JJ Schneider has it all.A high-octane career as a pro snowboarder. A ride-or-die crew. A seven-figure sponsorship deal.None of it makes up for losing the love of his life.It’s been a year since Raquel Sfeir walked away. From the man she loved. From the job of her dreams. She’s done with enabling extreme athletes to risk their lives for the next thrill… especially the one who chose his career—and … the one who chose his career—and its dangers—over her.
But when a life-threatening accident shatters JJ’s dreams as well as his spine, Raquel finds herself drawn back to the man who broke her heart.
This time, she’s not going to give him the chance. She’s going to get him whole and out of the house they bought together—and then she’s moving on for good.
Raquel won’t be anyone’s consolation prize. But JJ’s had a lifetime of pursuing impossible goals, and he’s determined to show the woman of his dreams that even hearts can heal.
Crash is the second novel in the Wild Sequence. Though it can be read as a standalone, it’s best enjoyed after Ride.
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Insane Love story. It was a second chance love that needed to and circumstances to occur in order for both individuals to realize this importance of their love for one another. I loved JJ & Raquel’s story. I enjoyed reading Chase’s story as well and knew that this one would lead the reader down a path that allowed them to really feel the connection and bond between JJ and Kel. Once again a top read in my book!
6 STARS If possible
NO SPOILERS – I don’t leave review with Spoilers, but I don’t like people ruining books, movies, etc for me either! If you like spoilers, so sorry.
When I read Harper’s 1st book, I literally could not put it down. I did put this one down, but not for very long (it is tax season, so I had to actually do some work)!
You fall in love with all of the characters from the start. If you have read, Harper’s first book then you have already fell in love with Chase & Brooke & we were introduced to JJ, as well. I will say that there were times that I really wanted to shake some sense into JJ & Raquel a few times.
With that said (or typed), I loved this sorry. I found myself going through the emotions with JJ & Raquel. I laughed & I cried. I smiled & I frowned.
The story is told through the season, but some jumping back in time to tell their backstory, so you aren’t left questioning what really happened in their past.
This is a book that I will read again & I look forward to Harper’s next installment of Wild Sequence!!!!!
The writing is amazing. I often stopped to just look at the words and pounder at them. At how well weaved they are.
In this book, we get to see JJ and Raquel and watch their relationship mature as each figure who and what they are for each other.
Another amazing book in this series. I adore JJ. He is such a strong yet sweet man. I love that he wont buckle and give up snow boarding. I wasn’t a huge fan of Raquel, but that didn’t keep me from loving the book. Its sweet and sexy with lots of angst and deals with very deep emotions. I also love all the friendships. That’s one of the best things about the 2 books so far. I cant wait for the next one!!
I have been waiting for this book since the second I finished Ride last year!! I fell in love with JJ and his big heart. I couldn’t wait to meet Raquel and learn what went wrong between them.
There was never any doubts for me that JJ and Raquel loved each other in a way that most people can only imagine but I can’t pretend that, as I learned more about their relationship and their reason for breaking up, the more I wondered if that love was really enough for them to make it.
I found myself annoyed at JJ’s behavior and how, at times, it seemed like he was intentionally saying or doing things to see how far he could push Raquel and how he never seemed to want to actually sit down and discuss their issues. Instead, he just hoped that they would just get over them eventually.
“We did this for years. It’s okay. We’ll get over it.”
Then there was Raquel, I know that a lot of readers will be upset with her for the role she plays in their problems and I completely understand how what she asked of JJ wasn’t fair but that doesn’t invalidate her feelings or make her the bad guy. Ignoring her worries and fears wouldn’t have made anything better. This just felt like a no-win situation for them and that’s why I questioned if their love for each other would be enough.
This was a story where a lack of communication and compromise came into play. Not that either of them kept their feelings to themselves, their issues were clear as day, but their ability to sit down and discuss them without getting defensive and angry made the situation feel rather hopeless. If it weren’t for Chase and Hanne stepping up to put things in perspective for them and getting them to see how each of them were prolonging their issues, I’m not sure we would’ve seen these two work it out.
