Jack Daniels is the cure to all evils.
Sex should be casual and, preferably, anonymous.
Giving a damn is for nurses, philanthropists and suicide hotlines.
My name is Mathew Rogers and those are the values I built my adult life around. They are also the reason I had to forsake everything I loved in Seattle and embark on a solitary road trip across the country, with no direction other than searching for the next small town, the next girl, and the closest liquor store.
Boredom, frustration and a series of unfortunate decisions led me to the rickety-ass town of Jolene, Alabama—a town I wanted to leave behind from the moment I passed the welcome sign. But it was there where I met her. The girl who made me question everything I’ve always believed in, and the only one who has ever had the power to break my heart.
Her name is Lexie.
She’s beautiful, and I’m pretty sure she hates me.
And for once in my life, I give enough of a damn that I keep finding a reason to stay.
I really love it when I don't expect a book to be that good, but then it totally surprises me. This is one of those and I mean this in the best way possible. I expected everything to stay pretty superficial, lots of steamy moments and some over the top drama. What I got was well rounded and very lovable characters, some hot moments, well founded drama and great humor to top it off.
Mathew is a jackass, always speaking the truth, but without any concern of other people's feeling. This coupled with plenty of self confidence and a more than healthy amount of arrogance, doesn't make him that easy to like at first. Since no one has ever called him out on his behavior or gone against him, the guy really doesn't know any better. So when he meets Lexie and does exactly what nobody has ever done, Mathew is struck.
Now he can't get the pretty waitress out of his head and while he wasn't planning on staying in town for longer than a day, it seems he can not find him really willing to go. Slowly he actually starts settling into town, mingling with the locals and mostly getting closer to Lexie. Their was that instant attraction between the two, but their love had to grow. Mathew needs to learn to take responsibility for his actions and in general become a nicer person. It's not that he's a bad guy, he just made some stupid decisions and needs an attitude adjustment.
Luckily Lexie is fierce enough to go head to head with him. She tries everything not to like him, but when it comes down to it, Mathew is pretty irresistible. I loved how we got to see this attraction grow into a beautiful relationship and how they actually take their time to get closer. Also seeing Mathew settling down into this new town and life was so refreshing. Often that is not part of the story or it gets glossed over quickly. Through this I found to be able to really connect with these character and get to know them very well.
There is of course the necessary drama, as Mathew did run away from something, which he will need to face before this can work out between him and Lexie. Jolene, Alabama might be a small town, but there are now plenty of reasons for Mathew to stay. I fully recommend this story for all new adult book lovers who are looking for a good read with plenty of depth.
The Author
I like that it's not just a romance story based on superficial storylines like some NA can be. It sounds very character driven with a lot of depth and a romance that seems like it growth at a good pace! Great review, Athena! Glad you liked it! :)
ReplyDelete