What do you think?
Rate this book
Ruin Me
The sexy New Adult e-original from Jamie Brenner, in which Lulu has everything except the one thing she never knew she desired—until now.
She lives in a world of beauty.
His life is shrouded in darkness.
When they meet, she must choose between everything she has and the one thing she has always desired.
Lulu Sterling thinks she has it all figured out: with one more year left at NYU, she’s spending her summer interning at her mother’s iconic art gallery, determined to overcome the long shadow of her father’s suicide and prove herself to her critical mother. With her boyfriend, rising artist Brandt Penn, Lulu also hopes she will finally experience the love and desire that have always eluded her. But passion comes where she least expects it in the form of a brilliant, reclusive street artist known only by the tag GoST, and Lulu must decide how much she is willing to risk – and how far she is willing to go -- to claim it.
She lives in a world of beauty.
His life is shrouded in darkness.
When they meet, she must choose between everything she has and the one thing she has always desired.
Lulu Sterling thinks she has it all figured out: with one more year left at NYU, she’s spending her summer interning at her mother’s iconic art gallery, determined to overcome the long shadow of her father’s suicide and prove herself to her critical mother. With her boyfriend, rising artist Brandt Penn, Lulu also hopes she will finally experience the love and desire that have always eluded her. But passion comes where she least expects it in the form of a brilliant, reclusive street artist known only by the tag GoST, and Lulu must decide how much she is willing to risk – and how far she is willing to go -- to claim it.
288 pages, Kindle Edition
First published May 6, 2014
4 people are currently reading
242 people want to read
About the author
Jamie Brenner
27 books1,660 followersJamie Brenner is the author of The Wedding Sisters, The USA TODAY bestseller The Forever Summer, and several other beach books. Jamie's short story "Gold Party" (Blackstone Publishing) is currently in development as a feature film.
After raising two daughters in New York City, Jamie now lives in Bucks County, PA -- the inspiration for her next book THE WEEKEND CRASHERS (November 4, 2025) about a mother-daughter knitting retreat gone awry.
Jamie grew up on the blockbuster novels by Judith Krantz and Jackie Collins, the gothic horror of Anne Rice, and political thrillers by Nelson DeMille. Her dream novel combines all three.
Follow Jamie on instagram @jamiebrennerwrites
After raising two daughters in New York City, Jamie now lives in Bucks County, PA -- the inspiration for her next book THE WEEKEND CRASHERS (November 4, 2025) about a mother-daughter knitting retreat gone awry.
Jamie grew up on the blockbuster novels by Judith Krantz and Jackie Collins, the gothic horror of Anne Rice, and political thrillers by Nelson DeMille. Her dream novel combines all three.
Follow Jamie on instagram @jamiebrennerwrites
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews
May 10, 2014
Lulu Sterling is finishing college. She is volunteering at her mom's upscale art gallery. Her boyfriend, is an artist. His name is Brandt Penn. However Lulu would rather be spending her summer back packing in Spain. Lulu goes outside for some fresh air. It is outside where she spots GoST for the first time. Yes, this is his name or I should say his tag name. He was hanging in the air by a harness and painting on the side of the building. He signs the painting with his tag, GoST. Since then all Lulu can think about is GoST. She finally gets another chance meetig with him to watch him in action.
I absolutely loved The Gin Lovers. So I was interested in what the author coud do with tne new genre "New Adult". This genre is like a guilty pleasure. While I did like the concept of the street art which is different from graffti, I just was not feeling the love for all of the characters in the book. In fact, I thought that the erotic type feel of the story was not my favorite. In fact, if this book had been more of a romance type story, it would have been better. I thought that Lulu's boyfriend, Brandt was a douche bag. I hated every time that she got with him. So there was no hard feelings when she got with GoST. Plus, GoST was a complex guy which made him interesting. Lulu was not as strong when standing side by side to GoST, however I did not hate her.
I absolutely loved The Gin Lovers. So I was interested in what the author coud do with tne new genre "New Adult". This genre is like a guilty pleasure. While I did like the concept of the street art which is different from graffti, I just was not feeling the love for all of the characters in the book. In fact, I thought that the erotic type feel of the story was not my favorite. In fact, if this book had been more of a romance type story, it would have been better. I thought that Lulu's boyfriend, Brandt was a douche bag. I hated every time that she got with him. So there was no hard feelings when she got with GoST. Plus, GoST was a complex guy which made him interesting. Lulu was not as strong when standing side by side to GoST, however I did not hate her.
