Name: Lover of Romance 's review of Into the Blue by Chanel Cleeton
Item: Into the Blue
Rating: 4
Author: Lover of Romance

Chanel Cleeton

From the author of Fly with Me comes the second romance in the Wild Aces series. Eric Jansen—call sign Thor—loves nothing more than pushing his F-16 to the limit. Returning home to South Carolina after a tragic loss, he hopes to fix the mistake he made long ago, when he chose the Air Force over his fiancée. Becca Madison isn’t quick to welcome Thor back. She can’t forget how he shattered her heart. But Thor won’t give up once he’s set his sights on what he wants—and he wants Becca. Thor shows Becca that he’s no longer the impulsive boy he used to be, and Becca finds herself irresistibly drawn to him. But will Thor be able to walk away from his dream of flying the F-16 for their love or does his heart belong to the sky?

Into the Blue

Mina Ongcuangco

Lover of Romance 

This review was originally posted on Addicted To Romance

This review may contain spoilers, so fair warning, upon reading the review.
 

  
    It seemed like my entire adult life had been spent either running from or to this one girl. She was the compass when I was so lost I couldn’t find my way.
  



  First Impressions

Into The Blue is the second book in the Wild Aces series and ever since I read “Fly With Me” I was eager to get back to the series but I knew that I wanted to take an emotional breather. And I had such a delightful time with this one and it was the perfect read to read on the 4th of July, with all the patriotism that comes with a military romance, I fell so quickly in love. This story quickly pulled me into the romance and I became so quickly invested in these characters and seeing them come back together after a decade of being apart. I was intrigued to see how the author would build the romance and get them to their HEA, there are many unresolved issues that is addressed in this one, and I felt that it was done so well. There is a level of sweetness to the vibe of the story and such a “warm at heart” feel that permeates the story. This did have its emotional moments but in a very different way than in book one. I really enjoyed the difference in this story and how well crafted I found this author’s writing.


  
    Either way I felt like I was falling, reaching out with nothing to hold on to, the girl whose hand I wanted to grab, just out of my reach.
  



  Summary

Eric Janesen and Becca Madison were once deeply in love, but their career paths were going different directions and they just weren’t “together” at the right time for either of them and they drifted apart and its now been ten years. At a party, Becca and Eric come together again and all the memories and feelings of love come swamping back, and they slowly reach out to each other. Ever since the death of his commander and friend, flying just hasn’t been the same for Eric. And after a scare in the air, he decides to take a breather and go back home and he keeps running into his old flame, a woman he has never forgotten. He is determined to show her that he has changed and is not the same man that he was before. But Becca doesn’t know if she can trust Eric to not break her heart and choose his planes over her. As Eric and Becca rekindle the old flame, and rebuild their trust in each other, some difficult choices will need to made but will love win in the end?

Becca. She’d been there in every relationship. It wasn’t fair to all the women in between, but she’d always been the woman I measured everyone else against. There was just a bond there, one I’d never been able to find again.


  What I Loved

Into The Blue was such a heart-touching story and I just wanted to dig deep into this novel and into their romance. There was something so rich and vibrant about this book and it had me laughing all over the place. I was so entertained to see them reconnect. As many of you know, second chance is one of my favorite tropes to read especially in a contemporary romance, and Chanel Cleeton did a brilliant job with this one here. I was so captivated by this one and just wanted more of this story. I was highly intrigued to see where the author would be taking this story and how the situation would actually be resolved. But I can safely say that she handled most of it just right. I adored a pining hero and seeing him pursue the heroine. You see that there has always been some vital between them, the key is Eric rebuilding trust with Becca. You see such a hope in this story and there was such a happy feel to this romance that left a smile on my face all the way through. I really enjoyed the setting of the small town and seeing them reconnect in all their old “haunts” and it was intriguing to see their relationship being rebuilt. If you love a well written military romance, look no further than Chanel Cleeton because this series is winning my heart! (NOW bring on the epic finale which I know will be a winner but also I need to be ready for the emotional torment )


  
    Love was easy; trust was the hard part.
  



  What I Struggled With

I will be honest in that I wasn’t a big fan of the ending. I know that this pair is very different from the first couple in the series, but I was hoping that Becca would be more accepting and encouraging of the life that Eric built and how having a military life changed him for the better. I would have liked to see the heroine fighting a bit more for the relationship (because BOTH got hurt and it wasn’t one sided and I felt like Becca should have taken more accountability as it takes two to tango)


  Overall View

I found Into The Blue to be a endearing, connects with the heart type of romance that had beautifully built emotion, delivers in the balance of flow and will leave you charmed from beginning to end and leaves you fully satisfied by the end!


