{ARC Review} The Only Way by Magan Vernon
Labels:
4 Stars,
Adult,
Book Review,
Contemporary Romance,
Magan Vernon
·
Series: Only #4
Author: Magan Vernon
Published: 18th March 2015
Age Group: New Adult
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Source: eARC provided via Netgalley for fair & honest review
Rating: 4/5
Goodreads | Amazon
BLURB:
William "Tripp" Chapman has always been the black sheep of his family's political dynasty. His oldest brother works on Wall Street, his youngest-groomed for the senate. And Tripp is the brother known for wrecking his Porsche after a drinking bender and winding up in rehab.
On the night of his father's presidential election he takes a detour and meets a waitress at a local hole-in-the wall. Samantha "Sam" Green is just as broken as he is, but covers it up with enough snark so no one tries to get too close.
When Sam gets kicked out of her apartment, Tripp agrees that she can crash on his couch until she gets on her feet. But as they grow closer physically, the ghosts of their past threaten to burden their new relationship
The Only Way they can overcome their demons is to face them instead of running. Can Sam help Tripp find his way or will their own battles bury them further?
The Only series is a series of standalone novels. You do not need to read one in order to fully understand the other. M/F. HEA
The Only way is a beautifully raw and gritty story on the dark world of addiction and mental illness, and provides the reader with a sense of hope.
REVIEW:
The story:
Tripp has hit rock bottom, after checking out of rehab for drug addiction and depression he's trying to rebuild he's life. But being the black sheep in his family and feeling shame for dragging his family's political name through the mud, recovery is anything but easy. And meeting a feisty waitress by the name of Sam certainly wasn't in his plans, but he can't deny his attraction to the sexy red head. After helping her out of sticky situation and offering her refuge on his couch until she can find a new apartment, the two develop a close friendship. However they are both reluctant to pursue anything romantic and destroy the first real friendship they've ever had. But how long can they deny their true feelings?
The characters:
Tripp may be the black sheep of the family, but he still has a heart of gold. He wants to change his life and be able to help others who a dealing with similar issues. But he does have a self sabotaging personality. As soon as something positive happens, he has a tendency to destroy it. He grows a lot and still has a lot more work to do, but he definitely works hard to become a better man.
Sam comes across as a tough, confident character who just gets on with life. But underneath that tough exterior is a girl who's desperate to find her place in the world. She a has a dry and wicked sense of humour, which I just loved.
The romance:
I really loved the the romance between Sam & Tripp doesn't 'heal' Tripp's addiction. While Sam is supportive in his recovery they both realise this is something he needs to do for himself. It was also great to see them develop a friendship first, before anything romantic really happened, it made their chemistry much more believable.
The writing:
Mental illness and drug addiction are not easy topics to write about. Finding the balance between light and dark, while being realistic with the approach is tricky. I loved that Magan didn't make the journey easy on the both her characters or the reader. But at the same time, I was left feeling hopeful about Tripp's future, which as a reader is extremely important.
FINAL WORD:
The Only way is a beautifully raw and gritty story on the dark world of addiction and mental illness, and provides the reader with a sense of hope.
CONTENT:
Sexuality: medium-strong / some sex scenes
Violence: mild
Language: medium / some f words
Drugs & alcohol: strong / main subject has drug addiction
Other: main theme addresses mental illness and depression
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
Ahh I'm so glad to see that they don't jump into the romance and that a friendship is developed first. I find those types of relationship are the most realistic. I'm also glad to see that the author doesn't just make the mental illness and addiction disappear because Tripp has found someone. It makes the book more raw and real when she can highlight that these illnesses are not just some fantasy that can disappear and solved through love. It is real and there are people struggling with it every day. Thanks for a wonderful review Amy! xx
ReplyDeleteI simply could not depart your web site before suggesting that I extremely enjoyed the usual information a person provide to your visitors?
ReplyDeleteIs gonna be again frequently to check up on new posts.