True by Erin McCarthy – a Review

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Description:
When Rory Macintosh’s roommates find out that their studious and shy friend has never been with a guy, they decide that, as an act of kindness they’ll help her lose her virginity by hiring confident, tattooed bad boy Tyler Mann to do the job…unbeknownst to Rory.

Tyler knows he’s not good enough for Rory. She’s smart, doctor smart, while he’s barely scraping by at his EMT program, hoping to pull his younger brothers out of the hell their druggy mother has left them in. But he can’t resist taking up her roommates on an opportunity to get to know her better. There’s something about her honesty that keeps him coming back when he knows he shouldn’t…

Torn between common sense and desire, the two find themselves caught up in a passionate relationship. But when Tyler’s broken family threatens to destroy his future, and hers, Rory will need to decide whether to cut her ties to his risky world or follow her heart,
no matter what the cost.

Review:

True by Erin McCarthy is her first book under the New Adult genre. What is New Adult?  It is the next age group after the early teens in YA, which is usually college age protagonists.  This was my first foray into reading New Adult, and I had mixed feelings about it. 

Erin McCarthy has a nice voice, and I did enjoy her writing.  The start of the book did not grab my attention, as our heroine Rory was almost raped by another student, as they sat around at a party, with everyone else in other rooms having sex.  Not the way I would have liked to start.  Of course, Rory is saved by her roommate’s boyfriend, or perhaps just a sex partner for the night. 

Tyler is our hero, and I really did like Tyler, but after things settled a bit.  Rory made a wonderful heroine, and as the book went further, her and Tyler really did make a great  young couple.  Both with different lifestyles, as she had a great future, and he came from an impoverish family, with a mother who was a drug addict. 

Getting away from the start of rape, losing one’s virginity, the story completely turned around, and I ended up enjoying the story.  The best part of the story was Rory falling in love with Tyler, and his brothers. I loved seeing her help them, and the boys all caring for Rory.  Despite his wanting to make a life for himself, and protect his family from their mother, it was difficult for Tyler.  He loved Rory, but felt she was too good for him.  The last half of the book was very well done, and enjoyable. I will note that the book ended too abruptly and open ended.  I guess we have to wait and see what happens with Rory and Tyler in the next book.  Though this started slowly for me, it turned out to be an excellent book.

Reviewed by Barb

Copy provided by Publisher