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Reckless #1
Reckless Hope
Every man she’s ever known has hurt her…until him.
Life hasn’t been kind to Harper Rain. In fact, so far, it’s only proven the one person she can rely on is herself. But when all her efforts to escape her family fail, she takes the last desperate option—run.
With little more than a few dollars to her name, she ends up in the small town of Misty Peak. The first person she meets is a tall mountain of a man…whose kindness is only outshone by his captivating smile.
As a former Delta Forces soldier, the urge to protect others is in Cody Walker’s genes. So when a woman walks into his bar in the middle of a storm—with only a backpack and a black eye—ignoring her isn’t an option.
Trust doesn’t come easy to Harper, so Cody starts by giving her a job. The more he gets to know the enigmatic woman, the more he’s convinced that slowly working his way behind her shields is well worth the effort.
Unfortunately for them both, time is a luxury they can’t afford. Harper's pursuer is catching up, and if they can’t have her, no one can…least of all Cody.
Reckless Hope is a small-town, stand-alone romantic suspense in the Reckless series by bestselling author Nyssa Kathryn.
Life hasn’t been kind to Harper Rain. In fact, so far, it’s only proven the one person she can rely on is herself. But when all her efforts to escape her family fail, she takes the last desperate option—run.
With little more than a few dollars to her name, she ends up in the small town of Misty Peak. The first person she meets is a tall mountain of a man…whose kindness is only outshone by his captivating smile.
As a former Delta Forces soldier, the urge to protect others is in Cody Walker’s genes. So when a woman walks into his bar in the middle of a storm—with only a backpack and a black eye—ignoring her isn’t an option.
Trust doesn’t come easy to Harper, so Cody starts by giving her a job. The more he gets to know the enigmatic woman, the more he’s convinced that slowly working his way behind her shields is well worth the effort.
Unfortunately for them both, time is a luxury they can’t afford. Harper's pursuer is catching up, and if they can’t have her, no one can…least of all Cody.
Reckless Hope is a small-town, stand-alone romantic suspense in the Reckless series by bestselling author Nyssa Kathryn.
280 pages, Kindle Edition
First published May 3, 2024
1562 people are currently reading
1092 people want to read
About the author
Nyssa Kathryn
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Australian Romantic Suspense Author, Nyssa Kathryn, is a passionate reader and writer of all things romance. Living in South Australia with her hubby and daughter, when she's not spending time with the family, she's either plotting her next story or got her head stuck in a book.
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https://www.nyssakathryn.com/vip-newsletter
Australian Romantic Suspense Author, Nyssa Kathryn, is a passionate reader and writer of all things romance. Living in South Australia with her hubby and daughter, when she's not spending time with the family, she's either plotting her next story or got her head stuck in a book.
Follow Nyssa here:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/nyssakathrynauthor
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/authornyssakathryn/
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 256 reviews
January 29, 2025
3.5 stars
First and foremost, if you’re going to read this book, you should listen to the audio copy. The narration is fantastic. I was excited to try a new to me author and overall I liked this one. There was a good bit of drama throughout, and I didn’t love the third person writing style, but I would try something by this author again.
First and foremost, if you’re going to read this book, you should listen to the audio copy. The narration is fantastic. I was excited to try a new to me author and overall I liked this one. There was a good bit of drama throughout, and I didn’t love the third person writing style, but I would try something by this author again.
Audio book source: Audible
Story Rating: 3.5 stars
Narrators: Avery Caris & Jason Clarke
Narration Rating: 4.5 stars
Genre: Romance
Length:7h 51m
June 3, 2024
It's possible that I need to reset my brain and expectations about romances. I own this. It's also possible that I've become a little crotchety. This may also be true. So, as I review this very basic and template-driven tale, maybe we should all keep these things in mind.
All this said, I really feel we as readers deserve better than this.
Here's what you get in this story.
The female lead is like a paper doll of a heroine. She's 25, gorgeous, and doesn't know it (of course), perfect in virtually every way (Mary), saintlike and instantly adored by all who meet her, and a lifetime abuse victim. The male lead is a former Special Forces dude, gorgeous beyond reason, skilled in hand to hand combat, beloved by all, a Protector with a capital P, and a sex god.
