The past won’t let her go.When Josie Mays returned to her hometown of Castille, Maine, she wanted to say goodbye to the past and start a new future. Then the “past” loomed up in the form of Cole Danforth, Josie’s former love who has now turned into a ruthless CEO out for revenge on the town that failed him.Though Josieis convinced her ocean-loving boy still exists behind Cole’s toughened veneer, … Cole’s toughened veneer, Cole is determined to shut her out. But not even this cold tycoon can resist the cherry-sweet, talented artist he once loved with his whole heart.
Just as Josie and Cole are starting to find their way back to each other, the tragedy that tore them apart years ago returns to threaten everything they are. And when Josie discovers the secret Cole has been keeping, his worst nightmare comes true.
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Wow, what a great way to end this story.
I really hated the circumstances that kept these two apart so heartbreaking.
Cole proves how much he loved Josie, the sacrifice he made.
I won’t say anymore as not to spoil.
Angst, inner turmoil, emotional and traumatic.
You’re in for a ride with this finale.
The What If duet (and prequel) are a MUST READ!!!
This finale is breathtaking – both from shock and from love.
Josie finally puts together how the events really took place on that tragic night that ripped apart their families. I was on the edge of my seat not knowing where all the cards may fall and deciding how many tissues I would need when it was all over.
I loved it!!! A definite MUST READ!
5 Stars!
Josie Mays is back home in Castille, Maine after being away for ten years. She’s an artist, and is there to paint a mural for the town, and spend time with her sister. What she doesn’t expect is to rekindle the passion with her ex Cole Danforth. Cole was her first love, her first everything. The boy who left her with so many broken pieces she’s been struggling to find herself again after all these years. She could never resist him. She felt like she could unravel at any moment. She returned hoping she could fill the gaps in her memory, finally let go of the past, and move forward with her future.
Even though they have a long complicated history, Josie & Cole are enjoying their secret summer fling. They are spending time in her cottage, and shutting out the rest of the world. It’s like no time has gone by when they touch. Josie is convinced her Cole is still there under his new hard shell. They are trying to keep things discreet since the residents of their town will never accept them together. They still view her as the tragic victim, and Cole as the ruthless CEO, town bad guy everyone loves to hate.
Cole is extremely wealthy and successful. His life is in Castille, and Josie will be leaving and returning to California in two weeks. He doesn’t know how he will be able to let her go again. Josie is uncertain where they stand, but knows no man has ever loved her the way Cole does. He’d always meant so much to her, but their trust was broken through tragedy and devastation. Now their beginning to find their way back to each other. She’s feeling like she’s in a good place, and then secrets and lies are revealed that threaten to destroy everything.
If We Fly is an amazing book about true love and second chances. Nina Lane wrote a unique, unforgettable, tragically beautiful, stunning story that will pull at your heart and make you feel everything! Just loved it!
After my heart was gutted in book2, I didn’t know how this book would end but I thrown again. To find out how much Cole loved Josie was just beautiful. True he kept one big secret from her but I can’t fault him for it. I just fault him for leaving her and pushing her away. I loved that Josie still had a strength in her that wasn’t totally distorted by her sadness and psychosis. I don’t really want to let these characters go.
This is the last book of the What If series about Cole and Josie. They’re changed people after the tragedy that tore them apart, and we finally unravel the mystery surrounding why. The author told the story masterfully and made me yearn for more. One of the best series I read in 2018–highly recommended.
If We Fly is the gut-wrenching conclusion of Josie and Cole’s story. The secret Cole has kept for ten years has been revealed. Tragedy tore them apart. Will the truth heal them or break them forever?
This is a deeply emotional story that takes place over the course of three books. The characters are three dimensional and sympathetic. The writing is great. The story is compelling. Nina Lane did an awesome job with this heartfelt, moving story. I loved it.
I am voluntarily reviewing an advance reader copy of this book.
