The Debt

by Tyler King

Hadley saved my life . . . and I ruined hers

Hadley's my best friend. We share a house, our friends, a life. She knows all my secrets . . . except one. My desperate need for her is inked on my body, it's the best I can do. But Hadley needs to hear the words . . .

Growing up as foster kids, Hadley made me feel whole-sane. And what did I do? I destroyed our chance to be together. I ran out on Hadley when I should have stayed, and something broke between us. Now I'll do anything to fix it.

I'll never leave her again. I won't ever let her feel afraid again. But the more I try to protect her from my pain, the more I just make things worse. I'm terrified that if I tell her everything, she'll never forgive me. I'm even more terrified that it may be too late to make her mine. I have to try to give her what she needs . . . it's a debt I'm determined to repay.

Genres: Romance, New Adult, College, Friends To Lovers, Contemporary Romance, Abuse, Contemporary

352 pages, Paperback

First published May 10, 2016

About the author

Tyler King was once an alternate contestant on the Emmy-winning game show The Secrets of the Cryptkeeper’s Haunted House. She would later grow up to earn an assistant director credit on the award-winning film Fetus Fetish, which isn’t what it sounds like. Other impressive claims to fame include appearing in a Madame Tussaud’s exhibit and performing as an opening act for comedian Louie Anderson.

Reviews

[Aestas Book Blog · Rating 4 out of 5]

::: FULL REVIEW NOW POSTED :::

You saved my life, and I’ve been trying to make up for it ever since.”

The Debt was an addictive friends-to-lovers romance with a sexy, heart-meltingly sweet, tattooed and pierced tortured hero who was totally fucked up but utterly lovable and a strong, sassy, feisty heroine who I absolutely adored!! This was pure old-school New Adult Romance with that delicious balance of angst, hotness, witty banter, heart-break, healing, and of course a swoony love story. A great standalone read!

What stood out to me the most about this book was the writing. Oh my gosh, I fell in LOVE with this author's writing style. I swear, I could not stop highlighting quotes as I read. Funny quotes, sexy quotes, heart-breaking quotes, important ones, silly ones, romantic ones... I just genuinely loved her use of language.

And the story had my heart racing!!! This had all the thrills, heart-ache, romance, and sexy swoon that makes New Adult romance so addictive. Actually... for those of you who have been following the blog for a while, do you remember all those original NA indies the kickstarted the whole NA romance genre back in like 2012? ... Well, this book actually really reminded me of those. It was very pure and addictive -- well balanced between the fun and feels of the romantic side, the intrigue from their mysterious pasts, and the kind of angst that naturally comes along with this kind of tortured characters. I'd literally go from feeling heartbroken to laughing out loud in the space of just a few pages. Let me quickly show you the blurb though to give you an idea for the story...

Hadley saved my life... and I ruined hers

Hadley's my best friend. We share a house, our friends, a life. She knows all my secrets... except one. My desperate need for her is inked on my body, it's the best I can do. But Hadley needs to hear the words.

Growing up as foster kids, Hadley made me feel whole-sane. And what did I do? I destroyed our chance to be together. I ran out on Hadley when I should have stayed, and something broke between us. Now I'll do anything to fix it.

I'll never leave her again. I won't ever let her feel afraid again. But the more I try to protect her from my pain, the more I just make things worse. I'm terrified that if I tell her everything, she'll never forgive me. I'm even more terrified that it may be too late to make her mine. I have to try to give her what she needs... it's a debt I'm determined to repay.

So as you can guess from the blurb, this is a friends-to-lovers romance where the main couple have a complicated, connected, and painful shared history together growing up in foster care and then leading up to this one mysterious night that ended any chance of a relationship between them thus far and that left him feeling indebted to her on a very deep level. Their friendship was strong and they were living together so naturally I was desperate to find out what that whole backstory was and how they were every going to overcome it. They were clearly very close friends, but what was holding them back from being lovers? Why weren't they dating? I couldn't wait to find out!

“The downward spiral into this spectacular status of stagnant awful between Punky and I began four years ago. It was the best night of my life, until it wasn’t.”

Oh and yes, he calls her "Punky". It's his nickname for her. It's actually quite adorable!

Josh is one of those tattooed, pierced, tortured rockstar-type heroes whose adorable fuckedupness and even more lovable devotion to Hadley had me swooning all over the place. For the record, he's a bit of a manwhore at the beginning of the story, but you'll see why quickly and it all just makes sense. It's actually all kind of funny...

“Someone sent me half a dozen tit pics since last week.”
“Maybe it says something about your lifestyle that you aren’t sure who.”

Just to reassure you though -- he's always been crazy about Hadley so the minute he has a real shot at being with her, all the manwhoring stops cold. He's completely smitten with her so his commitment to her is never in question.

But speaking of his tattoos and piercings for a moment... I really loved that the literal fact that he was covered in tattoos had a very strong (heart-breaking) reason behind it. Not that anyone would need a reason for it, but I just though that his reason gave the story added depth.

“My body is my own, so I made myself over to fit my own desire, not for anyone else.”
“To take ownership,” she said.
“Yes.”
“Because someone took that away from you once.”
“More than once.”

And his piercings... hehe, they were a lot of fun. Yes ladies, he's pierced *there* and there's a whole hilarious scene too (several pages long) that had me in stitches laughing.

“They say it’s supposed to feel pretty goddamn great when you have sex,” I offered up in my own defense. At the moment, however I questioned whether my cock would ever function again. Just the thought … was enough to make me nauseated. Life as a monk started to look good.
…
“Seriously, Josh, what got into you? And why the hell would putting a hole in your dick be the answer?”
“I”m in love with her...Pretty much always have been.”

Oh wait, have I mentioned yet that the whole book is written in his POV?? Cuz it totally is and it's one of the best and most realistic sounding male POVs I've read. Just made me fall in love with him even more.

Oh for the love of Christ. How was it possible that in a single day I could be interrupted three times from wooing — yes, fucking wooing her panties right to the goddamn floor — the woman I needed to bed with a fiery urgency that threatened to cripple my dick?
Seriously. I wanted an answer.
Was this my punishment for years of inaction? Here. You finally have the object of your desire within your grasp. Now the universe will conspire against you and force you into eternal celibacy.
Fuck.

But with all the Josh love going on here, I don't want to forget about Hadley because she was a seriously awesome heroine. Like really. I loved her. I have a total girl-crush on her. OMG this girl was so feisty and fiery. Between her sass and his humor, they had some pretty wicked banter.

Great dialogue is a really key factor in romance and I have so many highlights.

“Is there a trick to it?” she asked.
“Just like a Popsicle."
Hadley’s smirk grew menacing.
“Forget that. You chew your Popsicles. Do not bite it off,” I scolded her.
Punky’s answering pout was both adorable and frightening. “Just a nibble?”
“You have no levels between gentle and vicious — your elevator only stops at one and one hundred. No, sweetheart. You can’t be trusted with teeth.”
“You’re no fun.”

I loved that she literally went toe-to-toe with him on everything. She was like the exact opposite of a doormat. She was strong, resilient, forgiving, flawed, but very admirably understanding. Vulnerable too, as we all are, but that just made her even more relatable. Hilariously vengeful too in a playful way. I'd totally want to be friends with her.

“I know. I lost my shit. But I didn’t hit him. That was good, right?”
“Yeah,” she answered without inflection. “That was good.”
I took a deep breath, flicking my tongue piercing between my teeth. “Everything I said to you was bullshit. I’m a horrible bastard and a goddamn liar. I’d feel a lot better if you came over here and kicked me in the spleen.”
“I’d rather knock our your teeth, rip out your tongue piercing, pull your nipple rings out with tweezers, and hook up your apadravya to my car battery. Your spleen is innocent in all this.”
“Fuck, sweetheart. I might like it. In either way, I’m at your vengeful disposal.”

Josh's soft side and quick-to-act protectiveness was just the right mix of Alpha caveman and tortured bad boy. But I just loved the way you knew that any moment in time, he’d give anything and everything to keep Hadley safe or make her happy no matter what. Here's some swoon for you...

“Every day all I want is to lean on you and get as far away from you as possible. You were the only person I could talk to and the last person I wanted to tell… My life didn’t begin until I met you. I’ve loved you every day that matters."

And also, I especially appreciated how smart they were as a couple. Not to say that everything went smoothly, because it didn't. They had many hurdles to overcome, but I loved that they really tried hard to work together to create a functional relationship. They felt very real -- strongly reminding me of a the way a real couple has their own quirks and inside jokes. They relationship was very believable to me.

“You’ve always had my heart.”
She looked up, biting her lip and failing to hide her sweet smirk.
“That was the cheesiest line I’ve ever heard.”
“That? That’s what you tell me when I profess my undying love for you? Fuck, Punky. You’re killing me.”
She laughed, grabbing two fistfuls of my hair and shaking my head. “I love you.”

While there are a lot of laughs and light-hearted banter, this story also touches on some very serious themes of childhood abuse in foster homes (him, not her) and the lasting damage that can be left in its wake. You should know though that it is only alluded to -- there are no graphic scenes. But it is a painful part of Josh's past and a part of what shaped his character and his bond to Hadley as children. My heart broke for him, but I also loved that the therapist was incorporated into the story.

“I loved you then. You taught me how to survive in that house. You saved my life, and I’ve been trying to make up for it ever since.”

Josh and Hadley were one of those couples who really stole my heart. I loved their characters as individuals and I loved them even more together -- they balanced each other out in such an adorably heart-warming way. I couldn't help but want them to make it.

“Start at the beginning and just tell her the truth. Hadley will understand if you fill in the blanks. Trust her. She wanted to be there for you then and she will be again. You just have to let her.”

My only complaint is that the story sometimes felt a little scattered -- like there was too much going on in one book. I'm thrilled that it was a standalone, but it just felt like there was a lot happening within one book and I do feel like it could have been edited down to make the story a little tighter. I loved everything that was there -- but might have preferred it to be trimmed down a smidge and focused a tiny bit more on them only. I kind of zone out scenes with friends -- maybe I'm too much of a hardcore romance reader, but honestly all I care about is the main couple.

