Life is full of many things.Love.Loss.Heartbreak.Laughter.No matter how small, each moment has value.Then there are the big moments.The moments that define us.And the people who shape our very existence.Abel Collins is that person for me. From the very first time our eyes locked, I knew there was something about him. That he was the person that would change everything.And he did.But Abel isn’t … was the person that would change everything.
And he did.
But Abel isn’t just any man…
His past is his prison.
His guilt keeps him chained.
His grief defines him.
And now it’s up to me to set him free.
To make him see that life isn’t just about what we’ve lost but what we still stand to gain.
Because it’s not about what came before, but what comes after.
****WHAT COMES AFTER can be read following TEN HOURS or as a complete STANDALONE.
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I was glad that Melissa decided to continue Abel’s story, because last time we left him he had just buried his wife Finley and he decided to leave Chicago to deal with his grief.
The book begins 3 years later. Abel’s been living in California with one of his brothers and starts packing up to return to Chicago just in time for another brothers pre-wedding activities. Little does he know, he’s about to meet the woman that’s going to shake up his world.
Peyton and her friend Henna are out with the bridal party/ bachelorette party and the guys are out celebrating/ bachelor party then later during the evening they all meet up.
Peyton unfortunately literally runs into Abel where he spills his drink and turns into instant asshole. She returns to her friends and finds that Henna has found herself a guy, the brother of the groom. Then handsome but grumpy Abel joins the group and Peyton points out to her friend – that’s the asshole that yelled at me. Everyone that knows Abel is shocked that he acted like that because he’s usually easy going and kind hearted. But not sure if his grief has changed him too.
This begins the hate/hate relationship between Abel & Peyton. It begins at the wedding, then Henna starts dating Abel’s brother and they begin to realize they are attracted to each other.
Abel continues to fight it and at times doesn’t treat Peyton very well. Peyton even agrees to a “friends with benefits” relationship and also keep the relationship secret.
Abel has also kept his friendship with Claire (Finley’s sister) and she continues to give him advice and reminding him that Finley wanted him to move forward and find love again.
Abel can’t move forward because he sees and feels Finley everywhere. He feels guilty that he’s here and she’s not. This story takes a broken man who’s closed off his heart to finally start to heal and maybe be happy and find love again.
Once again Melissa takes us on an emotional rollercoaster of hurt,healing and eventually love. This story brings all the feels. Another Five Star Read from Melissa Toppen.
You can’t help but to fall in love with Abel and Peyton. We first meet Abel in Ten Hours where he loves and loses the love of his life with Peyton. In What Comes After, Abel is given a second chance at love. The story is so heartened and emotional. It’s a story of life and death. Ms. Toppen’s writing just flows so smoothly, it draws you into the story. Best to read Ten Hours first to get the feel of this story.
Review copy was received for a honest opinion.
What Comes After is such a beautiful, emotional love story. It’s a story of healing, taking chances, and finding the courage to love again. Abel and Peyton’s story captured me at page one and didn’t let go. I loved it from beginning to end and just felt a big Wow! at the end. If you haven’t read Ten Hours yet I highly recommend you read it as well. These two books are phenomenal!
I didn’t know how to feel reading about Abel who I met in the book 10 hours. I was a bit selfish in him getting a second chance at his happily ever after because I lived the heroine that much. After reading this book, I’m glad that he received it. I’ve never shed so many tears reading a book especially the endings like I did while reading this one. Peyton was amazing and everything that Abel needed. They had lots of things in common and had both suffered a loss of someone they love deeply. But Abel was still not over Finley and couldn’t move on. Until Peyton. She was patient but it wasn’t an easy road. He wasn’t the nicest because of all his hurt but he gave it a shot even though he screwed up at times. This story was so beautiful yet so sad and the epilogue?! Omg beautiful and sad wrapped up in one.