  
    We walked back into the squadron together, my hand in Eric’s, his helmet bag dangling from his free hand, a line of gleaming F-16s behind us, and I felt like each step toward the squadron took me away from the life I’d known and into a new adventure, a new world.

Sven Test

This review was originally posted on Latte Nights Reviews.

I had to buy this second novel since I had books 1 and 3, and I have to say it's probably my favorite of the series (although, it's battling that first place with the third book). I love second chance romance stories and this one did not disappoint at all! I was so eager (picture me jumping up and down) to read Eric 'Thor' Jansen's story. This man was engaged to Becca years ago, but when it came down to choose the military life or her, he chose the military, leaving Becca completely heartbroken. Eric has always loved flying and he thought that was all he wanted to do for life until a tragic accident and a loss causes him to rethink his life choices. This leads him to take a break from the military and go back home, to which he hasn't been to in forever. It may also have to do with the fact that he may encounter Becca, as he did before choosing to go back home.

"How could someone feel like an old friend and a stranger at the same time? Was it my own wishful thinking imagining a connection that no longer existed, or was it possible that even with the time apart, there was still a piece of me that he held in the palm of his hand?"

Becca never forgot Eric. After ten years, Becca still hurts and when they see each other again, she's not prepared for all those feelings to resurface along with anger. She wants him out of her life, but with him being back in their small town, she's bound to see him all the time. She tells him to go back to where he came from and stay, but Eric isn't going to give up so easily. He knows he wants her back. She's the only woman he's ever wanted and he's ready to make things right.

Love was easy; trust was the hard part.

Into the Blue was very different to Fly with Me. In this one, the relationship progressed at a slow and believable pace that had my insides melting every time Eric and Becca would be together. Eric's pursue of Becca was so heartwarming and so sweet. I loved that Becca didn't just accept Eric immediately. She knew she had to guard her heart so she took things very slowly to see if she could learn to trust him again. At the same time, she helped Eric get the help he needed after the loss he suffered in the accident. They were both their for each other in so many ways. Their relationship is probably the most endearing and sweet one of the three stories. I fell hard for both of them. Their characters are so mature, loving, caring. Both are hurting for different things, but they each understand their pain.

Overall, Into the Blue is a magnificent and heartwarming second chance story that's going on my most memorable second chance romance story list for sure.This review was originally posted on Latte Nights Reviews.

Well, I knew I wouldn’t be able to stop with just one Wild Aces book, so I’m just leaning into it. I loved Into the Blue. Eric and Becca’s second chance romance hit me in all the right places. And mostly in the feels. Now, onto the next one, which just happens to be one of my all time favorite books. 

——

Find this review and more at 
  kimberlyfaye reads.


If you read my review for Fly With Me last month, you know how much I love love loved the book and just how excited I was to continue on with this series. I dove right into Into the Blue after finishing the first book and, I have to say, I loved it every bit as much as the first. And I need the third book, On Broken Wings, even more that I did before.

Second chance romance is one of my favorite tropes and I loved what Chanel gave us here with Eric and Becca and their story. As is often the case in second chance stories, things ended in a really messy way with these two. They were young and in love, for sure, but wanted different things. At least at that point. Now that they're back in the same place, the old hurts are back... but so are the feelings. Eric and Becca had electric chemistry and it was obvious how much they still cared for each other. No matter how hard Becca tried to deny it and push him away. (For obvious reasons, too. It's not easy to go back to trust someone again after they've shattered your trust.) I felt like I related pretty well to Becca and totally understood her character. (More than I should probably admit, honestly.) But I also loved the guy Eric had become. He was a genuinely good guy and I loved how hard he fought to make Becca realize that. Theirs was just a great love story and I fell head over heels for it – and both of them. This book has plenty of feels, too, they just weren't as tough as the ones in Fly With Me were at times. 

Part of what I love about series like this is seeing characters I really love get their stories AND finding out a little bit about what happens with them after their book is over. I really enjoyed finding out more about Noah and Jordan and where life has taken them since Fly With Me. I also enjoyed finding out more about Easy, Dani and the other characters I was introduced to in the first book. Now I'm in full-on grabby hands mode for On Broken Wings. It's going to be a long, painful wait until January 2017. (Or whenever I get a review copy.) There's every chance I will use that time to reread the first two books. I NEED Easy's book, even though I'm pretty sure it's going to kill me. (But hopefully it will put me back together when it's all said and done.)

I love this series. I hope you're reading it. If not, it's not too late. Get on it. ;)

I received a copy of this book from the publisher, via NetGalley, in exchange for an honest review.

