Move over, every single author on the planet! Krista and Becca Ritchie have latched onto my defenseless, unprepared, battered but content heart and these uber talented ladies are here to stay! "Kiss the Sky" was absolutely breathtaking, emotional, bullshit free, refreshing, honest, beautiful, endearing and, most of all, PERFECT! Seriously, I don't wanna throw this word around so it loses its meaning, but this book is sheer perfection. I kid you not.
But anyway... Let's get down to business. You absolutely must read the first 3 books of the series (2 full books and a novella, to be precise) about Loren and Lily who, by the way, are so amazing in this book!!!! You can just feel the love and adoration and absolute passion emanating from these two. It's totally swoon worthy and sickeningly sweet in the best possible way. The only way I can accurately describe their relationship is by saying they're the most dysfunctional but functional couple I have ever met. Doesn't make any sense? I know. Lily and Lo are, without a doubt, up at the top of my favorite book couples, ever. Their love is on a league of its own. Just a recap: Lily is a sex addict and Loren is an alcoholic. Both in recovery in this book, btw. Help yourselves to my review here.
“You do realize that Lily loves Loren more than anyone else on the planet? If they were both given the ultimatum of oxygen or each other, I’m fairly certain they’d choose to suffocate.”
DYING!!!! But anyway. This book is about characters we meet in the first 3 books, actually, and it's told in dual POV's: Lily's sister slash "ice queen", tougher than nails, smarter than anyone ever, sophisticated lady and owner of Calloway Couture, Ms. Rose Calloway and the ever sassy, smartass, inhibited, brutally honest, careless but careful, Mr. Connor Cobalt. I've gotta be honest with y'all, I wasn't feeling this book at first. I even put it down once yesterday before picking it back up today, which rarely happens unless I give up on a book. Don't get me wrong, I love Rose and Connor, but I wasn't all that excited about reading this book in the first place because I'm not a fan of series about different characters. I just wanted Lily and Loren's story to continue forever, ya know? But of course, Krista and Becca had different plans for me and they gave me a story so deep, so fulfilling, so enthralling that it felt like this book was a slap to my face to punish me for my stupidity and preconceived notions. Thank you, ladies! *wink*
So, here are the kicks: Calloway Couture is under fire because the scandal broke that Lily is a sex addict. Suddenly, in the middle of it, the sisters are proposed with their own reality show, "Princesses of Philly", in order to attempt to clear the Calloway name. The show features Rose, Lily, Daisy, Ryke, Loren, Connor... and Scott, the producer and Rose's ex-boyfriend. Can you scream awkward?! 'Cause I can. Holy mother friggin' cow, I say. There is sooooo much going on in this book. The focus shifts between Lily and Loren, Rose and Connor (and Scott, ew), Daisy and Ryke... it makes my head spin, you guys. But in a good way! Also? Rose is a virgin. Also? Connor absolutely doesn't believe in love. Yep. A good more than half of the book revolves around the struggle between Connor and Rose, each other's demons and it is so amazing. So, so amazing. This creates drama because Scott, being the producer, twists everything around to make himself look good (the disgusting, vile snake!). Connor feels as if he's slowly losing Rose because of what burdens him, and it slays me. Rose's steely and unshakable confidence cracks under the thought Connor will never feel love for her. Heartbreaking, you guys.
“I’m not asking you to love me,” I tell her. “I think we’re both smart enough to choose oxygen.” I don’t see how love could benefit me.
Her eyes fall and her lips downturn. After a full minute of silence, she says, “I’d choose to die if it meant my sisters could live. You think it’s stupid, but sometimes love is worth every foolish choice you make.” She hops off the counter.
There's a scene in the bathroom (read it and you'll know exactly what I'm talking about) that solidifies what I love about these anticipation novels. They're so deep and so much more real than others, in a way. Your senses are in overdrive and you feel everything, every single word and every single action. Right? This scene in particular touched me, mainly because of Rose's naivety and Connor's "no bullshit" attitude. It's just so refreshing. But the insecurities are never far behind. Sigh.
