Lean On Me by Nicola HakenMy rating: 4 of 5 stars
I was really looking forward to a story in this series focusing on Rachel and Nicola Haken did not disappoint.
Rachel Mason and Jared Mattheson are each other’s new best friends when Emily and Dexter take off for the states. They share the same humor and enjoy spending time drinking or just hanging out, which is why their friendship blossoms into more. Rachel is in a wheelchair, but damn if she’s going to let herself be taken care of and Jared needs help, but refuses to share this information or take care of himself. They are all kinds of screwed up.
Rachel is sassy, strong, loud, and opinionated. She’s also hilarious. Her hard exterior is really just hiding a lot of insecurities though and making a relationship work with Jared is not easy. She pushes people away because she doesn’t want to need anyone. She’s also not scared of much besides being pitied and she sure as hell doesn’t want that from anyone. Jared is a goofball that can make Rachel laugh. He can see past the wheelchair, but she has a hard time believing that he won’t run when he doesn’t want the pressure and stares that come with being with someone in a wheelchair. Jared has some insecurities as well and doesn’t want to be seen as weak, but they both need to learn that having someone to lean on isn’t so bad.
These two have a lot of baggage to work through, but it is so worth the ride. Jared’s sweet way of wooing Rachel will have you swooning and her finally giving in to her feelings for him will leave you breathless. They really accept all of each other, including Rachel’s snarky comments and Jared’s fifteen-year-old maturity level. I really couldn’t wait to read this particular book in the series because it focuses on Rachel, who has become one of my favorite book characters. The comments that come out of that girl’s mouth are jaw-dropping shocking and I love it!
“Now, you’d think it’d be hard to miss someone in a big square chair with two giant wheels on either side of their arse wouldn’t you? Well you’d be wrong. Honestly, the amount of people who carry on about their business as if I’m invisible is unbelievable. Take the guy standing in front of me in the queue. He reached into the back of his pants, adjusted his underwear and then started scratching his arse. Now you’ve gotta remember, when you’re in a permanent sitting down position, that means your eyes are butt level with everyone else. As usual, I just looked away and let him and his itch enjoy their special moment together. Until I heard the nauseating sound of his fingernails grazing his arse hair…
“Want me to help you out with that seeing as I’m down here.”
She always seems so confident and sassy, but there was no way that living life in a wheelchair didn’t leave some sort of emotional scars. Jared, who is in desperate need of a jolt into adulthood, is an amazing boyfriend and perfect for Rachel.
LEAN ON ME was full of laughs, sexiness, and deep emotional ties between two totally lovable characters. The TAKE MY HAND series will go back to Emily and Dexter’s story in book four, but I hope that Rachel and Jared will have a strong presence since there are big things happening in their lives that I really want to hear.
✳✳ Copy provided by the author/publisher for an honest review.
✳✳ Reviewed on I ♥ Bookie Nookie Reviews by Tickled Pink for Book Ink
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