Learning to Live by R.D. Cole

Being alive and living are not always the same.

Trudy Love is used to being on her own and has rarely been shown affection. Between growing up in foster care and her abusive boyfriend she has no idea what life can be. At 19 she goes through something no one should ever experience and is left alone once again. Six months later she moves to Mobile, Alabama where she meets someone whose eyes bring back memories of the one person she misses everyday. Too late she finds herself caught in a storm of emotions that are unwanted, but she's determined to fight them off.

Jaxon Coleman has a good life, and for him to attend one of the finest Med schools in the country and follow in his dad's foot steps is a dream come true. However, dreams can change in life and when he meets Trudy he knows his will never be the same. Jax knows she has secrets she is unwilling to share, but he's never given up on something he wants and he wants Tru. Can Trudy stop resisting her feelings and welcome the chance to live a different life than she pictured or will her defiance and haunted past eventually take her out of Jax's reach?

After tragedy living is not easy, but with the right person it can be learned.

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Review by Brittany

I originally bought this book in paperback so I could take it to a signing in July to get it signed by the lovely R.D. Cole herself. I never read the synopsis, so when I picked it up to read it for a blog tour, I was blown away! Now when I get it signed, it’ll mean that much more to be, because this book was flipping fantastic!

Trudy Love was raised in different foster homes all her life. She never felt loved, except when she was with Ms. Freeman for a few years.

When she turned eighteen, she was kicked out of the system, since she no longer brought in money. Devastated and nowhere to go, Trudy moves in with her boyfriend, Brad. Everything is fine and good, and she even becomes pregnant. Then, the abuse starts to get worse. One day, all goes wrong and she loses her baby.

Trudy is offered a scholarship at the University of Southern Alabama. She eagerly takes it, happy to be away from her old life. She meets Jaxon and Jasmine Coleman, brother and sister. Jasmine and Trudy become fast friends, while it takes longer for Jaxon to get on Trudy’s good side. Soon Jaxon and Trudy let their feelings for each other take over. But one night, her past comes back to haunt her. Will Jaxon be there in time to save her?

Let me just say this, I read this book in about twenty-four hours. I also complained to my friends about the b***h of an ex-girlfriend that Jaxon has. R.D. Cole had the ability to make me cry one minute (the prologue, OH THE PROLOGUE HAD ME IN TEARS!!!!) and then screaming the next (oh god, I will kill Ashton (Jax’s ex)).

Other than minor grammar errors, which I know that she knows about and is getting fixed, this book was phenomenal. I heard a lot about it, but never got around to reading it. I hate I waited so long.

There is definitely a true love between Jaxon and Trudy. Their connection is undeniable and R.D. does an excellent job of having that come across.

I think R.D. Cole did a superb job with her first book. She definitely left
this one with a cliffhanger, one that’s not too bad, but leaves you with your
mouth agape as you think “WHAT DID SHE JUST SAY?!” Thankfully, the second book, which follows Jazz and Jaxon’s friend Mason, Learning to Heal, is already out. I am already far into that book, and I have not been disappointed with that one either.

Keep up the good work, R.D. Cole! You have some amazing talent! Five stars from me!

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About RD Cole

My name is Robin and I live in Alabama. I grew up an army brat and traveled a lot until we finally settled down along the Gulf Coast when I was 4. My husband is 9 years younger so I guess that makes me a COUGAR. I have a little girl who is 9 and is blind as well as autistic. My life is not boring with them two in it. Believe me. I have always loved creating and I would constantly draw on my walls. I love painting and reading. Writing is something I wanted to do but didn't think I could, until I woke up at three a.m. a few months back and started writing. Life has a way of throwing rocks at you and putting cracks in your soul. Either you can duck and cover or you can make something beautiful from the cracks.After that, the story took over. Even though some pieces of my life experience are within it, it is Tru and Jax’s story now. I have truly fell in love with this story and hope you all do too.

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