This being a standalone was a huge draw for me. I love standalones because it's just such a wonderful relief to have all the storylines resolved in one book in such a way that leaves you with a very satisfied feeling. And reading this book was a genuine joy. I connected so strongly with this author's writing style. I feel like she and I share the same sense of humor and her writing just had that a great balance of wit, sass, and emotion that really made me care.

This was one of the best New Adult romances I've read in a long time. It felt really pure, very old school, and that was exactly what I wanted. I've fallen in love with Tyler King's writing style and absolutely can't wait for her next book. Whatever it is, I'll be buying it!

If you're looking for a swoony, addictive romance with just the right balance between angst, heartbreak, and hilarity, with light-hearted banter, a sexy love story, but also some serious and darker themes, then you have to try this book!

Rating: 4+ stars. Standalone NA Romance.
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[Flo · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 **perfect storm of heartbreak and tragedy** STARS

“I‘M SO FUCKING IN LOVE WITH YOU AND YOU SCARE THE SHIT OUT OF ME.”

I was thoroughly impressed by this book. Tyler King is a first time author and I truly think she is a writer we will hear a lot about in the near future. It’s been a while since I had such luck with taking a risk on an unknown author, but thankfully a friend steered me in the right direction.

The Debt is a male POV, standalone contemporary romance, that could technically be categorized as a second chance love story, with some darker elements, a lot of angst and sarcasm to balance it all out. It’s about two people who met as small children in foster care, about the childhood trauma they endured and the subsequent struggles in life. The book delves quite heavily into the mental state of the characters and explores the ways in which Josh and Hadley safe each other in more than one way.

“I’m always singing to you, Punky. No one else matters.”

The best way I can describe the relationship between Josh and Hadley is - they are dysfunctional together. As mentioned above both met in foster care under dire very circumstances and ever since there has been an unspoken bond between them. They take care of each other. Which is sometimes not an easy task. The story jumps between flashbacks, Josh’s sessions with his therapist and the present, where they live together attending college and trying to conquer their demons.

Both characters have some severe emotional and maybe even mental health issues. That alone is rather problematic, but their past and present is so woven together there really is no escaping. Along the way and through many trials and tribulations they have become each other’s crutches, which is both a good and a bad thing.

I think this is all I'm going to give you about the story, the rest has to be experienced.

“This complicated, infuriating woman had never been easy. Our lives would never be simple. I didn’t love her because it was painless. We were a fucking mess and sometimes it hurt. But she understood me the way no one else could. And I’d never give up on her without a fight.”

The most important part first. The writing is exceptional and it becomes clear very fast that the author has a degree in creative writing. From the first page I was hooked and really sucked into her effortless and thought provoking style. I read The Debt within one day and I highlighted so many parts at some point I had to stop myself. The book is chock-full of wisdom and inspiration. And I loved the way music and art plays a big role and is integrated into the story.

The whole book is written in Josh’s POV, a voice I really enjoyed. Female characters and their antics often times have a way of getting on our nerves as a reader so being stuck in a male head is a very welcome change every once in awhile. Josh leads through some very difficult topics with humour and self-deprecation. He is self-aware but limited by his demons.

I love the connection between Josh and Hadley, it’s deeply rooted and despite some very serious ups and down there isn’t much that can actually tear them apart. Especially once they got their ‘shit’ together the lighthearted sarcastic humour between them is almost like a short hand. They just know each other and it comes across quite beautifully on the page. Not to mention it's really hot.

All in all a book I would recommend for someone who likes a little depth and angst with their love stories, as well as terrific writing. Definitely an author I will pick up again.


**ARC very kindly provided via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

[Allison ❤️Will Never Conquer Her TBR❤️ · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 "I totally libido it" Stars!



Wow. I'm simply stunned that this is Tyler King's first go at writing. Well, I guess her first novel. With a degree in Creative Writing, creative doesn't adequately describe her writing style.

This is one of the very few instances where I'm offered an early copy for review and I see that it's a debut author and accept it. It sounds rather egotistical but there's only so many hours in the day and there's so many books out there. Something about The Debt's blurb caught my interest, so I read it...and devoured it.



The Debt is not easy, light-hearted reading. It's rather deeply complex and has dark undertones due to the characters' struggles with events that happened in their childhood. Josh and Hadley have known each other since they met in a seedy foster home at the age of five. A bond formed within the sickest of circumstances and that bond hasn't been broken almost twenty years later. Currently they live as soulmates roommates in his upscale home while they both harbor secrets from the past attend college; he a music major and she an art major.


Both Josh and Hadley have deep-seated emotional issues, so again, this is not a light-hearted read. Tyler King trickle feeds the reader along their day to day life as college students yet with blips from the past, therapy recollections, we understand the depth of the trauma both of these characters harbor. To say both have their own demons is not strong enough. Yet, for all their push and pull, their dysfunction in attempting to conquer these demons, they are each other's safe harbor in rough waters. Nobody else quite gets their insane connection because nobody else has lived through what they've survived. It's a never-ending vacillating of picking the other guy up when one is down...





I felt myself fall so deeply for this story and their pain. Tyler King doesn't tell this story, Josh does, via all his internal monologue and dialogue between Hadley (aka Punky), his close musician friends, and his therapist. Her writing style perfectly presented the characters so we knew them as people, not just characters in a book. Josh was one of those characters I truly felt like I've known somewhere in my life, almost like a brother. His psychological issues are so raw and palpable yet Ms King instills such a dry sense of humor in him, likely his mental therapy, my heart completely melted. And then he'd do something so completely stupid in emotional self-preservation and I wanted to junk punch him. But I digress... He's so complex but the way it's written, we just get him. And Hadley is his special brand of kryptonite but also the glue that keeps him emotionally together.





I can't recommend this book enough to readers who want a fair amount of emotional depth to their reads, who want to push their boundaries and truly feel something for the story. It's angsty, a bit dark, emotional, and inspirational. I'd highly recommend this book for people who enjoyed the musical aspect of Thoughtless by SC Stephens (sans the annoying heroine and love triangle), the emotional darkness of The Dark Light of Day by TM Frazier, and the beautiful, almost poetic writing style of someone like CD Reiss. This quote, albeit long, is a perfect example of the poetic writing style of this author and the raw inner monologue of our hero...and I loved it.





A fantastic debut novel from Tyler King and I look forward to everything she has to offer in her budding writing career.




Advanced copy received by Grand Central Publishing in exchange for my honest review. Quotes taken from pre-published copy and may change in finished product.

[❥ KAT ❥ Kitty Kats Crazy About Books · Rating 5 out of 5]

TITLE: The Debt
AUTHOR: Tyler King
GENRE: Contemporary Romance
RELEASE DATE: May 10th 2016

MY RATING




This is Tyler King's debut novel which is kind of freaky because it's like I'm reading a novel by a seasoned author, the story line reads smoothly, the characters are all so easy to connect with, once you start this it's so easy to get caught up in the story. It moves from past to present effortlessly.

The hype surrounding this book during the build up during release day and the outstanding reviews made me one click it, so I'm keen to see what journey this author takes me on.

This zapped me with all those warm fuzzy feels, my heart ached for these two with the added emotional pull on my heart strings, from friends to lovers is a weakness of mine, I raced through the pages hoping against all hope that he wouldn't be friend zoned throughout, these two had a tumultuous friendship at the best of times.

THE DEBT is centered around Hadley (also known as Punky) & Josh and is told in it's entirety from Josh’s perspective.

Josh and Hadley became acquainted and inseparable at the tender age of five when they were both placed in the same seedy foster home.

As they got older the line between best friends and more became blurred to the point where their friendship was shaken to the core and things between them were never the same again.

I had a debt to Hadley that I'd spend the rest of my life repaying.
I owed her my head on a platter.
And if given the chance.
I'd take a bullet for her.

These two are as dysfunctional as they come, Hadley has moderate OCD and Josh suffers debilitating panic attacks left over from the abuse he suffered in the foster home where he was sexually abused.



Josh has been undergoing extensive therapy sessions

"The panic attacks. How do they feel?"
"Like waking up with your hands tied behind your back and a plastic bag cinched over your head.
It feels like dying in terror.

Josh was only five years old when their foster guardian first started molesting Josh, after every episode Josh would sneak into Hadley's room and lie down on the floor beside her bed and cry.

My life was a web attached to Hadley on all sides.
From the moment we landed in foster care together,
we became inextricably linked.



“I know. I lost my shit. But I didn’t hit him. That was good, right?”
“Yeah,” she answered without inflection.
“That was good.”
I took a deep breath, flicking my tongue piercing between my teeth.
“Everything I said to you was bullshit. I’m a horrible bastard and a goddamn liar.
I’d feel a lot better if you came over here and kicked me in the spleen.”
“I’d rather knock our your teeth, rip out your tongue piercing,
pull your nipple rings out with tweezers, and hook up your apadravya to my car battery.
Your spleen is innocent in all this.”
“Fuck, sweetheart. I might like it. In either way, I’m at your vengeful disposal.”

You're my soul, Punky. You're my heart.
No one know or understands me
better than you.
And no matter what, you'll always
protect me.



MY THOUGHTS

Gods I loved these two!! My heart is bursting, my mind is reeling with the fact that this book is this author first debut novel, I highly recommend this book!

This book was so unexpected, I went into this pretty much clueless, didn't really read the synopsis, all I really went on was it being zapped around my news-feed on Facebook, then a brief glimpse of the ratings and I went one clicking, I am so glad I took that plunge on this book..

This book exceeded all my expectations!! Such a unique storyline, it could've gone dark many times but it stayed realistic loved it, couldn't put it down.

The Debt ticked every single box I could ever wish for, the sassy mouthed heroine, the hot alpha male, the teary eyes, the feels, the giggles, there is absolutely nothing I would change about this book!!