A beautifully written story about finding love again. Wonderful characters. I really liked Peyton. Despite not wanting to. Abel? Abel is on my list of book boyfriends forever. I’m so happy to see him get his HEA. If anyone deserves it, it’s Abel. I appreciated how realistically Melissa portrayed his grief, over losing the love of his life, and wife, Finley. It takes place 3 years after Finley’s death and I appreciated that. The epilogue was beautiful! Melissa is becoming my favorite new author.
This story is beautifully written, like everything Melissa writes, her main characters convey their pain, their constant struggle not to sink, their slow but sure healing.
What an emotional book! Seeing these characters come to life after heartbreak is amazing.
I invite you to read the story of Abel and Peyton, I know you’ll love it
What Comes After is a emotional follow up story of one of the main characters in 10 Hours. It can be read as a standalone. With time and distance from his family, Abel is just going through the motions of living, but it’s time for him to come back home. He has to start to deal with his loss, and with the help from the girl who can lift the vise off his chest, he can heal. Pipper was just the person Abel needed, she was compassionate, understanding, and loving. I thought the story was very well written, it had so much emotional and I loved seeing Abel get another shot at love. I liked seeing Finley’s sister, and Abel’s family members too. And if you read 10 Hours you can see for yourself how epic Abel and Finley’s love story was. It will also give you the insight for why Abel is where he is now.
Life is full of many things.
Love.
Loss.
Heartbreak.
Laughter.
No matter how small, each moment has value.
Then there are the big moments.
The moments that define us.
And the people who shape our very existence.
Abel Collins is that person for me.
From the very first time our eyes locked, I knew there was something about him. That he was the person that would change everything.
And he did.
But Abel isn’t just any man…
His past is his prison.
His guilt keeps him chained.
His grief defines him.
And now it’s up to me to set him free.
To make him see that life isn’t just about what we’ve lost but what we still stand to gain.
Because it’s not about what came before, but what comes after.
This can be read as a stand alone, in my opinion to really enjoy this book more I highly recommend Ten Hours first. Abel and Peyton’s story was so beautiful and heartfelt! I enjoyed reading how their relationship developed and how Abel dealt with his grief! Fantastic Read!
In order to get the full effect of What Comes After you should read 10 Hours first. This is the continuation of Abel’s story. Your heart broke for Abel in 10 Hours and now this is what happens next. I love what Melissa Toppen gives us when it comes to Abel’s story with not only getting to see how he heals but that glimpse of hope of love again. Abel is just so amazing even when he’s lost his way since his wife Finley’s death. You see him go through the motions and you feel the rawness of his emotions as he tries to heal and move on. I love the glimpses of Finley pushing him to move on. I love how patient Peyton is. She is what he needs and you can feel the strong pull between them. For me, I needed a few kleenexes here and there. Also true to form you will just fall so in love with Abel in this one. He is the one you root for to find his forever love again. The one that can understand there will always be that piece of him missing. And believe me, I cheered and hoped it was going to be Peyton. I’m so in love with what Melissa Toppen has done to my heart and soul with What Comes After. This is one of my top reads for 2019. GO ONE CLICK THIS ONE.
What Comes After follows the book Ten Hours. Abel Collins in What Comes After is dealing with unimaginable loss and going forward three years later. Pain, new beginnings, starts off this novel. Great story but can’t expect anything different from Toppen.
What Comes After is beautifully written, chocked full of insightful phrases and quotes, and sits atop my list of favorite read for 2019. Melissa Toppen took a subject we’d rather not face, rather not experience, and showed us all how to come alive again after unthinkable loss, pain, and grief.
Abel Collins stole our hearts in Ten Hours while we watched him endure an epic love and heart-breaking loss. What Comes After brings more of Abel to the pages. More pain, more grief, but also more living, more understanding, and more love.
When you’re the one left behind, moving forward can seem like an unsurmountable task; an impossibility. Only when you are ready and the right people come into your life, will the pieces fall back into place to loosen the vice grip surrounding your chest, to let you breathe again. Peyton is the one to free Abel, the one who understands his pain, but can she withstand all that it entails? I’ll never look at a fallen feather the same again. It is now imprinted on my brain to have a much deeper meaning.
