Goodreads Synopsis:  He had held a secret that destroyed her world.

Everything she had known was no longer true.

Blaire couldn’t stop loving him but she knew she could never forgive him.
Now, she was back home and learning to live again. Moving on with life… until something happened to send her world spinning once again.
What do you do when the one person you can never trust again is the one that you need to trust so desperately?

You lie, hide, avoid, and pray that your sins never find you out.

Review:

This book started off right where Fallen Too Far ended. It’s also told in both Rush and Blaire’s POV which I thought might help me like Rush but unfortunately it didn’t. He’s always so angry and just does things without thinking it through first. His irrational behaviour really got on my nerves!

This book was so back and forth that nothing actually happened. Rush needed to stop thinking of it as a Blaire or Nan situation, one minute he would be telling Blaire how he loved her and how she came first and the next he would be ditching her or lying to her because of Nan. Also after we found out the big secret in book 1 they were all being so dramatic and blowing it way out of proportion. I know Blaire was hurt by the lies but they all just needed to get over it!

The only redeeming quality of this book were the secondary characters. I loved Bethy, Woods, and Grant. Not only were they fun loving and caring but they also showed great character development from the first book unlike our main protagonists.

The ending of this book was cute but thats about it. The story didn’t progress or develop much further because Rush and Blaire were going back and forth the whole time, it got old really fast.  The main reason I read this one was out of pure curiosity but I’m not sure if I’m going to read the 3rd book or at least not right away. I think I’ve had enough of Rush and Blaire’s toxic relationship and I don’t feel I’ll be missing out on anything either way.

Goodreads Synopsis: To want what you’re not supposed to have…

She is only nineteen.

She is his new stepfather’s daughter.

She is still naïve and innocent due to spending the last three years taking care of her sick mother.

But for twenty-four year old Rush Finlay, she is the only thing that has ever been off limits. His famous father’s guilt money, his mother’s desperation to win his love, and his charm are the three reasons he has never been told no.

Blaire Wynn left her small farmhouse in Alabama, after her mother passed away, to move in with her father and his new wife in their sprawling beach house along the Florida gulf coast. She isn’t prepared for the lifestyle change and she knows she’ll never fit into this world. Then there is her sexy stepbrother who her father leaves her with for the summer while he runs off to Paris with his wife. Rush is as spoiled as he is gorgeous. He is also getting under her skin. She knows he is anything but good for her and that he’ll never be faithful to anyone. He is jaded and has secrets Blaire knows she may never uncover but even knowing all of that…

Blaire just may have fallen too far.

Review:

I was wary going into this as it had gotten generally mixed reviews and I was unsure of whether I would like it or not but I decided to finally read it and give my two cents.

I’m going to start off by saying that I didn’t like this book but I didn’t hate it either. I did not like Rush, from the very beginning he was being so rude and just generally acted like an entitled brat. I don’t understand how Blaire could have liked him when he would be so hot and cold with her. Throughout the book he was also increasingly giving off a Christian Grey vibe as he would tell Blaire what to do, eat etc which was really frustrating and is a trope I do not appreciate in books.

Then there’s Blaire, I thought she would be this independent, sassy character who would be able to stand up to Rush but turned out to be the opposite. She would just let him tell her what to do which frustrated me to no end!

I only read on in the book because of the “big” secret about Nan which you could nearly guess yourself. Throughout the story this secret was being built up and then we found out what it was and it was like “thats it?” I was expecting this to be more about a forbidden romance but instead got this story that revolved around an overdramatised secret.