May 9, 2014
Talk Supe Review
Literary yet still very pop fiction, that's my summation of Jamie Brenner's new adult novel, RUIN ME. Maybe it's just me or whatever shiznit I'm on but the tone of the story is highbrow artsy like the story. The plot is set in the New York art world which was surprisingly very cutthroat and Anna Sterling is the Grand Dame of that world. So it goes without saying that she wants her daughter, Lulu to succeed the throne but the latter has something else in mind. Not only that, Anna's right hand, Inez, wants it as well and she is bent on kicking Lulu out of the picture no matter the cost. Compounding this with Lulu's empty love life and desire for change and you have a very character driven novel.
RUIN ME has a lot of intrigue and controversy going on for it which I loved. Anna and Lulu's relationship is very strained because Anna's got issues that she's passing on to Lulu thanks to her sculptor father who committed suicide a long time ago. No abuse from Anna whatsoever except she can be very controlling and would dictate what Lulu should and shouldn't do. Inez I love the best because she is so Machiavellian! Inez is such a schemer, using people as her pawns for her own agenda. Inez's downfall was falling in love with Anna and as she wasn't really good at covering up her tracks, her plotting eventually caught up with her.
Lulu is a complex heroine and she possess strong contrasting characteristics. She can be docile but stubborn at the same time, naive yet discerning, soft but tough. Lulu is also loyal to a fault, her boyfriend is up and coming artist, Brandt Penn, who's technical skill didn't translate into talent. In short his work sucked balls. Lulu is sexually frustrated in her relationship because Brandt is the stereotypical artist, narcissistic, temperamental with a chip the size of Texas on his shoulder. This relationship fell apart eventually and Lulu found herself with graffiti artists, GoST and the latter represented a lot of things to Lulu, not just fascination for his work but something personal as well.
I love the idea of GoST and what his art stands for. He's an activist who advocates his revolutionary thoughts about society et al via his art. He has achieved notoriety and it's Lulu's fascination for his work that led her to him. It wasn't insta-love, it was slow burning and it started as pure curiosity in Lulu's part but given her messy personal life and chemistry with GoST, it was only natural that these two would fall in love. Their passion's a given but understated because JBrenner didn't really focus on the sex despite Lulu never having an orgasm in her life, the focal point of RUIN ME remained on the character developments. I'm thankful for this because I'm one of those NA-prejudiced readers who's experience with the genre centered on slutty new adults, their trainwreck lives and emotional immaturity. So to read NA-Lit that isn't like that is a blessing already.
Back to the novel, Lulu's character development is very remarkable and very consistent with the story, it wasn't forced, no convenient plot devices and the dramatic confrontations were all subdued. The same thing goes with the rest of the characters, once it was set in motion, none of them were the same in the end. Anna had a rude awakening, Inez and Brandt got what they deserved, GoST now has a legitimate voice and Lulu found her own person and is happily pursuing her own vision.
I guess I've justified why I absolutely loved RUIN ME. I don't know if there's a sequel, I sure hope there's one that would feature Lulu's BFF, Niffer, she's a firecracker. On a more general note, I am such a huge fan of JBrenner, her work has this signature feel to it especially her women. Her heroines are always so feminine and their strength lie in their femininity, they don't have snarky tongues, they're not the life of the party, they're very normal but above average, more ladies than women, if that makes sense. Her stories to me always has this classic literary feel and by injecting current plot devices turns it into a "trendy" read. So even if her work is popular contemporary fiction, it never felt "trashy" to me. I strongly advice, encourage, recommend you try her work.
Literary yet still very pop fiction, that's my summation of Jamie Brenner's new adult novel, RUIN ME. Maybe it's just me or whatever shiznit I'm on but the tone of the story is highbrow artsy like the story. The plot is set in the New York art world which was surprisingly very cutthroat and Anna Sterling is the Grand Dame of that world. So it goes without saying that she wants her daughter, Lulu to succeed the throne but the latter has something else in mind. Not only that, Anna's right hand, Inez, wants it as well and she is bent on kicking Lulu out of the picture no matter the cost. Compounding this with Lulu's empty love life and desire for change and you have a very character driven novel.
