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3.92 AVERAGE
3.92 AVERAGE
Well, that wasn't as intense as I thought it would be. I mean I was so ready to get all emotional and whatnot but nothing that unusual happened. Yes, the writing is amazing, and I do love it when everything seems to be connected, albeit in this case, rather predictable. Maybe I expected too much?
Powerful and moving
The honesty and rawness this author pulls from her characters is profound. I loved the entire emotional ride. Blythe and Chris are incredible.
The honesty and rawness this author pulls from her characters is profound. I loved the entire emotional ride. Blythe and Chris are incredible.
Meh. Typical new adult bullshit. Girl is damaged. Girl meets damaged boy. Damaged girl and damaged boy fall in love, but damaged boy can’t be with damaged girl because he is too damaged. Insert a few pointless characters, lots of pointless swearing (and I myself swear like a fucking truck driver), and steamy, hot sex that frankly, a college boy is not capable of having.
Left Drowning isn’t bad for what it is; wounded characters and intense sex are two staples of the “new adult” genre. Unfortunately, as much as I liked the protagonist’s love interest, Chris, I didn’t like him enough. I don’t feel that he was featured in the novel as prominently as he should have been. Because of that, I feel like the author told us about their love story, instead of showing us. This is where several of the pointless characters could have been left out.
We know that the main character, Blyth, was emotionally damaged because of trauma in her past, but a short time after meeting Chris and his pointless siblings, she is on the road to recovery. Again, this information is told to us, not really shown, which makes the entire plot seem a bit far-fetched.
The story improved immensely during the last hundred pages or so, when they are in Maine. The ending was good, although, holy coincidences, Batman.
Despite the problems with the plot and characters, I read this novel quickly. It was interesting, if not particularly great. *Please note, for review purposes, I am 31 years old and married, and while I’m not exactly an “old adult”, I’m years away from being a “new adult”, so my opinion might seem a little aggressive. If you’re a fan of the genre, you’ll probably see past the flaws I’ve mentioned, and love the book for what it is.
Left Drowning isn’t bad for what it is; wounded characters and intense sex are two staples of the “new adult” genre. Unfortunately, as much as I liked the protagonist’s love interest, Chris, I didn’t like him enough. I don’t feel that he was featured in the novel as prominently as he should have been. Because of that, I feel like the author told us about their love story, instead of showing us. This is where several of the pointless characters could have been left out.
We know that the main character, Blyth, was emotionally damaged because of trauma in her past, but a short time after meeting Chris and his pointless siblings, she is on the road to recovery. Again, this information is told to us, not really shown, which makes the entire plot seem a bit far-fetched.
The story improved immensely during the last hundred pages or so, when they are in Maine. The ending was good, although, holy coincidences, Batman.
Despite the problems with the plot and characters, I read this novel quickly. It was interesting, if not particularly great. *Please note, for review purposes, I am 31 years old and married, and while I’m not exactly an “old adult”, I’m years away from being a “new adult”, so my opinion might seem a little aggressive. If you’re a fan of the genre, you’ll probably see past the flaws I’ve mentioned, and love the book for what it is.
Goodreads was on something hella funky when they recommended this book to me. Not only was it super cliche, I could have gotten the same content by reading a PH
I loved this book.
Jessica Park's ability to write interesting and deep characters is one that I've been finding hard to come by lately. Especially in the contemporary genre. Many authors now get stuck in overly descriptive, explicit sex scenes with no substance to their characters.
Blythe was not just a one dimensional college girl with an obsession over a guy. Her pain, guilt, and hurt were easily felt and it made me connect with her almost instantly. Sabin was a lovable teddy bear of a first friend and the entire Shepard crew grabbed me from their entrance to the story. I could easily see what they all went through as something totally realistic and tragic and Christopher was right up at the top of the list of guys who think they aren't deserving of love but who are deserving of it the most.
I was slightly bothered by the swearing and the sex scenes were explicit but also real and in the end I didn't mind reading them. The story was so much more than sex.
4 stars Ms. Park, well done!
