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Rixton Falls #1
Royal
His name is Royal, but he’s no prince charming. He’s not even a prince - though you could say I loved him once upon a time.
He was my older brother’s best friend.
Growing up, he sat at our dinner table every Sunday, teased me mercilessly, and pretended I annoyed him.
When I was old enough, he took me on my first date.
Royal taught me how to drive. Escorted me to my junior prom. Gave me my first kiss…amongst other things. He was my first taste of toe-curling, all-consuming, can’t-sleep love.
We had our whole lives ahead of us. There was never anyone else for me but him.
And then he disappeared. No letter. No explanation. Not even a goodbye.
My sisters and brother never forgave him, and my parents forbade me from speaking his name in our house ever again. For all intents and purposes, we were to pretend Royal Lockhart never existed.
I’ve spent the last seven years trying in vain to forget my first love, but just when I think I’ve finally moved on, guess who’s back in town?
He was my older brother’s best friend.
Growing up, he sat at our dinner table every Sunday, teased me mercilessly, and pretended I annoyed him.
When I was old enough, he took me on my first date.
Royal taught me how to drive. Escorted me to my junior prom. Gave me my first kiss…amongst other things. He was my first taste of toe-curling, all-consuming, can’t-sleep love.
We had our whole lives ahead of us. There was never anyone else for me but him.
And then he disappeared. No letter. No explanation. Not even a goodbye.
My sisters and brother never forgave him, and my parents forbade me from speaking his name in our house ever again. For all intents and purposes, we were to pretend Royal Lockhart never existed.
I’ve spent the last seven years trying in vain to forget my first love, but just when I think I’ve finally moved on, guess who’s back in town?
324 pages, Kindle Edition
First published February 21, 2016
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4493 people want to read
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hell-fucking-no
February 26, 2016I can't stand it when the hero abandons the heroine and then is intimate with another woman. Even if it's only once. You left the supposed love of your life heartbroken and yet you slept with someone while separated? No, I need him celibate if he leaves her with no explanation or anything.
Hero leaves heroine No thanks!
Hero leaves heroine No thanks!
July 28, 2016
Let me start off by saying that this may be the unpopular opinion. I can only speak to what I felt as I read this.
While I didn't think the story was terrible, I found it extremely frustrating and disappointing during the most critical points. It started out really good actually. I liked reading about Royal and Demi's transition from cooties, to reluctant awareness, and finally full on consuming love as they grew up together. Then there's an event that pulls them apart. While it felt a legitimate enough reason for him to be apart from his love, the way the secret was DRAGGED out made me want to toss my phone, then Nook, to the wall as I went between audiobook and reading. It felt so monumentally unnecessary to do it that way that I simply couldn't shake the shadow of that feeling as I saw the story through to the end. A little actual communication and that aspect of the story would have saved me hours of reading in which their individual personalities or even their relationship could have been more thoroughly developed. Then there was Demi's lack of backbone. Whether it was with her ex's mom, her ex, her parents, and even Royal... she would not stand up for herself worried about what people think. Royal has the knight in shining armor syndrome. When he thought she was happy, he stayed away. As soon as he gets an inkling of trouble, he comes to the rescue. Not a bad thing, right? Well my question is: if you feel this was the love of your life and that nobody could love her like you do, why not come to her at the first available moment? Why not give her the choice? That part wasn't unforgivable in my eyes but it didn't make it easier for me to like it. Demi and Royal together were hot but those scenes felt rushed which made the dragging out of the secret all the more visible. Finally, the ending. The reunion with Demi's family was so anti-climactic that I felt utterly unsatisfied after all the darn buildup. Needless to say this was not for me and nor will I read the rest of the series. It appears that friends who felt about this one similarly to me rated/reviewed them as sharing some of the same structural and plotting devices. Safety: Both were with others during their separation. No sharing. There is rape and abuse.
While I didn't think the story was terrible, I found it extremely frustrating and disappointing during the most critical points. It started out really good actually. I liked reading about Royal and Demi's transition from cooties, to reluctant awareness, and finally full on consuming love as they grew up together. Then there's an event that pulls them apart. While it felt a legitimate enough reason for him to be apart from his love, the way the secret was DRAGGED out made me want to toss my phone, then Nook, to the wall as I went between audiobook and reading. It felt so monumentally unnecessary to do it that way that I simply couldn't shake the shadow of that feeling as I saw the story through to the end. A little actual communication and that aspect of the story would have saved me hours of reading in which their individual personalities or even their relationship could have been more thoroughly developed. Then there was Demi's lack of backbone. Whether it was with her ex's mom, her ex, her parents, and even Royal... she would not stand up for herself worried about what people think. Royal has the knight in shining armor syndrome. When he thought she was happy, he stayed away. As soon as he gets an inkling of trouble, he comes to the rescue. Not a bad thing, right? Well my question is: if you feel this was the love of your life and that nobody could love her like you do, why not come to her at the first available moment? Why not give her the choice? That part wasn't unforgivable in my eyes but it didn't make it easier for me to like it. Demi and Royal together were hot but those scenes felt rushed which made the dragging out of the secret all the more visible. Finally, the ending. The reunion with Demi's family was so anti-climactic that I felt utterly unsatisfied after all the darn buildup. Needless to say this was not for me and nor will I read the rest of the series. It appears that friends who felt about this one similarly to me rated/reviewed them as sharing some of the same structural and plotting devices. Safety: Both were with others during their separation. No sharing. There is rape and abuse.
March 1, 2016
TITLE: Royal
AUTHOR: Winter Renshaw
GENRE: Contemporary Romance
RELEASE DATE: February, 2016
MY RATING
I've not read anything by this author before, BUT books like this are my guilty secret, I LOVE best friends brother, sister books (damn what a mouth full)
Royal is told in his/her POV's
ROYAL Starts off with Demi at the age of 10 in diary format to the age of 18..
He relentlessly hounded her to go on a date with him, he taught her how to drive in his truck, escorted her to prom and was the prince who gave her, her first kiss, her first love, her first heartbreak.
I never thought I would be almost nineteen years old and already head over heels in love with my soul mate.
He represented youth, and carefree summers, and can't-sleep-love. Happily-ever-afters and everything little girls dream of. He was a cool breeze on a hot day. Electric kisses and mischievous firsts. An addiction I couldn't get out of my system.
THEN
No explanation he was just gone like he'd died, no letter, phone call, txt, nothing.
We were to pretend that Royal Lockhart never existed.
Alone. Broken. Abandoned by the only man I'm ever going to love.
PRESENT TIME
A broken engagement
Forty eight hours ago Demi took her engagement ring off her finger and placed it in the box it came in, forty eight hours ago she cancelled the caterer, the band, the photographer, forty eight hours ago her life came to a screeching halt. Forty eight hours ago Brooks called off the wedding, forty eight hours ago he went off the road and totaled his car, forty eight hours ago he's laying in the hospital barely hanging on by a thread.
The Doctors say he might not be able to walk or talk. They're unsure about the amount of brain damage he'll have to contend with. Every organ and bone in his body is swollen, broken, or extensively damaged.
A waiting game
Than out of the blue Royal is knocking on her front door.
For seven years, I've stayed away. For almost five years, I've watched her from a distance, promising myself that as long as she is happy, I would never intervene. - Royal
It's not until a few chapters out from the end that you get to read why he walked away from Demi seven years ago. So many obstacles in the way tried to keep these two apart..But in the end true love, faith, prevailed.
I should’ve been a lawyer. I should’ve married Demi. I should be a fucking family man by now, living the life I was meant to live.
The family he always thought would love him unconditionally turned their backs on him. The one girl he loved never knew the truth. The cards were stacked against him and he never stood a chance, lies were told, family loyalties divided.
The truth can set him free
You showed up. At my door. And part of me wants to pick up where we left off. Part of me wants to jump in your arms and kiss you and smell you and feel you and lose myself in everything about you. And the other part of me hates you. Because you’ve ruined love for me, Royal. I’m never going to love anyone the way I loved you, and I want to. So. Much. I want to feel the way I felt with you . . with anyone but you. And I’ve tried. And I can’t. And I hate you for that.