RUIN ME has a lot of intrigue and controversy going on for it which I loved. Anna and Lulu's relationship is very strained because Anna's got issues that she's passing on to Lulu thanks to her sculptor father who committed suicide a long time ago. No abuse from Anna whatsoever except she can be very controlling and would dictate what Lulu should and shouldn't do. Inez I love the best because she is so Machiavellian! Inez is such a schemer, using people as her pawns for her own agenda. Inez's downfall was falling in love with Anna and as she wasn't really good at covering up her tracks, her plotting eventually caught up with her.
Lulu is a complex heroine and she possess strong contrasting characteristics. She can be docile but stubborn at the same time, naive yet discerning, soft but tough. Lulu is also loyal to a fault, her boyfriend is up and coming artist, Brandt Penn, who's technical skill didn't translate into talent. In short his work sucked balls. Lulu is sexually frustrated in her relationship because Brandt is the stereotypical artist, narcissistic, temperamental with a chip the size of Texas on his shoulder. This relationship fell apart eventually and Lulu found herself with graffiti artists, GoST and the latter represented a lot of things to Lulu, not just fascination for his work but something personal as well.
I know I should go. But I’m rooted in place. I feel myself close to greatness, true greatness. Something bigger and more important than anything that has hung in the walls of my mother’s gallery. And if I leave now, I might never get close to it again.
I love the idea of GoST and what his art stands for. He's an activist who advocates his revolutionary thoughts about society et al via his art. He has achieved notoriety and it's Lulu's fascination for his work that led her to him. It wasn't insta-love, it was slow burning and it started as pure curiosity in Lulu's part but given her messy personal life and chemistry with GoST, it was only natural that these two would fall in love. Their passion's a given but understated because JBrenner didn't really focus on the sex despite Lulu never having an orgasm in her life, the focal point of RUIN ME remained on the character developments. I'm thankful for this because I'm one of those NA-prejudiced readers who's experience with the genre centered on slutty new adults, their trainwreck lives and emotional immaturity. So to read NA-Lit that isn't like that is a blessing already.
Back to the novel, Lulu's character development is very remarkable and very consistent with the story, it wasn't forced, no convenient plot devices and the dramatic confrontations were all subdued. The same thing goes with the rest of the characters, once it was set in motion, none of them were the same in the end. Anna had a rude awakening, Inez and Brandt got what they deserved, GoST now has a legitimate voice and Lulu found her own person and is happily pursuing her own vision.
I guess I've justified why I absolutely loved RUIN ME. I don't know if there's a sequel, I sure hope there's one that would feature Lulu's BFF, Niffer, she's a firecracker. On a more general note, I am such a huge fan of JBrenner, her work has this signature feel to it especially her women. Her heroines are always so feminine and their strength lie in their femininity, they don't have snarky tongues, they're not the life of the party, they're very normal but above average, more ladies than women, if that makes sense. Her stories to me always has this classic literary feel and by injecting current plot devices turns it into a "trendy" read. So even if her work is popular contemporary fiction, it never felt "trashy" to me. I strongly advice, encourage, recommend you try her work.
May 17, 2014
Jamie Brenner's new adult romance, Ruin Me, awakens memories I have of Beauty And The Beast. Lulu Sterling lives in a world of beauty and GoST's life is masked with darkness.
Lulu thinks she knows what she wants; with one year left at NYU, she's interning at her mother's renowned art gallery for the summer, determined to prove herself to her critical mother and try to overcome the constant recollection of her father's suicide.
Lulu hopes she will finally find love and passion with her boyfriend, emerging artist Brandt Penn, but her desire is awakened in the form of a gifted, reclusive street artist known as the GoST.
I enjoyed each and every character and Ms. Brenner's character development was superb.
A fast paced story that was a delight to read!
Lulu thinks she knows what she wants; with one year left at NYU, she's interning at her mother's renowned art gallery for the summer, determined to prove herself to her critical mother and try to overcome the constant recollection of her father's suicide.
