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The Rules of Regret
“Life doesn’t come with a blueprint, which makes it hard to have any plans.”
Nineteen-year-old Darby Duncan is finally on her own. Her boyfriend of six years just left for a high-powered summer internship, though in reality he’s been absent for much longer than that. This newfound freedom wasn’t a part of Darby’s plans, but as she’s come to discover, plans only exist on paper, not in reality.
And guys like Torin Westbrook aren’t supposed to exist in reality, either. But he does, with his disheveled curly hair, irresistible dimples, and endearingly quirky habit of reciting quotes from classic movies and ancient thinkers. When Darby meets Torin as a fellow counselor at the survival camp she impulsively applies to, she’s certain his main goal is to turn her world upside-down.
But Darby’s not sure she can adapt to Torin’s ways of viewing his past and the tragedies he's faced. Because she’s had her own share of heartache, too, and as much as she wants to believe that it’s all been for a purpose, her grief hasn’t allowed her to get to that point. Yet the more Darby is around Torin, the more she craves the freedom to break out of her carefully constructed routine and mindset and fall into something new.
She’s just not sure that she should be falling for Torin along the way.
(The Rules of Regret is a non-explicit, young/new adult romance.)
Nineteen-year-old Darby Duncan is finally on her own. Her boyfriend of six years just left for a high-powered summer internship, though in reality he’s been absent for much longer than that. This newfound freedom wasn’t a part of Darby’s plans, but as she’s come to discover, plans only exist on paper, not in reality.
And guys like Torin Westbrook aren’t supposed to exist in reality, either. But he does, with his disheveled curly hair, irresistible dimples, and endearingly quirky habit of reciting quotes from classic movies and ancient thinkers. When Darby meets Torin as a fellow counselor at the survival camp she impulsively applies to, she’s certain his main goal is to turn her world upside-down.
But Darby’s not sure she can adapt to Torin’s ways of viewing his past and the tragedies he's faced. Because she’s had her own share of heartache, too, and as much as she wants to believe that it’s all been for a purpose, her grief hasn’t allowed her to get to that point. Yet the more Darby is around Torin, the more she craves the freedom to break out of her carefully constructed routine and mindset and fall into something new.
She’s just not sure that she should be falling for Torin along the way.
(The Rules of Regret is a non-explicit, young/new adult romance.)
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First published September 30, 2013
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October 10, 2013
** FULL REVIEW NOW POSTED **
The Rules of Regret was a sweet, beautifully innocent story with a wonderful message about learning to follow your heart, to live in the moment and to be true to yourself. This book was a pleasant change of pace from my usual read. I hadn't read a more YA-style book in quite a while and when I saw this book mentioned on Colleen Hoover's wall where she said that the hero reminded her a little of Will, I immediately one-clicked. Sometimes it's just nice to read about a 'good boy' hero :)
The story follows 19-year-old Darby who is left behind after her long-time boyfriend, Lance, goes off on 6-week internship in a different city. So much of her world is centered around him that when he leaves, she feels a little lost and decides to spend the time working at a summer camp - despite the fact that the job puts her totally out of her element. There she meets Torin Westbrook, a charming, quirky, totally endearing councillor who immediately sees right through her. From the very beginning he challenges and pushes her, showing her a new side of life - one that centers around taking risks, building trust and living life for her. And slowly but surely, she finds herself falling in love...
I have to admit that from the first time Torin made an appearance, he had me smiling and his heart-melting charm won me over. In a romance world largely dominated by bad boys and Alpha males, it was refreshing to read about a 'good boy'. Don't get me wrong, I adore my bad boys, but there was something about Torin that just made my heart happy.
"Butterflies?" he smiled.
"What?" ….
"Do I give you butterflies?"
"No, Torin," I lied through my teeth. "You don't give me butterflies."
"You sure?"
Well, he gave me butterflies, that's for sure!! See, one of the things that I just love about YA books is that it's all the little things that make your heart race -- the fleeting glances, the gentle touches, the little smirks and innuendos... and just how much can go into something as sweet and innocent as a first kiss.
The book was full of little beautiful moments that kept me smiling as Darby and Torin genuinely connected more on a deeper level first before they actually let anything get serious relationship-wise between them. It was like they fell in love before they actually allowed themselves to be in love.
The thing about this story though was that Darby technically had a boyfriend for the first half but (and this is a big "but"), it did not really feel too much like a real love triangle to me because, from very early on in the story, it was made quite clear who was right for her and I could just tell that it was only a matter of time before she realized it too.
I liked that all the drama in this made sense to me -- the hesitations, the decisions, everything. I felt like I could understand the mistakes that were made and I also commended the way they dealt with them.
"I think the noble thing for me to do would be to step back and let you have your space, but I don't want to give you space… I want to be in that space with you."
I know I'm repeating myself a little here but I just really loved Torin! There was just this open honesty to him that melted me. He was perceptive, caring, quirky and totally loveable. Such a sweet hero!
Torin embodied the sensitive, emotional side that all women inherently desires, yet at the same time he was wholly masculine, to the point of cliff jumping and killing and cooking his own food. He was a complete conundrum.
"This is what you do to me, Darby." Scooping up my free hand, he placed the flat palm of it onto his chest. "That kiss may have been my "I love you," but this is my, 'Holy crap, if that was just a kiss, sex might kill me.'"
If you're looking for a non-explicit romance that kind of rides the line between YA and NA, this is one to try. It wasn't really what I'd call a page-turner though and there were a few parts I found to be a bit slow and almost a little preachy at times and in an ideal world, I would have preferred a little more steam throughout the book but I loved Torin from start to finish, I enjoyed watching Darby find herself and I was left with a smile on my face.
4 stars
****************************
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December 6, 2013
Sometimes I need a change from my typical read. So when I saw Megan squires looking for people/reviewers who wanted a romance that wasn't sex or smut-filled, I signed up. Don't get me wrong, I enjoy those books, but lately that seems to be the only books being written. And I definitely wanted something that felt more real and innocent. The Rules of Regret fits the bill.
We start out meeting Darby (love the name)and her longtime boyfriend, Lance, saying their goodbyes. He is off to DC for an internship. They've been together for six years and have gone through quite a lot together. One of the biggest obstacles, which actually brought them together, was the abduction and murder of Darby's sister. She and Lance had been inseparable since. He was leaving for six weeks and initially her plan was to stay home and do nothing. Instead, she ended up as a camp counselor for troubled kids. And it is there that we are introduced to the adorable and wonderful Torin.
