It should be stated that this book contains mature themes and as such probably shouldn’t be read by someone really young, or anyone who has issues with rape and the trauma that comes from an experience like that.
Normally for me, given personal experience, that would be a no go for me, but I stepped out of my comfort zone in order to read this for two reasons. It’s JC Valentine and any book I’ve read by her hasn’t let me down yet, and secondly, Raine is my daughter’s name and just based off that I wanted to read it so much I was willing to dive in head first without reservations.
I was not disappointed.
This story follows Raine and Jarret, two characters from seemingly two different sides of the tracks, yet brought together by one life altering experience and on their road to finding their own personal happily ever after, we get to see them change, and grow and learn to love again, despite all of the challenges and darkness that seemed to mar their way at the start.
The characters were very well developed and the pacing was out of this world. It all ran together so smooth, one minute I was ten percent in and I swear I blinked and was almost done. It was that great of a book in both of these ways.
Raine…my heart went out to her. Right off the jump, it just ACHED for her and everything that she was going through, but I also wanted to high five my kindle because her strength, what made her such an engaging character, it was beautiful to see. She had the heart of a mother long before she was one, if that makes sense. No matter what obstacle, how rough things got, she never lost sight of who she was and she didn’t change in a drastic way that would have turned me off her. She made me love her right from the start until the end.
Jarret. I love characters that come alive on the page, especially male ones that are flawed, yet beautiful because of those flaws. Was he perfect? No. He made a few missteps in this story, things that made me wanna smack sense into him, but ones he also acknowledged and attempted to change, which spoke volumes to me at how REAL these characters really were. He was not a “fairy tale” prince, at least not in the traditional sense, but from the way I would write a prince, he was definitely that and more. He had a heart that was just so beautiful that it was hard not to fall in love with him instantly, even if he was screwing up.
The issues that were spoken about in this book, the ones I alluded to at the beginning of the review and even ones you’ll see the deeper you go into it, the author handled them with such grace that it made me love her more. She didn’t trivialize any of it, gloss over it or try and write around it. She opened the door, let you see behind the velvet rope into a mind of someone who has been through it and shined a light on what a lot of women face, both reporting it after the fact, or choosing not to and also what they experience during the act and after it for years to come. My hat is off to her for handling these things the way she did. Fantastic and she’s earned even more of my respect.
Thank you JC for writing such a beautiful, heart wrenching yet real tale of love and the sometimes rocky road that we face to get to where we need to be. It was an experience I will take with me always and a book I will definitely be reading over and over again. You have outdone yourself.
Definite 5* Read for me. I would love to give it more, but 5 will have to do for now <3
I'm not sure this review can even do the book justice, but I'm definitely gonna try. Just pick it up. You won't be disappointed.