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Against #1
Against All Odds
Our lives shattered... Our hearts broken... Our souls torn to pieces...
He was my world, my whole life. My reason for breathing. I had a perfect marriage, a baby on the way, and I felt fulfilled—almost invincible.
Until the day life hit, leaving me broken, vulnerable, and alone.
She was my life. My ray of hope on the cloudiest day. With her, I thought I had the ultimate safety. A love that would never hurt or betray me. I gave her my heart, my body, and my soul.
Until she broke me, destroying every dream and illusion I had about life, love, and marriage.
In our grief, we made a mistake. A mistake I'm not sure we can come back from.
He was my world, my whole life. My reason for breathing. I had a perfect marriage, a baby on the way, and I felt fulfilled—almost invincible.
Until the day life hit, leaving me broken, vulnerable, and alone.
She was my life. My ray of hope on the cloudiest day. With her, I thought I had the ultimate safety. A love that would never hurt or betray me. I gave her my heart, my body, and my soul.
Until she broke me, destroying every dream and illusion I had about life, love, and marriage.
In our grief, we made a mistake. A mistake I'm not sure we can come back from.
323 pages, Kindle Edition
First published April 2, 2014
141 people are currently reading
5085 people want to read
About the author
Angie McKeon
2 books379 followersA multi-tasker from birth—and now proudly able to add 'writer' to my resume—I'm a mother, wife and blogger. I love to read, write and drink copious amounts of iced coffee.
All three aforementioned addictions are detrimental to my sanity.
I have a voracious appetite for dark, painful and twisted reads. I'm enamored with the concept of love and heart break. I believe life is a journey, a tale in its own for each of us. The road to happiness is sometimes paved with stones from hell, or glitters of satisfaction graced from the heavens above.
In my upcoming debut novel, 'Against All Odds,' I strive to make you feel. I believe any emotion—whether painful or happy—is good. To me, the key to living is to go through life feeling its ups and downs. Love is dark and it can be painful but, at the end of the day, it can save the most lost of souls and the most broken of hearts.
You can find me here:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/angiemckeona...
Twitter: https://twitter.com/Angie_McKeon
Website: http://angiemckeon.blogspot.com/
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show...
All three aforementioned addictions are detrimental to my sanity.
I have a voracious appetite for dark, painful and twisted reads. I'm enamored with the concept of love and heart break. I believe life is a journey, a tale in its own for each of us. The road to happiness is sometimes paved with stones from hell, or glitters of satisfaction graced from the heavens above.
In my upcoming debut novel, 'Against All Odds,' I strive to make you feel. I believe any emotion—whether painful or happy—is good. To me, the key to living is to go through life feeling its ups and downs. Love is dark and it can be painful but, at the end of the day, it can save the most lost of souls and the most broken of hearts.
You can find me here:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/angiemckeona...
Twitter: https://twitter.com/Angie_McKeon
Website: http://angiemckeon.blogspot.com/
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show...
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 455 reviews
September 6, 2017
5+ picking up the pieces stars!
What do you do when you’re as happier than you ever thought possible... Married to the love of your life, getting ready to start a new and beautiful chapter, and then suddenly, everything changes. The life you knew was torn from you and all thats left are broken pieces of what you used to be? One shattering event changed Kylie and Cooper Bailey forever. And they’re not sure if they can ever recover...
Our heroine, Kylie
Kylie is a broken woman. She is living with loss, regret, and heartbreak every day. She wants to fix her life, but at this point, she doesn’t know how, or even if it’s possible. Every day she lives with the guilt of what her marriage has turned into.
Kylie isn’t perfect. In fact, she’s flawed and destructive. Yet, I sympathized with her. I didn’t agree with a lot of her choices, but I felt for her. I think it’s easy to judge someone on the poor choices they make, but unless you’ve been in their shoes, you really can’t.
Then, there is her husband, Cooper
My feelings for Cooper were so conflicted. I wasn’t his biggest fan in the beginning. The first half of the book, I didn’t care much for him, didn’t really know what to think. Then about half way through, I got his p.o.v. And it changed EVERYTHING. Kylie isn’t the only one who has made mistakes. Cooper has too...
Throughout the first half of the book, I just kept yelling (in my head) at Cooper to wake up! I know he could feel Kylie’s pain, see why she was doing what she was doing. Yet he did nothing. I’m so happy I could finally feel the love for Cooper. He really was a good man, but he was also blind sighted by grief and loss.
My man, and the best friend Grayson
If you’re anything like me, you might wonder.... why? Why choose this ‘open marriage’, why not just divorce. It’s not as easy as you would think... in a normal situation that would be the perfect solution. For Cooper and Kylie, not so much. They need each other, they just can’t meet each others needs at the time.
There were many times I wasn’t sure how this couple would survive, if they could make it. Is there a way to come back from something like this intact?
With everything they have going against them, can Kylie and Cooper make it? Against All Odds, will they pull through?
I know a lot of readers are going to shy away from this one due to the angst and the subject matter and thats really a shame. It’s a shame because this is one of the better books I’ve read this year. It’s so beautifully written, original and refreshing. I would have never guessed this was a debut novel if I hadn’t known. The writing was phenomenal. I was impressed with how unique the story line was, I can’t say I’ve ever read a book quite like this. It evoked many feelings from me. Most of them weren’t all that good, especially in the beginning, but the healing process is a beautiful thing. Just like Kylie and Cooper started to heal, I found myself healing as well.
Now the questions I KNOW everyone will ask- Was there cheating? Was there a love triangle? Not in the traditional sense. Due to their ‘arrangement’ all the lines are blurred. Personally, I would say yes (slightly) to the love triangle ... the cheating, I’m going with no. To me, it was a really fucked up situation, but I wouldn’t call it cheating.
Against All Odds was a spectacular story about love, tragedy, loss, hope and the power of healing. It was an emotional ride... I was in tears for a good part of the book, but I love when a book can bring out those types of feelings in me. Even with some of their poor choices, the characters were likable and relatable. I was wowed by this story. This is a book I enjoyed from start to finish and one I would highly recommend!
*ARC kindly provided by author in exchange for an honest review*
Dreams have a way of shattering you when they don’t work out. The illusion of hope is a very dangerous thing. Once you’ve lost that it’s like a black hole that sucks the very life from your soul, making you doubt your purpose.
What do you do when you’re as happier than you ever thought possible... Married to the love of your life, getting ready to start a new and beautiful chapter, and then suddenly, everything changes. The life you knew was torn from you and all thats left are broken pieces of what you used to be? One shattering event changed Kylie and Cooper Bailey forever. And they’re not sure if they can ever recover...
Our heroine, Kylie
Kylie is a broken woman. She is living with loss, regret, and heartbreak every day. She wants to fix her life, but at this point, she doesn’t know how, or even if it’s possible. Every day she lives with the guilt of what her marriage has turned into.
The truth is... when we start crossing boundaries, things get messy. Often times, one boundary leads to another and another, and before we know it, we’ve crossed so many, we’re screwed.
Kylie isn’t perfect. In fact, she’s flawed and destructive. Yet, I sympathized with her. I didn’t agree with a lot of her choices, but I felt for her. I think it’s easy to judge someone on the poor choices they make, but unless you’ve been in their shoes, you really can’t.
Then, there is her husband, Cooper
My feelings for Cooper were so conflicted. I wasn’t his biggest fan in the beginning. The first half of the book, I didn’t care much for him, didn’t really know what to think. Then about half way through, I got his p.o.v. And it changed EVERYTHING. Kylie isn’t the only one who has made mistakes. Cooper has too...
I’ve starved my wife... I’ve starved her of my love.
Throughout the first half of the book, I just kept yelling (in my head) at Cooper to wake up! I know he could feel Kylie’s pain, see why she was doing what she was doing. Yet he did nothing. I’m so happy I could finally feel the love for Cooper. He really was a good man, but he was also blind sighted by grief and loss.
My man, and the best friend Grayson
“What’s that love costing you?”Along her path of devastation and destruction, Kylie had a friend she could count on. Someone who was always there for her. Who listened to her, loved her and didn’t judge her. That person was Gray, Cooper’s best friend. After two years of being that guy, of course some feelings are going to develop. Gray is sick of standing by and watching Cooper and Kylie self destruct. He’s sick of picking up Kylie’s pieces and watching her hurt herself over and over.
“I swore I’d never get between you and Coop. It wasn’t my place, and it’s never been my intention. When I started taking care of you, all I wanted was to support you guys. But it’s turned into a dysfunctional mess, and I can’t watch him hurt you anymore. I won’t allow it. I just want you happy, sweet cheeks. It kills me to say this, but I don’t think Cooper’s that guy anymore.”I swooned over Grayson. From start to finish, I loved this man. He was sensitive to Kylie’s feelings, of her relationship with Cooper. Two years is a long time to be there for someone like that. He’s an amazing man. One of the hardest things about this story was
If you’re anything like me, you might wonder.... why? Why choose this ‘open marriage’, why not just divorce. It’s not as easy as you would think... in a normal situation that would be the perfect solution. For Cooper and Kylie, not so much. They need each other, they just can’t meet each others needs at the time.
We share a reckless, toxic love that feeds the brokenness in me, in us. Our love is an addiction. A love that I won’t ever consider living without.
There were many times I wasn’t sure how this couple would survive, if they could make it. Is there a way to come back from something like this intact?
With everything they have going against them, can Kylie and Cooper make it? Against All Odds, will they pull through?
I know a lot of readers are going to shy away from this one due to the angst and the subject matter and thats really a shame. It’s a shame because this is one of the better books I’ve read this year. It’s so beautifully written, original and refreshing. I would have never guessed this was a debut novel if I hadn’t known. The writing was phenomenal. I was impressed with how unique the story line was, I can’t say I’ve ever read a book quite like this. It evoked many feelings from me. Most of them weren’t all that good, especially in the beginning, but the healing process is a beautiful thing. Just like Kylie and Cooper started to heal, I found myself healing as well.
Now the questions I KNOW everyone will ask- Was there cheating? Was there a love triangle? Not in the traditional sense. Due to their ‘arrangement’ all the lines are blurred. Personally, I would say yes (slightly) to the love triangle ... the cheating, I’m going with no. To me, it was a really fucked up situation, but I wouldn’t call it cheating.
Against All Odds was a spectacular story about love, tragedy, loss, hope and the power of healing. It was an emotional ride... I was in tears for a good part of the book, but I love when a book can bring out those types of feelings in me. Even with some of their poor choices, the characters were likable and relatable. I was wowed by this story. This is a book I enjoyed from start to finish and one I would highly recommend!
“Never,” I whisper. “I could never regret being with you. I’ve always loved you. That’s never stopped. Even in the most painful moments when I wanted to hate you or when I didn’t understand you, I’ve loved you.”
“We’re a fucked up pair.”
“We are. But we have each other. Even lost, we’ve had each other.”
*ARC kindly provided by author in exchange for an honest review*
Read
August 9, 2016It's live!! >> http://amzn.to/1pOVtwa <<
I don’t have one rating...I have TEN. They are listed at the bottom of this review.
What I looked like when I finished the book:
While I was reading, there were a lot of questions about the following three things so I’m just going to answer them right now and you can decide if this book is for you or not. But no matter how I answer them, remember they are taken out of context and may end up not being a big deal for you so if you were interested in this before, I still urge you to try it out.
