Saying “I love you'' doesn’t erase the old scars and fears.
"I love you to insanity. I'm not even sure if it's a good thing.'' — Duke
Skye is trying to overcome what happened with Sean. Now that she’s slowly healing, both physically and mentally, she’s determined to do something she should have done sooner. She’s meeting twice a week with a new, very young therapist, Dr. Marshall. There, she’s able to talk freely, unwind, and question things. Most of the sessions she talks about herself and her hangups, along with her relationship with Duke, which is still on rocky ground.
"I want to taste his sweat. I want to hear his groans. I want to feel him inside of me.'' — Skye
But while Skye is slowly getting back on her feet, Duke feels like he's drowning. He’s afraid of pushing her too much, of initiating intimacy, and it’s weighing between them. Moreover, knowing that he's not the one she’s talking to anymore is making him feel things he never thought possible.
"It’s a matter of when I’ll stop fighting." — Duke
As days pass, Duke is showing over and over how vulnerable he truly is and how Skye has more power over him than she ever imagined. When Skye sees how they keep hurting each other, she’s determined to do everything in her power to make things right, no matter what the cost. But one thing is still sure; she can count on Duke whenever she needs him, even if they disagree and fight. When Duke loves, he loves with everything he’s made of, the good and the bad.
"Loving her is confusing, making me afraid of myself and what I can do ... because I can break us both." — Duke
Stephanie Witter, in her twenties, lives in France where she comes up with book ideas on her laptop, notebook or phone. When she's not writing the day away, she likes visiting museums or shopping to add another nail polish to her already huge collection. She's also unable to resist the appeal of new books, even when she knows she can't possibly have the time to read yet another one. She's happy to have a to-read pile so high she can never put a dent into it even if she tries her best.
I can't believe that Skye and Duke's story ends here. Last year, when Patch Up was published I never thought so many readers would love my characters and their story. It still blows my mind to be honest. :)
I can't wait to know what you think!
***Cover and blurb reveal scheduled Sept 26th. Be ready!***
“You’re my missing piece Skye. Without you I can’t be whole.”
“He nods and looks away, but not before I catch the regret he’s feeling and trying to hide from me. And here and there, right now, I’m like all the shallow girls I’ve never liked.”
“I trust you more than I trust myself most of the time.”
“He could drive a nun wanton.”
My Review:
This book nearly wrecked me. I am not a fan of constant angst and like to have a balance of emotion in my books, so I almost gave up mid-way through - but I kept reading. A little later - I almost threw my beloved kindle, but I kept reading. Even later I began to sob and swear - and had to go in search of a glass of wine. Finally, finally, I was rewarded with a HEA – but damn, she made me work for it. I first read Patch Up which I also struggled with, even thinking most of the way through that I had stumbled into YA, which is really not my thing. Patch Up is told with Skye as the narrator, and I found I appreciated the dual POVs of both Skye and Duke in Fix Up so much more. I loved Duke, although both of these characters are a train wreck. But the emotional roller coaster was a bit much for me, I read to be entertained and this one had me suffering more than I liked. However, this gal knows how to tell a story, she kept me reading even when I didn’t want to, Stephanie Witter definitely has skills. I may just have to follow her around and wait for Change Up, and pray for less angst and more sizzle. And with that story being about Kate, I expect and hope for lots of sizzle.
