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Falling Fast #2
Falling Hard
In bestselling author Tina Wainscott’s gritty, emotional small-town romance—perfect for fans of Jasinda Wilder and Colleen Hoover—passions run high as a reformed bad boy reconnects with an old enemy . . . and gets her engine revving.
There’s no one Pax Sullivan wants to run into less than Gemma Thornton. Back in high school, she revved his heart more than street racing. But she picked his clean-cut brother over him—only to accuse Blake of an unforgivable crime. Eventually the charges were dropped and Gemma left town, but the hard feelings lingered . . . along with Pax’s gnawing “what-ifs.� Seven years later, just as he quits the police force to open a racetrack, Gemma’s back—and their chemistry is more combustible than ever.
If it were up to her, Gemma would never lay eyes on another Sullivan. She hates them, and they hate her—even Pax, who just so happens to be fixing up her father’s B&B. But the more time she spends with the lean, hard-bodied ex-cop at the inn and on the track, the more Gemma sees that Pax is nothing like his brother. Despite their anguished history, she’s tempted to take their relationship into high gear . . . if she can face the past and risk her heart.
There’s no one Pax Sullivan wants to run into less than Gemma Thornton. Back in high school, she revved his heart more than street racing. But she picked his clean-cut brother over him—only to accuse Blake of an unforgivable crime. Eventually the charges were dropped and Gemma left town, but the hard feelings lingered . . . along with Pax’s gnawing “what-ifs.� Seven years later, just as he quits the police force to open a racetrack, Gemma’s back—and their chemistry is more combustible than ever.
If it were up to her, Gemma would never lay eyes on another Sullivan. She hates them, and they hate her—even Pax, who just so happens to be fixing up her father’s B&B. But the more time she spends with the lean, hard-bodied ex-cop at the inn and on the track, the more Gemma sees that Pax is nothing like his brother. Despite their anguished history, she’s tempted to take their relationship into high gear . . . if she can face the past and risk her heart.
267 pages, Kindle Edition
First published December 8, 2015
6 people are currently reading
253 people want to read
About the author
Tina Wainscott
55Ìýbooks273ÌýfollowersTina Wainscott is the USA Today bestselling author of over thirty books with romantic thrills and suspenseful chills. A happy ending is a must, but the road to it is full of ravines and shaky bridges.
As Jaime Rush, Tina is the author of the Hidden series, featuring humans with the essence of dragons, angels, and magic, and the award-winning Offspring series, about psychic abilities and government conspiracies. .
As Jaime Rush, Tina is the author of the Hidden series, featuring humans with the essence of dragons, angels, and magic, and the award-winning Offspring series, about psychic abilities and government conspiracies. .
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 105 reviews
December 27, 2015
***4 "A-dorable" stars from me***
"Fate. She might be a tricky bitch sometimes, but she knows what she's doing."
This was a story about not following your heart and where that will lead you.
About wrong choices and the price that you have to pay.
It was about the good and the bad which can be masquerade and it may confuse you.
It was about finding the light in the darkest places.
It was about how fate can lead you in the right path even if you lost your way.
It was a story about how love can heal you...
Gemma and Paxton had a connection the first moment that they met.
Gemma was new in town and she hated that place, but Paxton's presence made her day.
But Paxton wasn't one of the cool guys and he was screaming for far away troubles...
And Gemma had so many troubles already...
She just wanted to fit in... and Paxton wasn't the right choice for that!!!
So she choose to ignore her heart and she choose logic...
She got involved with Blake the golden boy of the school, the cool guy and as she found out later... Blake was Paxton's big brother!!!
But her heart was still beating fast in Paxton's thought or presence...
Now, seven years later, Gemma is forced to return in the town from where she run away with shattered heart and broken soul.
Her father had an accident and she had to be by his side...
She wishes to not see anybody else but from the first moment fate had other plans for her...
Paxton is all the time in front of her and even though her heart is still beating fast around him, she doesn't want to have anything to do with him... Since they are enemies now and Paxton hates her guts!!!
"Maybe it was the same with him, this odd connection between them.
He made her feel... something.
Something she hadn't felt in, well, seven years." -Gemma
***
"When I thought you might come back to town for your dad, I was all set to revive those angry feelings. The moment I saw you, I couldn't. And, as much as I tried to at least not like you, I couldn't. Damn, even my dog likes you." -Paxton
Paxton wanted Gemma from the first moment he saw her in the draft...
He thought that they were having... "something", but she choose his brother.
And when Gemma accused Blake for something unimaginable, he couldn't like her anymore.
He had to stay by his brother's side and to stay away from this lying woman.
But his heart had different opinion...
And since the moment that she returned back in town and he is forced to take care of her safety, his mind is starting to have doubts for everything that happened back then.
And day after day, he can't refuse anymore that he still want this broken woman and that he wants to help her with any cost.
"He wanted to save her.
To vindicate her, even if it meant bulldozing his brother.
He wanted to be her hero, but he wasn't sure he was hero material."
Gemma was a little wild as a teenager and that's why she ignored her heart and acted with her mind. Because she wanted her parents to be proud of her and her choices.
But her choices were false and that's what it pissed me off so much!!!
She wanted Paxton from the first moment, for God's sake!!! Why she had to get involved with Blake???
But no, even with wrong decisions, she didn't deserve what happened to her. No woman deserves that!!!
And that fact is chasing her since then and she was just so broken that my heart was breaking for her.
I didn't like that she was hiding from her self and from the world.
And i didn't like that because of some stupid people, she started to doubt herself and what happened that night when her life ruined for good.
"If she spent much more time with him, she was going to fall hard. And that would create a whole bunch of havoc for both of them."
I liked so much Paxton. I was wondering why the hell everyone saying that he was a trouble when he was younger. Because of the car racing???
I saw just a kind, generous, awesome man... An A-mazing guy!
He didn't fit with the rest of his family, he was different but he remained by their side, mostly because of Jayne.
I hated that his parents were trying to manipulate him with blackmails... That was so shitty thing to do!!!
Even when he thought that he was hating Gemma, he was caring for her. He never accused her or calling her names, as the rest of the world was doing...
And when he decided that he wanted to follow his heart, he was the sweetest man ever.
His behavior toward Gemma was extremely beautiful. He was so thoughtful and gentle...
I really liked that guy. I liked how he stood beside Gemma and how he was trying to find the truth, because that was the right thing to do!!!
"He hurt, too.
For her.
For what they could have had.
He couldn't erase what had happened,but maybe he could smooth out the scars.
If she let him."
I have to say that i hate all those people that they are judging without any knowledge at all.
You can't accuse a woman in this way when something so awful had happened to her. It's horrible!!!
And i hate when they don't want the truth but a convenient lie!!!
I also disliked Paxton's family so much...
His father was an asshole with big "A" and his mother was just a pathetic human being.
As for Blake??? I don't have any excuse for his attitude... It was so wrong. Period!
I also adored Harley and Jayne. They were both cutties!!!
And i really liked Mia and Raleigh. I think that i already learn too many things about their story, but i would like to learn more from first hand...
And I'm wondering for Grace!!!
***ARC kindly provided via NetGalley for the exchange of an honest review***
"Fate. She might be a tricky bitch sometimes, but she knows what she's doing."
This was a story about not following your heart and where that will lead you.
About wrong choices and the price that you have to pay.
It was about the good and the bad which can be masquerade and it may confuse you.
It was about finding the light in the darkest places.
It was about how fate can lead you in the right path even if you lost your way.
It was a story about how love can heal you...
Gemma and Paxton had a connection the first moment that they met.
Gemma was new in town and she hated that place, but Paxton's presence made her day.
But Paxton wasn't one of the cool guys and he was screaming for far away troubles...
And Gemma had so many troubles already...
She just wanted to fit in... and Paxton wasn't the right choice for that!!!
So she choose to ignore her heart and she choose logic...
She got involved with Blake the golden boy of the school, the cool guy and as she found out later... Blake was Paxton's big brother!!!
But her heart was still beating fast in Paxton's thought or presence...
Now, seven years later, Gemma is forced to return in the town from where she run away with shattered heart and broken soul.
Her father had an accident and she had to be by his side...
She wishes to not see anybody else but from the first moment fate had other plans for her...
Paxton is all the time in front of her and even though her heart is still beating fast around him, she doesn't want to have anything to do with him... Since they are enemies now and Paxton hates her guts!!!
"Maybe it was the same with him, this odd connection between them.
He made her feel... something.
Something she hadn't felt in, well, seven years." -Gemma
***
"When I thought you might come back to town for your dad, I was all set to revive those angry feelings. The moment I saw you, I couldn't. And, as much as I tried to at least not like you, I couldn't. Damn, even my dog likes you." -Paxton
Paxton wanted Gemma from the first moment he saw her in the draft...
He thought that they were having... "something", but she choose his brother.
And when Gemma accused Blake for something unimaginable, he couldn't like her anymore.
He had to stay by his brother's side and to stay away from this lying woman.
But his heart had different opinion...
And since the moment that she returned back in town and he is forced to take care of her safety, his mind is starting to have doubts for everything that happened back then.
And day after day, he can't refuse anymore that he still want this broken woman and that he wants to help her with any cost.
"He wanted to save her.
To vindicate her, even if it meant bulldozing his brother.
He wanted to be her hero, but he wasn't sure he was hero material."
Gemma was a little wild as a teenager and that's why she ignored her heart and acted with her mind. Because she wanted her parents to be proud of her and her choices.
But her choices were false and that's what it pissed me off so much!!!
She wanted Paxton from the first moment, for God's sake!!! Why she had to get involved with Blake???
But no, even with wrong decisions, she didn't deserve what happened to her. No woman deserves that!!!
And that fact is chasing her since then and she was just so broken that my heart was breaking for her.
I didn't like that she was hiding from her self and from the world.
And i didn't like that because of some stupid people, she started to doubt herself and what happened that night when her life ruined for good.
"If she spent much more time with him, she was going to fall hard. And that would create a whole bunch of havoc for both of them."
I liked so much Paxton. I was wondering why the hell everyone saying that he was a trouble when he was younger. Because of the car racing???
I saw just a kind, generous, awesome man... An A-mazing guy!