Jessica Park's ability to write interesting and deep characters is one that I've been finding hard to come by lately. Especially in the contemporary genre. Many authors now get stuck in overly descriptive, explicit sex scenes with no substance to their characters.
Blythe was not just a one dimensional college girl with an obsession over a guy. Her pain, guilt, and hurt were easily felt and it made me connect with her almost instantly. Sabin was a lovable teddy bear of a first friend and the entire Shepard crew grabbed me from their entrance to the story. I could easily see what they all went through as something totally realistic and tragic and Christopher was right up at the top of the list of guys who think they aren't deserving of love but who are deserving of it the most.
I was slightly bothered by the swearing and the sex scenes were explicit but also real and in the end I didn't mind reading them. The story was so much more than sex.
4 stars Ms. Park, well done!
"He did give me something. Someone. You. He gave me you."
I was able to snag this ARC from Netgalley and Amazon Publishing (I <3 Amazon). So glad I got approved for this little gem, I seriously LOVED this book..
Jessica Park did it again, she stole my heart, mind, and my tears.
I gotta admit that this book started off really weird, I wasn't sure where it was going. I thought it was going to be one of those insta-love type books where I want to scream with how fast the "I love yous" get thrown around but I was pleasantly surprised as I kept reading and LOVED
EVERY. SINGLE. MINUTE.
I loved it so much that I had a hard time deciding what exactly I wanted to say about it. There is only so many times you can say"YOU BETTER PRE-ORDER THIS BOOK...OR ELSE!!!" but how can I possibly tell you guys how amazing and fan-fucking-tasic this book is without giving away the magic??.. Well here is my attempt and I REALLY hope I do this book justice because MY GOD does it deserve amazing things!!
If you are looking for a nice beach read with fluffy characters and magic and little cuddly bunnies of adorableness...then this is NOT the book for you.
If you want REAL characters with REAL trauma, drama, love, friendship, pain, heartbreak, healing, hot sex and all the other emotions you can possibly imagine then READ THIS BOOK, it has all of that and MORE!
It's just simply amazing..
I was looking for something different and unexpected and I got just that. Hell, I should have known by the dedication that it was going to be a different kind of book
"This book is for everyone who has SURVIVED. You are not broken. You can love and be loved, despite what may feel like the eternally brutal nature of the world. Even when you're drowning and so far under, there is always time to reach for someone who will teach you how to breathe again"
Holy goosebumps batman!!!!
It starts off with Blythe being drunk stumbling into her dorm room after a night of partying. You realize in the first couple of pages that Blythe has had a hard life and something has happened to her in the past that has left some deep scars that she carries around on the inside and outside. She is a hermit that keeps to herself at school and the only time she wants to go out is if she's in need of some partying.
Then along comes Sabin who comes into her life like a tornado of flair and drama who upon meeting her for the very first time steals her coffee and makes her come to his play that he is apart of at school.
He leaves Blythe in a mix bag of emotions not knowing how to proceed with the unique character that is Sabin.
She makes her way around campus and then meets Chris, all tall, dark hair, masculine Chris that also sweeps her into a whirlwind of emotions that she has never experienced before.
They find comfort with each other and they can't explain the attractiveness and magnetic pull that they feel towards one another, it scares the shit out of both of them but they can't stay away from one another!!
It's like meeting the other half of your soul and being too scared to explore the possibilities!!!
Blythe finds out that Chris and Sabin are brothers and she is then introduced to the whole Shepherd family.
The Shepherd's are a beautifully broken family full of unique characters and love. There is no denying the amount of love the siblings have for one another and you are left in awe with the amount of perserverance this family has.
You don't know a lot of background on them until towards the end but you can tell from the very beginning that they are just as broken as Blythe.
She fits into their clan perfectly and its like broken pieces of a fucked up puzzle..but it works, it still makes a beautiful picture even with all the jagged pieces.
