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Can't Lose You
My name is Elizabeth Grace Payton. I just graduated high school and am looking forward to enjoying my last summer with Jayce before we go off to college together. Jayce isn’t just my boyfriend, he’s my everything.
I’ve heard stories about people saying there can be one moment that changes their entire life. As if this moment flipped their entire life upside down. They said that once that moment happened things never went back to what could’ve been, what should’ve been. I always thought these people were being a little dramatic. I mean, how could one moment change everything? Change your entire life?
Well, apparently I was naïve because that’s exactly what happened to me and I never even saw it coming.
One night changed everything. I ended up in the wrong place, at the wrong time. My dreams, my future, and my life were taken away from me. I can no longer be Elizabeth Grace Payton.
I am now Riley Lynn Anderson.
I’ve heard stories about people saying there can be one moment that changes their entire life. As if this moment flipped their entire life upside down. They said that once that moment happened things never went back to what could’ve been, what should’ve been. I always thought these people were being a little dramatic. I mean, how could one moment change everything? Change your entire life?
Well, apparently I was naïve because that’s exactly what happened to me and I never even saw it coming.
One night changed everything. I ended up in the wrong place, at the wrong time. My dreams, my future, and my life were taken away from me. I can no longer be Elizabeth Grace Payton.
I am now Riley Lynn Anderson.
232 pages, Paperback
First published September 29, 2015
1 person is currently reading
1348 people want to read
About the author
J.R. Brown
7 books58 followersI am a young mother and wife who lives in the Midwest. Several years ago, I took up a love for reading. The more I read, the more I began to come up with my own ideas. It wasn't until recently that I took those ideas and created my own stories. I enjoy writing young adult romance novels. Currently, I am working on my the second book to Can't Lose You, which will be Daphne's story.
For more information about me and upcoming books visit my webpage at www.jrbrownbooks.com
For more information about me and upcoming books visit my webpage at www.jrbrownbooks.com
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Displaying 1 - 17 of 17 reviews
September 15, 2015
4****
I'll start by saying I did enjoy this book, The story line is good and had me glued however personally I would have liked more about Elle and Jayce's relationship at the beginning of the book, the connection to the characters wasn't as good as some other books I've read, also although I do like details when I'm reading a story I felt this book had too many little details, such as..
I walk into the kitchen and make myself a bowl of cereal. I finish pouring myself a glass of milk and go to put it away when Daphne comes in. “I’ll need that so you can leave it out.” I set the milk back on the counter, grab my breakfast and walk over to the table. I begin eating as Daphne gets her breakfast and comes over and sits across from me. We both eat in silence, neither of us being a morning person, even if we got to sleep in a little later.
I feel like that whole section could have been narrowed down to like one sentence (don't ask me how coz I'm not a writer lol but I'm sure many would agree!)
But even having said all that I did enjoy the story and the ending was really sweet so I'm giving this 4 stars!
Arc generously received for an honest review
I'll start by saying I did enjoy this book, The story line is good and had me glued however personally I would have liked more about Elle and Jayce's relationship at the beginning of the book, the connection to the characters wasn't as good as some other books I've read, also although I do like details when I'm reading a story I felt this book had too many little details, such as..
I walk into the kitchen and make myself a bowl of cereal. I finish pouring myself a glass of milk and go to put it away when Daphne comes in. “I’ll need that so you can leave it out.” I set the milk back on the counter, grab my breakfast and walk over to the table. I begin eating as Daphne gets her breakfast and comes over and sits across from me. We both eat in silence, neither of us being a morning person, even if we got to sleep in a little later.
I feel like that whole section could have been narrowed down to like one sentence (don't ask me how coz I'm not a writer lol but I'm sure many would agree!)
But even having said all that I did enjoy the story and the ending was really sweet so I'm giving this 4 stars!
Arc generously received for an honest review
December 1, 2015
Rating: 3.20
I also posted this review on my blog. You can check it out here.
Disclaimer: I received this book from Xpresso Book Tours. I would like to send big thanks to them, and to the author herself.
World Building
The book is a contemporary novel set in present decade. Most of the action takes place in Virginia Beach, Virginia. Since it’s not a fantasy novel, there is no new world that needs to be build. However, since I’ve never been to Virginia Beach, I have no idea how is this place. I know there is a beach and an ocean, since the name Virginia Beach. Some description about the town, inserted here and there, would’ve been great; they would’ve help me picture the place. Other than that, the world created it’s pretty alright.
3.75/5
Plot
The main plot of this book is Elle/Riley getting back together with Jayce. Therefore, the romance is the main idea of this story. There is also sub-plot, which is the reason why these two cannot be together, and why they had to break up in the first place.
I don’t want to give out too many spoilers, but I will mention the reason why Elisabeth had to move; it’s in the first chapter. The main character witnessed something horrible, and she had to go under the witness protection program. Therefore, Ella and her family were given new identities, and they had to move to another state.
Now, the idea is pretty interesting. However, it could’ve been done better. There is not much suspense; Riley mentioning a few times that she has a feeling she’s being watch kinda ruined the big revelation, since the reader got the hints pretty early in the story and it wasn’t a big surprise. I would’ve like it more if there was some build-up for the scene where Elisabeth witness that terrible thing. Also, the witness protection program is not explained. I am not very familiar with it, so a little bit of information about it would’ve been welcome; otherwise, it appear to be a little bit exaggerated. I would also liked to read more about Riley’s situation right after she moved from her home state. What she did, what she felt, how did she cope and so on. Sure, Riley mentioned in passing what happened, but since it’s in the past, the emotional impact it’s not there. Moreover, the action is told, not showed: this, this and this happened.
As I mentioned, the main idea is interesting. A girl forced to leave everything behind and to start over under a new identity. The execution is so-so. Actually, not the plot it’s the main problem, it’s the narrative.
I’ll talk more about the main plot below (Romance).
4/5
Narrative
The novel it’s a first person narrative, present time, and it has a limited point of view – the reader sees through the main character’s eyes.
More often than not, most first person narrative have a lot of interior monologue. It is not necessarily bad, if it’s connected with the story and reveals the character’s personality. However, sometimes it can become info-dumping: this happened, than this, I feel like this, now I feel like that.