MY THOUGHTS
The only thing I feel that's missing from this book is the early bond with these two, we read where he taught her how to drive, how he asked her out on a date, the love she felt for him, but other than those mentioned we miss the in betweens so you really only start connecting with the present..
March 4, 2016
3 – 3.5 Stars
I picked up Royal because it’s an older brother’s best friend book and it’s been the number 1 romance book on Amazon for a few days. Yes I look at that. I thought the summary was interesting the cover very sexy.
The book starts out very cute and adorable. It’s about Royal and Demi. They know each other since they were 10 ten years old. Royal grows up in a foster home and is a friend of the family. Royal has been in love with her since. When they became teenagers the love grew to something more mature and Royal plans on becoming a lawyer and marrying Demi.
But something happens.
And Royal leaves her broken hearted
He leaves Demi for seven years.
This book has a lot of angst. On a scale from one to ten, I would say it’s at a fifteen. You know what I am talking about right? The stuff that could be resolve by simply having a conversation, kind of angst, it will make you go insane.
When Royal comes back Demi is engaged to be married but her fiancé breaks up with her before getting into a car accident.
The author creates good tension and storyline, but she makes you so frustrated because no one wants to talk about anything. Royal doesn’t want to tell Demi why he left because he feels she isn’t ready, but believe me she asks several times in the book why. Demi’s dad and brother know why Royal left, but again they don’t say anything, which I don’t understand.
Demi also doesn’t tell her ex-fiancé’s family that she is no longer engaged because she feels bad. I know. This one was a tough one. I felt bad for Demi because she’s stuck in this situation, but at the same time, she’s running around with Royal when she’s kind of still with her ex-fiancé who’s in a coma.
That’s a handful huh?
The whole book is about Royal trying to get Demi back, while Demi tries to understand if she can 1.) trust Royal again 2.) deal with her family who are all opposed to Royal 3.) deal with her ex-fiancé’s who still believes Demi is engaged. I felt like I was watching one of those reality shows and I was just wondering when the ball was going to drop.
I admit, I skimmed a bit in this book. I love that there was a lot of dialogue, but the angst and tension was WAY too much for me. I know a lot of people LOVE this kind of writing. The type of writing that has so many problems and you want to pull your hair out. I just think I need angst in small doses.
Read on Kindle Unlimited
I picked up Royal because it’s an older brother’s best friend book and it’s been the number 1 romance book on Amazon for a few days. Yes I look at that. I thought the summary was interesting the cover very sexy.
The book starts out very cute and adorable. It’s about Royal and Demi. They know each other since they were 10 ten years old. Royal grows up in a foster home and is a friend of the family. Royal has been in love with her since. When they became teenagers the love grew to something more mature and Royal plans on becoming a lawyer and marrying Demi.
But something happens.
And Royal leaves her broken hearted
He leaves Demi for seven years.
This book has a lot of angst. On a scale from one to ten, I would say it’s at a fifteen. You know what I am talking about right? The stuff that could be resolve by simply having a conversation, kind of angst, it will make you go insane.
When Royal comes back Demi is engaged to be married but her fiancé breaks up with her before getting into a car accident.
The author creates good tension and storyline, but she makes you so frustrated because no one wants to talk about anything. Royal doesn’t want to tell Demi why he left because he feels she isn’t ready, but believe me she asks several times in the book why. Demi’s dad and brother know why Royal left, but again they don’t say anything, which I don’t understand.
Demi also doesn’t tell her ex-fiancé’s family that she is no longer engaged because she feels bad. I know. This one was a tough one. I felt bad for Demi because she’s stuck in this situation, but at the same time, she’s running around with Royal when she’s kind of still with her ex-fiancé who’s in a coma.
That’s a handful huh?
The whole book is about Royal trying to get Demi back, while Demi tries to understand if she can 1.) trust Royal again 2.) deal with her family who are all opposed to Royal 3.) deal with her ex-fiancé’s who still believes Demi is engaged. I felt like I was watching one of those reality shows and I was just wondering when the ball was going to drop.
I admit, I skimmed a bit in this book. I love that there was a lot of dialogue, but the angst and tension was WAY too much for me. I know a lot of people LOVE this kind of writing. The type of writing that has so many problems and you want to pull your hair out. I just think I need angst in small doses.
Read on Kindle Unlimited
March 12, 2021
2.5 stars rounded up to 3
This book is both frustrating and sad because of the following reasons:
1. Our hero was in foster care and one day something tragic happens to him. People who know the hero well, who accepted him as a son for so many years, didn’t believe him when he needed their help most and his life is ruined because of a set-up and having no one to believe him. He loses his best friend, the love of his life and all his hopes for a good future.
***
2. When he was finally able to see the girl he loves with all his heart after 2 and a half years in hell, he sees that she has moved on with someone else. And he watches them from far away, trying to move on himself.
He has f*ck buddies, he never dates or never loves anyone else.
When the hero believes she is happy, he doesn’t interfere with her life and although I think he should have gone and explained everything to her, I might understand his wanting to leave her alone with her new boyfriend. However, That… that is something I don’t understand.
I easily forgive him for the first separation because it was out of his control, actually there is nothing to forgive about it, he was innocent. However, I cannot forgive him for not approaching her sooner. He chose to be a stalker for so many years, watching the love of his life from far away, not daring to go and explain it all to her and let her be the judge of it all, let her decide who to choose, the present boyfriend or her soul mate who she never actually managed to forget about.
He was not guilty about the separation for 2,5 years but he is guilty about making the time apart longer than necessary. Because of this mistake of him, the two and a half years apart becomes 7 years. Such a waste of time!
***
3. The hero appears back in her life only when .
Our heroine takes him back into her life after 7 years so very easily. That frustrated me because then, I didn’t know what happened and without knowing the reason, I would never take him back.
He doesn’t explain why he left her and didn’t contact her for seven years, he says he is not ready to talk about it and this continues like that for weeks. She is pissed but she still accepts him back in her life. She even sleeps with him before he tells her why he was MIA for 7 years.
***
4. What seems to be a plot hole for me is the plausibility of this situation (I mean, the hero's sudden disappearance from her life). I wonder if the heroine never ever read newspapers or looked for him anywhere. Was she just crying in her room for months or what, and never checking anything about him? We learn she was hospitalized, though, because she was too sad to eat or even drink water. Maybe she really was too sad to search the whereabouts of him, I don't know.
Meanwhile, her brother was the hero’s best friend. Why did he never pay a visit to him and talk about what happened? Do you really never give a chance to your best friend to listen to his side of the events?
What a f*cked up friend our hero had. His friend and his family never gave him the benefit of the doubt and told our heroine to forget about him, saying he was never coming back!
It is sad that only the heroine believed in him when she learnt about what happened all those years ago. His word was enough for her. But again it was frustrating that the hero’s ex f*ck buddy said it to her first because the hero was delaying the confession all the time.
***********************************************
Beside all these frustrating events, there is a good love story in the background but it, unfortunately, is tainted with all this f*cked-up decisions and actions of the characters involved.
***********************************************
Writing::
It is written in dual point of view. It starts when they were kids, then teenagers and the 7 year-separation happens in the first chapters. Then it comes to present. After that, there are a few flashbacks only so it is mostly about present day.
The book makes you feel a lot as Ms Renshaw knows how to deliver feelings but it is not as good as the writer’s other book I read before, Absinthe - a 5-star read! It was so good that I didn’t hesitate to read another book from her but alas, this one was disappointing. However, I will still try other works of her because I know she can make me feel so I am not giving up on her.
Despite Ms Renshaw's captivating writing style, this book needs a good editor. There are things that need to be corrected and here is an example of a repetition of the nearly same dialogue:
pp. 157-158
“Even if you walk out of here and you never want to see me again, even if I find the strength to move on with someone else down the road, I’m never going to love her half as much as I love you.”
pp. 186-187
“I can’t imagine being with anyone else but you, Demi. And if you decide I’m not what you want, if we go our separate ways, even if I find someone else someday, you should know that I’ll never love her half as much as I love you.”