Love Triangle:
More details about the triangle -
Cheating:
More details about cheating -
Ending:
Bonus:
Angst: I don’t even need a spoiler tag for this one…MOTHEREFFING YES!!!
Now for those that know me, all of those things combined + angst overload is literally my worst book nightmare come true (as in I will break things/scream like a banshee/hands fisted like claws the entire time) but still...I chose to read it and as much as I hated the book for feeding me so much angst, I don’t regret it. But I would not re-read it either. Once is enough. I agree with what Katy Evans said...this is a book I won’t be forgetting anytime soon.
So the story begins with a heartbreaking prologue. *dun dun dun* Through this unfortunate ordeal, both Kylie and Cooper are physically and emotionally torn apart from each other; both use this experience to lash out at one another and it leads up to one huge betrayal on Kylie’s part which kickstarts their open marriage agreement: they still love each other but it’s too hard to be together so they need space. Now the way I say it here is so stiff, but when I read this part in the book it was quite emotional and I could sort of understand where they were coming from.
“Dreams have a way of shattering you when they don’t work out. The illusion of hope is a very dangerous thing. Once you’ve lost that it’s like a black hole that sucks the very life from your soul, making you doubt your purpose.”
So they work out their arrangement, but at the same time I could tell that it wasn’t what they really wanted...both had endured so much for each other in the past it all tipped over so they’re scared and apprehensive of giving their relationship another chance. But at the same time, they can’t help but feel attached and responsible for one another. No matter how hard they try to lose themselves in alcohol, work, other people, etc...they’re still connected and the author beautifully portrayed it all.
“We share a reckless, toxic love that feeds the brokenness in me, in us. Our love is an addiction. A love that I won’t ever consider living without.”
In the midst of it all, Grayson (BFF to both Kylie and Cooper) is just there for Kylie and supports her through every. damn. thing. that. happens. to. her. In his eyes, there is no one more deserving of love and happiness than Kylie so it’s completely understandable that he falls in love with her. While Kylie loves Grayson dearly and would even die for him, her feelings don’t amount to love and definitely not the love she has for Cooper so she continuously turns him away and furiously works on mending her marriage with Cooper. At the same time, Cooper realizes how much he needs and wants his wife back, and so he too starts to work on his marriage.
Okay rant alert in the spoiler.
I was truly touched by Kylie and Cooper’s healing process. They went through a lot to end up where they are now, and I liked how the author slowly reconnected them so that they had time and enough trust to forgive and move on.
However.
In the process, they broke Grayson.
Truly.
Utterly.
Broke.
His.
Fucking.
Good.
Full-of-life.
HEART.
And I will never, ever forgive them for that.
I don’t care that he’s a third wheel, an outsider looking in, or just their “friend.” He was more than the two of them put together and to see him fall into his rock bottom made me want to punch Kylie in the tit and cut off Cooper’s balls. Still, I have to give props to the author for making me feel elated and relieved that they got closure from their past and found the courage and strength to move forward, but that is all I am willing to feel for them. Really sorry about that, but what they did to Grayson (no matter how much it was in the name of love) was unforgivable in my eyes.
This author did a number on me. I don’t think I’ll ever recover from the story and I find myself thinking about the book almost daily and that scares me. Hopefully by the time I finish this review the voices will die down but somehow, I highly doubt it. Just the writing alone is golden and worth all the angst and heartache I went through.
“We’ve both learned that love is not perfect. It doesn’t come in pretty packages. Sometimes it dents and bruises and does things it regrets, but it also forgives, shows mercy, and supports. It soothes and fights to the death.”
I would recommend this book to people who adore angst and enjoy emotional rollercoasters. Looking back on the story and against all odds, I enjoyed this book to a certain degree...the rest is up for speculation.
Rating list (1-5 scale):
Writing: 10+
Story: 3 – not too plot-oriented; most of the story is focused on emotion
Emotion: 5
Concept: 2 – only because the book reminded me so much of
Steam: 4
Believability: 2 -
Kylie: 2
Cooper: 2
Grayson: 10+
Calia: 2
ARC kindly provided by author in exchange for an honest review. Please note that all quotes are from an advanced copy and may be subject to change.
I don’t have one rating...I have TEN. They are listed at the bottom of this review.
What I looked like when I finished the book:
While I was reading, there were a lot of questions about the following three things so I’m just going to answer them right now and you can decide if this book is for you or not. But no matter how I answer them, remember they are taken out of context and may end up not being a big deal for you so if you were interested in this before, I still urge you to try it out.
Love Triangle:
More details about the triangle -
Cheating:
More details about cheating -
Ending:
Bonus:
Angst: I don’t even need a spoiler tag for this one…MOTHEREFFING YES!!!
Now for those that know me, all of those things combined + angst overload is literally my worst book nightmare come true (as in I will break things/scream like a banshee/hands fisted like claws the entire time) but still...I chose to read it and as much as I hated the book for feeding me so much angst, I don’t regret it. But I would not re-read it either. Once is enough. I agree with what Katy Evans said...this is a book I won’t be forgetting anytime soon.
So the story begins with a heartbreaking prologue. *dun dun dun* Through this unfortunate ordeal, both Kylie and Cooper are physically and emotionally torn apart from each other; both use this experience to lash out at one another and it leads up to one huge betrayal on Kylie’s part which kickstarts their open marriage agreement: they still love each other but it’s too hard to be together so they need space. Now the way I say it here is so stiff, but when I read this part in the book it was quite emotional and I could sort of understand where they were coming from.
“Dreams have a way of shattering you when they don’t work out. The illusion of hope is a very dangerous thing. Once you’ve lost that it’s like a black hole that sucks the very life from your soul, making you doubt your purpose.”
So they work out their arrangement, but at the same time I could tell that it wasn’t what they really wanted...both had endured so much for each other in the past it all tipped over so they’re scared and apprehensive of giving their relationship another chance. But at the same time, they can’t help but feel attached and responsible for one another. No matter how hard they try to lose themselves in alcohol, work, other people, etc...they’re still connected and the author beautifully portrayed it all.
“We share a reckless, toxic love that feeds the brokenness in me, in us. Our love is an addiction. A love that I won’t ever consider living without.”
In the midst of it all, Grayson (BFF to both Kylie and Cooper) is just there for Kylie and supports her through every. damn. thing. that. happens. to. her. In his eyes, there is no one more deserving of love and happiness than Kylie so it’s completely understandable that he falls in love with her. While Kylie loves Grayson dearly and would even die for him, her feelings don’t amount to love and definitely not the love she has for Cooper so she continuously turns him away and furiously works on mending her marriage with Cooper. At the same time, Cooper realizes how much he needs and wants his wife back, and so he too starts to work on his marriage.
Okay rant alert in the spoiler.
I was truly touched by Kylie and Cooper’s healing process. They went through a lot to end up where they are now, and I liked how the author slowly reconnected them so that they had time and enough trust to forgive and move on.
However.
In the process, they broke Grayson.
Truly.
Utterly.
Broke.
His.
Fucking.
Good.
Full-of-life.
HEART.
And I will never, ever forgive them for that.
I don’t care that he’s a third wheel, an outsider looking in, or just their “friend.” He was more than the two of them put together and to see him fall into his rock bottom made me want to punch Kylie in the tit and cut off Cooper’s balls. Still, I have to give props to the author for making me feel elated and relieved that they got closure from their past and found the courage and strength to move forward, but that is all I am willing to feel for them. Really sorry about that, but what they did to Grayson (no matter how much it was in the name of love) was unforgivable in my eyes.
This author did a number on me. I don’t think I’ll ever recover from the story and I find myself thinking about the book almost daily and that scares me. Hopefully by the time I finish this review the voices will die down but somehow, I highly doubt it. Just the writing alone is golden and worth all the angst and heartache I went through.
“We’ve both learned that love is not perfect. It doesn’t come in pretty packages. Sometimes it dents and bruises and does things it regrets, but it also forgives, shows mercy, and supports. It soothes and fights to the death.”
I would recommend this book to people who adore angst and enjoy emotional rollercoasters. Looking back on the story and against all odds, I enjoyed this book to a certain degree...the rest is up for speculation.
Rating list (1-5 scale):
Writing: 10+
Story: 3 – not too plot-oriented; most of the story is focused on emotion
Emotion: 5
Concept: 2 – only because the book reminded me so much of
Steam: 4
Believability: 2 -
Kylie: 2
Cooper: 2
Grayson: 10+
Calia: 2
ARC kindly provided by author in exchange for an honest review. Please note that all quotes are from an advanced copy and may be subject to change.
July 11, 2014
Currently on Sale for 0.99 cents!!!
http://www.amazon.com/Against-All-Odd...
"Our spirits are slowly dying and I'm not sure we'll ever be able to heal from this."
Almost two years ago, Angie McKeon sent me the beginnings of this novel and thus my journey with Kylie, Cooper and Gray began. I’m saddened that it’s over because I would actually squeal every time the next chapter appeared in my email. I was hooked every step of the way and have developed bonds with all the characters. A question a friend or two have asked me is… Can Angie write? The answer is OH YES she can! The characters feelings were written to perfection.
”I needed and craved his love and when he stopped giving it to me, I lost who I was. I felt stuck. Stuck with someone who owned me; heart, body and soul, but didn’t seem to want me anymore.”
The story is told mostly in Kylie’s pov of the tragic event that crushed her and her husband Cooper’s souls and collaterally their wonderful marriage. Kylie proposes the unthinkable…an open marriage and the downward spiral of this couple is crippling not only to readers but to their best friend, Gray. Gray loves them both but his feelings for Kylie grow and if Cooper isn’t interested in being what Kylie needs, than he is willing to be the man in her life.
”If you don’t get your shit together, then I’m done. I’m not standing in the shadows anymore.”
Cooper and Kylie run a successful business and even though their marriage is more than rocky the business for me seemed to hold that last bit of their dreams together for both characters.
When Cooper’s pov is introduced, it was a huge eye opener and I rallied behind him in getting his marriage back on track. The lines of communication and trust have been shattered but this reader cheered Cooper on every step of the way while crushing hard on Gray.
[image error]
Overall, this story is high the angst, high on the grief, high on wit and last but certainly not least it’s downright HOT. I would recommend this read to anyone looking for something different so sit back and be prepared to feel!
*I was lucky to have had the opportunity to beta read for Angie McKeon*
http://www.amazon.com/Against-All-Odd...
"Our spirits are slowly dying and I'm not sure we'll ever be able to heal from this."
Almost two years ago, Angie McKeon sent me the beginnings of this novel and thus my journey with Kylie, Cooper and Gray began. I’m saddened that it’s over because I would actually squeal every time the next chapter appeared in my email. I was hooked every step of the way and have developed bonds with all the characters. A question a friend or two have asked me is… Can Angie write? The answer is OH YES she can! The characters feelings were written to perfection.
”I needed and craved his love and when he stopped giving it to me, I lost who I was. I felt stuck. Stuck with someone who owned me; heart, body and soul, but didn’t seem to want me anymore.”
The story is told mostly in Kylie’s pov of the tragic event that crushed her and her husband Cooper’s souls and collaterally their wonderful marriage. Kylie proposes the unthinkable…an open marriage and the downward spiral of this couple is crippling not only to readers but to their best friend, Gray. Gray loves them both but his feelings for Kylie grow and if Cooper isn’t interested in being what Kylie needs, than he is willing to be the man in her life.
