The Redemption of Callie & Kayden by Jessica Sorensen

The Redemption of Callie & Kayden by Jessica Sorensen
Published by Sphere on 6 August 2013
ISBN: 9781455576470
Genres: Fiction, Romance, New Adult, Coming of Age, Contemporary, Women, General
Pages: 336
Format: eBook
Source: Purchased Book
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From the New York Times bestselling author of The Coincidence of Callie & Kayden comes an emotional new story about two troubled souls sharing one all-encompassing love . . .
The dark secret Kayden has kept hidden for years is finally out. Worse, he's facing charges for battery. The only way to clear his name is for Callie to speak up-something he'll never ask her to do. Instead, he'll do whatever he must to protect her . . . even if it means letting go of the only girl he's ever loved.
Callie knows Kayden is going back to his dark place and desperately wants to save him. But that means facing her greatest fear and admitting her own painful secrets aloud. The thought of breaking her silence terrifies her-but not as much as the thought of losing Kayden forever.
Deep in her heart, Callie knows the time has come for her and Kayden to forget the pain of the past. With the help of her friends Seth and Luke she makes a plan to show Kayden the life they could have. But can she convince him they can make a fresh start together-or is she already too late?

The Redemption of Callie & Kayden is heartbreakingly beautiful.

With that dozy of a cliff-hanger left at the end of coincidence I just knew it wouldn’t be long before I picked up the next in the series. It’s been quite some time since I’ve got my teeth into the Romance genre and I’d forgotten how much drama can be packed into a 350 page book. I’m not complaining but I could feel the whiplash starting to take effect, it was a fun ride.

So the book takes off pretty much where it left off. Kayden is in a critical condition in hospital after suffering multiple stab wounds inflicted by his father and by his own hand. He wrestles with his own conscience and the fact that Callie was the one to see him leaves a wound deeper than any of his self-inflicted cuts. He can’t bear to think about her witnessing him bleeding out from the wound in his side and his torn-up wrists. His cold-hearted mother books him into an establishment that will help him deal with his self-harming. I know it sounds like the very least a parent could do but this woman doesn’t deserve the title, Mother. She was well aware of what Kayden’s father was doing to him and his brother’s but she turned a blind eye. It really beggars belief what some people will do to keep their life of luxury. If I even had the slight suspicion that someone was beating the living daylights out of my children they’d be gone quicker than their feet could carry them.

Callie grows so much as a character in this book. Gone is the meek, mild and quiet young woman that we were introduced to in book 1. Through the tutelage of both Seth and Kayden she has matured and become more sure within herself. The confidence is there for all to see. Once the talk of the town starts gaining momentum and people start accusing Kayden of attempted murder and being suicidal, Callie comes into her own. She knows the truth and she isn’t willing to go down without a fight. Although Kayden is keen to keep his distance from her, Callie refuses to ignore her own feelings but accepting he needs space to heal. Can two people who are dealing with a lot of pain really come together and be healthy? It’s a question I constantly had floating around my mind.

Callie’s relationship with her own parents seems awkward and with its own sense of conflict. She’s been quiet for six years due to being raped by her brother, Jackson’s best friend, Caleb. Its unreal to think that someone could be going through that trauma and have to come face to face with your tormentor/abuser everyday for six years. He was considered to be a part of the family and although Callie didn’t tell her parent’s about the assault it must have been awful to have him taunting her, I’m not sure if I could’ve stayed so silent. When her mother tells Cassie that she has to stop seeing Kayden due to his actions toward Caleb (he beat him to within an inch of his life in book 1) they are supporting her rapist, then she knows enough is enough and will confess what went on as long as Kayden also tells someone about his father. Trauma comes full circle.

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