[Sybil aka Lala · Rating 5 out of 5]

As I sit here to write this review I am trying to figure out why this book was able to suck me in so completely. For the life of me I can’t figure it out.

It could be the intro that nailed me from the very first page and set the tone for what became a very intense read. It could be the clever and creative way this author laid out her story, only deluding to things and your left hanging on every word to try and figure out all the pieces. It could be the way she explored the emotions of these characters that made them seem so completely real.



It could be all of these things but what I do know for a fact is that this was a beautiful story. It’s not one I haven’t read before. A story about a boy with issues meeting a girl with issues where their issues pull them apart until their issues pull them back together and they ride off into the sunset on their horse with issues. But this author brought such a sense of innocence and honesty to these characters that it felt like an entirely new story.



I normally gravitate towards book with loads of chemistry and sexual tension and though there were sexy times in this book, that is not what had me glued to its pages. I fell totally in love with Josh. The lost boy with so much pain and anger inside him. The one who is desperately in love with a girl he’s known for all his life but couldn’t stand to be around. His internal dialogue and thoughts about Hadley made him all the more loveable and I desperately wanted a happy ending for him.



There is a lot to love about this book. And although it was intense and angsty, the author managed to create all this without it ever feeling depressing or heavy. A brilliantly written book that I most definitely recommend.

(ARC received by author in exchange for an honest review)

[~Stéphanie~ · Rating 5 out of 5]

Full review now posted

Every once in a while you read a book that has a different kind of vibes. The good kind of vibes. The Debt was it for me.
I have yet to thank again my dear friend Allison for a fantastic rec'! If it wasn't for you I'm not sure I would have found and read this book.

Even if I was interested in reading the book I was a little scared to start. Picking a new author has both a thrilling side and an anxious side. Thrilling because I love discovering new talent and I love even more seeing them evolve. Anxious because when I have to review a book from a new author I don't want to sound to harsh if I didn't like the book. As English is not my mother tongue, I can easily no use the correct words.

But I digress.

By 12% in the book, I was hooked! And a little speechless... Is it really Tyler King first book? Because it's enthralling from the start I couldn't believe it! This is a real page turner!
I usually prefer a lot of dialogues, a lot of interactions in my books. But here you have a lot of inner thought and believe me it was always done so correctly, so accurate and needed, never boring, never too much, just the right amount.

"Our lives would never be simple. I didn’t love her because it was painless. We were a fucking mess and sometimes it hurt. But she understood me the way no one else could. And I’d never give up on her without a fight."

Told entirely from Josh's pov, The Debt was poignant. Based on the blurb, you know he's struggling. And he does suffer a lot. I appreciate how the author balanced the suffering and the lighter moments. One of the "issues" approached in this book can be a trigger for some child abuse. I think it's always best to know.

"Making love to you is the happiest memory I can’t stand to think about. Nothing has ever felt so perfect. I was right there, Hadley. I was with you completely. And then I wasn’t."

Josh and Hadley, both knew each other for as long as they could remember. Both have always been there for the other, both saving the other, both loving the other in their own way and on their own.

Tyler's writing has given a lot of depth to her characters. You not only read about them, you don't only share Josh's thoughts, you live them. You see them through his eyes, you are with him every step of the way.

The Debt is an emotional read that got some angsty parts, some sweet and loving moments but most importantly felt real.

I would recommend to everyone who likes to take a chance, not matter what you usually read.

"“My life didn’t begin until I met you. I’ve loved you every day that matters. I’m so fucking in love with you and you scare the shit out of me.”

~Arc provided by the publisher in exchange of an honest review ~

[Sharon ∞❥ is an emotional book junkie ❥∞ · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 ★'s

Meet Josh...former abused foster child that finally got adopted, former piano child prodigy that now plays in a rock band and former best childhood friend to Hadley who's now his roommate. He's tatted, pierced and a manwhore who suffers from panic attacks...among other things. What's not to love?

The story is told from Josh's POV and we get the information in bits and pieces. There's also some chapters of his therapy sessions thrown in...usually having to do with whatever drama is currently going on.

Josh and Hadley met in foster care and as Josh tells it, she saved him. They've pretty much grown up together but then something happened their junior year in high school and things have been troublesome ever since especially since they've never discussed it.

Hadley has some issues of her own but Josh not only puts up with it because he loves her but because he feels he's the cause. But then things change and he feels Hadley pulling away.

She starts hanging out with a guy they knew from high school and naturally Josh is jealous. It doesn't help that he has quite the temper and that the guy (Andre) crosses the line.



Finally with help from their friends and fathers, they have "the discussion". It's a big sigh of relief and you would think we would get some happy times to balance things out but oh no, the drama's not finished yet.

And yes, it's stressful and a little heart breaking. The scene between Josh and his Dad made me cry so hard...but it was a good type of cry.

I love all the musical influences and Hadley's sketching. I only wish we had gotten more of that and the reasons behind the rest of Josh's tattoos. The "one" piercing had me grimacing and even laughing a bit...I could totally see that happening.

Their friends were great and I got a kick out of all the nicknames Josh came up with for Asha! Some were pretty hilarious and so fitting!

I loved how it ended but was left wanting more...like an epilogue. And a chapter or two from Hadley's POV would have made the story so much better.

If you're looking for a childhood friends to lovers story who just happen to be a bit broken, then this is for you.

[Snow · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 "beating the odds" stars

Review...

Two young people in their 20s going through a rough time of fighting their disorders/sickness, fears, insecurities while they are trying to overcome and grasp the basic need of all - of each other.
To acknowledge the bond that binds them that is stronger than the everlasting friendship, they must admit and face their own basic fears and decisions made in one haste moment of panic and overwhelming emotions that triggers the set of actions...one must do all it takes to fulfill the self-inflicted debt BUT first he needs to forgive himself.

A friends to lovers story with characters that are dealing with some heavy problems like sickness and disorders intertwined with humoresque dialogues as a way to ease the "heavy weight" of a serious subjects...
emotional and funny at the same time...it was actually a quick read inspite of heavy subjects presented in the book.

"I can't promise you a happy ending...
but i can offer you a happy beginning..."

[Vale198 · Rating 2 out of 5]

Niente non mi è piaciuto già ieri l’avevo messo in pausa ed avevo iniziato un altro libro oggi l’ho ripreso a niente solita storia ragazzini traumatizzati un intero libro così dall’inizio a quasi alla fine , mi sono annoiata.
Per me ⭐️⭐️

[AC Book Blog · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Debt by Tyler King ~ 5 emotional Stars

**** HOLY SHIT!!!! What an AMAZING DEBUT!!!! It’s too good – I am in AWE. I LOVE THIS BOOK so much!!!! Not a typical boy meets girl, friends to lover romance. You just have to read it for yourself.

The storyline is so unique and heart wrenchingly good. I guarantee it will make you cry like a baby. There are serious issues, so it’s not for the faint of heart. The story felt real, and cuts you straight to the heart. To be honest, the whole time I felt like I was reading a non-fiction book. The author is very knowledgeable about the subject matter. Either she has done her research thoroughly or she is a damn psychologist herself. I’m sorry but you just cannot make this stuff up.

“My life didn’t begin until I met you. I’ve loved you every day that matters. I’m so fucking in love with you and you scare the shit out of me.”

The main characters are well-developed, real, likable and easy to connect with. Josh and Hadley are both flawed and broken seemingly beyond repair. They inflict pain on each other but also love each other – sometimes hurting and other times protecting…. You see the angst??? Hadley is gorgeous and funny when she is not in a dump emotionally. She is smart, sassy and half the time a pain the ass. Josh is a child prodigy performing as a concert pianist, but a tragic event happened four years prior, causing Josh to lose his motivation for music. He vowed never to play a single piano note ever again. Josh is caring, talented, sexy and very stubborn. Actually, they are both stubborn. I can’t give any details about Hadley and Josh’s past history without spoiling the whole book but what they both went though at such a young age is heart-breakingly sad. There will be lots of tears and your heart will break a little bit more each chapter before it heals again.

I also enjoyed the secondary characters tremendously – they all have an important part in the story. Josh’s bandmates are like his brothers. They are loyal and stand by him though thick and thin. Both Hadley and Josh’s parents were only peripherally mentioned, but the little bit that I know, I adored. Asha – oh she is a total badass but such a good friend. Rarely in a book will I relate to all the characters but this book is an exception – I like them all. Well, maybe except for Scott, but he is sick and I like to think that he will be taken care of and have a happy healthy life.

The writing in this book is just remarkable – witty banters, poetic narratives, smooth sailing from beginning until the end. There is angst, sadness but also playful, lighthearted parts. The author’s words totally captivated my attention – I could not put it down but life got in the way so it took me 2 days to finish.

“I can’t promise you a happy ending but I can offer you a happy beginning”

What I love about the ending it’s realistic with hardships ahead but also contains a silver lining. They are happy and finally moving on but I believe the road ahead will not always be smooth sailing. There will be bumps and bruises but Hadley and Josh do have each other to have and to hold for the rest of their life. I am okay with that because it’s life and life is real.

The Debt is just phenomenal. No other way to describe it. I have no compliants. This book will make you laugh, cry, swoon, break and heal you. It will pull at you heart strings. You will hurt until you cross the finish line!

Contemporary. Told in male POV. Standalone. MUST READ!!!!


“Hadley saved my life . . . and I ruined hers

Hadley's my best friend. We share a house, our friends, a life. She knows all my secrets . . . except one. My desperate need for her is inked on my body, it's the best I can do. But Hadley needs to hear the words . . .

Growing up as foster kids, Hadley made me feel whole-sane. And what did I do? I destroyed our chance to be together. I ran out on Hadley when I should have stayed, and something broke between us. Now I'll do anything to fix it.

I'll never leave her again. I won't ever let her feel afraid again. But the more I try to protect her from my pain, the more I just make things worse. I'm terrified that if I tell her everything, she'll never forgive me. I'm even more terrified that it may be too late to make her mine. I have to try to give her what she needs . . . it's a debt I'm determined to repay.”

