Watermarked

by Jessica Titone

Jack Keller lives to make his parents proud, from excelling at childhood piano lessons to writing for the school paper and graduating with honors. Nearing the end of his college career, he meets Audrey, who fits nicely into his picture perfect future. As Audrey begins to deteriorate, Jack finds out how much he’s willing to sacrifice to save her.

Audrey Beck is starting over. Leaving her demons behind in England, she accepts a photography scholarship in New York City and moves in with the beautiful and brash, Ray. Life in the big city is an adventure, and a relationship with Jack is an added bonus. She's happier than she's ever been but wonders how long she can sustain it.

Ray Rossi is a party girl who hasn’t quite managed to grow up. Even though she’ll have a business degree from NYU, she has never seen herself as the “office” type. Most of her childhood was spent training to be a dancer, but that dream died when cancer took her mother five years ago. Still, ballet remains only thing she’s ever truly loved – except for maybe Flynn.

Flynn Conlon is good at two things: making paintings and bedding pretty girls. In his loft overlooking the Hudson, he’s cultivated a bachelor lifestyle that effectively masks the wounds of an old love affair and his secret addiction. But all of his hard work could be destroyed the moment that Ray inserts herself into his life.

Watermarked chronicles a year in the life of four twenty-something New Yorkers as they grapple with destiny and test the tenuous bonds of love and friendship.

419 pages, ebook

First published June 8, 2016

About the author

Jessica Titone hails from a tiny town in the deep south, though she lives as much in her head as anywhere else. During the day, you’ll find her producing an endless stream of meals, cleaning up spills, and attempting to keep her kids alive. But at night, she enjoys a good Netflix binge, an engrossing read, curating soundtracks for her stories, and traveling the depths of her imagination. Stolen is her second novel.

Reviews

[Jessica · Rating 5 out of 5]

When you write a book, you tend to like the story.

[J.A. Kalis · Rating 4 out of 5]

Watermarked is an intriguing, well-written story about four young people – two women and two men - making their way through life in New York, with all its ups and downs. All four of them are busy establishing their careers and building romantic relationships. The story tells about their struggle to find their place in the world. It is told from multiple points of view what gives it more depth and psychological richness. I found the characters well developed, quite realistic and credible. Jessica Titone’s writing style is clear, easy to follow and engaging. Although there are several different narrators, the author managed to create a coherent, cohesive and compelling story, a story that is worth reading.

[Kilby Blades · Rating 3 out of 5]

"Watermarked" is the coming-of-age story of four twenty-somethings, who muddle their way through the exact sort of relationship troubles, self-medication, and identity issues you might expect from youngsters living in New York. Flynn is a prodigious, albeit cocaine-addicted, painter who is haunted by a lost love and an absentee father. The flighty Ray (a woman) takes a big gamble by dropping out of her practical undergrad program to return to her one true passion—ballet. Audrey, an expat from England, has moved to the city for a year to explore her merit as a photographer and to make a new start in the wake of losing her mother and battling mental illness. Jack—by far, the most stable of the four—enters his own downward spiral when he finds himself at a loss for how to handle his love interest, Audrey’s, crippling depression.

This book may not be for everybody. It is a very slow burn—one that is reminiscent of the HBO series “Girls” inasmuch as it is focuses on multiple characters’ day-to-day lives rather than any main character and his or her conflicts/goals/transformations (though even "Girls" has a main character--Hannah). On one hand, rotating POVs with each chapter allows us to witness each character’s struggles and transformation. On the other hand, the lack of mooring that results from having no main character and no cohesive plot or obvious thematic focus left me, as the reader, adrift. This chosen structure (to put characters on constant rotation) made pacing and tension difficult to understand. I knew that the reader was intended to bear witness to these characters’ journeys as they fumbled their way into true adulthood. Yet, because it fell short on aforementioned plot or thematic focus, it was hard to pin down what the book was really about.

This book had some beautifully-written moments, but, for me, it didn’t hold together well as a complete work. And I'll admit, the plot-light book is REALLY hard to pull off. In order for a plot-light book to work, the characters or situations have to be so unique, compelling, or ring so true that the enjoyment comes from the scene-by-scene reading experience, or from big, resonant truisms that come through when you add it all up (and I don't think this book had either of those). There were some resonant characterizations, but also big incredibilities (not a single one of the characters knew how to be happy, and they were very serious for young people—only one of them was clinically depressed but all of them seem riddled with self-doubt and lacked the optimism and idealism that real young people tend to have). I would have given this book four stars based on these issues alone, but I knocked it down to three due to noticeable typos and proofreading issues, which also detracted from the book. Despite this rating, I do think the author has promise, and will improve as she dives more deeply into craft.

