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Review

“People hope to touch the sky. I dream of kissing it.”

5 Outstanding Stars!!

I. Love. This. Book! I love the characters, I seriously love the dynamics, I love the romance, the sex, the laughs, the drama and the tears, it was all fucking phenomenal! So yeah, this review is long, gushy, and full of quotes, but I need to get it all out!!

Following on in the Addicted series, this is the first of the Calloway Sistersspin off, and features Lily’s older sister, Rose, and her boyfriend, Connor. Going in, I wasn’t sure how I was going to feel. I love Connor, but Rose isn’t my favourite character, but finally getting their POVs, seeing them on their own, as a couple, and as part of the larger group of characters – but from a different perspective – it absolutely blew my mind!

Firstly, about Rose. She is a 23 year old who is serious, no-nonsense and a control freak. She is incredibly intelligent, fiercely protective of her family, constantly threatens to crush balls, and is proud of the fact that she is still a virgin. Her design business took a hit in the dramatic events of the last book, and in order to get some positive publicity for her and her negative-press-beleaguered family, she organises for her, her sisters, and their boyfriends/friends to become the subject of a reality show.

“6 people + 6 months + 3 cameramen + 1 reality show = infinite drama.”

These characters are absolutely sensational on their own. Put them all together – constantly – and this book is absolutely exploding with awesome! We are immediately dropped right into the simmering pot of love, lust, sexual tension, and fantastically entertaining banter that is these characters together, and I loved every moment of it!

“We’ve become something of a family.
A dysfunctional, fucked up family.”

But as awesome as it all is, this is Rose and Connor’s story, and they stand very firmly as the lead characters, and I loved the chance to finally get to know and understand the real them.

Together for a year, I’ve gotta say they have one of the MOST fascinating relationships ever. I adore the way they play off each other, challenge each other, appreciate each other, and the way they turn each other on with their intelligence and constant bantering. Together, they are absolute dynamite!

“She glowers, her entire body responding to the emotion. Her eyes narrow, her stance closes, her shoulders pull back, forcing me to straighten up.
I almost get hard.”

“People thought she was nuts – in a genius “I will devour your soul” kind of way.
I thought she was fucking fascinating.”

In previous books they both appear a bit closed off, so I loved seeing how open and honest they are with each other, as well as the genuine emotion between the two of them.

“I’ve never been so possessed by another person before. She consumes my body and mind in ways that I can’t articulate.”

“In nearly ten years of knowing Connor, we always seem to return to each other – even when we were thousands of miles apart, on two separate planes of existence – even when it seemed like our futures had strayed.
He may not believe in fate, but I do.
And I know I’m fated to be with him.”

“I’ve wanted so many things in life,” he says softly, “but you’re the one that has meant the most to me.”
Translation: I love you.

Connor Cobalt. God. Damn! We know he is highly intelligent, successful, and uber-confident. But there is a whole other side to Connor that we get to see, and it is HOTTTTT! Holy hell, Connor’s dirty, smutty, dominant side is revealed, and I’ve gotta say – I LOVED IT! Definitely not what I was expecting, but it’s a fantastic addition to this complex character, and fits in beautifully with his relationship with Rose – the contrast between their everyday relationship and the fact that they are such a perfect match, constantly challenging each other and battling to keep each other on their toes, compared to what happens in the bedroom, is mesmerising.

“My lips brush her cheek. “I’m going to spread you so wide, Rose. Your whole body will ache for my hard cock … You’ll come before I fill every inch of you.”

“You’re safe with me, you know that, Rose?” I ask her. “I won’t ever hurt you.”

He stares at me like I’m the only one he wants here. Underneath him. “You and me,” he says and licks his lips. “We fuck like winners.”

Yep, Connor is an arrogant bastard most of the time, but he has this way about him that is so trustworthy, and watching him care for Rose and his friends, you really get to see his tenderness, and how he is the steadying influence for the group.

They need me to be their sturdy unbending fortress.
So here I am.

The scenes where the characters are all together have definitely been a highlight of the previous books for me, so seeing them all living under the same roof, it feels like everything has been stepped up a level, and the group dynamics are GOLD! Some of the best I’ve ever read.

“Last week you told me if you ever saw me with an erection, you’d slam my boner in a doorjamb.”
Connor nods to Lo. “In Rose’s defense, no one but Lily really wants to see your erection.”
“That’s not what you said last night,” he banters.
Connor’s lips rise. “Shh, that’s between us, love”

“Lily and Lo f**k a lot,” Ryke says, each f-bomb bleeped accordingly… “If we had to rank who’s getting the most, it’d be my brother, his girlfriend, then maybe Connor Cobalt and his hand.”
Beside me, Connor grins and sips his wine, finding Ryke’s comment more amusing than I would.

“I’m totally getting more ass than Ryke Meadows.”
She laughs as she squirms in his hold.
“She’s not getting more ass than me,” he says …
“Oh yeah? I have a boyfriend. What do you have?”
“A six-pack and a big f**cking c*ck.”

And not just the laughter and teasing, but the genuine love that they all have for each other.

“These five people mean more to me than words can express. I’ve never once felt like I had a real family.
But with them – I know I do.”

There are so many relationships taking place – family, friends, romantic, antagonistic, and even a bromance in the mix! The one that intrigues me the most though, is still Ryke and Daisy. With all of the playing, teasing, Ryke’s protectiveness, and Daisy’s utter and absolute trust in him, the bond between them continues to strengthen. And with some seemingly innocent touches and secret glances – hot damn, things are heating up!

I love the writing in this series! Sharp, descriptive and emotive, and the story is paced beautifully! I found myself reading and never wanting it to end! We get to experience pretty much everything I wanted to see happen, and in addition all of the drama between the six of them, there are external pressures causing even more problems (Die Scott, Die!!!!!), and leading to some serious consequences. But it all unfolded perfectly, it ends well, and I was left grinning like a fool by the end of it.

“There’s no one after you … I want you for eternity, not for a brief moment in time.”

I did have a couple of issues…

This book has a very different feel to it than the first three books in the series, however I strongly suggest that you read them in the correct order so that you get to know the characters before you dive into this.

I’m in absolute love with this series, and the characters. I loved, I laughed, I cried, I squeed and I swooned (oh, and I also fanned myself a whole lot!). A day after finishing this book and I’m still riding the high, and can’t wait to get my hands on Ryke and Daisy’s book.

5 stars.

The Addicted series

Check out our Author Spotlight on Krista and Becca Ritchie.