The Deeper We Get

The Harder I Fall #2

by Jessica Gibson

Chad Langer was always running. Running from his past, afraid of letting himself be happy and free. College was going to be his new start. New city, new school, new people.
Scarlett would be his undoing. He knew it the moment he saw her. Something in her eyes called to him. She was just as broken as he was.
Sometimes the past doesn’t stay in the past. Will they be able to overcome the obstacles set in their path?

Genres: College, Contemporary, Abuse, New Adult, Romance, Amazon, Drugs

257 pages, ebook

First published January 1, 2014

About the author

I started writing in 2011 and it quickly became a passion for me. I'm very lucky that writing brought so many amazing people into my life! And it also brought me the love of being a cheerleader! I learned that aside from writing, I love helping other authors reach for their own dreams. If you need someone in your corner, please don't hesitate to message me!

Reviews

[Abi · Rating 3 out of 5]

The characters in this were okay, but again, I can't say I loved them.

I enjoyed this one slightly more than book one, but there wasn't much between them both really. It just managed to keep my interest a little bit better. It still wasn't a book I loved though.

Overall, An okay sequel.

[Ashley · Rating 5 out of 5]

SO excited for everyone to read this book! I adored chad in all his bad boy ways, and I thought Scarlet was the perfect match for him. Even though some parts were horrifying and scary, I'm SO glad it ended the way it did, and I cannot wait to see what Jessica writes next!

*Received an ARC for honest review.*

[Amie Morgado- We Stole Your Book Boyfriend · Rating 4 out of 5]

WOW Chad's story was fabulous !! At first I had a hard time not envisioning the 15 year old high school kid !! But after a few rounds of HOT SEX I was A-OK !!!!! I was so happy for Chad in book 1 when he was able to go live with Levi's family and finally have a chance at normalcy. Obviously after suffering his horrible childhood normalcy is not easily maintained. Now Chad is heading off to college and he has chosen to go to California , far away from home and on his own to get a fresh start and make his own happiness. Will Chad find happiness or will his past haunt him always ??

Chad is in Cali living alone and enjoying his new found independence. He has a love of motorcycles and mechanics and plans to try to find a job in this field while in school. Shortly after his arrival he ends up helping a girl on the beach when her and her boyfriend are having a bad fight. This girl is on Chad's mind constantly and fate steps in when Chad finds a job that lands him in Scarletts path. Chad is up front and honest about not being a great guy or wanting a relationship. Scarlett convinces him she is fine with anything but she cannot deny their attraction. Their chemistry is phenomenal and I loved reading about them. Of course Chad cannot have a story filled with happiness so out of nowhere in creeps his past , in a form that I was totally not expecting. This story is about Chad struggling to do the right thing but to also heal and get on with life by leaving the past and all the anger and guilt behind. His struggle is very similar to Becca's. Scarlett does not cut him much slack at all but she is also damaged so they are both fighting some pretty strong demons. Scarlett has no problem expressing her feelings for Chad but he is not able to do so freely. When he decides it is better to hide what he is doing than be up front and honest Scarlett leaves and Chad realizes his mistakes. But is it too late ?? It takes a horrible experience to change things for the better. It was heartbreaking to be in Chad's head , his struggles were so real and his emotion so raw. I was so happy to finally witness Chad being happy and free !!

If you wanted more Chad after reading book 1 THIS IS THE BOOK FOR YOU !! Chad grows up to be a great guy and not to mention he is SUPER HOT , great in bed and loves to box !! He is totally BOOK BOYFRIEND material !!!!!!!

[Linda · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received a copy from the author and Paranormal Romance and Authors That Rock, so I didn't know it was part of a series and I didn't get a chance to read the first book. However, I did not find that it took away from Chad's story.

Chad decides to attend college as far away from his home town as possible, thus moving to California where he meets Scarlett. After coming to her defense against her boyfriend, he realizes she's beautiful, fun, and interested in him, but he isn't quite ready to get into a relationship. It is obvious, at least to him, that like him, she has been physically abused at some point in her life. He isn't sure he is emotionally ready to invest in another person, especially since he is still trying to find himself outside of the close, loving family his sister married into and who have taken him in as one of their own. And just when he does decide to take a chance with Scarlett, his past will resurface when his dad gets out of prison and tries to force himself back into his life.

The story itself had substance, and reading about survivors of abuse and how they turn their life around is heart warming. But, I kept getting distracted with all of the sex scenes. I'm no prude and by all means I love a good romance, even when it is touch and go, and built around tough subjects like familial abuse, drugs, and attempted murder. I would have rather focused more on Chad's need to believe in his father's rehabilitation and the emotional roller coaster of knowing that as messed up as it to need a connection with his father, his life with Scarlett was spiraling as a result of it. And minor pet peeve? All of the "baby's" thrown in throughout this book. Don't get me wrong, I call my husband "honey" more than by his given name, and am a huge abuser of endearments, but "baby" is just one of those that makes me cringe.