First off, Lance seems like a great guy when we first meet him. It's not until she begins opening herself to Torin (as well as stops lying to herself) that we realize he's a bit of a jerk. It becomes only natural to fall for the guy you truly get to know - that being Torin. And Darby is incredibly dependent upon others in order to live her life. She comes off as incredibly weak and insanely immature. I wasn't a big fan of hers in the beginning. She was basically living her life to be Lance's trophy wife of sorts. He would be the big politician and she'd be the wife always standing behind him. She was being groomed for a life she had just accepted was to be hers; it wasn't necessarily the life she wanted, but she had convinced herself it was. Until Torin swooped in and rescued her.
Torin. Weird name? Yeah, but it fits him. He's emotionally deeper than any guy I've read about in any book before him. Yes, he's hot and super crazy, ridiculously good looking - but he is so much more, too. And I know that everyone says that about BBFs, but it's really true here. He's adorable in ways I can't even fully express. His mannerisms, outlook on life, and view of the world as a whole will just endear you to him. He has the ability to break into the shell Darby hides in and bring out the real girl inside. And as much as Darby fights it, you'll still be rooting for him. It is so easy to fall in love with him. I guarantee you will, too.
The story probably sounds overdone. Girl has to make a choice between two guys. It's NOT that story, though. In reality, it's a story about a girl just going through the motions in life and the guy who can make her truly LIVE. Both Darby and Torin have suffered losses in their lives, but have handled them differently. They seem to be complete opposites, but together they fit. They become better. Their romance isn't conventional. It isn't even all too sexual. Instead, it's a tale of getting to know someone and falling in love for that and that alone. It's a refreshing book to say the least. It also gives me hope that not everyone believes sex equates to love. Plus you get to watch the emotional growth of someone who had essentially given up on being who she was meant to be. It's a beautiful thing. Regardless of how she got there, Darby ends up becoming stronger and a lot more independent of a person than she was when the book began. For that alone I liked this book.
Some of my favorite quotes:
"Sometimes it takes another person to take you past your self-made limitations and discover who you truly are."
"Butterflies are too light and fluttery. You make me feel like I have a freaking hornets' nest buzzing and stinging at my insides."
"You want to know what I'm thinking? Do you seriously want to know? Because I'll tell you if you do. I'm thinking how much it sucks that I'm six years too late."
"But sometimes it's easier to say what you feel when it's masked under something else."
I really enjoyed The Rules of Regret. I thank Megan Squires for allowing me the chance to get to know her characters. It's not all light and fluffy - there is an underlying theme and it makes it a very real story. There is even a "Holy crap" moment that I didn't see coming. This is a really good book for those who need something different from their typical material. I needed an escape and I forgot how cute romance can be before sex enters the picture.
We start out meeting Darby (love the name)and her longtime boyfriend, Lance, saying their goodbyes. He is off to DC for an internship. They've been together for six years and have gone through quite a lot together. One of the biggest obstacles, which actually brought them together, was the abduction and murder of Darby's sister. She and Lance had been inseparable since. He was leaving for six weeks and initially her plan was to stay home and do nothing. Instead, she ended up as a camp counselor for troubled kids. And it is there that we are introduced to the adorable and wonderful Torin.
First off, Lance seems like a great guy when we first meet him. It's not until she begins opening herself to Torin (as well as stops lying to herself) that we realize he's a bit of a jerk. It becomes only natural to fall for the guy you truly get to know - that being Torin. And Darby is incredibly dependent upon others in order to live her life. She comes off as incredibly weak and insanely immature. I wasn't a big fan of hers in the beginning. She was basically living her life to be Lance's trophy wife of sorts. He would be the big politician and she'd be the wife always standing behind him. She was being groomed for a life she had just accepted was to be hers; it wasn't necessarily the life she wanted, but she had convinced herself it was. Until Torin swooped in and rescued her.
Torin. Weird name? Yeah, but it fits him. He's emotionally deeper than any guy I've read about in any book before him. Yes, he's hot and super crazy, ridiculously good looking - but he is so much more, too. And I know that everyone says that about BBFs, but it's really true here. He's adorable in ways I can't even fully express. His mannerisms, outlook on life, and view of the world as a whole will just endear you to him. He has the ability to break into the shell Darby hides in and bring out the real girl inside. And as much as Darby fights it, you'll still be rooting for him. It is so easy to fall in love with him. I guarantee you will, too.
The story probably sounds overdone. Girl has to make a choice between two guys. It's NOT that story, though. In reality, it's a story about a girl just going through the motions in life and the guy who can make her truly LIVE. Both Darby and Torin have suffered losses in their lives, but have handled them differently. They seem to be complete opposites, but together they fit. They become better. Their romance isn't conventional. It isn't even all too sexual. Instead, it's a tale of getting to know someone and falling in love for that and that alone. It's a refreshing book to say the least. It also gives me hope that not everyone believes sex equates to love. Plus you get to watch the emotional growth of someone who had essentially given up on being who she was meant to be. It's a beautiful thing. Regardless of how she got there, Darby ends up becoming stronger and a lot more independent of a person than she was when the book began. For that alone I liked this book.
Some of my favorite quotes:
"Sometimes it takes another person to take you past your self-made limitations and discover who you truly are."
"Butterflies are too light and fluttery. You make me feel like I have a freaking hornets' nest buzzing and stinging at my insides."
"You want to know what I'm thinking? Do you seriously want to know? Because I'll tell you if you do. I'm thinking how much it sucks that I'm six years too late."
"But sometimes it's easier to say what you feel when it's masked under something else."
I really enjoyed The Rules of Regret. I thank Megan Squires for allowing me the chance to get to know her characters. It's not all light and fluffy - there is an underlying theme and it makes it a very real story. There is even a "Holy crap" moment that I didn't see coming. This is a really good book for those who need something different from their typical material. I needed an escape and I forgot how cute romance can be before sex enters the picture.
October 1, 2013
I adored this book! Completely adored it! I wasn't really sure what to expect from it as I only read a rough draft of the synopsis when I started reading it! I like reading a synopsis before starting a book to get a feel for it, but what I got from this book without reading a synopsis was amazing! I thoroughly enjoyed it! The plot of this book started out really cute and innocent and then it got outrageously hot! I loved it! It was also written brilliantly and some of the quotes in it made me smile like crazy! They were so inspirational and so wise! There were also some twist and turns that I didn't see coming in this book! Some twists were good for the main character and some bad! The plot was also about self discovery and about letting go in order to move forward! I haven't read a book quite like this one before or even a book with a similar plot! I fell head over heels in love with everything about this book! The characters were also amazing! Darby was the main character and I adored her! She had such a fresh attitude! She faced a lot of her fears in this book and she also learned so much about herself! Torin was the love interest of Darby and his outlook on life was so unique! He taught Darby so much! In fact I actually think he's going to teach everyone that reads this book something! We might all understand it a different way, but I'm pretty sure you'll come away from this book having learned something and life and the importance of it! Torin wasn't like other male characters in books I read! He was quirky and he had so much wisdom around him! He was such an interesting character and I found myself really intrigued by him! He was also pretty damn hot! There was sort of a love triangle in this book between Darby, Torin and Darby's boyfriend, Lance! I didn't like Lance that must too be honest! I didn't like the way he treated Darby and he was pretty self-centred! I know that this book is a standalone and that actually makes me downright sad! I'm going to miss Darby and also Torin's wonderful wisdom! I'm looking forward to reading more from this author though! I read this book when it didn't have a cover and as I was reading it I started to get an image of what the cover could look like! The cover is even better then I imagined! I can't even put into words how much it suits the story and how stunningly beautiful it is! I definitely need to get myself a copy in paperback! Big thank you to Megan for an ARC of Rules of Regret and also for having me on her Blog Tour!
