Gen Tierney, an educated fatherless-daughter of a woman who might be a professional Sugar Baby, has problems. She's getting over a bad break-up, trying to figure out what to do with the rest of her life, and working at a casino with a boss who can't get keep his hands to himself. All she wants to not be the weakling men seem to think she is and be confident, and Lewis Sallee just might be the man for the job. Lewis Sallee may or may not be in a relationship, but he has a thing for Gen and it's causing him problems.
It's new adult, so the formula is the same: hot girl who doesn't know she's hot meets hot guy who is absolutely perfect, except for that one flaw and everybody has problems. This book deals with sexual assault in an interesting way, especially women who are sexually assaulted in the workplace. Gen works in a place where she has to use her sexuality so she wonders if she deserves it, if anyone would believe her, would anyone take her claim seriously, would she lose her job. Usually sexual assault in new adult is used as a back story, so I commend Jules Barnard for balancing the consensual with the non-consensual without being cheesy or insensitive.
For me, it's important to see characters change throughout the book. Gen starts out thinking she's weak, but she discovers her own strengths and faces her own reflection. She learns to be honest and shameless, and to love regardless of the consequences. Lewis learns to let go and just live. This book is about relationships, and not just romantic. Gen learns to be a better friend, she learns how to be a daughter (in more ways than one), she learns how to quiet her past and deal with her future.
Blue Crush is the second book in a series, but it can be read as a stand alone. I haven't read anything else by this author, but I'm curious to read the rest of her collection. I think she's very talented, she's genuine and she's not afraid to go below the surface and hit a nerve.
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Thank you, Savannah!
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Jules