Blackout (Real Romance Collection, #4)

by M J Schiller

[Nadz@Totally Addicted to Reading]

OMG! I have read books by this author, but nothing as intense as BLACKOUT. I must admit that this is my favourite of her books that I have read thus far. This is a beautiful and gut wrenching story of love, pain and loss. I found it compelling and powerful. This is the type of story that causes one to experience a range of emotions. I found myself laughing, crying; there were moments of anger and at times I wanted to shout at the characters for the stupid behaviour they at times portrayed. I was so invested in the story that I had difficulty putting in down.
 
BLACKOUT tells the story of two friends, Eli and Max, and Faith, the girl they were both hopelessly in love with. I generally don't make it a habit to read books involving love triangles, as this type of situation usually ends up with somebody or all the parties being hurt. However, I was curious to see how this particular story would unfold as I was intrigued by the synopsis.
 
The first half of the book focuses on the development of Eli and Faith's relationship. It was my belief that these two made a great couple. They had a once in a lifetime connection. Just like all relationships that is worth its salt, theirs had its ups and downs. They were able to work through their issues and get themselves back on track. Nevertheless, a devastating situation would take place that would pull these two apart.
 
Fast forward to a couple years later, where we see Faith struggling to come to terms with her break-up from Eli. During this time Max came back in her life. A bond developed between these two, which led to Faith falling in love with Max. The question here is, does she love Max the way she loved Eli or is it a case where because of her vulnerability at the time and her history with Max that she was drawn to him? It would appear that Max has finally gotten what he wanted--his ever after with Faith. But then the unthinkable happened. Eli returned to reclaim his one true love. Who will Faith choose?
 
Max and Eli are as different as night and day, but they were both lovable guys. They each had their issues to deal with but they were able to overcome and turn their lives around. They were both selfless, generous and would do anything to protect Faith. It's hard to choose which of the two I loved the most but if I had to choose, I would have chosen Eli due to the changes he made in his life when he acknowledged his shortcomings and the mistakes he made. Faith is sweet and lovely. It was evident why Eli and Max were drawn to her. She is selfless, strong and independent. It was easy to understand the struggles she faced. Knowing that a situation is not healthy, but finding it hard to let go because of the emotional investment made.
 
The romance was beautifully written and I like the fact that the focus was not on the sexual aspects of the relationships. My only complaint is the manner in which the POVs were presented. It was difficult to determine when the POVs changed. It would just suddenly creep up on you as there is no break when the POVs changed within a chapter. I am not sure if this had anything to do with the format of the book as I am not sure if the copy I received was the published one.
 
BLACKOUT is a story about love, jealousy and friendships gained and lost. It touches on real life issues such as alcoholism, abuse and sexual assault. It depicts the strengths and weaknesses of men and women alike. If you like stories that addresses real life issues and that will stay with you for days, then get yourself a copy of BLACKOUT. I highly recommend it. -
 
I received a complimentary copy in exchange for a honest review. Review originally posted at

 
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