Can love come from pain?
Evie always dreamed of seeing the world, but her first night at a motel turns into a nightmare. Hunter is a rugged trucker willing to do anything to keep her—including kidnapping. As they cross the country in his rig, Evie plots her escape, but she may find what she's been looking for right beside her.
My Review:
I have read a lot of books over the course of my life that have imprinted themselves on me in a certain way and made me feel certain things that were overwhelming to a certain degree, but no book as ever made me feel quite this way. Torn. Afriad. Happy. Completely bewildered...the list goes on.
Oh, and yes, there will be spoilers! Muahahahaha!
I keep asking myself this question over and over again. And I'm not sure. I started reading this book earlier in the night, just planning to start it before bed and that was all. But now I'm finished...and all I can say is...wow.
Wanderlust deals with a lot of things that romance novels try to indefinitely stay away from. The front runner being rape. Mrs. Warren does not shy away from it, not even a little.
You're just as shocked as I am.
Especially because the relationship between the hero and heroine of this novel is based on a twisted barely consensual sexual relationship that just seems to get even more corrupt as we follow Evie and Hunter down the rabbit hole.
I liked Evie's character a lot. She had to deal with a lot of hardship in her lifetime which seems to only get worse when she meets Hunter. At first Hunter comes off as this psychotic truck driver, though his character evolves to be anything but what he seems to be in the beginning. It becomes clear that he treats Evie the way he does, to prove something to himself--that he is the monster the world thought him to be.
Which kind of sucks for everyone in this situation.
Even though this relationship bordered on rape, both characters craved what they received from the other (this sounds so effed up, I know) and both were able to find themselves through the messed up sexual and eventually, emotional connection they form. It was mutually beneficial for both, even if they didn't see it that way in the beginning.
What I didn't like about the book--
Evie was raped by her mom's boyfriend. She ends up in this twisted borderline non-consensual relationship with Hunter. I can understand and accept the twisted nature of these things, but there is a point in the book where Evie gets away from Hunter and is raped AGAIN by some boys that she meets on a beach.
And then an old man shoots and kills them both, but not before they could rape and beat the crap out of her. Sigh. Poor Evie. She is like a rape magnet. No joke. If I had been sheltered my entire life and read this book, I would be terrified to go into public for fear that every man I came into contact with would try to rape me.
Overall, I found this book really entertaining. I love books with damaged characters--especially when both have emotional and psychological problems. Ms. Warren definitely hit the nail on the head with that one. I cheered for Evie and Hunter even when I was tempted not to--even when during the times when I thought they were both ridiculous and stupid. I wanted them to be together because they both deserved happiness and I am so glad they got it.
I give Wanderlust FOUR stars.
purchased this on amazon.
No comments :
Post a Comment