With You - Novella Review

With You (Tear Asunder 0.5)

By: Nashoda Rose

Published: December 20, 2013 by Smashwords Edition

65 pages

Source: Personal Kindle Library (FREEBIE!)

(Goodreads /Amazon)

Summary:

Sculpt is an illegal fighter.

He’s also the lead singer of a local rock band.

No one knows his real name.

And from the moment I met him, he made me forget mine.

In order to convince Sculpt to give me self-defense lessons, I had to follow his one rule—no complaining or he’d walk. I didn’t think it would be a problem. I could handle a few bruises. What I hadn’t anticipated was landing on my back with Sculpt on top of me and my entire body burning up for him.

I tried to ignore it.

I failed of course. And having a hot, tattooed bad*** on top of me week after week, acting completely immune to what he was doing to my body—it was frustrating, so I broke his rule—I complained.

Then he kissed me.

Author’s Note: This novella is Sculpt and Emily’s beginning and how they met. It is an extra and not required to be read before “Torn from You”. Their story and what happens to them is the novel “Torn from You”. 

*Warning* Huge cliff-hanger. Like huge! But “With You” and “Torn from You” are released on the same day.*

MY REVIEW:
I saw a fellow blogger advertise this series and she raved about how gooooood it was. How could I pass it up?! A hot guy who fights illegally AND plays in a band AND rides a motorcycle AND has a shady past?! I can name a few stories this sounds similar to this, can't you? I decided to read this novella first before reading book 1 as per the bloggers recommendation. I'm VERY glad I read it first.

Being as short as it is, 65 pages, it's more like a teaser than anything else. There's not much information given. Sculpt is very much mysterious. This portion of the story wets your mouth just enough for what's to come in book one, Torn From You. From that stand point, it did what a novella should do - it gets you excited to read more.

I'd like to point out a few of the elements of this book that make it a great, juicy New Adult contemporary romance story - or more accurately beginning to the story. Without these elements, this book and many others like it, just wouldn't be the same. I dare say they'd be boring to most of us who love this genre. These are all predictable elements. They should be expected. Sometimes they are outrageously silly or ridiculous. But we love them anyway.

1. Barbarianism/Possessiveness In this story Sculpt is the possessive guy. Saying phrases like "you're mine" and "I don't share" are a sure fire way to indicate this dude holds the barbarian card.

2. Pet Names: Usually pet names don't bother me....but in this story, Sculpt calls Emily "mouse". How degrading is that?! So....is she "mousy", "small and fury with whiskers", "quiet and vulnerable"? Nothing about being called "mouse" would get me going. But it seems to work for her.

3. Panty dropping reaction, just by a single look: One thing I love about these fictional guys is that they have so much confidence, so much charisma and charm, so much sexiness oozing out of their pores that they get this reaction out of females by one single look.

4. Kisses that make you stammer, stutter and basically turn your brain into a pile of stupid mush. "I...Scuplt you're..." What was the word? "Overwhelming and - " Geesh! Really? Are their kisses SO HOT that you can't form a complete thought out loud?

5. The Virgin Girl: The dude is always a manwhore and the girl - she's barely even kissed a few guys and is willing and more than ready to be shown the wild ways of the well experienced sex god.

6. A Shady/Secret Past: This is the plot line of every single New Adult contemporary out there! 75%-80% through those secrets finally catch up to the characters and they can't handle it anymore or it tears them (briefly) apart. "My past isn't important. There's nothing to talk about." Riiiiiight. Famous last words.

I jumped right in to book one, Torn From You, as in IMMEDIATELY, following the end of this novella. I would also highly recommend that interested readers check out this novella first to get the back-story of how Emily and Sculpt meet, and THEN take on book one.

Fans of series like Marked Men and Beautiful Disaster would enjoy this.

Fair warning: this series is New Adult romance, borderline erotica in some aspects IMO, and as such has mature themes, graphic sexual situations and strong language.

Favorite Quotes:
I saw the truth in his words. The meaning in his touch and the sweetness in his kiss. There was something more to him than he let everyone see. A vulnerability beneath his confidence.

It was possessive and raw, almost painful, but it stole my breath, held it captive, and chained me to him.

"And you, Sculpt...are dangerous. You know why? Because not a single person knows who you are."

Final Rating - 4 stars