Reviews

Addicted to You by Colina Brennan

ashielizz's review

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3.0

Addicted to You is Colina Brennan’s debut new adult novel. I have been on a contemporary binge all year and I have recently gotten into the new adult genre. After reading the synopsis, I knew this was something that I needed to add to my shelf.

Leah Carter is a hot mess. Her brusque attitude and long line of lovers have left her with an empty apartment and only one close friend. Due to the fallout of her latest rendezvous, her best friend forces her to attend sex therapy where she meets Will McLean. Being a psychology major, Will is intrigued by Leah from the beginning. He knows there is more to her than meets the eye. Leah also knows that Will is hiding something behind his killer blue eyes and boy next door charm.

I was a little put off by Leah at first. She was very rude and aloof, even being nicknamed “The Ice Queen” by her fellow therapy attendees. She always had her guard up and never let anyone in. That is until she meets Will. He puts her at ease and she feels like she can tell him anything. As her bond with Will deepens, we learn that she has her reasons for being the way she is. And speaking of Will, did I mention he was Scottish? Yep, he has an accent! Aside from that, I really liked the way he and Leah connected. He was very endearing and patient with her. He was determined to break down her walls because he could see something special behind them.

This story was a nice change of pace from the usual na romance. This time, it was the girl who needed fixing. I loved how Brennan hooked you right from the beginning with the meeting of the main characters and held you to the very end. The story unfolded smoothly and although I had a little trouble connecting with the characters at first, it didn't take me long to understand them.

I would recommend this to anyone who is in love with the new adult genre, or who likes contemporary romance. I’m hoping for a sequel or two as I’d love to see the relationships of both Will’s and Leah’s roommates evolve.

DISCLAIMER:

I received a copy of this book, at no charge to me, in exchange for my honest review.

lifeandliterature's review

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4.0

Who decides sex was an addiction anyway? Or that someone should need therapy to "fix" it? Sex was good for you. It was a de-stresser. If it wasn't, then you were doing it wrong.

This was something completely new in the New Adult spectrum. Sex addiction. Yeah, I've only read about that in very adult books. And while Addicted To You is about sex, it wasn't the main topic of the book. Yes, it was there in very subtle tones throughout the pages, but it wasn't a story just based on two characters getting hot and heavy every chance they got.

Leah Carter's roommate puts her foot down when Leah's latest one night stand robs them of almost everything while they are sleeping. She sends Leah off for twenty sessions of therapy for sex addicts. Nearing the end of her twenty session stint, a new addict joins the group. Will McLean is immediately taken with the standoffish Leah and vows to break through her barriers and get to know her better.

I've read quite a few books now that have the Scottish male lead and I have to say that I'm a sucker for an accent. Can't help it. Get's me every time. So I was in love with Will almost immediately. I say almost because when we first meet Will he's at a sex therapy session and is asked to describe himself, and he describes himself as quite the man whore, and I couldn't possibly imagine how the author was going to make me love this character. Had I have reread the book description before I started reading, I would have saved myself all that worry!! Because like all good stories there is a twist to Will's.

Some people might find Leah a bit harder to like. She is stand offish and abrasive at times. She doesn't put a lot of herself out there for the reader to grab onto. But slowly we get little glimpses into her life and I found myself warming to her more and more. Her relationship with her brother Elijah was beautiful and I think that was where she started to reel me in. She's not had a great home life with her parents being so emotionally and physically detached. She has no friends outside of her roommate and that's all thanks to the wall she's built around herself.

Will's best friend Finn was incredibly perfect. I absolutely loved him and was super excited to see that book two in this series will be his story. He was funny and supportive and arty and witty. Yeah, loved him!! Can't wait to read the next book!!

The heat factor between Leah and Will was... Well, it was hot!!! But that wasn't the basis of their relationship. It went much deeper than the physical and I loved being along for the ride as their feelings grew.

Knowing part of her past was great, but now he wanted to know her present. He wanted her to stop being a question so he could start working on how to be her answer.

