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Arsen: A Broken Love Story
One glance was all it took�
I'm a cheater.
I'm a liar.
My whole life is a mess.
I love a man.
No, I love two men�
I think.
One makes love to me. The other sets me on fire.
One is my rock. The other is my kryptonite.
I'm broken, lost, and disgusted with myself.
But I can't stop. This is my story.
My broken love story.
I'm a cheater.
I'm a liar.
My whole life is a mess.
I love a man.
No, I love two men�
I think.
One makes love to me. The other sets me on fire.
One is my rock. The other is my kryptonite.
I'm broken, lost, and disgusted with myself.
But I can't stop. This is my story.
My broken love story.
486 pages, Kindle Edition
First published August 23, 2013
683 people are currently reading
17.8k people want to read
About the author
Mia Asher
8books3,544followersMy name is Mia Asher.
I'm a writer, a hopeless romantic, a wanderer, a dreamer, a cynic, and a believer. And, oh yes…I might be a bit crazy - but who isn't?
I'm a writer, a hopeless romantic, a wanderer, a dreamer, a cynic, and a believer. And, oh yes…I might be a bit crazy - but who isn't?
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October 7, 2017
More than 5 Incredible & Intense stars!!!
Arsen is full of angst, love, sex, passion, devastation, heartbreak. I am a little speechless right now. Trying to convey my feelings for this book is proving to be difficult. This was an amazing read. It was just brilliant. Cathy’s story is controversial. It is hard to read at times.. This one really threw me for a loop. It left me with a major case of the feels.
Let me introduce you to Cathy. This is her story...
Cathy narrates most of this broken love story. We get a back and forth, into the past and present. Cathy has a life most people would envy. She is married to the perfect man who loves and adores her. She has a good job. She should be happy. She should feel fulfilled. But she isn’t. She doesn’t. She feels incomplete. Defective. Reality has not been kind to Cathy. The one thing she has always wanted in life, to become a mother, is out of her reach. It’s tearing her apart from the inside out. It’s making her resent Ben and his perfection. It’s changing her, changing everything.
Cathy. I’m not sure if I was supposed to hate her or love her or both... but I actually loved her. She was such a real and relatable character. There are going to be some people who don’t like her at all, and that’s okay. Of course I didn’t love or agree with all of her actions, but I understood them. Understood her. Cathy’s story is real. It is raw. I appreciated that. And I loved being in Cathy’s head.
Cathy and Ben met when she was eighteen, just a college freshman. They were so in love. Ben is the best kind of man. He is funny, charming, handsome, sexy, attentive and he truly only sees Cathy. Most woman would die to have a man like him. It is impossible not to love Ben.
They have the ‘perfect� marriage. They both love each other, they always have. But is love enough?
Ben does everything he can to try to help Cathy, to understand her. It broke my heart reading some things from Ben’s perspective. Cathy wants to be the perfect wife, but it’s hard. She feels like everything is falling around her. She can’t break free of her life. She doesn’t know what she wants, but she can’t keep living her life like this.
Arsen and Cathy have some crazy sexual tension. They flirt, hang out at work, and become really close friends. Arsen is someone who will listen to Cathy without judging. He won’t just tell her ‘everything is going to be okay�. She needs that in her life. She needs him in her life.
It was so hard not to fall for Arsen. I was so conflicted with myself. Arsen was far from perfect, but you could tell what he felt for Cathy was real. The more time Cathy and Arsen spend together, the more temptation calls to them. Arsen does something for Cathy. He lets her feel what she feels, be herself. Something she so desperately needs.
Can you love two people at the same time? How can you live with yourself knowing that you are destroying someone you love? When you are broken, drowning in your life, does it really matter? How do you cope knowing everyone you care about is being torn apart by your actions?
Are some things too broken to ever be repaired?
I will say it... I don’t have a team. I feel like it is impossible to choose. Ben and Arsen both worked their way into my heart. I really feel that I would have felt the same no matter what happened. If I had to pick, I pick Cathy. I may be the only Team Cathy out there, but I wanted her to find happiness, completion, something to fill that void inside of her in a healthy way.
It hurt to read parts of this story. The author has a way of making you care about and love these characters, flaws and all. Just knowing that its going to end badly for one or maybe all of them made me miserable. The ending was bittersweet. When it was over, I just sat there for a while thinking... part of me was elated. I was so happy- but a big part of me was devastated. I finished it last night, and I’m still not sure how I feel. This is a nail biter. One that makes you feel like you have an anvil sitting on your chest. I felt like I couldn’t breathe when reading part of this... but I love when any book can affect me like that. It was intense and unpredictable. It was a story about a broken woman trying to find some sort of way to survive. An honest and real story about love, lust, temptation. It’s a story that broke my heart, made me feel so strongly, and just touched me.
Quick disclaimer- there is cheating. I know you can tell from the blurb, but it’s there. Mass amounts of cheating. I know reading about cheating bothers a lot of you, it does me too- depending on the situation... as much as I would LOVE to recommend this book to everyone, it’s not gonna work for some because of that. Just a heads up!�
To the author, Mia Asher... thank you for sharing this difficult but incredible story with us. I’m sure it wasn’t easy to write a book like this, but it was amazing! This story exceeded all of my expectations. I’m pretty sure this is a standalone, but I know I would LOVE a book 2 about you know who... but then again, maybe not. Maybe the story ended the way it was supposed to for everyone involved.
To be released 8-23-13
***ARC kindly provided by author, Mia Asher, in an exchange for an honest review***
Arsen is full of angst, love, sex, passion, devastation, heartbreak. I am a little speechless right now. Trying to convey my feelings for this book is proving to be difficult. This was an amazing read. It was just brilliant. Cathy’s story is controversial. It is hard to read at times.. This one really threw me for a loop. It left me with a major case of the feels.
Let me introduce you to Cathy. This is her story...
I'm a cheater.
I'm a liar.
My whole life is a mess.
I love a man.
No, I love two men�
I think.
One makes love to me. The other sets me on fire.
One is my rock. The other is my kryptonite.
I'm broken, lost, and disgusted with myself.
But I can't stop. This is my story.
My broken love story.
Cathy narrates most of this broken love story. We get a back and forth, into the past and present. Cathy has a life most people would envy. She is married to the perfect man who loves and adores her. She has a good job. She should be happy. She should feel fulfilled. But she isn’t. She doesn’t. She feels incomplete. Defective. Reality has not been kind to Cathy. The one thing she has always wanted in life, to become a mother, is out of her reach. It’s tearing her apart from the inside out. It’s making her resent Ben and his perfection. It’s changing her, changing everything.
Cruel reality has a way of always catching up to you, no matter how fast of how far you run; reality has a way to destroy ones hopes and dreams.
Cathy. I’m not sure if I was supposed to hate her or love her or both... but I actually loved her. She was such a real and relatable character. There are going to be some people who don’t like her at all, and that’s okay. Of course I didn’t love or agree with all of her actions, but I understood them. Understood her. Cathy’s story is real. It is raw. I appreciated that. And I loved being in Cathy’s head.
Cathy and Ben met when she was eighteen, just a college freshman. They were so in love. Ben is the best kind of man. He is funny, charming, handsome, sexy, attentive and he truly only sees Cathy. Most woman would die to have a man like him. It is impossible not to love Ben.
They have the ‘perfect� marriage. They both love each other, they always have. But is love enough?
I felt like I could conquer the world with his love. I felt invincible.
If only I had known that it takes a lot more than love to make a marriage work, then maybe our story would be different.
If only.
Ben does everything he can to try to help Cathy, to understand her. It broke my heart reading some things from Ben’s perspective. Cathy wants to be the perfect wife, but it’s hard. She feels like everything is falling around her. She can’t break free of her life. She doesn’t know what she wants, but she can’t keep living her life like this.
Sometimes I feel like the normalcy of our lives will drive me insane.One night, things change. She meets someone who changes her. His name is Arsen. Arsen is at a business meeting with Cathy and he is immediately attracted to her. Being a young, rich, devastatingly sexy playboy, Arsen is used to getting exactly what he wants. And he wants her. She can’t deny the attraction she feels to him, but she is a married woman. She can’t go there. Cathy is not a bad person. She is not out to hurt anyone. She will resist temptation, she has no choice. But there is something about Arsen, something that gets to her.
His smile is electrifying.
His smile frightens me.
His smile hypnotizes me.
Arsen and Cathy have some crazy sexual tension. They flirt, hang out at work, and become really close friends. Arsen is someone who will listen to Cathy without judging. He won’t just tell her ‘everything is going to be okay�. She needs that in her life. She needs him in her life.
‘If you ever feel like you need to talk to someone... if you ever feel like fear is making it hard for you to breathe... talk to me. I’m here for you, Dimples. I’m here.�
It was so hard not to fall for Arsen. I was so conflicted with myself. Arsen was far from perfect, but you could tell what he felt for Cathy was real. The more time Cathy and Arsen spend together, the more temptation calls to them. Arsen does something for Cathy. He lets her feel what she feels, be herself. Something she so desperately needs.
With Arsen, I can finally grieve and not pretend everything is alright. With Arsen, I can let my emotions take over me and not be ashamed. With Arsen, I can be me.Oh what a tangled web we weave...
Sometimes not being in control, not being able to think, just losing yourself in the moment is the greatest feeling in the world. It’s liberating. It’s addicting. It’s the most powerful high you’ll ever get.
Can you love two people at the same time? How can you live with yourself knowing that you are destroying someone you love? When you are broken, drowning in your life, does it really matter? How do you cope knowing everyone you care about is being torn apart by your actions?
I have to make a choice once again.
And it doesn’t matter what choice I make. Which path I choose to follow. Either way, I will break my own heart. I will lose a part of myself.
But I think I already have.
I love two men.
And this time, the monster that I am, the one I’ve become, will bring someone else down with me. It’s the darkness in me, I tell you…It follows me everywhere I go, spreading like spilled black ink on white paper.
Love has the power to destroy you.
Are some things too broken to ever be repaired?
I will say it... I don’t have a team. I feel like it is impossible to choose. Ben and Arsen both worked their way into my heart. I really feel that I would have felt the same no matter what happened. If I had to pick, I pick Cathy. I may be the only Team Cathy out there, but I wanted her to find happiness, completion, something to fill that void inside of her in a healthy way.
It hurt to read parts of this story. The author has a way of making you care about and love these characters, flaws and all. Just knowing that its going to end badly for one or maybe all of them made me miserable. The ending was bittersweet. When it was over, I just sat there for a while thinking... part of me was elated. I was so happy- but a big part of me was devastated. I finished it last night, and I’m still not sure how I feel. This is a nail biter. One that makes you feel like you have an anvil sitting on your chest. I felt like I couldn’t breathe when reading part of this... but I love when any book can affect me like that. It was intense and unpredictable. It was a story about a broken woman trying to find some sort of way to survive. An honest and real story about love, lust, temptation. It’s a story that broke my heart, made me feel so strongly, and just touched me.
Quick disclaimer- there is cheating. I know you can tell from the blurb, but it’s there. Mass amounts of cheating. I know reading about cheating bothers a lot of you, it does me too- depending on the situation... as much as I would LOVE to recommend this book to everyone, it’s not gonna work for some because of that. Just a heads up!�
To the author, Mia Asher... thank you for sharing this difficult but incredible story with us. I’m sure it wasn’t easy to write a book like this, but it was amazing! This story exceeded all of my expectations. I’m pretty sure this is a standalone, but I know I would LOVE a book 2 about you know who... but then again, maybe not. Maybe the story ended the way it was supposed to for everyone involved.
To be released 8-23-13
***ARC kindly provided by author, Mia Asher, in an exchange for an honest review***
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September 9, 2013
For the first time in my blogging life, I have no idea how to rate a book so I am NOT marking a star rating. My feelings are just too all over the place. Let me try and explain why�
I'm not going to lie, when I first heard about it, I was 99.99% sure that I would hate this book. It basically seemed like the polar opposite of what I might love and truthfully, in a way, it was. It had all of my "no-no's" in it, the biggest one being cheating, which is almost always a deal breaker for me. But... it wasn't as clear cut here as I expected it to be and I even though I'm not sure about where I stand on it, I can certainly understand why readers are loving it.
So hear me out and see if maybe this book might be for you. I think every reader will just have to decide for themselves on this one. But I'll be honest and tell you that theonly way I was able to bring myself to read this was because a good friend gave me all the gory details in advance. There was no way I was going into this one blind but all the insanely high ratings had my curiosity peaked. So, she told me everything and knowing those details pushed me over the edge and made me decided to give this book a shot.
Warning though: THIS. BOOK. WILL. RIP. OUT. YOUR. HEART. For real. You WILL want to throw your eReader at the wall. You WILL be angry. You WILL roll your eyes and want to throttle people. You likely WILL cry. And you'll probably hate the heroine at some point (or several). But... you might also end up loving the book. It's just one ofthose books I guess that really hits home with some people.
So, about the book....
Cathy has the perfect life. Or so it might seem on the outside. She has a gorgeous, sweet, kind, thoughtful, loving husband, Ben, who thinks the world of her, is always there for her and who cares for her more than anything. But after three miscarriages, she begins to fall apart. Her sense of self-worth (which has always been shaky at best) shrivels leaving her sad, lonely, and miserable. She can't bring herself to accept her husband's unwavering support and can't bear the thought of not being able to have a child. Emotional numbness begins to take over and she just slips away.
Enter Arsen. Young, confident, handsome egotistical playboy who doesn't remotely try to hide his attraction to her and, for the first time in a long while of being closed off, he makes herfeeland... she's drawn to that.
"When our eyes connect, I see danger, and maybe something exciting. Something forbidden. Some basic instinct in my instantly recognizes that this man doesn't make love to a woman. He fucks her."
The more she spends time with Arsen, the further she pulls away from Ben, the perfect man who has unquestionably loved her since the day they met, until the lines between love, lust and friendship have not only been blurred but are utterly shattered.
Now, about my feelings...
For the entirety of the book, my heartbled for Ben. I mean BLED. He was one of the good guys, y'know? The keepers. The kind that you fall down on your knees and thank the high heavens for and the fact that Cathy couldn't see it was just fucking tragic. He was the one. The hero. There was absolutelyno question in my mind. Ever.
"For you I will do anything. Anything."
"Babe, talk to me. You're scaring me. What's the matter? Tell me so I can fix it� please."
Breaks my heart just reading that. :(
Cathy... hmm... ok, brutal honesty here. My conclusion based on the entirety of the book was that she needed help. I mean that in a very serious, non-judgmental way. She needed professional therapy. She was going through some serious depression and had a whole mix of issues going on and the way she was coping on her own ended up destroying years of many people's lives. Again, truly tragic. It was hard not to see her as flat-out ungrateful and selfish. She had a lot of issues and truly was an anti-heroine. The only way I can come to terms with, no.. more like 'deal with', her actions is by feeling pity for the fact that she was in a bad place and just didn't receive the help she clearly needed. I think it was because she didn't know how to love herself that she couldn't accept Ben's love for her.
Now Arsen was interesting because in all honestly, I didn'tconnect with him as a character until the epilogue. He raised my hackles because of the threat he represented and I wavered back and forth on my feelings for him. Maybe, in another book, away from this situation, I might have felt differently for him but in this book, I never personally fell for him. I couldn't relate to Cathy's obsession with him and because of the cheating aspect, I just felt a little ill during most of his scenes with Cathy. Especially the sex scenes. I think the best description of Arsen was this quote right here: "Arsen, a friend gone wrong."
I think what hurt the most was that there was no justification. This wasn't a situation where Cathy and Ben fell apart, no, this was Cathy,just Cathy,drifting away. And a big part of me hated her for it because shehadBen. ShelovedBen and she threw him away.
"I wish I could save you, Cathy. Take the pain away; erase it from your body. I wish I could hurt for you, but I can't. You have to save yourself. All I can do is love you. Through it all, just love you. But you need to let me back in."
While the story is primarily told from Cathy's POV, we do also get a few scenes from Ben's side partway through and later on, some from Arsen's. The first half is actually fairly slow building. I was enjoying my read and I liked all the flashbacks that built the foundation of Cathy and Ben's relationship but at the same time, nothing was really putting my heart in my throat per say. But then one tiny lie started the downward spiral... and that sick feeling in the pit of my stomach began to grow as I watched bit by bit as something that I'd come to love got torn to shreds.
The real cheating didn't begin until the second half and even when Cathy was in a place where she felt like she needed Arsen, I still just didn't feel anything for him. It was like a total emotional disconnect and I just felt sick to my stomach for what they were doing to Ben. There was never a point where I was torn between Ben and Arsen.I didn't blame Arsen though... he was just being Arsen. I wouldn't have expected different or better for him. He just came, he saw, he conquered and in a weird way, he was trying to help her. He did have real feelings for her. But Cathy... fuck. I was pretty disgusted with her because what she wanted from Arsenwasn't something that Ben wasn't offering, it was just something she wasn't in a place in her life (I guess) where she was able to accept it. And she was the one in the position to say no. And she didn't. And I hated her for it.
"No one said cheating was pretty but hell, it's downright disgusting. Yet, I can't stop myself from doing it...I feel revulsion turn my stomach upside down by my own actions. I want to scream, I want to throw up, I want to die. I'm repulsed by me, but that's a prize I'm willing to pay to be with Arsen."
But as much as I hated that Cathy needed Arsen, I won't deny that he did help her in a way. For some unfortunate reason, he was the person who was able to help her reach a level of healing that she sadly wan't able to get from Ben even though he was offering it to her.
My heart just broke for Ben over and over again. Every tear I cried was for him. The first time was around the 60% mark and just suddenly... TEARS and full body chills. That man just didnot deserve what he was delivered. Dear Lord but he did not deserve it. It was tragic and just... heart breaking.
It wasn't until the very, very, VERY end that I came to terms with some of what had happened. There was one line in particular that actually made me reconsider a lot of what I'd read and look at Cathy in a different light. Not that it made me understand her, but more that it made me understand somethingabouther. The ending... well, I'm not going to give it away directly but it's a bittersweet, tragic HEA. "Technically" I'm happy with the ending. Even though "happy" really does NOT seem like the right word. Relieved, maybe?
"There never was a choice for us, was there?"
