Review ~ Shatter ~ Erin McCarthy

Shatter by Erin McCarthy
True Believers #4
Release Date: September 2, 2014
Genre: New Adult, Contemporary Romance
Source: I received an eARC from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
Rating: 3.5 Bookworms
Challenges: #BloggerShame, #CleanSweep, #ShelfLove
Goodreads

Synopsis
Kylie Warner prides herself on being optimistic, but after finding her best friend in bed with her boyfriend and flunking chemistry, her upbeat attitude has taken a dive. Even an impromptu hook-up with her sexy new chemistry tutor only brightens her mood slightly. After all, it's not like she'll ever see the tattooed scholar again...

While he's a whiz at complex equations, Jonathon Kadisch has trouble when it comes to figuring out women. So when Kylie tells him that she's pregnant after their night of passion, he's at a complete loss. He's prepared to be a good father--unlike his own deadbeat dad--but he's less prepared to fall for the genuine and alluring blonde bearing his child.

With emotions running high, Kylie wonders if Jonathon's devotion is out of growing love or looming obligation. And when heartbreak threatens to tear them apart, Jonathon will have to fight for the only girl who's ever made him feel whole...

Shatter tells Kylie's story and rounds out the series about these four girlfriends. I enjoyed getting to know Kylie on a deeper level than the superficial one I'd seen in the previous installments but more character development would have been nice. I really liked Jonathon as well but again, more character development would have pushed them both far beyond the stereotypes that defined them.

When we last saw Kylie she was struggling to deal with the betrayal Nathan and Robin had perpetrated against her. She's now living on her own and still figuring out how to cope since she misses living with her friends. Kylie has a lot of self doubt - feeling inadequate intellectually and personally after Nathan's betrayal. She's also having a hard time with her classes - particularly chemistry - which is how she meets Jonathon. He's her tutor. One night between them changes both their lives in an unexpected way.

Jonathon is a grad student in chemistry and is what you'd call an academic. His nickname is Darwin. ;) Jonathon is struggling to please/impress his father who's been less than present in his life. His attraction to Kylie is immediate but she's not what he'd have ever thought of as dating material. However, the time he spends with her proves she's so much more than just a hot girl and maybe exactly what he's looking for. 

The premise for Shatter is so good. Two students dealing with the consequences of their actions while also learning about themselves - what they really want in life. It's that I felt like McCarthy could have gone deeper, explored further Kylie's and Jonathon's introspection and revelations as well as expanding on a thread that was introduced but not followed up on very thoroughly.

McCarthy's writing, as usual, was engaging and easy to read. I didn't want to put it down even if I would have liked a deeper story. Shatter was a satisfying conclusion to the series and solidified my appreciation of McCarthy's writing style.

Review ~ Believe ~ Erin McCarthy

Believe by Erin McCarthy
True Believers #3
Release Date: January 21, 2014
Genre: New Adult, Contemporary Romance
Source: I received an eARC from the publisher (Penguin Group) via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
Rating: 3.5 Bookworms
Challenges: #BloggerShame, #CleanSweep, #ShelfLove
Goodreads

Synopsis
Robin used to be a party girl... until she got black out drunk and woke up in bed with her best friend's boyfriend. Now she's faced with being THAT girl, and couldn't be more disgusted with herself. She can't even tell her friends the reason for her sudden sobriety and she avoids everyone until she meets Phoenix--quiet, tattooed, and different in every way that's good and oh, so bad...

Phoenix is two days out of jail when he meets Robin at his cousin's house, and he knows that he has no business talking to her, but he's drawn to her quiet demeanor, sweet smile, and artistic talent. She doesn't care that he's done time, or that he only have five bucks to his name, and she supports his goal to be a tattoo artist.

But Phoenix knows Robin has a secret, and that it's a naive dream to believe that his record won't catch up with them at some point. Though neither is prepared for the explosive result when the past collides with the present...

Believe was a nice addition to this series. McCarthy took on some heavy but relevant NA topics and even though things were tied up a little too neatly, I still enjoyed Robin and Phoenix's story.

Robin has been an integral part of Kylie's, Rory's, and Jessica's college lives. She's always been one to happily join in the party, particularly once the vodka started flowing. But one incident at the beginning of summer, one she doesn't even remember, has her withdrawn from everyone and everything she cared about and taking a long, hard look at herself.

Phoenix arrived on the scene after doing a brief stint in jail. He's cousins with Riley and Tyler and the boys and he's well versed in the life as a child of an addict. He has an issue of his own - anger - but he mostly keeps it under control.

When Robin and Phoenix meet, they're both feeling a bit embarrassed and ashamed. They both quickly realize though that there's something they're drawn to about the other. The more time they spend together, the stronger that pull becomes.

What I most enjoyed about Robin's and Phoenix's relationship was how as it developed, they each saw flaws in themselves and strove the repair them, on their own, rather than wanting the other to provide the fix. They wanted to be strong for each other but more than that, they wanted to be supportive of the other making themselves stronger. This became very important once the incident that Robin had been living with came to light.