*********************************************
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This book is both frustrating and sad because of the following reasons:
1. Our hero was in foster care and one day something tragic happens to him. People who know the hero well, who accepted him as a son for so many years, didn’t believe him when he needed their help most and his life is ruined because of a set-up and having no one to believe him. He loses his best friend, the love of his life and all his hopes for a good future.
***
2. When he was finally able to see the girl he loves with all his heart after 2 and a half years in hell, he sees that she has moved on with someone else. And he watches them from far away, trying to move on himself.
He has f*ck buddies, he never dates or never loves anyone else.
When the hero believes she is happy, he doesn’t interfere with her life and although I think he should have gone and explained everything to her, I might understand his wanting to leave her alone with her new boyfriend. However, That… that is something I don’t understand.
I easily forgive him for the first separation because it was out of his control, actually there is nothing to forgive about it, he was innocent. However, I cannot forgive him for not approaching her sooner. He chose to be a stalker for so many years, watching the love of his life from far away, not daring to go and explain it all to her and let her be the judge of it all, let her decide who to choose, the present boyfriend or her soul mate who she never actually managed to forget about.
He was not guilty about the separation for 2,5 years but he is guilty about making the time apart longer than necessary. Because of this mistake of him, the two and a half years apart becomes 7 years. Such a waste of time!
***
3. The hero appears back in her life only when .
Our heroine takes him back into her life after 7 years so very easily. That frustrated me because then, I didn’t know what happened and without knowing the reason, I would never take him back.
He doesn’t explain why he left her and didn’t contact her for seven years, he says he is not ready to talk about it and this continues like that for weeks. She is pissed but she still accepts him back in her life. She even sleeps with him before he tells her why he was MIA for 7 years.
***
4. What seems to be a plot hole for me is the plausibility of this situation (I mean, the hero's sudden disappearance from her life). I wonder if the heroine never ever read newspapers or looked for him anywhere. Was she just crying in her room for months or what, and never checking anything about him? We learn she was hospitalized, though, because she was too sad to eat or even drink water. Maybe she really was too sad to search the whereabouts of him, I don't know.
Meanwhile, her brother was the hero’s best friend. Why did he never pay a visit to him and talk about what happened? Do you really never give a chance to your best friend to listen to his side of the events?
What a f*cked up friend our hero had. His friend and his family never gave him the benefit of the doubt and told our heroine to forget about him, saying he was never coming back!
It is sad that only the heroine believed in him when she learnt about what happened all those years ago. His word was enough for her. But again it was frustrating that the hero’s ex f*ck buddy said it to her first because the hero was delaying the confession all the time.
***********************************************
Beside all these frustrating events, there is a good love story in the background but it, unfortunately, is tainted with all this f*cked-up decisions and actions of the characters involved.
***********************************************
Writing::
It is written in dual point of view. It starts when they were kids, then teenagers and the 7 year-separation happens in the first chapters. Then it comes to present. After that, there are a few flashbacks only so it is mostly about present day.
The book makes you feel a lot as Ms Renshaw knows how to deliver feelings but it is not as good as the writer’s other book I read before, Absinthe - a 5-star read! It was so good that I didn’t hesitate to read another book from her but alas, this one was disappointing. However, I will still try other works of her because I know she can make me feel so I am not giving up on her.
Despite Ms Renshaw's captivating writing style, this book needs a good editor. There are things that need to be corrected and here is an example of a repetition of the nearly same dialogue:
pp. 157-158
“Even if you walk out of here and you never want to see me again, even if I find the strength to move on with someone else down the road, I’m never going to love her half as much as I love you.”
pp. 186-187
“I can’t imagine being with anyone else but you, Demi. And if you decide I’m not what you want, if we go our separate ways, even if I find someone else someday, you should know that I’ll never love her half as much as I love you.”
*********************************************
You can follow my instagram page from here
June 30, 2017
DNF at 43%
It was some kind of torture, honestly. Demi was a pushover and I hate that in my romance books. She made me mad and annoyed and bored all at the same time. As for Royal, let's just say that if h showed up at my door after 7 years without explanation, his body would never be found.
Over and out
It was some kind of torture, honestly. Demi was a pushover and I hate that in my romance books. She made me mad and annoyed and bored all at the same time. As for Royal, let's just say that if h showed up at my door after 7 years without explanation, his body would never be found.
Over and out
no-thank-you
February 24, 2016Zayn Malik...is that you?
March 7, 2016
***THREE STARS***
Well, this one started out pretty strong, and sucked me right in. I was looking forward to reading about Royal and Demi reuniting, but the "big secret" drug on for freaking ever. So long, that I started to not care anymore. I really never felt invested in Royal and Demi's relationship either, I just didn't feel the connection between them. Oh and, Royal's boss's daughter was seriously disgusting. . Then, after his secret was revealed, the whole "big reveal" reminded me of a Jerry Springer episode. And the ending was just so tidy and neat, his name cleared instantly, all was forgiven by everybody, no hard feelings, everybody happy, and all that jazz. It didn't feel realistic at all. This story definitely had potential at the start, but somehow by the ending, I lost my enthusiasm.
March 6, 2016
4.75
Royal was in love with Demi when they were teenagers. She wouldn't give him the time of day until he finally talked her into going out with him. They fell in love and were happy for 18 months but then something happened and Royal left without any explanation. Demi was devastated but moved on with her life. 7 years later, Royal is back just when Demi needs him the most but she can't forget the fact that he walked away without a goodbye.
I'm really picky about second-chance romance books but add in a brothers best friend story line and I just couldn't pass this one up (the super HOT cover may have played a part in my decision as well). I really liked this book. There was angst and drama but it also had a beautiful story of love and forgiveness. This was fast paced and dual POV. I couldn't help but completely love Demi and Royal. There were a few minor things I didn't like but overall this was a really good book with a wonderful epilogue. This is the first book I have read by this author and I can't wait to read more. (I really hope Derek will get his own book!)
Royal was in love with Demi when they were teenagers. She wouldn't give him the time of day until he finally talked her into going out with him. They fell in love and were happy for 18 months but then something happened and Royal left without any explanation. Demi was devastated but moved on with her life. 7 years later, Royal is back just when Demi needs him the most but she can't forget the fact that he walked away without a goodbye.
I'm really picky about second-chance romance books but add in a brothers best friend story line and I just couldn't pass this one up (the super HOT cover may have played a part in my decision as well). I really liked this book. There was angst and drama but it also had a beautiful story of love and forgiveness. This was fast paced and dual POV. I couldn't help but completely love Demi and Royal. There were a few minor things I didn't like but overall this was a really good book with a wonderful epilogue. This is the first book I have read by this author and I can't wait to read more. (I really hope Derek will get his own book!)
February 24, 2016
Wish I could have rated it higher but there were too many things that didn't sit right with me.
May 18, 2016
The cover was the best thing about this book.
January 22, 2019
3.5 stars (again I really need to be able to have a half star system on here....).
Not too heavy on angst and drama (thankfully) and a little tiny twist of mystery thrown in there.
A nice second chance love story.
Not too heavy on angst and drama (thankfully) and a little tiny twist of mystery thrown in there.
A nice second chance love story.
August 3, 2016
2.5 to 3*
I liked both the cover and the blurb so this jumped right to the top of my list and it started well, really well I liked that we got snippets of Demi and Royal when they were younger but while it showed them growing up and growing together it wasn't quite enough for what was to come.
We know from the blurb that he leaves without explanation and he's gone for seven years. For the devastation she suffers and the love that never goes away I needed a stronger base, I needed more time with them together early on to build the foundation for is book.
Now you might be thinking this would just drag the book out, make it longer and be unnecessary since most of the book takes place after the seven years but I don't think so, the start of the book was the best for me infact I ended up skimming a lot towards the end so I think this would make it stronger and their feeling more believable.
One of my concerns was that so much had been made of him staying away I was worried the reason wouldn't justify it but there is a valid reason, I personally don't think it warranted seven years but still he has an explanation for why he stayed away so long.
So I liked the beginning and I liked Royal so what went wrong?
Demi.
