ARC Review: Where You Are by Alla Kar

Where You Are is the first book in Alla Kar's NA Together series. I had never read anything by her before starting this book, so I really didn't know what to expect from her. While there were parts of this story that I liked, there were other parts that I didn't. I think that this story had potential, but ended up falling flat because of the character and the cliches.

When Laney and her roommate Heather's friend Bethany gets treated poorly by the campus player, Heather and Bethany convince Laney to seduce him and break his heart. Laney is known for being the go to girl for boy advice and has helped Heather to have a lasting relationship with her boyfriend Todd. Laney sets out to break Aiden's heart, but vows to keep her real personal life simple. After suffering her own heartbreak back in high school, she has no interest in involving her heart again. But when she ends up running into her ex Lachlan again, things quickly get complicated. Lachlan and Laney both still have feelings for one another, and Lachlan is determined to show Laney that things can work between them. Laney is convinced that she doesn't deserve to be happy with anyone, but especially Lachlan. Can Laney figure things out with Lachlan while also helping her friends with Aiden?

I liked Lachlan. I thought that he was sweet and sexy, and I really liked that he never gave up on Laney. I did however dislike that he was leading another girl on in order to try and make Laney jealous. He kind of acted like it was a big sacrifice and that the ends justified the means, but I just didn't care for that. I thought that he was a good guy and I know he was trying to win Laney back but it didn't feel right the way he was doing it. He should have just been honest with her from the beginning like he was later on in the story. Laney drove me nuts at times. She didn't want to be doing what she was with Aiden and yet she wouldn't stop. She let her friends talk her into doing so many things and then wouldn't back off when they threatened to tell Aiden the truth. She then told him anyways making the whole thing seem like a total waste. I couldn't believe that she would be friends with them after everything. I also felt like while I understood that she was hurt and felt a lot of guilt over what had happened in the past, that she let it affect her for far too long. Lachlan was trying to show her that he had forgiven her and that she should forgive herself, and yet she just continued to break down. She was a little too weak for my taste. I thought that Lachlan and Laney had chemistry between them and that they had a connection and history. They were great for each other and you could see the feelings between them. I just wish that all the other drama wouldn't have continued as long as it did.

I also felt like this book felt a bit disjointed and tended to kind of jump around. Then the story basically wraps itself up very quickly and is over. It was a bit abrupt and felt rushed. I wish that things would have started transitioning earlier and then maybe the ending would have felt different. I also felt that the big secret that Laney was keeping about her relationship ending with Lachlan was carried on for too long. I knew what it was from the beginning and it only became that much more apparent as the story continued. By the time it was revealed it just felt anticlimactic. I think that if you are looking for a quick NA read and are a fan of John Tucker Must Die, that you might enjoy this one and give it a shot. For me, this one just wasn't what I had been expecting or hoping for.

**ARC Provided by YA Bound Book Tours**

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