Review ~ Crash ~ Nicole Williams

Crash by Nicole Williams
Crash #1
Release Date: December 18, 2012
Genre: Young Adult/New Adult, Contemporary Romance
Source: Purchased Paperback
Rating: 4.5 Bookworms
Challenges: #ShelfLove
Goodreads

Synopsis
Jude Ryder and Lucy Larson are this generation's Romeo and Juliet: Explosive. Sizzling. Tragic.

A steamy summer encounter with bad boy Jude means trouble for Lucy. Her sights are set on becoming a ballerina, and she won't let anything get in her way...except Jude.

He's got a rap sheet, dangerous mood swings, and a name that's been sighed, shouted, and cursed by who knows how many girls.

Jude's a cancer, the kind of guy who's fated to ruin the lives of girls like Lucy--and he tells her so.

But as rumors run rampant and reputations are destroyed, Lucy's not listening to Jude's warning. Is tragedy waiting in the wings? This racy romance is hot, hot, hot!

I've had Crash sitting on my shelf since RT 2013! I'm kicking myself for having waited so long because it was a fantastic read. One thing to note - although this is YA (the characters are 17+ seniors) it straddles the line between YA and NA, so it's meant for mature YA. There is no sex though.

Lucy has moved away from her childhood home into a cabin that was once her vacation home. She's startin at a new school in her senior year - public rather than private. If it sounds like her life is idyllic, it's not. And it wasn't even before the tragedy behind the reason for her family's move. Dancing is the only thing that keeps her grounded and sane. When she sees a guy playing ball on the beach, she gets a feeling - there's something about him that pulls her in.

Jude is a bad boy with a rap sheet to prove it. He doesn't do dates or girlfriends. He's drawn to Lucy but knows he's no good for her and warns her away. Yet there's something about her that keeps him near.

I adore Lucy and Jude. She's out to save the world. He's seemingly out to fill the role society has defined for him. Together they bring out the best in each other. But when they each learn something about the other unexpected, it threatens to destroy what they've built.

It's hard to say exactly why Crash resonated so much with me. Williams' writing is easy to read and the story flowed well. I was captivated by Lucy and Jude - wanting to know all they'd experienced which shaped them into the people they are. What I found endeared them to me even more. They each hurt and reacted to it in different ways. But they really did bring out better things in each other. Although they path they took put them through some heartache, I liked where they ultimately ended up. And I'm eager to see where they go from here.

Thanks to Teresa @Readers Live a Thousand Lives for the nudge to read Williams. We made a pact whereby she read one of my favorite authors and I read one of hers. :D

That's What HE Said #70 ~ Thirsty Thursday & Hungry Hearts #51

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:

Crash by Nicole Williams

***

"I love you, Luce," he continued. Clearly he wasn't going to stop until he said what he needed to. "And I'm sorry I ruined everything we had before I could admit it to you. Before I could admit it to myself. You didn't make me a better person, because no one can do that. You made me want to be a better person. You believed in me and stuck up for me. You cared for me when no one else would. You made me better, Luce. You're right---one person can make a difference. One person can change another person's whole world for the better," he said. "One person ruined my world, and that was my dad, and one person saved my world, and that was you." Raising his hands, he stroked my face. "The same tragedy ruined our families. The same tragedy brought us here today. Don't let it tear us apart."

*~*~*~*~*~*

I liked this particular scene of Lucy and her roommate, India, at a college party. Um, I'd be Lucy in this scenario. ;)

"God, I need a drink," she said, pulling me along behind her as she beelined for what I guessed was the beverage table. 
"Just pour me something!" India hollered over the music at the guy manning the drink table. He made a shotgun motion with his hand before mixing something that came out looking too pink and too strong.
"Pick your poison, beautiful," he said to me after handing off India's drink.
"Got anything back there that won't make me shit-faced in two sips?" From the looks of the crowd, it was doubtful.
Another shotgun motion, and he popped open a cooler and twisted the lid off a beer.