When Rory Macintosh’s roommates find out that their studious and shy friend has never been with a guy, they decide that, as an act of kindness they’ll help her lose her virginity by hiring confident, tattooed bad boy Tyler Mann to do the job…unbeknownst to Rory.
Tyler knows he’s not good enough for Rory. She’s smart, doctor smart, while he’s barely scraping by at his EMT program, hoping to pull his younger brothers out of the hell their druggy mother has left them in. But he can’t resist taking up her roommates on an opportunity to get to know her better. There’s something about her honesty that keeps him coming back when he knows he shouldn’t…
Torn between common sense and desire, the two find themselves caught up in a passionate relationship. But when Tyler’s broken family threatens to destroy his future, and hers, Rory will need to decide whether to cut her ties to his risky world or follow her heart, no matter what the cost…
Four Stars
TRUE-R
I’ve only read one book by Erin McCarthy prior to this one. Is this what I’ve been missing? Ms. McCarthy, if you’re reading this, I beg you: Please write more New Adult novels! This was such a good read that I jumped onto her GR page and placed the next book of this series as an I-want-it-now.
“It was never about sex for me, it was always about me wanting to be with you, getting to know you.” ~ Tyler
There were a lot of elements of this book that I really enjoy in a read. I loved the fact that the heroine wasn’t your typical drop-dead-gorgeous-I-make-men-drool-when-I-walk-in-a-roomtype. She was a character a lot of women can relate to, except of course when it comes still having your v-card at the age of twenty – cause you know in today’s society, that’s just an anomaly. Oh sorry, kinda went off on a tangent there. Anyway, I loved Rory; she was a loveable, nerdy wallflower. And for her to snag the tattooed bad-boy, Tyler, well, that was just freaking awesome.
I lay in the dark and listened to the sound of his breath as it slowed and evened out, and I marveled at where I was and who I was with.
It didn’t make sense. It wasn’t logical. Yet there was no place I’d rather be.
Rory has always been an introvert, always been on the outside looking in. It wasn’t until college when she met her two BFFs, Jessica and Kylie, that she started to open up a little more. Jessica and Kylie are a bit on the loose side, and one night when they were busy with their respective partners, Rory was out in the living room where she got in a bit of a predicament. Luckily Tyler was there to rescue her. From that moment on, he’s been on her mind. As for Tyler, well, there was something about Rory that piqued his interest. But can a girl like her ever fall for a guy with so much baggage?
He was what people always accused me of being – there but not present. Easygoing, but distant. Smiling, but intense.
To me, Tyler is an honorable Hero. Yes, he’s got the reputation and attitude, but when you learn of what his life is like and how he’s trying to make the best of it, you’ll fall for him too. He tries to do what’s right for Rory by staying away and keep his distance; he convinces himself that she’s too good for him. To him, she’s on the road to success, while he’s just trying to scrape by college with no true future and shit-full of problems. To Rory, however, she sees more in Tyler and the more time they spend together, the easier it is to see that he is worth falling for.
“I mean that you are honestly one of the best guys I’ve have ever met. The question is not whether or not you’re worthy of me, the question is if I am worthy ofyou.”
This is why I really enjoyed this story. I loved how they slowly burrowed into each other’s life to the point where it hurt when they were apart. I hate to admit it, but I did choke up a little bit in some parts of the story. There was a good amount of emotion flowing through the book that kept it fresh. My only gripe is that I wish it had an epilogue. I know, lame excuse, but it’s true. I REALLY think this could’ve used one. There were a few things that needed clarification. For me, the biggest question is: (view spoiler)
I’m really looking forward to reading the next book in the series. I figured Tyler’s brother, Riley, and Jessica had a little sexual tension going on this book and I’m thrilled that the next book will be featuring them. Maybe, just maybe, I can get a little glimpse into what happened with Tyler. Well…here’s hoping anyway.
Below is a link to a scene in Tyler’s POV. DO NOT READ if you haven’t read this, but I thought I’d tack it in just because I loved Tyler.