Advance Readers Copy (ARC) give and provided for my blog This novel was amazing, the characters came alive in this book than the first. It gave me chills. The writing was beautiful. Any one that knows me knows, Duke has always and will be my book boyfriend. I know his demons because I lived them. And also lived in Skye’s life, i know how hard it’s like to open to anyone for that fact. But what I didn’t have was Duke. This story touches my heart, pulls at my heart and I can’t wait for the next book. I’m so not ready to finish this series. What I didn’t like was the fact Duke’s demons always came in the way of their relationship
At the end of Book #1 Patch Up, we read as Skye went through a horrible ordeal after being kidnapped and beaten by her stalker abusive ex-boyfriend Sean. He wanted to hurt Skye for everything she had brought down on him and during this Skye had her boyfriend Duke by her side to help her through the dark moments , but sometimes a tragedy and experience like this can turn our lives horribly upside down and we experience more tragedy than ever before as though we are no longer experiencing the physical abuse , we go through something worst - the heartbreaking truths , the mental abuse where we believe we are so far gone that no-one can love us again, that because of what happened to us no-one can see through to a positive vibe and a happy outlook. After Skye was abused , she broke and distanced herself from her friends Kate and Derek and her boyfriend Duke. This book starts with Skye meeting with her shrink Dr. Charles Marshall . Skye and Dr. Marshall have a connection that throughout the novel made me wonder whether she would choose him in the end or stick with Duke- readers you will have to read the book to find out who Skye chooses. During Fix Up we read from both Skye's POV and Duke's -mainly Duke's. We read how he feels responsible for what has happened to Skye and that no matter what, he can't express how he feels to Skye . He loves her but can he show it ? This novel is heartwrenching and shows readers, just how insecurities can occur and that no matter what we are like on the outside , we can all be broken and volatile inside and that it can be the downfall of many relationships. If you can handle Gritty and Edgy New Adult Novels, then Stephanie Witter's Patch Up Series is for you .
* I was provided an eARC by the author in exchange of an honest review.
This is a really good sequel. The writing is still as entertaining as ever and I can almost sense this sequel begging to be written. It wasn't a forced continuation. This story just HAD to be told.
Sky is as good as she can be after the finale in Book #1. I like how it showed her trying to deal with her problems because the truth is no one, after having gone through a traumatic events, wants to willingly rehash all those events out and how they made them feel to a psychiatrist (AKA a complete stranger.
Duke. I was reading through reviews for this book just to get a sense of where I stood in relation to all the other people how have read this book and I found this amazing quote that describes my feelings for Duke exactly from Debbie (her review here): "[...] I wished we'd heard from Duke [in the first book] . Well, here you do and I take it back. Its too painful, Duke's unravelling runs parallel to Skye's recovery. He knows what he is doing is destructive, to himself, to Skye and to their relationship but he cant stop himself."
Conclusion: This was a very nice ending to Sky & Duke's story.
Reviewer for For The Love Of Books, copy provided by the author for review.
Reeling from Sean's attack,Ske begins to heal, inside and out. But as Skye gets better, Duke begins to fall apart.
First up, you MUST read Patch Up before you read Fix UP. You need to, becuase you need to know what SKye and Duke have been through to get to this point.
Now, I said in my rview for Patch Up I wished we'd heard from Duke. Well, here you do and I take it back. Its too painful, Duke's unravelling runs parallel to SKye's recovery. He knows what he is doing is destructive, to himself, to Skye and to their relationship but he cant stop himself. I was reading this at work, in my lunch break and when I came back from my break, I was asked if I was okay. why?? cos I cried while reading this, I really did.
Told from both Skye and Duke's POV in the first person, each change is headed and usually occured from chapter to chapter.
This is not a fluffy romance, with all hearts and roses. No, its a tale of terror, heart ache, and break, of pain. Of knowing what you need to do but being unable to do it. Of doing what you dont want to do but knowing its best for the one you love.
Dont get me wrong, they get their happily ever after, its just they go about it the long, hard way round. And to be honest, at times, I wasnt sure they would get there.
SKye's best friend, Kate, and Duke's best friends Derek are next. Kate has many layers that I am convinced have yet to be revealed and I should LOVE to read their story.
I loved but hated it! Wait before you throw things at my head, I loved Duke he still a great guy who had his problems. But I went from disliking to hating Skye, she had my emotions going back and forth constantly! In the end though I loved getting to see what happened between them and how everything was handled between them. I loved the epilogue though!
Duke, he did a lot of letting go of his past demons and ghosts that were very much still present and causing problems for his and Skye's relationship. I felt bad for him he was always trying his hardest to do the right thing but kept screwing up by making the same mistakes a lot of men make. Only he didn't see it that way he saw it as him pushing Skye away and he was so scared he lose her!
Skye, I like her strength but I didn't like her in the end! She kept trying to place blame where it didn't need to be in the end and only causing more problems that weren't necessary in the end. She tried to convince herself along with everyone else that she knew best and refused to listen to anyone in the end. She caused more pain to everyone then she wanted to but she also didn't try to stop it.