October 6, 2013
Nope, just nope. I WANTED to like this book but oooooohmygod with the preachy, jesusy, corny, life-has-a-meaning plot! Overkill.There was too much of the same philosophical scene repeated over and over again with different words. It was a disjointed story. There were huge chunks of time missing between some chapters, which further led to the choppy feel. Sometimes you just wanna read a cute, fun little love story without life's lessons being repeatedly shoved down your throat!! This was was a failed attempt of a contemporary romance being deeper than it should have been.
October 25, 2017
Cute romance.
October 5, 2013
such a cute book!!!! Torin and Darby are impossible not to love and their story is very special!
dnf
February 15, 2018I've tried to listen to this audiobook at least three times, and I could not get past the scene where she discovers that her boyfriend was cheating on her. I did not like Darby or her boyfriend, or Torin really. It was just kind of weird. And Darby was pathetic.
June 25, 2014
I am very very sad. This is probably my very first one-stared review?? This is a sad day.
I don't even know what to put as my review. Only that I took this book, expecting this awesome, character development, really fluffy story and the one that changes you, but no. I didn't get that from this. What I did get was some cheesy story, the one that it's the bad cheesy type of story, and no character development, a main character that pissed me off since the start because of how she acted and even though she loved her boyfriend completely- she love him enough to give him her choices for him to decide - she completely contradict herself whenever she was with Torin. I thought okay, let's wait for some character development, but THERE WAS NONE. She, herself, didn't grew. By the end of the book, I seriously bet the same thing was going to happen with Torin of what it did with Lance. She will totally give him to decide everything for her. She even said it;
"And since I didn't do a very good job knowing what I needed - having up and left Quarry Summit, having repainted a wall in a house that I no longer even inhabited - I thought Torin was a good person to make those decisions for me. I needed someone to guide me."
NO, no no no. You learn. You learn to decide for yourself. You do it even if it's wrong, even if the right things is the wrong one, or the wrong thing is the right choice. But you do it. You learn from your mistakes. Ok, maybe it's different. Maybe the unknown scares you but you have to stand for yourself. Don't let another person not even your boyfriend do it for you. Or else alone you won't be able to understand the consequences that choice makes you. And Darby, as was clearly known, she doesn't do alone. But she has to grown from it. That is the meaning of character development. This was a big let down, and partly why I didn't enjoy this book.
And Torin. (Man this is going for the long ride). He was a child, he acted like a child is what I mean. And as much as he told Darby she was a girl stuck between the ages of thirteen and nineteen, he acted less than that. He said stuff to Darby, aaaaawful stuff you don't even know, I was so pissed, and then three pages later, they were flirting. He was like "god I hate girls wearing bikinis and I don't like girls like you and you are not my type" and then he was like "I like girls wearing bikinis and hiking boots." DUDE COME ON. STOP IT. I don't even know I just want to completely push him and for him to fall off and smack some sense into his head. Also he wanted to make Darby understand his beliefs??? Like ok it's okay, you may want her to know what you believe and how you live your life, but don't tell her what she is doing is wrong and her life choices are her own (or in this aspect /not/ her own because her six-year-long-time boyfriend is deciding everything for her). Torin was really confusing to me.
And another thing that was confusing was the way it it written. Okay. End of chapter, next one, bam! someting happened. But weren't they on a plane seconds ago? What happened? What is happening!!!! It left me a bit confused and disoriented. It skipped a lot of stuff, and I guess the author wanted to get quickly to the point. But you can't force it. And it felt too force. The skipping of time.
By the end all I wanted was to finish this but I didn't want to leave it, like unfinish because I was curious if it somehow will get better, but yeah, by the end I didn't even read and skim all the way through the last page. Not proud of this but really wanted to be DONE.
The only thing interesting about this book, the author didn't even make anything with it. About Anna and how Darby just took her identity ok not her identity but her looks and this. When I found out about this, I was like "Oh this is good" but it came out disappointly. Yikes.
I don't even know what to put as my review. Only that I took this book, expecting this awesome, character development, really fluffy story and the one that changes you, but no. I didn't get that from this. What I did get was some cheesy story, the one that it's the bad cheesy type of story, and no character development, a main character that pissed me off since the start because of how she acted and even though she loved her boyfriend completely- she love him enough to give him her choices for him to decide - she completely contradict herself whenever she was with Torin. I thought okay, let's wait for some character development, but THERE WAS NONE. She, herself, didn't grew. By the end of the book, I seriously bet the same thing was going to happen with Torin of what it did with Lance. She will totally give him to decide everything for her. She even said it;
"And since I didn't do a very good job knowing what I needed - having up and left Quarry Summit, having repainted a wall in a house that I no longer even inhabited - I thought Torin was a good person to make those decisions for me. I needed someone to guide me."
NO, no no no. You learn. You learn to decide for yourself. You do it even if it's wrong, even if the right things is the wrong one, or the wrong thing is the right choice. But you do it. You learn from your mistakes. Ok, maybe it's different. Maybe the unknown scares you but you have to stand for yourself. Don't let another person not even your boyfriend do it for you. Or else alone you won't be able to understand the consequences that choice makes you. And Darby, as was clearly known, she doesn't do alone. But she has to grown from it. That is the meaning of character development. This was a big let down, and partly why I didn't enjoy this book.
And Torin. (Man this is going for the long ride). He was a child, he acted like a child is what I mean. And as much as he told Darby she was a girl stuck between the ages of thirteen and nineteen, he acted less than that. He said stuff to Darby, aaaaawful stuff you don't even know, I was so pissed, and then three pages later, they were flirting. He was like "god I hate girls wearing bikinis and I don't like girls like you and you are not my type" and then he was like "I like girls wearing bikinis and hiking boots." DUDE COME ON. STOP IT. I don't even know I just want to completely push him and for him to fall off and smack some sense into his head. Also he wanted to make Darby understand his beliefs??? Like ok it's okay, you may want her to know what you believe and how you live your life, but don't tell her what she is doing is wrong and her life choices are her own (or in this aspect /not/ her own because her six-year-long-time boyfriend is deciding everything for her). Torin was really confusing to me.
