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Crystal Gulf #1
Destroy Me
Bach lives his life with honesty and without restraints, happy to be known as a sexy as all hell, unapologetic asshole.
When he drinks, he drinks hard.
When he wants a woman, he makes sure she knows it.
When he opens his mouth, it’s either to piss someone off or to turn someone on.
You can normally find him with one hand on a bottle and one hand on a woman, trying to forget his past.
Harley Evans is a twenty-one-year-old year old college student. She's a good girl who fell hard for Dylan, who’d promised her forever. But Dylan, Bach’s best buddy, lied.
He enlisted in the Army, crushing Harley with equal parts anger and sadness. She’d already lost her father to that choice. Heartbroken, she falls back into depression.
Stuck in Crystal Gulf all summer with little to do, Harley needs a distraction. Enter Bach, sexy as f*#ck distraction, ready and willing.
Dylan’s not all bad though. Before he left, he asked Bach to watch out for Harley, knowing she’d never go for a guy like Bach. She’s too good for him. Too good for anyone.
But Dylan was wrong. He never should have left them together. Bach is there to pick up the pieces Dylan left behind. Soon pieces aren't enough. He wants more, needs more Harley.
DESTROY ME is dark, sexy, heartbreaking, and intoxicating.
When he drinks, he drinks hard.
When he wants a woman, he makes sure she knows it.
When he opens his mouth, it’s either to piss someone off or to turn someone on.
You can normally find him with one hand on a bottle and one hand on a woman, trying to forget his past.
Harley Evans is a twenty-one-year-old year old college student. She's a good girl who fell hard for Dylan, who’d promised her forever. But Dylan, Bach’s best buddy, lied.
He enlisted in the Army, crushing Harley with equal parts anger and sadness. She’d already lost her father to that choice. Heartbroken, she falls back into depression.
Stuck in Crystal Gulf all summer with little to do, Harley needs a distraction. Enter Bach, sexy as f*#ck distraction, ready and willing.
Dylan’s not all bad though. Before he left, he asked Bach to watch out for Harley, knowing she’d never go for a guy like Bach. She’s too good for him. Too good for anyone.
But Dylan was wrong. He never should have left them together. Bach is there to pick up the pieces Dylan left behind. Soon pieces aren't enough. He wants more, needs more Harley.
DESTROY ME is dark, sexy, heartbreaking, and intoxicating.
275 pages, Kindle Edition
First published March 8, 2016
21 people are currently reading
755 people want to read
About the author
Shana Vanterpool
27 books377 followersShana Vanterpool is a passionate writer who finds solace in the pages of a good book. When she walks into a bookstore, she feels at home, and when she reads, she becomes the person she has always wanted to be. With her love for writing, Shana aims to provide her readers with an escape from their everyday lives, just as reading has done for her.
To stay up to date with Shana’s latest releases, be sure to visit her website at https://shanavanterpool.com.
To stay up to date with Shana’s latest releases, be sure to visit her website at https://shanavanterpool.com.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 83 reviews
March 24, 2016
3.75 MESSY STARS
”How can a person want something while they do everything to not have it?”
This is my first read by this author and I have to say it is a very MESSY type of story line with drug, alcohol abuse, sex and a horrible back story for the hero. The hero, Bach is asked by his best friend, Dylan to watch over his girl friend while he's gone. At times it felt like Bach and Harley were cheating oddly even though her and Dylan did break up prior to him leaving.
”Was this a game to them both? When Dylan asked Bach to watch out for me was he doing it knowing I’d bite?”
Dylan waits till the last moment to tell his girlfriend, Harley and his best friend Bach that he has joined the military and is heading for Afghanistan. This failure to disclose on purpose has Harley breaking things off with him, a comment made to his best friend has him thinking he is cheating on Harley on top of leaving for two years and still Dylan asks his best friend to keep an eye on his girl while he’s gone because he has every plan to keep that relationship. Harley may not like Bach but she's not immune to his sex appeal.
”It’s a shame that someone so insanely sexy is dirtier than a used condom. It’s like watching a sports car drive by. Yeah you want to drive it, but then you have to get insurance and sign release form first.”
Bach and Harley don’t even like one another but slowly Harley sees that Bach is constantly running from something. He parties hard, has so much random sex that he gets tested once a month, he’s a drug dealer and slowly she realizes he has paralyzing nightmares that pushes him to forget. Harley and Bach’s relationship is angsty and well developed. Bach’s journey is well written as Harley shows he is good enough for her.
”You’ve seen me at my worse and can’t wait to see me at my best. You think there is a best. That’s what you’re like.”
These two at times were sarcastically amusing and downright sexy. Other times, with the aid of Bach’s addictions the story and all those pee and puke covered couches were a total turn off. Also a few sex scenes were on cringe level than sexy but of course at times the author meant to it that way.
The story of Bach’s past reveals a twist or two and Dylan’s return and secret all come to the light making the ending exciting. However, Bach overcoming any one of his addictions without a program and/or therapy just fell a bit off for me. Also there were a few typos that I noticed and I'm not even good at spotting so that had me worried that there could be more. Still, the story was very entertaining and Bach was believably written.
”Sometimes the ones that make us hurt make us hurt because we let them. Sometimes they make us hurt because we can’t stop them. And other times they make us hurt because we want them to.”
”How can a person want something while they do everything to not have it?”
This is my first read by this author and I have to say it is a very MESSY type of story line with drug, alcohol abuse, sex and a horrible back story for the hero. The hero, Bach is asked by his best friend, Dylan to watch over his girl friend while he's gone. At times it felt like Bach and Harley were cheating oddly even though her and Dylan did break up prior to him leaving.
”Was this a game to them both? When Dylan asked Bach to watch out for me was he doing it knowing I’d bite?”
Dylan waits till the last moment to tell his girlfriend, Harley and his best friend Bach that he has joined the military and is heading for Afghanistan. This failure to disclose on purpose has Harley breaking things off with him, a comment made to his best friend has him thinking he is cheating on Harley on top of leaving for two years and still Dylan asks his best friend to keep an eye on his girl while he’s gone because he has every plan to keep that relationship. Harley may not like Bach but she's not immune to his sex appeal.
”It’s a shame that someone so insanely sexy is dirtier than a used condom. It’s like watching a sports car drive by. Yeah you want to drive it, but then you have to get insurance and sign release form first.”
Bach and Harley don’t even like one another but slowly Harley sees that Bach is constantly running from something. He parties hard, has so much random sex that he gets tested once a month, he’s a drug dealer and slowly she realizes he has paralyzing nightmares that pushes him to forget. Harley and Bach’s relationship is angsty and well developed. Bach’s journey is well written as Harley shows he is good enough for her.
”You’ve seen me at my worse and can’t wait to see me at my best. You think there is a best. That’s what you’re like.”
These two at times were sarcastically amusing and downright sexy. Other times, with the aid of Bach’s addictions the story and all those pee and puke covered couches were a total turn off. Also a few sex scenes were on cringe level than sexy but of course at times the author meant to it that way.
The story of Bach’s past reveals a twist or two and Dylan’s return and secret all come to the light making the ending exciting. However, Bach overcoming any one of his addictions without a program and/or therapy just fell a bit off for me. Also there were a few typos that I noticed and I'm not even good at spotting so that had me worried that there could be more. Still, the story was very entertaining and Bach was believably written.
”Sometimes the ones that make us hurt make us hurt because we let them. Sometimes they make us hurt because we can’t stop them. And other times they make us hurt because we want them to.”
March 20, 2016
TITLE: Destroy Me
SERIES: (Crystal Gulf, #1)
AUTHOR: Shana Vanterpool
GENRE: Contemporary Romance
RELEASE DATE: March 8th 2016
MY RATING:★★★★★
Destroy Me is book #1 in the New Adult romance Crystal Gulf Series.
DESTROY ME: Harley lost her father to a road side bombing which set her on the path of depression, putting that behind her she connects with Dylan who makes her feel alive again, until he revealed a lie and told her that he enlisted before they met and was off to in Afghanistan.
" Dylan and I are so different. I'm not the usual kind of girl he dates and he's not the usual kind of guy I date." - HARLEY Harley knows she can't go through with the unknown if he's going to make it back to her again so breaks up with him.
