Book Review: Collide, Gail McHugh

Reading Level: New Adult Format: EBook (Advance Copy from Author) Publisher: Self-Published 1/21/13 Rating: 4

I first met Gail through another author on a writer's page I'm on. We'd been talking quite a bit via facebook and she'd read a few snippets of my story that I wrote. Well I approached her about reading and reviewing her book that comes out in a few weeks. She immediately agreed and sent me an e-copy.  I devoured it in record time.

The influx of incredible self-pubbed books is so grand that trying to get to all of them is difficult. But I am so glad that this one crossed my path.

Emily Cooper has just lost her mother to the dreaded C-word. She's traveling across country (Colorado to NYC) where her boyfriend lives and works. She's just finished up college and is hoping to find a teaching position. Because it's summer, she gets a temporary job waitressing. She is asked by her manager if she could drop off a delivery at a building close by, she agrees. From there everything that could go wrong, does.

She is greeted at the door by a gorgeous guy in a suit who says he'll take her up to the floor she needs to go to. He even offers to hold the bag for her. He tries to engage her in conversation, but she's flustered by his good looks. It's not until she gets to the floor, he informs her that the food was for him. (Cheeky!) Of course, she can't stop thinking about this extremely fuckable good-looking guy and tells her roommate about him. Her roommate cannot stand her boyfriend so there are some funny vignettes with the two of them when he's in the picture. Olivia cracked me up most of the time.

Gorgeous guy stops by the restaurant to see Emily and engage her in conversation. He's interested and wants to take her out but she lets him down by telling him that she has a boyfriend. She also learns his name. Gavin Blake. 

When Emily's BF invites her to come out to meet the 'guys', she's shocked to see Gavin in the company. Dillon (Em's BF), informs Gavin that SHE is off limits. Because she's his. 

From there on the tension builds and builds. Emily loves Dillon and he was there during the worst of her mother's illness, but she's also drawn to Gavin who is funny, personable and pays attention to her. He does everything he can to draw her away from Dillon. 

Gavin is a great character. He's likable, and according to Olivia and Emily, totally fuckable. I had problems with Dillon. You know that there is something up with him, but you can't be 100%. Emily could be wishy-washy at times. Her feelings for Gavin are growing leaps and bounds and when she catches Dillon in a lie, she thinks she's done with him. 

Gail has written a fantastic new adult book that really pulls you in. It's a love triangle, but there's more to it than that as well. Emily doesn't know what she wants and feels as if she owes Dillon for helping her during her time of crisis. But living in NYC can change a person.

A fantastic debut and a stellar story. You'll be craving for the sequel as much as I am!