What an amazing book! Even better than Patch Up, which I didn't think possible - and yet there it is! I loved the way the relationship between Skye and Duke progressed, the misunderstandings, the fights and the making up. So much emotion! And all so convincing and well done!!! So hard to pull off, but Stephanie did it. This is an author to watch for sure!! Can't wait for more books!
Well Stephanie Witter did it again! Talk about an emotional ride/journey. After Sean's brutal attack Skye begins to try and heal. She starts seeing a psychologist (male and young) to talk through her fears and pain. Immediately after meeting him she feels guilt about his age and decides not to tell anyone. Duke and Skye are still so broken, they don't know how to be in a relationship without pushing each other away. You can see Duke finally letting go of Juliet and the guilt and emotion he feels when he finally realizes Skye is the one. And Syke's insecurity over Dukes love for Juliet is so very real to me. I think if you were competing for the love of a ghost you would feel that way; guilt because the person is dead but jealousy because you don't have that love.
Skye: "It's this little part of me that still thinks that Juliet was it for Duke, and I'm just second best. The replacement. The one he would never look twice at if Juliet were still alive."
I love Kate and Derek they were the best friends I think we all wish we had. They were ALWAYS there for both Skye and Duke and Derek really let Duke have it a few times when he thought he was pulling away from Skye. He got really protective over Skye which was cool. It was nice to see that relationship develop between the two. I'm so glad we got to know them more in this book. And really glad we're getting a book about them.
Skye (talking about Kate): "She's my ray of sunshine when I'm about to lose myself to my inner darkness."
This book starts with Duke and Skye making progress, slowly going uphill but then quickly being pulled back down, they just can't seem to get it together. They fight constantly and instead of talking about their issues head on they just continue to push each other away. And that is exactly what this book did to me, a constant push and pull with my emotions. There were so many times I wanted to scream at the both of them, especially Skye toward the end but I think they both needed what happened. I think they both needed to realize this wasn't just a relationship based on a dependency for the other but one of love and yes need but not always needy, if you know what I'm trying to say.
Duke: "You don't know how much I rely on you in my life. I don't want to do this without you."
Skye: "That's not healthy, Duke."
I think the author does a wonderful job of portraying this. It's great Skye went to see Sean and talked to his mother she needed that to heal and no matter what anyone else thought it was what was best for her. I do think Skye should have handled things a little differently with her therapist, but this was all new to her and she was confused. Sometimes reviews are hard for me because I don't want to give away the book. So just know that this was a very real and raw story about two people struggling to make a relationship work, both people in the relationship are deeply scarred. It's about mistakes, love, trust, friendship, and healing.
Skye: "I love him. I love him so much that I'm afraid. When you love someone and you're not happy and sure of yourself, you have the power to destroy the person you love, and I can't risk that."
"Do I want a life without him in it, or am I pulling away because I feel safer that way?
I also think the author did an excellent job of utilizing senses in her writing. There were parts when she described things that I could actually see, taste, feel and smell. I think that says a lot about a writer when they can capture that in a book. I also want to say we got an outstanding epilogue, everyone who reads my reviews knows that I love epilogues and this one was did not disappoint! I loved both of the books in the Patch up series and looking forward to the third!
We follow Skye and Duke journey's after Skye's assault. In the first one (Patch Up), we saw a lot of Skye but in this one it's more about Duke. Skye decided after what happened to her to see a psychologist, we wants to move on and getting better. As she lifts back to the surface, Duke is drowning.
Is love is enough? Even all they went through, can he be strong enough for them? How can you stand being the one who failed to protect the one you love the most?
In the process of recovering, Skye sees each monday her psychologist. We was kind of conflicted as his young age and by how she felt about him. Duke is not the one who she confide in and she let instead an attractive « stranger » , knows her more than the one she loves. Instead of talking to people, she hides the fact that he is younger than expected. This connexion between her and this man kind of pissed me off, because she couldn’t talk to Duke, the first one who shows her how to connect to people, her first confidant. But it's in her process to feel something, to be connected to someone other than Duke or her friends. I love how supportive Kate and Derek were with the two of them.