The plot is very trope driven. This perfect girl comes from a horrifically abusive, damaged, addiction addled and criminal family. She's Cinderella, forced into financial and physical servitude until she escapes with just her car and the shirt off her back. She drives until finding an open bar run by the saint-like specimen male lead, who, of course, goes all out to protect her since he immediately knows she is The One. The rest of the story includes numerous bloody run-ins with her father, her narcissistic, entitled brother, a regretful snarky ex girlfriend, and two small-town tropey bad guys, one of which is the standard psychopath you see in every bad romance.
On top of this trope-heavy soup o characters is a pile of TSTL behaviors that range from repeatedly leaving a safe area to insisting on doing things that show "independence," and just straight up ridiculous acts that always result in the next action sequence. Kidnapping is heavily featured, of course. And there's a complete refusal to involve law enforcement until the sitch is dire. Once engaged, law enforcement can't seem to pick up any of the bad guys or figure out where they're hiding.
It's a real smorgasboard of lazy templated storytelling populated by trope-driven "characters" who do nothing beyond what you'd expect from their tiny list of 2D attributes/behaviors. Really, there's not a single thing in this story that hasn't been done thousands and thousands of times before. Nothing stands out. Nothing original, interesting, or non-stereotypical here at all.
I do feel bad being critical of an author who put herself out here and tried to create something entertaining. I really respect that. And hey, I'm the one playing critic and not creating something that I feel might be better, right? However, I honestly feel we deserve better. And that's the purpose of this review.
Please do better!
All this said, I really feel we as readers deserve better than this.
Here's what you get in this story.
The female lead is like a paper doll of a heroine. She's 25, gorgeous, and doesn't know it (of course), perfect in virtually every way (Mary), saintlike and instantly adored by all who meet her, and a lifetime abuse victim. The male lead is a former Special Forces dude, gorgeous beyond reason, skilled in hand to hand combat, beloved by all, a Protector with a capital P, and a sex god.
The plot is very trope driven. This perfect girl comes from a horrifically abusive, damaged, addiction addled and criminal family. She's Cinderella, forced into financial and physical servitude until she escapes with just her car and the shirt off her back. She drives until finding an open bar run by the saint-like specimen male lead, who, of course, goes all out to protect her since he immediately knows she is The One. The rest of the story includes numerous bloody run-ins with her father, her narcissistic, entitled brother, a regretful snarky ex girlfriend, and two small-town tropey bad guys, one of which is the standard psychopath you see in every bad romance.
On top of this trope-heavy soup o characters is a pile of TSTL behaviors that range from repeatedly leaving a safe area to insisting on doing things that show "independence," and just straight up ridiculous acts that always result in the next action sequence. Kidnapping is heavily featured, of course. And there's a complete refusal to involve law enforcement until the sitch is dire. Once engaged, law enforcement can't seem to pick up any of the bad guys or figure out where they're hiding.
It's a real smorgasboard of lazy templated storytelling populated by trope-driven "characters" who do nothing beyond what you'd expect from their tiny list of 2D attributes/behaviors. Really, there's not a single thing in this story that hasn't been done thousands and thousands of times before. Nothing stands out. Nothing original, interesting, or non-stereotypical here at all.
I do feel bad being critical of an author who put herself out here and tried to create something entertaining. I really respect that. And hey, I'm the one playing critic and not creating something that I feel might be better, right? However, I honestly feel we deserve better. And that's the purpose of this review.
Please do better!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 20, 2024
Romantic Suspense with a damsel and a protective hero. Harper has been hurt, betrayed and let down by everyone she was supposed to be able to trust. Now on the run, she finds herself asking for help in a charming small bar from a handsome bar owner. Cody is protective, ex military and honestly all green flags. He immediately is drawn to Harper, but the more he pushes to get close to her, the more she keeps her distance. With an arsonist on the lose, attacks coming from left and right and ghosts from Harper’s past coming back to haunt her, it’s a good read with drama and all the feels.
