I'm apart of a group on Goodreads that allows it's users to read and review New Adult Novels, some of them ARCs, so that's where most of these come from. A week or so ago, Alyne Roberts offered Impacted for review, as well as the first book, Jolted, for those who didn't read it. When I read the description I immediately thought of The Edge of Never by J.A. Redmerski, which is an amazing book if you've never read it. Impacted is about a young rich girl named Kallie, Georgetown graduate, who lost her boyfriend in a car accident. She can't grieve in the space she's in so she runs away and ends up in a small town. In a bar drinking like she never does she meets Ryder, who doesn't expect to see her after that night. Unfortunately her car breaks down and she stuck, so Ryder and his twin sister, Scarlett, take her in.
So many books try too hard to do the "good girl breaking out of her shell" bit, but this was perfect. Roberts doesn't walk you through it or baby you, she lets the characters speak for themselves and Kallie's emotions are so clear. She's grieving, she's depressed, she's confused and she's lusting after this troubled guy who doesn't want to be bothered with her. Kallie was always "Kallie with Carter," but Carter is dead and she doesn't know who she is. I love that the story is two books, because Kallie isn't finished growing up at the end of Jolted. She know has to figure out who she is without Ryder. Ryder is all man. He's tenderhearted, sexy and moody. Alyne gives us a hint that his friend is dealing with a problem, but it's not until the end of Jolted when Ryder's behavior starts to make sense.
Impacted opens with Kallie realizing she's been away from Small Town Ohio for too long and she got sucked back into the life she never wanted. It's fun watching that internal switch kick in when she realizes, "This isn't me, I'm not this person, I don't want this life." It's a moment everyone faces at some point. Jolted was Kallie's story, but Impacted is more about Ryder. Kallie went back home and was gone for six months. When she returns he doesn't know what to do. He loves her, but he's afraid he'll hurt her, and he doesn't want to feel pain anymore. Throughout the book you're telling him to get over it and suck it up. This is a couple you can root for, two characters in which you can see yourself. Kallie had to learn to be herself without being tied to anyone else, and Ryder need to learn to forgive himself and free himself to love. This is a story about letting go of what's dead and embracing the opportunity to start over.
I think Alyne Roberts is very talented. The books are well written, the story beautifully told. She has a way of expressing herself without saying too much, letting actions speak for themselves.
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