NEW ADULT MONDAY: Out of the Shallows (Into the Deep #2)

The New Adult genre - their bad boys and big problems and epic loves make them engrossing tales that are so easy to lose yourself in. What's not to love about that? And, now, thanks to the cool chicks at Bewitched Bookworms, we can show these books the love they deserve in a weekly feature - New Adult Mondays.

Out of the Shallows (Into the Deep #2), by Samantha Young
To Be Published April 15, 2014
Publisher: self-published
Format: e-ARC, provided by the author
Genre:  new adult contemporary romance

Rating:  4 STARS

(From Goodreads) LIVE YOUNG. LIVE HARD. LOVE DEEP.
 
Charley and Jake’s story concludes in Out of the Shallows…

Somehow, after everything they’ve been through, Jake Caplin and Charley Redford made their way back to one another. But finding each other and staying together are two completely different things.

When Charley’s world is flipped upside down, she begins to question the choices and decisions she’s made since her arrival in Edinburgh, and in an effort to grip onto what she holds most dear she believes she must sacrifice her love for Jake.

Returning to the States for her senior year, Charley struggles to find peace and happiness. While everyone else seems to be finding themselves in college, Charley is terrified that, along with almost everything else that’s important to her, she’s lost herself.

While friends and family deal with their own tumultuous lives, there is one person resolved to uncover the reason behind Charley’s sudden defection and unhappiness. Refusing to give up without a fight, Jake believes he is the only one who can truly understand what Charley is going through, and this time he’s determined to prove he’s there for her no matter what obstacles are thrown in their way.

However, as Charley strives to make it through the biggest personal journey of her life thus far, there is no guarantee that the woman she is becoming will still need Jake as much as the girl she once was did...
 
Out of the Shallows made my heart hurt. Jake and Charley's story began in Into the Deep, and it was a tumultuous story to say the least. They had an intense connection and a crazy powerful love when they were teens. Then, a tragic accident tore them apart. Four years later, they reunite unexpectedly at college, except Jake has a girlfriend and Charley's never gotten over him. Their history can't be denied, though, and finally, they find their way back to one another. You'd think that would be the end of their story. Their happily ever after, so to speak. You would be wrong. 

"... you against my fallow heart. There'll be no sympathy from me, my friend. I lost you out in the shallows..."

My loyalties have flip flopped. In Into the Deep, I was totally Team Charley. Jake was a jerk to her when they were teenagers. He dumped her, left her and stopped talking to her. She's trying to move on when he shows back up - with a girlfriend, no less - and starts messing with her head. Although I was, of course, rooting for them to get back together, I really wanted her to make him suffer a bit for being such a jerk. 

Suffer he did, so their reunion was hard won and well deserved. However, their happiness didn't last long. Soon, Charley's family, who had very long memories when it came to Jake and the pain he caused Charley after leaving her the first time, starts voicing their issues with Charley and Jake getting back together, and Charley thinks she has to make a choice between her family and Jake. At first Charley chooses Jake, which causes a major rift in her family. After a major event, Charley changes her tune and chooses her family over Jake, which causes her to lose the man she loves more than any other, only this time by HER actions, not his. 

Go Team Jake. I spent much of Out of the Shallows feeling intensely frustrated. Nearly every character spends 95% of the book completely miserable. Charley and Jake are apart, but neither wants to be. Beck is still denying his feelings for Claudia, causing both of them to be upset nearly all the time. Charley's parents are mad about her career and boyfriend choices. Charley's sister won't speak to her because she's back together with Jake. And I wanted to shake all of them and tell them to focus on what's important!

Charley seems to think she needs to choose between her family or Jake. Granted they don't like him because of how he treated her. But, they won't listen to reason. The thing is, Charley shouldn't have to split her loyalties. No one should ask her to do that. Her parents, although they mean well, treat her horribly. They make her feel guilty for wanting to work in a dangerous profession, and then play upon that guilt to get her to do what they want. Even worse, they know full well what they are doing, and are okay with it. 

The strong, snarky Charley from Into the Deep was missing. She was replaced with someone indecisive, whiny and cruel. I didn't like the Charley of Out of the Shallows very much at all. It took a lot of council from her friends (most of which seemed to fall on deaf ears) before Charley decided to take action, but once she does, it was like coming home. To see my confident, Supergirl Charley back was awesome.

Jack was completely amazing in Out of the Shallows. Despite being hurt and upset, he seems to have learned his lesson from the first time around. He talks to her about how he feels (seriously - who IS this guy and why aren't there more like him out there?!), he gives her space when she needs it, and most importantly, he never gives up on her.

There was also the story within the story - the continuing saga of Beck and Claudia. In Out of the Shallows, we see something awful happen to both of them, and we see how the other helped. But, it became apparent in Into the Deep that Beck has some serious commitment issues. It was also clear that he loves Claudia very much. Watching the change in Beck was pretty cool. 

We see all the awesome side characters from Into the Deep, including my favorite - Lowe. I'm really hoping Samantha Young will write about him next. He still seemed to care a whole lot about Charley in Out of the Shallows, and I'd love to see him get his happily ever after. 

Out of the Shallows was intense and emotional. It was hard to read at times, but the ending was pretty amazing. It made all the stress and angst worth it.