Also in this series: Bully, Rival, Aflame
Series: Fall Away #3
Published by Penguin Group (USA) LLC on January 6th 2015
Genres: New Adult
Narrator: Nelson Hobbs, Abby Craden
Length: 11 Hours and 58 Mins
Pages: 429
Format: Audiobook
Source: Library
Jaxon is the guy she’s supposed to avoid.
K.C. is the girl he won’t let get away....
K.C. Carter has always followed the rules—until this year, when a mistake leaves her the talk of her college campus and her carefully arranged life comes crashing to a halt. Now she’s stuck in her small hometown for the summer to complete her court-ordered community service, and to make matters worse, trouble is living right next door.
Jaxon Trent is the worst kind of temptation and exactly what K.C. was supposed to stay away from in high school. But he never forgot her. She was the one girl who wouldn’t give him the time of day and the only one to ever say no. Fate has brought K.C. back into his life—except what he thought was a great twist of luck turns out to be too close for comfort. As the bond between them grows, he discovers that convincing K.C. to get out from her mother’s shadow is hard, but revealing the darkest parts of his soul is nearly impossible.…
Summary
K.C. has just returned to her hometown, when she found herself arrested for threatening her ex when she found him cheating on her. Now her community service is to tutor students. She left two years ago to go away to college, and didn’t think she would be back this soon and would have to run into the one man she fears the most: Jaxon who happens to currently live next door to her. Oh the joy of it. He is also the one man she has wanted more than anyone and knows she can never have. He is the greatest temptation, but she also knows that he is dangerous and mysterious. But fate has a way of messing with people, especially Jaxson and K.C. Jaxon, has always wanted K.C. ever since high school. But she never gave him the time of day, but he has always been intrigued by her, and wants to unravel her and see her hidden depths. Misunderstands occur, tensions rise and the chemistry between Jaxon and K.C. is flammable, but can their tenuous relationship stand the tide of what is to come or will it crumble?
The Hero
Jaxon Trent, is a man of influence, money and power. Many fear and respect him. Jaxon however had to learn at a very young age, that you have to take care of yourself or others will use you and discard you at a drop of a hat. Jaxon refuses to feel helpless or weak ever again. He has an in with the police, he does favors for certain people, and can hack just about anything with his fancy computer network. He loves what he does because its his safety net. Jaxon never had a nice childhood like his brothers did. His mother abandoned him when he was just a child, and his father was cruel and evil, addicted to drugs and used Jaxon for his own evil purposes. Jaxon was a hero that just about broke my heart in this book. As you enter in the story, you start to see his flashbacks to when he was a child and a young teenager, and oh my has he been put through the ringer. No wonder he has such an alpha personality, we see how his past has made him into what he is now. A man who only wants safety and love and to be accepted for who he is.
The Heroine
K.C. is a young woman that struggles with self security and confidence. She has learned the hard way of trust. After being with her boyfriend for years and having him constantly cheat because she was not good enough; definitely puts a wrinkle in her. K.C. didn’t have an easy childhood. K.C. had a sister that died, and her father suffered from mental instability and she was forced to act the part of a sister she never knew, and never be her own person. She was constantly abused by her mother in some of the worst ways that tore down any confidence she might have had. K.C. was a heroine that we see grow quite a bit into herself. She is very shy at times, and fearful of the hero. I think mostly due to the way he makes her feel. But she really learns to stand on her own and try new things.
Plot and Story Line
Falling Away is the third book in the Fall Away series and boy was I hooked from the start with this one. I will say that the narrators were so brilliant in this story. They just pulled me into every scene, every moment….every emotion was displayed so vividly. I just never wanted to put this audiobook down. This story however wasn’t easy to read though. Penelope Douglas isn’t a light and fluffy author….she portrays realistic stories with tough emotions and scenarios. What I enjoyed most was the interactions between K.C and Jaxon.
“Driving a stick is like sex,” he stated. “Every person you’re with is different. They’re like a code that needs to be broken.” He turned and ran his hands up both sides of the steering wheel, slow and smooth. “What parts like to be touched.” His sensual voice started stirring its way through my body. “Licked. Sucked. Bitten.”
Man was it an adventure with these two together. I never knew what to expect, because there were quite a bit of twists and turns in their relationship.
It sets off when they have their first intense interaction when they are both in high school. We see the chemistry between them but there is also something MORE that you can’t quite put your finger on yet. But its way more than just wanting sex with these two. There is real emotion that vibrates between Jaxon and K.C. But K.C. is loyal even to those that hurt her. So she stays with a boyfriend she doesn’t even truly want to be with, and leaves the one man she knows could steal her heart. Now its two years later, and the emotion between these two is so strong. Jaxon is a bit of a jerk at times….well alot. But you can tell he is just trying to push her buttons to make the real K.C. come out.
“Bite me, hit me, scream at me. I don’t care. I want to feel it. Fucking hurt me, K.C. Let me see you.”
He wants her out of her shell and he knows anger is one trigger he can bring out of her. And do these two go at it. hehe And their relationship is never easy, even once they start “officially”…they are faced with some tough issues they learn the hard way at times to work through. But with the “help” of their mutual friends, they chug along and figure things out. But what a road they have to journey in order to find their HEA.
“He gave us three irrefutable pieces of advice about the male species:
1. Boys will lie, cheat, and steal to get into your pants. A man will stand the test of time. Make him wait, and you’ll see which one he is.
2. They will try to tell you that it feels better without a condom. You just tell me where they live.
3. And relationships are supposed to make your life better. You don’t drag each other down. You hold each other up.”
The Cover
I like the cover, because the hero is exactly how is is portrayed in the book so I do like that. I do love dark backdrops though—adds mystery.
Overall View
Falling Away is a tough and emotional nail biting romance that will have you on the edge of your seat and guaranteed to tug at those heartstrings in an almost brutal way but will leave you wanting to do a jig for these two by the end!! A SUPERB ROMANCE!!
“Only ever you.”
I love audiobooks that really pull you into the story. This sounds like a much darker romance than I am used to reading and I really like the idea of it. I haven’t read this author before but I may need to look into this series. Great review!
Carole @ Carole’s Random Life
oh yes, this author really pulls you in especially on a emotional level. But you definitely should pick this author up.
I just saw another review of this book and now I really want to get on board with this series. Great review!
Shari @ Delighted Reader
oh you definitely should!! Penelope Douglas is AMAZING!!
I am not always in for tough and emotional, it depends