For 21-year-old Hunter Davis, being a lifeguard on one of South Carolina’s most popular beaches has its benefits. With his chiseled body, panty-dropping good looks, and penetrating blue eyes, he’s every woman’s dream and every father’s nightmare. So why would he want to commit to one woman? Love is not in his vocabulary. For 18-year-old Riley Hamilton, it’s just the opposite. Her father left when … when she was six years old, and her mother has been angry and bitter ever since. Riley finds solace in the thought that one day she will be worthy of someone’s love. So when her father calls—out of the blue—asking her to move to South Carolina with a free ride to USC, how can she refuse? When Hunter and Riley are suddenly thrown together, Hunter wonders if the demons from his past will come back to haunt him—or is the woman with the face of an angel the only one who can save him? Because of You is a sensuous and powerful debut novel—a story of love, loss, and the tragedy of holding on to family secrets.
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Riley has been blamed for most of her life by her mother for her father’s absence in their lives, though that doesn’t stop her from jumping at the chance to reconnect with him when he offers to pay for her college if she will relocate to live with him.
Hunter, a sexy lifeguard, had been going through women like objects, use and discard. Then he meets Riley and things begin to change.
While this is, at surface, a romance between two young people, it is also so much more! The characters experience personal growth, reconnections with others, let go of their past, and overcome their issues. What more could you want from a book?!
I loved the way the past continued to weave into the present all the way through the story. There are so many clues planted within the story to let you know what actually happens at the end, not that I’ll spill the secret here, but suffice it to say, the author did a brilliant job of cluing you in!
While the love scenes were quite steamy, the depth of feelings between Hunter and Riley are quite evident, even when they’re fighting with one another. This story will have you laughing and crying as the layers of the story unfold to reveal the true love hidden within.
This is the third book I have read by this author and I have enjoyed them all. She doesn’t try to be like any other author. She has her own style, which works well. She has found a successful formula and sticks to it. She is able to tell the story from multiple points of view without it becoming hard to follow. Each book tells completely different stories, with unique and intriguing characters. There is no repetition between the books and I recommend you read them all.
I am not a romantic. Love at first sight does not exist. Having said that, this book makes me want to believe in it. Hunter and Riley come from different backgrounds, but both are haunted by their childhood. Despite the fact that their histories come out slowly, you quickly get to know them and feel like you are living the events along with them.
I do have a couple of complaints. Firstly, I am a fast reader, but when I really enjoy a book I like to slow down and savour it. This book didn’t let me do that. I was so hooked I just wanted to keep reading on as fast as I could to see what happens next. It was over way too soon. As well as romance, there is just enough mystery to keep you intrigued.
Secondly, at the time of writing this, there are no more books published by this author that I haven’t read. I am going to have to wait until book 4 comes out. I am not happy.
Because Of You is a compelling story filled with passion, longing, and soul shattering guilt. This story is unique yet still believable and the characters are 3 dimensional and are easy to relate too. This is a coming of age romance that shows insurmountable grief, deceit at it’s worse, and pure love that will change Riley and Hunter forever.
We begin with Riley who is creating a new life in South Carolina which she is hoping will include the father who abandoned her so easily when she was an innocent little girl. She is willing to put the past behind her and leave a neglectful mom to pursue this relationship. When she immediately encounters a tattooed hunk swimming in her father’s pool, someone better throw her a lifesaver because she is already drowning in desire for Hunter. She fears to trust any man after all the men in her life have deserted her and wonders if anyone could ever love her including Hunter.
As soon as Hunter the walking sex god, notorious bad boy, lifeguard meets Riley he has the uncomfortable feelings of wanting to save her from the tumultuous waves of life and at the same time rock her world. He has been known for using women to drown out his painful past but now all he wants to do is immerse himself in Riley. But first he must give her all of his guilt ridden self and confront the past or he fears he will never be worthy of her.
I highly recommend to any lover of New Adult Romance. Especially those that want to read a love story about conquering fears, embracing the past, and loving passionately with your heart, body, and soul.
I truly loved this romance and all it’s twists and turns. I couldn’t put it down. It was wonderful to see Hunter and Riley help each other through their issues. The author did a wonderful job of giving us both Riley and Hunter’s perspectives. I highly recommend Because of You to anyone who loves a happily ever after. I look forward to reading more by this author.
This is definitely a good read for those who enjoy a steamy YA novel. Riley was only six years old when her father left. Since that time the mother has made the little girl’s life miserable by blaming her daughter for the abandonment. Now Riley’s turned 18, and the father she barely remembers offers to pay for college if she moves from northeastern Connecticut to South Carolina to live with and get to know her estranged parent.
Hunter is a hunky, 21 year old lifeguard who lives in the apartment over Riley’s father’s garage. Hunter’s a hottie with his own set of demons.
Dad is obviously a very wealthy man. His home is right on one of the most popular beaches in South Carolina and includes a groundskeeper and housemaid/cook. Riley learns quickly that the horrible treatment she received from her mother was completely undeserved. Life is good, and it gets even better when Riley and Hunter meet. The attraction between them is instantaneous and flaming hot.
This is a well written love story with enough secrets to hold the reader’s interest.
As silly as it may sound, I couldn’t quite give this novel 5 stars because of punctuation. It was very annoying and pulled me out of the story multiple times when there was a space between the period and the end quote—especially when the end quote would end up on the next line! “This is a properly punctuated quote-no space between period and end quote.” “This is NOT a properly punctuated quote-space or sometimes even a double space between period and end quote. “ It would be an easy fix.
I had difficulty putting this one down, a real page turner. The story revolves around Riley, a mentally and emotionally scarred girl who decides to take her father’s offer and move in with him because living with her mother for the last 12 years has been a living hell. She meets a hot life guard named Hunter, a boy with a tortured past, and sparks fly as well as a lot of emotional drama between the two. Both have thick walls guarding their feelings so strongly that it tests both of these lovers constantly, but slowly these erode away and true love flourishes. There are many twists and secrets that will make you go “wtf?” so I won’t spoil them for you. Just read it and enjoy this wonderful story, you won’t regret it! I highly recommend this one!
Loved this book.