Believe

I don't know what it is about the True Believers series, but I LOVE it. I love everything about it. The sweet, the crazy, even the stuff that makes you cringe. In Believe, I did a lot of all three.

Erin McCarthy has a way of pulling you into her characters and making you feel like you too, are a part of the group. I found myself wanting to give Robin a huge hug and help her figure out her problems. Plus, this time around the story is told from alternating perspectives, and I found myself rooting just as hard for Phoenix as I was for Robin.

...Then again, who doesn't want the tattooed bad boy with a heart of gold to come up a winner? That combo, for me, is reading kryptonite. Hit me with it and I'm a goner.

I really enjoyed Believe and show more cannot wait for the next book in the series!

Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin for allowing me to read and honestly review this book. show less

Okay first I'm going to say how odd it is that this, Book 3, came out in a paper copy way after Book 4 did. Hmmm...

I liked this one. I liked that the heroine, Robin, had had a wake up call and realized that heavy drinking and partying in college was a very wrong road. Before the book starts she has spent 4 months turning her life around after blacking out and doing something she is very ashamed of. So when she meets the hero, Phoenix, who is fresh out of prison, she doesn't judge because she knows she is in no position to call herself better than anyone else.

The author did a very good job with her fragile state of mind and self loathing. The relationship between the hero and the heroine was fast but seemed realistic to me. They are show more both only 20 and these things happen fast at that age. They were just boyfriend and girlfriend. They were committed to being together but in a realistic young kids way rather than marriage and kids and stuff right off the bat.

I've read some of Ms. McCarthy's adult stuff and while I enjoyed it, I think I really like this NA stuff of hers better and since NA isn't really my favorite that's saying something. show less

Originally published on Tales to Tide You Over

Like True, the first book in this New Adult series, Believe packs a punch. It’s this is another wonderful story that hits on the real challenges faced in the college environment where people taste true freedom and responsibility often for the first time. Robin, the female lead, made a drunken mistake that eats at her, one she can’t tell anyone but which haunts her in part because the guy won’t leave her alone.

Phoenix, the male lead, is not part of the college crowd. He’s someone who has been in charge of himself from the start because of a druggie mom and is straight out of prison, having served five months for assault because he protected his mother from her boyfriend. Life has show more given him little to look forward to in terms of education or pretty much anything, but he’s trying to make a go of it anyway, struggling with anger issues and the dead weight of his prison time. In another kind of story, Robin would be some stuck up rich kid on the hunt for a little danger. That’s not what the series is about though.

They’re both broken people for different reasons, but together they can find love and connection if only they let themselves accept it. Their path is not easy by any means. Friends and Phoenix’s family warn Robin he’s too much for her to deal with. Heck, he does himself. But sometimes it’s worth the effort. They make mistakes, and bad things happen that are driven from the outside, but how they handle what happens, and how they are not perfect, makes them feel very real.

Also like True, the book has bad language, and mentions drug use, drinking, and smoking, though Phoenix has always been clean and Robin is working on it. It has explicit sex too, but the sex is relevant in the best of ways as it’s about discovery and care. And then there are cultural references that are so perfect they made me grin. I even highlighted one about Beauty and the Beast…the Disney version of course.

I found the dual first person disorienting at first, but the headers tell you who is speaking, and soon they aren’t even necessary. This is another solid read, one I raced through only to be unhappy that I’d reached the end. Despite it not being in my reading sweet spot, these two books have been so compelling that I plan to track down the one I missed, and I have no shortage of reading material.

P.S. I got this title from the publisher through NetGalley in return for an honest review. show less

Our Review, by LITERAL ADDICTION's Vivacious Valkyrie - Marta:
*eARC received from the Publisher via Netgalley

--Actual rating 4.5 Skulls

Third instalment of the True Believers series by this established author and a different type of book from her. Like many readers I am used to her sports romances and have also enjoyed Ms Mccarthy's paranormal offerings but this is very definitely a young adult book with all the trials and angst that can happen when starting out in the world.

