Summary:
When Rory Macintosh’s
roommates find out that their studious and shy friend has never been
with a guy, they decide that, as an act of kindness they’ll help her
lose her virginity by hiring confident, tattooed bad boy Tyler Mann to
do the job…unbeknownst to Rory.Tyler knows he’s not good enough for Rory. She’s smart, doctor smart, while he’s barely scraping by at his EMT program, hoping to pull his younger brothers out of the hell their druggy mother has left them in. But he can’t resist taking up her roommates on an opportunity to get to know her better. There’s something about her honesty that keeps him coming back when he knows he shouldn’t…
Torn between common sense and desire, the two find themselves caught up in a passionate relationship. But when Tyler’s broken family threatens to destroy his future, and hers, Rory will need to decide whether to cut her ties to his risky world or follow her heart, no matter what the cost…
Release Date: May 7, 2013
Age Group: Mature YA
Source: NetGalley
Review:
The good girl falling for a 'bad boy' theme is tried-and-true, and one I never really tire of reading. I'm not sure why that is, but I'm guessing it has something to do with living out a fantasy through characters in a book. And I must not be alone in this fantasy, or the subject would not be so often used in literature, especially YA literature.
So it was with anticipation for a fun read that I started True. On a side note, aren't 'read-now' galleys on NetGalley simply the best? I love not having to wait for approval. It makes me feel special and makes me want to read the book right away.
Anyway, back to True. I enjoyed Rory as a character. She's smart and knows exactly who she is. Her level-headedness and logical nature appealed to that side of me. I really felt for her, having never had a boyfriend, especially given her lusty and experienced roommates.
I liked Tyler, but had some problems with him. He keeps secrets and has a martyr complex. I loved his devotion to his family and the interactions with his brothers were some of my favorite parts of the book.
What bothered me about True, and this was huge for me, was that the ending was rushed and unrealistic. There was no logical conflict resolution, and no explanation or hints of the future of the characters. Instead, there was a definite "love conquers all" feeling, which I felt McCarthy used as a deus ex machina to resolve the major points of conflict. This issue nearly ruined the book for me. I was left with many questions, too many for me to say that I loved the story. Had True had a different, less rushed ending, I would have felt much differently.
If you don't have a problem with love fixing all of your characters' problems, I would recommend True. As it is, if you are a fan of mature contemporary YA, I would still recommend the book, with the caveat of the ending.
So it was with anticipation for a fun read that I started True. On a side note, aren't 'read-now' galleys on NetGalley simply the best? I love not having to wait for approval. It makes me feel special and makes me want to read the book right away.
Anyway, back to True. I enjoyed Rory as a character. She's smart and knows exactly who she is. Her level-headedness and logical nature appealed to that side of me. I really felt for her, having never had a boyfriend, especially given her lusty and experienced roommates.
I liked Tyler, but had some problems with him. He keeps secrets and has a martyr complex. I loved his devotion to his family and the interactions with his brothers were some of my favorite parts of the book.
What bothered me about True, and this was huge for me, was that the ending was rushed and unrealistic. There was no logical conflict resolution, and no explanation or hints of the future of the characters. Instead, there was a definite "love conquers all" feeling, which I felt McCarthy used as a deus ex machina to resolve the major points of conflict. This issue nearly ruined the book for me. I was left with many questions, too many for me to say that I loved the story. Had True had a different, less rushed ending, I would have felt much differently.
If you don't have a problem with love fixing all of your characters' problems, I would recommend True. As it is, if you are a fan of mature contemporary YA, I would still recommend the book, with the caveat of the ending.
Rory sounds like a great character and I think I would like tyler for the most part.
ReplyDeleteBrandi @ Blkosiner’s Book Blog
I tried reading this one but it wasn't the book for me. I'm still new to NA so I'm going thru and seeing what I like and what I don't like. What turned me away with True was that Rory was .... crap, that would be a spoiler. I'll email you :)
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