Series Title: The Reflection series
Including: Between the Pain, After the Pain
Author: Gia Riley
Released: June 2014 & Sept 2014
Find on Goodreads
Including: Between the Pain, After the Pain
Author: Gia Riley
Released: June 2014 & Sept 2014
Find on Goodreads
Graduating from nursing school and finding herself thrown into the real world, twenty-two year old Hallie Dawson is determined to prove herself on the job. A chance encounter on the first day has charming Ryan Andrews showing up everywhere she goes. With only a string of random hook-ups and one failed relationship in her past, Hallie isn’t used to being pursued. For the first time, two men desire her. Will she choose the right one – or does fate hold all the cards?
Between the Pain is a Contemporary Romance novella about finding love - and being brave enough to follow your heart. Will Hallie end up in the arms of her true love or are the moments in between her pain forming the real story.
Timing is everything.
A fraction of a second, one altered course, one note -- change her life forever.
The song ends and we’re left in the middle of the dance floor staring at each other. Neither of us makes a move to say anything else. Why can’t I just say yes like any other normal girl would?
One of the bartenders is on the small stage announcing a drink special and something about a band starting in fifteen minutes. I’m too busy looking into Ryan’s eyes to really care about either of those two things right now. Before I have a chance to get my words of acceptance out, Ryan decides to end the moment.
“Think about it, about what I said. It’s just a date and I don’t care if we do it like everyone else or not. Well I care how we do it but that isn’t important right now.” The heat in his gaze makes me take a step back, not because I’m not feeling it, but because I am feeling it. I’ve never had a reaction quite like this one before. I’m quickly figuring out Ryan isn’t like most guys and I think he’s just the adventure I need to help break out of my shell.
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Grab a tissue for this one ladies because you will definitely need one! Gia Riley evokes so many emotions in Between the Pain,
that I laughed and cried all the while turning each page with a need to
find out how Hallie's story ends....or did it just begin?
Hallie,
a recent college graduate, starts her first real life job as a nurse in
the trama unit of the ER. She is
nervous and excited all at once walking toward the building's doors on
her first day, but her nerves are quickly forgotten as she watches the
hottie in scrubs walking in front of her. Is he a nurse or a doctor?
Does he work in the ER? All questions Hallie thinks as she admires his
amazing butt wondering if she will ever talk to him. A chance meeting
later that night leaves her speechless as she is not accustomed to the
feelings that rise within her when she is talking to Ryan.
Hallie
also meets Sean, the hospital social worker, who is easy on the eyes in
a suit. His innocent but blatant flirting at a conference they tend
together, forces Ryan to be more blunt in his feelings for Hallie,
asking her out on a date. Hallie decides to remain friends with Sean
and date Ryan, a decision that the reader is cheering for at this point
in the story. Their dates are fun and light hearted, and I found myself
smiling at the easy banter and fun that they had doing the most
simplest of things together. I was happy that Hallie found a guy that
she wanted to settle down with, until tragedy struck and Hallie sank
into a depression so deep, the reader wondered if she would be able to
pull herself out. Would she be able to move past it and be happy again?
Be the girl that she once was. With her friend Alex and Sean
surrounding her with unconditional love and support, I was routing for
Hallie the whole way. I was glad to see her slowly but surely return to
the land of the living, and
stop just going through the motions of life but to actually start
living.
And although this book doesn't end on a cliff hanger, it doesn't just end. Hallie's story continues in Gia Riley's next book, After the Pain. I
personally cannot wait for the follow up book! This book was a 3.5
star read for me and I would definitely recommend it to others!
Does everything really happen for a reason?
Hallie Dawson is battling with a broken heart yet determined to give love a second chance. Once again, time isn’t in her favor. Her moments After the Pain are filled with promises of a better future and personal secrets. With mysterious notes continuously haunting her and a secret friendship with a fellow musician, Hallie is struggling to stay true to her heart.
Tall, dark and handsome, Sean Thomas, is tired of being second best. This time, the good guy refuses to finish last. If he wants to get the girl, he’s going to have to confront the one person who broke his heart. His past is on a collision course with his future – will he be able to hang onto his connection with Hallie?
After the Pain is a Contemporary Romance novel about restoring faith in the beauty of love. Can Sean put the pieces of Hallie’s heart back together? Will love conquer all, or will jealousy and secrets tear them apart?
