Review: A great debut novel! These two had a chemistry that made me fall in love right along with them.
Rating: 4 out of 5
Date: 03 12, 2014
First Thoughts: I loved Ivy and Jon! These two had a chemistry that made me fall in love right along with them.Plot/Pacing/Writing: This story was about 2 people each meeting that someone special, the one that gave them the courage and the freedom to bare their secrets. It warmed my heart as I watched Ivy and Jon fall for each other and also grow stronger as their own person too.I’ll admit that the story started off a little slow for me…it took about 1/3 of the book for me to get into it…but then I couldn’t put it down. The ending on the other hand wrapped up pretty quickly, almost a little too fast, but I still loved every second of it. I would have liked just a little more after all the dust settled, so that I could bask in the love. What can I say, I’m greedy like that.The writing here was a little different. It was alternating POVs, but at the same time, it was as if the person telling the story was talking to the reader directly. I’m actually on the fence whether or not I liked it, or if it is what made me stumble through the beginning a little bit.Characters: I absolutely loved both Jon and Ivy. Both characters had baggage, but were still strong enough to keep going with their lives. They also both seemed to wear their hearts on their sleeves, which of course helped make the romance so much better. I think it was their honesty that made them survive in life, and then really flourish together.I have to say, while I feel like I know what Jon looked like, I’m not as sure what Ivy looked like. I know men have different internal thoughts than women, but Ivy seemed to talk about Jon’s physical traits way more than he did. I feel like I know exactly all the reasons why Jon was so hot, but only that Jon saw Ivy as beautiful.Romance: Jon and Ivy were almost both shells of themselves when they first met. However, that outer shell started to melt away immediately the second they laid eyes on each other. It truly was more than an instant attraction that pulled at them, telling them it was more, and not to let it go and I loved it. They never played any games either and I couldn’t get enough. They just kept giving more and more of themselves, it wasn’t like it was a tug of war of on and off, but a constant building. I couldn’t help but loved them fall fully in love step by step…it happened so naturally, with sweetness AND swooniness. Not only were they friends, but the smexy times were hot and real. All kinds of win!Rec it?: Oh yes, yes, yes. I love my characters to be “damaged goods” and find their way to happiness through love. This was exactly that scenario and I loved it. A great debut novel and I can’t wait to see more of Ms. Hyland’s writing.