Defending Hayden

by LP Dover

I’m lost for words.

This book is the epitome of second chances and rebuilding your life after a devastating loss.

Derek was at rock bottom, the death of his girlfriend tore his heart out, the death of his unborn child…well that destroyed his soul and without a single thought of anything other than the pain he was drowning in, he almost set out to destroy himself with the magnitude of his grief, he couldn’t help the way he felt, nothing mattered, not even him. His career was a millstone around his neck, he felt nothing for his life as the star line-backer, in fact he felt nothing at all but after months in the emotional wilderness, he has reached a momentous decision…one that sees him taking tentative steps back into the real world, picking up the pieces of a life that he thought he could never be part of again.

But it takes a chance meeting with a complete stranger and suddenly it is blatantly obvious who he needs in his life. Hayden is a ray of light in his darkness but switching off the pain isn’t that easy, so it is going to be a long journey for the two of them, especially when neither of them were particularly looking for a significant relationship in the first place.

I liked the fact that the author allowed them time, that she gave them permission to tip toe around each other, to take the baby steps that they had to in order to get to a place where they were comfortable with more. Hayden was a breath of fresh air to Derek, she lived life to the full and wore her heart on her sleeve and her enthusiasm challenged him to let himself go. To give his heart and soul a chance to heal.

I liked the fact that they both had insecurities, feelings of inadequacies that they couldn’t shake, feelings that they thought they either had to hide or apologise for but when push comes to shove it is actions that speak louder than words and when Hayden is at risk, Derek acts without hesitation to make sure that she is kept safe, he lays everything he has to offer out for her and in doing so he was able to show not only Hayden but himself how far he had come and how much she really meant to him.

The flow of the story was fairly easy going, it just sort of rolled with the punches. This is an enjoyable read, one that will hold you hostage from the first to the last word.