*This review contains spoilers from book 1, After*

After We Collide is book 2 in the After series by Anna Todd. You cannot read this book as a stand alone.

I was absolutely gutted at the end of book 1. I couldn't imagine what would make Tessa want to engage in any sort of contact with Hardin after everything he had done to her. His betrayal, deceit and hurt made me want to scream at him and tell Tessa to run away as fast as possible.

This book was told in dual POV and I felt I had a better understanding of why Hardin does, says and acts they way he does. He has so much anger and a huge inner struggle with himself and finds it so hard to open up and communicate. As does Tessa, they both struggle with what they can and cannot say around or to each other. I found it so infuriating that they had this back and forth fighting and conflict. In one chapter I felt they were getting somewhere and things were looking up and the next chapter they were right back where they started.

After drunk dialing Hardin while she's away at a conference in Seattle, Tessa seems to be letting Hardin slowly work his way back into her life. Assuming he is away in England for Christmas with his mum, Tessa heads back to their apartment in hopes of spending a quiet Christmas away from her over controlling mother. She needs to sort her feelings out and decide if being away from Hardin is really what she wants. But when the front door to their apartment opens and not only Hardin but his mother walk in Tessa is overwhelmed. Agreeing to stay and spend the night to get to know Hardin’s mother, Tessa knows this can’t be right.

Hardin’s Mum knows something's not right between the two of them. So when Tessa’s Mum shows up to try and make her leave Hardin, more secrets that Hardin has been hiding come to the surface, making Tessa believe that she doesn’t really know who he is.

Confused and hurt Tessa turns to Zed, Hardin's friend for comfort. But when Hardin realizes who Tessa has been spending her time with he doesn't hide the fact that he is unimpressed. When Zed tries to sabotage the relationship between Tessa and Hardin more problems arise and tension is higher than before. Hardin makes a huge mistake that may change his life forever.

‘This is torture for me to have you so close but so far. Its the worst possible punishment. Not that I don’t deserve it, because I know I do, but its too much, he sobs. Even for me. He draws in a deep desperate breath. When you agreed to stay. I thought that maybe...maybe you still cared for me the way I do for you. But I see it, Tess, I see the way you look at me now. I see the pain I've caused. I see the change in you because of me. I know that I did this, but it still kills me to have you slip through my fingers. The tears come much faster now, falling against his black t-shirt.”

Their constant fighting and making up was driving me crazy but I could not put this book down. I picked up book 3 and started reading as soon as I finished book 2. Anna has a way of making you love and hate both of these characters. With both Tess and Hardin keeping secrets and holding the truth from one another how can their relationship get to the point where they will be ok? The side of Hardin we get to see in this book was completely different to the first book, he really did try to make up for everything that has happened in the past and wasn't afraid to really let Tessa see him fall apart. Tessa I felt was stronger than she has been and really did make him fight for her, for them. With her now holding a secret from Hardin how will he take it when he finds out?

*Review by Kayla