Addicted To You was really well written. A quick and easy read, with characters that were incredibly likeable and despite the basis of the story they were really relatable. Give this one a read. I'm sure you'll love it!!

escapeebee's review

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4.0

Full review also posted here on TotalTeenFiction

Disclosure: I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Addicted to You follows Leah who is attending therapy for sex addiction, despite being sure she doesn't have a problem. Only things get more complicated when the mysterious "Blue Eyes" starts turning up to therapy sessions and she finds her willpower well and truly tested.

I was sent this book to review as part of the Addicted to New Adult promotion and I was immediately hooked by that synopsis. I was completely intrigued about the idea of a character attending therapy for sex addiction because the subject is something that is brought up in the media a lot. I liked how it was handled and how it didn't ridicule the idea of sex addiction like so many people do. Leah ends up going because her friend and roommate forces her after a one night stand burgles her apartment. Despite the fact Leah isn't a full blown sex addict, it's quite clear she has relationship issues and so it was interesting to see that explored and learn about her past and what's influenced the way she sees herself and her relationships with others.

The book is told in chapters alternating between Leah and Will, a psychology research student who is sent undercover to Leah's therapy group to learn more about the treatment process from the inside. Cue instant attraction and a developing love story! Needless to say the romance doesn't run smoothly, especially considering the fact that Will is hiding the fact he isn't a genuine sex addict. I loved the ups and downs in their relationship and the amazing chemistry and sexual tension between the two of them. This was quite a short book so I could maybe have done with a bit more build up in the beginning, but as soon as the two characters started talking and interacting you could just feel the connection. And there are plenty of intense and steamy scenes to look forward to!

I have to say Will completely made this book for me. I rarely say this about any character, but he was definitely swoon-worthy. I mean, he's Scottish (any guy with an accent is instantly more attractive, right?) he's adopted a stray cat called Bonny (he loves animals = cute) and he really looks out for Leah. New fictional boyfriend material, for sure. I defy you to read this book and not fall for Will!

The characters in Addicted to You are a real strength and, despite the short length of the story, are incredibly well developed. I felt like I really got to know them and the attention to detail when building those characters was wonderful. When I wasn't swooning over Will I was definitely drawn to Leah who is extremely likable. I loved her relationship with her little brother Elijah, who she's pretty much taken sole responsibility for. They just had such a great bond and I always love seeing brother/sister relationships like theirs that really come from the heart. She's a student who dreams of being a writer and I really liked that glimpses into that creative side of herself.

As well as Leah and Will, the smaller characters had their time to shine as well. Leah's best friend Helena and Will's best friend Finn get their own little plotlines which I was just as invested in. They also provided that humour between friends which made it a very enjoyable read. I could really relate to Leah and Helena's friendship as well, as it felt so realistic and recognisable.

Addicted to You delivered incredible characters and a romance I got totally carried away with. I thought the premise was really unique and the writing gripping and well executed. I only wish it was longer so I could spend more time with Will! If you love NA then you won't want to miss this one.

Find more books like this at TotalTeenFiction!

amburhostyn's review

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5.0

Addiction is a popular topic right now, but it's one that I'm definitely not sick of yet! Despite just having read a book dealing with addiction (actually also titled Addicted to You), I found Addicted to You to be a unique, exciting...and addictive read (haha)! It handled addiction in a very different way than I expected it to, and I ended up absolutely loving it and the characters, too!

Addicted to You starts in a very interesting place. It starts with Leah attending a sex addicts meeting, and with a new member showing up and piquing her interest, that member is Will. ;D Right from the beginning of the book, the sparks between Leah and Will are flying and are super obvious! I couldn't wait for them to finally act on their feelings...and when they did, it was certainly worth the wait! I absolutely loved their chemistry, and while there were some issues that they had to overcome in their relationship, I loved seeing them get to know one another better. I also just loved when they talked to one another...their banter was fantastic, and both of their inner monologues were incredibly entertaining, and they had me grinning and laughing constantly! :D

