Book Review: Redeem Me
Redeem Me (Lost Souls #2)
By: Eliza Freed
Published By: Forever Yours
Publication Date: February 3, 2015
Page Count: 384
Buy it at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, or IndieBound
Source: ARC Kindly Provided by Publisher via NetGalley
Audience: New Adult - Contemporary
I enjoyed the first novel, but there were moments that infuriated me or left me feeling frustrated. I had trouble rooting for Charlotte and Jason because I felt like their relationship was border line toxic. I'm so glad I pushed through my annoyances with these two characters because I LOVED this installment. With that being said, if you haven't read book #1, stop reading this review now. I can't discuss this one without some major spoilers about the first one. Again, DO NOT read beyond the page break. You have been warned.
The ending of the first novel had my blood boiling. I couldn't believe that after everything Jason would be so stupid. Infidelity is something, much like Julia, that I cannot forgive. I felt like instead of being a man and owning up to his mistake, he kept trying to blame Charlotte for driving him to make a bad choice. Then he has the nerve to keep calling and writing her; he begs for another chance and laments about how he cannot live without her. Perhaps Jason should have remembered those feelings before he cheated on Charlotte and got another girl pregnant.
Charlotte handles all of this in much the same way I would. She begins by grieving deeply. It's almost as if she has lost a part of her soul. She can't eat or sleep because everything reminds her of the relationship she shared with Jason. Charlotte also begins to hate herself, because in spite of it all, she still loves Jason. She worries that if he shows up on her doorstep she'll jump into his arms and forget what drove them apart in the first place. Once this melancholy passes, Charlotte becomes enraged. She imagines inflicting bodily harm on Jason and wants nothing to do with him. I was able to connect with Charlotte in this one. I didn't see her as lost this time around; she is brave and fierce. This is the Charlotte I admire.
Part of Charlotte's healing comes at the hands of her long time best friend, Noble. He was my favorite character in the first novel. I liked that no matter what else was happening in Charlotte's life, she could always count on Noble. He is a stable, grounding force for Charlotte. Interestingly enough, he is blond and golden symbolizing light while Jason is dark and brooding. Everything about these two guys seem to be polar opposites. In some ways, Charlotte is a lucky girl to have both guys in her life, but in other ways I worry about who will be her final choice. Where Jason is toxic for Charlotte, Noble is a safe harbor. On the other hand, Noble represents safety and security while Jason represents adventure and passion. Charlotte's heart wouldn't have an easy decision to make if Jason hadn't been such an idiot.
Like in the first novel, the intimate moments may be too much for some readers. I didn't mind these as much as some in the first novel, but this is certainly the sort of read I can't read without blushing. Again, as I have mentioned in previous reviews, I like more left to the imagination.
The tension in this one was brutal. I honestly have no idea how things will end up for Charlotte, but I can say that I am firmly Team Noble. The final installment is sitting patiently on my Kindle waiting for its turn. At the moment, it's looking like it will be the summer before I can work it in, but I am not sure I can wait that long to know how this one ends. I've grown to love these characters, this town, and the angst. Eliza Freed's writing is getting stronger; I have high hopes for Save Me.
One Last Gripe: I feel like Stephanie gets a lot of the blame for Jason's mistake. I'm not saying she's blameless, but Jason is just as much at fault.
Favorite Thing About This Book: Charlotte and Noble's relationship
First Sentence: "Would you like to get out of here?" he asks as leans into me.
Favorite Character: Noble
Least Favorite Character: Violet
Some things can't be forgiven...
Charlotte O'Brien should forgive God for her parents' death. She should forgive her boyfriend for his one horrific mistake that separated them, and she should forgive herself for cutting them both off, but instead she hates everyone.
But when her childhood friend Noble Sinclair arrives, his passion reignites the spark that had vanished so completely in Charlotte's gray existence. And in Noble's arms, Charlotte finally begins to wonder if she might be ready to choose the future with Noble over her shattered past.
I did what you said - and stopped reading because I haven't read book one.
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