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kathydavie's review
4.0
Third in the True Believers New Adult romance series and revolving around a group of college friends. The couple focus is on Robin and Phoenix Sullivan.
I received this book as an ARC from the publisher.
My Take
It feels weird that I haven't read Sweet, 2, and it's confusing my memory with trying to remember who was the focus in True, 1. That's not to say that you have to have read the first two in this series, but I do recommend it, as Believe will be more meaningful if you understand the background on the supporting characters. That said, I didn't find this one as amazingly good as True. Don't get me wrong. It's good. It's very good with some excellent messages for college-age kids. Notice I didn't use the word students because the morals and ideas apply to any person in that age group. Heck, these are messages that are good for people of any age.
In this particular story, alcohol poses a major problem and there are preconceived ideas of where a college student should apply one's energies. Ideas which turn into a mighty and expensive wake-up call that doesn't quite last, since the person in question keeps running until the lesson really sinks in.
There's no gameplaying in this, which is refreshing. Yeah, pride still raises its ugly head, but for the most part, McCarthy handles it well. Very real. Guys, you might be able to pick up a few moves from Phoenix. I sure enjoyed his approach. He put such thought into what he gives Robin and doesn't worry about it making him look like a wimp. I also love that he encourages her to make her own friends, to stay on track for school, that he doesn't make her feel bad for pursuing a college degree. He's good for Robin too. She's seeing a less-privileged (!) life and realizing how lucky she's been. You guys can also pick up tips on what not to do from Nathan. What a skeeve!
McCarthy is a little heavy handed on the "if only I had" as her foreshadowing device; I suspect it's an attempt to bring the tension in. What it did engender was irritation. The scene in which Tyler and Phoenix question Robin's making new friends seemed to be a missed opportunity as was the second Robin episode. It slid too easily into the big denouement. As much as I hated the follow-through however, it did feel very real. Made me angry as well as bad for Phoenix. After all he's been through, and then this…
I had never really thought, deeply anyway, about how a tattoo was created, and this was an interesting aside. It did make for an interesting analogy about life, about not being able to retract a mistake.
LOL, this is not what I would consider home improvement, but hey, he's a guy!
It'll make you cry as Phoenix experiences all these firsts. Events that most of us take for granted. Love, a hug. A picnic. A birthday party. God, the imagery McCarthy conjured up in this kept me sighing… And I don't get why Phoenix went to jail. They should have given him a medal…!
There are so many quotes in here that I love (be warned, these quotes may change by the time the book is published, but the thought behind them will be the same)!
I do love how McCarthy resolves the Davis question! Woo-hoo, good choices!
I did feel cheated by the shallowness and lack of tension in this. I wish McCarthy had gone deeper on Robin and Phoenix's mutual and basic conflict, make me wonder about the whole would they, would they not question.
Still, it's a cozy and sweet read, and I'm torn as to whether it really needed anything more.
The Story
One drunken mistake has ruined Robin's life, and she has no idea how she can make it better other than to run away. To leave. But then she meets Phoenix Sullivan, and the way he makes her feel about herself...running is not what's on her mind.
The Characters
Robin is a good girl from a normal family, pursuing a graphic arts degree so she can combine her love for painting with a job. Her parents, Juan and Julia, are in their sixties, and Nona lives with the family. Her brother, Marco, recently brought his girlfriend, Rebecca, round for Sunday dinner.
The ever-happy Kylie (she's been dating Nathan Tucker, Tyler's best friend, for quite awhile now) and Rory are her two remaining roommates, after Jessica ditched them in Sweet for Riley.
Phoenix Sullivan is Tyler's cousin, artistic, and just gotten out of prison for assault. Jackie is Phoenix's POS mother hooked on heroin. Sounds too familiar, that his mom wouldn't "like the idea that anyone could be happy or enjoying something". Iggy was his mom's last boyfriend. Angel is his POS girlfriend. Bob is the owner of the tattoo parlor; Paul is one of the tattooists. Davis is one of the cons from prison who claims Phoenix owes him.
Tyler Mann (True) is with the very bright Rory Macintosh. Riley is Tyler's older brother, and Jayden, a.k.a., U, is 18 now and Easton, 11, are the younger brothers. All the brothers and Jessica are living together in the house, and Jessica helped Riley get custody of Easton. Nathan Turner (he's madly in love with Kylie) had grown up with Grant and Tyler, and he and Grant share an apartment with Bill.
Christian is with the Sober club at school along with Stefan, Blakeley, and Harper, who is so cluelessly rude. Zeke is the bar owner.