He didn't fit with the rest of his family, he was different but he remained by their side, mostly because of Jayne.
I hated that his parents were trying to manipulate him with blackmails... That was so shitty thing to do!!!
Even when he thought that he was hating Gemma, he was caring for her. He never accused her or calling her names, as the rest of the world was doing...
And when he decided that he wanted to follow his heart, he was the sweetest man ever.
His behavior toward Gemma was extremely beautiful. He was so thoughtful and gentle...
I really liked that guy. I liked how he stood beside Gemma and how he was trying to find the truth, because that was the right thing to do!!!
"He hurt, too.
For her.
For what they could have had.
He couldn't erase what had happened,but maybe he could smooth out the scars.
If she let him."
I have to say that i hate all those people that they are judging without any knowledge at all.
You can't accuse a woman in this way when something so awful had happened to her. It's horrible!!!
And i hate when they don't want the truth but a convenient lie!!!
I also disliked Paxton's family so much...
His father was an asshole with big "A" and his mother was just a pathetic human being.
As for Blake??? I don't have any excuse for his attitude... It was so wrong. Period!
I also adored Harley and Jayne. They were both cutties!!!
And i really liked Mia and Raleigh. I think that i already learn too many things about their story, but i would like to learn more from first hand...
And I'm wondering for Grace!!!
***ARC kindly provided via NetGalley for the exchange of an honest review***
November 26, 2015
Gemma chose his brother over Pax in high school.
Allegation of date rape against Pax’s brother, small town gossip and torment send Gemma running as fast as she can. It took a serious accident that hospitalized Gemma’s father for her to return.
Gemma is determined to help out with her dad’s B&B while he recovers in the hospital. Gossip and accusations be damned. Gemma knows what happened.
The only problem, Pax has promised Wade, Gemma’s dad, that he will help get the B&B going while he is recovering…thrusting Pax together with the girl that accused his brother of date rape.
I have to admit, I was a little skeptical how this plot would work out.
Kudos to Tina Wainscott for taking on such a serious topic matter and making it work as a contemporary romance.
Bottom line, the magnet chemistry between Pax and Gemma is visceral, making Falling Hard a great romantic read.
I received this ARC copy of Falling Hard from Random House Publishing Group - Loveswept in exchange for a honest review. This book is set for publication December 8, 2015.
My Rating: 4 Stars
Written by: Tina Wainscott
Print Length: 267 pages
Publisher: Loveswept
Publication Date: December 8, 2015
Sold by: Random House LLC
ASIN: B00UQF3O7K
Genre: Sports Romance
|
For Reviews and More Check out:Ìý
Allegation of date rape against Pax’s brother, small town gossip and torment send Gemma running as fast as she can. It took a serious accident that hospitalized Gemma’s father for her to return.
Gemma is determined to help out with her dad’s B&B while he recovers in the hospital. Gossip and accusations be damned. Gemma knows what happened.
The only problem, Pax has promised Wade, Gemma’s dad, that he will help get the B&B going while he is recovering…thrusting Pax together with the girl that accused his brother of date rape.
I have to admit, I was a little skeptical how this plot would work out.
Kudos to Tina Wainscott for taking on such a serious topic matter and making it work as a contemporary romance.
Bottom line, the magnet chemistry between Pax and Gemma is visceral, making Falling Hard a great romantic read.
I received this ARC copy of Falling Hard from Random House Publishing Group - Loveswept in exchange for a honest review. This book is set for publication December 8, 2015.
My Rating: 4 Stars
Written by: Tina Wainscott
Print Length: 267 pages
Publisher: Loveswept
Publication Date: December 8, 2015
Sold by: Random House LLC
ASIN: B00UQF3O7K
Genre: Sports Romance
|
For Reviews and More Check out:Ìý
December 5, 2015
4.75
Seven years ago, Gemma saw Pax Sullivan at a street race. They had instant chemistry but Gemma didn't want to be with a bad boy and that's the reputation Pax had. Instead, she went with Pax's popular, clean-cut brother Blake. Except, Blake wasn't the safe choice and when Gemma found that out it was too late. Gemma became an enemy of the Sullivan family and was forced out of town. Seven years later, Gemma is back after her father was injured and she's helping to run his B&B. She's still hurt and Pax is still angry but the chemistry between them won't go away.
This book got off to a bit of a slow start for me but once it got going, I couldn't put it down. There was so much to this story - what Gemma went through was awful and it's a sensitive subject - it's something that happens all the time and my heart broke for her. Pax was such a good guy - there was so much I really loved about him. My favorite thing about Pax was his relationship with Janey . I really loved the chemistry between Pax and Gemma and even with the history between them, they had an amazing connection. This book was really good - a bit intense with the subject matter but I really enjoyed it.
**ARC provided in exchange for an honest review**
Seven years ago, Gemma saw Pax Sullivan at a street race. They had instant chemistry but Gemma didn't want to be with a bad boy and that's the reputation Pax had. Instead, she went with Pax's popular, clean-cut brother Blake. Except, Blake wasn't the safe choice and when Gemma found that out it was too late. Gemma became an enemy of the Sullivan family and was forced out of town. Seven years later, Gemma is back after her father was injured and she's helping to run his B&B. She's still hurt and Pax is still angry but the chemistry between them won't go away.
This book got off to a bit of a slow start for me but once it got going, I couldn't put it down. There was so much to this story - what Gemma went through was awful and it's a sensitive subject - it's something that happens all the time and my heart broke for her. Pax was such a good guy - there was so much I really loved about him. My favorite thing about Pax was his relationship with Janey . I really loved the chemistry between Pax and Gemma and even with the history between them, they had an amazing connection. This book was really good - a bit intense with the subject matter but I really enjoyed it.
**ARC provided in exchange for an honest review**
January 9, 2016
2.5 Goth Candy stars
This is one of those reviews that I dread writing because it could so easily be taken the wrong way by people.
Keep in mind this is just MY opinion.
Did I like it- yes. But this book may as well have been called Blake because that's what 85% of the book was about. While I understand how such an event would affect someones life so completely like it did in Gemma's case, it made it hard for me to stay interested. It was dealt with well and I wanted him to get what he deserved but it meant the love story was more of a side line. There were some swoony moments and Pax was certainly a great H but none of it excited me.
It just lacked that extra something that makes me want to rush through the pages and left me feeling a bit blah.
This is one of those reviews that I dread writing because it could so easily be taken the wrong way by people.
Keep in mind this is just MY opinion.
Did I like it- yes. But this book may as well have been called Blake because that's what 85% of the book was about. While I understand how such an event would affect someones life so completely like it did in Gemma's case, it made it hard for me to stay interested. It was dealt with well and I wanted him to get what he deserved but it meant the love story was more of a side line. There were some swoony moments and Pax was certainly a great H but none of it excited me.
It just lacked that extra something that makes me want to rush through the pages and left me feeling a bit blah.
December 5, 2015
4 you are worthy of love stars. The family rebel and self-made bad boy and the girl who "cried wolf" fight against all that should keep them apart to be together. Pax and Gemma felt a spark the moment they laid eyes on each other but Gemma was supposed to behave and so went for Blake, Pax's brother, who was the "golden boy." Gemma leaves the town, never planning to return, until her father ends up in the hospital.
Pax and Gemma reunite when he notices a lovely woman on the side of the road fixing her tire. To say both are shocked at seeing each other is an understatement but they, for the most part, are civil. Gemma learns Pax and her father have formed a relationship and work together. What she doesn't realize is that she'll be in close proximity to him as her father wants Pax to "watch over things." She should still feel the pull towards him, after what his brother did and how everyone turned against her, but she does. As true colors begin to show, Gemma can't stop her traitorous heart from longing for Pax.
Pax is loyal to his family and to his friends. He doesn't want to deal with Gemma but knows he has no other option. After spending time around her, noticing her reactions, his brother's words and actions, Pax begins to put the pieces of the puzzle together and finds himself realizing Gemma didn't cry wolf. He can't help the flair of awareness and attraction any more than he can help how deeply he comes to care for Gemma. When it comes to loyalty, Pax will end his ties to his family for the woman he loves.
Pax and Gemma together are interesting and also quite lovely. Pax tries to hate her as he "should" but can't do it. He's too good of a guy and when he realizes how amazing she is and that she was telling the truth, he dives head first into her. Gemma tries to dislike Pax and to keep her distance but he's just so damn charming and caring. Gemma comes apart in his arms and he soothes her, further allowing her feelings to bloom. When the two come together, they heal old wounds, shed light on a darkness that has hurt more than just Gemma, and set both of them free.
Pax and Gemma reunite when he notices a lovely woman on the side of the road fixing her tire. To say both are shocked at seeing each other is an understatement but they, for the most part, are civil. Gemma learns Pax and her father have formed a relationship and work together. What she doesn't realize is that she'll be in close proximity to him as her father wants Pax to "watch over things." She should still feel the pull towards him, after what his brother did and how everyone turned against her, but she does. As true colors begin to show, Gemma can't stop her traitorous heart from longing for Pax.
Pax is loyal to his family and to his friends. He doesn't want to deal with Gemma but knows he has no other option. After spending time around her, noticing her reactions, his brother's words and actions, Pax begins to put the pieces of the puzzle together and finds himself realizing Gemma didn't cry wolf. He can't help the flair of awareness and attraction any more than he can help how deeply he comes to care for Gemma. When it comes to loyalty, Pax will end his ties to his family for the woman he loves.
Pax and Gemma together are interesting and also quite lovely. Pax tries to hate her as he "should" but can't do it. He's too good of a guy and when he realizes how amazing she is and that she was telling the truth, he dives head first into her. Gemma tries to dislike Pax and to keep her distance but he's just so damn charming and caring. Gemma comes apart in his arms and he soothes her, further allowing her feelings to bloom. When the two come together, they heal old wounds, shed light on a darkness that has hurt more than just Gemma, and set both of them free.
December 8, 2015
Falling Hard is the second book in the Falling Fast series, but can totally be read as a stand-alone. One of the first things that pulled me in about this story was the synopsis; especially the tag-line that said this would be the perfect read for Colleen Hoover and Jasinda Wilder fans–that right there was enough reason for me to check it out.