And another thing that was confusing was the way it it written. Okay. End of chapter, next one, bam! someting happened. But weren't they on a plane seconds ago? What happened? What is happening!!!! It left me a bit confused and disoriented. It skipped a lot of stuff, and I guess the author wanted to get quickly to the point. But you can't force it. And it felt too force. The skipping of time.
By the end all I wanted was to finish this but I didn't want to leave it, like unfinish because I was curious if it somehow will get better, but yeah, by the end I didn't even read and skim all the way through the last page. Not proud of this but really wanted to be DONE.
The only thing interesting about this book, the author didn't even make anything with it. About Anna and how Darby just took her identity ok not her identity but her looks and this. When I found out about this, I was like "Oh this is good" but it came out disappointly. Yikes.
May 18, 2015
Items ticked off: 9
Do not trust this rating!
It's the first time I've used that phrase (I believe), and I mean it with all my heart. The Rules of Regret is probably way better than my rating says, but I, personally, can't rate it higher than 2.5 stars. (Sorry, GR don't allow half-star ratings.) Why then, why can't I give this more than 2.5 stars? I'll get to that in a minute.
The Rules of Regret is the story of Darby and Torin. The former has been a little lost ever since her older sister died a couple of years back. Ever since, she' been leaning on her boyfriend, Lance. Now when he is going away for the summer, Darby is struggling. She's not quite sure who she is without Lance. When she gets a job at a summer camp for troubled kids, she meets Torin, the son of the owner's. Torin himself isn't without a past. A brother who committed suicide isn't any easy thing to tackle, even years after. As Lance is away, Darby and Torin grow closer as they find they have a few things in common.
First off, The Rules of Regret is classified as YA/NA, but I personally say this is closer to YA than NA. The characters are older than 18, but as I have to point out, YA/NA isn't all about age. It's more about the general themes. NA is more about being on your own, finding out who you are without a safety net. And while The Rules of Regret is somewhere between YA/NA, it reads more like YA than NA. (And it's not because of the lack of sex-scenes, which, if you ask me, was a nice change.) Because here's the thing, while I enjoyed the characters, they fit better into YA. Why? Because, as Torin says, Darby is caught somewhere between twelve (when her sister died) and nineteen, her age today. This gives Darby the characteristics of a YA protagonist. She's very much about finding herself, but not necessarily in the way I'd say a "New Adult" would.
Then again, this is still New Adult to some extent. I'd easily give this three stars for what it offered throughout the novel if it hadn't been for the lack of character development. You see, Darby and her boyfriend are having a rough patch, and it's not getting better. He's been cheating on her on and off prior the beginning of the book, and Darby is okay with it. She's so insecure in herself that she's unable to let him go. I expected her to grow as the novel went on, but in the end, we're left with this.
And since I didn’t do a very good job knowing what I needed—having up and left Quarry Summit, having repainted a wall in a house that I no longer even inhabited—I thought Torin was a good person to make those decisions for me. I needed someone to guide me.
We're back to where we started. That's why I can't quite give this the three stars it might deserve. In the end, I had no doubts that if Torin cheated on Darby – which, in point to his character, I don't believe he would – she'd go along with that too, being as insecure as she is. And this is also another point for the YA part, not the NA. A new adult would learn to grow through her/his mistakes. And even if this is somewhere in the grey area between YA and NA, it doesn't quite manage to reach that point where the character development was enough to make this stand out.
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October 15, 2013
Megan Squires' writing was deep and lyrical, but still kept me entertained with some fun scenes. I noticed a couple of tiny errors, but overall the editing was pretty clean. If I was a beta reader, I'd probably recommend that she trim some things, but nothing major.
I would have liked to have seen more outdoor scenes in the last half of the book. Comparing the level of adventure in each half made the last half feel lacking. But they were working through the relationship, so I suppose I can understand that. I just would have liked to see them working through things while zip-lining some more.
I felt very connected to the characters. I felt pulled in from the very beginning, and I finished the book in one day. Torin was fantastic. I seriously couldn't get enough of that guy! I loved how well he knew the woods, and I have to say the red bikini and boots scene was HILARIOUS!!! Oh my word! I loved it so much! And then the sleeping bag scene. Oh wow! That was so, so amazing. That scene totally made the entire book for me. I also loved it that he was a religious guy. I'm extremely religious myself, but I don't like reading books where the point of the book is to try to convert me somehow. That wasn't the case at all here. He just happened to be a guy with faith. It was mentioned a few times and then dropped. That was cool. I'd really like to see more religion brought casually into stories because there really seems to be a lack of it among the bestsellers these days.
I would have liked to have seen more outdoor scenes in the last half of the book. Comparing the level of adventure in each half made the last half feel lacking. But they were working through the relationship, so I suppose I can understand that. I just would have liked to see them working through things while zip-lining some more.
I felt very connected to the characters. I felt pulled in from the very beginning, and I finished the book in one day. Torin was fantastic. I seriously couldn't get enough of that guy! I loved how well he knew the woods, and I have to say the red bikini and boots scene was HILARIOUS!!! Oh my word! I loved it so much! And then the sleeping bag scene. Oh wow! That was so, so amazing. That scene totally made the entire book for me. I also loved it that he was a religious guy. I'm extremely religious myself, but I don't like reading books where the point of the book is to try to convert me somehow. That wasn't the case at all here. He just happened to be a guy with faith. It was mentioned a few times and then dropped. That was cool. I'd really like to see more religion brought casually into stories because there really seems to be a lack of it among the bestsellers these days.
October 22, 2013
I one-clicked this book because I heard that Torin was a lot like Will from Slammed and I LOVED Will! I have read a lot of books and I think this book gave me the most butterflies while I was reading it. This book was beautifully written and it totally drew me in. Torin was so real and it is true, he was a lot like Will. I loved how he was so down to earth and his passion was so strong! He could teach a lot to all the beautiful book boyfriends out there!
September 13, 2013
I am SO in love with Torin! He's one of the most real guys I've ever read. This book...this book was incredible. My emotions were all over the place when I read it and I loved it! I adore a book that can make me feel a variety of emotions. A definite must read!
October 5, 2013
Recommended by Colleen Hoover , and she doesn't disappoint wether in writing or referring!!
March 8, 2019
Magically delicious
You know that feeling you get when you listen to a song that evokes deep emotion? That's this book. It made it sad, angry, and oh so happy. The characters in this story are just so r e a l. Darby isn't a perfect little snowflake. Torin isn't some abusive jerk disguised as the love of her life. They are both someone who experienced tremendous grief at an early age and even though they dealt with their grief differently, the way they connect with one another is beautiful. Torin reminds me so much of my husband. I love seeing the world through his eyes. He is such a pure and kind soul. Megan Squires is an excellent wordsmith. I love her wit. The dialogue between the characters was probably my favorite. And the quotes.
