Title: Bad Romeo
Series: Starcrossed #1
Author: Leisa Rayven
Genre: New Adult / Contemporary
Release Date: 23rd December 2014
Publisher: St Martins Griffin
Synopsis
While performing the greatest love story of all time, they discovered one of their own . . .
Cassie Taylor was just another acting student with big dreams at her prestigious performing arts college . . . then she met Ethan Holt. She was the good girl actress. He was the bad boy on campus. But one fated casting choice for Romeo and Juliet changed it all. Like the characters they were playing on stage, Cassie and Ethan's epic romance seemed destined. Until it ended in tragedy when he shattered her heart.
Now they've made it to Broadway where they're reunited as romantic leads once again - and their passionate scenes force them they're forced to confront the heartbreaking lows and pulse-pounding highs of their intense college affair. For Ethan, losing Cassie was his biggest regret - and he's determined to redeem himself. But for Cassie, even though Ethan was her first and only great love, he hurt her too much to ever be trusted again.
The trouble is, working with him again reminds her that people who rub each other the wrong way often make the best sparks. And when it comes to love, sometimes it's the things that aren't good for us that are the most irresistible.
Don't miss the intoxicating romance beloved by over two million fans online - a story that'll captivate you and hold you breathless until the final page.
Review
Foxy Rating = Five Stars Plus ++++
*ARC provided by the publishers St Martin’s Griffin via NetGalley
Absolutely amazing! That was my first thought on finishing this
fabulous read. It was an instant unputdownable book for me and a definite
favourite of 2014.
The story starts when Cassie Taylor and Ethan Holt are cast
opposite each other as leads in a romantic play. This is a case of fiction
playing reality as Cassie and Ethan have been here before. Six years to be exact when
the pair were in an angst filled relationship whilst at drama school, playing
Romeo and Juliet both on the stage and off it. The reader is then taken on a passage
through time with flashbacks to the past and right back to the here and now,
dealing with their feelings which are mostly screwed up due to Ethan’s demons
from his past relationship with his ex and also that of his father.
The young Cassie has always been the do-gooder, always eager
to do as others ask and please them in order to gain acceptance. Ethan on the
other hand holds a wall firmly in place and is the ultimate force to be reckoned
with, he won’t conform to fit in and nobody will ever penetrate those walls
again and leave him feeling vulnerable. That is until Cassie who he finds
difficult to ignore or push aside. Her constant ability to get to him and make
him want things he shouldn’t be wanting ever again are a battle he finally
finds himself not wanting to fight, as little by little she penetrates that
wall.
I loved the whole concept of this book, with the storylines
of the past and the present colliding and giving the reader enticing snippet by
snippet to eventually grasp the whole reason for Ethan and Cassie being thrown
together again. I liked the new adult version of events of the past and how the
older and wiser couple illustrate how somethings are never resolved with the
passage of time or age. Although you could see how they had changed in the
intervening years – Cassie more forthright and stronger, Ethan accepting of his
failings – they still needed to understand what the other needed in order to
move on and save this undeniable link of soulmates, as that is what they
ultimately are.
I must admit although I loved the cover, the title of the
book had me passing this off as some kind of chicklit and not really something
to get my teeth into. I thought it would be a quick, easy light-hearted read. I
am so fabulously pleased I was wrong, so very wrong. It was amazing! So much
depth, passion, heart wrenching and angst filled, it took my breath away.
The main characters were an absolute win from the onset.
Even though the young Cassie was an innocent and a people pleaser, she was
definitely not weak. The times when she stood up to Ethan and gave him
ultimatums just had me cheering her on. As for Ethan, well what can I say but
he was endearing, sexy and had me panting for more. There is nothing I like
more than for my book heroes to have a weakness, a petulance that coupled with a strong
sensual and downright sexy persona just have me swooning into my kindle.
As for the ending. Oh what an absolute winner! It had my
crying with joy, yes it really did. So fracking fantastic and romantic. The I
LOVE YOUs were inspired and every woman would fail not to be blown away to
receive that text.
When I read this was the author’s debut I was even more
blown away. What an absolutely fantastic debut. So beautifully written that it
has me yearning for more, so much more, so how happy am I that there is a next
book - Broken Juliet. I can’t wait! Five
stars plus!
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Thank you so much for this amazing review! I'm beyond honored. :)
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