The One Left Behind by Lena Nicole

 Colin and Addison are on their way home when they are caught in a vicious car accident. While Colin walks away with minimal injuries, Addison suffers from a traumatic brain injury causing her to lose her short-term memory. She can’t remember the night of the accident. She doesn’t remember being engaged. She doesn’t remember Colin at all.

While Addison rebuilds her life, Colin struggles with the fact that the love of his life doesn’t remember him.
When Addison meets Pierce, the one person who doesn’t have an ulterior motive, the one person she can talk to openly, Colin thinks his life may be over.

Will Addison’s memory return in time for her to save her relationship with Colin? Or is it gone forever, leaving her free to love Pierce?

"It's been about two weeks and I am ready to get out of this hospital bed. Between the bad food and the constant visits and nagging from my mother, I'm ready to be home in my own bed."

Addison and her fiance Colin have been hit by a drunk driver and Addison has been hospitalized. When she wakes up, she is in good health and spirits. So, what is wrong? She remembers everything except her fiance and their relationship.

"It's then that she grabs my hand in a reassuring gesture. As our skin touches, I feel that spark, that flame, that desire to hold her again. Too bad that feeling is clearly one-sided."

Colin still absolutely adores Addison and will do anything to help her remember him. He loves her with all his heart. The problem? She has met another man, Pierce, and they seem to be getting closer and closer as time goes on.

"He really pushes you to try new things and take a step out of your comfort zone. I have had the pleasure of watching you change this past year....."

Okay. So, where to begin? I must have really wanted this book because I didn't realize I had signed up for it, and had bought it already. Obviously, it was right up my alley. I am a sucker for amnesia books to begin with and this one really piqued my curiosity. I guess I am saying this so you know I was "IN" with this book. So, the book was almost 500 pages and it really felt like it, if that makes sense? I thought the writing was very repetitive and "dumbed" everything down. It got so very frustrating at times I really just skimmed through some things. It was so obvious what was going to happen after the first 50% of the book that I felt like it just drug on and on. And then, the ending, even though I knew it was coming, was a huge cliffhanger. Thankfully, I had book two, Shattered Lives, Mended Hearts, to review immediately afterwards. As for the characters, I wanted to pull my hair out. Addison was just so selfish and needy. She put her feelings first over anything to the point where if I were one of her friends, I would have ended that friendship. I honestly had no empathy toward her and immensely disliked her by the end of the book. Pierce was just so conceited and also pretty selfish. Not once did he ever take Colin's feelings into account and that just felt wrong. He never thought of the "what ifs?" and that just seemed stupid to me. Colin was just a doormat. I felt like he was having a pity party throughout the whole book. I understand he was upset and in a difficult situation BUT get a clue already!

I just finished The One Left Behind and I really liked it.  It was such a sweet compelling story and trust me, it will pull your heart strings.  This story is about Addison and Colin.  They are at a pivotal stage in their life, engaged and she is moving in with him.  They are in a car wreck and Colin walks away with bumps and bruises while Addison wakes up from a come and has short term memory loss.  She remembers everything but Colin.  Colin is devastated but is trying really hard to give her space.  With separation comes heartache for Colin more so than Addison but she needs this to figure out their relationship.  For her he is a stranger and she needs time.  Here is where she meets Pierce.  He is someone that is outside of their group but is there for Addison as a friend.  Things progress between them quickly causing Colin to be bitter.  Will Colin be able to move on?  Will Addison’s memory come back?  You will have to read and see.

I really liked the story.  I loved how it was in both point of views so you could really tell how they were feeling and it was easily followed when going back and forth.  I really liked Colin.  He was such a sweetheart and he is so strong for wanting to stick by Addison even though she needed her space.  He really honestly tried and I felt his pain and heartache and I just wanted things to go his way so he wouldn’t be so mad and hurt.  I liked Addison, and I understand that this situation was very hard for her but for me I thought at times that she easily dismissed Colin.  That might just be me though.  I wanted to hate Pierce but he is actually a good guy that fell in love with her when he was really trying to just be her friend. 

It really is a love triangle for some more than others in this story and you will honestly feel bad for what is taking place and what is to come.  Even though I knew how things would end up, I would still shocked and upset.  It definitely pulled me in from the very beginning and I cannot wait to see what happens next.