With no ties to family or friends, Stella finds herself alone in a new city, spiraling out of control. Her typical day comes to a close with her passed out on the floor; sometimes clothed.
Luckily, her new roommate, essentially a stranger, is dead set on getting Stella past her grief and back to functioning within society. Putting one foot in front of the other, she climbs up from the bottom of a bottle. Even with all her progress, Stella walks through life unfeeling, numb. Defiant, she sends out warning signals for the world to keep away. But, is that what she really wants?
With the steadfast help of a few tight knit friends, she gradually begins to feel again. She starts to savor the flavor of food again; lets herself notice how the handsome bartender glances at her. Still, after allowing herself a fling, she wonders if she will ever be able to let go of her shattered past, fully enjoy the present, or get over what she thought would be her perfect future and with the man who destroyed her heart.
*eBook received from author in exchange for review via InkSlinger PR
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~Our Review~
Within one chapter of this novel, my unrelenting texts to Courtney began. I'm pretty sure I said things like..this one might shred me...and lots of sad faces...and then my bossy demands that she begin reading it ASAP. The prologue...WHOA.
I wasn't sure what to expect at all from this...and by WHOA, she means holy fuck WHOA. The beginning really sets up this book to be a wild ride.
The first part of this novel starts with Stella at the beginning of the wonderful--you know, that time when the stars align in your favor and everything is going to be really, really good?--yeah that's where we start. Then the bottom falls out and we observe Stella just fall and fall...and fall until she is really just a shell of a human being. Her despair and grief are not really wallow-y (yep, I just made up that word) or pathetic, she is just raw. Her normally sarcastic barbs are magnified and sharper and she honestly couldn't give a crap about anyone's feelings. I like how real her experience feels.
It definitely seemed more realistic than some. She drinks herself into oblivion, she doesn't shower, she doesn't generally move much at all. She could give two shits less what other people think about her, and definitely proves it when she goes on a drunken Facebook commenting spree. That was cringe worthy for sure. She went into self-preservation mode and really who could blame her. Definitely not me.
It definitely seemed more realistic than some. She drinks herself into oblivion, she doesn't shower, she doesn't generally move much at all. She could give two shits less what other people think about her, and definitely proves it when she goes on a drunken Facebook commenting spree. That was cringe worthy for sure. She went into self-preservation mode and really who could blame her. Definitely not me.
Patrick, her brand spanking new roommate, scrapes her off of the ground, repeatedly, and kicks her butt, takes the brunt of her spewing anger, and just forces her to take teeny tiny steps towards functioning in the world again. The other roommate, Billy, is also around to be a funny, supportive friend in Stella's new, post-tragedy life. Together, Patrick and Billy get Stella out of the house, making friends at the neighborhood bar, and ready to begin putting the pieces of her life back together. At some point it becomes clear that George, a bartender at the neighborhood bar, may be an important part of the puzzle....although Stella isn't sure if she can ever really be ready for the type of attention that George wants to give her.
I heart Patrick. And Billy. They are great guys, and while I pretty much adore George...I am going to withhold where my true loyalties lie... :) They could've been d-bags of the century, especially since she moved in with them and didn't know them at all. But..she got lucky, and I think that their journey to finding the new Stella was an enjoyable one!
This novel moves quickly--years go by as we watch Stella get used to her new normal. The tragedy that starts the novel never fully goes away but new memories and hardships and happy times push the tragedy farther and farther from the surface of her existence. By the end, just as resolution seems in our grasp--some really messed up stuff happens. Really. Messed. Up. And then it ends. And then, if you are like me and Courtney you run to Amazon and buy book two and hope that books 3 and 4 aren't far behind.
Ugh. I'm still a little bitter about the end. I noticed waaaayyyyyyy too late that there was a second book, and while I am looking forward to it...the end of this one was a teensy bit rushed! I am hoping that the million questions I have will be answered in Tension...and I can't wait to start it...hopefully soon. *crosses fingers*
I wasn't sure what to expect with this book but I am so happy to have found it and now get to suggest it to all of you!
Shelley: 4 Stars
Courtney: 4 Stars
Courtney: 4 Stars
About the Author:
I live in the Atlanta area and I'm surrounded by awesome dudes: my husband, son and dog. I went to law school at American University, Washington College of Law, but only after I fell in love with D.C. I worked in the Senate during the impeachment trial and wanted to stay. After law school I worked for a bit in the area, then moved to Atlanta.
If you ask anyone who knows me they know I love reading and read all sorts of books. Any free time I have I'm either reading, writing or drinking with friends.
I love this review!!! Thanks so much.
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