Welcome to my stop on the Fading Out blog tour hosted by AToMR Tours!
To see the full tour schedule please click HERE.
Fading Out (Living Heartwood #3)
by: Trisha WolfePublication Date: Feb. 18, 2015
Publisher: Self-Published
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Age Group: New Adult
Source: e-ARC provided via the author and AToMR Tours in exchange for a fair and honest review.
Page Count: 251 pages
Order Links: Amazon
My Rating: 4/5 stars
Love means fading out so another shines brighter.
Right clothes. Right school. Right fiancé. As a Wyndemere, Arian’s expected to abide by the rules. The most important: be perfect. But Arian’s seemingly flawless life is far from it. An embarrassing expulsion from her parents’ alma mater spirals an already unhealthy obsession out of control, exposing a dark truth.
Faced with having to attend a small private college after a stint in rehab, Arian’s just ready to coast under the radar and repair some of the wreckage, but her father’s looming control is like a vise choking off her air supply.
When a run-in with Braxton’s beloved star quarterback, Ryder Nash, puts Arian squarely in the crosshairs of his devoted teammates, the last of her controlled, orderly world unhinges. As the pranks and paybacks escalate, Arian and Ryder’s rivalry takes a passionate turn. And once Arian glimpses beneath the all-star-athlete exterior Ryder projects, she realizes he’s far more than just a jock.
As their relationship intensifies, outside forces feel the threat. Outrunning their pasts doesn’t mean history won’t repeat itself, but Ryder can’t let that happen. He’s just one Championship game away from breaking the mold. Only one moment, one choice, might change everything.
Right clothes. Right school. Right fiancé. As a Wyndemere, Arian’s expected to abide by the rules. The most important: be perfect. But Arian’s seemingly flawless life is far from it. An embarrassing expulsion from her parents’ alma mater spirals an already unhealthy obsession out of control, exposing a dark truth.
Faced with having to attend a small private college after a stint in rehab, Arian’s just ready to coast under the radar and repair some of the wreckage, but her father’s looming control is like a vise choking off her air supply.
When a run-in with Braxton’s beloved star quarterback, Ryder Nash, puts Arian squarely in the crosshairs of his devoted teammates, the last of her controlled, orderly world unhinges. As the pranks and paybacks escalate, Arian and Ryder’s rivalry takes a passionate turn. And once Arian glimpses beneath the all-star-athlete exterior Ryder projects, she realizes he’s far more than just a jock.
As their relationship intensifies, outside forces feel the threat. Outrunning their pasts doesn’t mean history won’t repeat itself, but Ryder can’t let that happen. He’s just one Championship game away from breaking the mold. Only one moment, one choice, might change everything.
"He found me. He chose me. When I was fading, his love shone bright enough to chase away my darkness."
The previous two novels in this series are very emotional books, and while Trish strived to make this one lighter, it does still have a very poignant storyline that tackles some very difficult issues. I love that this one is set on a college campus though and that football is such a big theme. (What can I say? I live in the land of the SEC people!) There is also a lot of character development and growth with the main character, which is something I love to see in books. Fading Out will hurt your heart, but the romance between Ari and Ryder is definitely one that sizzles!
Having briefly met Ari in the previous novel, Losing Track, we now get her story as she has just transferred to a new school and must deal with the aftereffects of what happened at her previous one. My heart ached for Ari. For so long her parents have held her to extreme standards and everything is about appearance and reputation. Ari is a Wyndemere, which means she cannot be anything less than perfect. Where most people would scorn their families or tell them where to shove their expectations, it is not that simple for Ari. Already dealing with so much and having extreme self-image issues, Ari can't risk losing the one thing that defines her- her name. She doesn't know who she is, but she knows she is a Wyndemere and she can't risk losing that, else she be left with nothing.
Meeting Ryder challenges everything Ari has ever known. The two do NOT get off to a very good start, as Ryder has a habit of putting his foot in his mouth and Ari can overreact to his wording. I am all for the hate turned love romances, so I liked this one even though I wanted to punch Ryder in the throat early on for a few comments made at Ari's expense. He's not a bad guy though. He can be defensive and I don't blame him after seeing how he was treated in high school. He refuses to be that beat down, nobody kid again and Ari initially makes him feel that way, thus causing problems between them. Ryder is one persistent guy and I adored that about him. He fought for Ari and refused to let her dismiss him so easily. He loves her spunk and admires her ability to stand up and not take crap from anyone.
However, Ari and Ryder have some very real challenges ahead of them. Both are harboring secrets that the other deserves to know, so naturally when they come out, all hell breaks loose. Past demons will come to haunt the couple as well as future ones, so they have to decide whether or not the other is worth fighting for.
I loved the secondary characters in this one. Vee and Gavin are great additions and our favorite badass motorcycle girl shows up, which made me very happy. I love how blunt Mel is and her appearance was much needed for Ryder to get his act together. And the epilogue? I adored it. I loved seeing the story come full circle and how much Ari has healed throughout the book. With the help of her good friends, the love of a good man, and the desire to get better herself, she really owns who she is and finds her own happiness.
Overall, I definitely enjoyed this third installment of the Living Heartwood series. Trish writes with such passion and raw emotion that I can't help but lose myself in her words and her characters. I can't wait to see what she does next!