The Cover
The cover is a black-and-white photograph of a very-tattooed and shirtless Phoenix leaning over Robin. All the text except the publisher's name and logo is in a block of red, black, and white in the lower center.
The title is about love, about Robin's morals, about not hurting. They just want to Believe.
I received this book as an ARC from the publisher.
My Take
It feels weird that I haven't read Sweet, 2, and it's confusing my memory with trying to remember who was the focus in True, 1. That's not to say that you have to have read the first two in this series, but I do recommend it, as Believe will be more meaningful if you understand the background on the supporting characters. That said, I didn't find this one as amazingly good as True. Don't get me wrong. It's good. It's very good with some excellent messages for college-age kids. Notice I didn't use the word students because the morals and ideas apply to any person in that age group. Heck, these are messages that are good for people of any age.
"Life is like waiting in line at the grocery store. You wait, you slowly move forward, you pay the price, then you exit unsatisfied and broke."
In this particular story, alcohol poses a major problem and there are preconceived ideas of where a college student should apply one's energies. Ideas which turn into a mighty and expensive wake-up call that doesn't quite last, since the person in question keeps running until the lesson really sinks in.
There's no gameplaying in this, which is refreshing. Yeah, pride still raises its ugly head, but for the most part, McCarthy handles it well. Very real. Guys, you might be able to pick up a few moves from Phoenix. I sure enjoyed his approach. He put such thought into what he gives Robin and doesn't worry about it making him look like a wimp. I also love that he encourages her to make her own friends, to stay on track for school, that he doesn't make her feel bad for pursuing a college degree. He's good for Robin too. She's seeing a less-privileged (!) life and realizing how lucky she's been. You guys can also pick up tips on what not to do from Nathan. What a skeeve!
McCarthy is a little heavy handed on the "if only I had" as her foreshadowing device; I suspect it's an attempt to bring the tension in. What it did engender was irritation. The scene in which Tyler and Phoenix question Robin's making new friends seemed to be a missed opportunity as was the second Robin episode. It slid too easily into the big denouement. As much as I hated the follow-through however, it did feel very real. Made me angry as well as bad for Phoenix. After all he's been through, and then this…
I had never really thought, deeply anyway, about how a tattoo was created, and this was an interesting aside. It did make for an interesting analogy about life, about not being able to retract a mistake.
LOL, this is not what I would consider home improvement, but hey, he's a guy!
"She had done some home improvement shit like pulling up the nasty carpet and putting cookies in the cookie jar and washing dishes."
It'll make you cry as Phoenix experiences all these firsts. Events that most of us take for granted. Love, a hug. A picnic. A birthday party. God, the imagery McCarthy conjured up in this kept me sighing… And I don't get why Phoenix went to jail. They should have given him a medal…!
There are so many quotes in here that I love (be warned, these quotes may change by the time the book is published, but the thought behind them will be the same)!
"It's harder to let go of fear when you have something to lose. Being fearless is easier if you have nothing to risk."
"Normal doesn't mean you're not interesting. You don't need drama to be interesting."
"If you are even thinking about it, then you care enough to deserve forgiveness."
"It's not up to me to protect you or save you from being with me. That you're smart and you know what you want and I trust that."
"There is no remedy for love, but to love more."
I do love how McCarthy resolves the Davis question! Woo-hoo, good choices!
I did feel cheated by the shallowness and lack of tension in this. I wish McCarthy had gone deeper on Robin and Phoenix's mutual and basic conflict, make me wonder about the whole would they, would they not question.
Still, it's a cozy and sweet read, and I'm torn as to whether it really needed anything more.
The Story
One drunken mistake has ruined Robin's life, and she has no idea how she can make it better other than to run away. To leave. But then she meets Phoenix Sullivan, and the way he makes her feel about herself...running is not what's on her mind.
The Characters
Robin is a good girl from a normal family, pursuing a graphic arts degree so she can combine her love for painting with a job. Her parents, Juan and Julia, are in their sixties, and Nona lives with the family. Her brother, Marco, recently brought his girlfriend, Rebecca, round for Sunday dinner.
The ever-happy Kylie (she's been dating Nathan Tucker, Tyler's best friend, for quite awhile now) and Rory are her two remaining roommates, after Jessica ditched them in Sweet for Riley.
Phoenix Sullivan is Tyler's cousin, artistic, and just gotten out of prison for assault. Jackie is Phoenix's POS mother hooked on heroin. Sounds too familiar, that his mom wouldn't "like the idea that anyone could be happy or enjoying something". Iggy was his mom's last boyfriend. Angel is his POS girlfriend. Bob is the owner of the tattoo parlor; Paul is one of the tattooists. Davis is one of the cons from prison who claims Phoenix owes him.