To tell you the truth, I have NO idea how to rate this book. Was it good? Yes. It absolutely was. For sure. But a part of me wants to give it 2 stars because I'm so fuckingangry and then another part of me wants to give it 5 stars because holy hell did it make mefeel. I don't feel good rounding out that number though because 3.5 honestly doesn't feel right either. Ben was a 5 star character and, tragic as what happened was, I think they had a 5 star love. Most of my ratings are based on my feelings but at the same time, I don't just want to 'feel' any emotion, I want to feel specific ones and... this book made me feel some things I wish I hadn't felt. *sigh* I just don't think it's possible in this case to generalize my feelings down to one specific number.
Overall I'd say it was partly 2 star and partly 5 star butnot an average of them. It just was what it was.
There's a line actually that kind of resonates with how I feel about the book as a whole:
"I hate you as much as I loved you."
Mia Asher has written a strong, compelling debut novel that takes you through the beautiful and ugly sides of love and betrayal. Truly, a broken love story in every way.
My casting for Ben, Cathy, and Arsen:
***
For more of my reviews, book news and updates:
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January 9, 2016** NO RATING AS I HAD NO BUSINESS READING THIS**
Yes, you read that correctly. You see, while everyone was doing the happy dance the day Arsen was published, I was quietly channeling my inner MC Hammer.
God why didn't I listen to my gut? I honestly had no intention of EVER reading as the story has the top 3 "harmful to my health" items:
*Angst, angst and more angst.
*Annoying heroine
*Love triangle
So why did I read it you ask? Good question. No, I haven't been sipping the basherade if that's what your wondering. It
A few friends begged... okay, they asked me once to read Arsen as they thought my reading experience would be humorous ( I hope my updates lived up to your expectations Damian and Lucifer) so against my better judgment I one clicked this bad girl . . psst! I 'll let you in on a little secret . Don't tell anyone but I was secretly hoping to love it .
Okay, before I channel my inner Nancy Grace, I'd like to state the obvious. Mia Asher has a lyrical way with words. She's an incredible storyteller whom had my full attention from page 1 to THE END... Hell, I finished this book days ago & I can't stop thinking about it.
Now, the moment all 3 of you have been waiting for ...
While the book is very well written, was by far one of the most unpleasant reading experiences I've ever had . I'd like to explain why and the easiest way for me to do so is to address the three main characters individually.
First up....
Cathy the Fisherhag
** sucking teeth** Cathy�.. Cathy, Cathy, Cathy. For those readers who cheered her on I would just like to say, "God, I envy your reading experience as I loathe her character." Cathy spent the majority of the story on a fishing expedition. Yup, she was trawling for Arsen's attention, reasons to meet with him and conjuring bullshit excuses as to why her behavior was acceptable. Sorry Cathy, you used the wrong bait, hence why you failed to lure me in. I found her character to be an egotistical BITCH. She gave zero.. zilch... not a single fuck to give about her marriage. While I did feel compassion in regards to her inability to bear children, , it DOES NOT excuse her behavior.. at least to me it doesn't.
My main issue with Cathy is the fact that She knew her actions were disgraceful, hurtful, just plain FUCKED UP and she flat out DID NOT GIVE A DAMN. All she wanted was for Arsens dick to numb her feelings but boy did she feel every last orgasm he gave her. Ugh, I have so much more to say but I think I've picked on her character enough.... For now :-)
Now onto BEN aka Tweedle Dee...
Here 's a character I was certain would tug at my heart strings. NOPE . The only thing more annoying than a heroine missing her backbone is a spineless hero. Besides the kitchen scene in the beginning I never warmed up to his character. Ben was so damn perfect his character seemed phony. Ben and Cathy's first meeting was so Sparks-ish, I was waiting for doves to fly out of my ipad� Just sayin!. What 22 year old man tells a chick he just met, ....
" I want to bring you flowers, I want to see you blush when I compliment you, I want to see you flush over flowers while you offer me a glass of water". yaaddaa- yaadaa-yaadaa�..
Yeah, I would have cancelled our date due to an emergency Pap smear. The replenishable cupcake gesture didn't work for me either� Too Cheesy. A glimpse of self centered Cathy appeared early on in their relationship and the knucklehead ignored it then as well. * smdh*
I can't believe such a moronic individual was a lawyer. What the hell did Cathy do to him ? I kept hoping and praying he would find his nutsack and for a moment I thought he had
Sorry, but a man without dignity gets no love from me.
Lastly, Arsen aka Tweedle Dum...
Out of the 3, I actually found his character to be the most tolerable. Totally off the topic but I really wish the author hadn't made him so typical ie. rich, young, attractive and arrogant. IMHO had Arsen been just your ordinary compassionate Joe Schmow the story would have been a hell of a lot more believable. So many things about his character didn't add up to me either .
Arsen, you burned my hopes and dreams pendejo!
There was one question that haunted me throughout my entire reading experience. Had the roles been reversed, had Ben turned his back on his marriage due to the anguish caused by the miscarriages , would readers be so accepting of the story and how it played out ? Would his story get 4& 5 stars as well?
My apologizes for taking up so much of your time. I really wanted to keep this review brief but my fingers had other ideas (zip it Carla!). Please don't let my winded review of much to do about nothing deter anyone from reading Arsen. The majority of reviews are 4 and 5 stars for a reason. This just wasn't my cuppa. Now please excuse me while I find the goriest, most horrific book I can find because ....
.. MWAH! 
August 19, 2013
Wow Amazing!!!!Mia managed to blew my mind!!!This book is so real!!She really makes me understand and accept Cathy's behaviour!!
This is Cathy's story..
She is married to Ben who met him in college and fell in love..From the flashbacks we can see how they met and how they fell in love..But now in the present one bad moment breakes Cathy..and now she feels empty..and lost..
She doesn't feel like when she met Ben..sometimes she feels like they are two friendly strangers who live in the same house..without sex they will be like roommates instead of a married couple..
And then she meets Arsen..a playboy...
For the first time they meet we can see that there is attraction between them..He is starting teasing her..and very soon they become friends...
(I cange my mind I think Alex Pettyfer is perfect for Arsen <3 <3)
At first Cathy tries to resist Arsen's charm..but he make her feel free..
"With Arsen I can let my emotions take over me and not be ashamed by them.With Arsen I can be me."
Arsen....mmmm whel he is so hot and sexy!!!!But I'm not sure how you'll feel about him...maybe you like him or hate him..
But one thing is sure...he wants her..
"For you,I'll fucking make the impossible happen.There's no room for fucking sadness in such a pretty face as yours."
This book..is so hot!!You'll love all the sex scenes!!
Who she will choose..her husband..who loves her or the man who makes her feel free???
you have to read it and find out!!! :))
ARC kindly provided by author, Mia Asher, in exchange for an honest review
September 5, 2013
SPOILERS AHEAD -mature content reader discretion is advised.
5 STARS out of 5
Genre: Adult Romance Erotica
FULL REVIEW POSTED ON 9-5-13
SOUL CHURNING
BONE CRUSHING
MIA ASHER WHAT HAVE YOU DONE TO ME???????????
(9-5-13) Review Completed
EVERYTHING HURTS AND I REGRET NOTHING.
Well you see what this book did to me in the top half of this review� Now here are my thoughts.
‘I can feel myself withdrawing from him. From his love. From my marriage. And there’s nothing I can do to stop it. Nothing.� -Cathy
THIS. BOOK. DESTROYED. ME. I swore my chest cavity was ripped open and pulled from out of it's depths was my bloody heart. If you read the blurb or the book for that matter then you are very much aware that this book involves cheating. With that being said you should be prepared for love, lost and heartache.
In Arsen we meet Cathy and Ben they've been married for 6yrs and together as a couple for 10. Recently their marriage has hit a rough patch as Cathy struggles to cope with that are both tragically and emotionally chipping away at her sanity.
When asked by her boss to meet with a new client Cathy is introduced to..you guessed it. Arsen. And thus is the beginning of her down fall in to adultery.
Ok folks so here is the deal I spent the mass majority of this book hating Arsen. As a matter of fact I was so
SWOON-TASTIC over Ben that by the time Arsen’s character was introduced I was like “Arsen who?�
Ben is the kind of man you write fairy tales about. Arsen? Not only was he cocky and spoiled but he was very manipulative. It turned my stomach. As a matter of fact every time he entered a scene this is how I saw him
*Sighs* Dramatic I know but it is what it is. *Shrugs* Where Arsen was a boy, Ben was all man.
I literally saw Arsen as the villain. And here is a taste of why
“Please, Arsen. Don’t do this. I’m married,� I beg with all my heart.
“What if I told you that I don’t care that you’re married? I don’t mind sharing. What if I told you that I’ll settle for fucking you once? Just once where I’ll make you come so hard on my cock that you’ll forget that you’re married and beg me for more? And if you’re a good girl, Dimples, you may get it again before I let you go back to your husband, sore between your legs because I fucked you so good.�
JUST EVIL.
‘I saw her, I wanted her, so I took her, even if in the process I destroyed a good marriage.' (His actual words not mine)
Arsen claimed to be Cathy’s friend but the whole time he just wanted in her pants. He wanted what he couldn’t have from a woman that was off limits to him. Now call me crazy but that’s just WRONG. In turn I did not find this affair to be sexy instead I saw it as two lust filled broken people addicted and driven by a good f%ck.
I found Cathy to be her own worst enemy.
�..Besides, it’s my fault if Ben doesn’t know what’s going on with me. I don’t tell him anything. I’ve learned to hide it.� –Cٳ
She knew that her inability to was slowly eating away at her sanity. SHE. KNEW. And it’s crazy because I not once hated Cathy. Yes, she made me MAD as all hell. But I did not hate her. I empathized with her and I pitied her, I never hated her. When things became too much she hit rock bottom and sex with a man that was not her husband became an escape. I truly felt sorry for her..
‘I loved the attention he paid to me and the way he made me feel. Alive. Happy. He made me forget. Ignorance is bliss, right? Well, knowledge is misery. And the truth hurts.� -Cathy
NO Cathy THE TRUTH SHALL SET YOU F R E E. Ugh, WTF.
She fooled herself, and I pity the fool. All the things she thought she had with Arsen could have easily been with her husband but lust clouded her judgment and made her stupid. You know what they say, stupid is as stupid does.
I CANNOT get these characters out of my head, my heart my soul they are imbedded there.I found this book to be UNPUTDOWNABLE and not for the faint of heart. I cried. A LOT. I thought the writing was excellent; Asher had these pivotal scenes that leave you breathless. There is this one scene when I wept and wept.
Well, those are my thoughts.
My Ratings
Characters- Loved! Despised Arsen.
Writing Style- Excellent
Plot/Storyline- Love and Lost
Steam Factor- HIGH/VERY STEAMY
Overall- I loved it!
Now go forth and read. Then come tell us about it on ŷ!
For more reviews got to
-------------------------------------------------------------------
8-28-13 Ok, this is up next for me, I feel like everyone is telling me to just..
5 STARS out of 5
Genre: Adult Romance Erotica
FULL REVIEW POSTED ON 9-5-13
SOUL CHURNING
BONE CRUSHING
MIA ASHER WHAT HAVE YOU DONE TO ME???????????
(9-5-13) Review Completed
EVERYTHING HURTS AND I REGRET NOTHING.
Well you see what this book did to me in the top half of this review� Now here are my thoughts.
‘I can feel myself withdrawing from him. From his love. From my marriage. And there’s nothing I can do to stop it. Nothing.� -Cathy
THIS. BOOK. DESTROYED. ME. I swore my chest cavity was ripped open and pulled from out of it's depths was my bloody heart. If you read the blurb or the book for that matter then you are very much aware that this book involves cheating. With that being said you should be prepared for love, lost and heartache.
In Arsen we meet Cathy and Ben they've been married for 6yrs and together as a couple for 10. Recently their marriage has hit a rough patch as Cathy struggles to cope with that are both tragically and emotionally chipping away at her sanity.
When asked by her boss to meet with a new client Cathy is introduced to..you guessed it. Arsen. And thus is the beginning of her down fall in to adultery.
Ok folks so here is the deal I spent the mass majority of this book hating Arsen. As a matter of fact I was so
SWOON-TASTIC over Ben that by the time Arsen’s character was introduced I was like “Arsen who?�
Ben is the kind of man you write fairy tales about. Arsen? Not only was he cocky and spoiled but he was very manipulative. It turned my stomach. As a matter of fact every time he entered a scene this is how I saw him
*Sighs* Dramatic I know but it is what it is. *Shrugs* Where Arsen was a boy, Ben was all man.
I literally saw Arsen as the villain. And here is a taste of why
“Please, Arsen. Don’t do this. I’m married,� I beg with all my heart.
“What if I told you that I don’t care that you’re married? I don’t mind sharing. What if I told you that I’ll settle for fucking you once? Just once where I’ll make you come so hard on my cock that you’ll forget that you’re married and beg me for more? And if you’re a good girl, Dimples, you may get it again before I let you go back to your husband, sore between your legs because I fucked you so good.�
JUST EVIL.
‘I saw her, I wanted her, so I took her, even if in the process I destroyed a good marriage.' (His actual words not mine)
Arsen claimed to be Cathy’s friend but the whole time he just wanted in her pants. He wanted what he couldn’t have from a woman that was off limits to him. Now call me crazy but that’s just WRONG. In turn I did not find this affair to be sexy instead I saw it as two lust filled broken people addicted and driven by a good f%ck.
I found Cathy to be her own worst enemy.
�..Besides, it’s my fault if Ben doesn’t know what’s going on with me. I don’t tell him anything. I’ve learned to hide it.� –Cٳ
She knew that her inability to was slowly eating away at her sanity. SHE. KNEW. And it’s crazy because I not once hated Cathy. Yes, she made me MAD as all hell. But I did not hate her. I empathized with her and I pitied her, I never hated her. When things became too much she hit rock bottom and sex with a man that was not her husband became an escape. I truly felt sorry for her..
‘I loved the attention he paid to me and the way he made me feel. Alive. Happy. He made me forget. Ignorance is bliss, right? Well, knowledge is misery. And the truth hurts.� -Cathy
NO Cathy THE TRUTH SHALL SET YOU F R E E. Ugh, WTF.
She fooled herself, and I pity the fool. All the things she thought she had with Arsen could have easily been with her husband but lust clouded her judgment and made her stupid. You know what they say, stupid is as stupid does.
I CANNOT get these characters out of my head, my heart my soul they are imbedded there.I found this book to be UNPUTDOWNABLE and not for the faint of heart. I cried. A LOT. I thought the writing was excellent; Asher had these pivotal scenes that leave you breathless. There is this one scene when I wept and wept.
Well, those are my thoughts.
My Ratings
Characters- Loved! Despised Arsen.
Writing Style- Excellent
Plot/Storyline- Love and Lost
Steam Factor- HIGH/VERY STEAMY
Overall- I loved it!
Now go forth and read. Then come tell us about it on ŷ!
For more reviews got to
-------------------------------------------------------------------
8-28-13 Ok, this is up next for me, I feel like everyone is telling me to just..
August 27, 2013
If I'm being completely honest, I didn't love this book. I'm not even sure I liked it. But to explain myself, I have to include major spoilers, so read on at your own discretion...
Before everyone starts throwing things, let me be clear. I love love love a good love triangle. I love a bad boy. I love cursing and bad language and dirty sex. I love an angst-ridden emotional roller coaster. I love darkness and pain. I love my heart to break. So before you think I read a book outside of my genre of choice and then berated the crap out of it, let me be clear: this was SO right up my ally. It just... wasn't it for me...
First off, I hated Cathy. And when you hate your main character, when you hate the sound of her voice and her inner monologue, I'm not sure where you can go from there. From the age of 18, at that party, where Ben was nothing but a stand-up respectful, honorable guy and wanted to wait to have sex with Cathy in a romantic, respectable way, and Cathy pitched a tantrum, dressed like a whore, danced like a skank with Ben's friend who she'd never met, just to try to make Ben jealous... Honestly... I can not be Team Cathy after that juvenile display of deplorable behavior. 22 year old, law school bound Ben should have dropped Cathy's stupid ass right then and there. But he didn't.
And maybe that whole episode was supposed to allude to how Cathy would handle stress later in life and act out on it instead of dealing with it head on... and maybe it was supposed to show how Ben would love her through it despite her flaws... but it dropped Cathy down on my respect meter significantly.
And speaking of Ben... I loved Ben. Ben was the only ray of light in this whole dark mess. But when Ben finally, after the whole big fight, and after Cathy's tantrum, decided after all that happened to do Cathy doggy style on a dresser in the upstairs bedroom of a rowdy party... well that did not seem like consistent behavior with the Ben I had come to know and love. This is not something Ben would do. Not his first time with Cathy, not just a day before declaring his love for her... he'd save the doggy for later. Just sayin... So with that said, I proceeded to read while subconsciously looking for holes in the story.
Arsen. Now, I will repeat. I love a bad boy. I will, without fail, always always always root for the bad boy in any given situation. Arsen is now the exception to my rule. Arsen is an asshole. I get that he's supposed to be younger than Cathy, early to mid-20s. I get that he is a sexy, wealthy playboy. So do you mean to tell me that no where in that privileged upbringing, no one taught him some tact and etiquette? You don't drop the f-bomb in front of complete strangers. You don't talk about who else you screwed and why and when and how in front of a woman that you are friends with but secretly pining after. I don't know if the author felt that the overuse of the f-bomb was necessary to convey Arsen's masculinity, or his womanizing personality... but it was just that: overused. The overuse made me roll my eyes and it all went from being sexy dialogue to cheesy, gouge out my eyeballs with a fork annoying.
Maybe it's my fault that I bought into all the hype on goodreads and facebook about how intensely emotional this book was. But it took way too long to develop, in my opinion. Things didn't pick up until after the 40%ish mark. If I was one of those readers (which I am not!) that abandons a book out of boredom, I would have.
But alas, things did pick up. The drama increased and my hate for Cathy multiplied exponentially. Now, don't get me wrong, I sympathized with her loss and her pain. But to put any of the blame on Ben for why the marriage was crumbling was just wrong. He did what any husband in that situation would have done, he stayed strong despite his own pain, he tried to remain positive and he tried to convince Cathy to do the same. But Cathy, once again, decides that the sun and moon rise and fall out of her ass, and she does whatever she wants, despite who she hurts. Now, everyone and their mother hated Kiera because of how wishy washy she was between Kellan and Denny. Cathy knocks wishy washy out of the ball park. I understand the whole loving two guys synopsis. But the whole "I love Ben so much" (blink) "I love Arsen so much" (turn page) "I love Ben"... I mean, really. Atleast mull that shit over a bit. It was LITERALLY, as soon as whoever she was with stopped touching her for 2 seconds, she was madly in love with the other guy. Yet she showed no remorse EVER. Atleast Keira felt badly about what she did to Denny.This chick needed more therapy than Crystle can offer up, she needs to be committed. And calling Amy for advice and then arguing with her because she didn't like what she heard... the selfishness of this chick knows no bounds. Get over yourself. I started to almost think that maybe she couldn't have a child because she wasn't selfless enough to care for one. She wanted a baby more than she wanted anything... including a good man. I just can't find it in myself to like her or want good things for her.
