Review: Wrecked by Alyssa Rose Ivy

Wrecked

(Clayton Falls # 3)

By: Alyssa Rose Ivy

Pub. Date: April 30, 2013

Pages: 263 (pdf file)

Source: ARC

When your past catches up, it's time to stop running.

Jake Mathews messed up yet again— but this time his misstep lands him in the hospital. He wakes up to find the girl of his dreams and the memory of having his deepest secret revealed.

Emily Taylor needs a break. She's been working double shifts as a nurse just to pay the bills while trying to heal a broken heart. The last thing she needs is to fall for a patient.

Strapped with community service and the knowledge that he's disappointed everyone in his life, Jake is determined not to let Emily slip through his fingers. Emily wants Jake, but can she really open herself up to heartache again?

Before I start with my review, I just want to mention that I read this book without reading the first two books in the Clayton Falls series. It seems like these books can be read together or separately, each book focusing on another person living in the small town of Clayton Falls. I didn't enjoy Wrecked as much as I was hoping I would. I think I was just expecting a lot more then what I received.

Wrecked is the story of Jake and Emily. After driving drunk and crashing his car, he meets Emily, the nurse assigned to take care of him. The night before, his brother and sister-in-law learn something that Jake tried to do to them when he was in high school. I don't think this secret should have been described as his "deepest secret". It made me think we were going to learn this horrible thing, when in reality, Jake was just a stupid teenager and he regrets what he tried to do all those years ago.

I did like Jake, but didn't feel any real connection to him. He definitely went through a lot of character growth, which I admired and appreciated.

Emily was a good person, but I just didn't like her, and for many reasons that I don't want to reveal for spoiler purposes. I didn't really feel any connection to her either. I just didn't care about these characters like I would have wanted to.

My favorite thing about this story was Jake's brother, Ben and sister-in-law, Molly. I thought the two of them were so sweet and fun and I loved the dynamic between the three of them. Ben and Molly have their own story, Derailed, book 1 of the Clayton Falls series. I think I will enjoy that book a lot more.

Again, I think my main problem with Wrecked was I was expecting a lot more and was disappointed with the final outcome. I will definitely give Derailed a shot, and hopefully will enjoy much more.