**Review ~ Captivating Bridge ~ Michelle Mankin**

Captivating Bridge by Michelle Mankin
Tempest Series #3
Genre: New Adult Contemporary
Release Date: May 22, 2014
Source: I received an eARC in exchange for an honest review. I also purchased my own copy.
Rating: 4.5 Bookworms

Synopsis

“War” Jinkins is that guy. The bad one. Tempest’s ex front man, an arrogant rock god. The only thing larger than his ego is his capacity for self-destruction. His bad attitude has cost him. His woman. His best friend. His band. Everything.

Shaina Bentley is that girl. The good one. Hollywood’s pink candy-coated sweetheart. The star of Pinky Swear, television’s top rated teen show. She’s been practically perfect since that horrible day. But she’s starting to crack under the strain of being everything to everyone. He’s a one man island. She’s a fragile captive soul. Is love a current too dangerous to cross or will it be the bridge that brings them together? 

*Author note: Each book in the Tempest series features a different band member and can stand alone.* 

Dammit, War. Your story was every bit as captivating as I thought it would be. I wasn't sure if there really were any redeeming qualities in you. Shaina found them all. You had me worrying you were going to ruin it all - in typical War fashion. Thankfully you pulled your head out before it was too late.

***

War - we know all about Warren Jinkins. The hell he's lived through, the trouble he's made. But he's deeper than that. The attitude he projects, the image he conveys are all part of his hiding what he really feels. The day he's wondering if it's all worth it - if he should just give it all up - is the day he meets Shaina Bentley.

Shaina has trouble of her own - invisible scars that run deep. She's living her life in order to please everyone else - keep her parents happy and together - and she's tired.

"It was a lot of pressure being the key to everyone else's happiness." -Shaina, Loc 193, eARC

She's ready to move beyond the image she's created, finally be the grownup she is rather than pretending to be the little girl her parents and fans see her as. She's just unsure she has the strength to do it. And as she's contemplating these heady things, she meets Warren Jinkins - on a bridge.

The emotions evoked as I watched these two broken souls building a bridge toward one another were stormy. War and Shaina have been to the same dark places and understood one another in a way no one else could. Their bridge building wasn't pretty or smooth - nothing with War ever is. But I loved the way in which they reached one another. Shaina made War realize he was worthy of someone's love...

"When she looked at me that way she made me feel as if I were somehow the best thing that had ever happened to her.No one had ever looked at me that way." -War, Loc 2224, eARC

...taught him what love really is. And he was right when he said

"I definitely got the better deal in this partnership." -War, Loc 5221, eARC

War filled in all the cracks in Shaina's soul. He gave her strength to finally live her life for herself. Together they really are stronger.

The love they built also helped War to see the error of his ways in regards to Tempest as well. And as much as I was feeling about all that was happening between he and Shaina, it was the interactions between he and Bryan that were powerful. The change in War - his emotional growth and the maturity he showed was heartwarming.

One of the things I admire in Mankin's writing is her bringing awareness to social issues and mental health issues. Captivating Bridge addresses depression and suicide prevention in a touching way.

War's story was an incredible one. He and Shaina came so far. I look forward to seeing them again as Tempest's story continues. I'm not sure whose story is next but I'm kinda hoping it's Dizzy's.

**Captivating Bridge is **ONLY 99 CENTS** during it's release week.**