Review: New Adult Romance with a Bad Boy Professional Snowboarder
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 02 4, 2014
Rating: 4.5 starsAdrenaline junkie with a ton of guilt on his shoulders. A girl who fled her past and built a wall around her heart. I pretty much fell for Z the moment Ophelia (don’t you just love that name) dumped coffee on him. His reaction set the tone for his personality and attitude. I absolutely LOVE him and I think you will too if you like a reckless bad boy!First off, although this is a romance, the author did such a great job making me completely involved in Z’s snowboarding. Z has a natural gift, he is pretty much the best snowboarder in the country and he doesn’t even try to be. He has the talent, the looks and the cocky attitude to back it up. But deep down, he has so much guilt from his childhood, something that he never lets himself forget and something that eats at him making him believe he does not deserve to be loved. He spends his days snowboarding, hanging with his three best friends, drinking and sleeping around with more than willing girls. Until he meets Ophelia.What I liked about Z’s character was that he had depth. He wasn’t just a tortured hero who overcame his demons. Yes, that was one of his layers but there was more to him. He had his vulnerable side, but he really was a cocky SOB. He seemed like he could care less about anyone or anything, yet he was fiercely loyal to his friends. He knew that he had something special with Ophelia but he felt he never deserved her. He wasn’t perfect; he had his fair share of flaws. But he was real and complicated.Ophelia completely took me by surprise. She was the opposite of what I expected and it made me like her even more, strike that, it made me love her. She saw Z for what he was from the very beginning. The last thing she wanted was to fall for someone who thought he was God’s gift and who acted like it. She’d been there and done that and ended up in a hospital with a broken heart. Instead of turning to putty when she finally meets Z, she throws a drink on him. She’s sassy yet stubborn, proud yet vulnerable. I was a fan of hers the entire book.Not only did these characters take me by surprise, but the storyline did as well. The author did not use the stereotypical plot points. Just when I thought she would take it down that route, she did the opposite. It kept me on my toes and made me that much more invested in the story. I feel like it can be challenging to find a book that is different than other New Adult romances. I don’t need it to completely reinvent the wheel, but at the same time I want a book that stands out as something different. This book has all the New Adult plot points but handled differently. For example, Ophelia’s reaction to Z, another girl who has feelings for Z, Ophelia’s ex-boyfriend and past, Z’s reckless behavior and the list goes on. Maybe they are similar, but they are presented differently.The crux of the conflict Ophelia and Z face is that he is an adrenaline junkie and she knows that dating someone like that could break her. He is what she tells herself she should stay away from in an effort to maintain self-preservation. But the chemistry and attraction they have is undeniable.This is a stand alone novel, but the first book of a new series. The second book will be about Ash, one of Z’s best friends. If you love New Adult books and you love athletes, then this is the book for you. I’m a sucker for both those things and it’s no surprise that I loved it!