We saw Duke going through rough times, he can’t stand what Sean did to Skye and wanted her to be stronger, so he pushed Skye to talk to someone, because he can do it. We can see his pain and his inability to be the stronger one. It’s too much for him. Every time things gets hard, he walks away and pushes Skye away too.I really love how the author shows this strong man dealing with all of this. We see the fall of Duke, each time Skye’s getting better, each time he’s sinking more and more in his depression. I was hurt when he get hurt, feeling all his pain.
There are two levels on this story : the healing of Skye and the falling of Duke. When the two collide, it lead to a disastrous ending for them. Duke learn about her Doctor and everything melt: the pain, the betrayal, everything is brought to the surface, the constant anger from Duke about how secretive she was about it and can’t stand anymore to be completely pushed aside. He avoids intimacy with Skye because he doesn’t wants to be rejected by her; it will hurt him too much. All mixed up, Skye is rejecting him. Their love is too destructive for both of them and she can’t bear to see Duke unhappy because of her.
She love him so much that it hurts and she thinks that leaving is the best to move on. Her connexion to her therapist is also mixed up, he has feelings for her and i was scared for what happened next. I was so frustrated at this moment! Fortunately, things get better and Duke is fighting for Skye, thanks to his friends and family who he can rely on. Duke learn of his mistakes and can’t let go Skye, the love of his life, his soulmate.
This book is more darker than the first one and put the story to an high level of emotions, i experienced every moment with Skye and Duke, through the sadness times and the happy ones. This is the perfect ending for this amazing story about two wrecked souls destroyed by tragic events in their lives. Their journey to fix up each other goes straight to my heart and i hope that it will be for everyone who read this story! Stephanie you can be reassure, your story about Skye and Duke is great and totally blew my mind! For EVERYONE : READ THESE TWO BOOKS, and get ready for a roller coaster of emotions! It’s is a very heart-warming story: you won’t regret it!Get this book a try!I’m sure to read the third one and honored to receive this ARC!
Fix Up is book #2 in the Patch Up series by Stephanie Witter, I loved book #1 Patch Up, here is a link to my review. I was lucky enough to be given a copy of Fix Up by the author in exchange for an honest review so here goes....
Fix Up picks back up straight from the end of the first book and we see Skye recovering from her injuries and starting to attend appointments with a psychologist.
Hmmm I’m not really sure where to start with this review....
Ok so I think a good place to start would be with Skye, she’s stronger in this book and I love that she is fighting to get her life together and to move on from the years of abuse she dealt with.
Skye’s recovery is a process and as a reader I genuinely felt the emotions both good and bad that she felt. Unfortunately for the majority of this book I just felt bad for her, she’s obviously really trying to sort herself out but for every two steps she takes forward I feel like she goes three steps back.
This poor girl just doesn’t have any luck, she was in an abusive relationship, she then met a guy who is almost as emotionally damaged as she is, and then she starts seeing a shrink only for him to then get a crush on her!!!!
That being said I liked how for the most part Skye took everything in her stride and just kept moving forward.
Now let’s talk about Duke, I honestly struggled to like his character at all in this book. He behaved like a knobhead in the first book but in this book he was just a mess.
Don’t get me wrong I can completely empathise with his behaviour but I don’t feel like that excuses it!!!
The bloke is so up and down, he constantly blows hot and cold with Skye and I genuinely feel like he needed to see a shrink much more than Skye did!!!!
When Skye and Duke were together and happy in this book I basked in the connection they shared and I loved the warm fuzzies they created. But when they were arguing I also felt the toxic unhealthy emotions they evoked in each other.
At times I really wanted them to just split up and I wondered if Stephanie Witter would throw a curveball in and have them splitting up and meeting other people!!!!
Ok time to rant OMG what the hell was going on with Dr Marshall!!! He is quite possibly the most unprofessional and unethical doctor ever!!!!!
I LOVED seeing evil Sean brought to his knees by Skye, she sooo needed to do that and come out on top not cowering from him You Go Girl!!!!!
This book was a real emotional rollercoaster and I do feel a bit like I need to have a reading break to really get over the way it made me feel.