Falling Hard was an ok read for me. It is fast paced and told from dual points of view. I was really intrigued by the story-line and wanted to know more. This story does deal with some difficult subject matter and I applaud the author for the way she dealt with it. There was some sweet and swoon-worthy moments, and also some moments that were frustrating.
However, I did have some issues with this story. While I was initially pulled into the story, I had a hard time staying into it. I understand the importance of what happened to Gemma and that it would be a big part of her life, but I felt like that’s all the story really was about. Yes, I am happy that she gets the closure that she needs and that she does finally get some long awaited justice, but I wish that there would have been more to this story. There is a romantic story-line between Gemma and Pax, but I felt like it was just too rushed. I understand that they had a past connection, but there was a lot of hate between these two for a lot of years and it was a little hard to believe that they would just flip a switch and jump right into a relationship with each other. The ending also felt very rushed to me. Things just kinda went into hyper-speed. I guess in the end, I was just left wanting more.
Overall, this was just an ok read. There were some things that I liked and some things that didn’t work for me. Even though this story wasn’t a real hit for me, I’m still glad that I checked it out. I think that the author has a lot of potential and I would still be open to reading something else from this author in the future.
*I was provided an ARC copy of this book, via NetGalley, in exchange for an honest review*
Falling Hard was an ok read for me. It is fast paced and told from dual points of view. I was really intrigued by the story-line and wanted to know more. This story does deal with some difficult subject matter and I applaud the author for the way she dealt with it. There was some sweet and swoon-worthy moments, and also some moments that were frustrating.
However, I did have some issues with this story. While I was initially pulled into the story, I had a hard time staying into it. I understand the importance of what happened to Gemma and that it would be a big part of her life, but I felt like that’s all the story really was about. Yes, I am happy that she gets the closure that she needs and that she does finally get some long awaited justice, but I wish that there would have been more to this story. There is a romantic story-line between Gemma and Pax, but I felt like it was just too rushed. I understand that they had a past connection, but there was a lot of hate between these two for a lot of years and it was a little hard to believe that they would just flip a switch and jump right into a relationship with each other. The ending also felt very rushed to me. Things just kinda went into hyper-speed. I guess in the end, I was just left wanting more.
Overall, this was just an ok read. There were some things that I liked and some things that didn’t work for me. Even though this story wasn’t a real hit for me, I’m still glad that I checked it out. I think that the author has a lot of potential and I would still be open to reading something else from this author in the future.
*I was provided an ARC copy of this book, via NetGalley, in exchange for an honest review*
October 6, 2015
Title: Falling Hard
Author: Tina Wainscott
Genre: New Adult, Contemporary Romance
Series or Standalone: Standalone Series (Falling Fast #2)
Rating: ★★★★ ½ Stars (Rounded to 5 for Å·±¦ÓéÀÖ and Amazon)
Review
Welcome to another episode of me reading standalone series titles in an ass backwards way.
This is the second book in the Falling Fast series (the first one being Raleigh and Mia’s story) and features Paxton and the girl that back in high school picked his brother over him in Gemma.
Now I know, this sounds bad right? Oh she was involved with his brother? But I assure you, it’s not like that at all.
Never having read anything by this author before and coming into this series not really knowing any of the players, not even in the most basic of ways could have made this book hard to read for me, but it didn’t. What you need to know in terms of Raleigh’s story, you get in small doses in this one so that never once do you feel as though you’re missing anything not reading his story.
Though for the record, I’m intrigued enough by what I was shown that I want to go back and see how it all came to end up where it is in this one so I’ll be doing that in the near future. The secondary characters were just as engaging at times in this one as the main characters were so I can’t help wanting to know more.
Now on to my thoughts on the story.
Paxton is the “bad seed� brother in his family. The one that you see shades of being a “bad boy� in the first meeting with Gemma, but who at the end of the day was labeled wrong. By his family, friends, the damn town they live in. It was all just labeled wrong because he was not a bad boy at all. He was not a bad seed, even if years have passed since him and Gemma’s first meeting and time may have changed him.
Even as teens, he didn’t come across that way to me and I liked him, and even the chemistry with him and Gemma from the start. Both then and now. It just clicked. They were two people that were labeled wrong and of course gravitation towards someone who feels the same is the most natural thing in the world.
Only that’s not at all how things play out. Gemma, needing to do right by her father, be less trouble then she had been before her mom shipped her off to live with him, decides the night she meets Pax as a senior in high school that she’s not going to gravitate toward the one most like her, but instead be with someone much more “respectable� in terms of parent approval.
A mistake that ends up costing her in one of the most horrible ways with what takes place between her and the brother and what ultimately drives her out of town for years.
Fast forward to the future and Paxton and Gemma coming across each other again. Right off the jump the passion is there between them. They want to hate each other for the loyalties that had been exhibited after what went down years before but can’t. Despite the passage of them, they’re still connected in the same way they always were and it was a pleasure to see that build and grow as the story went on.
I enjoyed the fact that the author didn’t just throw these two together and then drop a bunch of drama in their way. No, she did a slow burn here and it was enjoyable. I already believed that Gemma’s choice as a young girl was the wrong one with the way everything with her was always Paxton and not the brother, so watching all those feeling come back up and then take hold was tremendous and gave me the payoff I was after here.
I hurt for her with the way she was treated in the town when she came back though. It pained me, but this is where the author hit the realism button because when you go through something, especially in a smaller town where your family basically runs the place, and it’s them against you, it’s expected that things will play out this way. Everything about Gemma’s experience, what everyone turned their backs on her for, it was real to me. I felt it with every fiber of my being.
Harley the dog stole the show for me though. The way Pax was with him, the way he immediately latched on to Gemma (seeing what even Pax couldn’t see in the beginning) was fantastic. There is something just so fun about animals in fiction and Harley was no exception. And it appears as though Gemma felt the same with the way she did a total 180 from the way she was about dogs before.
This book was about more than just a second chance for Pax and Gemma to get it right romantically though. It was about coming to terms with the person you were before and the one you are now. It was about not running when the going gets tough, but instead digging in your heels and fighting for what you want and the person you love.
Both Pax and Gemma both did this and by the time I turned the last page, I was more than happy with the way their story turned out. (I may have also enjoyed what happened to Pax’s brother a little too much though lol).
There were a few issues I had in terms of pacing a flow, that slowed the book down for me at times, but they were so sparing that it didn’t make too much of an impact in terms of my overall enjoyment of the story.
This is definitely an author I will be checking out more from in the future. She kept me thoroughly engaged throughout and made me believe in the love, growth and change of these two characters.
My thanks to NetGalley, the publisher and the author for allowing me the chance to read this before release.
December 13, 2015
This book is pretty much a-mazing and a-stounding! It was a pretty tough read that had me biting my nails in the last few chapters � the will it or will it not questions were haunting me, until it finally happened. And it was worth the wait, I could almost see their faces: the shame, the redemption, the relief and finally, the justice.
Because this is more than your ordinary love story: this has so much more to it than just falling in love and having your happy ending. Gemma and Pax’s HEA takes a lot of hard work and bravery. Especially when a lot is at stake.
The first moment they met, they had that connection, but Gemma chose someone else, his brother, thinking it would do her good. Pax was the bad news, and Blake? He was the good guy. But things happened � she lost her friends, and she was forced to get out of town. But one accident brought her back to the small town. And straight into the arms of Pax.
If she had any other choice, she didn’t want to see anyone besides her father. The old town reminded her of bad memories, but her father needs her. She has to stay and put up with old news surfacing, and whisperings behind her back. However, the more she and Pax spend time together, the more she realizes that Pax wasn’t like his brother. She chose the wrong brother back then, would she be able to chose the right one now?
When her past and present collide � will they survive?
There were a whole lot of interesting characters � some you will love and adore, and some you will hate. It touches sensitively on topics that are controversial and is happening in the real world. The doubts, the questions, and the apprehensions are real. Perhaps when you are put in that particular situation, you’ll ask things that will make you question your judgment. And my heart goes out to these women, to these victims, to these survivors.
Falling Hard is a brave, emotional, fun read with a sprinkle of steam. I enjoyed, I suffered and I didn’t stop reading this until I was on the last page. The relief was palpable, and I was glad everyone got what they deserve. It wasn’t what I was hoping for, but I think it was better. This is my first Tina Wainscott read and won’t be my last.
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Because this is more than your ordinary love story: this has so much more to it than just falling in love and having your happy ending. Gemma and Pax’s HEA takes a lot of hard work and bravery. Especially when a lot is at stake.
The first moment they met, they had that connection, but Gemma chose someone else, his brother, thinking it would do her good. Pax was the bad news, and Blake? He was the good guy. But things happened � she lost her friends, and she was forced to get out of town. But one accident brought her back to the small town. And straight into the arms of Pax.
If she had any other choice, she didn’t want to see anyone besides her father. The old town reminded her of bad memories, but her father needs her. She has to stay and put up with old news surfacing, and whisperings behind her back. However, the more she and Pax spend time together, the more she realizes that Pax wasn’t like his brother. She chose the wrong brother back then, would she be able to chose the right one now?
When her past and present collide � will they survive?
There were a whole lot of interesting characters � some you will love and adore, and some you will hate. It touches sensitively on topics that are controversial and is happening in the real world. The doubts, the questions, and the apprehensions are real. Perhaps when you are put in that particular situation, you’ll ask things that will make you question your judgment. And my heart goes out to these women, to these victims, to these survivors.
Falling Hard is a brave, emotional, fun read with a sprinkle of steam. I enjoyed, I suffered and I didn’t stop reading this until I was on the last page. The relief was palpable, and I was glad everyone got what they deserve. It wasn’t what I was hoping for, but I think it was better. This is my first Tina Wainscott read and won’t be my last.
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January 26, 2016
Falling Hard is the second book in Tina Wainscott’s Falling Fast series. It is a full length novel, with an HEA, no cliffhanger and can be read as a standalone. (You’ll want to read the first book after this, because you meet the characters, but not reading it will take nothing away from this book in particular.)
I was really on the fence with this book, and not due to the author, or her writing, because that was fabulously done. The book is well paced, detailed, and the characters have depth. So why was it so hard for me to decide where I stood on this book? It was the plot. Let me explain that a wee bit, but realize, this does have spoilers in it.