Blythe starts healing from her wounds of the past through the help of this dysfunctionally-functional family. Their banter with one another is funny, endearing, and just plain entertaining. They embrace, heal, and love her through all her pain and Chris is the one person that makes her feel whole but he also breaks her in another way that leaves you in a puddle of pure anxiety and sadness. I wanted to scream and throw babies because it was just awful.
"Take it from someone who is also in love with a Shepherd brother. They are easy boys to fall in love with, but hard to really, really hold on to"
(remember this is an ARC so this might be edited or changed in the final copy)
I can't say enough how much I LOVED this book!
It was different and full of unique characters that leave an imprint on your heart and mind.
I was a blubbering mess in certain parts and so glad I was reading in my dark, quiet room because my dignity would have flown right out the window when people saw how much this book affected my emotions.
Jessica Park leaves me needing therapy after her books, I swear I am never going to be the same and need an intervention by the end of them!
(And by intervention I mean chocolate and wine)
She made me believe in fate and destiny where before I was always a cynic. How can an author even do that?? How does she elicit the feelings and emotions so strong in me that I feel like I have been through the ringer by the end of it? I'm wrung out and exposed of all my emotions but at the same time I feel like she pieced me back but I'm not the same because I have accepted things that before I was so cynical about.
Seriously..
MIND=BLOWN
This story is fucking amazing and while reading you see that with the strength of love, patience, understanding, and forgiveness people can HEAL, become whole, and endure life's tragedies, while coming out the other side stronger and more resilient than before.
I give this book 5/5***** and all I have to say is Jessica Park BETTER have more in store with this family.. I NEED MORE they are my drug of choice and I need my fix!!!
This book is set to release July 16th, 2013
and you WILL buy this book and LOVE it as much as I did
You are doing your mind an injustice if you do not pre-order or BUY this book the day that it is released!!!
I was able to snag this ARC from Netgalley and Amazon Publishing (I <3 Amazon). So glad I got approved for this little gem, I seriously LOVED this book..
Jessica Park did it again, she stole my heart, mind, and my tears.
I gotta admit that this book started off really weird, I wasn't sure where it was going. I thought it was going to be one of those insta-love type books where I want to scream with how fast the "I love yous" get thrown around but I was pleasantly surprised as I kept reading and LOVED
EVERY. SINGLE. MINUTE.
I loved it so much that I had a hard time deciding what exactly I wanted to say about it. There is only so many times you can say"YOU BETTER PRE-ORDER THIS BOOK...OR ELSE!!!" but how can I possibly tell you guys how amazing and fan-fucking-tasic this book is without giving away the magic??.. Well here is my attempt and I REALLY hope I do this book justice because MY GOD does it deserve amazing things!!
If you are looking for a nice beach read with fluffy characters and magic and little cuddly bunnies of adorableness...then this is NOT the book for you.
If you want REAL characters with REAL trauma, drama, love, friendship, pain, heartbreak, healing, hot sex and all the other emotions you can possibly imagine then READ THIS BOOK, it has all of that and MORE!
It's just simply amazing..
I was looking for something different and unexpected and I got just that. Hell, I should have known by the dedication that it was going to be a different kind of book
"This book is for everyone who has SURVIVED. You are not broken. You can love and be loved, despite what may feel like the eternally brutal nature of the world. Even when you're drowning and so far under, there is always time to reach for someone who will teach you how to breathe again"
Holy goosebumps batman!!!!
It starts off with Blythe being drunk stumbling into her dorm room after a night of partying. You realize in the first couple of pages that Blythe has had a hard life and something has happened to her in the past that has left some deep scars that she carries around on the inside and outside. She is a hermit that keeps to herself at school and the only time she wants to go out is if she's in need of some partying.
Then along comes Sabin who comes into her life like a tornado of flair and drama who upon meeting her for the very first time steals her coffee and makes her come to his play that he is apart of at school.
He leaves Blythe in a mix bag of emotions not knowing how to proceed with the unique character that is Sabin.
She makes her way around campus and then meets Chris, all tall, dark hair, masculine Chris that also sweeps her into a whirlwind of emotions that she has never experienced before.
