Let Love Be by Melissa Collins

What would bring you happiness in a world that was suddenly empty?

For Lucy Crane, the answer is simple: her daughter. When her husband is killed in a tragic accident, Lucy loses her desire to live, but only one thing keeps her going – her unborn daughter. Focusing on being a mother helps Lucy cope with her loss, but kids grow up and they leave home, eventually. Eighteen years after losing her first and only love, Lucy is faced with the opportunity to find the happiness for which she’s always longed. Her own fears become her worst enemies as she learns how to embrace love once again.

Evan Donovan is also facing his own struggles. Forced to retire from the FDNY because of lung damage caused by 9/11, Evan moves to upstate New York where he hopes to find a little peace and quiet. Old habits die hard, and Evan’s hero complex and survivor’s guilt constantly remind him of how difficult it is to be vulnerable. But for the first time in his life, he’s tired of being alone.

Drawing strength from one another, Lucy and Evan discover how beautiful it is to let love be a part of their lives.

Let me start out that I do not give out 5 heart reviews lightly.  I have to completely be in love with a book, and not want to put it down in order for that to happen.  Not many books have done that for me.  This book went over and beyond that for me.  I love Melissa Collins. I have not read a book yet that has been bad from her. Let Love Be is a little different from her other books in that it is not New Age. It is more Contemporary because it deals with 40 and 50 year old characters, but I was OK with that- MORE then Ok with that. I have to say that I think that I love Evan and Lucy just as much- if not more then Maddie and Reid and Melanie and Bryan. Even if you have not read the other books in the series, you will be able to follow the pure beauty of this book.

Lucy has not had the best of times. While pregnant with Melanie she loses the love of her life Jimmy. She has her trusty sidekick Linda on her side, but she is afraid to love again.
Evan has been through it all. As a NYFD firefighter he has gone through his own form of loss. He has watched on of his fellow firefighters lose a leg in an accident, and after 9/11 he dug through the wreckage to find the man that was covering for him on that day that lost his life. Add on top of that getting lung cancer from the aftermath of the wreckage, he has not had time to love and after everything, thinks that he don't deserve the right to be loved.

At his brother's wives funeral (yes they meet at a funeral), they meet up and hit is off. Although, they don't get to knowing each other until after a little matchmaking from Katie, his niece, and the rest of the group.

I just adored the way that these 2 got to know each other. They took it slow, but at the same time, you can see just how fast they form a bond together. Whether it is just coming to Lucy's rescue after a home invasion, or Lucy telling Evan how wonderful he is, it is just heartwarming to watch the 2 of them work. You can see how much Lucy holds on to her love of Jimmy, but at the same times sees how much she needs Evan in her life. It is not a Wam Bam Thank you Mam kind of relationship that you see in some books, but a gradual slope of emotions that bring out the best of the characters and the reader. I NEVER cry in a book. I beta and do 1-2 reviews a week for books. Melissa Collins brought out my softer side and had me crying over the pure beauty of this relationship.

Melissa Collins has always been a book worm. Studying Literature in college ensured that her nose was always stuck in a book. She followed her passion for reading to the most logical career choice: English teacher. Her hope was to share her passion for reading and the escapism of books to her students. Having spent more than a decade in front of a classroom, she can easily say that it’s been a dream.

Her passion for writing didn’t start until more recently. When she was home on maternity leave in early 2012, she read her first romance novel and her head filled with the passion, angst and laughter of the characters who she read about it. It wasn’t long before characters of her own took shape in her mind. Their lives took over Melissa’s brain and The Love Series was born.

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“Oh, I love this movie.” She settles on Forrest Gump as I grab my second slice.

“So, you already know about my history. What about you? Have you ever been married?” Forrest’s proposal to Jenny plays in the background.

“No. I mean, I’ve had a few relationships here and there, but work always got in the way. Staying single was somehow easier.”

“Same here. I mean, when Melanie was a kid, it was much easier to just focus on that part of my life.”

“Now?” I hazard a question that takes even me by surprise.

She puts her plate down on the coffee table and swallows back a large sip of water. “Now, I’m not so sure.”

Suddenly, my mind races with the possibilities of what her words mean. It’s crazy to think how just a few encounters with Lucy have made me re-evaluate my feelings. Obviously, she feels the same way. A calm and peaceful air falls on us as a small smile curls at my lips.

A comfortable silence fills the space as we watch the movie, recalling some memories when certain scenes come up.

Nothing prepares me for Lucy’s reaction when Jenny and Forrest get married and she tells him she’s sick. I try not to look at her, wanting to avoid making her feel like she’s in the spotlight or anything like that. I do notice a few stray tears streaking down her cheeks so I can only imagine what’s to come.

As we watch Forrest sitting beside Jenny’s grave, reading a letter from their son, Lucy reaches for a napkin. Clutching it to her chest, I can see her breathing rapidly. What were just a few tears earlier is now a steady stream. She doesn’t say anything, won’t even look at me, but I can’t watch her cry like this.

I shift on the small, overstuffed sofa and drape my arm around her. The top of her head fits perfectly into the crook of my shoulder. The scent of her hair takes over my senses; the sound of her softly sniffling through her tears tugs at my heart.

I alternate between squeezing her arm and tracing my fingers up over her shoulder. When she seems to have gathered her emotions, calming down a bit, my instincts take over and I act seemingly without thinking.

Or maybe I am thinking and I’m just afraid of what I’m thinking.

Gently pressing my lips to the top of her soft, brown hair feels like second nature. She tenses momentarily, and I realize I may have just overstepped my boundaries.

“Sorry about that.” I straighten in my seat and try to move my arm, but her fingers fall to my forearm. She looks up at me through long lashes with puffy, red eyes from crying.

“Don’t be.” Her voice is soft, angel-like. “It’s nice to be held.”

That piece of information prompts me to pull her even closer. “Well, I’m glad I could be of service.”

She laughs softly and then takes a deep breath before she shifts to move away from me, which just makes me pull her close once again. “Don’t,” planting another quick kiss to her head, “it’s nice to have someone to hold.”

Let Love Be

Let Love Shine

Let Love In

Let Love Stay

Let Love Heal

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