My favorite part of the book... the part of the book that pulled me in, and the only part of the book that I had any real emotional connection with, was Ben's emotional breakdown upon Cathy's final admittance. That was heartbreaking and I cried... like real, actual tears. He would have, undoubtedly, forgiven Cathy on the spot if she had shown even an ounce of remorse. But of course she did not.
And to top off my already pissed off cake, Cathy doesn't even bother to figure out who fathered that kid?? I mean, come ON! Arsen... ok, fine. He said he didn't want to be a father. We know it was a lie, but if Cathy was basing her actions on what she knew, then Arsen wouldn't have been involved with her or the kid anyway, so atleast you have the truth. But to not find out the truth for Ben's sake? That guy wanted a child and a family just as badly as Cathy did. He suffered those losses just like he did. And she didn't tell him?? That's probably more dispicable than the affair.
I was happy with the ending. I was glad that she and Ben ended up together, because ultimately that is the ending I hoped for. But then the epilogue came along and ruined that. I was kinda pissed that Arsen is made out to be some kind of hero at the end, suddenly putting everyone else's happiness before his own. Really, Arsen? Where was your sense of selflessness when you told Cathy to get on her knees in your bedroom. Give me a break. And the fact that Nadia is his makes me even more mad. But whatever... it is what it is...
Maybe buying into the hype set my expectations too high. Maybe I'm just a critical reader and hard to please. I don't know why I didn't love this book. I do know that my love or hate of a book is based on how I feel while reading it. I don't have to love the outcome of a book to love the story. I actually live for how many painful tugs my heart feels while reading a book. I look for turmoil and pain and heartbreak. And I know how I was supposed to feel while I read Arsen... I was supposed to feel emotionally torn for Cathy, I was supposed to feel how difficult this life-altering decision is for her to make, how hard it is to choose one love or another. But that's not what I felt. I felt anger toward her for being so selfish and putting herself in this situation to begin with. I felt utter disdain for this chick who would go screw her boyfriend in a closet at a party while her husband practically begged her not to. I could not sympathize with the main character, and I think that obviously affected how I read the entire story.
Arsen is the fire and Ben is the rain... and Cathy should be shackled in a basement somewhere and not allowed to experience the weather.
Before everyone starts throwing things, let me be clear. I love love love a good love triangle. I love a bad boy. I love cursing and bad language and dirty sex. I love an angst-ridden emotional roller coaster. I love darkness and pain. I love my heart to break. So before you think I read a book outside of my genre of choice and then berated the crap out of it, let me be clear: this was SO right up my ally. It just... wasn't it for me...
First off, I hated Cathy. And when you hate your main character, when you hate the sound of her voice and her inner monologue, I'm not sure where you can go from there. From the age of 18, at that party, where Ben was nothing but a stand-up respectful, honorable guy and wanted to wait to have sex with Cathy in a romantic, respectable way, and Cathy pitched a tantrum, dressed like a whore, danced like a skank with Ben's friend who she'd never met, just to try to make Ben jealous... Honestly... I can not be Team Cathy after that juvenile display of deplorable behavior. 22 year old, law school bound Ben should have dropped Cathy's stupid ass right then and there. But he didn't.
And maybe that whole episode was supposed to allude to how Cathy would handle stress later in life and act out on it instead of dealing with it head on... and maybe it was supposed to show how Ben would love her through it despite her flaws... but it dropped Cathy down on my respect meter significantly.
And speaking of Ben... I loved Ben. Ben was the only ray of light in this whole dark mess. But when Ben finally, after the whole big fight, and after Cathy's tantrum, decided after all that happened to do Cathy doggy style on a dresser in the upstairs bedroom of a rowdy party... well that did not seem like consistent behavior with the Ben I had come to know and love. This is not something Ben would do. Not his first time with Cathy, not just a day before declaring his love for her... he'd save the doggy for later. Just sayin... So with that said, I proceeded to read while subconsciously looking for holes in the story.
Arsen. Now, I will repeat. I love a bad boy. I will, without fail, always always always root for the bad boy in any given situation. Arsen is now the exception to my rule. Arsen is an asshole. I get that he's supposed to be younger than Cathy, early to mid-20s. I get that he is a sexy, wealthy playboy. So do you mean to tell me that no where in that privileged upbringing, no one taught him some tact and etiquette? You don't drop the f-bomb in front of complete strangers. You don't talk about who else you screwed and why and when and how in front of a woman that you are friends with but secretly pining after. I don't know if the author felt that the overuse of the f-bomb was necessary to convey Arsen's masculinity, or his womanizing personality... but it was just that: overused. The overuse made me roll my eyes and it all went from being sexy dialogue to cheesy, gouge out my eyeballs with a fork annoying.
Maybe it's my fault that I bought into all the hype on goodreads and facebook about how intensely emotional this book was. But it took way too long to develop, in my opinion. Things didn't pick up until after the 40%ish mark. If I was one of those readers (which I am not!) that abandons a book out of boredom, I would have.
But alas, things did pick up. The drama increased and my hate for Cathy multiplied exponentially. Now, don't get me wrong, I sympathized with her loss and her pain. But to put any of the blame on Ben for why the marriage was crumbling was just wrong. He did what any husband in that situation would have done, he stayed strong despite his own pain, he tried to remain positive and he tried to convince Cathy to do the same. But Cathy, once again, decides that the sun and moon rise and fall out of her ass, and she does whatever she wants, despite who she hurts. Now, everyone and their mother hated Kiera because of how wishy washy she was between Kellan and Denny. Cathy knocks wishy washy out of the ball park. I understand the whole loving two guys synopsis. But the whole "I love Ben so much" (blink) "I love Arsen so much" (turn page) "I love Ben"... I mean, really. Atleast mull that shit over a bit. It was LITERALLY, as soon as whoever she was with stopped touching her for 2 seconds, she was madly in love with the other guy. Yet she showed no remorse EVER. Atleast Keira felt badly about what she did to Denny.This chick needed more therapy than Crystle can offer up, she needs to be committed. And calling Amy for advice and then arguing with her because she didn't like what she heard... the selfishness of this chick knows no bounds. Get over yourself. I started to almost think that maybe she couldn't have a child because she wasn't selfless enough to care for one. She wanted a baby more than she wanted anything... including a good man. I just can't find it in myself to like her or want good things for her.
My favorite part of the book... the part of the book that pulled me in, and the only part of the book that I had any real emotional connection with, was Ben's emotional breakdown upon Cathy's final admittance. That was heartbreaking and I cried... like real, actual tears. He would have, undoubtedly, forgiven Cathy on the spot if she had shown even an ounce of remorse. But of course she did not.
And to top off my already pissed off cake, Cathy doesn't even bother to figure out who fathered that kid?? I mean, come ON! Arsen... ok, fine. He said he didn't want to be a father. We know it was a lie, but if Cathy was basing her actions on what she knew, then Arsen wouldn't have been involved with her or the kid anyway, so atleast you have the truth. But to not find out the truth for Ben's sake? That guy wanted a child and a family just as badly as Cathy did. He suffered those losses just like he did. And she didn't tell him?? That's probably more dispicable than the affair.
I was happy with the ending. I was glad that she and Ben ended up together, because ultimately that is the ending I hoped for. But then the epilogue came along and ruined that. I was kinda pissed that Arsen is made out to be some kind of hero at the end, suddenly putting everyone else's happiness before his own. Really, Arsen? Where was your sense of selflessness when you told Cathy to get on her knees in your bedroom. Give me a break. And the fact that Nadia is his makes me even more mad. But whatever... it is what it is...
Maybe buying into the hype set my expectations too high. Maybe I'm just a critical reader and hard to please. I don't know why I didn't love this book. I do know that my love or hate of a book is based on how I feel while reading it. I don't have to love the outcome of a book to love the story. I actually live for how many painful tugs my heart feels while reading a book. I look for turmoil and pain and heartbreak. And I know how I was supposed to feel while I read Arsen... I was supposed to feel emotionally torn for Cathy, I was supposed to feel how difficult this life-altering decision is for her to make, how hard it is to choose one love or another. But that's not what I felt. I felt anger toward her for being so selfish and putting herself in this situation to begin with. I felt utter disdain for this chick who would go screw her boyfriend in a closet at a party while her husband practically begged her not to. I could not sympathize with the main character, and I think that obviously affected how I read the entire story.
Arsen is the fire and Ben is the rain... and Cathy should be shackled in a basement somewhere and not allowed to experience the weather.
August 27, 2013
Maybe 3.5 stars.
This one is difficult to review. First half of the book I was just thinking “C’mon, something happen!� Life isn’t perfect. It might seem perfect to people looking in � Cathy has a great job, perfect husband, gorgeous house, good friends�. BUT .. yes we know what her “buts� are and it is heartbreaking. Marriage is hard work � been doing it myself for 21 years. Luckily, I never went through what THEY went through. But it should be a
I am married to a “nice� man � should I do something about that? OK, maybe my Book Boyfriends are my make-believe “cheats�!
I disliked Cathy for most of the book. I loved Ben. Arsen, not sure what I felt for him. Even at the end, I did not really care.
I cannot say much without giving too much away. Does it deserve all the rave, 5 star reviews? Not sure. The writing was excellent and the story draws you in. In the end I sort of thought “No, there should not be a HEA�. And for some there was and for some there wasn’t. I am not sure what I think about it really�. Sorry for my rambling. And no, I did not shed a tear � am I a cruel hearted, cold bitch? I hope not�.. Maybe, because I am a bit older, I did not have the empathy for HIM as others might. At the end of the day it is fiction, I guess, and it takes something a bit stronger than this to make me shed a tear.
Love is infinite.
There is no beginning and no end.
There is no starting point and no finishing line.
Love just is.
Love is born, grows, matures, and sometimes it dies.
But the memory will remain with you for the rest of your breathing hours.
You fall in love, you fall out of love.
But you will love again.
You always do.
February 27, 2017
Oh, What A Web We Weave...
I procrastinated a lot while I was reading this book, trying to postpone the inevitable tear-fest that I knew was coming. I may have delayed it by a day or two, but eventually, I had to just give in, find out what happened, and grab the Kleenex. Then, I cried...A LOT.
Cathy is unhappily married to a wonderful husband, who worships the ground she walks on. She loves her husband, Ben, immensely, but the devastation of multiple miscarriages has left her a changed woman. The resultant strain on her marriage continues to grow, as Cathy doesn't feel she can be open and honest with Ben about how she's feeling.
Assigned as a mentor for Arsen, the playboy son of her new boss, the two enter into a flirtatious friendship. Initially, Cathy rebuffs Arsen's advances. However, she soon finds herself confiding in him and becoming more responsive to his advances.
Arsen wants Cathy, and he doesn't make any bones about it. He doesn't care that she is married. He only cares about the attraction that exists between them and actively pursues her, regardless of the cost.
As the state of her marriage continues to decline, Cathy succumbs to temptation. She chooses to turn her back on her marriage and engage in a torrid affair with Arsen, leaving a path of destruction in her wake. Hearts are broken. Lives are wrecked.
This was an emotional and intense read about love, lust and betrayal. It was painful to "watch". So many times, I wanted to jump into the pages to stop Cathy before it was too late. I felt helpless and powerless as the story unfolded, unable to stop the impending disaster, but wanting so badly to do so.
The story of Cathy, Ben and Arsen will take you on a painful journey of discovery. Beautifully written, each of the characters comes to life in a way that will have you living their pain with them as if it were your own. Bravo, Ms. Asher!
I procrastinated a lot while I was reading this book, trying to postpone the inevitable tear-fest that I knew was coming. I may have delayed it by a day or two, but eventually, I had to just give in, find out what happened, and grab the Kleenex. Then, I cried...A LOT.
Cathy is unhappily married to a wonderful husband, who worships the ground she walks on. She loves her husband, Ben, immensely, but the devastation of multiple miscarriages has left her a changed woman. The resultant strain on her marriage continues to grow, as Cathy doesn't feel she can be open and honest with Ben about how she's feeling.
Assigned as a mentor for Arsen, the playboy son of her new boss, the two enter into a flirtatious friendship. Initially, Cathy rebuffs Arsen's advances. However, she soon finds herself confiding in him and becoming more responsive to his advances.
Arsen wants Cathy, and he doesn't make any bones about it. He doesn't care that she is married. He only cares about the attraction that exists between them and actively pursues her, regardless of the cost.
As the state of her marriage continues to decline, Cathy succumbs to temptation. She chooses to turn her back on her marriage and engage in a torrid affair with Arsen, leaving a path of destruction in her wake. Hearts are broken. Lives are wrecked.
This was an emotional and intense read about love, lust and betrayal. It was painful to "watch". So many times, I wanted to jump into the pages to stop Cathy before it was too late. I felt helpless and powerless as the story unfolded, unable to stop the impending disaster, but wanting so badly to do so.
The story of Cathy, Ben and Arsen will take you on a painful journey of discovery. Beautifully written, each of the characters comes to life in a way that will have you living their pain with them as if it were your own. Bravo, Ms. Asher!
September 22, 2016
** Second time reading **
Buddy read with Liz. I knew what was coming... and still I sobbed at the key moment.... the place that hurt my heart the most when I first read. The angst in this story is as sublime as the first day I read it. LOVED. MY. RE-READ. <3
**
#6Stars for this incredible, powerful, gut wrenching story....
“If only I had known that it takes more than love to make a marriage work, then maybe our story would be different.�
I really don't know where to start with my review and convey my feelings about this amazing story and fabulous writing.....I went through a range of emotions�..…at first I thought, ‘silly woman� what are you doing???? I felt anger, disgust, (how could she??), my understanding developed and, with that, a great love for all 3 characters�..I felt sorrow, sadness, sympathy, so many feelings......it's had me in bits these last 2 days, I finished last night and it's still affecting me...I found it that powerful. I'm not going to tell you what happens....you'll have to read it for yourself but I'm going to explain what I think about this very emotive story.
"Ben makes colours seem brighter when he walks into a room, he makes my heart feel as if it wants out of my chest every time I see him or think of him. He makes my world spin."
The relationship and dynamic between husband and wife came across very clearly.
Ben & Cathy's romance is told by showing glimpses of their past...how they met when she was just 18 and he was 22, how they felt.....it gives a beauty to the story. They had an intense attraction to each other...it was all consuming, a forever kind of love and it felt so very real to me.....bought back my own feelings of when I met my one true love.....it made this story extra poignant and sad.
Ben is so nice, I loved him from the start, but him being so nice and perfect, in the face of their situation.... drives Cathy mad ....she needs more than, 'it will be ok'....because for her it may not be.....He thinks she's too negative...... "....so I just don't talk to him about it anymore..."
He becomes a constant reminder of their situation.....making love becomes a means to an end�.
"For you I will do anything. Anything." ~Ben
"Am I so desensitized to him....."
My heart was breaking for them......how can something so perfect and so right go so wrong??????
Face your fears and your issues.......COMMUNICATE......
Arsen is a young, rich man and used to getting what he wants.....
"He is danger."
She is attracted to him....
She knows it’s wrong .......they become friends, he lets her be who she needs to be...he doesn't judge her.....he provides her need for numbness.....
"He made me forget.�
I should have disliked him but I couldn't help but warm to him and love him which makes the story even more conflicting to read�.....
"With one look, Arsen provides the warmth I didn't know I needed until this very moment. "Oh Dimples."
Arsen will not be for everyone, some people will hate Cathy’s character, I understand that......the blurb tells us clearly that cheating is the major theme in this story, it’s not pretty, in fact it’s downright ugly at times�...it emotes strong emotions and reactions..... The subject does not sit well with me, it's not an easy subject, but it's NOT black and white and that's life isn't it? We have to trust that in the end life will lead us to make the right choices for us, despite all the crazy shit it might throw at us.....and the right choice can be changeable and organic and not always palatable.
What we see in this book is a girl called Cathy living her own individual journey.... and, personally, I grew to love her.....I didn't love her decisions but I understood them, I could see her character had real motivation, I got her ....I feel a strong desire to defend her....the character development is amazing......the writing made me empathize with Cathy.....live her pain, her sadness, her emptiness, her disgust and devastation.....I felt it all. What she does is deplorable, there's no getting away from it, it can NOT be condoned...…she herself makes no excuses, hates herself but cannot stop the path she's on.
"A lying, cheating deceitful woman like me should suffer." ***And believe me she does***
"What is it like to have your heart ripped out when you can't have what nature was meant to provide?"
What would you do if there was something that would numb an unbearable pain, bring back the light�....would you take it, even if it meant sacrifice??
She has an all consuming fear and pain, she's in a dark reality......she's losing herself and it's affecting everything.....
How would you feel faced with a pain so raw?
"I want to not feel. Not one thing."
What would be your band aid, your tonic, your solace?
"Make me forget. Please, make me forget."
� Can you love two men at the same time?
This book also explores.....love and it's different forms, (is love enough?) fate, life choices, judgement and loss .....this book was a very special read.
It gave me answers…�.…left questions…�..sadness……left me wanting more.
I felt everything....�for all 3 characters, not just Cathy. All 3 of them are in my heart……in fact, truth be told, and having reflected on it for a couple of days, it's Ben who my tears flowed for the most, especially hearing his thoughts; I think this story is going to be with me for a while.....
� Heartbreaking BR with B&D pinks � Thank you for being there ladies....love Jxxx �
Buddy read with Liz. I knew what was coming... and still I sobbed at the key moment.... the place that hurt my heart the most when I first read. The angst in this story is as sublime as the first day I read it. LOVED. MY. RE-READ. <3
**
#6Stars for this incredible, powerful, gut wrenching story....