You may be wondering now, okay why would the plot be a problem. The thing is, it’s not a problem. At least not for most people, but it does sort of touch upon, and revolve around the heroine’s rape. The coming to terms of it for both Gemma and Pax. How it tore them apart before they could ever get started, etc. Yes, this is not told to you in the synopsis. Had it been, I probably wouldn’t have read the book. Now, on that note, it is carefully done and the author handled it extremely well. The problem I personally saw with it, was that someone walking into a book that has such a sensitive matter to it, might need a little warning.
That aside, completely aside, I loved Pax and Gemma. I loved how they met, I enjoyed how the story unfolded between them. Even with the obstacles they had lined up. It took me awhile to write this review in particular because of the subject matter. I’m going to go with this, yes, I would recommend it. Especially if you’ve read the first book in the series. However, I would make you aware that it does touch on things that can effect people, and it may not sit well with you.
I was really on the fence with this book, and not due to the author, or her writing, because that was fabulously done. The book is well paced, detailed, and the characters have depth. So why was it so hard for me to decide where I stood on this book? It was the plot. Let me explain that a wee bit, but realize, this does have spoilers in it.
You may be wondering now, okay why would the plot be a problem. The thing is, it’s not a problem. At least not for most people, but it does sort of touch upon, and revolve around the heroine’s rape. The coming to terms of it for both Gemma and Pax. How it tore them apart before they could ever get started, etc. Yes, this is not told to you in the synopsis. Had it been, I probably wouldn’t have read the book. Now, on that note, it is carefully done and the author handled it extremely well. The problem I personally saw with it, was that someone walking into a book that has such a sensitive matter to it, might need a little warning.
That aside, completely aside, I loved Pax and Gemma. I loved how they met, I enjoyed how the story unfolded between them. Even with the obstacles they had lined up. It took me awhile to write this review in particular because of the subject matter. I’m going to go with this, yes, I would recommend it. Especially if you’ve read the first book in the series. However, I would make you aware that it does touch on things that can effect people, and it may not sit well with you.
December 13, 2015
Kindly provided with an ARC via Netaglley in exchange for an honest review......
5 "Forever and Ever True Love" Stars From Me xx
Aw, what an absolutely gorgeous read !!!. What a tangled web we weave......
This is the story of Gemma and Pax. Years prior they meet but Gemma shy's away from Pax because of his "bad boy" rep despite the mega pull towards each other. Gemma opts for his brother Blake......WRONG CHOICE HUNNIE....just sayin' !!!.
Moving on......Pax and Gemma are re-united and events become evident and WOW well written Tina !!!. You handled that subject matter beautifully !!. God Pax was just......*sighs*......perfect !. I want me my very own Pax. I loved him with his sister.....swoon.
They say all good things come to those who wait and for Gemma and Pax that saying was sooooo TRUE !!.
From page one to the end this is a stunning read. Definitely worth a read !
Well done Tina and many thanks Netgalley for this opportunity !
Later peeps xx
5 "Forever and Ever True Love" Stars From Me xx
Aw, what an absolutely gorgeous read !!!. What a tangled web we weave......
This is the story of Gemma and Pax. Years prior they meet but Gemma shy's away from Pax because of his "bad boy" rep despite the mega pull towards each other. Gemma opts for his brother Blake......WRONG CHOICE HUNNIE....just sayin' !!!.
Moving on......Pax and Gemma are re-united and events become evident and WOW well written Tina !!!. You handled that subject matter beautifully !!. God Pax was just......*sighs*......perfect !. I want me my very own Pax. I loved him with his sister.....swoon.
They say all good things come to those who wait and for Gemma and Pax that saying was sooooo TRUE !!.
From page one to the end this is a stunning read. Definitely worth a read !
Well done Tina and many thanks Netgalley for this opportunity !
Later peeps xx
December 8, 2015
4.5 stars
Falling Hard was such a good read!
The storyline held my attention right from the get go, I stayed up all night reading as I didn't want to put it down.
I loved both Pax and Gemma, they were such great characters. They were honest, strong and very relatable. I found myself connecting with them both and loved how their relationship developed, this truly was a beautiful and heartwarming read.
Falling Hard ticked all the boxes for me, an entertaining storyline with interesting/likeable characters and an ending that leaves you with a heart full of happy feels, exactly what I was looking for.
Thank you to Random House Publishing Group - Loveswept via NetGalley for the advance copy in exchange for my honest thoughts.
Falling Hard was such a good read!
The storyline held my attention right from the get go, I stayed up all night reading as I didn't want to put it down.
I loved both Pax and Gemma, they were such great characters. They were honest, strong and very relatable. I found myself connecting with them both and loved how their relationship developed, this truly was a beautiful and heartwarming read.
Falling Hard ticked all the boxes for me, an entertaining storyline with interesting/likeable characters and an ending that leaves you with a heart full of happy feels, exactly what I was looking for.
Thank you to Random House Publishing Group - Loveswept via NetGalley for the advance copy in exchange for my honest thoughts.
October 3, 2015
*4.5 stars*
*ARC courtesy of Netgalley and Random House Publishing*
*ARC courtesy of Netgalley and Random House Publishing*
December 7, 2015
This was a slow start for me but once it took off it took off and I couldn't put the book down. The author gives a powerful story of never giving up and always going for what you want. Life is to short you need to fight for what is important as Pax did he was a true man of honor even when he may lose his family he believed the fight was worth it and give his all. No means No, no matter when, where or what it is NO. The author gives a wonderful heart breaking story of misunderstanding, angry, one man taking something he shouldn't have, peer pressure along with family pressure. We all make bad choices that change our lives sometimes we can make them right but you can never outrun them. Gemma had to come home to face those choices she made years ago that set a whole town against her. As she faces them she must also face the one man that held her attention through it all the bad boy along with his brother who raped her. As the author said sometimes faith has a mind of her own.
Pax is a stand up guy who is honorable he might have been the bad boy in school. He was just trying to fit in and find his way with a family he could never do anything right for. One day he gave up and did things his way. When Gemma returns to town he is taken back by the attraction they still have. He is pulled in two different directions and not sure which one is the right one. Once he puts all the pieces together he is in for a fight of his life to keep the women he loves, the sister he adores and to try to find peace with his family. It is up to him to set a wrong right which he will do if it is the last thing he does. In doing so he might lose the girl along with his family...
For Gemma the hardest thing is facing ones mistakes and past. All the whispers, the name calling, the hate talk, it is hard but she will make a stand for her father. The hardest part is having to face her attacker knowing he got away with rape. She must find a way to deal with it, help her father and face the man who held her heart way back when and then get the heck out of there before more damage can be done to her. Gemma story is a very touching read, she must learn to trust, love and be held when it is the last things she wants.
I found this to be a very powerful read with so many losers in the game of life. Gemma doesn't trust anyone, she has no friends, she doesn't fit anywhere. She doesn't believe in herself and like so many women before her dresses down in big bag clothes not to draw attention to her. The attraction is as strong as it was the day they met now both Gemma and Pax will have to fight it, or give in. The author gives you a story inside a story about his little sister and how they deal with her issues. A very wonderful girl who everyone but Pax doesn't want to let her grow up. I won't tell you more or it will give it away. This was really a very touching read in more than one way. It is a story that will stick with me long after I have put the book down. It is a story I will reread again. It is a wonderful story of second chances but is so much more. It is about bravery, taking a stand, getting your life back and fighting the fight of truth. It is truly a wonderful romance of starting over and overcoming your past.
Ms. Wainscott tells a wonderful story that will break your heart and you keep hoping they take down one man and hopefully his father. There are many secretes that have been hidden over the years along with a few new ones. This is an author you will want to come to know who will pull you in and take you way. When you close this book you will leave with a smile on your face leaving characters you wish you knew better. I really enjoyed this story and I hope you will to.
Pax is a stand up guy who is honorable he might have been the bad boy in school. He was just trying to fit in and find his way with a family he could never do anything right for. One day he gave up and did things his way. When Gemma returns to town he is taken back by the attraction they still have. He is pulled in two different directions and not sure which one is the right one. Once he puts all the pieces together he is in for a fight of his life to keep the women he loves, the sister he adores and to try to find peace with his family. It is up to him to set a wrong right which he will do if it is the last thing he does. In doing so he might lose the girl along with his family...
For Gemma the hardest thing is facing ones mistakes and past. All the whispers, the name calling, the hate talk, it is hard but she will make a stand for her father. The hardest part is having to face her attacker knowing he got away with rape. She must find a way to deal with it, help her father and face the man who held her heart way back when and then get the heck out of there before more damage can be done to her. Gemma story is a very touching read, she must learn to trust, love and be held when it is the last things she wants.
I found this to be a very powerful read with so many losers in the game of life. Gemma doesn't trust anyone, she has no friends, she doesn't fit anywhere. She doesn't believe in herself and like so many women before her dresses down in big bag clothes not to draw attention to her. The attraction is as strong as it was the day they met now both Gemma and Pax will have to fight it, or give in. The author gives you a story inside a story about his little sister and how they deal with her issues. A very wonderful girl who everyone but Pax doesn't want to let her grow up. I won't tell you more or it will give it away. This was really a very touching read in more than one way. It is a story that will stick with me long after I have put the book down. It is a story I will reread again. It is a wonderful story of second chances but is so much more. It is about bravery, taking a stand, getting your life back and fighting the fight of truth. It is truly a wonderful romance of starting over and overcoming your past.
Ms. Wainscott tells a wonderful story that will break your heart and you keep hoping they take down one man and hopefully his father. There are many secretes that have been hidden over the years along with a few new ones. This is an author you will want to come to know who will pull you in and take you way. When you close this book you will leave with a smile on your face leaving characters you wish you knew better. I really enjoyed this story and I hope you will to.
October 9, 2015
**ARC provided by Netgalley for an Honest Review**
I didn't realize I was reading a series out of order until I started this book and realized I was missing something with some of the characters. That is okay though because it is a standalone and definitely a book worth reading.
Gemma returns home to help with her father and his B&B after he was in a bad accident. She has not been back to town since after high school when something tragic happened to her that made her run from town and back to New York where she was originally from. Now with being back in town, old memories from the event are replaying in her mind, and it doesn't help that the one man who happens to be business partners with her father is part of those memories.
