Review ~ Intoxicated (The Intoxicated Books, #1) by Alicia Renee Kline

 Book Title: Intoxicated

Author: Alicia Renee Kline

Genre: Romance

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Synopsis:

When everything she ever wanted turns out not to be enough…

Lauren Jefferies is on the verge of having it all. Hard work and determination have culminated in a promotion that promises to put her on track with her upwardly mobile boyfriend Eric. High school sweethearts and together for ten years, they are young enough to have their whole lives ahead of them, but old enough to have established themselves as forces to be reckoned with.

The news should be cause for celebration.

But taking the job means moving two hours away.

Instead of planning their reign as an up and coming power couple, they find their already tenuous relationship further damaged by their conflicting opinions. Eric doesn’t want her to leave. Lauren refuses to back down. In the end, she packs her things and heads up north to her new life, the abstract promise of figuring this all out later hanging between them.

Lauren settles into her new routine quite easily, thanks largely in part to her fast friendship with her roommate Blake. Blake’s companionship comes in a package deal with that of her older brother Matthew. One night over dinner, an innocent conversation leads to the discovery that the three of them have more in common than they’d ever imagined.

Ashamed of his role in the thread that ties them together, Matthew begins to withdraw. As Lauren devises a game plan to ease his torment, Eric inadvertently pushes them together with his selfish actions.

Lauren’s relationship with Eric continues to flounder. The distance is an issue, but Eric’s indifference does nothing to help. Every bright spot in their courtship is countered by darkness and bitterness. More often than not, Matthew is there to pick up the pieces that Eric leaves behind.

Prior to meeting Matthew, Lauren thought she knew what she wanted. Now that she’s just about to obtain everything on her list, she’s left to question if she ever really knew what that was.


Author Information:

Alicia Renee Kline has been writing for as long as she can remember. Her work has evolved from scrawling story ideas in spiral notebooks in loopy, middle school handwriting (complete with scribbles) to more professional looking fare via her laptop. She is eternally grateful for the "delete" key, so that no one can tell that she doesn't get everything right the first time.

She resides in Northeastern Indiana with her husband, two daughters, two cats and two hamsters. When she isn't being an author, she works full time in the insurance industry

Twitter * Website * Goodreads


My Thoughts:

I have to read the next book ASAP! I purchased it now but unfortunately I have to read a few other books for review before I can get to it. :-(

This book had great characters and one that I couldn't stand. I detested Eric. He had a great girlfriend and it seems to me that he wasn't all that serious about her until he thought that
 someone else might get her attention. That is NOT love! He was awful in my opinion. The fact that all of her friends agreed should have been a red flag for her but for some reason (which I couldn't see) she stayed with him.

When Lauren gets a promotion that requires her to move, she ends up renting a room from Blake. The two hit it off really well. She also becomes friends with Blake's brother Matthew.

Matthew seems to be everything that Eric is not and before long Lauren is mildly crushing on him. Matthew has issues though and one of them is a form of self hatred and unworthiness brought on  by mistakes from his past.

Lauren got on my nerves a little. She was too quick to defend Eric and too slow to open her eyes to his lack of worthiness. The book never showed Eric performing indiscretions but I had the feeling that he wasn't being completely faithful.

I would like to see her and Matthew get together. Their chemistry was awesome! :-) Also I thought Matthew was a great guy.  

The book was full of relationships, drama, charisma, doubt, decisions, romance, and disappointment.

The ending was unexpected and made me want to read the next book immediately. It wasn't a cliff hanger per say but it set up the next book and our desire for answers to the question of who she'll end up with or if she'll go it alone.

I received an ecopy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion. I thought it was compelling and emotional. I enjoyed it and can't wait to find out the answers to who, what, when and where!

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