“If only I had known that it takes more than love to make a marriage work, then maybe our story would be different.�
I really don't know where to start with my review and convey my feelings about this amazing story and fabulous writing.....I went through a range of emotions�..…at first I thought, ‘silly woman� what are you doing???? I felt anger, disgust, (how could she??), my understanding developed and, with that, a great love for all 3 characters�..I felt sorrow, sadness, sympathy, so many feelings......it's had me in bits these last 2 days, I finished last night and it's still affecting me...I found it that powerful. I'm not going to tell you what happens....you'll have to read it for yourself but I'm going to explain what I think about this very emotive story.
"Ben makes colours seem brighter when he walks into a room, he makes my heart feel as if it wants out of my chest every time I see him or think of him. He makes my world spin."
The relationship and dynamic between husband and wife came across very clearly.
Ben & Cathy's romance is told by showing glimpses of their past...how they met when she was just 18 and he was 22, how they felt.....it gives a beauty to the story. They had an intense attraction to each other...it was all consuming, a forever kind of love and it felt so very real to me.....bought back my own feelings of when I met my one true love.....it made this story extra poignant and sad.
Ben is so nice, I loved him from the start, but him being so nice and perfect, in the face of their situation.... drives Cathy mad ....she needs more than, 'it will be ok'....because for her it may not be.....He thinks she's too negative...... "....so I just don't talk to him about it anymore..."
He becomes a constant reminder of their situation.....making love becomes a means to an end�.
"For you I will do anything. Anything." ~Ben
"Am I so desensitized to him....."
My heart was breaking for them......how can something so perfect and so right go so wrong??????
Face your fears and your issues.......COMMUNICATE......
Arsen is a young, rich man and used to getting what he wants.....
"He is danger."
She is attracted to him....
She knows it’s wrong .......they become friends, he lets her be who she needs to be...he doesn't judge her.....he provides her need for numbness.....
"He made me forget.�
I should have disliked him but I couldn't help but warm to him and love him which makes the story even more conflicting to read�.....
"With one look, Arsen provides the warmth I didn't know I needed until this very moment. "Oh Dimples."
Arsen will not be for everyone, some people will hate Cathy’s character, I understand that......the blurb tells us clearly that cheating is the major theme in this story, it’s not pretty, in fact it’s downright ugly at times�...it emotes strong emotions and reactions..... The subject does not sit well with me, it's not an easy subject, but it's NOT black and white and that's life isn't it? We have to trust that in the end life will lead us to make the right choices for us, despite all the crazy shit it might throw at us.....and the right choice can be changeable and organic and not always palatable.
What we see in this book is a girl called Cathy living her own individual journey.... and, personally, I grew to love her.....I didn't love her decisions but I understood them, I could see her character had real motivation, I got her ....I feel a strong desire to defend her....the character development is amazing......the writing made me empathize with Cathy.....live her pain, her sadness, her emptiness, her disgust and devastation.....I felt it all. What she does is deplorable, there's no getting away from it, it can NOT be condoned...…she herself makes no excuses, hates herself but cannot stop the path she's on.
"A lying, cheating deceitful woman like me should suffer." ***And believe me she does***
"What is it like to have your heart ripped out when you can't have what nature was meant to provide?"
What would you do if there was something that would numb an unbearable pain, bring back the light�....would you take it, even if it meant sacrifice??
She has an all consuming fear and pain, she's in a dark reality......she's losing herself and it's affecting everything.....
How would you feel faced with a pain so raw?
"I want to not feel. Not one thing."
What would be your band aid, your tonic, your solace?
"Make me forget. Please, make me forget."
� Can you love two men at the same time?
This book also explores.....love and it's different forms, (is love enough?) fate, life choices, judgement and loss .....this book was a very special read.
It gave me answers…�.…left questions…�..sadness……left me wanting more.
I felt everything....�for all 3 characters, not just Cathy. All 3 of them are in my heart……in fact, truth be told, and having reflected on it for a couple of days, it's Ben who my tears flowed for the most, especially hearing his thoughts; I think this story is going to be with me for a while.....
"Love is infinite. There is no beginning and no end. There's no starting point and no finishing line. Love just is. Love is born, grows, matures, and sometimes it dies. But the memory will remain with you for the rest of your breathing hours. You fall in love, you fall out of love. But you will love again. You always do." ~ Cathy
� I would LOVE to see this story made into a film.
� Someone please make it so???
� It would be beautifully epic!!!
� Heartbreaking BR with B&D pinks � Thank you for being there ladies....love Jxxx �
December 21, 2017
"Love can destroy you.
Love can erase you.
Love can heal you.
Love can reinvent you,
And, if you are lucky enough,
Love can make you whole again..."
The End. I'm finished. I'm ruined. I'm crying.crying.crying so bad. I'm a fucking mess right now. God, that woman knows how to crush my heart. :( I'm broken and I'm so sorry for Cathy, for Ben and even for Arsen too... Before I start to read this book, I didn't think it is going to wreck me just like this but God, I'm out of words in here...
This was one of the most beautiful and also the most broken love story I ever read... You'll cry, you'll scream, you'll get angry but most important thing you'll feel each person's heartache and trust me you won't regret for reading this story... So I dare you, if you have a courage, stop losing time and read this book ASAP!
Ps. I also highly recommend Mia's Virtue series too... Don't miss this amazing books! Go and read them all ASAP! :)
Love can erase you.
Love can heal you.
Love can reinvent you,
And, if you are lucky enough,
Love can make you whole again..."
The End. I'm finished. I'm ruined. I'm crying.crying.crying so bad. I'm a fucking mess right now. God, that woman knows how to crush my heart. :( I'm broken and I'm so sorry for Cathy, for Ben and even for Arsen too... Before I start to read this book, I didn't think it is going to wreck me just like this but God, I'm out of words in here...
This was one of the most beautiful and also the most broken love story I ever read... You'll cry, you'll scream, you'll get angry but most important thing you'll feel each person's heartache and trust me you won't regret for reading this story... So I dare you, if you have a courage, stop losing time and read this book ASAP!
Ps. I also highly recommend Mia's Virtue series too... Don't miss this amazing books! Go and read them all ASAP! :)
September 6, 2013
"A gut wrenching, heart breaking, painful story of love, betrayal and forgiveness. Pulse pounding, anger inducing and emotionally draining. Simply magnificent. One of my favorite reads this year." - Angie's Dreamy Reads
“Love can destroy you.
Love can erase you.
Love can heal you.
Love can reinvent you,
And, if you are lucky enough,
Love can make you whole again." - Arsen by Mia Asher
This book is a DOOZY to review. Damn�.I don’t even know where to start. I guess first off I should say that I freaking LOVED it. It’s not everyday you stumble on a mind blowing book that literally consumes your life. There are only certain books that can take a hold of every aspect of your body and NOT LET YOU go. This book tangles your very core in knots. It takes your heart and literally owns it with every word that buries deeply into your heart. It infiltrates all your senses and breaks you down page by page. I knew this was a fantastic book when I put it down and said to myself "My God! I'm exhausted, numb, burnt out, drained BUT weirdly okay." Arsen by Mia Asher absolutely tore me to shreds. This book is ANGST to the purest kind. It's one of those books that you wish you could unread and then re read again. The emotional pull it has on your body, heart and mind is intense, tangible and palpable. It's gripping and doesn't let you go until you've read the last page, last paragraph and last word. There's nothing like it. Nothing. This story is new, magnetic and honestly captivating. It's not an easy read. It's heartbreaking, absolutely tear inducing and HURTS to read. It's going to shatter you in every way. It's going to piss you off. It's going to blow your mind. At the end I think you'll be left feeling hopeful. Hopeful that NO MATTER what happens, what mistakes a person makes, what hurts a person inflicts, if you have true, pure and UNCONDITIONAL love for someone you can conquer all. I'm a hopeless romantic and this book was like a musical note to my song. It fed that deep seated need in me that true love always wins out. Sometimes love is messy, it's hurtful and it breaks people. Sometimes life has moments where things happen to us that are out of our control. Things that take a NORMAL, WHOLE person and shatter them. When that happens people become cold, despondent and broken. They become someone that they don't know and someone that hurts other people because they've lost the passion for life. The passion to live, love and accept things that are out of our control. Arsen in my opinion is a story of learning from our mistakes, forgiving those that have hurt us, and choosing to let go. It's a story of hope, love, heartache and sorrow. A story of new beginnings and brighter futures. I thought it was beautiful, magnificent and one if the best books I have EVER had the pleasure if reading. It's what I call a "sweetly torturous read!" It hurt so bad but felt so fucking incredible when I turned that last page. I couldn't, can't and would never have enough of this authors writing and these characters. This book is phenomenal, heart pounding, tear inducing and out of this world fantastic. If you want to feel...feel alive, mind f*cked, pissed, annoyed, moved, torn, happy then this is the book for you. This book will make you feel all that and more. It will break you down, build you up and then shatter you again. I think as readers we read to feel, to escape, to connect to something deeper than what we get in life. Arsen is the perfect example of that. It's emotionally earth shattering and is going to move you whether good or bad. Sometimes the books that piss us off the most are the books that make a lasting impression. Arsen is going to leave its mark. There's no doubt about it. You'll remember this book next year, the year after and the year after that. It's memorable, absolutely worth the risk, the heartbreak and the angst. It's a fantastic read that's going to ROCK you to your core. So go get the book, hang on tight and get ready for angst, heartbreak, sizzling sex and emotion that's on the scale of 1-10 is a 20!!!!!! It's an unforgettable read.
“Love is infinite. There is no beginning and no end. There's no starting point and no finishing line. Love just is. Love is born, grows, matures, and sometimes it dies. But the memory will remain with you for the rest of your breathing hours. You will fall in love, you will fall out of love. But you will love again. You always do.� - Arsen
I guess I should offer a slight warning in-case you missed the gist of this book. It contains BLATANT cheating. Now I know this might be a turnoff to some but I would compel you to try it and take the risk. I really think you can learn a little from this book. I'm not gonna go too deeply into the plot. I think this book should be "experienced" without knowing a lot if what happens. I will however give you a couple things. Cathy is married to Ben. Their marriage is seemingly perfect. Ben is THE sweetest guy in the whole damn world. No joke. If you could add a picture next to the word perfection in the dictionary I think Ben would be there. He LOVES Cathy and he accepts her no matter what. He's faithful, sweet, giving and sexy as shit. Cathy and Ben have a good marriage. But things start to go badly when Cathy starts having miscarriage after miscarriage. She can't seem to bring a pregnancy to term and slowly this eats at her. Demolishing her spirit one loss at a time and breaking her down to nothing. As these losses add up in Cathy's life, she starts retreating into herself. Ben the ever present, perfect husband tries to soothe and be there for his wife but his perfection slowly pushes Cathy away. Ben is SO perfect that it turns Cathy off and makes her worse. I know it's NOT an excuse to cheat but it is what it is. This woman's entire world is shattered by these miscarriages and she feels that Ben isn't suffering the same way she is. Is it fucked up?! Fuck yes, but it's how SHE feels and I'm sorry you can't discount her feelings and her broken heart. We all react differently to loss and life.
“Sometimes not being in control, not being able to think, just losing yourself in the moment, is the greatest feeling in the world. It's liberating. It's addicting. It's the most powerful high you'll ever get. It's a kind of freedom that tastes so sweet on your palate that you can't help but want more each time you have it.� - Arsen
Arsen enters Cathy's world and gives her something that Cathy's been longing for! ESCAPE. Escape from her marriage, herself, her problems, her world. It's an affair that SHATTERS Cathy and her marriage.
You'll see the breakdown of EVERYTHING in this book. You'll see the start of an affair, the retreat from Ben and the slow shattering of Cathy's world. She single handedly self destructs and the worst part is she takes the ones she loves the most down with her. ALL of this is in the book. It's an absolute PERFECT look into the breakdown of a marriage. One that might not be able to be saved.
“Love is never supposed to hurt. Love is supposed to heal, to be your haven from misery, to make living fucking worthwhile.� - Arsen
I felt like this author portrayed a perfect depiction of cheating. It felt so real and heartbreaking. It's definitely gritty and raw. I loved it. I'm in the minority as far as hating Cathy. I loved her and I understood her. I felt for her and I absolutely hurt for Ben. I was NEVER a fan of Arsen and at times hated him for his part in all this. I'm not gonna lie, this book KILLED me. I hurt. I hurt all over and there were particular scenes were I was actually curled up in a ball sobbing for these characters. For their suffering. For their loss of both love and life. It's gut wrenching but WORTH IT. I know I fell in love with it and it left its mark on me. Cathy might be hated by you. You might feel completely different than what I did but no matter WHAT the outcome I think it'll be memorable and you'll be happy you took the chance to read it. You have Ben the perfect husband, Cathy the cheating wife and Arsen the asshole playboy that takes Cathy from Ben. It's a wildfire that burned their world down. It's blazing hot, soaring with emotion and all consuming!!!!! Do it. Take a chance, read it and get ready for a whirlwind romance that's going to leave you in flames.
My rating is 5+++ Stars
February 25, 2018
o,5
Ante todo he de decir que, como cualquier lector (y por partida doble, porque también soy escritora), amo y respeto los libros. Me gusta sumergirme en ellos, paladearlos (en sentido figurado), disfrutarlos. Y por eso he sentido, con toda sinceridad, y sin ánimo de causar malestar alguno a nadie, que esta novela es una patada en la boca no solo al género al que dice pertenecer (novela Romántica), sino a la literatura en general.
La perdición de Cathy es la historia más deplorable con la que me he encontrado en toda mi vida. Es sucia, frívola, absurda hasta decir basta, y tiene la profundidad de un charco de agua dulce.
Y no, lo que me ha molestado profundamente no es que hable de adulterio. O de engaños. O que tenga personajes odiosos. Una historia puede tener todos esos ingredientes y ser sublime.
Madame Bovary, Lolita o Cumbres Borrascosas son claros ejemplos de ello. Historias maravillosas, excelentemente bien escritas, que reflejan la podredumbre del ser humano en todo su esplendor.
Pero este libro es una novela TRAMPOSA. Hace pasar una pútrida relación a tres por una historia de amor inolvidable. Y romántica. RO-MÁN-TI-CA.
Y lo peor: es que el amor no está por ningún lado. NO LO HAY. Hay mucha palabrería, escenas de relleno y folleteo a montones. Pero NO amor. Los diálogos son ridículos, y la escritura es tan pobre, pero tan pobre, Dios mío, que me daban ganas de llorar. Me senté con el libro y con un racimo de uvas bien grande al lado. Por cada vez que aparecían las palabras "polla", "coño", "follar" (en todos sus tiempos verbales), "hoyuelos" y "nena" me comía una uva. Pues me terminé el racimo mucho antes de alcanzar el 70% de la novela. Si hubiera decidido tomarme chupitos ahora mismo tendría una cogorza de campeonato.
Ah. Y la tremenda maravilla que es Arsen. Todo un portento él. Tan hermoso como la tumba de un rico. Preciosa y bien tallada por fuera, y por dentro llena de gusanos y huesos de muertos. Una porquería de hombre y de persona. Asqueroso. Vomitivo. Cada vez que lo veía aparecer, me daban ganas de cogerle por los cabellos y estrellarle la cara contra la primera mesa disponible. Y no, lo de Jessica es un truco de lo más tonto para intentar suavizar la imagen de semejante engendro.
Y lo que más gracia me hace son esas recomendaciones de: si vas a leer el libro hazlo "con la mente abierta". ?¿?¿?¿?¿ ¿De verdad? Pues no, no creo que tenga que leerla con la mente abierta. Lo que tengo que hacer es tener mucha paciencia y sujetarme bien los ovarios para que no me estallen. Si esto es una "historia de amor diferente" y se va a poner de moda, AVÍSENME, porque diré adiós a este género para siempre. Si este es el concepto de amor que tenemos en el siglo XXI, me bajo de la vida. Estoy completamente a favor de relatar historias duras y controvertidas, pero... ¿cómo podemos romantizar semejantes comportamientos cavernícolas y justificarlos?
Me siento enfadada. Estafada. Después de esta nefasta experiencia, mando a la autora directamente al calabozo de los never again.
I´m done with you, Mia Asher. DONE.
EDITO: Si queréis ver algunas de las "perlitas literarias" de este portento importado, leed los comentarios. Aviso que contienen spoilers. No me hago responsable de que os explote el cerebro.
Ante todo he de decir que, como cualquier lector (y por partida doble, porque también soy escritora), amo y respeto los libros. Me gusta sumergirme en ellos, paladearlos (en sentido figurado), disfrutarlos. Y por eso he sentido, con toda sinceridad, y sin ánimo de causar malestar alguno a nadie, que esta novela es una patada en la boca no solo al género al que dice pertenecer (novela Romántica), sino a la literatura en general.
La perdición de Cathy es la historia más deplorable con la que me he encontrado en toda mi vida. Es sucia, frívola, absurda hasta decir basta, y tiene la profundidad de un charco de agua dulce.
Y no, lo que me ha molestado profundamente no es que hable de adulterio. O de engaños. O que tenga personajes odiosos. Una historia puede tener todos esos ingredientes y ser sublime.
Madame Bovary, Lolita o Cumbres Borrascosas son claros ejemplos de ello. Historias maravillosas, excelentemente bien escritas, que reflejan la podredumbre del ser humano en todo su esplendor.
Pero este libro es una novela TRAMPOSA. Hace pasar una pútrida relación a tres por una historia de amor inolvidable. Y romántica. RO-MÁN-TI-CA.
Y lo peor: es que el amor no está por ningún lado. NO LO HAY. Hay mucha palabrería, escenas de relleno y folleteo a montones. Pero NO amor. Los diálogos son ridículos, y la escritura es tan pobre, pero tan pobre, Dios mío, que me daban ganas de llorar. Me senté con el libro y con un racimo de uvas bien grande al lado. Por cada vez que aparecían las palabras "polla", "coño", "follar" (en todos sus tiempos verbales), "hoyuelos" y "nena" me comía una uva. Pues me terminé el racimo mucho antes de alcanzar el 70% de la novela. Si hubiera decidido tomarme chupitos ahora mismo tendría una cogorza de campeonato.
Ah. Y la tremenda maravilla que es Arsen. Todo un portento él. Tan hermoso como la tumba de un rico. Preciosa y bien tallada por fuera, y por dentro llena de gusanos y huesos de muertos. Una porquería de hombre y de persona. Asqueroso. Vomitivo. Cada vez que lo veía aparecer, me daban ganas de cogerle por los cabellos y estrellarle la cara contra la primera mesa disponible. Y no, lo de Jessica es un truco de lo más tonto para intentar suavizar la imagen de semejante engendro.
