Book Review: When I'm Gone (Rosemary Beach #11) by Abbi Glines

When I'm Gone by Abbi Glines

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Read also: Review of When You're Back (Rosemary Beach #12)!

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AMAZON | BOOK DEPOSITORY

BIG YAY for another amazing book from my favorite ever after romance series: Rosemary Beach!

We read bit and pieces about Mase Colt Manning during Harlow’s story on Take A Chance and ever since we always dreamed of him having his own book one day. Abbi Glines, being my favorite awesome author and all, made it come true. I read the excerpt months ago and instantly hooked with the newcomer heroine, Reese. I knew that I’d love her…

Edited by me ;)

Growing up in an abusive environment, Reese Ellis had known all her life that men and trust did not work on the same frame. They were the perfect picture of undeserving of loyalty and untrustworthy creatures. Men always looked at women no more than their outward appearance. Her step father taught her that. Guys from school taught her that. People around her had made sure that nothing of her worth loving aside her naturally gorgeous body. The fact that she was suffering an undiagnosed learning disorder only added another dark layer to her pile of insecurities. That’s why even if she finally escaped the awful past behind, Reese was still being haunted by uncontrollable insecure feeling everywhere she went. But Rosemary Beach, where she chose to rebuild her life, offered a new experience and comfort she’d never felt. Not only she was able to get a job that paid her well to secure the rent and bills, she also managed to make a best friend ―which was a guy, there. Reese never thought she would meet the day when men creatures finally made use of the hearts they had inside. Well, in this new place her perspective changed 180 degrees along with the appearance of a gentle cowboy from Texas.
When Mase Manning woke up to the horrifying singing, he wanted no more than giving a hard time to whoever ruined his day that morning. Instead, he was faced with a housemaid whose face was innocent yet had the most wonderful body a woman could ever ask. The girl had his mind melted and his body frozen on the spot. On their second encounter, he found her in a problem yet still managed to hold on tight on her responsibility to the job. That moment, Mase realized that Reese was more than just a gorgeous lady in the outside. That time, he fully recognized honesty and purity in Reese’s eyes the same time he caught fear there as well. For the first time in his life, he wanted nothing more than fix anything that went wrong in Reese’s world. Even when Reese tried hard to show her independency, Mase still wanted her to let him embrace her with his protectiveness.

When the thing from her past was slowly showing in front of Mase, Reese couldn’t help but feeling dreadful that Mase would act just like any other men: leaving her. Moreover if Mase found out the ugly scar and the ever-haunting insecurities behind her outward beauty, would Mase still want her? Would Mase still be willing to go back and forth to Texas and Rosemary Beach for her? She didn’t know that. What she did know was when he’s gone, she longed him to come back soon to her.

When I’m Gone was quick to be my favorite of the series, the second top after Rush and Blaire’s story. As always, Abbi wrote a heart-melting romance with a spark of heart-clenching background story to the characters. The reason I fell in love with this story lied on the characters. Mase was truly a gentleman. Never once he judged Reese for her lacking ever since he first found out about it. He breathed loyalty and sincerity when it came to his beloved one. Just like the character Grant, he’s a fixer to the bone. He saw a problem and went all out to fix it until it’s totally wrapped up neatly without a trace.

Edited by me ;)

Compared to the other heroines in Rosemary Beach series, my soft spot went right straight to Reese. She had the sorriest past among the others yet her heart remained innocent. Her strong insecure feeling reminded me of Jesse from Sea Breeze series.

I loved loved loved this couple. Reese might be one insecure girl but she always tried to make her way to go independent whenever she could. She didn’t just let people taking care of her. Meeting Mase had brought out the fighting sense inside her and she actually looked awesome like that. And as for Mase, he was a gentleman and a rationalist at the same time. He loved Reese fiercely but not blindly. It’s really cool of him, I think.

Edited by me ;)

I finished this book in one sitting in a record time because I was just so excited ever since the day the cover was revealed. Loved it seeing the other Rosemary Beach couples living their good life. Ah, I kind of missed them all…

Well, despite every lovely thing about this book, Abbi still managed to slip some upsetting Nan scenes. God, I hate her so much I have no idea if I’m going to love her story when she’s gonna have her own book one day. But I loved Mase’s rant here. Hopefully it would knock some sense to her bitchy mind… Oh but Abbi always has this magic trick of turning a hateful character into a lovable one (She proved it through Jesse on Sea Breeze series) so yeah.

And OH DO NOT get me started with the ending!

Edited by me ;)

I cried the moment Reese showed her intention of fight for Mase innocently. It’s so touching I loved them so much! It seemed like Abbi’s fave style nowadays to wreck the readers’ minds with a name (God, she did it on You Were Mine!! asdhfsafhkl!!). The last one sentence made a perfect cliffhanger that made the long-wait for When You’re Back even harder. Read this book people and just don’t try to skip into the last page, okay? *wink*

p.s. Rush is still my favorite! This is why... 

Edited by me ;)

Love, read, and review,

Cynthia D.