Seeking Her

Losing It #3.5

by Cora Carmack

A few months after being honorably discharged from the military, Jackson Hunt is still struggling to adjust back to the real world. He needs to get a job and find a sense of normalcy if he’s going to keep his own demons at bay. The job that falls into his lap, though, is anything but normal.

Bodyguard (and baby-sitter) to spoiled-rich-girl Kelsey Summers isn’t exactly what he’d been looking for, but it’s a chance to travel, to get away from the home that has felt stifling ever since his return. It would be a pretty sweet gig if it weren’t for the fact that Kelsey’s father doesn’t want Kelsey to know she’s being followed. Hunt feels guilty (and a little bit creepy) as he watches her from afar. She’s vibrant and infuriating, exciting and reckless, mysterious and familiar. When he sees her falling into the same patterns that he suffered years ago, he decides it’s time to stop watching and help her instead. But getting to know her is more difficult than he thought, especially because the more he knows her, the more he wants her.

Genres: New Adult, Romance, Contemporary, Novella, Contemporary Romance, Adult, Ebooks

158 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 28, 2014

About the author

Cora Carmack is a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of New Adult Romance and YA fantasy. Her books have been translated into more than a dozen languages around the world. Cora lives in Austin, TX, and on any given day you might find her typing away at her computer, flying to various cities around the world, or just watching Netflix with her kitty Katniss and her dog Sherlock. But she can always be found on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, and her website www.coracarmack.com.

***Please note: I am rarely on goodreads, so if you're trying to get a hold of me, the best places to find me are Twitter, Facebook, my blog, Instagram, and via email (coracarmack(at)gmail(dot)com).

Reviews

[Amber · Rating 2 out of 5]

I'm so sorry to say this, but this novella was a HUGE disappointment for me! :( I was really excited to read this story through Jackson's POV. Surprisingly, I didn't find it that interesting in a lot of places, and just when it started getting good, BAM, it was over. VERY abruptly. I'm used to my novellas having a beginning, middle, and end, and this one had NO end. It just stopped suddenly. I actually had to go back and check to make sure something didn't happen to my copy because I couldn't believe it would just stop where it did.

All of the parts with Kelsey that I wanted to read from Jackson's POV didn't even happen! He is barely with her before it ends. I guess I just didn't expect this story to be like it was. From my impression I thought it would be about both before they met and then their time together. I knew it wouldn't go into every experience (obviously because it was a novella), but I thought it would touch on some of their key moments together before the end. To my disappointment, it doesn't. They actually only make it through the drugging scene at the club and when he takes her back to the hotel.

My BIG question of why did he actually leave her hotel room that night (I've wondered this since I read Faking It)when she basically told him that if she woke up alone she would think something horrible had happened to her and to please, please not leave her, was never answered. It stopped right before that! Ugh. So now I guess I will never know. He left her that night and she woke up alone and freaked out, thinking the worst, just like she told him she would.

Anyway, so this one just wasn't what I was hoping for. A disappointment in the end (or non-ending I should say). I still LOVE Cora Carmack though and will read anything she puts out. I can't wait for her next series!

[Fanny · Rating 2 out of 5]

Seeking Her ha estado en mi lista de por leer durante años, por lo que me plantee usar esta cuarentena y terminar algunas sagas que tengo inacabadas.

Honestamente Jackson y Kelsey son una pareja de la que conservo un recuerdo encantador, en su momento me conquistaron con su historia de amor, sin embargo, esta breve novela ensombrecio un poco mi recuerdo de ellos.

Seeking Her resulta monotona de leer, principalmente porque le sobra narracion y le falta mas dialogo, tampoco me convencio que finalice justo en ese instante, tuve la sensacion de que la autora se aburrio de escribir y lo dejo con un final abrupto, ademas mis partes favoritas son cuando ellos dos se conocen y se van enamorando, y de esos momentos hay muy pocas escenas, por lo que sintiendolo mucho, lo dejo en dos estrellas y media.

En conclusion, Seeking Her tenia todas las papeletas para ser una lectura inolvidable para los que amamos esta trilogia pero Cora Carmack erro en su forma de plantear este ultimo libro.