They find comfort with each other and they can't explain the attractiveness and magnetic pull that they feel towards one another, it scares the shit out of both of them but they can't stay away from one another!!
It's like meeting the other half of your soul and being too scared to explore the possibilities!!!
Blythe finds out that Chris and Sabin are brothers and she is then introduced to the whole Shepherd family.
The Shepherd's are a beautifully broken family full of unique characters and love. There is no denying the amount of love the siblings have for one another and you are left in awe with the amount of perserverance this family has.
You don't know a lot of background on them until towards the end but you can tell from the very beginning that they are just as broken as Blythe.
She fits into their clan perfectly and its like broken pieces of a fucked up puzzle..but it works, it still makes a beautiful picture even with all the jagged pieces.
Blythe starts healing from her wounds of the past through the help of this dysfunctionally-functional family. Their banter with one another is funny, endearing, and just plain entertaining. They embrace, heal, and love her through all her pain and Chris is the one person that makes her feel whole but he also breaks her in another way that leaves you in a puddle of pure anxiety and sadness. I wanted to scream and throw babies because it was just awful.
"Take it from someone who is also in love with a Shepherd brother. They are easy boys to fall in love with, but hard to really, really hold on to"
(remember this is an ARC so this might be edited or changed in the final copy)
I can't say enough how much I LOVED this book!
It was different and full of unique characters that leave an imprint on your heart and mind.
I was a blubbering mess in certain parts and so glad I was reading in my dark, quiet room because my dignity would have flown right out the window when people saw how much this book affected my emotions.
Jessica Park leaves me needing therapy after her books, I swear I am never going to be the same and need an intervention by the end of them!
(And by intervention I mean chocolate and wine)
She made me believe in fate and destiny where before I was always a cynic. How can an author even do that?? How does she elicit the feelings and emotions so strong in me that I feel like I have been through the ringer by the end of it? I'm wrung out and exposed of all my emotions but at the same time I feel like she pieced me back but I'm not the same because I have accepted things that before I was so cynical about.
Seriously..
MIND=BLOWN
This story is fucking amazing and while reading you see that with the strength of love, patience, understanding, and forgiveness people can HEAL, become whole, and endure life's tragedies, while coming out the other side stronger and more resilient than before.
I give this book 5/5***** and all I have to say is Jessica Park BETTER have more in store with this family.. I NEED MORE they are my drug of choice and I need my fix!!!
This book is set to release July 16th, 2013
and you WILL buy this book and LOVE it as much as I did
You are doing your mind an injustice if you do not pre-order or BUY this book the day that it is released!!!
If I could give this more stars I would, this book was just that good. I don't know what it is about Jessica Park's writing but this was a completely different style form her other writings. I was crying, when she was sad, cringing when she talked about what happened in the fire and I could feel how she felt in the shower. I was so emotionally drained after certain points but I couldn't stop.
5+ Stars!
"This book is for everyone who has survived. You are not broken. You can love and be loved, despite what may feel like the eternally brutal nature of the world. Even when you're drowning and so far under, there is always time to reach for someone who will teach you how to breathe again." -Jessica Park
Park has the ability to create perfectly imperfect characters. They will tug on your heart strings and drown you with their sorrows. She gives true meaning to beautifully broken. This is an epic story about tragic loss, unrequited love, and beginning anew.
There is no set pattern to grief, despite what every stupid psych text has told me. There is no time frame that dictates when and how you'll feel what you feel. You just get to deal with hell however, and whenever, it hits you.
When we first meet Blythe, she is stumbling into her dormroom drunk. The reader finds out quickly that Blythe is a troubled girl with skeltons in her closet. She makes a call to her estranged brother, James, then she starts making vows to improve herself and her life. A decision that leads her to one of the members of the Shepard clan - Sabin. Over-the-top and flamboyant, Sabin declares that he and Blythe are new friends. She doesn't really know what to make of their encounter, but it inspires her to do something unexpected and take a walk by the lake.
I am hit with the enormity of the impact that this family is having in my life. They, and mostly Chris, are saving me. Or teaching me to save myself.
