Riley Edgewood

*I received a copy in exchange for an honest review. This does not influence my review in any shape or form.*

Imagine you are sixteen and you think you’ve found your soul mate. You picture forever with each other. You plan your entire lives together including the night you plan to lose your virginity to one another. So, he plans this wonderful night out by the beach and you are so excited. Butterflies are in your stomach, the details he’s planned out are magical and you just cannot wait to see how the night goes. So you’re waiting inside the tent, and he doesn’t show up at the time you were suppose to meet. So you wait, and you wait, and you wait a little bit more. Then you realize he’s not showing up. No big deal, you’ll talk about it tomorrow right? Only thing is, you never see him or hear from again. No explaination, no goodbye, zip, zero, nada.

Your heart is torn into a million pieces, you cry yourself to sleep every night for a long time. The years pass by and even though you still think about him from time to time you know you need to move on. But what happens if he walks back into your life four years later? Would you get the answers you wanted? Would you walk away?

The Story
I was hooked from the beginning, I ended up reading the whole book in one sitting. I just needed to know what happened from why Sawyer left, why he came back and if they were going to live happily ever after. I NEEDED TO KNOW THIS before I could even think about sleep.

We first meet Quinn when she’s home from the summer mending her bruise heart. She’s working as a lifeguard. The story begins on one of her shifts, where she has to rescue a boy from the ocean. They barely make it and when they make it to shore she realizes this isn’t just any boy from Outer Banks this is Jesse. Jesse Carson, Sawyer Carson’s little brother. Sawyer Carson the boy who tore her heart into a million pieces she’s still surprised she can function even after four years.

Does that mean Sawyer’s in town? Will she finally have all the answers she’s been seeking since the night Sawyer and his family disappeared never to be heard from again?

The story was definitely a page turner. I could not put my kindle down even when it was close to dying. I wanted to keep reading, I wanted to know what happened. I wanted answers and I wasn’t even the one who was left, but I needed to know what happened. I thought Riley did a good job at developing the story and making you want to know what happened between Quinn and Sawyer. I also thought she had good supporting characters like Jesse and Gianna (Quinn’s best friend). I also liked how I was assuming one thing about Sawyer but it turned out to be another.

I especially liked how she not only focused on the romance in the book but also brought the issues of alcoholism to light.

The Characters
I really loved Sawyer. I loved his loyalty to his family, for me this is the most important thing for a person to have. I also admired how he took care of his brother and his dad. Even though sometimes he would give me whiplash like one minute he was happy then he was like closed off. But when the story played out I understood why he was like this. He totally stole my heart with some of the things he did.

I did enjoy Quinn. I admire her standing up for Sawyer and being a genuine person despite how her mother acted.

Although, there wasn’t much about Gianna in the story just brief scenes here and there. She was my absolute favorite she reminded me of my best friend. I think that’s why I loved her so much.

What I didn’t like about the story
I am one of those readers who wants to know how every one is doing towards the end of the book. Like are they all happy? Are they okay? So what I didn’t like was that I was left wondering just what happened with some of the other characters. But I also understand they weren’t the main focus of the story but I really grew to care about them.

I also hated Quinn’s mother. I’m currently watching a Spanish novella and her mother reminded me of the mother in that novella and I wanted to slap both of them for being so UGH!!!!

Overall
I felt like I was in a reading slump after a couple of books I was reading. But Surf and Surrender definitely snapped me out of it. I read this begin to end in one sitting, I was that invested in the story. Even though this is the second book in a Summer Love series you really don’t need to read the first book but I do plan on checking it out because I’d like to see how this series started.

This is the perfect summer beach read.… (more)

While trying to deal with her brother's recent death, her parents reaction to his death, as well as her own grief, Cassidy needs to get away from it all! Her father is expecting her to take an internship over the summer but Cassidy has different ideas. Breaking away Cassidy finds herself in all sorts of trouble. Now she must decide, follow her heart or face the life that is waiting for her.

I did enjoy this book but I found it a bit difficult to get into at first. The pace of the story was a bit slow for me. I would recommend it though.… (more)