I know she's been through so much, being abandoned by the love of your life when you're just eighteen is bad enough but then there's Brooks as well but I wanted her to grow a backbone and just stand up for herself, I found myself skimming because I was too annoyed to read properly. Not only did she let Brook and Brenda completely manoeuvre her but she didn't even tell her family what was going on until she had no choice.
The head in the sand approach may be ok when you're children but she's a grown woman.
I don't want to make this a spoiler review but there's so many occasions when this book fell short for me, Demi's family in particular, at times their responses and reactions just seemed so off.
This book had potential but for me it just never reached it.
August 30, 2021
Second-chance romance for Royal and Demi. Royal was a foster kid that pretty much grew up with Demi’s family. He was her bro’s BFF and her DL lover when he disappeared with no explanation except her parents forbidding her to ever mention his name again. The book starts 7-years later with Royal returning, and Demi engaged.
This started out strong, I was interested in Royal’s reason for leaving, but it started to drag some in the middle because that “secret” was pushed too long. It’s got some angst, but it would’ve been fixed with one conversation. I needed more, she forgives him quite quickly, and the fiancé issue is handled cleanly and quickly. There’s a little ex-bed buddy/wannabe OW drama, (she’s a total skank), but she’s not really manipulating.
I don’t have many fictional hot buttons, but an overreaching family paired with mc’s that allow themselves to be pushed around gets on my nerves… big time. Her family drove me crazy, she was a 25-yr-old, independent woman that allowed her brother, sister, mom, dad to boss her around.
Bottom Line- Solid read… I liked it, but can’t say I loved it. I think I listened to the audiobook back in 2017, so maybe that was the difference, but I really feel like I just prefer regular angst than NA angst. There’s a nice epilogue 8 years later, and it’s free on KU.
This started out strong, I was interested in Royal’s reason for leaving, but it started to drag some in the middle because that “secret” was pushed too long. It’s got some angst, but it would’ve been fixed with one conversation. I needed more, she forgives him quite quickly, and the fiancé issue is handled cleanly and quickly. There’s a little ex-bed buddy/wannabe OW drama, (she’s a total skank), but she’s not really manipulating.
I don’t have many fictional hot buttons, but an overreaching family paired with mc’s that allow themselves to be pushed around gets on my nerves… big time. Her family drove me crazy, she was a 25-yr-old, independent woman that allowed her brother, sister, mom, dad to boss her around.
Bottom Line- Solid read… I liked it, but can’t say I loved it. I think I listened to the audiobook back in 2017, so maybe that was the difference, but I really feel like I just prefer regular angst than NA angst. There’s a nice epilogue 8 years later, and it’s free on KU.
July 23, 2017
AMAZON FREEBIE 7/22/17
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I liked Demi and I even liked Royal. I was conflicted on liking Demi's parents though. Royal was taken from his mother when he was in first grade and had been moving from one foster home to another never staying in one place long. But the one place he felt like he belonged and finally had a semblance of a family was with the Rosewood family. He was best friends with the son Derek and in love with their oldest daughter, Demi. But when he leaves to help out his biological sister and it all goes horribly wrong he reaches out to Robert, the only man he's ever looked up to as a father figure and that man turns him away not believing in his truth and innocence. That totally through me off of liking this man. How can you practically raise this boy and then so easily believe he was capable of the crime he was convicted of. It just turned me off.
Besides that and not liking any of the other characters it was good. Considering all that is happening there isn't as much angst as I though there would be. The story was pretty good and it wrapped up nicely.
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I liked Demi and I even liked Royal. I was conflicted on liking Demi's parents though. Royal was taken from his mother when he was in first grade and had been moving from one foster home to another never staying in one place long. But the one place he felt like he belonged and finally had a semblance of a family was with the Rosewood family. He was best friends with the son Derek and in love with their oldest daughter, Demi. But when he leaves to help out his biological sister and it all goes horribly wrong he reaches out to Robert, the only man he's ever looked up to as a father figure and that man turns him away not believing in his truth and innocence. That totally through me off of liking this man. How can you practically raise this boy and then so easily believe he was capable of the crime he was convicted of. It just turned me off.
Besides that and not liking any of the other characters it was good. Considering all that is happening there isn't as much angst as I though there would be. The story was pretty good and it wrapped up nicely.
October 8, 2016
This one was just such a let down.
First off, Royal was the BF of 10 year Demi Rosewood's older brother Derek. Then when Demi was around 15, she and Royal became a couple. Three years later, Royal just disappeared. The whole Rosewood family knew why but no one told Demi. The family who claimed Royal was like a member of their family never lifted a finger to help him. Demi, the daughter of a top criminal attorney, never searched criminal records to find out about her true love.
Demi moves on with her life and gets engaged to a douchebag. The Rosewood family endorses it because....I'm not sure why.
7 years later, Royal fights his way back but isn't telling Demi what he did. It comes out and the family barely Apologizes and they all go back as though the past 7 yr betrayal never occurred.
I can only see that Demi's family was waiting for the foster boy Royal to show he was a bad guy. The minute things appeared so, it validates all they thought. The mother who claimed she had a soft spot for foster kids since her own mother was one, quickly turned her back as well. The best friend Derek, well, he showed what friendship means to him. I can't respect that guy at all.
Demi, your whole family is fake and they are not good people. I'm sorry but I also don't think you are good people or you would have fought for Royal earlier as well as seen through your ex-fiancée charade. Royal is just desperate to belong to a real family that's why he's latched on to yours. I feel bad for him as his standards have been and continue to be low. I feel bad for Royal. He's the only one I like in this story. I definitely won't continue this series.
August 10, 2016
3.5 stars!
The premise of this book completely sucked me in – childhood sweethearts… brother’s best friend… second chance romance. It’s the trifecta of romantic set-ups that I’m always a sucker for, so I knew I had to read it.
The book begins in the past, showing us the history between Royal and Demi. Royal was a foster kid who was befriended by Demi’s older brother, Derek, and who instantly became a fixture in their lives. He always showed an interest in Demi, and over the years she went from thinking he was a gross, annoying boy, into having a mad crush on him. And when she was old enough, he made his move.
We don’t see much of them together as a couple, but we know they were together for 18 months during which time they fell into mad, all-consuming love.
Until one day Royal disappeared without explanation and Demi’s parents demanded that he never be mentioned in their house again, leaving her shattered.
Seven years later, and Demi has moved on with her life. Though she has never forgotten her first love, she has a job that she loves, is engaged to her college boyfriend and is living a life that many would envy. But it all starts to fall apart when her fiancé abruptly calls off the wedding and is then involved in a horrific car accident that leaves him comatose in hospital. Demi is left to play the part of the dutiful fiancée because nobody knows what happened between them and she feels that she can’t abandon the man and his family when his very future is in the balance.
And then Royal comes back into her life. His leaving all of those years ago wasn’t his choice and he still loves Demi deeply, and unbeknownst to her, he hasn’t been far away and he knows about her life and what she’s dealing with.
Their reunion is full of all of the anger, hurt and confusion that you would expect, but from the first moment it’s clear that the connection that bound them together as teenagers is still very much alive. The love is still there, and Royal puts his heart right out there for her.
But she’s understandably angry. Royal destroyed her when he left, and though he’s made his feelings clear to her, he won’t tell her his terrible secret that drove them apart. I could feel Demi’s torment and could absolutely understand her frustration, blended with the thrill of seeing him again. And I loved how open she was with him about her feelings.
It’s a tricky situation with some back and forth as they sort through everything, but their passion for each other is overwhelming and they can’t fight their attraction, and the steamy time is hot! But Royal is still keeping his secret, Demi’s family are not going to be accepting of his return, and then there’s the situation with her fiancé and his demanding family, and the secrets that she is beginning to uncover about her current life. There’s a lot of drama going down, but it’s all interwoven really nicely and I struggled to put this book down, desperate to know how it was all going to play out.
I enjoyed this book. Royal and Demi are great characters, and the book is written in dual POV so we get to know them really well. They both have some questionable behaviour, but given that their situation is dramatic to the extreme, I was willing to cut them some slack. What irritated me more than anything was the family situation! . But even with all of the drama going down, this is very much a love story, and I really enjoyed that. I liked the way that Royal and Demi handled their reconciliation and how they didn’t hide their emotions from each other, talked about how they were feeling, and followed their hearts. I also really like the way the additional drama added a nice sense of complexity to an already intense reunion. And the swoon was gorgeous!
