From the fanfic phenom whose debut A Pound of Flesh had over 4.5 million reads, this sequel, An Ounce of Hope, tells the passionate love story of Carter’s best friend, Max.

Max O’Hare can’t seem to let go of his past: his drug habit, the end of his relationship with Lizzie Jordan, the woman he knows he’ll never get over, and the loss of their unborn son.

After successfully completing rehab and learning to explore his deepest fears and dreams through painting, Max meets Grace Brooks. With her innate optimism, and her love of art and photography, Grace appears to be the perfect girl. Yet no one knows where she came from, or why she keeps her past so closely guarded. Over time, Max and Grace gradually allow each other in—but will he ever be able to fully let go of his past? Or will his heart remain closed forever?

Hope is like the sun, which, as we journey toward it, casts the shadow of our burden behind us. –Samuel Smiles-

This is the second book in the series, I loved A Pound of Flesh and when it came to Max I was intrigued. And in all honesty I didn’t think that Ms. Jackson would have been able to pull it off.

This was the ending of book 1 which made me so intrigued about Max.

Carter reached out and pulled him into a tight embrace as Max sobbed onto his jacket. “Don’t leave me like she did. Help me,” Max begged. “You’re all I have left. Please. For Christ’s sake, help me”

His solo battle against the coke addiction had been valiant but short-lived.

4 Hershey’s Kisses Eyes & Starshine Stars.

Ms. Jackson writes about some sensitive themes in this book, one being the choice of suicide, strong drug abuse. It deals with the effects on people’s lives and on your own life.

Max O’Hare can’t come to terms with his past. In the end Carter helps him in to a rehab programme at the beginning it is hard for him. It was also hard for me to see what he went through. He has experienced a lot of loss in his life, his father, the death of his son Christopher which is tragic and last but not least that Lizzie left him without a word. He deserved more, more than silence. 

His progress is slow and he tries to merge himself into the real world again. In New York with his friends, his auto shop and his former life. But there are too many triggers so he leaves.

Grace Brooks, lovely Gracie Brooks who is full of life, optimism. She has moved to West Virginia. She wants a new start and has bought a house. Grace is full of life and has a truly positive outlook on life. Grace has scars on the inside and on the outside but it shows what she survived. It has been twenty eight months since she last experienced something for a man. 

I was wondering how Max and Grace were going to cross paths and well he turns up in West Virginia to stay with this uncle. Grace is smitten with him. He is an enigma, a past of drugs and car boosting and bullets. He wants to better though. He is his own worst enemy but beneath it all he is compassionate and kind. 

They decide on being friends with benefits but it is clear that it won’t stay that way. They have great chemistry although he can be an absolute douche but he does have an attitude adjustment.

It wasn’t all doom and gloom in the book there were funny moments as well. 

All goes it expected they don’t label their relationship. Max gets his closure with Lizzie but realises that he loves Grace. 

All in all Ms. Jackson is a talented writer and I really do hope we see more of the Moore brothers, especially Tate and Riley.