[Anastasia · Rating 4 out of 5]

4/5 stars

Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Hadley saved my life . . . and I ruined hers

Hadley's my best friend. We share a house, our friends, a life. She knows all my secrets . . . except one. My desperate need for her is inked on my body, it's the best I can do. But Hadley needs to hear the words . . .

Growing up as foster kids, Hadley made me feel whole-sane. And what did I do? I destroyed our chance to be together. I ran out on Hadley when I should have stayed, and something broke between us. Now I'll do anything to fix it.

I'll never leave her again. I won't ever let her feel afraid again. But the more I try to protect her from my pain, the more I just make things worse. I'm terrified that if I tell her everything, she'll never forgive me. I'm even more terrified that it may be too late to make her mine. I have to try to give her what she needs . . . it's a debt I'm determined to repay.

“Neither of us was under any misconception that we were anything but flawed individuals with extensive backgrounds in mistakes and bad decisions. We’d both inflicted pain on each other and suffered our fair share.”

I hadn’t heard much about this book before I read it. I was in the mood for a contemporary/new adult so I went out on a limb and requested this book from Netgalley. I had pretty low expectations because most of the new adult books I’ve read, not including Colleen Hoover’s, have no plot, boring characters, misplaced scenes, and just an excessive amount of unneeded scenes. But this book has given me a new found hope. This was one of the best new adult books I have read.

“For hours following the designated bedtime, Punky and I would sit on either side of the wall between our rooms and talk. I’d play music for her, we’d play Battleship, and sometimes we’d fall asleep on the floor with our ears pressed to the drywall.”

Our main characters are Josh and Hadley, also known as Punky. Josh and Hadley’s friendship began when they were both placed in the same foster home. They both had to go through horrible things while in that house. Josh had to endure unspeakable things every night and when it was over Hadley was always there, ready to comfort him. Now, years later they live together and their relationship is starting to fall apart. I personally loved and sympathized with all of the characters present in the story. The cast of characters for this book was very diverse. Since Josh is a musician there was a bar/gig scene that incorporated groupies, drunk people, band members, etc. But, it wasn’t your stereotypical cast. Everyone had their own voice, the gig/band scene seemed realistic, and relationships took time to develop.

“My body is my own, so I made myself over to fit my own desire, not for anyone else.”

Josh and Hadley have some history that restricts their relationship. From the onset you can tell there was a lot of sexual tension, even though no one was acknowledging it. There weekend routine was Josh taking home a girl and Hadley waiting on the couch every morning to rate the new girl that walks down the steps. Even though there was a lot of tension between the two, you can also detect an underlying understanding. They knew the other better than anyone else and no matter how much they messed up, the other would still be there to help them through it. Most of the book was focused on Josh and Hadley’s friendship and correcting the past, and I really enjoyed that aspect.

“My body is my own, so I made myself over to fit my own desire, not for anyone else.”

One of my favorite aspects of this book was the art and music. Josh, a musician, and Hadley, an amazing artist, definitely show their talent throughout the book. The tattoos and piercings that Josh has, drawn by Hadley, are so meaningful. This small detail made this book that much better. At first some of the body modifications, a certain piercing in particular, made me feel a little uncomfortable. I’m all for people changing, adding, and modifying their body to their liking. But, the description of that scene made me cringe and want to shake sense into him. Now that I have finished the book and know why he had all of these modifications done, it makes sense why that particular piercing was brought up and explained so thoroughly. But at first I was just a little unsettled.

“The older I got, the more vicious my temper. It wasn’t a good look on me, but today it seemed I’d hit my limit of keeping the pressure contained. I was bleeding anger, bubbling over.”

There were a few scenes that had provoked anger and violence out of our main character, Josh. I felt a little uneasy, because I didn’t want this book to be ruined with the unnecessary abusive relationship that many new adult books have. I am okay with books that show you how horrible abuse is, how it can affect people, and states the wrongness of it all. But, when book start to brush off the abusive aspects as men being men , that’s when it’s not okay. That wasn’t the case for The Debt. The main character never physically lashed out at Hadley, he would voice his frustration and tell her to leave so he could calm down. But, I believe, with the book's circumstances, those aspects added to the plot and Tyler King did a good job showing how his anger was a negative characteristic not a manly one.

“You’ve got so many damn buttons that you might as well be mission control.”

One of the only things that kept me from absolutely loving this book were the excessive and unnecessary scenes. A few of the scenes at the middle/end of the book were just repeats from the beginning. There were also an excessive amount of scenes even for a new adult book. If a few of them were cut out or even just replaced with a few paragraphs of mystery/hinting at the content, it would have picked up the pace of the book and made it more appealing.

“My life didn’t begin until I met you. I’ve loved you every day that matters.”

I started this book in the early evening and by the time I set it down, it was at least three o'clock in the morning. The story seemed to be winding down and as I fought to keep my eyes open, I checked how many pages left. I clicked on the percent icon on my kindle and a glaring 45% was staring at me. I hadn’t even gotten halfway through. This book was a windy, twisty, road that you will love. I was very surprised when I saw I wasn’t even halfway done because the story was starting to head towards a stereotypical new adult ending. But, your usual ending was just the beginning of this complex book.

“I’m always singing to you, Punky. No one else matters.”

This book was told in alternations of past and present. The present is Josh in therapy and anger management, and the past is Josh telling his therapist about his past life and how he ended up in therapy. It was really interesting how Tyler King wrote this book because it flowed seamlessly. I was even looking forward to the small excerpts from his therapy sessions. They helped us get a good grasp of Josh’s character and how he reacts to a professional provoking him to open up about his past.

“Successful people always say that the trick to a happy life is never having regrets. That’s a load of bullshit. If we regret nothing, then we’ve never truly failed, never truly hurt, and never really lost. Without regret, we have never acted with all our passion and anger and love and hope only to have our skull stomped on while we bite a street curb.”

This is not your average fluffy new adult book. It had an intricate plot with diverse characters, that you can relate and sympathize with. It wasn't fully focused on the relationship between the characters, but on the mental stability and their healing process. I am very happy that I received an ARC of this book and I will definitely read anything else Tyler King writes in the future.

[Nicola · Rating 3 out of 5]

Told from the POV of Josh, The Debt is a story of a man whose whole life has been shaped by the fact that he was a victim of child sex abuse. The book doesn't appear to come with a trigger warning, so this is the heads up.

"That man had abused me, and though I had escaped his grasp more than a decade ago, I hadn’t let myself free of his influence."

Josh and Hadley have a friendship spanning years. Both are tormented by their pasts, have been through the foster-care system together, have come out of it together, have been in loving families and have been there for one another, but when they crossed the boundary between friends and lovers it changed their relationship as Josh's first consensual sexual relationship led to the realisation that sex is a trigger for him.



If I'm honest, I'm a little torn on my feelings over The Debt. I liked Tyler King's writing style and the story being told from Josh's perspective was the right move in giving us that deeper understanding of him during the more difficult moments, lighter humour is injected when it needed and, once I got in to the pattern of certain chapters being dedicated to Josh's therapy sessions, it flowed easily, although I did find the first half quite steady going. But, then the second half seemed to go the other way and was too busy with elements to the story that seemed thrown in as an afterthought and deserving of more, such as Josh's brain tumour whilst other matters weren't particularly addressed considering their severity; Hadley's struggle with OCD needed more attention and Josh's struggles were underplayed, particularly when the specific trigger of his anxiety was orgasm. It just seemed to be overcome that bit too easily. Because let's be fair here, it wasn't a phobia of spiders he was getting over, it was lasting trauma caused by CSA.

"There was no cure that packed the memories of that man away and locked the box."

I did like the journey of two individuals realising that they're better at overcoming their pasts and their fears together rather than alone and Josh and Hadley have a passionate chemistry in every sense, although there were points when I questioned if they were good for one another earlier on. And I appreciated the relationship between Josh and his Dad; they injected emotion and had a wonderful, honest, open relationship. Overall though I'd have liked the story to have had more flesh on it's bones.

Copy received courtesy of Grand Central Publishing for an honest and unbiased opinion.

[1-Click Addict Support Group · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've gotta say, this was such an emotional read. I cried for both Hadley and Josh, and for all the hell they went through. I wanted to know what secret Josh was hiding from Hadley, and I just could not pinpoint it until he finally shared it and then, I could not hold my tears!!

After the moment that forever changed their lives, Josh and Hadley's relationship became really strained. At times, they were like strangers not knowing how to be next to each other, despite how close they’d once been.

I knew there was a lot that Josh was going to have to do to get back in Hadley's good graces, and he was going to have to really show her how sorry he was. But…he was also going to have to share the secret he'd been keeping from her.

I'll be honest, I wasn't sure if I was going to be able to survive this story and I almost didn't!!! I went through an emotional roller coaster—one moment going smoothly, the next holding on with all my strength, not wanting to be thrown off.

Be ready for this heart-tugging read that will have you laughing, smiling and crying at the same time. ~ Kara, 5 stars

[AJ · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 stars!

This book was all kinds of unexpected. A darkly intense, angsty, emotional story with a friends-to-lovers relationship that is complicated and passionate with a great balance of teasing, banter and all-consuming emotion. I was surprised by the intensity of the story, and by the amazing writing which sucked me immediately into Josh’s world and kept me mesmerised from start to finish.

The story is written entirely from the POV of our fucked-up hero, Josh. He is a man who has been shattered by his past and is struggling with his present, and he’s a wonderful storyteller – intelligent and witty with self-depreciating honesty – I loved his voice! Josh and Hadley met as 5 year olds in the foster system and they remained close when they were taken to live with permanent guardians. They were the best of friends all through childhood and that friendship developed into something more… until one night changed everything and Josh’s actions broke Hadley and tore them apart.

The downward spiral into this spectacular status of stagnant awful between Punky and I began four years ago. It was the best night of my life, until it wasn’t.

*God, how amazing is that quote! Gah, I love King’s writing!!!!*

It’s now four years later. Josh and Hadley are living together as roommates in Josh’s childhood home, they remain close yet their friendship is strained, and Josh wishes things were different.