Paxton "Pax" promised his business partner Wade that he would watch over Wade's B&B after an accident happened there that put Wade, Gemma's father, into the hospital. The one thing he didn't realize would be there is Gemma Thornton, one of the women that he is supposed to hate after issues that she caused his family in the past. Pax is nice to her for her father's sake, but really wants to not have anything to do with her and hopes that she leaves town soon.
These two have chemistry that is off the charts! I say this because when there are small flashbacks to both of them from high school and they first meet, they instantly know that they are drawn to each other. The only downfall from it all was that Gemma dated Blake, Pax's brother. Blake was the all-star american football boy, the school jock that every girl wanted, and the complete self centered asshole that all books need in order to create someone to hate.
I honestly don't ever really hate very many book characters, but I really did not like Blake at all! Just with the background issues that he caused Gemma's life, he was scum in my book. The family as well since they were all very controlling and demanding, except Janey! I don't want to make any spoilers in this to say what the issues were, everyone will just have to read it since they will be curious. Blake was so pushy, demanding, and self centered... all within the small amount of times he appears within the story. He was definitely the one person every reader will detest.
With Gemma and Pax having to work together so much on the B&B to get it back in order, they grow to talk more and have feelings for each other. I really loved these two as a couple. He was such a fun loving guy who was sure to make Gemma feel safe and teach her that not everyone was like Blake. He brought that light to her eyes again and made her feel loved. Such a swoon worthy man.
I was very excited to receive this book because it was my first every ARC through Netgalley and I am hoping to get to review more. It is a book with feel to it because it does revolve around a tough everyday subject that a lot of times goes unnoticed or women are afraid to come forward regarding the issue.
I now need to go back and read book 1 as well as I cannot wait for book 3!
I didn't realize I was reading a series out of order until I started this book and realized I was missing something with some of the characters. That is okay though because it is a standalone and definitely a book worth reading.
Gemma returns home to help with her father and his B&B after he was in a bad accident. She has not been back to town since after high school when something tragic happened to her that made her run from town and back to New York where she was originally from. Now with being back in town, old memories from the event are replaying in her mind, and it doesn't help that the one man who happens to be business partners with her father is part of those memories.
Paxton "Pax" promised his business partner Wade that he would watch over Wade's B&B after an accident happened there that put Wade, Gemma's father, into the hospital. The one thing he didn't realize would be there is Gemma Thornton, one of the women that he is supposed to hate after issues that she caused his family in the past. Pax is nice to her for her father's sake, but really wants to not have anything to do with her and hopes that she leaves town soon.
These two have chemistry that is off the charts! I say this because when there are small flashbacks to both of them from high school and they first meet, they instantly know that they are drawn to each other. The only downfall from it all was that Gemma dated Blake, Pax's brother. Blake was the all-star american football boy, the school jock that every girl wanted, and the complete self centered asshole that all books need in order to create someone to hate.
I honestly don't ever really hate very many book characters, but I really did not like Blake at all! Just with the background issues that he caused Gemma's life, he was scum in my book. The family as well since they were all very controlling and demanding, except Janey! I don't want to make any spoilers in this to say what the issues were, everyone will just have to read it since they will be curious. Blake was so pushy, demanding, and self centered... all within the small amount of times he appears within the story. He was definitely the one person every reader will detest.
With Gemma and Pax having to work together so much on the B&B to get it back in order, they grow to talk more and have feelings for each other. I really loved these two as a couple. He was such a fun loving guy who was sure to make Gemma feel safe and teach her that not everyone was like Blake. He brought that light to her eyes again and made her feel loved. Such a swoon worthy man.
I was very excited to receive this book because it was my first every ARC through Netgalley and I am hoping to get to review more. It is a book with feel to it because it does revolve around a tough everyday subject that a lot of times goes unnoticed or women are afraid to come forward regarding the issue.
I now need to go back and read book 1 as well as I cannot wait for book 3!
December 8, 2015
Falling Hard is a complicated tale where the past & the present intersect. All the characters are intense & some vile, spewing terrible ideas and thoughts about the heroine, Gemma Thornton. The more you read, the more that is revealed about a girl new to town & the kids she tried to fit in with. The present is seven years down the road and Gemma is back in the small Florida town to care for her ailing father. Even though she doesn't deserve it, she's thrust back into the limelight, exactly where she doesn't want to be.
Complications. Why is love so complicated? It certainly is for Gemma Thornton & Paxton Sullivan. They met one night & shared a look. You know those kinds of looks. They steal your breath & make your knees weak. Unfortunately, Gemma finds herself 'taken' by Pax's older brother Blake and instead of correcting her mistake, letting Blake know she's really not interested, she goes along with the relationship. In retrospect, she thinks it's to fit in at the new high school. That's understandable, but sad because Pax slips through her fingers. Then on one horrible night, she becomes a victim of something far worse. The pain that is now associated with the Sullivan family is too much to bear, so Gemma heads back to New York.
Lies. Pax & Gemma tell themselves lies in order to what, salvage their pride? To not be caught with their feelings on display? They clearly care for each other, even after all the drama from their high school past. This is evidenced by their retelling of the past. They both remember everything. What they wore, what they said, the looks they would sneak of each other. It's sad to think about all the years lost simply because Pax & Gemma didn't reveal their true feelings to each other. Their lives would be so much different.
Regret. Sometimes, you take action that feels right in the moment, but later you realize was very, very wrong. Gemma struggles with the decisions of her past. Who she was as a person. How she dressed & acted. This seems normal for any person reflecting back at being seventeen, but Gemma is extremely hard on herself. Her decisions caused a lot of heartache. Even with years of therapy, she's not quite sure how to deal with that time in her life. You get a sense that she doesn't want to regret Pax, but she's scared of making decisions and messing up again.
Falling Hard was just plain excellent. It was engaging from the start and had so many layers to it to keep me interested from start to finish. Don't let the cover fool you. This isn't a bubble gum pop easy sunshiny read. It's filled with dark deeds & intense real-life situations. It's very relatable and even though it's the second in a series, it can be read as a stand-alone. I love second-chance romances and Pax & Gemma's story definitely delivers.
Complications. Why is love so complicated? It certainly is for Gemma Thornton & Paxton Sullivan. They met one night & shared a look. You know those kinds of looks. They steal your breath & make your knees weak. Unfortunately, Gemma finds herself 'taken' by Pax's older brother Blake and instead of correcting her mistake, letting Blake know she's really not interested, she goes along with the relationship. In retrospect, she thinks it's to fit in at the new high school. That's understandable, but sad because Pax slips through her fingers. Then on one horrible night, she becomes a victim of something far worse. The pain that is now associated with the Sullivan family is too much to bear, so Gemma heads back to New York.
Lies. Pax & Gemma tell themselves lies in order to what, salvage their pride? To not be caught with their feelings on display? They clearly care for each other, even after all the drama from their high school past. This is evidenced by their retelling of the past. They both remember everything. What they wore, what they said, the looks they would sneak of each other. It's sad to think about all the years lost simply because Pax & Gemma didn't reveal their true feelings to each other. Their lives would be so much different.
Regret. Sometimes, you take action that feels right in the moment, but later you realize was very, very wrong. Gemma struggles with the decisions of her past. Who she was as a person. How she dressed & acted. This seems normal for any person reflecting back at being seventeen, but Gemma is extremely hard on herself. Her decisions caused a lot of heartache. Even with years of therapy, she's not quite sure how to deal with that time in her life. You get a sense that she doesn't want to regret Pax, but she's scared of making decisions and messing up again.
Falling Hard was just plain excellent. It was engaging from the start and had so many layers to it to keep me interested from start to finish. Don't let the cover fool you. This isn't a bubble gum pop easy sunshiny read. It's filled with dark deeds & intense real-life situations. It's very relatable and even though it's the second in a series, it can be read as a stand-alone. I love second-chance romances and Pax & Gemma's story definitely delivers.
December 8, 2015
Gemma is back after being chased out of town in high school. She made the wrong choice of brothers, ending up with chauvinistic Blake, the beloved number one son. Pax never wanted to see her again, not after she ruined his family with her lies, but when he sees her on the side of the road with her flat tire he knows he has to help. On top of that, he's promised her father he'll watch over the Bed and Breakfast while he heals from his accident, which means watching over Gemma too. Gemma is there to take care of the B&B and her dad only, she'll leave as soon as it's done, no matter the feelings that are coming to life each time she sees Pax. As truths come to light from all those years ago, Pax and Gemma find themselves rethinking their stances on the small town and the crime that shook it.
"Fate. She might be a tricky bitch sometimes but she knows what she's doing."
I loved the characters of Gemma and Pax, flaws and all. I think each character is realistic, similar to someone you would meet in real life in the same situation. I enjoyed both the fun, humorous moments of the book, as well as the sad, hard to handle ones. They're complex characters, you feel like you've known them since the moment fate brought them together in high school and even though their history is filled with bumps and bruises you can only see a positive outcome for them, because their chemistry is on fire. The growth of each character is tremendous. The minor characters have stories of their own, each an underdog in a different way, and together, with Pax and Gemma, they make up such a powerful team. I felt like each character represented a different walk of life and that added many layers to the story line. It's absolutely a story of bravery, acceptance, taking chances, and overcoming the things that hold you down, whether that is others or yourself.
4.5 stars, hands down one of the best books I've read dealing with a terrible crime and sensitive subject . I was skeptical at first, I admit I avoid the topic pretty much like the plague, but Tina Wainscott did an amazing job. Sure it isn't the outcome you hope for at first, but the way it is handled is awesome and I related to it a lot more than I expected. I am such a fan of the underdog winning. I love the strength of the characters, the details of each different part of the book, and the dual POV. Your heart will hurt, but you will smile with happiness when you get to the end. Falling Hard has a powerful message and will absolutely be a book I pick up to read again. This is a standalone in the Falling Fast series.
"Fate. She might be a tricky bitch sometimes but she knows what she's doing."
