Book Review, Excerpt, & Giveaway: Rebound
Rebound (Boomerang #2)
By: Noelle August
Published By: William Morrow
Publication Date: February 10, 2015
Page Count: 288
Buy it at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, or IndieBound
Source: ARC Kindly Provided by Publisher via Edelweiss
Audience: New Adult - Contemporary
I'm enjoying the newest series trend - companion novels. While you do need to read Boomerang first to understand what's happening in this one, it's not truly a direct sequel. The first novel focuses on Mia and Ethan. Rebound tells the story of Adam and Alison. It was nice to see old friends - like Mia and Ethan - make appearances in this one, but they aren't the driving force behind the plot.
I was slightly nervous about this one. While I liked Adam from our first encounter in Boomerang, I wasn't a big fan of Alison's. In fact, she was my least favorite character in the first book. I felt like she was spoiled and snotty; her infidelity also put a large black mark on her record. I'm extremely hard on characters who choose to cheat rather than end a relationship in a mature manner. I was willing to trust in the lovely Veronica and Lorin (the duo that makes up August Noelle). I'm so glad I did. Rebound paints Alison in a different light and allows her side of the story to become clear. I still disagree with her choices where Ethan is concerned, but I did find that I didn't loathe her this time around. Alison is truly a victim of her family circumstances. It was nice to see her shake off her guilt and the shackles of family obligation to pursue her own goals. Choosing between family and the heart isn't an easy feat. I applaud Alison's courage.
Furthermore, I enjoyed getting to know Adam on a deeper level in this one as well. There is tragedy lurking behind his gray eyes. I wanted to understand the complexity that is Adam.
I wasn't so sure that I could picture these two in a romantic entanglement, but everything comes together nicely. I felt like it was realistic and the attraction is palpable. I don't want to give too much away, but I loved the segments that took place in Wyoming. These scenes were some of my favorites in the novel.
As with the first installment, I adored the secondary characters in this one. Many of my old favorites - like Cookie - make appearances. I also enjoyed getting to know Philippe. His friendship with Alison embodies the nature of a true BFF. I love that while romance is the dominant factor in this series, friendship and self discovery also play prominent roles. It was also interesting to watch the dynamic between Alison and Mia play out in this one. I have to admit that I do not know if I could have handled the situation with as much poise and grace as Mia.
In addition to the friendships, the family dynamics also kept me intrigued. The relationship between Mia and her father frustrated me. I couldn't get past Graham's selfishness. He doesn't seem to care about Alison's feelings at all. On the flip side, I loved the interactions between Adam and Gray. I hope that we see more of Gray in the future novels. In fact, the next novel, Bounce, seems to be all about Gray. *swoon*
If you're hankering from a New Adult romance, I'd highly recommend this one. It's the chai latte of reads - sweet, rich, with just the right amount of spice.
P.S. - How could a Lark not love this book? Check out this awesome birdie quotation: "No way, Adam! Birds are perfect creatures! Just the flying ones. Ostriches? Chickens? Dumb. A waste of feathers. Birds are supposed to fly. They're supposed to soar up in the clouds - not be stuck on land. Why be something if you can't actually be that something?" (Kindle Location 1807).
One Last Gripe: I was skeptical of the ending. It seemed to come together a little too easily.
Favorite Thing About This Book: Adam and Alison's relationship
First Sentence: Some nights call of a Catwoman costume.
Favorite Character: Adam
Least Favorite Character: Graham
Adam Blackwood has it all. At twenty-two, he’s fabulously wealthy, Ryan Gosling-hot and at the top of the heap in the business world. His life is perfect, until a scandal from his past resurfaces and knocks the tech wunderkind down, throwing his company, Boomerang, a hook-up site for millennials, into chaos.
Three years ago, Adam married his high school love—and then lost her in a tragic accident. Now, the heartbreak and guilt he’s tried to bury with work and women begins to take over his life.
Alison Quick, the twenty-one-year-old daughter of a business tycoon—and the very ex-girlfriend of Boomerang’s former intern, Ethan—has a problem of her own. She’s got one chance to prove to her father that she deserves a place in his empire by grabbing control of Boomerang and taking Adam down.
But as Alison moves in on him, armed with a cadre of lawyers and accountants, she discovers there’s much more to Adam and Boomerang than meets the eye. Will earning her father’s approval come at the price of losing her first real love? It appears so, unless Adam can forgive her for wrecking his life and trying to steal his livelihood. But Alison hopes that old adage is right. Maybe love can conquer all.
Excerpt #1: Alison
I give myself to the music and the movement of my body, but over and over again, I’m drawn back to him. And every time, his eyes are on me. Every time, he greets me with that same devastating grin that cuts right to my core.
Finally, I can’t take it anymore. I give in and dance his way, running my mink tail through my fingers. I smile at him, feeling light and relaxed and like no one in the world would dare deny me a thing.
“Dance with me,” I say.
“Is that a question?” he asks, folding his arms across his chest. His biceps bulge beneath the flowing black fabric of his shirt, and his eyes, which seem to be a deep, penetrating gray, regard me in amusement.
“No,” I reply, still swaying as the music flows through me to wrap around us both. “Come on.”
He hesitates, and the moment stretches between us. What is he waiting for? Doesn’t he understand how much I need to dance with him right now?
Coming up close to him, I feel the pull of his body, like gravity. I press in closer, then closer still. Smoothing a hand against the silken material of his shirt and the hard contours of his torso, I ask, “Pretty please?”
I step back, and his smile broadens. Finally, he reaches out a hand to me, and I take it.
“Okay, Catwoman,” he says. “Let’s dance.”
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Question: What do you get when friends pen a story with heart, plenty of laughs, and toe-curling kissing scenes?
Answer: Noelle August, the pseudonym for renowned editor and award-winning writer Lorin Oberweger and New York Times bestselling YA author Veronica Rossi, the masterminds behind the Boomerang series. You can visit them at NoelleAugust.com, @Noelle_August, and facebook.com/NoelleAugustBooks.
BOUNCE, the last installment in the BOOMERANG series, will be on sale in August 2015!
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In high school I had 5-6 different secret admirers (that sounds like I'm bragging, but trust me, I'm not!). They were probably sweet guys, but I would have only maybe liked one, and I already had a boyfriend. Anyway, back then--the late 80s--secret admirers put notes in girls' lockers - and usually weren't very secret about it. I always figured out who they were! :)
ReplyDeleteI´ve never been a secret admirer but that´s good, isn´t it??? XD
ReplyDeleteI like when relationships are based on friendship. I married my BFF and he's the sweetest!
ReplyDelete