[Emily Williams · Rating 4 out of 5]

When I read the blurb of this book, I knew I would enjoy reading the story and glad it didn't disappoint my high expectations!. I like literary fiction with its own unique quirkiness (as this is the style I like to write in) so the format drew me in straight way.


I loved the style of this novel, told by four different people. The novel captures the gritty real life situations that these unique characters face. The characters all had their individual flaws that I found made them more realistic and endearing. Although I did find it hard to warm to the immature Ray. The story totally sucks you into the New York City world, and I enjoyed being part of this world. I found Watermarked to be a thoughtful read, seeing how your actions not only affect others but how they are seen in others eyes. Sometimes this way of portraying the characters POV makes you lose the overarching storyline, but I enjoyed how I was able to see the characters from views of others and think the author worked hard to keep the thread of the story alive.

I would have liked to have seen more romance develop as this was truly gritty and painful at times to see how the characters muddle their way through their lives, however maybe this would have made the book lose its impact on me. The end did leave me still having questions and wanting to know more, but maybe there is a sequel on its way.

Good, thoughtful read and I look forward to reading more from this author.

[Rachael Thompson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed reading about these 4 college kids adventures in early adulthood. The book follows Audrey, Jack, Ray, and ,Flynn. Each chapter is told from they're individual perspectives. It was fun to read it from ones perspective and the following from the others. I think this structure really added to the book.

Audrey and Ray are roomies and Jack and Flynn are friends. Audrey and Jack begin a romantic relationship and Ray and Flynn do as well. I was personally far more interested in Audrey/jack. Ray and Flynn were kind of a mess. I really didn't like Flynn at all, but felt some compassion for him later on when I learned more of his back story.

Audrey has demons, but we aren't really sure what they are for a while. She really puts jacks through some tests. I honestly wasn't sure if they would last up until the very last page. I was pretty shocked how everything happened but don't want to give anything away.

Overall, it's a fun read about kids trying to find who they are and how to navigate life.

[Neha · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received an arc to provide honest reviews

This book is focused on the life of four people and how they come together (or do they?)

Audrey and Flynn, their lives would not have been more disturbing and when it comes to letting someone else in their lives, can they take that step?

Audrey is struggling with her life and is not sure how to react when Jack comes crawling into her life. Whereas Flynn, given his charisma, had not had a stable relationship in years. So when Ray starts making herself comfortable, he tries to run away from her, just to realize he can not be without her.

Overall I found myself stuck to the book till I could finish it. Great job.

[Shazza Hoppsey · Rating 2 out of 5]

Zzzzzzz

[Joel Crofoot · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book follows four seperate people who travel within the same social crowds. Audrey who has packed up and moved to New York from the UK, Jack a local college student, Flynn an upcoming artist, and Ray who is Audrey's new roommate. As these four get to know each other and develope relationships, they also get to know themselves a bit more. The book tackles issues of what its like to love someone with an addiction, what it is like to suffer from an addiction, and the relationship strains of infidelity from both sides.
The book occassionally alternates from past tense to present tense, which can be frustrating to the reader, but the underlying messages of the human condition, suffering, love, overcoming struggles, and forgiveness make it worth the read!

[Chris Angelis · Rating 5 out of 5]

On the surface, Watermarked, by Jessica Titone is a story as simple as its laconic (but highly symbolic) title. Set in New York (a place where things are never merely "simple"), it describes a pivotal period in the lives of four young people: Audrey, Jack, Ray, and Flynn. Heartbreaks and new beginnings, stagnation and new opportunities, death and life, are some of the topics parading proudly through the voluminous mass of the novel. But, as in any great story, there is a lot more beneath the surface.

As a first thing, I need to comment on the absolutely stunning language used by Titone. It balances brilliantly between being accessible and being rich, offering descriptive power yet also an unfaltering narrative pace. It is more than obvious that the author has spent many hours researching a vast number of very diverse topics, from photography and painting to drug abuse and psychotherapy. Fascinating in all these is her ability to deliver the information naturally, as an organic part of the narrative rather than merely as narrative expositioning. The result is a highly rewarding reading experience with some truly memorable descriptions that are very visual, and even cinematic.

The narrative itself is introspective, deploying stream-of-consciousness strategies in a very apt way, while dialogs are natural and believable. More crucially, there is a very clear personal style and voice, which helps a lot with assigning a character to the story. The progression is linear, and despite the shifting viewpoints the reader never loses track of what is going on. The multiple focalization is not simply a trick, as characters differ from one another in realistic ways, adding a lot of depth to the plot.

