Review: Don't stop BELIEVING!!
Rating: 4 out of 5
Date: 02 8, 2014
** 4.5 Stars **Believe me when I tell you I was scared going into this one and getting to the bottom of Robin's story! (see what I did there?). She seemed so likable from the other books. I was mildly blown away by the depth of character I found in not only Robin but also in Phoenix.After reading Sweet, I knew something happened between Robin and her best friend's boyfriend Nathan. I was afraid I would find out she was not such a great person but she shocked me with her quiet guilt and personality. She's struggled with drinking for a while being a college party girl trying to find herself. Sometimes It takes something really hard for us to dig beneath our layers to find what's beneath. With Robin it took a drunken night hookup with Nathan to open her eyes. She wakes up in his bed naked with no memory of the night before. Distraught over what she did she closes herself off and stops drinking, partying and basically being around her friends. If she hadn't been so torn up over what happened she probably wouldn't have been so likable for me. I seem to bond more with characters who deal with internal emotional distress. I felt bad for her and hated seeing her so upset but loved just how much she grew from that experience. She learned a lot about herself when she hit rock bottom.The beauty she gained from the wreckage of her life was Phoenix. This guy was Robin's opposite in every possible way. Where she grew up in the burbs with wealthy, loving parents, Phoenix was raised in the ghetto with an addict for a mother. Phoenix was by far my favorite guy in the series. That's saying a lot because his cousin Riley is a very close second. Phoenix has had a really tough upbringing and he has some issues with anger but he had a gentle quiet spirit aside from the anger that was exactly what Robin needed. Despite the fact that Phoenix had just gotten out of prison I never doubted his intentions. McCarthy has a way of writing beautifully damaged males that grab you by the heartstrings. He knew Robin needed a friend and saw that she was upset so he just offered her his friendship. To be from such a busted life he was amazing to Robin. I loved them together and think they are my favorite couple.The story flips on it's side once the secret between Robin and Nathan comes out and sides are taken between all the friends. I loved being able to see all my favorite characters from the other books but hated how upset everyone was. This was a tough blow to a great friendship between Robin and Kylie. One of the main things that bothered me about this aspect in the story was how the resolution of the secret went down. Throughout the story I kept getting the feeling like maybe Robin had been drugged at the frat party that started it all. I mean this is a girl who practically drank daily and for her to black out that hard didn't add up for me. I kept expecting the shoe to drop that Nathan had slipped her something. Nathan was a bastard and I hated how easily it seemed like he got off because in all appearances he basically raped Robin in my opinion. I was a little aggravated that everyone seemed to just moved past it... well besides Phoenix. It was very rewarding to see him lose his shit and stand up for Robin.The TRUE Believers series is one of the strangest series of books I have read. The author seems to be heavily fixated on all the main characters hooking up with their friends exes or past lovers. I'm not sure why this bothers me like it did. I guess I just adhere to the 'Girl Code' of old. "THOU SHALT NOT BANG THY FRIENDS LEFTOVERS". To me it just feels like a six degrees of Kevin Bacon partner swap at times. In all seriousness though, even with my issues with this series I absolutely love these books. Robin and Phoenix became my favorite couple and their love story was heart warming for me. They grew together, loved together, fought together and lived...TOGETHER! It was nice watching them navigate the new territory of a relationship. I got a little more emotional in this one than I did with the others. The next book in the series should be interesting being about the offended friend Kylie. I'm anxious to see how the author brings her anguish full circle to something happy. I have high hopes that her and Robin can find a way to mend their friendship.One thing you can't say about these books is they lack character and passion. They're filled with angst and pain but they are also filled with laughter and love. The close family unit the characters seem to make warms you to the soul. True Believers is a series that draws you into the characters lives and invests you in their happiness. I definitely recommend you give them a try.** Reviewed by Hootie for Globug and Hootie Need a Book blog **