All in all, I think Chad made some mistakes, but how many children don't want to see the good in their parents nor want to believe that their parent truly does love them. I think Scarlett was a little harsh with him, at least until his father finally pushed things too far. The subject is a little sensitive so if you aren't comfortable with touchy subjects, beware, there is some in this book.

[Christie72 (Devilishly Delicious Book Reviews) · Rating 3 out of 5]

~3 1/2 Stars~

***I was given a copy of this book by the author in exchange for an honest review.***

“I want more, all of it. Everything you have inside of you, Chad.” ~ Scarlet

This one quote by the lead female character perfectly sums up the story in The Deeper We Get, the sequel to The Harder I Fall. Whereas the first book was Becca’s story, this book is her brother, Chad’s story. The characters that were in the first book to play a huge role in this book as well. It’s a story about two lost, devastated souls who somehow find each other and try to find happiness together.

Chad has moved across the country to start college and he hopes a new life in California. He’s hoping the change in location will help him put his horrible past behind him. Things begin looking up for him as he finds a great gym to box in to alleviate some of his aggression. He meets two great guys there who become his friends. After a couple of chance encounters, he also tries to do something he’s never done…have a relationship with the beautiful Scarlet. However, the both of them have dark, painful pasts that put a strain on the relationship, but they decide to give it a go. As Chad slowly begins giving more of his heart to Scarlet, his painful past literally shows up on his doorstep. Will he ever be able to let go of it and move on with Scarlet?

Though the book is considered romance, there is a lot of difficult subject matter present. Gibson does a fantastic job of dealing with it in a sensitive way. She really sheds light on drug addiction, child neglect, and physical abuse of children, and how it goes on to affect them as adults.

I did enjoy the book. However, I thought it could be just a little bit longer exploring Chad and Scarlet’s relationship in more detail. I did get aggravated at Chad sometimes because of his indecision concerning his relationship, but I could really understand where he was coming from. I have to say Scarlet was my favorite. She was the epitome of loyalty, strength, and unconditional love. I was glad she stuck by Chad. I would highly recommend reading The Deeper We Get. It has a good mix of romance and really opens your eyes to the epidemic of child abuse.

[Kim · Rating 5 out of 5]

This series is such a great read! The characters are deep and realistic, with no glossing over the less savory parts of life. I loved Chad in the first book in the series, The Harder I Fall, and I loved him even more in The Deeper We Get.

Chad is a fantastic character! He is smart and seemingly has it all together. But he is deeply damaged after a life of traumatic events that no one should have to ever experience. And for the most part, no one really knows just how damaged he is. Our heroine, Scarlet, is just as flawed and damaged as he is and she doesn't have much more of a handle on things than Chad does. I love that his character, nor any of the characters, are created to be ideals. They are damaged. They are flawed. They have real problems and real emotions. The author doesn't shy away from the raw, the dark, the gritty.

There are some dark themes and situations in this book. Themes of physical and emotional abuse. Themes of substance abuse. There are moments of unbearable sadness and frustration. There are uncomfortable situations and moments, too. But it is an emotional and touching moment.

NOTE: If you have read the first book, which I recommend, keep in mind that this one is set a few years in the future. I kept forgetting that and kept envisioning Chad is an early high schooler at first!!

Things to love...

--The dark themes and how well they were handled.
-- --The flawed and damaged nature of the characters.

Things I wanted more/less of...

--More of Chad's struggles with his father.

My Recommendation: A fantastic story with some very real situations! I would definitely recommend reading The Harder I Fall first to really complete the picture of Chad's past.

[Em The · Rating 5 out of 5]

CHADS STORY - Woohoo! The reformed bad boy now all grown up and off to college gets his own story and after the hellish life h had to endure it is nice to see that his time with Levi’s family has given him a chance at a life far away from the one we experienced!

It isn’t far into the story he meets Scarlet and you sense that from the beginning she is someone who might make a difference to Chad and I thought their initial meeting was quite fitting to Chad’s own history too.

This was never going to be a story full of sweetness and light and for Chad to find someone who is broken too it makes the tale all the more poignant.

As with anyone with a past like Chad’s though, the path of love doesn’t run smoothly and whilst in some ways he is so open and honest from the start (the fact he isn’t perfect and he makes it clear to Scarlet he doesn’t feel himself to be relationship material more than once!) it kind of broke me that he couldn’t be honest with her with other things as well.

Still, he has to endure the crap that his old life throws at him to even begin to know how to heal and this makes for a gripping story. In the beginning you feel that he isn’t coping with life at all but just trying to carry on the best he can but he has deep issues to deal with and until that nut is cracked he’s never going to have any chance at life. You really need to read this to know how things turn out for him.

