Blog Tour + Review + Giveaway | Thick Love by Eden Butler

 

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Well sheesh, just run me over repeatedly by the emotion train, why don’t you! I’m not exactly sure where to begin with this review, there were things I liked and things that I didn’t like. I truly loved the story of Ransom’s parents, Kona and Keira, in Thin Love, the first in this series. I guess I was sort of expecting a storyline similar to his parents, but that actually wasn’t the case at all. Although, this story was emotionally gripping with some pretty complex characters, it was a decent read. The ending completely threw me through a loop, which left me a bit confused. I’ll explain more soon.

I know it seems like I’m giving this a bad review, but it’s not the case at all. There’s so many things that make this story memorable, the complexity of the characters and just the storyline itself. It’s not an easy road for both of the characters. We have Ransom, past events has him harboring SO MUCH guilt, shame, and pain. And at such a young age, but like his parents, he’s got a bit of temper and tack on being stubborn. That’s one crazy package if you ask me and you wonder who can handle all of that?! That’s where Aly comes in, a strong and honest character that I admire so much. It is clear as day that she’s THE perfect match for Ransom, but his issues with his past really hinders his view to see that. And boy does he mess major time in this story. Aly really knows how to cut the shit, there are quite a few times in the book, where Ransom does this push and pull thing with her. At moments, it’s a bit overbearing, but my girl Aly knew when to call him out on it and be like look, you can’t be doing this all the time and expect me to stay. You tell em!

As the story progresses, the characters alone and their relationship takes some serious strides. Ransom has a lot of bridges to get over in this one and by the end, you’ll feel like he has found some sort of peace. But this whole time, no matter how many chapters he closed, it just didn’t feel done. To me, it didn’t exactly seem like he really settled everything with his past, maybe it was just me? There’s still pieces missing to me and by the end, I knew why … their story isn’t finished.

The epilogue was probably the hardest part for me to read and smidge disappointing. It’s pretty obvious that there’s still so much to get through when it comes to Ransom and Aly’s story, and I’m not trying to judge too quickly. But I’m kind of uncertain about how to feel with the next book that will be coming out. I’m already not liking how things may be setting up for the sequel. Yep, there’s a bit of a cliffhanger that I definitely wasn’t expecting at the end of the book. The next one doesn’t come out until 2016, so maybe it’ll give me more time to mull over everything that has happened. I don’t like to read an unfinished story, I want to know what the end game will be for the both of them. I’m huge on HEA and desperately need them. I just hope theirs doesn’t cross my big NOs, when it comes to reading my romance novels.

There’s a lot of tragedy in this story that can leave you emotionally wrecked. The author has a great writing style and is very fluid with it. The story flowed really and she created this slow burn between the two characters. I don’t think it would have been right, if it was an instant love for the both of them, it just wouldn’t have worked especially with all the issues in their lives. Ransom especially has to work on loving himself first, but most of all to be able to forgive.

I’m definitely interested to see how their story ends up, but I might have to read a few reviews before I dive into that one.

“Dance with me,” I said. He only stared up at me blankly.“I don’t feel like practicing.”

“I’m not asking you to practice. I’m asking you to dance.”

Ransom’s body stiffened when I picked up his hand, but he didn’t fight me. “Just be here with me. Me and you and the music.”

We came together in the center of my living room with that slow, soothing music wrapping around us. There was no Kizomba, no prequel to a seduction we both wanted to avoid. There was just Ransom bending low, arms around me, hand taking mine to hold against his chest. After a few seconds, the tension lessened, and his body did not feel as rigid. It felt peaceful, and safe, and simple—just two people, holding each other, swaying to the music.

His mouth hovered near my forehead and as we moved together with no form or practiced steps, Ransom’s grip on my waist got tighter. “I wish I could breathe again. I want that so bad.” The words were whispered, low.

I closed my eyes, reminding myself that I couldn’t touch him.

“Ransom. You can.”

He looked down at me and right then I saw just how lost he was. This realization didn’t come from flippant comments he made to me or desperate excuses I overheard him make. It was all there right in his eyes—the loneliness, the pain, as though each mistake he’d made was etched into the rise of his cheekbones and the worried, faint lines on his forehead. He was still drifting; he had been drifting for so damn long.

The pain in his eyes drew me in. There was nothing I could say that would make his hurt lessen. There was nothing that would take him from the lingering sorrow he’d created for himself. So I didn’t speak, didn’t give him advice I knew he’d never take. I just watched Ransom’s eyes, and felt the slow way he moved. And then with my hand on the back of his neck, I pulled his face towards me, I took his lips, kissing him, pouring into that kiss everything I’d held back from him since we first met.

This is who I am. This is what I want. That voice came from someplace hidden and secret inside me.

It was minutes, minutes of nothing but my mouth on his, nothing but two people finding solace in each other, before

He didn’t seem to want me to pull away, but didn’t stop me when I did. Shaking my head, I smoothed the collar on his shirt, unable to look at him. “I’m…modi, Ransom, I’m sorry.”

Ransom pulled my chin up and smoothed his thumb over my cheek, down the slope of my chin before he returned his attention to my eyes. “I don’t think I am.”

It was a moment I thought I’d always wanted. Him looking at me like I was real, like he saw me, finally saw me. I’d seen that look once before, just as Ransom whispered my name and kissed me over and over the first time. It wasn’t the look of someone hopeless. It was open and raw and I realized right then that I’d give anything for Ransom to never stop looking at me.

But this was against our rules. This wasn’t how we were supposed to be. I took his hand, thought of pulling it away from my face but didn’t have the strength, liked how it felt on my face too much. “Friends don’t kiss, Ransom.”

A small nod, and his eyes narrowed. His grip around me tightened. The music around us swelled. “No, they don’t,” he said, still touching my face, inching closer and I knew, right then, he was definitely not my friend.

She is currently imprisoned under teenage rule alongside her husband in southeast Louisiana.Please send help.

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