Fact was, I never had a fucking clue what was going on in her head, but I’d give anything to still have the right to ask.

We know immediately that he is in love with Hadley. But he is so tormented by his past, by all that he has been through and by what he put Hadley through that he doesn’t see a way forward for them. He wants nothing more than to be there for her, to repay the debt he feels he owes her and to get back what they lost, but his situation seems hopeless.

Hadley was gorgeous, funny when she wanted to be, a total pain in my ass, snarky, smart, talented. Yes, I knew she was a keeper. But I’d lost her already. There was no retracing my steps down that road.

Josh and Hadley’s history is complicated, and the full extent of it is revealed slowly and cleverly. Tyler King keeps us guessing and unveils secrets bit by bit to keep us flipping pages to get to the bottom of the dysfunction and see if these two star-crossed lovers can ever find the happiness they deserve so badly.

This complicated, infuriating woman had never been easy. Our lives would never be simple. I didn’t love her because it was painless. We were a fucking mess and sometimes it hurt. But she understood me the way no one else could. And I’d never give up on her without a fight.

This is a really unique relationship, but the most defining feature for me was their complete and utter devotion to each other. Despite all that they have been through, Josh and Hadley have remained the key people in each other’s lives, and the way they are there for each other is beautifully portrayed. And though the book is written entirely from Josh’s perspective, he gives us a clear picture of who Hadley is – a strong, brave woman with a wicked sense of humour who is battling her own demons. They are dysfunctional, slightly co-dependent and angsty as all hell, but there’s something about them that is just so right.

My Hadley didn’t live atop a pedestal. Neither of us was under any misconception that we were anything but flawed individuals with extensive backgrounds in mistakes and bad decisions. We’d both inflicted pain on each other and suffered our fair share. Despite all of that, and maybe because of it, her lips joined with mine felt like salvation.

They are both completely devoted to each other, and even though they are deeply scarred by their pasts their connection cannot be denied. And once they finally get to the point where they can acknowledge those feelings, all of that intensity is kicked up a notch as the angst eases into romance, and it’s emotional, intense (and hot!), and beautifully honest.

“My life didn’t begin until I met you. I’ve loved you every day that matters. I’m so fucking in love with you and you scare the shit out of me.”

But there are still issues from the past to be dealt with and demons to be wrestled, and just when they get to where they have always wanted to be, will they be able to hold onto it?

This story is a real roller coaster. Emotional, raw and gritty, it’s heartbreaking at times, but breaking through that intensity is Josh and Hadley’s fantastic banter and teasing. They both have a wonderfully sarcastic sense of humour, and I love that that their fun and easy manner with each other shines through all of the angst.

“You’ve always had my heart.”
She looked up, biting her lip and failing to hide her sweet smirk. “That was the cheesiest line I’ve ever heard.”
“That? That’s what you tell me when I profess my undying love for you? Fuck, Punky. You’re killing me.”
She laughed, grabbing two fistfuls of my hair and shaking my head. “I love you.”

There’s also a great cast of side characters that add to the story, and I loved seeing how Josh and Hadley’s friends had their backs. I laughed out loud at their conversations, and loved the scenes where they were all together.

I really liked this book. It wasn’t what I was expected, but I enjoyed the surprisingly gritty ride, and I’m eagerly waiting for more from this very talented author.

4 stars (3.5 for the story, rated up because the writing was so good).


An Advanced Review Copy was generously provided via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

[Carlene · Rating 4 out of 5]

ARC provided via Netgalley.
LIVE NOW!

I waited two days to write this review and now that I am sitting here...trying to put my thoughts into words, I have to admit this might be one of the hardest reviews for me to write. There is so much heart in this book. Tyler King, a first time author, put so much emotion into the characters and built up the story from the very first page. It was impossible to untwist the past between the main characters, all I could do was hang on for the ride. The plot isn't unique, the two main characters have some serious issues that have caused a gaping hole in their relationship, but it is those same issues that pull them back together and it is the method in which Tyler King weaves their story that is unique and addictive.

Josh's past is inked onto his body, he puts all his effort into his band, and what little effort he has left goes into finding the next chick to use. His friendship with Hadley is hanging by a thread, they may be roommates and share all their friends, but she doesn't know his biggest secret. He knows he's probably ruined every chance with her, especially after he let his panic win and he ran out on her when she needed him most. He's willing to do anything to fix things with her, he'll never let her be alone or afraid again, but he's not willing to tell her everything, to break her even more. He wants her to be his, even though it may be too late, he's going to do whatever it takes to repay her the debt he owes.

"Just know that I'm sorry and I didn't meant it. I'd take it back if I could."

Told from the POV of male main character, Josh, we are introduced to his lifestyle of ladies, anxiety, music, and a dysfunctional friendship with roommate Hadley. Their friendship is forged over years of foster care, new homes, and a terrifying event that changed Hadley forever. They take care of each other to the best of their abilities and together work to face their fears. I really liked that both characters were so flawed, but unwilling to see those flaws as bad parts of one another. While they were both enablers, I could see the love they shared for each other as both roommates and friends. The dialogue between those two was at times serious and at times hilarious, they shared a bond that was visible to anyone. The emotions between these two was palpable, not just the chemistry, but every feeling they had about one another. As they sort things out, I rooted for them, for Josh to finally face his past and for Hadley to own her problems. I really enjoyed them as individuals and especially liked them together. There are also some incredible secondary characters and secondary plots that are worth mentioning, from Josh's band mates to Hadley's friendship with Andre. Each new character and new plot was a layer on their lives that allowed me to see outside of their home and their shared issues to build a world around them and see how their friends looked at them.


“Neither of us was under any misconception that we were anything but flawed individuals with extensive backgrounds in mistakes and bad decisions. We’d both inflicted pain on each other and suffered our fair share.”

I really loved the changing timeline in The Debt, which was a surprise even to myself. I liked reading the past, the present as a college student, and Josh's visits with his counselor. It was easy to get into Josh's head, get to know his personality, and look at the world from his perspective. I found the style of writing really interesting, with King only giving the reader just enough to know they're missing an important part of the story. The topic of this book, especially in Josh's life, are heavy and dark, but he is a self-aware character that talks himself, and the reader, through each pit he falls into. I liked reading just his POV, I felt like it was a fresh look at the topic of anxiety and panic disorders. It is incredibly hard to read about his past, I struggled through it, but it was worth it in the end, watching him finally develop and grow as a character was such a breathe of fresh air.

"It ain't stuck, son. What you laid down in there is all heart and hate and deep soul-searching questions that only have answers in the notes..."

As stated before, this book has some extremely heavy topics that it works through. As a reader, I think it is worth mentioning that I felt myself getting uncomfortable with some of Josh's antics. There is a lot of flippant hooking up, that is really important to the main character's development, but may come across as excessive. The book though, is inspiring and full of wisdom, I connected with it in so many ways, but it was at times hard to get through. Around 50% I thought I'd read a full book and while I am thankful I stuck it out I can see this being a drawback for some. It is a very complex book, it isn't a traditional New Adult, and while it is very good I think that is worth noting for readers looking for a traditional, easy New Adult.

I wouldn't correct on single mistake. I regretted not one regret.

If you are looking for a romance that's filled with angst, complex characters, and an intricate plot, then you need to pick up The Debt. The focus of this book is broad, covering not just the romance of two characters, but also mental health, friendship, and healing. I was really impressed with this book and recommend it, across the board, to everyone.

[Chu · Rating 5 out of 5]

"I can't promise you a happy ending, but I can offer you a happy beginning."

Get your hearts ready – because you are in for an emotional read!

Hadley and Josh had been best friends since they were young and living in the hellish confines of their foster homes. They made it, but not unscathed. They have scars. Scars have marked their souls and kept on haunting them. Their relationship went on, even if they got adopted by different people, they needed each other.

Then one night, everything changed. What should be the start of their happy ending, had caused their relationship to spiral down. Josh ran out, when Hadley needed him most – and it caused a strain in their relationship. Now, they still live in the same house, they still have the same friends, but everything was never the same again.

Will they ever have their happy ending?

I am truly lost for words the moment I finished the book. The characters were totally complex and have been through hell and back. I admire their courage in facing their demons and finally trying to get through life despite everything that they experienced. Yes, they made bad choices, and suffer the consequences of their actions but they are also trying to make up for it.

The people that surround them were truly amazing as well. They are one heck of a support system. One doesn’t need to be related to be called family.

I wanted to add more, but I will be spilling out spoilers if I don’t stop typing!!!

The Debt was a spectacular read. A totally unexpected emotional roller-coaster ride that had my heart ached so badly, I thought I was never going to recover. Just as when I thought they were in for a happy ending, another thing drops, and I’d once again cross my fingers, hoping for the best. Then finally, it was with great relief that it ended beautifully. Such a heartwarming ending that will sooth the aching of your heart and soul. You should give this one a try!

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[Reanell Tisdale · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 I'm in your debt stars!!

Holy shit. This book was amazing! I'm an angst whore, so this book was right up my alley. In the beginning I wasn't hooked, right up until around 25% but after that I couldn't put it down.

This is a debut author and I'm impressed. I'm dying for more!

**Full Review to come**


I fell in complete book love here, babes. This is Tyler's debut novel and I'm blown away. I'm a angst-lover and this book definitely had angst! My heart was pounding with anticipation, and dying to know what would happen next.

You know what else The Debt has that I love? A broken man, who feels he doesn't deserve love only to be shown how amazing they are. I'm a sucker for a broken man!

I don't want to delve too far into the story because The Debt is a story that needs to read and felt. So go grab your copy today and fall in love with the words of Tyler King!

*I was given a copy of The Debt by the publisher in exchange for a honest review*

[TereseDK · Rating 1 out of 5]

DNF @ 48%
Liked the storyline and the fact that it's told through the H's POV.
Didn't care much for the H. He claims to be in love with the h but repeatedly fucks other women. I'm so tired of reading about the H's undying love for the h whilst fucking everything with a pulse!