My issue with Believe was that everything seemed to resolve itself so simply. The resolutions felt realistic but I think it would have taken more time for Robin and Phoenix to get there. For example, I didn't feel like a few minutes in the shower served as enough introspection to come to a momentous conclusion. Despite that, Believe was a moving read. McCarthy has a style that is inherently readable. I love a story with a journey and Robin and Phoenix are definitely on a journey - of self-discovery and forgiveness as well as a journey of falling in love. 

I did enjoy getting to spend time with Riley and Jessica, and Tyler and Rory, as well as Jayden and Easton. Since they're all so intertwined into each others' lives, I'd have missed them if they were absent. It's going to be interesting see what the final book, Shatter, is like with the fallout over events in Believe. But I'm diving in right now.

That's What HE Said #61 ~ Thirsty Thursday & Hungry Hearts #42

That's What He Said is a weekly meme hosted by the lovely ladies @Chapter Break. Here's the deal: every Thursday, post a line from your book boyfriend to his heroine. Keep in mind, these are direct quotes from dialog in the books. The quote doesn't have to be romantic - just something our hunky hero said to his lucky lady. Be sure to link up over at Chapter Break as well.

My pick this week for That's What He Said is from:

Believe by Erin McCarthy

***

"I'm alive, I've got my freedom, a job, two bucks in my pocket, and a beautiful woman who sees something in me. What else could I need?"

*~*~*~*~*~*

I thought this scene was cute. I liked watching Robin and Phoenix getting to know one another.

"Do you ever eat?" I asked her, eyeing the pathetic selection in her fridge. It ws mostly filled with condiments and string cheese. There were eggs, though, and a loaf of bread that when I squeezed it, felt a little stale.
"Of course I eat. I just don't cook. I eat simple stuff.""Do you have syrup?"
"Yes. For my frozen waffles."
"Those taste like cardboard," I told her, pulling out the eggs and bread. "I'll make you some French toast then."
"Really?" She looked dubious.
"Sure, why not?"
As I cracked eggs into a bowl I found in the cupboard, she poured out the coffee. "Do you want cream and sugar?"

New Adult Review ~ Sweet ~ Erin McCarthy**

Sweet
True Believers #2
Release Date: October 15, 2013
Genre: New Adult, Contemporary Romance
Source: Borrowed from Library
Rating: 3.5 Bookworms

Synopsis
Jessica Sweet thought going away to college would finally make her free of her parents' constant judgments and insistence she play chastity club role model for their church events, but if anything, the freedom has made her realize she can't go home and be a hypocrite anymore. Tired of dodging their questions, she stays at school over the summer and lands in an unexpected crash pad: Riley Mann's house.

Sarcastic, cocky, and full of opinions, Riley is also sexy personified with tattoos and biceps earned from working as a roofer all day. Not the right guy for her even if Jessica was looking for a relationship, which she is definitely not. But Jessica knows that Riley hides the burden of having to raise his younger brothers behind that grim and as she helps him get his house in order for a custody hearing, they begin to fall hard for each other, and she is forced to question what she's hiding herself.

Jessica has never had a problem getting naked with a guy, but when it comes to showing Riley how she truly feels inside, her fear of rejection may just ruin the best thing - the best guy - to ever happen to her...

"Relationship = Risk"

And it's a risk Jessica Sweet has been unwilling to take. With ultra-conservative parents who expect her to be their idea of the perfect daughter, she feels like she has little control in her life. So she exercises control by partying and hooking up with guys. In her defense, the hooking up is usually with a guy she's friends with.

Riley Mann doesn't do relationships either. Growing up in the Mann household didn't provide good role models, so he does his best to take care of his brothers by working hard. That leaves little time for girls.

When Jessica needs a place to stay for a week, Tyler Mann is quick to offer up his house. That means Jessica will be living with Riley. These two have a playfully antagonistic relationship - always teasing and snarking at each other. Oh what a difference a week makes. The time they spend together, working on the Mann's house, allows them to get better acquainted and they each begin removing bricks from each others' walls.

I liked Sweet quite a bit but not as much as True. Jessica was a bit harder for me to connect to. She is a preacher's daughter and her family is the source of most of her issues. While I understood those issues, I think this element could have been better developed. Also, I never really understood Riley's aversion to relationships. While I enjoyed watching as their bond grow, in the end I think McCarthy never made me feel it - she told me but never showed me. Also, the ending felt rushed. I was thrilled with where Jessica and Riley ended up but I wished there'd been more of a journey to that point.

I adore all these characters and am eager to dive into Believe. Phoenix, the Mann brothers' cousin, has me very intrigued. And I'm very curious as to how Robin is going to extract herself from the mess she's made. Plus, I'm anxious to see more of Riley and Jessica's, and Tyler and Rory's stories.