April 21, 2024
Romantic suspense is slowly becoming one of my favorite sub-genres of romance. I just love the mix of danger and romance. Throw in a MMC that is an ex-special forces soldier and I’m sold🤭
I really fell in love with this book and I had a fun time reading it. There was some insta-lust, but it didn’t really bother me because the story was just so addicting. I wanted to keep reading and figure out how the mystery would unfold. The suspense/thriller aspect of this book was executed really well and definitely kept my interest.
I also liked our two leads. Harper is running from her past and keeps her cards close to her chest. There is an air of mystery to her and I enjoyed how each chapter kept peeling back the layers of who she is. Cody, on the other hand, is an open book. He is protective and goes after what he wants, which in this case just so happens to be Harper. They had a a very sweet, yet also sexy relationship.
Overall, I adored this book and I’m so excited for the rest of the books in the series!
Thank you to the author for sending me an ARC in exchange for an honest review!
I really fell in love with this book and I had a fun time reading it. There was some insta-lust, but it didn’t really bother me because the story was just so addicting. I wanted to keep reading and figure out how the mystery would unfold. The suspense/thriller aspect of this book was executed really well and definitely kept my interest.
I also liked our two leads. Harper is running from her past and keeps her cards close to her chest. There is an air of mystery to her and I enjoyed how each chapter kept peeling back the layers of who she is. Cody, on the other hand, is an open book. He is protective and goes after what he wants, which in this case just so happens to be Harper. They had a a very sweet, yet also sexy relationship.
Overall, I adored this book and I’m so excited for the rest of the books in the series!
Thank you to the author for sending me an ARC in exchange for an honest review!
May 13, 2024
A spicy and suspenseful small town romance. Harper is running away from a terrible family life and ends up in a delightful small town. Enter Cody, ex military and bar owner. It doesn’t take long for Harper’s problems to follow her. Well written, with an interesting story line.
Wonderfully narrated in duet by Avery Caris and Jason Clarke. With this duo, it is of no surprise that I loved the audiobook.
Wonderfully narrated in duet by Avery Caris and Jason Clarke. With this duo, it is of no surprise that I loved the audiobook.
May 19, 2024
3.5 out of 5
I liked this book. I didn’t love it. I probably won’t reread it but I might. It’s the first in a series and I do want to read the next book. Thus the 3.5.
Harper, our heroine, is a young woman on the run. She’s recently discovered her mother stole money she’s been saving for years. Her brother is abusive and her future isn’t looking too bright. She stops at a bar in a small town she’s passing through for a bit of a break before moving on. There she runs into Cody, the owner of the bar. He can tell that Harper is down on her luck. She has a bruise on her eye, courtesy of her brother and just looks exhausted. He finds her a place to stay for a bit and then offers her a job at his bar.
She gratefully takes him up on his offers and the two of them start falling in love with each other. But there are obstacles. His ex who cheated on him with his best friend wants him back. Her father who has been in prison for years is released and as we find out, looking for her for retribution as he sees her as the reason he went to prison. There’s also an arsonist loose in the small town.
I found the book a bit too soap opera ish. Harper was a bit too timid for my liking and Cody a bit too good and noble. Still, I do want to read the next book about Cody’s brother, a loner and a grump.
I liked this book. I didn’t love it. I probably won’t reread it but I might. It’s the first in a series and I do want to read the next book. Thus the 3.5.
Harper, our heroine, is a young woman on the run. She’s recently discovered her mother stole money she’s been saving for years. Her brother is abusive and her future isn’t looking too bright. She stops at a bar in a small town she’s passing through for a bit of a break before moving on. There she runs into Cody, the owner of the bar. He can tell that Harper is down on her luck. She has a bruise on her eye, courtesy of her brother and just looks exhausted. He finds her a place to stay for a bit and then offers her a job at his bar.
She gratefully takes him up on his offers and the two of them start falling in love with each other. But there are obstacles. His ex who cheated on him with his best friend wants him back. Her father who has been in prison for years is released and as we find out, looking for her for retribution as he sees her as the reason he went to prison. There’s also an arsonist loose in the small town.