What Comes Next left me awestruck. It is an emotionally-charged story that had me in tears; how could it not! Melissa’s writing was flawless and flowed seamlessly. It can be read as a stand alone but do I recommend it? Not on your life! Do yourself a favor and start with Ten Hours. Get to know how deeply Abel loved Finely. Take the journey with him. Understand where his pain and grief comes from. Then dive into all the healing power of What Comes After.
Melissa knows how to really get to her readers emotionally. This book is the second book after Ten Hours. Abel is such a lost soul that needs to find peace and love. Peyton just needs to be handed a guy that cares. Melissa never disappoints. You don’t want to miss this book. I read it in one day. I couldn’t put it down.
The first book in which we met Abel, Ten Hours, gutted me and I was not sure I would be up for anything else with Abel in it. What more could he go through? Was he ready to move on? Peyton meets Abel and can relate a little bit to what he is going through with the loss of his wife, Finley. She lost her mom when she a teenager. Abel was not sure he was ready to meet anyone or move on, now or ever, and he and Peyton developed a nice friendship… where they of course, started to have feelings and were intimate with each other. Abel did not feel like he could stop loving Finley and he did not realize that loving someone else did not mean he had to stop loving his dead wife… only that he had to find room in his heart for someone else to share his love and life with. I loved seeing Abel fall in love again and get his happy ever after, even if it was not with Finley. This story will pull at your heart, make you have to dry your eyes a few times, and even chuckle a time or two. It was a great ending to Abel’s story and I loved it!
Yes, Abel finally gets his HEA!!!! What Comes After can be read as a standalone but I think you should read Ten Hours before you read this one. WCA will still put you through an emotional rollercoaster ride and it’s worth it. Abel and Peyton’s story is one of a kind and one I will hold dear to my heart. Losing a significant other is never easy and I can relate to Abel’s pain. I hope we will see more of Abel’s brothers. Love this cover and What Comes After.
After reading Ten Hours that literally broke me and have not forgotton because how could you forget Abel Collins and his intense pain after losing the one thing that mattered the most and consumed him Finley I was so nervous and happy at the same time to get to hear from Abel again because I just love him to pieces, he is so broken living day by day after 3 years and still grieving like it was yesterday you just want to hug him and never let go. The situation is very intense and thank god Peyton showed up maybe it was a sign but she was such an angel, Abels angel who had so much understanding and patience it was the most beautiful thing I think I have ever read with a lot in common and grief of love and loss. This was written with so much heart and emotion theres really no words good enough its that beautiful and the second chance at life and letting go just sigh I loved it beyond words.
I think this was Melissa’s best yet. This was an amazing romantic read. And, of course, we get to see Abel’s story after Finley. Ten Hours, I believe, should be read beforehand to gain the full story and to get the full emotional effect. However, this book can still be read without reading Ten Hours. It’s emotional, poignant, and full of angst. I’m a lover of angst and this book definitely delivered on that. Abel is struggling between his feelings. Peyton is struggling with feelings with falling for a man who is not emotional available. The dialogue felt natural and everything felt real. It was a raw topic and Melissa delivered beautifully.
Abel Collins is lost and going through the motions of life. After losing his first love to cancer, he is a shell of his former self, is that enough to get through life. He wants more, but feels guilty, his friends and family want so much more for him and his life. But when the guilt take over, will Finley help guide him to where he needs to be? Will he listen to the signs she gives him? After 3 years of living in California, he knows it is time to go back home to Chicago. He wants to be around the places and people he knows. Will this help him or devastate him more?
Peyton has had a string of bad relationships with guys that are no good for her. But during her friends wedding celebrations, she meets Abel, who is a brother to the groom. But she instantly knows if she allows Abel to get under her skin, it will ruin her for other men as well as life. Can she take the risk? Is he worth it? Can she help guide him back to living? Through their pasts, they recognize the pain they are going through, but is that enough? Is Peyton enough for Abel?