Y lo que más gracia me hace son esas recomendaciones de: si vas a leer el libro hazlo "con la mente abierta". ?¿?¿?¿?¿ ¿De verdad? Pues no, no creo que tenga que leerla con la mente abierta. Lo que tengo que hacer es tener mucha paciencia y sujetarme bien los ovarios para que no me estallen. Si esto es una "historia de amor diferente" y se va a poner de moda, AVÍSENME, porque diré adiós a este género para siempre. Si este es el concepto de amor que tenemos en el siglo XXI, me bajo de la vida. Estoy completamente a favor de relatar historias duras y controvertidas, pero... ¿cómo podemos romantizar semejantes comportamientos cavernícolas y justificarlos?
Me siento enfadada. Estafada. Después de esta nefasta experiencia, mando a la autora directamente al calabozo de los never again.
I´m done with you, Mia Asher. DONE.
EDITO: Si queréis ver algunas de las "perlitas literarias" de este portento importado, leed los comentarios. Aviso que contienen spoilers. No me hago responsable de que os explote el cerebro.
February 22, 2018
¡ATENCIÓN! Opinión impopular.
Este es para mí, el ejemplo perfecto de como una escritora puede cargarse a un personaje PERFECTO de un plumazo. Y de como escribir una historia atroz.
Si amaste este libro como el 92% de personas por aquí en GR ni siquiera sigas leyendo. No te va a gustar mi reseña y ¿pa'que hacerte perder tu tiempo?
Mejor no la leas y ya.
No puedo hablar de esta historia sin contar algunos spoilers y además... no quiero guardármelos porque me da que este libro es de esos que tengo que contarles así... al chile. A lo que voy pues.
"La perdición de Cathy" no es una novela de amor. Ni siquiera cerca. Este, es un libro que sirve para demostrarnos la estupidez humana. ¿Y saben que es lo peor? que es por parte de los tres personajes principales. ENNNNNN SERIOOOOO...
A ver, la historia va más o menos así...
Cathy es una chica boba, superficial e insegura que es demasiado bonita para su propio bien, un día conoce a un extraño y TAN TAN... SE BESAN, y sienten maripositas y se enamoran y se casan y viven felices por un tiempo. Su matrimonio es perfecto y shaala. De telenovela pues.
¿Como un matrimonio de años puede terminar de forma tan humillante? ¿Como el amor puede acabar en un abrir y cerrar de ojos? ¿Cómo puedes amar a otra persona mientras AMAS a tu marido? ¿Cómo superar pérdida tras pérdida de lo que más anhelas?
Bien, pues aquí lo descubres de una forma muy cruda, cruel, sin filtro y muy bizarra.
Por un lado, tenemos al protagonista casi perfecto. Ben es ese protagonista que hace que se te caigan las bragas en cuanto lo ves pasar. Es ese personaje lleno de matices que logra conquistarte en un abrir y cerrar de ojos. Noooo, si yo al 4% ya estaba enamorada de él. Así de perfecto es. Pero en el buen sentido. No es de esos protagonistas perfectamente cansinos que hartan con su halo de perfección. No, él es INCREÍBLE.
Pero tiene un problema, es demasiado positivo y perfecto... siempre trata de solucionar las cosas y pensar que todo saldrá bien.
En fin, que el que sea perfecto es la excusa perfecta para Cathy porque a nuestra protagonista le viene valiendo 3 pepinos. Y debido a su positividad... se cargó un amor puro, dulce, romántico, sensual, divertido y atrapante en menos de lo que canta un gallo.
Y sí, que la chica se hizo del rogar, pero me digo yo... ¿en serio el amor era tan poco como para no resistir las insistencias de otra persona? Que yo entiendo que Arsen estaba más bueno que Bratt Pitt en Troya, pero eso a mí no me checa.
Para mí. El amor en pareja es solo así. EN PAREJA. DOS. Y llámenme puritana, pero a mí nadie me convence de que se puede amar a dos personas al mismo tiempo.
Cathy es una mujer casada, que después de haber tenido varios abortos involuntarios cae rendida por un hombre menor que ella, con el cual comienza una aventura. Su personaje es desde un principio detestable. Porque ya iniciando sabes que esta historia va sobre traición, lujuria. INFIDELIDAD.
Me pareció una mustia. PERRA, MOSQUITA MUERTA.Que justificaba sus acciones en el dolor por haber perdido a sus hijos no natos. Que justificaba su lujuria y el engaño, con la envidia que sentía por BEN. Porque era eso, envidiaba su perfección, su fortaleza ante las crudas circunstancias que vivían.
Y ya, así como así... se deja seducir por Arsen y mientras ella se moría de orgasmos y más orgasmos, a BEN que se lo lleve la chin...
NO
NO
NO.
Es que en mi cabeza no cabe el que una persona que dice amar a su esposo de años. Pueda engañar y traicionarlo solo por un par de "polvos casuales" (sus palabras no mías). Cathy es una persona enferma. Pero que en ningún momento logra que el lector empatice con sus actitudes.
Y no olvidemos hablar de Arsen, un niñato acostumbrado a conseguir todo lo que desea. PAAAAAR FAVOR... vean esta perlita de su repertorio....
« La vi, la deseé, y la cogí, aunque en el proceso me cargué un buen matrimonio. »
UGH!
INSOPORTABLE ES POCO.
Ben merece algo totalmente mejor, pero tampoco es un personaje admirable, porque en el último 15% la autora lo arruina terriblemente convirtiéndolo en un hombre dañino. PATÉTICO. Un canalla, sin corazón. Un patán.Aunque admito que sus perlitas si valen la pena... vean la frase matona que se sacó de su repertorio...
« ¿Sabes qué? Vamos a exponer toda la puta verdad. Ya he oído tus patéticas excusas, ¿qué te parece si ahora me escuchas tú? Déjame decirte algo, Cathy, espero que estés feliz� Porque Arsen puede poseer tu corazón, tu cuerpo, pero siempre te sentirás vacía, porque yo soy el puto dueño de tu maldita alma. Tu alma es parte de la mía, y siempre lo será. Yo me curaré, aprenderé a amar de nuevo, pero tú� Te compadezco.»
Y por si fuera poco... ARSEN SE VUELVE UN HÉROE!!!! Aquí Arsen en mi cabeza👇
¡QUE VIVA SU GENTILEZA! Es tan bueno que se sacrificó por amor... yupiiiiiiii🙄 #NO
yEn fin, que es una novela que no me ha gustado. Porque independientemente del lado que tomes en esta historia, no hay nada bueno que pueda aportar. La narrativa de Mia es más bien normalita, incluso aburrida. La historia es detestable. Los personajes son mejorables, sus personalidades (con excepción de Ben al principio) están terriblemente dibujadas en el papel.
No logras comprender al 100% por qué Cathy engañó a su marido.
No puedes saber realmente si Arsen se enamoró de Cathy.
No sabes si Ben también debía de ser perdonado.
Porque en una historia de traición e infidelidad no hay un culpable. Hay tres y a mi parecer, en este libro ni siquiera logras conectar con ninguno como para tomar partido.
Además, la autora deja demasiados cabos sueltos, y nos quiere venir a convencer con una Cathy más decidida a cambiar con su psicóloga que merece su HEA.
Y para mí NO LO HACE. No porque sea una perra egoísta y sin corazón, que merezca estar sola, sino porque a pesar de todo lo sufrido y vivido, sigue siendo una mujer frágil que necesita de un hombre a su lado para "estar completa" SU AMOR... por cualquiera de los dos es TÓXICO. Y también el de la hija.
En fin, que no es una lectura que recomendaría... como siempre digo, lean más reseñas y no se queden con la mía que claramente me toca los puntos sensibles y mis rollos morales y convicciones pueden ser un impedimento para que disfrute de este tipo de libros.
Este es para mí, el ejemplo perfecto de como una escritora puede cargarse a un personaje PERFECTO de un plumazo. Y de como escribir una historia atroz.
Si amaste este libro como el 92% de personas por aquí en GR ni siquiera sigas leyendo. No te va a gustar mi reseña y ¿pa'que hacerte perder tu tiempo?
Mejor no la leas y ya.
No puedo hablar de esta historia sin contar algunos spoilers y además... no quiero guardármelos porque me da que este libro es de esos que tengo que contarles así... al chile. A lo que voy pues.
"La perdición de Cathy" no es una novela de amor. Ni siquiera cerca. Este, es un libro que sirve para demostrarnos la estupidez humana. ¿Y saben que es lo peor? que es por parte de los tres personajes principales. ENNNNNN SERIOOOOO...
A ver, la historia va más o menos así...
Cathy es una chica boba, superficial e insegura que es demasiado bonita para su propio bien, un día conoce a un extraño y TAN TAN... SE BESAN, y sienten maripositas y se enamoran y se casan y viven felices por un tiempo. Su matrimonio es perfecto y shaala. De telenovela pues.
¿Como un matrimonio de años puede terminar de forma tan humillante? ¿Como el amor puede acabar en un abrir y cerrar de ojos? ¿Cómo puedes amar a otra persona mientras AMAS a tu marido? ¿Cómo superar pérdida tras pérdida de lo que más anhelas?
Bien, pues aquí lo descubres de una forma muy cruda, cruel, sin filtro y muy bizarra.
Por un lado, tenemos al protagonista casi perfecto. Ben es ese protagonista que hace que se te caigan las bragas en cuanto lo ves pasar. Es ese personaje lleno de matices que logra conquistarte en un abrir y cerrar de ojos. Noooo, si yo al 4% ya estaba enamorada de él. Así de perfecto es. Pero en el buen sentido. No es de esos protagonistas perfectamente cansinos que hartan con su halo de perfección. No, él es INCREÍBLE.
Pero tiene un problema, es demasiado positivo y perfecto... siempre trata de solucionar las cosas y pensar que todo saldrá bien.
En fin, que el que sea perfecto es la excusa perfecta para Cathy porque a nuestra protagonista le viene valiendo 3 pepinos. Y debido a su positividad... se cargó un amor puro, dulce, romántico, sensual, divertido y atrapante en menos de lo que canta un gallo.
Y sí, que la chica se hizo del rogar, pero me digo yo... ¿en serio el amor era tan poco como para no resistir las insistencias de otra persona? Que yo entiendo que Arsen estaba más bueno que Bratt Pitt en Troya, pero eso a mí no me checa.
Para mí. El amor en pareja es solo así. EN PAREJA. DOS. Y llámenme puritana, pero a mí nadie me convence de que se puede amar a dos personas al mismo tiempo.
Cathy es una mujer casada, que después de haber tenido varios abortos involuntarios cae rendida por un hombre menor que ella, con el cual comienza una aventura. Su personaje es desde un principio detestable. Porque ya iniciando sabes que esta historia va sobre traición, lujuria. INFIDELIDAD.
Me pareció una mustia. PERRA, MOSQUITA MUERTA.Que justificaba sus acciones en el dolor por haber perdido a sus hijos no natos. Que justificaba su lujuria y el engaño, con la envidia que sentía por BEN. Porque era eso, envidiaba su perfección, su fortaleza ante las crudas circunstancias que vivían.
Y ya, así como así... se deja seducir por Arsen y mientras ella se moría de orgasmos y más orgasmos, a BEN que se lo lleve la chin...
NO
NO
NO.
Es que en mi cabeza no cabe el que una persona que dice amar a su esposo de años. Pueda engañar y traicionarlo solo por un par de "polvos casuales" (sus palabras no mías). Cathy es una persona enferma. Pero que en ningún momento logra que el lector empatice con sus actitudes.
Y no olvidemos hablar de Arsen, un niñato acostumbrado a conseguir todo lo que desea. PAAAAAR FAVOR... vean esta perlita de su repertorio....
« La vi, la deseé, y la cogí, aunque en el proceso me cargué un buen matrimonio. »
UGH!
INSOPORTABLE ES POCO.
Ben merece algo totalmente mejor, pero tampoco es un personaje admirable, porque en el último 15% la autora lo arruina terriblemente convirtiéndolo en un hombre dañino. PATÉTICO. Un canalla, sin corazón. Un patán.Aunque admito que sus perlitas si valen la pena... vean la frase matona que se sacó de su repertorio...
« ¿Sabes qué? Vamos a exponer toda la puta verdad. Ya he oído tus patéticas excusas, ¿qué te parece si ahora me escuchas tú? Déjame decirte algo, Cathy, espero que estés feliz� Porque Arsen puede poseer tu corazón, tu cuerpo, pero siempre te sentirás vacía, porque yo soy el puto dueño de tu maldita alma. Tu alma es parte de la mía, y siempre lo será. Yo me curaré, aprenderé a amar de nuevo, pero tú� Te compadezco.»
Y por si fuera poco... ARSEN SE VUELVE UN HÉROE!!!! Aquí Arsen en mi cabeza👇
¡QUE VIVA SU GENTILEZA! Es tan bueno que se sacrificó por amor... yupiiiiiiii🙄 #NO
yEn fin, que es una novela que no me ha gustado. Porque independientemente del lado que tomes en esta historia, no hay nada bueno que pueda aportar. La narrativa de Mia es más bien normalita, incluso aburrida. La historia es detestable. Los personajes son mejorables, sus personalidades (con excepción de Ben al principio) están terriblemente dibujadas en el papel.
No logras comprender al 100% por qué Cathy engañó a su marido.
No puedes saber realmente si Arsen se enamoró de Cathy.
No sabes si Ben también debía de ser perdonado.
Porque en una historia de traición e infidelidad no hay un culpable. Hay tres y a mi parecer, en este libro ni siquiera logras conectar con ninguno como para tomar partido.
Además, la autora deja demasiados cabos sueltos, y nos quiere venir a convencer con una Cathy más decidida a cambiar con su psicóloga que merece su HEA.
Y para mí NO LO HACE. No porque sea una perra egoísta y sin corazón, que merezca estar sola, sino porque a pesar de todo lo sufrido y vivido, sigue siendo una mujer frágil que necesita de un hombre a su lado para "estar completa" SU AMOR... por cualquiera de los dos es TÓXICO. Y también el de la hija.
En fin, que no es una lectura que recomendaría... como siempre digo, lean más reseñas y no se queden con la mía que claramente me toca los puntos sensibles y mis rollos morales y convicciones pueden ser un impedimento para que disfrute de este tipo de libros.
August 24, 2013
To be fair I am rating this book as I do all of my DNF books.
DNF at 46%. Let it be known that I DNF'd this book PRIOR to any cheating taking place. I knew going in to the book that it had cheating--which I hate--and decided to give it a shot based on all of the high ratings. However, the cheating was not my biggest issue.
Unfortunately the heroine Cathy was my biggest issue. She was one of the worst book heroines to date. I didn't like the Cathy in the past or present chapters. She was annoying, immature and just made one dumb decision after another. She was very contradictory throughout the book with regards to her feelings for Ben....one minute internalizing how bored and unhappy she is with Ben and her marriage yet in the next breath talking about how much she misses her husband and can't wait to get home to him.
IDK, I just didn't feel the disconnect that warranted her cheating or thinking of cheating or whatever. I understand, or can imagine, how hard it must be to go through multiple miscarriages....however, I wish she just would have talked to Ben about how she was feeling. He lost those babies too and he was so supportive of Cathy. I seriously loved Ben and knew that he was the one that was going to suffer the most from everything. Angst and drama caused by lack of communication is one of my biggest peeves!!!!
Now for Arsen....I honestly did not like him either. From the beginning he was an arrogant womanizing ass. I didn't feel any connection between him and Cathy....not even the friendship. And the one interaction he had with Ben was just awful. I can't imagine why Cathy would want to cheat on Ben with him. For me, he didn't bring anything positive to the table.
I could envision how the story was going to go. I did skim to the end to see who she ended up with. If it were up to me, Cathy would end up alone. The bits I was able to piece together makes me glad that I didn't finish. I shouldn't have even read it to begin with but I'm glad that I stopped when I did. Ben gets 5 stars.....Cathy, Arsen and the story itself gets 1. I will say, the writing was strong and I would consider other works by this author as a result.....just perhaps with a different storyline and hopefully a more redeeming heroine.
DNF at 46%. Let it be known that I DNF'd this book PRIOR to any cheating taking place. I knew going in to the book that it had cheating--which I hate--and decided to give it a shot based on all of the high ratings. However, the cheating was not my biggest issue.
Unfortunately the heroine Cathy was my biggest issue. She was one of the worst book heroines to date. I didn't like the Cathy in the past or present chapters. She was annoying, immature and just made one dumb decision after another. She was very contradictory throughout the book with regards to her feelings for Ben....one minute internalizing how bored and unhappy she is with Ben and her marriage yet in the next breath talking about how much she misses her husband and can't wait to get home to him.
IDK, I just didn't feel the disconnect that warranted her cheating or thinking of cheating or whatever. I understand, or can imagine, how hard it must be to go through multiple miscarriages....however, I wish she just would have talked to Ben about how she was feeling. He lost those babies too and he was so supportive of Cathy. I seriously loved Ben and knew that he was the one that was going to suffer the most from everything. Angst and drama caused by lack of communication is one of my biggest peeves!!!!
Now for Arsen....I honestly did not like him either. From the beginning he was an arrogant womanizing ass. I didn't feel any connection between him and Cathy....not even the friendship. And the one interaction he had with Ben was just awful. I can't imagine why Cathy would want to cheat on Ben with him. For me, he didn't bring anything positive to the table.
I could envision how the story was going to go. I did skim to the end to see who she ended up with. If it were up to me, Cathy would end up alone. The bits I was able to piece together makes me glad that I didn't finish. I shouldn't have even read it to begin with but I'm glad that I stopped when I did. Ben gets 5 stars.....Cathy, Arsen and the story itself gets 1. I will say, the writing was strong and I would consider other works by this author as a result.....just perhaps with a different storyline and hopefully a more redeeming heroine.
July 31, 2019
This book took me through a rollercoaster of emotions. I didn't enjoy it the entire time, but I felt the entire time, and for that reason, I give it 5 stars. I would def recommend it - especially for readers that like cheating, love triangles, and angst.
Note: I didn't develop an attachment for Arsen, and never really cared for the female lead, but despite those major stumbling blocks, I still really enjoyed the book.
Note: I didn't develop an attachment for Arsen, and never really cared for the female lead, but despite those major stumbling blocks, I still really enjoyed the book.
January 10, 2016
I've fallen in love with another man. But can you love two men at the same time? Because I think I do.
