Rock Me

by Rebecca Brooke

I would like to give thanks to this author for the fact that she gave this character a story that will resonate with so many women and girls. She gave us the opportunity to journey with her as that past not only resurfaces but also pitches her back to where she doesn’t want to be.

Bullying played a major part in Mari’s high school years and despite having worked her way through all of the pressures and heartaches that come with experience, all it takes is just one of her tormentors to enter her life again and it all comes rushing back…but can she handle it this time?

A chance meeting, on a night out with friends has teacher Cole trying his luck, with no recollection of who she is or what he did, it came as a surprise when she was less than gracious as he attempted to strike up a conversation…just how long would it take him to remember?

Cole was the typical high school jock, full of self-importance and heading out of town and straight into the NFL but his life turned a different corner when he was injured and he had to rethink his career path, and eventually returned to school but this time as a teacher.

I sort of found the fact that he was so persistent at first a little selfish, he wanted to explain and he almost pursued her until he got what he wanted, an opportunity to tell her he was sorry and that he had changed but that didn’t take away what she had been through and I understood her reluctance to engage with a man that had hurt her so profoundly.

Mari owns the stage each and every time that she and her band Jaded Ivory are performing but she has to learn to own the events that are occurring in the other aspects of her life, and to do that she has to meet it head on and with Cole refusing to back down she eventually garners the strength to get the closure she needs and agrees to meet him.

I wanted Cole to be a man that she could forgive, but I really understood that she had to give her heart the opportunity to really heal first. The longer they spent together the more I could see that happening and I was ready to whoop!

I felt the pain that they both felt and whilst that might seems strange to say but Cole really was sorry and Mari’s pain was tangible for most of the story but I was slightly miffed that she hid away when everything was made public, I wanted more from her but then again, I suppose that was her prerogative, so who am I to criticise.

Overall a super second chance romance that dealt with a modern day issue and gave dealing with it the opportunity to show its teeth!