A TERRIBLE LOVE by Marata Eros

A TERRIBLE LOVE 
by Marata Eros

Advanced Reading Copy 
Paperback Release

Published: September 24, 2013, Gallery Books (Paperback)

My rating: 4 of 5 ⭐

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Making a life for herself, meeting new friends and building trust has not been easy for Jess Mackey. Not as long as she is forced to live a lie, hiding from her well-known family who are willing to ignore violence for the sake of votes. She had no choice but to run, and to reinvent herself without drawing attention, but dancing is something she will never be able to let go. It is in her blood. 

Attention is coming at her from all sides suddenly. Some welcome, some less so, but none as unsettling or as seductive as the attention Devin Castile is giving her. Despite warnings from a multitude of directions, Jess is unable to resist the basic pull he has on her. He makes no promises, but seems equally thrown by her. Appearing and disappearing at random, he flits in and out of her life, leaving her unbalanced and aching.

Devin's instincts have been to protect Jess from the start, but he is unable to do so around the clock. His frustration around his restrictions and his evergrowing need to be near Jess threaten to destroy his ultimate goal. He devoted years of his life to accomplishing what he set out to do, and he can't afford to drop the ball now, not when he is this close, not when lives are at stake.......not when Jess is at risk. Even if it means losing her.

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The characters are compelling, the writing is insightful, the story is provocative.

An incredibly well-written book, which will require some patience on the part of the reader. The e-book version for this story was released much earlier, and it's subsequent book, A BRUTAL TENDERNESS, was already released in e-book as well. That is the story told from Devin's perspective, and if you have the opportunity to read both books closely together, it would greatly improve your enjoyment.

This is the story told from Jess' point of view. 

Given that Jess is unaware for most of the story, what the underlying dynamic of the characters around her is, the same is true for the reader. Which means that not until the end of the book, will the reader be clued in to a lot of situations in the course of the story that may have seemed strange or random at first. This is why, I suggest the first time readers of A TERRIBLE LOVE, be patient, because all will become clear in the end. Clearer yet, once you have the opportunity to add the second book, based on Devin's point of view to your perspective. 

The story is an intense one, not just some coming of age or new adult type story, but one that carries some damaged history with it. It also contains some serious suspense aspects that are like a silent threat throughout most of this book and you feel it, more than see it, until it suddenly is before you. The heavy chemistry between Jess and Devin is one that is as undeniable as it is unwelcome, for both of them, although their considerations are vastly different. Their connection raw and passionate, they break through barriers each had carefully constructed to protect themselves. What their words can't convey, their bodies tell. 

✨Darkly seductive, morally complex, hauntingly suspenseful.✨

**ARC courtesy of NetGalley and Gallery Books in return for an honest review.**