Book Review – Remember When 2 by T. Torrest

Remember When 2: The Sequel (The Remember Trilogy)
Another very good installment in this angsty romantic trilogy where the “normal girl” knew that Hollywood A-list star… way back when. A very fun topic to explore (and live through) indeed! (check out my review of book #1 if you haven’t read it yet), before jumping into this book.

Okay so while I thought part two would be more or less, the “college years” it actually skipped ahead to life after college. And I’m good with that! Real life, real adults and real decisions. Not that college doesn’t involve all of that, but you know… these characters were at a stage in their lives where they were feeling a need for stability and making decisions that might not have been in their best interest. Which made the “crazy” all that more fun for us!

“I think you’re looking for happiness in the wrong place.”

Case in point, Layla who’s writing talents and hard-hitting reporting were being stifled. Instead, she’s a copywriter for a small gossip magazine. But perseverance and consistently submitting some of her finest reporting work and exposés was sure to get someone’s attention, right? Especially her very cute, somewhat older boss, that while he recognized her true value, just didn’t seem to have a need for her. I mean, yes…. he did have a need for her, but well… you’ll get to that. 😉

Couple that with the fact that Layla’s dating a definite successful hottie, and things are getting serious. Finally. But is he everything she wants in life? Do the positives outweigh a few of his… er… more controlling, considerably self-centered, and emotionally aloof… quirks? Does he really love her? And more importantly… does she really love him?

But Layla finally gets the chance of a lifetime… that ends up throwing her entire world for a loop. Not only does she get to prove her worth as a reporter by interviewing THE latest rapidly rising Hollywood star (and possibly finally get that promotion that she’s been patiently working for), but she finally gets that answer about just what that feeling of real, soul-deep love truly is. Unfortunately for her, she realizes… it just might be with her once-upon-a-time highschool sweetheart.

Now that he’s back in her life, old feelings come flooding back, as they reminisce, and that undeniable magnetic connection between the two proves to be just as strong as ever. But… his world is so completely out of whack with hers. They both headed in two completely different directions.

He and I had exchanged a bunch of letters the first few years of college, but they’d started coming less frequently, eventually stopping altogether.

I was pretty heartbroken that my high school sweetheart had gone off and found some Big New Life to attend to, and that I hadn’t ranked as something important enough from him to hold onto his old one.

And this is the ride we’re taken on. I’ve just given you the intro. The rest is all in the discovery.

I considered walking over to the set just to say hi, but didn’t want to come off like some crazy fan, or worse yet, a stalker. I thought I’d look like just another lovestruck idiot, trying to talk my way past the wooden barricades in order to get a glimpse of the almost-famous Mr. Wiley. He probably didn’t even remember me. He probably wouldn’t care even if he did.

Wow… imagine that?? I mean, being BEST friends in the world with someone, sharing that intense connection, such personal moments at such an integral time in your life. An entire year of just the two of you… and then… as adults, he becomes famous and you’re afraid to approach him? Oh I get it. I think I’d feel the same way. *sigh*

And sometimes its things like this that make the famous feel so isolated. When they can’t even tell who their friends are anymore, because everyone, even some of those closest to them, suddenly treat them differently. Act differently.

Yep. The emotion. The excitement and elation. The hesitations. Reunited and ecstatic (and sweet) in their reminiscing… but especially the realizations. What happens when the real world comes calling again? And believe me, it will.

The fact was, all that stuff was out past, and we were dealing with a very different present. Somewhere in a parallel universe, Trip and I were happy together. Just not in this one.

Whoa. That part blew me away.

So did I love it? In an “overall” way, yes! Sure, I didn’t get to the “unputtdownable” feel until about the last 30% (that’s when the intensity was really kicked up a notch), but I enjoyed it thoroughly all the way through. Mind you… something deep inside me had a slight… er… issue with my beloved “Trip”. He was a bit different in this one. Angrier. Cockier. More self-assured but at the same time, broken. Yes, he was a bit of that in high school too, but not that “angry”. But I get it. Where he’s from now is la la land, and that place, that world, that way of being, of becoming, can and likely will… eat you alive.

I sat, stunned, taking a moment to recover from the death stare and raging tirade he’d just aimed at me. I’d never been witness to either before, and if I didn’t know him as well as I did, his barely controlled malice might have even scared me.

Book #1 was sweet and intense, and sweet, and fun, and sweet and cozy, and abit sad and serene but very secure… but most of all… sweet.

There wasn’t as much sweet in this one (a few touches, sure) but mostly… sexy, steamy, seductive and… sore. But not so much, sweet.

Didn’t matter. I kind of like the more heated… impassioned reads, and I knew, this book was where the angst was going to really kick in. For the angst to “mean it”, there has to be a sort of… duplicity. Miscommunication. Assumptions, and insecurities. Fear. Pretenses. Walls. Ohhhhh those dastardly walls. They get us EVERY time! And I knew I was in for something very *oomphy* towards the end. Especially when my friend Sandra (who finished it before I did) messaged me with this:

Sandra: Oh my god Arghhggggggg

Maryse: Don’t tell me! I’ve been going crazy all day doing everything BUT reading and now…I’m settling in. I’m SO excited by that reaction. LOL!!!!!

Sandra: Lol Maryse please tell me book 3 is coming out soon

And all I could think of as I was settling back in for the grand finale was… “YAY ME!!!!!”

4 stars!

P.S. Yes Sandra, book #3 is expected out sometime this month. That’s why I finally gave in and read these.

P.P.S. Thanks again to the author for sending me a review copy of book #2. Now… where, pray tell, is book #3!!!???? 😉 Grrrrrrr!!! *taps foot* Tee hee!