[Blog Tour: Review + Giveaway] Twisted Perfection by Abbi Glines

 

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Title: Twisted Perfection (Perfection #1)
Author: Abbi Glines
Release Date: April 20, 2013
Goodreads

Life outside of her house was a new experience for Della Sloane. The dark secrets of her past weren’t something she ever intended to share with anyone. They would never understand. No one would ever get close enough to find out. There was always a chance she’d go crazy sooner than they expected…

Woods Kerrington had never been one to be attracted to fragile females. They seemed like too much work. He wasn’t in it for the work just the pleasure. A night full of naughty fun had been exactly what was on his mind when he’d laid eyes on the hot little number that didn’t know how to pump gas and needed some help.

What he didn’t know was she was as fragile as they came.
The carefree girl who spoke her mind and didn’t care what the world thought of her was more breakable than he could ever imagine…

THOUGHTS:

I love Woods. I don't think I've expounded on it enough when I reviewed Never Too Far, but I really do. He's protective, a gentleman, and a good guy to boot. Through reading about Blaire and Rush's story, a part of me just wanted to scream at Blaire to give Woods a chance because he was that amazing. He cared about Blaire without expecting anything in return, and he was the best friend he could be to her when she need one. In hindsight, I remember wishing for Abbi Glines to write Woods his own book, because wow, this is a character I would love to read more about (and I'm sure I'm not the only one!). So yeah, I bet most of you can imagine my reaction when I got an advance review copy of Twisted Perfection...

My god, just when I thought I couldn't love Woods more, Glines proved me wrong. We were already privy to some aspects of Woods' character with the way he interacted with Blaire in the past, but given the fact that we're inside his head this time around, you just learn a lot about him. And to be honest, I loved what I learned. Woods seems like your typical good-looking, rich snob but there's so much more to him that meets the eye. His life may seem perfect, but it's not. His father has been controlling him all his life, and in order for Woods to assume a higher role in the family company, he must continue to let his father pull the strings. Initially, Woods is content to do so, but this all changes when he meets Della. Now, Woods is in a constant state of indecision - should he abide by his father's wishes, or should he actually do what he wants?

That's what makes Della so different from the other girls Woods has dated. She challenges Woods to stand up for himself, to fight for the things he believes in. On the flipside, it is because of meeting Woods that Della finally figures out how to live, after having been cooped up all her life. At first, I wasn't that convinced that Woods and Della's relationship would be anything but physical, but they were quick to make me believe otherwise. The instant connection was there - it was apparent from the getgo that they could talk to each other about anything, and it was soon made clear to me that both Woods and Della wanted each other irregardless of all the baggage from the past and the obstacles of the future .

Truth be told, I didn't quite like Della as much as I liked Blaire. It was difficult for me to fully grasp her character - at times she seemed like a strong, independent woman, but there were moments when she acknowledges that she was starting to be dependent on Woods. Though she is not afraid to speak her mind, sometimes she is just fragile and scared beyond relief. However, I have to admit, because I couldn't quite understand Della, that just makes me want to read about her more.

I thought that this novel would be a stand-alone, but after that major cliffhanger, I'm obviously wrong. I'm actually glad that Glines is continuing Woods and Della's story because there's so much more to explore. While both characters have already come to terms with their past, their future is in no way secure because there's still a lot they both have to figure out. Moreover, given Della's background, her character development is in no way complete. As early now, I'm already salivating for the sequel!

Rating: 4 Stars

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Fallen Too Far by Abbi Glines

Title: Fallen Too Far
Author: Abbi Glines
Release Date: December 14, 2012

To want what you’re not supposed to have…

She is only nineteen.

She is his new stepfather’s daughter.

She is still naïve and innocent due to spending the last three years taking care of her sick mother.

But for twenty-four year old Rush Finlay, she is the only thing that has ever been off limits. His famous father’s guilt money, his mother’s desperation to win his love, and his charm are the three reasons he has never been told no.

