I fell head over heals in love with Emma and Cooper, their story is full of trials, heartbreak, forgiveness, and love. To say Only Ever You is an emotional novel, would not do it justice. The emotion and characters make this author one that I will be watching for future releases from.~ Autry, Guilty Pleasures
Cooper and Emma are childhood sweethearts whose lives change irrevocably after a tragic car accident. The emotional fallout finds both of them distant and grieving, though no less in love with one another. In a perfect world they would have had the ability to work through this awful time in their lives together. But, instead, they go their separate ways. Neither expecting to find happiness without the other.
Four years later they find themselves thrown back together. Emma, a middle school English teacher is witness to a murder. Cooper, now detective with the Asheville PD, steps in to work on the case. As the man, who committed the murder, sets Emma in his sights Cooper and Emma embark on a deeply emotional and difficult journey as they try to find their way back to each other. But the murder is only the first wave of the coming tsunami. The man after Emma is part of an illegal organization, The Ridgeliners. The powerful group has swept through the South. Each city buckling under its pressure. With the Liners comes drugs, guns and prostitution. Now, they want Asheville. Cooper must protect Emma, race against time to hold the Liners's back from taking over his city and together they must face down their past and the demons that came in their wake. Only Ever You is an exciting, devastating and emotional read (yes, with an HEA). Dive in to the Mountain Siege Series! Welcome to Asheville! As One Listens To The Rain, Octavio PazSince the day I discovered Before the Beginning by Octavio Paz, at fifteen, I have been in love with his words.
In the novel, Emma recites As One Listens to the Rain during one of the most heartbreaking moments that any human being could experience. The last twelve lines in particular are the most important to her and the person she recites them to. Listen to me as one listens to the rain, not attentive, not distracted, light footsteps, thin drizzle, water that is air, air that is time, the day is still leaving, the night has yet to arrive, figurations of mist at the turn of the corner, figurations of time at the bend in this pause, listen to me as one listens to the rain, without listening, hear what I say with eyes open inward, asleep with all five senses awake, it's raining, light footsteps, a murmur of syllables, air and water, words with no weight: what we are and are, the days and years, this moment, weightless time and heavy sorrow, listen to me as one listens to the rain, wet asphalt is shining, steam rises and walks away, night unfolds and looks at me, you are you and your body of steam, you and your face of night, you and your hair, unhurried lightning, you cross the street and enter my forehead, footsteps of water across my eyes, listen to me as one listens to the rain, the asphalt's shining, you cross the street, it is the mist, wandering in the night, it is the night, asleep in your bed, it is the surge of waves in your breath, your fingers of water dampen my forehead, your fingers of flame burn my eyes, your fingers of air open eyelids of time, a spring of visions and resurrections, listen to me as one listens to the rain, the years go by, the moments return, do you hear the footsteps in the next room? not here, not there: you hear them in another time that is now, listen to the footsteps of time, inventor of places with no weight, nowhere, listen to the rain running over the terrace, the night is now more night in the grove, lightning has nestled among the leaves, a restless garden adrift-go in, your shadow covers this page. |
Pearl Jam's Black is the absolute epitome of who Cooper and Emma have become after their relationship ended four years ago.
The lines above, specifically, describe their heart ache and how they have chosen to live their lives the last few years. Speaking of music....Sonnet LXXXI, Pablo NuredaThis poem by Pablo Neruda encompasses how Emma and Cooper feel toward one another. I like that this is representative of their feelings throughout their journey that spans more than a decade.
Already, you are mine. Rest with your dream inside my dream.
Love, grief, labour, must sleep now. Night revolves on invisible wheels and joined to me you are pure as sleeping amber. No one else will sleep with my dream, love. You will go we will go joined by the waters of time. No other one will travel the shadows with me, only you, eternal nature, eternal sun, eternal moon. Already your hands have opened their delicate fists and let fall, without direction, their gentle signs, you eyes enclosing themselves like two grey wings, while I follow the waters you bring that take me onwards: night, Earth, winds weave their fate, and already, not only am I not without you, I alone am your dream. |
“Dear old world', she murmured, 'you are very lovely, and I am glad to be alive in you.” Anne of Green Gables