Review: Last Second Chance by Caisey Quinn

Last Second Chance (Second Chance #1)
   by: Caisey Quinn

Publication Date: May 6, 2014
Publisher: Self-Published
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Age Group: New Adult
Source: e-ARC provided by the author in exchange for a fair and honest review.
Page Count: 266 pages
Order Links: Amazon | B&N
My Rating: 5/5 stars

When Stella Jo Chandler gets an offer to work at the Second Chance Ranch celebrity rehab facility right after graduating from Texas A&M, she’s tempted to turn it down. She wants to help real people with real problems, not spoiled celebrities going on vacation for publicity. But growing up on her family’s ranch left her with a love of horses that draws her to the opportunity. How bad can babysitting a bunch of strung out celebrities be?

What she didn’t count on was being roped into a tangled mess with infamous rocker and three-time rehab drop out Van Ransom on her first day. And she sure didn’t expect to feel the overwhelming attraction that pulls her to the man who has more issues than she can count on both hands. Like the hotel rooms and tour buses he’s famous for trashing, the havoc he could wreak on Stella’s heart would be irreparable.

Van isn’t at Second Chance for publicity or because he’s suffering from “exhaustion”. He’s on the brink of destruction, and he needs the kind of help Stella isn’t sure she can give. But without her, he'll lose everything. Because he’s on his last second chance.

 

 

I don't even know if I'm going to be able to form a coherent review, but I'll give it my best shot. Caisey has blown me the heck away in this novel folks. I absolutely fell head over heels in love with the characters, the storyline, and Caisey's naughty sexual deviant behavior! Well, not hers but her characters. You know what I mean! GET IT GIRL.

 

Pacing: We are immediately launched into Stella Jo and Van's lives and they are both struggling with who they are and what they want out of life. I loved the pacing of their relationship, as well as how forbidden it was. Both Van and Stella are dealing with some pretty heavy stuff and even though they both know it's wrong to lean on the other... they just can't stay away.

 

Storyline: Now that Stella Jo has graduated from college, she has some choices to make. She can go back to her parents' ranch or she can actually make a difference at the Second Chance Ranch. After an incident changed her life completely, Stella isn't thrilled about either option. Both bring her face to face with her fears and the one thing she loved to do more than anything in the world: riding horses. She wants to use her degree to help others, but upon realizing Second Chance Ranch is basically a rehab center for celebrities, she's less than enthusiastic about spending time with pampered, spoiled people who think they're entitled because of the amount of money they make and their status. She never in a million years thought she'd find what she needed most in one of those celebrities and things are going to get awfully complicated considering fraternizing with clients is strictly prohibited. Van Ransom, however, isn't to be taken lightly. He is a mess and after landing himself in the hospital once again for drugs. His new record label won't put up with the bullshit and if his band wants a chance at signing he will have to go to rehab and do his time there. If he doesn't comply, he will not only lose his chance at signing with the label, he'll lose his band and his manager too. Meeting Stella Jo is a kick in the balls for Van. She makes him regret all the unsavory, disgusting things he's done in the past and as cliché as it sounds: makes him want to be better. But Van is in a dark place and has a heavy past to overcome. Opening up isn't his forte and it will take quite a bit to work through all the things plaguing him. Stella Jo gives him a reason to try. He is drawn to her and finds himself doing anything to be near her. He's torn between that all-consuming need to have her and his conscience that tells him he's not any good for someone like her. Together, they'll realize that sometimes what you need is the last thing you ever expected to find.

 

Characters: I loved Stella Jo. She is sweet and loving and genuinely wants to make a difference and help others. She is a little spitfire and is determined not to fall for Van's charms. She knows being with him would be wrong, but the more he worms his way into her life, the harder it is to stay away. For the first time ever, Stella feels what it's like to be wanted by another person, to be desired. She sees the hurt in his eyes when she rejects him and sees past the nonchalant, tough guy exterior he puts up. He reminds her of one of the wild horses in the stable- quick to anger, but slow to trust. It boils down to the fact that both of them desperately need the other and whether their emotions will destroy or empower them will be something you have to read to find out!

 

I need to talk about Van. Because good freaking Lord, that man is the sexiest, most sinful, most dangerous man I've experience in awhile. And I loved him. He is in such a dark place and my heart really went out to him, just like Stella's did. He doesn't feel worthy of her or feels as if he deserves someone like her, but he wonders if she can fix the brokenness he feels inside and if she can take away the pain he feels over losing the one person he needed more than anything in the world. He needs someone to be there for him, to be his anchor when the darkness of his addiction threatens to drown him. He doesn't want Stella to witness him losing control and he is afraid of hurting her, but she is persistent- she's not going anywhere and she's ready to fight his demons with him.

 

 He is also deliciously deviant in his sexual relationship with Stella. Riding crop, anyone? WHEW. Caisey has written some steamalicious scenes that will leave you craving more!

 

Final Thoughts: This review doesn't come close to doing this book justice. The raw emotions Van and Stella both feel when they're together will make your heart clench as well as the emotional pain both of them have gone through. Quinn does an amazing job of bringing these characters and their journey to life and you can't help but hope that they both get their second chance and not lose themselves to the darkness.