You know that feeling you get when you listen to a song that evokes deep emotion? That's this book. It made it sad, angry, and oh so happy. The characters in this story are just so r e a l. Darby isn't a perfect little snowflake. Torin isn't some abusive jerk disguised as the love of her life. They are both someone who experienced tremendous grief at an early age and even though they dealt with their grief differently, the way they connect with one another is beautiful. Torin reminds me so much of my husband. I love seeing the world through his eyes. He is such a pure and kind soul. Megan Squires is an excellent wordsmith. I love her wit. The dialogue between the characters was probably my favorite. And the quotes.
September 26, 2014
I read this book in under two days! Good book....quick read!
Darby (Deborah) Duncan will never forget her sister's abduction & death and the void it left in her family. Summer begins with her boyfriend Lance leaving for six weeks for an internship in Washington, D.C. Lance comes from a prestigious family of politicians and has carefully planned his career to follow in his family's footsteps. Since her sister's abduction, Darby has become overly dependent on Lance and hates being alone. For the first time in a very long time, Darby is faced with life on her own for six whole weeks! Needing to earn some extra cash to visit Lance, she begrudgingly takes a job at a summer camp for at-risk teens. Upon her arrival at Camp Quarry Summit, she immediately realizes she's not quite cut out for survival in the wilderness, but lucky for her she's partnered with Torin, another counselor at the camp. Torin is different than her boyfriend Lance in every possible way. He pushes her comfort level and her careful boundaries. She should be offended by his assertion that she's just a shadow of Lance instead of her own person, but she finds his comments are very true. Besides the obvious attraction to Torin, Darby begins to wonder what it is about Torin that makes her feel drawn to him in a much deeper connection than she's ever felt with Lance. During her time at camp and in the wilderness, Darby begins to truly find herself and not the person that she has been pretending to be for all of those years.
I loved Torin and his wholesomeness good-natured ways. He was intelligent, kind-hearted and humorous. I also really liked Darby more than most female characters these days. She was smart witty and self-respecting. I liked that the story was easy to follow and focused on the relationship transpiring between Darby and Torin. It wasn't jam packed with characters and side stories it fill the time. I like that it wasn't completely predictable. I also felt like Megan Squires has a great fluid writing style, which I've come to appreciate.
I wasn't crazy about some of the deep higher being/life lesson conversations towards the end it started dragging on a bit and I found myself skimming over some of it, but the rest of it was pretty good and entertaining.
I am looking forward to reading more from Megan Squires!!
January 7, 2021
This book is hard to rate.
If I had past trauma (family member tragically dying, sibling commit suicide, etc), and needed a therapist, then this would deserve 5 stars for being a really interesting form of counseling.
From an escape/romance read, I didn't really like it. I mean, it was the longest therapy session I have ever experienced. And that's not really what I signed up for.
Basically we have a heroine who tragically lost her sister at the age of 13. She dealt with the grief by becoming dependent on a boy who took her for granted. And she basically lived her life through him and gave up on being an autonomous person. At age 19 she meets Torin and together they work through her grief and help her heal while also helping her end her unhealthy relationship with the boy. And they fall in love in the process. And kiss. And they discover what life is about, what love is about, what death is about, what hope is about, etc etc.
Negatives:
- Super angsty. Like, over-the-top levels of drama and angst.
Exhibit 1- Six years have passed since her sister’s death and the mere mention of her makes her start bawling? She can’t even talk about her SIX YEARS later? That seems rather unhealthy to me. Probably more just really unrealistic behavior, in all honesty.
Exhibit 2- in the middle of the most incredible kiss that she is thoroughly enjoying, her guilt causes her to suddenly start dry heaving? I’m sorry, but that’s not a thing. Guilt might make you feel a little sick, sure. But it’s not going to make you dry heave.
There are more melodramatics but we're going to move on.
- She was so unusually self aware that she didn’t get even the slightest bit offended when Torin says she is stuck at 13-years old and super immature? There is not a 19-year old on this planet that wouldn’t be offended by that, especially coming from a hot boy she’s interested in. (Oh sorry, apparently she’s a 13-yr old emotionally, so even less likely.) This is just one example of her being impossibly self aware. If she is as emotionally immature as she is painted to be (depending on Lance as her purpose in life, clutching to the stability he offers even when he cheats on her again and again and again, etc), there is just no way she could be this understanding and self aware. That takes an unusual amount of maturity that many adults don't even acquire. So it’s quite the conundrum: she is unrealistically mature about how pathetically immature she is.
- In Chapter 21 I finally accepted defeat that this book just wasn't hitting the spot for me. At the time I was thinking, how is Torin still pursuing her? It makes ZERO SENSE. She gives him no concrete encouragement. On the off occasion that she accidentally says something complimentary to him, she backpedals so hard that any positive effect her slip up had is essentially nullified. Further, she actively discourages him- insisting he not travel with her, dry heaving when he kisses her (true story), refusing to sit by him on the plane, etc etc. And yet, he hangs on to her like a barnacle, baring his heart to her again and again without reciprocation in any way. It’s exhausting trying to suspend belief this much. There is no way that a boy would ever be so insta-devoted to this girl, and repeatedly make himself vulnerable like that. Especially a cool boy like Torin. I am so not buying it.
- Like I said, it felt like a counseling session where many truths were pointed out (by Torin) and lots of deep, penetrating thoughts and epiphanies happened (by Darby).
At first, it was interesting. And then it got kind of old. And then it got really old:
They were perusing a wall of paint chip samples at the hardware store and Darby says,
And I'm rolling my eyes.
- I never really connected to Darby. She did a lot of inner monologue-ing. Since I didn't really like her very much, that took away from my enjoyment of the book in general.
Positives:
- I absolutely LOVED how Torin told her that he wanted to wait to have sex with her until they were totally committed to each other. As in, fully committed.
Now THAT is swoony. And my estimation of him rose a hundred degrees.
- Although it went overboard, I did enjoy some of the profound bits of wisdom that Torin was constantly sharing with Darby. Such as:
- Torin was amazing. He was confident, hard working, faithful (this wasn't harped on, but he did mention his faith), sweet, spontaneous, deep thinking, sexy, and completely devoted to Darby. While he didn't seem to mind Darby's dramatics, he didn't act that way himself, which was nice. And my favorite part of him was how he valued commitment and marriage. And he was a virgin and wasn't ashamed of it. I love that. He was very romantic at the end, when they were on the summit. That part was really sweet.
So, all in all, I'd say it was okay. I almost didn't finish it but I'm glad I did since some of the cutest scenes were at the end.
Content:
Language - some low-level swearing and a lot of using God's name in vain.