[Caterina Montebello · Rating 4 out of 5]

CLICCA SULL'IMMAGINE PER LEGGERE LA RECENSIONE COMPLETA:

"Ti amo da sempre" è lo splendido libro d'esordio di Tyler King. Una toccante storia d'amore che mi ha catturato anima e cuore.

Josh e Hadley sono due ragazzi danneggiati che si sostengono a vicenda fin dall'infanzia. Sono riusciti ad attirarmi sin da subito nella loro rete mettendomi in ginocchio emotivamente. Il loro è un percorso pieno di dolore, ansia, desiderio e lealtà incrollabile. Non ho potuto fare a meno di affezionarmi e legarmi a questi personaggi.
Josh ha avuto un'infanzia traumatica e porta ancora cicatrici significative. Hadley è l'unica che lo capisce davvero perché ha vissuto quel periodo con lui. Erano in affidamento nella stessa casa da piccoli e sono diventati amici in circostanze terribili. E' un'amicizia nata dalla paura che avrebbe cambiato per sempre entrambi.
Due personaggi spezzati, ognuno con i propri problemi ma che sono uniti nell'essere uno la roccia dell'altro, l'unico di cui l'altro si fida, l'unico di cui l'altro conosce i punti deboli. Si amano, ma i loro problemi e le loro insicurezze li bloccano... se solo potessero vedere cosa vedono gli altri e cosa è così ovvio per tutti.
Si amano tanto, ma hanno paura di farsi del male, quindi nascondono molti sentimenti dietro i loro problemi. A volte, questo modo di fare è pesante, è difficile da digerire. Ma è lampante che i due ragazzi hanno problemi profondi che risalgono alla loro infanzia disfunzionale. Mi è davvero piaciuta la terapia che ha costituito una parte centrale di questa storia, e credo che è stato importante far passare questo messaggio.
Ho apprezzato anche anche come l'autore abbia affrontato la situazione di Josh. Leggere è stato brutalmente crudo e straziante ma anche realistico e credibile.
Attraverso la terapia, il sostegno della famiglia e degli amici e il loro amore reciproco fanno progressi, certo il percorso è lungo travagliato e pieno di insidie ma un futuro che non credono possibile potrebbe aprirsi per loro.
Ho adorato il fatto che la storia fosse raccontata completamente dal punto di vista di Josh, vedere negli oscuri recessi della sua mente è affascinante e talvolta straziante. Sai che gli è successo qualcosa di terribile e vuoi sapere cosa e di quale entità è il danno subito. Per scoprirlo seguiamo il viaggio che Josh conduce attraverso la terapia, questo intreccia passato e presente per attraversare tutti gli alti e i bassi della sua relazione con Hadley, percorre l'infanzia fino all'età di diciassette anni quando tutto cambiò una fatidica notte fino ad arrivare al presente.
Capiremo man mano la tensione e la rabbia che cova dentro. Non si può rimanere indifferenti ed assistere senza rimanerne coinvolti. Viene voglia di abbracciare e proteggere il ragazzino spaventato e maltrattato che ancora vive all'interno del ragazzo e tenere per mano e spronare e incitare il ragazzo tatuato con la musica nella testa che ama Hadley con tutto il suo cuore.
Josh è un uomo che vuole disperatamente amare ed essere amato, ma le sue paure e i suoi terrori lo affliggono così violentemente che non può avere quella relazione e quella persona che desidera disperatamente.
Tyler King ci mostra come gli incidenti accaduti durante l'infanzia possano influenzare la persona per tutta la vita.
Hadley o "Punky", come Josh ama chiamarla, è una delle donne più pazienti di cui io abbia mai letto. Il suo amore e la sua lealtà verso Josh non hanno limiti, dove chiunque avrebbe rinunciato lei continua a perseverare. Ma ognuno di noi ha un punto di rottura, per alcuni più vicino e per altri più lontano, e lei ora è molto vicina a questo punto. Teniamo conto che anche Hadley ha i suoi problemi, anche questi frutto dell'infanzia disagiata, ma mentre lotta per combattere i propri demoni rimane la costante nella vita di Josh.
Questi due ragazzi, nonostante tutti i loro problemi sono formidabili insieme. Si appoggiano l'un l'altro, anche quando sono arrabbiati o non si parlano. La loro amicizia è quella che tutti noi vorremmo vivere. Volevo talmente tanto che questi due anime affini trovassero la felicità, la desideravo disperatamente perché la meritavano.
Molti i personaggi secondari di spicco che aiutano e coadiuvano la storia con successo.

[Tanya (Girl Plus Books) · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.25 STARS

Josh and Hadley met while in foster care and forged a bond that couldn't be broken. Now both in college, Josh remains plagued by guilt that he failed Hadley years ago when she needed him most. He's loved her for years but is convinced he doesn't deserve her. Even so, he remains by her side, there for her now, determined to make up for the past.

Josh and Hadley are damaged and flawed characters, both suffering from past events but neither opening up completely with the other. As friends and roommates they often see each other at their worst but they're both frozen in place, unable to move forward and lay down the chains of the past. Josh's past is heartbreaking and some of it is seen via flashbacks and therapy sessions.

The Debt is told solely from Josh's point of view and while it was unique to read only from the male POV, it left me feeling as though I didn't know Hadley at all. Josh and Hadley can both be rather prickly characters but there's enough humor and emotion to make up for it.

There are some great side characters and Josh's father in particular is a gem. There's a lot going on plot-wise so readers should have no fear of getting bored. Those who enjoy a damaged bad boy and much angsty drama will find plenty to love here.

Note: I was provided a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. This does not change my opinion of the book or the content of this review.

[Wil Loves Books! · Rating 2 out of 5]

I honestly don't even know what to say, this was awful. If 50 shades, Driven and Clipped Wings/Inked Armor had a child this would be it.

[Mariagcri · Rating 3 out of 5]

Forse troppo dramma e paranoie..come al solito,ma tutto sommato non mi è dispiaciuto alla fin fine...

[Love is in the books · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ciò che mi ha colpito principalmente di questo libro è stata
la trama, ma soprattutto che in essa era un singolo personaggio a parlare, come
se preannunciasse quel dettaglio che tanto amo e che tanto desidero da un po’:
un POV tutto maschile. E così è stato! In genere preferisco le storie raccontate da
entrambi i punti di vista perché in questo modo riesco a immedesimarmi e a
creare un legame completo con i personaggi e le loro vite. Ma il point of view
maschile è tutto ciò che una lettrice vorrebbe perché diciamocelo, entrare unicamente
nella testa dell’uomo è qualcosa che anche nella vita reale vorremmo tanto; in
più le storie raccontate da loro possono eliminare fin da subito quei pregiudizi
che tanto balenano nella nostra testa appena conosciamo il bad boy della
situazione, lo stronzo che ci prova con tutte e che non ha sentimenti.

Ecco, con Josh io non ho avuto pregiudizi e si è
fatto conoscere per come è sin da subito, senza fare allusioni, senza farmi credere qualcosa per
poi illudermi; è stato sincero con la me-lettrice fin dalla prima pagina, scoprendo
man mano la sua anima nera e malinconica, il suo sorriso triste, il suo cuore
deturpato dal passato e dai ricordi che ogni volta lo annientano e lo
distruggono.

«Lei vorrebbe che la gente sapesse una cosa simile? Questo tipo di informazioni cambia il modo in cui le persone ti vedono, il modo in cui ti guardano. Di colpo non sei più la stessa persona. Sei...». 
«Cosa?». Sporco. Debole. Danneggiato. 
«Diverso».

Ed è anche grazie a Josh che ho amato la sua Punky, Hadley, il
modo in cui parla di lei e come attraverso le sue parole ci fa capire quanto siano
dipendenti l’uno con l’altro, un legame indissolubile, impossibile da spezzare,
un po’ arrugginito.

Josh e Hadley si conoscono fin da bambini, da quando
vivevano con un tutore insieme ad altri ragazzini, senza qualcuno che li amasse
a tal punto da tenerli con sé; Josh è inciampato nella vita di Hadley quando le
loro vite non erano al sicuro e si appartenevano l’uno con l’altro perché nessuno
apparteneva a loro.  Entrambi hanno sulle
spalle un passato carico di solitudine, frustrazione, senso di disperazione ma
soprattutto terrore, un terrore che a 18 anni non è scomparso e si
tramuta costantemente in incubi notturni, ricordi che nella testa sembrano così
vivi, così reali e concreti. Non è un terrore legato alla paura del passato, è
un terrore attuale, presente che cercano di scacciare via ogni volta che un
attacco di panico o un’ossessione compulsiva si manifesta, fino a renderti debole e indifeso, ti senti morto, spacciato, ti senti fuori da questo mondo. 

La mia Hadley non viveva su un piedistallo. Non sbagliavamo a credere di essere nient'altro che individui difettosi con grande esperienza di sbagli e decisioni errate. Tutti e due ci eravamo inflitti dolore a vicenda e avevamo sofferto quanto bastava. Nonostante tutto, o forse proprio per ciò, le sue labbra sulle mie sembravano essere la salvezza. Il suo bacio era accettazione.

È surreale pensare che dei bambini presi in adozione possano
essere ad un tratto sereni e felici, si pensa che basti trasferirsi nella casa
nuova, conoscere la nuova famiglia, dei genitori fantastici che ti amano e che
farebbero di tutto per te. Devo ringraziare l’autrice per non aver creato
appunto una storia surreale perché a Josh e Hadley non basterà aver lasciato il
passato, non basterà aver avuto finalmente quello che un bambino sogna, una
famiglia. E sapete perché? Perché quando la paura ti è entrata nelle ossa è
difficile scacciarla via, anche se è lontana ti sembra sempre più vicina, ti
invade la mente, l’anima, il corpo, il cuore. Non puoi respirare, non puoi
vivere, puoi solo sperare che passi e goderti quella breve pausa di
tranquillità prima che il mostro bussi di nuovo alla tua porta.

