Book Review: Stolen Course by Aly Martinez

I fell in love with Manda Baker eight years ago, and I loved her to the core of her soul. We were supposed to have that elusive happily ever after and spend a lifetime together. But that was all before she was STOLEN from me.

Her best friend, Sarah Erickson, killed her. It wasn’t intentional. It was far worse. Everyone claims it was just an accident, but I can see through the lies. Even if it’s with my dying breath, I will make her pay for what she did.

Fate hates me. It robbed me of my first love and left me to navigate through this world emotionless and numb. Then, one day, spiteful fate gave me a woman to fill my shattered soul and make me feel again. It gave me Emma Jane Erickson. Now I spend my days searching for the answers that will ruin Sarah and my nights falling in love with her sister—the one person who is bound and determined to save her.

But what happens when everything you know to be true explodes around you? Who will be left to pick up the pieces, and who will need to be saved from the wreckage?

Thank you Aly Marinez for another beautiful story in a series that is quickly becoming one of my favorites!! With that said this book was in my opinion a more raw and emotional then the first and I liked this one a bit more. This is the second book in the Wrecked and Ruin Series and tells the story of a grieving Caleb whom we were introduced to in the first book, Changing Course, as Brett’s best friend and the woman he has to fight for by facing his demons. It is standalone but I think you’ll enjoy this one much more if you read Changing Courses first. Regardless it’s a beautiful story.

Caleb is a detective who heartbreakingly loses his fiancé Manda to the same accident Brett “lost” his wife Sarah to, 4 years ago. Manda was Sarah were best friends so this of course also impacted Sarah. Caleb HATES Sarah with a passion because he believes Sarah was drunk and driving the car causing the accident and hence Manda’s death. No one at this point has any idea who was driving and Sarah doesn’t remember. He blames her for his loss and suffering and he is ANGRY. That anger is constantly fueled by his loss and hatred of Sarah and he becomes obsessed with trying to prove Sarah was driving so she’d pay for Manda’s death even 5 years later.

When Sarah’s sister Emma comes to help and support her, she meets Caleb. They are immediately drawn to each other but holy complicated! How do you make things work when the person you want to be with is the sister of the woman you hate more than anything in the world? How could Emma want someone who hates the sister that she loves more than anything?

These are difficult questions that need to be addressed and worked through as these two passionate characters reach for their HEA. This story was amazing. Caleb is an amazingly passionate person who, when he loves he loves hard and similarly when he hates, it’s with a vengeance. He was definitely your alpha character with a protective streak a mile wide. He may be a jerk sometimes but he is a genuinely good guy caught in the relentless grip of anger, hate and heartbreak. My heart truly went out to him.

Emma is strong, confident, open and a hilarious character with a huge capacity for understanding others. She embraces life and shares that with Caleb. I loved her character. The banter between Caleb and Emma was sooo funny and sweet.

As we watch their relationship unfold we get a front row seat as Caleb struggles with his demons. Trying to push past all the emotions holding him back so he can truly moving forward with Emma; who he unquestioningly loves.

“I am absolutely not in love with you. Because that would imply that I could ever be out of love with you. But, Emmy, I do love you. Plain and simple.”

“So you love me, huh?” I smile. He holds up his fingers about an inch apart and says, “Little bit.”

Even more difficult is letting go of his anger and hate.

“Love me more than you hate her. Please.”

There was something that happens in the book that while kind of cheesy, made me almost cry! You’ll know when you get there! Unfortunately for me I was on the bus going to work when I had that teary eyed moment, so that sucked LOL. This process of healing takes you through a whirlwind of emotions. Aly Martinez certainly didn’t hold any punches.

A couple of things I really appreciated was the fact that the author didn’t downplay Caleb’s love for Manda. I come across stories that all too often play it off a bit either saying or implying that the “new” woman is even better. It’s unrealistic. The other thing was the difference between the two books. The approach and people were soooo different. Everyone deals with loss in diverse ways and I think the author did an amazing job in describing two distinctly different reactions for two different people (Brett from first book and Caleb from this one) touched by devastating tragedy.

Both Caleb and Emma are very very stubborn which caused some problems and communication issues which drove me a little batty. Caleb pouted a bit too much and Emma was too quick to respond to issues without thinking things through. Neither one was even close to being perfect but they were perfect together. I loved this book and can’t wait to read Sarah’s story!!!