Tyler Mann (True) is with the very bright Rory Macintosh. Riley is Tyler's older brother, and Jayden, a.k.a., U, is 18 now and Easton, 11, are the younger brothers. All the brothers and Jessica are living together in the house, and Jessica helped Riley get custody of Easton. Nathan Turner (he's madly in love with Kylie) had grown up with Grant and Tyler, and he and Grant share an apartment with Bill.
Christian is with the Sober club at school along with Stefan, Blakeley, and Harper, who is so cluelessly rude. Zeke is the bar owner.
The Cover
The cover is a black-and-white photograph of a very-tattooed and shirtless Phoenix leaning over Robin. All the text except the publisher's name and logo is in a block of red, black, and white in the lower center.
The title is about love, about Robin's morals, about not hurting. They just want to Believe.
mollywetta's review
2.0
So I don't know how this ended up on my Kindle (must have been pre-approved and sent it to my Kindle in a big batch). I thought I was starting a completely different book by the same name, and then I just kept reading. It was a formualic, easy read and I had a headache and wasn't feeling well so a book that didn't require any thinking was in order. This one had all the trademarks of the category (tattooed bad guy who really has a heart of gold, a rape as part of the plot, terrible parents) and nothing to set it apart.
lifeand100books's review
3.0
Review Originally Appeared on Reflections of a Book Addict: http://wp.me/p18lIL-2vP
To be honest I wasn't a fan of how fast things moved between Robin and Phoenix. Robin has basically become a new person after her major screw up - and as such I wanted her to find herself and become independent before jumping into a super serious relationship with Phoenix. Phoenix is also changing. He's adapting to a new life and new surroundings. The two of them are going through so many personal changes that their relationship with each other makes sense, I just wish they had more time to get comfortable in their own skin. It makes me wonder what they would be like if their relationship suddenly failed. Would they be able to continue making the healthy decisions they had started making in their new lives? Or would they both fall back to their old habits?
What I did think was great was the evolution of Robin, and the focus on drinking till you black out/binge drinking. It's a serious issue for many college aged kids, and one I think McCarthy is smart for bringing attention to.
Final Thoughts: I'm glad I've stuck with the series this long. I'm excited to see how it'll all come together in book four, Shatter, due out this fall!
To be honest I wasn't a fan of how fast things moved between Robin and Phoenix. Robin has basically become a new person after her major screw up - and as such I wanted her to find herself and become independent before jumping into a super serious relationship with Phoenix. Phoenix is also changing. He's adapting to a new life and new surroundings. The two of them are going through so many personal changes that their relationship with each other makes sense, I just wish they had more time to get comfortable in their own skin. It makes me wonder what they would be like if their relationship suddenly failed. Would they be able to continue making the healthy decisions they had started making in their new lives? Or would they both fall back to their old habits?
What I did think was great was the evolution of Robin, and the focus on drinking till you black out/binge drinking. It's a serious issue for many college aged kids, and one I think McCarthy is smart for bringing attention to.
Final Thoughts: I'm glad I've stuck with the series this long. I'm excited to see how it'll all come together in book four, Shatter, due out this fall!
rmoon28's review
3.0
I enjoyed this book. When I requested this book from Netgalley I had no idea it was the 3rd book in the series. This book features Robin and Phoenix Sullivan. They are both broken in one way or the other. When they meet, they recognize the loneliness in each other and form a deep connection.
Robin was a party girl. She went to parties, drank a lot of alcohol to have a good time. One unfortunate night of being plastered and she wakes up naked to Nathan, one of her best friend’s boyfriend. She is horrified, (as she should be), embarrassed and humiliated. She retreats into herself in order in order to cope with what she has done. I thought Robin was ok as a character. I liked her in the beginning until I got to the end of the story. I thought she was a little annoying and her logic for leaving Phoenix to go to her parents’ house was crappy.
I adored Phoenix. I really enjoyed his POV. Phoenix has been through a lot in his life. Yes, the situations he has been through did harden him to a point but he is also very gentle and sweet. My heart ached for him. Phoenix and Robin are a great match. They make each other better. The romance was so sweet but subtle. I liked that they were just spending time with each other with no strings attached. They needed comfort in the other before anything else could happen.