I want Dylan to come back, for him to fix what he broke. And if he can’t fix it, I want him to spend the rest of his life apologizing for shattering me after promising to put me back together.
Mean while Dylan asks his best friend (since the age of 8) room mate Bach to look out for Harley for him whilst he's away for six months, he has to keep her away from other guys because he’s coming back for her when he can..
" Dylan and I used to be assholes together. Had been ever since we were kids. Then last summer he got thrown in jail for DUI, and now he's a changed man. We went from destroying Crystal Gulf to Dylan cleaning it up." - BACHNothing I do is enough lately. Every drink ends too fast. Every girl is over when I come. Each pill is gone once I swallow it. Doing all three isn’t even working anymore.
Dylan trusts Bach because these two can not stand each other, Bach thinks Harley is a snob and Harley thinks Bach is a man whore. So no problem right?? WRONG..
Bach is fighting his own demons, he drinks himself into oblivion, pops pills like lollies and is known around town as an arrogant bad boy man whore..
Bach's a wolf in wolves clothing. He doesn't pretend to be anyone else. Dylan was a wolf disguised as a man. He lured me in with his promises of trust and love, and made me think I finally found a man who could compete with my father.
They say opposites attract, the bad boy and the good girl, Bach & Harley are two scarred souls that seek each other out..
I kind of really like Bach's character, the arrogant bad boy man whore, he makes no qualms that he's anything other than what you see..Though once we chip through all his layers we see another side to him. Chapter after chapter he's slithered into my heart, the pain, neglect, abuse he endured in his childhood makes him the party goer we see at the beginning of the book, those devices are his life line..
Harley pushes all his buttons and takes no bullshit from him but she makes him want things he shouldn’t.
Bach and I are this single beating force, when he moves I move, when he breathes I breathe. When I touch him I'm home, we are bound in a way that I've never been bound to another person. When I look into his eyes I am who I always wanted to be.
MY THOUGHTS
This book is deliciously sexy, the simmering sexual tension between Bach & Harley oozes off the pages.
If you are wanting a book where the time just flies by with your nose stuck between the pages, a book that brings out all the feels, then definitely take that plunge and one click this, once i started this I couldn't put it down..
* Teasers used are off the authors facebook page *
March 15, 2016
:: 5 Pretty Little Stars ::
WOW. This book was VERY hard to put down, and VERY hard to let go of. When the story ended I felt lost because I wanted to continue reading. That my friends is how good it is. Gah, talk about a book that will tear your heart out and put the pieces back together. I loved everything about this one. It has heart, soul, angst, and emotional twists and turns. I simply couldn’t get enough of this one, and I can’t wait to see how the rest of the series progresses. Shana Vanterpool is an author to watch out for. I have read a few of her books now and each and every one is GOOD. If you haven’t picked up one of her books yet I strongly suggest doing so. You will not be disappointed!
So this book is about Harley and Bach – two people who seem to be complete opposites of each other. Bach is the sexy bad boy. He has had his share of pain, likes to drink, and doesn’t care who he lets into his bed. He is quite obviously beautifully broken and I loved him to pieces even though he is an arrogant ass at fist. Harley on the other hand is as sweet as pie. She’s one of those characters that readers find easy to connect with. All she wants is love and companionship. While she thought she had that with Dylan, she soon realizes that this isn’t the case.
WOW. So this book gives you all the feels. It’s one of those books where you’re not sure how these two total opposites find love within each other but it happens, and happens good. I love the writing style, the character flaws, the interactions between Bach and Harley, and, well, everything about this book! Once again, if you enjoy the new adult genre, you need to pick up books by this author. She writes wonderful stories that truly capture your heart and soul. She knows how to write bad boys too! ;)
WOW. This book was VERY hard to put down, and VERY hard to let go of. When the story ended I felt lost because I wanted to continue reading. That my friends is how good it is. Gah, talk about a book that will tear your heart out and put the pieces back together. I loved everything about this one. It has heart, soul, angst, and emotional twists and turns. I simply couldn’t get enough of this one, and I can’t wait to see how the rest of the series progresses. Shana Vanterpool is an author to watch out for. I have read a few of her books now and each and every one is GOOD. If you haven’t picked up one of her books yet I strongly suggest doing so. You will not be disappointed!
So this book is about Harley and Bach – two people who seem to be complete opposites of each other. Bach is the sexy bad boy. He has had his share of pain, likes to drink, and doesn’t care who he lets into his bed. He is quite obviously beautifully broken and I loved him to pieces even though he is an arrogant ass at fist. Harley on the other hand is as sweet as pie. She’s one of those characters that readers find easy to connect with. All she wants is love and companionship. While she thought she had that with Dylan, she soon realizes that this isn’t the case.
WOW. So this book gives you all the feels. It’s one of those books where you’re not sure how these two total opposites find love within each other but it happens, and happens good. I love the writing style, the character flaws, the interactions between Bach and Harley, and, well, everything about this book! Once again, if you enjoy the new adult genre, you need to pick up books by this author. She writes wonderful stories that truly capture your heart and soul. She knows how to write bad boys too! ;)
July 28, 2017
3 Stars
Overall Opinion: This is a tough one to rate. I enjoyed their connection, but it definitely wasn't a unicorn and rainbow love. Bach was royally messed up. He used alcohol, sex, and drugs on an almost nightly basis to drown out his demons. He knew he wasn't good enough for Harley, but he needed her. This had some really tough scenes of him self destructing, and is not a book for my safety gals. Even though I did root for them in the end, I don't think I can rate it more than 3 "just ok" stars because of the abrupt HFN ending and the tough subjects.
Brief Summary of the Storyline: This is Harley and Bach's story. Harley is dating Bach's best friend, Dylan, until Dylan drops the bomb that he is being deployed. Both Bach and Harley feel betrayed because Dylan never shared that he even enlisted, nor was really clear as to why he did. They bond over Dylan's deception, and what started out as Bach following through on a promise to look after her (even though she broke up with Dylan) turns into something more. They have some big obstacles to get over, but they end up falling in love and getting a HFN ending.
POV: This alternated between Harley and Bach's POV.
Overall Pace of Story: Good until the abrupt ending. I never skimmed, and I thought it flowed well -- I just wanted more in the end.
Instalove: No. There was a good amount of time for feelings to develop.
H rating: 3.5 stars. Bach. He was pretty damaged, and with his childhood it was completely understandable. I hated how he self destructed, but it was so sad that I didn't hate him for it (if that makes sense).
h rating: 3 stars. Harley. She was kind of a judgemental B at times, but once she saw through Bach's sexy-self but unappealing behavior she really seemed to care for him a lot.
Sadness level: Low. It does cover some heavy issues, but I never needed any tissues.
Heat level: Moderate. There aren't that many scenes between the h and H, but they were pretty hot.
Descriptive sex: Yes
Safe sex: No. They have unprotected sex (she's on birth control), and then the h takes the H goes and gets tested afterwards.
OW/OM drama: Yes and no
Sex scene with OW or OM: Yes
Cheating: I would say yes.
Possible Triggers: Yes
Closure: This didn't have enough closure for me at all. It does finalize things with Dylan, but I needed more closure for the couple. I would call it a HFN ending.
How I got it: I paid the $3.99 on Amazon.
Safety: Not Safe
Overall Opinion: This is a tough one to rate. I enjoyed their connection, but it definitely wasn't a unicorn and rainbow love. Bach was royally messed up. He used alcohol, sex, and drugs on an almost nightly basis to drown out his demons. He knew he wasn't good enough for Harley, but he needed her. This had some really tough scenes of him self destructing, and is not a book for my safety gals. Even though I did root for them in the end, I don't think I can rate it more than 3 "just ok" stars because of the abrupt HFN ending and the tough subjects.
Brief Summary of the Storyline: This is Harley and Bach's story. Harley is dating Bach's best friend, Dylan, until Dylan drops the bomb that he is being deployed. Both Bach and Harley feel betrayed because Dylan never shared that he even enlisted, nor was really clear as to why he did. They bond over Dylan's deception, and what started out as Bach following through on a promise to look after her (even though she broke up with Dylan) turns into something more. They have some big obstacles to get over, but they end up falling in love and getting a HFN ending.
POV: This alternated between Harley and Bach's POV.
