Landon & Shay pt. 2

We were messy, and broken, and complex, and beautiful. 

Once upon a time, I fell in love with a boy. A beautiful, broken boy who had his own world of struggles. People warned me against our love, but I didn't listen. We looked weak, young, and foolish. Dangerously in love. We didn't care. In order to keep our hearts protected from the opinions of others, we became each other's secret. We shared stolen moments. Tender touches. Secretive embraces. It was our twisted love story, and it worked for us up until our lives changed forever. The boy I loved became Hollywood's newest golden boy. His career blossomed as mine stalled. He found massive success as I discovered multiple failures. He made something of himself, while my dreams never came true. We moved into different realms where our pieces no longer fit together. In the fairy tales, love conquered all. In reality, love was the main reason empires began to fall. I always knew Landon belonged in my story. He was my beginning, middle, and end. The only problem? I wasn't certain I still belonged in his. *Book two of the Landon & Shay Duet*

There are no words for this duet. These books were so fantastic, so well written, and so heartbreaking. Every time I read a book by Brittainy, the next one is even better than the last. If your wondering if book two can top book one, it can. 

My review for Landon & Shay pt 1 can be found here:

https://njpennybookreviews.blogspot.com/2019/10/landon-shay.html

I was given an ARC of this book from the author for my honest review. And book Two releases on December 4th. 

"Don't let your mind wander too far from me. I'm here when you need me. Always."

If I thought I loved Shay in the first book, it was nothing compared to this one. In this book she felt more real  to me. She was vulnerable, until she wasn't anymore. She was heartbroken and lost, until she decided she wasn't going to be that woman anymore. I liked how the love she felt for Landon ran strong through her veins, but she finally realized at some point she needed to love herself more. That's when her character really started to grow. She let go of the person she thought she loved more than anything, and really started to learn to love herself. She realized that even though you love someone, and you know they love you back, it doesn't give them the right to treat you like you aren't worthy. Shay has to be one of my favorite female book characters, she was going through so much pain, but she found a way to pick herself up and live.

Landon was tortured. While Shay had to let him go in order to love herself, he needed that time away so that he could fix the pieces of himself that were broken. He had never loved anyone like he did Shay, and I truly feel like he needed to go through all the pain and suffering so that he knew that he was able to come out stronger on the other side. His life was messy, and he didn't feel strong enough to make it through, but he did, and I thought that was really beautiful. When he finally started to realize that he was loved, and that people needed him just as much as he needed them, his character truly started to grow. 

While I lifted him up, he weighed me down. It confused me how love could feel so much like a war. 

Just like in book one, I highlighted everything in this book. I can't even explain to you how amazing Brittainy is at making a person feel. There was so much pain in this book, I was literally on the couch sobbing, I felt everything these characters were going through, and I just wanted nothing more than for them to find the happiness they so desperately deserved. How amazing is a writer that can make you feel the characters pain so deeply that it feels like it's your own pain? 

First loves were different. You never saw the flames coming before it was too late, and you were left scorched. 

I really just want to go on and on about how amazing the writing is in this story, how amazing the characters and their growth is, how beautiful their love is, but I really just want everyone to get these books and find out for themselves what a beautiful read this is. This isn't some pretty love story, these characters go through so much pain, they have to fight to get where they are, and they have to fight to prove their love to one another. This duet is hands down one of my top reads of the year. That's saying something, I've read over 100 books this year, and I know these are going to stay with me for a while. 

No question, this is a 5 STAR read for me. And Brittainy Cherry has squeezed her way into my must read authors list. She has a way with words that I've never found in anyone else. She will draw you in and make you feel like your living the story as your own. Bravo, Brittainy what a beautiful story. 

"Be brave. Be strong. Be kind. And stay."