2.5 Estrellas!

[Carmen de la Rosa · Rating 3 out of 5]

Reto #3 PopSugar 2018: El siguiente libro de una serie que ya has comenzado.

Seré honesta este fue mi libro menos favorito en esta serie. Seeking Her es una precuela decente pero completamente innecesaria de Finding It, el tercer libro de la serie Losing It. En Finding It, el ex marinero Jackson Hunt es contratado por el padre de Kelsey para seguir a esta y mantenerla a salvo, y él la acompaña a través de Europa después de graduarse de la universidad. Buscarla es la misión de Jackson mientras sigue a Kelsey, la mira emborrachándose y "conectándose" con chicos al azar. No fue terrible, pero tampoco fue una gran historia por sí misma.

Siento que este libro fue un tanto innecesario, en serio. No hay nada nuevo respecto a Finding It. Todo lo que esperaba ver desde el punto de vista de Jackson no sucedió, en realidad fue aburrido, no hubo nada nuevo que mostrar...Prácticamente 170 páginas se dedicaron a la búsqueda de Kelsey (o más bien el seguimiento) y leer lo "linda y sexy" que era, el resto del libro fue casi lo mismo que Finding It pero en versión aburrida. Añado que tenia unos diálogos parecidos a Losing It, como por ejemplo la caballerosidad y otro dialogo que he olvidado pero que podría jurar es similar a una conversación que sucede en Losing It entre Garrick y Blis.

Ojalá este libro hubiera sido como la novela Losing It y se haya establecido unos meses después de Faking It. Realmente quería saber lo que le sucedió a Jackson y Kelsey, ya que su relación apenas se mostró al final de Faking It. Me encantaría ver lo que hicieron con sus vidas después de eso, ¿quedarse en España? ¿Regresar a los Estados Unidos? ¿Qué hace Jackson a continuación en términos de un trabajo? Eso es sobre lo que quería leer, pero en cambio tenemos este refrito de un libro. Estoy muy decepcionada.

[Tami · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ich hatte gehofft dass man noch mehr mitbekommt was nach Finding it passiert :( und es endet immer soooooo abrupt...

[Trisha · Rating 2 out of 5]

although I thought this was interesting, I agree with others that thought it ended too abruptly.

[Julia · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved to read some of this stuff from Jackson's POV.

[Jessica · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5/5 stars

I am a huge fan of Cora's Losing It series and I have to say it's rather bittersweet seeing the series come to its conclusion. However, I am certainly excited for Cora's upcoming new adult series! I absolutely adored Finding It, so when I learned there would be a novella from Jackson's POV I was ecstatic. He really was a mystery in Finding It and I wanted to see what made him tick. While we get to know him on a bit more personal level in this novella, I found the storyline to be a bit lacking. I knew going in it would be a novella and a retelling so that wasn't a shocker, but I just felt a bit bored at times.

Don't get me wrong, I do love me some Jackson Hunt. And getting inside that man's head was definitely a treat! I absolutely love seeing Kelsey through his eyes because he is able to see her vibrant, free spirit and her beauty just by observing her. Everyone takes notice of her and wants to be around her- they really are the moths and Kelsey is the flame burning brightly and out of control. However, as he watches and observes her, he realizes that she isn't just a spoiled, rich girl running around Europe to party. In fact, he is almost shocked to see his former self in her. She's stuck in an endless cycle of self destruction and it reminds him of an all too familiar road he has once traveled.

"It's just... I look at you, and I see a beautiful woman in the prime of her life, traveling to exotic places, with the world at her fingertips. But I think that's what you want people to see. And maybe I love a mystery too, because I can't stop thinking about what's underneath all that, what you don't let people see."

Jackson is definitely tempted by Kelsey. She's beautiful and sexy and he is envious by how freely she is living her life traipsing around, drinking and having fun. But his envy soon turns to anger as he realizes this is a pattern for her. He is risking his own sobriety to follow her to bar after bar while she gets drunk and that is really difficult for him. He knows he can't be tempted by her, as he has a job to do. However, Jackson is definitely fighting a losing battle because there is so much more to Kelsey than meets the eye. And Jackson is the only one who can see past the façade she's put up and see how she longs for more.