Lulu hopes she will finally find love and passion with her boyfriend, emerging artist Brandt Penn, but her desire is awakened in the form of a gifted, reclusive street artist known as the GoST.
I enjoyed each and every character and Ms. Brenner's character development was superb.
A fast paced story that was a delight to read!
May 15, 2014
I loved the world-building in this story! Art world in New York City meets primetime soap opera. The romance between the heroine and a mysterious street artist was pretty typical New Adult fare, and mostly OK for me. Really, I was in it for the world, the soapy shenanigans, and ultimately to see if the heroine would "grow" into her own person. Which, she does. For the most part. I think I would have preferred it had she done this without the aid of the hero - but hey, romance novel. You kind of have to have the hero there.
April 28, 2015
wow! just wow...I didn't expected much at first, might be just sad love story between two worlds..but, wow, this book really has interesting characters... the conflict, the artsy world, the mystery GoST, urgh, everything r just out of ordinary... love it!
November 8, 2020
I enjoyed this book and the edginess to the story.
December 6, 2014
Ruin Me was a quick and easy ready with very interesting characters, but they all seemed to be doing their own thing. While I wasn't as intrigued with the plot as I could have been, I was taken in by the way the author told the story. The only real connection I felt between the characters was when they were trying to manipulate others for their own agenda or beginning to find their own way in life.
Lulu was probably one of the only characters that were actually trying to break free, so her manipulation of the situations I could understand. She had a powerful mother Anna who owned an art gallery and she was determined that Lulu would soon take an active role after college. Anna had the perfect man, Brandt who was an up and coming art star for Lulu and all she needed was for Lulu to get on board with the plan. Her father had committed suicide and while Brandt looked perfect on paper, he was far from her dream man or anything she desired.
It didn’t matter the years of grooming her mother had spent getting Lulu to this point, it took one trip outside for fresh air during a showing for Lulu to see GoST do his art work on the side of a building. The freedom and beauty that came from street art had drawn her in long ago, but GoST was a mysterious artist that she wanted to meet. The art work that her mother was promoting would never fill her heart like street art would. The freedom and flow that she saw on the side of the building was what she longed for in her own life and GoST might just be the man to open the door for her.
Along with the twists and turns of Lulu trying to decide if she should break free from her mother’s demands and the planned future to embark on a life with GoST, she is going to have to deal with Inez who is Anna’s assistant. As plans start to be disclosed Inez is going to have to take things into her own hands to secure her own future. Things get interesting with Inez; she is the villain you love to hate at times, yet you can feel the desperation in her that motivates her actions.
GoST is a character of his own, mysterious, driven and yet not as confident as I felt he was portrayed in the book. I felt I could see a weakness in him that made him connectable to the reader. As driven and inspired by his art as most authors are, he was not one to jump into a relationship with anyone. He preferred the invisibility that his kind of art gave him but Lulu was going to be a challenge to him. I will state that I loved how the author made this relationship not start with a roaring fire, but with a spark from what would be considered the kindling of their lives and allowed the characters to direct their own path as the story goes.
When I started thinking about this review I was going to give it a three, but the more I think about the style this author used, I believe it deserves a four star rating. She not only explained New York, she painted the scene in a way that I could envision the streets, the art work and the environment around the characters. She wrote about the behind the scenes activities in the world of art, the competition, the need to be one step faster than others, just to secure your financial security perfectly. I could almost feel the intensity in that business and it also made me sad that the love of art was lost due to the need to succeed. She developed the characters in a way that leads me to believe they were truly in charge of the direction this story was going to go.
Nothing seemed forced with them; they were allowed to take their time while not letting the story drag. She has a rare form in her writing that I do appreciate so I would recommend each of you give this book a chance and see if she opened up a new form of writing for you as she did with me.
Lulu was probably one of the only characters that were actually trying to break free, so her manipulation of the situations I could understand. She had a powerful mother Anna who owned an art gallery and she was determined that Lulu would soon take an active role after college. Anna had the perfect man, Brandt who was an up and coming art star for Lulu and all she needed was for Lulu to get on board with the plan. Her father had committed suicide and while Brandt looked perfect on paper, he was far from her dream man or anything she desired.