I’m so glad that Skye and Duke get their happily ever after even though they were a mess and at times made each other miserable that feeling of hope that they created in each other was enough to fill me with a love conquers all glow lol.
This book made me cry, that doesn’t happen very often, it also frustrated the hell out of me lol but ultimately it provoked me and made me think I loved it 4 stars!!!
After the agonizing events at the end of Patch Up I was elated to hear that Stephanie Witter was giving us a story dedicated to Skye and Duke, their relationship, and dealing with the aftermath of those events. Fix Up is a whole different kind of emotional from the first book but extremely emotional nonetheless.
Fix Up is the culmination of all of the effort and perseverance Skye and Duke showed in Patch Up in order to be together. Unfortunately with the past that each of these two broken people have it was not meant to be an easy road to travel. Skye still has a ton of healing to do both physically and emotionally. She still has a lot of work to do in order to change her perspective, to deal with some issues that if left unchecked will hang over her head and affect her forever, and to be able to truly move on from the horrible situation she was in, move forward, and not just survive, but really live, experience, and be happy. Even Duke has some healing left to do and on top of it all he now has to come to terms with what happened with Sean at the end of the previous story in order to be comfortable and content himself as well as give Skye the love, support, and reassurance that she needs. Beyond each individual hurdle there are still unresolved feelings, insecurities, and resentments from the past that the two will need to surmount together in order to move forward. The ups and downs and trials and tribulations in this story will tug at your heart strings and delight you and frustrate you all at once.
I found myself feeling like there was a bit too much drama and too many unnecessary complications in the relationship at first. Once I forced myself to remember and bear in mind all of the obstacles, pain, and tragedy that each has had to face in the past it is much easier to relate to and accept the fear, insecurity, and doubt on both ends that easily weasels its way into the relationship and causes all sorts of problems that for most would either not be an issue or would be easy to overcome.
I love how this relationship is incredibly realistic. Skye and Duke have problems, they have issues, they have baggage, they run away at the first sign of trouble, they have to consciously decide to keep persisting to make things work, and above all their love is not easy, but they take things as they come, slow and steady, one step at a time. Their story is far from a fairytale, but it is exceptionally fitting for two damaged souls fighting to live, love, and find happiness together.
The back and forth , the on again, off again, and the way that either Skye or Duke is constantly running and giving up on the relationship is a bit exhausting and a whole lot aggravating but in the end it is well worth the fight and well worth the ride. I am so glad to have been given this conclusion to Skye and Duke's story in Fix Up. It really was the perfect ending for these two memorable characters.
Goodness,my heart was in all kinds of knots reading Fix Up! Duke and Skye are so broken it puts a strain on their relationship. I wanted to yell at them to just stop and think things through before they react so rash to every obstacle thrown in their wake.I kept thinking these two so should not be in a relationship without first healing but it seems each other is both a blessing and a curse.While it helped them start to heal,their insecurities from past hurts keep tearing them apart. But being apart will break them to the pint of no return.Neither can handle another heartbreak but the more they try to keep themselves and each other from hurting the more they do just that,it's a vicious cycle that needs to end and end soon. But the way they ends the cycle will determine if they can survive this roll-coaster they have jumped on and is on track speeding out of control and one decision will put it on a right track with a happy ending or straight into oblivion. I think this is a perfect picture of the damage being in an abusive relationship can do to a person, how hard it is to get out, and the difficulties of recovering. But it also shows you can escape and you can move on.There is hope and you can still find happiness after a traumatic incident.I'm so proud of Skye for having the guts to finally get out and fight for herself and realize she is more than what Sean made her out to be and he is the one who is truly damaged.I felt sorry for him in a way,even though I like to knock that egotistical smirk off his face,he wasn't strong enough to break the cycle his father started. He became a victim who turned into the victimizer,which sadly happens so often. I can relate with Skye because I've been there and even though I've healed much, I haven't been strong enough to have a real relationship again,too after of getting hurt again because like Sean,my ex husband didn't show his true colors until a few months after we were married.I like Skye,never imagined this person I thought I loved could be so callous and cruel.The funny thing is I totally understand her sub-conscientiously minimizing what he did to her because I did the same thing and my mind had even blocked memories from me until later when I tried to remember everything so I could heal and get over it. But not sure you ever truly get over it,like they said the scars will always be there,scars don't heal they are a mark on you as a reminder of what you endured.
