Review: Solid 3.75 Stars!
Rating: 4 out of 5
Date: 03 27, 2014
The synopsis of BEAUTIFUL FAILURE promised not to be your average romance – a statement I can confirm after reading the book. The heroine did not sound like a character I would easily connect to, yet I was so engrossed with the blurb to want to give it a try. And I am glad I did!Emerald had a rather messed-up childhood, her mother being an escort and teaching her false values all the way: According to her looks are most important and relationships with anyone who doesn't benefit you in some way are overrated – who cares about character and friendship anyway??Believing in what her mother taught her, Emerald’s life is ruled by her mother’s values. She is closed-off and bitchy to anyone who approaches her. She doesn't have any friends. She chucked up college. She cannot keep a job. She is trying to drown all the bad things that happen(ed) to her with alcohol. …knowing about her past you cannot even really blame her. My heart broke for her on several occasions!When working in a coffee shop for a short while, she gets very lucky meeting the two persons who will change her life forever: Sarah, her co-worker, who is not alienated by Emerald’s bitchy behavior and actually becomes her first true friend. And customer Carter, who shows her how to love and how to accept herself.Carter is very persistent and relentless – as much as Emerald pushes him away, he keeps coming back and fighting for his chance with her with everything he has. I definitely fell for him quicker than Emerald did – he is absolutely swoon-worthy!The development of Emerald’s and Carter’s relationship is plain beautiful – I have no other word to say it. There is no rush and for a long time I was wondering how these two could ever find their way to each other. Although we do not learn much about Carter – which I found frustrating sometimes – was his age ever mentioned?? –, he indeed helps Emerald to learn about herself. Their conversations are witty and often running very deep, no matter how biting, sarcastic or monosyllabically Emerald’s responses might have been in the beginning. But Carter does not put up with the s*** Emerald throws at him; instead, he talks back to her. I cannot describe how much I enjoyed their dialogues! Their chemistry was always palpable and I could not wait for Emerald to finally open up to Carter and let him in.However, I was right about the first impression I had about Emerald after reading the blurb: Although I felt for her from the very beginning and could understand where her brusque manners came from, it took quite a while – until about half way through the story – for me to like and connect to Emerald. But she changes so much during the course of the book and I loved watching her grow and mature, starting with realizing that she has a drinking problem and acknowledging the responsibility for her actions to finally letting people in again.Yes, I was incredulous at first, but Emerald grew to me; her slow – and therefore believable – transformation and Carter as her knight in shining armor (you can deny it as long as you want, Emerald, you know it’s true!) sum up to a striking good and unique debut novel by Mariah Cole. …and with ending on this cliffhanger Mariah also made sure that I will be impatiently awaiting the sequel – hoping to learn a lot more about Carter in that book! :)