”If you don’t get your shit together, then I’m done. I’m not standing in the shadows anymore.”
Cooper and Kylie run a successful business and even though their marriage is more than rocky the business for me seemed to hold that last bit of their dreams together for both characters.
When Cooper’s pov is introduced, it was a huge eye opener and I rallied behind him in getting his marriage back on track. The lines of communication and trust have been shattered but this reader cheered Cooper on every step of the way while crushing hard on Gray.
[image error]
Overall, this story is high the angst, high on the grief, high on wit and last but certainly not least it’s downright HOT. I would recommend this read to anyone looking for something different so sit back and be prepared to feel!
*I was lucky to have had the opportunity to beta read for Angie McKeon*
April 3, 2014
Against All Odds is a beautifully written debut novel. This compelling, emotional journey had me captivated from the start.
Angst ✓
Heartache ✓
Love ✓
Friendship ✓
Hope ✓
We weren't strong enough for what life handed us, and it’s torn every piece of our lives to shreds.
Kylie had it all – until one day she didn't. After suffering a tragic loss, Kylie and her husband, Cooper struggle to deal with the aftermath. Overcome with grief and loneliness, and the distance between them continues to grow – Kylie makes a proposal that changes everything, an open marriage. I know…WHAT?!?!?WHY?!?! But, I felt her pain – she is lost, destructive, and screaming out. Would I make the same choices, probably not - but I sympathized with her struggle.
Cooper loves his wife, but he needs time to deal with his grief and feelings of powerlessness. He is detached and unable to offer her the comfort she needs. So, when she suggests opening their marriage, he doesn't fight her. Will this agreement help them through the pain, or will it destroy what they have beyond repair?
And then we have Gray, the best friend - who ends up in the middle of this disaster Kylie and Cooper have created. Gray has been there for Kylie, never letting her down. After two years his feelings for Kylie have changed and he is tired of seeing her continue to self-destruct.
This is a painful story, I read a good portion of it with tears in my eyes. What Kylie and Cooper endure is truly heartbreaking. And the way they deal with it only causes them more pain. I lived this story with them - the sorrow, anger, hope - I was right there every step of the way. I was constantly frustrated with them - it was obvious they were both in pain, yet neither one would do anything to help the other. I wanted to shake them - beg them to open their eyes. Will they find their way back to each other? Can a marriage survive the consequences of their actions? The questions just continued to build up - I couldn't stop reading. This story packs a emotional punch, I felt so many things, good and bad - it left it's mark, and I love that.
“We’re a fucked up pair.”
“We are. But we have each other. Even lost, we've had each other.”
**ARC kindly provided by author in exchange for an honest review**
Read
April 19, 2018I am seriously considering changing my tag from ARC reviewers are big fat liars to ARC reviewers are big fat fucking liars.
It's lollipops and roses on these OTT, purply prose ARC book reviews until you get to people that actually bought it then it's 1 and 2 stars.
This is just from the blurb...
She was my life. My ray of hope on the cloudiest day. With her, I thought I had the ultimate safety. A love that would never hurt or betray me. I gave her my heart, my body, and my soul.
Really?
It's lollipops and roses on these OTT, purply prose ARC book reviews until you get to people that actually bought it then it's 1 and 2 stars.
This is just from the blurb...
She was my life. My ray of hope on the cloudiest day. With her, I thought I had the ultimate safety. A love that would never hurt or betray me. I gave her my heart, my body, and my soul.
Really?
Read
February 9, 2015High angst....
Comparisons to Arsen and the Avoiding series...which means possible love triangle and/or cheating.
This doesn't sound like it's a book for me...
Comparisons to Arsen and the Avoiding series...which means possible love triangle and/or cheating.
This doesn't sound like it's a book for me...
February 14, 2014
My God.
What a book. What.a.book.
What an emotional and gripping tale of love, loss, hope...everything.
I will write a review closer to release but seriously--seriously--add it to your TBR list if you want a book that will make you *feel*
Wow.
What a book. What.a.book.
What an emotional and gripping tale of love, loss, hope...everything.
I will write a review closer to release but seriously--seriously--add it to your TBR list if you want a book that will make you *feel*
Wow.
November 19, 2022
3.5 Stars
Kylie & Cooper are married for a few years now but their marriage is broken. They are crossing boundaries and things are getting ugly. Instead of solving their problems, they are inflicting more pain on each other. They are playing with fire. Their love is an addiction and toxic. They are like two people who can’t live without each other but they also don’t know how to live with one another anymore. They are so messed up…
You should not blame anyone here. Both of them made mistakes. They have gone to the point that facing their problems causes them more pain and terror. The first part is told from Kylie’s POV. The way she sees her life. The pain she’s tolerating because of her mistakes and bad decisions. And she knows it! She can’t let Cooper go. The second part is from Cooper’s POV, he knows he’s messed up and knows his mistakes too…
Told in dual POV, 1st person, it’s the first installment in the "Against" series and it’s not cliffy. My big issue is that when they both started to sort everything out, that part was a bit rushed in comparison to the other parts of the story. And toward the end the story dragged until I couldn’t continue reading and started skimming. The writing made me exhausted emotionally and I liked that. The story itself is full angsty. I can’t say that I liked the characters for sure though. Overall, to me it was one of those stories that you don’t know you like it or not but hope you enjoy it nonetheless!
Kylie & Cooper are married for a few years now but their marriage is broken. They are crossing boundaries and things are getting ugly. Instead of solving their problems, they are inflicting more pain on each other. They are playing with fire. Their love is an addiction and toxic. They are like two people who can’t live without each other but they also don’t know how to live with one another anymore. They are so messed up…
You should not blame anyone here. Both of them made mistakes. They have gone to the point that facing their problems causes them more pain and terror. The first part is told from Kylie’s POV. The way she sees her life. The pain she’s tolerating because of her mistakes and bad decisions. And she knows it! She can’t let Cooper go. The second part is from Cooper’s POV, he knows he’s messed up and knows his mistakes too…
Told in dual POV, 1st person, it’s the first installment in the "Against" series and it’s not cliffy. My big issue is that when they both started to sort everything out, that part was a bit rushed in comparison to the other parts of the story. And toward the end the story dragged until I couldn’t continue reading and started skimming. The writing made me exhausted emotionally and I liked that. The story itself is full angsty. I can’t say that I liked the characters for sure though. Overall, to me it was one of those stories that you don’t know you like it or not but hope you enjoy it nonetheless!
April 18, 2018
Edit update
I think in the years since I have read this book I have become so intolerant of cheating that even for the writing I can’t give it a 3* anymore.
April 21, 2014
In her debut novel, Angie McKeon says she strives “to make you feel.” I can guarantee that she met her goal with me. I’m just not sure they were the feelings she was intent on achieving – at least where this reader was concerned. I had a very difficult time with this book from start to finish. I think McKeon has strong writing skills and the makings of a successful author, but these characters didn’t evoke much sympathy from me – other than for the loss of their child.
I’ve had two miscarriages myself and through the years watched as family and friends lost children tragically. Never have I ever seen any of them deal with the sorrow and pain in such a manner as shown here. Of course they grieved, endured horrible agony and withdrew for lengthy periods of time, and some sought counseling. And yes, one couple even divorced after an affair. But none ever ran helter-skelter destroying lives of their partners, friends or innocent people who cared about them with the type of bizarre behavior these characters displayed.
I felt that Cooper took the worst of the wrap – and why, I’m not sure. His loss was equal to Kylie’s. Kylie, in my opinion, expected to be nurtured, placed on a pedestal, and kept on center stage. She came off as a selfish and self-centered drama queen. And the open marriage plot sickened and disgusted me. I can’t understand how anyone would, in their wildest imagination, ever think this would have a positive or healing effect for the problems facing Kylie and Cooper. And yes, I see it as cheating. If you choose to be with someone other than your spouse, get a divorce.
And then there’s the “love” triangle between Kylie, Cooper and Gray that frankly disgusted me (and I’m not a hater in general of the love triangle trope). I’m not letting Gray off the hook for his part in this ill-fated mess either. In my opinion, he turned his back on his best friend of over twenty years without anything but selfish motives. Yes, Kylie played, teased, and tempted him but, in turn, he was a first-class enabler where she was concerned. I’m glad I don’t have to choose any of the three for a best friend – but if I did, at this point Cooper comes out on top.
I realize I am in the minority on this one – but for me personally, this one stretches the scope of realism too far to accept, excuse or overlook.
I’ve had two miscarriages myself and through the years watched as family and friends lost children tragically. Never have I ever seen any of them deal with the sorrow and pain in such a manner as shown here. Of course they grieved, endured horrible agony and withdrew for lengthy periods of time, and some sought counseling. And yes, one couple even divorced after an affair. But none ever ran helter-skelter destroying lives of their partners, friends or innocent people who cared about them with the type of bizarre behavior these characters displayed.
I felt that Cooper took the worst of the wrap – and why, I’m not sure. His loss was equal to Kylie’s. Kylie, in my opinion, expected to be nurtured, placed on a pedestal, and kept on center stage. She came off as a selfish and self-centered drama queen. And the open marriage plot sickened and disgusted me. I can’t understand how anyone would, in their wildest imagination, ever think this would have a positive or healing effect for the problems facing Kylie and Cooper. And yes, I see it as cheating. If you choose to be with someone other than your spouse, get a divorce.
And then there’s the “love” triangle between Kylie, Cooper and Gray that frankly disgusted me (and I’m not a hater in general of the love triangle trope). I’m not letting Gray off the hook for his part in this ill-fated mess either. In my opinion, he turned his back on his best friend of over twenty years without anything but selfish motives. Yes, Kylie played, teased, and tempted him but, in turn, he was a first-class enabler where she was concerned. I’m glad I don’t have to choose any of the three for a best friend – but if I did, at this point Cooper comes out on top.
I realize I am in the minority on this one – but for me personally, this one stretches the scope of realism too far to accept, excuse or overlook.
April 6, 2014
5++++++++ (There really aren't enough to express how much I loved this story) STARS!!!!
I can't believe just how much this story has affected me!!
I'm sitting here blown away by how much I absolutely LOVED it!
Angst is something that does not scare me.
I crave it!!!!
This one had an abundance of ANGST.
My heart broke time and time again.
This is the heartbreaking story of Cooper and Kylie Bailey.
They have suffered the most painful loss imaginable.
Their daughter died while Kylie was giving birth to her.
Cooper and Kylie were once a couple who had it all and who were truly, madly, and deeply in love.
Kayla's death rips these two apart.
They've both been so devastated by it that they fail to be there for each other.
Cooper feels like he failed his wife because he couldn't save their daughter and couldn't be the rock she needed to help her through.
Kylie let her grief take over and it was almost as if she died with little Kayla.
I felt that pain and that grief for these two!!
Months go by and Kylie tries to make a connection with Coop, but he keeps pushing her away.
After being rejected so many times, Kylie loses her mind, and proposes that the two make their marriage an open one, so that they both can find physical connections with other people.
The rules are, they always are to come home every night to each other, and they are not to get involved with each other's friends.
I'm thinking right from the start, this is a BAD idea!!
This is not going to help them get over their loss and bring them back together.
