Suspense filled college romance between two roommates who go through a lot to get a HEA.
This was my first read by J.D. Brick and I am so glad I read this action packed suspenseful romance as a box set because the cliffhanger ending of the first part was so heartbreaking I needed to know instantly how things would work out. Set in a college environment, this book was so much more than a typical college romance, incorporating various things from stalkers to a solider with survivor’s guilt and plenty of secondary characters who you end up realising shouldn’t be taken at face value.
Blue and Keegan have an instant attraction to each other from the moment they meet and, from the dual points of views we get, it quickly becomes clear just how deep their feelings for each other are. Yes, you do have to be open to insta-attraction/love but to be honest, the way in which the author writes everything, you don’t necessarily feel it is too quick for these two characters. While the book mainly takes place at a college, Blue is a couple of years older than Keegan, having been a solider in Afghanistan previously. Blue and Keegan were passionate, strong, mature and definitely had real flaws and all the trials and tribulations that they faced showcased their personal resolute strength and various sides to their personalities, as well as solidifying their growing relationship (with plenty of steamy scenes thrown in too!). Throughout the two books, both characters clearly evolve and go through a range of emotion from happiness to heartbreakingly painful emotions. Secondary characters in this book played a huge part and as I’ve already said, from the beginning you are almost second guessing who is genuine and who is not.
This boxset is steadily paced and well written with a great flow. The first book, Tangled Up in Blue, sets the plot brilliantly and the second book, Sheltered From the Storm, expanded on the first book and the consequences without things feeling unnecessarily dragged out. There are plenty of surprising moments to make the book unpredictable and suspenseful right up to the very end and not every outcome will necessarily be a happy one always, adding a sense of realism to the story. The ending, something I personally loved, gave a HEA and tied up the story nicely for Blue and Keegan and allows this box set to be read as a standalone with all parts included.
Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed this suspenseful romance and would definitely recommend you give it a read.