Immediately, she spots a gorgeous guy skipping rocks. She feels an instant attraction towards him and it surprises her. She has been numb for so long that feelings were a new sensation. Without realizing it, she approached him. He introduces himself as Chris Shepherd and offers to teach her how to skip rocks. They hit it off straightaway and Blythe reveals something she never done; she tells him that her parents are dead. Chris helps her through her confession and reveals that he lost his mother. He also tells her about Sabin and how he has two other siblings - twins, Estelle and Eric. They end up spending the majority of the day together which leaves Blythe fantasizing about being with Chris.
It's a constant struggle to stay near the surface. I have just enough air to stop me from totally going under, but not enough to thrive.
Months go by and Blythe is becoming a person again. The Shepherds are having a positive impact on her mental and physical health. However, while she is slowly healing, the Shepherds are falling apart. It becomes apparent that they have their own issues - Sabin's drinking, Estelle's repenting, Eric's quirks, and Chris's scars. Blythe finds herself trying to save the siblings and capture Chris's heart while keeping her head above water. She's drowning in her emotions.
Some people believe in God; I believe in Chris.
No matter how many moments Blythe and Chris share, he will not allow himself to give into their love. He doesn't believe in fate. He doesn't believe in marriage, kids, or houses with picket fences. Blythe doesn't either, but she believes in Chris. It pains her to have him push her away. However, it shatters her heart when he stops believing in them altogether.
You are the great love of my life that I'm never going to have.
Now Blythe is trying to nurse a broken heart, bandage her relationship with her brother, and maintain a relationship with the Shepherds. She, once again, feels like she's drowning. She doesn't know if she will pull through it all. But she knows she is strong enough to try.
Just breathe.
I read this story a few years back, but it still was as hauntingly beautiful as it was on my first read-through. Blythe is a character that I can never forget - along with Sabin, Eric, Zach, James, and Chris. The book is full of emotion and angst - especially the last 30% or so. Be prepared to be frustratingly upset, y'all! Park has such a way with words; they will immerse you into the story to where you feel as if you were drowning just like Blythe. I can honestly say that this book has snagged a spot on my top five books of all time. And I am an avid reader, so that shouldn't be taken lightly. I have read hundreds, if not thousands, of books. Bravo, Jessica Park! 5+++ stars!
"This book is for everyone who has survived. You are not broken. You can love and be loved, despite what may feel like the eternally brutal nature of the world. Even when you're drowning and so far under, there is always time to reach for someone who will teach you how to breathe again." -Jessica Park
Park has the ability to create perfectly imperfect characters. They will tug on your heart strings and drown you with their sorrows. She gives true meaning to beautifully broken. This is an epic story about tragic loss, unrequited love, and beginning anew.
There is no set pattern to grief, despite what every stupid psych text has told me. There is no time frame that dictates when and how you'll feel what you feel. You just get to deal with hell however, and whenever, it hits you.
When we first meet Blythe, she is stumbling into her dormroom drunk. The reader finds out quickly that Blythe is a troubled girl with skeltons in her closet. She makes a call to her estranged brother, James, then she starts making vows to improve herself and her life. A decision that leads her to one of the members of the Shepard clan - Sabin. Over-the-top and flamboyant, Sabin declares that he and Blythe are new friends. She doesn't really know what to make of their encounter, but it inspires her to do something unexpected and take a walk by the lake.
I am hit with the enormity of the impact that this family is having in my life. They, and mostly Chris, are saving me. Or teaching me to save myself.
Immediately, she spots a gorgeous guy skipping rocks. She feels an instant attraction towards him and it surprises her. She has been numb for so long that feelings were a new sensation. Without realizing it, she approached him. He introduces himself as Chris Shepherd and offers to teach her how to skip rocks. They hit it off straightaway and Blythe reveals something she never done; she tells him that her parents are dead. Chris helps her through her confession and reveals that he lost his mother. He also tells her about Sabin and how he has two other siblings - twins, Estelle and Eric. They end up spending the majority of the day together which leaves Blythe fantasizing about being with Chris.