The story starts out with it being two years into this "Open Marriage" arrangement.
It's obvious neither is very happy.
Thank goodness the story is told in DUAL POVs because it was so beneficial to get inside both of their heads.
Things really get heated when Cooper's best friend, Grayson, makes his feelings known for Kylie.
He's been her rock the past two years but now he wants to be more.
He's done watching Cooper break her heart over and over.
Gray wants to swoop in and have his shot at love with Kylie.
What will Coop do?
The man who seems indifferent to his wife.
There are so many heart breaking moments and I cried several times.
This is definitely a story in which you'll need to have a box of tissues handy.
I never once hated Kylie or Cooper.
I was able to empathize with the both of them.
The sexy time is also SCORCHING, SIZZLING HOT!!!
I fell HARD for COOP!!
If the role of PRESIDENT for TEAM COOPER is open, I'd like to nominate myself!!
He had me both SWOONING and CRYING!!
Angie's writing was FLAWLESS and boy the way she tells a story doesn't make you feel like you're an outsider looking in. NO!
She made me feel like I was experiencing the love, pain, sorrow, and joy first hand!!!
I give a lot of books 5's but honestly, I don't always say that there aren't enough STARs to describe how much I LOVED the book!!
This book is definitely going in my TOP TEN of 2014!!
Yes, you know from my review, this is about cheating, and sort of a triangle, but damn if it wasn't just about the most PERFECT story I've read so far!!!!
Angie is definitely an author I will be following and would advise you all to take notice of her!!!
I will be one clicking anything this lady publishes!!
"I need you. I need you there. I know you're struggling. I know, but you're my air right now. If you're not there, I'm going to suffocate. Please don't do this to me. Please, I can't do this on my own." - Cooper
Things between us are broken, but I know without a doubt that I love him with all that's in me. I always have. - Kylie
He is the only man I've ever loved, the only man I've ever allowed inside my body and heart. I've carried his child within me, and the love I feel for him is interwoven with my very identity.
Without him, I'm nothing. - Kylie
I'm overcome with emotion as I gaze at her. She's the answer to my every prayer, need, and want. - Cooper
My heart is this girl's for the taking. I want to make her happy. I want her to feel every ounce of love I have for her. She keeps me breathing. - Cooper
I can't believe just how much this story has affected me!!
I'm sitting here blown away by how much I absolutely LOVED it!
Angst is something that does not scare me.
I crave it!!!!
This one had an abundance of ANGST.
My heart broke time and time again.
This is the heartbreaking story of Cooper and Kylie Bailey.
They have suffered the most painful loss imaginable.
Their daughter died while Kylie was giving birth to her.
Cooper and Kylie were once a couple who had it all and who were truly, madly, and deeply in love.
Kayla's death rips these two apart.
They've both been so devastated by it that they fail to be there for each other.
Cooper feels like he failed his wife because he couldn't save their daughter and couldn't be the rock she needed to help her through.
Kylie let her grief take over and it was almost as if she died with little Kayla.
I felt that pain and that grief for these two!!
Months go by and Kylie tries to make a connection with Coop, but he keeps pushing her away.
After being rejected so many times, Kylie loses her mind, and proposes that the two make their marriage an open one, so that they both can find physical connections with other people.
The rules are, they always are to come home every night to each other, and they are not to get involved with each other's friends.
I'm thinking right from the start, this is a BAD idea!!
This is not going to help them get over their loss and bring them back together.
The story starts out with it being two years into this "Open Marriage" arrangement.
It's obvious neither is very happy.
Thank goodness the story is told in DUAL POVs because it was so beneficial to get inside both of their heads.
Things really get heated when Cooper's best friend, Grayson, makes his feelings known for Kylie.
He's been her rock the past two years but now he wants to be more.
He's done watching Cooper break her heart over and over.
Gray wants to swoop in and have his shot at love with Kylie.
What will Coop do?
The man who seems indifferent to his wife.
There are so many heart breaking moments and I cried several times.
This is definitely a story in which you'll need to have a box of tissues handy.
I never once hated Kylie or Cooper.
I was able to empathize with the both of them.
The sexy time is also SCORCHING, SIZZLING HOT!!!
I fell HARD for COOP!!
If the role of PRESIDENT for TEAM COOPER is open, I'd like to nominate myself!!
He had me both SWOONING and CRYING!!
Angie's writing was FLAWLESS and boy the way she tells a story doesn't make you feel like you're an outsider looking in. NO!
She made me feel like I was experiencing the love, pain, sorrow, and joy first hand!!!
I give a lot of books 5's but honestly, I don't always say that there aren't enough STARs to describe how much I LOVED the book!!
This book is definitely going in my TOP TEN of 2014!!
Yes, you know from my review, this is about cheating, and sort of a triangle, but damn if it wasn't just about the most PERFECT story I've read so far!!!!
Angie is definitely an author I will be following and would advise you all to take notice of her!!!
I will be one clicking anything this lady publishes!!
"I need you. I need you there. I know you're struggling. I know, but you're my air right now. If you're not there, I'm going to suffocate. Please don't do this to me. Please, I can't do this on my own." - Cooper
Things between us are broken, but I know without a doubt that I love him with all that's in me. I always have. - Kylie
He is the only man I've ever loved, the only man I've ever allowed inside my body and heart. I've carried his child within me, and the love I feel for him is interwoven with my very identity.
Without him, I'm nothing. - Kylie
I'm overcome with emotion as I gaze at her. She's the answer to my every prayer, need, and want. - Cooper
My heart is this girl's for the taking. I want to make her happy. I want her to feel every ounce of love I have for her. She keeps me breathing. - Cooper
April 3, 2014
Against All Odds was my very first experience beta reading for an author. I was a nervous wreck, honest to God. I've followed Angie as a blogger forever, I've been friendly with her before she even created her blog. My biggest fear was hurting her feelings. I had no idea what to expect. This was her debut! This could be a train wreck. How could I be forthright about things I didn't like with sweet, sweet Angie? How could I tell her that writing just isn't her thing? But I committed myself to being honest, no matter what. Angie came to me because of my reputation as an honest, critical reviewer, and I owed her that honesty. So I jumped right in...
Well, now I'm a little pissed off at Angie McKeon. Imagine finding out that your next door neighbor baked delicious cupcakes every single day, ten feet from your house, and never offered to share them with you. Imagine finding out there was a hidden Starbucks right around the corner from your house that you never knew existed. Imagine finding out that your husband bought you a much coveted designer bag and then hid it in the back of your closet and never told you it was there. The cupcakes... the Starbucks... the bag... that is Angie McKeon. The hidden deliciousness that I just now discovered was unfairly kept from me for far too long.
I can't wrap my mind around the fact that this was a debut novel. The writing in this amazingly crafted story was so fluid, so meticulous, so well seasoned. I'm blown away by the abilities of this author to tell such an amazing story, to evoke the array of feelings that I did, indeed, feel. On her first freaking try!!!
During my read, I made some side notes, minor little details about the story that I felt were inconsistent, out of place... but I am so glad that I had the opportunity to read this book in one shot, instead of chapter by chapter as some betas do. Because by the end of the story, you see that those little details made perfect sense. They were part of a bigger picture that I just hadn't seen yet. A beautiful, painful, hopeful, heartbreaking picture that I can not stop staring at.
I live for an angsty read. I want to feel things. I want to feel everything. I want my heart to break over and over again. Sure, I love for my heart to be glued back together by the end, but I don't ever want a guarantee that it actually will. I don't know what it says about me, that I love the pain as much as the joy in a story, but it's true. I love the hurt. Probably more. And hurt, I did. I want characters to destroy each other. I want them to destroy me, as a reader. And they did. This book made me want to throw things... something so out of the norm for a reader like me. I'm so often disappointed in indie books of late. I'm so tired of the same story lines and unoriginality of authors being cranked out at warp speed. I spend so much of my time reading, noting the flaws in writing style, or inconsistencies in plot lines, that I tend to miss the feelings an author wanted me to feel. And that's not my fault... that's the author's. Suck me in and make me feel your book, or I'm going to be too bored and distracted not to miss all the areas you're lacking. Angie McKeon pulled me so deep into this story, I couldn't NOT feel. I felt things that I haven't felt while reading a book in so long. Maybe ever.
I felt the obvious heartbreak. The circumstances these characters find themselves in is absolute torture. A situation that doesn't seem like it could possibly get any worse, does. Cooper and Kylie's inability to deal with loss in a healthy way makes for the most heartbreaking journey. And I felt every awful step of it. I wasn't an outsider in this book, I was in it.
The characters in this story are perfection. Flawed, ugly, beautiful, tainted, broken perfection. Cooper. Kylie. Grayson. Calia. Layla. It took me a while to decide if I liked them. Who I liked. If I could connect and relate to them. Any of them. Whose happy ending did I want to see? Did anyone deserve one? Even if they did, would this story allow for it? Who was the villain in this story? Was there one at all? It took me a while to juxtapose the present day characters with their flashback selves. These characters changed almost beyond recognition from who they were before tragedy broke them, to who they are now. It made for an amazing roller coaster of emotions and possibilities, wondering who these people really were, why they were behaving in such a way, and where they could possibly go from there...
I got goosebumps. Honest to God, real life, goosebumps. That never happens. I cried for three chapters straight. This is not me blowing smoke. I don't do that either. I don't cry. I have cried... in a handful of books that were just so good, it demanded it of me. But it's a rare thing for me. And it happened in this book. A lot. I was floored by this story, by these characters, but above everything else, I was floored by this author. Angie McKeon's beautiful debut story of love, loss, heartbreak, hope, redemption and forgiveness will stay with me indefinitely.
Well, now I'm a little pissed off at Angie McKeon. Imagine finding out that your next door neighbor baked delicious cupcakes every single day, ten feet from your house, and never offered to share them with you. Imagine finding out there was a hidden Starbucks right around the corner from your house that you never knew existed. Imagine finding out that your husband bought you a much coveted designer bag and then hid it in the back of your closet and never told you it was there. The cupcakes... the Starbucks... the bag... that is Angie McKeon. The hidden deliciousness that I just now discovered was unfairly kept from me for far too long.
I can't wrap my mind around the fact that this was a debut novel. The writing in this amazingly crafted story was so fluid, so meticulous, so well seasoned. I'm blown away by the abilities of this author to tell such an amazing story, to evoke the array of feelings that I did, indeed, feel. On her first freaking try!!!
During my read, I made some side notes, minor little details about the story that I felt were inconsistent, out of place... but I am so glad that I had the opportunity to read this book in one shot, instead of chapter by chapter as some betas do. Because by the end of the story, you see that those little details made perfect sense. They were part of a bigger picture that I just hadn't seen yet. A beautiful, painful, hopeful, heartbreaking picture that I can not stop staring at.
I live for an angsty read. I want to feel things. I want to feel everything. I want my heart to break over and over again. Sure, I love for my heart to be glued back together by the end, but I don't ever want a guarantee that it actually will. I don't know what it says about me, that I love the pain as much as the joy in a story, but it's true. I love the hurt. Probably more. And hurt, I did. I want characters to destroy each other. I want them to destroy me, as a reader. And they did. This book made me want to throw things... something so out of the norm for a reader like me. I'm so often disappointed in indie books of late. I'm so tired of the same story lines and unoriginality of authors being cranked out at warp speed. I spend so much of my time reading, noting the flaws in writing style, or inconsistencies in plot lines, that I tend to miss the feelings an author wanted me to feel. And that's not my fault... that's the author's. Suck me in and make me feel your book, or I'm going to be too bored and distracted not to miss all the areas you're lacking. Angie McKeon pulled me so deep into this story, I couldn't NOT feel. I felt things that I haven't felt while reading a book in so long. Maybe ever.
