Off Campus
This book was given to me in exchange for an honest review.If you are looking for something light and easy, this is not it. This book was heavy to me. Both characters are battling some serious issues. Sometimes I had to reread sections in order to "get it". Maybe I'm slow. It ticked me off that Tom was judged because of his dad's crimes. And he let it happen. Instead of taking a stand, he hid. I can understand wanting to hide from the press, but it was so frustrating watching him just take it. I wanted to yell at folks and say it was his father, not him. What his dad did to him was pretty rotten.
My heart hurt for Reese. No one should ever have to go through what he did. But he was trying to get past it. Tom was just wallowing in and not living. I think Reese was the best thing to happen to Tom. I love that they helped each other, they pushed each other to overcome their past.
Cash and Steph were great secondary characters. They were wonderful friends and just the support Tom and Reese needed to help them through. Their easy banter was fun to watch. When Tom came out of his shell and bantered with Cash, it made me happy.
I was glad to see Tom and Reese fight but overcome their arguments, like a true couple. They argued but never truly gave up on each other and their relationship. This is a strong couple, even though individually they had moments of not being so strong. You could clearly see their individuality in the ways their tackled their problems, as well as their cohesion as a couple, even when they did have a brief falling out. You never truly believed their were over, just dealing with stuff on their own for a bit.
And I like that there wasn't a perfect HEA. Although things were better, they were clearly still healing, still struggling, but working to overcome and have a better future. I would love to see them again in another story to see how they are doing.
