Monday, December 15, 2014

Review: Miles from Kara by Melissa West

SYNOPSIS:

Kara Marcus is desperate to forget the past and move on. But she can’t escape her choices—especially when she finds herself falling in love…

Since the first day she stepped into her childhood Southern Baptist church, two truths have been engrained in Kara Marcus’s head: sex before marriage is bad and murder is a sin. And that’s why Kara can never forgive herself for what she did at the age of sixteen.

Now, as second semester of freshman year comes to a close, Kara has stood by her high school boyfriend, Ethan. But as they seem to grow further and further apart every day, Kara realizes that she has feelings for someone else: Ethan’s roommate Colt.

Suddenly, Kara’s clear-cut world shifts out of focus, and she’s torn between what her head tells her is right and what her heart is desperately pushing her to do—even if it means committing another undeniable sin...


https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/21475948-miles-from-kara?ac=1
 
MY THOUGHTS:

4 out of 5 stars

This book was exactly what I needed.  And so was Colt.

Ahem.

I read the first book in this series, Pieces of Olivia, when it first came out and was very excited to learn that there was going to be more.  I put Miles from Kara on my to-read list and on my radar...and then life got busy like it always seems to do and well, my to-do list becomes more of a wishful-thinking list and I haven't had the chance to read as much as I'd like.

SOOOOO...when I got the ARC, I was super excited and jumped on this title like I jump on cupcakes.

For those of you that know me in real life, you know I am pretty even-keeled and introverted, so I do have to confess that in the first book, my relationship with Kara wasn't the best.  She is bubbly and outgoing and cute...so I was giving her serious side-eye reading Olivia's story.  But then I started to notice things and realize that Melissa West was doing what all good authors do -- setting up for the next book in a way that makes you interested but doesn't take away from the current book.  I suddenly found myself realizing that Kara wasn't just some flaky secondary character...the girl has her own story and I needed to know more.

And then there was Colt.

Holy Swoons, Batman!

But I digress.  Kara.  Yeah, back to Kara.

She has her demons, like we all do, and after years of trying to keep them suppressed, they were dying to come out.  Throw in a dying long term, long-distance relationship and questions about her career choices and BOOM -- perfect storm.  Especially when her internship gives her a great big giant dose of the "what could have beens."

I felt her struggles.  I found myself equally frustrated with Kara and sympathetic for her.  I wanted to grab her by the shoulders and shake her a little bit, but then I totally understood her actions.  And when a story can do that, I know I've found a good one.

Miles from Kara was exactly the right book for me at the right time.  It takes a controversial subject and creates a story that is emotional without being judgy or preachy.  I laughed, I cringed, I wanted to comfort...the balance is real with this one.

Please do yourself an favor and check out this series.  I can't wait to read more myself.
 

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