It didn’t matter the years of grooming her mother had spent getting Lulu to this point, it took one trip outside for fresh air during a showing for Lulu to see GoST do his art work on the side of a building. The freedom and beauty that came from street art had drawn her in long ago, but GoST was a mysterious artist that she wanted to meet. The art work that her mother was promoting would never fill her heart like street art would. The freedom and flow that she saw on the side of the building was what she longed for in her own life and GoST might just be the man to open the door for her.
Along with the twists and turns of Lulu trying to decide if she should break free from her mother’s demands and the planned future to embark on a life with GoST, she is going to have to deal with Inez who is Anna’s assistant. As plans start to be disclosed Inez is going to have to take things into her own hands to secure her own future. Things get interesting with Inez; she is the villain you love to hate at times, yet you can feel the desperation in her that motivates her actions.
GoST is a character of his own, mysterious, driven and yet not as confident as I felt he was portrayed in the book. I felt I could see a weakness in him that made him connectable to the reader. As driven and inspired by his art as most authors are, he was not one to jump into a relationship with anyone. He preferred the invisibility that his kind of art gave him but Lulu was going to be a challenge to him. I will state that I loved how the author made this relationship not start with a roaring fire, but with a spark from what would be considered the kindling of their lives and allowed the characters to direct their own path as the story goes.
When I started thinking about this review I was going to give it a three, but the more I think about the style this author used, I believe it deserves a four star rating. She not only explained New York, she painted the scene in a way that I could envision the streets, the art work and the environment around the characters. She wrote about the behind the scenes activities in the world of art, the competition, the need to be one step faster than others, just to secure your financial security perfectly. I could almost feel the intensity in that business and it also made me sad that the love of art was lost due to the need to succeed. She developed the characters in a way that leads me to believe they were truly in charge of the direction this story was going to go.
Nothing seemed forced with them; they were allowed to take their time while not letting the story drag. She has a rare form in her writing that I do appreciate so I would recommend each of you give this book a chance and see if she opened up a new form of writing for you as she did with me.
October 6, 2016
I read this book mostly over the weekend. as much as I liked the main character I didn't really see the "love connection". it was more told than shown. . and for a book where the character finally experiences a Good time in bed it wasn't very descriptive
October 3, 2014
What a pleasant surprise to read a book with an idea I've never read before! Lulu Sterling, our heroine, is the daughter of one of New York's most well known and respected gallery owners. In the art world, she's like a princess waiting to inherit that status after she graduates NYU. She's even dating a talented up and coming artist. But in living that sheltered life she's also never experienced many things. Felt many things.
But she has a passion for street art. She even documents it on her Instagram account. And she's a huge fan of GoST. His art is political at times, but always meaningful. At one of her mom's events she happened to catch a glimpse of GoST in action and got a chance to get closer to him.
I was surprised at how much I liked the unconventional hero. He's homeless, really! How could I find him interesting? But he's edgy, very smart and knows his agenda well. He's not scared to go for it and accomplish what he sets out to do. And until Lulu he was also very much closed off to the outside world.
RUIN ME shows that you can find love in the most unexpected places and how that love can bring out the real you inside. I loved reading that process in Lulu and I had fun with their adventures!
*ARC provided by Publisher
❤ ♡ Don't want to miss any of our posts? Subscribe to our blog by email! ♡ ❤
May 18, 2014
Ruin Me is a new adult romance that definitely lives up to the meaning of the label. The story is all about Lulu Sterling breaking away from the larger-than-life personality of her mother Anna Sterling and finding her authentic self, both in her choice of career and in romance. Anna Sterling is a legendary art dealer and finder of new artists; but she has decreed not just that Lulu will follow in her footsteps by taking over her gallery, but she is also believes herself to be the arbiter of Lulu’s taste in art and men. But Anna’s vision of art and artists is locked in her own particular tastes, and she doesn’t see the changes in the art world. She’s also convinced that because her college-age daughter has a different vision, that she must make her conform. Instead, as the vise around her life and vision tightens, Lulu breaks away, creating a new business around her new vision of art, and with the street artist who embodies that vision. In the end, Lulu makes her own world, and discovers that standing up for herself is the best way to get her mother to see her as an adult, in spite of the anguish her stand initially causes them both.