I found the book a bit too soap opera ish. Harper was a bit too timid for my liking and Cody a bit too good and noble. Still, I do want to read the next book about Cody’s brother, a loner and a grump.
April 21, 2024
I just know we’re going to enjoy our time with the Walker brothers. They’re all stubborn, smart, strong, protective, and it would seem that when Cody finds the perfect woman, he doesn’t care one lick about anything but making her life better. At least, that’s exactly how he does things with Harper. And trust me when I say that she deserves someone to put her first and love her for a change.
Harper just might break your heart a little bit though. She’s truly alone and those who should’ve supported her never did. Instead, they treated her like she owed them something for breathing. So I don’t blame her for running when it all finally became too much to endure. And I love how she finds her spine here, all without losing her ability to care about others and maybe even fall in love. Yeah, she’s got a hard road ahead. Heck, she and Cody both do. But they travel it together. They communicate. They don’t play games. And they definitely come through everything stronger than imagined.
So I definitely look forward to more of this family. This town. And I really hope a certain brother gets his head sorted out because it looks like someone could really use a friend after Cody and Harper get there forever.
Harper just might break your heart a little bit though. She’s truly alone and those who should’ve supported her never did. Instead, they treated her like she owed them something for breathing. So I don’t blame her for running when it all finally became too much to endure. And I love how she finds her spine here, all without losing her ability to care about others and maybe even fall in love. Yeah, she’s got a hard road ahead. Heck, she and Cody both do. But they travel it together. They communicate. They don’t play games. And they definitely come through everything stronger than imagined.
So I definitely look forward to more of this family. This town. And I really hope a certain brother gets his head sorted out because it looks like someone could really use a friend after Cody and Harper get there forever.
July 11, 2024
i loved this so much! it was intense and the suspense portion of this book was so good. the romance between cody and harper was so sweet and genuine. i've really been loving this series.
May 5, 2024
3 "I'll keep you safe" starsHarper, a young woman from a terrible family, who has abused her, runs as far as she can from them[from AL to TN], after a blow up and learning that her criminal father, who she helped to put in jail years ago, is getting out. Unfortunately, her money and means don't take her far enough; fortunately, she does get as far as Misty Peak, where she runs into a bar, and straight into the interest and protective demeanor of Cody Walker.
Honestly, what sticks out in my brain about this story is that the hero, Cody, keeps saying "I promise you that will never happen, again" (or some such, over and over again), each time the heroine is accosted by a man, in their small town, or threatened by "the fire bug," in their small town," or one of her bad family members tries to harm/catch her, in their small town! And I just needed Cody to shut up and keep protecting, ...
Cody, of the Walker clan, who are many brothers (all military, rescue, or lawmen) and 1 sister (Cody's twin, from Liam), stays close to Harper, giving her a job and directing her to a place to stay, until she starts to let him in. He knows he wants Harper, but he also knows gaining her trust and being a support is what he has to start with first. He also has to swallow the pill that he can't stop everything from happening to her.
In all, this was not exactly a slow burn, but it does take a little time for Harper and Cody to get together (really though? Harper is "seen" as Cody's from the get go).
The suspense wasn't well executed, and all of the attacks on Harper and the solution to protecting her from her family were put to rest at the end; however, some elements of it just came either as "no surprise," for the reader, or did not hit the way the author might have intended them to. Plus, the cliched OW drama on Cody's side could have been left out. Really.
It is a typical small town romance, and the characters , not the plot, save it. The Walker clan are ride-or-die, and Harper does not try to run again, after her initial skittishness; she tries to stick with Cody and what they are growing. Nevertheless, it's formulaic because the ending epilogue is just the prologue to the next Walker brother's HEA story. So, chalk this series up as a comfort read, with maybe a shiny one to come about before the series is done.
Happy Reading.
May 31, 2024
I did enjoy it, but I didn’t love it as much as I thought.
