Review: 5++ stars!
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 05 4, 2014
Sebastian and Caroline. It’s like coming home just reading their names. I have a small list of books that I love to reread. When my brain gets mushy, I go back to the books that I know and love. Since starting the blog, I don’t get to reread much anymore. When I saw there would be a blog tour for the rerelease of The Education series, I thought I was going to jump out of my skin. I FINALLY would get to reread it! Eeek. It was like Christmas and my birthday in one! This is one of my favorite series and I’m so, so glad Jane released this as a bundle.Okay so super brief summary of this series (my idea of super short could end up being 3 pages long, so a few paragraphs is still considered short for me. Just go with it lol) - Caroline is a military wife in a loveless marriage, unhappy with her life, and wants to do more than be the fake perfect companion to her husband. Caroline is talented, intelligent, kind, and a smartass to boot. I love her. Love love love. LOVE her. Sebastian is your everyday Cali surfer…at first glance. Behind the scenes, he’s the son of an alcoholic mother, and an abusive father. He will always be a “screw up” to them, and will never make them proud. He truly has the best intentions, feels like he has no real family besides his best friend (and his family), and is just trying to make it on his own in the world.They originally met when Seb was a child, and Caroline was…let’s see, 20ish. Fast forward about 10 years, and you’ve got a much more grown up version of Sebastian who will soon be graduating high school and turning 18, and a still breathtakingly gorgeous Caroline at 30. Can you guess what happens then? You'd probably be right! Is this story taboo? Absolutely. Yes, it crosses some boundaries that a lot of authors might not. But beyond the age factor, it’s still the same type of story we all know and love (just a teensy bit…okay, A LOT…more addictive). The first book is their summer of passion, trying to keep a secret that is bound to surface, and hoping that it all works out in their favor.The second book, The Education of Caroline, is…gah. As much as I love the first book and it has so many memorable moments, I think I love the second book a bit more. I can’t really say anything about it because then it’d give away the end of book 1. You can probably guess what happens but you need to experience every conversation and every page yourself. The second book continues their relationship, but in a completely different fashion. Change of scenery, change of personalities to a certain degree, change of relationships in their lives. It’s still the same two characters you fall in love with in book 1, but this one has so many plot twists. Never ever assume in this one.This series as a whole would best be described I think as a roller coaster of emotions. You’ll be laughing, swooning, hopeful, heartbroken, angry, and joyful all within the pages of this bundled set. There’s tragedy, there’s light and fun. There is so much romance and a lot of steaminess. The best part for me is that you will never be bored. Just about the time you get comfortable with their arrangement, something else gets tossed into the mix. Be on your toes with this series. It’s also very addictive. Very. You’ll get so swept away in the story of Seb and Caro, it’s the only thing you’ll think, eat, breathe, or feel. So be prepared for that.I loved that Jane added in new content as well. Usually, for me at least, when an author says “new content” you think maybe an epilogue right? Jane isn’t kidding around with this. She gives you 2 extended epilogues. You get to experience…well…I can’t say because then you’d know what happens and that’s no fun. She also added in a few chapters from Sebastian’s POV, which was unreal. Seeing their interactions through his eyes really felt like an entirely new story. It wasn’t just repetitive nonsense you might skim through. It brings a whole new layer to a story you think you already know. There are also some extra chapters that were completely unseen before. They were mentioned in the story but you get the actual play-by-play and those are SO interesting.I’m just a huge Jane Harvey-Berrick fan. I love her. I think she can do no wrong. Her writing is very different. I can’t pinpoint what it is exactly, but it makes her stand out from the crowd for me. It’s quirky and fun, but she can also break your heart into a million pieces. She’s just a fantastic writer and I can’t wait to see what’s next for her.Overall, it was such a joy to get to sit down and reconnect with two of my all-time favorite characters. These characters go through so much, together and apart, but what it all boils down to is that they love and need one another. It’s beautiful. It’s romantic. It’s angsty and tortuous. It’s everything we love. Please go give it a try.<3 Erin