It all ends well, with an epilogue to tie everything up nicely, and I’m looking forward to reading more books in this series and getting to know Demi’s siblings – Derek’s book is up next.
I enjoyed it – 3.5 stars.
The premise of this book completely sucked me in – childhood sweethearts… brother’s best friend… second chance romance. It’s the trifecta of romantic set-ups that I’m always a sucker for, so I knew I had to read it.
The book begins in the past, showing us the history between Royal and Demi. Royal was a foster kid who was befriended by Demi’s older brother, Derek, and who instantly became a fixture in their lives. He always showed an interest in Demi, and over the years she went from thinking he was a gross, annoying boy, into having a mad crush on him. And when she was old enough, he made his move.
“I’ve waited years for a date with Demi Rosewood. Pretty sure it’s going to be epic. Pretty sure I’m never going to want to let you go.”
We don’t see much of them together as a couple, but we know they were together for 18 months during which time they fell into mad, all-consuming love.
I’m addicted. Obsessed. Consumed.
And so is he.
He is mine, and I am his.
We’re going to be together forever.
Until one day Royal disappeared without explanation and Demi’s parents demanded that he never be mentioned in their house again, leaving her shattered.
Seven years later, and Demi has moved on with her life. Though she has never forgotten her first love, she has a job that she loves, is engaged to her college boyfriend and is living a life that many would envy. But it all starts to fall apart when her fiancé abruptly calls off the wedding and is then involved in a horrific car accident that leaves him comatose in hospital. Demi is left to play the part of the dutiful fiancée because nobody knows what happened between them and she feels that she can’t abandon the man and his family when his very future is in the balance.
And then Royal comes back into her life. His leaving all of those years ago wasn’t his choice and he still loves Demi deeply, and unbeknownst to her, he hasn’t been far away and he knows about her life and what she’s dealing with.
Loneliness is watching the only girl you’ve ever loved find happiness in the arms of another man.
Their reunion is full of all of the anger, hurt and confusion that you would expect, but from the first moment it’s clear that the connection that bound them together as teenagers is still very much alive. The love is still there, and Royal puts his heart right out there for her.
“We have a history,” I say, “that no one can take from us. No matter what happened in the past, no matter what happens from here, it can’t take away from the good thing we had. You were my first love, Demi. You only get one.”
But she’s understandably angry. Royal destroyed her when he left, and though he’s made his feelings clear to her, he won’t tell her his terrible secret that drove them apart. I could feel Demi’s torment and could absolutely understand her frustration, blended with the thrill of seeing him again. And I loved how open she was with him about her feelings.
“Part of me wants to pick up where we left off. Part of me wants to jump in your arms and kiss you and smell you and feel you and lose myself in everything about you. And the other part of me hates you. Because you’ve ruined love for me, Royal. I’m never going to love anyone the way I loved you, and I want to. So. Much. I want to feel the way I felt with you…with anyone but you. And I’ve tried. And I can’t. And I hate you for that.”
It’s a tricky situation with some back and forth as they sort through everything, but their passion for each other is overwhelming and they can’t fight their attraction, and the steamy time is hot! But Royal is still keeping his secret, Demi’s family are not going to be accepting of his return, and then there’s the situation with her fiancé and his demanding family, and the secrets that she is beginning to uncover about her current life. There’s a lot of drama going down, but it’s all interwoven really nicely and I struggled to put this book down, desperate to know how it was all going to play out.
Fuck it.
Those lips belong to me.
They always have.
They always will.
I enjoyed this book. Royal and Demi are great characters, and the book is written in dual POV so we get to know them really well. They both have some questionable behaviour, but given that their situation is dramatic to the extreme, I was willing to cut them some slack. What irritated me more than anything was the family situation! . But even with all of the drama going down, this is very much a love story, and I really enjoyed that. I liked the way that Royal and Demi handled their reconciliation and how they didn’t hide their emotions from each other, talked about how they were feeling, and followed their hearts. I also really like the way the additional drama added a nice sense of complexity to an already intense reunion. And the swoon was gorgeous!
“We wasted almost an entire decade apart. I don’t want to go another day without you in my life. I’ve had a life without you. I don’t want to go back to that.”
It all ends well, with an epilogue to tie everything up nicely, and I’m looking forward to reading more books in this series and getting to know Demi’s siblings – Derek’s book is up next.
I enjoyed it – 3.5 stars.
February 29, 2016
This is a full-length, stand alone with a second chance at love with your sibling’s best friend romance by a new-to-me-author.
Royal is a misunderstood hero. When he suddenly disappears from sight and doesn’t return for seven years, needless to say there’s a price to pay with people who have loved him in the past. Has he lost the love of his life forever? At this point, Demi is kind of, sort of, might be engaged to another man – but he’s in a medically-induced coma and might not remember that he was engaged or that he broke the engagement right before he hit the wall of destruction. He’s a douche bag because he might be a cheater, too. Don’t worry about him – he’s not worth it! And his mother drove me crazy.
This one was a mixed bag for me. I neither loved nor hated it. I thought it needed some work in the story-building area. But I really liked Royal and he gained my sympathy and support in getting a second chance. He had reasons for his actions and they were definitely solid. His part of the story drew me in and kept me going. Otherwise, I wasn’t inspired by Demi’s lackluster role. She made me want to scream and yell when she showed no backbone in dealing with the hurt and manipulation thrown at her by so many family members.
This had the feel of one of those coulda, shoulda, woulda scenarios. It had lots of possibilities lumped together in a sizzling romance with a bit of mystery thrown in. It just never reached the full realm of potential.
Royal is a misunderstood hero. When he suddenly disappears from sight and doesn’t return for seven years, needless to say there’s a price to pay with people who have loved him in the past. Has he lost the love of his life forever? At this point, Demi is kind of, sort of, might be engaged to another man – but he’s in a medically-induced coma and might not remember that he was engaged or that he broke the engagement right before he hit the wall of destruction. He’s a douche bag because he might be a cheater, too. Don’t worry about him – he’s not worth it! And his mother drove me crazy.
This one was a mixed bag for me. I neither loved nor hated it. I thought it needed some work in the story-building area. But I really liked Royal and he gained my sympathy and support in getting a second chance. He had reasons for his actions and they were definitely solid. His part of the story drew me in and kept me going. Otherwise, I wasn’t inspired by Demi’s lackluster role. She made me want to scream and yell when she showed no backbone in dealing with the hurt and manipulation thrown at her by so many family members.
This had the feel of one of those coulda, shoulda, woulda scenarios. It had lots of possibilities lumped together in a sizzling romance with a bit of mystery thrown in. It just never reached the full realm of potential.
February 17, 2021
Rixton Falls-Secrets war mein erstes Buch von Winter Renshaw und ich war unglaublich gespannt auf die Geschichte, zumal der Klappentext einfach megagut klang.
Das Cover ist wirklich toll. Einfach ein bisschen anders als die anderen Lyx Cover. Ich finde auch dass die Farben der künftigen Bände sehr schön mit dem Türkis des ersten Bandes harmonieren.
Die Geschichte wird abwechselnd aus der Sicht von Demi und Royal erzählt. Dazu gibt es am Anfang einige Rückblicke aus der Vergangenheit und auch während des Buches kommt ein Kapitel aus der Vergangenheit vor. Ich finde das wurde sehr gut gewählt weil man die Ereignisse einfach direkt miterleben konnte anstatt sie nur erzählt zu bekommen. Das hat für mich auch einen sehr guten Einblick in die Protagonisten geschaffen. Generell war der Schreibstil sehr flüssig und locker, weshalb ich wirklich sehr schnell durch die Geschichte durchgerasselt bin.
Demi war wirklich eine wundervolle Protagonistin. Ich konnte mich so gut mit ihrer Art und Weise identifizieren. Bodenständig, gut erzogen, irgendwie frech, aber allem voran ein Mensch mit einem riesengroßen, guten Herzen. Sie war mir wirklich von Anfang an sympathisch. Ich konnte auch ire Handlungen im Laufe des Buches sehr gut nachvollziehen.
