There are two sides to every love story. Now hear Will's.
More Will Cooper? Yes, please! I loved that Point of Retreat (the second book in the Slammed trilogy) was told from Will's POV so getting more of that in This Girl was wonderful. This Girl picks up right where Point of Retreat left off. As Lake and Will reminisce about the evolution of their relationship, Lake asks Will to share his memories. "What was it like the first time you saw me?" "Tell me about our first date." And it's in this way that we get Will's side of the story - his point of view of the events from Slammed.
It was a treat to get inside Will's head for so many of the events that took place in Slammed. We were only privy to Lake's view and her perspective so finding out what Will was thinking and going through was fantastic. There were so many times in Slammed that his reactions made me wonder how he was feeling or what he was really thinking. And here it was. It was obviously in Slammed how much he struggled with his feelings for Lake but here it was like it was multiplied tenfold. Will didn't just struggle with his feelings for Lake. He agonized. He was tormented. It made my heart swell how first and foremost in his mind was what was best for Lake. And when he wavered, when he faltered, and his love and desire for this girl overwhelmed him and he felt as though he had crossed a line, oh how he tortured himself over it. It broke my heart for him time and time again.
God, what I wouldn't give to be able to hold her right now.
If I could just take all of this away from her, I would.
I was concerned at first that the narrative would feel repetitive - a rehash of Slammed - but it wasn't at all. Will's perspective brought a fresh take to it all. The scene in the school hallway when he saw Lake there... I could feel it all over again. When he found Javi kissing Lake... his conversations with Julia... his reaction when Lake performed her slam... it was all here. And I loved it. So many times in Slammed when I felt like Will was handling the situation so much better than Lake, I was proven wrong here. So wrong. Will was honorable and had integrity but that was truly put to the test when faced with his love for Lake. I thought I couldn't possibly love Will Cooper any more than I did. I was wrong.
And that epilogue. Oh, my heart! That did me in and the happy tears were flowing. It simply could not have ended better.
This Girl is a not-to-be-missed ending to the Slammed trilogy. I loved every minute of it... even when it was breaking my heart. Hats off - yet again - to Colleen Hoover for her amazing ability to create a story and characters that stand out from the crowd and make me love them fiercely.
"You want to know my sweet?" I ask her.
She nods.
I kiss her on the forehead.
"You. Always you."
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