This book kept me interested; I really wanted to see how it would end. I thought it was really weird how Phoenix’s mother changed drastically in a short period of time. First she wanted nothing to do with him and all of a sudden she is giving him advice and crying when he goes away. VERY WEIRD…I wish there could have been something more to facilitate the change in her character.
Believe is a story about 2 people needing redemption and acceptance for their past mistakes. I am happy I was given the chance to read this story. It is unique from everything I have read. I definitely would read the next book when it comes out.
Thanks you Penguin for giving me this book for an honest review!
Robin was a party girl. She went to parties, drank a lot of alcohol to have a good time. One unfortunate night of being plastered and she wakes up naked to Nathan, one of her best friend’s boyfriend. She is horrified, (as she should be), embarrassed and humiliated. She retreats into herself in order in order to cope with what she has done. I thought Robin was ok as a character. I liked her in the beginning until I got to the end of the story. I thought she was a little annoying and her logic for leaving Phoenix to go to her parents’ house was crappy.
I adored Phoenix. I really enjoyed his POV. Phoenix has been through a lot in his life. Yes, the situations he has been through did harden him to a point but he is also very gentle and sweet. My heart ached for him. Phoenix and Robin are a great match. They make each other better. The romance was so sweet but subtle. I liked that they were just spending time with each other with no strings attached. They needed comfort in the other before anything else could happen.
This book kept me interested; I really wanted to see how it would end. I thought it was really weird how Phoenix’s mother changed drastically in a short period of time. First she wanted nothing to do with him and all of a sudden she is giving him advice and crying when he goes away. VERY WEIRD…I wish there could have been something more to facilitate the change in her character.
Believe is a story about 2 people needing redemption and acceptance for their past mistakes. I am happy I was given the chance to read this story. It is unique from everything I have read. I definitely would read the next book when it comes out.
Thanks you Penguin for giving me this book for an honest review!
laughlinesandliterature's review
3.0
* I received this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review*
Believe was an decent, new-adult read. I liked how the author dealt with issues that everyday people can understand. There were no crazy emotional issues and neither one of them had an over the top scenario with drugs, etc. There definitely was drama, but it seemed more understated that most new adult, and I definitely appreciated it.
I did feel bad for Robin, and while I understood her need to get sober and stay sober, I vehemently disagreed with her decision to keep what happened with Nathan a secret. I would have told Kylie immediately, especially since Nathan kept texting Robin. I mean if you’ve already committed a friend-foul, then you might as well ‘fess up and make sure that your friend doesn’t get hurt even worse.
I liked Phoenix and I thought he was fairly well-adjusted considering his upbringing. This is where it definitely got cliche, but I could deal with that because it was fairly in the background of the story. I mean aside from explaining his anger, and stint in prison it was mostly left alone.
There was the inevitable fall out, and definitely Robin handled it poorly. I was so upset with her, and at Phoenix. I understood they both had their issues, but it was just terrible the way they treated each other. I also did think that there aspects that were odd and a little creepy. The face tattoo, the weird song lyrics, and the insta-love.
I did enjoy the book, and it was only later on reflection that some of these things started to bother me. I would give the book 3 out of 5 stars, just because there were some things that just kind of unsettled me. I don’t know that I would pick up something by this author again, but I do think that for the New Adult genre it was a decent read.
*This review was first posted to Moonlight Gleam Reviews http://moonlightgleam.com/2014/02/believe-by-erin-mccarthy.html
Believe was an decent, new-adult read. I liked how the author dealt with issues that everyday people can understand. There were no crazy emotional issues and neither one of them had an over the top scenario with drugs, etc. There definitely was drama, but it seemed more understated that most new adult, and I definitely appreciated it.
I did feel bad for Robin, and while I understood her need to get sober and stay sober, I vehemently disagreed with her decision to keep what happened with Nathan a secret. I would have told Kylie immediately, especially since Nathan kept texting Robin. I mean if you’ve already committed a friend-foul, then you might as well ‘fess up and make sure that your friend doesn’t get hurt even worse.
I liked Phoenix and I thought he was fairly well-adjusted considering his upbringing. This is where it definitely got cliche, but I could deal with that because it was fairly in the background of the story. I mean aside from explaining his anger, and stint in prison it was mostly left alone.
There was the inevitable fall out, and definitely Robin handled it poorly. I was so upset with her, and at Phoenix. I understood they both had their issues, but it was just terrible the way they treated each other. I also did think that there aspects that were odd and a little creepy. The face tattoo, the weird song lyrics, and the insta-love.
