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Drown
Alternate cover edition for ASIN B00LBGSSVU
Booze. Brawls. Betrayal. The summer of 1988 changed everything. My parents separated, I left for college, and Stone Harrison lit my world like Apollo streaking across the sky. My obsession and desire for him overpowered all my sense and drained my sensibility as I fought to maintain control over my own destiny. Four years spent in pursuit of degrees and one certain soldier altered my future forever. Can I be the person I am destined to be with him or does a compromise of my soul spoil the perfect ending?
Booze. Brawls. Betrayal. The summer of 1988 changed everything. My parents separated, I left for college, and Stone Harrison lit my world like Apollo streaking across the sky. My obsession and desire for him overpowered all my sense and drained my sensibility as I fought to maintain control over my own destiny. Four years spent in pursuit of degrees and one certain soldier altered my future forever. Can I be the person I am destined to be with him or does a compromise of my soul spoil the perfect ending?
289 pages, Kindle Edition
First published June 25, 2014
70 people want to read
About the author
Jennifer Rae Gravely
5 books36 followersSweet. Sassy. Southern.
Born in Ohio but raised in Pickens, SC, Jennifer Rae Gravely graduated from Converse College with a triple major in history, politics, and English before earning a master's degree in education. Returning to her high school alma mater to teach English and coach volleyball, Gravely's teams won six state championships and eight upper state titles in twelve years. Moreover, the SCACA named her coach of the year for the 2013 season and the NFHS selected her for the South Carolina volleyball coach of the year in 2014.
Jennifer writes about the fictional Southern town of Keowee. The Astraea Press novels, Knight of the Dead and Set to Love, in addition to the short story, "Love and Diamonds," deal with present day Keowee and are contemporary romances. The edgier novels of the Orders of the Sky series Drown and Rivers, published by Blue Tulip Publishing, take place in the eighties and nineties. Drown won the 2015 RomCon’s Readers’ Crown award for Mainstream Fiction.
She lives with her gorgeous husband, beautiful teenage daughter, seven baying beagles, and one rescued barn cat.
Born in Ohio but raised in Pickens, SC, Jennifer Rae Gravely graduated from Converse College with a triple major in history, politics, and English before earning a master's degree in education. Returning to her high school alma mater to teach English and coach volleyball, Gravely's teams won six state championships and eight upper state titles in twelve years. Moreover, the SCACA named her coach of the year for the 2013 season and the NFHS selected her for the South Carolina volleyball coach of the year in 2014.
Jennifer writes about the fictional Southern town of Keowee. The Astraea Press novels, Knight of the Dead and Set to Love, in addition to the short story, "Love and Diamonds," deal with present day Keowee and are contemporary romances. The edgier novels of the Orders of the Sky series Drown and Rivers, published by Blue Tulip Publishing, take place in the eighties and nineties. Drown won the 2015 RomCon’s Readers’ Crown award for Mainstream Fiction.
She lives with her gorgeous husband, beautiful teenage daughter, seven baying beagles, and one rescued barn cat.
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Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews
June 27, 2014
I have such mixed emotions with this story. I can't say there is a single character in the story that I liked. I got angry with so many of them. I guess it brought out so many emotions, yet I could not relate to a single person. Having said that, maybe in reality that is "a good thing," the author took me outside of my "comfort zone" and made me react to what is different for me.
This story is from June 1988 to December 1992. The story revolves around Andie Drown and the people in her life. Her mother just decides to abandon her family, leaving her husband of 17 years and four children to move back to her wealthy parents in Wilmington. Her father who drinks and runs around but seems content to settle down with a younger woman and her child. Her twin brothers who party all the time and the underage drinking and her younger sister who proves to be vindictive. Then the childhood friend of her brothers, Travis, who pines after her. Andie gets involved with Stone Harrison, a soldier from the same town. They have a love affair, become engaged but no real trust or loyalty in their relationship. Andie does go to college and completes her triple major and graduates but has no real ambition. She has a few college friends, with Helene being the main one, a woman who sleeps around.
I was blown away how the story ended and screaming, "You can't leave it like that!" This is book one of three! I am holding my breathe waiting for the next one and to find answers.
