Review: A great novel about a girl and a boy letting go and living on
Rating: 4 out of 5
Date: 05 11, 2014
Favorite quotes“My smile grew wider. So the perfect boyfriend became even more perfect. He was sketching me.”“Which was selfish and stupid, so I shoved that thought aside and focused on her, what she needed, not me, what I needed. That’s what you do when you love someone. You put them first, even when your insides were boiling like lava.”“Phoenix slouched, the new shoes propped next to his feel, a Rolling Stones T-shirt lying on his chest.  He puckered his lips at me, asking for a kiss. He was so damn cute, how could I resist that?”Why I Picked it UpI loved the previous two companion novels in this series, True and Sweet. I couldn’t resist requesting it when I saw Robin’s story on Netgalley.PlotThis novel was relatively great. Although there wasn’t an action-y plot going on, due to the novel being contemporary, it wasn’t boring in the least. This novel brought together very different people and somehow managed to make them work.Leading Lady“‘I don’t mind you being there. In fact, I would like that very much. In fact, I like you very much.’ It was official. I was falling in love with him. He was just so…intense, in a good way. And after the night before and that morning, it felt so natural to have him touch me. So tingly. So perfect. There was a familiarity, an intimacy with him that I had never experienced with any other guy.”Our leading lady was Robin, who is suffering from the guilt of sleeping with her friend’s boyfriend. Because of this, she’s withdrawn from her friends and has turned away from alcohol, the main reason that she slept with the guy. Robin was a very complex character. She was hurt and feeling very guilty about what she did, and I loved that. It was sad and touch to read, but at least she regretted what she did. It humanized her, and it allowed her to come to terms with it and the grow and forgive herself.Leading Male“He reminded me of the Beast in the Disney version of Beauty and the Beast. Rough around the edges, a little bit grumpy, but well meaning. Sweet.”Phoenix was the main male in the novel. He was Tyler’s cousin (weird how they’re all related, right? I wonder what relation the guy in the next novel will have to the Mann brothers). Anyways, Phoenix had just gotten out of prison when he met Robin. At first, I was a bit apprehensive about his character because he was a bit sketchy, and I mean, he had just gotten out of jail! But soon, we saw the real Phoenix, who was kind and sweet and totally didn’t deserve the things that he went through. He really was a great character.Other CharactersIn this novel we see some of Tyler, Rory, Jessica, and Riley. They were just as cute as always, even though there was some awkwardness between Robin and the girls because Robin slept with the fourth friend’s boyfriend.Romance“Because when it’s real, you feel it in every inch of you, every cell, every vein, every nook and cranny. It moves, it rises with each breath, it’s alive, and the world around you becomes sharper, crisper, in focus. There is no question, only the answer.”I loved Robin and Phoenix together. They were so different. Phoenix was broody and defensive and tough and Robin was bubbly and exciting, when she wasn’t held down by guilt. Yet they worked so well together. Although they had they had their tough moments, specifically regarding Robin’s love of alcohol, they still brought out the best in each other.OtherFor some reason, I didn’t like this novel as much as the previous ones. It wasn’t bad, by any means, it was actually very well written and quite entertaining. But for some reason, I just couldn’t get as into it as I did with the previous novels.ConclusionAlthough not as engaging as the previous two, Believe was still a great novel about a girl and a boy letting go and living on.