GIVE AND TAKE sucked me in right away. Eden has created a wonderful love story that is complicated by distance as well as a lack of full confidence and trust between Annabelle and Jackson. Life throws up secrets from the past, adds in disingenuous friends as well as some troublesome family members to make developing a relationship difficult for Annabelle and Jackson. Add to all of that the quite normal and expected growing pains of a couple coming together and trying to blend their lives together there is plenty of room for drama between Annabelle and Jackson. The majority of the story takes place in Beauville which is a small town and embodies all of the problems and benefits of a closely linked community. Everyone knows everyone else's business and people are free and loose with their opinions and meddling.
GIVE AND TAKE has a lot going on in it. Jackson and Annabelle have to work out the logistics of their relationship. Annabelle has to come to terms with they type of man that she has fallen in love with. Jackson is not the sweet words and loving gestures type of man. While Jackson has to realize that the woman that he has fallen for wants a kind of independence that will require him to bend a bit. Annabelle discovers the answers to questions from her past that reveals new connections for her. Jackson's past also comes back in big ways that are life changing for them both.
GIVE AND TAKE has a well developed storyline, characters that evoke strong responses (both positive and negative), and full on sexiness that is a nice bonus to a good romance. However, alas, GIVE AND TAKE ends in a cliffhanger. It isn't a little, comfortable, I'm looking forward to seeing what happens between them next kind of cliffhanger either. It's the I want to flip the table over kind of cliffhanger. It's a heart in your chest, praying to the book faeries that the book isn't really going to end here kind of cliffhanger. Yep, it's that big! So I suppose that I have no choice but to be patient and hope that book 2 comes out fairly soon. Although this cliffhanger was a little dagger to my heart I believe that I will still add GIVE AND TAKE to my favorites list. I can't deny that I was well and truly sucked into the story and enjoyed what I have received so far. It's just...this dang story ended in a cliffhanger! (Yes, I know that I am whining!)
Dear cliffhanger, oh how I loathe thee! Sigh...
Happy Reading!
Monica
**I received an uncorrected ARC in exchange for an honest review.**
Okay, I'm good now.
Synopsis
Compromise is a word Annabelle Macon knows well. Sacrifices at home, in college and with her career, have all given her the tools to be the person she is. Now it seems she must also make concessions for her long-time love, Jackson Storme.
Six months into their relationship, and he’s already making unrealistic demands. With distance putting that much more of a strain on their relationship, how are the two ever going to manage?
Old insecurities have a way of resurfacing, making Anna feel less than suitable for someone like Jackson. She’s worked hard to get to where she is now. Her life and her work are clashing, making matters worse. Bringing a whole new meaning to work/life balance. But Anna knows that with a little give and take everything will fall into place, regardless of the obstacles that may stand in her way.
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One of Tigris’ fondest memories, was in the sixth grade, when her teacher read her story, “The Case of The Missing Pepperoni”, out loud to the class. It was then she decided she wanted to be a writer when she grew up. But like all childhood dreams, reality has a way of crashing in and disrupting plans. But her imagination and the voices inside her head never stopped talking. Every dream she could remember was jotted down in her dream journals.
When she’s not writing Tigris marvel’s at life’s gifts. She likes to take pictures of beautiful things. She openly admits that what she may find beautiful another person might not, and she’s perfectly okay with that. She enjoys her music and doesn’t leave home without it. Long pillow conversations with LL about nonsensical things, and hanging out with her boys, when they deem her “cool enough.”
Tigris is a military brat who’s done her fair share of travelling, thanks to her Army father. She’s married to the infamous LL and has three boys. She currently resides in Houston and is actively seeking a book-buddy for the end of the world.
Don't forget to grab A SLOW BURN (Stories from Beauville #0.5)
Only 99 cents!
You can read my review of SLOW BURN HERE
I agree with you 100%!!! That cliffhanger was HARD!
ReplyDeleteI, too, loved this book. ;D
I'm so glad that it wasn't just me Tina! LOL
DeleteI think that I may have even told Tigris that it gave me huge book hangover. Lol.
DeleteTigris definitely got me on this one! I really wasn't expecting the ending to be like this.The only other book by her that I have read is Arctic Bound, but I am definitely going to check out her Shadow Unit series too.
DeleteI ABSOLUTELY love her Shadow Unit series!! Draven is delicious! ;D
DeleteFYI, they are also cliffhangers, especially between books 1 and 2.
Thanks for the heads up Tina! At least I will know what to expect. Since those are already out I can handle that! I'm such an impatient reader I want everything like yesterday!
DeleteSometimes that's why I wait for more than 1 to come out, especially if I know it's going to have one.
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