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3.4 AVERAGE
3.4 AVERAGE
Sooo corny and poorly written. I love most Cora Reilly books,it was surprising I didn’t like this.
The writing style is too mundane. Honestly that really disappointed me, because I read it after another book for the same author that was absolutely emotional and gripping. This book feels like a first time writing. At alot of times, I was getting bored and felt like I've read this same storyline before a million times. No depth.
My heart ache for Amber. I think this is my first time crying since I read it in the beginning. The struggles she had and everything that she had to cope she was so strong! I love the fact that Zach heals, helps her and love her.
This author doesn’t know to write a book that doesn’t involve rape.
challenging
emotional
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Content Warnings
Moderate: Rape, Sexual assault
I’m a huge fan of Cora’s, so when she revised and republished this book, I was excited to get my hands on it.
This one was so emotional, and at times painful to read. Our story centers on our deeply traumatized heroine, Amber- a young survivor of a brutal sexual assault and who is is living daily with the intense emotional trauma and pyschological damage from her attack. When we first meet her, she can’t bear to be touched, even by her brother and father. In order to try to start somewhere fresh (and as only we know from Amber, to give her father some reprieve), she moves in with her college-aged brother and his roommate Zach.
While Zach is cautious around her, Amber soon notices that he doesn’t treat her with the same kitten gloves as everyone else, that their connection doesn’t feel as painful as the ghost of her relationship with her brother, and she finds herself being drawn to him. As they start to connect, we see a tender and fragile bond forming between them- both not really sure how to manage it with Zach’s own relationship issues and Amber’s painful past, not to mention the forbidden “brother’s best friend issue.”
I loved and hurt for Amber a lot in this book- her story is painful, and she’s so brave to keep fighting on just living day to day with all of that hurt inside her. And, her beautiful soul is constantly trying to heal, and is also constantly feeling pain for the way her life has changed that of those around her, especially her brother and her father. Zach, on the other hand, was frustrating. I loved him at first- saw his kind spirit, the way he cared for Amber by just treating her as a PERSON and not a victim, and found him magnetic. He’s so sweet with her, so understanding. But, then he does and does stupid crap, multiple times, because he’s immature and can’t handle his feelings. Twice, not once but TWICE he does things that can be considered cheating...with the same girl, and at one point in the same freaking house as Amber. I get that in real life people use sex to get over real feelings, but this isn’t real life- this is my fictional world and in my fictional world I hate it when the dudes sleep around when they already love the girl. And, in this case, it really bothered me because it was with the same “other” girl both times. That makes it worse, and it also makes it worse that this he’s doing it to not just any girl, but a girl whose life has been deeply and painfully impacted by sex crimes.
Ultimately, it ended happily, but I’m still a bit frustrated by it ruining what overall was touching and sweet romance for me. 3.5 stars, I’ll round up because I was happy in the end and because I love Cora and Amber.
4 stars
Although I LOVED Amber and all of the other characters in the book...the hero pissed me off.
I felt the same thing while reading another book by the same author: [b:Bound By Honor|23925109|Bound By Honor|Cora Reilly|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1418862630s/23925109.jpg|42913619].
Poor Amber. Seriously. She survived a horrible rape and suffered severe psychological damage as a result. We meet her in the beginning, barely able to shake hands with someone without having a panic attack and flashbacks of her attack. She moves in with her brother Brian and his roommate Zach. She starts to develop feelings for Zach and he really seemed like he wanted to help her through this. But then...dum dum dum...something happens and I literally felt like I wanted to add the book to my DNF shelf. That, or throw my kindle out of a window.
UGH! I WAS LOVING THE BOOK UP UNTIL THAT POINT! and not only does the thing that pissed me off happen once, but it happens AGAIN! Spoiler ahead- as well as massive amounts of curising:
Now that I am calmed down, I really did like this book. Amber and her recovery is what kept me reading...
Although I LOVED Amber and all of the other characters in the book...the hero pissed me off.
I felt the same thing while reading another book by the same author: [b:Bound By Honor|23925109|Bound By Honor|Cora Reilly|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1418862630s/23925109.jpg|42913619].
Poor Amber. Seriously. She survived a horrible rape and suffered severe psychological damage as a result. We meet her in the beginning, barely able to shake hands with someone without having a panic attack and flashbacks of her attack. She moves in with her brother Brian and his roommate Zach. She starts to develop feelings for Zach and he really seemed like he wanted to help her through this. But then...dum dum dum...something happens and I literally felt like I wanted to add the book to my DNF shelf. That, or throw my kindle out of a window.
UGH! I WAS LOVING THE BOOK UP UNTIL THAT POINT! and not only does the thing that pissed me off happen once, but it happens AGAIN! Spoiler ahead- as well as massive amounts of curising:
Spoiler
fucking cheating. I can't handle it in books anymore than I can handle it in real life. He was being SOO sweet to Amber and all it took was for him to have a slight change of heart and he's immediately fucking another girl...under the same roof...knowing full well she could hear them. And what does Amber do? NOTHING! SHE DOES NOTHING AND ENDS UP MAKING OUT WITH HIM IN THE NEXT CHAPTER! And guess what? They end up breaking up for other reasons later and in the book- so what does he do? You guessed it! Same girl, different location. Yeah, he stops it, but that's not the point. You want more for the heroine than some guy who can't keep his dick in his pants whenever shit gets too heavy. Yeah...i'm still heated over this...is it obvious?Now that I am calmed down, I really did like this book. Amber and her recovery is what kept me reading...
Compared to Cora Reilly's other dark romance, this one was a big let down.
My heart ache for Amber. I think this is my first time crying since I read it in the beginning. The struggles she had and everything that she had to cope she was so strong! I love the fact that Zach heals, helps her and love her.