Reckless - S C Stephens

Contemporary, m/f

read March 2013

Rating = 5+ stars!!

OMG I absolutely loved, loved, LOVED this book. I adored every itty bitty part of it. In fact this series is possibly the only one I can bring to mind where I have reread the books multiple times. I have read quite a few twice but this series totally rocks and kicks ass and drags me back to dip into time and time again. This third and final part of the series did not disappoint. It gave me everything I had been waiting and hoping for…and praying for…and begging for….it just WAS the ULTIMATE!

Kellan Kyle has had a huge impact on my life, no seriously he has. Even if it has been a few months since I read the previous books he would still pop into my head at the most random times for no apparent reason and I would be yearning for him again. He is one of, if not the most definitive character I have ever read. His strength of righteousness and his overriding love which he found with Keira was glorious to see. Yes he was kick ass and went for what he wanted but the gentle naivety that he tried to keep hidden just pulled you right in and wanting to totally protect him. Even now I am bereft that there is no more Kellan, I actually feel physical pain. Lordy me! I am HIS, spoilt for every other man – no-one could live up to Kellan!

And as for Keira? Well where do I start? I actually didn't really like her in the beginning; I really wanted to shake her! But over the three books you can see the clever way that S C Stephens has developed her. She started off a needy, angst driven little upstart but then at the end of the first book she began to see the errors of what she had done. In the second book she became more confident and mature and it was lovely to see her blossom. But again it’s the way it was written so wonderfully. In this final book she was the driving force of the relationship and so mature and utterly selfless  Everything she did, every decision she made was for Kellan. How she held herself back from the BITCH (I refuse to mention her name) who was just out to use Kellan for her own fame game – well I just know I would have had her in a headlock and shoved her head down a toilet if it had been me!

The first book (Thoughtless) was very angst driven and I was an emotional wreck when I read it – it still does now. The second book (Effortless) was more around Kellan and Keira learning to trust one another and yes there were still instants of “oh my god I can't turn the page…I can’t cry/laugh/sob/scream/rant anymore” but I did! This final book is Kellan and Keira against the World. I hate to say this as this term annoys the crap out of me but it really, really was an epic journey. But I for one was glad to be there for every step of their relationship.

The secondary characters were also absorbing and I just wanted to be on that tour bus, joking with Evan and Matt and laughing at Griffin. He really grew on me and the lovely scenes with Anna and Gibson – oh so sweet. Who knew the foul mouthed, crotch grabbing gigolo could change his life around (although he’s still foul mouthed and crotch grabbing haha)

Now for Denny, aww Denny. Mate. Sweetheart. Even now it brings a tear to my eye with the parts with him and Kellan. It just goes to prove that any impossible situation can be overcome. If not bettered. Beautifully done.

I really cannot praise this book enough and I just want to HUG the author so much. Yes who knew that the emotional wreck that I became reading this series would want me to want to do that but I ADORED this series. Absolutely, wholeheartedly and passionately LOVED it. I want to give it 10 stars! Why can I only give 5? Well I'm giving it 10 stars so there! Big neon signs pointing to *Recommend*.