I loved the characters of Gemma and Pax, flaws and all. I think each character is realistic, similar to someone you would meet in real life in the same situation. I enjoyed both the fun, humorous moments of the book, as well as the sad, hard to handle ones. They're complex characters, you feel like you've known them since the moment fate brought them together in high school and even though their history is filled with bumps and bruises you can only see a positive outcome for them, because their chemistry is on fire. The growth of each character is tremendous. The minor characters have stories of their own, each an underdog in a different way, and together, with Pax and Gemma, they make up such a powerful team. I felt like each character represented a different walk of life and that added many layers to the story line. It's absolutely a story of bravery, acceptance, taking chances, and overcoming the things that hold you down, whether that is others or yourself.
4.5 stars, hands down one of the best books I've read dealing with a terrible crime and sensitive subject . I was skeptical at first, I admit I avoid the topic pretty much like the plague, but Tina Wainscott did an amazing job. Sure it isn't the outcome you hope for at first, but the way it is handled is awesome and I related to it a lot more than I expected. I am such a fan of the underdog winning. I love the strength of the characters, the details of each different part of the book, and the dual POV. Your heart will hurt, but you will smile with happiness when you get to the end. Falling Hard has a powerful message and will absolutely be a book I pick up to read again. This is a standalone in the Falling Fast series.
December 13, 2015
Pax Sullivan never passes up a damsel in distress. So when he spots one on the side of the road, trying to change her tire, he stops to help. But when she turns around, he realizes the damsel is no other than Gemma Thornton, the girl who accused his brother of date rape seven years earlier. She's back in town because of Wade's accident. Knowing he can't just leave her stranded in the dark on the side of the road, he helps with her tire and tells her he did it because her father, Wade is his business partner. Gemma thanks him and, thinking it's the last time she'll see him, drives off to visit her father. When she gets to the B&B, Pax and his dog, Harley, are already there. He promised Wade he would take care of the place while he was in the hospital but Gemma never thought she would have to be around the guy she had secretly had a crush on. The guy whose family she destroyed.
There were a lot of ups and downs for me with this book. Times when I was interested and then not so interested. It got off to a great start, but then I felt like the ending was rushed a bit. I liked the way it all came to fruition, however. I am really glad that everyone got what the deserved in the end. Well, almost anyway. That means you can read this book as a standalone.
I didn't have a problem with any of the characters, I liked the ones I was suppose to like and hated the ones I was suppose to hate. Janey's character was a nice touch and I like the fact that she was added in. By the way, Pax should be the one disowning his parents, not the other way around.
I enjoyed the first book better, but this is still a decent New Adult read. If you like stories about women who finally decide to take a stand, mixed in with an old/new love interest, then you may just want to read this one.
I have to mention the author's note at the end, it's a nice gesture:
To every woman and man who has ever been violated. You are whole, beautiful, and worthy of healing...and of love.
ARC provided through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
There were a lot of ups and downs for me with this book. Times when I was interested and then not so interested. It got off to a great start, but then I felt like the ending was rushed a bit. I liked the way it all came to fruition, however. I am really glad that everyone got what the deserved in the end. Well, almost anyway. That means you can read this book as a standalone.
I didn't have a problem with any of the characters, I liked the ones I was suppose to like and hated the ones I was suppose to hate. Janey's character was a nice touch and I like the fact that she was added in. By the way, Pax should be the one disowning his parents, not the other way around.
I enjoyed the first book better, but this is still a decent New Adult read. If you like stories about women who finally decide to take a stand, mixed in with an old/new love interest, then you may just want to read this one.
I have to mention the author's note at the end, it's a nice gesture:
To every woman and man who has ever been violated. You are whole, beautiful, and worthy of healing...and of love.
ARC provided through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
January 10, 2016
~~I received a free copy of this book to read and review for Wicked Reads ~~
I really enjoyed the first in this series, and this is an excellent next story in the series. It builds very carefully, as views are changed and new perceptions are realised. That there is chemistry between the leads there is no doubt, but everything else is almost impossible to imagine. It is so beautifully done, the issues are so sensitively dealt with, so much guilt that is unwarranted, but inevitable. And as the truth of Blake's behaviour emerges, Pax has to learn some very hard truths. There is so much going on, and yet the B&B somehow grounds the story, and makes today remain front and centre.
This is a deep read, as well as being a lovely romance. It will make you think, and maybe see things slightly differently, but it is very satisfying too.
I really enjoyed the first in this series, and this is an excellent next story in the series. It builds very carefully, as views are changed and new perceptions are realised. That there is chemistry between the leads there is no doubt, but everything else is almost impossible to imagine. It is so beautifully done, the issues are so sensitively dealt with, so much guilt that is unwarranted, but inevitable. And as the truth of Blake's behaviour emerges, Pax has to learn some very hard truths. There is so much going on, and yet the B&B somehow grounds the story, and makes today remain front and centre.
This is a deep read, as well as being a lovely romance. It will make you think, and maybe see things slightly differently, but it is very satisfying too.
October 2, 2015
If a man spoils his dog you know he's a keeper:
“Damn, you eat fast.�
The dog glanced at the pizza, nostrils flaring. “No pizza. It’s bad for you.�
Another plaintive glance.
“You can have my crusts.�
Harley’s tail swished once. Halfhearted enthusiasm at best.
“And a meatball. Just one.�
The dog barked, happy with that compromise.
There are times certain things are more important than food, "she rocked against his erection, letting him know he could go lower. He squeezed her a**—slow, deep caresses. “I bet the steaks would be just fine if we put them in the fridge for a bit,� she said." I enjoyed this book I fell in love with Pax.
“Damn, you eat fast.�
The dog glanced at the pizza, nostrils flaring. “No pizza. It’s bad for you.�
Another plaintive glance.
“You can have my crusts.�
Harley’s tail swished once. Halfhearted enthusiasm at best.
“And a meatball. Just one.�
The dog barked, happy with that compromise.
There are times certain things are more important than food, "she rocked against his erection, letting him know he could go lower. He squeezed her a**—slow, deep caresses. “I bet the steaks would be just fine if we put them in the fridge for a bit,� she said." I enjoyed this book I fell in love with Pax.
May 16, 2016
copy courtesy of Netgalley
We met Pad in the previous story. We got a little view into his life in the first book. This book gives you a full view of his family life. Secrets are revealed and lives are changed. Seven years ago, Gemma, a reformed bad girl, accused Pax's brother of date rape. Sides were chosen, lines were crossed and Gemma came out on the losing side. She left town but now has returned to help her father who was involved in a terrible accident. When Pax runs into Gemma again , he wanted to hate her, but he couldn't. She is of course skittish after her experience from before. The story is fast past. The characters are likable except Pax's parents and brother. I loved his sister, she was a nice touch to the story. IT also allowed you to see how sweet and loving Pax was. It was a good read.
We met Pad in the previous story. We got a little view into his life in the first book. This book gives you a full view of his family life. Secrets are revealed and lives are changed. Seven years ago, Gemma, a reformed bad girl, accused Pax's brother of date rape. Sides were chosen, lines were crossed and Gemma came out on the losing side. She left town but now has returned to help her father who was involved in a terrible accident. When Pax runs into Gemma again , he wanted to hate her, but he couldn't. She is of course skittish after her experience from before. The story is fast past. The characters are likable except Pax's parents and brother. I loved his sister, she was a nice touch to the story. IT also allowed you to see how sweet and loving Pax was. It was a good read.
November 24, 2015
Gemma goes through a very difficult experience with Pax's brother during high school and ends up moving away. Pax's family hates her but Pax manages to retain a relationship with her father. When her father is injured, she comes back to help and crosses paths with Pax. There's still a spark between them that catches fire. Pax discovers more about his family that places him in a difficult position. In this mess, the relationship thrives. I enjoyed this read because it's not afraid to go after the hard stuff.
ARC received in exchange for an honest review.
ARC received in exchange for an honest review.
December 8, 2015
Fate is a tricky bitch! Pax believed his family. Gemma was accused of lying. Pax and Gemma are thrown back together after not seeing each other in years. The chemistry is still there, but will they fight it or finally give in and face the past that tore them apart?
Loved the characters and how they interacted with each other. Gemma and Pax have an undeniable chemistry and I loved that this was a second chance romance.
* ARC received by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.*
Loved the characters and how they interacted with each other. Gemma and Pax have an undeniable chemistry and I loved that this was a second chance romance.
* ARC received by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.*
December 5, 2015
I loved this second chance romance book. It does involve a rather touchy subject matter, being date rape but I felt that the author handled the topic exceptionally well. All in all, a rather decent 4 star read :)
ARC RECIEVED IN EXCHANGE FOR AN HONEST REVIEW
ARC RECIEVED IN EXCHANGE FOR AN HONEST REVIEW
Shelved as '08-read-again'
August 25, 2016
June 21, 2017
#2 in the Falling Fast romance series
Thanks to NetGalley for a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
There was a somewhat darker feel about this romance because of the inclusion of past abuse. It's certainly difficult to create a strong date-rape scenario while simultaneously building a warm and loving budding romance. Wainscott was fairly successful, although the romance was not quite believable to me. Pax was certainly patient and safe for Gemma, but it all felt a little too pat, with their feelings falling into place too easily. And the ending, although satisfactorily tying up all the loose ends, was pretty simplistic and left me somewhat dissatisfied. I will, however, read more in this series because I like the idea of the MC coming back to romance after some sort of trauma, which is the premise for this whole series.
Thanks to NetGalley for a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
There was a somewhat darker feel about this romance because of the inclusion of past abuse. It's certainly difficult to create a strong date-rape scenario while simultaneously building a warm and loving budding romance. Wainscott was fairly successful, although the romance was not quite believable to me. Pax was certainly patient and safe for Gemma, but it all felt a little too pat, with their feelings falling into place too easily. And the ending, although satisfactorily tying up all the loose ends, was pretty simplistic and left me somewhat dissatisfied. I will, however, read more in this series because I like the idea of the MC coming back to romance after some sort of trauma, which is the premise for this whole series.
August 12, 2017
I loved it
January 18, 2016
At the age of 17 Gemma Thornton was sent to live with her dad who owned a B & B in Chambliss, Florida. Her mom had sent her from their home in New York where she was a part of the Misfit Posse. She used to sneak into nightclubs, get into cars with men she didn’t know and with smoking pot and drinking. This was her second chance to make good or her parents were shipping her off to boarding school.