Sex - no actual sex scene but lots of makeout scenes that were descriptive enough that each time I thought we were headed into a sex scene. I like kissing and I like descriptive kissing, but this was overdone. I mean, every movement of her tongue was described. There were a lot of makeout scenes, including laying down together, straddling each other, etc. But there was no heavy petting or fondling or stuff like that. So it pushed my steam tolerance but never actually amounted to anything. Also, there was a lot of talk of sex. (Just as there would be in any counseling session, I suppose. She had been sexually active with her previous boyfriend.) Some teasing about sex- like laughing about innuendos.
Violence - deaths of family members off page and in their past. So this is more just a trigger warning versus a warning about violence.
Audiobook Narrator - not good. I didn't like the narrator at all at first but eventually got accustomed to her voices. Still didn't like the narration, though.
Cover- I love the cover.
If I had past trauma (family member tragically dying, sibling commit suicide, etc), and needed a therapist, then this would deserve 5 stars for being a really interesting form of counseling.
From an escape/romance read, I didn't really like it. I mean, it was the longest therapy session I have ever experienced. And that's not really what I signed up for.
Basically we have a heroine who tragically lost her sister at the age of 13. She dealt with the grief by becoming dependent on a boy who took her for granted. And she basically lived her life through him and gave up on being an autonomous person. At age 19 she meets Torin and together they work through her grief and help her heal while also helping her end her unhealthy relationship with the boy. And they fall in love in the process. And kiss. And they discover what life is about, what love is about, what death is about, what hope is about, etc etc.
Negatives:
- Super angsty. Like, over-the-top levels of drama and angst.
Exhibit 1- Six years have passed since her sister’s death and the mere mention of her makes her start bawling? She can’t even talk about her SIX YEARS later? That seems rather unhealthy to me. Probably more just really unrealistic behavior, in all honesty.
Exhibit 2- in the middle of the most incredible kiss that she is thoroughly enjoying, her guilt causes her to suddenly start dry heaving? I’m sorry, but that’s not a thing. Guilt might make you feel a little sick, sure. But it’s not going to make you dry heave.
There are more melodramatics but we're going to move on.
- She was so unusually self aware that she didn’t get even the slightest bit offended when Torin says she is stuck at 13-years old and super immature? There is not a 19-year old on this planet that wouldn’t be offended by that, especially coming from a hot boy she’s interested in. (Oh sorry, apparently she’s a 13-yr old emotionally, so even less likely.) This is just one example of her being impossibly self aware. If she is as emotionally immature as she is painted to be (depending on Lance as her purpose in life, clutching to the stability he offers even when he cheats on her again and again and again, etc), there is just no way she could be this understanding and self aware. That takes an unusual amount of maturity that many adults don't even acquire. So it’s quite the conundrum: she is unrealistically mature about how pathetically immature she is.
- In Chapter 21 I finally accepted defeat that this book just wasn't hitting the spot for me. At the time I was thinking, how is Torin still pursuing her? It makes ZERO SENSE. She gives him no concrete encouragement. On the off occasion that she accidentally says something complimentary to him, she backpedals so hard that any positive effect her slip up had is essentially nullified. Further, she actively discourages him- insisting he not travel with her, dry heaving when he kisses her (true story), refusing to sit by him on the plane, etc etc. And yet, he hangs on to her like a barnacle, baring his heart to her again and again without reciprocation in any way. It’s exhausting trying to suspend belief this much. There is no way that a boy would ever be so insta-devoted to this girl, and repeatedly make himself vulnerable like that. Especially a cool boy like Torin. I am so not buying it.
- Like I said, it felt like a counseling session where many truths were pointed out (by Torin) and lots of deep, penetrating thoughts and epiphanies happened (by Darby).
At first, it was interesting. And then it got kind of old. And then it got really old:
They were perusing a wall of paint chip samples at the hardware store and Darby says,
"I don't want to take any of them out. They look so perfect like this."
"I don't think anyone would notice," Torin said, and that statement pulled all the wind out of my sails.
"That stinks, Torin." I shut my eyes and swallowed hard, breathing in. "That completely stinks that you could remove one of these very integral pieces to the puzzle and no one would notice."
And I'm rolling my eyes.
- I never really connected to Darby. She did a lot of inner monologue-ing. Since I didn't really like her very much, that took away from my enjoyment of the book in general.
Positives:
- I absolutely LOVED how Torin told her that he wanted to wait to have sex with her until they were totally committed to each other. As in, fully committed.
A cautious smile spread across his face and he added, "Plus, you might make fun of me for this- there are a few other quotes I'd like to say to you before we actually 'do it.'"
"Oh yeah?" My interest piqued. "And what would those be?"
Even though it was nearly black, the floodlight we'd used as we painted the wall cast curved shadows across the room, creating its own painting of light and dark. Torin's profile was illuminated and I could see his Adam's apple pull up and down in his throat, as the ball at the back of his jaw pulsed. Nerves rose to the surface and took the form of a slight twitch of his lip and a tightening of his mouth.
"As long as we both shall live."
Now THAT is swoony. And my estimation of him rose a hundred degrees.
- Although it went overboard, I did enjoy some of the profound bits of wisdom that Torin was constantly sharing with Darby. Such as:
Torin: "I hope."
Darby: "Plan. Hope. Isn't that the same?"
Torin: "No. One involves expectancy. The other involves optimism."
- Torin was amazing. He was confident, hard working, faithful (this wasn't harped on, but he did mention his faith), sweet, spontaneous, deep thinking, sexy, and completely devoted to Darby. While he didn't seem to mind Darby's dramatics, he didn't act that way himself, which was nice. And my favorite part of him was how he valued commitment and marriage. And he was a virgin and wasn't ashamed of it. I love that. He was very romantic at the end, when they were on the summit. That part was really sweet.
So, all in all, I'd say it was okay. I almost didn't finish it but I'm glad I did since some of the cutest scenes were at the end.
Content:
Language - some low-level swearing and a lot of using God's name in vain.
Sex - no actual sex scene but lots of makeout scenes that were descriptive enough that each time I thought we were headed into a sex scene. I like kissing and I like descriptive kissing, but this was overdone. I mean, every movement of her tongue was described. There were a lot of makeout scenes, including laying down together, straddling each other, etc. But there was no heavy petting or fondling or stuff like that. So it pushed my steam tolerance but never actually amounted to anything. Also, there was a lot of talk of sex. (Just as there would be in any counseling session, I suppose. She had been sexually active with her previous boyfriend.) Some teasing about sex- like laughing about innuendos.
Violence - deaths of family members off page and in their past. So this is more just a trigger warning versus a warning about violence.
Audiobook Narrator - not good. I didn't like the narrator at all at first but eventually got accustomed to her voices. Still didn't like the narration, though.
Cover- I love the cover.
December 16, 2013
Rules of Regret is a beautiful tale of innocent love and finding your place in the world.
