Review: This Series Has Embraced My Heart!
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 11 16, 2013
I have to start by saying that I am IN LOVE with the Evolve series by S.E. Hall. Like seriously in love with it. Emerge (Book One) was an amazing love story and I can’t even believe it, but I think Embrace may be even more amazing, if that’s possible. I could not put this book down. When Emerge ended, I was unsure of how much I would enjoy a story about Evan and was almost hesitant to read it. I did not care for him so much as a character, I was so thrilled that Laney and Dane were together and I just prayed that Evan was not going to ruin everything now that he was transferring to their school. I was angry at him for even doing that, for thinking he could possibly get Laney away from Dane and back in his arms.So here I was starting to read Embrace, prepared to read a somewhat predictable story about a boy trying to win back the love of his life who is now in love with someone else. Well I am happy to say I WAS WRONG (I do not say that happily, or at all very often)! This story is AWESOME. It turns out that I now love Evan! Maybe almost as much as I love Dane! Evan is just a big romantic at heart, and since I am one myself, I can completely understand his feelings, his actions and why he is the way he is. In fact, he is even better than I could imagine. He is so sweet, kind, thoughtful, respectful, funny and oh yeah, hot too. Yes, he is still hung up on Laney but even he realizes at some point that it’s time to get over himself and stop the pity party because she’s not coming back to him. Enter Whitley, an older (by two years) adorable blond-haired, blue-eyed girl who becomes Evan’s world. They start out as friends and let things develop from there and their story is just so beautiful and so sweet.S.E. Hall does an incredible job of keeping the reader entertained – the dialogue not only among the main characters but with all the supporting ones in the story as well is so fun to read. I laughed a lot throughout this book, like actually laughed out loud while reading. I loved getting inside Evan’s head and reading his thoughts and feelings, it really helped me get a much better understanding of who his character is and what he’s all about. And it’s not just Evan, but Laney and Dane as well; the author lets us into all their heads and their true personalities can really be seen in their own thoughts. Some of the funniest lines in the book occur when reading Laney’s thoughts. But what I really loved was that Laney and Dane actually had a story of their own going on in this book. Their POV’s were in there as well, as both of them faced their pasts in order to be able to truly move ahead to their future. This to me was a really significant occurrence in their relationship and I think for both of them, their situations while difficult were handled perfectly and just written seamlessly into the story. The flow from their POVs to Evan’s was so natural and everything just fit together perfectly.I really love how well this book (and the series) is written. S.E. Hall has true talent to make these characters come alive so well; I felt like I was actually in college with them. When they cried, I cried, when they laughed and partied, I found myself laughing with them. And the romance and hotness is awesome as well. What’s nice about this series is that there are intimate scenes that are hot without being erotica. The emotion is there, the feelings, the actions, so you are truly wrapped up in the moment and yet it feels right, it feels romantic, it makes you smile and just say wow, I wish I had met someone like that in college. And the friendships that develop in this story as the year goes on are just wonderful; the Crew is a group of friends who will always have each other’s backs and will do anything for each other. We watch as they mature (well most of them anyway) and grow together, some take their relationships to the next level, some are content to party and go at it alone, but they all know where their loyalties lie and the author gives you such a sense of security and comfort when they are all together, along with a lot of laughs. This is certainly not a boring bunch!There is not a single thing I would change about this story. Except maybe to have kept it going because I just did not want it to end. I am eager to be back with The Crew and cannot wait for Book Three.  Thank you once again, S.E. Hall, for giving us this incredible series. I am a fan for life!