Review of The Thrill of It (with giveaway)

The Thrill of It by Lauren Blakely

Synopsis

A new adult story of Love. Sex. Addiction. Blackmail. And Power...

Some say love can be an addiction. Others say it's the thing that makes life worth living. Let me tell you everything I know about love...Love isn't patient, love isn't kind. Love is a game, a chase. A thrill. Love is wild and war-like, and every man and woman must fight for themselves. At least that's how it was for me. A high-priced virgin call girl by the time I started college, I was addicted to love and to sex. Even though I've never had either. I controlled love, played it, and held the world in the palm of my hands. Then I fell down from those highs, and I'm being blackmailed for all my mistakes, forced to keep secrets from everyone, except the only guy I don't regret.

Trey...

With all the other women, I knew what they were. They were temporary. They were pills, they were bottles, they took away all the pain, and numbed the awful memories that wore down my ragged, wasted heart. Until I met Harley. She's the only girl I ever missed when she walked away. But now she's back in my life, every day, and there are no guarantees for us, especially since I don't know how to tell her my secrets. What happened to my family. All I know is she's the closest I've ever come to something real, and I want to feel every second of it.

How can you love with no regrets when regret is all you know?

Review

Loved it! Harley is such a unique character but also has aspects that everyone will be able to relate to. Despite the fact that I pretty much haven’t gone through any of the things she has, I connected to her really well. She has this inner strength that is actually partially the reason why she has ended up as high end call girl (who has also never had sex). Where other people would have crumbled Harley took somewhat drastic measures to be in control of her life.

Trey is a great hero, sexy and very supportive of Harley but also realistically flawed. With their issues they should be a complete mess but they are perfect for one another, like two shattered pieces of a mirror but then together they are whole. I loved that they started off as friends, fellow addicts who supported and confided in one another when there was no one else to help and support them. It was a refreshing change to the hate at first sight which then becomes love that is common in NA at the moment. It was nice to read a friends to lovers story for once, especially one that was so well executed.

This book has several characters that you will love to hate; I really want to slap some sense into Harley’s mother! This was the first book in a series so I’m hoping that now the main characters have come to terms with their issues and even confronted their dysfunctional parents, that in future books that conflict will be resolved. Though in all honesty I’m happy enough with “I may be a bit screwed up but it is all your fault”.

I loved that Lauren managed to write a book about a virgin call girl without it ever coming across as either virgin or slut shaming. This book also tackled difficult issues such as addiction (though not a typical addiction) and blackmail and did it brilliantly. The Thrill of It is dark, gritty and emotional and just has that certain special something that many books lack.

My only issue with this book was as follows. Harley is being blackmailed into writing a tell all story of what she did as a call girl with the threat of this person telling Harley’s mother what she did. Yet for some reason Harley is INCLUDING THINGS HER MOTHER WILL RECOGNISE if she ever reads it. If you are that desperate to hide the truth from your mother don’t detail all the sordid details in a book that will be obvious to your mother it was written by you.

This book is 100% worth reading. The Thrill of It stands out in the currently vast sea of New Adult novels as an exciting, emotional, sexy and unique read.

*I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review, this has not affected my opinion or rating in any way.*

Try it for yourself! Goodreads | Amazon | Amazon UK

Laura

About the Author

Lauren Blakely writes sexy contemporary romance novels with heat,
heart, and humor, and her books have appeared on the New York Times, USA Today, Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and iBooks bestseller lists. Like the heroine in FAR TOO TEMPTING, she thinks life should be filled with family, laughter, and the kind of love that love songs promise. Lauren lives in California with her husband, children, and dogs. She loves hearing from readers! Her novels include Caught Up In Us, Pretending He's Mine, Playing With Her Heart, Trophy Husband, and Far Too Tempting. On November 21, she'll release the edgy new adult novel THE THRILL OF IT. She also writes for young adults under the name Daisy Whitney.

Giveaway

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