FAVORITE QUOTES
  I'd gone out tonight hoping to have fun, to get my mind off of work and my overwhelming caseload, thinking that maybe if I was really lucky, I might meet a guy and maybe get laid. Instead, the past had caught me in its talons and I couldn't shake loose no matter how badly I wanted to or how hard I tried. 

Love was easy; trust was the hard part. 

"I dated, but there was never anything other than casual, because that was all I had room for. And maybe, because I didn't have anything left to give. I'd already given you my heart, and even if I'd wanted to, there was no way in hell I could get it back."

It was both familiar and new all at the same time. As though I was kissing a stranger, because there was a desperation to the kiss that hadn't been there before. This was a decade of pent-up unrequited whatever-we-were, and we kissed like we couldn't get enough of each other. 

What she called "unexpected," I called "inevitable," because there was no way we could be near each other, setting off the kind of sparks we did, without something catching fire.

"I fucked up with you. Spectacularly so. I hurt you and I hurt myself, and if I could undo all of the wreckage I caused, I would."

There was family here, everywhere you looked. Maybe these people weren't bound by blood, but they were bound by a powerful kind of sacrifice.

Lacey

Originally posted at Booklovers For Life

I loved loved LOVED THIS BOOK!!! Into the Blue was the PERFECT second chance romance/military romance for me. I’m usually a bit picky about these two tropes, and put them together? I was terrified about how it would play out, but holy hell, did I adore Eric and Becca’s second chance at love. I couldn’t have imagined a better story for these two characters. And omg Eric – can you say SWOON!? He was utter perfection as a hero. Seriously, I loved this book so much! Into the Blue is the second book in the Wild Aces series, though it can be read as a standalone (you can check out my review for book one here). If you loved Fly with Me, get ready to get your hands on Into the Blue – it’s an absolute must read.

I’d been an idiot before and thrown away the best thing that had ever happened to me, but there was no way I was making the same mistake again.

Ten years ago, Becca and Eric had been in love, engaged, and ready to begin a new chapter in their lives. Becca thought they were happy, but apparently not, because Eric just up and left her behind to join the US Air Force. The past ten years have been filled with bitterness, anger, and hurt, so understandably, when Eric comes back home for the first time in a decade, Becca wants nothing to do with him. I felt for this girl so hard. I was angry on her behalf, even though I knew her heart has only ever been his. My heart broke for the way hers broke, and I wanted nothing more than for her to kick Eric’s ass and show him what he’s been missing, and thankfully, she delivers. I loved Becca wholeheartedly, because I could connect with her so well. She’s got a huge heart capable of so much love, but the hurt Eric caused only made her grow stronger. And this time, she’s not about to let him in that easily. I was so happy with the way she kept making Eric prove his love to her – Becca ROCKED as a heroine.

You couldn’t fake what we had. Couldn’t duplicate it. We were so fucking lucky to have found each other once, and even as I’d always suspected it, I knew without a shadow of a doubt that letting her go was the biggest mistake of my life.
Now I needed to fix it.

The one thing that describes Eric? Regretful. He has so many regrets in life, but none does he regret more than leaving Becca, the love of his life. THIS is the kind of hero I adore reading about in second chance romances. The hero who never forgot about his lost love, the one who knows he effed up and can admit his mistakes. The kind of hero who’s not afraid to put his heart on the line again, and once he’s back in his woman’s life, he’s going to do everything he can to stay there permanently. Ten years ago, Eric gave up Becca for F-16’s – but this time around, he knows he’s not going to make the same mistake again. Will he be able to prove his love and devotion to her and win her heart again?

I’d never felt this way about anyone before. Wasn’t sure I’d even felt this way about her before. Maybe it took losing her to realize just how much I needed her, the contrast between my life with Becca and my life without never clearer than in this moment.

Eric and Becca were beautiful together. They might have loved each other back then, but they are so meant for each other even more now. Into the Blue made my heart ache in all the right places – the angst is so well done, but the love is what totally swept me away. Chanel Cleeton did such an amazing job with this story – it’s already become one of my favorite books of the year. Fly with Me was a fantastic read, but Into the Blue went above and beyond my expectations.

If you haven’t read the Wild Aces series yet, you are missing out. It’s an amazing military romance series – and if you love second chance romances too, Into the Blue will be perfect for you. This series only seems to be getting better and better, so I can’t even imagine how the third book will turn out, but I know I’m dying to read Easy’s story. I can already feel the heartache from On Broken Wings – January 2017 can’t get here fast enough!

Thanks to the publisher for generously providing me an ARC to review.

Quotes are taken from the ARC and are subject to change in the final version.

Amazon Ebook: http://amzn.to/1Iqo03d
Amazon Paperback: http://amzn.to/1RdABxW

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Mina Ongcuangco &
Into the Blue by Chanel Cleeton

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