Book Freak: Can't Let Go by Michelle Lynn - Blog Tour, Book Review, Giveaway

About Can't Let Go

Dex is many things, a college senior, the bassist for The Invisibles, a son, a friend, everything but a boyfriend. Everybody knows him as the shallow guy who’s up for a good time anytime. People rarely take the time to see the loyal guy lying just beneath the happy-go-lucky façade.

There are parts of Dex’s life he keeps hidden. Ones he believes no one would understand. Since he gave up on the idea of a dream girl long ago, he thinks he’s finally found the perfect balance of connection without commitment with Sam.

Chrissy used to know everything about Dex. When he left four years ago for college, she was left behind. Four years later, with nowhere else to turn, Chrissy calls the one person she’s always counted on, Dex. One glance at the sad eyes he’s tried to forget and Dex knows it’s out of his control.

With Chrissy's return, lines begin to cross from friendship to something more, but will Dex's secret force them apart forever?

(Can't Let Go is the fourth novel in the Invisibles Series)

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Buy Links:
Amazon - http://amzn.to/1pln0s2
Amazon UK - http://amzn.to/1tNSLto
B&N - http://bit.ly/1tZCoZL

My Review

Let Me Love is still my favorite, but Can’t Let Go came close to it.

They have known each other since they were young. Their father’s gambling addiction has paved way to a start of an unusual friendship between Dex and Chrissy. As they grow old, their friendship had evolved, and Dex – he has always taken care of Chrissy, in one way or the other. Not because Chrissy wanted him too. This girl wanted to be independent. She has plans, and once she’s finally 18, she can pack up and finally live independently from her father.

I like their friendship. Their friendship wasn’t the kind that needs 24/7 communication. Theirs was sporadic, but constant and comfortable. They may not talk much, but when they need each other – they were there. Now I wonder, how will they cross that line? Who will move first??

Because both of them has secrets, both of them didn’t want their friendship to suffer.

Dex may have project himself to be a careless guy who loves to have a good time, but they didn’t really know him. I’m glad Michelle Lynn started from the beginning, and allowed her readers to know him deeply and understand where he is coming from. I like Dex, love the way he took care of Chrissy. Yes, he may have those ‘stupid moments’ at times, but he knows how to apologize and how to make it up to her.

I thought Dex’s dad was worse, but he’s luckier than his friend. My heart broke for Chrissy, for what her father was doing, for putting her in that situation. She was supposed to make something out of herself, to start fresh. Instead, she was pushed into desperation and right back at the beginning. Good thing, she has Dex.

He has always been her knight. He was the one she can count on. But no matter how much Chrissy loves this guy, she knew that he can do better than her. She was no one, she came from the wrong side of the tracks, she has a lot of baggage on her back. He didn’t need any problems.

I thought he and Sam were fine – but imagine my surprise when Chrissy came along. Since Michelle Lynn started it from the beginning, I could say that they were meant for each other. They have history, and even at a young age, they have already formed that bond.

"Why can't you just love me? Stop worrying about saving me or protecting me! Just fucking love me, God damn it."

But when Chrissy was finally ready to cross that line, he wasn’t. He didn't want to lose his friend. OUCH. Heartbreaking scenes right there! It was nice to have Sadie at her side, coaxing her to try to date other people. If Dex didn’t want her, someone else does. I was glad that Chrissy found new friends besides Dex – she needed them especially girlfriends. Sadie was really kind to her, and so have the rest of the girls in the group. She had found new friends with them and I was so happy for her. Imagine my surprise when Sam approached her. I didn’t expect that they’d have a cordial conversation, as if her relationship with Dex wasn’t an elephant in the room. But Sam was very kind about it, I think I liked her even more.

I didn’t want to say this – but I LOVE ROB! (Will he be the next one in the series?) He might have been an a** in Let Me In, but here he was the one that made Dex opened his eyes. He was going to lose Chrissy if he didn’t man up and finally confess his feelings. But first, he needed to tell her his secrets.

Would she understand? Or would she hate him?

Dex & Chrissy crossing THAT line between friendship and love was totally worth the wait. One of the best things that can ever happen to you is to fall in love with your best friend. It is a huge risk, but once all the fears subside, and you finally take that big leap and finally landed – you’ll realize it’s worth it.

