Review of Tidal

Synopsis - from goodreads

*New Adult Romance*

Now that Willow Avery is out of rehab, she's got one chance left to prove herself before she’s officially on every producer’s shit list. At least, that's what her parents and agent are claiming. She doesn't really give a damn if she never makes another movie or not—she just wants to get on with her life, get back to her friends, and find her next escape. But Willow is broke. And whether she likes it or not, acting is the only job she knows how to do.

When she accepts the lead in a beach drama, Willow finds herself in Hawaii. And in Hawaii, she finds Cooper, the gorgeous surfer hired to train her for her new role. With the bluest eyes she’s ever seen and the sexiest Australian accent she’s ever heard, Cooper’s different from the men she’s used to. He doesn’t want to use her. And he refuses to let her fail. But when an old friend re-enters Willow’s life—a friend whose toxicity she’s been drawn to time and time before and whose presence brings about the painful memories she's tried so hard to suppress—Willow will have to choose between the girl she was and the person she’s becoming. The lifestyle that helps her forget the pain and the guy she’s falling hard for.

Review

I enjoyed this book. It is the story of a girl who was once a child movie star known for making amazing films but has now fallen from grace and is remembered as “that actress who ended up in rehab”.  Willow has issues and things in her past that she would rather forget but she is just now learning that turning to drugs to forget about reality doesn’t help. Finding true love might just be the solution she has been looking for.

I loved how strong Willow was in the book, she is very vulnerable but she is also a fighter. She also has a very snarky humour that I found entertaining and made me like her. “Willow Avery. Actress, Cancer, and according to my team, on my last leg before porn.” I also liked that she is down to earth, she doesn’t want fame and to be followed around by paparazzi all the time, she just wants to get on with her life.

Willows surf instructor Cooper is charming, sexy and he has a few secrets of his own. They both know that a romance together would be a bad idea but neither of them can resist the attraction. In my mind they have the perfect relationship; they both make the other a better person and are perfect together. There are also some steamy but still sweet sex-scenes in the book.

This book doesn’t overly go into details about Willow’s drug problem other than the occasional mention of her wishing she could just take a pill and go back to not feeling anything. This book had the potential to be very dark but I found it to be a heart-warming and joyful read. Especially the ending; it was perfect.

I recommend this to all contemporary romance fans, especially if you like your heroes to have sexy Australian accents, toned bodies and tanned skin ;)