Review: Something Real by Lexi Ryan
Something Real (Reckless & Real #2)
by: Lexi Ryan
Publication Date: Mar. 3, 2015
Publisher: Ever After, LLC
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Age Group: New Adult
Source: e-ARC received via AToMR Tours in exchange for a fair and honest review.
Page Count: 222 pages
Order Links: Amazon
My Rating: 4/5 stars
After everything blew up on Christmas, Liz walked away from me, and I let her. She said she needed space and a chance to pursue her dreams. But we both knew she was running from the mess she made. Now the political campaign she used as an excuse to leave is bringing us back together and I’m proving to her what she really needs—not just the hot nights, greedy hands, and undeniable physical chemistry. What she really needs is something real. What she really needs…is me.
I was definitely nervous upon starting this one, considering the way the last one ended! Liz was dealt a whopper of a surprise as to the true identity of riverrat and let me tell you it was NO BUENO. *shudder* And quite creeptastic. I was really unsure of how Sam and Liz's relationship would progress in this one (if at all) because of the big reveal, but man I did not expect them to have to deal with as much as they did! This book is one giant manipulation after another and the twists and turns kept on coming!
I was surprised by how much politics played in this one- I thought it would be more focused on Liz and Sam trying to repair their broken relationship, but it turned into much more than that. For these two to truly be happy, they have to deal with everything else that's been thrown at them. There are so many people against them it's kind of mind-boggling. Image is everything in this book and a huge scandal involving Sam has been brought to light and could end everything Governor Guy has worked to achieve. Sam is caught between what he feels he must do versus what he wants to do. He loves Lizzy, despite everything that happened, and wants to make things work with her.
Oh Lizzy. My heart ached for her. This whole riverrat debacle has taken so much from her: a job she loved, the guy she loved and wanted a life with, and it even took her away from New Hope, as she is working in Indianapolis. In the 5 months since it all went down, Lizzy has really been struggling. She isn't taking care of herself the way she should and even her neighbor seems to take notice. I was a little wary of him becoming something more with Liz, but I'm glad Ryan didn't go in that direction. Unfortunately, because of Sam's family's ties with the Guys', Liz can't avoid Sam forever, especially now that there's a scandal thrown into the mix. Sam hasn't been faring much better, but is now stuck between a rock and a hard place. He is forced to lie to the one person he doesn't want to lie to, and makes her feel degraded and he hates himself for putting her in that position. Logically, he knows he should let her go until everything is resolved, but he is too in love with her to do that.
I felt the ending was a bit too rushed for me though. We find out who is really pulling the strings and has been the master manipulator for far too long, and everything kind of just comes to an end. I felt the storyline with Asia fizzled out and I'm still left with questions concerning her. I was glad to see the New Hope girls and there is one relationship blossoming that I was pleasantly surprised by and am looking forward to reading in the future. Overall, I'm pretty satisfied with the way Sam and Liz's story ended, save for the lingering questions I still have. Ryan writes some sexy scenes between them and I really liked the forbiddeness that came attached to them this time around.
**Author’s Note: This is the prequel to the full-length romance novel SOMETHING RECKLESS, available now!**
“You need a good guy. A long-term guy. One who does dates and romance and emotional strings…I’m just an asshole who wants to tie you up, make you come, and walk away.”
Samuel Bradshaw is a man with a reputation—the kind of reputation that should have me running the other way. Instead, it has me searching for the shortest distance to his bed. I won’t be the starry-eyed girl who thinks she can change a man like Sam, and despite what he thinks, forever is not what I need. I need the things he makes me feel, the way he turns me on, and the promise of pleasure in his eyes. I need SOMETHING WILD.
“You need a good guy. A long-term guy. One who does dates and romance and emotional strings…I’m just an asshole who wants to tie you up, make you come, and walk away.”
Samuel Bradshaw is a man with a reputation—the kind of reputation that should have me running the other way. Instead, it has me searching for the shortest distance to his bed. I won’t be the starry-eyed girl who thinks she can change a man like Sam, and despite what he thinks, forever is not what I need. I need the things he makes me feel, the way he turns me on, and the promise of pleasure in his eyes. I need SOMETHING WILD.
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He talks dirty to me, but I don’t know his name.