Overall Pace of Story: Good until the abrupt ending. I never skimmed, and I thought it flowed well -- I just wanted more in the end.
Instalove: No. There was a good amount of time for feelings to develop.
H rating: 3.5 stars. Bach. He was pretty damaged, and with his childhood it was completely understandable. I hated how he self destructed, but it was so sad that I didn't hate him for it (if that makes sense).
h rating: 3 stars. Harley. She was kind of a judgemental B at times, but once she saw through Bach's sexy-self but unappealing behavior she really seemed to care for him a lot.
Sadness level: Low. It does cover some heavy issues, but I never needed any tissues.
Heat level: Moderate. There aren't that many scenes between the h and H, but they were pretty hot.
Descriptive sex: Yes
Safe sex: No. They have unprotected sex (she's on birth control), and then the h takes the H goes and gets tested afterwards.
OW/OM drama: Yes and no
Sex scene with OW or OM: Yes
Cheating: I would say yes.
Possible Triggers: Yes
Closure: This didn't have enough closure for me at all. It does finalize things with Dylan, but I needed more closure for the couple. I would call it a HFN ending.
How I got it: I paid the $3.99 on Amazon.
Safety: Not Safe
March 10, 2016
ARC kindly provided in exchange for an honest review
March 5, 2016
I shouldn’t have given Shana Vanterpool’s other books five stars as there is no way for me to show that, unbelievably, this book just took it to another level! It’s like the author somehow crawled inside my heart and wrote a paint-by-numbers novel of everything I love in New Adult Romance. And then ripped it apart only to stick the jagged edges together again. Because that is what it feels like at the moment – like my heart is being held together by sticky tape.
Harley was lost to depression after she lost her father to a roadside bomb during his deployment. That is until Dylan found her and made her laugh again. Clinging to him like a lifeline, she didn’t care about his rough past or the drugs or the many women because when he found Harley he’d let all of that go. Her life is good again. But Dylan lied. He breaks her when he announces that he’s enlisted and off to Afghanistan.
Dylan asks his childhood friend to look after Harley while he’s away. He has to keep her away from other guys because he’s coming back for her. And once he explains why he left, she’ll understand and they’ll have their HEA. Right? Of course. And there is NO way Harley will fall for Bach. Right? Of course not. Because Bach is horrible and a drug addict and an alcoholic and a manwhore and an unapologetic asshole and no way good-girl Harley will fall for his bullshit. Right? Of course not. Bach can’t even stand being around Harley. Except not. It’s all going to end in disaster.
Disaster that will be dripping in angst.
I devoured every word.
Bach. God, Bach. The boy who broke so many things. Like my heart, my soul… my ovaries. Running from a horrible past he finds escape in either a bottle or a willing woman. He’s doing great being the heartless asshole everyone expects him to be. At least he’s honest about it. He doesn’t lie or hide his nature and he can look at himself at the mirror, good thing too because it’s such an attractive face. He doesn’t need to be babysitting Harley. She makes him want things he shouldn’t. She gives him hope that maybe people are good. She’s under his skin but he can’t taint her goodness with his filth. He desperately wants to bask in the glow of Harley’s goodness but he can’t risk breaking her.
When Harley pokes the surface and all of his vulnerability and self-loathing came bubble up, my heart began to bleed. He was so goddamned broken and he had so many contradicting emotions running through his beautiful head that I wanted to scoop him up and put him in the warm hole my empty heart left to keep him safe and loved and protected. I lost my heart to a broken boy with green eyes and a beautiful soul who thinks in pretty words. Oh god, so many pretty words.
Shana did an exceptional job of developing these characters and an even better job of creating the slow burn romance between them. It was painful and torturous and beautiful and when they got together, it was nothing but explosive.
If you love angst then read this book.
If you love flawed characters then read this book.
If you want to lose your heart to a broken boy, then read this book.
This book has given me a hangover that rivals that of Bach’s after an all-night bender.
(ARC provided by author in exchange for an honest review)
October 11, 2018
2.5 stars
I read this for the angst. I’m in that mood. If that's not one of your reasons for reading...DO NOT READ THIS. Otherwise, jump in. The H wasn't really worthy but it was angsty as fuck.
The h is just not memorable. She’s not a character I can empathize with, but that's just me. Her reactions to and interest in the H were never believable.
The H is a TOTAL. WHORE. And if that's not enough, how's drug addict and alcoholic? Still hanging in? He throws "Drug Parties" for Frat houses for a living. But he was wonderfully broken with a great backstory. Great to read, would never date or befriend in real life. His pursuit of the h didn't make sense but I went with it. Her goodness was just a really boring reason...and kinda not believable.
This isn’t worthy of a deep review, in a nut shell...the h is dating BFF of H. OMBFF goes off to war after lying to h about some shit. She falls for H. The H falls for her and keeps fucking LOTS of OW. More crazy ensues. The h is an idiot. The H is a lucky bastard.
The. End.
This is HFN at best. I just can't believe he'll keep it in his pants forever...unless he stays sober.
Also doubtful.
And, NO EPILOGUE.
I read this for the angst. I’m in that mood. If that's not one of your reasons for reading...DO NOT READ THIS. Otherwise, jump in. The H wasn't really worthy but it was angsty as fuck.
The h is just not memorable. She’s not a character I can empathize with, but that's just me. Her reactions to and interest in the H were never believable.
The H is a TOTAL. WHORE. And if that's not enough, how's drug addict and alcoholic? Still hanging in? He throws "Drug Parties" for Frat houses for a living. But he was wonderfully broken with a great backstory. Great to read, would never date or befriend in real life. His pursuit of the h didn't make sense but I went with it. Her goodness was just a really boring reason...and kinda not believable.
This isn’t worthy of a deep review, in a nut shell...the h is dating BFF of H. OMBFF goes off to war after lying to h about some shit. She falls for H. The H falls for her and keeps fucking LOTS of OW. More crazy ensues. The h is an idiot. The H is a lucky bastard.
The. End.
This is HFN at best. I just can't believe he'll keep it in his pants forever...unless he stays sober.
Also doubtful.
And, NO EPILOGUE.
March 14, 2016
This book is essentially a modern twisted fairy tale. Girl meets man whore number one Dylan ,falls in love & he basically abandons her to go to war.She later discovers that this supposedly reformed boyfriend has a life filled with secret women drama.
Before going off to battle Dylan passes his now ex girlfriend to his best friend Bach aka man whore number two to protect.Number two advises girl that his antics with the ladies pales in comparison with her former lover who is a freaky legend in the sack and this coming from a guy that at 22 yrs old has already fucked over a 1000 women & counting.
And this is where the story begins.Girl slowly falls in love with this extremely broken individual.Bach's nightmares are so extreme that he wets the bed in terror and his coping mechanism is to have sex every night with sometimes multiple partners while high on a combination of booze & drugs.He has to repeatedly go for STD tests.The book at 80% has him still part-taking in orgies & threesomes in a haze of weed & ecstasy. Girl is aware of all this happening but still preserves in her attempt to secure this man's heart & soul.Nothing is hidden as there is no cheating as they are not in a relationship which he does not do.
He is a slave to his addiction & the girl armed only with just her love attempts on numerous occasions to rescue him.He does not chase her.Although they do have sex & there is a tentative obsession developing within him for her,it is still not enough to block out his abuse at the hands of his father.He is compelled to lose himself in dangerous sex with strangers of whom there are an abundance who are willing & waiting to spread anything for a very hot drug addict.
At 70% of the book he breaks it off with his regular fuck buddy in an attempt to reform.This fails when he gains the attention of another broken girl more freakier than his former booty call who indulges him in double-teaming with another of his wasted friend & various group sex acts.
So while this book excels at high drama the end result is not very believable.Redemption comes calling only in the last 1% of the book.You never get to see the couple at their happiest & this miraculous cure occurs without counseling nor any sort of drug,sex nor alcohol rehabilitation & with both the characters barely out of the teens,I'm doubtful of a HEA. Though there is no cliffhanger,this is the first book in a series about a group very damaged individuals so maybe the author is going to flesh out the aftermath of this couple in forthcoming novels about their various friends,which I will definitely be reading.
Though the ending felt rushed,the degradation that the author fills the pages with leading up to the brief happy event feels very real & rich with seedy detail and even though my review uses the generic term man whore it does not truly apply here as the hero is a victim of extensive horrific abuse at the hands of a parent.
