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4.01 AVERAGE
4.01 AVERAGE
All reviews posted at Tales of Love, Life, and Murder
Spoiler alert: This is a standalone but this story is a spoiler for things that happen in the first three books so I recommend reading these in order.
I loved Abby and Kai’s story so much and wasn’t sure I was going to read this book. Charlie really pissed me off in Sweet Retribution even though I loved him in the first two so I didn’t really care about his story. After a couple of months of distance and seeing all the rave reviews, I decided to give it a shot and I’m really glad that I read it.
The sweet, loving Charlie we met in Cruel Intentions is still there but he’s drowning in regret and punishing himself far more than anyone else could ever punish him. He’ll always blame himself for his father’s death and his mother has vowed that she’ll never forgive him. She took Lilly and moved to Arizona to stay with her sister so Charlie is completely alone. He’s lost all of his friends and his family’s been destroyed so his life is work. He knows nothing else.
It takes a time to see all of this, however, because the Charlie we see early on here is a complete dick. He’s second in command of his father’s company and biding his time until graduating with his business degree so he can step into the number one role of CEO. He’s extremely attracted to his personal assistant but doesn’t believe her deserves to be happy so he fights it, hard. Unfortunately for Demi, fighting his feelings means Charlie is unbearably cruel, constantly going out of his way to insult and offend her.
Despite everything that happened between them, Abby still loves Charlie like a brother and wants him back in the circle. She’s constantly hounding him to return to the group and make amends with Drew and Kai. Charlie doesn’t want to hear it but Abby’s persistent and after everything she’s been through, she’s not going to let the guy who took a bullet for her fade away to a bitter, miserable life alone, no matter how much he tries to resist.
Demi’s a great character and instantly likeable, unlike Charlie. I was rooting for her instantly. We learn early on that Demi is the woman he slept with on his wedding night and she’s lived in fear ever since of Abby identifying her. She had no idea Charlie was married and loathes him for being a liar and a cheat. Charlie in turn blames Demi for his marriage failing since Abby knew he’d slept with someone else on their wedding night but of course that’s ridiculous and he eventually sees that, probably due to Abby’s intervention.
He finally recognizes that he didn’t love Abby, he became obsessed with her and that’s not the same at all. Charlie comes to terms with the many reasons their marriage failed, not the least of which is that her heart belonged to Kai all along and her marriage to Charlie wasn’t even valid since Abby and Kai’s secret marriage.
Things aren’t all sunshine and roses for poor Demi, because life has handed her a terrible burden, but Charlie’s there to hold her up, proving to be the man we hoped he was all along. Helping her inadvertently leads to a reconciliation with his mother and Charlie’s life begins to improve by leaps and bounds.
My only criticism here is that it’s a very short book and I somehow missed that in the description so I was shocked to see the word epilogue when it appeared. I always want them to be longer but the story was well-crafted and there’s not one but two epilogues, which is a nice bonus. They give us insight into Charlie, Demi, Abby, Kai and Jackson ten years in the future, which was fun.
Footnote: there are 7 books in the Rydeville Elite series (so far) but Abby and Cam's story is a complete series to me. Books 1 and 2 end in cliffhangers so the story flows uninterrupted for three full novels while books 4-7 are stand alones for various characters we've met in Abby and Kai's story (Charlie, Jackson, Sawyer and Drewe). I'll probably read the rest eventually -- especially Jackson's because wow -- but 6 and 7 haven't even been released yet.
I love that Davis took the boys we love to hate, and redeemed him into the boy we all love! In the Rydeville series Charlie ends up the bad guy, and semi redeems himself at the end. In this book we see the man behind the boy from High School. After his dad was killed Charlie learns what it is like to truly be alone. In steps Demi with her own family issues. She's just trying to do the best she can with what life has dealt her. Together they make a great team. Charlie realizes what it really means to love and made a full recovery into the sweet guy we first met.
Oh Charlie! I will admit I did not like Charlie in the first three books. However in his own story I learned to love him. You got a look at his past and what he went through in the first three books. Demi is the perfect girl for him. She would fight him back when he deserved it.
I loved Demi's story as well. She quit collage to take care of her ailing father. He was her only parent growing up and she wanted to do anything she could to be there for him.