This story is from June 1988 to December 1992. The story revolves around Andie Drown and the people in her life. Her mother just decides to abandon her family, leaving her husband of 17 years and four children to move back to her wealthy parents in Wilmington. Her father who drinks and runs around but seems content to settle down with a younger woman and her child. Her twin brothers who party all the time and the underage drinking and her younger sister who proves to be vindictive. Then the childhood friend of her brothers, Travis, who pines after her. Andie gets involved with Stone Harrison, a soldier from the same town. They have a love affair, become engaged but no real trust or loyalty in their relationship. Andie does go to college and completes her triple major and graduates but has no real ambition. She has a few college friends, with Helene being the main one, a woman who sleeps around.
I was blown away how the story ended and screaming, "You can't leave it like that!" This is book one of three! I am holding my breathe waiting for the next one and to find answers.
June 30, 2014
Drown by Jennifer Rae Gravely is a New Adult read following Andie Drown as she makes her way through school, studies, volleyball, family drama, friendships and relationships. The story takes place in the eighties and nineties and centers around small town life in the fictional town of Keowee and the surrounding areas where Andie goes to school and visits. Jennifer Rae Gravely does not polish up her characters to have them be some idealized versions of Southern small town life at its finest, or the image of upstanding perfect, model citizens. These are rough characters who make mistakes, drink too much, betray each other, get in fights, love hard and deep, and have messy relationships all around.
I will tell you that this book and its characters may have you yelling at them, may cause you to want to throw your e-reader at times, and if you are expecting everything to be tied up in a nice pretty bow at the end be prepared to be disappointed. Drown is definitely the FIRST book in the series and this one leaves you wanting more and waiting to pick up book #2.
I am glad that I was introduced to Jennifer Rae Gravely’s works and will be eagerly awaiting the next book in this series!
I received a complimentary copy of Drown from the author in exchange for my honest review.
I will tell you that this book and its characters may have you yelling at them, may cause you to want to throw your e-reader at times, and if you are expecting everything to be tied up in a nice pretty bow at the end be prepared to be disappointed. Drown is definitely the FIRST book in the series and this one leaves you wanting more and waiting to pick up book #2.
I am glad that I was introduced to Jennifer Rae Gravely’s works and will be eagerly awaiting the next book in this series!
I received a complimentary copy of Drown from the author in exchange for my honest review.
October 25, 2014
I was given an ARC book for an honest review free of persuasion from the author or anyone else affiliated with this book.
CONTAINS SOME SPOILERS
This story is told from the female lead's point of view. I have to say that I love books with various point of views and would like to have seen it from the male lead's point of view as well. I can see why Ms.Gravely only chose the female lead POV further on in the book. I would loved to have seen parts of this book from one of the male leads point of view later on.
This is not a stand alone book! You will need to get the complete saga to understand the rest of the story!
WARNING: DOES CONTAIN SOME ADULT SITUATIONS AND CONTENT
This story follows a young woman by the name of Andie Drown throughout four yeas of her life. We follow her life from high school graduation in May 1988 and throughout college and some after until December 1992. Andie lives through some rough times including her mother abandoning her family, father's second marriage, drowning her sorrows anyway she can and pinning after only one guy, Stone.
Andie attends a preparatory/liberal arts college on a volleyball scholarship that has a history of daughters attending from the most powerful and wealthy in the country. During her time in college she dedicates herself to her triple major and her volleyball. While doing this Andie does not know how to love herself and tends to drown herself in anything and everything she can find, including Stone.
Stone is 4 years Andie's senior and see's Andie as young, immature and a little bratty. He watches her and is with her when she needs saving. Stone can't help but fall in love with Andie, even though you don't seem to see it at first. They set themselves up on a destructive path for their future.
Does Andie let Stone make her happy? Can Stone save Andie from herself? Will Andie learn to keep her head above water and love herself or Drown?
These questions will be answered in this book and the next. Yes. this book ends with a cliffy! You will need to buy the much anticipated sequel Rivers! Jennifer is a great new and upcoming author you sure don't want to miss!
August 8, 2019
This is a book about the journey that Andie has to go through. The book covers the course of her four years at college. While it deals with her love for Stone, if you look more closely it is truly about Andie needing to find out who she is. It is about the struggles that she has to go through, the challenges she faced in the past, in the present, and will face in the future.
She knows she loves Stone, she knows what she wants to study in college, and what she wants to be in the future but will she get the man she has always loved? Graduate from college with the degree she wants and get the career she has been wanting?