After Darby's long time (and complete jerk!) boyfriend leaves her for the summer she decides she needs to do something to pass the time and earn a little money. In order to push herself, she becomes a counselor at an outdoor summercamp which leads to some pretty funny moments (cause Darby is not an outdoors kind of girl).
Torin is the resident hottie camp counselor who also happens to be the son of the camp owner. Torin is a total sweetheart like all of Megan Squire's leading men. He pushes Darby to the limits and wants her to 'find herself'. It's obvious that he likes her but he also knows she has a boyfriend so he's not willing to pursue her.
When Darby's boyfriend breaks up with her (I really wanted to punch him), Torin is there and willing to help Darby both find real love and learn to stop living in her sister's shadow.
There is a strong theme of grief and suicide in this book (not necessarily related) which I believe were portrayed very well and realistically. The characters are likeable and I totally fell in love with Torin.
My only problem was that I felt the end wrapped up too quickly. This is a stand alone and has a happy ending but I didn't feel like Torin and Darby's story really ended. They will still have a lot of overcome and face in the future so a sequel or novella would be great.
I happily give this book five stars and encourage you to read this and all of Megan's books! There is no sex, but she manages to make the books sexy all the same and her characters have a real connection that the reader can feel. The humor is subtle but several parts made me smile or laugh out loud. Thank you Megan!
After Darby's long time (and complete jerk!) boyfriend leaves her for the summer she decides she needs to do something to pass the time and earn a little money. In order to push herself, she becomes a counselor at an outdoor summercamp which leads to some pretty funny moments (cause Darby is not an outdoors kind of girl).
Torin is the resident hottie camp counselor who also happens to be the son of the camp owner. Torin is a total sweetheart like all of Megan Squire's leading men. He pushes Darby to the limits and wants her to 'find herself'. It's obvious that he likes her but he also knows she has a boyfriend so he's not willing to pursue her.
When Darby's boyfriend breaks up with her (I really wanted to punch him), Torin is there and willing to help Darby both find real love and learn to stop living in her sister's shadow.
There is a strong theme of grief and suicide in this book (not necessarily related) which I believe were portrayed very well and realistically. The characters are likeable and I totally fell in love with Torin.
My only problem was that I felt the end wrapped up too quickly. This is a stand alone and has a happy ending but I didn't feel like Torin and Darby's story really ended. They will still have a lot of overcome and face in the future so a sequel or novella would be great.
I happily give this book five stars and encourage you to read this and all of Megan's books! There is no sex, but she manages to make the books sexy all the same and her characters have a real connection that the reader can feel. The humor is subtle but several parts made me smile or laugh out loud. Thank you Megan!
October 31, 2013
Torin, Torin, Torin, Torin….amazingly swoon worthy, all around awesome Torin. Seriously, Torin was such an awesome guy in this story. I could not put the book down, had to know where everything was going to go and read most pages with a stupid grin on my face.
This is definitely one of those books where I just LOVED the characters. Darby was stuck in this life that she felt she was destined to live and her development throughout the book was fantastic. And as I stated before, well Torin is just like the ultimate, wonderful guy. His character was so believable and utterly amazing. I was hooked immediately.
One thing that I will say I loved about this book was Torin’s understated but definitely there spiritual/religious views. It was there without being over-the-top. I loved that he had morals and looked out for his future marriage and not just the here and now. This was something that I loved about Slammed by Colleen Hoover and thought was a nice addition to this book as well.
I loved the camp/wilderness setting that a large part of the book took place at. That was a nice change of pace and added interest to the story for me. I also loved how the relationship develops and evolves between not only Torin and Darby, but Darby and Lance and Darby with herself . Excellent book, amazing characters!!! LOVED IT!:)
http://bookpusher.com/book-review/the...
This is definitely one of those books where I just LOVED the characters. Darby was stuck in this life that she felt she was destined to live and her development throughout the book was fantastic. And as I stated before, well Torin is just like the ultimate, wonderful guy. His character was so believable and utterly amazing. I was hooked immediately.
One thing that I will say I loved about this book was Torin’s understated but definitely there spiritual/religious views. It was there without being over-the-top. I loved that he had morals and looked out for his future marriage and not just the here and now. This was something that I loved about Slammed by Colleen Hoover and thought was a nice addition to this book as well.
I loved the camp/wilderness setting that a large part of the book took place at. That was a nice change of pace and added interest to the story for me. I also loved how the relationship develops and evolves between not only Torin and Darby, but Darby and Lance and Darby with herself . Excellent book, amazing characters!!! LOVED IT!:)
http://bookpusher.com/book-review/the...
September 23, 2013
Cute cover equals Heather must read. This is one of those books that I hounded the author (well nagged everyday if the ARC was ready yet.) Surprisingly the author didn't hate me but found it amusing and was honored that I was truly interested in her book. The main reason being Torin, sweet baby Jesus that man does things to you, "Torin laughed unrestrictedly. "Well if that's the case, I'd love to see it. Go for it, strip down and show us this masterpiece you boast of." Darby that girl...is something else, "where did his pants go? And why was I staring at his underwear that was covered in hundreds of yellow smiley faces, repeated over and over in a dizzying, disorienting pattern? Seriously, why were his boxers smiling at me?" Maybe they want you to find the pot of gold hidden underneath them, who knows Darby, who knows. Torin isn't bashful, "hold up," he interjected, hand raised. "I might not be as smart and sophisticated as you Lance is, but I haven't heard any of the campers or counselors complaining about my looks." A devious smirk broke across Torin's lips. "Just the opposite, in fact." And he knows how to stick up for his girl, "wrong," Torin interjected like a buzzer. "You had a choice. You chose poorly. Darby is the one that doesn't have a choice. And now she's supposed to what - just accept it and move on?" Good lord I loved this book.
January 12, 2014
This is one of those books that I started reading and couldn't put down. It kept me up way too late into the night, but it was worth the lost sleep!!
This is a great coming of age story that follows Darby (Deborah) Duncan from her sister's abduction and murder into her college years. Darby is dating Lance, whose family is well-to-do and very well known. While Lance leaves for an internship in Washington D.C., Darby is faced with life on her own for the first time. She unwillingly takes a job at a summer camp for at risk teens and meets Torin, a guy so very different from herself. Through many different adventures, Darby begins to truly find herself and not the person that she has been pretending to be for all of those years.
I liked the story that this book told. It was different and not as predictable as I thought it would be. There were some awesome twists that kept me sucked in. I loved watching the interaction between Darby and Torin and how their relationship grew.
Overall, I found this to be quite a good book! I am looking forward to reading more from Megan Squires!!