I felt the obvious heartbreak. The circumstances these characters find themselves in is absolute torture. A situation that doesn't seem like it could possibly get any worse, does. Cooper and Kylie's inability to deal with loss in a healthy way makes for the most heartbreaking journey. And I felt every awful step of it. I wasn't an outsider in this book, I was in it.
The characters in this story are perfection. Flawed, ugly, beautiful, tainted, broken perfection. Cooper. Kylie. Grayson. Calia. Layla. It took me a while to decide if I liked them. Who I liked. If I could connect and relate to them. Any of them. Whose happy ending did I want to see? Did anyone deserve one? Even if they did, would this story allow for it? Who was the villain in this story? Was there one at all? It took me a while to juxtapose the present day characters with their flashback selves. These characters changed almost beyond recognition from who they were before tragedy broke them, to who they are now. It made for an amazing roller coaster of emotions and possibilities, wondering who these people really were, why they were behaving in such a way, and where they could possibly go from there...
I got goosebumps. Honest to God, real life, goosebumps. That never happens. I cried for three chapters straight. This is not me blowing smoke. I don't do that either. I don't cry. I have cried... in a handful of books that were just so good, it demanded it of me. But it's a rare thing for me. And it happened in this book. A lot. I was floored by this story, by these characters, but above everything else, I was floored by this author. Angie McKeon's beautiful debut story of love, loss, heartbreak, hope, redemption and forgiveness will stay with me indefinitely.
March 26, 2018
I DEVOURED this book! I loved Kylie and Cooper's story and I'm hoping Grayson gets his own book!
June 2, 2018
I knew what I was in for when I went in to read this book. Got the gist from a few reviews. I just haven’t found any good safe books in a while so thought why not? It was on my sisters kindle so I won’t give it one star PURELY for the reason of the subject matter which readers are aware of. Cheating repulses me. If I know my protagonists have been with OP, when they THEN have an intimate scene, I skim it. Because I personally wouldn’t touch someone who has touched someone else. The betrayal would be at the forefront of my mind and all I’d do is rehash or imagine them doing the same thing to someone else. I apply the same prospect to fictional characters. It’s hella annoying, but that’s my preferences.
I felt for the girl. Honestly. Imagine losing a kid and having a still born. And then wanting emotional support from your husband. He’s not giving it. He’s ignoring you. Abandoning you. Instead he sends his bestfriend to tend to you and dives headfirst into work. Clearly he’s suffering and this is a tactic of diversion. But at the same time he can’t stand to be around you. Months go by and they haven’t been intimate. She’s begging him. He denies her. When he does touch her, he goes through some sort of panic attack mid intimacy and thinks of their dead daughter as part of her. She’s on the shot like always, but he no longer wants to go bareback and insists on a condom. And then he point blank refuses to fuck her. She feels like she repulses him and needs the intimacy in their relationship to feel loved. Like any normal person I suppose. In his mind, he’s just working through shit. It’s not that he wants anyone else, but equally he can’t fathom touching her.
He cuts himself off. That’s not a marriage. No emotional or physical support is being shared between them. She suggests an open marriage after a year or so. He’s shocked, in pain. Swiftly agrees. It’s a kick to her stomach that he doesn’t mind sharing her and so readily agreed. Reinforces that he wants other women but not her. Ironically for him, it’s a test to drive them together. He doesn’t think she’ll go through with it and will come back to him. After all they’ve been together since they were 16. She does, she fucks a random guy at a hotel. He followed her and saw it. There’s a lot of anger, hurt, resentment, pain. They cut one another off more and more. She comes home smelling like another man every few nights. He’s tortured. It’s convoluted and sad, but how do you allow your marriage to get to that stage? It’s an insult to your dead daughter. She nearly gets raped one night and doesn’t tell him for fear he’ll condemn her further. Instead she takes emotional relief from his best friend (a player) who starts to fall for her after all the time they are spending together. Her husband starts making her think he’s fucking other women in a revenge scheme of sorts. Her husband’s best-friend who has been her rock and watched her break down is 100% making the moves because he’s 100% genuinely in love with her. Her husband finally ends up fucking a coworker they both work with (because they both work at the same company) after he sees her leaving to have sex with a potential business partner.
Honestly these two protags were flimsy. It’s a mockery of marriage, commitment and vows. Thus the ever present line of advice you will hear from people: communication is important. What if he just told her? Or she just told him. What weak human beings to do this to people who are the most important people in their lives. I mean I get what drove her to that point, but every man after that, was on her. And not fighting, and caving in to the open marriage, then another woman and ignoring her was on him. Fucking with your wife’s head like that after she’s been through such a turmoil, mate who does that to someone they love. I especially detest it when a man cheats unfortunately. He was horrible to her. It’s too convoluted to come back from infidelity. One time occurrence, I can see why people boil that down to a mistake and retry in relationships even if I personally don’t agree with it. This wasn’t one time, this was an open marriage neither party wanted, but never expressed because they numbed themselves. All over a child who didn’t even get to see the light of day.
So no, they should have gotten a divorce. Because a man who treats his wife like dirt the way this guy did, and a woman who is consistently drowning in grief and always needs someone else to pick her up cannot resume this relationship. She needed to leave. No relationship with him or the friend. Obviously they resolve it and she gets preggars and the writing handled it delicately but for real they don’t stand a chance.
The next book is about the best friend who genuinely loved the h. More than life itself. He was completely consumed with her. She had feelings for him. He moved away for a fresh start. I feel for the poor woman he’ll trap. 😂
I felt for the girl. Honestly. Imagine losing a kid and having a still born. And then wanting emotional support from your husband. He’s not giving it. He’s ignoring you. Abandoning you. Instead he sends his bestfriend to tend to you and dives headfirst into work. Clearly he’s suffering and this is a tactic of diversion. But at the same time he can’t stand to be around you. Months go by and they haven’t been intimate. She’s begging him. He denies her. When he does touch her, he goes through some sort of panic attack mid intimacy and thinks of their dead daughter as part of her. She’s on the shot like always, but he no longer wants to go bareback and insists on a condom. And then he point blank refuses to fuck her. She feels like she repulses him and needs the intimacy in their relationship to feel loved. Like any normal person I suppose. In his mind, he’s just working through shit. It’s not that he wants anyone else, but equally he can’t fathom touching her.
He cuts himself off. That’s not a marriage. No emotional or physical support is being shared between them. She suggests an open marriage after a year or so. He’s shocked, in pain. Swiftly agrees. It’s a kick to her stomach that he doesn’t mind sharing her and so readily agreed. Reinforces that he wants other women but not her. Ironically for him, it’s a test to drive them together. He doesn’t think she’ll go through with it and will come back to him. After all they’ve been together since they were 16. She does, she fucks a random guy at a hotel. He followed her and saw it. There’s a lot of anger, hurt, resentment, pain. They cut one another off more and more. She comes home smelling like another man every few nights. He’s tortured. It’s convoluted and sad, but how do you allow your marriage to get to that stage? It’s an insult to your dead daughter. She nearly gets raped one night and doesn’t tell him for fear he’ll condemn her further. Instead she takes emotional relief from his best friend (a player) who starts to fall for her after all the time they are spending together. Her husband starts making her think he’s fucking other women in a revenge scheme of sorts. Her husband’s best-friend who has been her rock and watched her break down is 100% making the moves because he’s 100% genuinely in love with her. Her husband finally ends up fucking a coworker they both work with (because they both work at the same company) after he sees her leaving to have sex with a potential business partner.
Honestly these two protags were flimsy. It’s a mockery of marriage, commitment and vows. Thus the ever present line of advice you will hear from people: communication is important. What if he just told her? Or she just told him. What weak human beings to do this to people who are the most important people in their lives. I mean I get what drove her to that point, but every man after that, was on her. And not fighting, and caving in to the open marriage, then another woman and ignoring her was on him. Fucking with your wife’s head like that after she’s been through such a turmoil, mate who does that to someone they love. I especially detest it when a man cheats unfortunately. He was horrible to her. It’s too convoluted to come back from infidelity. One time occurrence, I can see why people boil that down to a mistake and retry in relationships even if I personally don’t agree with it. This wasn’t one time, this was an open marriage neither party wanted, but never expressed because they numbed themselves. All over a child who didn’t even get to see the light of day.
So no, they should have gotten a divorce. Because a man who treats his wife like dirt the way this guy did, and a woman who is consistently drowning in grief and always needs someone else to pick her up cannot resume this relationship. She needed to leave. No relationship with him or the friend. Obviously they resolve it and she gets preggars and the writing handled it delicately but for real they don’t stand a chance.
The next book is about the best friend who genuinely loved the h. More than life itself. He was completely consumed with her. She had feelings for him. He moved away for a fresh start. I feel for the poor woman he’ll trap. 😂
March 16, 2015
”OUR lives shattered...
OUR hearts broken...
OUR souls torn to pieces...“
» I'm still feeling sooooo emotional ... «
AGAINST ALL ODDS is about Kylie & Cooper. They are happily married and crazy in love with each other.
Then something terrible happens to them
Two years later, Kylie & Cooper are still struggling in their marriage. Although they still love each other, they are drifting more and more apart..
And this is when GRAYSON - Cooper's best friend since childhood - comes into play. He is there for both of them...but mostly for KYLIE.
***minor spoilers***
IMO this is not your typical LOVE TRIANGLE STORY .
For me it's more a LOVE CONQUERS ALL kind of book.
It's only because of GRAYSON and his feelings for KYLIE that COOPER finally realises he could actually loose the love of his life.
I really loved this book and all the ANGST!
The author's writing style is amazing. I also loved the fact that this book is written in Kylie & Cooper's POV.
All in all, this was an absolute winner for me!
November 12, 2016
4.5 STARS
Kylie and Cooper were two people in love, blissfully happy, with their future all planned out. Until tragedy came knocking at their door and split their perfect world in two, leaving them broken, battered and struggling with every breath to see through the aftermath.
This is a heartbreaking story about loss, betrayal, love and forgiveness. The toll that a loss like Cooper and Kylie's can take on a person and a marriage is unimaginable, unthinkable and this story will give you a heart wrenching insight into this kind of soul crushing devastation. The author almost dares you not to question, empathise, or feel with her evocative and descriptive writing style. It was just simply not possible while reading this story.
“I need to pretend my marriage isn’t broken. That my heart and soul aren’t lost”
In the midst of their sorrow and desperation, Kylie and Cooper decide to open up their marriage. The chaos, heartbreak and angst that ensues from this decision is enough to have your heart racing and crying out alongside theirs. The secondary characters are fantastic, adding a dash of humour and an extra dose of swoon worthy moments.
This is a story that deserves and needs to be experienced with an open and unclouded mind. So I’ll keep this relatively short. Just know that if and when you decide to give this book a chance, take a deep breath, as it's likely to sink its claws into you instantly.