This story although fictional screams true story. Andie makes mistakes, horrible choices, and is not the perfect leading lady like you often see in books and movies now. Honestly, it was refreshing to see a character who is flawed, making poor choices like so many college students are making every day. There were times when I yelled at Andie for the things she was doing or saying, times when I shook my head because I knew that would not go well. The thing is I cared, I wanted Andie to make good choices. I wanted to see her succeed.
Now I have to wait for the next book to see what will happen.
She knows she loves Stone, she knows what she wants to study in college, and what she wants to be in the future but will she get the man she has always loved? Graduate from college with the degree she wants and get the career she has been wanting?
This story although fictional screams true story. Andie makes mistakes, horrible choices, and is not the perfect leading lady like you often see in books and movies now. Honestly, it was refreshing to see a character who is flawed, making poor choices like so many college students are making every day. There were times when I yelled at Andie for the things she was doing or saying, times when I shook my head because I knew that would not go well. The thing is I cared, I wanted Andie to make good choices. I wanted to see her succeed.
Now I have to wait for the next book to see what will happen.
November 15, 2014
This is a new approach of story writing for ke and to be honest I was confused half of thw way; most of the time I would just go with the flow and see what happens but it was hard fpr ke to connect the dots in the story; meaning the shift from one scene to the next.
That aside, I like the story. I like the concept of finding love on somehing impossible and that is how I see the relationship of Stone and Andie. I like Andie's trials here especially that ending which got me thinking to what will happen next. That endin was very very unexpected for me because I keep on thinking Stone will die like any other soldier in the war and that Andie must face misery and lonliness for the rest of her life. That was soo not it.
I knew some characters would antagonized the story but never did I see "these persons" being the one to really put a knife in the relationship of Stone and Andie.
Stone and Andie's relationship here is so sweet and sour at times that it will make you wonder will they live happily ever after? or just stay YOLO.
The ending caught me and I am excited to read the next book of these series.
That aside, I like the story. I like the concept of finding love on somehing impossible and that is how I see the relationship of Stone and Andie. I like Andie's trials here especially that ending which got me thinking to what will happen next. That endin was very very unexpected for me because I keep on thinking Stone will die like any other soldier in the war and that Andie must face misery and lonliness for the rest of her life. That was soo not it.
I knew some characters would antagonized the story but never did I see "these persons" being the one to really put a knife in the relationship of Stone and Andie.
Stone and Andie's relationship here is so sweet and sour at times that it will make you wonder will they live happily ever after? or just stay YOLO.
The ending caught me and I am excited to read the next book of these series.
June 30, 2014
Well Written
This story follows the life of Andie Drown through the years 1988-1992. Although I had a difficult time relating to any of the characters in this story it was well written and I believe that if you enjoy YA romance you will like this book. The story is full of the antics of young adults and teens drinking and partying and I just couldn't seem to relate to any of them. I found myself wanting to reprimand them for their behavior and in hindsight I think that the author did a good job of provoking some strong emotions! I must say I felt the ending was a a bit of a cliff hanger and wonder if the author plans to continue this story in her next book. As I said earlier, I thought it was well written and feel that it is worth reading if you enjoy this type of story. I received a complimentary copy of this book for an honest review. ** I am happy to add that apparently this is book one of three so the story will continue! :)
This story follows the life of Andie Drown through the years 1988-1992. Although I had a difficult time relating to any of the characters in this story it was well written and I believe that if you enjoy YA romance you will like this book. The story is full of the antics of young adults and teens drinking and partying and I just couldn't seem to relate to any of them. I found myself wanting to reprimand them for their behavior and in hindsight I think that the author did a good job of provoking some strong emotions! I must say I felt the ending was a a bit of a cliff hanger and wonder if the author plans to continue this story in her next book. As I said earlier, I thought it was well written and feel that it is worth reading if you enjoy this type of story. I received a complimentary copy of this book for an honest review. ** I am happy to add that apparently this is book one of three so the story will continue! :)
July 3, 2014
I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review.
I don't know how to put into words how I felt about this book. It was infuriating and ended with a huge bombshell cliffhanger. I had a bit of trouble getting into the book but once I did I had to keep reading Andie's train wreck. From the very beginning she was in love with Stone yet through the years had trouble figuring out what she wanted in life. This book follows the college years of Andie and all the obstacles she runs across in those years.
