Review: A Lovely Read With Great Besties and A Hunky Hero!
Rating: 4 out of 5
Date: 02 7, 2014
*Written for Craves the Angst Book Reviews*4 Smiling, Pretty Stars!The Review:Though I liked book one, Layers, I felt it lacked a certain emotional aspect that kept me from rating it over 3.5 stars. I have to say that though there were some things in Inner Core I still wanted to put in my wish list, it was a definitely a big step up with great writing and a great, romantic story.Story...When we left off in Layers, Hayley and Daniel had a falling out and though they were on the road to reconciliation, they still had much to think about and much to work through.Daniel comes to Hayleys rescue with information about her lost brother who they were awaiting news from when we left them in book one. He and Hayley reconnect but its far from smooth sailing and with Hayley building walls and hiding behind her fears and Daniels having an explosive secret that might just tear them apart for good, they have to find the love they feel for each other that seems to keep getting buried under all the drama.Characters...In the first book, I kept looking for more from Daniel. I love a complicated, angsty hero but if you're looking for a complex alpha male with a deep darkness, this won't be the read for you. I went into book one thinking that's what I was in store for and I think that's where my disappointment came from. But in this book, Daniel steps up and even though he did something hurtful, he truly cared for Hayley and showed her on multiple occasions how deep his feelings went. His past is a bit traumatic but he's trying to work through those events that created him to be the kind of man who can have a healthy relationship. I found him to be more layered and real in this book which made me one happy reader!As for Hayley... well, I really liked her character in book one, but this go around I wanted to throttle her. Her indecisiveness caused a lot of pain and heartache where I didn't think there needed to be any. She wasn't my favorite character this go around and I really disliked her "all about me" attitude with Daniel. He was hurting too and though she acknowledged it internally, her actions spoke volumes about how mistrustful she was. It was disappointing seeing as how in book one she was this strong presence. I wish Hayley had retained her spunky, devil may care attitude but she seemed to subcome to the drama and wallow a bit. And the worse part was, it was of her own making. But I can also say her resistance added a strong amount of drama and it worked overall.But for me, though the romance was nice, the friendship between Hayley, Ian and Tasha is what raised this book above the bar. I loved their dialogue, their interactions and their creative and snarky banter. These three were hilarious and united. Loved them!I loved the ending and the events that unfolded during the climax. It was well written and emotionally charged. And lastly, the best part of this book was the fantastic Epilogue that wraps everything up so nicely with a lot of flair and fun.And Of Course, My Wish List...There were a few moments when the book seemed to drag. Not much was happening and just like with book one, I kept expecting something, anything to happen during those moments. There seemed to be a buildup and a bit of suspense in the works but then nothing dramatic would actually happen. I don't know if the pacing was off or the story lost direction, but the middle lagged for me.And during the climax of the book, I sooooo wanted a Daniel POV! Maybe if we beg hard enough, the author will give us a novella??? *bats lashes and wields my most sincere puppy dog eyes*The Wrap Up:Even with my "wish list" and Hayley's character turn, I still really enjoyed this great read. What these two books are, is a sweet, sometimes angsty, but always smile-worthy romance that will keep you entertained. I'm looking forward to seeing what this author comes up with in the future.Note: Inner Core is book two in the Stark series and is an Adult, Contemporary Romance written by Sigal Ehrlich. A gifted copy was provided by author in exchange for an honest review through Xpresso Book Tours.