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A review by lindaunconventionalbookworms
Dirty English by Ilsa Madden-Mills
4.0
This review was originally posted on (un)Conventional Bookviews
Dirty English is dark and gritty, beautiful and hopeful, and has some very interesting and complex characters. I have to admit I cried, because Elizabeth had truly been through hell, but then, so had Declan - even if that was a different kind of hell.
From the beginning of Dirty English, I knew I was going to enjoy this story! The prologue made me cry - Elizabeth's hell was very personal, and also something that was shared against her will with several people. However, once the first chapter opened, and she was in college, moving in to her new apartment, next to a guy who had old classics in a box by his door, I just knew it was my kind of story. And Declan... yeah, talk about hot guy! A fighter, an English major, smart, good-looking, tender-hearted and strong-bodied. What's not to like, right?
Dirty English is written in dual point of view, with some chapters from Elizabeth's perspective, others from Declan's, and I really got to know both of them very well. Strong personalities, which they needed, and also loyal and loving - when they opened up, which didn't happen often at all.
The character development for both of the main characters was great, because they both had a lot of crap in their past that they had to let go of, but that can be so very scary. However, especially Elizabeth realized that as long as she let the past dictate her present and her future, she wouldn't really have a life at all, she'd only have an existence, and she knew she both needed and deserved more than that.
The only negative note I have about Dirty English is that there are sex-scenes without condoms... and that's just a big no-no in my opinion! Using a condom is not something you just forget! That's like forgetting to go to the bathroom when you need to pee. And nobody should trust someone they're just starting to get to know when it comes to their health and past sex-life. The story is very emotional, but the characters were so realistic, and the main storyline really spoke to me, and I loved how Elizabeth and Declan dealt with the things they needed to deal with. And I loved how Declan's British accent came out in his dialogues ;)
As far as I knew, Nadia was still with her new guy, some fancy tennis player form Brazil. Donatello or Michelangelo or something. Ninja Turtle? Yeah.
Elizabeth Bennett was the most awkward person to ever come to a frat party. Not only had she came through the door like she was going to an execution, but she'd asked me to shag her in the most unsophisticated manner I'd ever seen in my days at Whitman.
She debated for a few seconds, a small smile curving her mouth. Full and plump, those lips on mine had been my fantasy way too many nights. "Okay, but only if you let me take you down a few times. Like flip you over my shoulder, toss you to the ground kind of take down. Maybe sit on you."
I exhaled, picturing that little scenario, and I couldn't stop the little grin on my face. "You can sit on me whenever you want."
Dirty English is dark and gritty, beautiful and hopeful, and has some very interesting and complex characters. I have to admit I cried, because Elizabeth had truly been through hell, but then, so had Declan - even if that was a different kind of hell.
From the beginning of Dirty English, I knew I was going to enjoy this story! The prologue made me cry - Elizabeth's hell was very personal, and also something that was shared against her will with several people. However, once the first chapter opened, and she was in college, moving in to her new apartment, next to a guy who had old classics in a box by his door, I just knew it was my kind of story. And Declan... yeah, talk about hot guy! A fighter, an English major, smart, good-looking, tender-hearted and strong-bodied. What's not to like, right?
Dirty English is written in dual point of view, with some chapters from Elizabeth's perspective, others from Declan's, and I really got to know both of them very well. Strong personalities, which they needed, and also loyal and loving - when they opened up, which didn't happen often at all.
The character development for both of the main characters was great, because they both had a lot of crap in their past that they had to let go of, but that can be so very scary. However, especially Elizabeth realized that as long as she let the past dictate her present and her future, she wouldn't really have a life at all, she'd only have an existence, and she knew she both needed and deserved more than that.
The only negative note I have about Dirty English is that there are sex-scenes without condoms... and that's just a big no-no in my opinion! Using a condom is not something you just forget! That's like forgetting to go to the bathroom when you need to pee. And nobody should trust someone they're just starting to get to know when it comes to their health and past sex-life. The story is very emotional, but the characters were so realistic, and the main storyline really spoke to me, and I loved how Elizabeth and Declan dealt with the things they needed to deal with. And I loved how Declan's British accent came out in his dialogues ;)
As far as I knew, Nadia was still with her new guy, some fancy tennis player form Brazil. Donatello or Michelangelo or something. Ninja Turtle? Yeah.
Elizabeth Bennett was the most awkward person to ever come to a frat party. Not only had she came through the door like she was going to an execution, but she'd asked me to shag her in the most unsophisticated manner I'd ever seen in my days at Whitman.
She debated for a few seconds, a small smile curving her mouth. Full and plump, those lips on mine had been my fantasy way too many nights. "Okay, but only if you let me take you down a few times. Like flip you over my shoulder, toss you to the ground kind of take down. Maybe sit on you."
I exhaled, picturing that little scenario, and I couldn't stop the little grin on my face. "You can sit on me whenever you want."