I AM A COMPLETE MESS RIGHT NOW. My emotions have never been so conflicted. What did this book do to me?
This is the kind of book that I should not have loved, yet I ended up thoroughly appreciating it just because... the ending!
I have to give the author a lot of credit for giving me all kinds of emotions all throughout the book. This book is clearly WRONG when it comes to its concept which is CHEATING but quite honestly, after reading it, I've realized that behind the lies, the deception, and the betrayal Cathy did to her husband, the book gave a very powerful and overriding message to everyone. That indeed, doing these things will not only destroy your relationship with your partner, but it will also destroy you as a person.
The story is all about the perfect married couple Cathy and Ben. They have the marriage everyone is dreaming of. Ben loves Cathy completely and wholeheartedly. And even when Cathy had so many miscarriages all throughout their marriage, he was still the same devoted husband. However, Cathy slowly became depressed when the third baby became a failure. Then Cathy met the gorgeous and attractive blonde Arsen who made her heart and body confused. When her next miscarriage happened, that's when her entire world crumbled and she did the worst mistake of her life...
I'm done with doing the right thing. It's at this moment, when I feel Arsen’s hot breath on my face and his arms wrapped around me, that I decide to throw everything away. Ben, my marriage, my future.
Cathy cheated and completely forgot her perfect husband and everything about their marriage just to be with Arsen who gave her all the pleasure a man could offer. Honestly, I HATED CATHY. And I still do. What she did was choose lust over love. I wanted to strangle her just to bring her back to her senses because she was such an ingrate, very selfish woman.
Arsen was the fuel needed to burn my marriage to the ground, but I was the one who held the match in my hands the entire time.
But what made this book sensational was the soul-wrenching emotions it gave me as a reader. I felt every word and every line deep down in my core. Mia Asher is an emotional genius! Her words are like daggers that when you read them, they will not just make you wince in pain but destroy your heart for what it's worth.
The best part of this book was the ending. It was, in a way, a different kind of twist. It was not a very pleasant conclusion. It was bitter-sweet but it was worth it and I think that's the best way to end this super sad, heart-breaking book. Kudos to Mia Asher for turning me into an emotional mess!
Arsen became the air I needed to breathe, but Ben was my lungs.
Rating:
December 5, 2013
LOVE HAS THE POWER TO DESTROY YOU.
Reviewing this book isn’t easy. Talking about Cathy, Ben & Arsen without spoiling this roller coaster isn’t easy so I’ll just let you know the premise of the book and then I’ll bore you with my thoughts.
The premise is easy. Ben & Cathy fell in love more than ten years ago. Their first encounter put a silly grin on my face every time I think about it.
He is the everything to my nothing
After all those years together their relationship is not the same.
No one has all the answers to solve the big puzzle that life is, and it is even less likely that another person can offer them to you.
Cathy and Ben are trying to have a baby but they have had three miscarriages. For this reason their marriage is not the same after all those years. Cathy blames her own body for not being able to hold a baby during 9 months and Ben is that kind of guy who’s always positive and calm, who is always telling you everything will be ok. Sometimes that kind of men might become annoying because even though they are trying their best to keep you happy, listening to their “crap� isn’t helping.
And then Arsen enters the picture. Arsen is a spoiled young man who has the world at his feet. He can have every woman he wants but he wants Cathy and Cathy is not available because she loves her husband, right?
”Live without love, without chasing your dreams, is nothing. It means nothing. It’s a sad fucking empty shell, Catherine. It’s so easy to drown in darkness, to let it smother you, swallow you whole, to be blinded by it. But you gotta fight. You gotta fucking fight.�
This is all you are going to get from me about their story. The below are just my crazy thoughts and I am going to BEG you to do NOT open the spoilers because I’ll ruin the book for you and I want you all to give this story a try and go blind.
There are books that hit close to home. Not only because whatever happens in the story happened to you already but because you learn things from some stories. If you know how to learn between lines I guess you’ll end up
I can’t say my life is any similar to Cathy’s, no Arsens on my life but I understand her somehow. Yeah, I said I understand Cathy and Cathy is a cheater. Now, if you stop judging I would like to explain myself.
I mentioned before that things were not the same for Cathy & Ben after more than 10 years together and this didn’t surprise me. WHAT? You ladies think being in a long term relationship with someone is like some authors describe it in books? Oh well� let me break your bubble. When you are on a long term relationship you have good days but you also have bad days and sometimes you question your feelings, sometimes you need something (I didn’t say someone) new, sometimes you just get bored. It doesn’t mean you don’t love that person, it means you are H-U-M-A-N. End of.
Every action has a consequence. It doesn’t matter if you try to run or hide. It eventually catches up to you. Call it karma if you must, but said karma can totally kick you in the ass
The right thing to do in that situation you ask? I guess the right thing to do is just having a conversation with your boyfriend/hubby and explaining them what’s going on with your feelings. But that’s not easy and we all make mistakes, especially when temptation is knocking on your door. I didn’t like Cathy because she hurt Ben and sometimes it looked like she didn’t even care for him after all those years but somehow I understood her. She felt ALIVE again when she met Arsen and he taught her another side of life, a side she had long ago forgotten.
”Falling in love with someone is easy. It’s loving when the newness has worn off, when life gets tough, when things get in the way, when physical passion is gone, that true love remains. When love can conquer it all�
There is a song that was playing in my mind all the time while reading this book. Pls check this link and this song by The Killers. FOR REASONS UNKNOWN. Especially I beg you to check minute 3:16 and listen to what Brandon says. Because that song feels very real. But the sad truth is, relationships are not like in books and that’s why I loved this book because this is not a heart and flowers story, this is a BROKEN love story.
FOR REASONS UNKNOWN BY THE KILLERS
“Any of you people ever loved somebody?
Sometimes it comes very quickly, very easily
and sometimes it disappears just as quick.
You wake up one morning,
the butterflies stop fluttering,
but you want it back and you want to fight for it.
You wanna breathe that fire again
so you call for it, you call out.�
There is just ONE REASON why this book didn’t get a higher rating from me. I wish ***PLEASE I BEG YOU TO DO NOT OPEN THE SPOILER IF YOU HAVEN’T READ THIS BOOK. I’LL RUIN THE END FOR YOU ***
Thanks Helena for our BR & THANKS ANA RITA for laughing at my crazy theories...
September 4, 2013
Thank God that's over! I finished it!
***Review edited after long deliberation and my inability to get this story out of my head. Any book that knocks my world off its axis deserves a five-star rating versus my initial no-rating. Nothing has changed but my revelation that this author deserves my five stars......
Now for my review.....
Sweet Jesus, gimme some Prozac, wine, anything to calm my nerves! I struggled so much with this book. Why? Because I hated "their" story yet I still think it's an exceptionally written book. It stirred so many emotions.....anger, sadness, angst, disgust but zero happiness. A fantastic book, yet a book I struggled to finish. What a major conflict, huh?
This is a story 100% revolving around DEPRESSION, LOSS AND BETRAYAL. Literally, that's the main focus, an all-consuming need to be with another man, to escape, to feel free when you've got the love of your life sitting home waiting for you. Catherine has struggled with miscarriage after miscarriage (yup, I said it. Everyone else dances around that as if it's some spoiler when it's divulged in the first chapter. That, to me is NOT a spoiler). Cathy is married to Ben, a stunningly handsome, wealthy, attorney and LOYAL partner. He too struggles with their child-bearing issues but continues to be the rock in the relationship- loving her through loss after loss.....
My Ben-
Catherine is a successful hotel executive. When she meets her boss's 24-year old son he lights a fire inside of her that has long since flickered out. She's been existing in a marriage that's suffocating her....she just needs to breathe. Arsen provides that release. Arsen is her kryptonite.
My Catherine-
Arsen is a spoiled, rich kid. He's used to having actresses and models on his arm, always being in the limelight. He's got to work to prove to daddy he's not lazy and is worthy of his inheritance. When he spots Cathy, his new "boss," he's found his newest conquest. Although something about her stirs more than his "manhood" (couldn't resist). He wants to be her friend. He wants to make her smile again. Friendship, can he, for once, do friendship?
My Arsen-
As I said, through literally 75% of this book I struggled to hold on...just to finish it. It is 100% glorified angst. I wish I could say I empathized with Cathy but I didn't. Towards the end, I warmed up to her (when she finally pulls her head out of her ass) but that first 75%, I was seriously contemplating....
(thanks for the gif Sue)
My thoughts on Catherine....
I seriously had huge issues empathizing with her character. Maybe had Ben been (ha) a douche, I could see it. Not sure. But she's not getting tears from me.....
Do I seem cold-hearted? Maybe. But I'm also a neonatal nurse that works DAILY with women who've went thru these exact issues and SUCKED IT UP. Get therapy. Everyone needs it sometimes in life. Don't self destruct.
My thoughts on Arsen....
I know, no throwing stones at me but I seriously did NOT warm to him. He reminded me of an arrogant spoiled PUNK. The description when she first met him with his pants hanging low so his Armani band of his underwear was sticking out....ewe.
My thoughts on Ben....
Ben...my heart wept for him.
So, is this a love story? Yes. A friend summed up this story great with one sentence and word of wisdom......"Love the one you're with."
So, if you can stomach the mother of all love triangles where the guy that's getting cheated on is a DOLL and doesn't deserve it, this book is for you. I commend the author for this read. It pushes the reader beyond the limits one is used to in love stories. It's beautifully written and tugs at your heart at times (and makes you want to get a knife out to stab your e-reader at others). I'm happy I finished it and experienced it. The ending saved it for me.
The best quote in the book-
***Review edited after long deliberation and my inability to get this story out of my head. Any book that knocks my world off its axis deserves a five-star rating versus my initial no-rating. Nothing has changed but my revelation that this author deserves my five stars......
Now for my review.....
Sweet Jesus, gimme some Prozac, wine, anything to calm my nerves! I struggled so much with this book. Why? Because I hated "their" story yet I still think it's an exceptionally written book. It stirred so many emotions.....anger, sadness, angst, disgust but zero happiness. A fantastic book, yet a book I struggled to finish. What a major conflict, huh?
This is a story 100% revolving around DEPRESSION, LOSS AND BETRAYAL. Literally, that's the main focus, an all-consuming need to be with another man, to escape, to feel free when you've got the love of your life sitting home waiting for you. Catherine has struggled with miscarriage after miscarriage (yup, I said it. Everyone else dances around that as if it's some spoiler when it's divulged in the first chapter. That, to me is NOT a spoiler). Cathy is married to Ben, a stunningly handsome, wealthy, attorney and LOYAL partner. He too struggles with their child-bearing issues but continues to be the rock in the relationship- loving her through loss after loss.....
My Ben-
Catherine is a successful hotel executive. When she meets her boss's 24-year old son he lights a fire inside of her that has long since flickered out. She's been existing in a marriage that's suffocating her....she just needs to breathe. Arsen provides that release. Arsen is her kryptonite.
My Catherine-
Arsen is a spoiled, rich kid. He's used to having actresses and models on his arm, always being in the limelight. He's got to work to prove to daddy he's not lazy and is worthy of his inheritance. When he spots Cathy, his new "boss," he's found his newest conquest. Although something about her stirs more than his "manhood" (couldn't resist). He wants to be her friend. He wants to make her smile again. Friendship, can he, for once, do friendship?
My Arsen-
As I said, through literally 75% of this book I struggled to hold on...just to finish it. It is 100% glorified angst. I wish I could say I empathized with Cathy but I didn't. Towards the end, I warmed up to her (when she finally pulls her head out of her ass) but that first 75%, I was seriously contemplating....
(thanks for the gif Sue)
My thoughts on Catherine....
I seriously had huge issues empathizing with her character. Maybe had Ben been (ha) a douche, I could see it. Not sure. But she's not getting tears from me.....
Do I seem cold-hearted? Maybe. But I'm also a neonatal nurse that works DAILY with women who've went thru these exact issues and SUCKED IT UP. Get therapy. Everyone needs it sometimes in life. Don't self destruct.
My thoughts on Arsen....
I know, no throwing stones at me but I seriously did NOT warm to him. He reminded me of an arrogant spoiled PUNK. The description when she first met him with his pants hanging low so his Armani band of his underwear was sticking out....ewe.
My thoughts on Ben....
Ben...my heart wept for him.
So, is this a love story? Yes. A friend summed up this story great with one sentence and word of wisdom......"Love the one you're with."
So, if you can stomach the mother of all love triangles where the guy that's getting cheated on is a DOLL and doesn't deserve it, this book is for you. I commend the author for this read. It pushes the reader beyond the limits one is used to in love stories. It's beautifully written and tugs at your heart at times (and makes you want to get a knife out to stab your e-reader at others). I'm happy I finished it and experienced it. The ending saved it for me.
The best quote in the book-
March 2, 2018
5 “You Are Mine� Stars!
*Recommended by Berry Nice*
-Sometimes not being in control, not being able to think, just losing yourself in the moment, is the greatest feeling in the world.
Cathy meets Ben Stanwood when she’s 18 at college. He’s her soulmate & the love of her life. They have been together 11 yrs., and married for 6 when they hit a rough patch they can’t seem to recover from. Lately Cathy feels broken inside, and like she can’t breathe. There’s an emotional disconnect that continues to grow between her and her husband. She meets a gorgeous guy named Arsen who she’s comfortable talking to. He’s someone who doesn’t judge her, and he makes her feel things she hadn’t felt in a long time. She can’t quit thinking of him, and eventually they cross that line.
-People say that if you play with fire, you'll get burned. Well, when it comes to Arsen, I not only want to get burned, I want to be incinerated.
-He's everything I need in this moment.
-He's like the sun. Blinding. I can't tear my gaze away, even as I'm being blinded by him.
-"How can something so wrong feel this right?"
-He's the air I need to breathe.
My thoughts on this book are all over the place. I wasn’t sure if I loved it or hated it while reading because I felt so many conflicting emotions such as anger, heartbreak, sadness, sympathy, disgust, and lol, anxiety, but omg does this story make you feel! Obviously from the blurb you can guess it’s a love triangle. One woman who is in love with two very different men. One is a part of her soul, and the other brings her peace. I adored Ben. This man is everything beautiful a husband should be, which is probably why I found it hard to like Cathy. For most of the book I found her to be a self absorbed woman who feels little to no remorse for her actions. She basically sets fire to her life, and is left to deal with her regrets, mistakes, and consequences.
I loved both of these men, & one is just as mouthwateringly delicious as the other, but my heart was shattered for Ben. I can’t say enough how much I loved this man! Absolute perfection!!! As much as this book leaves you feeling destroyed, I couldn’t get enough of this story, these characters, and this authors fabulous writing!
-I love him so very much that it hurts.
-I belong to her as much as she belongs to me.
-This tiny package of perfection has the power to completely destroy me, to annihilate me if she ever chose to. The funny thing is that I don’t give a damn about it. If it means that I get to be with her, to hold her in my arms, to call her my own for however long I have.
-Meeting you was chance, falling in love with you was destiny, and loving you is my reason to exist.
*Recommended by Berry Nice*
-Sometimes not being in control, not being able to think, just losing yourself in the moment, is the greatest feeling in the world.
Cathy meets Ben Stanwood when she’s 18 at college. He’s her soulmate & the love of her life. They have been together 11 yrs., and married for 6 when they hit a rough patch they can’t seem to recover from. Lately Cathy feels broken inside, and like she can’t breathe. There’s an emotional disconnect that continues to grow between her and her husband. She meets a gorgeous guy named Arsen who she’s comfortable talking to. He’s someone who doesn’t judge her, and he makes her feel things she hadn’t felt in a long time. She can’t quit thinking of him, and eventually they cross that line.
-People say that if you play with fire, you'll get burned. Well, when it comes to Arsen, I not only want to get burned, I want to be incinerated.
-He's everything I need in this moment.
-He's like the sun. Blinding. I can't tear my gaze away, even as I'm being blinded by him.
-"How can something so wrong feel this right?"
-He's the air I need to breathe.
My thoughts on this book are all over the place. I wasn’t sure if I loved it or hated it while reading because I felt so many conflicting emotions such as anger, heartbreak, sadness, sympathy, disgust, and lol, anxiety, but omg does this story make you feel! Obviously from the blurb you can guess it’s a love triangle. One woman who is in love with two very different men. One is a part of her soul, and the other brings her peace. I adored Ben. This man is everything beautiful a husband should be, which is probably why I found it hard to like Cathy. For most of the book I found her to be a self absorbed woman who feels little to no remorse for her actions. She basically sets fire to her life, and is left to deal with her regrets, mistakes, and consequences.
I loved both of these men, & one is just as mouthwateringly delicious as the other, but my heart was shattered for Ben. I can’t say enough how much I loved this man! Absolute perfection!!! As much as this book leaves you feeling destroyed, I couldn’t get enough of this story, these characters, and this authors fabulous writing!
-I love him so very much that it hurts.
-I belong to her as much as she belongs to me.
-This tiny package of perfection has the power to completely destroy me, to annihilate me if she ever chose to. The funny thing is that I don’t give a damn about it. If it means that I get to be with her, to hold her in my arms, to call her my own for however long I have.
-Meeting you was chance, falling in love with you was destiny, and loving you is my reason to exist.
November 16, 2014
**ARC provided by an author in exchange for honest review**
‘How can something so wrong feel this right? Like it was meant to be?�
Do you know the temptation of forbidden fruit? The taste of it? It’s hypnotizing, thrilling, captivating, you start to feel like deer in the lights, the need is so deep it runs through your veins, limbs, heart, you can’t breathe, and then suddenly it is just you and vivid imagination, what if.
Why I’m asking this? Because of two things. Firstly, well, my forbidden fruit, is Arsen. After reading blurb I knew it’d be bad idea to read this book. I freakin� knew it! I hate love triangles and cheating, for god’s sake. I can’t handle them, I usually DNF a book with cheating. So why did I think requesting ARC of Arsen, would be great idea? I can’t even answer this question, I just saw this beautiful cover, interesting, however, dangerous for me blurb and I needed it. I started thinking about this novel all the time, totally mesmerized and captivated, silently waiting for a great occasion to try my luck. And yeah the freaky, red one with horns on my left shoulder won.
Secondly, Arsen is a novel about tasting Forbidden Fruit, it’s exactly about every painful stage: temptation, sin, punishment and redemption. Every one of them is agonizingly beautiful and truly excruciating. I have never experienced journey so raw, so primal and stunning to the core. I felt completely helpless and fragile while reading chapter after chapter loving this book more with every page and hating main character after her every sentece and action.