“Sometimes loving someone’s a choice. When all the lusty feelings disappear and we’re left looking at cold, careless, and painful reality, we have to choose whether or not to love.”
I've read my fair share of books over the years, especially angst filled ones. Against All Odds really is unlike anything I've read before. Unique with its storyline and character driven plot, and truly unputdownable. So much so, you'll never guess it's actually Angie McKeon's debut novel. This is a must read for my fellow angst lovers!
Kylie and Cooper were two people in love, blissfully happy, with their future all planned out. Until tragedy came knocking at their door and split their perfect world in two, leaving them broken, battered and struggling with every breath to see through the aftermath.
This is a heartbreaking story about loss, betrayal, love and forgiveness. The toll that a loss like Cooper and Kylie's can take on a person and a marriage is unimaginable, unthinkable and this story will give you a heart wrenching insight into this kind of soul crushing devastation. The author almost dares you not to question, empathise, or feel with her evocative and descriptive writing style. It was just simply not possible while reading this story.
“I need to pretend my marriage isn’t broken. That my heart and soul aren’t lost”
In the midst of their sorrow and desperation, Kylie and Cooper decide to open up their marriage. The chaos, heartbreak and angst that ensues from this decision is enough to have your heart racing and crying out alongside theirs. The secondary characters are fantastic, adding a dash of humour and an extra dose of swoon worthy moments.
This is a story that deserves and needs to be experienced with an open and unclouded mind. So I’ll keep this relatively short. Just know that if and when you decide to give this book a chance, take a deep breath, as it's likely to sink its claws into you instantly.
“Sometimes loving someone’s a choice. When all the lusty feelings disappear and we’re left looking at cold, careless, and painful reality, we have to choose whether or not to love.”
I've read my fair share of books over the years, especially angst filled ones. Against All Odds really is unlike anything I've read before. Unique with its storyline and character driven plot, and truly unputdownable. So much so, you'll never guess it's actually Angie McKeon's debut novel. This is a must read for my fellow angst lovers!
May 17, 2014
3.5 I Know Your Heart Stars!
(Copy gifted by Book Babes Unite/Christy B.)
(BR with Denisse)
Kylie Bailey is a 24 yr. old woman living in Tampa with her husband Cooper Bailey. They work together and co-own Cooper Bailey Corp., where they run a successful insurance office. They sleep under the same roof at night, and co-exist at work and home, but haven't really connected in over 2 years.
Two years ago their whole world shattered, and they didn't know how to cope. Instead of turning to each other for comfort, their marriage fell apart. They were together since they were 16, and still loved each other, so they weren't prepared to divorce. Instead Kylie suggests an open marriage.
This was the part of the story I couldn't wrap my head around. I just could never get on board with the open marriage, and was wanting to tell Kylie NO!, just NO!, get your shit together!!!
Through all Kylie's self destruction, she knows it's wrong, and can't stand the person she's turned into. Cooper and Bailey go about their daily life pretending they are ok, while avoiding each other as much as possible. They are both emotionally lost, dysfunctional, angry & lonely, but not willing to fully give up on one another, because the one thing that never changes is their love for each other. They continue to secretly suffer without the other.
Kylie just wants to be wanted, and to feel special, and will do anything to get that attention she's starving for. She continues to hold out hope that her and Cooper will one day be able to fix their broken marriage. As they continue to hurt each other they both turn to their best friend Grayson for support. Lines get a bit blurred between the friends, and things turn complicated, and kind of into a love triangle. I can't say who Kylie ends up with in the end, as I don't want to give the story away, but I was pleased with how things ended up.
-I'm going to take my time," he whispers. "I want to love you properly."
-Nothing's as good as this. Feeling you, feeling what belongs to me.
-Kissing him is like getting rain after a drought or having food after going hungry. It's life-giving, quenching that ache that pours through every ounce of my blood. His kiss breathes life into me.
-I've said a thousand times how much I love him, how much I need him. I need to show him with my body. I have to offer him my heart and be completely vulnerable.
-"Kylie." His voice is the gentle whisper of a lover coming home after years away.
-I feel a burden release from my shoulders as he opens his heart to me.
-All I need is him. All I want is him.
-Her face looks calm and peaceful, reminding me of the girl who stole my heart with one smile. The girl who took, claimed and owned it from the first time I stared into her luminous blue eyes. Eyes that saw right through me.
-"I love her. There'll never be anyone else for me. It was always and will always be her. Love's unconditional, but it's not perfect. I'm not perfect, and neither is she. We've made our mistakes, but she's my heart.
-"You, Mrs. Kylie fucking Bailey, have always- always- belonged to me."
(Copy gifted by Book Babes Unite/Christy B.)
(BR with Denisse)
Kylie Bailey is a 24 yr. old woman living in Tampa with her husband Cooper Bailey. They work together and co-own Cooper Bailey Corp., where they run a successful insurance office. They sleep under the same roof at night, and co-exist at work and home, but haven't really connected in over 2 years.
Two years ago their whole world shattered, and they didn't know how to cope. Instead of turning to each other for comfort, their marriage fell apart. They were together since they were 16, and still loved each other, so they weren't prepared to divorce. Instead Kylie suggests an open marriage.
This was the part of the story I couldn't wrap my head around. I just could never get on board with the open marriage, and was wanting to tell Kylie NO!, just NO!, get your shit together!!!
Through all Kylie's self destruction, she knows it's wrong, and can't stand the person she's turned into. Cooper and Bailey go about their daily life pretending they are ok, while avoiding each other as much as possible. They are both emotionally lost, dysfunctional, angry & lonely, but not willing to fully give up on one another, because the one thing that never changes is their love for each other. They continue to secretly suffer without the other.
Kylie just wants to be wanted, and to feel special, and will do anything to get that attention she's starving for. She continues to hold out hope that her and Cooper will one day be able to fix their broken marriage. As they continue to hurt each other they both turn to their best friend Grayson for support. Lines get a bit blurred between the friends, and things turn complicated, and kind of into a love triangle. I can't say who Kylie ends up with in the end, as I don't want to give the story away, but I was pleased with how things ended up.
-I'm going to take my time," he whispers. "I want to love you properly."
-Nothing's as good as this. Feeling you, feeling what belongs to me.
-Kissing him is like getting rain after a drought or having food after going hungry. It's life-giving, quenching that ache that pours through every ounce of my blood. His kiss breathes life into me.
-I've said a thousand times how much I love him, how much I need him. I need to show him with my body. I have to offer him my heart and be completely vulnerable.
-"Kylie." His voice is the gentle whisper of a lover coming home after years away.
-I feel a burden release from my shoulders as he opens his heart to me.
-All I need is him. All I want is him.
-Her face looks calm and peaceful, reminding me of the girl who stole my heart with one smile. The girl who took, claimed and owned it from the first time I stared into her luminous blue eyes. Eyes that saw right through me.
-"I love her. There'll never be anyone else for me. It was always and will always be her. Love's unconditional, but it's not perfect. I'm not perfect, and neither is she. We've made our mistakes, but she's my heart.
-"You, Mrs. Kylie fucking Bailey, have always- always- belonged to me."
June 6, 2023
My rating isn’t about cheating, I really like read about this, is about the immature characters and the sorry behavior that leads to destroy their lives.
September 13, 2019
3.5-4 ⭐'s
This is another book that's been on my TBR list for quite a while and also on my cheating list. As I was reading, it leads to an intriguing question: Is it cheating if both parties agree to an open marriage?
It certainly felt like cheating. Luckily, we didn't get too many details of their escapades even if it caused some good ol' angst.
Cooper and Kylie experienced a horrific situation - one that has changed them forever. They both are devastated and handle their grief differently. Kylie needs A LOT of attention and Cooper deals with things by pulling away.
It doesn't help that when they start their open marriage that Kylie likes to make sure Cooper is aware of things and he is all too aware...scarily so as we find out later.
This goes on for a while until Kylie hooks up with the wrong person throwing her into (another) tailspin. Luckily(?), she has Cooper's best friend, Grayson, helping her as asked by Cooper since he couldn't...or wouldn't.
You can see where this is going. Grayson can only be a saint for so long. The same can be said for Cooper and that drives Kylie even further and she decides to fight for their relationship.
It was wonderful reading about them working things out. However, the extremes were too much and some softness would have been so much better. At least there was some towards the end and I was happy how things worked out.
There is an excerpt of Grayson's book (Against the Grain) but no release date listed. I couldn't find anything and that's a little sad since this book was released in 2014.
This is another book that's been on my TBR list for quite a while and also on my cheating list. As I was reading, it leads to an intriguing question: Is it cheating if both parties agree to an open marriage?
It certainly felt like cheating. Luckily, we didn't get too many details of their escapades even if it caused some good ol' angst.
Cooper and Kylie experienced a horrific situation - one that has changed them forever. They both are devastated and handle their grief differently. Kylie needs A LOT of attention and Cooper deals with things by pulling away.
It doesn't help that when they start their open marriage that Kylie likes to make sure Cooper is aware of things and he is all too aware...scarily so as we find out later.
This goes on for a while until Kylie hooks up with the wrong person throwing her into (another) tailspin. Luckily(?), she has Cooper's best friend, Grayson, helping her as asked by Cooper since he couldn't...or wouldn't.
You can see where this is going. Grayson can only be a saint for so long. The same can be said for Cooper and that drives Kylie even further and she decides to fight for their relationship.
It was wonderful reading about them working things out. However, the extremes were too much and some softness would have been so much better. At least there was some towards the end and I was happy how things worked out.
There is an excerpt of Grayson's book (Against the Grain) but no release date listed. I couldn't find anything and that's a little sad since this book was released in 2014.
May 14, 2014
***3.5 Complicated Stars*****
(BR with Melissa)
For those of us who are married, we know it can sometimes be very challenging; is something that both people involved must work hard at every day. In my opinion while Love is the main component in a marriage is not the only thing that will ensure you'll achieve success at it; respect and understanding play a big part as well. Against All Odds is essentially about that. A couple who is very much in love with each other but when something devastatingly hard happens they are both left completely destroyed, and with no clue in how to move on from it. There are not a lot of books out there about this type of topic and I praise the author for writing a story that will keep you glue to it by insanely amounts of angst and leave you craving to find out if Cooper and Kylie's love is strong enough to survive...
Cooper and Kylie have been experiencing hell on earth after being in a dream of love and happiness. They barely talk to each other now and all they do is work and avoid their problems. The desperation to hold on to their relationship after all the pain they've suffered will drive them to make really bad decisions. The question is ... will they be able to move pass it and rescue their marriage? Or continue to kill each other slowly and harm those around them in the process?
I must confess I had a really hard time relating to this story and specially Kylie's character. Her way of thinking and her behavior had me confused and fuming for most of the book and don't even get me started on their suppose Best Friend Grayson. The man was sexy but a total trouble maker, I pray to God I never have a friend like him. The writing style in this book was very good, and while it might not be for everybody, the plot will certainly open a lot of discussion and will make yourself ask questions that perhaps you never considered before.
This one was one of those reads that made me want to rant constantly in hopes to understand the motive behind the actions of these very complicated characters. So I must thank Melissa for being once again an excellent BR partner and sharing this experience with me... Thanks for the laughs girlie!!
Read
November 23, 2018Ig I'll just sit here and die now because wow that was one heck of an emotional ride.