So much happened in this book and I devoured it in two days! I can't wait to see more of Charlie and Demi in the next books in the series. Charlie had never been in love before and learned what that feeling was and how to handle it.
I'm so glad Charlie got his own book!
I loved Demi's story as well. She quit collage to take care of her ailing father. He was her only parent growing up and she wanted to do anything she could to be there for him.
So much happened in this book and I devoured it in two days! I can't wait to see more of Charlie and Demi in the next books in the series. Charlie had never been in love before and learned what that feeling was and how to handle it.
I'm so glad Charlie got his own book!
Seriously so happy to read Charlie’s story and to meet Demi. Seeing a character transform and redeem themselves from how they were in the first three books is amazing. Charlie was dealt a sh*t hand at birth. Sure he’s got money but he’s also proof that money doesn’t buy happiness. Having to grow up as part of the Elite could not have been fun, getting in over your head horrifying, loosing your friends tragic. Enter Demi. Someone Charlie never thought he would find. She is strong and doesn’t take his crap without giving some back. She shows Charlie what it’s like to be loved.
I'm a big fan of Siobhan Davis, I am a greater fan of her Rydeville Elite series, they have become one of my top favorite and definitely a must-read and on top favorite for this year. Charlie's story was phenomenal, I liked him from the series but his book was way more than what I thought so at the beginning making this book one of my favorites in the series. I just love bullies and their redemptions, this story dragged me through the night, I simply couldn't put it down. I hope this makes it's wat into the audiobook world to experience the story again. Fantastic more than 5 stars!
I didn‘t think Siobhan could make me like Charlie after all the things he did in the previous books. But she managed to redeem himself.
I really enjoyed Charlies story. It was angsty, steamy and emotional. The Drama with Parkhurst was pretty low but for me it already was pretty much done with Kai and Abby‘s story.
Excited to see what Jackson is up to next.
I really enjoyed Charlies story. It was angsty, steamy and emotional. The Drama with Parkhurst was pretty low but for me it already was pretty much done with Kai and Abby‘s story.
Excited to see what Jackson is up to next.
Charlie by Siobhan Davis is an enemies-to-lovers office romance that I listened to on audio narrated by Sarah Puckett and Michael Gallagher. This is the forth book in the Rydeville Elite series and can be read as a stand-alone.
This book does come with a caution "Due to mature content and themes, this book is recommended to listeners ages 18 and over. This is a slightly extended version of the version that appeared in the Bully Me anthology, containing one extra chapter and two epilogues and ending with a HEA and no cliff-hanger."
This is the second series of Siobhan's that I have read and it definitely won't be my last. I have only read book four and five of this series and can't wait to go back and read the rest of the series. I liked the relationship that bloomed between Demi and Charlie. I am happy we got two epilogues because I felt like the story ended quickly. So I was happy to see a jump ten years down the road.
Sarah and Michael did a great job on the narration. They both really know how to bring a story to life. I look forward to listening to more of their work in the future.
I would recommend this book if you like enemies-to-lovers romance, office romances, or contemporary romance.
Audiobook Obsession Reviewer
This book does come with a caution "Due to mature content and themes, this book is recommended to listeners ages 18 and over. This is a slightly extended version of the version that appeared in the Bully Me anthology, containing one extra chapter and two epilogues and ending with a HEA and no cliff-hanger."
This is the second series of Siobhan's that I have read and it definitely won't be my last. I have only read book four and five of this series and can't wait to go back and read the rest of the series. I liked the relationship that bloomed between Demi and Charlie. I am happy we got two epilogues because I felt like the story ended quickly. So I was happy to see a jump ten years down the road.
Sarah and Michael did a great job on the narration. They both really know how to bring a story to life. I look forward to listening to more of their work in the future.
I would recommend this book if you like enemies-to-lovers romance, office romances, or contemporary romance.
Audiobook Obsession Reviewer
Finally, some redemption for the first beloved, then loathed Charlie from the Rydeville Elite series!
To be honest, I did not think that Siobhan could redeem Charlie, who was perhaps the most heartbreaking character from the Rydeville stories for me. Oh, sweet Charlie. He did horrible things, his humanity totally derailed, and he was the least reliable character- constantly ping-ponging from the right team to the wrong. I loved him early on- he was the sweet teddy bear, seemingly the “heart” of the squad, and then we find that was an act. From then on, his motivations were always in question for me. Last we left him, he’d destroyed much of his life, but we didn’t feel any sympathy for him because he made his bed, even if he comes through at the end for our squad.