"And it's the imperfection that makes you, you. Don't kill off your heartwood- the imperfect, flawed, dark part of you... because even a tree needs its heart to live, Ari. Without it, it would just be a hollow shell."
From an early age,
Trisha Wolfe dreamed up fantasy worlds and characters and was accused of
talking to herself. Today, she lives in South Carolina with her family and
writes full time, using her fantasy worlds as an excuse to continue talking to
herself.
For more information
on Trisha Wolfe and her works, please visit:
http://www.trishawolfe.com/.
http://www.trishawolfe.com/.
To be the first to
hear about new releases and sale events, sign up for Trisha Wolfe's
Newsletter: http://bit.ly/1rXTKI7.
Author’s Social Media
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Trisha’s Heartwood Pack (Facebook Group)
Pressing the boundaries of both the psyche and the heart, Sam and Holden embark on a dangerous journey that will test the limits of love.
Sam Wintry’s life used to be almost perfect. She was engaged to her childhood best friend and high school sweetheart, Tyler Marks, planning an amazing cross-country honeymoon during her college break. But after a hit-and-run leaves her in ruin, she begins seeing Tyler’s fractured, ghostly presence, and her family believes she’s losing her mind. Not until she completes their journey, stopping along the way to scatter Tyler's remains, will Tyler be able cross over. Only...is Sam ready for him to leave her?
When the black sheep of the Marks' family, Holden Marks, returns to check on Tyler's case, Sam convinces him to give her his brother's ashes. Despite their shaky history, she needs him...plus, he owes it to Sam and his brother. What she doesn’t count on is Holden’s relentlessness to go on the trip.
On the road, Holden realizes just how unhinged Sam has become. Dealing with her psychosis forces him to confront his dark past, making it harder to keep secrets hidden that should remain buried. Especially from Sam, the only woman he’s ever loved. And as Sam starts to unravel the truth, she begins to question if the brother she's unwillingly falling for again is in an even darker place than her.
Sam Wintry’s life used to be almost perfect. She was engaged to her childhood best friend and high school sweetheart, Tyler Marks, planning an amazing cross-country honeymoon during her college break. But after a hit-and-run leaves her in ruin, she begins seeing Tyler’s fractured, ghostly presence, and her family believes she’s losing her mind. Not until she completes their journey, stopping along the way to scatter Tyler's remains, will Tyler be able cross over. Only...is Sam ready for him to leave her?
When the black sheep of the Marks' family, Holden Marks, returns to check on Tyler's case, Sam convinces him to give her his brother's ashes. Despite their shaky history, she needs him...plus, he owes it to Sam and his brother. What she doesn’t count on is Holden’s relentlessness to go on the trip.
On the road, Holden realizes just how unhinged Sam has become. Dealing with her psychosis forces him to confront his dark past, making it harder to keep secrets hidden that should remain buried. Especially from Sam, the only woman he’s ever loved. And as Sam starts to unravel the truth, she begins to question if the brother she's unwillingly falling for again is in an even darker place than her.
Sometimes you have to lose your way before finding the right track.
The roar of a bike engine. The vibration between her thighs. The feel of cool darkness kissing her skin as she coasts along twisty back roads at night—Melody Lachlan lives for these things. Ever since Mel and her best friend Darla escaped their small, backwoods town, they’ve traveled the countryside in search of fast rides, tatted bikers, and good times.
A self-proclaimed poet and lover of all things free, Mel views her life as one long bike ride—with pit stops along the way to numb the pain. But she never saw herself as a junkie. Party as hard as you ride. That’s her motto…until a tragic night steals her soul. Then she’s forced to delve below the surface, to where her demons rage.
When she meets recovered drug addict Boone Randall, she’s more likely to deck him than kiss his dimple-adorable face. She doesn’t want his help; doesn’t want to own up to her part in that night. She just wants to do her time and keep her promise to her friend. Yet Boone challenges Mel, and soon she doesn’t mind sharing the road. Only when Boone’s own secret demons threaten their newfound, fragile security, Mel’s course becomes rocky, and she must decide if letting her well-worn track marks fade is worth finding a new path.
The roar of a bike engine. The vibration between her thighs. The feel of cool darkness kissing her skin as she coasts along twisty back roads at night—Melody Lachlan lives for these things. Ever since Mel and her best friend Darla escaped their small, backwoods town, they’ve traveled the countryside in search of fast rides, tatted bikers, and good times.
A self-proclaimed poet and lover of all things free, Mel views her life as one long bike ride—with pit stops along the way to numb the pain. But she never saw herself as a junkie. Party as hard as you ride. That’s her motto…until a tragic night steals her soul. Then she’s forced to delve below the surface, to where her demons rage.
When she meets recovered drug addict Boone Randall, she’s more likely to deck him than kiss his dimple-adorable face. She doesn’t want his help; doesn’t want to own up to her part in that night. She just wants to do her time and keep her promise to her friend. Yet Boone challenges Mel, and soon she doesn’t mind sharing the road. Only when Boone’s own secret demons threaten their newfound, fragile security, Mel’s course becomes rocky, and she must decide if letting her well-worn track marks fade is worth finding a new path.
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