Tragic (Rook and Ronin, #1)

by J.A. Huss

[Angie]

I've been shamelessly addicted to America's Next Top Model for ten years, so of course the blurb for Tragic grabbed my attention. Rook is down on her luck. She's nineteen, homeless, just got fired, and spent her last $10 on a Venti hazelnut latte at Starbucks. Then she's hit a bit of luck. Literally. A business card smacks her in the head with an appointment with a photographer. Some girl tossed it away, Rook picks it up and decides to check it out since she really needs the money. Luck continues to be on her side since she has the exact look needed for this campaign. She's set up with a small apartment, new designer clothes, and a contract that'll earn her several thousands of dollars. Things are looking up!

The description for Tragic is a bit misleading to my slight disappointment. Rook is not even close to being "the darling of the modeling world." I was expecting her to get swept up into the world of modeling and fashion, but that's not what happens at all. She has the one contract and it's actually with an erotic art company. While it's not what I was expecting, I did like this. It's not the catty world of competitive high fashion modeling, but things are still pretty hectic around the studio and on the set. Having a hot male model--Ronin--to work with definitely makes the shoots easier for Rook, but I feel like she doesn't do anything. There's a point where luck runs out and you actually need to be proactive. But Rook is only in it for the money, which I oddly liked, too.

I really liked Rook. She's had a rough life starting from childhood. Her mom was a junkie, she was bounced from foster home to foster home, and was in an abusive relationship. I admired her for finding the strength to get out of there, despite having nothing. She got on a bus, ended up in Denver living in a shelter while cleaning houses. She's trying to start her life over, so of course signing that modeling deal will help her out. She's finally asserting her independence and she's determined to never let anyone control her again. She does put up with a lot of crap during her photo shoots, but she needs the job so she pushes through.

There is a romance in Tragic, which I'm quite conflicted on. Ronin was kind of a mystery to me. He's a male model, but he also seems to be a manager. At least he repeatedly mentions that he manages the girls, and there's this whole "I belong to Ronin" thing at the diner, and something about him "keeping" girls. I spent a lot of time trying to figure him out, but couldn't. I loved him on set though. He and Rook are smokin' in front of the camera! Off set, I'm not sure I like him much. I don't dislike him, but I don't really trust him. Rook is wary too, given her past, but she does like him. I am a bit confused though, since at the end she says she's not ready for a relationship, but then she also says "there is no one else in this world except for us." I guess I'll just have to keep reading to see where this goes.

Tragic wasn't what I was expecting, but I did really enjoy it. It's different from the other NA novels out there, which was refreshing. Rook hasn't been magically healed by the power of love (at least not yet). She's not going after a crazy dream of being a top model. She's just trying to survive and make her life her own, which is something I admire. She has goals and this is just a stepping stone. I'm eager to see where her second contract takes her.

Read more of my reviews at Pinkindle Reads & Reviews.