Title

Rave and Rant about Raunch

Monday, February 23, 2015

Review by Dottie - Thoughtless By S.C. Stephens

Thoughtless
Thoughtless Book 1
By S.C. Stephens
Genres:
New Adult, Contemporary Romance
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Teasers
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Synopsis

From the #1 New York Times bestselling author S.C. Stephens comes the new adult series everyone is talking about.


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 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.

Dottie's Star Rating
(5 Stars)

Review
I have a confession to make – Thoughtless is one of my favorite books. The five stars was an easy call; I actually do not really know how many times I’ve read this one. I decided to do a quick reread this time because book 1.5, Thoughtful is being released tomorrow. I think there might be some Thoughtless virgins out there who have wondered what all the fuss is about and wonder whether they should read this series (by the way, the answer to that is yes, yes you should)!

I know a lot of people love this series because they love Kellan Kyle. And that, believe me, I understand. I honestly think Kellan might be my favorite book-boyfriend yet (more about him in a minute). But I am also aware that a lot of people, although they adore Kellan, they aren’t really his heroine (Kiera’s), biggest fans. I’d actually like to take a minute and address that first. Kiera is young. Yes, she waffles quite a bit in this book (although in my personal opinion, she does mature throughout the series).

This book (although only in this first one) features a love-triangle. For those of you who have problems with cheating, this could be an issue. However, I have a serious issue with it and yet I love this series so I guess it could go either way.

Have you ever met the love of your life, your soul mate, whilst being involved with someone else? It’s very confusing and if you’re young when it happens, this can be a very perplexing, very emotional time. It makes making a choice very difficult if you truly do love guy number one but possibly in more of a puppy-love way. The problem with puppy-love is that it feels completely real UNTIL you find that real, true love and then the puppy-lover gains a new, more-mature perspective. And when you are young and have very little life-experience, knowing what to do; knowing no matter what you chose, you will hurt someone terribly is a horrible position to find yourself in. And although I know a lot of people get very frustrated with Kiera, I truly feel this is the position she finds herself in. To follow her heart and explore true love or to stay in her current relationship where it’s safe and avoid hurting the man she has thought she loved for so long. It’s a tough call. I guess my point is, please try to cut Kiera some slack. She’s young and she is still learning what she needs in her life and that’s not always easy.

So, that said, Kiera is a college student; a junior transferring to the University of Washington and where she won an amazing scholarship (to that school) so her parents grudgingly allow her to go. She’s accompanying her boyfriend, Denny who has just graduated and got a kick-ass internship in Seattle. He’s Aussie but has been living with his aunt in the States in Ohio where they met. Back in high-school, he’d been a foreign exchange student and lived with Kellan’s family in Seattle where he and Kellan became good “mates.”  When he is offered this awesome position, he calls Kellan and learns Kellan has an empty room they can rent and it seems like everything is falling into place. Once they arrive in Seattle, they swing into Pete’s, a local bar where Kellan and his band often perform to grab a key to their new home. Kiera sees Kellan for the first time whilst he is up on the stage, singing to masses of adoring women (and their not so pleased boyfriends).

As they settle in, Denny to his new job and Kiera to hers (she scored a waitress job at Pete’s and although it is still summer break, working the evening shift will allow her to go to school once classes resume in the fall).  As they enjoy their new-found living-together situation, the easy affection between the two does not go unnoticed by their new roommate. Kellan’s intrigued; he’s never seen a relationship quite like theirs before and a little piece of him begins wondering if he will ever find something like that.

Now, Kellan.  Be still my heart. He’s a rock-star (literally) and gorgeous (of course) and a bit of a man-whore (enjoying the perks of being the lead singer in a local rock band). His childhood was not a good one and he has really never been loved by anyone in his life. He loves his buddy Denny for the way Denny stood up for him in years gone past and is happy to offer his extra room to Denny and his shy, pretty girlfriend. As the boys resume their friendship, Kiera forges one with Kellan as well.

One day, Denny is offered a once-in-a-lifetime chance to go out of town for two months, leaving Kiera alone in a strange city. Although it’s a great opportunity for his career, Kiera feels a bit left behind. Once he leaves, Kellan tries his best to keep her occupied and becomes a very good friend.