I did enjoy the book, and it was only later on reflection that some of these things started to bother me. I would give the book 3 out of 5 stars, just because there were some things that just kind of unsettled me. I don’t know that I would pick up something by this author again, but I do think that for the New Adult genre it was a decent read.
*This review was first posted to Moonlight Gleam Reviews http://moonlightgleam.com/2014/02/believe-by-erin-mccarthy.html
bookloverchelle's review against another edition
4.0
I unfortunately skipped book two in the True Believers series and had some slight confusion on the secondary characters but overall I really enjoyed the story of Robin, a young girl haunted by a mistake attempting to find redemption and forgiveness. Phoenix hasn't had much in his life and fresh from jail he doesn't feel that he has anything to offer Robin but looking in to her eyes he sees her pain and knows he'll do anything to ease that pain. As their relationship grows and they negotiate college and the real world, when Robin's secret becomes public they have to fight for their happiness even though they do their best to sabotage their HEA. Great read in a fun series that I'll have to go back and catch up on.
nighteyes82's review
2.0
it took me like 5-6 attempts to actually get pass the first chapter.
it was ok but over the top in the omg i can't believe we found each other
now i might really read the next book because It made me quite interested in what happens in kylie
it was ok but over the top in the omg i can't believe we found each other
now i might really read the next book because It made me quite interested in what happens in kylie
kristid's review
4.0
overall really liked the story and the characters. although sometimes i wanted to slap them, but hey... that's the great thing about imperfect characters, right?
These two still have some things to work out, but the ending made it seem like they were on the right track. I'd actually love to see these two again.
These two still have some things to work out, but the ending made it seem like they were on the right track. I'd actually love to see these two again.
kaitrosereads's review
4.0
Believe, the third book in the True Believers series, is a fabulous addition to this new adult series. The stories in these books are nothing too spectacular but I find myself hooked all the same.
Believe is the story of Robin. Robin’s story got started in the previous book, Sweet, but that was just the beginning. Her life has changed drastically since that time. She’s a different person now. I didn’t like Robin in the previous books but that definitely changed with Believe. She was no longer a selfish party girl who only wanted to hook up and drink. She matured and realized that she couldn’t continue living her life that way. Phoenix helped her with that. After spending some time in jail, Phoenix is rather mature for his age. He hasn’t had an easy life and he’s not looking for a relationship. That doesn’t matter when he meets Robin. They immediately hit it off as friends and they go from there.
Robin and Phoenix’s relationship was a little unusual but it worked. They were good for each other. They were able to be honest with each other and they talked about anything and everything. They kind of moved a little fast for me but I still liked them. I wouldn’t advise getting a tattoo of your new girlfriends face but hey, whatever works. That was really one of the only irrational things about their relationship though.
The characters from the previous two books all make appearances in Believe, even the ones that I would rather have not seen. The friendships are as strong as before but they are tested throughout this book, some maybe beyond repair. Honestly, the friendships are what make these books so great. Even if the Mann brothers are related, they still don’t have to be as close as they are. It’s easy to see the love between everyone. That’s what keeps me coming back to these books although the steamy romances don’t hurt either.
Overall, Believe is a fast read that is thoroughly enjoyable. If you’re a new adult fan, I’d definitely recommend this series.
Believe is the story of Robin. Robin’s story got started in the previous book, Sweet, but that was just the beginning. Her life has changed drastically since that time. She’s a different person now. I didn’t like Robin in the previous books but that definitely changed with Believe. She was no longer a selfish party girl who only wanted to hook up and drink. She matured and realized that she couldn’t continue living her life that way. Phoenix helped her with that. After spending some time in jail, Phoenix is rather mature for his age. He hasn’t had an easy life and he’s not looking for a relationship. That doesn’t matter when he meets Robin. They immediately hit it off as friends and they go from there.
Robin and Phoenix’s relationship was a little unusual but it worked. They were good for each other. They were able to be honest with each other and they talked about anything and everything. They kind of moved a little fast for me but I still liked them. I wouldn’t advise getting a tattoo of your new girlfriends face but hey, whatever works. That was really one of the only irrational things about their relationship though.
The characters from the previous two books all make appearances in Believe, even the ones that I would rather have not seen. The friendships are as strong as before but they are tested throughout this book, some maybe beyond repair. Honestly, the friendships are what make these books so great. Even if the Mann brothers are related, they still don’t have to be as close as they are. It’s easy to see the love between everyone. That’s what keeps me coming back to these books although the steamy romances don’t hurt either.
Overall, Believe is a fast read that is thoroughly enjoyable. If you’re a new adult fan, I’d definitely recommend this series.