This is the stunning conclusion to the What If series. This is a must read. I normally type up something about the book but this is one book you have to read. From page one I was submersed into Josie and Cole’s world. Josie and Cole are just getting back together after ten years apart. Josie’s sister Vanessa finds out that she is seeing Cole and gives her an ultimatum. It is either her or Cole. Josie does not want to lose either of them. She recently saw a photograph of her whole family hours before the accident. But she zeroed in on something in the picture and now starts to question the sequence of events that fateful night of the accident. Cole tries to keep Josie from delving for the truth because he knows that if she knew she may never recover. Josie makes an impassioned plea to Cole to tell her what happened. In the back of her mind she already knew the truth but had Cole confirm it. She is distraught over the truth and runs away from Cole. She runs into Vanessa and Nathan. Nathan is a police officer who was at the scene of the crime and after Josie told them truth of what happened, Nathan confirmed it. He had always had his doubts that Cole had been to blame but he did not tell anyone. This is a very emotional read. There is so much fear, anguish, guilt and love. It was easy to identify with the characters. I loved reading this book and I highly recommend it.
If We Fly is the conclusion to the What If Duet, and the perfect ending to a rollercoaster of a story.
If We Fall left me craving more after that epic cliffhanger, and Nina Lane definitely didn’t disappoint with this book. She wrapped up every loose string with a beautiful bow, and left us completely satisfied with the ending.
Josie & Cole have reconnected after 10 years, but secrets are revealed that can tear them apart again. With obstacles around every corner, they need to face their past & present in order to find out what the future holds for them.
I loved this story, the cliffhanger in book 1 may be one of the best I’ve read, and the characters & Castille wormed their way into my heart. I’m keeping this brief to avoid spoilers, but please do yourself a favor and read this duet!
This Duet is phenomenal. I have always been a Nina Lane fan but these books have cemented it.
Now I know our world’s were rocked at the end of If we Fall, but in this book all our questions are answered and if you loved Cole before you gonna worship him now.
This book truths come to light, forgiveness is shared and love wins.
This book, this Duet was perfectly written.
It’s sexy, hot, intriguing and suspenseful.
Grab it now ladies.
Enjoy!!!!
This is the stunning conclusion to Cole and Josie’s love story… and I gotta say, the author definitely saved the best for last.
I’m not really knowledgeable about selective amnesia but I guess it’s quite plausible that you can unconsciously will your brain to block something so tragic and traumatic.
In this book, questions had been answered and all the missing pieces came into light.
This one gave me all the feels—some parts made my belly flutter with butterflies running amuck; some parts triggered my anxiety; and some parts pulled on my heartstrings—good thing I had a box of Kleenex on stand-by.
I loved it! I fell in love with Cole and Josie page after page until the very end. I wish there was a longer epilogue though… If you’re a fan of sexy, angsty and emotional romance, this is the best book to pick up next.
“Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” John 8:32
But while this is sage advice, sometimes the cost of the truth ruins lives…destroys hearts…crushes souls.
10 years ago, Cole’s lies stole his happily ever after with Josie and it’s that same misguided judgment that continues to divide these two soulmates. Because even though they’ve reunited their bodies, their hearts and souls still remain separated…still yearning for the love they once shared but making that seemingly impossible because they’re not the same people nor does Josie understand why Cole left her all those years ago.
Neither Cole nor Josie have the ability to rise above their pasts and the events that unequivocally altered the dynamics of not only their love but also of who they are at their core, and until their souls are set free…until they can let go of their grief, their anger, and their regret, they’ll truly never be able to rise above, to open up their hearts and their minds in a way that will allow them to fly high and no longer be trapped by their memories or the demons and nightmares that constantly plague them.
In If We Fly, Nina Lane forces Cole and Josie to face that god awful night 10 years ago…to shed the lies and accept the truths…to understand their respective actions and evaluate, whether or not, they can overcome everything that has spiraled out of control, accept who each other is in the present, and forgive what was lost when a single sentence was allowed to build an insurmountable wall between them.
Lane’s What If Duet, is perfectly named. The first book, If We Fall, illustrates what occurred when Cole made a decision that categorically altered every facet of both of their lives and then the story begins to help these soul mates find a way to move forward, to reconnect, and to heal what was broken all those years ago.
And, in If We Fly, Lane allows Cole and Josie to make their own decisions when it comes to what their present and future lives will look like and who they will share them with, and while these two appear to be unable to free themselves, perpetually grounded in the events of the past, re-opening their hearts and allowing the goodness back in will more than allow Cole and Josie to open their arms and fly high together, no longer giving their past the power it’s had for far too long.