Along with Leah and Will's chemistry together, I loved Leah's relationship with her roommate, Helena, and her little brother, Elijah. I also loved Will's friendship with his buddie, Finn.While both characters didn't have strong relationships with their parents, I loved that their friendships and Leah's bond with her brother were still very strong. I also just have to mention the fact that Will is Scottish...oh, I just seriously love guys with accents. I'm sure I'm not the only one, so I thought I would let you all know! Thankfully, Leah makes sure to constantly keep us aware of Will's fantastic accent, and his wonderful grin, too...she's a team player that girl. haha ;D

Overall, I loved Addicted to You! I absolutely adored the characters, and genuinely enjoyed getting to know both Leah and Will! I also loved seeing their romance emerge...and the chemistry between them was fantastic! I'd recommend this one to fans of contemporary romance, especially if you have a soft spot for nice guys or even just for guys with accents. ;D I also think you'll love this one if you like seeing characters who had lonely childhoods find love. :)

bookbriefs's review

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4.0

Addicted to You is a really great read. Perfect for summertime. It's spicy and sweet and the best part is that it was surprisingly deep and the characters were wonderfully complex. I loved the additional layers to the story line. It helped me form connections with everyone and fall in love with them.

Leah sure has bad luck. Her poor roommate. I thought it was hilarious that her roommates punishment/idea was to force Leah to attend 20 weeks of sex addicts group. I loved that we really got to know Leah. Not just the surface, we got to learn about her childhood, about her awesome relationship with her brother, about how alone she really is, and through all of that I really got to know her. Will kept calling her his grumpy beauty and I thought that was adorable. I can relate to this because I too have been told that I can sometimes have a case of "grump face" like Leah. We can both be really serious and guarded and it comes off as grumpy. Maybe that's why I liked Leah so much? The only person I liked more than Leah was Will.

Will even has a scottish accent. Hello cutie! He was just so sweet and thoughtful. I loved how persistent he was, and how he tried to do the right thing. His roommate, Finn was the perfect complement and funny guy to add to the story. We learned some of Will's past, but not as much as Leah. I kind of wish we got to learn a little more about him. But we did get to see some of the chapters through his point of view, which you all know by now that I love. I can't get enough of guys POV.

I know I have been going on and on about how great it is that great it is that this book had so much depth, but I think I should also mention that this book also had its seriously hot and steamy moments. It is certainly a new adult book, and has scenes that may not be appropriate for some under 17-18. But if you like new adult contemporary romances, you will love Addicted to You. Read it right now!

andreathereader's review

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Leah’s been disappointed by her parents too many times, so she’s walled off her heart. She still likes a good time, though, which leads to her many one-night stands. The latest one steals everything from their apartment, and Leah’s roommate says she’ll only forgive her if she attends Sex Addicts Anonymous. After biding her time for weeks, Leah’s at therapy for the last time when a hottie walks in. Maybe the group was worth it after all?

The characters weren’t overly likable – Leah was a bit of a hard ass. She didn’t trust anyone except her roomie and her brother, and was mean to everyone else. In fact, I really had to wonder what Will’s interest in her was. Aside from her good looks, there wasn’t a lot there, in my opinion. Will, on the other hand, was a doll baby! He was patient and kind and so lovable, and probably a lot better than Leah deserved. But I digress.

I can understand Helena’s anger at having their apartment robbed, but punishing Leah by having her seek treatment for a serious disorder that I don’t think she had, seemed to cheapen the whole idea of addiction. She liked sex and she had quite a bit of it. But does that an addict make? I don’t think so. In fact, I think there was maybe 1 person in the therapy group who actually was addicted to sex. The others were lonely, horny or perverts.

The dialogue was funny and spicy – lots of humor, sarcasm, sexy talk and grown up words. Speaking of spicy, the sex scenes, believe it or not, weren’t that plentiful. But what was there was delicious. There was insta-love, sure, but the characters tried hard to make it more than that, so I guess that’s something.

There were a few issues I had with the book. Besides a typo here and there and an inconsistency or two, there was one other thing that really bothered me. Near the beginning (this is on page 22, so I don’t really consider it a spoiler), we learned that the only reason Leah had a brother was because she asked for one. When she was 12, her mother found herself unexpectedly pregnant. Leah begged her parents to let her keep it instead of adopting it out. And they did. That’s right, even though most people know a 12-year old can’t reliably take care of a puppy, they let her have their baby.

