Kickflip by Christina Lee

This is SUCH a beautiful tender love story. I didn't know what exactly to expect, I actually read the synopsis now.. meaning JUST before writing this review and only so I"ll know how much can I say without spoilering ;) I LOVED it, loved everything about it. It was emotional without being over emotional, it was angsty yet it didn't feel angsty at all because every emotion expressed was placed just right. The only thing I can somehow complain about is we only got Cory's POV and I would have loved getting Jude's POV especially since all the mystery was from his end, not only his past but what and how he felt toward Cory. 

Note - This book was actually published a few years back as "There You Stand" (5th in the "Between Breaths" Series). Now that's Christina's rights are hers again she is re-releasing this amazing book under a new title. It's also a prequel to "Roadmap to Your Heart" series but still can be read as a total stand alone. I'm doing a bit of "cheating" today with a re-visit to my review from back then.

Cory Easton is a tattoo artist at "Raw Ink". We already met a few of the people who work there - Jessie (from "Promise Me This") and Bennett (from "All of You") but also Dex and Emmy who were side characters in "Promise Me This". Cory seems like an easy going guy, hangs with his friends and have fun with them, talks a lot and generally seems a happy person. Yet he isn't. He lost a lot in his rather short life, leaving his grandmother who raised him the only close person he has. Yet he rather keep it cool and not show his heart ache to the out side world. He doesn't even speak about his ex-boyfriend who died in a motorcycle accident and left his heart shattered. 

Jude York is the opposite, he is new in town and while he doesn't really speak the rumors follows him around. Any one of the rumors is bad, portraying him as a criminal and it doesn't help that he hangs with the local Motorcycle club who is known to have shady businesses. When he comes to "Raw Ink" asking for Cory to tattoo him he drives Cory MAD. Cory is HIGHLY attracted to him, and he is frustrated because he thinks that a) Jude isn't gay, and b) he doesn't talk! no matter how Cory tries to provoke him there is little he actually says back. I loved their banter, the way Cory would ask "True of False" to get SOMETHING out of him. Not really getting what he expected from Jude. 

Cory and Jude become somewhat friends, with Jude coming to Cory's rescue a few times with his "rogue" dog (one he "inherited" from his latest ex who just left him), they start to "hang" together even though Jude is still hiding way too much. Cory doesn't know what it is, but he feels it in his heart that Jude is a good guy so the rumors about him MUST be wrong. 

Both Jude and Cory find it hard to hold off their attraction and feelings from one another but as Cory learns Jude's secrets he realizes Jude might be another person he is going to lose, yet he can't seem to stay away and neither does Jude. 

What a beautiful ride this one was. I have one thing to say, but I'm contemplating how to explain myself.. There is a phrase in my mother tongue which roughly translate into "contain". It's a psychological term which means the person absorbs, contains, the other person's feelings as they are and with that enable him/her to express these feelings with no judgement. Cory was "containing" Jude a lot of the time. He was just there, accepting, not judging and allowing Jude to simply be himself as much as he can. This is why, though there were many feelings and angst in this story it didn't feel overwhelming. Cory didn't (over) react and made a scene each time he was frustrated with Jude, not in front of him or others, he was just waiting patiently for Jude to be as open as he can. Yeah, he got a bit annoyed at times, he did "lash out" a bit, but generally speaking it was frustration because he wanted to get to know Jude and understand WHY he is the way he is not just curious to unravel his secrets. 

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!

Rating: ★★★★★

E-Book Edition

250 pages

Read on: 21-22 April 2015

 ABOUT THIS SERIES

 

Between Breaths is a HIGHLY HIGHLY RECOMMENDED New Adult series by Christina Lee. 

The first three books tells us the romance of three best friends - Avery, Ella and Rachel studying in college together. The next ones in the series are of more friends around them. Basically friends of the guys & gals we come to love and envy the girls of having :D 
While the first 4 books in the series are M/F, the 5th one is M/M featuring two guys who work with Bennett and Jessie at Raw Ink (this book was re-released as "Kickflip" after Christina's rights were returned to her)

Each book has a sweet and unique story for both the girl and the guy. In each book they deal alone and together with their past, coming to accept themselves and one another. I loved ALL characters, girls, guys, everyone, and the ones I didn't like, like Rachel (in the first two books) I came to absolutely LOVE in her book once I learned about why she behaves the way she does.  

Christina is an amazing writer and I have no doubt I'll continue hungrily reading everything she publishes.

READ IT, no recommendation would be enough.

While this series is New Adult, Christina also published "Two of Hearts" - a Romantic Suspense novel of two characters we've met in "Whisper to Me" (Dakota and Shane) taking place in the Casino Dakota works in. This one ISN'T a part of the series but I feel the need to mention it here as well.  

At the moment no more books are planned in the series. 

Books:
1. All of You [Avery & Bennett] (published 17 September 2013) ★★★★★
2. Before You Break [Ella & Quinn] (published 18 February 2014) ★★★★★
3. Whisper to Me [Rachel & Kai] (published 20 May 2014) ★★★★★
4. Promise Me This [Nate & Jessie] (published 7 October  2014) ★★★★★
5. There You Stand / Kickflip [Cory & Jude] (published 21 April 2015) ★★★★★