Review: Love in the Light by Laura Kaye

Title: Love in the Light
By: Laura Kaye
Series: Hearts in Darkness #2
My Copy: Ebook from Publisher
The BookWhisperer's Rating:

Two hearts in the darkness…

Makenna James and Caden Grayson have been inseparable since the day they were trapped in a pitch-black elevator and found acceptance and love in the arms of a stranger. Makenna hopes that night put them on the path to forever—which can’t happen until she introduces her tattooed, pierced, and scarred boyfriend to her father and three over-protective brothers.

Must fight for love in the light…

Haunted by a childhood tragedy and the loss of his family, Caden never thought he’d find the love he shares with Makenna. But the deeper he falls, the more he fears the devastation sure to come if he ever lost her, too. When meeting her family doesn’t go smoothly, Caden questions whether Makenna deserves someone better, stronger, and just more…normal. Maybe they’re too different—and he’s far too damaged—after all…

Hearts in Darkness was my first book by Laura Kaye and it sparked my love for her writing and elevators.  Needless to say that I was pumped when I saw that she was writing a follow-up about our beloved Caden and Makenna.  So what will you find in this sequel?

You learn much more about Makenna family and the beautiful dynamic she grew up in that has made her into the woman that she is today.  Bringing Caden home for Thanksgiving shows him the life that he missed on the dreadful day that he lost his family.  This sparks a flame of doubt in Caden’s mind that grows with every second on whether he is truly good enough for Makenna.  It is a dark spiral for Caden as he battles with his insecurities and even though he tries to contain the doubt in his head, it leaks out and poisons his relationship with Makenna. 

This book definitely had a darker side present than the first (and I am not talking about they get stranded inside another dark elevator.)  Caden shuts down and realizes that he has no idea how to handle life, which includes his relationship with Makenna, his job, and just existing.  It is a battlefield in his mind and no signs of allies around to help, even though he doesn’t realize he has them right by his side.  Laura shows the wrenching side of depressions one can experience from PTSD and how a person has to learn to love and accept themselves before they can love another. *end*

*A few days after finishing Love in the Light, I decided to write more to my review. Oh, and a little spoiler-ish.*

I will say that I wasn't expecting the twists that Laura gave us in this book.  I walked in thinking that this was going to be the continuation of Caden and Makenna's love story (which it is but also holds so much more.)  I found myself angry with Caden because I could clearly see Makenna's love for him and he couldn't. (Don't be mad at me...I can't help how I feel!) I struggled with wondering if he was the right man for Makenna if he couldn't see past his troubles and read Makenna's heart. His actions cut deep when he lost his sense of reality and I was not pleased because I love Caden and Makenna together.  It actually took me a few days after finishing this book to realize that when someone is in that deep stage of depression that they can't look past anything besides what they feel. It hit me that my anger for Caden was completely uncalled for. I took a step back, reevaluated, and realized that how Caden's struggles were written was beautiful.  Not every relationship is easy and the roadblocks that are dodged together make a couple stronger.  Laura Kaye, you made me think about two character's love and story days after I finished and made me realize that there was so much more to this story than I was giving it credit for - which, to me, is a mark of a great author.