June 28, 2013

BLOG TOUR REVIEW & GIVEAWAY: Tragic (Rook and Ronin #1)


I'm so excited to be part of the Tragic Blog Tour, sponsored by Xpresso Book Tours. Read on for my review then check out the giveaway!

Tragic (Rook and Ronin #1), by J.A. Huss
Published May 20, 2013
Publisher:  Science Future Press
Format: e-copy, obtained from Xpresso Book Tours and J.A. Huss in exchange for an honest review
Genre:  new adult contemporary romance
To Buy:  Amazon  * Barnes & Noble

Rating:  4 STARS

(From Goodreads) Rook Walsh is TRAGIC

Because life so far – just sucks. Some girls get parents. Rook got the foster care system. Some girls get Prince Charming. Rook got an abusive frog. Some girls get lucky…

Rook got a second chance.

And she took it. Because when fate throws you a bone – you grab it with both hands and run.

Antoine Chaput knows the minute he spies Rook in his photography studio that she’s got The Look. The dark and desperate look he must have to land the exclusive TRAGIC media contract.

Rook is paired up with top model, Ronin, and he’s everything her abusive ex-boyfriend wasn’t. Patient, gentle, happy, attentive, and sexy! He knows exactly what to do to make Rook blush for Antoine’s camera.

Rook’s luck changes in an instant and suddenly she’s the darling of the modeling world. It’s a dream job to go with a dream guy and all she has to do is look pretty and follow directions. But there’s always a price to pay – and Rook is about to get the bill.


Before I get on with the official review business, I just have to comment on Tragic's absolutely in-FREAKING-credible cover. If it doesn't catch your attention, you need LASIK. The powdered sugar glitter lips, the perfect red cherry and the use of the super block and super script fonts are book cover design genius. 

Okay - the story. Rook is in a bad place since she has escaped from her abusive boyfriend and now has no money and no place to live. By sheer chance, she ends up with an invite to pose for a renowned photographer, and he ends up giving her a job and an apartment rent-free. Which happens to be in the same building as the photographer and his family. And, his family includes smokin' hot model Ronin who soon has Rook blurring the lines between her job and her life. 

Let's start with Rook. She truly is tragic. Her past is so sad, and mad props to her for taking charge of her life and taking a crazy chance. She does some things that she thinks may go against her moral code, but she justifies it with the massively large paycheck that's been promised to her, which gives her the chance at a truly new life. See? Sad. 

But, then there's Ronin, who she didn't bank on. He's supposed to pose with her in her modeling shoots, and by "pose" I mean make out with her in a BIG way while a bunch of people watch them and move lights and snap cameras. Rook thinks there's no way she can do this, yet, Ronin makes her forget about everyone else, and she begins to think that maybe this is real. Or, maybe not. 
"In the few seconds we twined our gaze together I heard myself ask him to kiss me a million ways in my thoughts, and if I spoke the language of my own desire then I'd know for certain that I almost begged him to do it with the look on my face."
I really loved the modeling aspect in Tragic. It's something I haven't seen in another book, and I appreciate the change of scenery. I loved that, although there was definitely mutual attraction between Rook and Ronin, it wasn't insta-love. It took awhile before any declaration of true feelings happens from either of them. But, boy, Ronin is smooooth with the words when he decides he wants to be. 
"I could describe what you look like, but that's not what I see. You are so much more than a body inside a dress, Rook. You fit me... You stopped me dead in my tracks, you wiped my mind."
Tragic is told from both Rook's and Ronin's POVs, which is my favorite way to tell a story. It was the perfect mix of fun, sexy and... tragic. This was a really fantastic new adult book from J. A. Huss. I can't wait for Manic (Rook and Ronin #2) to come out this summer to see where Rook's and Ronin's relationship goes next.  

About the Author

J. A. Huss likes to write new adult books that make you think and keep you guessing. Her favorite genre to read is space opera, but since practically no one reads those books, she writes new adult science fiction, paranormal romance, contemporary romance, urban fantasy, and books about Junco (who refuses to be saddled with a label).

She has an undergraduate degree in horses, (yes, really–Thank you, Colorado State University) and a master’s degree in forensic toxicology from the University of Florida. She used to have a job driving around Colorado doing pretty much nothing but shooting the breeze with farmers, but now she just writes, runs the New Adult Addiction and Clean Teen Reads Book Blogs, and runs an online science classroom for homeschoolers. 



Giveaway
Fill out the Rafflecopter below  for a chance to win some really beautiful Tragic swag!

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3 comments:

LRAtRandom said...

Well it's official, my concentration is shot. I bought and started reading this and now there's no chance of me getting any work done lol. Thanks for the recommendation, I'm loving Tragic :)

Lola said...

I really enjoyed Tragic and am so glad I am also on the blog tour for Manic! Also Clutch the first book of JA Huss her science fiction series is on sale this weekend, I bought it, now hoping it is as good as her contemporary books.

Unknown said...

Thanks for the great review, Krista! I'm so glad you enjoyed TRAGIC! :)

Julie