4.5 Poison Apples
4.5 Cherry Lifesaver stars
What an incredible and emotional finale to Cole and Josie’s story! Once I started this book, there was just no stopping. No putting it down. I never wanted it to end. And while it became a tad bit predictable, that didn’t take away even an ounce of the true essence of what their tale conveyed.
“’The lie destroyed me.’ And the truth is crushing me to pieces.”
Cole Danforth might be cruel and cold-hearted, but he’s the ruthless bastard you’ll swoon over and love so much more after you’re done with this book. His big, selfless heart will win you over, and you’ll be mad at yourself for being even the least bit pissed at him on the first few chapters. Rip off that mask he wears, break down those walls, and you’ll find yourself melting all over and rooting for this man more than ever.
And Josie Mays—if you think you’ve seen her strength, her spirit, and her tender side in If We Fall, well you’ve seen nothing yet. This girl dealt with situations so heartbreakingly unimaginable, it has the power to shut anyone down… but Josie persisted. And no matter how hard and painful it was to face the truth, with Cole and the rest of her family surrounding her, she was finally able to take that step forward and find her purpose again.
If We Fly is all about acceptance, forgiveness and healing. It’s about making peace with the truth, moving forward and finding your way back to happiness. And more importantly, it’s about the sacrifices you make and the lengths you’re willing to go to for the ones you love.
Cole and Josie made everything inside me ache and break. They made me fall and filled me to the brim with feels. And best of all, they made my heart leap and soar through the skies with joy. I honestly couldn’t have imagined a way better ending to their story than this.
What a way to end a conclusion!
Josie and Cole are living in a little bubble of love at the moment. They are keeping their love reunion a secret from the whole town because they know that them getting back together would be frown upon. No one will understand what they mean to each other and everyone will just talk about them. Josie for what she went through and how could she forgive him for what he did and he’s already the bad guy of the town, so they would just be surprised that he would even want to court her again.
In If We Fly we get many of our unanswered questions resolved.
I absolutely adored both Josie and Cole because even though he was trying to be someone he wasn’t and a complete hard ass to Josie to protect her, deep down inside he just couldn’t. He loved her too much and Josie might have harbored a little hatred towards him but she knew that wouldn’t last. She just couldn’t hate him because she was too much in love with him to ever really hate him.
They had a unique love and it was a love that had me completely mushy. There’s always room to forgive and forget and that’s exactly what went down with Cole and Josie. It might have taken them a little while to get there, but they did.
Nina Lane did one heck of an amazing job with this series and it’s one of my favorite series this year!
I loved reading this series by Nina Lane! The third book concludes Cole and Josie’s story. As she learns the truth about the accident that took her family ten years before and starts to heal. I would recommend this series to anyone who loves first love and second chances.
Book 2 in Nina’s What If duet, and after the cliffy ending in book 1 I couldn’t wait to get this read and find out just what had happened with Cole and Josie!!
The story picks up straight after book 1, where Josie is slowing starting to piece bits of her memories back together, having flashback and remembering bits and pieces. She and Cole are enjoying their summer fling together, trying to keep that they are together under the radar as she is still thought of as the victim and Cole as the nasty CEO causing the town major headaches.
Despite their 10 years apart from each other, their love has never died, it has grown until it was uncontainable. Their chemistry and attraction are off the scale, Josie has never felt more loved or safe than in Cole’s arms. She also knows the truth about Cole and how he is perceived by the town, who do not know what he is hiding from them – not the nasty CEO he is made out to be.
But as her memories come back to her and she starts piecing it all together, the secrets and lies revealed threaten to destroy her whole world.
A fabulous story about true love, forgiveness, sacrifice and second chances – a truly memorable read!
If We Fly was my most anticipated duet finale this year! Nina Lane is my newest go to author with the What If duet. The heart and soul of the story will slither beneath your skin. Even after reading the end, I am still stuck in their book world. I can not get the characters out of my head. What I love about the author is that she makes all of her characters unforgettable. No matter how big or small their role is in the story.