Robin is a young woman away from home at college and still learning all about herself. The one thing she's sure about is that she doesn't want to be just a good time girl but staying strong is hurting both her and even her friends. Having spent a drunken night in the show more arms of her best friends boyfriend Robin is determined to cleanup her act as she hates herself for what she's done. Only problem is no one else knows about her shame and she's trying to keep it that way.

Phoenix is the sort of guy who deserves his bad reputation. Recently released from prison for a violent assault he would be the first to admit that he's not exactly the answer to a maidens prayers but when he meets Robin at his cousins house there's something about her that just calls out to him. Used to hard faced women this strangely haunted young woman just looks so sad and Phoenix never could resist a sad woman. After all she's probably sad because she's a loyal sort and that's an attractive quality in the eyes of Phoenix. What's even better is the fact that she talks to him and doesn't seem to judge him in any way.
What starts out as a mild curiosity quickly grows into something all consuming as Phoenix and Robin begin to connect on so many levels. A friendship isn't enough and finding someone who just accepts Phoenix the way Robin does just blows his mind! Robin can't resist this tattooed loner but she doesn't trust anyone with her dirty secret. Phoenix isn't stupid though and he realises that something dramatic has happened to Robin . He most certainly is not going to rest until he's found out what or who has hurt her! What they have together is powerful but they both carry baggage from their past that could rip their new found happiness apart!

I wasn't really sure what to expect from this book as I hadn't read the previous books in this particular series but I can honestly say that I stayed up and finished it in one go! I found it impossible to put down as the characters just called out to me. The writing resonates with emotion and Robins sense of guilt felt so heartfelt. As for Phoenix well I just wanted someone to love him as he's a character to capture your heart. If anyone deserves a happy ending then it's definitely this troubled guy.

So if you are looking for a book with strong characters and a storyline that drags you in then this could well fit the bill. What starts out as a tragedy of sorts rushes to a well deserved happy conclusion. Nobody said love was easy but these two characters truly fight for theirs. show less

Review courtesy of Dark Faerie Tales

Quick & Dirty: Steamy love story with interesting characters and a good story. It hit a few of my major pet peeves that I’m not a fan of, but overall it was a good read.

Opening Sentence: I spent my sophomore year in college partying.

The Review:

Robin spent most of her college days partying way too hard. She would get drunk and make out with anyone that was willing. But one night things go too far and she does something unforgiveable. She blacks out and wakes up in bed with one of her best friends’ boyfriend. She is completely ridden with guilt, and decides to not tell anyone what happened because she’s afraid it will just cause more harm. She no longer drinks and has started to avoid everyone show more until she meets Phoenix.

Phoenix just got out of jail 2 days ago and is crashing at his cousin’s house. With no money, no job, and no future, he knows that he’s not good enough for Robin. He can’t help but be attracted to her sweet smile and easy going personality. She doesn’t care about his messed up past, she just looks towards the future and Phoenix would love to be a part of it. But is it naïve to think that their demons from the past won’t catch up with them and possibly destroy what they have?

Robin was a sweet girl that overall, I really liked. She obviously has made some mistakes, but she is doing everything she can to try and prevent them from ever happening again. I admired her strong will and determination. But I did find it really annoying that she didn’t tell her friend what happened. I realize that added drama, but honestly, I thought it was just stupid and completely unnecessary. With that being said, I did like Robin and getting to know her story.

Phoenix has the looks of a bad boy, but really he is a very good guy. His mother was a drug addict and pretty much his whole childhood was moving from one place to another. He has never had a stable consistent life and he has pretty bad anger issues. But he decided to never follow in his mother’s footsteps, so he has never touched any kind of drugs or alcohol in his life. I really respect him for making his life better and staying optimistic. He was an inspiring character that made me realize how lucky I was growing up.

Believe was a great love story filled with steamy romance and drama. The romance was very insta-love, which made me sad because I thought that it could have been better. I mean they only know each other for a couple days and all the sudden they can’t live without each other. It made their romance feel unrealistic and it made it hard for me to really see them as a couple. Individually, I really liked the characters but together they were just ok. Now with that being said, the story actually did keep me interested and in the end, I did really enjoy it. I would recommend this to anyone that is looking for a steamy new adult read that is easy and quick to get through.