Before going off to battle Dylan passes his now ex girlfriend to his best friend Bach aka man whore number two to protect.Number two advises girl that his antics with the ladies pales in comparison with her former lover who is a freaky legend in the sack and this coming from a guy that at 22 yrs old has already fucked over a 1000 women & counting.
And this is where the story begins.Girl slowly falls in love with this extremely broken individual.Bach's nightmares are so extreme that he wets the bed in terror and his coping mechanism is to have sex every night with sometimes multiple partners while high on a combination of booze & drugs.He has to repeatedly go for STD tests.The book at 80% has him still part-taking in orgies & threesomes in a haze of weed & ecstasy. Girl is aware of all this happening but still preserves in her attempt to secure this man's heart & soul.Nothing is hidden as there is no cheating as they are not in a relationship which he does not do.
He is a slave to his addiction & the girl armed only with just her love attempts on numerous occasions to rescue him.He does not chase her.Although they do have sex & there is a tentative obsession developing within him for her,it is still not enough to block out his abuse at the hands of his father.He is compelled to lose himself in dangerous sex with strangers of whom there are an abundance who are willing & waiting to spread anything for a very hot drug addict.
At 70% of the book he breaks it off with his regular fuck buddy in an attempt to reform.This fails when he gains the attention of another broken girl more freakier than his former booty call who indulges him in double-teaming with another of his wasted friend & various group sex acts.
So while this book excels at high drama the end result is not very believable.Redemption comes calling only in the last 1% of the book.You never get to see the couple at their happiest & this miraculous cure occurs without counseling nor any sort of drug,sex nor alcohol rehabilitation & with both the characters barely out of the teens,I'm doubtful of a HEA. Though there is no cliffhanger,this is the first book in a series about a group very damaged individuals so maybe the author is going to flesh out the aftermath of this couple in forthcoming novels about their various friends,which I will definitely be reading.
Though the ending felt rushed,the degradation that the author fills the pages with leading up to the brief happy event feels very real & rich with seedy detail and even though my review uses the generic term man whore it does not truly apply here as the hero is a victim of extensive horrific abuse at the hands of a parent.
August 4, 2020
2.5 stars
March 19, 2016
Wowza! This book couldn’t have been more perfectly titled—Destroy Me; it certainly destroyed me as well as the main characters in the story.
“He’s sex on top of second top of mount me please.”
This is one way to describe Bach Bachman. He is a gorgeous, dangerous, manwhore asshole who is always looking to forget. He forgets through women, alcohol, and drugs. And there is always a willing body waiting.
When his best friend, Dylan, up and leaves his girlfriend, Harley, when he enters the army, he asks Bach to look out for her. Harley is a good girl. She would never go for a man like Bach.
The two can’t stand one another at first, and then suddenly they can’t keep their hands off each other.
“If I kiss you back I’m going to take you to my bedroom, rip your clothes off, and bury every fucking inch of my cock deep inside of you.”
“Kiss me back.”
But a physical attraction isn’t enough for Harley. She needs emotion. When Bach finally starts to let her in, he can’t stop running.
“Sometimes the ones that make us hurt make us hurt because we let them. Sometimes they make us hurt because we can’t stop them. And other times they make us hurt because we want them to.”
Bach needs some good in his life; Harley is his good. Harley needs some bad in her life; Bach fits the bill. However, the two continuously destroy each other.
“Loving you is going to kill me.”
So, who does Harley end up with?
This story was darker, gritty, raw. It was about two people running, fighting, and just trying to survive. Even when Bach was being a total asshole, I found myself rooting for him, especially when his secrets came out. I thoroughly enjoyed this story and I look forward to the next in the series! ~ Tiffany, 4.5 stars
~~~
Let me start off by saying that this book gutted me, and I honestly did not know if I was going to survive it.
Dylan's trusting his girl to his best friend, Bach, to take care of her while he’s away at war—knowing that nothing will come of them. Bach, on the other hand, doesn't feel like being a babysitter, but the more he thinks about it, the more he likes the idea of being close to Harley. See, Harley is so different from the woman he and Dylan are used to; loose, easy and fast where she's sweet, pure and refreshing. Though he knows nothing can come from them being together, he still can't seem to shake off the feelings he's developing for Harley.
Sweet Harley is heartbroken—the man she thought she loved has left her and the only connection she has to him now is his arrogant, sexy-as-fuck, conceited BF. She shouldn't feel attracted to him but in reality it's more than that. She sees the pain he hides behind his smiles, laughs and conceitedness, and she's made it her mission to see what he's hiding.
I thought this book was going to be an easy read… Well, once I got into the meat of it, I was blown away by how deep and emotional it was. Harley had her job cut out for her, and despite the way Bach treated her, she kept at it because she was determined to bring out the real Bach! Be ready to yell, sigh, laugh, cry and fall in love with Bach and Harley!
A beautiful story of forgiveness, loving yourself, and allowing others to love you. Have some wine and Kleenex ready! ~ Kara, 4.5 stars
“He’s sex on top of second top of mount me please.”
This is one way to describe Bach Bachman. He is a gorgeous, dangerous, manwhore asshole who is always looking to forget. He forgets through women, alcohol, and drugs. And there is always a willing body waiting.
When his best friend, Dylan, up and leaves his girlfriend, Harley, when he enters the army, he asks Bach to look out for her. Harley is a good girl. She would never go for a man like Bach.
The two can’t stand one another at first, and then suddenly they can’t keep their hands off each other.
“If I kiss you back I’m going to take you to my bedroom, rip your clothes off, and bury every fucking inch of my cock deep inside of you.”
“Kiss me back.”
But a physical attraction isn’t enough for Harley. She needs emotion. When Bach finally starts to let her in, he can’t stop running.
“Sometimes the ones that make us hurt make us hurt because we let them. Sometimes they make us hurt because we can’t stop them. And other times they make us hurt because we want them to.”
Bach needs some good in his life; Harley is his good. Harley needs some bad in her life; Bach fits the bill. However, the two continuously destroy each other.
“Loving you is going to kill me.”
So, who does Harley end up with?
This story was darker, gritty, raw. It was about two people running, fighting, and just trying to survive. Even when Bach was being a total asshole, I found myself rooting for him, especially when his secrets came out. I thoroughly enjoyed this story and I look forward to the next in the series! ~ Tiffany, 4.5 stars
~~~
Let me start off by saying that this book gutted me, and I honestly did not know if I was going to survive it.
Dylan's trusting his girl to his best friend, Bach, to take care of her while he’s away at war—knowing that nothing will come of them. Bach, on the other hand, doesn't feel like being a babysitter, but the more he thinks about it, the more he likes the idea of being close to Harley. See, Harley is so different from the woman he and Dylan are used to; loose, easy and fast where she's sweet, pure and refreshing. Though he knows nothing can come from them being together, he still can't seem to shake off the feelings he's developing for Harley.
Sweet Harley is heartbroken—the man she thought she loved has left her and the only connection she has to him now is his arrogant, sexy-as-fuck, conceited BF. She shouldn't feel attracted to him but in reality it's more than that. She sees the pain he hides behind his smiles, laughs and conceitedness, and she's made it her mission to see what he's hiding.
I thought this book was going to be an easy read… Well, once I got into the meat of it, I was blown away by how deep and emotional it was. Harley had her job cut out for her, and despite the way Bach treated her, she kept at it because she was determined to bring out the real Bach! Be ready to yell, sigh, laugh, cry and fall in love with Bach and Harley!
A beautiful story of forgiveness, loving yourself, and allowing others to love you. Have some wine and Kleenex ready! ~ Kara, 4.5 stars
February 28, 2016
This review was originally posted on Cocktails and Books
This book was one hot mess because of our hero, Bach Bachman. Despite his boatload of issues, including his drinking, drug use and womanizing, there was something about Bach that made it hard to discount him. Despite everything he did, it was easy to forgive him, just like Harley.
Harley and Bach seem like an unlikely duo. As he calls her, she's a square and he's Bach. Being with Harley calms the demons inside of Bach, which was something only Dylan (Bach's best friend and Harley's ex could do). So begins the ugly push/pull of Bach and Harley. He pulls her in when he's beaten down by his demons and then pushes her away when he thinks they only way to fix him is through booze, drugs and women.
