While it Lasts is the third installment of the Sea Breeze series by Abbi Glines. It’s a story of Eva who is dealing with terrible loss when she lost her fiance to war. 18 months later came Cage who then made her realize that the idea of moving on doesn’t sound impossible now. This book was a very emotional read for me and I can’t count how many times it made me cry. That said, this book is highly recommended!
While it Lasts by Abbi Glines
Series: Sea Breeze, #3
First Published April 25, 2012
Genre: Contemporary, Romance
304 pages
Format: eBook
Source: Purchased
Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
Buy: Amazon, Book Depository
Add on Goodreads
Maybe driving home after a few (or more) shots of tequila had been a bad idea, but hell, he did it all the time. The cops had to have been freaking bored to have pulled him over. He wasn’t even swerving! That’s Cage York’s story and he’s sticking to it.
Unfortunately, his baseball coach isn’t buying it. Cage has a free ride to the local junior college for baseball — or he did, until he’d gotten a DUI. Now, Cage has to decide: does he drop out and give up his dream of getting noticed by a college in the SEC, and possibly making it into the Major Leagues — or does he give in to his coach’s demands and spend his summer baling hay?
Eva Brooks planned out her life step by step when she was eight years old. Not once over the years had she lost sight of her goals. Josh Beasley, her next door neighbor, had been the center of those goals. He’d been her first boyfriend at seven, her first kiss at ten, her first date at fifteen, and her first tragedy at eighteen. The moment she’d received the phone call from Josh’s mother saying he’d been killed along with four other soldiers just north of Baghdad, Eva’s carefully planned life imploded in the worst way possible.
Cage isn’t real happy with his closet-sized bedroom in the back of a foul smelling barn, or his daily interactions with cows, but he knows that if he doesn’t make his coach happy then he can kiss his scholarship goodbye. Only a sick and twisted man would decide his punishment was to be working on a farm all summer. No hot babes in bikinis waiting to meet a Southern boy to make her vacation complete. Just him and the damned cows.
Oh — and an uptight, snarky brunette with the biggest blue eyes he’s ever seen. But she doesn’t count, because as hard as he’s tried to charm her out of her panties – he’s pretty sure she’d rather see him hung from the rafters than let him get a taste of her pretty little lips.
Review
I always wanted to try something from Abbi Glines since it’s been a long time that I read from hers, and after seeing this book, I instantly pick it up and read it. And my! I wasn’t expecting it to be this good.
The prologue sounds really intriguing and it’s already giving me a “sobbing” vibe. It’s been quite a long time since I read a book that left me crying (or should I say bawling), so I am really excited for this book.
For a woman who lost of her one and only, I already anticipated Eva to be a b*tch especially to a guy like Cage who is obviously a walking definition of the word trouble. And my! I would be lying if I say I didn’t enjoy reading those parts where these two were bickering (well, to be honest, it was Eva who’s chopping his head off haha) the first time they met. It was really fun, lol.
Ofcourse both the idea of a girl who lost her love and a guy who was thrown out to help out on a farm because of drunk driving doesn’t sound new to me, so it was kind of a surprise that I still ended up loving this story overall. I’m always a cry baby and I easily get emotional when it involves death whether it’s a family member, a friend or a lover. This story gave me what I was craving and I cried not just because of the lost love but also for the tremendous efforts Cage gave in this story and for what Eva and Jeremy (Josh’s twin brother) went through after Josh’s (Eva’s fiancé) sudden death.
I LOVE TWINS. I always love stories with twins in it and when I found out that Josh has a twin, I’m already on the verge of tears, huhu. And when Jeremy lost Josh, it was like losing the other half of him. I can’t really imagine how would that feels. And since they’re identical, I already expected Eva to be with Jeremy and then all of the cliché’s would soon follow. But nope because there came Cage and sowed terror to their lives, haha, kidding. He actually helped Eva moved on.
For the characters, I really feel for Eva. The reason why I’m always teary-eyed the whole time reading this story was because of her. To be honest, the prologue almost sent me to crying land. I just can’t imagine saying goodbye to someone you really really love. But I’m really glad Josh atleast somehow left a letter for her telling her to never close her heart and to love again. It’s really painful when you think about it and it just proves how he really loves her, huhu. I also understand her fascination for Cage. For 18 months, she’s been dealing with people who’s tiptoeing around her because they’re afraid she’ll just break down again when you mention Josh and with Cage along, it’s like a breath of fresh air for her, plus it didn’t helped that he’s a looker with a smart mouth lol. All the things she feels, it’s very relatable and it’s not hard to picture out her character.
For Cage. My! This guy sure is unbelievable, haha. He’s (ofcourse) sexy as heck plus I love his teasing side. My! This guy sure knows how to use his cards lol. I think it was mostly because of him that aside from being emotional I also found myself hysterically laughing while reading this story, and sometimes grin like a total pervert haha. I also love the fact that the author added some flaws in his character making it so easy to relate with him and really made you believe that he’s a real person. Outside he looks like trouble but inside is a guy with a heart. I was actually impressed when he gave a really good advice to Jeremy. Also, he’s very charming especially when he realized he loves Eva. For a playboy, there were times that he sounded corny but still sweet. It really fill my heart with joy when he decided to fight for his love.
So why 4 stars?
The story line may sound ordinary but this book was so well-written and it’s very relatable too. But the judgmental PERSONS in this story really got into my nerves and it pissed me off. Aside from that, I was also not a fan of the conflict. It was kind of a cliché plus I wasn’t amused of the self-pitying and the feeling guilty of the main characters (but it wasn’t really major-major, so I guess it was still fine). Good thing they have some good friends to help them see reasons. Also, the makeup part was kind of touching (but I’m not talking about the sexy part, lol).
It’s been a long time since I’ve read from the author but unlike the first time, I’m really very impressed with this book. I didn’t knew that this one is in a series until I checked Goodreads. And my! How could I forget Cage!!! I’ve read book 2 of this series before and I adore Cage that time, so how did I forgot Cage! Silly me. So yep, I guess I’ll be reading more from this series, *wink.
Favorite Line
When you came to my room upset the other night. I knew why. I wanted to be the one to hold up while you cried and dealt with the coming change. But you wouldn’t let me in. I’ve never wanted in, Eva. Not until you.Challenges
- Goodreads Reading Challenge
- Mount TBR
- Alphabet Soup
- eBook Reading
- Review Writing
- You Read How Many Books?
About the Author
Abbi Glines is a #1 New York Times, USA Today, and Wall Street Journal bestselling author of the Rosemary Beach, Sea Breeze, Vincent Boys, Field Party and Existence series. She never cooks unless baking during the Christmas holiday counts. She believes in ghosts and has a habit of asking people if their house is haunted before she goes in it. She drinks afternoon tea because she wants to be British but alas she was born in Alabama. When asked how many books she has written she has to stop and count on her fingers. When she’s not locked away writing, she is reading, shopping (major shoe and purse addiction), sneaking off to the movies alone, and listening to the drama in her teenagers lives while making mental notes on the good stuff to use later. Don’t judge.
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