In this novel, we get a lot of information through Riley’s inner thoughts, not through her action. Some scenes can be re-written to be more emotional or suspenseful; others can be taken out completely, such us:
“I toss my phone on my bed, get a pair of shorts and a t-shirt and go to the bathroom to change. After I put my hair up I walk into my room and put on my running shoes. Once I have my phone and earbuds I walk into the kitchen. I don’t see Daphne, so I assume she is in her room. I decide to leave her a note letting her know I’m going out for a bit just in case she comes looking for me,then I leave.” (J.R.Brown, page 72)
Did this, did that, and then she left.
It is not relevant to the story. At best, this passage could’ve been shorten:
“I dress for my run, and put my hair in a ponytail. I don’t see Daphne, so I wrote her a note to let her know I’m going out. I take my phone and my earbuds, and head for the door.”
or even shorter
“I got ready for a run, and pick up my phone. I leave a note for Daphne, and go out the door.”
A description of how a person gets ready for a run it’s not interesting. Everybody knows people wear sport clothes and shoes when they do physical activities. Unless it is connected to the characters, or to the plot, these kind of descriptions are not necessary.
The paragraph above is just one example. There are many passages like that in the book.
Another thing connected with the generic style. Many times it is explained in details what the characters does. For example:
“I nod, grab a cap, and pour some coffee. I find the creamer and pour a little in my coffee then put it back in the fridge.” (Brown, page 131)
How about “I make a coffee.”?
Because the narrative is so generic, it is also passive. Too much “I begin to do something” instead of “I’m doing this”.
One more thing. Since the novel is written in first person, the main character cannot see herself, and talk like an distant narrator. I’ll give an example:
“My cheeks turn a shade of pink at his intense stare.” (Brown, p.80)
Was she looking in a mirror? No? Than how does she know her cheeks “turn a shade of pink”? And why a specific shade of pink, and no just pink? And what kind of shade of pink? Ah, she can feel the blood rush to her cheeks, and she can assume she blushed; feel, not see.
The narrative, as in “what the reader sees and hears of what happens – and how he sees and hears it.” (Caro Clarke – Plot and Narrative), is the biggest issue I have with Can’t Lose You by Brown.
1.5/5
Characters
The main character is Riley. I can’t say much about her, since her actions are told, not shown, so you cannot get much about her personality. I would also describe her as a static character. Sure, she feels relives when the problems are solved, but everybody can feel that without changing. I would’ve like to see more growth in her. She is not a terrible character, neither annoying; she’s dull. Riley goes to school, she works, she seems to be a good friend, she likes physical actives, she loves Jayce. From this I can gather that she is responsible, loyal, kind, and maybe ambitious. How about her flaws? And not cute flaws, but real flaws? Everybody has them, even the most kind person on the planet has 1 bad flaw. How about show me more than what she does? How about why she does this things?
Jayce is the love interest.Why is he a guy worthy of love? What are his hobbies? His flaws?
Daphne is the best friend.Why? What’s her story?
The parents are your typical YA parents.
Frank is the bad guy. Why? What happened to him? What made him do those stuff? Even bad guys have 1 good quality.
In general, the characters are interesting enough to make to read the story. However, they’re not very complex and memorable. And this is because of the narrative. It is hard to see a character as real person when the narrative is generic and essay-like.
In my opinion, the novel would’ve been better if it would’ve been written from Daphne’s or Jayce’s point of view. They don’t know everything about Riley, and they can discover everything as the story unfolds. It would’ve reduce the info-dumping, since they had to do something to find out Riley’s secrets. This way the novel would’ve also been more suspenseful.
3/5
Romance
The romance is the main plot of this novel. As I mentioned, Riley cannot be with Jayce because of the witness protection thingy. Therefore, she goes through certain events in order to finally be with him.
As the premise suggests, Riley’s path is intersected with Jayce once again. They spend some time together, but then Riley decides to go no contact in order to protect the love of her life.
Throughout the novel, it is mentioned all the time that Riley was with Jacey for a couple of years while in high school. However, the reader does not see this suppose love between them. I think more backstory would’ve been helpful, but not told as a memory. Maybe a couple more chapters with Riley and Jacey during the summer holiday, especially since in the “after 3 years” chapters their love is not shown, only told.
I can understand loving someone for 2-3 years without seeing him/her, especially if you were forced to break up with that person. However, most of the time, you are in love with the idea of that person, with the 2-3 years ago person. People change a lot, especially when they’re are young. A 15 year old has a different mentality than a 18 year old, even though the age difference is not that big.
I’ve found it nice that Riley and Jayce wanted to try it again. The problem is, they don’t spend time knowing each other. They go from “We haven’t seen each other in 3 years” to “I love you” in less than 1 week. It is not insta-love, though; as I mentioned above, they seemed more in love with the idea of them being together.
However, the romance itself is pretty cute. I don’t have problems with the concept behind it, rather with the way it was told.
3/5
Reader’s Experience
Based on the problems mentioned above, one might think I had a bad experience while reading this book. Actually, no; quite the contrary. I enjoyed reading it. It was entertaining, and an easy, relaxing read. A fluffy book that you need to read after a complicated novel.
4/5
General Thoughts
Can’t Lose You by Brown was a easy read. I think most teenagers would love this novel (I said most, not all :P ). If I would’ve read this when I was 14, I would’ve given it a higher rating. However, I encourage you to read the novel for yourself, and make your own opinions. Who knows, maybe you’ll love it.
I also posted this review on my blog. You can check it out here.
Disclaimer: I received this book from Xpresso Book Tours. I would like to send big thanks to them, and to the author herself.
World Building
The book is a contemporary novel set in present decade. Most of the action takes place in Virginia Beach, Virginia. Since it’s not a fantasy novel, there is no new world that needs to be build. However, since I’ve never been to Virginia Beach, I have no idea how is this place. I know there is a beach and an ocean, since the name Virginia Beach. Some description about the town, inserted here and there, would’ve been great; they would’ve help me picture the place. Other than that, the world created it’s pretty alright.
3.75/5
Plot
The main plot of this book is Elle/Riley getting back together with Jayce. Therefore, the romance is the main idea of this story. There is also sub-plot, which is the reason why these two cannot be together, and why they had to break up in the first place.
