C. L. Matthews (1)Rezensionen

4.25 stars

Updated 4/12/2020 I have had to come back to update my star ranking because even months after reading this I cannot get it out of my head. So, to only give it three stars would be unfair because a sign of a good book is if it leaves a lasting impression and makes you think. Am I still frustrated by parts of it, YES, but I also am affected by it. I did a reread of this in preparation for Book two that is coming out in a couple of days.

** Original ranking 3 stars**

This book is hard for me to decide whether I liked it or not. There were parts of that were exceptional and other parts that just totally lost me. I struggled through those parts. Yet, the parts that were good kept pulling me in. My frustration with the book wasn't as much with the cheating in the book or with Jace but more with the heroine, Loren.

Was what Jace did wrong? Yes, absolutely especially with who the other person was. However, from the flashback scenes, he seemed to truly love her and tried to bring Lo back from that edge. Yet, how do you hold on to someone so into a depression that she goes to the lengths that she did? Even after everything comes out, and even before it does, she still toys with Toby and then even tries to give Jace a taste of his medicine. It seemed hypocritical. I didn't understand why she even did it knowing she was going to only do it this once. Why risk a friendship on top of it. Add in the relationship between the brothers. I just was lost. So lost.

Yet, as I said, the parts that were amazing were truly amazing. The author has a style and cadence to her writing that is spellbinding. I really wanted to like this book more than I did because this blurb was to die for. Alas, this book wasn't my favorite but it did make me think and sometimes that is the show of a great book.

3.75 stars

Just like the first book, I was frustrated at parts of this book because there were plot holes or areas that lacked cohesiveness. However, just like the last book, there is a level of heartbreaking pain. There is a level of toxicity and betrayal that hurts to read. And, just like last time, it both made me angry but it made me feel. There is no mistaking that this author can write. There are times that her sentences feel like lyrics dancing(sometimes stabbing) my soul.

There are definitely hard limits for many in this book. However, if the first book was read then these won't be surprising. for myself, those are never a limit for me or something I steer away from because sometimes they add depth to the story that not only enhances it but gives insight. Where my issues were in the book were more things that were left open-ended. What was the purpose of Joey's father and the marriage? What proof did Toby have that convinced him of what Joey did? What about Lev because that really bothered me? What was the point of the chapters about Ace and Gray when they could have just waited until their own story and had those chapters as a flashback? I could go on and on but I think I got the point across that there were issues.

However, DESPITE those issues, I still was intrigued by the story. I liked certain aspects of these characters. When they were being true to each other and sweet they were swoon-worthy. Their banter was engaging and the steam was FIRE. There was no denying their connection. Even though I loved and hated this story, I cannot deny that I had no problem reading it. I have a feeling that this book will stay with me and nag at my consciousness, much like Lo and Jace, for a long while. I am hoping then that I can truly appreciate this book, despite the issues that it had.

This wasn't for me.
It's a train wreck.
There is cheating by both.
They are married but the book is in 3 parts and it starts with them in high school, reverts from present time to past.
It's overly dramatic, shouty.
He sleeps with her best friend who has been flirting with him for years.
She is friends with his brother first, who is in love with her since high school.
I'm not sure if any of them deserved a HEA.
There are excuses for the cheating, he thinks she is cheating on him with his brother cos his brother kisses her, he doesn't see her put a stop to it.
She is emotionally wrecked when her mum dies, when she looses a baby, she shuts down so he feels neglected and cheats.
I just felt it jumped all over the place and everything was so OTT.
I felt from the start it would have been better for everyone if the heroine had walked away from both brothers and they had all pursued love elsewhere.
Sorry but it dealt with some serious issues but I didn't feel it really dealt with any of them in a helpful way.
It had the mills and boon style of it he touched her she couldn't resist.

This series is just not for me.

The writing style is dramatic and the story is a train wreck.

The Hero, if we can call him that, is the other man from book 1, he and the heroine have such a toxic relationship.

It's one of those books that you read and really feel they would have been better off with other people as they have set about to hurt each other so much that there is no coming back from it.

The book deals with alcoholism and cutting, not huge detail on the cutting, it's more about the drinking.

The Hero and heroine end up married.

The book is split to past and present and jumps back and forth all the time, every few chapters, they are all marked clearly.

The Hero thinks the heroine has cheated on him and despite her denying it, he doesn't believe so he regularly has sex with other women, even sending her pictures.

Isn't he a peach??

He has all sorts of warped up issues that lead to this behaviour.

What amazes me is the heroine has a tragic story too, her father's treatment of her and she was attacked and raped with awful consequences when she was younger but
instead of her now being treasured by a man who adores her she is treated like this.

And she didn't cheat but is only with the Hero after meeting him while he gets to have loads of sex with random women, but it's okay as he thinks of his wife while he is.
When he returns even though he smells of another woman and she knows he's cheating, she lets him have sex with her too.

