CALLED UP (Calling It #2)

CALLED UP                                                         JEN DOYLE

There's one thing Max "Deke" Deacon can always count on besides his old high school teammates: Angelica "Fitz" Hawkins. But no matter how much Deke might secretly fantasize otherwise, a relationship with his best friend's sister is off limits. Until one unexpectedly smoldering encounter has Deke and Fitz giving in to the feelings they've both been fighting for far too long.

Fitz knows for a fact that it is not better to have loved and lost. After losing her parents, she'd rather lock up her heart and throw away the key than endure that kind of pain again. If that means giving up any hope of a lasting relationship, then so be it.

But with Deke, Fitz feels dangerously close to falling in love. She can't risk another broken heart—especially if it means losing one of her best friends for good. Now it's up to Deke to convince her that the safest place she could ever be is right here with him.
 

MY REVIEW:
     When your whole world has been ripped, turned, destroyed, and so changed you can’t even find who you are anymore then what?
     You see Angelica Wade was caught in a tornado at the age of 16 with her parents.  The sad thing is as they were driving the tornado struck.  Her parents were sucked out of the car and she was not.  She was hospitalized and in the town, that the she was found in not the town where she was from.
     Being that she had no parents, no relatives, and no home to go back to because of they found out it had been destroyed also she had no one.  Everything in it too was gone pictures, records, everything.  Come to find out that through the investigating they found out her father was not who she thought he was.
     It turns out that after she had been at school already making a few friends so she thought.  Not feeling like her sea legs were too sure as of yet but better.  When she finds out through the school gossip mill that spreads like wild fire that there is a problem that changes her life forever.  You see by the end of the day she went from poor sad girl from the tornado to the bastard daughter of the man who left the beloved mayor of their town, Mama Gin and her three children behind.
     Her new brother Nate Hawkins and sister Jules hated her and that made her enemy number one at school.  The sad part was when she was still like those few weeks before she was friends with Nate’s then girlfriend Peggy.  She told her how she had a crush on Nate’s best friend, Max “Deke” Deacon.  So, when she became the enemy she used that to do something that could have really harmed her.
     When Nate found her at that moment he took her under his wing and claimed her as his sister.  When everyone shunned her in the cafeteria he had his team of guys dawn t-shirts with her last name Wade and they all sat with her then on for lunch.  She became one of the guys.  In that group was Deke.  That day they became best friends.
     Now sixteen years later Fitz as she was named after a character of a book of a bastard child.  But she wears it proudly now.  She learned to hide her feelings to work in the community to be a part of them on the surface.  Yet, never to deep.  She never felt like she could love or be loved.  Yet, she did and was every day.  Thanks, in large part by Deke.
     See how this young woman who was faced with bullying on a grand scale.  By those who should have known better.  Yet, by the one who had been scorned by her father she was shown kindness and understanding.  Yet, could she believe it?  Would you?

     I totally enjoyed this story of a young woman trying to not only find out who she was and what she really wanted.  But also, finding love from the one person who had been right there in front of her all the time.  I give this 5++++ stars.  Provided by netgalley.com.  Follow us at:  www.1rad-readerreviews.com.

DECLAN REEDE: : The Untold Story Complete Series (Declan Reede: The Untold Story)

DECLAN REEDE                                              MICHELE IRWIN

Experience Declan’s complete story. Includes RONE-nominated novella “Decide” and an exclusive bonus novella “Decode”.

As high school sweethearts, Declan Reede and Alyssa Dawson didn’t always see eye-to-eye. Especially when it came to his dream of being a driver in the ProV8 series. When he’s offered the chance at the career of his dreams, Declan straps himself in for the ride regardless of the cost.

Older, but not wiser, Declan is on the path to becoming a racing legend. Only, regret haunts him around the track and threatens to send him off-course. When a chance encounter offers the opportunity to correct his mistakes, Declan must learn to manage the curves if he wants to claim the ultimate prize.

**Due to strong language and sexual content not intended for anyone under the age of 18**

MY REVIEW:
     Growing up together since they were nine and being the best of friends with Josh and Alyssa Dawson was easy.  Their parents were Declan Reede’s parents.  Being that he was an only child, it was nice having built in playmates.
     When in high school around their sixteenth birthday they explored a kiss and fireworks rocked their world.  It was on like nobody’s business.  They would meet regularly at their park on a table and talk and make out.  Josh was okay with it he liked Declan he mad Lys happy.  Yet, their relationship was always an on again of again one.  You would never meet two people with hotter tempers. Their love for one another was deep but their ability to talk it through after an argument was not.
     Two weeks before the end of school at the prom night hotel they were to stay in they get into a royal fight.  This fight was beyond big it was over how they were going to spend their lives.  You see Declan was getting ready to sign on the line to reach for his dream of pro V8 racecar driving for the team he always dreamed about.
     Lys on the other hand had been accepted to Uni and was trying to talk him into going so he had an education to fall back on in case the car gig didn’t work out.  Not knowing Declan’s dad had been brain washing him behind her back.  Saying she was trying to trap him through marriage and having children.
     In Declan’s moment of panic he said some harsh things to Lys and she ran out of their room.  The same room that had just been so perfect.  Where they made love for the first time.  While that all flashed before him then is when he realized what, he did he ran after her but she was gone.  By the time, he gets home her brother Josh is there and beats Declan so badly he had to be taken to hospital.
     Later when Lys tries to call he won’t take it.  The next day he does say to meet at their park table.  He tells her he never wants to see her again.  When he turns around and she sees how he’s beaten she is startled.  She tries to go to him he back away.  He says no she did enough by having Josh do this to him.  She gasps.  She had no clue.  He tells he he’s leaving never to return and never to call him again.
     He would come to regret those words.  See how that one night changed the lives of Declan and Alyssa forever.  See if they really could keep away from each other when they had such a strong bond from childhood.
     I love the multitude of layers that Declan has to go through in this book.  Yet, through the whole thing he still wants to accept no responsibility for anything emotional yet he wants it fixed.  His way.

     Although at the beginning she was so strong with her opinions when she is reunited she seems broken to the point of not standing up to him and making him take responsibility for his actions.  Ownership.  The writing keeps you totally engaged.  I give this: 5 stars.  Provided by author for honest review.  Follow up at:  www.1rad-readerreview.com.

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