“You’re not a pit stop. You’re my finish line. There’s no one after you.” I kiss her powerfully, my tongue parting her lips, and she responds. But not as much as I hoped. So I break apart and add, “I want you for eternity, not for a brief moment in time.”
I don’t understand why every time I speak it sounds like an empty pickup line.
The desperation is palpable, especially in a guy who is always so confident and cocky that nothing ever gets to him (at the surface, at least). But trust me, you guys. Connor simply does not believe in love or his worthiness of being loved. Kinda reminds me of a certain Mr. Grey, does it not?
“I never worry,” he says. “I do believe in love. When I was a child I thought it wasn’t real, but I’ve come to see that it does exist for some people. Just not me.”
Right. He can’t love anyone. He’s too analytical, I suppose. I’ve come to accept it, but there’s a part of me that wants so badly to be his first love the way he’s mine.
But, fear not, because even if he doesn't admit he loves her, we all know he does. Deeply so. Am I right, ladies?! Sweet, rational, beautiful Connor...
“It wasn’t fair to the other people I was with, but you’ve been the most fascinating person to me. And no one could really compare in my mind.”
You guys, no word of a lie, I wanna give you every single line of this book. It's so fresh and unique and so awesome to be inside Connor and Rose's mind, so very stimulating too. I'm in love with this book!!!! Good grief, I'm pathetic, LOL. This book literally blindsided me because I genuinely didn't expect to fall so deeply in love with both Rose and Connor, in addition to Lily and Loren! This is such a fantastic book that everyone has to read. Yep, people, I ain't giving y'all a choice here, so read this now!
“One day,” he breathes, “we’re going to look back and recount all that we’ve done together. And we’re going to think, goddamn we were only twenty-four.”
My eyes well. “We’re the responsible pair.”
“The ones who clean everyone’s messes.”
“The ones everyone turns to,” I add.
Do you ever just find yourself reading a book and, somewhere along the way, totally out of the freaking blue, you get this overwhelming feeling of "Whoa, man. Wait a second. I have never ever read anything quite like this before! What is happening? What sort of spell did the author cast on me?! Help!" No? Is it just me? If you've never felt anything like this before, I genuinely pity you and I hope the literary Gods solve this problem immediately, because gosh darn, this feeling is glorious. I feel like I'm a part of this big dysfunctional family. I feel like I'm BFF's with Lo, Lily, Rose, Connor, Daisy, Ryke... Gosh! This is me, deep sighing and feeling my eyes roll back in utter delight and contentment. In a literary world where every book seems to blend into one and every story you read seems to be an exact replica of the previous one, it's so amazing to find that book which is the equivalent one person dressed in a neon yellow top and pink wellies in between tons of people wearing black. Do you feel me?! Aaaaah!
“Kiss the sky with me,” Connor whispers, a beautiful smile pulling his lips, “and don’t ever comedown.”
Thank you sooo much, girls. You guys are writing these series that fulfill a craving so deep within me which had been unknown to me until now. It fills my heart with such joy and hope to find someone who loves me as deeply as Loren loves Lily and Connor worships Rose. That's what life's all about in the end, isn't it? I can't wait for the next books, namely Daisy and Ryke's book "Hothouse Flower" in March 2014 and my loves Lily and Loren's next two books, "Thrive" and "Addicted After All" due Spring 2014... Squeeeee!!!! I'm so, so, so, so excited! *sobbing* Ta-ta, people! If y'all need me I'll be rereading a bit of the first Addicted books. Yep!
♥♥♥
{ RATING :: 5 stars
SEX SCENES :: Steamy
GENRE :: Contemporary romance, erotica, drama
AUDIENCES :: 18+
LENGTH :: 407 pages
HAPPY ENDING :: Yes
SEQUEL :: Series Continuation }
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