Pressed hard for suggestions for improvement, I could come up with a couple of things, but they boil down to personal preferences. For instance, having two roommates falling in love simultaneously (and for two friends, to boot) is a bit too Sex-and-the-City, that is, a bit "artificial", though still perfectly acceptable. Similarly, some of the relationship dynamics are a bit far-fetched, but I suppose anything's possible in New York. The narrative evolution does have an aura of "making-it-up-as-I-go", which though isn't necessarily a bad thing, as it underlines the unpredictability of young adult lives.

The ending is generally good; rewarding, though mostly unsurprising. It again depends on personal preferences - for me it would've been perfect if it weren't for the last two (literally) lines. Others might cling on those two lines precisely to build their case for the ending. Each to their own.

To make it absolutely clear, countering the criticism above, at no point was it in doubt for me that this is a 5-star book. Featuring honest, authentic descriptions of our hopes, our desires, our fears, it shows that an engaging narrative doesn't need larger-than-life complexity, only well-written characters with real, human problems.

One of the best books of literary fiction I've read lately.

[Erin Daniels · Rating 4 out of 5]

Watermarked was another one of those books that had me thinking about the characters long after the book was finished. It reminded me of A Little Life in some ways - the characters were damaged but with a beauty and connectivity that made you watch, helplessly, as they headed towards their distinct destinies. The book was powerful in its portrayal of the mechanisms by which we reach out, identify and engage with the people who are brave enough to meet us where we live, emotionally. There were so many moments in the book where I had to pause and absorb a bit of evocative narrative or reflect on an aspect of the characters that mirrored similar ones I've observed in friends or family members. The are only two reasons I can't give this a perfect five star rating:
- There were times when I felt the writing was circuitous and the author kept using different scenes and events to hammer home the same observations about the characters. I think the book could have been more potent if several of these scenes had been omitted. The last third of the first half and the first third of the second half suffered because of this.
- Ray was pretty much insufferable for me for most of the book. I think her behavior was meant to come across as quirky and interesting but a lot of her actions were just juvenile and sophomoric. She was often self-centered, reactive and aggressive in a way that showed her lack of understanding of boundaries than it did anything else. When she would do something like call her roommate stupid or a dummy or snatch a book from someone and throw it across the room because they weren't giving her undivided attention, or resolve that she is going to verbally and physically confront a waitress because she has decided that she obviously must have had a prior relationship with her dinner date...well, it made me uncomfortable. It was a stretch for me to imagine that someone would willingly want to spend time with her. Ray seemed more high school while everyone else seemed collegiate. To be fair, she did undergo some character growth but for me it was almost too little too late.
So to end on a positive note I will be keeping an eye on this author. Good literary fiction seems to be disappearing beneath a tidal wave of genre fiction but someone who can write something like Watermarked gives me hope that fiction-by-the-numbers just may not take over the world after all!

[Sandy · Rating 5 out of 5]

While intrigue is the theme for the first half of this novel, torment is the theme for the second half.

This book is about so much more than the lives of four young adults living in New York City. The stories told are of four unique individuals trying to overcome challenging obstacles in their own way.

Depression. Some people suffer from chemical imbalance. Others from childhood scars. We follow along as two individuals battle demons using completely different methods. Some methods cause more problems than not, but it can be difficult to see that when you are at the bottom of the deep dark hole.

I connected most with Audrey. I am familiar with her need to constantly self-evaluate.

Ray seems pretty good at getting everything she wants. There’s no point in arguing with her. She is determined.

Jack is just adorable. We don’t learn much about his past until the middle of the book. Out of the group, he seems the most stable.

Flynn… Youngest of his siblings. Also, only boy. Successful painter – don’t call him an artist. High on life, and other things.

The fun part of the story is watching the formation of the couples. It’s a huge Yin Yang thing.

Love. Patience. Understanding. The feeling of being needed, being wanted, has the power to overcome all. I absolutely loved the ups and downs of this book. I felt the need of these couples to overcome their problems and lose themselves in each other. I also saw the necessity of the roads taken before happiness could truly be valued.

The absolute best part of the book was learning there will be a continuation of the story! Come on 2018!!

I received this book free from the author in exchange for an honest review.

[K.B. Rose · Rating 4 out of 5]

"No one imagines that life will be ordinary."

