Saturday, January 12, 2013

Review and Giveaway: Charade by Nyrae Dawn




Synopsis:
Nineteen-year-old Cheyenne tries to portray the perfect life to mask the memories of her past. Walking in on her boyfriend with another woman her freshman year in college threatens that picture of perfection. 

Twenty-one-year-old Colt never wanted college and never expected to amount to anything, but when his mom's dying wish is for him to get his degree, he has no choice but to pretend it's what he wants too. 

Cheyenne needs a fake boyfriend to get back at her ex and Colt needs cash to take care of his mom, so they strike a deal that helps them both. But what if Cheyenne’s past isn’t what she thought? Soon they’re trading one charade for another—losing themselves in each other to forget about their pain. The more they play their game, the more it becomes the only thing they have that feels real.

Both Cheyenne and Colt know life is never easy, but neither of them expect the tragedy that threatens to end their charade and rip them apart forever.




This is the book that made me fall in love with Nyrae Dawn. After hearing great things about it a few months ago I bought it and it unfortunately sat on my Kindle shelf until last night. I read What a Boy Needs/Wants series a while ago and didn't really connect with it but Charade had me from the minute the lead character Cheyenne started talking. After her mother disappears and feeling abandoned Cheyenne swears to never depend on anyone again. Not family and certainly not a man which is why when she catches her boyfriend Greg in bed with a ho-bag she isn't as upset as she thinks she should be. Who hasn't been here? Finding out someone you thought you loved is cheating on you is never fun and I found my heart going out to Cheyenne so many times as she struggled to get through the pain. She has gone her whole life thinking her mother left her and didn't care only to find out later that wasn't the case. I felt so connected to this main character because I too had an absentee parent and I always wondered what could have been different had my father not been a finger-less drunk. The emotions she feels and the things she thinks I have often found myself thinking the same way. "What is it about me?" What makes them cheat on me? Why did my parent not hang around? When Cheyenne wants to prove to her ex Greg that she is fine without him she turns to Colt (Who already hates Greg for valid reasons) to be her Charade. Good lord Colt!




He was such a sweetheart underneath his tough exterior and when you get into his world and see what he is dealing with you fall "Ass over Elbows" for him. He too has had a rough life caring for his sick mother. I won't lie I cried during Colt's scenes with his mom. The love he feels for her and the anguish he experiences tore my heart out. This book pulled the emotions right out of me through my eyeballs! Just like Cheyenne hates to cry and show weakness, I hate to cry while reading a book because I feel like a wimp. Before either of them realizes it they start to grow closer. The cute nickname Colt gives Cheyenne will make you Swoon so hard you won't be able to contain a sigh, plus the damn song that holds it's namesake will be stuck in your head all day so you won't be able to forget it. I think Nyrae did that shit on purpose honestly, Well played! I loved watching the progression of these two in dealing with their issues. I think it was written beautifully and the emotions come to life off the pages and flow naturally into the conclusion that will have you biting your nails and sniffling. I just have to say again how MUCH I love Epilogues! Sometimes an Epilogue is so ridiculous the way it ends a story you are left scratching your head wondering who just showed up in the epilogue cuz it sho' wasn't the main characters. The Epilogue in this book was perfect! It was so fitting of the characters and is very satisfying! This was a wonderful reading experience and I can't wait to see what comes next with FACADE which follows Adrian, Colt's best friend! I can't wait to read it! Take my word for it, this book was amazing and you won't regret it. I couldn't put it down and finished it in 8 hours! 









"Did you ever think he said that get in your pants? I mean, not that it was obviously very hard for him to get there." Loc. 29

"Be careful, Colt or I'll think you're jealous." "Be careful or I'll think you want me to be." Loc. 155

"I thought this was only a game?" "Not anymore and you know it. Everything else in my life is all fucked up. This is the only thing that's real." Loc. 233





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