Review: A dramatic read full of powerful emotions.
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 03 7, 2014
A copy of Ripped was provided by the author in exchange for an honest review.I loved, loved, LOVED this story! The way that Lyv's love story developed was phenomenal. She is torn between two lovers, Ten and Alex who, strangely enough, start out as friends. The three become involved in passionate relationships that leave them hurting, but are able to find comfort and love in the end. Lyv is such a strong and resilient character as she works towards independence, finding herself and choosing her perfect match. Wow, just... wow. The family dynamics that influenced Alex, Ten and Lyv were heart wrenching, each in their own complicated way.... it's such a sad world we live in sometimes. The supporting characters, that include friends, family and outside love interests, are dynamically developed; I especially loved the triad of Jimmy, Steven and Laura.With so many intense situations including a kidnapping, teen pregnancy in the 1970's, abortion vs. adoption, and lots of sexual exploration, this is a story that touches on a lot of deeply emotional topics. The twist and turns of the story line kept me guessing from start to finish, at times I though I would lose my mind wondering what was going to happen next. I just couldn't read fast enough!  Even though it is a happy-for-now and leaves lots of questions unanswered I loved the ending too. There is a pretty powerful quote that sums up the whole book perfectly... but I'll let readers discover that on their own!This is a well written, dramatic, fast paced and sometimes controversial story. This is a powerfully read with that will stay with readers long after the final page. Due to graphic sexual scenes and intense themes that may be disturbing to some readers, I would not recommend it for anyone under the age of 18.