I don’t want to give out too many spoilers, but I will mention the reason why Elisabeth had to move; it’s in the first chapter. The main character witnessed something horrible, and she had to go under the witness protection program. Therefore, Ella and her family were given new identities, and they had to move to another state.
Now, the idea is pretty interesting. However, it could’ve been done better. There is not much suspense; Riley mentioning a few times that she has a feeling she’s being watch kinda ruined the big revelation, since the reader got the hints pretty early in the story and it wasn’t a big surprise. I would’ve like it more if there was some build-up for the scene where Elisabeth witness that terrible thing. Also, the witness protection program is not explained. I am not very familiar with it, so a little bit of information about it would’ve been welcome; otherwise, it appear to be a little bit exaggerated. I would also liked to read more about Riley’s situation right after she moved from her home state. What she did, what she felt, how did she cope and so on. Sure, Riley mentioned in passing what happened, but since it’s in the past, the emotional impact it’s not there. Moreover, the action is told, not showed: this, this and this happened.
As I mentioned, the main idea is interesting. A girl forced to leave everything behind and to start over under a new identity. The execution is so-so. Actually, not the plot it’s the main problem, it’s the narrative.
I’ll talk more about the main plot below (Romance).
4/5
Narrative
The novel it’s a first person narrative, present time, and it has a limited point of view – the reader sees through the main character’s eyes.
More often than not, most first person narrative have a lot of interior monologue. It is not necessarily bad, if it’s connected with the story and reveals the character’s personality. However, sometimes it can become info-dumping: this happened, than this, I feel like this, now I feel like that.
In this novel, we get a lot of information through Riley’s inner thoughts, not through her action. Some scenes can be re-written to be more emotional or suspenseful; others can be taken out completely, such us:
“I toss my phone on my bed, get a pair of shorts and a t-shirt and go to the bathroom to change. After I put my hair up I walk into my room and put on my running shoes. Once I have my phone and earbuds I walk into the kitchen. I don’t see Daphne, so I assume she is in her room. I decide to leave her a note letting her know I’m going out for a bit just in case she comes looking for me,then I leave.” (J.R.Brown, page 72)
Did this, did that, and then she left.
It is not relevant to the story. At best, this passage could’ve been shorten:
“I dress for my run, and put my hair in a ponytail. I don’t see Daphne, so I wrote her a note to let her know I’m going out. I take my phone and my earbuds, and head for the door.”
or even shorter
“I got ready for a run, and pick up my phone. I leave a note for Daphne, and go out the door.”
A description of how a person gets ready for a run it’s not interesting. Everybody knows people wear sport clothes and shoes when they do physical activities. Unless it is connected to the characters, or to the plot, these kind of descriptions are not necessary.
The paragraph above is just one example. There are many passages like that in the book.
Another thing connected with the generic style. Many times it is explained in details what the characters does. For example:
“I nod, grab a cap, and pour some coffee. I find the creamer and pour a little in my coffee then put it back in the fridge.” (Brown, page 131)
How about “I make a coffee.”?
Because the narrative is so generic, it is also passive. Too much “I begin to do something” instead of “I’m doing this”.
One more thing. Since the novel is written in first person, the main character cannot see herself, and talk like an distant narrator. I’ll give an example:
“My cheeks turn a shade of pink at his intense stare.” (Brown, p.80)
Was she looking in a mirror? No? Than how does she know her cheeks “turn a shade of pink”? And why a specific shade of pink, and no just pink? And what kind of shade of pink? Ah, she can feel the blood rush to her cheeks, and she can assume she blushed; feel, not see.
The narrative, as in “what the reader sees and hears of what happens – and how he sees and hears it.” (Caro Clarke – Plot and Narrative), is the biggest issue I have with Can’t Lose You by Brown.
1.5/5
Characters
The main character is Riley. I can’t say much about her, since her actions are told, not shown, so you cannot get much about her personality. I would also describe her as a static character. Sure, she feels relives when the problems are solved, but everybody can feel that without changing. I would’ve like to see more growth in her. She is not a terrible character, neither annoying; she’s dull. Riley goes to school, she works, she seems to be a good friend, she likes physical actives, she loves Jayce. From this I can gather that she is responsible, loyal, kind, and maybe ambitious. How about her flaws? And not cute flaws, but real flaws? Everybody has them, even the most kind person on the planet has 1 bad flaw. How about show me more than what she does? How about why she does this things?
Jayce is the love interest.Why is he a guy worthy of love? What are his hobbies? His flaws?
Daphne is the best friend.Why? What’s her story?
The parents are your typical YA parents.
Frank is the bad guy. Why? What happened to him? What made him do those stuff? Even bad guys have 1 good quality.
In general, the characters are interesting enough to make to read the story. However, they’re not very complex and memorable. And this is because of the narrative. It is hard to see a character as real person when the narrative is generic and essay-like.
In my opinion, the novel would’ve been better if it would’ve been written from Daphne’s or Jayce’s point of view. They don’t know everything about Riley, and they can discover everything as the story unfolds. It would’ve reduce the info-dumping, since they had to do something to find out Riley’s secrets. This way the novel would’ve also been more suspenseful.
3/5
Romance
The romance is the main plot of this novel. As I mentioned, Riley cannot be with Jayce because of the witness protection thingy. Therefore, she goes through certain events in order to finally be with him.
As the premise suggests, Riley’s path is intersected with Jayce once again. They spend some time together, but then Riley decides to go no contact in order to protect the love of her life.
Throughout the novel, it is mentioned all the time that Riley was with Jacey for a couple of years while in high school. However, the reader does not see this suppose love between them. I think more backstory would’ve been helpful, but not told as a memory. Maybe a couple more chapters with Riley and Jacey during the summer holiday, especially since in the “after 3 years” chapters their love is not shown, only told.
I can understand loving someone for 2-3 years without seeing him/her, especially if you were forced to break up with that person. However, most of the time, you are in love with the idea of that person, with the 2-3 years ago person. People change a lot, especially when they’re are young. A 15 year old has a different mentality than a 18 year old, even though the age difference is not that big.
