Synopsis
A missed first encounter…..
Colliding with a second chance…..
On the heels of graduating college and trying to cope with her mother’s death, Emily Cooper moves to New York City for a fresh start.
While harboring secrets of his own, Dillon Parker takes care of Emily through her grief. Knowing he can’t live without her by his side, he’s sweet, thoughtful, and everything Emily has ever wanted in a man.
Until she meets Gavin Blake-a rich and notorious playboy who is dangerously sexy and charming as hell. Emily tries to deny the instant connection she feels, but Mr. Tall, Dark, and Handsome is not inclined to let go so easily. Recovering from his own painful past, Gavin will stop at nothing to win Emily over.
This unexpected encounter compels Emily to question her decisions, forcing her to make a choice that will destroy friendships, shatter hearts, and forever change her life.
3.5/4 out of 5 stars
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My Review
I have had Collide on my TBR list for months and months. Everyone has been telling me how amazing Gavin is and so when The Hot Bed said they were doing a tour for this week, i had to join in. I want to say thanks to Kate for sending me the paperback – the cover is freaking beautiful and all i did when i received it was stare at it and stroke it. I tend to stay away from love triangle books because they make me panicky and annoyed at the main character and one of the guys – mainly the boyfriend who ends up being a major asshole (I wasnt wrong).
The main reason I didnt give this book 5 stars is down to the fat that i was utterly annoyed at Emily throughout the majority of the book. And also i despise Dillon like no other. I actually ended up skim reading or skipping parts with him in because i hated the way he treated Emily. I just couldnt stand it nor stand how Emily put up with it.Saying that, Gail had me addicted to Collide – I needed to know more about Gavin, what Emily was going to do and if Dillon was going to get his ass handed to him on a plate. Gail really knows how to evoke emotions from you and dear God, i had them all. From swooning, to anger, to tears, you name it, my chest was hurting – good and bad.
As you know Collide is based around Emily. Her mother has recently died and she has uprooted her life to live in NYC where her boyfriend, Dillon and her BFF Olivia live. After finding a job, she goes on an errand and meets Gavin Blake. Just that brief encounter has her twisted up inside and when they meet again she wants to deny the connection but Gavin wont let it go easily. Oh no.
They become friends despite the growing want and when Dillon’s true colours appear she runs to Gavin but when a misunderstanding happens, Emily is torn up inside and does the one thing she will later go onto regret. Will she choose the right path and more importantly the right guy?
I really really wanted to like Emily but deep down she annoyed me. I understood that really, its a massive step to move away from your birth place, to step inside the busy and bustling city where you only know your boyfriend, your best friend and her brother. It’s got to be overwhelming. And really, she did great integrating into this way of life. But what i hated was how she felt she had to owe her life to Dillon because he was there throughout everything with her mother. I felt so sorry for Emily due to her thinking that. When she wasnt around Dillon, I could tolerate her. She seemed to relax, enjoy herself, BE herself and have fun without being tethered on a string.
And then came along Gavin. You could instantly see the connection, but she felt so bad about it because of Dillon. I wanted her to dump his ass and get on the Gavin train because HELLO SEXUAL TENSION. It was off the page with these two and you could very well see the feelings they both had for each other but they hid it well from Dillon but no one else. I liked that she could let loose with Gavin, as i’ve said, be herself, be the girl who can say what she wants, dress how she wants and be friends who whom she wants. You knew how she was falling for him yet she was scared. I did love it when these two were together, it was obvious they felt deeply and I hate hate hate the fact that a major misunderstanding broke both their hearts, until it was really only too late. I’m just glad that Emily, albeit very late, got her ass into gear but is it too late?
I have nothing to say about Dillon. I wanted to stab him (Yes, that’s quite violent but bah). He treated Emily like crap. He was a grade A-Douchebag who manipulated her, who put her down slowly, who got angry at the way she dressed, who she was friends with. And really, he was emotionally abusing her but she couldnt see it…I just got so angry and wound-up that he was doing this to her. And his mother was just as bad as he was. AHHHH i need to see him just gone in Pulse please. Leave Emily alone.
And now the guy who everyone loves – Gavin Blake. I am totally aboard this love train. He is just *sigh*. I feel for him the first meeting. That once glance and Emily and he was a goner. I love that it was the guy who feel first, the guy who, in that instant knew the girl was the one for him. It makes a really nice change. Yes, he’s a smirky, smarmy, cocky guy, but you know, you just know that they way he is acting around Emily, hes in deep. He wants her for his own and he actually doesnt care that she is Dillons. He really doesnt have a loyalty to him. The things he said, the beautiful words that came out of his mouth. The way he will love Emily so hard and deep but then the heartbreak. I could take seeing him like that. Seeing how much it cut him, how his heart broke into tiny pieces that he couldnt take it anymore.
There’s drama and angst and so much confusion wrapped into this book – confusion that comes from Emily about Dillon and Gavin. I didnt like how much Gavin got led on by her, but yano what, shes gotta learn from her mistakes now and how it ended with Gavin, yupp it was her fault and I side with Gavin.
Anyway, if you love love triangles with a sexy, sweet guy, a confused girl and a douchebag boyfriend then pick up Collide and get reading it. It is addictive but I wasnt as addictive as i have been with other books.
Z. Elizabeth 