, also a book with a personal story behind it and one that belongs on this list!  

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5. Emily Giffin - 'Something Borrowed'

Another chick lit classic that's still one of my absolute favourites. It encouraged my love for the chick lit genre, but also showed me that you should not judge people without knowing the personal story behind things. In the novel cheating plays a central role, but Emily Giffin really managed to show the other side, of how and why a person decides to cheat. A story that has stayed with me since I read it and one I can't recommend enough to others!  

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6. Tasmina Perry - 'Perfect Strangers'

I used to not like books that dealt with any form of violence or murder or anything along those lines, which is also why I never read detective or action novels. However, last year I was asked to review Tasmina Perry's novel 'Perfect Strangers' which is an example of glamorous and exciting women's fiction in which murder plays a central role. I thoroughly enjoyed this, much more than I initially expected, and since then I've been more open to picking up novels like Tasmina Perry's work and to broaden my horizon a bit besides chick lit.

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7. Nicholas Sparks - 'The Notebook'

Whenever I feel down or need a good dose of romance, I know I can just pick up any Nicholas Sparks novel and it will do the trick. Nicholas Sparks is one of my favourite authors and as a true romantic at heart I love every single one of his love stories. I can't get enough of his work, can't recommend it to others enough, and can't wait until his next releases, so he definitely cannot be left out when it comes to authors who played a significant role on my personal reading journey. 

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8. E.L. James - 'Fifty Shades of Grey'

I was just as curious as a lot of other readers to what all the fuss was about when 'Fifty Shades of Grey' suddenly topped the charts. I decided to give the genre a chance and while I finished all three novels of the Fifty Shades series, I can honestly say erotic fiction just isn't for me. I was somehow captivated by Christian and Ana's story, but I thought the books were too long, not that well-written, and just not that interesting.  

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9. Jonathan Safran Foer - 'Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close'

Lots of people think 'Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close' is one of the best books ever written which is also why I decided to pick it up. However, I didn't enjoy the book at all. Up to this very day I still don't understand why people are so incredibly positive and enthusiastic about it. This book showed me that a hype can be built around a specific story, but it can still disappoint you or not be your cup of tea, and there's nothing wrong with that. It's simply part of the reading experience.

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10. Stephenie Meyer - 'Twilight'

I still think 'Twilight', the first part of the incredibly popular series by Stephenie Meyer, is one of the best and most captivating love stories I've read so far in my life. I love Bella and Edward's tale, and this novel really opened my eyes to the Young Adult genre. At first I thought I was a bit too old to enjoy YA, but that's definitely not true and I'm glad this book opened my eyes towards a whole new and thoroughly enjoyable genre.

Which books or authors have played an important role on your reading journey? I'd love to hear from you! :)