Excerpt
“Come on,” He held his hand out to me. I looked up at him, confused. “Huh?” “You’re not spending yet another day moping on the couch.” He smiled. “You’re coming with me.” Not moving, and frowning at his cheeriness, I sullenly asked, “And where are we going?” He smiled his charming half-smile. “Bumbershoot.” “Bumper-what?” He laughed and smiled wider. “Bumbershoot. Don’t worry, you’ll love it.” I had no idea what that was, and I smiled mockingly. “But that will ruin a perfectly good day of wallowing.” “Exactly.” He beamed at me and his sudden handsomeness caught my breath. Hmmmm, this could be interesting….

But then one pivotal day, Denny makes a decision about his career without considering how it will affect Kiera and this is where things between Kellan and Kiera get a bit murky.  She is devastated. He comforts her. They each realize that maybe there is more to their innocent friendship than they originally thought. They act on their attraction to one another and their chemistry is incredible. Once Denny realizes the error of his ways and tries to rectify the situation, Kiera finds that she really has two different men in her heart. Choosing between them feels like an impossibility.

They each try to be good. They decide to keep their friendship innocent. To be respectful of Denny, whom they both love. But the pull toward each other keeps getting in the way…

He pulled me back into his hip and we suggestively moved together with the music. What had been fun and innocent with Denny was now so much more intense. I felt naked…My body shivered, my hand on his hip ran down the front of his thigh, and my head…slowly turned around toward him. His other hand grabbed my chin, and roughly pulled my lips to his. I moaned, the sound lost in the driving music…His lips parted and his tongue touched the roof of my mouth. Fire erupted throughout my whole body. I lost even more of the fragile hold on my control…The heat, the throbbing music, his strong hands, his fast breath, his scent, his taste, his soft lips and exploring tongue – all of it was driving me insane.

Kiera finds her heart torn in two. Kellan tries to end things. Kiera tries to end things. They find themselves in an impossible situation…

…he grabbed my hips and held me in place. He did it again, pulling against my body for leverage. I groaned and started to drop my head back. He grabbed my cheek and made me look back into his eyes. “This was supposed to be innocent, Kellan!” I spat at him. “We were never innocent, Kiera. How naïve are you?” he said in the same tone, moving against me again. “God, I hate you…” I whispered, tears of rage stinging my eyes…”I hate what you do to me.”…He watched my eyes intensely. “You love what I do to you.” He ran his tongue up my throat, licking the rain from my still-damp skin. I shivered. “You ache for it,” he whispered. “It’s me you want, not him,” he persisted…I wrapped my fingers around his tightly and he groaned as our bodies pressed together again. “Stop it, Kiera,” he snarled. “I need you. Let me do this. I can make you forget him. I can make you forget you.” I shuddered, knowing he was absolutely right.

This book, the first of the series, is full of angst. It’s full of drama. But it’s also full of finding the mate of your soul and trying to make that discovery work within your life. Some people never get this opportunity. Some do and yet it slips through their fingers. And still others, the lucky ones, make that great once-in-a-lifetime love a part of their lives and live to tell the tale.

I think this is why this book is so completely popular. Who doesn’t wish for that great love in their lives, superseding all other types of love, and having it become part of your soul? Although Kiera does waffle a lot in this book, it’s easy to understand that she is torn between doing the “right thing” and doing the “right thing” for her own life. Sometimes that’s a very hard choice.

Kellan is a completely special character. He’s a bad boy with a wide-open heart once the right girl comes along. He’s a guy who will give up everything to make the girl he loves happy; whether or not that translates to his own happiness. But he’s also the type of guy who looks into your soul and sees the beauty and wants that in his life and will fight for that love. He’s swoon-worthy. Sigh.

I will, eventually, review this whole series. But with Thoughtful’s immanent release, I’m starting with just this one. It’s time any Thoughtless series virgins out there jump on-board the Kellan Kyle train. You’ll be glad you did!    

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Purchase Thoughtless Here:

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Thoughtful (Book 1.5) goes live 
TOMORROW!!



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