Harley has her own issues, mainly being able to trust people, but with Bach she's willing for forgive his lies each and every time. It's almost as if she can see what everyone else ignores and hopes by constantly welcoming Bach to her, he'll eventually let her in. Of course, it's not easy and he does break her heart more than he fills it, but she's committed to the fight and refuses to abandon the man so many already have.
This isn't a hard book to get through. Bach is Bach for a very good, very horrifying reason. He doesn't deal with his demons well, which makes him into a huge douchebag you want to scream at. But, like Harley, I found myself soldiering through. I had a hard time putting this book down, when I knew I should.
This was my first Shana Vanterpool book and I'll definitely be looking for me. She gave me that angsty, sometimes cringe-worthy read, that I'd been looking for.
This book was one hot mess because of our hero, Bach Bachman. Despite his boatload of issues, including his drinking, drug use and womanizing, there was something about Bach that made it hard to discount him. Despite everything he did, it was easy to forgive him, just like Harley.
Harley and Bach seem like an unlikely duo. As he calls her, she's a square and he's Bach. Being with Harley calms the demons inside of Bach, which was something only Dylan (Bach's best friend and Harley's ex could do). So begins the ugly push/pull of Bach and Harley. He pulls her in when he's beaten down by his demons and then pushes her away when he thinks they only way to fix him is through booze, drugs and women.
Harley has her own issues, mainly being able to trust people, but with Bach she's willing for forgive his lies each and every time. It's almost as if she can see what everyone else ignores and hopes by constantly welcoming Bach to her, he'll eventually let her in. Of course, it's not easy and he does break her heart more than he fills it, but she's committed to the fight and refuses to abandon the man so many already have.
This isn't a hard book to get through. Bach is Bach for a very good, very horrifying reason. He doesn't deal with his demons well, which makes him into a huge douchebag you want to scream at. But, like Harley, I found myself soldiering through. I had a hard time putting this book down, when I knew I should.
This was my first Shana Vanterpool book and I'll definitely be looking for me. She gave me that angsty, sometimes cringe-worthy read, that I'd been looking for.
May 25, 2016
I love the way Shana Vanterpool brought the characters together, the story was equal in the love, the plot, the twist and the intimacy. The story was refreshing!
Some of my best quotes are as follows:
“I can tell you right now I’m not watching anything with all chicks. Unless it’s porn. I’ll watch porn.”
“If I kiss you back I’m going to take you to my bedroom, rip your clothes off, and bury every fucking inch of my cock deep inside of you.”
“I almost called 911 twice.”
“Why didn’t you?”
“Because just before I would you’d roll over and whisper my name.”
She looks me right in the eye. “So I put my phone down.”
“Why do you always want to do the right thing when it comes to me? Just this one time do the wrong thing, Bach. Be wrong.”
“You have any idea how bad I want to taste you?”
“Mmm,” she moans, eyes bad. She’s my bad girl now. “Does my pussy taste good?”
“So fucking good.”
Go ahead, Bach. Destroy me
I can say that this author has my 100% recommendation, the story is well written, well developed and well explained. I can’t wait for more she can bring us, so keep going Girl!!!
#DestroyMe
#BachBachmen
#HarleyEvans
#BachAndHarley
#ShanaVanterpool
#comingsoon
*ARC provided in exchange for an honest review*
Some of my best quotes are as follows:
“I can tell you right now I’m not watching anything with all chicks. Unless it’s porn. I’ll watch porn.”
“If I kiss you back I’m going to take you to my bedroom, rip your clothes off, and bury every fucking inch of my cock deep inside of you.”
“I almost called 911 twice.”
“Why didn’t you?”
“Because just before I would you’d roll over and whisper my name.”
She looks me right in the eye. “So I put my phone down.”
“Why do you always want to do the right thing when it comes to me? Just this one time do the wrong thing, Bach. Be wrong.”
“You have any idea how bad I want to taste you?”
“Mmm,” she moans, eyes bad. She’s my bad girl now. “Does my pussy taste good?”
“So fucking good.”
Go ahead, Bach. Destroy me
I can say that this author has my 100% recommendation, the story is well written, well developed and well explained. I can’t wait for more she can bring us, so keep going Girl!!!
#DestroyMe
#BachBachmen
#HarleyEvans
#BachAndHarley
#ShanaVanterpool
#comingsoon
*ARC provided in exchange for an honest review*
Read
March 10, 2016Arc in exchange for honest review. 4star rating!!
Bach. Harley. Dylan.
Manwhore, bad boy Bach left to look after his bestfriend Dylan's girl while he up and leaves for the army. Harley who only wants love and stability. Thinking a she has found that in her current boyfriend only to find out she couldn't be more wrong. What will happen when you think all you will ever feel is hurt, pain and disappointment? What will happen when Bach and Harley become close? Get your copy of this book. Take the emotional roller coaster with these characters.
Bach is your typical BAD BOY. in every word. You wanna hate him and then you wanna smother him with your love. Just to show him good in his world of pain and hurt.
Dylan. I hate. Him. I truly hope I can come to love him, when I understand him more. I hope I get to learn his story. His background. Cuz I don't wanna hate him. You know there is something more there. More to him. Come on Dylan show us who you really are. Make us love you!!
Harley. I felt for this girl. Made me feel her pain. Made me cry. Broke my heart. And in the end put it all back together. I just loved her.
Bach. Harley. Dylan.
Manwhore, bad boy Bach left to look after his bestfriend Dylan's girl while he up and leaves for the army. Harley who only wants love and stability. Thinking a she has found that in her current boyfriend only to find out she couldn't be more wrong. What will happen when you think all you will ever feel is hurt, pain and disappointment? What will happen when Bach and Harley become close? Get your copy of this book. Take the emotional roller coaster with these characters.
Bach is your typical BAD BOY. in every word. You wanna hate him and then you wanna smother him with your love. Just to show him good in his world of pain and hurt.
Dylan. I hate. Him. I truly hope I can come to love him, when I understand him more. I hope I get to learn his story. His background. Cuz I don't wanna hate him. You know there is something more there. More to him. Come on Dylan show us who you really are. Make us love you!!
Harley. I felt for this girl. Made me feel her pain. Made me cry. Broke my heart. And in the end put it all back together. I just loved her.
March 21, 2016
5 lovely stars
This book doesn't bring anything new, or that hasn't appeared in some other books, but it's sooooo delicious and fun reading...
I had to put it down because I got sick, and I was also a little stubborn to try and read a little, and it was impossible...
I love an asshole hero, the one with dirty mouth, that doesn't care about what others may say or think, but also the one who is sincere it hurts.... and this one is Bach....
If you don't like seeing the hero with MANY, MANY, many different girls, this book might not be for you..
Bach has issues and he uses alcohol and drugs to get wasted and forget, and he does this often, or should I say, every day?!
Harley is such a good girl, a princess! She does the good without expecting anything in return...
She lost her dad and it is still something hard for her to deal!
Now, her boyfriend is leaving, and she is being left in Bach's hands - and body - to be taken care of!
Ok, Dylan, the boyfriend, gave them both a huge gift!
Their story is just built along, with lots of ups and downs...
I got to love and hate Harley and Bach, I was really hoping they could have a nice happy ending together.
This book doesn't bring anything new, or that hasn't appeared in some other books, but it's sooooo delicious and fun reading...
I had to put it down because I got sick, and I was also a little stubborn to try and read a little, and it was impossible...
I love an asshole hero, the one with dirty mouth, that doesn't care about what others may say or think, but also the one who is sincere it hurts.... and this one is Bach....
If you don't like seeing the hero with MANY, MANY, many different girls, this book might not be for you..
Bach has issues and he uses alcohol and drugs to get wasted and forget, and he does this often, or should I say, every day?!
Harley is such a good girl, a princess! She does the good without expecting anything in return...
She lost her dad and it is still something hard for her to deal!
Now, her boyfriend is leaving, and she is being left in Bach's hands - and body - to be taken care of!
Ok, Dylan, the boyfriend, gave them both a huge gift!
Their story is just built along, with lots of ups and downs...
I got to love and hate Harley and Bach, I was really hoping they could have a nice happy ending together.
