“Maybe we’re trash to some people, but that’s just because we didn’t know we could be more. And now that we do, we’re trying our best to be better than we used to be. To be better than our parents or those around us. What more can we do?”
Riven McKenna was just released from prison after serving time for a crime he didn’t commit. Now that he’s out, he wants nothing to do with his ex-best friend, Rex, and Rex’s family who let him take the fall for the crime that Rex actually committed. Riven is just looking to keep his head down, steer clear of the people who ruined his life, and get him and his grandma out of that town sooner rather than later.
He definitely doesn’t want anything to do with Parrish Hunt, Rex’s younger brother. However, he quickly realizes that Parrish isn’t like the rest of his family. Parrish treats Riven like he’s actually worth something and like he’s worthy of love and despite his best efforts, Riven is having a hard time staying away. As the two grow closer, Riven’s past comes roaring back to threaten everything he loves and if there’s one thing that’s always been true about Riven, he’ll go to any length to protect what’s his even if it means taking the fall again.
Parrish made me feel alive, and until I’d experienced it with him, I hadn’t known I’d spent my whole life feeling like I wasn’t breathing.
I really enjoyed this book! It was a lot grittier and more angsty than the handful of other Riley Hart books I’ve read but it still had a lot of heart and a beautiful love story. My heart broke for Riven. He didn’t have the easiest life and had done some bad things when he was younger but he wanted to be better and to live a peaceful life. He was dealt a really crappy hand, though. It had beaten him down over the years but I was glad that he never let it completely break him.
“Take a risk with me. Don’t make me fall alone.”
Despite growing up around the same awful people, Parrish Hunt has mostly been able to forge his own path and not fall into the same life as his brother and father. He was a good guy and I loved seeing how he cared for the people who were important to him – a category that Riven eventually fell into. Parrish was so good at redirecting Riven’s negative thoughts and he worked hard to show Riven that he was worth loving. It was very sweet. These guys also had great chemistry – the sex scenes were very hot (and plentiful!).
This story was also fairly angsty and got a little suspenseful toward the end. It’s been a while since I’ve read a book that had characters I hated as much as I did Rex and his father. They were the worst and I really wanted them to get what was coming to them! You’ll have to grab your own copy of this book, though, to find out if that happens or not!
He made me want more. Made me look forward to my life, even if it wasn’t a real special one, but I’d get to spend it with him, and that’s what would make it spectacular.
The Book Boyfriend Addict 