I know I’m supposed to write a small review since we’re all 3 reviewing today, but it’s tough. I read Mine to Lose originally in December, and completely fell in love. I fell in love with the story, with the characters, and with the emotions it brought out. I felt like I needed to reread it in order to write a decent review, so that it’s fresh on my mind. I was really worried it wouldn’t be the same the second time around, but I couldn’t have been more wrong. If anything, it was better the second time.
I completely adore these characters. Ryan and Emogen are two of my very favorites…ever. Ryan is everything you want him to be – Loving, caring, swoonworthy. You probably don't think so when you first start, but give the guy a chance. You'll see he's amazing. He has his flaws, sure (they both do), but in the end, it all comes down to just being with Em, no matter the distance. And Emogen! So strong, in so many different ways. That girl powers through so many different obstacles throughout this book, and keeps her head up through them all. I love that she stands up to Ryan in the beginning, even with the consequences of that decision. I say that I love this or love that all of the time, but I’m not exaggerating this one. I love these characters and their relationship. They’re the epitome of a couple in love for me. Even with the lies and heartbreak, they just want each other. It’s so simple, yet…not? Hmm.
Rapp really pulls out all of the stops as far as emotions go. You feel them all. Think of an emotion – You’ll find it here. That weird tummy/heart flip-flop butterfly feeling? Lots of that in Mine to Lose, but for different reasons. There’s the good flip-flop that has you swooning when Ryan says just the right thing (or maybe a different character…?) There’s the bad flip-flop when you think you know what’s about to happen and you want to stop time (I was screaming at my kindle “No no no! Don’t you do it!”) You’ll be completely heartbroken and angered. Giggling, then crying. And angst. Lots of angst. It covers them all. In the end, I just enjoyed reading this book so much. There were also a couple different touchy subjects covered in the last half of the book, but Rapp handles them with care and I feel like she wrote them in just the right way. Even with those subjects, it never feels like she added them just for the sake of drama. It all flows and it’s never TOO much.
5+ stars. Go one-click! You won’t regret it.
<3 Erin
To me this book started very slow. I had a hard time getting into it. I pushed myself to keep going hoping that I would like it and it would pick up and it didn’t. And then all of a sudden it struck me. I couldn’t put it down.
When I started it, I thought I knew where it was going. I kept reading thinking yup, I was right. But in the end I wasn’t. Things that I thought were going to happen, didn’t happen. And things I didn’t expect, happened.
I really liked the main character, Emogen or Em. I liked how honest she was. She told Ryan exactly how she was feeling. She told him exactly what would happen in their relationship when he moved. She did the same with Trey. She could have strung him along. But she didn’t. She is someone I could be friends with in real life.
Ryan to me was an ass. He wanted to do what he wanted to do. There was no talking to him about it. He made the decision to move and told Em after and even after much discussion still would take her point of view into account. He was going to take this job and it didn’t matter what she said. In the end, I liked him but I spent a majority of the book not.
Trey was a nice guy but he was pushy. He knew he wanted Em and he was going to get her. He tried to ease his way in and no matter how many times she said she wasn’t ready, he didn’t care. I understand that he wanted to be with her, but give the girl some time to get over that she broke up with her fiancé. She’s not going to be ready right away for a new relationship. It’s going to take a while. He was patient but pushy at the same time. But he was a gentleman while doing it.
In the end, I really liked the book. Actually I want more. I want to see where the story goes. I want to see the future.
- Katie
Amazon / Barnes & Noble
I completely adore these characters. Ryan and Emogen are two of my very favorites…ever. Ryan is everything you want him to be – Loving, caring, swoonworthy. You probably don't think so when you first start, but give the guy a chance. You'll see he's amazing. He has his flaws, sure (they both do), but in the end, it all comes down to just being with Em, no matter the distance. And Emogen! So strong, in so many different ways. That girl powers through so many different obstacles throughout this book, and keeps her head up through them all. I love that she stands up to Ryan in the beginning, even with the consequences of that decision. I say that I love this or love that all of the time, but I’m not exaggerating this one. I love these characters and their relationship. They’re the epitome of a couple in love for me. Even with the lies and heartbreak, they just want each other. It’s so simple, yet…not? Hmm.
Rapp really pulls out all of the stops as far as emotions go. You feel them all. Think of an emotion – You’ll find it here. That weird tummy/heart flip-flop butterfly feeling? Lots of that in Mine to Lose, but for different reasons. There’s the good flip-flop that has you swooning when Ryan says just the right thing (or maybe a different character…?) There’s the bad flip-flop when you think you know what’s about to happen and you want to stop time (I was screaming at my kindle “No no no! Don’t you do it!”) You’ll be completely heartbroken and angered. Giggling, then crying. And angst. Lots of angst. It covers them all. In the end, I just enjoyed reading this book so much. There were also a couple different touchy subjects covered in the last half of the book, but Rapp handles them with care and I feel like she wrote them in just the right way. Even with those subjects, it never feels like she added them just for the sake of drama. It all flows and it’s never TOO much.
5+ stars. Go one-click! You won’t regret it.
<3 Erin
To me this book started very slow. I had a hard time getting into it. I pushed myself to keep going hoping that I would like it and it would pick up and it didn’t. And then all of a sudden it struck me. I couldn’t put it down.
When I started it, I thought I knew where it was going. I kept reading thinking yup, I was right. But in the end I wasn’t. Things that I thought were going to happen, didn’t happen. And things I didn’t expect, happened.
I really liked the main character, Emogen or Em. I liked how honest she was. She told Ryan exactly how she was feeling. She told him exactly what would happen in their relationship when he moved. She did the same with Trey. She could have strung him along. But she didn’t. She is someone I could be friends with in real life.
Ryan to me was an ass. He wanted to do what he wanted to do. There was no talking to him about it. He made the decision to move and told Em after and even after much discussion still would take her point of view into account. He was going to take this job and it didn’t matter what she said. In the end, I liked him but I spent a majority of the book not.
Trey was a nice guy but he was pushy. He knew he wanted Em and he was going to get her. He tried to ease his way in and no matter how many times she said she wasn’t ready, he didn’t care. I understand that he wanted to be with her, but give the girl some time to get over that she broke up with her fiancé. She’s not going to be ready right away for a new relationship. It’s going to take a while. He was patient but pushy at the same time. But he was a gentleman while doing it.
In the end, I really liked the book. Actually I want more. I want to see where the story goes. I want to see the future.
- Katie
Amazon / Barnes & Noble