I enjoyed reading Jackson's first impressions of Kelsey and how he has fought his desire for her from the very beginning. Although it didn't quite pack the punch I was hoping for, I still found this novella to be a nice addition to the Losing It series.

*Received a copy of this book via Edelweiss and the publisher in exchange for a fair and honest review.*

[Richa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Originally posted at City of Books

Seeking Her definitely satiated my craving for more Jackson, and I loved reading from his perspective! Though this is a novella, I think it's the perfect length - not too short, not too long. And the latter part of it overlaps with Finding It, which I also loved. For those of you who've read Finding It, this is a must-read!

This novella is a prequel to Finding It, and it follows Jackson as he travels all around Europe keeping an eye on Kelsey. You'd think it would be weird reading this since Jackson is essentially stalking Kelsey, but it's really not! We get to see his side of things, his initial thoughts of Kelsey, and how he started becoming fascinated by her, and slowly understanding her.

We get to know Jackson a lot more in this, and the demons that plague him too. He's been through a lot as a Marine, and this 'babysitting' job was supposed to be relaxing for him. But he's shocked to discover it's the exact opposite. Jackson sees a younger version of himself in Kelsey, and he immediately knows he has to try and save her from going down the same road he did.

I loved Jackson immensely in Finding It, and my admiration of him grew in this novella. He has an astonishing amount of willpower, considering he's almost a year sober and Kelsey spends all her time in bars. I found that quite amusing, that Kelsey always kept him on his toes even though she never knew he was there. I especially loved the parts that overlap with scenes in Finding It, because we get to know what Jackson's thinking. It's obvious how much he starts to care for Kelsey, and that was just incredibly sweet.

Overall, I adored this novella. And I'm so glad Cora decided to write Jackson's story, no matter how brief it was. It really helps to understand Jackson's thoughts and actions, and it's a little unnerving to think he's been watching Kelsey for that long! But the fact that it didn't bother me at all shows how much I love these characters. They're actually perfect for one another. I really hope there's more to come in this series, because I've met some of the best-written characters of NA here!

*Thank you to HarperCollins for providing me with an eARC for review*

[Beatrix · Rating 2 out of 5]

Honestly, I thought this novella was unnecessary and I liked Hunt more before we knew his POV.

[Pía · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fue muy corto:(

[Jenn · Rating 1 out of 5]

This is possibly the most pointless novella I've ever read. The whole novella was just Jacons watching Kelsey. Like a grade-A stalker. It got super creepy. Nothing about this was romantic.

Also, the insta-love was ridiculous. Like what the hell did he fall in love with? Her drunkiness, her promiscuity, her fakeness... what??? I didn't like Kelsey from her actual book so I didn't think it would be any different here, but my opinion of Jackson went down a lot (not that it was high to begin with). He spent the whole time moping and when he wasn't moping he was mooning over Kelsey.

Just ridiculous. Nothing about this needed to be written.

[Katie · Rating 1 out of 5]

This review contains spoilers for Faking It, since this book is a companion to that. You've been warned.

I'm SO MAD I paid money for this! Even though it was only 99 cents I feel cheated. I love Cora Carmack's books, and Finding It was my favorite one, so I was VERY excited for this novella. But then I ended up skimming the entire thing, because it was SO BORING. There is NOTHING new in this novella. Just read Faking It and save your time and money. Seriously.

The novella starts out just before Finding It and shows us how Jackson followed Kelsey around while she partied and hooked up with lots of guys. He draws her, she drinks a lot, he thinks about how hot and broken she is, that's it. I was like, okay when is something going to happen? Then finally they meet - but instead of giving us anything new, we see THE EXACT SAME SCENES from the beginning of Faking It, told from his POV. The same dialogue. The same events. And then it just ends, at about the 1/3 point of Faking It (the night after the bath house). I actually kept turning the pages on my Kindle going, "that's it???" But no, that was the end. There is nothing new here, and no real ending - just a rehash of stuff I already read.