I’ve found it nice that Riley and Jayce wanted to try it again. The problem is, they don’t spend time knowing each other. They go from “We haven’t seen each other in 3 years” to “I love you” in less than 1 week. It is not insta-love, though; as I mentioned above, they seemed more in love with the idea of them being together.
However, the romance itself is pretty cute. I don’t have problems with the concept behind it, rather with the way it was told.
3/5
Reader’s Experience
Based on the problems mentioned above, one might think I had a bad experience while reading this book. Actually, no; quite the contrary. I enjoyed reading it. It was entertaining, and an easy, relaxing read. A fluffy book that you need to read after a complicated novel.
4/5
General Thoughts
Can’t Lose You by Brown was a easy read. I think most teenagers would love this novel (I said most, not all :P ). If I would’ve read this when I was 14, I would’ve given it a higher rating. However, I encourage you to read the novel for yourself, and make your own opinions. Who knows, maybe you’ll love it.
January 7, 2016
I thought this novel by Brown, Can't Lose You, was a great read. I liked that through the book there was a strong connection, and even though they both dated, it never got far. It made the love seem more substantial and real. I liked that Brown gave her main character time to break down and morn, and then get up, dust herself off, and get on with things. She gave her friends, a career path, counseling, and kickboxing. Some of these things were great, because they were a result of a path that she was forced down and gave her empowerment.
I did think that even though you can tell Riley (Elle) and Jayce are in love, that it would be good to be included on a little more of their life together. Either in dreams/ memories or in before circumstances came into play. I liked how mature Riley was about Gavin but in the end, she should have let someone not in the immediate situation decide.
I can't wait to read about Daphne in the next book!!
I received a free copy of this book from NetGalley for an honest review.
January 16, 2016
Source: I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher, via Netgalley, in exchange for an honest review, with thanks to JR Brown and Netgalley.
Cost: Free
Title: Can't Lose You
Author: JR Brown
Genre: YA, Contemporary
Overall Rating: 3.5 stars
I went in between 3 stars and 4 stars with this one.
On one hand, I didn't connect to these characters enough for me to love it. I wanted to know more about Jayce and Elle's relationship before she was put into witness protection, and I wanted to feel like I knew these characters first hand.
But throughout the book, I just couldn't connect to them at all.
It also got quite Telenovela towards to end of this book, he left, she got shot, she got pregnant, they got married. It was a lot to have happen in the last 25%.
But the sort of middle ground of this book was so gripping and I read this book in one sitting. JR Brown definitely has a talent, but this book didn't grip me the way that I wanted it too.
Cost: Free
Title: Can't Lose You
Author: JR Brown
Genre: YA, Contemporary
Overall Rating: 3.5 stars
I went in between 3 stars and 4 stars with this one.
On one hand, I didn't connect to these characters enough for me to love it. I wanted to know more about Jayce and Elle's relationship before she was put into witness protection, and I wanted to feel like I knew these characters first hand.
But throughout the book, I just couldn't connect to them at all.
It also got quite Telenovela towards to end of this book, he left, she got shot, she got pregnant, they got married. It was a lot to have happen in the last 25%.
But the sort of middle ground of this book was so gripping and I read this book in one sitting. JR Brown definitely has a talent, but this book didn't grip me the way that I wanted it too.
October 3, 2015
Can't Lose You was a quick read taking me less than 8 hours to finish, as I started on my lunch break and had to finish the rest of my shift before I came home to finish. So I'd have to say 4-5 hours of sit down to read if you are a quick and avid reader. I really enjoyed the story, but I am going to start with the one thing that I feel is a negative about Can't Lose You so I can get that out of the way and talk about the good stuff.
I really don't know the best way to describe this so hopefully what you are about to read will make sense. The writing style of this book simply tells you a play by play of the story, you don't really feel the story. Yes, J.R. Brown did bring tears to my eyes in a few parts of the book but I still felt the play by play. For example,
I walk over to my closet, grab some clothes, and head for the shower. After I shower and dress I begin fixing my hair....Instead of drying my hair I decide to use some mousse and leave it curly.
The entire book wasn't like that but it was enough to stand out and become review worthy. But onto the good stuff!! This was a fresh new take on second chance love. Elizabeth was at the wrong place at the wrong time and had to leave her entire life behind and become Riley Lynn Anderson, not knowing what her friends and the community would be told what happened to them.
Three years later she runs into the love of her life during spring break, and they both get that second chance. The positive thing about this book is that J.R. Brown doesn't rush anything when they run into each other again. A lot of the love stories that I have read in the past are much to quick to becoming the happy in love couple and its not believable because that's not reality.
I really did enjoy reading Can't Lose You because it had mystery and romance, which is always a great combination. You are at the edge of your seat the entire time you are reading because you are waiting for more danger to come Riley's way, and when it does come you are shocked. I absolutely loved the way Can't Lose You ended.
I would totally recommended Can't Lose You to the avid reader and my friends and family, and plan on getting this is physical copy for my bookshelf when possible. One last note, I really love when the book cover corresponds with the book 100% and Can't Lose You does.
My rating for this is 4 stars.
One of my favorite parts of the book:
After a few minutes Jayce pulls away and steps back. He looks down at the ground, then back up at me. "So..um..you never told me your new name," he says quietly.
"Riley. Riley Lynn Anderson."
He nods. "I like it. It will be weird not calling you Elle though."
I look up at him and ask the question that I'm nervous to know the answer to. "Jayce, what happens now? What happens when ou have to go back to Oregon?" I ask nervously as I bite my bottom lip.
He glances out at the ocean then back down at me. "Honestly, I don't know. I know we have a lot of things to talk about and work through, but I..." He pauses. "I can't lose you again, Riley."
I really don't know the best way to describe this so hopefully what you are about to read will make sense. The writing style of this book simply tells you a play by play of the story, you don't really feel the story. Yes, J.R. Brown did bring tears to my eyes in a few parts of the book but I still felt the play by play. For example,
I walk over to my closet, grab some clothes, and head for the shower. After I shower and dress I begin fixing my hair....Instead of drying my hair I decide to use some mousse and leave it curly.
The entire book wasn't like that but it was enough to stand out and become review worthy. But onto the good stuff!! This was a fresh new take on second chance love. Elizabeth was at the wrong place at the wrong time and had to leave her entire life behind and become Riley Lynn Anderson, not knowing what her friends and the community would be told what happened to them.