Auch Royal hat mir als Protagonist sehr gut gefallen. Ich mochte ihn ebenfalls von Anfang an. Ich habe mir im Laufe des Buches den Kopf darüber zerbrochen was mit ihm geschehen ist, aber darauf wäre ich dann doch nicht gekommen. Er ist auf jeden Fall sehr selbstlos und loyal was mir am meisten am ihm gefallen hat. Aber auch, dass er, trotz allem was passiert ist, trotzdem noch so positiv ist und den Glauben nicht verliert.
Die Geschichte von Demi und Royal hat mich unfassbar gut unterhalten. Einerseits war es wirklich spannend, andererseits war es aber auch einfach eine tolle Liebesgeschichte. Eine Liebesgeschichte die sich nicht unbedingt den einfachsten Weg gesucht hat um sich zu entfalten, aber genau deshalb so unglaublich toll geworden ist.
Ich konnte gar nicht mehr aufhören zu lesen. Es fällt mir schwer noch mehr über das Buch zu sagen ohne zu spoilern, ich kann aber diese Geschichte jedem weiterempfehlen, der gerne New Adult und Liebesgeschichten mit ein bisschen Drama liest.
Das Cover ist wirklich toll. Einfach ein bisschen anders als die anderen Lyx Cover. Ich finde auch dass die Farben der künftigen Bände sehr schön mit dem Türkis des ersten Bandes harmonieren.
Die Geschichte wird abwechselnd aus der Sicht von Demi und Royal erzählt. Dazu gibt es am Anfang einige Rückblicke aus der Vergangenheit und auch während des Buches kommt ein Kapitel aus der Vergangenheit vor. Ich finde das wurde sehr gut gewählt weil man die Ereignisse einfach direkt miterleben konnte anstatt sie nur erzählt zu bekommen. Das hat für mich auch einen sehr guten Einblick in die Protagonisten geschaffen. Generell war der Schreibstil sehr flüssig und locker, weshalb ich wirklich sehr schnell durch die Geschichte durchgerasselt bin.
Demi war wirklich eine wundervolle Protagonistin. Ich konnte mich so gut mit ihrer Art und Weise identifizieren. Bodenständig, gut erzogen, irgendwie frech, aber allem voran ein Mensch mit einem riesengroßen, guten Herzen. Sie war mir wirklich von Anfang an sympathisch. Ich konnte auch ire Handlungen im Laufe des Buches sehr gut nachvollziehen.
Auch Royal hat mir als Protagonist sehr gut gefallen. Ich mochte ihn ebenfalls von Anfang an. Ich habe mir im Laufe des Buches den Kopf darüber zerbrochen was mit ihm geschehen ist, aber darauf wäre ich dann doch nicht gekommen. Er ist auf jeden Fall sehr selbstlos und loyal was mir am meisten am ihm gefallen hat. Aber auch, dass er, trotz allem was passiert ist, trotzdem noch so positiv ist und den Glauben nicht verliert.
Die Geschichte von Demi und Royal hat mich unfassbar gut unterhalten. Einerseits war es wirklich spannend, andererseits war es aber auch einfach eine tolle Liebesgeschichte. Eine Liebesgeschichte die sich nicht unbedingt den einfachsten Weg gesucht hat um sich zu entfalten, aber genau deshalb so unglaublich toll geworden ist.
Ich konnte gar nicht mehr aufhören zu lesen. Es fällt mir schwer noch mehr über das Buch zu sagen ohne zu spoilern, ich kann aber diese Geschichte jedem weiterempfehlen, der gerne New Adult und Liebesgeschichten mit ein bisschen Drama liest.
March 5, 2016
Honestly? Not gonna lie, I one clicked this bitch because it was for 99 cents and hit the freaking #1 on Amazon's bestseller list. Judge me if you want, I won't give a ratsass.
Once I started reading it, tho, I began to feel that awesome feeling I get when I read Colleen Hoover's books - the writing was simple and addictive. No wordy bullshit. No tiring, in-your-face, look-how-talented-I-am (I'm looking at you, Mary Elizabeth). Just a good ole' what-you-see-is-what-you-get. I liked that.
The story of Royal and Demi was not perfect. It lacked, for instance, the whole reason for why Demi was so in love with him in the first place (the author explains how they started dating, but not even one flashback at the beginning of how it ended up being such a great love story). But overall, their chemistry was good. I enjoyed the fact that Royal wasn't a total asshole, and Demi was actually a cool chick who stood in the middle of a really bad, sticky situation.
Kudos for a surprising story (I thought I was walking right into smut, a-la Alexa Riley style, and ended up with angst and feelings.)
Once I started reading it, tho, I began to feel that awesome feeling I get when I read Colleen Hoover's books - the writing was simple and addictive. No wordy bullshit. No tiring, in-your-face, look-how-talented-I-am (I'm looking at you, Mary Elizabeth). Just a good ole' what-you-see-is-what-you-get. I liked that.
The story of Royal and Demi was not perfect. It lacked, for instance, the whole reason for why Demi was so in love with him in the first place (the author explains how they started dating, but not even one flashback at the beginning of how it ended up being such a great love story). But overall, their chemistry was good. I enjoyed the fact that Royal wasn't a total asshole, and Demi was actually a cool chick who stood in the middle of a really bad, sticky situation.
Kudos for a surprising story (I thought I was walking right into smut, a-la Alexa Riley style, and ended up with angst and feelings.)
March 1, 2016
This is a note to self, everytime I go on Amazon and look at the top 100, then buy or download a free book.
I'm going to learn my lesson one day. I need to stop reading books that are over hyped. Just because they are bestsellers doesn't mean I am going to like it. I read less than half of Vegas Baby and gave up. Did I say "Ok this author isn't for you?". No I went and read Royal and I was doing this
I still don't know why Royal left. I gave up on chapter 18. The book dragged on and on and there was some luke warm romance somewhere. Some boring sex scenes. I did not even feel any chemistry between these two characters before Royal left and when he returned.
November 8, 2020
Was soll ich sagen... Das Buch hat großartig angefangen und schnell nachgelassen.
Es klang nach einem Mix aus Romantik, Herzschmerz und ein bisschen Spannung, aber die Geschichte hat mich eher aufgeregt als sie Unterhaltung gegeben hat.
Leider war Demi, die Protagonistin, sehr weinerlich und wurde nur missbraucht und manipuliert von allen. Es hat mich extrem aufgeregt, weil die Geschichte dadurch sich im Kreis gedreht hat und unsinnig mehr Drama verursacht, obwohl sie bereits mit genug Dingen zu kämpfen hatte. Allerdings kann ich sie nicht dafür bestrafen, dass sie freundlich und gutgläubig war, und die anderen um sie leider nicht. Royal fand ich leider auch nicht anziehend oder in irgendeiner Art und Weise charmant.
Ich würde den mittleren Teil stark verkürzen und eher das Ende ausbauen, da das Happy End eindeutig zu schnell passiert ist. Wie der Vater/die Familie von Demi und Royal sich wieder vertragen wird zu wenig behandelt und generell kann ich nicht glauben, dass diese große Sache, die Royal 7 Jahre hat verschwinden lassen, einfach in ein paar Seiten abgehakt ist.
Wie gesagt, der Anfang war sehr spannend, aber leider war der Rest nicht so stark.
** Dieses Buch wurde mir über NetGalley als E-Book zur Verfügung gestellt **
Es klang nach einem Mix aus Romantik, Herzschmerz und ein bisschen Spannung, aber die Geschichte hat mich eher aufgeregt als sie Unterhaltung gegeben hat.
Leider war Demi, die Protagonistin, sehr weinerlich und wurde nur missbraucht und manipuliert von allen. Es hat mich extrem aufgeregt, weil die Geschichte dadurch sich im Kreis gedreht hat und unsinnig mehr Drama verursacht, obwohl sie bereits mit genug Dingen zu kämpfen hatte. Allerdings kann ich sie nicht dafür bestrafen, dass sie freundlich und gutgläubig war, und die anderen um sie leider nicht. Royal fand ich leider auch nicht anziehend oder in irgendeiner Art und Weise charmant.
