Double Reviews: The Avoiding Series

This review week I decided to give you double the trouble! Here are two reviews for the first 2 books in a contemporary romance series by K.A. Linde; they are pretty fan-freaking-tastic reads.

Before I being I have to dedicate this post to one TOUGH CRITIC.

Mollie at Tough Critic Book Reviews had a Facebook contest in November where she was giving away a copy of Avoiding Commitment to someone who hadn't read it yet. I hadn't even heard of it, I know, so I entered and won and then became an addict. I rushed to buy book 2 (which thankfully was released by the time I needed my fix) and now I'm hanging on for another installment!

Avoiding Commitment (Avoiding #1) by K.A. Linde
★★★★☆
Release Date: July 29, 2012
Age: Mature New Adult/Adult
Genre: Contemporary Romance, Drama, Realistic Fiction
Format: ebook
Source: Won from Giveaway
Buy it: Amazon | Barnes and Noble

Jack and Lexi never had a typical relationship. After 2 years without speaking, she receives a phone call that changes everything. He unexpectedly asks her to convince the new girl, Bekah, that he's ready to commit. Jack is calling now after everything they had been through because there is another woman. She can't believe it. Follow Lexi in this heart wrenching drama as she relives her past relationship, or lack thereof, with Jack, and not just in her own mind, but to his fiance-to-be. Throw in Bekah's hot brother who always seems to be in the right place at the right time, a past with more secrets to unravel than you can even imagine, and you get a recipe for disaster. Find out what happens to Lexi as she travels to Atlanta to get the closure she so desperately desires from Jack, and how the bumps of life seem to keep getting in the way.

Jack and Lexi are TOXIC. I mean absolutely, positively two people who need to stay the hell away from each other. They have this obsessive attraction that WILL ONLY GET THEM INTO TROUBLE. Especially considering Lexi is way too good for him, but she's not really all that innocent. I will admit, I was head over heels in love with Jack (I don't know why I like the bad guys!), well.. I repeat I was head over heels. Ok, teensy bit still am. Kind of. But, he's a donkey butt with some serious issues.

Jack and Lexi have this instant attraction to one another. One that lasts for years. But, after Lexi has had enough, Jack creeps back into her life for an entirely new reason. The king of noncommittal relationships has a commitment hungry girlfriend and needs Lexi in a new way. The book began as a bunch of waving red flags for me. I knew I was going to become emotionally invested and knew I should've put it down. But, what freaking ever. I had to finish it even if I lost my mind and heart.

It was pretty easy to hate Bekah, Jack's girlfriend. Did you read Dirty Red by Tarryn Fisher? You know how much you hate Leah? Yeah, I kind of hated Bekah ALMOST as much. I really hate Leah. But, Bekah's nasty as well. Following this unlikely trio, and Bekah's brother Ramsey down the rabbit hole made my week. Once I started reading I didn't stop.

The book alternates between the past and present. It is Lexi and Jack in college and the beginning of their "friendship" and then Jack and Lexi in the present in the predicament that Jack places them in. The drama that ensues is soap opera worthy. Some crazy stuff goes down. And I gobbled up every second.

I loved hated loved the end of Avoiding Commitment. It's one of those Ah man it's over , but I have to read more so now I have to fork over the money to read the next one, but oh yeah I'm doing it now because I'm not waiting another second to continue. K.A. Linde killed me. She made my eyes bulge out of my head at how ridiculous these characters are and I'm pretty sure my husband had to resuscitate me at least once while reading. It's an incredibly mind consuming and different kind of love story, one that will leave you craving more. Whether that's more Jack or Ramsey, you decide!

Avoiding Responsibility (Avoiding #2) by K.A. Linde

★★★★★

Release Date: December 1, 2012

Age: Mature New Adult/Adult

Genre: Contemporary Romance, Drama, Realistic Fiction

Format: ebook

Source: Purchased

Buy it: Amazon | Barnes and Noble

Lexi has finally given up her once destructive relationships and moved onto bigger and better things with a sexy new man in town. Just when she is starting to figure it out with him, her world is tilted once again with a phone call from none other than Ramsey Bridges. A year after his entrance into her life, Ramsey is trying to make amends and does the one thing she never expects—invites her to Jack's wedding.
The wedding she had evaded at all costs. But no matter what she does, Lexi can't seem to escape her past with Jack. But does she really want to?
Despite the explosive chemistry between Lexi and Ramsey, she is skeptical about trusting him after everything that has happened. When things are amiss with him, she starts questioning his motives. Can Ramsey be the one to remove Jack from Lexi's life permanently or should she move on with her blossoming new life?

Those of you who have read Avoiding Commitment may read this review. If you haven't yet read Avoiding Commitment DO NOT READ THIS REVIEW as there may be spoilers. That was my warning. And really. If you haven't read this one yet (but have read book 1), you may want to read book 2 before going on. Just saying. Confusing enough? K. Let's move on.

Avoiding Responsibility was a mystery. Set up much the same as Avoiding Commitment, past and present wise, the reader is presently a year after the end of Avoiding Commitment but goes back through the past year. The mystery? What is going on! Between what happened in Lexi and Ramsey's relationship, to what happened in Ramsey's past, to what the heck is Lexi doing now. It was a no-sleep-until-it's-over mystery.

I kind of, just a little bit, want to kiss Ramsey's face off. I KNOW. Conflicting emotions there (I'm still kind of a Jack girl) I KNOW I may need counseling. But, I do really like Ramsey. Maybe enough to say, Team Ramsey... I was wrong about him at the end of the last book and he ends up really being the guy I did not think he was or had the capacity to be. Mostly. Make sense? THEN YOU SHOULD REALLY READ THE BOOK.

Lexi has this best friend, Chyna. Chyna is this fun and out going, never stick with one guy-type. She was probably my favorite character of this book. She brought this girl power element to the story and was the one Lex leaned on and told her like it was. She wasn't one to butter anything up and was a straight shooter. But, she's got her own life going on. One that involves an evil stepmother to be. And, it just keeps getting better.

The horrors that Lexi is subjected to, well subjects herself to, for Jack is insane. He is by far her biggest fault and the fact that she ends up at his wedding and the festivities the week before just proves her self preservation button has been deactivated. But, I think going through the misery (especially at Bekah's expense) is worth it for the revelation she comes to. Come on Lexi!

For a second let's discuss Parker. Parker is just a girl. Just a girl who brings issues into Lexi and Ramsey's relationship, past and present. After the hell that Lexi went through with Jack, I didn't like Parker and what her showing back up in their lives could mean. I REALLY DIDN'T LIKE PARKER.

Oh man. These double reviews are making me shouty. I feel like I'm not even reviewing these books. I feel like I'm talking to a friend about them and expressing my likes and dislikes. Which I guess is kind of the same. Ok, I'm moving on.

Read it. Read them both and read them now. Then go and tell everyone you know to read them. And, be on the lookout for news about book 3! Visit K.A.'s FAQ page for more. Also mark your calendars for Chyna's novella!

Look for book 2.5 a novella about Chyna titled Avoiding Intimacy, due out February 26th.

Giveaway

We're doing this. Mollie gifted a copy of Avoiding Commitment to me and now I will be gifting a copy to one of you! If you've already read Avoiding Commitment I will gift you Avoiding Responsibility. 

So. One ebook (kindle or nook) copy of either book. Open internationally. Ready, set, go!

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