Like her dad she liked to watch racing but drag racing on public streets in Chambliss and I am pretty sure in any town is illegal. So he wouldn’t approve of her going with her new bestie to go watch. It didn’t even scare her off that she could get in trouble with the law not just her dad. That night she saw this guy leaning over the hood of the car checking the engine. He wasn’t wearing a shirt and boy did he catch her attention. She walked over to admire his car when he turns and notices her coming his way and gives her this jaw dropping smile that heated all of her girlie parts. When she gets to the car she finds out his name is Paxton (Pax) Sullivan 16, and he is one of the drivers for the night. He lets her sit in his car and just when it looks like they might kiss he gets called to race his car.
When Gemma returns to her friend Emily she warns her of all the reasons to stay away from Pax. One, she’s a senior and he’s only a junior. Two, he’s a born troublemaker. Three, he stole his father’s cop car. Later Emily introduces her to Blake and the rest of the cool kids in the crowd. Soon after Blake just claimed her as his girlfriend without asking her. Since she was so wanting to be part of the in crowd she didn’t fight it. Her second chance was working for her. It wasn’t until the first day at school that she found out Blake was Pax’s older brother. She knew at that moment she made the wrong choice. One she couldn’t take back due to thoughts when she would steal looks turned her crimson.
All that would change one night when she snuck to be with Blake and friends at a beach party. He plied her with alcohol when she wanted to stop after two he started taunting her. He slowly got her away from the crowd where they had seen her acting silly sitting on his lap, flirting, and kissing him. Once he got her far enough away he forced himself on her. When she said no and pushed him away and wouldn’t stop she couldn’t fight him she was too drunk to protect herself and they were too far away to get help. He raped her making her believed she had a part in it. When she reports him to the police namely his Pax and Blake’s father. All his friends backed him. They said she was asking for it, she was jealous because he was breaking up with her, they called her a whore and a slut, and he told everyone she had fake breast.
After almost a year they declared in court not enough evidence so the case was dropped. She couldn’t take it anymore and went back to New York to live with her mother. Now seven years later she’s back. Her father was injured when a car runs into his B & B. So, she rents a car and drives five plus hours to be by his side and take care of what she can at the
B & B. By the time she arrives it’s dark and when she’s almost there she gets a flat tire. She’s in the middle of following the manual when who drives up? Pax. Not just because he used to be a cop and it was drummed into him but because he is just a nice guy. He stops to help.
When they both get a look at each other they freeze at first she tells him finally he doesn’t have to he starts to leave but he can’t. He justifies staying saying he’s doing it for her dad his friend and business partner. As they talk there’s the conflict over the rape but then there is the neutral discussion how he and her dad are reopening the old raceway. A surprise to her. He warns her about her dad’s condition which surprises her. They both have unresolved romantic feelings along with anger over the rape allegations/truth.
This was an amazingly sensitive subject but Tina, the author, gave it a voice. She took these women with a little nudge from a great supportive man to use their voices as a united front to confront their abuser. Date rape as well as any rape is horrendous but talking about it is how to regain your power. The men that do this are weak not the women who suffer at their hands. Tina brought humor and love back to Gemma’s life. I give this 5 stars. Provided by netgalley.com.
Follow us at: .
Like her dad she liked to watch racing but drag racing on public streets in Chambliss and I am pretty sure in any town is illegal. So he wouldn’t approve of her going with her new bestie to go watch. It didn’t even scare her off that she could get in trouble with the law not just her dad. That night she saw this guy leaning over the hood of the car checking the engine. He wasn’t wearing a shirt and boy did he catch her attention. She walked over to admire his car when he turns and notices her coming his way and gives her this jaw dropping smile that heated all of her girlie parts. When she gets to the car she finds out his name is Paxton (Pax) Sullivan 16, and he is one of the drivers for the night. He lets her sit in his car and just when it looks like they might kiss he gets called to race his car.
When Gemma returns to her friend Emily she warns her of all the reasons to stay away from Pax. One, she’s a senior and he’s only a junior. Two, he’s a born troublemaker. Three, he stole his father’s cop car. Later Emily introduces her to Blake and the rest of the cool kids in the crowd. Soon after Blake just claimed her as his girlfriend without asking her. Since she was so wanting to be part of the in crowd she didn’t fight it. Her second chance was working for her. It wasn’t until the first day at school that she found out Blake was Pax’s older brother. She knew at that moment she made the wrong choice. One she couldn’t take back due to thoughts when she would steal looks turned her crimson.
All that would change one night when she snuck to be with Blake and friends at a beach party. He plied her with alcohol when she wanted to stop after two he started taunting her. He slowly got her away from the crowd where they had seen her acting silly sitting on his lap, flirting, and kissing him. Once he got her far enough away he forced himself on her. When she said no and pushed him away and wouldn’t stop she couldn’t fight him she was too drunk to protect herself and they were too far away to get help. He raped her making her believed she had a part in it. When she reports him to the police namely his Pax and Blake’s father. All his friends backed him. They said she was asking for it, she was jealous because he was breaking up with her, they called her a whore and a slut, and he told everyone she had fake breast.
After almost a year they declared in court not enough evidence so the case was dropped. She couldn’t take it anymore and went back to New York to live with her mother. Now seven years later she’s back. Her father was injured when a car runs into his B & B. So, she rents a car and drives five plus hours to be by his side and take care of what she can at the
B & B. By the time she arrives it’s dark and when she’s almost there she gets a flat tire. She’s in the middle of following the manual when who drives up? Pax. Not just because he used to be a cop and it was drummed into him but because he is just a nice guy. He stops to help.
When they both get a look at each other they freeze at first she tells him finally he doesn’t have to he starts to leave but he can’t. He justifies staying saying he’s doing it for her dad his friend and business partner. As they talk there’s the conflict over the rape but then there is the neutral discussion how he and her dad are reopening the old raceway. A surprise to her. He warns her about her dad’s condition which surprises her. They both have unresolved romantic feelings along with anger over the rape allegations/truth.
This was an amazingly sensitive subject but Tina, the author, gave it a voice. She took these women with a little nudge from a great supportive man to use their voices as a united front to confront their abuser. Date rape as well as any rape is horrendous but talking about it is how to regain your power. The men that do this are weak not the women who suffer at their hands. Tina brought humor and love back to Gemma’s life. I give this 5 stars. Provided by netgalley.com.
Follow us at: .
December 9, 2015
***ARC kindly provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review***
3 "A-dorable" Stars
This is my first book by this author even though this is the second book in this series it can be read as a stand alone. There are characters from the first book involved in this one and a little backstory is given so you don't feel completely lost or cheated out of something important.
With that said this was an okay read, though there were somethings that I didn't really like, but it wasn't bad. It was a sweet second chance sort of book in a way.
Seven years ago 17 yr old Gemma has to move in with her dad for her senior year after getting into some trouble with her mom back in New York. Though some poor choices, and a misguided attempt to please her dad, she ends up with the "wrong" boy and has to suffer something way too many girls go through. The golden boy quarter-back and the town sheriff's son forces himself on her and then ruins her reputation when she accuses him of rape.
To make things even worse, the boy she was attracted to was the one boy she could never be with is her rapists brother. There was an unexplainable connection between her a Pax as teenagers, but she ignored it. After the incident she moved back to New York with her mom intending never to return.
Now seven years later, her father is in ICU after a car crashed through the kitchen of his B&B. Gemma is in town only to ensure he recovers and that his B&B is managed while he is healing. What she doesn't count on is running into Pax first thing. But that tricky fate had other plans.
Coming back to the source of so much trauma is hard on Gemma especially when people continue to harass her. But not Pax, he see's something in her reactions towards her accusations that he didn't want to see as a teenager. Add that to some of the other stuff he know about his brother and he comes to the realization that Gemma was telling the truth. And he wants her even more than he did when he was 16.
Thing between them heat up fairly quickly and I think that is one of the issues I have with this book. After so many years of anger directed towards the other, it seems strange that their relationship went so fast with very little bumps along the way. Pax was so kind and understanding which was great, but at times I found myself thinking that was a weird thing to say.
Some of the conversations seemed off, I don't know, they didn't feel like forced conversations just strange ones. Maybe it was the wording like here
Anyways, this had a great story line with a difficult topic that I think was handled well. Even the more intimate scenes were not over done which was nice.
Even though this one was not one of my favorites, I still think it was a nice read, and am interested in the rest of the series. I may even go back and read the first book in this series .
3 "A-dorable" Stars
This is my first book by this author even though this is the second book in this series it can be read as a stand alone. There are characters from the first book involved in this one and a little backstory is given so you don't feel completely lost or cheated out of something important.
With that said this was an okay read, though there were somethings that I didn't really like, but it wasn't bad. It was a sweet second chance sort of book in a way.
Seven years ago 17 yr old Gemma has to move in with her dad for her senior year after getting into some trouble with her mom back in New York. Though some poor choices, and a misguided attempt to please her dad, she ends up with the "wrong" boy and has to suffer something way too many girls go through. The golden boy quarter-back and the town sheriff's son forces himself on her and then ruins her reputation when she accuses him of rape.
To make things even worse, the boy she was attracted to was the one boy she could never be with is her rapists brother. There was an unexplainable connection between her a Pax as teenagers, but she ignored it. After the incident she moved back to New York with her mom intending never to return.
Now seven years later, her father is in ICU after a car crashed through the kitchen of his B&B. Gemma is in town only to ensure he recovers and that his B&B is managed while he is healing. What she doesn't count on is running into Pax first thing. But that tricky fate had other plans.
"When Fate wants you to be with someone, though, she uses all her dirty tricks to work her magic."
Coming back to the source of so much trauma is hard on Gemma especially when people continue to harass her. But not Pax, he see's something in her reactions towards her accusations that he didn't want to see as a teenager. Add that to some of the other stuff he know about his brother and he comes to the realization that Gemma was telling the truth. And he wants her even more than he did when he was 16.
Thing between them heat up fairly quickly and I think that is one of the issues I have with this book. After so many years of anger directed towards the other, it seems strange that their relationship went so fast with very little bumps along the way. Pax was so kind and understanding which was great, but at times I found myself thinking that was a weird thing to say.