Three years later she runs into the love of her life during spring break, and they both get that second chance. The positive thing about this book is that J.R. Brown doesn't rush anything when they run into each other again. A lot of the love stories that I have read in the past are much to quick to becoming the happy in love couple and its not believable because that's not reality.
I really did enjoy reading Can't Lose You because it had mystery and romance, which is always a great combination. You are at the edge of your seat the entire time you are reading because you are waiting for more danger to come Riley's way, and when it does come you are shocked. I absolutely loved the way Can't Lose You ended.
I would totally recommended Can't Lose You to the avid reader and my friends and family, and plan on getting this is physical copy for my bookshelf when possible. One last note, I really love when the book cover corresponds with the book 100% and Can't Lose You does.
My rating for this is 4 stars.
One of my favorite parts of the book:
After a few minutes Jayce pulls away and steps back. He looks down at the ground, then back up at me. "So..um..you never told me your new name," he says quietly.
"Riley. Riley Lynn Anderson."
He nods. "I like it. It will be weird not calling you Elle though."
I look up at him and ask the question that I'm nervous to know the answer to. "Jayce, what happens now? What happens when ou have to go back to Oregon?" I ask nervously as I bite my bottom lip.
He glances out at the ocean then back down at me. "Honestly, I don't know. I know we have a lot of things to talk about and work through, but I..." He pauses. "I can't lose you again, Riley."
October 16, 2015
This story had good potential and had some strengths. It had a good start and got me hooked at the beginning... till I got to the part where Elizabeth witnesses a crime while at a late night gas station. She witnesses a man killed by a member of the mob and therefore she is put into the witness protection program and her whole family has to move to another State. That threw me as it didn't seem to make logical sense, but I suspended disbelief in order to continue with the story and give it a chance.
I felt the dialogue was good and found the beginning interesting where the family moves and Elizabeth starts her new life as Riley, and accidentally runs into the love of her life that she left behind three years ago. But around about the middle of the novel it starts to fall apart and be a bit of a chore to read.
First off, the author overuses the word "began/begins." Here's some examples:
“I begin to feel my heart rate pick up as he slowly leans in toward me.”
“”We begin walking back towards his care in silence.”
“I set my phone down on my nightstand and begin to sob.”
“We all begin to visit and sip our drinks.”
I feel that the text could be a lot stronger if the characters just did the action rather than “began” to do the action all the time. It gets annoying reading a whole book like that.
Next, the author has a tendency to describe insignificant scenes which feels tedious to read and makes the story drag. Here’s an example:
“Daphne offers to clean up the mess so I go in to my room to get changed. In my closet I grab my simple black and white bikini, a pair of jean shorts and a light green zip up jacket. A quick trip to the bathroom to change into my clothes, throw my hair up into a ponytail and I call it good. As I walk out of the bathroom I gather up towels and lotion and toss them in my bag. I glance around the room to see if I got everything before walking out to the kitchen. “
None of this is important to the storyline or the character. She does what any normal person would do to get ready for the beach. In such cases, one sentence would cover this mundane occurrence, if it is even important to mention. Perhaps something like “I got ready for the beach while Daphne cleaned up the mess.” But even that isn’t necessary. The author could just pick up the scene when they are at the beach. Save the long descriptions for the important scenes.
Another thing I noticed is there seems to be this scene, ripped right out of Twilight where Riley catches the waitress trying to flirt with Jayce and Jayce being oblivious.
“A minute later a waitress comes up “Hi, I’m Molly. I’ll be your waitress this evening. What can I get you to drink tonight?” I glance up from my menu and notice that Molly is beaming at Jayce. I watch as her gaze roams over him, checking him out. Jayce is oblivious to this and is studying the menu. …
“I’ll have water please.” She glances over at me and forces a polite smile, then looks back over at Jayce “And for you? She asks sweetly.
“Jayce glances up and orders a beer, then looks back down at his menu. Molly nods and stomps away.
Vs. Twilight by Stephanie Meyer
“And then our server arrived, her face expectant. The hostess had definitely dished behind the scenes, and this new girl didn't look disappointed. She flipped a strand of short black hair behind one ear and smiled with unnecessary warmth.
"Hello. My name is Amber, and I'll be your server tonight. What can I get you to drink?" I didn't miss that she was speaking only to him.
He looked at me.
"I'll have a Coke." It sounded like a question.
"Two Cokes," he said.
"I'll be right back with that," she assured him with another unnecessary smile. But he didn't see it. He was watching me.”
After cluing into the above scene it then occurred to me that her plot line is similar to Twilight in that Elizabeth/Riley is in a “witness protection program,” and in Twilight Belle was also hidden away in Arizona because her life was threatened also.
Ok so her book is inspired by Twilight… it wouldn’t be the first time.
So we get to the middle of the book and this is where I started to struggle with continuing on with the story. The detailed scenes describing unimportant events combined with the dragged out suspense was getting me frustrated until finally a twist in the plot. The police decide to let Frank, the mobster make an attempt on Riley’s life so they can entrap him. Hmm ok. That would be ok, except there is supposed to be guards watching her, but yet she can go out jogging all by herself and that’s ok. In fact she does a lot of things with no communication with any police or any guards or anything. Then there is a car chase where Riley and her roommate Daphne are rear ended by Frank and yet Daphne expertly and calmly steers them out of trouble. Riley suspects Daphne has done this before but we never find that out by the end of the story.
I don’t know. I wouldn’t trust that I was protected if I never met my guard, never spoke to them, never briefed on what to do and what not to do, but yet Riley just blindly trusts, lol and then the cops let her down, let her get caught and almost killed in a car accident and she’s fine with that. Ummm NO.
Then there is the surprise pregnancy at the end. Umm I don’t even remember a sex scene between her and Jayce. Could it be it was so subtle that I missed it? I thought this was the Immaculate Conception. I think the scene, if it did occur and I vegged through it, should have been a lot more prominent if it was going to result in a pregnancy. Something to make the reader sit up and take notice.
