The Redemption of Callie & Kayden – Jessica Sorensen

The dark secret Kayden has kept hidden for years is out. Worse, he’s facing charges for battery. The only way he stands a chance against the charges is if Callie speaks up, something he’ll never ask her to do.

Callie knows Kayden is going back to his dark place and desperately wants to save him. But saving him means admitting her secrets aloud. Callie and Kayden are stronger than they think, especially when they’re together. Together they move forward, face their demons, and finally start to heal from their traumatic pasts.

Series: The Coincidence #2
Release Date: August 6, 2013
Publisher: Forever
Source: NetGalley
Reviewer: Shannon
Rating:

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Reviewer’s Thoughts

I had become a total NetGalley stalker over this book.  I have been waiting what’s felt like an eternity (but was actually months) to find out what the aftermath was going to be after Kayden and his father had their ultimate showdown.   I’m a little torn over this one.  I wanted their to be a definitive ending for Callie and Kayden, but instead we were left with lots of loose ends.  While the emotional roller coaster of their relationship is there, the lack of finality to their part of the series leaves a little letdown.

Redemption picks up right where Coincidence left off.  Kayden is in the hospital recovering for the barroom brawl with his father.  Callie and Luke are a wreck and trying to come to terms with the fact that Kayden might have done all of this to himself (as his mother is telling everyone).  Right from the very beginning the stomachache starts.  Callie struggles with what she feels she knows of Kayden and tries to be strong, but Kayden is a completely broken man who thinks he doesn’t deserve someone like Callie.  It’s an emotional journey that is not comfortable most of the times and had me practically begging for the times we would get to see a happy Callie and Kayden.

Callie was the broken person in Coincidence.  It was Kayden, despite what he had to endure at home, who helped Callie try and figure out how to live with what Caleb did to her and move on.  But in this book, it’s Kayden who’s broken and he’s broken to the point that you almost don’t think he’s going to make it back.  But Callie manages to pull him back, but telling him and showing him that he is loved and needed.  At some points, it was almost felt a bit co-dependent, but they both convince the other they need professional help and they need to tell their story to someone.  Opening up about their dirty secret helped them realize that despite what their terrorizers may have said, people were there to believe them and support them.

Slight spoiler alert…don’t read further because it may reveal key points to the story

• Callie’s mother – She bugged me.  The woman seemed a little too swayed by public opinion.  She loved Kayden when he was the golden boy and then demanded that Callie stay away from him once the rumors of what happened to him started to swirl around.  She was someone I really wanted to smack up the side of the head and tell her to be her own person.  Of course, maybe if she had done all of that six years ago, she would have noticed that her daughter had changed so drastically after her birthday and done something about it other than nag her to death.
• Callie’s father and brother – When Callie finally told her father about her rape, he immediately believed her.  Immediately.  So I have to wonder, why exactly did she think he wouldn’t when it happened before.  He demanded justice, even when he knew it was too late.  It made me sad that she could have avoided so much of her emotional turmoil if she had trusted that her father would have been there to support her, even if her mother wouldn’t.  Same with her brother.  Once he learned what happened, he dropped Caleb as a friend…no questions asked.
• Kayden’s Parents – Really? The mother is a nut job and the father ran like a scared little boy.  And the fact that neither of these people basically got away with what they did scott free made me really, really mad.  There is no way Kayden can get any closure when he knew they had just packed up and ran away.
• Caleb – He’s another one that ran away.  I’m hoping, based on what happens at the end of the book, he’ll get what’s coming to him.

I really, really, really liked the story.  I loved how strong Callie grew and how Kayden fought with everything in him, to put everything behind him and move forward.  They will both break your heart, but you’ll be pulling for them to grab onto that HEA that is right there for them.  Definitely worth the stalking and one I highly recommend.