Pieces of Heaven (Heaven & Hell #2)

On the heels of her debut novel, the sports-themed romcom Something So Right, Natasha Madison has released two back-to-back romantic suspense novels in her riveting Heaven & Hell series, Hell and Back and this book, Pieces of Heaven. If you havent read anything by her or youve only read her debut, this series will genuinely shock and surprise you with the depth of emotion she packed into the intricate plot while still managing not to overshadow what was also a beautiful love story. Technically, Pieces of Heaven can be read on its own, but it picks up where Hell and Back leaves off and there is some overlapping between the two books. For that reason, I strongly suggest reading Hell and Back first for a much more vivid experience.

Ill be honest, I went into this book not really sure if I liked the hero, Mick. He was impatient, curt and obstinate, vacillating between being a good guy to a doormat to a total jerk sometimes. His childhood was truly awful and clearly marked him as hes still very much nursing those wounds. Despite whats he been through, or perhaps because of it, there was a certain vulnerability to him that ultimately drew me in and had me wanting to know more about him. Once Madison started peeling back his layers, he dialed back the attitude, and a caring and loyal man who was not only capable of genuine love but also able to give it selflessly emerged. It was an almost startling transformation, and I definitely sat up and took notice, doing a complete one-eighty from not really liking this character to absolutely adoring him.

Marissa was no doormat heroine. She was fierce, and in spite of the rotten hand that life had dealt her, she still managed to be a strong and independent single mother. She didnt hesitate to go toe-to-toe with Mick, and I think that it was her sassy attitude, coupled with the sheer determination with which she tackled the many challenges thrown at her were what drew Mick to her. As this relationship was blossoming, Marissa was in the throes of every mothers worst nightmare. I felt her devastation, her panic, her worry, and this part of the story affected me deeply. But there was still so much more that was yet to unfold, and this is where Madisons deviously creative mind truly begins to shine. There were so many twists, turns and surprising developments as the plot began to unfold. It was exciting, intriguing and shocking to read, especially since I absolutely did not see these things coming or where each revelation was leading. This was a truly ambitious plot for such a new author to not only conceptualize, but to also execute, and Madison nailed it.

Although the author snuck in some well-timed moments of levity to lighten up some of the heavy topics that were part of this story, this was a dark and sometimes hard-to-take tale. Even still, Madison managed to weave a sexy and beautiful soul-healing love story into this highly emotional, gut-wrenching and heart-breaking story. This was such a multi-faceted story, there was so much going on, I was impressed with not only the authors creativity in devising such a detailed plot but also the way she juggled it all without missing a beat and pulled everything together. Natasha Madisons Pieces of Heaven gets five smooches from me!
~ Danielle for Red Cheeks Reads