This book wasn’t terrible by any means. It was an interesting and entertaining story with a heartwarming ending. My advice to the reader would be, if you like the idea of the story go ahead and read it. You might enjoy it. It fell short for me.
I felt the dialogue was good and found the beginning interesting where the family moves and Elizabeth starts her new life as Riley, and accidentally runs into the love of her life that she left behind three years ago. But around about the middle of the novel it starts to fall apart and be a bit of a chore to read.
First off, the author overuses the word "began/begins." Here's some examples:
“I begin to feel my heart rate pick up as he slowly leans in toward me.”
“”We begin walking back towards his care in silence.”
“I set my phone down on my nightstand and begin to sob.”
“We all begin to visit and sip our drinks.”
I feel that the text could be a lot stronger if the characters just did the action rather than “began” to do the action all the time. It gets annoying reading a whole book like that.
Next, the author has a tendency to describe insignificant scenes which feels tedious to read and makes the story drag. Here’s an example:
“Daphne offers to clean up the mess so I go in to my room to get changed. In my closet I grab my simple black and white bikini, a pair of jean shorts and a light green zip up jacket. A quick trip to the bathroom to change into my clothes, throw my hair up into a ponytail and I call it good. As I walk out of the bathroom I gather up towels and lotion and toss them in my bag. I glance around the room to see if I got everything before walking out to the kitchen. “
None of this is important to the storyline or the character. She does what any normal person would do to get ready for the beach. In such cases, one sentence would cover this mundane occurrence, if it is even important to mention. Perhaps something like “I got ready for the beach while Daphne cleaned up the mess.” But even that isn’t necessary. The author could just pick up the scene when they are at the beach. Save the long descriptions for the important scenes.
Another thing I noticed is there seems to be this scene, ripped right out of Twilight where Riley catches the waitress trying to flirt with Jayce and Jayce being oblivious.
“A minute later a waitress comes up “Hi, I’m Molly. I’ll be your waitress this evening. What can I get you to drink tonight?” I glance up from my menu and notice that Molly is beaming at Jayce. I watch as her gaze roams over him, checking him out. Jayce is oblivious to this and is studying the menu. …
“I’ll have water please.” She glances over at me and forces a polite smile, then looks back over at Jayce “And for you? She asks sweetly.
“Jayce glances up and orders a beer, then looks back down at his menu. Molly nods and stomps away.
Vs. Twilight by Stephanie Meyer
“And then our server arrived, her face expectant. The hostess had definitely dished behind the scenes, and this new girl didn't look disappointed. She flipped a strand of short black hair behind one ear and smiled with unnecessary warmth.
"Hello. My name is Amber, and I'll be your server tonight. What can I get you to drink?" I didn't miss that she was speaking only to him.
He looked at me.
"I'll have a Coke." It sounded like a question.
"Two Cokes," he said.
"I'll be right back with that," she assured him with another unnecessary smile. But he didn't see it. He was watching me.”
After cluing into the above scene it then occurred to me that her plot line is similar to Twilight in that Elizabeth/Riley is in a “witness protection program,” and in Twilight Belle was also hidden away in Arizona because her life was threatened also.
Ok so her book is inspired by Twilight… it wouldn’t be the first time.
So we get to the middle of the book and this is where I started to struggle with continuing on with the story. The detailed scenes describing unimportant events combined with the dragged out suspense was getting me frustrated until finally a twist in the plot. The police decide to let Frank, the mobster make an attempt on Riley’s life so they can entrap him. Hmm ok. That would be ok, except there is supposed to be guards watching her, but yet she can go out jogging all by herself and that’s ok. In fact she does a lot of things with no communication with any police or any guards or anything. Then there is a car chase where Riley and her roommate Daphne are rear ended by Frank and yet Daphne expertly and calmly steers them out of trouble. Riley suspects Daphne has done this before but we never find that out by the end of the story.
I don’t know. I wouldn’t trust that I was protected if I never met my guard, never spoke to them, never briefed on what to do and what not to do, but yet Riley just blindly trusts, lol and then the cops let her down, let her get caught and almost killed in a car accident and she’s fine with that. Ummm NO.
Then there is the surprise pregnancy at the end. Umm I don’t even remember a sex scene between her and Jayce. Could it be it was so subtle that I missed it? I thought this was the Immaculate Conception. I think the scene, if it did occur and I vegged through it, should have been a lot more prominent if it was going to result in a pregnancy. Something to make the reader sit up and take notice.
This book wasn’t terrible by any means. It was an interesting and entertaining story with a heartwarming ending. My advice to the reader would be, if you like the idea of the story go ahead and read it. You might enjoy it. It fell short for me.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 16, 2017
The cover of this book was not very inviting and it will sound cliche but don't judge a book by its cover...I was not expecting much from this book. The story surprised me, it kept my interest and has some great twists. Definitely worth the read.
October 17, 2015
Thank you Xpresso Book Tours for this copy in exchange for an honest review
I am left with a lot of emotions after finishing Can't Lose You. It was most definitely an easy read, and particularly enjoyable in the midst of studying for midterms.
I really liked it, yet there were things that annoyed me endlessly at the same time. If I wasn't so busy and craved the distraction, maybe my rating would've changed. However, as it stands right now, Can't Lose You made my heart skip a beat here and there and had me craving to dive back into Riley's life. Her relationship with Jayce was definitely the highlight of the book. Which is a good thing 'cause that pretty much takes up the majority of the plot.
It was well-done in my opinion. What would happen to a couple who thought they knew exactly what their future plans were going to be like, only to have it suddenly change overnight? Yes, I will agree that the synopsis' vague description of the "inciting incident" poorly tried to build-up the suspense when it really shouldn't have. This was by far NOT a suspenseful book. I don't expect it to. It's a romance novel, for goodness's sake. Half the things that happened on the more "scary" side of the plot was BEYOND predictable.
Good thing I only cared for the romance. If you want more, don't expect much beyond that.
Anyway, meeting again way across the country after years apart, how could Jayce and Riley expect it to be the same? I loved that J.R. Brown really explored their feelings, the unresolved issues, and hard decisions that came with this second chance. She didn't jump the gun on anything. It wasn't like they immediately had it all figured out, and just wanted to be together, like some insta-love stories I've read.
