Review: LOVE LOVE LOVED IT!!!!!
Rating: 4 out of 5
Date: 05 12, 2014
Cuba Hudson is famously nicknamed Hollywood by his class mates at Briarcrest Academy. His friends all think that his life is 'perfect' They have no clue. Cuba’s dream is to help people by becoming a doctor; he loves football and is well known for his position on the field. He’s all smiles and a big flirt at school yet it’s all a facade. The real Cuba lives with guilt, regret and pain and it runs deep.A Very Wicked Beginning:Cuba is out on the football field when he looks up and spots a girl in a window performing a ballet piece. It’s the day his life takes a turn in a direction he never expected it to take. Cuba finds himself falling for a girl he does not even know. He’s positive that she does not run in his circle of friends. Still, he’s sure that he has most likely seen her before yet never acknowledged her presence.Dovey Beckham is attending Briarcrest Academy on a scholarship. Unlike the other students Dovey does not have wealthy parents; she does not live in a big fancy house or have tons of money at her disposal. No, Dovey has fought and earned her place as a ballerina at Briarcrest. As a matter of fact Dovey has been fighting her whole life just to survive.As I hinted at before Cuba’s home life is far from perfect. It’s more like a slow deteriorating..crumbling to the ground on which it once stood brick wall.Cuba saw something in Dovey that day through the window of the ballet studio and he begins his quest to get her to agree to go out with him. She’s not really feeling it though and could care less about who he is. It takes some coaxing but Dovey finally gives in to him only to have her heart broken.Cuba turns angry and he is mean to Dovey, I did not really like him for a minute there. I felt for Dovey, I truly did. He was a complete douche and it hurts. Then Dovey spots him, catches the look on his face and realizes that there is more to it then she may have thought.Unfortunately that concern she felt towards him only lasts but a split second before she goes back to hating him with a passion all over again.But does she really hate Cuba? I think not, home girl is ANGRY.And Cuba? Well he seems to be in denial.Dovey represents love and hope, something Cuba lacks but in her he sees it clear as day and believes it to be attainable.My Sweet and SourMy Sweet- The Porsche, Dovey and Cuba in the front seat. No other words necessary!My Sour- The scenes when Cuba is not being nice to Dovey :(My ThoughtsI fell hard for these two. Both Dovey and Cuba are very realistic characters that make mistakes and react to situations in a way that only a 17 and/or an 18 year old would..Thinking you have no choices, no resources and no one to really count on. Yeah, that freaking sucks. I found it gripping how these two are seemingly opposites...were Cuba gave up and became numb to his feelings Dovey fought and refused to not feel anything. Instead she took what she felt and used it. Overall, the story was intense, at times sad, undoubtedly stirring and written very well.My Rating and Why4.5 STARS! I loved it! The story was emotional and filled with plenty of up’s and down’s. The writing is good. Ilsa Madden-Mills was not scared to take risks with her characters and I admire that in an author. It also makes a sub plot twist 10 times more interesting when an author takes such risks.*Book gifted to me by author for an honest review*