I wish this book had been like the Losing It novella and been set a few months after Faking It. I really wanted to see what happened to Jackson and Kelsey, since their relationship was barely patched up at the end of Faking It. I'd love to see what they did with their lives after that - stay in Spain? Move back to the US? What does Jackson do next in terms of a job? That's what I wanted to read about, but instead we got this rehash of a book. SO disappointed.

[Dali · Rating 4 out of 5]

I didn’t know Kelsey Summers. But I wanted to.

In this soul searching novella, we get to know the flip side to Kelsey’s point of view from Finding It and how it all started for Jackson Hunt with what seemed to be an easy enough babysitting job.

Temptation. If this mission had a code name, that would be it.

For Hunt who’d been battling demons of his own for while, it was easy to know that he smiles were false and there was more under the rich girl façade. He recognized the same afflictions and patterns in Kelsey he once had and made her a puzzle he couldn’t resist to solve.

My fascination with figuring her about had began to mesh with my attraction to her, and now I couldn’t tell the difference between the two.

For the first half of this short there wasn’t much interaction between them, he was supposed to follow from afar after all. So all the bar crawls he witnessed and the retreats into herself made it a bit slow paced. But once he crossed that “from a distance” boundary I was reminded of their great banter and gotten the better picture of how and why they fit so well. I only wish it was the complete story or less tavern hopping and more benefits from all those lines blurring and crossing.

This novella if part of the Losing It series. It should at least be read after book #3 Finding it, which is the complete Kelsey and Hunt story or consider reading it afterwards otherwise you’ll have half the story without reaping the benefits of all those angsty and sleepless nights Jackson went through which are totally worth it.

[Megan Westfield · Rating 5 out of 5]

Before Kelsey’s story, Finding It, began in Budapest, there was Kiev, Bucharest, and Belgrade. The routine was the same: partying, guys, repeat. And Jackson Hunt was there to witness it all.

In Seeking Her, we see the vibrant, beautiful, magnetic, yet troubled Kelsey through Hunt’s eyes, while learning more about the enigmatic Afghanistan veteran we fell in love with along with Kelsey in Finding It. The problems in Hunt’s past are very similar to Kelsey’s, and in addition to being attracted to her, he is driven to help her overcome them, as his Marine Corps buddies did for him.

As with all of Carmack’s books in the Losing It series, the writing is bright and cliché-free, the characters are tangibly real, and the love stories sizzling and addictive. Be careful when you start this book (or any of her others), though: you won’t be able to put it down once you dive in!

Being a military veteran myself, I found Carmack’s portrayal of a medically discharged, combat-tested Marine be refreshingly realistic. Hunt’s traumatic experiences in Afghanistan weren’t the focus of his story, rather a driving factor in his present problems of alcoholism and finding a purpose after war.

I was so sad when I reached the end of the novella. Perhaps someday Carmack will indulge her fans by turning it into a full-length book and giving us even more of Kelsey and Hunt. ☺ Until then, I’ll be eagerly awaiting the first novel in Carmack’s new adult Texas college football series, ALL LINED UP, this spring.

[✰ Bianca ✰ BJ's Book Blog ✰ · Rating 5 out of 5]

[Ellie · Rating 2 out of 5]

Finding It was my least favourite book in this series. I couldn't really connect with Kelsey but if there was one thing I liked in it, it was Jackson Hunt. We didn't get to learn much about him/his background in Finding It, so I was excited to read his story in Seeking Her.

Sadly, I was disappointed. We do learn more about him, but I felt the reader's attention was drawn on Kelsey. This book is a prequel to Finding it and tells of the events that happen form when Hunts starts following Kelsey up to the point they meet in Finding It.

Told from Hunt's POV and revealing his emotions, still the story was more focused on Kelsey and the things she did. And there was nothing new there, nothing that we already didn't expect after reading Finding It.

Overall, I didn't see the point of having Hunt's story told in a separate book. It would have worked better it his background story, emotions and the motivations for his actions were included in some way in Kelsey's book.

[Meri · Rating 5 out of 5]

"And though sometimes this seemed impossible in all the world's ugliness, there was always at least one beautiful thing."

"No one retreats to the bottle, unless they're running from something. And when you're running, you don't realize that to drown your troubles, you have to drown yourself too."