So, when I found it he was getting his “happy ending,” I wasn’t sure I could get back behind him- nor was I sure I could trust any emotion was genuine, that he would be a reliable narrator. And, thus, that was my orientation as I started to read Charlie’s story with Demi. Siobhan smartly begins this tale in the key moment when I gave up on Charlie- one of the many mysteries, namely, his and Abby’s botched wedding night. We find out just where he was- and with whom- and why, and we get a glimpse inside what losing Charlie’s father really did to him. And, with that shattering opening, my heart started beating for Charlie again.
He didn’t win me over completely, to be honest, or quickly- he spends much of this story in self-destruction mode- punishing himself for his sins and therefore punishing everyone else around him- and he loves nothing more than to punish and bully Demi, a woman he blames for what he sees as one of his gravest missteps. Oh, and she’s also his PA. We get the love-hate push-pull tension that Siobhan is so good at creating, we get to walk alongside two characters who are trapped in heartbreaking realities (Demi’s life has been derailed as she tries to care for her ailing father) and struggling to cope, and we see them slowly, and unwillingly, weave themselves together when their vulnerabilities they bottle up so closely accidentally seem to spill out with one another.
The romantic pace here is pretty quick- the feelings don’t have as much time to simmer and marinate as they would in a longer novel or trilogy, and we have a lot of ground to cover since we’ve not met Demi before. She suffers a bit for it- we don’t fully know her in the way we know Abby or Harlow or others, but I like her- she’s intelligent and sharp, she’s pretty patient, she’s stoic and rational- she’s grounding for Charlie, like a softer, more steady conception of Abby. And we get the gambit with Charlie- so much so that his emotional whiplash made it hard for me to believe his feelings were fully realized at the end (nor his slow re-entry into the lives of our favorites, like Kai and Abby)- but the bonus content we get in this version (vs. the anthology) really made a huge difference- both in my buy-in with Demi as well as my belief in Charlie.
If you read this story as part of the Bully Me: Class of 2020 anthology, GET THE EXTENDED VERSION. Had I rated the story based on just what was in the anthology, I would have probably given it 3.5 or 4 stars. I spiritually love anthologies because you get so much content, but the word limits really limit authors from telling anything that feels complete, which is why so many stories from that anthology ended up being prequels to full length novels. If you are curious, this is still a SHORT novel- but not a novella at 60K words. The extended version delivers 3 extra meaty chapters (two of which are epilogues) that answer some of the burning questions that made me feel Charlie was too hastily concluded in the anthology- particularly three things that felt crucial:
a) more of what Demi and Charlie looked like when they were actually committed and functional (much of Bully Me is them just working their way to being actually together): the extra content here is SO fulfilling and makes me really believe Charlie’s redemptive arc a lot more because I get to see him being the Charlie I wanted to believe he really was
b) more time with Demi: we don’t get three books to love her like we do with Abby, we only have a short novel. And, while I LIKED her in the anthology, I didn’t love her yet- I needed more time with her. Sure, a few extra chapters still mean she’s not my Abby, but we get to see some important moments for Demi that makes us feel more intimately connected to her
c) we find out what happened in that conclusion with Demi’s father
Overall, I’d give this 4.5 stars- Charlie does feel like he’s on the pathway to the redemptive arc, I care about him again, and we have some new ELITE drama brewing that is going to set us up nicely for Jackson and the future of this crew. After reading this, I’m happy Charlie is back at the table- and I think we’ll get more time with Demi, not only because of her relationship with Charlie but also because of her family history.
To be honest, I did not think that Siobhan could redeem Charlie, who was perhaps the most heartbreaking character from the Rydeville stories for me. Oh, sweet Charlie. He did horrible things, his humanity totally derailed, and he was the least reliable character- constantly ping-ponging from the right team to the wrong. I loved him early on- he was the sweet teddy bear, seemingly the “heart” of the squad, and then we find that was an act. From then on, his motivations were always in question for me. Last we left him, he’d destroyed much of his life, but we didn’t feel any sympathy for him because he made his bed, even if he comes through at the end for our squad.