Anche adesso che sono cresciuti, Josh e Hadley convivono nella stessa casa perché
come nel passato hanno bisogno l’uno dell’altro per andare avanti, è solo insieme che si sentono al sicuro ed è solo insieme che possono stare. Sono
migliori amici, inseparabili, anche se quella notte di quattro anni fa ha
cambiato radicalmente il loro rapporto fatto adesso di freddezza, distanza, una
leggera ironia e botte e risposta continui.

La mia vita era una ragnatela attaccata a Hadley. Dal momento in cui andammo in affidamento siamo diventati legati indissolubilmente. Non potevo scappare da lei. Non ero sicuro di cosa volessi fare, nonostante ciò che lei rappresentava. E avrei potuto vivere così “ con la ragazza che amavo davanti agli occhi ma al di fuori della mia portata “ se non avessi compromesso Hadley in questo modo. Perchè qualunque cosa sia successa quella notte in cui me ne sono andato, lei ha sofferto in modo terribilmente peggiore. Perciò io non la meritavo.

Josh è un ragazzo complicato, tremendamente cupo e
malinconico, un bad boy tatuato e pieno di piercing, arrabbiato con il mondo ma
soprattutto con sé stesso. È un musicista che, a causa di un dolore grande, ha
abbandonato la musica classica e il suo pianoforte e adesso strimpella e suona
la sua chitarra insieme ai suoi due amici, Corey e Trey, con cui ha una band. È
lui quello che conoscerete di più perché le sue parole, il modo in cui racconta
gli eventi del passato e del futuro vi incatenerà e non vi farà mollare le
pagine per nessun motivo al mondo. Tanto stronzo quanto perverso, tanto
psicologicamente provato quanto emotivamente instabile, vi innamorerete di questo
ragazzo che non si nasconde dietro una maschera. La sua debolezza è là, si vede
ed emerge in superficie, solo chi non lo conosce non è in grado di scovarla ed
è soprattutto di fronte ad Hadley che quel minimo di sicurezza cade, si rompe
in tanti pezzettini e il cuore caldo e morbido fuoriesce, senza rimorsi e senza
rimpianti. 

 «Come fai?», mi domandò con un dolce sorriso. Il mio sorriso. 
«A fare cosa?» 
«A essere sempre perfetto. Non stai tenendo fede alla tua reputazione di stronzo insopportabile». 
«Lo sono», ammisi. «E non sono perfetto». Le baciai le labbra. «Devo solo essere perfetto per te».

Hadley è la sua eroina, la sua migliore amica, la sua persona; è la
sua metà in tutto e per tutto, è l’amore della sua vita ma che è stato bravo a
deludere con il suo comportamento e a causa delle sue paure più grandi. Grazie
alle parole di Josh, così obiettive e leali, conosceremo Hadley come se fosse
proprio lei a parlare ed è per questo che non ho sentito il distacco che di
solito provo verso un personaggio di cui manca il point of view. Hadley è un’artista,
adora ascoltare la musica nella sua stanza mentre disegna con il carboncino.
Pensate che tutti i tatuaggi di Josh sono stati disegnati da lei. Ho adorato il
suo personaggio e come si incastra con Josh: è lei la più forte dei due,
quella che tiene in piedi il castello ed evita che possa crollare da un momento
all’altro, nonostante anche la sua anima sia invasa da un profondo buco nero. Josh non esiterà mai a proteggerla, le sue braccia saranno sempre attorno alla sua Punky, saranno il suo scudo, la sua muraglia. Josh sarà la sua unica forza in grado di fonderle sicurezza e un pizzico di speranza.

Feci scelte diverse rispetto a quelle che avrei fatto solo per me stesso. Così speravo che funzionasse allo stesso modo per Hadley. Ma se così non fosse stato, avrei fatto del mio meglio per essere ciò di cui lei aveva bisogno. Magari non avrebbe mai superato il problema. Tutto ciò che volevo era la sua felicità. L'avrei presa con me in qualsiasi modo, con le cicatrici e tutto il resto.

Ho constatato che la King è un’autrice brillante perché caratterizzare
in maniera impeccabile due personaggi con problemi seri non è per niente
facile. Le loro storie e la loro psicologia era completamente conforme alle loro
reazioni e il tutto si riversa nei loro modi di fare, nei loro comportamenti e
nelle loro azioni quotidiane. Alcune di queste vi faranno venire i brividi
dietro la schiena per quanto sono inquietanti perché l’autrice le descrive una
per una, senza tralasciare nessun dettaglio. Sembrerà di stare in quella casa e seguire la loro schiena, aspettando che quel momento arrivi.  Lo stile narrativo cambia
continuamente e si adatta alle situazioni: sarete tranquilli quando il ritmo
sarà lento e la lettura più scorrevole, mentre avrete l’ansia e l’angoscia
quando il ritmo sarà più calzante e le frasi saranno spezzate dalla
punteggiatura, per preannunciare che qualcosa sta accadendo. Grazie a questa storia ho capito quanto sia fondamentale lottare, che a
volte serve sprofondare negli abissi più tetri per risalire in
superficie. Grazie a Josh e Hadley ho capito che la vita può fare schifo,  ma tutto diventa migliore se sei accerchiato dalle persone che ami; che a volte l'istinto ti mette nei casini, ma è l'unica salvezza che ti ritrovi perché riflettere ti uccide e ti fa mangiare le mani per quello che hai perso e quello che non avrai.

Quelle persone molli e vuote non conoscono la soddisfazione della
riabilitazione. Conoscono solo ottimismo, perchè l'ottimismo prospera
dove i conflitti sono assenti. Ma i conflitti ci rendono persone vive. E
le persone vive fioriscono nelle profondità più oscure e nella terra
più arida.

Non ho detto molto sulla loro storia perché in realtà non c’è
una vera e propria storia. Questo libro non ha uno sviluppo ma si concentra
molto sul passato e sul presente dei protagonisti. Tutti gli eventi che
accadono saranno descritti da Josh durante delle sessioni particolari, che
saranno numerate e che vedrete spuntare ogni tanto all’inizio dei capitoli.  È un libro che lascia perdere il contorno e
quello che accade all’esterno, non è una storia cronologica e lineare, è semplicemente
un viaggio nella psicologia di Josh e Hadley. Sono pagine e pagine dei loro
demoni più oscuri, dei cambiamenti e degli sviluppi unicamente del loro legame,
delle loro storie personali. Tutto è incentrato su Josh e Hadley, sul loro
legame stupendo e unico, fatto di complicità, unione, di confessioni notturne,
risate e lacrime, paure e abbracci, conforto e amore, tantissimo amore. Tanti litigi, tanti scontri, tante emozioni, rifiuti e accettazioni, passione e tormento. Tutto. Josh è
la sua luce. Hadley è la sua speranza. Sono due anime distrutte che cercano di sopravvivere
e lo fanno cercandosi sempre, con le dita attaccate ai loro corpi, gli sguardi
incatenati e con i cuori impauriti che pompano all’unisono.

[Micah · Rating 2 out of 5]

Lets be clear about 1 thing. My review will have spoilers. Do not read further if this bothers you. I give this book, at best, 2.5 stars.


This book would have been more successful if the writer had stuck to 1 particular problem or let the main characters each have an emotional problem and have a dual pov? I'm trying to find how I could have connected more to the characters because I flat out didn't care about them.



When we meet the characters, Josh is a slutting it up but has major anxiety attacks. However, he lives with Hadley, who hates him, and she has moderate OCD. This OCD exhibits in needing to check the locks before she goes to bed or leave. Josh cannot orgasm after sex. At all. He has major anxiety attacks stemming from being molested in foster care as a child. Both of them were in foster care as children together. None is this is a spoiler. All of this is pretty up front. You know that Josh is in therapy from the first page for breaking a mans jaw, but you don't know when that is. You find out later in the story.

We find out that Hadley and Josh used to be best friends and that Hadley saved him from the foster home where he was being molested. For that, he is forever in her debt. He did someone that he cannot take back. We learn early that he caused her OCD by freaking out after having sex...having a major anxiety attack and leaving her. Remember, all of this story is told from his point of view.

Hadley begins to date a guy named Andre and this kind of sets off Josh. She begins to set out of Josh's social circle and makes Josh's a little uncomfortable. Thus, that sets off the cycle of communication. That sexual encounter wasn't just sex for him, it was his first consensual encounter ever. And he just refused to speak to her, even after she was found in the attic freaked out. Later that same week, his mother died.

I find this hard to believe.

Through this whole story, I don't think the writer's writing is bad. I think if she would have stuck with the 1 issue of OCD and molestation and had seen that through, it might have been successful. However, I felt like I never connected to the characters, at all. I felt like we kept moving through the story way too quickly. Not only this, but we had these issues, then a car crash, then brain cancer? And the brain cancer was only dealt with for about 10% of the book. Can you really deal with such a dense subject for so little of a book? I felt like that was thrown in just to manipulate feelings.



And Hadley never truly deals with her OCD. Ever. She never gets professional help at all. She thinks she can deal with it on her own even after urging Josh to seek professional help. I find this hard to believe. And I find Josh's lack of urging hard to believe.

I really felt a lack of depth to the characters that I would need in a drama. If this were a romantic comedy (which, trust me, it isn't), you can deal with a lack of depth. However, this is a drama. I need to care what happens to the characters. I simply didn't. When Josh started having seizures, I wasn't invested in his character.

Sylvia Day wrote a 5 book series when both characters dealt with just 1 of these issues. However, we have 2 + a ton more in just 1 350 page book. It was too much in too short of a book, in my opinion.

[Sara M. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Josh McKay e Hadley condividono un appartamento, una vita e dei ricordi.
Ci si immerge nella loro vita e nella loro storia fin da subito, grazie anche alla scrittura ipnotica e cadenzata di Tyler King.

Lo stile di una penna sicura, che ha già in mente una stilistica precisa, ci racconta di come i protagonisti sono arrivati ad essere coinquilini, di come siano capaci di rispettarsi, di come sono feriti e di come sopravvivono.