"War changes. It's fought with different weapons, in different places, by different people. But it never get's any less ugly."

"Tragedy does that. War does that. I'd gone into it fully prepared to give up my life in the process. But war never gives you what you're prepared for. It takes pleasure in being unpredictable."

[Nay Denise · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved reading the first few chapters from Hunt's point of view. It made me love his character all the more. I also enjoyed finding out about his past and why he became sober. I'm glad to know that Kelsey didn't force him into drinking, but more so that he really wanted to and finally gave in to it. I just love Hunt and his interactions with Kelsey.

Kelsey's dad is an enormous douchebag. I'm glad Hunt learned more about her on his own instead of listening to her dad. Love that he really was there to protect her through it all. Learning about Kelsey from his point of view was extremely funny! I couldn't deal with her snarky comments a second time around. Kelsey and Hunt are just adorable.

[Sharon Mariampillai · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved understanding Jackson Hunt's point of view. This has a feeling of Chasing Liberty as the main characters is a daughter who wants to be free and explore and a bodyguard who has to act like a tourist. However, it becomes complicated when they fall in love with each other. I love how he acts and protects Kelsey. He is very protective and that makes him an ideal boyfriend (aka boyfriend material).

[Tina · Rating 5 out of 5]

It was great to get a little of (Jackson's) Hunt's POV. I would have liked it to be a little longer but still enjoyed it none the less. :)

[Adriana Espada leyton · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.25

i really liked this short novella! i loved Hunt and Kelsey

[Karen · Rating 2 out of 5]

Disappointed by the book. We just get the background and run around a bit. They get to interact once or twice and then the book ends with a WTF feeling.

[Crimelpoint · Rating 3 out of 5]

Była to całkiem przyjemna nowelka. W porównaniu do poprzednich, z tej naprawdę dowiadujemy się czegoś ciekawego. Jest napisana prostym językiem. Szkoda, że pod koniec mieliśmy powtórkę z rozrywki, ale mimo to była to całkiem interesuja lektura.

[Callixta · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cora Carmack nous offre un petit cadeau avec cette nouvelle qui revient sur le couple formé par Jackson Hunt et Kelsey Summers. Nous avions suivi le point de vue de Kelsey dans Finding it, nous allons avoir, au moins partiellement celui de Hunt. Si c’est délicieux de replonger dans ce très bon roman, c’est aussi une nouvelle qui apporte trop peu pour vraiment séduire totalement.

Kelsey est partie faire un long voyage en Europe et dans le livre consacré au couple, nous avions suivi que la dernière partie de cette épopée. Nous allons, pendant la moitié de la nouvelle visiter les pays qui ont précédé notamment l’Ukraine. Kelsey est partie un peu au hasard, trimballe son mal de vivre, quant à Hunt, il est un ancien militaire à la recherche d’une porte de sortie. En guise de mission, il est devenu le garde du corps d’une jeune femme , qu’il doit suivre sans se faire repérer. La première partie de la nouvelle éclaire particulièrement le personnage. Il est amer, en convalescence aussi après une blessure et a perdu sa confiance en lui. C’est aussi un ancie alcoolique qui a très peur de resombrer. Il suit Kelsey, la mort dans l’âme, persuadé qu’il perd son temps.

Ce qui est délicieux alors est de le voir tomber amoureux, de loin, de la lumineuse et intrigante Kelsey, qui visiblement cache un malaise en elle. Ces passages avaient été sous entendus dans le roman, Finding it, les voir ici, à travers les yeux de Hunt est un très bon moment. La seconde partie est moins riche, revenant sur des scènes connues, il ne reste plus qu’à découvrir le regard de Hunt alors. C’est un peu dommage en plus de s’arrêter alors que le Kelsey réalise que Hunt existe.

C’est une lecture plaisante surtout grâce au style de Cora Carmack, impeccable, et à ses personnages si attachnats mais nous attendons surtout la suite de cette superbe série !

[Karla Mae (Reads and Thoughts) · Rating 2 out of 5]

Seeking Her is a prequel to Finding It and follows the perspective of Jackson following Kelsey throughout her travel in Europe. One might think that he has the easiest job out there following a girl at the same time travelling in Europe but that's not the case with Jackson, we see his struggles in following her at the very same time fighting his own demons.

