The Education of Caroline
3.5/4 starsHe'd asked me if I was brave enough to take a chance on love. I finally knew the answer.
Now living separate lives Caroline is a successful journalist and Sebastian is a US Marine. Not once have they crossed each other's paths until ten years later when Caroline plans a trip to Afghanistan. Not being able to fight there connection, they do what they've always dreamed of, taking a tour around Italy.
Once I finished reading [b:The Education of Sebastian|16148137|The Education of Sebastian (The Education of..., #1)|Jane Harvey-Berrick|http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1352832895s/16148137.jpg|21982585] I was desperate to get my hands on book two. There was no way I was going to be satisfied until Caroline and Sebastian got there HEA.
I was pleased with how much Caroline changed. She still had the same witty personality but now she was stronger and more independent. She blossomed once she was able to get out under her ex-husbands thumb. I loved that she struggled to become a journalist and that once she left her old life it wasn't smooth sailing. She really had to work for everything.
One of the reasons I didn't give The Education of Caroline a better rating was because of Sebastian. Don't get me wrong, I did end up loving him in the end but it took a long while to get there. Years of being a Marine and everything he went through in his past hardened him. In the first book, I fell in love with the sweet, vulnerable Sebastian. Now he was a little rougher, dominant, and reminded me just a little of his parents. It hurt my heart to see how much he changed.
And their first meeting after everything went down was powerful. You could practically feel all the tension and unresolved problems.
He was still beautiful, but the same? I didn't think so.
Things started to get better when they started their trip to Italy. They were able to learn and explore each other again. It was good for them to relax, enjoy each others company, and have fun.
"Never mind: come on, let's get you fed and then I can have my wicked way with you."
"How wicked?"
"Not that wicked, so stop drooling. Just moderately naughty- it's been a long day."
"I think we should come back here, and book the same room every year- then spend the night fucking."
"You're such a romantic."
"Yeah, I know, baby."
And riding around Italy on the back of a motorcycle with the sexy Sebastian... swoon.
As nice as everything was, they weren't without their problems. You'd think that after everything that happened in book one, they'd get a break, but no. They had a few fights, and argued over petty things, but sometimes, they were really put to the test. If I hadn't known there was a definite HEA, I would have sworn this would end badly. There were parts where I was bawling my eyes out.
“Be happy, Caro, because that’s what you deserve.
I love you, I have always loved you, and where I go after this world, I will always love you.
Sempre e per sempre.”
Everything did work itself out in the end, thankfully, and had a beautiful epilogue.
“Caro… I don’t understand – why do you love me?”
“Just because… because the sky is blue and the sea is green.”