Reviews with content warning for Emotional abuse - The Choice

I really enjoyed this - I struggled to put it down. Having read The Words by Ashley Jade, I was really excited to read about Memphis and Skylar. I was quite surprised that this book was only pre-band. The toxicity of Josh really bothered me, but I know it's supposed to. Either way, once again Ashley Jade has given us a sexy rockstar romance that just rips your heart out and I cannot wait for the second book!

From reading The Words, I didn't know Josh was truly a "bad guy" but there were no redeeming qualities with him. I am impatiently waiting for the reveal when Skylar finds out it was Memphis who killed her uncle....

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aalysad's review against another edition

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adventurous challenging dark emotional funny sad tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

Ugh this book had me wanting to scream, cry, and laugh all together. This author has such an incredible way of writing trauma and complex characters. I saw it in The Words and The Choice and I can’t wait for the next book to come out! I related so much to Skylar and her relationship with Josh because I’ve been there. I hated those parts but it’s because the manipulation and emotional abuse was written so realistically. I really fucking hope Memphis and Skylar end up together, but I’m excited to see how everything gets tied together in the next book as it seems to coincide with Phoenix and Lennon’s story from The Words. Only rating 4 stars because I really love Memphis and she broke his heart 🥺

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brooklyn_bookworm's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional inspiring sad tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

I didn’t realize how much I needed this story until I read it!!!

The Choice is the story of Josh, Memphis, and Skylar. You may recognize these names because they were present during Pheonix and Lennon’s story in The Words. This story is how they all came to know each other and I need you all to go binge The Words & The Choice until The Consequence comes out!!! I need book 2 like NOW!!!

Ms. Ashley Jade can write the heck out of beautifully flawed characters with traumatic pasts. She makes everything just… so.. naturally. Truly amazing. When I met Skylar in the words.. I thought.. “hmm ok she’s badass but what’s going on between her and Memphis.” I just knew there was so much more to their story and in The Choice you get the first part of their story.

It’s by all means not easy to read. There’s child @buse, drüg @addiction, cheating.. amongst other triggers but it’s a fantastic story. Skylar is frustrating at times but understandable, Josh is someone you’ll want to punch on the face, and Memphis?! God Memphis is BEAUTIFUL!!

Oh and that car scene?? With the “he slaps his free hand against the window and thrusts his hips” if you know.. YOU KNOW!! HOT!!!! 5 stars!!!

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nero_nash's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional funny reflective sad tense slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

I want to write a beautiful heartfelt review for my baby Memphis but right now all I can think of is JOSH IS A FUCKING TOOL

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dkgreads's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

Oof. That was HEAVY. When I started it, I didn’t realize it was connected to the author’s other book, The Words, which I freaking LOVED. This book was super angsty and emotional. I understand why Josh is the way he is, rightfully so, but he’s a manipulative asshole and, while I feel for him, I kinda hate his guts. This book ends when the three leads are all 18, so I’m looking forward to the next part of the duet to see if it closes the gap to where they are in The Words, or maybe even goes a little beyond.

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megallenbooks's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional reflective sad medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

OK- time to write the review of "The Choice". A book written about secondary characters from "The Words" but set many years before "The Words". I think the best way I can review this book is to say I read almost to the end, before realizing it was almost the end. I could have read double the length and still been completely sucked into this world. I am really interested why this story ended up being a duet because given "The Words" was almost 600 word long I can't see why this book couldn't have been longer... unless part two is 600 words long in which case bring it on.

This story tells the story of Memphis, Sky and Josh. Three kids with a tonne of trauma, dropped next door to each other as kids and left to figure it out. We know what happens to Josh, thanks to the "The Words" and all I have to say is, couldn't of happened to a nicer fellow.

Memphis... oh my gosh Memphis. I am not sure if it's just how I read it, but I definitely read him as autistic and I loved the representation. As far as book boyfriends go, it's between him and Reiner Kulti as brooding men I will die on a mountain for.

Sky is a fantastic female character and given Jade gave her a classically tragic backstory (usually I find these a little too on the nose and poorly done) and made her stunning, I was surprised how much I warmed to her. She was a great combination or confident and insecure, fun and serious, vulnerable and strong... just like most women I know!

The story is dark at times and this is much more of a slow burn than I expected but the pay off is worth it. Thoroughly enjoyable read. Will be looking out for The Consequence.

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nicoletoksbooks's review against another edition

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dark emotional tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

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booklovinmamas's review against another edition

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challenging dark emotional sad tense

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

I read The Words by A. Jade before I read The Choice, the first book in the Star-crossed Lovers Duet. I’m so glad I did because after finishing The Choice, the first book into Memphis and Skylar’s story, I now understand why these two didn’t get along in The Words. Ashley Jade, I loved how you wrote this book, even though you made me cry so damn much. You gave us how Memphis, Skylar, and Josh met and how Skylar ended up with Josh. I understand now. I also understand why Memphis and Skylar are the way they are as adults in The Words.

