Abby McCarthy

3.5 Stars

Okay, so I read this because, well, have you read the synopsis? I mean really, from the synopsis this book was a MUST read for me!

Overall, this is a really good book. I would recommend it. However, I would recommend it with just a couple of disclaimers. The storyline is there... However, the follow through wasn't 100% there. There are scenes that left me feeling cheated. There should have been more substinance to them. They just weren't complete. Some of this book is a bit robotic. Places I should have had an emotional reaction to left me feeling empty instead.

Don't let the above turn you away. It really is a good read. I just think Abby needs to develop her description skills better. I wasn't quite connected to the characters in places. The premise of the story is genius! I love it! So unique and original in its own rights! I found myself being a cheerleader by the end of the book. I wanted Antonio gone. I wanted Jules to be the hero he was meant to be! By the scond half of the book, I was able to overlook the little things about the writing and really get into this story!… (plus d'informations)

I received a complimentary copy of this book as a part of a book tour for a fair and honest review and rated it 3 out of 5 stars.

I’ve been reading a lot of cozy mystery and urban fantasy lately so I really looked forward to diving into Current by Abby McCarthy. Both the cover and the description of the book grabbed my attention, I’m a sucker for second chance romance and the cover made me think of romance and the beach. While I ended up somewhat disappointed overall, I think Ms. McCarthy is an author to watch.

The prologue, mostly captured above in the “excerpt”, pretty much sets up what will become a part of the mystery. June and Jake are young lovers, very young in June’s part, who have to deal with Jake’s alcoholic dad and the abuse Jake is subjected to on an almost daily basis. Then something catastrophic happens and Jake disappears. The story then jumps ahead six or so years and we meet June as a college student in a bar preparing to listen to a “local band”, who she will write an article about for the local paper. The night becomes magical when she meets “Lucas”, the band’s keyboard player, who reminds her of Jake. He even calls her “Juniper” – just like Jake used to.

Ms. McCarthy does an okay job introducing the characters as young teenagers and I was looking forward to seeing how they had matured and changed. I wanted to see if June would figure out why “Lucas” reminded her so much of Jake and if she would decide that whether he was or wasn’t “Jake”, it didn’t matter because she was falling in love with the man in front of her rather than clinging to the past. Unfortunately, neither June or Luke are very mature and they proceed to fall into bed, and continue to fall into bed on practically every other page. In fact that is probably my biggest disappointment with the story, there is very little character development and even less development when it comes to the romance between them. The sex is often, graphic, and even unprotected at first.

I wish I could say the secondary characters were better developed, but alas they were not. June’s best friend and “roomie”, Liz, sleeps around a lot and June even takes pictures of Liz’s potential dates drivers license, in case something happens to her while she’s out with them. The band members are used for background color but other than Dietz, the lead singer, we really don’t see them in the story much. I really wish the bands backstory had been better developed and flushed out – why did Lucas join the band and what were they trying to accomplish – did they want to get good enough for a record deal or were they happy just being a “garage band”?

Will June discover if Lucas and Jake are the same person? Why did Jake leave town and will it come back and haunt them? Will June and Lucas or Jake have a future together? You’ll have to read Current to find out. While the story wasn’t for me, I do think that Ms. McCarthy’s writing style will get better with time and experience. I did like her “voice” and will definitely try another of her books in the future.… (plus d'informations)

3.5 Stars

Okay, so I read this because, well, have you read the synopsis? I mean really, from the synopsis this book was a MUST read for me!

Overall, this is a really good book. I would recommend it. However, I would recommend it with just a couple of disclaimers. The storyline is there... However, the follow through wasn't 100% there. There are scenes that left me feeling cheated. There should have been more substinance to them. They just weren't complete. Some of this book is a bit robotic. Places I should have had an emotional reaction to left me feeling empty instead.

Don't let the above turn you away. It really is a good read. I just think Abby needs to develop her description skills better. I wasn't quite connected to the characters in places. The premise of the story is genius! I love it! So unique and original in its own rights! I found myself being a cheerleader by the end of the book. I wanted Antonio gone. I wanted Jules to be the hero he was meant to be! By the scond half of the book, I was able to overlook the little things about the writing and really get into this story!… (plus d'informations)