Take my Hand by Nicola Haken

 

 

Synopsis:

Twenty-four year old Dexter Michaels has arrived in the UK for a fresh start - leaving everything and everyone he knows behind in the states. Determined to put right some of the wrongs he’ll never be able to forgive himself for making and make his Aunt Sarah – the only person left who still believes in him - proud, he lands in London with the intention of working hard, getting his degree and keeping himself to himself. He can’t destroy anybody else that way…

His heart and his body have other ideas however when he finds himself sitting next to nineteen year old Emily Barton in his Psychology class. Moving down south to find her own New Life, Emily is shy, smart and beautiful – everything Dexter knows he should stay away from… everything he knows would be too easy for him to break.

But she makes him feel things he’d forgotten even existed. She makes him laugh, smile, care… forget. Without her trying, and without him realizing, Emily has wound her way into the one place he swore to keep locked away forever – his heart. But can she stay there when she discovers the dark past he’s so determined to keep hidden from her? Or will he destroy her too, just like he always expected?

Review:

What I know is I NEED book 2 now! I loved Dexter and Emily's story, it certainly took me on an emotional journey especially when you find out about their pasts.

Dexter moved to London to study and to try to forget his past and move on with his life. Dex carries a dark secret which will never leave him. He has had a difficult past he turned to drink and drugs to try help him deal with what happened. He manages to turn his life around clean himself up and moves to London for a fresh start.

Emily moves to London with her best friend Rachel, She is a quiet, shy yet she is very loyal to those she cares about and always puts them first. Emily has her own issues with her past as her parents blame her for something which happened when she was a child which was not her fault. The only people Emily is close to is her brother and best friend.

Emily and Dexter meet at the pub where he works, it's not instant attraction but after these two end up spending more and more time together as they both are in the same class at Uni they become really good friends. They both begin to feel more for each other but Dexter is afraid and feels he doesn't deserve to let anyone close to him or to love or be loved with the secret he carries around, so he does what he thinks is best he tries to push Emily away. Deep down Dexter needs her she's made feelings surface in him he promised himself he wouldn't feel. so what starts out as a friendship soon becomes a relationship when he accepts that Emily has found a way into his heart.

The burning question was when Emily finds out his secret and his past will she stay and be with him and support him? Or will she walk away? Which is exactly what Dexter is afraid of. I'm not one for spoilers so you do need to read this fab book to find out. 

I loved Nicolas writing and I can't wait for book two after the cliffhanger ending of book one!