Storyline/My Thoughts: First, let me say immediately that when it comes to Ashley Jade’s books, you may want to have tissues on hand before diving into her books. I swear, she is the one author that makes me have waterworks. She needs to just put a warning on her books to buy tissues before reading. I had to step away from my kindle several times while reading Skylar’s POV. That poor girl! Ashley, if you wrote this book without crying, you are a stronger friggin’ person than me, and I respect you. If you cried, I hope you had something to comfort you after writing this book.

I friggin’ loved Memphis in this book. Readers get to read his POV when he was young (teenager) and how he met Skylar. If only Skylar had met him first. He was an a-hole in The Words, but in this book, he redeemed himself. I understand him better now. If there are two things I love about his character in The Choice, he’s determined and goal driven. He is serious about being a Guitarist and may have difficulty showing emotion, but damn if that boy won’t show how you should be loved and will protect you fiercely in his own way. He does something for Skylar that she doesn’t know yet, and I respect him so much.

Memphis may become my favorite now of all of Ashley Jade’s MMCs she’s written that I’ve read (so far). You want to know why Memphis has become a favorite now because he says these things in the bedroom: “Good girl.” “My dirty girl.” “Eyes on me.” He also won’t care about how your body looks or what you do in the bedroom that you may find embarrassing. He LOVES you and will let you know he does by words and actions. One of my favorite scenes with him, and Skylar involves his guitar pick. I need more of Memphis in The Consequence and his dirty talking and encouraging words.

After reading The Choice and learning more about Skylar, I now understand why she kept telling Lennon (in The Words), she was broken. The poor girl was put through a lot of shit at a young age. She had no one who loved her, and she craved someone to help save her and love her. She finds that one person, but it’s the right one. She ends up with the biggest manipulator and an a-hole, but she refuses to see it. The person she should have been with ends up staying away because he has to respect her and his brother. Skylar, the poor girl, everything she went through, and in the end, I understood why Skylar chose who she did. That doesn’t mean I wasn’t mad at Skylar, though.

I didn’t like Josh in The Words, and I didn’t like him in this book either. Memphis and Josh are brothers, but not by blood. They are foster brothers, and Josh makes life difficult for Memphis whenever they are together. Memphis is always their savior of them. Josh didn’t have a good upbringing either, and readers will discover his trauma. He’s not a good guy, so prepare yourself; he does things that make you want to go through the kindle and knock some sense into him and even Skylar.

I don’t want to give anything away to readers who have not read this book or The Words; know that this book touches on some tough topics that may trigger some readers. There is mention of molestation, sexual, physical, and emotional abuse, body shaming, suicide is mentioned and even attempted.

There is a cliffhanger at the end of this book, but readers who have read The Words, shouldn’t be too shocked by the ending. The only thing that shocked me was learning the characters’ backstories and why Skylar was not with Memphis in The Words. Here’s hoping Ashley Jade doesn’t make us wait too long for The Consequence. I need to know if these star-crossed lovers, Sklar and Memphis, will get their HEA. Ashley, let me know now if I need more tissues. I’ll stock up now. Overall, I give this book five stars and want to say my kindle survived when I read it, so that should give readers hope they can make it through reading it too. On the other hand, my pillow may have dealt with me screaming into it a few times.

Standalone or Part of Series: It’s the first book in the Star-Crossed Lovers Duet and ends in a cliffhanger. I highly recommend reading in order.

Steam/Spice: 🌶 🌶 🌶

Genre(s)/Trope(s)/Element(s): New Adult Romance. Contemporary Romance. Dark Romance. Star-crossed Lovers. Slow Burn Romance. Love Triangle. Rockstar Romance. Damaged/Broken FMC. Guitarist MMC. Both Characters are Orphans and come from Broken Families.

Cliffhanger: Yes.

Would I recommend this book? Yes. I recommend it to readers who have read The Words and want to discover Memphis and Skylar’s story. This book is for readers who enjoy their hearts being torn to bits and don’t mind crying and wanting to scream at their kindles. Some of us enjoy those types of stories, and I happen to be one of them.

Favorite Quote(s): Heaven help me, this boy is quicksand. And I’m sinking. Falling.

His voice is a gravelly rumble. “Good girl.” Normally those two words trigger a volatile reaction, but it has the opposite effect on eye right now. his praise lights me up, filling me with assurance and confidence.

Damn him. That filthy mouth of his is going to be the death of me. I’m sure of it.

Memphis Payne doesn’t fuck…he worships.

I’m his sky, but he’s my earth…keeping me grounded when my demons take home of me.

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