This review is for the second book in a series. It’s probably a good idea to read that book before this.
In Patch Up, book one, we learn about Skye, who was in an abusive relationship for many years. She followed him to college in Seattle, but ended up being heartbroken when he left her. Alone, scared, and depressed, Skye meets Duke, a TA in her psychology class. Determined to help her heal, they start a rocky relationship. *****SPOILER ALERT IF YOU HAVEN’T READ BOOK ONE***** Skye’s ex-boyfriend may have broken up with her, but that doesn’t mean he wants anyone else to have her. He leaves her even more broken than before after a failed rape attempt. That’s book one. In Fix Up, we watch as Skye and Duke continue their relationship that still has many problems. They still constantly push each other away, determined not to let the other get too close. Well, when Duke finds out that Skye’s psychologist is not only young and extremely attractive, but attracted to her, Duke flips out, leaving Skye in a position of whether or not she’s really making Duke happy. She believes that he’d be better off without her. She’s constantly hurting him and he deserves better. Will she continue to stay with him or leave him? Find out in Fix Up! I loved this book! This book provided me with the most intense reading experience of my life. There was one specific part, no details, but I was a mess. I was crying, eating chocolate to make myself feel better. I had snot running down my face and I literally had pains in my chest. I ached for these characters. It literally felt like it was happening to me!!! I’ve never had that happen before. I’ve never had such an ugly cry and never felt such pain for characters before! I know, it makes me seem insane, but Stephanie writes so that you are connected to these characters, as if you’re their friends and you’re watching this happen to them. You want to jump in there and fix it, because you know what’s right, and you know how to make everything okay. I give five huge stars to Stephanie and Fix Up! I’m so excited for the next book, which will be about Katie and Derek, the couple’s best friends! Great job!
In this continuation of Skye & Dukes story we have the added bonus of a dual POV. For me this made Fix Up even better than Patch up (Book 1), Stephanie did an amazing job of capturing Duke’s thoughts and feelings. Full review will be posted on the Bare Naked Words blog - 14th October
If you have not read book 1, then step away from this review and go and 1click, and then you can come back.
Skye is recovering slowly from her ordeal, with the help of a psychologist, with more than psychology on his mind, if you know what I mean, Kate, her best friend and Duke, her sexy ass boyfriend who quite literal gives me the shivers when I read his POV.
Duke’s traumatic past had lead him to behave in a certain way with women, but meeting Skye and her broken soul in book one was profound for him, and he has fallen hard for this damaged woman.
Insecurities and self-doubt plague him, and some of his behavior in book one was hard to swallow, however reading from his perspective gives you a far greater understanding of his internal battle to love and protect Skye no matter what.
Skye too makes mistakes, a pretty freakin big one in my opinion during this second book, which left me wanting to do slightly more shake her, but the more you read the more you realize it was with good intentions, if not a little misguided.
This is not a typical love story and aspects of the book are hard to read without your stomach dropping, but it makes for a compelling read and you become so invested in Skye and Duke, you just want them to catch a break and live happily ever after. With some bonus chapters at the end that finish their journey off perfectly, making you want to re-read them over and over.
Stephanie has done a fabulous job with Skye & Duke’s story and you’ll be pleased to know that Kate and Derek will be getting their own book too.
I really can't put into words how much I love this book! I thought book 1, Patch Up, was brilliant and the second could never top that. I was wrong, so wrong. This is an emotionally packed whallop of a book that once you pick up, you won't be able to put down.
Skye is recovering from her ordeal and has agreed to see a psychologist. It turns out though that her psychologist is a lot younger than what she was expecting although he was chosen specifically by the practice as they thought it might help Skye more. She feels uncomfortable telling anyone how young he is so keeps it to herself. She does start to recover but as with anything, it is one step forward and two back.
As she recovers, Duke is slowly coming apart. He needs his own recovery from what happened to Skye and things in his past. He is trying to give her space, which he also needs, but at the same time wants her more than anything. I personally thought that Duke should have gone for counselling too but maybe he did and I missed it with my tears!