The start of the book was really good, as Harper is running from danger. When she goes into Cody’s bar, he sees the battered and bruised woman and feels a pull towards her and wants to protect her. It’s really sweet but also exciting. Cody offers Harper a job at his bar and they get closer. As a series of arson attacks and Harper being attacked, it becomes obvious she is is in danger from her past and her present.
It’s a good read but there are mistakes that spoilt it. Such as Harper having a 24 hour flu. She faints with a seriously high temperature and a headache, then the next day she’s fine. Even a 24 hour flu takes a few days days to get over and she has no other symptoms, she just sleeps a lot. The sex scene is really poor. It felt so rushed and not very well written.
Lastly Cody’s sister and her boyfriend Liam come for a visit at the end. Liam is part of Blue Halo and I’d forgotten who they were, and that I had read their book. Why didn’t the author remind us who they were.
The danger although good is very fast and disappointing. I’d definitely read the next one but I wouldn’t say it was amazing.
The start of the book was really good, as Harper is running from danger. When she goes into Cody’s bar, he sees the battered and bruised woman and feels a pull towards her and wants to protect her. It’s really sweet but also exciting. Cody offers Harper a job at his bar and they get closer. As a series of arson attacks and Harper being attacked, it becomes obvious she is is in danger from her past and her present.
It’s a good read but there are mistakes that spoilt it. Such as Harper having a 24 hour flu. She faints with a seriously high temperature and a headache, then the next day she’s fine. Even a 24 hour flu takes a few days days to get over and she has no other symptoms, she just sleeps a lot. The sex scene is really poor. It felt so rushed and not very well written.
Lastly Cody’s sister and her boyfriend Liam come for a visit at the end. Liam is part of Blue Halo and I’d forgotten who they were, and that I had read their book. Why didn’t the author remind us who they were.
The danger although good is very fast and disappointing. I’d definitely read the next one but I wouldn’t say it was amazing.
July 5, 2024
Reckless Hope is book one in the Reckless series by Nyssa Kathryn. One night, ex-Delta Force soldier Cody Walker was behind his bar when a young woman walked in with a black eye, asking for a place to stay for the night. When Cody saw the black eye, his protective nature rose, and he gave the young woman a job without any experience. However, for Harper, the people she was running away from finally found her. Will Cody be able to save her? The readers of Reckless Hope will continue to follow Cody and Harper to discover what happens.
I love Nyssa Kathryn's books, and Reckless Hope did not disappoint. I forgot about everything else from the first page and just read this book. I enjoy the way Nyssa Kathryn highlights social issues in a small community. I love Nyssa Kathryn's portrayal of her characters and how they intertwine with each other throughout this book. Reckless Hope was well-written and researched. I like Nyssa Kathryn's description of the settings of Reckless Hope, which allowed me to imagine being part of the book's plot.
The readers of Reckless Hope will understand the importance of ensuring that when you come to age, you remove people from your bank account. Also, the readers of Reckless Hope will learn about the dangers of domestic violence for everyone involved.
I recommend this book.
I love Nyssa Kathryn's books, and Reckless Hope did not disappoint. I forgot about everything else from the first page and just read this book. I enjoy the way Nyssa Kathryn highlights social issues in a small community. I love Nyssa Kathryn's portrayal of her characters and how they intertwine with each other throughout this book. Reckless Hope was well-written and researched. I like Nyssa Kathryn's description of the settings of Reckless Hope, which allowed me to imagine being part of the book's plot.
The readers of Reckless Hope will understand the importance of ensuring that when you come to age, you remove people from your bank account. Also, the readers of Reckless Hope will learn about the dangers of domestic violence for everyone involved.
I recommend this book.
May 3, 2024
Nyssa Katherine has quickly become one of my favorite authors. I love romantic suspense it is one of my favorites and she is my go to! Since we met Cody in Liam’s story I have been desperately hoping we would be getting this series and this didn’t disappoint! This has everything you expect from Nyssa Katherine. Over protective hero who is growly and former military. Also a brave, fierce and loyal FMC. There was a bit of an insta-love but it was light and you definitely don’t mind because this story just sucks you right in and you are immediately cheering for Harper to finally have the happiness and peace she so desperately wants. The mystery/suspense kept me on my toes from the very beginning. So so good! The side characters make up so much of this one and you can’t help but fall in love with this small town. I can’t wait for book two! Thank you so much for the opportunity to read this. OUT 05•03•2024
January 13, 2025
A new to me author. And I will be reading her again.