Some of the conversations seemed off, I don't know, they didn't feel like forced conversations just strange ones. Maybe it was the wording like here
"We should probably go up to your living quarters before the guests return." or "You're a great man, no matter who sired you." and "I want you to stay. So bad it twists my insides into a pretzel."
Anyways, this had a great story line with a difficult topic that I think was handled well. Even the more intimate scenes were not over done which was nice.
Even though this one was not one of my favorites, I still think it was a nice read, and am interested in the rest of the series. I may even go back and read the first book in this series .
December 8, 2015
** This ARC was kindly provided to me in exchange for an honest review **
I really enjoyed "Falling Hard", it captured my attention and held it from beginning to end. The plot was original and not something I can remember ever reading before. There are a lot of twists and turns to keep you interested and just enough drama to truly have you feeling for the characters. The character development was great and I honestly felt emotionally invested in both of the protagonists.
I really loved how gentle and caring Paxton was with Gemma, it endeared me to him in a way that was a bit surprising, because it can sometimes be hard to portray a male character as being both strong and protective, yet also kind, caring, gentle, thoughtful, and considerate at the same time. IF a man like Paxton existed in the world, the woman who got him would be one heck of a lucky woman.
I appreciated how the author delved so deeply into the mental and emotional conflicts that someone who suffers from Gemma's past would have. The self-doubt, guilt, and even self-blame that survivors feel is hard for someone who hasn't experienced it to relate to, but the author did an excellent job at portraying it.
**SPOILER AHEAD** The one thing that I didn't like, was the confrontation scene. It seemed a bit unrealistic to me, because no one there had any proof of their alligations, and if something like this were to take place, Blake would have had a very good case of defamation of character against everyone involved. Plus considering the statute of limitations had expired, no news reporter in the world would have gone anywhere near writing about or reporting about Gemma's alligations. The part about Tracy, well, that was really far-fetched to me. I can't see someone being with, or staying with someone whom they felt had raped them. Plus the dynamic of their relationship would probably look a lot different. If a man raped a woman and then ended up married to her, he would probably feel dominance over her, and she would have probably felt controlled by him, yet in the novel, it was the opposite. **END SPOILER**
Having volunteered for years with programs for people with special needs, I appreciated the author bringing to light the fact that people with special needs can and often do live full and fulfilling lives. They are just as capable as us, they just have to fight harder and sometimes find other ways in which to achieve their goals. They are true warriors, they show bravery on a daily bases that I envy. If ever you are in need of humility, spend the day with someone who has special needs, the problems in your life that seem so important and life changing will seem trivial and petty within an hour.
_____
Rating (based on a 5 star rating system):
* * * *
Would I recommend this book to others?:
Absolutely.
Would I read others in the series?:
Probably not. I don't feel a connection to any other characters, nor do I have enough interest in any of them, to honestly care about their stories. But if the synopsis sounded good, maybe.
** NOTE: This Novel is part of a series, but it is a standalone novel. You do not need to purchase or read others in the series to get a HEA, however, if you feel moved to do so, I'm sure the author would appreciate the support **
If you would like to read more book reviews by me, please check out my blog @
I really enjoyed "Falling Hard", it captured my attention and held it from beginning to end. The plot was original and not something I can remember ever reading before. There are a lot of twists and turns to keep you interested and just enough drama to truly have you feeling for the characters. The character development was great and I honestly felt emotionally invested in both of the protagonists.
I really loved how gentle and caring Paxton was with Gemma, it endeared me to him in a way that was a bit surprising, because it can sometimes be hard to portray a male character as being both strong and protective, yet also kind, caring, gentle, thoughtful, and considerate at the same time. IF a man like Paxton existed in the world, the woman who got him would be one heck of a lucky woman.
I appreciated how the author delved so deeply into the mental and emotional conflicts that someone who suffers from Gemma's past would have. The self-doubt, guilt, and even self-blame that survivors feel is hard for someone who hasn't experienced it to relate to, but the author did an excellent job at portraying it.
**SPOILER AHEAD** The one thing that I didn't like, was the confrontation scene. It seemed a bit unrealistic to me, because no one there had any proof of their alligations, and if something like this were to take place, Blake would have had a very good case of defamation of character against everyone involved. Plus considering the statute of limitations had expired, no news reporter in the world would have gone anywhere near writing about or reporting about Gemma's alligations. The part about Tracy, well, that was really far-fetched to me. I can't see someone being with, or staying with someone whom they felt had raped them. Plus the dynamic of their relationship would probably look a lot different. If a man raped a woman and then ended up married to her, he would probably feel dominance over her, and she would have probably felt controlled by him, yet in the novel, it was the opposite. **END SPOILER**
Having volunteered for years with programs for people with special needs, I appreciated the author bringing to light the fact that people with special needs can and often do live full and fulfilling lives. They are just as capable as us, they just have to fight harder and sometimes find other ways in which to achieve their goals. They are true warriors, they show bravery on a daily bases that I envy. If ever you are in need of humility, spend the day with someone who has special needs, the problems in your life that seem so important and life changing will seem trivial and petty within an hour.
_____
Rating (based on a 5 star rating system):
* * * *
Would I recommend this book to others?:
Absolutely.
Would I read others in the series?:
Probably not. I don't feel a connection to any other characters, nor do I have enough interest in any of them, to honestly care about their stories. But if the synopsis sounded good, maybe.
** NOTE: This Novel is part of a series, but it is a standalone novel. You do not need to purchase or read others in the series to get a HEA, however, if you feel moved to do so, I'm sure the author would appreciate the support **
If you would like to read more book reviews by me, please check out my blog @
March 10, 2016
To read this review and others like it check out my site at
I read the first book in this series a while back and I really enjoyed it, so it was a no brainer to pick up this book as well. I have to admit that this book had me a little concerned because it handles some tough topics, so if you have a sensitivity to situations like rape (it happened before the story starts, but it is described) then this might not be the book for you. I do think that given the subject matter, the author did a really good job handling it.
So Gemma, our heroine is back in town after a long time away. She isn't exactly the most beloved person in town, and honestly it kind of sucks, I mean she's a really sweet girl. But when she was in high school she was dating a guy, who was the popular guy in school and son of the sheriff, and when he date raped her and she went to the cops, well let's just say pretty much no one was on her side. She was made out to be the worst liar, and skanky girl ever, it was really sad to read. Honestly the thing that appealed to me the most about Gemma is how authentically she is portrayed. She had this traumatic event in her past, and it causes her a lot of doubt, she wonders a lot to herself if there was something she could have done different, there are times when she sees people interacting where she yearns to be able to be normal like they are. There are definitely moments in this book where my heart breaks for her.
Pax, our hero, is an interesting character, and talk about being between a rock and hard place. His brother is the guy who raped Gemma, and at the time he and his whole family stood behind his brother. Now that Gemma is back, Pax has to admit to himself that the feelings he had for her so long ago are still there. And after spending time with her he is starting to come to the realization that maybe Gemma wasn't lying. Pax has a lot of family issues that he has to deal with within this book, he really is the black sheep in his family, and one of the ways they keep him in line is basically by denying him access to his sister when they feel like he has done something wrong. I have to say that in spite of everything his family threatened, I was really impressed by his willingness to stand up for what was right. I liked watching him grow close to Gemma and really stand beside her, to make sure she knew how he felt about her.
I feel like you can't talk about this story without mentioning some of the secondary characters in the book, but one in particular, Janey, Pax's little sister. She has Down's which has caused her family to basically prevent her from living a life of her own choosing. I thought the scenes with Pax and her were some of the best, and it was so great to see them together, and how encouraging Pax is to her.
There were a lot of things about this book I enjoyed. The pacing was just right, the build up leading to the end was really good as well. I thought the chemistry between Gemma and Pax was perfect, the ebb and flow of it was spot on, and they had some great steamy scenes as well. I would say this is a great second book to the series.
I read the first book in this series a while back and I really enjoyed it, so it was a no brainer to pick up this book as well. I have to admit that this book had me a little concerned because it handles some tough topics, so if you have a sensitivity to situations like rape (it happened before the story starts, but it is described) then this might not be the book for you. I do think that given the subject matter, the author did a really good job handling it.
So Gemma, our heroine is back in town after a long time away. She isn't exactly the most beloved person in town, and honestly it kind of sucks, I mean she's a really sweet girl. But when she was in high school she was dating a guy, who was the popular guy in school and son of the sheriff, and when he date raped her and she went to the cops, well let's just say pretty much no one was on her side. She was made out to be the worst liar, and skanky girl ever, it was really sad to read. Honestly the thing that appealed to me the most about Gemma is how authentically she is portrayed. She had this traumatic event in her past, and it causes her a lot of doubt, she wonders a lot to herself if there was something she could have done different, there are times when she sees people interacting where she yearns to be able to be normal like they are. There are definitely moments in this book where my heart breaks for her.
Pax, our hero, is an interesting character, and talk about being between a rock and hard place. His brother is the guy who raped Gemma, and at the time he and his whole family stood behind his brother. Now that Gemma is back, Pax has to admit to himself that the feelings he had for her so long ago are still there. And after spending time with her he is starting to come to the realization that maybe Gemma wasn't lying. Pax has a lot of family issues that he has to deal with within this book, he really is the black sheep in his family, and one of the ways they keep him in line is basically by denying him access to his sister when they feel like he has done something wrong. I have to say that in spite of everything his family threatened, I was really impressed by his willingness to stand up for what was right. I liked watching him grow close to Gemma and really stand beside her, to make sure she knew how he felt about her.
I feel like you can't talk about this story without mentioning some of the secondary characters in the book, but one in particular, Janey, Pax's little sister. She has Down's which has caused her family to basically prevent her from living a life of her own choosing. I thought the scenes with Pax and her were some of the best, and it was so great to see them together, and how encouraging Pax is to her.
There were a lot of things about this book I enjoyed. The pacing was just right, the build up leading to the end was really good as well. I thought the chemistry between Gemma and Pax was perfect, the ebb and flow of it was spot on, and they had some great steamy scenes as well. I would say this is a great second book to the series.
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