True
By: Erin McCarthy
Released: May 7, 2013
Source: Netgalley
Purchase the Book: Amazon
*Note this is a New Adult book
"When Rory Macintosh’s roommates find out that their studious and shy friend has never been with a guy, they decide that, as an act of kindness they’ll help her lose her virginity by hiring confident, tattooed bad boy Tyler Mann to do the job…unbeknownst to Rory. Tyler knows he’s not good enough for Rory. She’s smart, doctor smart, while he’s barely scraping by at his EMT program, hoping to pull his younger brothers out of the hell their druggy mother has left them in. But he can’t resist taking up her roommates on an opportunity to get to know her better. There’s something about her honesty that keeps him coming back when he knows he shouldn’t...Torn between common sense and desire, the two find themselves caught up in a passionate relationship. But when Tyler’s broken family threatens to destroy his future, and hers, Rory will need to decide whether to cut her ties to his risky world or follow her heart, no matter what the cost…" (Summary from goodreads.com)
True was a captivating and quick read for me. Once I started reading, I couldn't put this book down because I instantly became so invested in the characters.
Rory was an interesting protagonist. Her friends set her up with Tyler for a one night stand. However, Tyler and Rory have trouble resisting each other. I wasn't always crazy about the choices that Rory makes. However, I liked that Rory fought for what she wanted at times. She surprised me a bit because she went after what she wanted. I didn't like her roommates all that much and I still think it was really low of them to pay a guy to sleep with their friend.
Tyler doesn't think he is good enough for Rory because of his past and his family though. I really liked Tyler and I admired how he cared for his family. I also thought the relationship between Rory and Tyler developed well. The passion and chemistry was definitely there and these two characters were believable.
The plot moved along at a great pace. I enjoyed how it developed and there were a couple of twists that I didn't expect the story to take. Some aspects were definitely predictable, but there were still moments that surprised me. I also loved the references to A Streetcar Named Desire because that's one of my favorite plays. Overall I just really enjoyed True. It was a story filled with sweet, funny, sad, and heartbreaking moments.
My Rating:
Guest Post:
Erin McCarthy, author of the New Adult novel True, talks about the inspiration behind her new novel and why she connected with a college-aged heroine.
What was the inspiration behind the novel?
I wanted to write about a heroine who isn’t confident or ‘kick-ass.’ Just a girl that while smart and confident in her future, craves the attention of a guy like every girl does at one point or another. I wanted it to be honest and messy, a real peek into college life.
You convey such an accurate portrayal of college life for most girls. Was your college experience reflected in some of Rory’s adventures?
I would say that definitely my college experiences were drawn upon for the setting, though none of the specific incidents actually happened. I did have two roommates and I did have a couple of serious boyfriends my freshman year in college, and we were all dealing with these super intense feelings, and the freedom of being away from home. Between my roommates and my three other best girl friends, we always had drama going on, from bad dates to back-stabbing to beer bongs gone wrong. It was an exhilarating time and it was terrifying. What if we screwed up in a way we couldn’t undo? I think that was the fear we all had—that there was no pass because we were almost adults now. So I wanted to convey that precipice.
Erin McCarthy is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of more than 40 novels and novellas in the paranormal, contemporary romance, and young adult genres. The author is a RITA award finalist and an American Library Association winner of the Reluctant Young Reader award. She lives with her family in Ohio.
