Attention readers, please make room... no, let me rephrase that. Readers, please build a house and a throne and a palace in your Kindle slash Life, slash Heart, slash World, for these three books immediately! Drop everything you're doing and just read this. I promise you won't regret a single breath! These books fulfilled a craving I didn't even knew I had... Isn't that just awesome?
So here's what I can tell you: Lily Calloway and Loren Hale are richer than virtually anyone, ever. Their fathers own Fizzle (read: soda) and Hale, Co. (read: baby products). On the surface, they're two rich kids who seem to be happily dating and attending college. On the inside, he's an alcoholic and she's addicted to sex. And what's more, they're best friends. Not a couple. Yep. She has sex with any man she can get her hands on, and his favorite company is that of a bottle of bourbon. Explosive, dangerous, passionate... and the list goes on. Going in, I knew this wasn't going to be my regular go-to story, I knew I'd be way out of my comfort zone and that this would probably be emotionally draining but I got so much more than I ever bargained for. Truly. I never knew what journey I was embarking on. I thought he was going to be drunk 24/7 and she'd be having sex with every guy on call. And they were. They did. But what I didn't see coming was their love story. You guys, it's magical. It's beautiful. It's stunning. And it is everything I ever want to experience in my life, minus the alcohol and the sex addiction.
This series will punch you in the gut one minute and make you swoon the next. It's so different from every other book out there right now that my mind is still deeply confused about how I should review these books. I can't help but feel giddy and sad at the same time because while we are absolutely certain Lily and Lo are head over heels in love with each other, we all got to see just how evil and ruthless addictions can be. These books aren't the normal order of romance with a side of teeny weeny angst, some family drama and some sex. NO. These books are a breathtaking dose of real life with a side of truth, a big helping of sex, alcohol, deep love and absolutely no sugarcoating whatsoever. Are you ready to jump ship? Then I'm afraid I'm gonna have to restrain you, because you cannot miss out on these books, ya heard me? Stay put and buy these books right freaking now.
I really don't want to spoil you guys, but the blurb doesn't even start to explain how complex, intricate, descriptive, captivating, emotionally draining but spiritually fulfilling this series is. There are no words. It's so much more than a story of someone dealing with alcoholism and someone dealing with a sex addiction mashed together: it's like Lo and Lily are two different universes with unique characteristics, desires and demons that are weaved together by some sort of magical connection that just... works, thrills, pulls the reader in. You know what soulmates are? It's Lily and Loren, no doubt in my mind. You know that she's the yin to his yang, she's the milk to his cookies, the stars to his sky. Just his everything, her everything. There's no Lo without Lily, and no Lily without Lo. How beautiful is that?
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"He’s filling my every single need. He’s taking care of me. Only Lo can satisfy every part of my all-consuming soul. He is truly my everything." - Lily Calloway
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Personally, I thought I knew what alcoholism was, what an addiction was, but my definition didn't even scratch the surface. Krista and Becca Ritchie, you guys are spectacular because you did your homework and you portrayed the harsh truth and the bitter reality of Lily and Lo in a captivating way, in a way that didn't even allow any kind of bullcrap. Thank you for that because that was one of the pieces that made this series so breathtaking. If you're looking for that 100% fairytale story, then this isn't for you. The harsh reality is that their addictions control them, even if they love each other more than life itself.
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"I hold onto the words, even if we both know they’re not completely true. She wants to fuck. She wants the high of a climax the same way I want to drown in a bottle of bourbon. I want the rush, the flush and the ride to purgatory and back. We are not each other’s first wants and needs. I am second to her. And she is second to me. I want that to change." - Loren Hale
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Krista and Becca don't simply mention their addiction and quickly brush it under the rug. Nope. They bring it out, they dance with it, they expose the naked truth, the rawness and bitterness of everything that comes with having an addiction: relapses, the withdrawls, the cold sweats, the sadness, the incessant fighting to stay afloat, to not drown in their own misery. It's the realest thing you'll ever read. Masturbation, pornography, gigolos, HIV, liver failure, lashing out, passing out cold, attempted rape. Trust me, it's real. It goes deep. And you'll keep on wanting more and more. You'll root for Lily and Loren as if they were your best friends. You'll want them to beat their demons but, most of all, you'll want them to beat them TOGETHER. And what's more, you'll find yourself falling in love with Rose's steel eyes but warm heart, with Connor's inability to be flustered and his smart but annoying ways, with Ryke's harsh but sincere attitude and love for Lo... you'll fall in love with this story. I promise you.
I have to tell you guys, some parts of the book slayed me. This ain't no sickly sweet fairytale, far from it actually. A certain scene in book 2 involving Jonathan, Lily, Loren and a sparkly object teared me apart. I shall say no more. I don't know why that struck me so deeply and so harshly, but it did. Like Lily says often, "it was like a punch to the gut." It's like these guys can't friggin' catch a break. I feared their relationship would crumble. I could practically smell the trouble in the air and this sort of feeling of sadness had rarely happened to me before. This is when I realized how deeply invested I was in Lily and Lo's story, even if I found myself feeling so much anger towards Lily's actions sometimes. It's tricky, because the writing is so exceptionally good that it makes you feel like you're truly living the story, like you're Ryke or Connor or Rose looking at Lily and Loren and you are actually experiencing the whole thing. It's magical just as much as it's painful, there's kind of no middle ground, it's sensory overload and a roller coaster ride which makes you say "STOP! LET ME GET OFF THIS THING!" a time or two or a million. I seriously lost count of how many times my heart squeezed inside my chest.
To me, these books were the ultimate experience of connecting with the characters, what I imagine every author wants the reader to go through by reading their books. I imagine every author wants the reader to be so invested in the story that they need the next page like their next breath... and dear Krista and Becca, y'all succeeded with me beyond any expectation. Bravo! For reals. There are so many twists and turns in this book, but I wanted to give an honorable mention to Mr. Ryke Meadows, for being the most unexpected but awesome brother Lo can ever have and wish for, who fought for him as if he was fighting for his own life.
“Listen to me,” Lo breathes in his ear. “Meeting you was the best thing that’s ever happened to us. I’m sober and Lily’s in recovery. None of that would have been possible if it wasn’t for you.” He shakes Ryke, and a tear slips out of Lo’s eye. “You are the fucking reason I’m with the girl I love; you’re my brother, so don’t you ever feel guilty for what’s happened now. That’s not on you.” He holds up Ryke’s face to look him in the eyes. “Hey, you hear me?” - Loren Hale
You guys, please, please, please click and buy this series. PUH-LEASE. I can't recommend them enough. It's dark but light, it's ugly but beautiful. It's everything! Wanna know what's awesome? There's so much more coming! In addiction to Addicted to You (book #1), Ricochet (book #1.5) and Addicted for Now (book #2), we have Connor and Rose's story - "Kiss the Sky" -, coming up in January 2014! After that there's Ryke and Daisy's story - "Hothouse Flower" -, in February 2014 and finally, FINALLY, we have the continuation to my loves Lily and Loren's story, "Thrive" (book #2.5) and "Addicted After All" (book #3) coming in the Spring (I think I have teared up a little writing Spring. I mean, why so far away!? Boohoo!) I CAN'T WAIT! I think I've peed my pants a little. Oops. READ. THIS. RIGHT. NOW. Yes. That. Is. An. Order. Ta-ta!
{ RATING: 5 stars
SEX SCENES: Very steamy
GENRE: Contemporary Romance
AUDIENCES: 18+
HAPPY ENDING: Yes
SEQUEL: Yes }
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