How these two work it through, hurting each other in the process, had me in tears on more than one occasion. I honestly didn't think they would get a HEA which about killed me as I really wanted them to. The heartbreak that comes through every word will punch you in the chest. Seriously, if you want a fluffy romance, read a Disney book. This is the real stuff - heartache, terror, jealousy, insecurity - it's all here and it takes you every step of the way.
This is a perfect duet and one that I will be keeping and re-reading! I really can't recommend this highly enough. Book 3, Change Up, is on my wishlist and I'm hoping Santa will take a hint!
Duke and Skye were some seriously broken characters that we met in "Patch Up." After the tragedy that rocked Skye to the core, she is not fighting to get her life back. Beaten, almost raped, the pain she now suffers is more internal but she is seeking help, not hiding from her demons. What has always helped Skye deal with the aftermath of coming forward is Duke.
But now Duke is hiding his feelings. Tainted by feelings of inadequacy, his own painful past and a new feeling of jealousy he never had before. Duke struggles to balance his needs with what he is projecting onto Skye.
Now begins the mental warfare these two self-destructive people put themselves through. There are so many factors that run around their head. It was insane the amount of outside forces, people and more that have Skye and Duke switching back and forth on whether they should be together or not. I must say, around this part is when I got a little bit frustrated. It took a lot for me to remember what their pasts were and imagining how that would change how they process decisions.
The saving grace is that "Fix Up" switches between Skye and Duke's POV, allowing us to at least follow their train of thought.
A beautiful but painful story of how two broken people continue to work through their issues and how they will come out on the other end, "Fix Up" is a perfect follow-up to "Patch Up" and a definite must read.
FIX UP was truly a love story. A twisted, passionate, intense and draining love story. I felt everything so deeply, and I was tormented but inspired. She was so broken, and he had so many demons but they truly loved each other and although it was destructive....they needed to be together.
I feel the same way that I did about the first book, that I was weighed down by the emotions, however that is just my personal view and not something that I can really call a fault. It was just a lot for me to take in. I felt this deeply, sometimes too much. I did have my issues with the characters but they truly completed each other. They wanted it to work so much, even if it wasn't right. However, although the intensity was overwhelming I felt it all, every moment of healing and breaking, and I felt the love which is something that I value.
If I had to describe these character in one to five words it would be: a beautiful broken mess. I value character growth and depth over action which is why this worked for me. FIX UP was slow and brooding and full of angst. I still am not sure how I feel about them as a couple but I don't doubt they were so much in love that they were unable to be with anyone else.
My thoughts are a little scrambled, I am a little conflicted but I did enjoy this overall.
Stephanie Witter has written a compelling follow up in Skye and Duke’s story with her latest, Fix Up. I fell in love with these characters and her writing while reading Patch Up, the first book in the series, and have been anxious to read more about this dynamic couple.
I loved this novel from start to finish. The depth of these characters and the magnitude of their ongoing struggles drew me in once again and took me on an emotional journey. As much as this book is about Skye’s attempts to find closure after what happened to her in Patch Up, she isn’t the only character seeking a clean slate. The wake of Sean’s destruction extends beyond the physical and emotional scars Skye bears. Duke also carries burdens of guilt and regret. He must fight to find peace before he can move forward. It was heartbreaking and hopeful to follow the trials and obstacles Duke and Skye faced during Fix Up. Chapter after chapter their loyalty and strength is tested and in turn your emotions will be challenged too.
Despite having my feelings worked over, I once again fell in love with the fictional world and characters Stephanie Witter has created. Patch Up and Fix Up are both packed full of drama that will lure you in and deliver one hell of an emotional kick to the chest.
Patch Up picks up a couple weeks after Sean’s brutal attack on Skye; we see how not only she is dealing with the aftermath, but also her friends and family. I love that in book two we get to have Duke’s perspective along with Skye’s, it made me understand him more. This story again took me through all the emotions that the first one took me through. I was very intrigued by Skye’s new relationship with her psychologist. I have never seen one myself, but it was interesting to see that aspect in a book and I have to say that Dr. Marshall intrigued me a little. Both Syke and Duke had a lot to work through during this book. Skye needed to overcome what had happened to her and work on her relationships with the people around her. Duke on the other hand had to work on his demons and his feeling for Skye and Juliet. I took me some time to read this story, I felt all these emotions involving Duke and all his heartbreak. The last 40 percent of the novel I was heartbroken and unsure if I could read on, but of course I did!
