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Review

3.5 truly overwhelming stars

Book 2 in the Tear Assunder series brings us the story of Kat – best friend of Emily from book 1, Torn from You – and Ream (yes, that is his actual name).

Ream and Kat hooked up during the events of the last book (giving this book QUITE the surprising opening!!!). It didn’t end well due to a misunderstanding on Ream’s part, and ended up with the two of them pretty much ignoring each other for two years, except that whenever they are in the room together there is sexual tension and sparks on a nuclear level.

Ream has since apologised for his epic fuck up and then went off on tour with his band, and though Kat has tried to move on, she still gets all tingly at thoughts of him. And when he arrives back in town, things between them are more intense than ever. Just a single glance between them is shiver-inducing. And Ream makes it very clear that he is not going to take any more crap, and that she is going to be his.

I’m all for girl-power but I must admit I do enjoy a story where a guy goes all caveman, determined to get his girl. I love me an alpha man, but when they have a touch of swoon about them as well, it’s extra special, and Ream does a fantastic job at putting his heart out there to Kat.

“I’ve never been the same.”
My breath hitched. “What?”
“After we were together. Something changed in me and I’m not going back. I like the change. And I miss the woman who gave it to me.”
…
“I want us back. And I’ll take you any way I can have you. Even if it’s just friends, Kat. I’ll take it – for now of course. But the constant anger and pain we’re causing one another is destroying our beginning, and our beginning was something fuckin’ special.”

Kat is understandably resistant to starting anything with Ream again, and her constant pushing does get annoying, although it just causes him to push back harder, so it is all highly entertaining.

He tightened his arm and tugged me back in. Then he had the nerve to chuckle.
“Go to sleep, Kitkat.”
“I’m not tired.”
“Then lie here and think of me fucking you.”
“Ream, that’s ridiculous.”
“No, you’re being ridiculous for not shutting your mouth and just enjoying cuddling.”
“You’re an ass.”
“Never said I wasn’t. Now close that sweet, fuckable mouth before I find another way to shut it.”

But on a serious note, Kat has a big secret that she has been keeping from everybody that impacts pretty much everything in her life, and why she behaves the way she does. I thought this was tied in really well to the story, and knowing somebody in a similar situation, I thought that it was a realistic representation. She needs safety and no stress, and Ream has not shown himself to be the man to give that to her, so I could absolutely understand her trying to protect herself.

But, thank God, the woman isn’t made of stone, and Ream’s constant reassurances, attention and openness with her start to break down her barriers, and when he pulls the ultimate alpha move…

…she is helpless to resist him. The romance is hot, it’s intense, and it’s very emotional with the two of them diving straight into the heavy stuff.

“I belong with you. I belong to you. And I love you.”

But Ream also has a secret. One that not only defines his past, but also explains his over-protectiveness and the occasional moments where he freezes up when they are together. It’s hinted at throughout the book with little moments from his POV, and I thought I had it figured out, but I was wrong. When he opens up and reveals all, it’s heartbreaking stuff! And when his past come screaming back into his and Kat’s newly established present, all hell is about to break lose.

And I don’t mean that lightly, because…

DRAMA ALERT!!!

Wow. Just, wow. Here I was enjoying an angsty, hot and romantic story and then the shit hits the fan and to me it just felt like too much. SO much happens to these characters in the last 30% or so of the book, that it just felt like overkill. I’m sure it was added to the story to bring some excitement, but honestly I don’t think any book needs that much excitement all squished into the end of it! Like the first book of the series – how many bombshells can be dropped, and how much do these poor characters need to endure? It all felt very unrealistic and yes, overwhelming, and had me rolling my eyes, which I’m sure wasn’t the intended reaction. The only positive about it for me is that it leads into the happy ending, and provides a nice intro to the next book which is Crisis’ (again, WTF is with these guy’s names???).

So obviously I had mixed feelings about this book. I really enjoyed the romantic storyline – the banter, the dirty talk, the sexy time and the swoony stuff, and would have rated the book a solid 4 on that part of the story alone, but the OTT of the ending really brought the book down for me unfortunately.

3.5 stars.

 

The Tear Assunder series