ARC Review: Illicit by Ava Harrison

I am really torn with this review. On the one hand, I have read and loved books by Ava Harrison and I couldn't put Illicit down. But I also had some serious issues with this book and unfortunately those kept me from really being able to enjoy this story. I did have to keep reading though to see how things would play out here. 

After finding out that her boyfriend has been cheating on her, Lynn meets Carson while on the beach and they share a steamy night together. The next morning she leaves thinking she will never see him again, but when she returns to school for her senior year she is shocked to see that Carson is in her classroom and is also her new history teacher. The two know that they need to stay away from each other, yet the attraction and connection they share prove to be harder to fight than they would like. But can they possibly have something together even though it is forbidden? 

I really liked both Carson and Lynn right off here. I felt bad for Lynn and all she had been through. Her family situation and her ex were awful and you could tell that despite it all she was strong and determined. But as the story went on, that all seemed to diminish and in her place our heroine was replaced with someone who grew progressively weaker and more doormat like. I wanted her to really stand up for herself, but she allowed things to happen that really went against that. Carson was sexy and sweet and I thought that he was a great guy. But then just like with Lynn's character, the more the story went on the more I grew to dislike him a bit. I liked that he was supportive of Lynn and didn't back down in protecting her. When confronted with his past, he opened up to her and explained everything to her, even knowing that it could mean the end of them. Yet he also pushed her away and even went so far as to date someone else all in front of Lynn. I didn't like how far things went with the OW and that all really hurt my opinion of him. I know why he did it, but I just couldn't get behind it since his feelings for Lynn were as strong as they were and he knew exactly what he was doing to not only Lynn but also himself. His thoughts and the fact that he was so into trying to get with the OW were a huge turn-off and it just tainted the rest of his story and relationship with Lynn. Especially since she was able to forgive and forget so easily, she didn't even make him work for it. I couldn't get over the fact that he went to her right after a date with another woman and she just lets him in as if it's no big deal. 

Overall, I really wanted to love this story and the characters but there were things that just didn't work for me. I felt like these two had so much chemistry and a genuine connection, which is why the OW stuff just ruined it for me. It was clear that these two were supposed to be together, and with her age and the fact that she was going to be graduating, it just didn't make sense to me why he would even go there even though he tried to reason with himself that he was doing the right thing for her. There was already enough drama going on in the story that the OW stuff just wasn't needed, and it ended up hurting the reader's view of the characters with everything that happened. I also felt like this book was a bit choppy at times, and I think that might be in part because this was originally a novella included in the Hot for Teacher anthology. It just didn't feel as smooth and effortless as some of her previous books have, and it was a bit distracting at times. This won't be the last I read from Ava Harrison, but this definitely wasn't my favorite which was a bit disappointing for me considering I love teacher/student romance stories and forbidden romances.

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ARC Review: Imperfect Truth by Ava Harrison

This book was brilliant! I honestly cannot even put into words how much I loved this book right now. I have been trying to think of what to say, but really the only thing that keeps coming to mind is that I really think this book just needs to be experienced. Imperfect Truth is Ava Harrison's debut novel, and if this is what we can expect in the future I honestly cannot wait to see what else she has coming! This book was fantastic and such a journey. I honestly thought I knew where this was going, but I could not have predicted how everything was going to play out.

Ava can't remember the last time that she was truly happy with her husband. At one time he was her best friend, but now he seems to feel indifferent when it comes to her. Lost in a world that she feels like an outsider in, Ava feels truly alone until a message changes everything. Ava spends her time blogging, and when a popular and handsome author takes an interest in her she feels herself coming back to life. As the two begin to chat, she begins to believe in love and life again. 

This book is truly a book of rediscovering who Ava is and what she wants out of life. She feels lost and alone, and utterly broken at times. Though she once thought her husband was everything she needed, her life is nothing like she pictured and she feels as though he doesn't care about her at all. Ava's husband seems to never fight for her, and she is always feeling as though she is a low priority compared to his work and his family. His mother treats her horribly, and he does nothing to stand up for her. Ava really needed someone and something to wake her up, and though it wasn't ideal, she did find that. Ava started to feel beautiful again and as though someone really saw her. The more she began to receive messages, the more she started to change. But you could really tell that she was always searching for something or someone, and it was clear that she had some issues deep down that needed to be dealt with. I loved Ava's journey so much, and it was beautiful and heartbreaking all at the same time. I knew something had to change and that things couldn't continue with her still married, while also spending so much time talking to someone else. Something had to give, and it was a really tough thing to watch at times. 

Overall, this is a book that I think needs to be read blind. I think that if you know all the details ahead of time, you really would lose out on the experience. Ava's story is not easy and it isn't pretty, but the flaws and cracks are what makes her so easy to relate to. I think that every person goes through at least one time in their life that they feel lost and alone, and they struggle with where they are in life versus where they thought that they would be. Not only that, but I think that anyone in a committed relationship or marriage also goes through some of that as well. Relationships take a lot of work, and sometimes a distance grows that seems almost impossible to close. I think that this book is a must read for anyone who has felt any of those things, and it shows that though the road is often hard, that where we end up can be better than what we ever imagined or planned on. I really cannot say enough good things about this book, but it really is one that I would recommend everyone read. Imperfect Truth was emotional and captivating, and I could not put it down. Ava Harrison instantly drew me into her story and with each word I found the outside world falling away as I couldn't focus on anything but this book. I loved her writing style, and I absolutely cannot wait to see what she writes next.

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