The story follows Cathy, woman who’s life is falling apart bit by bit. After being married to Ben for six years and after three miscarriages she feels it’s not her place in the world anymore. The burning passion for Ben is in ashes and she knows she can’t talk with him about her fear of not being woman enough. When she meets younger, full of life Arsen, her life goes upside down.
Arsen is typical love triangle with cheating involved, but at the same time it’s so much more. It’s the most bittersweet paradox in the whole world. I loved this book with every fiber of my being, but I still despised Cathy, the main character as well as Arsen.
She’s selfish, reckless, self centered, immature and plain stupid. I wanted so badly to connect with her and see her side of the story but the only thing I was able to see was broken woman who couldn’t understand what love really is. How much I loathed her is undiscribeable, but in a crazy way I know it’s how she’s supposed to be, and the fact Mia Asher could create her this way made me adore her more. In books, like in real life only likeable characters don’t exsist, someone has to be a villain.
Arsen is typical bad boy/ man whore. I suppose in other circumastances I would fall for him. But I couldn’t see him in good light when my heart ached for Ben, who really should get Husband of the Year Award. Sexy, caring man with golden heart who was brutally stabbed in the back.
Arsen is extremaly steamy read. I remember that Mia Asher asked me if I wouldn’t have issue with reading about hot, primal sex, because of my age (I’m 19). I told her „hell no! I love reading smut, there’s not a thing that could be to much for me�. But apparently I was a little bit too young to greatly appriciate this book. And it’s not about sex. It’s because I’ve never been in that long relationship to understand Cathy and Ben. The best thing is that I can read Arsen when I’ll be 30 and see this book in totally different light, which I know I will.
But like I wrote affair is not all plot. In my eyes it’s more a psychological portrait of a cheater, than ordinary novel. I loved how easily author created her story. In the most stunning way Mia Asher told me about every stage of cheating aka Forbidden Fruit. I laughed, cried, pulled my hair and gritted my teeth. Few times I wanted to throw my ereader. If you liked Thougtless and are ready for something more mature Arsen will kick your socks off.
It’s so hard to find a modern not classical book which could give you the amazing feeling of katharsis. When your emotions run equal with author’s or characters. When their’s pain is yours, when their happiness make you giddy also. Arsen made me hate, made me love and forgive. That’s everything I have ever wished for.
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March 15, 2018
1 star.
NOTA: si eres de ese porcentaje que amó este libro, por favor no sigas leyendo mi reseña, porque NO te gustará.
Para inciar diré: las torturas a las que yo me someto por no dejar UN LIBRO MÁS ABANDONADO.
Este libro es malo de principio a fin, me tomó casi un mes leerlo completamente por lo que me costaba entender a los personajes, la trama, el dramón de la protagonista, TODO. Aún después de terminado no logro comprender el argumento en que se basó la autora o qué mensaje quería dejar con ese final tan surrealista.
Por un lado tenemos a Cathy, una mujer casada, emocionalmente inestable e insegura que tiene la dicha de tenr un matrimonio y un esposo de ensueño. Pero no, a la dama en cuestión eso no le es suficiente para engañar a su marido con otro hombre mucho más joven que ella y que de paso ser tan manipuladora y cínica para escudarse en lo de no poder concebir hijos como trauma y de allí sus acciones y errores.
Tenemos a Ben, el maravilloso esposo que ya todas quisiéramos tener, que sus únicos errores son amar demasiado a Cathy y ser muy positivo ante las adversidades. Tal positividad le trae que Cathy lo detesta porque la mujer es egoísta y sólo piensa en su dolor, pero no en lo que tambien debe de estar sufriendo su devoto esposo.
Y por último tenemos a Arsen, un ser inmaduro, caprichoso, impulsivo. Su pasatiempo divertido es acostarse con famosas y que los periódicos amarillistas escriban artículos sobre ello, su único objetivo es lograr que Cathy se acueste con él y la muy marginal de la protagonista que, ni amor propio tiene que se lo permite.
Nunca en mi vida de lectora he llegado a detestar un libro tanto como éste, considero que va contra mis principios que quieran justificar una infidelidad de esa manera tan patética y es que NO, para mí un engaño no tiene justificación alguna. Odié ese final, ni enseñanza o mensaje te deja, la autora quiso dejar a Arsen, el pobre y sacrificado muchacho como el heroe, pero es tan plano el personaje que ni simpatía me generó.
En fin, es sorprendente la cantidad de buenas puntuaciones que tiene este libro y que a mí no me haya ni gustado un poco, esta es sólo mi pequeña opinión. Los que quieran leerlo, los animo a ver que tal les va y de verdad deseo que lo disfruten y se hagan un criterio propio de la autora, ya me gustará saber que tal les va.
NOTA: si eres de ese porcentaje que amó este libro, por favor no sigas leyendo mi reseña, porque NO te gustará.
Para inciar diré: las torturas a las que yo me someto por no dejar UN LIBRO MÁS ABANDONADO.
Este libro es malo de principio a fin, me tomó casi un mes leerlo completamente por lo que me costaba entender a los personajes, la trama, el dramón de la protagonista, TODO. Aún después de terminado no logro comprender el argumento en que se basó la autora o qué mensaje quería dejar con ese final tan surrealista.
Por un lado tenemos a Cathy, una mujer casada, emocionalmente inestable e insegura que tiene la dicha de tenr un matrimonio y un esposo de ensueño. Pero no, a la dama en cuestión eso no le es suficiente para engañar a su marido con otro hombre mucho más joven que ella y que de paso ser tan manipuladora y cínica para escudarse en lo de no poder concebir hijos como trauma y de allí sus acciones y errores.
Tenemos a Ben, el maravilloso esposo que ya todas quisiéramos tener, que sus únicos errores son amar demasiado a Cathy y ser muy positivo ante las adversidades. Tal positividad le trae que Cathy lo detesta porque la mujer es egoísta y sólo piensa en su dolor, pero no en lo que tambien debe de estar sufriendo su devoto esposo.
Y por último tenemos a Arsen, un ser inmaduro, caprichoso, impulsivo. Su pasatiempo divertido es acostarse con famosas y que los periódicos amarillistas escriban artículos sobre ello, su único objetivo es lograr que Cathy se acueste con él y la muy marginal de la protagonista que, ni amor propio tiene que se lo permite.
Nunca en mi vida de lectora he llegado a detestar un libro tanto como éste, considero que va contra mis principios que quieran justificar una infidelidad de esa manera tan patética y es que NO, para mí un engaño no tiene justificación alguna. Odié ese final, ni enseñanza o mensaje te deja, la autora quiso dejar a Arsen, el pobre y sacrificado muchacho como el heroe, pero es tan plano el personaje que ni simpatía me generó.
En fin, es sorprendente la cantidad de buenas puntuaciones que tiene este libro y que a mí no me haya ni gustado un poco, esta es sólo mi pequeña opinión. Los que quieran leerlo, los animo a ver que tal les va y de verdad deseo que lo disfruten y se hagan un criterio propio de la autora, ya me gustará saber que tal les va.
September 6, 2013
What a ride!
A rollercoaster of emotions
** ARC provided by the author in exchange for an honest review **
Arsen, Arsen, Arsen...
After the first few pages it got me hooked, line and sinker and all.
That was when I knew I was in for the ride. Where do I get from here? Well, first of all this is one of these amazingly broken stories as I use to call them, that you just don't go from to the next one right away but it occupies your thoughts for a while. But what's gotten to me at first was the sense of humor. As it is I'm a real sucker for good laughing session and the story provided a lot of it side by side with other more heart wrenching emotions. Yes, I laughed and cried a lot.
What's more I totally liked the idea for introspection. It peaks your interest, makes you crave more when it's just gotten intense and then hello, sorry, come back in a chapter or two. Nice work ;) In addition the POVs and the Epilogue made the whole story so much more insightful.
"I didn’t fall in love.
I walked smack into it and then fell flat on my ass."
And she did, quite literally.
That's how the story begins. A girl meets a boy, they fall in love, get married eventually but...and yes, there's a lot of buts.
"If only I had known that years later we would suffer three miscarriages within a year, and then nothing, I think I would have questioned my words.
But I was young and in love, and like his grandmother told him, I felt like I could conquer the world with his love.
I felt invincible.
If only I had known that it takes a lot more than love to make a marriage work, then maybe our story would be different.
If only."
That's what the story is about. A lot of what-ifs and misguided life choices. All dressed in a beautifully broken love story. Don't get me wrong. I really, really liked all of it.
When the story catches up to the present, we're acquainted with Cathy, a broken married woman who starts to question her marriage and its future due to the pregnancies that ended all in miscariages. Her husband Ben strives to comfort her with his whole being but sometimes good intentions have unexpected consequences.
"Sex is not a problem. Love isn’t either. I love Ben as much as the first time we said those three beautiful words to each other, but as each baby was taken away from my body by fate, by life, a part of me died and was buried with them in the cold-hard ground. The first miscarriage ripped a painful hole inside of me, the second one widened it, and the third just about broke me.
Time has fed that hole with inevitable boredom, monotony, and resentment towards life, Ben, and myself for not being woman enough. Enter doubt, and what you thought was an already rocky ride becomes a turbulence- ridden journey with no relief in sight except for the end.
The very end.
Doubts. They seep into your bloodstream, they plague every unused crevice inside your brain with revolving questions and no real answers. Is love a strong enough glue to put me back together again? Is the love between Ben and I strong enough to keep us together and our marriage afloat?"
Add temptation to the equation and you're in trouble, big trouble.
Meet Arsen.
Here we go...
"This guy exudes confidence and sex. I bet that if I got near him, trying to catch a whiff of his scent, I would be able to breathe in what pure sex smells like. Even his leisurely walk is sexy as hell. My God. "
He's the cause for her to abandon the voice of reason but also redefine herself. Does getting lost in the feeling mean actually getting lost? Or maybe it's a way for healing, finding new sense to live? Call her immature if you like but what I see is more of a call for help.
"Selfish me wanted Arsen, so I labeled him a friend when we were anything but. His teasing, his smiles, his touch�
It was never the same with anyone else. And I liked it.
No, I loved it.
I loved the attention he paid to me and the way he made me feel. Alive.
Happy. He made me forget. Ignorance is bliss, right? Well, knowledge is misery.
And the truth hurts.
Because it can’t ever be, it will never be."
" People say that if you play with fire, you’ll get burned. Well, when it comes to Arsen, I not only want to get burned, I want to be incinerated. "
" It always starts as a fun way to pass the time, light banter, innocent flirting…until it is not."
It's your decision how you choose to heal...
But better choose wisely...
"Every action has a consequence. It doesn’t matter if you try to run or hide. It eventually it catches up to you. Call it karma if you must, but said karma can totally kick you in the ass. "
" And now I have to face the music. I have to make a choice once again.
And it doesn’t matter what choice I make. Which path I choose to follow. Either way, I will break my own heart. I will lose a part of myself.
But I think I already have.
I love two men.
And this time, the monster that I am, the one I’ve become, will bring someone else down with me. It’s the darkness in me, I tell you…It follows me everywhere I go, spreading like spilled black ink on white paper. "
"Dirty. I feel dirty.
I’m a cheater.
I’m scum."
What you don't quite anticipate is that you get a life lesson.
"As cliché as it sounds, all I can do is learn from my mistakes.�
My only regrets are the way things ended but there's only so much you can wish for.
I didn't quite expect how the story will end but that's even more encouraging. In my case it's when the story not only lives up to your expectations but exceeds them. With a hint of longing, wishing for more, I'm left wondering... What if?
I would recommend it to readers who love angsty stories.
Unlike or which are seemingly similar, it's a one book series and may leave some questions unanswered but it totally suits the whole story.
July 11, 2014
4 1/2 Stars
First thing first, YES this book contains cheating. Now that that’s out of the way, Mia Asher can write! Will all readers relate to the main character, Cathy? No, not all will. I however related to Cathy and was sucked into this LOVE TRIANGLE.
The story contains, Cathy’s pov, Ben’s pov, past chapters which bring readers back to the beginning of Cathy and Ben’s relationship and Arsen’s pov . I found that the first 50% of the story was on the SLOW side but the last half of the book more than made up for it. This unbalance left me indecisive on rating the story. The angst and drama which kicks into full gear in the second half of the book was a nonstop thrill ride…at least for me.
Cathy’s psyche is slowly crumbling, she is bored and BROKEN. She has endured three miscarriages and the scars and feelings of inadequacy plague her and cause huge riffs in her marriage to Ben. Hey it happens it’s realistic even if her husband is amazing, which he kinda was.
Ben is written as one of those PERFECT guys, says all the right things, loves her to pieces and is sexy and hot in the bedroom. This is where readers will struggle with Cathy’s choices and back and forth feelings for the love of her life.
Yes, Ben is perfect, yes she loves him but then she meets…Arsen.
" People say that when you play with fire you get burned. Well when it comes to Arsen, I not only want to get burned, I want to be incinerated. He’s my chance to be unguarded and content. To be wildly, incredibly, fiercely happy. "
Arsen is crude and unpredictable socialite playboy. He is twenty-four years old, he can’t hold a job down and he is just the complete opposite of perfect and of Ben.
"I've seen the way you look at me. You want me, Catherine. So stop fucking lying to yourself. Shit, even when your perfect husband was sitting right to you at the bar, you could not stop staring at me."
Cathy and Ben face yet another devastating blow to their now fragile marriage. Communication is at a minimum and that Arsen is hot for Cathy. He is an in-your-face type of guy. I can see the majority of readers struggling to like him. I had MANY MANY moments myself but that’s not limited to Arsen even Ben I struggled with his failure to address but yeah he broke my heart as well�
"Own me, fill me, break me, repair me, complete me. Do whatever you want to me. Just stay with me. I need you. I need to be able to live. I need my life back. I need you back."
Things get crazy and Cathy’s actions have consequences. Cathy seems selfish, immature while Ben has his head in the sand and Arsen can’t stand sharing. Since this story isn’t written by Olivia Cunning…a choice must be made.
This story has a couple of surprises at the end which made it original and for me unforgettable.
”Falling in love with someone is easy. It’s loving when the newness has worn off, when life gets tough, when things get in the way, when physical passion is gone, that true love remains. When love can conquer it all.�
First thing first, YES this book contains cheating. Now that that’s out of the way, Mia Asher can write! Will all readers relate to the main character, Cathy? No, not all will. I however related to Cathy and was sucked into this LOVE TRIANGLE.
The story contains, Cathy’s pov, Ben’s pov, past chapters which bring readers back to the beginning of Cathy and Ben’s relationship and Arsen’s pov . I found that the first 50% of the story was on the SLOW side but the last half of the book more than made up for it. This unbalance left me indecisive on rating the story. The angst and drama which kicks into full gear in the second half of the book was a nonstop thrill ride…at least for me.
Cathy’s psyche is slowly crumbling, she is bored and BROKEN. She has endured three miscarriages and the scars and feelings of inadequacy plague her and cause huge riffs in her marriage to Ben. Hey it happens it’s realistic even if her husband is amazing, which he kinda was.
Ben is written as one of those PERFECT guys, says all the right things, loves her to pieces and is sexy and hot in the bedroom. This is where readers will struggle with Cathy’s choices and back and forth feelings for the love of her life.
Yes, Ben is perfect, yes she loves him but then she meets…Arsen.
" People say that when you play with fire you get burned. Well when it comes to Arsen, I not only want to get burned, I want to be incinerated. He’s my chance to be unguarded and content. To be wildly, incredibly, fiercely happy. "
Arsen is crude and unpredictable socialite playboy. He is twenty-four years old, he can’t hold a job down and he is just the complete opposite of perfect and of Ben.
"I've seen the way you look at me. You want me, Catherine. So stop fucking lying to yourself. Shit, even when your perfect husband was sitting right to you at the bar, you could not stop staring at me."
Cathy and Ben face yet another devastating blow to their now fragile marriage. Communication is at a minimum and that Arsen is hot for Cathy. He is an in-your-face type of guy. I can see the majority of readers struggling to like him. I had MANY MANY moments myself but that’s not limited to Arsen even Ben I struggled with his failure to address but yeah he broke my heart as well�
"Own me, fill me, break me, repair me, complete me. Do whatever you want to me. Just stay with me. I need you. I need to be able to live. I need my life back. I need you back."
Things get crazy and Cathy’s actions have consequences. Cathy seems selfish, immature while Ben has his head in the sand and Arsen can’t stand sharing. Since this story isn’t written by Olivia Cunning…a choice must be made.
This story has a couple of surprises at the end which made it original and for me unforgettable.
”Falling in love with someone is easy. It’s loving when the newness has worn off, when life gets tough, when things get in the way, when physical passion is gone, that true love remains. When love can conquer it all.�
August 20, 2024
WARNING!! I AM GOING TO GET A LITTLE PERSONAL!!!
p.s. I don't think there are spoilers but just in case...
This is a wonderful story. You will feel so many emotions and you should be able to understand... Cathy and Ben have a perfect marriage. Both have amazing careers, a beautiful home, they're healthy and in love and have great family and friends. Unfortunately, they cannot have a baby. Cathy gets pregnant but loses the baby each time. It becomes devastating to their marriage...
"I love him.
I’ve fallen in love with another man. But can you love two men at the same time?
Because I think I do."
Cathy,
For the first half of the book I didn't like Cathy. She would justify her serious flirting with Arsen as harmless because he was only a "good friend". Yeah right. I know what MY husband is and isn't okay with. She knew too.
My story, I have had two second trimester miscarriages. The first I had to push out a two inch baby. The second one died inside and the doctor had to remove it from my body. When we got pregnant in 2013 we knew it was going to be our last attempt no matter how it turned out. Not until I was physically holding Logan did we relax. For myself, and Cathy, getting through the first trimester didn't mean safety. It was so stressful and terrifying but he made it.
I'm telling you my devastating story because I understood how Cathy was terrified and baby thoughts consumed her. All that is very real. I even could understand why she may do things that completely differ from her normal behavior, maybe do the wrong thing. HOWEVER, I did not blame my husband nor was I annoyed with him for, well, any reason.
"Late Sunday morning. I watch as my husband’s large and powerful body falls to the ground in surrender.
Broken…by me.
“I fucked Arsen,� I tell him quietly."