That's the opening line to this novel and really sets the tone for it. This is a story of the exuberance, hope, and missteps of youth. In Watermarked we follow four college students – photographer Audrey, writer Jack, dancer turned business major Ray, and up and coming artist Flynn – as they move into adulthood. Each character has things in their past they’re trying to overcome and things in their present they’re trying to work out. The book touches on issues such as depression and addiction without coming off heavy handed, but rather approaching them like the common reality that they are.

Each of the four main characters gets their own first person POV. The most distinguishable voice for me was Ray, and that’s probably why she was my favorite character. She’s not perfect – she’s rash, sometimes selfish, and treats people according to what mood she’s currently in – but that’s why I liked her. I guess I tend to like the less perfect, less likable characters. They’re just easier to identify with and more interesting to read about, especially when you see them learn and grow throughout the story.

The writing in this book was thoughtful and even poetic at times, and had some really hard hitting and astute lines that resonated with me. I would recommend this to anyone who likes an introspective read that takes its time setting up the world within and developing the characters. All four main characters are fully layered and feel real, flaws and all. This was a really good read.

[Justin Bohardt · Rating 5 out of 5]

I cannot emphasize enough what a beautiful, poignant, and touching story this is. Maybe it's the slew of addicts that have filtered in and out of my life or my own struggles with bipolar disorder and the havoc it wreaks on those closest to me or people struggling with the decision to choose "real life" versus the "artistic life," but Watermarked resonated with me in a way that almost defies words.

Generally speaking, I prefer my novels with a little more mayhem, murder and magic (the fireball and lightning kind, not the magic of a love story), and while this probably doesn't speak well of me, it should serve to emphasize how wonderful Watermarked is- it was capable of transcending the archetypes of what I am supposed to like based off my demographics and general interest and left me simultaneously heartbroken, hopeful, and wanting to see these four characters develop even further. The love story written here is so profound that when I finished the book at 1:30 in the morning, I felt obligated to wake up my wife and tell her that I love her.

There were a few typos, which I would usually dock a star for, but Watermarked is so fantastic that I'll give it a pass. I know this is Ms. Titone's debut novel, but I can't wait to see what's up next.

[Natalie White · Rating 4 out of 5]

An engaging and interesting story that leaves you wanting more.

I loved how this book pulls you in. For example I live Norfolk UK surrounded by open fields yet each time I picked up this book I felt that I had been transported to New York city. The backdrop of New York makes it the fifth character, having spend 3 days there 10 years ago I can remember the feeling of being so alone among so many people. As for the characters I don't want to leave any spoilers but I would like to say that well rounded and many levels to them. There are also many subjects covered here including painting photography and dancing and it gives an insight it give an interesting insight into to worlds of these professions and the pressure that comes with it. Naturally being from England I identified mostly with Audry. In the begging the character I disliked most was Flynn, however Flynn began to grow on me and very quickly became my favorite. The only downside to this book is that it leaves you wanting more. This is incredibly well written and I can't wait to read Jessica Titone's next book whenever that may be.

[Kathleen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Watermarked, by Jessica Titone, is a thoroughly enjoyable, engrossing read. It tells the complex story of Jack, Flynn, Ray, and Audrey, four friends living in New York City. They are in their early twenties, facing all the questions of their future while dealing with unsolved problems of their past.

Each chapter is told from the point of view of one of the main characters. This technique allows the reader to see the turmoil inside the character and hear all the words that are left unsaid in regular conversation. It also gives powerful insights into minds troubled by depression, self-doubt, and drug abuse.

Even when the two relationships run into problems – and that’s fairly often – the book is a joy to read. Well-crafted and nicely developed. It only needs a more careful edit to catch the typographical errors.

The washed-out cover image doesn't do justice to the intensity of the story.

[Kathryn Parry · Rating 5 out of 5]

Not a fan of the cover of this book sadly so probably would not have purchased this story but this is still in the beta stages. Thanks to the author for granting me a copy for review for an unbiased review.

This is a four person point of view story. It has kept me interested in the plot but not a great fan of Flynn but all have a strong personality that keeps you wondering on their secret.

The characters come across as self centred at first but as their story develops they seem to grow on you. The story also separated into two stories with the couples. I was in tears at the telling of the one story. Simply loved it.

There were a few editing errors but the copy I received was a Bata copy so it was to be expected but it was nothing that destroyed the story for me.

I would have happily had paid for this story.

[Watson Davis · Rating 4 out of 5]

Watermarked is a book about perceptions, both one’s perceptions of themselves and one’s perceptions of others, how everyone’s perceptions are clouded. This book follows four friends as they fall in and out of love, each of them dealing with their respective pasts, their respective secrets, and their respective plans for their futures. All of them are artists in one way or another and to one degree or another, and they’re all young, even though they may feel old inside their own skins.