No, a good romance story dives deep into the heart of the relationship, and that is what you get here. A beautiful love story of two people, against all odds, getting their second chance.
Now, Jayce and Riley may have captured my heart enough to get 4 generous stars from me. It could've been higher - if Brown had just written in a manner that did not bug me incessantly.
Listen. Who writes down everything a protagonist does? Honestly. I write stories too since I was barely a teenager. I loved the concept and plot of the story because it reminds me of something I would've loved to write myself.
But the style? Here's an example of it.
And this.
Honestly. It's exhausting reading everything little thing she does. I see this. I pick up this. I put on this. I do this. Oh. My. Goodness. Do we have to know that she puts on black eyeliner and mascara 3 times in this story? I get that in some way it helps us see what her life is like, but it dragsssssss it out. And this is how it's like for the WHOLE story, by the way.
It's not to say I hated it so much I couldn't continue reading. In fact, the writing style was reminiscent of something. My old writing style, actually. When I was thirteen. I'm being generous. One star docked off for adolescent writing only happens when I'm in a good mood.
And 'cause Jayce has captured my heart. Who wouldn't want a guy like him? Who fights for you no matter how hard you push him away?
I'll leave this off with probably the cutest quote in the entire novel.
Overall Recommendation:
Can't Lose You was a gorgeous love story centred on a couple who was separated due to one fateful(but not that exciting) incident that changed everything. Getting their second chance years later, their relationship was carefully and realistically explored, which really pulls at the heartstrings. Brown's writing style was a challenge to get over as she writes in a simple fashion that literally describes everything that Riley is doing throughout her day. If you can survive that, I do believe this little romance may just pop out a tear or two.
-------------------------------------------------------
For more of my reviews, please check out my website Down the Rabbit Hole:
I am left with a lot of emotions after finishing Can't Lose You. It was most definitely an easy read, and particularly enjoyable in the midst of studying for midterms.
I really liked it, yet there were things that annoyed me endlessly at the same time. If I wasn't so busy and craved the distraction, maybe my rating would've changed. However, as it stands right now, Can't Lose You made my heart skip a beat here and there and had me craving to dive back into Riley's life. Her relationship with Jayce was definitely the highlight of the book. Which is a good thing 'cause that pretty much takes up the majority of the plot.
It was well-done in my opinion. What would happen to a couple who thought they knew exactly what their future plans were going to be like, only to have it suddenly change overnight? Yes, I will agree that the synopsis' vague description of the "inciting incident" poorly tried to build-up the suspense when it really shouldn't have. This was by far NOT a suspenseful book. I don't expect it to. It's a romance novel, for goodness's sake. Half the things that happened on the more "scary" side of the plot was BEYOND predictable.
Good thing I only cared for the romance. If you want more, don't expect much beyond that.
Anyway, meeting again way across the country after years apart, how could Jayce and Riley expect it to be the same? I loved that J.R. Brown really explored their feelings, the unresolved issues, and hard decisions that came with this second chance. She didn't jump the gun on anything. It wasn't like they immediately had it all figured out, and just wanted to be together, like some insta-love stories I've read.
No, a good romance story dives deep into the heart of the relationship, and that is what you get here. A beautiful love story of two people, against all odds, getting their second chance.
Now, Jayce and Riley may have captured my heart enough to get 4 generous stars from me. It could've been higher - if Brown had just written in a manner that did not bug me incessantly.
Listen. Who writes down everything a protagonist does? Honestly. I write stories too since I was barely a teenager. I loved the concept and plot of the story because it reminds me of something I would've loved to write myself.
But the style? Here's an example of it.
"I pull into the parking lot, grab my things, and head to class. I get to my seat just as the professor comes into the room. I like that the classes are small, but if you're late then they usually notice. I pull out my notebook and pen and prepare to take notes. Thankfully class goes by quick, and before I know it I'm walking out the door towards my car."
And this.
"I walk over to my closet, grab some clothes, and head for the shower. After I shower and dress I begin fixing my hair...Instead of drying my hair I decide to use some mousse and leave it curly. After I fix my hair I put on some black eye liner and mascara and call it good. I rush out of the bathroom to my room, grab my things and head out to the kitchen."
Honestly. It's exhausting reading everything little thing she does. I see this. I pick up this. I put on this. I do this. Oh. My. Goodness. Do we have to know that she puts on black eyeliner and mascara 3 times in this story? I get that in some way it helps us see what her life is like, but it dragsssssss it out. And this is how it's like for the WHOLE story, by the way.
It's not to say I hated it so much I couldn't continue reading. In fact, the writing style was reminiscent of something. My old writing style, actually. When I was thirteen. I'm being generous. One star docked off for adolescent writing only happens when I'm in a good mood.
And 'cause Jayce has captured my heart. Who wouldn't want a guy like him? Who fights for you no matter how hard you push him away?
I'll leave this off with probably the cutest quote in the entire novel.
"Jayce: Don't worry about the storm, I'll be there to keep you warm. No need to check the time, you'll be forever mine."
Overall Recommendation:
Can't Lose You was a gorgeous love story centred on a couple who was separated due to one fateful(but not that exciting) incident that changed everything. Getting their second chance years later, their relationship was carefully and realistically explored, which really pulls at the heartstrings. Brown's writing style was a challenge to get over as she writes in a simple fashion that literally describes everything that Riley is doing throughout her day. If you can survive that, I do believe this little romance may just pop out a tear or two.
-------------------------------------------------------
For more of my reviews, please check out my website Down the Rabbit Hole:
November 22, 2015
Thank you Xpresso Book tours for chance to read and review this book.
The book cover is intriguing and interesting and fits the story till the last page.
I give the book 4,5 stars.
This book whirled so many emotions - I start to read and it become so interesting and I was on edge that every other page something is going to happen, the situation in story builds up; I put the book down for more than a week - I was scared of what's gonna happen. Smiley now, last night I read it in one go.
The story is about every other regular love relationship between a girl, Ellie, and a boy, Jayce, in highschool, but then a night stop at gas station is to quit, one sided, in one go...no way to go back and let the words to explain, no way of how to respond to the nightmare. Ellie becomes involved in a crime scene and as a key witness for her own safety she is being sent to live away with her parents with new identities. The New life/ fresh start does not come easy but eventually she starts to live and gets engaged with local society..discovers new interests.. Then it's about to change and face what she's been dreading and longing for in an action.