Blaire Wynn left her small farmhouse in Alabama, after her mother passed away, to move in with her father and his new wife in their sprawling beach house along the Florida gulf coast. She isn’t prepared for the lifestyle change and she knows she’ll never fit into this world. Then there is her sexy stepbrother who her father leaves her with for the summer while he runs off to Paris with his wife. Rush is as spoiled as he is gorgeous. He is also getting under her skin. She knows he is anything but good for her and that he’ll never be faithful to anyone. He is jaded and has secrets Blaire knows she may never uncover but even knowing all of that…

Blaire just may have fallen too far.

THOUGHTS:

Honestly, I was very hesitant to read this book. The blurb didn't exactly draw me in, and my past few experiences with Abbi Glines' other novels haven't exactly been pleasant. As a matter of fact, I'm probably the only person in the blogosphere who didn't even remotely like both The Vincent Boys and The Vincent Brothers at the very least, and the same goes for Glines' Sea Breeze series. However, I saw nothing amiss in giving Fallen Too Far a shot - everyone (and I do mean everyone) was raving about it, and besides, the cover is ridiculously gorgeous. What's there to lose (except time), right?

And... Wow. After reading the final page of this novel, my heart was pounding like crazy, and I was pretty much in shambles. Simply put, it blew me away, and I definitely wasn't expecting that. Moreover, I didn't think it was possible, but it did. It truly did. To say that I liked Fallen Too Far is an understatement even, because I honest to God loved it!

What set apart this particular novel of Glines from her others would have to be the characters. It wasn't difficult to like Blaire and to be engrossed in her journey as she picked up the pieces of her life. Blaire was smart, witty, and she knew how to fend for herself, yet somehow, she was also a wee bit innocent and almost naive in other aspects of life. Blaire's been through so much despite being relatively young, and reading her innermost thoughts and feelings allowed me to feel closer to her, and ultimately be invested in her character.

While I didn't exactly know a lot about Rush, I have to admit, he did fascinate me. He was the epitome of hot and cold - it was as if he couldn't make up his mind on how to act around Blaire, and I had no idea why. Initially, I hated how he treated Blaire off the bat, but as the story went on, I did end up liking his character more because there was a reason why he acted the way he did. It was apparent that he was keeping something important from Blaire, and that this secret would ultimately destroy whatever progress they made in their relationship. At the same time, however, it was also clear that what he felt for Blaire was both sincere and true, and that she brought out the best in him.

Plot-wise, I had no problem with this novel. It was fast-paced, but it allowed enough time for character-building. Midway through, I was certain that I would be rating Fallen Too Far 4 stars, but the last few chapters were mind-blowing, to say the least, and that thought was flushed down the drain. I suddenly found myself reading faster and faster, because so much happened near the end. Explosive dialogues and confrontations were aplenty; emotional realizations had by Blaire broke my heart - in fact, her sheer desperation was basically seeping through the pages... Just... Wow. I truly did not expect that this novel would be this much of an emotional read, but hey, I'm not complaining!

Heartbreaking as it was, I'd like to stress that the secret really helped make this novel remarkable. At first I thought it would be another cliche and been-done-so-many-times secret about the hero, but Glines was able to pull off a twist that came out of the left field - I don't think anyone expected it!

All in all, Fallen Too Far merits a 4.5 stars from me. I know, I know, I usually don't do 4.5, but I really had to take half a star off because this book would benefit a lot from more meticulous editing. The lack of commas drove me insane, and there were even a few misspelled words here and there. Some sentences' structures were also a little off. Grammar inconsistencies aside, however, Abbi Glines clearly knows how to write raw, emotional scenes, and the scenes with sexual tension were also off the charts. I honest to God wish that this book would get a deal so that it can get edited by awesome editors who I haven't really appreciated until now, because editing would make this book so much better! You wouldn't regret reading Fallen Too Far though, so do grab a copy!

Rating: 4.5 Stars