While yes, at times I wanted to strangle Andie and knock some sense in her, I did enjoy the story and all its angst. I need closure and really hope there is more Andie and Stone. And I hope it comes soon. this is definitely one of those books that will stick with you for a long time.
I don't know how to put into words how I felt about this book. It was infuriating and ended with a huge bombshell cliffhanger. I had a bit of trouble getting into the book but once I did I had to keep reading Andie's train wreck. From the very beginning she was in love with Stone yet through the years had trouble figuring out what she wanted in life. This book follows the college years of Andie and all the obstacles she runs across in those years.
While yes, at times I wanted to strangle Andie and knock some sense in her, I did enjoy the story and all its angst. I need closure and really hope there is more Andie and Stone. And I hope it comes soon. this is definitely one of those books that will stick with you for a long time.
July 2, 2014
⭐⭐⭐⭐4-DROWN-IN-CLIFFY-STARS!
I don't even know how will I even begin my review because I almost throw my Kindle with that ending! GEEZ!
Drown is setting is from June 1988 to December 1992..
At first I couldn't connect with the story since well the setting is very different and me living in a different country however, Andie is the typical girl with high dreams and she's very determined to achieve all those dreams, she remained strong despite the events that is happening with her family.
Then came Stone, a soldier living in the same town with Andie, they get together although there are times that they don't agree with each other's point of view they manage to somehow respect it and got engaged.
NOW, i need to wait for the next book to tell you more.... And i kind of need it like right NOW? =)
I don't even know how will I even begin my review because I almost throw my Kindle with that ending! GEEZ!
Drown is setting is from June 1988 to December 1992..
At first I couldn't connect with the story since well the setting is very different and me living in a different country however, Andie is the typical girl with high dreams and she's very determined to achieve all those dreams, she remained strong despite the events that is happening with her family.
Then came Stone, a soldier living in the same town with Andie, they get together although there are times that they don't agree with each other's point of view they manage to somehow respect it and got engaged.
NOW, i need to wait for the next book to tell you more.... And i kind of need it like right NOW? =)
June 24, 2014
I really enjoyed reading about the everyday struggles of young adults in college. This book makes you feel as though you are never the only one who had to make decisions to be responsible or have fun in those days. I felt drawn to Andie, she knew what she wanted and how to get it. she also knew in the back of her mind that if it was ment to be I would be. She didn't realize that your own worst enemy could be as close as yourself. In this she learns that jealousy and pride has a way of making any situations becoming the demise of the strongest. Life lessons are usually the toughest to swallow and hurt the longest. I highly recommend this book to everyone and look forward to a sequel. I really can't wait to find out just what is in store for Andie and her family.
July 9, 2014
As much as I loved this book it made me angry too! I went through a lot of different emotions with it. I was angry at a lot of the characters. Being a soldier's wife I know how hard it can be to be in a relationship with a soldier, but Andie just isn't cut out to be a soldiers wife. I wanted her to end up with Travis. There are many different facets to this book, love, betrayal, heart ache, happiness, sadness, anger...it really was amazing. The last few sentences in the book have me hanging on...I saw part of it coming but was FLOORED by another part of it. HURRY UP 2ND BOOK!! I'm impatiently waiting...
June 23, 2014
I honestly don't know what to say. I have very mixed feelings for this book and characters. It's not my typical book, did I like the book..yes, would I read the book again..probably because although it differs from the norm for me it was brilliantly written and pulled lots of emotions from me.
I would recommend this book to people and will look into more of this authors work.
I would recommend this book to people and will look into more of this authors work.
October 29, 2014
This book kept me on the edge of my seat. All the antics going on kept me very interested. Liked Andie's role a lot. I definitely didn't expect the ending. I was actually shocked. Just got Rivers so I could continue with this series. Can't wait to start it. :) Thank you for the great read in Drown.
August 5, 2016
This is not my typical read and at first I wasn't sure I would enjoy it, but as the story progressed I found myself anticipating what crazy antics Andie, her family, and friends would get into next.
I can't wait to read the next book in this series and would recommend this book to all readers!
I can't wait to read the next book in this series and would recommend this book to all readers!
July 6, 2014
Andie and Stone. ....they are infuriating and I can't wait for the next book!
June 24, 2014
White trash literary tale of self...
Displaying 1 - 15 of 15 reviews