All that nitpicking aside, I did enjoy the book. It was fun to read and I liked the sexy bits.

The sum up: An entertaining and quick read. Fine for an afternoon at the beach.

ltg584's review

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4.0

This book came out of right field, totally bowling me over! I hadn’t heard anything about the book before joining the tour. I figured it was likely to be your average contemp romance but the premise sounded fun. That is exactly what it was! Frisky and sassy, and yet it definitely had some great moments of sexual tension too. Regardless of the potential flake factor, it actually ended up dealing with some fairly deep issues.

It was well written, from both male and female POVs. No matter how much I liked Will’s character though, it was Leah that really drew me in. Outwardly, she’s grouchy and hard to get close to, but with an inner view into her mind, I felt like she was the kind of person who is worth the effort of getting to know. She is unfailingly loyal to her friend and brother, and overall, a pretty down to earth kind of person. And THANK GOD she isn’t whiny in the least! She’s tough, but by necessity. Her parents aren’t emotionally present, and she has completely stepped up in order to take care of her brother. The characters all have a great, natural chemistry with each other. The dialogue flows realistically. Leah and Will speak easily to each other, though they certainly don’t have a problem with NOT speaking either! ;)

What I loved about the writing is that so much MORE was said than simply words. Instead of saying, “The counselor arrived wearing an ugly sweater and he settled into his chair”, Brennan says “The counselor finally arrived in the third most awful sweater in America and settled himself, and his beard, into a chair.” Even those mandatory sappy romantic lines came out as something extraordinary: “He wanted her to stop being a question so he could start working on how to be her answer.” I mean… doesn’t that just make you go AWWWWWW!! And then, of course, we have the sass.
“I want to be happy,” she said quietly, not looking anywhere but down at her hands folded in her lap. She sounded irritated by her own words. “Whatever that means. I’m not sure what’ll make me happy, whether it’s a marriage with kids or an open relationship with a circus troupe.”

I can easily recommend this book for someone looking for a fun, sexy read. Keep an open mind though, since there are sex scenes, as well as implied bisexual situations. If you can’t tell by the synopsis, it’s about sex addicts and casual sex. If you think this may be up your alley then give it a try and you’re sure to love it!

A copy of this book was provided by the author in exchange for an honest review.

CRHEADER

daylafm's review

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4.0

Review first appeared on my blog: Book Addict 24-7

I received a copy in exchange for an honest review

Addicted to You by Colina Brennan is a new adult novel that focuses on the interesting topic of sex addiction. Ironically enough, unlike other new adult novels, which mainly focus on characters getting it on, this novel strives to show characters who practice a little more self-control--though in all actuality, they are incredibly attracted to each other. The sexual tension between the two characters makes this an enticing read, but it is the surprising depth to the female protagonist, Leah, that makes this one a different kind of read.

Leah is described, on various occasions, as the “Ice Queen” because she doesn’t dare show her emotions on her sleeves. Will, the male protagonist, immediately sees through that and though that is incredibly unrealistic, you can’t help but sigh and smile at how this handsome character somehow knows what to say, and when to say the appropriate things.

The coupling works for me because the two characters seem to balance each other out. While one struggles with her identity, the other struggles with a lie that may tear them apart. Another important relationship to take note of is that of Leah and her little brother, who is mainly under her care because of their mother’s neglect. Leah’s brother brings out a different side of Leah, making her appear more human and complex than we ever imagined her to be.

The prose is quickly paced--making the book an easy one-day read. The connections between the characters are made clear thanks to the successful use of dialogue.

What I like most about Addicted to You, however, is the fact that this book deals with common issues--i.e. family relationships, the love vs. sex debate, the difficulties with trust, and the importance of friendship and how everything, in a way, is connected.

I would recommend Addicted to You to an audience who is 18+, since there are explicit scenes. Other than that, however, Brennan offers a heartfelt story that showcases a character’s growth, despite her less than stellar childhood.
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