Not going to rate this because
----
Why do i have feelings and emotions? Because reading this book hurts. Holy Shit. I can feel myself being emotionally drained and I'm not even halfway through, oof. And I don't know if that's a good thing. Or a bad thing. 🤧
Not going to rate this because
----
Why do i have feelings and emotions? Because reading this book hurts. Holy Shit. I can feel myself being emotionally drained and I'm not even halfway through, oof. And I don't know if that's a good thing. Or a bad thing. 🤧
April 6, 2014
I know in this moment that we’re fucked. Our lives are fucked. We’re too tortured to face these problems. Our hearts aren’t just broken—they’re shattered, the splintered pieces never to be whole again.
Angie, as a lot of you probably know, is an established blogger and respected reviewer from Angie's Dreamy Reads. Plenty of bloggers attempt to make the jump from reviewer to author but it’s one thing to write a review of someone else’s work and another thing entirely to come up with something original and captivating and Angie really does achieve this with Against All Odds and seamlessly makes the transition from reviewer to writer.
This is one heck of an angsty ride. Coop and Kylie are blissfully happily married and we join them in a moment of utter despair just as Kylie has just given birth to a stillborn daughter, Kayla, and I swear I was sobbing by the end of the prologue. It’s intensely sad – probably the worst pain anyone can ever expect to endure is the loss of a child and it’s very poignantly handled here.
I know this is killing him as much as it is me. He rubs his big, shaking hand gently over her tiny head. He looks as though he’s being tortured. Sobs rip through his body as he wraps his arms around me and our precious bundle while climbing into bed with us. I feel myself collapse against his chest as we sob over our loss.
We jump forward two years and grief and loss have viciously torn Coop and Kylie apart. They’re still married but only just. They’ve opened up their marriage, are no longer faithful and nothing but bitterness and resentment exists between them. Their happiness, once so all consuming, is now buried in the cold ground with their baby daughter and these are two truly unhappy, grief ravaged individuals. They’re lost, floundering, hardly knowing what to do next – the happiness they once shared is now a distant memory.
This is such a harrowing read – Angie McKeon really does a fantastic job of highlighting how deep their sense of grief and loss is and how they handle this. Not well, it seems. They’ve grown apart but, deep down, still deeply love one another and the emotional agony in this novel is palpable. Pain is etched into every word and bleeds from every paragraph. It’s such an angsty read – I swear I welled up on numerous occasions. The flash backs to their happiness before the loss of the daughter really do showcase how far these two have fallen as a couple and it’s just so incredibly SAD.
The cheating and love triangle in this novel definitely won’t work for everyone but I really do applaud Angie for trying to do something brave and different – and it is refreshingly different. The first 75% or so of this novel were worthy of a 4.5 – 5 star rating just for the stark pain it invoked and, even though I enjoyed the last part of the novel, it just didn’t have the same impact as the angst-filled first part of the story.
BUT, I’d highly recommend this for a book that will really make you ‘feel’ and consume your waking thoughts while you read it. My heart hurts badly for sweet Gray, the remaining third of the love triangle, who we leave truly heartbroken. Thankfully, he is to get his own story – the poor guy really deserves a little happiness.
So, all in all, a highly accomplished debut from Angie with the promise of more to come.
4 stars
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May 25, 2022
My god what have I just read.
The two stars were for the angst and for the good writing style.
But it would have been one star.
There's too much dysfunctional relationship here and the ending was not believable at all.
Those two are happily married for years then they have to cope with the gratest tragedy that can happen to a couple.
They can't.
They are not able.
She's overwhelmed by grief and he's not much better.
They are both traumatized and jeez, they needed help.
My question is: isn't there a psychological help for these kind of traumatic experiences in hospitals?
There should be.
The couple here is left alone to cope with their loss and they go down the path for self destruction.
The heroine needs the hero, he's powerless and frozen, and he is impotent because of his trauma.
Instead of going to a therapist they make stupid choices that hurt not only them both but also their friends and the people around them.
But why???
A therapist doesn't take off the hurt, the grief, the pain, but he can help people understand their feelings and make the right choices instead of extremely stupid ones.
He could have told them that it's normal to feel bad, not to be able to perform, that what happens to them has also a name and it is PTSD. It happens all the time and it can be healed.
But this two shows a lack of intelligence that is really without limits.
She suggests him they have an open relationship so she can screw who she wants and he accepts!
Really?
Where's the love, the consideration for your partner's feelings, the commitment?
And then after two years they are two runied persons.
And the author happily would like to make us believe they solve all their problems with a good f**k?
Sorry for the gross words, but it deserves it all.
Really?
The cheating was toxic.
His cold and careless behavior was wrong.
I don't feel any love between them.
I feel trauma and PTSD.
And the poor friend who falls in love with the heroine because it was him who was there for her when the hero didn't care. He was broken by their toxic behavior.
They go counseling after they are reconciled, not before.
And even if the end is happy I still don't believe in their reconciliation.
The hero basically left her alone and then he was all about getting back together when she told him she was fed up with the situation. Mmmmm, not very convincing.
It was as if the author made a holy toxic mess and then she wasn't able to get out of it, so she decided that suddenly the heroine had had enough.
And no, I didn't like the cheating, because cheating it was, since they were married and theirs was a normal marriage before the trauma, so the open marriage thing wasn't a choice they made when they first married, it was an unnatural situation that hurt them both, and they both perceived it as cheating, even if they told themselves that they both agreed with it.
And the fact that the hero often thinks with hurt and pain of all om who touched his wife's body shows that they knew it was cheating.
There are many inconsistencies and unbelievable things here, the only thing I can tell is that with a good therapy they wouldn't have made those awful mistakes.
The two stars were for the angst and for the good writing style.
But it would have been one star.
There's too much dysfunctional relationship here and the ending was not believable at all.
Those two are happily married for years then they have to cope with the gratest tragedy that can happen to a couple.
They can't.
They are not able.
She's overwhelmed by grief and he's not much better.
They are both traumatized and jeez, they needed help.
My question is: isn't there a psychological help for these kind of traumatic experiences in hospitals?
There should be.
The couple here is left alone to cope with their loss and they go down the path for self destruction.
The heroine needs the hero, he's powerless and frozen, and he is impotent because of his trauma.
Instead of going to a therapist they make stupid choices that hurt not only them both but also their friends and the people around them.
But why???
A therapist doesn't take off the hurt, the grief, the pain, but he can help people understand their feelings and make the right choices instead of extremely stupid ones.
He could have told them that it's normal to feel bad, not to be able to perform, that what happens to them has also a name and it is PTSD. It happens all the time and it can be healed.
But this two shows a lack of intelligence that is really without limits.
She suggests him they have an open relationship so she can screw who she wants and he accepts!
Really?
Where's the love, the consideration for your partner's feelings, the commitment?
And then after two years they are two runied persons.
And the author happily would like to make us believe they solve all their problems with a good f**k?
Sorry for the gross words, but it deserves it all.
Really?
The cheating was toxic.
His cold and careless behavior was wrong.
I don't feel any love between them.
I feel trauma and PTSD.
And the poor friend who falls in love with the heroine because it was him who was there for her when the hero didn't care. He was broken by their toxic behavior.
They go counseling after they are reconciled, not before.
And even if the end is happy I still don't believe in their reconciliation.
The hero basically left her alone and then he was all about getting back together when she told him she was fed up with the situation. Mmmmm, not very convincing.
It was as if the author made a holy toxic mess and then she wasn't able to get out of it, so she decided that suddenly the heroine had had enough.
And no, I didn't like the cheating, because cheating it was, since they were married and theirs was a normal marriage before the trauma, so the open marriage thing wasn't a choice they made when they first married, it was an unnatural situation that hurt them both, and they both perceived it as cheating, even if they told themselves that they both agreed with it.
And the fact that the hero often thinks with hurt and pain of all om who touched his wife's body shows that they knew it was cheating.
There are many inconsistencies and unbelievable things here, the only thing I can tell is that with a good therapy they wouldn't have made those awful mistakes.
April 5, 2014
How does one rate a book that made them miserable while reading it? I gave Against All Odds a 3 star rating because it was well written and it had the ability to piss me off and make me want to throw things.
Kylie and Cooper suffer a debilitating loss. Despite the fact that they are deeply in love and have been together since the age of 16, they both decide to take the selfish approach to healing by shutting each other out. For some unknown reason they spend the next two years buried in mass piles of miscommunication and manipulation. How in the world these two came to the conclusion that having an open marriage would help matters is beyond this reader's comprehension. Kylie was the one to bring up this arrangement and she wasted no time by doing the dirty with a stranger. She wants Cooper to fight for her and when he agrees to the open marriage concept she realizes that he's not going to fight. Kylie starts hooking up with men because she feels unwanted by her husband, she looks to fill the void with random hookups. Does it work? No, of course not! Kylie feels like shit, Cooper feels like shit, and they make every one around them miserable with their antics.
Grayson, Cooper's childhood best friend who is also very close to Kylie falls in love with her for some reason. He's a good guy and I can't for the life of me understand what he see's in her. I didn't find her character as likable so the fact that he would be so head over heels in love with her didn't jive with me. I hated how Kylie used his feelings for her as a way to manipulate Cooper. I hated the fact that both MC's got down and dirty with people that they worked with. I find it hard to believe that after everything they put each other through they would be able to fix their marriage and learn to trust one another again. At the same time I think they deserve one another.
Kylie and Cooper suffer a debilitating loss. Despite the fact that they are deeply in love and have been together since the age of 16, they both decide to take the selfish approach to healing by shutting each other out. For some unknown reason they spend the next two years buried in mass piles of miscommunication and manipulation. How in the world these two came to the conclusion that having an open marriage would help matters is beyond this reader's comprehension. Kylie was the one to bring up this arrangement and she wasted no time by doing the dirty with a stranger. She wants Cooper to fight for her and when he agrees to the open marriage concept she realizes that he's not going to fight. Kylie starts hooking up with men because she feels unwanted by her husband, she looks to fill the void with random hookups. Does it work? No, of course not! Kylie feels like shit, Cooper feels like shit, and they make every one around them miserable with their antics.
Grayson, Cooper's childhood best friend who is also very close to Kylie falls in love with her for some reason. He's a good guy and I can't for the life of me understand what he see's in her. I didn't find her character as likable so the fact that he would be so head over heels in love with her didn't jive with me. I hated how Kylie used his feelings for her as a way to manipulate Cooper. I hated the fact that both MC's got down and dirty with people that they worked with. I find it hard to believe that after everything they put each other through they would be able to fix their marriage and learn to trust one another again. At the same time I think they deserve one another.
March 23, 2022
Not sure how I feel....
I'm not sure how I felt about this story. I feel like I liked the concept of it, but I wasn't a fan of this execution of the story. The plot was interesting and different, but the writing didn't really do it for me. There was too much repetition for me in the dialogue. People just don't communicate that way.
Kylie kind of sucked. I know she went through so much, but she didn't handle it well at all. I would have liked her better had she gotten treatment for her feelings.
Cooper was easier to like. Not that he handles their issues any better, but he was the lesser of the two evils.
Grayson was the best character in the story until the end when he turned a bit overly obsessive. Doesn't matter I'll probably still read the next one, because I'm not a quitter.