He wants to tie me up, but I don’t know his face.
He turns me on, but I couldn’t point him out in a crowd.
I’ve fallen for an anonymous stranger, and now the anonymity ends. I want more than typed secrets and texted promises. I want something reckless. Heat. Passion. The thrill of being entirely possessed.
Because I suspect this anonymous stranger isn’t a stranger at all.
*****
Lizzy Thompson met riverrat69 online through a service promising to deliver meaningful relationships by forbidding its users to share names or photos until they’ve reached a certain benchmark. She was looking for love. He was researching an investment. They hit it off. Talked and flirted, hid behind screen names and cartoon avatars.
Now they’re breaking the rules and meeting in person. But Liz is prepared. She’s picked up hints and followed clues. She’s nearly convinced she’s discovered the identity of her dirty-talking online friend.
She wonders if her ex-lover Sam Bradshaw knows her identity too.
When she rolls the dice on one reckless night, her chance at something real could crumble.
He wants to tie me up, but I don’t know his face.
He turns me on, but I couldn’t point him out in a crowd.
I’ve fallen for an anonymous stranger, and now the anonymity ends. I want more than typed secrets and texted promises. I want something reckless. Heat. Passion. The thrill of being entirely possessed.
Because I suspect this anonymous stranger isn’t a stranger at all.
*****
Lizzy Thompson met riverrat69 online through a service promising to deliver meaningful relationships by forbidding its users to share names or photos until they’ve reached a certain benchmark. She was looking for love. He was researching an investment. They hit it off. Talked and flirted, hid behind screen names and cartoon avatars.
Now they’re breaking the rules and meeting in person. But Liz is prepared. She’s picked up hints and followed clues. She’s nearly convinced she’s discovered the identity of her dirty-talking online friend.
She wonders if her ex-lover Sam Bradshaw knows her identity too.
When she rolls the dice on one reckless night, her chance at something real could crumble.
| 
New
York Times and USA
Today bestselling romance author Lexi Ryan’s novels have been
described as intense, emotional, and wickedly sexy. A former college professor,
she now writes full-time from her home in Indiana, where she lives with her
husband, two children, and a neurotic dog. Find her on Facebook or Twitter to
chat about books, TV, and her children’s latest antics.
Website | Facebook | Twitter
Website | Facebook | Twitter
8 comments
Jessica, I was looking at this book yesterday and was wondering if you had read it! You've become my go-to NA girl! :D
ReplyDeleteAnyways, I thought this was more contemporary romance than anything, so I'm surprised this actually has a mystery to it as well. It's a shame about the rushed ending because it seems it would have been so much stronger for you. I'm still curious about this though!
Wonderful review! :)
Haha! Oh man, I love that! I feel honored! I was kind of surprised by the manipulation/mystery going on myself! While I enjoyed this series, it wasn't my favorite of hers. I'd start with some of her earlier ones like Unbreak Me and Wish I May... those were my favorites. Thanks girl!
DeleteI am so torn on this series mostly because I just don't know how I feel about the whole computer secret guy thingie. But if you enjoyed it I will too so I'll keep this one on my radar. Great review.
ReplyDeleteI definitely understand girl. Like I told Nick above, you may want to start with the earlier books in this world- Unbreak Me and Wish I May. Those are really good.
DeleteGreat review! I just finished this book a couple days ago. I have to pull my thoughts together to write a review. I really enjoyed this series, but the ending of this disappointed me a bit. Like you, I would've liked for a little bit MORE at the ending. The Asia storyline just kind of disappeared, which I found strange considering it was a huge part of Sam's motivations during this book. I'm looking forward to her next series already. Cliffhangers and love triangles make me crazy, but she does them so very well I can't help but love it.
ReplyDeleteAgreed! I didn't like how poof that was gone. It wasn't my favorite series of hers- I much prefer the original New Hope ones, Unbreak Me and Wish I May. I am looking forward to Nyx and Max though!
DeleteGreat Review! I loved this series! I read this one in a single day!
ReplyDeleteLexi Ryan really has an addictive writing style! I do really love that!
DeleteLeave me some comment love! And I will get around to commenting back!
My blog is an award-free blog, however, as I just do not have the time to follow-up.