"See Me" - Nicholas Sparks

Hello fellow bibliophiles! HAPPY NEW YEAR! I hope everyone had a great holiday and is ready to kickstart reading all those wonderful new books you received for Christmas. I myself have already finished mine :) So for the first review for the year, I give you See Me by Nicholas Sparks, the newest book from my favorite author. First off, let me just say how difficult it was to hold off reading this book from when it first came out this fall. I was swamped with other things and predicted I would mostly get it as a gift, so I withheld. And then I devoured it in two days. Check out my past review of my favorite book by Sparks, The Rescue, and what brought me to his books HERE.

See me just as I see you . . .

Colin Hancock is giving his second chance his best shot. With a history of violence and bad decisions behind him and the threat of prison dogging his every step, he's determined to walk a straight line. To Colin, that means applying himself single-mindedly toward his teaching degree and avoiding everything that proved destructive in his earlier life. Reminding himself daily of his hard-earned lessons, the last thing he is looking for is a serious relationship.

Maria Sanchez, the hardworking daughter of Mexican immigrants, is the picture of conventional success. With a degree from Duke Law School and a job at a prestigious firm in Wilmington, she is a dark-haired beauty with a seemingly flawless professional track record. And yet Maria has a traumatic history of her own, one that compelled her to return to her hometown and left her questioning so much of what she once believed.

A chance encounter on a rain-swept road will alter the course of both Colin and Maria's lives, challenging deeply held assumptions about each other and ultimately, themselves. As love unexpectedly takes hold between them, they dare to envision what a future together could possibly look like . . . until menacing reminders of events in Maria's past begin to surface.

As a series of threatening incidents wreaks chaos in Maria's life, Maria and Colin will be tested in increasingly terrifying ways. Will demons from their past destroy the tenuous relationship they've begun to build, or will their love protect them, even in the darkest hour?Rich in emotion and fueled with suspense, SEE ME reminds us that love is sometimes forged in the crises that threaten to shatter us . . . and that those who see us for who we truly are may not always be the ones easiest to recognize.  

Another great book from Sparks yet different than most of his! What I liked best about the book was the thriller aspect that is so widely popular right now. I was kept on my toes throughout the story, trying to figure out what was going to happen next. The book did take me a little longer than normal to get into it, about 40ish pages, but then I was hooked. It's packed full of mystery, suspense, romance, and internal struggles of right and wrong. I really liked the main character Colin. You can pull back his layers like that of an onion. That being said, I think there was even more that was left out! The way the plot twists and turns and interconnects is very well done. Not surprising coming from a seasoned author like Sparks.

Side note: I, unfortunately, was able to figure out the ending with about 100 pages still remaining. Sparks throws out  ONE line and if you paid attention earlier in the book, you will most likely catch it as well. Right after reading that line, I needless to say expressed my frustrations vocally :) Many may not catch it, but I'm sorry if you do. I feel your pain. No worries though, there is still plenty of suspense left in the remainder of the book to hold your attention. Make sure to check it out! Overall, another great book from Nicholas Sparks. As always, feel free to share you comments, recommendations, or thoughts on the book!

Happy reading fools :)

P.S. Don't forget to sign up for the Clean Slate Read-a-Thon to get rid of those 2015 books that you were unable to finish! There is still time to sign up. Let's get those books off your TBR list and start the year off without being backlogged and fretting over those books! Check out my plans for the Read-a-Thon HERE. I will be updating my progress throughout that week!

Click here to sign up!