“Wow, babe,” Sean says when he gets out of the shower. I should thank him for the compliment but I’m enjoying my own view right now. His towel is slung around his hips, taunting me. I want nothing more than to yank on the small corner holding it in place. I keep my eyes locked on his and can physically see the second he realizes my intentions.
“Hallie, what are you doing?”
“Exploring.” When I reach him, my hands untuck the corner of the towel, sending it falling to the floor. My hands start at his broad shoulders making sure to touch every single velvety inch of skin in front of me. I place my lips on his chest, sucking up the water droplets left behind. “Shit, baby. Your mouth feels incredible.”
After the Pain by Gia Riley is the heartwarming conclusion to Between the Pain. Gia Riley
a way of writing a story that sucks the reader in emotionally, allowing
them to feel and understand every situation and emotion that the
characters are going through while they are going through it. This
conclusion was everything that I hoped it would be and I highly
recommend this 3.5 star series to everyone who enjoys a good love story.
"Moving
on isn't about forgetting-it's about embracing everything everything
that has been holding me back. Everyone deserves a fresh start filled
with endless possibilities. These are my moments After the Pain."
Hallie
has begun to pick up the pieces and begin living again after the death
of her boyfriend Ryan.
Her friend Sean has been by her side every step of the way, supporting
her whenever she needed it, giving her the time that she needed before
she could move on and begin living again, and even more important begin a
relationship with him that goes beyond friendship. Hallie has intense
feelings for Sean but thought it was best that she take her time with
getting involved with someone else; afraid of what it would look like to
others. Finally deciding that Sean is where her heart now lies, and
that she is healed enough to move forward, she goes to him after a
"therapy" session at open mike night, offering her sacred ring pop candy
in exchange for an exclusive relationship with him.
Hallie
and Sean are strong together and their relationship moves forward,
smoothly and she can finally smile and be happy since Ryan's death. It
all seems to good to be true and eventually they hit a bump in the road,
when they take a trip to Vegas for Sean's medical conference. It is
there that they come face to face with Sean's past, a past that he has
kept from her and looks extremely incriminating. Hallie runs because
she is hurt and afraid of feeling the loss of someone else she loves
without ever hearing Sean's explanation. Once they talk and Sean
reveals all of the skeletons in his closet they seem to be able to move
forward. They reader cheers for them, because who wouldn't want Hallie
to have her happy ending, she deserves it more than anyone else
after everything she has been through. And then the unthinkable
happens, Hallie tells Sean a little while lie that looks anything but.
And it is that lie that destroys their already fragile relationship.
Hallie is miserable without Sean in her life, waiting and hoping that
he will change his mind and come back to her; but as the weeks go by she
realizes that it may never happen. And as if loosing Sean weren't hard
enough, Hallie discovers that she is expecting. Determined that she
can do this on her own with the help of her friends and parents, Hallie
begins to tie up the loose ends of her life and prepares to move home
with her parents to have the baby. Planning to tell Sean that he will
be a father but never finding the right time, he discovers that he will
be a dad by accident one day. It is everything that comes after his
discovery that makes the reader fall in love with Sean even more than
they already
had.
"What we have is as real as it gets, but he took care of you for me-until it was my time to own your heart."
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I'm a lover of all things romance and a firm believer that everyone deserves a happily ever after. Currently residing in the small but mighty state of Delaware, I take pride in creating characters who are real, personable, and entertaining.
When I'm not busy working on my next book, I can be found roaming the isles of Kirkland's or up to my elbows in Play-doh.
"I've learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel." ~Maya Angelou
Fun Facts About the Author
- I have a degree in Behavioral Science.
- I’m a huge college football fan.
- I don’t write in order.
- Secretly, I’d love to be country singer and live in Nashville. I guess it’s not a secret anymore.
- I’ve been to eleven countries but never ventured out of North America.
- I’d rather pick truth than dare.
- My first concert was Boyz II Men.
- I’m a germaphone.
- I’d like to spend the day with Jimmy Fallon, Melissa McCarthy, and Kristen Wiig.
- I’ve never owned an iphone. I’m a Samsung Galaxy girl.
- I’m a huge college football fan.
- I don’t write in order.
- Secretly, I’d love to be country singer and live in Nashville. I guess it’s not a secret anymore.
- I’ve been to eleven countries but never ventured out of North America.
- I’d rather pick truth than dare.
- My first concert was Boyz II Men.
- I’m a germaphone.
- I’d like to spend the day with Jimmy Fallon, Melissa McCarthy, and Kristen Wiig.
- I’ve never owned an iphone. I’m a Samsung Galaxy girl.
