Cherri-Anne's Reviews > Formerly Me

He’d slowly become my best friend, my soul mate 5 stars

OH MY! This is a terrific story, but be warned to keep the tissues close by! I absolutely loved this story, even though I bawled & sobbed like a baby. It is very beautifully written and it reaches deep in you and pulls you right into the story and stays with you long after you have reached “the end"! I enjoyed how open & honest this story is, both in the details but also the subject as well. Riley & Hunter are only about to start college & an apprenticeship, respectfully, when they finally admit that their feelings run much more deeper than as the platonic best buddies that they have been. So they decide to take it to the next level before they are separated by the 5 hr distance of her college. Gladys doesn't shy away from the details in any way, and for that I both admire & applaud her. One example is too many times the sex is non-existent or glossed over quickly when teens are involved, however it is not explicitly detailed and it is written with a very sweet, tender & romantic undertone where the characters genuinely love each other. The reason I mention it at all is because it brings another layer to the story and after you finish the book, you will see just how much it enriches the story and makes it that much more real & so heart wrenchingly wonderful! Gladys has a very beautiful way of telling this story from Riley's point of view. Even though the HEA is different than one you might expect, it is still a very brilliantly poignant & precious one. The use of the prologue is pure genius!! This is my first book that I have read of Gladys' but I guarantee you that it will not be the last!! If this is a great example of her fantastic story telling & terrific writing talents, I cannot wait to get lost in her other books!