BOOK REVIEW: Rise by Dylan Allen

*ARC graciously given in exchange for an honest review*

Title: Rise

Author: Dylan Allen

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Release Date: February 15, 2017

As a little girl, I saw my father destroy the family he claimed to love. I watched my mother waste her life dreaming of a man who left her without a second glance. 

As a woman, I don’t dream, I work. I don’t fall in love, I focus. I would never let anything as frivolous as love distract me. 

Until I meet Simon. A gorgeous, brilliant young architect with dark eyes, a sweet smile, and a dirty, dirty mouth. He sets me on fire, and suddenly all I can do is dream…of his hands, his lips, his body. Of a heart good enough and a love strong enough to make me believe in happily ever after.

But Simon has secrets that are even deeper than mine. Will our pasts destroy everything we’ve worked for? Or will we find the courage to rise to the challenge and fight for the love we share?

I’d like to say that I’m Indie thirsty. I always look forward to reading the first work of new indie authors and be there as they progress in their next books. Dylan Allen, though, sounds nothing at all like a newbie. In Rise, her prose was sharp, smart, and sexy; the story compelling, deep, and fun all at the same time. 

I want to mark this woman and make sure she can’t forget me for a while.

Addie has worked hard to get to where she was now but only one mention of her past could make her crumble into pieces. Addie was as real as a heroine could be. She was smart, fierce, and wore confidence like a second skin. But beneath her intimidating aura was a woman of passion and compassion. I loved how unpretentious her character was. You would love her, you would hate her and then in the end, love her altogether. 

Even when I hate him, I want him. I ache for him.

Simon currently has a lot on his plate but he definitely has time for dessert. I loved Simon’s character so much! His past was a ghost of bad dreams but he was slowly carving their life into a fairytale. He was responsible, caring, and smart. I reveled on the fact that his allure as a hero didn’t come with status, looks (though he doesn’t lack it *wink*), and power. He earned it through his decisions, intentions, and the pureness of his heart. 

Dreams aren’t made of fairytales and romance, they are made of hard work and grit.

I loved the solidity of the plot of this book! I found some scenes mind boggling at first but I loved how Miss Dylan answered everything in the process of the story. The main characters’ chemistry simmered in every page; their differences drawing more passion than conflict. There was really so much in this book that I loved! All the characters were equally intriguing (Kyle is my favorite!) and unique in their own way and I found myself wanting to explore them.

Miss Dylan’s writing was consistently riveting and I can’t wait for what more she has in store for us!