Ich würde den mittleren Teil stark verkürzen und eher das Ende ausbauen, da das Happy End eindeutig zu schnell passiert ist. Wie der Vater/die Familie von Demi und Royal sich wieder vertragen wird zu wenig behandelt und generell kann ich nicht glauben, dass diese große Sache, die Royal 7 Jahre hat verschwinden lassen, einfach in ein paar Seiten abgehakt ist.
Wie gesagt, der Anfang war sehr spannend, aber leider war der Rest nicht so stark.
** Dieses Buch wurde mir über NetGalley als E-Book zur Verfügung gestellt **
August 11, 2017
2.5 stars
Ms. Renshaw writes compelling characters and I like the moments between Demi and Royal. But everyone seriously lacks communication skills and has trust issues in this book.
- Royal does not want to tell Demi, the love of his life, why he has to leave her because he does not trust that she will believe that he is innocent.
- Demi's father does not believe that Royal is being wrongly accused, even though he opened his home to Royal and treated him like a son.
- Demi does not tell her parents and siblings that her fiance dumped her right before a car accident leaves him comatose. She does not wants to protect everyone else's feelings.
Yep. Intensely frustrating book.
Ms. Renshaw writes compelling characters and I like the moments between Demi and Royal. But everyone seriously lacks communication skills and has trust issues in this book.
- Royal does not want to tell Demi, the love of his life, why he has to leave her because he does not trust that she will believe that he is innocent.
- Demi's father does not believe that Royal is being wrongly accused, even though he opened his home to Royal and treated him like a son.
- Demi does not tell her parents and siblings that her fiance dumped her right before a car accident leaves him comatose. She does not wants to protect everyone else's feelings.
Yep. Intensely frustrating book.
abgebrochen
November 10, 2020Bei 10% abgebrochen: SUPERSCHNARCH.
July 23, 2017
2.5 stars rounded to 3.
This was a compelling story about forgiveness and second chances. It was well written and I finished it in one sitting. However, it was very sad and maybe I just didn't want to be weighed down by what I read today. Plus I could have done without details of him with other women, even if it happened in the interim, so I definitely won't be reading this one again.
What I liked:
1) The writing. It was very engaging and I wanted things to work out for the MCs.
2) The h didn't pine away secretly for the H since childhood. I like that he had to work for it and she wasn't just automatically in love with him.
3) The h. Even though I found her pov to be a little whiny (Why does everyone I love leave me?), she still worked hard to become the adult version of herself. She didn't let herself be closed off to love and tried her best to move on with her life.
4) The epilogue was sweet.
What I didn't like:
1) I thought Royal was OK, but I don't know why the author felt the need to inject this story with details of his past with other women. Plus, the fact that he never stopped loving the h was undermined every time he called other women "free pussy" or something else similarly derogatory. There was a disconnect there. And since the author was going to mention details of the H with ow, it should be incorporated into the plot. I wanted Demi to know, to care about what Royal was doing the whole time he was gone. She got close to it when she told him that his reasons for staying away from her were weak. They were. If he really loved her, he would have made himself vulnerable and gone to see her, lay it all out there, not go and hide and have sex with other women.
2) This story was really sad. What happened to Royal sucked big time.
3) I don't know if there was enough angst in this book. I'm not the biggest fan of it, but it seemed like the development of the new relationship b/w the MCs needed some more of it. I don't think Royal groveled/begged enough and Demi seemingly forgave him too quickly. Honestly, woman, be stronger!
4) The ending of the story seemed rushed.
This was a compelling story about forgiveness and second chances. It was well written and I finished it in one sitting. However, it was very sad and maybe I just didn't want to be weighed down by what I read today. Plus I could have done without details of him with other women, even if it happened in the interim, so I definitely won't be reading this one again.
What I liked:
1) The writing. It was very engaging and I wanted things to work out for the MCs.
2) The h didn't pine away secretly for the H since childhood. I like that he had to work for it and she wasn't just automatically in love with him.
3) The h. Even though I found her pov to be a little whiny (Why does everyone I love leave me?), she still worked hard to become the adult version of herself. She didn't let herself be closed off to love and tried her best to move on with her life.
4) The epilogue was sweet.
What I didn't like:
1) I thought Royal was OK, but I don't know why the author felt the need to inject this story with details of his past with other women. Plus, the fact that he never stopped loving the h was undermined every time he called other women "free pussy" or something else similarly derogatory. There was a disconnect there. And since the author was going to mention details of the H with ow, it should be incorporated into the plot. I wanted Demi to know, to care about what Royal was doing the whole time he was gone. She got close to it when she told him that his reasons for staying away from her were weak. They were. If he really loved her, he would have made himself vulnerable and gone to see her, lay it all out there, not go and hide and have sex with other women.
2) This story was really sad. What happened to Royal sucked big time.
3) I don't know if there was enough angst in this book. I'm not the biggest fan of it, but it seemed like the development of the new relationship b/w the MCs needed some more of it. I don't think Royal groveled/begged enough and Demi seemingly forgave him too quickly. Honestly, woman, be stronger!
4) The ending of the story seemed rushed.
August 23, 2016
HNRY - I don't like reading about the hero and his relationship with another woman. He leaves the heroine and then has a relationship with someone else. I love drama and crave it in my stories, but not that kind of drama. It just felt wrong in this situation and I don't want to read about it!!!
October 30, 2020
Ich war schon recht enttäuscht von dem Buch, weil ich den Start wirklich gelungen fand, aber das hohe Niveau konnte die Geschichte dann nicht halten.
Die Geschichte beginnt mit dem Prolog, in dem es um die gemeinsame Kindheit und Jugend von Demi und Royal geht und der mit Royals Verschwinden endet. Der Prolog konnte mich wirklich berühren und ist mein Highlight des Buches. Dann vergehen sieben Jahre, in denen Demi nicht weiß, wieso Royal verschwunden ist und in denen sie versucht hat, ihr Leben weiterzuleben, auch wenn sie ihn nie vergessen konnte.
Danach startet eine Geschichte, die mich zunächst sehr positiv überrascht hat, weil der Klappentext ja nichts dazu verrät, was Demi in den letzten sieben Jahren erlebt hat. Ich finde es ja immer schön, wenn man vorher nicht zu viel weiß und das Buch viel Raum hat, um sich zu entfalten und zu überraschen. Jedenfalls fand ich Demi ziemlich sympathisch, weil man richtig spüren kann, wie hin und her gerissen sie ist, wie sie versucht, es allen recht zu machen und wie elend es ihr dabei geht. Dieser Handlungsstrang gefiel mir hier am besten, weil er spannend ist und man auch Demis Gefühle so gut nachvollziehen kann.
Was mich leider nicht überzeugen konnte: Die Liebesgeschichte von Demi und Royal. Im Prolog erlebt man noch einiges, aber das sind nur wenige Seiten und es ist auch sieben Jahre her. Als sie sich dann wiedersehen, konnten mich ihre Gefühle nicht richtig packen. Gerade Royal war vor seinem Treffen mit Demi schon in ihrer Nähe und hat sie im Auge behalten - leider fand ich das nicht wirklich romantisch, sondern schon etwas unheimlich! Und er macht auch ein Geheimnis daraus, wieso er nicht zurückkommen konnte, was der Beziehung der beiden auch nicht geholfen hat.
Trotzdem war es zwar eine durchaus solide Geschichte, doch zum Ende hin wurde sie dann noch schwächer, weil die Probleme sich ganz einfach lösten und nicht wirklich überzeugen konnten. Manche Dinge verschwanden einfach. Ich wünschte mir da schon, dass man sich da mehr Zeit genommen hätte, um alles schön abzuschließen.
Fazit
"Rixton Falls - Secrets" hatte einen vielversprechenden Start, aber danach konnte es mich nicht mehr so ganz überzeugen. Demi fand ich noch ganz sympathisch, aber ihre Liebesgeschichte mit Royal blieb zu oberflächlich. Letztendlich war es ganz gut und kurzweilig, aber es hätte so viel mehr sein können!