It's a constant struggle to stay near the surface. I have just enough air to stop me from totally going under, but not enough to thrive.
Months go by and Blythe is becoming a person again. The Shepherds are having a positive impact on her mental and physical health. However, while she is slowly healing, the Shepherds are falling apart. It becomes apparent that they have their own issues - Sabin's drinking, Estelle's repenting, Eric's quirks, and Chris's scars. Blythe finds herself trying to save the siblings and capture Chris's heart while keeping her head above water. She's drowning in her emotions.
Some people believe in God; I believe in Chris.
No matter how many moments Blythe and Chris share, he will not allow himself to give into their love. He doesn't believe in fate. He doesn't believe in marriage, kids, or houses with picket fences. Blythe doesn't either, but she believes in Chris. It pains her to have him push her away. However, it shatters her heart when he stops believing in them altogether.
You are the great love of my life that I'm never going to have.
Now Blythe is trying to nurse a broken heart, bandage her relationship with her brother, and maintain a relationship with the Shepherds. She, once again, feels like she's drowning. She doesn't know if she will pull through it all. But she knows she is strong enough to try.
Just breathe.
I read this story a few years back, but it still was as hauntingly beautiful as it was on my first read-through. Blythe is a character that I can never forget - along with Sabin, Eric, Zach, James, and Chris. The book is full of emotion and angst - especially the last 30% or so. Be prepared to be frustratingly upset, y'all! Park has such a way with words; they will immerse you into the story to where you feel as if you were drowning just like Blythe. I can honestly say that this book has snagged a spot on my top five books of all time. And I am an avid reader, so that shouldn't be taken lightly. I have read hundreds, if not thousands, of books. Bravo, Jessica Park! 5+++ stars!
I almost put this one down, but then I started liking it so I kept reading. I'm glad I did. it wasn't perfect but I still enjoyed it. loss, healing, forgiveness, love. there's a little bit of everything in there.
I have to admit, I was scared to read this one. As you may recall, Flat-Out Love by Jessica Park is my favorite book. Nothing can come close to giving me the feels that book did. What if I read this one and it sucked? How would I review it? How could I ever face Jessica again? Well, I needn’t have worried. While very different from FOL, Left Drowning is a work of art.
Blythe is still reeling from the fire that left her parents dead. She and her brother aren’t really getting along, so she feels very alone in the world. She only wants to finish college so she can move away and start over someplace new. Then the Shepherds basically ingratiate themselves in her life and she finds herself drawn to the oldest brother, Chris. Of course, the Shepherds may not be the perfect family they seem to be; they have secrets of their own.
The characters… oh the characters. If there was ever a group of people more flawed than this one, I’ve yet to see it.
Blythe carried immense guilt for her parents’ death, and the injuries her brother still suffered from. She was afraid to let anyone near her and was just fine spending all of her non-class time holed up in her dorm room. She was the definition of antisocial.
The Shepherds all suffered from their own demons, though we didn’t find out the (awful) details until later. Chris, the level-headed older brother, was the one who finally got through Blythe’s tough exterior and helped her on the road to healing. Once she was on her way, she was able to see the Shepherd family for what they really were – broken. Sabin (who stole every scene he was in), Estelle and Eric all dealt with their issues in various (unhealthy) ways.
Okay, now I need to talk about the sex. I’m all for sexy times in a story. I love the build-up, especially the slow burn kind (and this was all about the slow burn. The scene in the hallway gave me tingles, because I knew what was about to happen), I love the teasing and tension and the seduction. But there is such a thing as too much. Once Blythe and Chris finally did the deed, they did it a lot. And we read all about it. They went at it in several different places and positions, and we got the naughty details of every single bit of it.
I’m of the opinion that once you’ve done one or two thorough sex scenes, it’s okay to say something like “We did it again, except this time…” Instead of describing the entire act over and over again. I didn’t dislike the amount or kind of sex the characters were having, but the amount I had to read about. Maybe if the scenes had been more spread out over a period of time, it wouldn’t have bothered me quite as much. By the way, the sex scenes were fantastic. Steamy, gritty and real.