March 12, 2016
This book is about a Harley a college girl in Crystal Gulf. She is dating a hot guy named Dylan. Dylan decideds he needs to make major changes to his life for all the people he cares about. Dylan has a best friend named Bach who is hotter and crazy. He drinks, does drugs and does lots of women to forget the issues of physical abuse he endured when he was a kid. When Dylan decided that he will go into the Army....he leaves his best friend Bach to look after Harley. Dylan leaves with out telling Haley...breaking her heart and having Bach picking up the pieces. This book is an emotional one. haley and bach heal each other by coming to truth with reality and by having a lie free relationship. Even though the truth may hurt Haley and Bach beleive in forgiving. If you like emotional rollercoasters this one is for you. love love love love love 5 loves. this is not my normal read. this is a sweet, dirty, sad and messy book.
March 12, 2016
4.5 Apple A** Stars
Destroy Me
Oh lord, where do I start. Because the best friend is Always off limits .. Right? Wrong! And omg when you can't wait for them to actually hook up . I'm a bad person, going straight to hell
Destroy Me
Oh lord, where do I start. Because the best friend is Always off limits .. Right? Wrong! And omg when you can't wait for them to actually hook up . I'm a bad person, going straight to hell
February 13, 2016
4 "APPLE PIE" STARS
Review to come!
Review to come!
February 16, 2016
Review to come
May 5, 2018
I really loved this book! I am a sucker for drama and angst, and this book delivered. It was exactly what I was looking for, when I was looking for it. I hope to write more thoughts on this book, but as what seems to be the norm lately, my reading appetite outpaces my reviews.I would recommend this book for those who like drama and angst mixed with a tortured hero. I am sooo looking forward to continuing on with this series!
March 15, 2016
I received this book in an exchange for an honest review, thanks to Swoon Romance
I've never ever read a military book. I don't think I have? Hm...Nope I cannot remember ever reading one and you know why I tend to stay away from them? Because I can't tolerate the pain, death, innocent civillians dying, corruption, hatred and the insanity. There is nothing good about War in my opinion, after studying it in depth for two years at school I vowed to never read a war book as long as I lived. However, I am glad to tell you that this book is not one of those. Pardon? You heard me right this book is nothing like it, yes it contains war elements but not in a very detailed aspect which I am thankful about I don't think I could have gotten through this book otherwise.
This book was good, not just because of the sex that was oozing off Batch or much Batch and Harley are attracted to each other. But this is not one of those insta love kind of books, everything takes place when Dylan breaks Harley's heart and Batch is left to pick up the pieces. I found it quite difficult to see how the romance would work out since Batch used drugs, alcohol and women to numb the pain. He was running that was much clear? But what is he running from? What happened in their past? I wanted to know really badly! I got a bit annoyed when the romantic or sex scenes would appear when I wanted to get to the root of the story, I was very tempted to just skip some parts. Very tempted. But I hung in there and I am glad I did. This story is very...I don't really have a word to describe it the emotions which are spiked up from the reader and the characters are very raw. I had to hold my heart whilst I read this story, now this is not a depressing story its just the content or what happened makes you feel sad. It is the harsh realitiy of the world we live in (you will know what I mean when you have read the book).
Dylan is a pain in the neck, I really want to use derogatory remarks here but I will refrain from that. How can the sweet innocent Dylan who claimed to love Harley turn out like this?
Either way, he is a jerk for what he did and then expects to have a second chance after treating Harley like dirt and keeping secrets? He also calls Harley a 'whore', now if I was in the book I would have slapped him one for insulting her like that!
Bach on the other hand, might use women for sex but atleast he is honest and a jerk not in a bad way. He never disrespects women. And I like him a lot. He is illustrated as looking so good that he oozes sex appeal as soon as he walks in the door which happens a lot whenever he is seen with the Harley and they go out. I do feel sorry for him for what happens to him, and no one should ever go through that, not at a young age :(
Harley is depicted as so 'good' she is practically an angel, don't get me wrong she is a good person with the right intentions and tries to help everyone around her including Bach. But I think its safe to say majority people try to be the best they can be and maybe referring her to a angel is somewhat someone who committs no mistake? But I can see why the author has shown this.
I've never ever read a military book. I don't think I have? Hm...Nope I cannot remember ever reading one and you know why I tend to stay away from them? Because I can't tolerate the pain, death, innocent civillians dying, corruption, hatred and the insanity. There is nothing good about War in my opinion, after studying it in depth for two years at school I vowed to never read a war book as long as I lived. However, I am glad to tell you that this book is not one of those. Pardon? You heard me right this book is nothing like it, yes it contains war elements but not in a very detailed aspect which I am thankful about I don't think I could have gotten through this book otherwise.
This book was good, not just because of the sex that was oozing off Batch or much Batch and Harley are attracted to each other. But this is not one of those insta love kind of books, everything takes place when Dylan breaks Harley's heart and Batch is left to pick up the pieces. I found it quite difficult to see how the romance would work out since Batch used drugs, alcohol and women to numb the pain. He was running that was much clear? But what is he running from? What happened in their past? I wanted to know really badly! I got a bit annoyed when the romantic or sex scenes would appear when I wanted to get to the root of the story, I was very tempted to just skip some parts. Very tempted. But I hung in there and I am glad I did. This story is very...I don't really have a word to describe it the emotions which are spiked up from the reader and the characters are very raw. I had to hold my heart whilst I read this story, now this is not a depressing story its just the content or what happened makes you feel sad. It is the harsh realitiy of the world we live in (you will know what I mean when you have read the book).
Dylan is a pain in the neck, I really want to use derogatory remarks here but I will refrain from that. How can the sweet innocent Dylan who claimed to love Harley turn out like this?
Either way, he is a jerk for what he did and then expects to have a second chance after treating Harley like dirt and keeping secrets? He also calls Harley a 'whore', now if I was in the book I would have slapped him one for insulting her like that!
Bach on the other hand, might use women for sex but atleast he is honest and a jerk not in a bad way. He never disrespects women. And I like him a lot. He is illustrated as looking so good that he oozes sex appeal as soon as he walks in the door which happens a lot whenever he is seen with the Harley and they go out. I do feel sorry for him for what happens to him, and no one should ever go through that, not at a young age :(
Harley is depicted as so 'good' she is practically an angel, don't get me wrong she is a good person with the right intentions and tries to help everyone around her including Bach. But I think its safe to say majority people try to be the best they can be and maybe referring her to a angel is somewhat someone who committs no mistake? But I can see why the author has shown this.
July 25, 2016
http://snoopydoosbookreviews.com/dest...
3 ½ ★
I really had a love-hate relationship with this book. It was total roller coaster ride all the way through. Bach was a rough character to read. He is pretty dark and damaged and is pretty much self-destructing throughout the book. But the more we learn about him the more we can understand where he is coming from and just want to help him. It is a long hard, heart breaking journey for sure. I was not sure what to think of Harley and really didn’t like the way she handled it when Dylan enlisted. She was a real brat in my eyes. I was not a huge fan of her at all. But it did work well for the book Overall, while it was a very dark book it was still very enjoyable and I liked it as a lot, it was heartbreaking and yet fun to read. If you like a darker romance, than I recommend this book.
I rate it 3 ½ ★
March 21, 2016
I am so glad I started this book on a late Thursday night because I could not put it down. And when I had to I couldn't wait to start reading again. I absolutely Flove Bach!! His character is a total Badboy. He is a wet dream come true. At first I thought 'Oh I am going to hate this guy" yet I fell over the edge for him. I was in tears after hearing his sad childhood nightmare. I highly recommend this read! I give it a hot Five star review. Because it has all the ingredients I love in a love story.
November 13, 2016
3.5 stars
March 21, 2016
4 “Your Past Can Destroy You” STARS
Think about a book with messed up characters, add more drama, lots of hot hot hot sex and a childhood trauma that will have you ready to kill the bastard that hurt a innocent kid; then you have “Destroy Me”, the first book in the NA Crystal Gulf Series.
I’ll start this review with the star of the story: Bach. He’s trouble. Quite simple like that. He drinks too much. He supplies drugs and he’s high way too often. He has too much sex (if there’s ever such a thing). He has no responsible bone in his body, and what a hot body it is. And he gives zero f*cks about it. Bach’s only tie to society? His best friend Dylan, the guy who used to be just as much trouble as Bach, until he meT goody-two-shoes Harley.
