Within these walls, he became my solace, my sanctuary and my strength.
I am not strong. I am just a survivor of circumstance.
Isn’t that what we all do? Survive?
Each of us has our own set of circumstances to muddle through. Mine are just
more...complicated.
Born with a severe heart defect, I’ve seen the inside of a hospital room more than
my own bedroom.
I was drowning, a prisoner to the illness that owned me, until he appeared. He
thinks he’s blocked out the world with his tattoos and hard exterior, but I see the
real Jude, the one he so desperately wants to forget.
But is he the answer to my prayers or will he break my already damaged heart
forever?
My name is Lailah Buchanan, and this is our story of hope, redemption and
sacrificing it all for the one you love.
.jpg)
"Within these walls, I gave my less than perfect heart to the man I loved. And then...he walked away."
J.L. Berg has once again exceeded any expectation I may have had when beginning her newest novel; weaving a story of heartache, grief, anger, hope and happiness in Within These Walls. I laughed, cried and smiled while reading, all the while feeling an emotional connection to the characters that I never expected. This is a 4.5 star read for me and I recommend it to all.
Jude was a CNA and a loner, working every shift he could possibly pick up at the hospital, never really having any connections with his co-workers or patients, that is until he was transferred to the cardiac unit and he met Lailah. What started as an innocent gesture of secretly leaving a patient a chocolate pudding cup, blossomed into a friendship and a love so strong, that walking away was the only option for Jude in the end. Finally starting to live his life instead of exist, he developed feelings for Lailah that both surprised and scared him, for he didn't think that he would be able to survive losing someone else that he loved.
Lailah was a twenty-two year old girl who had barely lived the life that she often dreamed about. Born with a heart defect, she spent more time in the hospital then she did out of it; and her condition often prohibited her from doing the everyday things that other take for granted; so she made a list of things she wished she could do, things she dreamed of doing but feared she would never get the chance to do once her condition began to worsen and a transplant became her only option for survival.
Sharing her most private thoughts and desires with Jude, Lailah began to tell him some of the things on her list, some of the things didn't seem possible, while others may be if she was able to be released from the walls of the hospital and out into the real world. Jude began with the smaller things on the list, putting together ways to have her complete them so that she would be able to cross them off. He helped her cook her first meal from start to finish, attend a prom, put her feet in the ocean, and fall in love; which eventually went hand in hand with having her heart broken. Jude became closer to Lailah everyday, but he never shared much about his life. He was as closed off as ever when he started to fall for Lailah, as he still harbored feelings of guilt and grief from losing his fiancé in a terrible accident many years before which led him to walking away from his well-known, well-off family. A family that he had no desire to rekindle a relationship with, that is until he was forced to make a choice that would benefit some, but make him miserable.
J.L Berg writes the story in such a way that the reader can actually feel the caring nature of Jude toward Lailah while reading. The emotion that was evoke within me while reading, often brought a tear to my eye and caused me to smile on many occasions. This story was absolutely amazing and I cannot fully express just how much I loved it. I recommend that everyone who adores a good love story with a twist and turn one-click this book immediately!
"Please remember me when you look at the ocean waves or dip your toes in the water. Know that my love for you will never cease. It will only grow with each passing year. When you cross that last dream off your list, remember how we made pizza I the cafeteria kitchen and when we danced under the rain in your hospital shower. Remember late-night pudding debates, and when we made love for the first time, we felt our souls collide. Never forget the never-ending ways in which I love you and know that I will never stop fighting for you, no matter where I am or what I'm doing. I'll always keep your wings in flight."
J.L. Berg is the USA Today bestselling author of the Ready Series. She is a California
native living in the beautiful state of historic Virginia. Married to her high school
sweetheart, they have two beautiful girls that drive them batty on a daily basis.
When she's not writing, you will find her with her nose stuck in a romance novel, in
a yoga studio or devouring anything chocolate. J.L. Berg is represented by Jill Marsal
of Marsal Lyon Literary Agency, LLC.