Die Geschichte beginnt mit dem Prolog, in dem es um die gemeinsame Kindheit und Jugend von Demi und Royal geht und der mit Royals Verschwinden endet. Der Prolog konnte mich wirklich berühren und ist mein Highlight des Buches. Dann vergehen sieben Jahre, in denen Demi nicht weiß, wieso Royal verschwunden ist und in denen sie versucht hat, ihr Leben weiterzuleben, auch wenn sie ihn nie vergessen konnte.
Danach startet eine Geschichte, die mich zunächst sehr positiv überrascht hat, weil der Klappentext ja nichts dazu verrät, was Demi in den letzten sieben Jahren erlebt hat. Ich finde es ja immer schön, wenn man vorher nicht zu viel weiß und das Buch viel Raum hat, um sich zu entfalten und zu überraschen. Jedenfalls fand ich Demi ziemlich sympathisch, weil man richtig spüren kann, wie hin und her gerissen sie ist, wie sie versucht, es allen recht zu machen und wie elend es ihr dabei geht. Dieser Handlungsstrang gefiel mir hier am besten, weil er spannend ist und man auch Demis Gefühle so gut nachvollziehen kann.
Was mich leider nicht überzeugen konnte: Die Liebesgeschichte von Demi und Royal. Im Prolog erlebt man noch einiges, aber das sind nur wenige Seiten und es ist auch sieben Jahre her. Als sie sich dann wiedersehen, konnten mich ihre Gefühle nicht richtig packen. Gerade Royal war vor seinem Treffen mit Demi schon in ihrer Nähe und hat sie im Auge behalten - leider fand ich das nicht wirklich romantisch, sondern schon etwas unheimlich! Und er macht auch ein Geheimnis daraus, wieso er nicht zurückkommen konnte, was der Beziehung der beiden auch nicht geholfen hat.
Trotzdem war es zwar eine durchaus solide Geschichte, doch zum Ende hin wurde sie dann noch schwächer, weil die Probleme sich ganz einfach lösten und nicht wirklich überzeugen konnten. Manche Dinge verschwanden einfach. Ich wünschte mir da schon, dass man sich da mehr Zeit genommen hätte, um alles schön abzuschließen.
Fazit
"Rixton Falls - Secrets" hatte einen vielversprechenden Start, aber danach konnte es mich nicht mehr so ganz überzeugen. Demi fand ich noch ganz sympathisch, aber ihre Liebesgeschichte mit Royal blieb zu oberflächlich. Letztendlich war es ganz gut und kurzweilig, aber es hätte so viel mehr sein können!
July 31, 2016
This book super annoyed me. Annoyed me so bad I felt like even wine wouldn't make this story better. I was really hoping for more especially because I liked a previous book from this author. So when it hit Kindle I uploaded a sample and was intrigued by it. I'm a sucker for second chance romance and Royal seemed like a hot alpha hero.
Quick recap: Royal grows up with Demi and her family. Royal and Demi fall in deep sex crazed teen love. Royal disappears one night never to be seen or heard from again. Demi is broken hearted. Flash forward years later and Demi is about the marry when her groom takes off on her. He gets into an accident during said take off and is in a coma. No one knows he is a douche canoe and that the wedding was called off. Demi is a jam because she is SO Freaking worried about what everyone else thinks of her. So she pretends to still be in love with a douche canoe. Enter Royal.
Man was I disappointed. I just don't understand when stalking became hot. I blame Twilight. Royal shows up seven years later back in Demi's life after douche canoe is in a coma. But don't worry he knows all about her while he has been gone, because he has been creeping on her this whole time. Yup been secretly stalking her for SEVEN years. Completely
Normal.... Not.
I just felt like the plot was silly and way too drawn out. The characters felt really flat for me and I didn't really ever actually like them or root for them. At all. I hated Demi. I hated how a lot of the story was based in her fear of what everyone in town thought of her. She was such a doormat. Also the weird part about Royal being a registered sex offender (don't worry ladies he is innocent) creeped me out. Super creepy being the charges were against HIS LITTLE SISTER. Especially because he apparently was banging this kinky chick from his work with his little peanut and "other phallic shaped objects found around the shop" where he worked with the chick. Royal is like whatever I was in a bad spot so shoving weird objects up some ho doesn't count but I'm not kinky for my perfect Demi. I just couldn't get his life to gel with the narrative. He is two incredibly different people in story.
I could see how someone would think this is a sweet endearing tale I guess. If you just love you some happy ever afters and skim the book instead of actually reading it but the story never quite worked for me and when I finished the book I wanted my time back. I wanted to go back in time and tell myself to not be mislead by the cover of this book. Don't waste your time or brain cells... Read something else.
Quick recap: Royal grows up with Demi and her family. Royal and Demi fall in deep sex crazed teen love. Royal disappears one night never to be seen or heard from again. Demi is broken hearted. Flash forward years later and Demi is about the marry when her groom takes off on her. He gets into an accident during said take off and is in a coma. No one knows he is a douche canoe and that the wedding was called off. Demi is a jam because she is SO Freaking worried about what everyone else thinks of her. So she pretends to still be in love with a douche canoe. Enter Royal.
Man was I disappointed. I just don't understand when stalking became hot. I blame Twilight. Royal shows up seven years later back in Demi's life after douche canoe is in a coma. But don't worry he knows all about her while he has been gone, because he has been creeping on her this whole time. Yup been secretly stalking her for SEVEN years. Completely
Normal.... Not.
I just felt like the plot was silly and way too drawn out. The characters felt really flat for me and I didn't really ever actually like them or root for them. At all. I hated Demi. I hated how a lot of the story was based in her fear of what everyone in town thought of her. She was such a doormat. Also the weird part about Royal being a registered sex offender (don't worry ladies he is innocent) creeped me out. Super creepy being the charges were against HIS LITTLE SISTER. Especially because he apparently was banging this kinky chick from his work with his little peanut and "other phallic shaped objects found around the shop" where he worked with the chick. Royal is like whatever I was in a bad spot so shoving weird objects up some ho doesn't count but I'm not kinky for my perfect Demi. I just couldn't get his life to gel with the narrative. He is two incredibly different people in story.
I could see how someone would think this is a sweet endearing tale I guess. If you just love you some happy ever afters and skim the book instead of actually reading it but the story never quite worked for me and when I finished the book I wanted my time back. I wanted to go back in time and tell myself to not be mislead by the cover of this book. Don't waste your time or brain cells... Read something else.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 2, 2016
I just finished reading Royal! This novel was amazing! I read it in a day not being able to put it down! It was a current, happily ever after kind of story with HUGE character development and plot twists, I did t even foresee! Things like pintrest, go fund me pages and even present day television shows were mentioned! I felt like these characters could have been my friends.
I was gasping and making all kinds of audible sounds based on the words written on the pages! Rebel is my second read by Winter Renshaw, and she has not disappointed me yet! Her style of writing is unique, using a lot of synonyms for common words making the story edgier than just another 'I fell for my brothers best friend' story. There is so much emotion written on these pages, between the plot of the story, and the dialogue between the characters I was overwhelmed with feelings. I'm not one to give spoilers but you won't be disappointed with this one! I honored to have been given a copy of Royal, by Winter herself! Excellent job, I loved every minute of reading Royal and Demi's story!
I was gasping and making all kinds of audible sounds based on the words written on the pages! Rebel is my second read by Winter Renshaw, and she has not disappointed me yet! Her style of writing is unique, using a lot of synonyms for common words making the story edgier than just another 'I fell for my brothers best friend' story. There is so much emotion written on these pages, between the plot of the story, and the dialogue between the characters I was overwhelmed with feelings. I'm not one to give spoilers but you won't be disappointed with this one! I honored to have been given a copy of Royal, by Winter herself! Excellent job, I loved every minute of reading Royal and Demi's story!
April 4, 2016
5 stars!!!!! LOVED LOVED LOVED IT
“Life may not always be a fairytale, but it doesn’t mean we can’t make our own happily-ever-after.”
“Life may not always be a fairytale, but it doesn’t mean we can’t make our own happily-ever-after.”
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