Another outstanding novel Stephanie Witter, I am not wait to read Change Up!!!!
SIGH.....it's perfect!! I loved this book so much! So many painful parts, but it was absolutely perfect and beautiful!! I adored Patch Up even tho it was so hard and painful to read what Skye went through, but I fell in love with Skye and Duke, so I could not have been more excited for this book!
Just weeks after tragedy struck and Duke saved Skye from the unimaginable, is where Fix Up starts off. They have so much to work through and the struggles and emotions they have to face and deal with will either break them or save them. So much emotion and strength and even weakness in the situations they have to overcome. I appreciate everything the author must have experienced writing this amazing, emotional and absolutely Fantastic book! And I love love love the way it ended. Perfect!! Simply wonderful.
I really can't believe sky and duke's story has ended. omg I love this book it brought out all my emotions. I cried so much when I thought they were going to spilt up I shouting and the kindle saying nooo you can't you need. each other to heal there broken hearts and they truly did need each other. and how shutting things away in your head doesn't work you have to talk and front it out. if I could give this more stars I so would. I wish it didn't have to finish loved every minute. but there were time's I hated sky for what she was putting duke through, when she thought he didn't need her when he did. he so need her to keep his heart beating wild with hunger. I so can't wait to read more..
I had the amazing opportunity to Beta Read this for Stephanie Witter.
I'm so sad that this is the end of Duke and Skye's story, but what a darn story they had!! I'm sure as the characters go on in Steph's head they will fight each other til the end of their lives lol.
Duke and Skye really captured my heart in Patch Up so when I found out they were going to have a second book I was over the moon!! And it lived up to everything I expected!
Looking forward to Change Up...even though it isn't Duke and Skye the characters in the next one are interesting to say the least, and I look forward to see how they turn out in the end!
wow...just when I thought this story could not get any better...I so love me some Duke...this book is the second in the series....It is a must read...if you have not gotten the first, book do so now and prepare yourself....I love these characters....Stephanie really knows how to pull a reader in...I don't give spoilers, but this book has everything you could ever want in a book and things you never knew you did....don't miss this one...happy reading...
aaaaaaaaaaaaaah mori de amor con este libro como tambien de tristeza, me encanto el epilogo <3
lastima esa cosa de adelantar años cuando el libro que viene es de otros protas y cuentan, digamos el pasado xD entonces ya sabes lo que va a pasar en el futuro de los otros xD
Loved this book! The storyline continued where the first book left off. It was very emotional but ends with a hea! Love the characters! Duke and Skye are great!
OK. Me gustó pero no tanto como el primero. El romance me pareció demasiado tóxico, yo sé que Skye tiene sus problemas, pero no es una excusa para tratar a Duke como lo hizo. Y viceversa. Se trataban muy mal, se decían cosas horribles, y creo que nadie merece eso. Sin embargo, siento que mi crítica se va a la basura cuando te pones en el lugar de ambos, quizás no se sea sano, pero es algo que hacemos. Cuando estamos enojados decimos cosas de las cuales nos arrepentimos, y en el caso de ellos, era peor por todo lo que atravesaron. Una cosa que no me pareció para nada es que Skye continuará viendo al doctor Marshall, su psicólogo, después de que él abiertamente le confesara que estaba interesado en ella. Eso es extraño! Lo mejor hubiera sido cambiar de terapeuta, no logro entender porqué se quedó con él. Si bien la historia me pareció muy ruda y tóxica, sonreí cómo una tonta con el final, porque Skye y Duke de casan y van a tener un bebé. Digo, la típica cursileria romántica que se espera después de tantos problemas. Y bueno, que puedo decir, soy feliz por ellos. A pesar de todo lograron encontrarse y reconstruirse, aunque no lo hayan hecho de la mejor manera.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.