Happy almost Friday, bibliophiles! It is a very sleepy Thursday over in my neck of the woods, but I’m ecstatic to report that I have another review coming to you right this very minute, and it is an absolutely stunning story that I could NOT put down! I did a cover reveal for this one not too long ago, so I was all but screaming when it finally released and popped up on my Kindle. I started it essentially as soon as I woke up on Tuesday, and finished it in the wee hours of the morning. I’m talking about Your Mess Is Mine by Stephanie Alba.
I don’t remember the last time I read a work of fiction that was so damn real. I devoured every morsel this story had to offer and was a mix of mellow while also feeling my heart burst with happiness for the couple of the moment.
Margo and Hudson are virtual strangers who happen to wind up in a mishap at an airport. While not fans of each other at first, the two are forced to bond while they’re suspended in a metal tube, floating through air in the middle of the night. The rest becomes history. Thank you, standby seating.
They’re both in the city that never sleeps for business purposes, and eventually decide to kill the leisure time they have with each other. Seems their chat on the plane left them wanting more… And it’s so much more.
Margo just broke my heart. In most aspects, I could relate to her mood and the conflict that raged in her head from time-to-time. She’s just lucky she had a Hudson there for her at the end of the day. Whether they’re in the same apartment, or on opposite sides of the country, they find a way to navigate this connection between them and the challenges she faces. While so many authors write about a specific incident that shapes a character, I’m glad Alba addressed an issue that Margo has to handle every single day. It’s not always easy to communicate and relate to anyone when no one seems to understand where you’re coming from, but I’m elated that Hudson tried, and he tried so hard for her.
What I really adore in stories like this one is how one interaction and one person can become that life-altering game changer. Hudson was an absolute angel in disguise, and just what Margo needed even though she wasn’t quite aware of it, herself. While I ached for him and his slightly off-kilter upbringing, it thrilled me to see the man he had become. I’ll thank his pip of a grandmother for that one. She was one of my favorite players in this tale. I was obsessed with how taken Hudson was with Margo. He could seemingly read her mind and anticipated her every need to the point that her emotions became his own.
While a chunk of this story was the exact opposite of butterflies and rainbows (hello, see the title), it was still gorgeous because it was so raw, and I really commend that in a story more than anything. The everyday questions we all have regarding life and relationships are there on the table, and Margo and Hudson are not always perfect about how they handle each obstacle.. But they fight and they try because they know when someone is worth really battling for in order to enjoy the long-haul. They’re forced to address the tough questions in order to come out better on the other side. They not only discovered each other, but also, themselves, which is a wonderful thing.
My Final Rating: five out of five stars