Chad has certainly grown up to be a great character and who wouldn’t love a hot boxing biker! Loved this book and once I had finally got my head round the fact that Chad has now “grown up” it was a gripping and thoughtful journey to devour!

Loved every FIVE amazing stars of it!

[Raj · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved Chad in The Harder I Fall and was excited to pick up his story and I have to say it wasn’t an easy read. The same nightmares that plagued his sister Becca also consumed his dreams. Wanting to escape his past and being lucky enough to have been adopted by his sister’s in-laws Chad still craved his own space so heads off to college. Fear of being unable to forget his past prevents Chad from getting close to any girl until he rescues Scarlet on the beach. His only form of relief is riding his motorcycle and fighting in the ring to release his anger where he meets Vin and Ian the Trager brothers and soon builds a bond with them. Running into Scarlet he finds himself in the same circle of friends and fights his attraction, but Scarlet can see right through him and isn’t one to run away from what she wants. Both Chad and Scarlet have damaged pasts which bring out fears as they get to know each other and date. The banter between the pair is cute and cheeky bringing warmth, humour and sexiness to lighten this emotional read. The story takes a turn as Chad’s past collides with his present, testing his resolve, forgiveness and inner conflict of hate and resentment that boils his blood. The story really gets you to feel how damaged Chad is, and how he handles matters to protect his loved ones. Scarlet is a ray of sunshine as she leads him out of his darkness, making him see how much he deserves happiness as his past begins to lose its grip on him to find closure and face a brighter future. A great emotional read I would just like to read more of Chad and Scarlet’s hea as it wasn't enough!

[Christy J · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Deeper We Get is the second book in The Harder I fall series. We left off with Becca's story and now we get to read about her brother Chad Langer. I have to admit that I didn't read the first book. I honestly didn't realize that it was a series until after I started reading. I really didn't feel this took away from the book at all. I really loved Chad's story.
Chad has decided to escape to California and attend school there. As much as he doesn't want to go to school, he ends up making some really good friends. He even ends up with a job at a garage. After meeting her once, he is surprised to find that Scarlet, his California beauty is the niece of the shop owner. " I turned to the girl, really looking at her for the first time. She was beautiful; bright blue eyes, long blonde hair, and tan skin. The perfect California girl".
He doesn't want to start up anything serious with Scarlet. He knows she has had a rough past, and he hasn't even dealt with his own. He can't help but be drawn to her. As things start to get good between the two, Chad's dad comes back into the picture. He feels like he has no one to turn to with all his emotions returning to the surface. He doesn't want to burden his family. His father wont stop contacting him. Asking for forgiveness for what he did to his family. Chad doesn't know if he really has changed, or if it is all lies...
This story was truly heart-wrenching at times. Chad tries so hard to be strong, but when things get to overwhelming he makes some choices that have huge consequences.

[Kelsey · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Good: I love this book. The plot of the story is amazing along with its twists. Chad is a great character with a terrible past. He is strong yet can be brought down when people learn his past and leave him. Scarlett is also broken. I feel that you should buy this book because, although she is a fictional character, she deserves to tell her story herself. Both broken and looking for someone to be okay with who they are and the scars they carry. They both develop into people who can deal with their pasts as the book continues. In the end, all is as it should be with their pasts behind them and together!

The Bad: This is a adult romance book and has some detailed sexual scenes. A lot of them which for the characters is alright, but it is a little much. A blast from Chad's past comes to California to find him and when it does it will no let go so easy. Scarlett makes some mistakes that costed Chad dearly. Mostly his reason for getting up in the morning. He had depression, but understanding his background and his refusal to tell her what is going on pushed her away when he needed someone to ground him other then his sister Becca.

[Natalie · Rating 5 out of 5]

In this book we have the satisfaction of getting to know Chad Langer so much better. After years of abuse as a child he is finally grown, on his own and moving on with his life. That is until the main culprit of the abuse comes knocking on Chad's door one day.
His father did some unforgivable things to Chad and his sister Rebecca. He also took the life of their sister. How do you forgive after something like that?

Chad's heart is so big he really tries to help his dad, but Chad learns that sometimes people just can't be helped until they want to help themselves.

Along the way of healing himself from his past, Chad meets Scarlett. She is beautiful and they fall for one another pretty fast, but can Chad truly let Scarlett in? These two souls need one another to cope and let go of the haunting past.

Can he let the lies go and learn to be honest?

This will be the biggest challenge. The two of them with tortured and abusive pasts will have to hang on to one another in order to move on and have a future.

Fall in love with Chad Langer and his story of moving on, learning to love and trusting his heart.

[Gina · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Deeper We Get is the second book in The Harder I Fall series. In the first book we met Becca, Chad’s sister. This book is Chad’s story. I could not wait to get my hands on this book. I couldn’t wait to read about Chad and it did not disappoint.