They regularly have hate sex, there is a lot of sex after all she can't resist when he touches her.

She finally has enough but the grovel for me isn't big enough.

There is some history from book 1 and the couple from that book appear to sort out issues with the Hero from this book.

Some intimate scenes with other women, some detail.

HEA.
If you believe it.

Breadcrumbs dropped for another toxic relationship for a future story. I think I'm going to call it a day on the series.
For me some Heroes go beyond redemption.

⭐️⭐️STARS
ARC BOOK REVIEW
Release Date-22/5/18

This wasn't badly written just not my bag.
On paper, this should have been a good fit for me; I'm a big fan of age gap romances being in one myself with a twenty year age gap; they are just so my guilty pleasure.
But "Firsts" for me was a strange one; I found it ever so difficult to connect to either Sy and Leia and I'm not sure why that was.
So I'm just going to give you a brief idea of where this went wrong for me.
I didn't love the fact that Sy was initially lusting after a thirteen-year-old girl.
I know taboo and all that, but that's the truth; it made me feel really uncomfortable and icky.
I know he never acted on his feelings until later and we only briefly meet thirteen-year-old Leia but I struggled with this all the same.
I would have much prefered the feelings Sy had towards Lei to develop at a later date or even for Sy not to meet Leia until she was sixteen.
Still young; but I could have dealt much easier.
I met the father of my children when I was twenty-one and he was twenty years my senior, so I'm the last one to judge; I just felt the timeline used here was a trifle young.
I also felt that if Sy cared as much as he claimed to about Leia he would have (A) not married her mother whatever the reason or (B) at least have the decency to treat Leia like an adult; if you want to bone her then she's mature enough to know the reasoning behind the desition that was made.
Cant have it both ways boyo.
I also thought the mother was a waste of space; so much is said about how she really does care but you hardly see her for dust; Leia was practically raising herself; not acceptable in my eyes.
Leia's mum so deserves the crappiest parent of the year award for sure.
I still could have somewhat dealt with things as they were progressing but then Bran was thrown into the mix and that I wasn't cool with.
I detest love triangles with a bloody passion sorry, and this just happened to be the final nail in the coffin for me.
I really do wish I could have liked this so much more; "Firsts" was really just a very bad fit overall.
If you like your taboo romances this will probably be a much better fit for you.
I usually do love them, but this one just wasn't for me sorry and I won't be continuing any further
Heres hoping you find this a much better fit than I.
Thank You to the Author for providing me with an ARC of "Firsts" of which I have reviewed voluntary.
All opinions expressed are entirely my own.

Reviewed By Beckie Bookworm
https://www.facebook.com/beckiebookworm/
www.beckiebookworm.com

⭐️⭐️STARS
ARC BOOK REVIEW
Release Date-22/5/18

This wasn't badly written just not my bag.
On paper, this should have been a good fit for me; I'm a big fan of age gap romances being in one myself with a twenty year age gap; they are just so my guilty pleasure.
But "Firsts" for me was a strange one; I found it ever so difficult to connect to either Sy and Leia and I'm not sure why that was.
So I'm just going to give you a brief idea of where this went wrong for me.
I didn't love the fact that Sy was initially lusting after a thirteen-year-old girl.
I know taboo and all that, but that's the truth; it made me feel really uncomfortable and icky.
I know he never acted on his feelings until later and we only briefly meet thirteen-year-old Leia but I struggled with this all the same.
I would have much prefered the feelings Sy had towards Lei to develop at a later date or even for Sy not to meet Leia until she was sixteen.
Still young; but I could have dealt much easier.
I met the father of my children when I was twenty-one and he was twenty years my senior, so I'm the last one to judge; I just felt the timeline used here was a trifle young.
I also felt that if Sy cared as much as he claimed to about Leia he would have (A) not married her mother whatever the reason or (B) at least have the decency to treat Leia like an adult; if you want to bone her then she's mature enough to know the reasoning behind the desition that was made.
Cant have it both ways boyo.
I also thought the mother was a waste of space; so much is said about how she really does care but you hardly see her for dust; Leia was practically raising herself; not acceptable in my eyes.
Leia's mum so deserves the crappiest parent of the year award for sure.
I still could have somewhat dealt with things as they were progressing but then Bran was thrown into the mix and that I wasn't cool with.
I detest love triangles with a bloody passion sorry, and this just happened to be the final nail in the coffin for me.
I really do wish I could have liked this so much more; "Firsts" was really just a very bad fit overall.
If you like your taboo romances this will probably be a much better fit for you.
I usually do love them, but this one just wasn't for me sorry and I won't be continuing any further
Heres hoping you find this a much better fit than I.
Thank You to the Author for providing me with an ARC of "Firsts" of which I have reviewed voluntary.
All opinions expressed are entirely my own.

Reviewed By Beckie Bookworm
https://www.facebook.com/beckiebookworm/
www.beckiebookworm.com