Review: Wow!!
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 04 3, 2013
This was my first experience reading any of Liz Crowe's books, even though I have several on my Kindle. After reading Mutual Release, I seriously wondered why I hadn't yet read the ones I bought. This was an amazing story, and Liz has an incredibly beautiful and descriptive writing style.This story starts out with high school senior Evan Adams whose family life is anything but pretty. His father isn't around much and his mother seems to care about everything more than her children, especially his twin sister Olivia. On top of that, his family has agreed to take in Damien, someone who, it seems, has stepped directly out of hell and into their family life. I despised Damien immediately.  I was feeling Evan's frustrations, his anger, and his concern for his sister Olivia. We follow Evan's story until his mid-twenties. He experiments with BDSM, and we see his darker side through this discovery and transformation of himself.Then, we meet Julie....to be honest, when I got to that section of the book and realized that I was starting over with Julie's life as a high school senior as well, I was frustrated. It's like starting a new book again, when I was already so invested in Evan's life. But once I started reading about Julie, it was apparent that we needed to see Julie's life from that point forward to understand who she has become and why. Her life is equally as bad as Evan's. Her mother is more interested in marrying a rich man than caring for Julie. My heart broke for her at some of the horrific events that occurred after her mother remarried Bart, a scum of the earth kind of man who is way too interested in Julie.  After reading this and seeing Julie as a twenty-something business woman who is cold and heartless, it makes you better understand why.Then Julie and Evan meet and the sparks fly! Both are damaged, independent, stubborn, and huge control freaks, so there are all sorts of problems from the start."But just to clear the air, I want you to know I am not married. I have no girlfriend nor am I in any way attached to anyone, unless you consider the ten or so people who count on me for paychecks every month as dependents. So you can stop cursing me under your breath, like you are right now, for being a cheating, typical man-whore."Evan is persistent, Julie is a continual bitch to him, and at times I wanted to strangle her for her behavior toward Evan."What makes you think I'll drop everything and spend half a day having overpriced coffee in an annoying hippie college town with a cold, boring brewery tour after? "I loved Evan's personality, his calmness towards Julie's snarky attitude made me laugh."I mean, really, Julie, we are having a picnic just friends sharing some great beer and snacks, and you're sitting there like there's a flagpole up your ass. Relax, Boss Lady, for real."The rest of the book is a roller coaster of emotional ups and downs for Evan and Julie. Every challenge has you wondering how these two people will end up. Just when they are able to resolve one big problem, something else crops up.  Damien continues to make Evan's life a living hell, and Evan has trouble getting over the guilt and regret he harbors over Olivia.  Damien's reappearance only messes with Evan's feelings even more.The characters were so alive on these pages, and I laughed, I cried, and held my breath at times.  This is an emotionally charged, well developed story that had me never wanting to put it down!  Mutual Release is a definite must-read!!!!Disclaimer:  While Stephanie is now working with Tri-Destiny Publishing, she was hired after Mutual Release was given to LLL to review and before she was hired by Tri-Destiny.  However, the review was posted after her hire date.