***Received an Advanced Readers Copy during a blog tour hosted by InkSlingerPR in exchange for an honest review***
Whew. I did it again comrades. I inhaled yet another Kelly Elliott book and I flipping enjoyed the hell out of it. Blind Love finally gave me the sweetness of Tripp and Harley - the second chance romance that will leave any reader swooning hardcore or in a tear jerk of many moments.
Before I dive into the review though, I have to tell you that Cowboys & Angels is most definitely a series. It is also a series that very much connects to each other. I won't deny that sure, if you want you could read them without the other but honestly you will be missing out. I highly recommend reading them in order just because regardless of the flaws I found in each novel, I nonetheless inhaled this series. I have enjoyed them immensely and plan to continue reading this series. Each novel gives snippets of the previous family remembers and what might be coming around the corner - I love it.
So this is your warning now - after you have read this review, and I hope I have given you enough to want to read, buy the entire series and read them in order. I read them all in two days, because honestly Elliott has captivated me with her writing style. She is fun, entertaining, characters are intriguing, and as a reader you will fall in love instantly.
Red tape, pulled - lets get started.
Oh Tripp. I have been very curious about his character since the beginning. He always seemed like such a grounded, yet secret fun brother. I just really enjoyed his character. I will also admit that I liked the fact that he was not single at the start of Blind Love. I felt that this dynamic had a certain level of additive for the plot, mostly because I honestly think in second chance type romances it is a great drama factor to showcase how the characters 'moved on' to some degree, really builds the tension and angst. And then we have the beautifully charismatic Harley. Between her finally admitting her true feelings, coming clean to Tripp about the lie she told all those years ago that ultimately break both their hearts to the real reason she is back in Oak Springs. Harley is a wrecking ball personality. Both good and bad honestly. I liked a lot about her, the way she was with people, her passion for her life - I really connected on that level with her.
And their chemistry! Oh my lanta. This is what I love about second chance romances. The dynamic between the characters is always filled with this entertaining domino of a storyline. The tension, the awkwardness between them, then down to their mutual respect developing then back to their actual physical connection - it is fierce.
One thing I definitely want to get off my chest though is amongst all the gushing and undying love I have for Kelly Elliott's writing style, Blind Love was missing a few aspects that ultimately did not hold my attentions. For starters because this is a second chance romance, one that involved two sweetly cute young love, there wasn't enough substance for me to connect with their romance. I would have really liked to have seen more of their past. Don't get me wrong, it was there in small tidbits, but it wasn't... I don't know - just not enough.
On top of this, don't think I did not like their relationship, rebuilding their chemistry after all these years was a great development, one I enjoyed but it happened too fast at a point. At the beginning there was this slow build between Harley and Tripp plus the dynamics of drama played out with the secondary characters however after this sweetly torturous build it hit a point of rushing once they moved past that conflict. I am not saying that I would have liked the entire novel of Tripp and Harley working out their issues and not really 'hooking up' until near the ninety percent of the novel, but honestly there wasn't a balance or sort of flow from where they were working their issues to jumping head first into a relationship like nothing happened.
Just a mush of rushness of sorts - though this still didn't deter the overall enjoyment, just honestly would have liked more depth, more substance - just more.
Overall, I can admit that I liked Blind Love for a great deal of reasons. It was sweet, swoon worthy second chance romance that tugged at your heart, bringing even a tear to my eyes on some of the special moments between Harley and Tripp. Kelly Elliott has a way with dramatically over the top romances that make your heart swoon. They are always super sweet and honestly I have really enjoyed this series - I cannot wait to get Cord's story.