This is a great coming of age story that follows Darby (Deborah) Duncan from her sister's abduction and murder into her college years. Darby is dating Lance, whose family is well-to-do and very well known. While Lance leaves for an internship in Washington D.C., Darby is faced with life on her own for the first time. She unwillingly takes a job at a summer camp for at risk teens and meets Torin, a guy so very different from herself. Through many different adventures, Darby begins to truly find herself and not the person that she has been pretending to be for all of those years.
I liked the story that this book told. It was different and not as predictable as I thought it would be. There were some awesome twists that kept me sucked in. I loved watching the interaction between Darby and Torin and how their relationship grew.
Overall, I found this to be quite a good book! I am looking forward to reading more from Megan Squires!!
April 28, 2015
Stars : 4.5
"I want to live for today, hope for tomorrow, and try to look for the good in everything in between."
Guilt and regret are two very difficult feelings to live your life with. It is a struggle to try to come to terms with the cards that life deals you and move on past situations that truly were not in your control. Unfortunately, Darby blames herself for a death that isn't really her fault. She truly isn't living her life and it takes meeting a guy named Torin for someone to finally point out to her the fact of how she lives.
Darby, of course, doesn't see the world through the same eyes that Torin does but I love how he sheds a different light on each and every situation. He looks at things so differently and it just amazes me. I loved his character and what he brought to the story.
I loved how he used quotes from movies and famous people but my favorite is the airplane seen when he responds with ... "A kiss is just a kiss."
"I want to live for today, hope for tomorrow, and try to look for the good in everything in between."
Guilt and regret are two very difficult feelings to live your life with. It is a struggle to try to come to terms with the cards that life deals you and move on past situations that truly were not in your control. Unfortunately, Darby blames herself for a death that isn't really her fault. She truly isn't living her life and it takes meeting a guy named Torin for someone to finally point out to her the fact of how she lives.
Darby, of course, doesn't see the world through the same eyes that Torin does but I love how he sheds a different light on each and every situation. He looks at things so differently and it just amazes me. I loved his character and what he brought to the story.
I loved how he used quotes from movies and famous people but my favorite is the airplane seen when he responds with ... "A kiss is just a kiss."
June 24, 2017
What a wonderfully written story! I loved every moment of it and moving along with the characters.
Darby hasn't been living her own life. She mourns a sister, and follows behind her boyfriend being who he wants her to be. But when opportunity arises, she takes a summer job at a camp for troubled youth. And there she meets Torin. Torin is the kind of guy you swoon over. He has grown up at this camp, but he is fun, and intelligent, and caring, and not the hillbilly that Darby expects. Turns out they have some grief in common, and Torin helps Darby find herself.
This story deals with more than one tragedy, but it is done in a not so overwhelming way. I loved Torin, Darby, and their road to discovery. This story stayed pretty clean, but is still for an older teenager. Now I must go check out Megan Squires other books.
Darby hasn't been living her own life. She mourns a sister, and follows behind her boyfriend being who he wants her to be. But when opportunity arises, she takes a summer job at a camp for troubled youth. And there she meets Torin. Torin is the kind of guy you swoon over. He has grown up at this camp, but he is fun, and intelligent, and caring, and not the hillbilly that Darby expects. Turns out they have some grief in common, and Torin helps Darby find herself.
This story deals with more than one tragedy, but it is done in a not so overwhelming way. I loved Torin, Darby, and their road to discovery. This story stayed pretty clean, but is still for an older teenager. Now I must go check out Megan Squires other books.
October 12, 2013
I absolutely loved The Rules of Regret by Megan Squires. Torin has become one of my favorite male leads - and not because he's my personal ideal, but because of his genuine love and care for Darby, the female lead. And Darby, who was not even attracted to Torin in the beginning, falls in love with Torin as she gets to know the real person (faults and all) and finally lets go of personal insecurities, letting herself be truly loved. I personally relate so much to Darby and felt emotionally tied to both her personal transformations and regressions at times. This was such a refreshing love story as it deals with realistic characters, with all their faults and baggage, and develops into an ending where two people have become complete in each other. Truly a winner and a re-read!!!
December 3, 2016
I can accept that this is not the typical trash I read. I, however, will not accept philosophizing from teenagers. Not that they're not capable, but frankly, I don't like it when the last fifth of a book gets so bogged down in philosophy that the ending comes to a screeching halt. Talk about going out with a whimper and not a bang.
Speaking of bangs, this book got way Christian way fast. There's saving yourself talk. I don't have a problem with other peoples values until they shove them down your throat. And talk about how having sex with multiple people is "giving yourself away" so you "don't belong to anyone". Thanks for the judgement.
Speaking of bangs, this book got way Christian way fast. There's saving yourself talk. I don't have a problem with other peoples values until they shove them down your throat. And talk about how having sex with multiple people is "giving yourself away" so you "don't belong to anyone". Thanks for the judgement.
October 7, 2013
For the most part, this book left me feeling "eh." It was a cute book, but definitely one meant for YA readers only. While I loved LoVeD LOVED Torin (he was so freakin' adorable, in a shaggy mountain-man philosopher sorta way), I found myself just wanting to make it to the end of the book so I could start something else. I've read several books in this genre, aimed at young adults, that were perfectly well-suited for older readers like myself. I would definitely recommend this book for the younger audience, but suggest that anyone of legal drinking age, reconsider.
March 10, 2015
I loved the real lifeness in this book. Unfortunately, or fortunately, depending on how you want to look at it I don't know that every person can relate to Darby and her tragic life experience. I, on the other hand, could totally relate. Death has been a part of my life since I was a very little girl. I think that Ms Squires did an excellent job of putting the reader into the head of Darby and hopefully everyone walks away from this book with a better understanding of the precious nature of life.
October 9, 2013
Colleen Hoover had mentioned this book on her Facebook wall and of course I had to read it!! She is such a great author that I knew a book she recommended would be great as well!! I really enjoyed this book a lot! The story between Torin and Darby was so great that I didn't want the book to end, but it did and I will probably have to read this one again lol
October 8, 2013
Such a great story! I loved the character development and plot. I also love that it's pretty clean, but still steamy for a romantic, coming of age novel. I just adore Torin and love the way he cares for Darby even when there's a good chance she won't pick him. Great story, unexpected twists and turns. Loved it! :)
October 11, 2013
Thought provoking story about feeling guilt and responsibility for circumstances beyond our control. Yeah. This story is a keeper. Megan Squires then gives the reader hope and ideas to really make you think and examine your own thoughts and actions. Leave a good mark on people interacting and passing through our lives. Live your life with no regrets. The Rules of Regret.
October 24, 2013
Really sweet, romantic story of self-discovery. Quite philosophical at times with some truly great dialogues/monologues especially from Torin (swoon) that I wanted to read again and again. I hesitate in giving this a negative but could have done with just a little more sizzle in the kiss scenes. Also never quite got to the bottom of why a certain person still had their V-card?
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