Title: Rise Author: Dylan Allen
Series: Symbols of Love #1
Release date: February 15, 2017
(Sub)genres: Contemporary Romance
Pages: -
Buy: Amazon US ~ Amazon UK
Rating:
I received this book from Sassy Savvy Fabulous PR in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
As a little girl, I saw my father destroy the family he claimed to love. I watched my mother waste her life dreaming of a man who left her without a second glance.
As a woman, I don’t dream, I work. I don’t fall in love, I focus. I would never let anything as frivolous as love distract me.
Until I meet Simon. A gorgeous, brilliant young architect with dark eyes, a sweet smile, and a dirty, dirty mouth. He sets me on fire, and suddenly all I can do is dream…of his hands, his lips, his body. Of a heart good enough and a love strong enough to make me believe in happily ever after.
But Simon has secrets that are even deeper than mine. Will our pasts destroy everything we’ve worked for? Or will we find the courage to rise to the challenge and fight for the love we share?
One of the things I love about reading is discovering new authors and their stories. Dylan Allen is such an author, not only is she a new author for me, Rise is also her debut book. To be honest, I almost couldn’t believe Rise is the author’s first book, it’s very well-written with realistic characters and a great story line, I love it.
“He moves his lips across mine—brushing back and forth—and I know this will be unlike any kiss I’ve ever had before. With every single touch, I feel myself unraveling.”
Addie had the perfect family life with her parents and older sisters until her father ruined it all. Instead of facing the consequences of his decisions, he leaves his wife and daughters behind and never looks back. All of this has a huge impact on Addie. She learns to hide who she is and to become an independent woman, to be able to take care of herself. After she finishes Law school, Addie moves to London for her dream job and to leave the past behind. A relationship or a fling aren’t on her agenda, but when she meets Simon, Addie changes her mind.
“He looks at me for a minute, not saying anything, but assessing me from head to toe. His gaze, as it moves over me, is like a wave of heat and I feel a trickle of sweat make its way down my back. It is August, but it’s not an overly warm night. My rising body temperature has nothing to do with the weather.”
Simon is a successful architect who worked very hard to leave his childhood behind. Growing up with in family with a single parent was hard, but his mother couldn’t stay away from the alcohol, making everything much harder. Even though they are all grown up now, Simon still feels very responsible for his younger siblings and tries to be there for them. With his work and personal life Simon has no time for a woman in his life, but he can’t forget Addie.
“I’ve hoped she wouldn’t call. At the same time, I prayed she would. Every time my phone rang or buzzed with a new text, I jumped to pick it up. It’s never her. It doesn’t matter, I wouldn’t have had time to see her anyway.”
Addie and Simon are both professional, focused people who aren’t looking for love. Simon is very busy dividing his time between work and family, and Addie doesn’t believe in love—in sharing a life with somebody and making yourself vulnerable. But when they meet, the moment the couple sees each other, sparks are flying. Sparks that can’t be ignored. After some bumps, Simon and Addie give into their feelings for each other. It starts out as lust, but soon it’s so much more.
As I already said, Rise is Dylan Allen’s debut book and the author has blown me away with this story and her writing. Addie and Simon and the building of their relationship feels real; their feelings, questions, and insecurities. Like a lot of authors, Dylan Allen uses some clichés in her story, but in Rise they work. They are used at the right time and don’t cause unnecessary drama. Besides the main couple there’s a set of interesting side characters, and I was happy to learn Addie’s sisters will get their own book.
“This moment burns itself in my memory. In a city where dreams are made, mine is sitting across me, and I know wherever she goes I will follow. She is my lodestar; the love of my life.”
I love Rise, plain and simple, I give it 5 stars. I’m looking forward to future books by Dylan Allen!
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