Harley is your typical good girl and good student who wants nothing more out of life than to be normal. She’s dating this great guy until he turns out not to be all that great at all since he’s been lying to her from the beginning. To Harley’s surprise, Dylan is leaving the country; not on vacation or to study abroad. Nope. He’s going to war. Harley is devastated to learn the guy she fell for is choosing the same path her father once did, and because of that choice, she’s lost him when she was young. So Harley is definitely not going to deal with Dylan’s shit when he comes clean and tells her he enlisted before they met and kept that secret from her. She’s done with him.
But Dylan isn’t done with Harley, and before he leaves, he asks Bach to keep an eye on his girl. Big mistake. Because, like I told you, Bach is trouble.
You can already imagine where this is leading to, right? Bach and Harley, though she’s initially resistant, start spending time together. She doesn’t want to deal with his crap at first, but ends up caring for him. Plus, he’s hot. Like hard-to-resist hot. I won’t say Bach tried too hard to resist her physically either, because he didn’t, but he tried his best to keep her emotionally detached. Why? Because Bach is screwed up and he has a pretty good reason to be like that.
Look, the bad boy with a troubled past is a common trope in new adult romance. 95% of them have it (or even more) – I’m talking about the books I’ve read. And though I’ve seen so many of them, Bach’s trauma is one of the most heartbreaking. What his father did to him was horrible and damaging and disturbing in so many ways… I won’t say what it was because it’d take away from the experience of reading and finding out yourself, but I thought it was pretty heavy and probably one of the most traumatizing things that could ever happen to a child. No wonder Bach is one of the most screwed up characters I’ve read about in romances in this age category.
Another interesting aspect was the author’s choice to portray these two messed up people in a relationship and keep them messed up until the end. I didn’t feel like Harley tried to change Bach. He was a little better with her, but he wasn’t all that changed. Harley was probably the one who changed the most, but she still didn’t completely lose herself. I think it was more Harley growing up and getting out of her shell than her changing exactly. There were some parts where she acted out of character and she did take some unnecessary risks, but some of them were part of growing up and discovering a world outside of what she was used to.
The romance was full of angst. Torturous. Heavy. Complicated. You get the drill. There was so much drama involving these two characters and their feelings for each other than I often felt exhausted after finishing a chapter, which isn’t a bad feeling.
The writing needs work and I felt like another round of editing was in order, but the characters took over the story and once you’re seduced by them, you stop paying attention to all the details that, if fixed, would make this a more powerful.
This is not a light reading. Bach is self-destructive. His childhood story is heartbreaking. His current life choices are hard to swallow. Harley is heavy on the drama side. Their relationship and feelings are intense. They are bad and good for each other. They are complicated. This is toxic at its best. Don't say I didn't warn you.
But if you’re into a lot of angst and heat, then you should read this because it's worth it.
August 1, 2016
5 swoon filled stars
I loved this. LOVED THIS. *sings* Seriously. This book was written for me, right? It had everything, and I'm talking everything I love in a book. I think the entire time I was reading I was like, "One more page, this is the good part". Suddenly I was done.
So this book had it all. Let's do a checklist:
√ dirty talk
√ brooding hero
√ more dirty talk
√ fiesty but loveable heroine
√ even more dirty talk
√ hero with baggage
√ potty mouth
√ HEA
That's all you really need to know, but if you want details I'm happy to continue flailing discussing them with you.
Bach was unapolagetic in everything he did. He was a total manwhore. Yet, the way he owned all of it, somehow that made me stop and think why I didn't hate him. I did in fact, totally love him. I was most definitely disappointed in him so many times, but I never stopped loving him. Bach had demons and I wanted him to overcome his past. It was a bumpy road, in fact it was a totally ugly road, but Harley was there for him and it was beautiful and glorious to watch him find his way. Le sigh.
Harley was a good girl, but she wasn't an idiot. She didn't change herself for anyone and I loved her and wanted to be her the entire story. She was the perfect heroine. Have I mentioned that I am pretty sure this story was written for me? Harley was such a strong character, and while she caved to Bach sometimes she never lost herself in the process.
The romance was simply amazing. It was natural, it was organic...so when it got hot it got real and it was off the charts. A slow burning build. This my friends, was perfection. And let's not forget the total naughty talk that came from Bach. I should have been blushing but I was too into it to even feel anything else but turning the page to get to the next good part. Gah, there were SO MANY GOOD PARTS!
The ending? hohohohmygod that was close lol. There were some doozies that Bach did and it appeared like holy crap at one point. I knew he was definitely a bad boy so I shouldn't have been surprised, but I was. I absolutely loved the ending and it made me complete and warm and fuzzy inside.
Rec this? YESSSSSSS! If my checklist appeals to you then this book is made for you as well. I loved and savored every single page, word, conversation....all of it!
I have no idea who book 2 is about. I know, I know I can totally check the synopsis, but the spoiler-phobe in me loves going in blind. I'm starting this book...NOW.
Happy reading!
This review was originally posted on The Book Hookup here.
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April 22, 2016Let me start this review off by saying I heart Shana Vanterpool to the moon and back. This is the third book the wonderfully talented Shana has released, and I have read them all!!! In fact I tend to read them ASAP. I drop everything to attack her next novel as if it was a delicious slice of the richest chocolate cake, piled high with whipped chocolate frosting.
Destroy Me is book one in a new series, about a different set of college kids and their dramatic life. One thing that has not changed even in this series, is Shana's ability to paint a picture so vivid and hauntingly beautiful it stays with you for days...weeks even. This is the story of a broken man and his saving grace.
Bach is a man with a dark past, perhaps one of the darkest I've come to read about so far. He has been running from his demons for a very long time. He doesn't want to feel, unless it’s the skin of a willing female. he doesn't want to love, unless it has to do with his love of Booze, drugs, and women. And he sure as hell doesn't want to change his coping skills, I mean why would he, it’s great....right? Everything is awesome....or so he thinks. And then came along Harley.
Harley...Harley...Harley.... this girl did my head in at times. I had to stop reading a few times to take deep breaths and have a stern talking to her. At times she was the most mature person ever and I would just hug my kindle and grin like a fool. But then she would have these moments where she would act like such an immature loon, that I wanted to just slap her around and wake her the hell up. And after the slapping, I’d hold her to my bosom and tell her everything is alright. She spent so much time wondering about how she felt about Bach vs her ex boyfriend Dillon, when in all honestly you couldn’t compare the two at all. Sure they had similarities and both guys are childhood friends, but they both have demons in their past that cannot be compared to one another.
I really enjoyed watching these flawed characters try to find out what’s important to them and learning that they too deserve every happiness in the world.
I cannot wait to see where this series will go, all I know is I’m hella excited! I recommend this book to anyone who has ever fallen for the bad boy even when you know there will be pain, but man will it be worth it!
** ARC was kindly provided by author in exchange for an honest review **
Destroy Me is book one in a new series, about a different set of college kids and their dramatic life. One thing that has not changed even in this series, is Shana's ability to paint a picture so vivid and hauntingly beautiful it stays with you for days...weeks even. This is the story of a broken man and his saving grace.
Bach is a man with a dark past, perhaps one of the darkest I've come to read about so far. He has been running from his demons for a very long time. He doesn't want to feel, unless it’s the skin of a willing female. he doesn't want to love, unless it has to do with his love of Booze, drugs, and women. And he sure as hell doesn't want to change his coping skills, I mean why would he, it’s great....right? Everything is awesome....or so he thinks. And then came along Harley.
Harley...Harley...Harley.... this girl did my head in at times. I had to stop reading a few times to take deep breaths and have a stern talking to her. At times she was the most mature person ever and I would just hug my kindle and grin like a fool. But then she would have these moments where she would act like such an immature loon, that I wanted to just slap her around and wake her the hell up. And after the slapping, I’d hold her to my bosom and tell her everything is alright. She spent so much time wondering about how she felt about Bach vs her ex boyfriend Dillon, when in all honestly you couldn’t compare the two at all. Sure they had similarities and both guys are childhood friends, but they both have demons in their past that cannot be compared to one another.
I really enjoyed watching these flawed characters try to find out what’s important to them and learning that they too deserve every happiness in the world.
