Ryan Cosgrove and Liliana Delgado are on a collision course with destiny. They don’t know it yet, but before the night is over their lives will be forever changed.
Spending Valentine’s Day at a burlesque bar, hadn’t been Liliana’s ideal way of spending a Friday night. She’d much rather be back on campus doing homework… until she meets Ryan. Tall, athletic, and gorgeous, Lili can’t keep her eyes off him, and despite his gruff manners and drunken disposition she’s intrigued.
Ryan’s got demons, and they’re deep, dark, and eating him alive. Regardless of his attraction to the petite brunette he’s tired of fighting, of pretending the last fifteen years haven’t been a daily struggle just to get out of bed every morning. That night he decides to end his pain, to leave it all behind and float away into the blessed darkness of oblivion. But fate has other plans for him, Lily finds and rescues Ryan, determined she’ll not only save his body, but his soul too.
This is their moment…
4.5 stars
I think this would have been an easy 5 stars for me if the ending didn't feel so rushed in the end. I like the epilogue, it truly did summarize the events that happened afterwards. However, there were certain things there that I would have liked to experience within the novel.
I really liked the premise of the story. I'm a sucker for damaged-hero-finding-peace-and-love-in-heroine kind of stories. The story tackles very sensitive issues through Lili and Ryan: teenage pregnancy, sexual harassment and suicide attempt.
I admire Lili's strength. Her situation at home, single mom status, Javi's condition, plus the constant worry Ryan put her through would have made a less courageous woman buckle. She's not completely jaded about love and men, she's just being realistic. Guys who have shown interest in her always backed out upon learning of her baggage. My heart broke for her when she debated taking Ryan seriously or not.
"I want a date. A real one, with flowers and candy. I want to be swept off my feet and fall madly in love."
Romance was something she missed out on. My heart went out to Lili at this point. She may have her son and mom, but it is still quite a lonely life for her.Ryan took damaged to the next level, IMO. I understand why other readers would say his reasons don't justify his lifelong depression. I think it's more because his secret was pretty drawn out in the story, not because it's not gravely serious--because it is, it really is. He doesn't open up to Lili until the very end. She also forgives him for keeping his secrets right away.
"I've got demons, Lili. And sometimes they drown me."
I wish she expressed her anger at him though before they kissed and made up. Lily wanted nothing more than to be there for him and to love him. How could she if he's holding something important back? If she doesn't know what it is that's hurting him and giving him nightmares? It is terrifying loving someone who has had the urge to take his own life! Especially if you don't know what the trigger was, and whether that trigger may appear again in the future.
"He told me once you can't fix everything, you can't make everything right. But how can you not at least try, especially when it comes to someone you love?"
Lili would definitely give her all to Ryan. On the other hand, she has Javi and her mother to think about. As a parent she cannot make decisions that will hurt her son. I admired her even more for choosing what's good for Javi. As much as I wanted Ryan to be with her, what he was before he chose to reveal everything to Lili was not at all good for Javi.
I pray hard. Pray and ask god to let me keep him. Show me how to love him right. I know he's broken, but I still want him."
Ryan reaches the lowest of lows because of that decision. My heart broke for him, especially since halfway through the story it's already obvious what his secret is. As a reader, I wanted the universe to give him a break. I didn't want him to hurt anymore! But he needed it, and I just crossed my fingers hoping he won't do anything stupid as he ruminated in his hurt. I was so happy for Ryan when he finally had his epiphany. It may seem to dramatic for some, but for me it was only fitting that he sought answers in a church. It's human nature to look up to the divine when nothing in his world seems to give him peace.
"I don't go to church, hardly ever pray. I'm not really sure I even believe in a God, but here I am, because this is where everyone says the answers are.
I'm not doing this for Alex or even for Lili. This is for me."
I force myself to fight. Because some battles aren't fought with fists, some are fought by just standing up and facing it, facing the truth, learning that what others have done to you doesn't have to make you who you are. Only you can do that--you have to walk away and say, "enough", and walk away, truly walk away.
But it starts with the first step."
In the end, despite how rushed the ending seemed to be, I'm glad that Liliana and Ryan found in each other the happiness they deserved. The problems didn't disappear, but at least they are resolved to be together and to face those challenges together.
"I'll never forget what happened to me--that's not possible. But I also know I'm no longer alone. Every sigh, every caress, she's stitching me back up. She's taking the broken pieces and gluing them all together. I'm not perfect, there are still defects, but I'm standing again and that's all that matters."
I have some more questions which I hope will be answered in Alex's book. I also hope Alex will remain as wonderful as he is in this book!
***I received a copy of A Moment from the author for an honest review****
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