Always Been You (The AJ Williams Series Book 3) by Lasairiona McMaster

ABOUT THE BOOK

Five thousand miles from his ex, AJ is living with Lisa’s decision to call it quits and leave both him, and Alabama behind. Upon hearing that Lisa is moving forward from their engagement with a new (and handsome!) doctor-boyfriend, AJ is confused and broken at the idea of facing life without his soul mate. AJ finds himself at a cross roads, does he give up all hope of ever reconciling with Lisa and take a chance on love again with someone new? Or is his heart destined to be forever entwined with the beautiful Irish woman he met on the internet… who is now with another man?

MY REVIEW

She’s done. It’s over. It’s official. AJ is an idiot. If you want the woman you love, get rid of the one who is using you for your citizenship. Lisa and AJ’s story is complicated and best understood if one reads the previous books in this series. With that being said, I’ll give you the short version. They met on social media and live 5,000 miles apart. She’s in Belfast; he’s in Atlanta. They fall in love. He secretly marries his childhood friend, Britt, who needs to gain citizenship in the U.S. Lisa is understandably upset and AJ grovels to get her back. Lisa gets pregnant, doesn’t tell AJ, and loses the baby during an assault. AJ comforts her and returns to the states.

Book 3 begins when AJ is getting off the plane and she breaks up with him in a text. AJ is totally in love with Lisa, but he knows he has made a mess of his life by trying to be supportive of his long-time friend, Britt, and putting her first. When a new friend finally opens AJs eyes to how Britt has taken advantage of him, Operation Leprechaun is put into action to get Lisa back. Of course, there are more complications during the time Lisa and AJ are apart which I don’t want to spoil, but let’s say it is heartbreaking to see two people so devastated and lost. Will fate give them another chance?

I have read both funny and tragic trilogies of Lisa and AJs story from both of their perspectives and it gives the reader a better understanding of how they were both feeling. Lisa is strong and feisty with a great sense of humor and wonderful friends to support her. AJ suffers from bi-polar disorder and has a very difficult time with chaos and turmoil which aptly describes their whole crazy relationship. Luckily, he has the same great support system. Mainly, Jeremy. The man, the comedian, the fantastic friend to both Lisa and AJ. Of course, both Lisa and AJ have their own flaws and they really do grow and become responsible adults.

This was an inherent and deserving ending to Lisa and AJ’s complicated story, and I hope to see a book written about Jeremy who steals the spotlight in my opinion.

Thank you to Ms. McMaster for giving me the opportunity to read this book with no expectation of a positive review.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Lasairiona McMaster grew up dreaming of an exciting life abroad, and, after graduating from Queens University, Belfast, that is exactly what she did – with her then-boyfriend, now husband of almost ten years. Having recently repatriated to Northern Ireland after a decade abroad spanned over two countries (seven and a half years in America and eighteen months in India), she now finds herself ‘home’, with itchy feet and dreams of her next expatriation. With a penchant for both travelling and writing, she started a blog during her first relocation to Houston, Texas and, since repatriating to Northern Ireland, has decided to do as everyone has been telling her to do for years, and finally pen a book (or two) and get published while she tries to adjust to the people and place she left ten years ago, where nothing looks the same as it did when she left.