Review: Megan's 4.5 Star Review
Rating: 4 out of 5
Date: 04 29, 2014
****The author warns us on two things before the story starts- beware of the cliffy- I’m here to say it will but you in the butt… And the Kentucky slang. I’ll be honest, I’m a southern gal and we say y’all like breathing so I didn’t find K-slang all that difficult. I barely noticed it.****I hated that I read this book alone. I was so desperate to talk to someone, just so they’d understand the torment and angst I was feeling.  I was so enthralled and glued to every page, every word. I’ll be honest by the title I didn’t think coal mining and once I read the authors note I was a tad bit worried I wouldn’t like the mining part but Silla did really well keeping my attention even while all the mine and business talk was going on. There is so much to this first book in the Buried Secrets Series.  My word my head is spinning.  I had to talk myself into stopping at midnight.  I didn’t want to.  I even woke at 4am bc I couldn’t sleep and read until I had to get ready for work.  THAT is how IN I was to this awesome freaking book.This book is packed with everything that you need (at the moment) to really connect with the story.  SECRETS- This series is titled to perfection.  Secrets that tie bonds and secrets that tear at your heart.  Everywhere you look someone had a secret.  Uncover one to find another.  Holy s*** when those demons come out the closet starting you in the face that’s when the s*** gets real and I expect the s*** to hit the fan!So what’s it about??Raised by her father after her mom moved on to bigger and better things- Life in the sun.  Carly Jo was a daddy’s girl.  Until she did something that she couldn’t undo and he belittled her and she decided it’d be best to up and leave her daddy and her one day old ex boyfriend Colton.After living away for seven years, her own private hell.“I got up, made life my b****, and fought back.”Carly has to come back home to her dying father.  With picking up where she left with her sister and her two kids with a douche bag of a hubby. She comes back to her past. To face it.  To move on- maybe. She learns much more than she ever bargained for about her precious family.  Those words that her father spoke to her haunted her and now those words are coming true but in a different form. She uncovers so many skeletons in her daddy’s big closet as she becomes the new CEO of his mining company.  She has huge shoes to fill for a woman and damn she is doing a great job.  She is a spit fire behind that desk.Coming back to Kentucky Carly is also reunited with her one and only love Colton.“Carly Jo, relax. D*** I just wanna talk to ya. Now chill your sweet ass out. We have some catchin’ up to do.”They each have their own secrets and when Colton explains his past 7 years, exposing his secret to have it hit her in the face.  LITERALLY. Carly’s face to face with one of Colton’s secrets and it renders her SPEECHLESS. He has truly betrayed her. This is where I need to talk. I felt for Carly immensely. Knowing her past, then THIS happens, I was proud she didn’t go bananas after learning about Colton’s’ past.“Lookin at me, she still looks lost, and I can’t help but feel remorseful for springin; all this on her so quickly. But, if there is any hope for Carly Jo and me, I can’t wait another damn second. I want her now. I want her heart, her soul, her body. Carly Jo was made for me, she is mine. I just have to right my wrongs.”Once Carly shares with Colton why she left all those years ago his reaction had me baffled. He finally gets why she left but after her secret is dropped and the rage ensues- boots on and walking out the door- um WHAT COLTON?? Colton believes it’s just too much to handle but heavens he ain’t got a CLUE!I was expecting much much more out of this scene. Sure I was on board with Carly’s reaction to his secret but his reaction to HERS I expected knees hitting the floor in shock.“You deserve a fair chance at our love. And I promise you, I will not give up on us. I will push and push until you let me in. You know I’m a stubborn bastard, so you might as well give up the fight.”Colton has one priority- win Carly again. He swoops in, not giving her a chance to say no.  Dinner, dates, conversation! He has a no quite attitude.  Along with wanting to have her back he is also the foreman for the mining company she know runs.  Offices side by side, he doesn’t stop even at the office! I love him for it but I also see her side. It’s a bit much for her, she’s under so much pressure, personally and at the office. A friend, a friend is what she needs and what she finds.  Someone who isn’t so pushy who is just there.  Luke.So let’s talk Luke!!  I love Colton, I am Team Colton. I love his alpha ways, I love how he talks to her.  I just really am all Colton.  But…B U T!!  Luke just has this nice guy, I am easy going, cool as a cucumber type of guy.  Plus he’s tatted and drives a motorcycle.  WIN WIN!! Ahhh.. but he has secrets too.  For most of the book, his storyline is only hinted around, not giving much.  But don’t worry, we learn enough to know what type of guy Luke is.“So you were lookin’ for my bike, huh?”“Honey, don’t you wish.”“Hell yeah I do.”“Awfully cocky now ain’t ya?”“Not cocky beauts, just confident.”Carly and Luke knew of each other from high school, he was different back then.  Wasn’t as hot! Carly and Luke hit up a friendship and really that is all I feel from them.  Every now and then he’ll surprise Carly with a bit of finesse to his flirting but it isn’t over the top. Colton interrupts one of their diner conversations and he is pissed!!“‘I saw some d*** with his hands on my woman. I saw a smile on my woman’s face that only I should put there.”Now the ending…don’t worry as you already no I’ve given no spoilers but I will say that I don’t agree with Carly’s immediate response to the events that happen towards the end.  Needing to have someone who will just listen and not grab hold she turns to that person.“You’re pushin’ away the one man that you know loves you whole-heartedly. Don’t take tomorrow for granted, Carly. I know from experience that tomorrow may never come.”My rating? 4.5… I’m only knocking off a half star b/c of a few small things. The biggest reason  were some of the POVs I thought would be better told in the opposite character.  There was one particular that I think would have been much more significant if it was in Colton’s pov.  I also didn’t care for a few of the overlapping povs about the same issue.  Although one characters pov was the actual conversation but then the switch pov retold it but in his/her head. And one minor thing, if it was done once I probably wouldn’t have mentioned it but it happened twice and the second was in a decent amount of detail.  Author pimping during the story.  Carly was reading her kindle and first go round mention the book name and author-ok I got over it. Then towards the end there it was again but a different author & book name and series details. My question is what did that add to the CiC storyline? Sure she likes to kick back and read but in my opinion it wasn’t needed.Even though it is a cliffy and they aren’t normally my favorite, this book has it all.  It’s gripping and suspenseful and loving and has some tip top characters. I certainly am on pins and needles waiting for book 2!!*received a complimentary copy from the author/publisher in exchange for an honest review*