Ben,
I loved Ben so freaking much!!! Cathy was annoyed at his positivity but he was doing everything a husband should do. She should have known him well enough after that many years to know he wasn't cold hearted. That he was feeling the losses too. I never thought she treated him fairly. HOWEVER, I cheated on two perfect guys when I was younger and even though its so horribly wrong you look for a reason to cheat when you want one. I broke those two people too and reading Ben's POV was so sad knowing what I've done.
I don't like reviews stating Ben had no backbone. He adored his wife and wanted to save his marriage and I loved him.
"You know, I didn’t think I could fall in love again but—�
Arsen,
Ohhh, Arsen. So vulnerable and easy to fall in love with. I found his possessiveness over "his" woman HOT! For the longest time I didn't find him serious, figured once he "had" Cathy he'd grow bored and move on. Let me tell you, Arsen PISSED me off around 83% but by the end of the book it was Arsen's POV that had my chest tight and the tears flowing. 💔
Mia Asher did the impossible here... When it comes to love triangles I almost always pick the Arsen character, the new guy but as lovable as he was it was always Ben for me. I related to so many different parts of this book and I know it will stay with me for a very long time. I highly recommend it!
p.s. I don't think there are spoilers but just in case...
This is a wonderful story. You will feel so many emotions and you should be able to understand... Cathy and Ben have a perfect marriage. Both have amazing careers, a beautiful home, they're healthy and in love and have great family and friends. Unfortunately, they cannot have a baby. Cathy gets pregnant but loses the baby each time. It becomes devastating to their marriage...
"I love him.
I’ve fallen in love with another man. But can you love two men at the same time?
Because I think I do."
Cathy,
For the first half of the book I didn't like Cathy. She would justify her serious flirting with Arsen as harmless because he was only a "good friend". Yeah right. I know what MY husband is and isn't okay with. She knew too.
My story, I have had two second trimester miscarriages. The first I had to push out a two inch baby. The second one died inside and the doctor had to remove it from my body. When we got pregnant in 2013 we knew it was going to be our last attempt no matter how it turned out. Not until I was physically holding Logan did we relax. For myself, and Cathy, getting through the first trimester didn't mean safety. It was so stressful and terrifying but he made it.
I'm telling you my devastating story because I understood how Cathy was terrified and baby thoughts consumed her. All that is very real. I even could understand why she may do things that completely differ from her normal behavior, maybe do the wrong thing. HOWEVER, I did not blame my husband nor was I annoyed with him for, well, any reason.
"Late Sunday morning. I watch as my husband’s large and powerful body falls to the ground in surrender.
Broken…by me.
“I fucked Arsen,� I tell him quietly."
Ben,
I loved Ben so freaking much!!! Cathy was annoyed at his positivity but he was doing everything a husband should do. She should have known him well enough after that many years to know he wasn't cold hearted. That he was feeling the losses too. I never thought she treated him fairly. HOWEVER, I cheated on two perfect guys when I was younger and even though its so horribly wrong you look for a reason to cheat when you want one. I broke those two people too and reading Ben's POV was so sad knowing what I've done.
I don't like reviews stating Ben had no backbone. He adored his wife and wanted to save his marriage and I loved him.
"You know, I didn’t think I could fall in love again but—�
Arsen,
Ohhh, Arsen. So vulnerable and easy to fall in love with. I found his possessiveness over "his" woman HOT! For the longest time I didn't find him serious, figured once he "had" Cathy he'd grow bored and move on. Let me tell you, Arsen PISSED me off around 83% but by the end of the book it was Arsen's POV that had my chest tight and the tears flowing. 💔
Mia Asher did the impossible here... When it comes to love triangles I almost always pick the Arsen character, the new guy but as lovable as he was it was always Ben for me. I related to so many different parts of this book and I know it will stay with me for a very long time. I highly recommend it!
April 21, 2020
5+++ Stars!
Wow, just wow. It's almost 2am and I've just finished this story. I'm feeling so emotional from this book! I literally feel a physical pain in my chest. It's such a heavy, gut wrenching, gripping story. I didn't know if my heart could see this one through to the end, but I couldn't stop reading this if my life depended on it. This is my first Mia Asher and I don't know why it took me so long to read this. I feel like I need to sort my head out a bit after reading this. So many feels.....
Wow, just wow. It's almost 2am and I've just finished this story. I'm feeling so emotional from this book! I literally feel a physical pain in my chest. It's such a heavy, gut wrenching, gripping story. I didn't know if my heart could see this one through to the end, but I couldn't stop reading this if my life depended on it. This is my first Mia Asher and I don't know why it took me so long to read this. I feel like I need to sort my head out a bit after reading this. So many feels.....
November 24, 2018
Not sure how to rate this book because I actually read back to back with and had I not read the latter, I most certainly would have given this book a higher rating.
Notwithstanding, it was superbly written, and I dare say you will either love or hate it but I guarantee you won't be indifferent.
February 14, 2018
**HEY BEAUTIFUL PEOPLE**
ARSEN IS ON SALE FOR TODAY ONLY!!! If you haven't gotten your copy, now it's the time!
Thank you sooo much for your support! 99CENTS!!!
links:
amazon:
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kobo:
****
I might be a bit biased since I wrote it... LOL <3
Arsen is a story about a broken woman who makes mistakes in her life. She doesn't listen to the voice of reason when she *should* and the consequences of such actions are disastrous. But maybe they aren't?
ARSEN IS ON SALE FOR TODAY ONLY!!! If you haven't gotten your copy, now it's the time!
Thank you sooo much for your support! 99CENTS!!!
links:
amazon:
BN:
kobo:
****
I might be a bit biased since I wrote it... LOL <3
Arsen is a story about a broken woman who makes mistakes in her life. She doesn't listen to the voice of reason when she *should* and the consequences of such actions are disastrous. But maybe they aren't?
September 10, 2013
What a powerful story.I know many don't like this for the cheating that takes place, and many feel hatred for Cathy. I was definitely angry with her actions, but I also felt bad for her.Yep, I said it. There will be no pictures, no gifs in this review. It's just me. Spoiler free, so I hope you read this whole thing.
Cathy- Did she cheat? Yes. Did she do some despicable things? Absolutely. But this book was more than her cheating. If you take a good hard look, its a situation that many women face. Cathy I think had self esteem issues at a younger age. Bring on multiple miscarriages and you've got a woman in some serious world of pain. Every loss took a piece of her. Then she was emotionally pulling away from Ben. Add on top of that, the thought that she felt she couldn't talk to him. And lets face it, he did kind of shut her down, telling her she was being negative. All she needed was a shoulder, some time vent, and a steady listener. Don't mistake my words that I am excusing her behavior because I'm not. Cathy was mentally at a low place, and she was left wide open. It's likely that if it wasn't Arsen, it would have been someone else. Arsen was her high after being so low. It woke her up on the inside. It sparked her heart back to life. It was new and exciting. But what she didn't realize, he came with his own set of issues and a huge price. She thought she lost love and spark with Ben after all those years. Lots of loss and issues. Arsen was an escape from her hurt. I didn't doubt she still loved Ben. She just got lost.
Ben- cant say a bad thing about him. He adored Cathy. Don't think it was lost on me the two scenes that happen on a street in the rain. Glorious. Although Ben was not perfect, he did not deserve all the pain he was dragged through. Could he have listened more? I'm sure. But he was always loyal and there wasn't a minute I didn't think he was devoted. I felt he would go to hell and back with her, and he did. Was I shocked towards the end at his admission? Yes, but I also saw how that was highly likely to happen as his world was no longer what he thought. The core of his existence had been rocked and was no longer steady.
Arsen- well I think he truly liked Cathy. I'm not sure that I would ever have classified it as being in love. She saw him as a person and not a good looking man of wealth who she'd like to use and abuse. She was unavailable. He was wrong for going after her and pulling the lets be friends crap. He knew he had other ideas. The physical part of their affair didn't do the most damage. It was the emotional affair. I could feel it before they ever had sex. I knew she was in the red zone. I could see the train wreck happening. But once she crossed over into self destruct mode, Arsen was right there waiting with the net to catch her. It was heart wrenching. I never felt bad for arsen, he knew the score. Arsen was the fantasy and Ben was real life. And sometimes real life sucks and we want a break from it. I guess you could say he was a sort of predator. He knew she was feeling low. He was going for the kill shot.
The things Cathy did were not ok. But as low as she was mentally, the sneaking around was exhilarating. It's what kept her going each day. The thrill. The excitement of the next text/phone call. Arsen could never have taken the place of Ben. There were many times I felt sick to my stomach at what she was doing. And if you really listened to her, she hated it to. She hated how she treated Ben. I think she hated herself but she shoved that way down because those feelings were too real to deal with. The most disgusting, the masquerade party. I wanted to puke. I felt she had hit rock bottom. She was so caught up in the fantasy of everything. Arsen was always a fantasy. Just a freakin fantasy.
So I guess I need to wrap it up. I'm glad Cathy got the crap end and did some suffering. I'm glad she got some help. I think that she learned a huge lesson in the worst possible way. Sometimes that happens. But also people make mistakes and deserve forgiveness and second chances. Not everyone will get one or both of those things. But could you imagine being hated for something that you did, that you live everyday with the guilt?
I would recommend reading this book with an open mind. I'm not condoning anything that she did. But look deeper than just her actions or the act of her cheating. There's more there. I'm glad the ending was the way it was. But I gotta tell ya, that epi with his pov i was like oh lord!
Why 5 stars? Cause I felt every word on every page. I felt Cathy's disgust and remorse. I also felt her selfishness. I felt Ben's pain, his loss. I've been finished for hours and I can still feel this book. Job well done.
Cathy- Did she cheat? Yes. Did she do some despicable things? Absolutely. But this book was more than her cheating. If you take a good hard look, its a situation that many women face. Cathy I think had self esteem issues at a younger age. Bring on multiple miscarriages and you've got a woman in some serious world of pain. Every loss took a piece of her. Then she was emotionally pulling away from Ben. Add on top of that, the thought that she felt she couldn't talk to him. And lets face it, he did kind of shut her down, telling her she was being negative. All she needed was a shoulder, some time vent, and a steady listener. Don't mistake my words that I am excusing her behavior because I'm not. Cathy was mentally at a low place, and she was left wide open. It's likely that if it wasn't Arsen, it would have been someone else. Arsen was her high after being so low. It woke her up on the inside. It sparked her heart back to life. It was new and exciting. But what she didn't realize, he came with his own set of issues and a huge price. She thought she lost love and spark with Ben after all those years. Lots of loss and issues. Arsen was an escape from her hurt. I didn't doubt she still loved Ben. She just got lost.
Ben- cant say a bad thing about him. He adored Cathy. Don't think it was lost on me the two scenes that happen on a street in the rain. Glorious. Although Ben was not perfect, he did not deserve all the pain he was dragged through. Could he have listened more? I'm sure. But he was always loyal and there wasn't a minute I didn't think he was devoted. I felt he would go to hell and back with her, and he did. Was I shocked towards the end at his admission? Yes, but I also saw how that was highly likely to happen as his world was no longer what he thought. The core of his existence had been rocked and was no longer steady.
Arsen- well I think he truly liked Cathy. I'm not sure that I would ever have classified it as being in love. She saw him as a person and not a good looking man of wealth who she'd like to use and abuse. She was unavailable. He was wrong for going after her and pulling the lets be friends crap. He knew he had other ideas. The physical part of their affair didn't do the most damage. It was the emotional affair. I could feel it before they ever had sex. I knew she was in the red zone. I could see the train wreck happening. But once she crossed over into self destruct mode, Arsen was right there waiting with the net to catch her. It was heart wrenching. I never felt bad for arsen, he knew the score. Arsen was the fantasy and Ben was real life. And sometimes real life sucks and we want a break from it. I guess you could say he was a sort of predator. He knew she was feeling low. He was going for the kill shot.
The things Cathy did were not ok. But as low as she was mentally, the sneaking around was exhilarating. It's what kept her going each day. The thrill. The excitement of the next text/phone call. Arsen could never have taken the place of Ben. There were many times I felt sick to my stomach at what she was doing. And if you really listened to her, she hated it to. She hated how she treated Ben. I think she hated herself but she shoved that way down because those feelings were too real to deal with. The most disgusting, the masquerade party. I wanted to puke. I felt she had hit rock bottom. She was so caught up in the fantasy of everything. Arsen was always a fantasy. Just a freakin fantasy.
So I guess I need to wrap it up. I'm glad Cathy got the crap end and did some suffering. I'm glad she got some help. I think that she learned a huge lesson in the worst possible way. Sometimes that happens. But also people make mistakes and deserve forgiveness and second chances. Not everyone will get one or both of those things. But could you imagine being hated for something that you did, that you live everyday with the guilt?
I would recommend reading this book with an open mind. I'm not condoning anything that she did. But look deeper than just her actions or the act of her cheating. There's more there. I'm glad the ending was the way it was. But I gotta tell ya, that epi with his pov i was like oh lord!
Why 5 stars? Cause I felt every word on every page. I felt Cathy's disgust and remorse. I also felt her selfishness. I felt Ben's pain, his loss. I've been finished for hours and I can still feel this book. Job well done.
August 28, 2013
5 taboo gut wrenching stars
MARRIAGE vows are sacred, but TEMPTATION is a powerful thing..
One glance was all it took�
I'm a cheater.
I'm a liar.
My whole life is a mess.
I love a man.
No, I love two men�
I think.
One makes love to me. The other sets me on fire.
One is my rock. The other is my kryptonite.
I'm broken, lost, and disgusted with myself.
But I can't stop. This is my story.
My broken love story.
This is not your everyday love story, this is one mother fucker of an emotional read, like seriously it's a cluster fuck of a book!!
I have never loved/hated a book so much!! (I think I need therapy)!!
I felt like I was in the Twilight Zone of a love triangle and wanting to get off this crazy assed ride!! But for the life of me I couldn't stop reading this train wreck of a read..The emotions running through your heart/head are mind numbing..All I can say is that you have to have an open mind when reading this..If you want to read about puppy dogs and all those happy things this book isn't for you..Move along!! Run whilst you can!!
Cathy: The first miscarriage ripped a painful hole inside of me, the second widened it, and the third just about broke me, but the fourth killed me..
With Ben butterflies don't just flutter inside me, they ricochet like flying bullets..What went so wrong?? I also right from the get go loved all that was Ben!! Her rock, her everything, or so I thought!!
BEN
Love can destroy you
Love can erase you..
Love can heal you..
Love can reinvent you..
And, if you are lucky enough,
Love can make you whole again..
(That's what Cathy has done to me)
Such a hard book to recommend to anyone because of the taboo/cheating matter in this book, that's where you need to put all those negative feelings aside and just feel what the author is making you feel!! As I said I loved/Hated this book so the author did her job!! This book made me feel, it opened my heart and ripped it to shreds..Loved it!!
MARRIAGE vows are sacred, but TEMPTATION is a powerful thing..
One glance was all it took�
I'm a cheater.
I'm a liar.
My whole life is a mess.
I love a man.
No, I love two men�
I think.
One makes love to me. The other sets me on fire.
One is my rock. The other is my kryptonite.
I'm broken, lost, and disgusted with myself.
But I can't stop. This is my story.
My broken love story.
This is not your everyday love story, this is one mother fucker of an emotional read, like seriously it's a cluster fuck of a book!!
I have never loved/hated a book so much!! (I think I need therapy)!!
I felt like I was in the Twilight Zone of a love triangle and wanting to get off this crazy assed ride!! But for the life of me I couldn't stop reading this train wreck of a read..The emotions running through your heart/head are mind numbing..All I can say is that you have to have an open mind when reading this..If you want to read about puppy dogs and all those happy things this book isn't for you..Move along!! Run whilst you can!!
Cathy: The first miscarriage ripped a painful hole inside of me, the second widened it, and the third just about broke me, but the fourth killed me..
With Ben butterflies don't just flutter inside me, they ricochet like flying bullets..What went so wrong?? I also right from the get go loved all that was Ben!! Her rock, her everything, or so I thought!!
BEN
Love can destroy you
Love can erase you..
Love can heal you..
Love can reinvent you..
And, if you are lucky enough,
Love can make you whole again..
(That's what Cathy has done to me)
Such a hard book to recommend to anyone because of the taboo/cheating matter in this book, that's where you need to put all those negative feelings aside and just feel what the author is making you feel!! As I said I loved/Hated this book so the author did her job!! This book made me feel, it opened my heart and ripped it to shreds..Loved it!!
July 19, 2015
***5 stars with Dimples***
Josh Holloway has nothing to do with this book, I just like his dimples
Okay... so what did I think about this book-
I loved/hated/steamed/stewed/wept/tingled with excitement and was shocked by this story. I am still feeling this one, so I know it will be one I remember and talk about for some time.
While reading this book, which was an addictive type read (up all night) I just knew the train wreck was on the way. But I could not look away, I had to know, I had to feel what was going to happen. I couldn’t believe the choices Cathy made but then I sort of understood them. How can you be in love with two men? Or can you, can she? Do they truly love her back?
"My past, my present, and my future—my forever"
"I can feel again. I can see her face. I can touch her body next to mine"
“Yes. No…I don’t know. It feels like love when I’m with him"
OMG� Ben-too perfect
OMG…Arsen-too much
OMG…Cathy-too messed up
I can’t even write a full detailed review, there is so much and so many WTF’s and feels and then the last 25%... Gah� so much going on and now, looking back I would not have it any other way.
Kudos to Mia Asher, awesome debut!
Josh Holloway has nothing to do with this book, I just like his dimples
Okay... so what did I think about this book-
I loved/hated/steamed/stewed/wept/tingled with excitement and was shocked by this story. I am still feeling this one, so I know it will be one I remember and talk about for some time.
While reading this book, which was an addictive type read (up all night) I just knew the train wreck was on the way. But I could not look away, I had to know, I had to feel what was going to happen. I couldn’t believe the choices Cathy made but then I sort of understood them. How can you be in love with two men? Or can you, can she? Do they truly love her back?
"My past, my present, and my future—my forever"
"I can feel again. I can see her face. I can touch her body next to mine"
“Yes. No…I don’t know. It feels like love when I’m with him"
OMG� Ben-too perfect
OMG…Arsen-too much
OMG…Cathy-too messed up
I can’t even write a full detailed review, there is so much and so many WTF’s and feels and then the last 25%... Gah� so much going on and now, looking back I would not have it any other way.
Kudos to Mia Asher, awesome debut!
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