I did not expect the final plot stress to take place, didn't see that coming, more likely had my own interpretations of the title..I had 50/50 possibility that they will get back together or their lives will pass again, but imagined it more around revenge plot from the bad side.
I enjoyed what writer did made a story difficult for main character, it was not fairly light and too sweet when she was on her own, dealing with nightmares and stress.
Only the fact was not explained what was Daphne's past - she once promised to tell Riley but plot never went that way again.
The book cover is intriguing and interesting and fits the story till the last page.
I give the book 4,5 stars.
This book whirled so many emotions - I start to read and it become so interesting and I was on edge that every other page something is going to happen, the situation in story builds up; I put the book down for more than a week - I was scared of what's gonna happen. Smiley now, last night I read it in one go.
The story is about every other regular love relationship between a girl, Ellie, and a boy, Jayce, in highschool, but then a night stop at gas station is to quit, one sided, in one go...no way to go back and let the words to explain, no way of how to respond to the nightmare. Ellie becomes involved in a crime scene and as a key witness for her own safety she is being sent to live away with her parents with new identities. The New life/ fresh start does not come easy but eventually she starts to live and gets engaged with local society..discovers new interests.. Then it's about to change and face what she's been dreading and longing for in an action.
I did not expect the final plot stress to take place, didn't see that coming, more likely had my own interpretations of the title..I had 50/50 possibility that they will get back together or their lives will pass again, but imagined it more around revenge plot from the bad side.
I enjoyed what writer did made a story difficult for main character, it was not fairly light and too sweet when she was on her own, dealing with nightmares and stress.
Only the fact was not explained what was Daphne's past - she once promised to tell Riley but plot never went that way again.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 29, 2015
I chose to read and review Can’t Lose You by J.R. Brown based on the above description. While it’s not an inaccurate synopsis, this aspect is really just a fraction of the story. It more describes the prologue we’re given before we enter Elizabeth’s/Riley’s current life.
I feel like I would have enjoyed the story more if we had learned more about what Elizabeth went through to make her have to become Riley. It almost seems like we’re missing out on a previous book by only having a scarce treatment of this transformation.
The story was cluttered with mundane details and not enough in-depth information. Of course, this is just my preference and not really the author’s fault. It took me more than half of the book to really want to know what happens at the end. If I hadn’t been reading for review, I had given up well before that. It’s not a terrible book, just not to my liking.
It’s not all bad! There are two big plot twists, one of which was really juicy and absorbed me into the story. And the end of the book did make me cry, so I guess I had come to care for the main characters a little bit.
I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts are my own.
I feel like I would have enjoyed the story more if we had learned more about what Elizabeth went through to make her have to become Riley. It almost seems like we’re missing out on a previous book by only having a scarce treatment of this transformation.
The story was cluttered with mundane details and not enough in-depth information. Of course, this is just my preference and not really the author’s fault. It took me more than half of the book to really want to know what happens at the end. If I hadn’t been reading for review, I had given up well before that. It’s not a terrible book, just not to my liking.
It’s not all bad! There are two big plot twists, one of which was really juicy and absorbed me into the story. And the end of the book did make me cry, so I guess I had come to care for the main characters a little bit.
I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts are my own.
January 30, 2016
I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher, via Netgalley, in exchange for an honest review.
This was a great, easy read with an interesting plot.The romance is sweet, it's not overly complicated. Elle/Riley is a strong, mature and likable character, but it would've been great to know more about how she dealt with the whole new identity- thing. I appreciated that Jayce wasn't the bad boy/dominating/alpha male-type like the most male protagonists nowadays. My only problem with the book is the writing style. Sometimes it's too detailed, sometimes things move too fast. But other than that, if you want a nice love story with good amount of action, i recommend this for you.
This was a great, easy read with an interesting plot.The romance is sweet, it's not overly complicated. Elle/Riley is a strong, mature and likable character, but it would've been great to know more about how she dealt with the whole new identity- thing. I appreciated that Jayce wasn't the bad boy/dominating/alpha male-type like the most male protagonists nowadays. My only problem with the book is the writing style. Sometimes it's too detailed, sometimes things move too fast. But other than that, if you want a nice love story with good amount of action, i recommend this for you.
March 15, 2016
I enjoyed this book, but it wasn't one of the best things I read. I felt like it started with a bang, but I missed learning more about Elle and Jayce's relationship. We come in after a date, and then bam, she's in witness protection. Of course then by a twist of fate they find each other on the beach and all of a sudden she tells two people her real story. What a surprise, the bad guy finds her. I enjoyed the story, and liked the characters, but felt like it was predictable. As soon as she starts to describe Gavin as being weird, I knew something was up, and I wasn't proved wrong.
I received this book from NetGalley in return for an honest review.
I received this book from NetGalley in return for an honest review.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 15, 2015
I absolutely L♥VED this book! Everything about it was fantastic! The characters, the plot, the romance. It was so much more than I expected. I totally ship Riley and Jayce, they were such amazing characters! I was GLUED to my seat from start to finish. I laughed, I cried, and everything in between. Such an amazing plot, such a great climax. It is so worth reading.
Coming soon! - http://haddieshaven.blogspot.com/2015...
Coming soon! - http://haddieshaven.blogspot.com/2015...
September 5, 2016
I received this book free from Goodreads giveaways. The description of the book made it sound like a mystery or thriller, however it was romance. The other reviews on Goodreads are very accurate about the writing style and I would suggest checking them out. The writing was tedious and overly detailed.
dnf
March 9, 2019I wasn't so sure about this when I started. After the main inciting event, I just knew this wasn't for me. The MC witnesses a gas station robbery and loses her purse there and suddenly, they are shipping her off to ?Florida? in the Witness Protection Program. Why???
March 12, 2016
I received this ebook from netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
It's a nice read and I liked Elle/Riley as a character, but overall it was too long and boring.
3 stars
It's a nice read and I liked Elle/Riley as a character, but overall it was too long and boring.
3 stars
November 14, 2016
Average story about love and second chances. The story lagged a bit but was not bad.
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