Pain and grief manifest differently in everyone. For Ethan Walker, it came in waves. After the loss of his mum in a senseless accident, Ethan finds solace in alcohol, drugs, and debauchery, setting him on a perilous path. When Ethan manages to get involved in an illegal fighting ring, he finds himself in the crosshairs of a dangerous dealer. A man who sees him as nothing but an opportunity to get … get what he wants and keep him on top.
When his decisions almost cost him everything, Ethan’s forced to look at his life and reassess his priorities. Only a piece of his past keeps stepping into his path, and she proves to be a temptation he just can’t deny.
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I’d already met Ethan Walker before I opened this book. He’s a character that appears in The Trouble with Izzy by Victoria L James and I had an idea of the type of person he is from what Izzy had told us, but I wanted to know more about him because he intrigued me. What I wasn’t prepared for was the emotional roller coaster ride that L.J. Stock was going to take me on. At one point yesterday I was sitting in my car with tears streaming down my face as my heart absolutely broke for this wonderful man. I’m filling up as I sit here typing this review as I think of those moments. For all it hurt at times to read what he went through, I wouldn’t have wanted to miss out on reading this book for all the world.
Right from the very first chapter I was hooked. Ethan’s younger days are not easy and when tragedy strikes his life spirals out of control. Reading what he went through and his reaction to those events was torture. I wanted to reach into the book and pull Ethan away from the situations he was getting himself into to stop him from doing something he would regret. But If we hadn’t had witnessed Ethan’s lows, we wouldn’t be able to appreciate the person he really is and truly understand his strength and determination.
This book is not all heartache and tears I can assure you. I absolutely adored reading Ethan’s POV of when he and Izzy crossed paths over the years. The smile on my face as he told his side of the story was huge. I also loved the interactions he has with his brother Dean and best friend Scott. His personality is fabulous. Ethan had already stolen a piece of my heart in Izzy’s book, but by the end of this one he had taken it all.
This book is a must read. It is raw, but that only enhanced my enjoyment of reading this story. Whether you read Izzy or Ethan’s book first I don’t think that really matters but what is important is that you do so and now! Coming very soon, as in next week, is The Only Exception which is both Izzy and Ethan’s story continuing from where their individual books ended. This is a book that I will drop whatever I am reading to devour as soon as it is released, and I honestly cannot wait.
I was not emotionally prepared for Ethan’s story at all. Izzy and Paris left their marks on me but Ethan.. Ethan left a scar. In a good way! This book series is not light and fluffy. Each book deals with hard life realities. Ethan battles with addiction and Lou wrote it so profoundly it had me digging deep to continue to read it. It hit really close to home and my heart broke for Ethan. I felt his desire to escape his life in my bones. How easy it is to get stuck in a downward cycle. Ethan will hold a special place in my heart thanks to Lou and her incredible writing. Of course I’m going right on to Max’s book today and hoping upon hope that I get to see Izzy, Paris and Ethan!