This Girl by Colleen Hoover

This Girl
by Colleen Hoover
Read: May 1-2, 2013
Published: April 30, 2013 by Atria Books
Source: Net Gallery
Category: Contemporary (older YA/NA)
Series: Slammed book 3

NOTE: This Girl is the third book in a series. This review is spoiler free for the series. If you haven't started these books and are curious about them, read my thoughts on Slammed, HERE. 

Colleen Hoover’s New York Times bestselling Slammed series has brought countless readers to their knees with a whirlwind of love, passion, and heartache. 

Layken and Will’s love has managed to withstand the toughest of circumstances and the young lovers, now married, are beginning to feel safe and secure in their union. As much as Layken relishes their new life together, she finds herself wanting to know everything there is to know about her husband, even though Will makes it clear he prefers to keep the painful memories of the past where they belong. Still, he can’t resist his wife’s pleas and so he begins to untangle his side of the story, revealing for the first time his most intimate feelings and thoughts, retelling both the good and bad moments, and sharing a few shocking confessions of his own from the time when they first met.

In This Girl, Will tells the story of their complicated relationship from hispoint of view. Their future rests on how well they deal with the past in this final installment of the beloved Slammed series. (From Goodreads)
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I fell in love with Slammed the first time I read it. For me it was a great example at how amazing the world of self-publishing can be. I could not believe how much the story captivated me, and then I felt so proud when the book began to show up in stores. Hoover's characters are engaging and just a little bit quirky. And her story was emotional and filled with heartache, but also a gripping romance between two people who stole my heart. 

If you loved Slammed and Point of Retreat, and especially Will Cooper, than of course you will like This Girl too. It is the icing on top of the cake. This Girl is the events of Slammed told from Will's perspective, but thankfully it's not just a straight recap of the first book. Instead, This Girl gives the reader a sweet look at Will and Layken during the weekend after the end of Point of Retreat. (If you've read the book, you know what I mean by that statement.) As Will tells Lake his side of their story from the beginning, the reader gets a look at what Will was thinking at each major point along the way, as well as Lake's reactions to his words. Some of what Will tells Lake may surprise you as much as it did her. Also included are a few new scenes and poems. I love love all of the slam poetry in the series. This Girl is not meant to be read as a standalone, but instead a compliment to Slammed and Point of Retreat. 

After so much drama and heartache in the first two books, it was incredibly rewarding to be given a glimpse of happiness between Will and Lake. Of course a book can't be made up entirely of quiet couple moments - and I definitely relived the drama of Will and Lake's past right along with them, but after watching them fight to be together, I ate up all of their peaceful moments. Of course this series wouldn't be as wonderful without Hoover's entire cast of characters, and they are all back as well - Lake's mom Julia, Caulder and Kel, Gavin and Eddie, especially. 

This Girl also features an epilogue that was perhaps a little too sweet for me, especially because it's pretty much the standard end to a contemporary romance. But some people like a lot of sugar, and I adore Colleen Hoover, and continue to love her characters. I hope they have lots of happiness ahead. 

Love Triangle Factor: Still NONE
Cliffhanger Scale: Series Finale!