It’s a contemplative book. This is a book about characters and how people come together, not so much about plot.

I enjoyed it, the glimpse inside other people’s minds even if I didn’t always like what I found there and even if I wanted to tell them all to just suck it up and get on with it at times.

[Luly Miller · Rating 5 out of 5]

I bought this book because it was 99 cents on Amazon. I’d never heard of the author or the book, but I figured that if it was terrible, I wasted less than a dollar on it. I was pleasantly surprised when it turned to be not terrible. It was actually pretty great.

I should first admit that I’m a fan of long books. I’m also a fan of books told through multiple perspectives. I tried to read Game of Thrones once because it satisfied both of these interests. That didn’t go so well. Something about all the deaths and the general bleakness didn’t sit well with me. I’m more of an Outlander/Eleanor & Park kind of girl. But I digress...

Anyway, back to Watermarked. Basically there are four characters (Audrey, Jack, Flynn, and Ray) who are college aged/twenty something. The story line encompasses a year in their lives. They fall in love, have problems, chase their dreams, and all that stuff you get to do when you’re trying to be a real adult. Each character narrates their own story. Since they’re friends and in relationships with each other, the stories naturally weave together to form one big major story.

Audrey’s a photography student who is originally from Britain. Ray is a failed ballet dancer trying to go into a sensible career field. Jack is an all-around good guy who’s just trying to do the right thing. My favorite character was Flynn. I dug the whole charmingly sarcastic, beautiful reclusive artist vibe he had going. (I dug his secretive nature as well.) Though Flynn was my favorite, I found myself really invested in what was happening to all of them. They’re flawed, likable, dynamic characters that grow and change throughout the story. I truly wanted them to have happy endings. However this story is pretty realistic, and real life is rarely a fairy tale. [I'll leave you to figure out what that means about the happy endings I wanted.]

The book was pretty long, but it flowed. It was over 700 pages, but I read it in 3 days. A lot of the writing leans toward being informal. Since we’re hearing the characters tell their own stories, that’s to be expected. The “voices in their heads” sound like the way that real people talk, and each character’s voice is unique. There were some lovely little bits within the narrative that were poetic, and even profound. But I never felt like I was being assaulted with overly flowery language or writing that felt forced or stiff. The author’s perspective is pretty fresh and non-traditional. Many aspects of this book strayed away from what I find in a lot of books I read. I think that’s a good thing.

So if you like long stories, if you like a good love story that isn’t over the top or cliche, or if you want to throw yourself into emotional turmoil because you get way too invested in fictional people, you’ll like this book.

[Rose Mitchell · Rating 2 out of 5]

Watermarked was a stretch for me. I didn’t like the writing, which seems to meander along instead of moving at a nice, steady pace, and there was so much of it. Also, the author evidently couldn’t make up her mind on the correct tense to use in the story. I guess the author thinks if she use different scenes and events to make the same comments about the characters, the reader will be fooled into believing it was something new and not just blatant repetition. I think the story could have been better if a lot of those repetitious scenes had been omitted. Overall, lacking in substance to sink my teeth into.

[Kat Lewis · Rating 4 out of 5]

Watermarked is a well written story of four people trying to survive everyday in modern New York City. The four characters, two male, two female, are easy to relate to in their own ways. Jessica Titone's writing is fantastic, by allowing each character to have such depth and personality. The book follows these characters through typical life curve balls and it was such a journey watching these characters try to figure out life. I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys realistic fiction and who likes to know they aren't alone trying to figure out life.

[Samuel White · Rating 5 out of 5]

Brilliant book, it really made me want to get to know the characters they are 4 very different people. New York city was diffidently like a 5th main character, the author made it feel so real I felt I was there even though I was in the Norfolk broads. I was thinking about the charters long after I finished the book and I'm hoping this series is continued. Jessica Titone is a better author than many who currently being published and I believe she should be a a household name.

[Nicole Ortiz · Rating 4 out of 5]

An interesting story told from four people's POV. Two men and two women and their struggle living in New York and being in a relationship. It was well written and loved the story line and the characters. I didn't want it to end. Wanted to read more on Jack and Audrey. I received an ARC and volunteered to leave a review.

[Jill · Rating 3 out of 5]

This isn't your usual chick lit read. It touches on some real life situations including depression and drug use and is written with 4 peoples point of view.
A good read but would have perhaps liked a bit more romance :)
Would like to know what happens in the next addition.