Verdict: The fascination, and eventual romance, between Lulu and the street artist known as GoST proceeds in fits and starts, as the two young protagonists work out whether they CAN have relationship, coming from totally different worlds. But the story of Lulu’s growing independence from her smothering mother is the one that sticks in the mind. Recommended for lovers of coming-of-age stories.
Verdict: The fascination, and eventual romance, between Lulu and the street artist known as GoST proceeds in fits and starts, as the two young protagonists work out whether they CAN have relationship, coming from totally different worlds. But the story of Lulu’s growing independence from her smothering mother is the one that sticks in the mind. Recommended for lovers of coming-of-age stories.
August 12, 2014
I do believe this is the first New Adult novel set in the art world I've read. I had no idea the art world was so cut throat! I'm not sure what it was I was expecting, but this book was full of drama and action.
As a fan of art in all its forms I was surprised to see the disdain with which street art like GoST's was treated compared to traditional art like Brandt Penn's. Now seeing how one art installation caused traffic to shut down and the bomb squad called out, I can see why it's not looked on so favorably. After all the purpose of art is to convey a message or capture a moment in time and everyone interprets things differently.
I really liked Lulu. She knew what she liked and she went after it. I liked how even though she was afraid of her mother, once she gained confidence and herself, she didn't let anyone hold her back. I admired GoST for the same reason. Not only was he trying to convey a message to the public but he stood behind his art. He wasn't going to let anyone else take credit for it or let anyone get hurt because of it.
Chances are I'm not doing a really good job at conveying how good this book was. Give a try. It took me about 10% to really get into it, and then I had a very hard time putting it down. This is the first book by Jamie Brenner that I've read. I'm surprised I haven't heard about her before. Now that I know she's written other books, I'm definitely going to check them out and keep my eyes and ears pealed for whatever she writes next.
As a fan of art in all its forms I was surprised to see the disdain with which street art like GoST's was treated compared to traditional art like Brandt Penn's. Now seeing how one art installation caused traffic to shut down and the bomb squad called out, I can see why it's not looked on so favorably. After all the purpose of art is to convey a message or capture a moment in time and everyone interprets things differently.
I really liked Lulu. She knew what she liked and she went after it. I liked how even though she was afraid of her mother, once she gained confidence and herself, she didn't let anyone hold her back. I admired GoST for the same reason. Not only was he trying to convey a message to the public but he stood behind his art. He wasn't going to let anyone else take credit for it or let anyone get hurt because of it.
Chances are I'm not doing a really good job at conveying how good this book was. Give a try. It took me about 10% to really get into it, and then I had a very hard time putting it down. This is the first book by Jamie Brenner that I've read. I'm surprised I haven't heard about her before. Now that I know she's written other books, I'm definitely going to check them out and keep my eyes and ears pealed for whatever she writes next.
July 30, 2014
3.5 stars
What a pleasant surprise to read a book with an idea I’ve never read before! Lulu Sterling, our heroine, is the daughter of one of New York’s most well known and respected gallery owners. In the art world, she’s like a princess waiting to inherit that status after she graduates NYU. She’s even dating a talented up and coming artist. But in living that sheltered life she’s also never experienced many things. Felt many things.
But she has a passion for street art. She even documents it on her Instagram account. And she’s a huge fan of GoST. His art is political at times, but always meaningful. At one of her mom’s events she happened to catch a glimpse of GoST in action and got a chance to get closer to him.
I was surprised at how much I liked the unconventional hero. He’s homeless, really! How could I find him interesting? But he’s edgy, very smart and knows his agenda well. He’s not scared to go for it and accomplish what he sets out to do. And until Lulu he was also very much closed off to the outside world.
RUIN ME shows that you can find love in the most unexpected places and how that love can bring out the real you inside. I loved reading that process in Lulu and I had fun with their adventures!
*ARC provided by Publisher
What a pleasant surprise to read a book with an idea I’ve never read before! Lulu Sterling, our heroine, is the daughter of one of New York’s most well known and respected gallery owners. In the art world, she’s like a princess waiting to inherit that status after she graduates NYU. She’s even dating a talented up and coming artist. But in living that sheltered life she’s also never experienced many things. Felt many things.
