Because of You by RaShelle Workman (Review)

Genre:	YA, Fantasy
Publication Date:	January 18, 2016
Pages:	226
Published By:	Curiosity Quills Press
Website	RaShelle Workman Website
My review copy:	e-galley in exchange for honest review

Buy it:
Amazon 

Synopsis

There's a first time for everything... and sometimes that means a first time at a second chance.

It's been seven years since Maddie Martin's parents died. Their killer wasn't just a random stranger, but her best friends' father. Kyle Hadley. The boy she's been in love with since she was old enough to understand the emotion, the boy she promised all of her firsts to. Worst of all, Kyle's father got away with it, and Maddie hasn't seen Kyle since.

That changes on her first day of college. Seeing Kyle again brings back all of her childhood feelings of friendship and love for him, but it also brings back the anger, sorrow, and pain she's been trying to bury because of his father.

***

Kyle Hadley has no idea why Maddie quit talking to him, especially when he needed her most. But he got over it, refusing to waste his life mourning the only girl he ever loved. There are too many women, too much of life to experience to bother thinking about Maddie. Except he does. And when he sees her again, he knows it.

But there are problems beyond Kyle and Maddie and their old feelings. The two of them are in danger and one or both might end up dead.

Quotes

  I have a thing for firsts.  First day of school.  First crush.  First tattoo.  Once, a long time ago, I made a promise to a boy that all of my firsts would be with him.  But that was before...

  I chase after Maddie.  Something happened.  Something's wrong.  I saw it in her features.  When she collapses, I run to her.  One emotion runs through my body   fear.

  I walk toward him like he's gravity and I'm the moon.  I can't resist his pull.  I don't want to.  I move into his atmosphere and bask in his radiance.  He smiles at me.  And I'm whole.  The feeling shocks me.

My Thoughts

  When everything that you know is taken away from you, and the one person you've always loved may be another person you can't trust what happens?

  Having read this author many times before I was excited to try something new.  I know that Workman has written in this genre before, but I have only read her paranormal works.  I wasn't let down.  I was highly addicted very quickly to this read and finished it in under a day without a thought.  Because of You became the read that I didn't see coming, with an originality that I enjoyed.

  This book put into play the question of how you stay you when everything changes.  The answer was simple...  You don't really, but at the same time some things never change.  Sometimes you just can't help who you love, and the feelings that never went away.  Maddie and Kyle's lives were shattered in their own ways and despite their close childhood, they lost each other.  I was very aware that the romance was going to happen with them, it was just more of a when.  However, there was always the question of what really happened, and what was really going on.  I enjoyed the pacing and that despite the fact I suspected what it was, I could never really be sure.

  The main characters Maddie and Kyle were not quite your typical characters.  Sure they had the tragic backgrounds, but they also had a background together that started it all.  Maddie and Kyle were inseparable and lost when they lost each other.  Their reunion was not what you would expect and neither quite knew what to do.  I both enjoyed and cringed at moments.  Neither knew how to feel about seeing each other again and it led to some painfully awkward moments.  For Maddie it was not knowing how to handle seeing the only boy/man she has loved, and at the same time the son of the man she believes killed her parents.  For Kyle it was denying that the girl that left and never looked back with his heart, was there and in front of him again.

  I instantly liked Maddie as she was easy to relate to and feel for.  No, I never lost my family the way she did but she was real.  Maybe a little sheltered and a little naive but written perfectly.  Though she had changed from the little girl Kyle once knew, losing her parents and Kyle had left her wounded.  Despite her improvement she still had some healing to do.  I enjoyed that Workman didn't write her into this girl that had perfected herself and moved on.  Though Maddie was a good person and had a lot of inner strength, she still struggled with controlling her feelings.    There was a lot of character growth and building throughout with Maddie and I enjoyed every step.

  With Kyle, admittedly I liked him right from the start.  Sure her was painted as a ladies man, an "I don't give a damn man," but it was so easy to see how Maddie effected him.  However, I was irritated by his inability to actually question the girl he loved so much on what really tore her away from him.  I understood that he just wanted her back, and that it easy to leave all of the random girls behind but I wanted more of a stand from him.  I wanted him to be everything that he was to Maddie, but I also wanted him to express more frustration with her.  He had lost just as she had and despite being with family that raised him a little better, he knew there was something that wasn't quite right.  But there I would not hesitate to swoon over this man myself a little.

  Because of You by RaShelle Workman was the kind of read I needed.  It was easy, sweet, deep and well developed.  This is the type of book that you pick up when you want to get lost for a few hours and just get lost.  The writing is wonderful and has me looking forward to rekindling my love for previous works of this author, as well as some of the ones I haven't had the chance to pick up yet.  I would recommend this book to anyone that likes new adult but wants something a little lighter.

Posted by Tiffany