**Teaser Tuesday ~ #47**

Teaser Tuesdays is a weekly bookish meme, hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along! Just do the following:

• Grab your current read
• Open to a random page
• Share two (2) “teaser” sentences from somewhere on that page
• BE CAREFUL NOT TO INCLUDE SPOILERS! (make sure that what you share doesn’t give too much away! You don’t want to ruin the book for others!)
• Share the title & author, too, so that other TT participants can add the book to their TBR Lists if they like your teasers!

***

Sweet

True Believers #2

by Erin McCarthy

New Adult, Contemporary Romance

Synopsis

Jessica Sweet thought going away to college would finally make her free of her parents' constant judgments and insistence she play chastity club role model for their church events, but if anything, the freedom has made her realize she can't go home and be a hypocrite anymore. Tired of dodging their questions, she stays at school over the summer and lands in an unexpected crash pad: Riley Mann's house.

Sarcastic, cocky, and full of opinions, Riley is also sexy personified with tattoos and biceps earned from working as a roofer all day. Not the right guy for her even if Jessica was looking for a relationship, which she is definitely not. But Jessica knows that Riley hides the burden of having to raise his younger brothers behind that grin and as she helps him get his house in order for a custody hearing, they begin to fall hard for each other, and she is forced to question what she's hiding herself.

Jessica has never had a problem getting naked with a guy, but when it comes to showing Riley how she truly feels inside, her fear of rejection may just ruin the best thing - the best guy - to ever happen to her...

***Teaser***

Shut up and kiss me. You're better at that than talking.

**New Adult Review ~ True ~ Erin McCarthy**

True
True Believers #1
Release Date: May 7, 2013
Genre: New Adult, Contemporary Romance
Source: Checked out from library
Rating: 4 Bookworms
Goodreads

Synopsis
When Rory Macintosh's roommates find out that their studious and shy friend has never been with a guy, they decide that, as an act of kindness they'll help her lose her virginity by hiring confident, tattooed bad boy Tyler Mann to do the job...unbeknownst to Rory.

Tyler knows he's not good enough for Rory. She's smart, doctor smart, while he's barely scraping by at his EMT program, hoping to pull his younger brothers out of the hell their druggy mother has left them in. But he can't resist taking up her roommates on an opportunity to get to know her better. There's something about her honesty that keeps him coming back when he knows he shouldn't...

Torn between common sense and desire, the two find themselves caught up in a passionate relationship. But when Tyler's broken family threatens to destroy his future, and hers, Rory will need to decide whether to cut her ties to his risky world or follow her heart, no matter what the cost...

Oh, the emotions this story evoked! Watching Rory evolve from this awkward, closed-off young woman into a vibrant, more self-assured one - all while staying true to herself - was wonderful.

Rory is a girl I immediately connected with. I, too, was always the girl on the outside, watching everyone around me. I have trouble letting people in as well. Witnessing Rory go through this transformation - seeing her great epiphanies about human nature and relationships - well, it touched me in a significant way.I did not identify with Rory's logical side, however. Math and I are not good friends. :) But I appreciated how McCarthy used it in developing Rory and explaining how she approached life.

Tyler - of my goodness. Now only is he a tattooed bad boy, but he knows his literature equally as well as he knows his way around the family body. ;) He had me mooning over him just as much as Rory. And when he said:

"It was never about sex for me, it was always about me wanting to be with you, getting to know you."

I was a goner! He's absolutely right and being a part of he and Rory getting to know one another - showing parts of themselves they've never shown anyone - EVER - made the foundation they were building all the stronger. The odds were definitely against these tow making it. They are very different, from two different worlds. But they seemed made for one another. 

"Because we both see beyond what other people see about us. We both know that sometimes the best things are below the surface. When I look at you, I see this amazingly smart, funny, generous, and beautiful girl. Did you know that?"

Rory learned some lessons about living that even in my 40's, I need to heed, like:

"Being a loner was ultimately selfish, and if you never gave of yourself, you never got in return."

True also introduced us to the characters we'll be learning more about in the series. I'm not sure what I think of Rory's roommates Kylie and Jessica. In so many ways, I see the do care about Rory and were acting in her best interests. But the ways they behaved were befuddling - especially the vulnerable/confident flip-flop. I'm eager to see them grow.

On a personal, and geeky, note, I was delighted in how McCarthy used literature to teach Rory. For instance, this epiphany occurred while she and Tyler were discussing A Streetcar Named Desire...

"All their relationships are delusional, from what I can tell. Blanche hides in the dark so men don't guess her real age, she and her sister pretend that nothing bad has ever happened, Stanley doesn't do anything but play poker and boss Stella around. If they would just like communicate with each other, they could resolve all their issues in ten minutes."

"That's what makes the book so realistic," he told me dryly.

"Real people don't discuss shit with each other."

He had a point. I didn't really discuss my emotions with anyone, either. I had spent most of my life being a silent observer. "Oh."

In one fell swoop, I got it. Literature wasn't intended to be about perfect people, it was about flaws, very real and very deep human flaws.