Title:
GUIDED LOVE (The Prick Series, #1)
Author:
Tracie Redmond
Release
Date: July 13, 2015
Sam
Jacobs has been best friends with Camaron Willis since the second grade. Ever
since the day they met her heart belonged to him.
Now
graduating from college Sam moves across the country to start their life
together. They have been planning this for years, she will help him with his
tattoo business while writing her first novel. Together, they will make their
dreams come true.
Life
and people change, Sam finds herself discovering that the one you thought you
always wanted may not be the one you need.
Sometimes
life guides you to places you always should have been.
Wow. This
book was so much more than I’d expected.
Going in, I
thought it was going to be your basic friends-to-lovers story. And while it was
that, it was also so much more. I’ve thought long and hard about how to review
this and came to the conclusion that to talk about how the book made me feel,
some spoilers are needed. So…you’ve been warned.
The basic
premise of the book is that after graduating college, Samantha moves across the
country to be with her bff Camaron. She’s going to help him run his business
and they’re FINALLY going to be together. She’s been in love with him for years and it’s finally
time to move forward. Well, things don’t go as planned…if they did, we wouldn’t
have a book.
I really
liked Samantha. She was likeable, sweet, loved food and very loyal to her
friends. She was also a curvy girl (I love romances with curvy girls!). Sam was
an amazing bff to Camaron, even when he didn’t deserve it. She literally
dropped everything for him time and again. Sure, you could call her naïve and gullible
but honestly, who hasn’t done stupid things for love? That’s what made her so
likeable and real. But I’ll also admit that there were a few times that I was
screaming “NO NO NO!!!!” at my kindle due to her choices. One in particular was
bad. I wanted to throw my kindle across the room.
I also need
to talk about Camaron. Initially, when I thought this was just a good’ole
friends-to-lovers story, I was rooting for him. He said the right things,
seemed to love Samantha and everything was good. But things quickly went
downhill with him.
I lost track
of the number of times Camaron said that to Samantha. In the beginning, it was
sweet. But the further you got into the book, it became annoying and
repetitative, a way for him to manipulate her and take advantage of her feelings for him. Every time, she’d forgive him as soon as he said that to her. And don’t
even get me started on his girlfriend and the anchor scene with her. I haven’t
been that mad at a character in a long time!
Fast forward
a little and you get the scene that had me screaming at my kindle…I can’t
remember the last time I hated a character as much as I hated Camaron at that
particular moment.
My
impression of Camaron was that he was narcissistic. He never cared for Samantha…and
if he did, it was a long time ago. But at some point, maybe when he realized
she had feelings for him, he started using her with no thought to what it was
doing to her.
Even after
the big “NO NO NO!!!” incident, while he seemed upset that he hurt her, I never
really felt like he was concerned for
HER. I just felt like he was only
concerned for himself, what he lost.
One of my
favorite characters was probably Ellie. She was the mother of Camaron’s
business partner and friend, Axel. She basically mothered all the Pricks at the
tattoo parlor and she took in Samantha after the big fall out between her and
Camaron. She was always doling out the words of wisdom and on more than one
occasion said “I’m always right.” And she was. Her best piece of wisdom to
Samantha was:
That brings
me to Axel. He was such a great guy. I wouldn’t mind having one of him for
myself. Samantha couldn’t see how attractive she was, and was so focused on her
size, convinced that no guy would/could ever want her…but Axel didn’t see size.
He saw who she was and liked her for who she was. He was patient and willing to
be a friend while Samantha was hung up on Camaron. He was also always willing
to come to her rescue and stand up for her when needed. He and Samantha became
great friends and had some really good chemistry. He was definitely an easy guy
to root for.
Overall, I
did enjoy this book. It had drama, a couple of horrible bad guys, a really
great hero, emotion and kept me glued to my kindle.
He
forgot me, he actually forgot me. I am standing here looking out at the crowd
of people waiting for their loved ones and I don’t see Camaron anywhere. Ugh,
seriously, you would think that after not seeing your best friend for the last
two years, you would make sure to pick her up at the airport. I grab my phone
and send a quick text, he probably is just parking.
Me:
Hey Camaron where are you?
I
don’t get a response back and take my bags and head outside. I look around and
see tons of cars and people, but no Camaron. I decide to grab a bench and wait.
I pull up my kindle app on my phone and continue to read the romance novel I
started on the plane. Leverage by Jessica Wilde—now this story has captured my
attention, especially Shades, talk about a great alpha male. He is definitely
my new book boyfriend. I am so wrapped up with the story I didn't realize
that someone is standing next to me, looking down at me. I take my eyes away
from my phone and realize that he is talking to me.
“Samantha
. . . Samantha Jacobs.” I look up and see a man, with dark brown hair,
gorgeous brown eyes and a beard, talking to me. I must look idiotic because he
laughs and gives me a smirk and says again.
“Are
you Samantha Jacobs?”
Amazon US: http://amzn.to/1CNYVSj
Amazon UK: http://amzn.to/1RGgD0R
I
was born and raised in Northeastern, Pennsylvania where I still live today with
my husband and three beautiful children. Like everyone, I have had my ups and
downs and have seen my life take a complete change. Previously, I was a working
mom putting in 60 hours a week as a Financial Advisor but with the sudden loss
of my mom who was my best friend I found myself giving up the suits and
meetings for jeans and snack time. I have always had the passion for reading
and found an escape through the words of all the talented authors I have read.
My passion allowed me the opportunity to blog and to get a wonderful insight
into the indie world. I have enormous pride and stay true to the characters and
their stories as they reveal themselves to me. I am so excited to have this
opportunity to share my stories and hope you love them as much as I do.
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