But she has a passion for street art. She even documents it on her Instagram account. And she’s a huge fan of GoST. His art is political at times, but always meaningful. At one of her mom’s events she happened to catch a glimpse of GoST in action and got a chance to get closer to him.
I was surprised at how much I liked the unconventional hero. He’s homeless, really! How could I find him interesting? But he’s edgy, very smart and knows his agenda well. He’s not scared to go for it and accomplish what he sets out to do. And until Lulu he was also very much closed off to the outside world.
RUIN ME shows that you can find love in the most unexpected places and how that love can bring out the real you inside. I loved reading that process in Lulu and I had fun with their adventures!
*ARC provided by Publisher
June 12, 2014
‘I worry that he will climb any mountain to stay out of reach of normalcy. That he will always be one step away from me–from us. It scares me because the only future I can see for myself is one with us together.’
Ruin Me is a New Adult novel that is at times cynical, at times hopeful, and which gives us a behind-the-scenes look at what goes on in the fast-paced world of art.
I find that whenever I read a book set in NYC written by someone who has lived there, somehow there is a balance of grittiness and beauty that always comes shining through. And I loved that here it was also mirrored in the comparison of the high-brow world of art galleries and the contrasting underground street artist scene. Our protagonist Lulu was stuck in between these worlds. She grew up amongst the elite in the industry thanks to her parents. But Lulu had been drawn to GoST’s art since the beginning. Her struggle to reconcile both sides of her love for art created tension in all of her relationships unfortunately. Ultimately, though, she finds the balance she needs to grow both personally and professionally.
See my full review here:
http://harlequinjunkie.com/review-rui...
Ruin Me is a New Adult novel that is at times cynical, at times hopeful, and which gives us a behind-the-scenes look at what goes on in the fast-paced world of art.
I find that whenever I read a book set in NYC written by someone who has lived there, somehow there is a balance of grittiness and beauty that always comes shining through. And I loved that here it was also mirrored in the comparison of the high-brow world of art galleries and the contrasting underground street artist scene. Our protagonist Lulu was stuck in between these worlds. She grew up amongst the elite in the industry thanks to her parents. But Lulu had been drawn to GoST’s art since the beginning. Her struggle to reconcile both sides of her love for art created tension in all of her relationships unfortunately. Ultimately, though, she finds the balance she needs to grow both personally and professionally.
See my full review here:
http://harlequinjunkie.com/review-rui...
November 27, 2014
Lulu appears to have it all. A wealthy mother, a gorgeous boyfriend, and a career most people would kill for. When she runs into an incredibly talented street artist everything changes. When everything around her starts to crumble she turns to GoST and as their relationship develops she begins to wonder what she wants to do with her life. Can she get GoST to let her in or is he just a pit stop on the road to the rest of her life.
GoST has been his identity for so long, and he planned on keeping it a secret until he runs into Lulu. At first he lets her tag along so she can help him with his art but the longer she helps him the stronger the feelings grow. He never planned on getting attached to her but is he willing to let her go? Now he has to decide what's more important hiding his identity or Lulu.
I absolutely loved this book. It was action packed and crazy. It was like reading about Hollywood for artists. The book drags you in and pulls you along for the ride. You get to see the POV of a few different characters and experience everything they go through. This was a dramatic book filled with gossip and I really think this will entertain a lot of readers.
GoST has been his identity for so long, and he planned on keeping it a secret until he runs into Lulu. At first he lets her tag along so she can help him with his art but the longer she helps him the stronger the feelings grow. He never planned on getting attached to her but is he willing to let her go? Now he has to decide what's more important hiding his identity or Lulu.
I absolutely loved this book. It was action packed and crazy. It was like reading about Hollywood for artists. The book drags you in and pulls you along for the ride. You get to see the POV of a few different characters and experience everything they go through. This was a dramatic book filled with gossip and I really think this will entertain a lot of readers.
August 30, 2015
While I didn't dislike this one, I found it to be just okay. The characters were ones that I had difficulty connecting with and caring about. I thought the street artist storyline was a little odd, but it did hold my attention. The book was interesting. Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for providing an ARC in return for an honest review.
Want to read
January 3, 2015ARC Received on behalf of St. Martin's Press from NetGalley.
Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews