Because of Low

Review Time! Yes, you didn't read that wrong. I'm actually pumping out something today that isn't a blog tour post! I'm going to rub two brain cells together and finally WRITE THIS REVIEW. Because of Low is the second book in the Sea Breeze series by Abbi Glines. However something nifty about these books is that they can be read out of order since they're technically companion novels not a series (I can vouch since I read these out of order). You can purchase a copy of Because of Low from The Book Depository | Booktopia | Fishpond | Bookworld. Thanks to Simon and Schuster for the review copy!

(Goodreads) Set in the steamy coastal Alabama town of Sea Breeze, an interconnected group of older teens hook up, break up ...and much, much more. Marcus Hardy had hoped to enjoy a year away at college while he put the summer he'd rather forget behind him. But instead, he's jerked right back his home town of Sea Breeze due to a family crisis. The only bright spot to returning is the hot redhead who sleeps over at his place several times a week. There's just one thing though - she's sleeping in bed with his new roommate, Cage York. Willow "Low" Foster needs a place to live. Running to her best friend Cage's apartment every time her sister kicks her out isn't exactly a long term solution. But Cage has a new roommate and suddenly sleeping over at his apartment isn't such a bad thing. Not when she gets to see those sexy green eyes of Marcus's twinkle when he smiles at her like he wants her there. There's one problem though, Cage is under the disillusion that when he's through sowing his wild oats, he's going to marry Low - an assumption Marcus intends to change. But when his carefully laid plans come crashing down with a revelation he never expected, Marcus will have to choose between Low or his family. Because once the truth comes out ...there's no other choice.

The Short Story? - There is an addicting quality about Abbi Glines' NA romances and this rings true for Because of Low as well. I couldn't put the book down, never been one to consider myself a sucker for a romance, this one was totally a guilty pleasure. It's cliched and predictable yet there is something addictive about the promise of a happy ending. Great plot, filled to the brim with drama and sizzling chemistry. The characters were fantastic, a little far-fetched and way too good-looking to be true but a girl can dream! Definitely my favourite book of the series and one of my favourite NA novels!

The Long Story? - It seems like all I've been reading lately are NA romance novels so it's easy for me to pick out the good and the bad from the mediocre. Because of Low is definitely one of my favourites out of the ones that I've read. The thing with NA novels is that the plots are really cliched and predictable. I could tell you what happens from just reading the back cover however there is something compulsive about the promise of a happy ending and I find myself reading these novels anyway. Because of Low was unputdownable, despite the fact I knew what was going to happen before the characters even knew what was going to happen, the intense drama and the incredibly hot attraction between Marcus and Low kept me on the edge of my seat! Because of Low was a guilty pleasure for me, easy to read, addictive and buzzing with chemistry. It's the perfect book for some alone time!

The characterisation is a little skeptical, the town of Sea Breeze, Alabama, has way too many good-looking for this book to be true (or maybe not, I've never been), however, this girl ain't complaining. After finishing Because of Low I found that I really liked the pairing of Marcus and Low, both characters are incredibly laid back and even though I know they are fictional characters, I felt the attraction and love between them was real. Low was the most adorable character ever, she was so sweet and real and her friendship with Cage was so beautiful I was completely and undeniable envious. Marcus was the southern gentlemen that only seems to make an appearance in books. He was definitely of the good guys, respectful, good-looking, can cook and a sweetheart. The back stories of the characters seemed a little forced however for this kind of novel - it worked. Overall, I'm very happy with the characterisation.

Because of Low is one of those books that you would love to hate but can't help but love. I'm not going to lie, the writing isn't the best, the plot isn't unique and the characterisation isn't anything overly amazing however somehow the book worked. I absolutely loved this book because the romance and chemistry between Low and Marcus was so fierce and real, it made everything else fade into the background (that and the fact that I'm a sucker for drama-filled novels). I would definitely recommend picking this one up, if you're hesitant about the NA genre, give this one a go because it's definitely one of my favourites of this budding genre!

What's it Worth? - Hand Over the Paycheck

Badass Bookie xx