Review: Good but not great!  And I really wanted it to be great!!
Rating: 3 out of 5
Date: 07 9, 2014
3.5 'Southie' STARS!Two people coming together being from opposite ends of the spectrum.A sexy, bad-boy with tattoos.A down to earth girl whose not afraid to get her hands dirty.A chance meeting - fate.Or was it?Back flips.  That's what I was doing after reading the blurb.  Couldn't wait to get my hands on this book.  Who wouldn't?!  But there were some issues that I had with the writing style and the distrust I felt from the author.  Made me really sit back and make the hard decision in rating this book.First the yummy parts!  And there really were yummy parts!  One word...  Ok two words... Braxton Jenkins.  A sexy, tattooed, college baseball pitcher and frat bad boy.  Oh and he has an accent!  He's from Boston.  Had some issues with family when he was younger but when he finally finds his place in the world Brax is left with anger issues and a need to fight hard in life.  With his fraternity, he has some things happen that he regrets later in the book.  But it's too late to take it all back.  Brax has been intrigued by her since he first ran into her on moving day.  I felt he was a strong character but somehow I expected more from him.  Although he was one of the most gentlemanly characters in NA that I've ever read - constantly opening doors for her, always with his hand on her loser back - I still expected more.  That one thing that readers look for.  It just seemed to be missing.  Brax was all cocky charm until he meets his match in Olivia.  The best thing about Brax Jenkins - He has a nickname for Olivia.  Not what her friends call her or what her family calls her.  A name all of his own."You got a middle name, Olivia Beaumont?''Where the first two not good enough? ... Gracie.''Well, Gracie, I'll see you around."I loved Olivia Beaumont!  What a great premise for her character.  She went through a major traumatic event immediately prior to her senior year of high school.  Through is all, her protective family stays by her side.  I was thrilled that Olivia had this big open road ahead of her.  No matter where she goes or who she's with, Olivia will always be Olivia.  Even amidst the worst of circumstances, Olivia remains steadfast in who she is and who she wants to be.  She's always going to fight for herself. Olivia holds her secret until she just can't anymore.  Olivia has finally found a guy she can trust - confide in.  But even then, the whole truth doesn't come out.  I felt as Olivia had finally found someone to be comfortable with - likes/loves her for just being her.  She feels vulnerable yet protected."I loved that feeling... It reminded me of safety, protection, desire, all tightly bound within the tattoos and muscles of the most unlikely scarred heroes."And although I found the story line really great, I felt the author didn't trust me to read it.  Read that Brax was from Boston, that Olivia was 'different'.  It really started to get repetitive with hints of the same.  It was hard to read the hints over and over.  To the point that I wanted to skim the pages for more of the story and less of the repeats.  I know he has an accent, I know that he thinks she different, I know she's making this decision or that decision because of her past.  No need to keep reminding me.  I needed to read more of the good stuff.  The meat and potatoes of the book.  The foundation of the characters were terrific.  I just felt they didn't grow into the story.  As if they were floating on top of the water and never penetrated the surface.  Never took that dive into my heart where I could feel that connection to them or the book.  And that, to me, if everything.  Getting the reader to want more, need more.  Devour those pages like chocolate.  And I get that not everyone is a chocolate lover, but the books we read must have something to pull us in and keep us there.  And for me... this one just didn't have it.  To be honest this is the hardest time I've ever had rating a book.  I loved the story line and characters - 4.  Yet I didn't feel that connection within the book.  I skimmed!  I never skim.  And the repetitive nature of the author - 2.  So overall, I'm giving a 3.5.  I do hope everyone, at the very least, gives this book a chance.  I didn't hate it - was just disappointed.