Once again, I find myself thoroughly impressed with Harper Dallas’ writing and ability to build a world with characters and situations that I can’t help but feel totally immersed in. Even though I didn’t love Raquel and JJ in the same way that I loved Chase and Brooke, I’m totally enamored with this group of friends and look forward to reading more about them!!!
I finished this one and then let it simmer for a little bit before I put together my thoughts. I’m just not sure how I feel about it.
Let me start by saying that Ride is one of my all time favorite books, so to say I was looking forward to this one would be an understatement. I was (and still am!) so excited to receive an ARC of this book. Unfortunately, this one didn’t entirely do it for me.
First, I’ll start with everything I loved about this book, because there was quite a bit.
JJ. I loved me some JJ. He was sweet, romantic, and boy was he determined. He wasn’t going to let anyone tell him he couldn’t snowboard again. I really liked going through his range of emotions from when he initially injured his spine to when it started to heal. I wish there was more details of that process and not so many time skips, but I did really enjoy what we got to see. My absolute favorite thing about JJ is his loyalty to his friends and loved ones. He plastered on smiles when he knew he shouldn’t be upset with someone, but couldn’t help it. He still helped out Chase despite having a broke heart himself and his excitement for seeing Hanne was just the best. JJ is probably one of my favorite H’s.
The friendships are probably my favorite thing about this book. I loved how we got to really go into his friendship with Chase in particular. I especially liked it because we get to see how Chase grew as a person since the accident and since reconciling with Brooke. Unlike in Ride, this book had practically no actual snowboarding so it focused on the emotions and bonds that each character has with each other, which is something I loved. You really get a feel for just how close the crew truly is.
The writing, as usual, was great. Although I will say there are moments where the dialogue almost sounded British? Didn’t bother me at all, though. Just interesting because it wasn’t often. Harper Dallas has a really great way of describing emotions and really making you feel what the character is feeling. Sometimes it did get a little repetitive though and, I admit, that bothered me.
On to what I didn’t like…
Raquel. I HATED her. I thought she was really selfish and the position she put JJ in was completely unfair. Especially given that she didn’t even try to have a conversation with him and then she kept putting the blame on him. I honestly don’t know how he wasn’t resentful of her from the moment she popped back into her life. I mentioned earlier about time skips and I think that almost did a disservice to my feelings on Raquel and JJ’s relationship because the bond between the two is supposed to have come back, but I never really saw it. It was more told in mentions of things they had done a month ago. I wanted more meaningful conversation and I think because we never get that that Raquel wasn’t ever redeemed for me. I was really tired of her playing the victim card when she was the main cause of their strife and she just couldn’t see it.
Honestly, Raquel is the only part of this book I didn’t like. I would still recommend it though if you’ve read the first book. You can tell there are set ups for the next two books and it really was great seeing where they’re all at now and just revisiting this world. Can Hanne be next, please!?
These two have been broken apart by fear of the unknown. This fear builds until it is all they can see which leaves them without the thing they live the most.
JJ is a famous snowboarder who travels the world with his crew. He use to have it all…the girl, the friends, and the career. Now he’s left broken and shattered. The accident leaves JJ taking a second look at priorities. He’s such a fun, outgoing guy and tries to be the life of the party. He is genuinely nice to everyone and the friendships he has is proof of that. Unfortunately, the accident has his attitude changing. He no longer is his upbeat self and it’s hard to find the light at the end at the tunnel.
Raquel is stuck in a unfulfilling job because she gave up on her dream. She is trying to fight her way through life even though she does it without the joy she use to have. She is still her sweet, caring self, but she is always waiting for the shoe to drop.
You could tell from the first page that something big was going to happen. Each page that was turned had me holding my breath just waiting for it to happen. Even though these two love each other more than anything, you could see that they had to hit rock bottom before they found their way to true happiness.
I loved their story. It makes you reevaluate your own life and learn to live for happiness and true love. Don’t live your life guided by the unknown.