A little bit of a choppy story structure for me--a little episodic vs. one scene leading into another. But I love the characters and the small TN town of Misty Peak and its community of characters (both good and bad). Cody Walker and all his brothers are former/active military, a close family, and protective down to the bone.
I like that there was more than one crime/villain to be dealt with--both from Harper's past and from Cody's. Ends with an introduction to the next brother's story, which I love.
A little bit of a choppy story structure for me--a little episodic vs. one scene leading into another. But I love the characters and the small TN town of Misty Peak and its community of characters (both good and bad). Cody Walker and all his brothers are former/active military, a close family, and protective down to the bone.
I like that there was more than one crime/villain to be dealt with--both from Harper's past and from Cody's. Ends with an introduction to the next brother's story, which I love.
July 28, 2025
Nice Read
I did not see the plot twist at the end there! What a nice and easy read! Vanessa was a constant annoyance but dang I felt bad for her a little bit there at the end. It definitely seemed like Harper couldn’t catch a break there. I definitely hope they can get Tommy cat to finally become domesticated. I can’t wait to read what happens with the rest of the brothers! I love the cameo of Nylah and her man from a different series! I was so excited to see them pop up on this!
I did not see the plot twist at the end there! What a nice and easy read! Vanessa was a constant annoyance but dang I felt bad for her a little bit there at the end. It definitely seemed like Harper couldn’t catch a break there. I definitely hope they can get Tommy cat to finally become domesticated. I can’t wait to read what happens with the rest of the brothers! I love the cameo of Nylah and her man from a different series! I was so excited to see them pop up on this!
July 6, 2024
Small town romance has become one of my favorite things to read. There is always so much HOPE within the pages, even when things go so very wrong.
This had lots of everything…. family tragedies, mystery, friendship, justice and love. I enjoyed this book.
This had lots of everything…. family tragedies, mystery, friendship, justice and love. I enjoyed this book.
February 8, 2025
4.5 my first Nyssa book and def looking forward to continuing this series and diving more into Nyssa’s books. Giving me Catherine Cowles, Claire Kingsley and Aurora Rose Reynolds suspense romance. Which is def one of my fave subgenres.
May 4, 2024
Pretty good
I have read many Nyssa Kathryn books and given them 5 stars. This book just didn't do it for me. I didn't care for some of the characters very much nor the plot. The ending was great though.
I have read many Nyssa Kathryn books and given them 5 stars. This book just didn't do it for me. I didn't care for some of the characters very much nor the plot. The ending was great though.
July 2, 2025
Harper and Cody story was phenomenal. I couldn’t get enough of this amazing story. And the town people were as you expected in a small town romance. And I can’t wait to come back. 💙
August 27, 2025
dnf 16%
just meh. trying to find a 4 or 5 star book.
just meh. trying to find a 4 or 5 star book.
June 8, 2024
scrumpdillyicious I fear
May 22, 2024
book started out okay however from the second half onwards, it feels really subpar. the characters were helpless and useless especially the male characters. the male characters are ex-military however they felt more useless than regular folks because the heroine got attacked, got dragged out by her hair in a crowded places then got kidnapped, all of these happening like right under their noses but can't do much when the hero keep claiming he will protect her. like really??
then there is no epilogue, and the last chapter felt rather random because it's not the main characters pov but the hero's brother. it shouldn't be labelled together but rather a sneak peek of the next book. for a moment, i was rather confused when it wasn't the hero or heroine pov.
then there is no epilogue, and the last chapter felt rather random because it's not the main characters pov but the hero's brother. it shouldn't be labelled together but rather a sneak peek of the next book. for a moment, i was rather confused when it wasn't the hero or heroine pov.
