Review: Hotter, bigger and better than the first book.
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 01 11, 2014
It’s not often that secondary characters capture my interest, probably more so than the main characters. But that happened with Wes and Rubi who had a few appearances in the first book, Reckless. I loved Rubi’s sass and spunk. She just seemed like an utterly fearless and carefree spirit, and a fiercely loyal friend. The two occasions where she and Wes flirted shamelessly with one another with sassy looks full of heat and witty banter, I knew I would have to fight my impatience to wait patiently for their story.Once Rubi’s background began to unfold, I began to love her a little more. She was the product of a brief affair. Although her father was still alive and in her life, sort of, every interaction with the man who helped create her just made me want to push his plush office chair to the huge window and shove him through it. Rubi made no secret of the cold relationship they had, but I gathered that she still harbored some longing for recognition. A sign, other than indifference, that she existed. That messed up childhood was the sole reason for Rubi’s fear of attachment. Despite her putting herself down for the majority of the story, she was a very upbeat kind of person. I loved that about her, that she could still make everyone else around her happy while she buried her own pain. Another thing that made her a great character was that she was a nerd. A damn fine looking nerd. Her looks were always played up and front and center, but this girl had brains and mad skills. I find that irresistible when a heroine can be both beautiful inside and out and be intelligent.Wes was a wonderful counterpart for Rubi. Not only did he have a family who loved him, but Wes was playful, cheeky, he was confident but not overly so, and he was persistent. His patience and tenacity served him well in his pursuit of the woman he loved. Even though he was a stuntman, Wes had a bit of a nerdy side to him as well thanks to a degree in engineering. Could those two be more perfect for one another?Their path to happiness was not an easy one by any means. Rubi had spent most of her life having one-night stands and she never slept with the same man twice. No strings, no attachments, no mess. But where Wes was concerned, I understood her reluctance to go there for fear of losing her best friend, not to mention the consequences a failed relationship could have on their dynamic along with the rest of the Renegades. Since they were practically her only family, I believed her reasons for not wanting to mess that up. I really enjoyed the fact that they were thrown together not just because they had trouble not panting around one another, but rather they were working on a special rig for Wes’ brother. Once again, it was that nerdy side of them that appeared to be one of the pillars of their attraction, not just lust. I found their attraction and chemistry very believable, and farm boy Wes sure knew his way around a can of whipped cream and chocolate ice cream. The sex scenes were very hot. My favorite was the trailer scene. Oh yes.I could list so many other points of this story that captured my attention and were proof of some great character development and story-telling, but then this review would never end. If I’m honest, I really preferred this book over the first one. This just read like a much longer book, and it was just more satisfying. The story had an easy flow and a nice steady pace that kept me turning the pages. The dialogue was sassy and funny where it was required, but it also had some great, serious conversations, especially for 25/30 year olds. The drama portion of the story was somewhat predictable, but it was saved by Rubi’s ability to self-analyze and fight her fears. Yes, her issues drove me a little crazy towards the end, but for every step away from Wes there were more steps pulling her towards him. Rebel just missed the mark of a solid five stars because the very end with Rubi’s declaration of love felt a little rushed and abrupt. For me personally, I would have preferred if she hadn’t said it out of a twinge of jealousy. Despite that, I highly recommend this book. Whether you’re new to the series or if you didn’t like the first book that much. Wes and Rubi’s story was so worth the read and the re-read.Final rating: 4.5 rounded up to 5Disclaimer: I received an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley for the purpose of an honest review. The views and opinions expressed in this review are my own, and in no way represent the views or opinions of the publisher/distributor.