Deserves more than 5 Stars
I don't even know where to start with my review of Author Vi Summers’ new Gatlin Family Series release, HOOKED ON YOU. Let me just say that I love her writing and I felt that I was run ragged. I was bombarded with every emotion all at once, so intense, sad, poignant, and as funny as a freaking fight. One moment I'll be crying at the trauma our characters had suffered, then I'm I sniggering away like a hyena, or spit laughing onto my tablet, before looking around to make sure no one was reading over my shoulder. HOOKED ON YOU may or may not be safe to read at work, and seriously, I got no time to rest on my emotional laurels while reading it!
All this and at the same time, cursing up a blue streak and taking Author Vi Summers’ name in vain.
Each of her books in the Gatlin Family Series stand alone on their own merits, but I tell you true that reading the earlier books is a reward to yourself before moving onto the next, becoming even more invested in this family and the people that as readers, we are falling in love with. While reading Holly Gatlin and Isaiah Morella’s novella, ONE TASTE, I knew straight away from the heavy chemistry in one single scene that I needed Scout and Remmy’s book. He’d stormed into a lady’s bathroom (of all places) to search for Holly, his neice, and even as he'd been 100% smitten with the delicious siren who challenged his entry, he'd noted that she'd positioned herself in front of Holly to protect her. Two words; hot chemistry!!!!!
Ms Summers’ development of her characters was full and deep. They both carried heavy personal baggage and it was Scout who forced a deeper dive into how much they meant to each other. Remmy’s relationship benchmark was nail cycles which was ingenious and sad in my mind, and as each nail cycle passed, they hung in there with each other until Scout in his profound understanding of her psyche said;
“I’m not just some pretty color on your nails, darlin’. I’m here to stay,”
He saw her, not just visually, he actually ‘saw her', the brash and bossy front as well as the vulnerability that she worked so hard to hide. Scout didn't just want her in the bedroom, he needed the whole package, the whole nine yards, everything, body and soul.
I loved everything about HOOKED ON YOU. The gift of Ms Summers' writing talent is that you get alllllllll of the emotions from fun, laughter and familiarity with the characters through to gaining a huge insight and understanding of the connections between them and even their own vulnerabilities. It was the same with the bedroom, shower or anywhere else scenes where these two got together physically, and let’s face it, they were REALLY into each so imagine how often THAT happened!!! There was so much deep chemistry, fun and laughter , emotions were deep and beautifully written, and often I spit laughed onto my tablet. Ms Summers really brought so many dynamics together in creating those interactions between them and nothing about it was seedy in any way.
Word of warning though!!! Some hilarious scenes in this book will have you laughing out loud, then l👀king around to make sure no one is reading over your shoulder. Seriously, I was reading this book on a plane and when I spat laughed food onto my tablet, I wasn't sure if the young lady beside me happened to gawk at the screen to see what would promote such an extreme reaction 👀👀👀🤣. I hope she wasn't too shocked though...🤔
I have favourite moments in books and one of them is when you come across the passage that inspired the book title. It's almost like discovering a prize that the author left for their readers to find, and for Scout and Remmy's book it was this;
“I’m so fucking HOOKED ON YOU that you could do anything you damn well liked to me and I’d fall to my knees and take it. Every last second. Every last lash. The good and the bad. I’d endure it, and still worship the goddamn ground you walk on.”
*sigh* Seriously, with those words, Scout is giving Remmy the unconditional love she deserved and in doing so, became my new favourite book boyfriend.
I also have to throw in here that great secondary characters bring an amazing depth to a book, and special mention goes to Remmy's brother Bastian, who was not only her champion but a guardian angel as well. Ms Summers has a knack for giving the gift of a positive emotion all while weighting it with a heavy sadness or vulnerability. Bastian had her back, he was as funny as a fight and encouraged her when she needed it . One scene I loved was Scout seeing her at a game and pulling a stunt getting her to ring him, even as it got him tossed from the game by the Umpire. Bastian knew she was keen on Scout but didn’t think she was the right girl for anyone;
“You’re too hard on yourself, Rems. Guys like him don’t want girls like that—” (Bastian) brazenly pointed at a base bunny with her tits all but out “—they want and need a strong independent woman like yourself. One that’s gonna drive them fucking insane, but one that has their back and won’t leave when shit gets hard.”
Again *sigh*
Yep, HOOKED ON YOU was not only heavy on so many romantic moments, but heavy on emotion and past experiences. Ms Summers covered deep issues yet did so sensitively and often humorously. Us Kiwi's use a humourous outlook to lighten these moments and it was carried off, in my mind, flawlessly. One moment I was bawling my eyes out, next thing I was laughing my titties off.
I could blather on forever about the virtues of HOOKED ON YOU from Author Vi Summers in an active effort to encourage readers to pick it up. Scout and Remmy was gorgeous characters and the secondary’s were pretty special too. Oh, and I forgot to mention that Remmy's current vocation was one out of a box and I spit laughed more often than not. I loved everything about this book and that is why I reckon it deserves more than 5🌟! ⚾️💙★ღ
#fbombromancereads #mumsalwaysreading #bookblogger #bookreviewer #marnsreads #marnsj