July 20, 2025
4.5 stars
April 22, 2024
A really good story that isn't love at first sight. I enjoyed the dynamic between Cody and his brothers and look forward to the romance between Kayden and Tilly and the return of Sadie (I'm just guessing at the Sadie return but it makes sense from the hints). Harper worked so hard to trust again and take Cody at his word. It was an exciting story. A lot happens at the end and that was a little much but if you know this author you know to expect that.
I received an ARC from the author and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I received an ARC from the author and am voluntarily leaving a review.
May 6, 2024
2.0⭐️ Most Annoying rtf
July 16, 2024
DNF. Between the MMC giving the FMC a nickname the second time he met her, to him hiring her on the spot with no references after he had employees steal from him to her instantly considering staying just to be with the hot guy she’s known for less than a week, I couldn’t continue reading this. Insta love is not the trope for me.
Read
November 21, 2025Review to come…..
July 10, 2024
It’s a g0d damned telenovela!!!
I really wanted to read the second book in this series, but when I saw it was part of a series I started with this one. Oh how I regret it. I usually love this author, but this was a total miss for me. It felt like the goal was to smash as many cliches as possible into one story. All of the cliches… and not done well. It became more ridiculous as the book progressed.
Harper takes off in her car, fleeing from her family. To be fair, they’re not chasing her. Her mom drained the money from her bank account because she was dumb enough to keep her as a co-signer on it 🙄 So technically it wasn’t stealing. Her brother assaulted her when she confronts her mom, saying they’ll keep taking what they want, because they can. So she gets in her car and flees. For five whole hours before she is just too gosh darned tuckered out to drive anymore. 🙄🙄. Naturally there’s a bar in the middle of nowhere, complete with a do-good owner who falls head over heels at first sight and swears to protect her. As you do. He’s supposedly a former Delta Force operator turned bar owner, but literally nothing he does makes me believe that background. He’s just your run of the mill nice guy that keeps promising to keep her safe, while also turning around so so can get snatched and assaulted a hundred times. 🤷🏻♀️
She spends forever refusing to tell him what’s really going on in her past or why she “ran”. She also never bothers to change her phone number, so she still gets texts and calls from her brother harassing her. 🙄 She gets repeatedly attacked by multiple unrelated and random sources, still doesn’t share her past (because why would you share such pertinent info), there’s a “firebug“ lighting fires, her evil dad gets randomly released from prison early and comes looking for her to seek revenge… Cody keep promising protect her and swearing she’ll never get hurt again… and then she does. There’s a lot of TSTL choices, and a spiteful ex GF that keeps trying to cause drama. So basically, all the cliches wrapped into one story.
The sheer number of times she gets grabbed and assaulted is both annoying and comical. Like- it’s irritating AF with each new occurrence and I just had to roll my eyes because it’s so implausible it’s ridiculous. It’s almost become satire or cartoon villain-esque at this point. I also cannot fathom how one supposedly tiny town houses so many super villains. There’s a lot of them!
“Well, from what I hear, she was attacked in the alley. Her car was torched. And wasn’t there something about someone grabbing her at the market?” Travis leaned forward. “Don’t worry, I’ve got your back. I told her to leave. I mean, it’s probably best, right? Just look at how easily I got to her tonight. Imagine all the things I could’ve done to her while you weren’t here.”
By the time a major conflict near the end rolled around, I couldn’t take anything serious because it was just ridiculous at that point. This girl is in a closed and locked bar with a friend, Cody, and Cody’s family, and can’t even walk into another room unescorted without getting kidnapped and assaulted. I quite literally yelled out loud “oh for gods sake!” 🙄 And when Cody calls his brother to say “She’s gone, Eastern. Someone took Harper.” instead of feeling it was dramatic, I just laughed. Laughed. I can’t take this seriously at this point. It honestly felt like a telenovela 😂
And if that wasn’t enough… nope, it’s not done yet! Another villain pops out of the woodwork! It seriously just kept going. Like that infomercial dude : “but wait! There’s more!” 🙄🙄 This girl would need major intensive therapy if she actually endured this many assaults, kidnappings, fires, shooting, etc. I mean come on.
