NEW ADULT MONDAYS: Connected (Connections #1)

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.

Connected (Connections #1), by Kim Karr
Published May 7, 2013
Publisher: Berkley Romance
Format: e-book, purchased
Genre:  new adult contemporary romance
To Buy: Amazon * Barnes & Noble
 
Rating:  4.5 STARS

(From Goodreads) What if a ‘Once in a Lifetime’ could happen twice?

Suffering from a past full of tragedy, Dahlia London's soul has been left completely shattered. Happily ever after is a far cry from reality in her world. But, when she is reconnected with her past, the bonds that form are irrefutable.

When River Wilde, lead singer of The Wilde Ones, comes back into Dahlia’s life, the intensity that fires their relationship combined with underlying feelings that have never died lead her to believe she has met her soulmate.

Struggling with confusion as old connections fade and new ones begin, Dahlia's grief begins to lift--but guilt remains. River wants to be the one to mend all that is torn within her.

But with a past that is never really gone, can their future survive?

Talk about a roller coaster ride of emotions. Connected took me from tears to bliss in before I could say hubba-hubba. Dahlia was a great heroine and River... holy smokes. 

Dahlia knows loss. Her parents died when she was 14 and her fiance is murdered right in front of her eyes. That last event nearly destroys her, and for the better part of two years, she isn't really living. And, then she runs into River Wilde, the lead singer of a rising rock band, and a guy she had a brief, but impressionable, encounter with in college. He gives her the opportunity to love again, as long as she can allow herself to do it, knowing it hurts so much when it's taken away. 

I have to admit - 10% into Connected I wasn't quite sure if I was going to love it. Because, wow, was it sad and depressing. We experience all of Dahlia's intense grief as she learns of her parents' death, and then her fiance Ben's death. It all very nearly breaks her. The only break in that beginning tension is when she first meets River at a bar. That one encounter is so riveting, you just know it will become important later in the story. 

After that initial super depressing start, though - once River entered the picture for good - things got really, really good. There's just something about River. He's presence is very commanding and compelling. You want to read more about him and learn all his secrets. And, it's clear he has a connection with Dahlia that's never gone away. 

Certainly, Dahlia's and River's relationship can be classified as intense. From the very beginning, it was hard for them to stay apart. Dahlia's relationship with Ben was the only reason she walked away, and good girl for not cheating, too. So, five years later, after Ben is dead and gone and Dahlia's just wasting away in the house they shared together, River is exactly what she needs. 

And, he really fills that job perfectly. River is so dreamy. He's the lead singer and a guitarist in a band - you know I love those guys. And, his brief encounter with Dahlia very literally changed his life. River hasn't exactly spent the last five years pining away for her, but he has definitely never forgot her. So, when he gets his second chance with Dahlia, he jumps at it with both feet. Luckily, Dahlia is finally read to put on her big girl panties and get on with her life, and she recognizes that River is the right guy to do it with. 

There were definitely some twists and turns as the story got going. River was hiding a few secrets that he tried to protect Dahlia from. Dahlia had a lot of baggage she needed to deal with. I liked that, even though falling in love with each other seemed relatively easy, it didn't mean that everything was all hunky dory. It was impossible to not love River's patience and unwavering support, as well as Dahlia's strength.

Connected was told in dual POV, which was great because I loved hearing River's side of the story. Dahlia's and River's relationship was SUPER hot (loved that!) and super romantic. And, the ending made me want to scream in frustration. It was a great cliffhanger ending that made me want to move right into the next book in the series. If you're looking for a good, romantic, angsty story to pass this long, LONG winter, Connected would be perfect.