ARC review: Running From Forever by Ashley Wilcox

Running From Forever (The Forever Series, #5)Running From Forever by Ashley Wilcox

My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Book Synopsis:

*This book is a spin-off of Waiting on Forever with no prior books needed to be read before it*
Recent college graduate, Kayla Reynolds was ready to leave the university, sorority life behind. Leaving her boyfriend of over three years, she packed her bags and moved four hours south to the big city…New York City. Bright lights, streets that never sleep, and a business lifestyle that she yearned to have were all at her fingertips. 
Kayla Reynolds was chasing her dream.
Determined and eager to make it in the corporate world, Kayla changed everything- her image, lifestyle, and outlook on life, putting her career first and her personal life second. That was until her first day, the first time she got a glimpse of Miles Blackwell. Corporate CEO and part owner of ETV, and not to mention, incredibly handsome, Miles Blackwell took Kayla by surprise, stealing her heart as he did.
But nothing had ever come that easy for Kayla. Life had always seemed to have a personal vendetta against her, stepping in when everything seemed too good to be true, reminding herself of whom she really was. It wasn’t until she met Merrick Drake that she realized when to stop; when running was no longer an option. For the first time in her life she had someone she could relate to; someone who wouldn’t judge- who saw the person she was inside. She and Merrick connected…on more levels than one. 
When life was too much to handle, they ran. 
But there was only one person that could make Kayla stop for good. Only one man that made her want to stay. 
Would Kayla finally stop running or would it all be too much to handle?

My Review

I’m just not a fairytale ending kind of girl…



Well damn damn damn and double damn. I think books need to come with a warning for people like me. Warning: This book has insta-love. Before I go into more detail, let me preface by saying that my 3 star rating here is not a bad thing. This was neither a hit or a miss for me, it fell into that weird limbo of an “OK” read. I feel like these are the type of reviews that are the hardest for me to write since I didn’t feel strongly about a book one way or another, neither loved nor hated it.



What worked for me


The writing. I truly enjoyed the author’s “voice” and writing style. This was my first book by Ashley Wilcox, and I will gladly read her future ones.

Merrick Tattooed bartender that happens to be a dirt bike racer? Hell to the yes, sign me up for that. I’m really looking forward to his book.

The twist in the middle of the book
Holy drama batman! I did NOT see that coming.

What didn’t work for me

Kayla. It started off so good. When Kayla admits to a history of being a slut and a party girl, I thought, “FINALLY! A book that doesn’t have an almost 30yr old virgin. Thank you Jebus!”
But then…she took a turn for the worse. Kayla moves to NY and leaves behind her boyfriend of 3.5 years to pursue a career and in search of something more for her life. She starts a new job…but then turns into a blushing slobbering fool over a man she JUST met in an elevator. All of a sudden, her new-found independence and job come second. And she becomes all about the sexy and mysterious Miles, who she pretty much knows barely anything about.

The insta-love
Let me summarize this.
Day 1: She meets Miles in an elevator. Looks and breathy hello’s are exchanged. Lust is in the air…
Day 2: Some more conversation and drinks at a bar. Miles pretty much puts her on the spot in front of her boss to let her know that they’re dating. Ummm…
Day 3: A date? I think it was a date?
Day 4: Sexy times ensue after their gala date
Day 5: Love is in the air

The multiple POVs
The book had 3 POVs, Kayla, Merrick, and Miles. Typically, this would really work for me. Unfortunately, in this case, I developed more of a liking for Merrick. For me, this was because we get zero background on Miles until the very end. At least, I think that was why.

Kayla and Miles
I never really felt a connection with them. For me, this was probably the speed at which everything happened. I found the relationship development really lacking. This is the biggest reason I struggle with insta-love in books.
I felt more of a connection between Merrick and Kayla.

This book was a quick and mostly enjoyable read. I read it in one sitting. While it was not a 5 star book for me, that’s not really a reflection of the writing. It truly had potential. But unfortunately, I always struggle with insta-love and it barely turns out to be a good experience for me. I think many would still enjoy this book, so don’t let my personal bias turn you off from reading it.

I am really looking forward to Merrick’s book next. The sneak peek we get of his story at the end of this one definitely has be intrigued.

**ARC was received in exchange for an honest review**

Buy Links

Comments

  1. Love the gifs you use in your reviews!

    • Thank you 😉 I try to limit myself to just the necessary ones. I'm pretty sure that if I let myself I can write a review with only gifs LOL

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