Notable Scene:

Nodding, I shifted closer to her so that our faces were aligned. She was so beautiful, so sweet, so trusting. I ached with want, the need to touch her greater than my self-control. I needed to see her smile, see her willingness to kiss me. Me. Her eyes, still heavy with sleep, darkened as I watched her, running my fingers down her cheek to her lips.

She knew what I was about to do because her mouth drifted open, so that when I kissed her, she kissed me back. And of course, just to torture me, it felt as good as I had imagined. God. Those lips were plump and soft, and nothing had ever felt so simple and good and important. She gave a little sigh that had me pulling her leg up onto my hip so we could be closer, my other hand buried in her thick hair.

Robin was safe, I wasn’t in a cell, and the kiss was perfect, our bodies pressed against each other, my tongue darting in between her lips. She opened for me without hesitation, and her hips started to rock against mine. Her skin, her breath, were warm, and my hands felt big, covering so much territory on her body at once. Our breathing got heavier, and I was inching under her dress, endorphins or whatever the hell they were called shutting down my ability to think rationally.

Which is exactly how we were when her roommate flung open the door and said, “Robin, sweetie,you awake—oh shit, sorry!”

FTC Advisory: InterMix/Penguin provided me with a copy of Believe. No goody bags, sponsorships, “material connections,” or bribes were exchanged for my review. show less

I received a free copy from netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

I gave this a 4 because it doesn't warrant a 3 but there is no 3.5. There are parts of the story that I really like, the characters are interesting, the majority of the story is believable but there are some flaws.

Robin is a party girl, she likes to have fun and flirt and on occasion get a hook-up, that all changes at the start of the summer holidays when her friends are all away and she goes to a party. She blacks out and wakes the next morning in the bed of her best-friends boyfriend. He thinks it's the best thing to ever happen but it just turns her stomach. She can't believe that she would ever do anything so low as to sleep with her friends boyfriend. She feels show more devastated and vows to stop drinking, she stops partying and wallows in guilt and a fair bit of self pity too.

When her friend Jessica insists that she comes to visit her, she is surprised at how much Robin has changed, she's lost weight and is dressing in a completely different manner. When she broaches the subject of the change with Robin, she refuses to tell her the truth, only that she took a look at where her life was going and decided to make some changes. This conversation takes place in front of Phoenix, Jessica's boyfriends cousin. He fakes being asleep until Jessica leaves Robin alone and then when Robin realises he's awake they start to talk.

Phoenix is just out of jail, he has no money, no clothes and is sleeping on his cousins couch. When he wakes to find Robin in the room with him, he starts to talk to her. He knows that he is no good for her but he can't stop himself from flirting. And even though Robin isn't in a good place either she flirts back. When they start to spend more time together they both realise that they are falling for each other.

Now this is a love story but there is drama involved too, Robin has issues with alcohol and Phoenix has issues with anger. He doesn't drink or do drugs, the only reason he was in jail was because he beat up his mothers abusive boyfriend. He knows Robin has a secret and that he needs to be patient, she will tell him when she is ready and eventually she does.

When it finally all comes out, Robin's friend Kylie is devastated and Robin is left all alone with a bottle of vodka. She makes a bad choice and pays for it. But Kylie's boyfriend also ends up paying for his indiscretions too. Phoenix takes offence at him calling Robin a whore and hits him and then because his cousins stop him, he takes a tyre iron to Nathans car. With all the drama thrown in and Phoenix's mother being an addict things do take a turn for the worse for the couple.

Some of the items are glossed over and it sometimes seems to trivialize the issues but that can be over looked if you are looking for a nice easy read.

I read the first story in this series but I haven't read the second, I shall be remedying that as soon as I can though as I do like these stories and the way that they all interlink. show less

Erin McCarthy has another hit on her hands with Believe the third in the True Believers series. In this story, Phoenix and Robin, two people who are completely different in every way meet and an unlikely friendship forms. They both harbor painful pasts that continue to cause them pain but find solace and romance in sharing that pain. Believe fills you with hope and excitement as Phoenix and Robin's journey progresses. Looking forward to the next book in the series.