I loved the relationship between Chris and Blythe, how there was no instalove. It was slow and steady and they really got to know each other and care for each other, it wasn’t just about the sex. I loved the closeness between the Shepherds; the way they looked out for and took care of each other was awesome. The interaction between the characters was really one of the best parts of the book for me. Sabin and Blythe, Blythe and Estelle, Eric and Zach, Sabin and Chris, Blythe and Zach; they all melded together to form a large family unit. Their dialogue and behaviors were honest, believable and at times heartbreaking. I cried more than once.
There were a lot of “issues” in the novel and it was not a light story in the least. It was sad and dark and not easy to read at times. There was talk of religion (or lack thereof), drug and alcohol abuse, physical abuse, lies, guilt, fault, family relationships, friendships, self-destruction and more. Believe me when I say this book was full of issues. But it wasn’t all doom and gloom, there was also forgiveness, love and hope.
The sum up: Jessica Park creates real characters that you can relate to. They are flawed and wonderful and I want to hug them all. This book is deep, dark and amazing. Do yourself a favor and read it.
Blythe is still reeling from the fire that left her parents dead. She and her brother aren’t really getting along, so she feels very alone in the world. She only wants to finish college so she can move away and start over someplace new. Then the Shepherds basically ingratiate themselves in her life and she finds herself drawn to the oldest brother, Chris. Of course, the Shepherds may not be the perfect family they seem to be; they have secrets of their own.
The characters… oh the characters. If there was ever a group of people more flawed than this one, I’ve yet to see it.
Blythe carried immense guilt for her parents’ death, and the injuries her brother still suffered from. She was afraid to let anyone near her and was just fine spending all of her non-class time holed up in her dorm room. She was the definition of antisocial.
The Shepherds all suffered from their own demons, though we didn’t find out the (awful) details until later. Chris, the level-headed older brother, was the one who finally got through Blythe’s tough exterior and helped her on the road to healing. Once she was on her way, she was able to see the Shepherd family for what they really were – broken. Sabin (who stole every scene he was in), Estelle and Eric all dealt with their issues in various (unhealthy) ways.
Okay, now I need to talk about the sex. I’m all for sexy times in a story. I love the build-up, especially the slow burn kind (and this was all about the slow burn. The scene in the hallway gave me tingles, because I knew what was about to happen), I love the teasing and tension and the seduction. But there is such a thing as too much. Once Blythe and Chris finally did the deed, they did it a lot. And we read all about it. They went at it in several different places and positions, and we got the naughty details of every single bit of it.
I’m of the opinion that once you’ve done one or two thorough sex scenes, it’s okay to say something like “We did it again, except this time…” Instead of describing the entire act over and over again. I didn’t dislike the amount or kind of sex the characters were having, but the amount I had to read about. Maybe if the scenes had been more spread out over a period of time, it wouldn’t have bothered me quite as much. By the way, the sex scenes were fantastic. Steamy, gritty and real.
I loved the relationship between Chris and Blythe, how there was no instalove. It was slow and steady and they really got to know each other and care for each other, it wasn’t just about the sex. I loved the closeness between the Shepherds; the way they looked out for and took care of each other was awesome. The interaction between the characters was really one of the best parts of the book for me. Sabin and Blythe, Blythe and Estelle, Eric and Zach, Sabin and Chris, Blythe and Zach; they all melded together to form a large family unit. Their dialogue and behaviors were honest, believable and at times heartbreaking. I cried more than once.
There were a lot of “issues” in the novel and it was not a light story in the least. It was sad and dark and not easy to read at times. There was talk of religion (or lack thereof), drug and alcohol abuse, physical abuse, lies, guilt, fault, family relationships, friendships, self-destruction and more. Believe me when I say this book was full of issues. But it wasn’t all doom and gloom, there was also forgiveness, love and hope.
The sum up: Jessica Park creates real characters that you can relate to. They are flawed and wonderful and I want to hug them all. This book is deep, dark and amazing. Do yourself a favor and read it.