Chad leaves his adoptive home to make a new life for himself. He starts college, he gets a job and ends up with a girlfriend Scarlett.
Chad and Scarlett both have demons in their past. It’s not easy to be with someone that has demons in the past. Can they work through it together or will they let their past destroy them?

This book was the kind you get lost in. I wanted to see what happens with Chad and how he turns out. Jessica writes such vivid stories they play out in your mind as a movie.

I give this book a 5 out of 5.

[Ashley Hampton · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed The Deeper We Fall. While it is a sequel, you could read it as a stand alone and still understand the plot, as it is written well. The stories align with the first book, and the characters continue to live interesting lives. It is an easy world to get swept into; it took me two times sitting down to read to finish this book - only because I had to stop reading and go to my real job! In this story, Chad is the main character, and, other than his sharing a name with one of my exes, I really liked him. I could feel his pain and anguish and his hesitancy in the decisions he had to make throughout the book. Overall, I thought this was a good book with solid writing and characters that you could feel for throughout the story.

[Amber · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved getting to read Chad's story this time, he was much younger in the first book and now he's all grown up. However, Chad's past seems to keep coming back to haunt him, his father is back to "fix" their relation but the only real relationship Chad is interested in is the one with Scarlett. His dad could threaten everything Chad has worked for including Scarlett. Getting to know Chad more was intriguing, loved his personality, he comes off as a hard ass but in all reality he cares, maybe too much. I can't wait to see what Jessica Gibson comes up with next, it's always amazing reading her work.

[Rebecca · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is an emotional story! Both Chad and Scarlett have had a traumatic life, but Chad is still working through his, while Scarlett has moved on. When Chad's father comes back in his life he puts his walls back up and risks losing Scarlett. When a life hangs in the balance can everything be put in a better perspective or are they too deep? I cried and raged through this book! I felt for both Chad and Scarlett but I felt that there could have been more character development and more connection between me and the characters. Good read overall.

[Niki · Rating 5 out of 5]

Chad is getting a new start when he goes to Californian college, loving motors and work on them he tries to find work in that direction. He plans on working and study, but a meet with a girl makes that he can't get her out of his head, then he finds out that his job only brings him closer to her. Will his past hit him back in the face? Will he manage to stay on his feet and deal with it all?

Love the characters and it gets steamy!!! another great story from Jessica's hand. I love her way of writing and hope next comes out soon!!

[Sue Brooks · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow!!! What an awesome story!!!
Jessica does an awesome job with the details of Chad and Scarlett and their traumatic lives. Chad is working through things and is doing good until his father comes back into his life. I don't write spoilers - so that is all that I will say, but - be warned - - - this is a definite "I CAN'T PUT THIS BOOK DOWN!!!" type book.

I was given a copy of this book for an honest review.

[Lisa Survillas · Rating 5 out of 5]

As much as I loved Becca and Levi in book 1, I have to say I think I love Chad the most. His heart is so much softer than he realizes for much of the book. His past is dark and it leaves him angry and withdrawn, but the love he's been shown by his new family, Levi's family, truly gets deep enough for him to feel loved and offer it in exchange...he just needs to figure it out. When I got to the end, I can honestly say I was disappointed to be done. Cannot wait to read more by Jessica Gibson!

[Dania · Rating 4 out of 5]

So I really really liked this book !!! Loved the story about her brother and how he loved he's girlfriend but was afraid because of how he was because of he's mom and dad! I hope there's book 3 telling us their marriage and sisters baby!!

[Raquel Auriemma · Rating 4 out of 5]

Third time's a charm! My previous issue with the books I'd read by Jessica Gibson were that I felt they were choppy and didn't flow, but The Deeper We Get did not have that problem. The story flowed and I really enjoyed it. I look forward to reading more from Jessica.

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing

This is chads story. I would recommended reading the Harder we fall because it explains how it all starts. You do get a back story but there is more in the first book. I loved how Jessica showed that regardless of your past you can find love.

[Sydney Michelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

I expected a lot from this book and it exceed expectations. I wanted more of Chad from Jessica's first book in the series and I got it. So satisfied. Can't wait to see what she comes up with next!

[J.D. Rivera · Rating 5 out of 5]

I devoured the first book, The Harder I Fall, so I couldn't wait to read this book. Jessica Gibson didn't disappoint at all! I loved The Deeper We Get! 5 great stars!

[Jordan · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5
http://youngadultbookmadness.wordpres...

[LaSarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

Check out my review at Escape by Fiction!!

[Peggy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very good read! This book will capture right from the start! Filled with an emotional story of how to heal and love. You don't want to miss this book!

[Lin · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was just boring to me.

[Debbie "Buried in Her TBR Pile"]

The Book Affair: Volume 1

[Stefanie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loved Chad's story

[Traci De Carlo · Rating 5 out of 5]

Awesome read!