My rating: 4 of 5 stars
A fresh start...
It’s been three years since Serena King learned to say no—no to the boys that were a desperate cry for help, no to the extra weight she put on in self defense, and most of all no to the abuse that has haunted her since she was fifteen. Now a sophomore in college, all she wants is to be normal. The last thing she expects is a guy who can make her want... make her want everything.
A new guy...
Alex Blackthorn is a bundle of contradictions, a sexy dark haired badness who goes slow... deliciously slow. And despite the iron will that has gotten her through the last few years, Serena finds herself unable to ignore the heat that sizzles between them whenever they’re together.
A dark past...
Serena never thought she could be involved in a relationship, but Alex makes her long for things she thought were out of her reach forever. When he finds out her secret... when he finds out what she did to keep herself sane... will he still want her, or he will treat her just like everyone else?
And Alex has a secret of his own.
Recommended for mature readers aged 17+ due to language and sexual content.
EXCERPT:
taken from goodreads -
He wasn’t supposed to notice me.
But as the two of us hovered awkwardly in the hallway, outside of the closed door to our American Lit class, he looked me right in the eye. His left hand rumpled the raven dark spikes of hair on his head as he grinned at me sheepishly.
He caught me at a rare moment in which I was off guard and slowly, tentatively, I smiled back.
“Tardiness will not be tolerated.” His mimicry of the professor, and the words the man with elbow patches on his sweater had spoken the first day of class, startled a laugh from me. He seemed to like that, and as he shifted weight from one foot to the other I studied him, daring to look more closely than I ever had before.
I’d noticed him. How could I not have? But I’d always forced myself to look away. Boys like him weren’t for girls like me.
He was tall, nearly a full foot taller than me. Eyes the color of the sky at night peered out from beneath a long, thick fringe of black eyelashes, lashes that any girl would kill for and that he, being a boy, likely didn’t appreciate.
His face was a study in sharp angles and planes, his lips full and soft in contrast. Black ink, indelibly etched into his skin, peeked out the neck of his black T-shirt, and I could see it on his biceps, too, when he moved.
The tattoos were at odds with the clean cut image he otherwise emanated. He was too damn good looking, the kind of guy that, in high school, had been happy to spend time with me in dark closets, under the bleachers, or in the backseat of a car, but who would scorn me in public, ashamed to associate with that girl.
Except he didn’t seem ashamed, even though I was dressed in my usual uniform of faded blue jeans, a plaid flannel shirt open over a tank top. My long blonde hair was in a tight braid, with pieces left down deliberately, so I could hide behind them if I needed to.
I frequently did. I would shake the ribbons of flaxen hair over my eyes, eyes that were blue but were so pale in comparison to his that they scarcely seemed the same color.
Those eyes widened when he grinned casually, hiking his backpack up further on his back.
“Well, no way he’ll let us in now.” This professor liked to verbally humiliate anyone who tried to sneak in once the door had been closed, and he had a sharp, acerbic tongue that I was in no rush to receive a lashing with.
“Right.” I tried to smile, tried to act like a normal girl, but found myself shaking those long strands of hair over my face instead. I dropped my gaze away from the boy in front of me, all the way down to the tips of my black sneakers.
It felt... almost... like he was flirting with me.
I knew better
Jen's Review
This was a cute story - I enjoyed the passion developing between Serena and Alex. The two of them had abusive pasts. Although the abuse was different, it still scared them inside the same.
Serena went to college to get away, start over, to bring her a new life. She tried hard to shut out her past. She didn't tell anyone. After all, if her own mother didn't believe her, why would anyone else?
Alex - wish they had his POV in this book - i'd love to hear his story - but what happened to him was tragic. No one person should have had to suffer through that in their life.
American Lit brought these two together. Being late to their class, knowing the teacher wouldn't let them in the classroom once the doors closed, they decided to go to Coffee to study for the class they're missing.
After they parted ways, Serena realized she didn't even get his name.
For a week she couldn't get him out of her mind.
When her BFF Kalcee asked Serena to go to a party that Friday night, Serena declined, as usual. Kaylee knew there was something about Serena, but didn't know what it was. She knew when to back off.
But Serena was feeling guilty. After all, she's in college to start over, live her life.
She changed her mind and went to the party with her friend.
At the party, Kaylee ran off with her on again/off again boyfriend, leaving Serena alone.
When she heard his voice, she know immediately who it was.
They talked, they danced. and Serena couldn't understand why she felt so comfortable in his arms, when she couldn't stand having anyone else touch her.
Alex knew there was something about Serena, and he know that it was bad. He tried to open up to her, telling her little bits of his past, showing her she could trust him. but she still wouldn't open up completely.
It wasn't that Serena didn't WANT to open up to Alex, she just couldn't. She couldn't dredge up that part of her life without bringing everything back. She wanted to bury it and keep it hidden.
Like I said, cute story. It was serious, and deep, and sad. But the story itself, the reality of it, the sweetness of how Alex was able to get Serena to overcome her past...
just cute :D
They hinted about Kaylee in this story having a troubled past as well - Looks like her story will be coming out this summer. I'll read it :) I'm curious about her now :)
*I received a complimentary copy in exchange for an honest
review*
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