This is such a great story and shows that your heart is bigger than you think. Abel has enough room to love Finley and keep her with him but love Peyton in a brand new way that includes her in his life and vice versa. This will pull at your heartstrings, take you through a journey of Abel and Peyton, but will we survive their story? This story has so much love, loss, grief, moving on and so much more. This can be read as a standalone, but Ten Hours explains the great love Abel and Finley shared. You will need your tissues during this story. I can’t wait for more from Melissa Toppen, LOVE her stories!!! Maybe next we will see the rest of the Collins brothers get their happy endings. I received an ARC of this book from the author.
Holy crap!! I did not think Abel’s life could get note heartbreaking but here we are…although this book finally gives him a much needed HEA!
Abel made me fall in love with him hardcore while reading Ten Hours; the way he loved Finley was magical and I honestly didn’t know how he would ever move past that love, but then comes Peyton and I felt like I was holding my breath with hope for the two of them.
I absolutely loved Peyton; she poured love and understanding from the moment we met her and somehow knew exactly what hat everyone, especially Abel, did before they did. She was completely selfless and I couldn’t have hand picked a better woman for this book.
This book can be read as a standalone as it covers what happened in Ten Hours but I recommend reading that book first so that you can understand Abel’s reluctance a bit more. No matter what you do, this book needs to be read ASAP!!
I bawled reading Ten Hours, I bawled reading What comes after. I am so excited for everyone to get a chance to see Abel again. I tried to give this book a fair chance but I was torn at first, having Abel move on & without Finley.
Even with no Finely & the constant tears this book induced, Melissa Did an amazing job!
In Ten hours we meet Abel & Finley, who quickly fall in love & start Their happily ever after but Their lives start to crumble when Finley gets sick again & (despite all my tears & praying she would get better) passes away.
Abel turns into a heart broken, shell of himself.
In What comes after, We meet the “new” Abel, who is just barely surviving & clinging to the memories of His wife Finley.
3 years after Her passing, Abel makes a bold choice & moves home.
Sweet Peyton has had Her heart broken by Her last boyfriend.
After a chance encounter at a bachelorette party with a hot a**hole, fate keeps bring these two back together.
Abel lives his life just surviving coming off rude & arrogant guy.
When fate brings Peyton in both Abel’s & his families life, Changing everyone. He can not avoid this girl.
After being around each other numerous times thanks to friends & some could say Finley.
Abel starts to open himself up to the idea of loving another woman.
Peyton is not Fin but She makes Abel feel like life is worth living again
Peyton tries Her hardest not to fall in love & become the 2nd places woman in Abel’s life.
I hope everyone enjoys, laughs & cries as much as I did, watching Abel find Himself, watching The light come back into eyes & mostly watching him grow in the new Abel, the Abel who now not only is surviving after Finley but thriving.
This was a book that I was equal parts excited and afraid to read and there is a complicated reason why I felt that way. This book is a follow-up story to the book Ten Hours but it can also be read very easily as a standalone. I have read Ten Hours and normally this would be where I would tell you that I feel you should read that book first. However, I am going to surprise you and say I Do Not recommend that you read Ten Hours immediately before diving into this book. In fact, I would say read this one first and then go back and read Ten Hours because in my opinion, as good as this book is, it pales in comparison to its older sister book. Now do not get me wrong, Peyton and Abel share a beautiful and very emotional romance. It delivers plenty of feels and is very moving. I feel that my heart just simply did not have time to do what this book focuses on: grieving, letting go and being able to move past a loss. Ten Hours is a book about a love that is Everything!! Finley and Abel’s love was nothing short of epic and legenday. To me it is on par with unforgettable romances like Romeo and Juliet and Jack and Rose. That is a lot to live up to, no to mention follow. Abel may have had three years to grieve but IRL, Ten Hours came out only three months ago and so for me it was all still too fresh and raw in my mind to truly embrace Abel and Peyton and give them the love they deserved.