All In: Because Sometimes, a Risk is Worth the World

SPOILERS FOR FULL TILT….

Reeling from her loss, Kacey Dawson is grieving and heartbroken, her addictive demons hauling her back into the alcohol-soaked abyss she worked so hard to crawl out of. Kacey teeters on the edge of oblivion, and must fight her way through the pain, to build a new life for herself with her music, and somehow fulfill the promise she made to Jonah…one she feels is impossible to keep.

Theo Fletcher has a secret burning in his heart, one that he holds close, while he struggles to keep strong for his family that is falling apart. His mother’s health is fragile and his father’s disapproval is breaking him down. Theo is afraid if he follows his heart, he’ll fail, and not just himself, but his brother who believed in him when no one else did.

Drawn together by their pain, Theo and Kacey slowly build a friendship, re-forge old ties, help each other to heal, and give one another the courage to reach for their dreams. Together, from the depths of grief and guilt, they learn to laugh again, to trust again, and quite possibly find something beautiful and lasting amid the shattered pieces of their broken hearts.

PLEASE NOTE, this novel is NOT a standalone. It is highly recommended one read Full Tilt first to get the entire arc of the story and to avoid spoilers.

Full Tilt #2
New Adult / Romance / Contemporary
296 Pages
Publication Date:  October 11th, 2016
Get a copy here!

Other books in the duet:

See my Review for Full Tilt (Full Tilt #1) RIGHT HERE!

 

Quick Reasons: emotional, dramatic, explosive conclusion to a book duet; I feel like I was wrung out and hung up to dry; complex, well-rounded characters; so many heavy subjects handled with sensitivity and grace; poignant, powerful series

entertaining

devoured it

heartbreaker

hot and steamy

Huge thanks to Emma Scott and Netgalley for sending me a free galley of this title in exchange for an honest review! This in no way altered my read of or opinions on this book.

This was such an explosive, emotional, heart-wrenching conclusion to a journey, penguins. And this book? Took some of the hardest, most challenging subjects…and made me really think about them. Honestly, Emma Scott has a knack for approaching a heavy topic with grace and sensitivity while making readers rethink their opinions. I’ve only read this series by her so far, but each book in the duet challenged my ways of thinking and made me approach the world in different ways after reading.

 

These characters are, at the beginning of this read, utterly broken. They are shattered, lost, unsure of themselves or the world around them–and for good reason. This doesn’t make them bad characters…it just means they are more well-rounded and complex than we left them off in the first book. They make mistakes. They do silly things, or lie about the ways they feel to keep others from hurting. They are, in essence, completely human–and I adored them all so much for it. The ways they face and deal with grief throughout just brought so much growth and emotion to them.

I think the most profound–and uplifting–growth is seen between Theo and his dad. Throughout the entire series, they’ve had such a stilted and out-of-touch relationship…it was amazing to watch them, finally!, come together and find a common ground to stand on. To watch them learn how to respect each other, and accept the differences between them. Seriously, though, each character has an amazing amount of growth, and it was this that touched me the deepest.

 

This was an emotionally-driven journey, and I am so happy to have taken the ride. The characters are realistic and well-rounded, their reactions/interactions are endearing, and the way Emma Scott approached the heavier topics was tasteful and poignant. I recommend this series to lovers of contemporary romances, a look into the ways people handle grief, and families coming together after a loss. Strike a chord and hit the high notes, penguins; the crescendo will change you.