Dazed by Maria MacdonaldMy rating: 5 of 5 stars
Seriously, why haven’t I read anything before by Maria Macdonald? I’ve promoted her like crazy, loved her book covers, added her titles to my TBR, and yet never actually picked up one of her books and read it. Well, Maria Macdonald is having the last laugh now. I freakin' loved Dazed and now I can’t wait to read more from her.
Yes, I know, I love my YA/NA books but I don’t think that was what attracted me to this story. The cover was fabulous, as expected for one of Francessca’s creations, but give me a blurb about pain, scars and suffering en route to a HEA and I’m there 100%. The blurb, as mentioned, pretty much sells this book but it’s not until you meet the characters that you come to understand just why you’ve been drawn to it.
As you delve into the story, you firstly meet Laura. A pretty but not so popular student, she likes to live life under the radar and tries, unsuccessfully thanks to her friend Morgan, to hide herself away as much as possible. It’s clear early on that Laura’s past has had a significant bearing on who she has become today but it’s not until later into the book that we come to realise just how much her life has affected her.
Next up we meet the two new McHottie brothers who have arrived at Laura’s college, Caden and his brother Tarrant. Caden is a popular, easygoing and good looking jock and his brother is the complete opposite: dark, brooding, scary and best of all, tattooed. Both brothers immediately notice Laura, but it’s a pull towards Tarrant that Laura feels the strongest.
As the story progresses, life for Laura becomes more and more complicated and she’s drawn to one brother but is loyal to the other. Best friends with Caden, Laura loves him unreservedly but it’s her feelings for Tarrant that causes her head to spin. With her best intentions of being invisible now impossible, thanks to the prominence of the two brothers, Laura finds herself facing off with her nemesis more and more frequently but what she doesn’t expect is that the one person capable of breaking her heart is secretly looking out for her.
This book is beautifully written. Yes, it’s young but it is not written in a way that makes readers feel uncomfortable about the actions of the main characters. This is a sweet coming of age story but also one with some sharp edges as Laura, Caden and Tarrant struggle with family life and try to find a way towards a peaceful future.
I would definitely recommend Maria Macdonald’s storytelling abilities, even if YA isn’t your thing. The way she writes draws you deeper and deeper into the story with effortless ease and does so without unnecessary and blatant promiscuity, which is a refreshing and pleasant change.
This ebook was kindly provided by the author prior to release date in return for an honest and unbiased review.
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