So, when I found it he was getting his “happy ending,” I wasn’t sure I could get back behind him- nor was I sure I could trust any emotion was genuine, that he would be a reliable narrator. And, thus, that was my orientation as I started to read Charlie’s story with Demi. Siobhan smartly begins this tale in the key moment when I gave up on Charlie- one of the many mysteries, namely, his and Abby’s botched wedding night. We find out just where he was- and with whom- and why, and we get a glimpse inside what losing Charlie’s father really did to him. And, with that shattering opening, my heart started beating for Charlie again.
He didn’t win me over completely, to be honest, or quickly- he spends much of this story in self-destruction mode- punishing himself for his sins and therefore punishing everyone else around him- and he loves nothing more than to punish and bully Demi, a woman he blames for what he sees as one of his gravest missteps. Oh, and she’s also his PA. We get the love-hate push-pull tension that Siobhan is so good at creating, we get to walk alongside two characters who are trapped in heartbreaking realities (Demi’s life has been derailed as she tries to care for her ailing father) and struggling to cope, and we see them slowly, and unwillingly, weave themselves together when their vulnerabilities they bottle up so closely accidentally seem to spill out with one another.
The romantic pace here is pretty quick- the feelings don’t have as much time to simmer and marinate as they would in a longer novel or trilogy, and we have a lot of ground to cover since we’ve not met Demi before. She suffers a bit for it- we don’t fully know her in the way we know Abby or Harlow or others, but I like her- she’s intelligent and sharp, she’s pretty patient, she’s stoic and rational- she’s grounding for Charlie, like a softer, more steady conception of Abby. And we get the gambit with Charlie- so much so that his emotional whiplash made it hard for me to believe his feelings were fully realized at the end (nor his slow re-entry into the lives of our favorites, like Kai and Abby)- but the bonus content we get in this version (vs. the anthology) really made a huge difference- both in my buy-in with Demi as well as my belief in Charlie.
If you read this story as part of the Bully Me: Class of 2020 anthology, GET THE EXTENDED VERSION. Had I rated the story based on just what was in the anthology, I would have probably given it 3.5 or 4 stars. I spiritually love anthologies because you get so much content, but the word limits really limit authors from telling anything that feels complete, which is why so many stories from that anthology ended up being prequels to full length novels. If you are curious, this is still a SHORT novel- but not a novella at 60K words. The extended version delivers 3 extra meaty chapters (two of which are epilogues) that answer some of the burning questions that made me feel Charlie was too hastily concluded in the anthology- particularly three things that felt crucial:
a) more of what Demi and Charlie looked like when they were actually committed and functional (much of Bully Me is them just working their way to being actually together): the extra content here is SO fulfilling and makes me really believe Charlie’s redemptive arc a lot more because I get to see him being the Charlie I wanted to believe he really was
b) more time with Demi: we don’t get three books to love her like we do with Abby, we only have a short novel. And, while I LIKED her in the anthology, I didn’t love her yet- I needed more time with her. Sure, a few extra chapters still mean she’s not my Abby, but we get to see some important moments for Demi that makes us feel more intimately connected to her
c) we find out what happened in that conclusion with Demi’s father
Overall, I’d give this 4.5 stars- Charlie does feel like he’s on the pathway to the redemptive arc, I care about him again, and we have some new ELITE drama brewing that is going to set us up nicely for Jackson and the future of this crew. After reading this, I’m happy Charlie is back at the table- and I think we’ll get more time with Demi, not only because of her relationship with Charlie but also because of her family history.
This is part if the Rydeville Elite series.
This is Charlie getting his HEA. Charlie is part of the Old Elite and friends with Abby and at one point engaged to her. He thought he loved her…but did he really (highly recommend reading the trilogy prior to this book!)
Demi looks a lot like Abby.. Is that why Charlie likes her? Why dies he try to make her life hell?
I felt like Charlie redeemed himself and I even came to love him in his story. I understood his actions more.
Story 4.5⭐️
Spice 5⭐️
This is Charlie getting his HEA. Charlie is part of the Old Elite and friends with Abby and at one point engaged to her. He thought he loved her…but did he really (highly recommend reading the trilogy prior to this book!)
Demi looks a lot like Abby.. Is that why Charlie likes her? Why dies he try to make her life hell?
I felt like Charlie redeemed himself and I even came to love him in his story. I understood his actions more.
Story 4.5⭐️
Spice 5⭐️