Sunday, February 16, 2014

Book Review: Believe (True Believers 3)


Book Title: Believe
Author: Erin McCarthy  |WebsiteTwitterFacebook|
Publisher: Intermix Penguin
Genre: New Adult Romance
Series/Standalone: Series
Format: ebook
Cost: $3.99
Pages: 232
How I got it: NetGalley
Purchase: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Publisher
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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 has 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 naïve 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…

So this book is a little different instead of just the female protagonist sharing the story, we get both Robin's and Phoenix's thoughts on what was happening. I liked this kind of perspective because we got to hear how the relationship affected him, how being with her felt and why he needed her, not just her idea of why he needed her.

Am I the only one who wanted to beat the living daylights out of Nathan?? No Ok!! Poor Robin, she did what is possibly the worst thing a woman can do to her friend. To me there was a moment where I wanted to point out that as someone who was drunk, she was totally taken advantage of.  This totally brought up the consent issues, as Robin was black out drunk, we were kinda made to understand that Nathan was drunk too, but I couldn't help but feel he was just an asshole who took advantage. When she started to panic I wondered if he'd had help in getting her there, although she never seems to make that connection so I guess not. However she decided to learn from that moment instead of just ignoring it. In trying to find herself without all the things that once made her just another college girl, she began to find things that made her happy like painting.  Broken by the guilt of what happened she has avoided her friends as much as possible.  If she doesn't have to see them then she doesn't have to lie.  I totally get why she's doing it, and it's clearly breaking her heart knowing what she has done.

I kept wondering if something horrible was going to happen and they wouldn't be the same, sort of like how the rug got pulled from beneath Tyler's feet. Phoenix has got one of the most beautiful souls, he's so desperate for love and affection and to be something to someone.  I was kinda worried for a moment there because he fell so fast   I loved that she had kind of told us about Phoenix from the perspective of Riley thinking about his family in the last book so he wasn't a completely new character.

I also love her and Phoenix they connected way faster than the others did, but it still burned just as hot. I liked reading their story because they really were more on the same wave length having their love of art in common.  I love Robin's Grandmother, she was very funny.  Even though out of all the stories Robin had the mot stable family home, she personally was extremely messed up.  She was seeking to find her voice and thought the only way that would work would be to be drunk and loud, and dress a certain way to be heard or seen. She was also trying to be loved but she didn't know who she was supposed to be, the girl from home, or the girl here.

As with all the other stories there comes a time where they clash as two separate personalities attempting to fit together and a minor crisis takes place, one that almost rears your heart out. I loved this book, like the others I finished it in one day because I needed to know what happened. I loved the ending of Sweet, but the ending here was even more beautiful, it was so full of hope and love and joy and I just can't help hoping that it's only good things from here on out.
 ★★★★
If they ever make these available as physical books I'm so getting them!!  I highly recommend the entire series and I hope you love them as much as I do. Of course I'm looking forward to the last story in the series.  I wonder if the guy in the parlor....nah couldn't be right?? Right??? OMG that would be so awesome!!!
Happy Reading

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