Una storia tormentata che si alterna tra passato e presente. Tra amicizia e amore. Tra fiducia e dolore.

La narrazione è al passato in prima persona maschile, cosa che mi è piaciuta da un lato ma avrei voluto anche poter leggere i pensieri di Hadley.
Entrambi i protagonisti mi sono piaciuti, hanno una spessa caratterizzazione che facilita molto l'associazione dei comportamenti alle azioni che vanno a compiere.
Le ambientazioni sono descritte semplicemente, e forse avrei preferito qualcosa in più. Le emozioni e i personaggi secondari però hanno sopperito a questa mancanza e svolgono un’azione importantissima per la storia di Josh e Hadley.
Hanno un rapporto magnifico ma non sanno come farlo funzionare e come poter andare avanti dopo il loro passato.
Dolori, rimorsi, sensi di colpa si sono affacciati insieme alla lettura, non sono riuscita ad uscirne indenne. Mi ha colpita e spaventata nel senso lontano dal termine. È stato come rendermi conto che esistono veramente cose brutte nella vita e che ci sono persone che considerano un traguardo vivere "normalmente", senza pensieri, facendo azioni per me quotidiane. Se pensavate di poterlo prendere alla leggera vi contraddico subito. Bisogna essere predisposti ad una lettura del genere altrimenti ne odierete ogni singola parte. Appena mi sono sentita depressa abbastanza per iniziarla non sono poi riuscita più a smettere, devo dire che era proprio quello che mi ci voleva per allontanarmi dalle solite storie che mi ritrovo a leggere e che amo.

[Sara M. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Josh McKay e Hadley condividono un appartamento, una vita e dei ricordi.
Ci si immerge nella loro vita e nella loro storia fin da subito, grazie anche alla scrittura ipnotica e cadenzata di Tyler King in "Ti amo da sempre".

Lo stile di una penna sicura, che ha già in mente una stilistica precisa, ci racconta di come i protagonisti sono arrivati ad essere coinquilini, di come siano capaci di rispettarsi, di come sono feriti e di come sopravvivono.

Una storia tormentata che si alterna tra passato e presente. Tra amicizia e amore. Tra fiducia e dolore.

La narrazione è al passato in prima persona maschile, cosa che mi è piaciuta da un lato ma avrei voluto anche poter leggere i pensieri di Hadley.

Entrambi i protagonisti mi sono piaciuti, hanno una spessa caratterizzazione che facilita molto l'associazione dei comportamenti alle azioni che vanno a compiere.
Le ambientazioni sono descritte semplicemente, e forse avrei preferito qualcosa in più. Le emozioni e i personaggi secondari però hanno sopperito a questa mancanza e svolgono un azione importantissima per la storia di Josh e Hadley.
Hanno un rapporto magnifico ma non sanno come farlo funzionare e come poter andare avanti dopo il loro passato.

Dolori, rimorsi, sensi di colpa si sono affacciati insieme alla lettura, non sono riuscita ad uscirne indenne. Mi ha colpita e spaventata nel senso lontano dal termine. È stato come rendermi conto che esistono veramente cose brutte nella vita e che ci sono persone che considerano un traguardo vivere "normalmente", senza pensieri, facendo azioni per me quotidiane.

[Il confine dei libri · Rating 2 out of 5]

Ciao readers,
La Newton Compton editori mi ha permesso di leggere "Ti amo da sempre" di Tyler King in anteprima, la cui trama mi aveva attirata da subito.
Josh e Hadley sono amici da quando si trovarono nella stessa casa d'affido.
L’esperienza in quella casa non è una delle migliori, poiché Josh subisce abusi dall'uomo che avrebbe dovuto aiutarlo.
La sua unica consolazione in quelle notti è Hadley.
Quando crescono lui si rende conto di essere innamorato di lei e quando anche lei si fa avanti devono mettere in conto che crescere non significa eliminare i demoni dormienti.
Riusciranno ad avvicinarsi senza che Josh soffra per un passato che nessun bambino si meriterebbe?
Josh è incasinato, turbato, violato, ribelle, pieno di tatuaggi e pearcing e un prodigio del pianoforte.
Quando viene adottato la nuova madre si rende conto del suo talento e lo aiuta ad esprimere le sue capacità.
Noi lo conosciamo come membro di una band in cui suona la chitarra, del pianoforte sembra non ricordarsene nemmeno. E pian piano capiremo il perché.
È sempre stato innamorato di Hadley, ma purtroppo non può amarla come vorrebbe e per questo si allontana da lei.
Hadley ama Josh, ma non capisce perché lui si allontani da lei.
Anche lei ha dei demoni che la rincorrono, neanche il suo passato è stato semplice.
“Metà del tempo avrei voluto strangolare quella ragazza. Durante l’altra metà l’avrei avvolta tra le coperte e le avrei giurato fedeltà eterna.”
Non posso dirvi altro, lettori, perché in realtà la trama è scarna e i personaggi non sono approfonditi bene.
Il libro è raccontato da Josh, quindi avremo modo di conoscere principalmente lui, che però non presenta né se stesso né Hadley in modo dettagliato. In questo modo è impossibile affezionarsi ai personaggi.
La storia sarebbe potuta essere anche bella, ma usare un solo POV non è sempre una buona idea.
Ho trovato questo libro incasinato. Non sempre capivo di chi si stava parlando o in che periodo ci trovavamo, quindi non riuscivo a distinguere subito il presente dai flashback. Sono dovuta tornare diverse volte indietro per cogliere i passaggi di tempo e di scena, soprattutto quando mi fermavo, e questo a lungo andare annoia.
Mi dispiace perché la trama mi aveva attirato molto, ma la penna frettolosa dell'autrice non ha aiutato.
Non mi è piaciuto nemmeno il modo in cui ha deciso di affrontare i traumi dei ragazzi; ha fatto passare il messaggio che potessero essere risolti facilmente con un po’ d’impegno, senza l’aiuto di esperti.
Ho avuto l'impressione che l'autrice abbia scritto la storia in vari momenti, frettolosamente, per poi pubblicarla senza rileggerla.
Mi auguro che voi possiate avere un'idea diversa dalla mia e se volete potete raccontarmela. Buona lettura.
2

[Julie · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is the first book I've read by Tyler King and unfortunately, it looks like it will be the last. It was an interesting concept to write about but all in all, it was too much and not enough at the same time. Hard to believe that is possible, but it really is.

Everyone I know is probably tired of hearing about how I love a screwed up character. I say it all the time and I always go on to say that it's the journey of that screwed up character that really can make or break a book. But these characters were too flawed. There were too many things going on with them and then not every issue was explained. This is a big problem for me. If a character is messed up, own it. Make them messed up but on the same note, make them either totally realize it or totally ignore it. The character can't have it both ways because it makes the book confusing for the reader. Just like the characters can't have 74 psychological issues and the author insinuate that they are all superbly important but then the author only talks about 3 of them. Again, you can't have it both ways.

There were also quite a few flashbacks, which is great. That can bring new depth to a story and give you some insight into the characters. But that wasn't the case with this book. It slowed the story down and while it did show you a peek into the characters past, by the time the story picks back up again you're thrown into another flashback that slows the story down again. It becomes very frustrating after the first few times.

The book as a whole reads a bit jerky with starts and stops in the plot. There wasn't really a flow to it that goes seamlessly between plot points. This, coupled with the flashbacks, REALLY slows things down and made me lose focus and interest in the storyline. It was like trying to ride a skateboard in the snow when it's past your knees.

I don't want to have to work at reading a book. My reading preference is to sit down and get lost within the pages. I want to be transported somewhere and I don't care if it's a bad place where I'm reading about childhood trauma or if it's a romance novel. I just want to become immersed in what I'm reading. I just didn't get that with The Debt. I wanted to, it sounded like a good book when I first picked it up but it just didn't play out like that.

* I received this novel in exchange for an honest review *

Check out more of my reviews at Little Miss Bookmark!

[Melanie Moreland · Rating 5 out of 5]

The first chapter of this book hit me in the gut, and I knew this was not going to be your ordinary boy-met-girl romance.
And boy, was I right.
The back stories of both the main characters were painful to read—especially Josh’s story. The way their lives were entwined from early childhood, and the road they travelled together was fraught with pain, loss and heartache. Yet, through the entire story there was love.
Josh has been in love with Hadley his entire life. But due to his inability to move beyond his painful past, all he can do is try and make up for the debt he feels he owes her, and be her friend. He constantly looks out for her, while managing to anger her at every turn with his extremely destructive behavior. She cares for him, trying desperately to break through the walls he has erected, and show him he is capable of love. Yet her actions fail every time. They are toxic, yet can’t be without each other. Even when they finally declare their love, the past threatens to tear them apart.
This is a journey of self-discovery, of breaking free of a violent past and learning what is really important in life. I was riveted the entire story. There were moments I was furious at Josh, and wept for him at others. Hadley was confused, loving and supportive. She struggled with her own demons, while trying to help Josh overcome his. I wanted to yell at both of them, then hug them.
This book made me laugh, cringe, cry, and hope.
Amazing.

[winterthekatt · Rating 3 out of 5]

The first thing I noticed about this book was that the blurb didn’t exactly match what I was reading. Maybe I misinterpreted it, but I felt somewhat lost because of it. Nonetheless, it was enjoyable and it looked like it had all the makings of a good book.

Hadley and Josh’s relationship was complicated and as other reviewers have pointed out, they were both pretty messed up. I am okay with flawed characters -in fact, I find them more likable than “normal” people! But unfortunately, somewhere between the middle and 75% through, I sort of lost interest in their relationship and fell into a bit of a slump. The plot slowed down and I was eager to get a little more action. Then when the action did come, it seemed forced and not what I was hoping for.

The Debt was a pretty decent read and other readers may really like it, but in my opinion, it didn’t live up to its potential. New adult is my go-to genre so I generally have high expectations when it comes to NA and I was hoping for a more unforgettable read. Instead, it was average-good for me.

*I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review*