“Maybe promises are supposed to hurt a little.”
Amelia Bright has lots of plans for the future, and none of them involve falling for a guy like Sebastian Holbrook. With a questionable reputation and an attitude to match, he’s exactly the kind of guy Amelia promised herself she’d avoid. But after an encounter that leaves her charged and breathless, she can’t stop wondering about him and the secrets he keeps hidden behind that tough exterior.
Sebastian knows first-hand that every single choice has a consequence and how a fragile promise can shape a life. Now that his mother is gone and he’s raising his little brother on his own, he’s all but given up on a future for himself. Struggling to keep food on the table and a roof over their heads, Sebastian doesn’t have time for games or girls. So why can’t he shake thoughts of beautiful, smart Amelia Bright from his mind?
Equally devastating and heartfelt, Amelia and Sebastian’s story of a rare and unexpected connection is one that will stay with you long after the last page is read. Full of wit and tenderness, The Bright Effect is an unforgettable journey of expectations, regrets and discovering just how far love can carry us in the face of heartbreak.
I
just think that for some people, the story is never over.
Amelia Bright is your usual over-achiever kind of girl.
She has a lot of plans in the future, and has a lot on her plate in the
present. Sebastian Holbrook isn’t one of them. He was the type of guy she was
better off without, especially with the reputation and attitude that is
attached to his name. But thanks to his brother, Carter, their world is about
to meet.
Sebastian Holbrook goes into my book-boyfriend list not
just because of so many reasons that includes Amelia, but the fact that he was
trying to raise his little brother on his own. And juggling work, school and
making sure his brother has everything he needed was not an easy task
especially when you’re in your senior year. He didn’t have the time for falling
in love, especially not with the unreachable Amelia Bright.
Loving
her is strange and confusing and damn
risky.
Them being together is inevitable, they have a lot on
their plates, and they were not from the same side of the track but they were
just so good together, my heart just melted. Sebastian needed someone to love
him with everything that has been going through in his life, and Amelia is such
a loving and supportive person. They were just so great together, you wouldn’t
see that piece of heartbreak coming along.
Because that scenario caught me off-guard, it stole and
broke lives and it broke hearts. It was devastating to watch because it seems
that everything fell on Sebastian’s shoulder altogether. How he managed: thank
you so much to his awesome friend Seth who never left his side. I didn’t think
he’d manage without him at this point in his life. There were a whole lot of
temptations on making his life easier, and at times I thought he’d give into
it. Thank goodness he didn’t!!!! The lowest point in his life made his
friendship tight, and him a little stronger.
As for Amelia, if it was hard for Bash (Sebastian, I like
calling him by his whole name too!), it was totally overwhelming sense of dread
and loss for Amelia. Sebastian tried so hard in supporting her, being with her
and just loving her, but some things are just inevitable.
I thought their love wasn’t strong enough to surpass
this, but I was once again proven wrong. Because just when I thought everything
was falling apart, a spark of hope came along, the hurt stilled. Everything was
ALMOST coming back into places, it warmed my heart. Everything was going to be
okay: for Amelia, for Sebastian, for everyone.
We have a great set of main characters, and an even
greater set of secondary characters, who were just as important. I didn’t think
Sebastian and Amelia would surpass everything that happened to them without
their support system: Audra, and Seth. They had their own moments and it was
never dull.
Gotta say that these two women (Autumn Doughton and Erica
Cope) collaborate, they surely bring out the best in each other. Because for
the second time around, they give us something that was truly worth the wait: a
book filled with so much heart and emotions, I just couldn’t put it down. There
was so much love, so much heartache and yet so much hope that it fills your
soul right to the very core, and even the ending (which I didn’t really expect)
brings out a promise of a next bright chapter for our characters, without
making it a cliffy (thank you so much). So indeed, I concluded (perhaps with
numerous people), that The Bright Effect by Autumn Doughton and Erica Cope is
another must-read and must-not-miss kind of book.
Whatever
piece of forever we get, I’m not going to let it go without a fight.
Check out their other collaboration:
Steering the Stars
Two girls. Two stories. One journey.
Be careful what you wish for…
Aspiring writer Hannah Vaughn worries that she is doomed to live out the rest of her existence in a sleepy Oklahoma town. For as long as she can remember, she’s dreamed of something more – adventure, excitement, intrigue. When her sister invites her to London and she’s accepted to a prestigious writing program at The Warriner School, she jumps at the chance. But will it be epic or an epic fail?
You’ll never know if you don’t try…
Nothing ever happens to straight-A student Caroline McKain and that’s exactly the way she likes it. With her best friend in London and junior year looming on the horizon, all she wants is to remain invisible. So when she is suddenly thrust into the spotlight, she must ask herself: Can an invisible girl really take center stage?
Follow Hannah and Caroline as they navigate the complexities of first love, family and growing up. As their bond is tested, the girls will learn that being apart can ultimately bring you together. Steering the Stars is a fresh, heartfelt story about fate, discovery, and the magic of friendship.