"Not your average love story" ... that is the first thought that comes to mind when I think about Thoughtless. BUT then I think about reality and how messy love can get in REAL life and I change my mind... it kind of IS the average love story. Not average as in less than wonderful, because I LOVED this story.. but average as in this story is more real-life than much of what is out there! Let me explain ...
We women read romance novels for the fantasy, the drama, the chance to live vicariously, and of course the happily ever afters! While you do get all of these and more from Thoughtless you also get REAL! This isn't your typical boy meets girl story and I LOVED that S.C. Stephens went against the grain to bring this story to us!
Thoughtless is all "boy meets girl" when Denny and Kiera move to a new town to start a life together. It's a beautiful relationship that has flourished as any college-aged romance would. Enter the hot, 'can't keep my eyes off him' rock God Kellen. Did I mention that Kellen is not only Denny's best friend, but that Kiera and Denny are living in HIS HOUSE? Well, reality comes crashing down as Kellen enters the picture. With Denny out of town, Kiera finds herself unable to cope with the loneliness and soon finds herself in the arms of the sexy, womanizing Kellen.
Now this is the point of the story where I've read review after review calling these characters awful names. Infidelity is a terrible thing, but it's REAL. It happens in real life and I'm glad that this author wasn't afraid to cross that line! While I full on see the wrong in this situation and the choices made by Kellen and Kiera, I can kind of see the right at the same time. As much as I loved Denny and didn't want to see him hurt, I found myself rooting for the 'other man' Kellan. This was a new kind of emotion for me - rooting for the 'bad guy' but Kellen really isn't bad - he's just a boy in love. A hot, irresistible, shady-past, roommate and best friend to the 'good-guy' ... but still a boy in love. I also can't fault Kiera for her actions. Sure- cheating is wrong and blah blah blah. It happened people, get over it! And it's not like she isn't remorseful. Kiera hates herself for her indiscretions but what's she to do? She's torn. It's not like she CHOSE to have feelings for both the men in her life.
You will find a happily ever after in Thoughtless, but you may be surprised at how it comes to be.
This story tears your heart right out! The steamy scenes will get your blood boiling and the gut-wrenching emotional turmoil will bring tears cascading. If you're a fan of Beautiful Disaster by Jamie McGuire, I'd highly recommend this read! It's messy, dirty, raw, REAL! The story is beautifully written and keeps you interested with every turn of the page.
I've also read the sequal to this novel - Effortless and it's a great extension and a worthy read! (Yes, I had a 'countdown' waiting for it to be released)
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Product Description
For almost two years now, Kiera’s boyfriend, Denny, has been everything she’s ever wanted: loving, tender and endlessly devoted to her. When they head off to a new city to start their lives together, Denny at his dream job and Kiera at a top-notch university, everything seems perfect. Then an unforeseen obligation forces the happy couple apart. Feeling lonely, confused, and in need of comfort, Kiera turns to an unexpected source—a local rock star named Kellan Kyle. At first, he’s purely a friend that she can lean on, but as her loneliness grows, so does their relationship. And then one night everything changes…and none of them will ever be the same.
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Thoughtless was so compelling to me. I immediately fell in love with Kellan, but also had a soft spot for Denny. Kellan has some deep, dark issues that shape who he is as a person, but he is a complete sweetheart. Denny is also so sweet to Kiera. I could see why she would be attracted to both men. Even with Denny's turn of events, the force drawing Kiera and Kellan together would not have been stopped. At some point, something would have happened with them. Even though Kiera made some bad choices, I still really liked her and could relate to her in a lot of ways. I felt bad for her. She had a lot to learn and she really did grow from the experience. There are some gut wrenching moments, there is laughter, there is love, and lots of turmoil. The thing that makes this book and situation seem real is that no one ever wins in a love triangle. Everyone always gets hurt in some way and you truly see the effect on everyone in this book.
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