– A complimentary copy was provided for an honest review.-
Crash is the very eagerly anticipated 2nd book in the Wild series. The 1st book in the series was Ride. Crash can be read as a standalone but is definitely more enjoyable if Ride is read first. Harper Dallas’ first book, Ride, blew me away with how phenomenal it was. I literally read it at least 10 times. While I couldn’t wait for Crash to be published, I thought no way could it be as good as Ride. Boy, was I wrong- Crash is just as spectacular in so many ways.
The characters from Ride are very present in Crash- it was like having old friends visit (the False Kings crew). It was great to see their characters further developed. I won’t give away the plot as other reviewers will. This book has it all- romance, passion, adventure, excitement, a beautifully descriptive backdrop of British Columbia and Wyoming, conflict, angst, and second chances. This story is about JJ and Raquel and centers around a life-changing event that happens to one of them. The story is told in the dual POV of them with some great flashbacks that enhance their story.
The writing is flawless, exquisite, and seems so real and authentic in terms of both the inner and actual dialogue. I adored this book- it’s engaging, an intimate glimpse inside the world of elite, world class extreme athletes. I have a new respect for how hard these athletes train and work, the inherent ever-present risks they and their loved ones face, and how they are just as dedicated as athletes in more conventional sports. Harper Dallas has either inside knowledge of this world or has researched extremely well the professional snowboarding culture. JJ and Raquel are both very likeable characters.
This author is among the best authors whose books I have read, and I read a lot of books. After reading some books, one is often left with a sense of incompleteness at the end – not so with this author’s books. There is a wonderful sense of authenticity and completeness in her books. I am grateful that it was fate that her first book, Ride, appeared on my suggested reading list and that I clicked on it. I am a fangirl for life of Harper’s she is an extremely talented author. Trust me, she is one of the great ones.
Will the next story be Hanne’s or Hunter’s? I can’t wait to find out. Oh, what a journey this was. I was honored to be able to read an advanced copy of this book, but my review is honest, heartfelt, and my own.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Read: 4/14/19
Crash was the second book in the Drive Sequence series by Harper Dallas.
We met James “JJ” Schneider in the first book, Ride. He was a professional extreme sports snowboarder. His crew, the False Kings, were world famous for performing and recording dangerous and exciting stunts. He was fun and gorgeous, but we knew he was pining away for his ex-fiancé, Raquel Sfeir, although we didn’t know any details. Ride ended with a serious accident where Raquel showed up at the hospital for JJ.
Crash began by the author backing us up a bit to cross over with parts of book one, Ride. I enjoyed the refresher and getting JJ’s perspective for some of the same scenes. Dallas also took the opportunity to catch us up with Raquel, providing details for her life prior to Crash.
It was well written, emotional and told from both POV’s. It was presented in four parts as seen through the four seasons. And with each part it was a journey into the past mixed with the present in order to face the future.
I loved JJ and everything about him. For me, his personality was a carry over from the first book, so although it could be read as a stand-alone, I appreciated JJ more having gotten to know him previously. And Dallas provided JJ’s thoughts in detail, which were a combination of a Jekyll and Hyde conflict, but it allowed me to “feel” JJ and his turmoil. No spoilers so no elaboration, but there was a point I was questioning JJ. As for Raquel, she had to grow on me. At first I didn’t understand her coldness but as the story progressed, I began to feel her anguish. The life of an extreme sports professional athlete had risks that were dangerous and real. It was an emotional and realistic journey.
And through it all, I loved the crew – the strong secondary cast of characters that provided additional depth and dimension to the storyline: Chase/Brooke, Hanne and Hunter. Dallas began to set the stage for the remaining stories. I’m not sure whether we’ll get Hanne or Hunter’s story next, but both had teasers to be just as emotional and spectacular as Ride and Crash. Bring it on!
*I received an Advanced Copy (ARC) for an honest review. As this ARC was in the final editing process, my review was based solely on the writing style and storyline versus the editing of grammar, structure and punctuation mechanics.