Cole and Josie were old sweethearts. The way their story started is not where their story will end up being. The once light hearted souls are now tainted with sadness and loss. But without those, these two would never have made it out. I can go on and on about how much I loved this story. If We Fly will intensify your emotions into a new level. You will literally break and need to be put back together!
5 Choosing to Fly Stars!!!
This is the conclusion to one of the most emotional duets I’ve read this year and oh my stars, even though I KNEW what the truth was based on the ending in book one, I still wasn’t prepared for all the details that come out in flashbacks both from Cole and Josie’s viewpoint.
This book picks right up where we left off and there’s so much emotion in this story. Josie and Cole are still in love with each other but can they withstand not only how their little coastal town feels about Cole, even though they don’t know ALL the details, but when the memories come flooding back and what they thought happened isn’t exactly how they thought it was.
Ms. Lane has written this story in such a way that I couldn’t help but root for our H/h to find their truth and really take the chance on the love they thought they had lost. But along the way, there were tears and anger because I could feel their emotions as they flowed off the pages. My heart was physically hurting for both of them. Their town thinks they know who Cole is, but is as often the circumstance, they only see what they want to see, not the truth. Although, Cole doesn’t make it easy on them either.
What I loved so much about this book, is watching this couple remember why they loved each other and relying on each other for that unconditional love when the world seems to be against them. What it all came down to is that they’re stronger than the outside forces, and maybe some mistruths told by one of them, set on keeping them apart. It’s amazing what the strength love can give you and what you’ll do to keep the love of your life for the second time around.
This is a duet that is a must read….just be prepared for the tears and the emotional rollercoaster you’ll ride, but it’s all worth it in the end!
Holy emotional rollercoaster! After the ending in book 1, I was itching to get my hands on this book. And it did not disappoint. I read this book in one sitting because I had to know what happened.
We pick up pretty much right where we left off in book 1. Josie is questioning everything and Cole is trying to curb her desire to remember. Until he can’t anymore. Once Josie knows all the details of that fateful night, she’s not sure what to do about anything. She’s a mess. Cole is a mess. And Vanessa, well, I didn’t care for her nastiness one bit. Thankfully she comes around though. Despite the tension between Cole and Josie, their chemistry is still abundant. These two are truly soul mates.
This is another stellar book from Nina Lane. She has a way with words and she has a way of making you feel as if you’re part of the story instead of a just watching from the sidelines. I also loved the little cameos from some characters from other books. This is a must read!
I don’t know about you guys, but after the way If We Fall ended, I have been waiting rather impatiently to get my hands on If We Fly. I had so many burning questions that I desperately needed answered.
If We Fly picks up right where the last book left off. Josie is still trying to piece together the moments that went missing from her mind. As if that wasn’t enough, she’s also trying to navigate her renewed relationship with Cole. Josie still has a lot to work through, but if there is anyone that can help put Josie back together, it’s Cole. His love for her is real and true and has stood the test of time. There’s nothing he wouldn’t do for her……
If We Fly is an unforgettable second chance romance. It grips you from the very first page and never lets go. All the questions we had from book one will be revealed and I have to say, this story has been one of the best puzzles I’ve had the pleasure of unraveling. Just when you think you know everything, this author takes everything you think you know and throws it out of the window.
The road to happily ever after is not an easy one for Cole and Josie. Their love will be tested and demons will need to be battled. Josie and Cole’s story will take you on an unforgettable journey of love, and forgiveness. Their story is one of strength, hope and new beginnings. If We Fly is a terrific ending to a story I didn’t want to see end.
Amount of sex 2.5 / 5
How explicit is the sex scenes 2.5 / 5
Story 5 / 5
Overall: 5 / 5
If We Fly is the second and final book in the What If Duet by author Nina Lane. This is a great series, and I have been zooming through them all. I do recommend that you read the prequel book If We Leap. It will give you a better foundation for understanding Cole and Josie’s relationship. Just know that it’s not mandatory.
We begin this second novel with more questions about what happened the night of the accident. The twists kept coming, and I was on the edge of my seat throughout it all. Again, the storyline is top notch and absolutely gripping! The characters continue to be complex and multifaceted. My emotions were all over the place and loved every single minute of it!
A must read series.
*Voluntarily Reviewed an Advanced Copy*