 Love is the most beautiful thing in the world.

Unfortunately, it’s also one of the hardest

things in the world to hold on to, and one of the easiest things to throw away
 “Sometimes things happen in life that you didn’t plan for. All you can do is
suck it up and start mapping out a new plan.”
 “My heart pounds against my chest. Not because I'm nervous. Not even
because I want her worse that I've ever wanted her before. It's pounding
against my chest because I realize I've never been so sure about the rest of my
life than I am in this moment. This girl is the rest of my life.”
 “I love being with yo so bad
When we aren't together, I miss you so bad
One of these days I'm going to marry you so bad and it'll be so so good.”

“A guy can tell a girl he's in love with her until he's blue in the face. Words don't
mean anything to a woman when her head’s full of doubt. You have to show her.”

 “It's like you came along and woke up my soul”

 “I’ll never be able to give you everything you deserve, but I’ll definitely spend
the rest of my life trying.”
 And no, I don't need days, or weeks, or months to think about why I love
you.
It's an easy answer for me. I love you because of you. Because of every single
thing about you.
 J“I'm not giving up
You're not giving in
This battle will turn into a war
Before I let it come to an end.”

Point of Retreat picks up where Slammed left off. Frankly, I was surprised to learn that there was a sequel,
since the original novel ties up most of the loose ends and put the characters on a path toward happiness,
despite the challenges they faced in the first novel. But what the two of them don't realise is that their
relationship is about to be put to the test again. This one was just as emotional - maybe slightly more -
than the first one. And it was also just as amazing.

Early on, the novel has a strangely episodic feel, dealing with the couple’s struggles to discipline their
brothers (Layken and Will are both in the same situation : they’re raising their respective siblings
while trying to make the transition to adulthood. It’s a tough road, and puts them in an adult role
before either are really emotionally ready). Lake has started college and Will is pursuing a graduate
degree in education.

I absolutely adored Slammed, the first book in this series. I loved Will and Lake and their relationship. I
loved everything about it. I thought that Slammed ended almost perfectly. No. I thought that it ended
perfectly. But I wanted more anyway, so I was eager to begin this book right away. I knew she was going
to be a plot point/obstacle to Will and Lake’s happiness. I knew after reading the blurb for this book that
there was going to be some sort of misunderstanding involving someone from Will's past, and I knew that
it was going to be the long lost ex-girlfriend (Vaughn), who pops up in Will’s elective class on Death and
Dying and attaches herself to him like a suckerfish. I knew that Lake was going to have issues with this
and spend a good deal of time "carving pumpkins". I was nervous. I didn't want to see my happy couple
facing this sort of obstacle. But I read on.

So In Point of Retreat, Will and Layken find themselves embroiled in even more drama, but the core of the
story is two-fold :

1. Will they ever actually have sex ? *eye roll*

 2. Will Will’s evil ex-girlfriend destroy their happiness ? *eye roll*

As soon as Will decided that it would be best to not let Lake know that Vaughn was taking one of his
college classes with him I knew there was going to be trouble in Will's immediate future. Oh how I
wished that Will had some sort of soundboard of a friend to share his decision with so that that friend
could knock him upside the head and tell him he was being an idiot. By not telling her about the
situation he was going to make the situation seem much more important than it really was. I know that
he was annoyed by Vaughn and wanted nothing to do with her. But Lake didn't have the advantage of
seeing inside Will's head like I did. Trouble is coming his way.
Furthermore, I have to say that I am so glad that this story is told through Will's point of view. I think I
would have been terribly irritated with Lake as she pushes him away again and again, despite all of his
efforts to make this situation correct. Even when they did choose to bring things out in the open I
thought that she was too quick to cut him off and throw away all of the good experiences they had
shared together. I get why she stormed off and was upset with Will, but did she really need to ignore
him for that long? I think that hearing the story through Will's point of view helped to maintain the love
connection that exists between these two. Although Lake never loses it, she does spend a good deal of
time angry. I preferred to hear Will's desperation to the anger.

Changing to Will's point of view in this book accomplished two things for me. First of all it made a
difficult situation that normally irritates me into a better one. It isn't that the situation improved simply
by having Will tell the story. No. It was still bad. But his refusal to let this relationship die and his
determination to do whatever it takes to bring Lake back to him made this a story of strength rather
than simply a story of a relationship funk. I appreciated that. The second benefit to Will as a narrator
was that I was able to relive some of my favorite scenes of the first book through his memories. I
LOVED that. Seeing those amazing scenes in his eyes added another amazing dimension to scenes
that I already adored. Oh, Will. I didn't think I could love you anymore than I already do, but this book
proved me wrong

So this was a book that potentially could have ruined all of the good feelings I was feeling at the end of
Slammed, but instead it was another wonderful addition to the story. I am totally going to have to follow
Lake's mother's lead and make a vase full of origami stars containing words of advise for my future
children to pull out on days when things get difficult. That was brilliant ! I loved all of her advise, but I
especially loved these words :
"Sometimes two people have to fall apart to realize how much they need to fall back together."
I absolutely loved this, and that sums up the theme of this book perfectly. I knew that Will and Lake had
a great relationship at the end of Slammed, but at the end of this book I knew that they had an
endurable and everlasting relationship. The struggles of this book when added to the things that they
have lived through in their past combine to show the beauty of this love story.

Colleen Hoover does a great job of relating this story in such a way that I never felt annoyed. Instead I
just felt this overwhelming need to continue to read. I needed for things to be made right for these two
characters who I loved so much. I couldn't stop reading until I was content. And am I content? Oh yes.
Yes! Yes! Yes!

This series is very YOUNG... young love, young troubles, but is so much more adult than that at the
same time. A child growing up is never easy. A child living the life of an adult full of grown-up
responsibilities is even harder. I found myself feeling proud of these characters and how they
survived!

I'm also very proud of Colleen Hoover for putting together these stories so eloquently. Everything was
so nicely rounded out and left me feeling complete

I'd also like to thank Colleen for the "butterflying butterflies".

The one main thing that I think made this book better was that it was told from Will's POV. I absolutely
adore Will and I'd been dying to get inside his head during Slammed

And then the ending also had me in tears because I was freaking happy. I love Will and Lake and that
ending was just perfect for them.