Michelle Lynn had once again wowed me with her work. Can’t Let Go is a story of love, friendship, and taking risks. It had me swooning, laughing, tearing, and rooting for the characters. I enjoyed reading Dex & Chrissy’s story – the ups and downs, the highs and lows, the heartbreaking and heartwarming scenes. Dex is one heck of a knight and shining armor.

There is also a bonus material at the end of the novel on Trey & Kailey. It was short, sweet, and I never thought I would love Trey more!

★Complimentary Copy was given in exchange for an honest review.★

Excerpt

Already regretting my decision to call Dex in the first place, I keep my distance for the remainder of the night, allowing him to have fun with his friends. He doesn’t engage me very much, only telling me even more that he wishes I wouldn’t have invaded his perfect life. By the time we go to bed, we venture into the room that is reserved for the two of us. I guess when you come with so many couples, it negates the whole guys in this room, girls in the other equation.

I escape into the bathroom and change my clothes. By the time I return, Dex is already in his pajama pants, digging in his bag. He drops his phone and bends down to retrieve it. As he steadily stands back up, his eyes roam up my body and a warm current in my blood swirls, following the path of his eyes. He bites his bottom lip and takes a deep breath. “I’ll be back,” he says with a husky voice.

Once he rushes out, I climb under the covers to disengage any sexual urges neither one of us will entertain tonight. In this moment, I wish I could be one of those girls. The ones who could sleep with Dex only to feel the comforting arms of a man, but it’s the fear of after that keeps my hands pinned around my body. The fear that he would sleep with me out of pity, or worse, that he would only do it for his own pleasure and release.

He opens the door, and his blue eyes focus on the television and anywhere but at me. “I’ll sleep on the floor,” he murmurs, never casting a glance my way.

“Don’t be silly. We’ve done this before.” I flip to my side.

“When we were fourteen, Chris.” He grabs the pillow.

“Really, Dex. I trust you,” I tell him, facing him head on, and oh my lord, his muscles are everywhere. He’s always been built, but holy mackerole, he’s insanely big now.

He looks at me long and hard for a few seconds and then pulls back the covers. As he’s sliding under the crisp white linen sheets, the mattress dips next to me. I turn around so my back faces his. We both reach over and turn off the lights on our respective sides. The funny thing is if someone walked in right now, they’d think we were two elderly people, who have been married for years, instead of hot-blooded early twenty-something’s.

Minutes of silence fill the room, and even with me shutting my eyes, visualizing what I imagine the beach must feel like, sleep won’t come. Dex’s close proximity has my body hyperaware of his breathing and his body. “Do you want to tell me?” he whispers.

“I’m okay. Like I said, I just needed a break. Thank you for bringing me. I hope I wasn’t too much of an inconvenience for you,” I lie, and a huge breath releases from him.

“You’re never an inconvenience to me. If you don’t tell me, I can’t help you,” he adds, and I roll over, although, he keeps his back to me.

“Nothing. Like I said I needed a breather.” If I admit to Dex the real reason, he’ll try to fix it and save me like normal. Being here with his friends and the people that care about him, he deserves normality and that’s not in my life’s course.

My hands itch to touch the grooves and contours of the muscles that spread across his back, displaying how hard he works out at the gym every day. “Just wanted to feel normal. So, thank you again.” The lies just continue to flow. He doesn’t need my drama in his life. He has his together, why should my fucked-up past screw with it?

The pillow shifts from the slow shake of his head. “You’re welcome,” he says, and the silence encompasses us once again. Eventually, the light whistling of his breathing signifies he’s fallen asleep. I lie awake, observing the rise and fall of his back until my eyes relent to the exhaustion of the day.

Meet Michelle...

Michelle moved around the Midwest most of her life, transferring from school to school before settling down in the outskirts of Chicago ten years ago, where she now resides with her husband and two kids. She developed a love of reading at a young age, which helped lay the foundation for her passion to write. With the encouragement of her family, she finally sat down and wrote one of the many stories that have been floating around in her head. When she isn’t reading or writing, she can be found playing with her kids, talking to her mom on the phone, or hanging out with her family and friends. But after chasing around twin preschoolers all day, she always cherishes her relaxation time after putting the kids to bed.

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