Tuesday, December 31, 2013

Heartbeat Trilogy

Raise your hand if you like a book trilogy? Keep them up if you like a romance trilogy that keeps you on the edge of your seat thinking things can't possibly get ANY crazier, but then they absolutely do?

Good. We all look like morons with our hands in the air at home or at work, but it's all for a good cause.

Heartbeat - Faith Sullivan
Heartbeat
Katie and Adam are afraid of love. She carries the scars of a first kiss gone terribly wrong. He uproots his life to flee the stinging betrayal of an ex. When trust is no longer an option, all romance is suspect. As a young paramedic, Adam rescues people for a living but cannot save himself. Katie, just out of high school, struggles with a tortured home life she cannot escape. Everything changes when Katie hops into the front seat of Adam's ambulance. Overwhelmed by what they are feeling, neither possess the confidence to make the first move. They walk away from each other, full of regret. To find her, Adam risks his future. To be with him, Katie sacrifices her security. Little do they know, what little time they do have, is being measured by a heartbeat that is slowly dying out.

I'll be honest, when I first started this book it felt wonky. I wasn't getting into it right away and Katie was a little too naive for my liking. She kind of gives off the "I can't even help myself at ALL" vibe and anyone who knows me this is the type of girl I'd like to kick in the girl parts. Like, grow a set of balls you hot mess. But then like any die hard romance novel fan, I pretty much start to love it. I see where it's going and I know there are two more books so I'm thinking this is going to be an epic love story. 

AND THEN THE ENDING HAPPENS. 

Again, I was *thisclose* to firing off an email to the author asking her what in the bloody hell is happening? Mostly because as we've discussed before, I read at night before bed. But I was so close to the end I stayed up well past midnight and then that ending happens and I am waving my fist in the air. The dog mistakenly thought I was like, "let's go pee" and so I'm angry, holding a dog's leash at 12:45 a.m. hoping he pees fast, because it's freezing. Like for real freezing out, and I'm talking to my dog Twinky about this ending. 

Immediately, I had to start book two because what in the mother hell is happening?? 

*word to the wise: buy all 3 books at once. You'll thank me later.*

Come What May - Faith Sullivan
Come What May: (Heartbeat #2)
Adam is through with love. He unravels blaming himself for what happened with Katie. His final moments with her echo through his nightmares. She owns him body and soul. To dull the pain, Adam invites a string of women into his bed. Fueled by alcohol and desperation, his meaningless hook-ups provide little comfort. When he closes his eyes, it's Katie he sees. The only one who helps to ease his guilt somewhat is Jada. But as his new ambulance partner, Adam considers her off limits. He doesn't want to get seriously involved with anyone, much less her. Yet he can't stop fantasizing about the feel of her caramel skin against his. Despite his intentions, Adam's bond with Jada deepens as they respond to a series of emotional calls. Their mutual attraction becomes undeniable. But how can he give his heart to Jada when it still belongs to Katie?

So now I'm confused because is Katie not real? I thought she was real? I find myself re-reading chapters and I'm so stinking confused. These moments of confusion make me think maybe I can't read literature for a living and scrutinize it if I can't even figure out if a character was real or not. This was my issue with Wuthering Heights, once I realized there was two of some people it was like, game over, I'm not that smart. 

But maybe Katie is real and this is like a really bizarre form of post traumatic stress? Jada enters the picture and she's kind of awesome. Adam is being a giant douchebag in this book which is the exact opposite of book one where he was just this little sensitive cuddle bug of love. When he says he's over it, he means it. But dammit if Jada isn't falling for him anyways, albeit reluctantly. Then I get to the point where I don't care if Katie is real or not, Jada is the real deal and Adam needs this in his life. Clearly. 

BUT THEN. 

He finds out that he may or may not be a baby daddy, his brother is unexpectedly getting married, and then oh yes- Adam decides to get high and drive an ambulance. You know, just another Tuesday. 

I'm just getting over this and then? BOMBSHELL ENDING. 

Oh yes, because Katie is real? 

WHAT IS HAPPENING IN MY LIFE RIGHT NOW???

I Am Yours - Faith Sullivan
I Am Yours: (Heartbeat #3)
Adam is at a crossroads. He has Katie on his mind and Jada in his bed. Now with the ultimate choice before him, he must decide between fantasy and reality. Katie's his dream girl, but Jada's his best friend, his partner. As a paramedic, he's supposed to save lives, not wreck them. Yet his failure to commit leaves a trail of heartache in his wake. Things come to a head at his brother's wedding when a surprise announcement leaves Adam scrambling to pick up the pieces. Sure, women find his shaggy blond hair and aquamarine eyes irresistible. But to him, sex is nothing more than a means of escape ... until it turns into a psychological trap. His mind is telling him one thing, while his heart is beating another. He's not sure what he wants when it comes to a serious relationship. Sorting out his feelings, he finally comes to a startling realization. He is capable of love. But what if it's too late?

I am telling you what, I spent one evening on book one. The better portion of a day on book two between taking breaks for mental anguish. Today is day three and I started this before bed last night and forced myself to stop. I finished it this afternoon. My house is a god damn mess right now, and I am sad this series is over but at the same time, THANK GOD because I feel emotionally unstable at this point. If I were a smoker, my lungs would be waving a white flag. 

Anyhoodle. 

So now Katie has come back (or has she???), Jada is upset because she finally realizes that oh hello- she loves Adam. Too bad he has been pining over a dead girl this whole time who apparently isn't dead. And he's going to be a father to his brother's fiance's baby and it's just so damn crazy. Jerry Springer couldn't even make this up. So basically, everything is going to hell. 

Katie is just as confused as Adam over their bizarre love connection because she has no recollection of meeting him. Like, at all. He is insistent she has died, which obviously would freak any girl out. Yet they are both having dreams/nightmares about the other and they both feel like this is fate's way of pairing them up. We've got a weirdo pregnant lady, a really pissed off brother, and then poor Jada who is in love with Adam and he could care less and essentially tosses her to the wind. 

BUT THEN. 

Woah- there's a sinister plot involving psychological test subjects, mind control, and declarations of love. 

I feel like when I read Faith Sullivan's book, I should have a blood pressure cuff on me to monitor myself because I can actually feel my blood pressure going up. When I say you have no idea what to expect but you are always going to be blow away? I mean it. She can weave a story like you won't believe. But I was Team Jada the whole time. I really don't like Katie. Or new Katie, whatever. I don't like either of them. 

And Kelly? The pregnant cousin of Katie's?? Can we say PSYCHO? She's nuts. She is several shades of crazy. I can't even comprehend it. It's just too much and I didn't like her from the word go. Thank god Jada also picked up on it because I think between her and Brian (Adam's brother)? They basically saved the day. 

Anyways. I liked the ending! Can I say that without giving it away? I think so. I'm not kidding, I feel like I need a nap after this. I don't know if I even have it in me to cook dinner- I'm that emotionally spent. 

I am highly suggesting these books and I am suggesting you buy all three at once because otherwise the delay is going to really eat at you. Just do it it now. Swearsies. 

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