I cannot wait to see where this series will go, all I know is I’m hella excited! I recommend this book to anyone who has ever fallen for the bad boy even when you know there will be pain, but man will it be worth it!
** ARC was kindly provided by author in exchange for an honest review **
March 10, 2016
**You can see this full review and more at Book Briefs: http://bookbriefs.net**
Destroy me is the first book in the Crystal Gulf series. Destroy me is a new adult contemporary romance by Shana Vanterpool. The Crystal Gulf series is published by swoon romance, and I know this might sound silly, but that fact right there made me want to read the book. I have had such great luck with all of the Swoon Romance imprint books that I have read. (and I have read a lot of them.) Some of them are light and fluffy, some of them are suspenseful and full of drama, and some of them take on darker undertones, but regardless of the atmosphere of the book, they all have one thing in common- a kick ass romance. And Destroy Me is no different. Don't get me wrong, this is not a fluffy light have no care romance. Destroy Me, as the name implies, is deliciously twisted and messed up. The characters all have their demons, none of them act perfectly, but their genuine chemistry seeps off the page. I could not tear myself away.
Destroy Me is told in dual narrative between Harley (p.s. I love her name!) and Bach. Harley is dating Dylan, who blindsides her by telling her he is going to the army for two years. Dylan asks Bach to watch out for Harley because they didn't leave on good terms and he wants her to wait for him. Plus, Dyan knows Harley would never go for a guy like Bach. Famous last words, right?
I so easily became addicted to Harley and Bach. I loved their bantering and bickering, and I really just loved who they were when they were together. I know there was no shortage of messed up things that went on in Destory Me, but I just could not tear myself away. If you like your new adult romances with some grit and some darker tones, this is a great book for you to check out. I can't wait to see who is going to be featured in the next story. I kind of want it to be Harley's crazy roommate and not Dylan.
This review was originally posted on Book Briefs
Destroy me is the first book in the Crystal Gulf series. Destroy me is a new adult contemporary romance by Shana Vanterpool. The Crystal Gulf series is published by swoon romance, and I know this might sound silly, but that fact right there made me want to read the book. I have had such great luck with all of the Swoon Romance imprint books that I have read. (and I have read a lot of them.) Some of them are light and fluffy, some of them are suspenseful and full of drama, and some of them take on darker undertones, but regardless of the atmosphere of the book, they all have one thing in common- a kick ass romance. And Destroy Me is no different. Don't get me wrong, this is not a fluffy light have no care romance. Destroy Me, as the name implies, is deliciously twisted and messed up. The characters all have their demons, none of them act perfectly, but their genuine chemistry seeps off the page. I could not tear myself away.
Destroy Me is told in dual narrative between Harley (p.s. I love her name!) and Bach. Harley is dating Dylan, who blindsides her by telling her he is going to the army for two years. Dylan asks Bach to watch out for Harley because they didn't leave on good terms and he wants her to wait for him. Plus, Dyan knows Harley would never go for a guy like Bach. Famous last words, right?
I so easily became addicted to Harley and Bach. I loved their bantering and bickering, and I really just loved who they were when they were together. I know there was no shortage of messed up things that went on in Destory Me, but I just could not tear myself away. If you like your new adult romances with some grit and some darker tones, this is a great book for you to check out. I can't wait to see who is going to be featured in the next story. I kind of want it to be Harley's crazy roommate and not Dylan.
This review was originally posted on Book Briefs
February 28, 2016
Destroy Me by Shana Venterpool is the first book in the Crystal Gulf Series. The story of the quintessential good girl and the ultimate manwhore, Shana Vanterpool weaves an intricate story that will have you wondering about the secrets they are keeping. A story of an unlikely couple, thrown together by circumstance, Destroy Me will have you rooting for Bach and Haley to make it, despite all of the obstacles in their way. This book was a 3.5 star read for me and I look forward to the next book in this series.
Haley's heart is broken when her boyfriend Dylan finally reveals to her a secret he has been keeping since before they first met. A decision that he made coming from a good place, but one that Haley is unable to accept due to the events of her past. Haley doesn't know that Dylan asked his best friend since childhood, manwhore Bach Bachman to watch over her until he returns, despite Haley's insistence that they are over.
Bach drinks, takes drugs and has sex with girls in order to escape the nightmares of his childhood, nightmares that have made him believe that he is impossible to love and is no good for anyone. When Bach agrees to watch over Haley for Dylan, despite his anger at Dylan leaving, he doesn't expect to fall for the girl he considers a square. But the more time he spends with her, the more he wants what he knows he shouldn't have.
The dynamic between Haley and Bach will have you yelling at your kindle and then sighing with aww as these two navigate an unlikely friendship that someone begins to turn into more despite the fact that neither one of them wants to like the other. I recommend this book to others!
Haley's heart is broken when her boyfriend Dylan finally reveals to her a secret he has been keeping since before they first met. A decision that he made coming from a good place, but one that Haley is unable to accept due to the events of her past. Haley doesn't know that Dylan asked his best friend since childhood, manwhore Bach Bachman to watch over her until he returns, despite Haley's insistence that they are over.
Bach drinks, takes drugs and has sex with girls in order to escape the nightmares of his childhood, nightmares that have made him believe that he is impossible to love and is no good for anyone. When Bach agrees to watch over Haley for Dylan, despite his anger at Dylan leaving, he doesn't expect to fall for the girl he considers a square. But the more time he spends with her, the more he wants what he knows he shouldn't have.
The dynamic between Haley and Bach will have you yelling at your kindle and then sighing with aww as these two navigate an unlikely friendship that someone begins to turn into more despite the fact that neither one of them wants to like the other. I recommend this book to others!
March 8, 2016
This is a new to me author. The synopsis grabbed me and I jumped right into this first book in a new series.
If you are looking for a squishy romantic read, this is not for you. Harley is a good girl from a military family, goes to college and has a glass half full attitude. Bach is just one big pile of messed up issues moving from one party to the next, putting anything and everything he can into his body to numb the pain.
Harley is going along fine in life until her boyfriend of the past year up and leaves, enlisting in the Army without telling her and she spirals into depression. He does leave his best friend Bach "in charge" of her while he is away. These two messed up frenemies could not possibly be good for each other--right?
Funny how the person you need the most sometimes falls in your lap (or pukes on your couch) when you least expect it. Not only do Bach and Harley come to an understanding about their friendship, they begin to see value in themselves because of the time spent with each other. To be able to grasp on to the broken pieces of each other's hearts and put them back together again, gives us hope that there is good in all of us. Harley and Bach ride a rough road to get to that happy place.
Great story of redemption and forgiveness. Wonderful message of loving who you are and not trying to pretend to be someone else. Deep down, we can't help who our heart falls in love with. We can only hope that love shines back on them twofold.
*Arc received by the author for an honest review.
If you are looking for a squishy romantic read, this is not for you. Harley is a good girl from a military family, goes to college and has a glass half full attitude. Bach is just one big pile of messed up issues moving from one party to the next, putting anything and everything he can into his body to numb the pain.
Harley is going along fine in life until her boyfriend of the past year up and leaves, enlisting in the Army without telling her and she spirals into depression. He does leave his best friend Bach "in charge" of her while he is away. These two messed up frenemies could not possibly be good for each other--right?
Funny how the person you need the most sometimes falls in your lap (or pukes on your couch) when you least expect it. Not only do Bach and Harley come to an understanding about their friendship, they begin to see value in themselves because of the time spent with each other. To be able to grasp on to the broken pieces of each other's hearts and put them back together again, gives us hope that there is good in all of us. Harley and Bach ride a rough road to get to that happy place.
Great story of redemption and forgiveness. Wonderful message of loving who you are and not trying to pretend to be someone else. Deep down, we can't help who our heart falls in love with. We can only hope that love shines back on them twofold.
*Arc received by the author for an honest review.
February 11, 2016
Bach and Harley go from acquaintances/frenemies to much much more. Bach is a SERIOUS play boy! He's more than that...he's a man whore! At one point I thought his dick was going to fall off LOL!Harley is a good girl who wants love and stability! They are both just want to survive! What happens when fate brings these two together? The pull between them is strong and powerful, but can they get past their own securities and let each other in? Can they overcome all the obstacles and find their HEA? Well you will have to one click this one and find out.
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