Book Review + Giveaway – Bad Things (Tristan and Danika #1) – R.K Lilley

I knew I’d love Tristan and Danika’s story as soon as they were introduced to us in Grounded (Up in the Air Book #3). There was just so much hurt there, so much so that I couldn’t help but wonder how they got that way. Then when R.K said, “They’re a mess.  I look forward to straightening them out”, I knew I had to get this book! Oh and in case you’re wondering, yes, Bad Things can be read as a standalone 🙂

Danika is an aspiring dancer, a student and a nanny. She lives with her friend Bev basically taking care of Bev’s kids and dogs. Both Bev and her ex-husband Jerry are lawyers, but while Bev actually works in a Law Firm, Jerry spends most of his time scouting bands as he wants to manage one someday. He always ends up picking stray band members and bringing them to the house. And that’s how Tristan ends up in Bev’s living room.

Them living together starts out innocently (and beautifully) enough. They just click. They have the same sense of humor, she finds him hot, he finds her hot, and initially, that mutual attraction doesn’t threaten the kind of bond they form.

I loved loved that we got to see them falling in like, hanging out, just plain enjoying each others company. And then we got the lust, the jealousy, the love… I absolutely loved their journey.

What I love about R.K Lilley is that she’s never given us a heroine I didn’t love. They’re all sassy, sarcastic, funny, strong… just how I like them. And Danika was no exception. Especially since she really just said what she wanted to say (and isn’t that a relief?!).. but yes, she said it all, the good, the bad and the ugly… and I loved her for it. But because of her past, she has control issues, i.e. she always wants to be in control… and it took Tristan to help her to finally submit…

I submitted to him, my restless mind went quiet and dark, and it was the sweetest feeling in the world to let him take control of it all… For the first time in my life, I trusted someone enough to take that control from me, I gave him that control willingly, and that trust healed something raw and aching deep inside me.

Which now brings me to my new crush Tristan. Tall, gorgeous, tattooed lead singer of a rock band… I loved his crazy jealous streak, his protectiveness, his dominance and even though he was a bit (okay a lot) of a man whore… I still absolutely loved him.

…watching him onstage made me see just how powerful he was, what a force of nature his very presence was. Part of me loved it, loved him like this, in his element, and part of me hated it. It was terrifying, because deep down I knew that you could never hold on to a man like this. He would become too big to live a normal life. It seemed inevitable.

And together they were just HOT! Steam up your windows hot 😉 They had that kind of fire that burns so bright it will either be a beautiful brilliant bonfire or it will incinerate everything to the ground. Which it almost did… the angst was incredible and I felt it… so much so that I had tears at this point…

I just felt… lost. Like life was a maze that I’d never be able to navigate, like everyone else had been born with a map, and mine had been forgotten, and I was destined to keep repeating the same mistakes, again and again.

And when it came to the end, my heart just broke… I had expected pain… lots and lots of it… but what I got… God… I just didn’t expect that… And I seriously must be a masochist or something because when people go through this much pain, I love the book that much more, and I find their HEA that much better.

At the end we get a teaser from Rock Bottom, Book #2. I hardly ever read teasers at the end of a book because I’m always trying to hold on to the happiness or the pain at the end of the book, but this time I couldn’t resist… I just couldn’t bear to let these two go.

I knew I’d love Tristan and Danika’s story… I just never expected how much I would…

5 stars!

Amazon Buy Link: Bad Things by R.K Lilley

Author Links: Website, Facebook, Goodreads, Twitter

I’d like to thank the author for providing this ARC for my review.

GIVEAWAY

We have two e-copies of Bad Things up for grabs thanks to R.K Lilley! All you have to do is comment below and tell me your favorite scene from ANY of R.K Lilley’s books; In Flight, Mile High, Grounded, Lana or Breathing Fire. If you haven’t read any of her books, just a short comment on why you want to is enough 🙂

While you’re at it don’t forget to like my Facebook page; https://www.facebook.com/JessysBookClub

The giveaway is open internationally and closes on Tuesday, 11 June 2013 when the book comes out! That mean the winners get the books on the 11th 🙂