I loved Jackson in Finding It and getting his perspective of the story gives a greater understanding to us readers of who he really is before and after Kelsey cam into his life and also how she manage to change something within him. Jackson and Kelsey has a very rocky start so the transition of Jackson’s initial thoughts of Kelsey into more of being fascinated and understanding of her is just so happy to read about.

Novellas always leave me either wanting for more or satisfied; fortunately, Seeking Her left me pretty satisfied especially with Jackson's line of things. The novella totally fits the not too long and not too short type of ones which is very easy to read and enjoy. Overall, it was a great addition to this series, and you know you just can’t get tire to hear more of this author and this series; more stories to come hopefully.

*Release Day Launch deets posted at Reads and Thoughts.*
*ARC courtesy of William Morrow Impulse thru Edelweiss*

[Danielle (Love at First Page) · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5-3 stars

I rounded up instead of down, but that's more for sentimental reasons and because I like Jackson so much. But, really, this is a novella that can be skipped. It's basically the first third of Finding It from Jackson's perspective, and it doesn't really tell us anything new. Normally I would love a chance to be in the guy's head, but I prefer knowing what I know about Jackson based on what he told Kelsey at the end of Finding It. It felt, I don't know, more precious that way. That we were privy to some of his secrets, but we didn't need a play-by-play of what he was thinking. I liked Jackson remaining a little mysterious. I would have preferred for this to be like Keeping Her, set after the events of the previous book.

This review can also be found at Love at First Page.

[Kim · Rating 5 out of 5]

Find this review and more at kimberlyfaye reads .

Cora Carmack's Losing It was one of the first new adult books I read. I fell head over heels in love with Bliss and Garrick. The characters in each of the following novels hold a special place in my heart. But, no one more than Jackson and Kelsey. I loved their story in Finding It, so I was obviously thrilled to learn there would be a novella from Jackson's POV.

This was a short, quick read that really gave me a better idea of where Jackson came from and what was going on inside his head as he was acting as bodyguard and babysitter to Kelsey. From first sight through first contact and when he starts fighting his feelings for her, while trying to keep her from falling apart entirely, I loved reading it all through Jackson's eyes. Fans of this series will absolutely enjoy this novella.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher, via Edelweiss, in exchange for an honest review.

[Ilene · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have enjoyed this series so far but the initial story of Kelsey and Hunt wasn't my favorite. However, this book definitely changed my mind.

Jackson's POV really added to the whole story of Kelsey. In Finding It, Kelsey came across as the poor little rich girl/whoa is me/feel sorry for me. Looking at her through Jackson's eyes gave her a soul and depth. Jackson and his visible struggles with alcohol in this book broke my heart. He was great in the first book but I enjoyed 'getting to know him' better in this book.

Hats off to Ms. Carmack for a great little story with an alternative POV done correctly. Too often books with alternating POV's are just the same story retold. Seeking Her may have been the same story BUT Jackson's POV really did add another dimension to it.

[Emily (Mrs B's Books) · Rating 3 out of 5]

This novella is Finding it from Hunt 's POV from leaving America up until he takes her to his hotel room after her drink has been notified.

We see the way he notices Kelsey's struggle, as he see 's that she is in the same destructive circle that he was once in.

Hunt struggles with his growing feelings for her, but sees a kindred spirit, knowing that he can help if she lets him, he just hopes she doesn't find out his secret.

I would have preferred however if this novella went into the time that Hunt continued to travel after Kelsey had left him behind until she contacts him again.

[Shannon]

Seeking Her

The Characters

Jackson Hunt
Kelsey Summers

The Story

So here we have Finding It from Jackson’s POV. In theory it sounded like a great idea. I like Jackson. Well in reality, not so much. I thought I liked Jackson but I find his introspection boring. So. Very. Boring. I even skipped like 20% and got to where he and Kelsey interact (the rest of the time we’re all in his head) and I’m still bored. So I’m moving on. DNF #5 for 2015

The Random Thoughts

*DNF so no rating.