The second book was really the reason I started this series. But this first book really turned me off, and while I would still typically continue on to the next book since I was looking forward to it so much… I have to say that Kayden blaming Tilly so aggressively for her father’s sins is already wearing on me. He’s so awful already just as a side character, I can’t imagine dealing with him as the main character. I’m not sure I can take a whole book of him being a complete D bag to such a sweet girl. So it looks like I’m going to have to take a breather before moving on.
I really wanted to read the second book in this series, but when I saw it was part of a series I started with this one. Oh how I regret it. I usually love this author, but this was a total miss for me. It felt like the goal was to smash as many cliches as possible into one story. All of the cliches… and not done well. It became more ridiculous as the book progressed.
Harper takes off in her car, fleeing from her family. To be fair, they’re not chasing her. Her mom drained the money from her bank account because she was dumb enough to keep her as a co-signer on it 🙄 So technically it wasn’t stealing. Her brother assaulted her when she confronts her mom, saying they’ll keep taking what they want, because they can. So she gets in her car and flees. For five whole hours before she is just too gosh darned tuckered out to drive anymore. 🙄🙄. Naturally there’s a bar in the middle of nowhere, complete with a do-good owner who falls head over heels at first sight and swears to protect her. As you do. He’s supposedly a former Delta Force operator turned bar owner, but literally nothing he does makes me believe that background. He’s just your run of the mill nice guy that keeps promising to keep her safe, while also turning around so so can get snatched and assaulted a hundred times. 🤷🏻♀️
She spends forever refusing to tell him what’s really going on in her past or why she “ran”. She also never bothers to change her phone number, so she still gets texts and calls from her brother harassing her. 🙄 She gets repeatedly attacked by multiple unrelated and random sources, still doesn’t share her past (because why would you share such pertinent info), there’s a “firebug“ lighting fires, her evil dad gets randomly released from prison early and comes looking for her to seek revenge… Cody keep promising protect her and swearing she’ll never get hurt again… and then she does. There’s a lot of TSTL choices, and a spiteful ex GF that keeps trying to cause drama. So basically, all the cliches wrapped into one story.
The sheer number of times she gets grabbed and assaulted is both annoying and comical. Like- it’s irritating AF with each new occurrence and I just had to roll my eyes because it’s so implausible it’s ridiculous. It’s almost become satire or cartoon villain-esque at this point. I also cannot fathom how one supposedly tiny town houses so many super villains. There’s a lot of them!
“Well, from what I hear, she was attacked in the alley. Her car was torched. And wasn’t there something about someone grabbing her at the market?” Travis leaned forward. “Don’t worry, I’ve got your back. I told her to leave. I mean, it’s probably best, right? Just look at how easily I got to her tonight. Imagine all the things I could’ve done to her while you weren’t here.”
By the time a major conflict near the end rolled around, I couldn’t take anything serious because it was just ridiculous at that point. This girl is in a closed and locked bar with a friend, Cody, and Cody’s family, and can’t even walk into another room unescorted without getting kidnapped and assaulted. I quite literally yelled out loud “oh for gods sake!” 🙄 And when Cody calls his brother to say “She’s gone, Eastern. Someone took Harper.” instead of feeling it was dramatic, I just laughed. Laughed. I can’t take this seriously at this point. It honestly felt like a telenovela 😂
And if that wasn’t enough… nope, it’s not done yet! Another villain pops out of the woodwork! It seriously just kept going. Like that infomercial dude : “but wait! There’s more!” 🙄🙄 This girl would need major intensive therapy if she actually endured this many assaults, kidnappings, fires, shooting, etc. I mean come on.
The second book was really the reason I started this series. But this first book really turned me off, and while I would still typically continue on to the next book since I was looking forward to it so much… I have to say that Kayden blaming Tilly so aggressively for her father’s sins is already wearing on me. He’s so awful already just as a side character, I can’t imagine dealing with him as the main character. I’m not sure I can take a whole book of him being a complete D bag to such a sweet girl. So it looks like I’m going to have to take a breather before moving on.
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