I read the first book in Abbi Glines ‘The Field Party’ series and loved it so I was expecting more from this series than what I got. I gave this 3 stars as I found Rush was way too controlling but it was a quick read as it only took me a few hours to get through. The story is nothing spectacular but keeps you interested to see how things work out. I did read the second book as the ending definitely didn’t feel finished so you can read my thoughts on that in my next review :)

We met Grant in the first book in this series, Fallen Too Far.  He was the sweet, charming and funny stepbrother/best friend of Rush. Grant made an appearance in each book (six in total) prior to Take A Chance where Grant finally gets his own love story. I went from really liking Grant in the other books when he was a supporting character to not liking him very much in his own book. Most of that dislike for Grant stems from his relationship with Rush's sister, Nan, who we also met in Fallen Too Far. Nan and Rush's mother married Grant's father when the three of them were young children. There's no biology between Nan and Grant, yet once their parents divorced, Grant remains close to Rush and even calls Rush his 'brother'. Nan and Rush were very close, so by default Grant has also been a large part of Nan's life. Nan is probably one of the least likable characters ever and Grant's relationship with Nan and his related actions left a really bad taste in my mouth. Then there was the cliffhanger at the end.

I was on the fence as to whether I'd continue with Grant and Harlow's story.  I'm glad I did.  Was it my fave?  Not quite, but better than it's predecessor.  For the first third of One More Chance Grant is begging and pleading for Harlow to take him back and trying to make amends for his behavior.  Even once Harlow takes Grant back, there's something very serious overshadowing the rest of the book that changes the tone of the story from the sexy, fun-loving story to a book that is very emotional and will break your heart at times. 

Abbi Glines is one of the few new adult authors I read, specifically her Rosemary Beach series is one that I've followed for a couple of years now. To be honest, I'm fatigued with this series because there are multiple books for each couple with unnecessary (IMO) cliffhangers in between.  That being said, I've stuck with it because I have a perverse sense of FOMO. Abbi Glines has been good at creating a series that as allowed me to become invested in these characters' lives and what happens next for them. 

By Colleen Coble 

IBSN: 9781595547828

Publisher: Thomas Nelson--FICTION

Publication Date: 7/9/13

Format:  Other 

Series: Series: Hope Beach Series , #2

Pages: 336

My Rating:  4 Stars.

Colleen Coble’s ROSEMARY COTTAGE, is part of the Hope Beach series (#2), and can be read as a standalone; however, you will fall in love with this series, and want to read them all. Set in the coastal area of the Outer Banks area, of North Carolina— a nice contemporary romance, with lots of mystery and suspense.

Having read an advanced reading copy of (#3) SEAGRASS PIER, Hope Beach series—packed with suspense, mystery, emotion, complex characters, a psychopath, obsession, and romance—A "Must Read" coming July 1—and one you will want to read!

After reading TIDEWATER INN (#1), readers will enjoy following up with characters and the setting of this beautiful area. Rosemary Cottage is a cottage that has been in Amy Lang's family for generations. She is returning to the area after the death of her brother, Ben for a multi-layered mystery. There were circumstances surrounding his death, and she begins searching for answers, while grieving for her brother. Ben was a strong swimmer, so things do not add up.

Even her own parents won't support her decision to investigate Ben’s death—she plans to move her midwife practice while trying to put the pieces of puzzle together and solve this mystery. She hopes the Coast Guard team will be of assistance --No one is taking the suspicious email she received serious.

Meet Curtis Ireland, a Coast Guard Officer who lives in the area. His sister, Gina, also died in a swimming accident, as well. She was also a strong swimmer, with dreams of the Olympics. She left a seven month old little girl named Raine—Curtis is raising her with his aunt Edith. Curtis also is keeping Raine’s father a secret.

Curtis and Amy knew of one another; however, never really close friends. When they meet again, they are both grieving, and begin to wonder if the mystery behind their loved ones’ death could be connected. While they work on the details, an attraction develops between these two. However Amy has a secret as well. How far will they go to keep their secrets from being discovered?

Well-developed characters with many twists and turns for a nice light mystery, romance, and family drama. Would recommend to those enjoying Christian fiction with an intriguing story. A novel of redemption, loss, love, and forgiveness—one of letting go, in order to move on

A special thank you to Thomas Nelson--FICTION and NetGalley for a complimentary reading copy in exchange for an honest review.