I'm not sure how I felt about this story. I feel like I liked the concept of it, but I wasn't a fan of this execution of the story. The plot was interesting and different, but the writing didn't really do it for me. There was too much repetition for me in the dialogue. People just don't communicate that way.
Kylie kind of sucked. I know she went through so much, but she didn't handle it well at all. I would have liked her better had she gotten treatment for her feelings.
Cooper was easier to like. Not that he handles their issues any better, but he was the lesser of the two evils.
Grayson was the best character in the story until the end when he turned a bit overly obsessive. Doesn't matter I'll probably still read the next one, because I'm not a quitter.
August 18, 2014
He’s killing me, and I’m killing him. Together, we’re a car wreck heading straight for a cliff.
Wow.. so much angst! Throughout the story I felt like someone is gripping and squeezing my heart it effing hurts to read!
There were so many WTF moments between Kylie and Cooper that made me want to crawl inside the book and just shake these two together.
I hated Kylie from the beginning- I didn't understand why, how, when and another one big whooping WHY she did what she did but then I couldn't help but not feel sorry her. All the feelings that she was feeling felt like I was the one who is feeling it! oh wow.. that's a lot of feelings in a sentence! LOL! (sorry!)
Then Cooper- who I wanted to either hump his legs or cut his d*ck off! Yes, I was confused! Once again, I didn't understand why he did what he did.. but then I got his POV and I was a goner! It made me love him and hate Kylie once again..
Then there is Layla.. who I hated but also kinda feel sympathized. Then Gray.. oh my poor Grayson. He's the good guy in this story that has been drag and tossed by these two crazy couple! By the end of the day, he's the only one suffering and this made me hate Kylie and Cooper! lol. But I'm glad he's getting his own story... so YAY!
Against All Odds is a full on angst-train wrecked-wallbanger book! If you're a masochist reader like me who likes to read people suffering emotionally then this book is definitely for you!
Yes, there is a love triangle- (erm.. more like square) and cheating but the book is not all about it. It's about love, lost, regrets and forgiving. If you're all into that kind of shebangs then go ahead and read it. :)
4 STARS for me!
Wow.. so much angst! Throughout the story I felt like someone is gripping and squeezing my heart it effing hurts to read!
There were so many WTF moments between Kylie and Cooper that made me want to crawl inside the book and just shake these two together.
I hated Kylie from the beginning- I didn't understand why, how, when and another one big whooping WHY she did what she did but then I couldn't help but not feel sorry her. All the feelings that she was feeling felt like I was the one who is feeling it! oh wow.. that's a lot of feelings in a sentence! LOL! (sorry!)
Then Cooper- who I wanted to either hump his legs or cut his d*ck off! Yes, I was confused! Once again, I didn't understand why he did what he did.. but then I got his POV and I was a goner! It made me love him and hate Kylie once again..
Then there is Layla.. who I hated but also kinda feel sympathized. Then Gray.. oh my poor Grayson. He's the good guy in this story that has been drag and tossed by these two crazy couple! By the end of the day, he's the only one suffering and this made me hate Kylie and Cooper! lol. But I'm glad he's getting his own story... so YAY!
Against All Odds is a full on angst-train wrecked-wallbanger book! If you're a masochist reader like me who likes to read people suffering emotionally then this book is definitely for you!
Yes, there is a love triangle- (erm.. more like square) and cheating but the book is not all about it. It's about love, lost, regrets and forgiving. If you're all into that kind of shebangs then go ahead and read it. :)
4 STARS for me!
April 5, 2014
Review in Portuguese and English
Muito bom, mas me deixou agoniada na maioria do tempo.
Você acompanha a autodestruição dos personagens e o renascimento da relação deles.
É tudo tão intenso que você fica angustiada quase até o final.
Eu não imaginava que o casal encontraria a felicidade porque eles fizeram e disseram tantas coisas horríveis que duvidei.
Recomendo a leitura.
------------------------
Very good, but left me sick most of the time.
You follow the self-destruction of the characters and the rebirth of their relationship.
Everything is so intense that you're distressed almost until the end.
I had no idea that the couple would find happiness because they did and said so many horrible things that I doubted.
I recommend reading.
Muito bom, mas me deixou agoniada na maioria do tempo.
Você acompanha a autodestruição dos personagens e o renascimento da relação deles.
É tudo tão intenso que você fica angustiada quase até o final.
Eu não imaginava que o casal encontraria a felicidade porque eles fizeram e disseram tantas coisas horríveis que duvidei.
Recomendo a leitura.
------------------------
Very good, but left me sick most of the time.
You follow the self-destruction of the characters and the rebirth of their relationship.
Everything is so intense that you're distressed almost until the end.
I had no idea that the couple would find happiness because they did and said so many horrible things that I doubted.
I recommend reading.
March 31, 2014
4.5 Stars
WHAT…A….STORY! I’m emotionally spent. First things first, this is an amazing debut novel. The writing is fluid and the emotions just poured off the page. From the beginning I could tell it was going to be a crazy ride and it was.
Cooper & Kylie are pretty much teetering off the end of a cliff in their marriage. They are both dealing with a devastating event that has rocked their marriage. Up until life throws them off course, they were deeply in love, happy and satisfied. However, they are both in such emotional turmoil that they are now causing each other pain. Cooper has shut down emotionally and physically from his wife. He has checked out. Kylie is carrying around so much hurt and guilt, but she desperately craves her husband’s love and his touch. This leaves their relationship toxic and dysfunctional.
Meanwhile Grayson who is Cooper’s best friend and the person who has been there since the beginning of their relationship is sort of left picking up the pieces and attempting to help his close friends heal. Grayson offers support and comfort to Kylie at such an emotional time where Cooper fails. It’s a time where a husband and wife need to lean on and comfort each other.
This couple goes through hell and I wondered many times why don’t they just get a divorce? This story is like taking one step forward and ten steps back. It’s full of emotions and angst. The entire first half was almost just too much for me to bear along with any hopes of happiness for the two. The story deals with some sensitive issues and lots of hurt.
Copper and Kylie begin the slow, painful road to recovery. The author really did a great job with their reconnection and journey back to each other. Even through all the bad times, these two yearn to be together. My feelings for Kylie wavered and boy did she grate on my nerves. But in hindsight I really can't judge her. She's been through hell and even though I don't agree with some of her choices I get that she was in a bad place. Same goes for Cooper.
How do you begin to heal after such heartbreak? How much can a relationship take before it just implodes? How do you even begin to pick up the pieces of such a shattered relationship? How much can we really lean on someone without crossing the line? These are all questions that floated around in my head during this read.
This is such an emotionally charged story of love, loss, hope, grief…heck you name it! I’m happy I took the journey and am even happier that it’s over. I will never forget this story so for that Angie McKeon well done!
Looking forward to more of Grayson because he's my hero.
WHAT…A….STORY! I’m emotionally spent. First things first, this is an amazing debut novel. The writing is fluid and the emotions just poured off the page. From the beginning I could tell it was going to be a crazy ride and it was.
Cooper & Kylie are pretty much teetering off the end of a cliff in their marriage. They are both dealing with a devastating event that has rocked their marriage. Up until life throws them off course, they were deeply in love, happy and satisfied. However, they are both in such emotional turmoil that they are now causing each other pain. Cooper has shut down emotionally and physically from his wife. He has checked out. Kylie is carrying around so much hurt and guilt, but she desperately craves her husband’s love and his touch. This leaves their relationship toxic and dysfunctional.
Meanwhile Grayson who is Cooper’s best friend and the person who has been there since the beginning of their relationship is sort of left picking up the pieces and attempting to help his close friends heal. Grayson offers support and comfort to Kylie at such an emotional time where Cooper fails. It’s a time where a husband and wife need to lean on and comfort each other.
This couple goes through hell and I wondered many times why don’t they just get a divorce? This story is like taking one step forward and ten steps back. It’s full of emotions and angst. The entire first half was almost just too much for me to bear along with any hopes of happiness for the two. The story deals with some sensitive issues and lots of hurt.
Copper and Kylie begin the slow, painful road to recovery. The author really did a great job with their reconnection and journey back to each other. Even through all the bad times, these two yearn to be together. My feelings for Kylie wavered and boy did she grate on my nerves. But in hindsight I really can't judge her. She's been through hell and even though I don't agree with some of her choices I get that she was in a bad place. Same goes for Cooper.
How do you begin to heal after such heartbreak? How much can a relationship take before it just implodes? How do you even begin to pick up the pieces of such a shattered relationship? How much can we really lean on someone without crossing the line? These are all questions that floated around in my head during this read.
This is such an emotionally charged story of love, loss, hope, grief…heck you name it! I’m happy I took the journey and am even happier that it’s over. I will never forget this story so for that Angie McKeon well done!
Looking forward to more of Grayson because he's my hero.
September 4, 2018
First, just putting it out there...Grayson is mine.
I was on the wife’s side until we got the H’s POV at 50%. And that made a 3 Star read a 4 Star...until the end. Then it nosedived. Quickly.
Fuck.
Who are these people?
You don’t open a closed marriage of childhood sweethearts in the span of 3 hours after you’ve lost a child at full term 6 months prior. You don’t. That’s just ridiculous amounts of stupidity and all preceding drama is deserved.
Seriously. WTF.
It makes all of his assholish behavior before they got to that point pretty reasonable when you learn how they came to terms on opening their marriage. What happens after that is also unbearably understandable. Just wtf all over it. The grovel is deep and the understanding of what they did to each other rings through and understanding what they need to do to recover, is awesome...and why I read it on a recommend.
Now, I know a pretty assorted bunch of folk. And it would have nothing to do with living the bohemian way one can in NOLA ;)
I’ve already asked my friends who both had open marriages (more on that here) about this subject. I even got a husband’s perspective after they divorced when he was drinking too much bourbon on the patio one night. Just to be clear, there is a difference between swinging and an open marriage.
What struck me was that they all said the same thing. You either start open, or don’t do it. Drunk hubby said...cuz if you believed in soulmate and if you didn’t start open, it could destroy the foundations you had created to that point and maybe you needed to work on fixing the cracks in that with each other, not by fucking other people. Bourbon is a great truth serum. Just sayin’
They also both started as open marriages, and not just before they were married. And they’re at a 50% divorce rate and some fucked up lives and totally fucked up adult children. There’s your real 50 shades.
I’m sure there are people built for this IRL, I’m not one. My knowledge has been watching the ugly fallout that can occur, not the awesome sexuality of it.
Where I have seen it work.......
My. Poly. Friends.
But that’s another review ;)
SG Ladies...SPOILERS...the h has multiple OM for ONS ONLY and all prior to beginning of book. She has one last ONS off page that is the catalyst for the H/h finding their way back. She also has an emotional entanglement with hubby’s BF...though it was lopsided and he loved her, they never did the deed and she didn’t know how he felt until the weeks leading up to H/h making-up. H had a couple week affair with an OW that started right after h’s last ONS and no other OW...at all. It wasn’t the emotional connection h had with OM, but he shared his emotional burden with OW. The affair vs ONS thing...the affair actually bothers me more me cuz it created an intimacy that an ONS doesn’t have a chance to spark. But then there’s Grayson stuck between them...I want his book...fuck it, I want him. I think the H/h both fucked up equally but I think the h forced the open marriage issue too quickly after their loss and too abruptly from discussion to consummation.
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