All I wanted was a little trouble. Okay, so maybe choosing Cruz Donovan’s 18th birthday party wasn’t the way to go about it. Three years ago, I fell for him. I thought he fell for me too. But when he broke it off, he took my heart and, as if that wasn’t enough, he took my best friends too. They aren’t the same boys I knew before high school started. They’ve got all kinds of secrets they’re … they’re keeping from me. If I want back in, I’ve got to be ready to play their game. I might be a killer soccer player, but I’m not real eager to join a team when they won’t tell me who the opponent is, how to score a goal, or what rules I’m supposed to be following.
I’m in the wrong place at the wrong time, a pawn in games I don’t understand. Maybe I never should have gone looking for trouble in the first place. Is it too late to change my mind?
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Defiance Falls begins with Hazel on her way out for the night, something which is out of the ordinary for her. During the first few chapters, you think you know what is going to happen. You expect for Hazel, the nice girl, to go out just once and thus begin her journey to love and maybe there will be an obstacle or two, but by the end, all will be well. That is 100% not the case with this book, so be prepared for Defiance Falls to be unlike what you’d typically expect. The best part? Ali Dean’s writing has never been better.
I absolutely devoured this book. Truly, my eyes could not read the words quick enough. I stopped to take one note while reading: WHAT IS THE SECRET. I can show you screenshots if you don’t believe me. The driving force behind this novel is trying to determine what exactly is going on with the people in Hazel’s life. Shortly after the party Hazel attends, it becomes very clear that everyone in Hazel’s life has been keeping something from her in order to protect her. Her dad, her cousins, her teammates, her friends. As the book progresses, it becomes clear that this isn’t just some small hiccup that can be easily overcome in a few chapters. My guess is that the depth of this secret is going to be slowly unpeeled as the book goes on. (Side note: Ali, if you feel compelled to bounce the plot of the next installations off of a reader, I’m your girl).
At first, I was not sold on Cruz. I did not trust him and his long, lusty gazes at Hazel. I was very, very hesitant to trust him with Hazel’s heart. Somewhere along the line though, he puts me under his spell, and I began to root for him. I think that what I admire about him the most is the friendship that he shares with the other guys. I am, and always will be, a sucker for positive male friendships, and Defiance Falls does not hold back in this department.
It’s no secret that I love the female characters that Ali Dean writes. Pepper Jones is my icon. Hazel, however, feels so deeply real to me because I see so much of myself in her. Several times throughout the novel Hazel mentions that she is friends with everyone, but doesn’t quite belong to any group. At one point, she marvels over an interaction with a friend, wondering if this is what it feels like to have a close girl friend. There are spaces in which Hazel very much belongs, but also others where we see her struggle to find her footing. It makes her story, and potentially her role within the secret, much more intriguing.
I am absolutely dying to see how this plays out for Hazel and am counting down the days until we get the next book. Defiance Falls is a big ole 5 out of 5 stars, so do yourself a favor and get a copy.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
This is my first ARC book that I have read. I am a huge fan of Ali Dean. Her new book Defiance Falls is MY NEW FAVORITE BOOK. The characters are well developed and the storyline sucks you in right from the beginning. Ali Dean” s writing style is so inviting that you feel like you are in the book living thru the characters. The cliffhanger is gut wrenching. I can’t wait to see what happens in the next installment. GREAT JOB ALI!!!!!!!!
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Defiance Falls
This was a slow paced book. The characters all have a childhood and family history together. Something big is going down between two big name families
In town, but not everyone is clued in to the information. Hazel’s put
In danger when people try to extract
Information from her. Her boyfriend Cruz is doing everything he can, along with her dad and cousins, to keep her safe… he can’t outrun the law though!
Liked the chemistry between Cruz and Hazel and the witty banter that’s provided between Hazel and her cousins.
This book is a cliffhanger, so be prepared to get book #2!
This book is very similar to the style Ali Dean has written her other books in.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Another amazing story from Ali Dean! Hazel and Cruz’s magnetism is contagious. Their connection shoots sparks off the page. Sports take more of a backseat here, but that leaves room for suspense and action that leaves you on the edge of your seat wanting more! I can feel Hazel’s frustration throughout the book…I NEED ANSWERS. Can’t wait for the next one!
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
LOVED IT! I devoured this book.
I was hooked from the very first page. This book will take you on a rollercoaster. You’ll be sitting on the edge of your seat at one point and swooning at another.
Ali Dean did an amazing job writing Defiance Falls! She reminded me of why I love her work so much! I seriously can’t wait for book 2!
Defiance Falls is one intriguing roller coaster ride to say the least. I was hooked from the very start and didn’t want it to end. Luckily, there are two more books to come, because I’m definitely left craving and wanting more. Ali is one of my favorite authors. Her writing style is nothing short of spectacular. You can tell how much work and love she puts into every book she writes. She has the ability to convey the emotions and feelings of each character without overwhelming you with nonsense or “filler” material.
This book has it all. It has mystery, suspense, romance, action and awesome characters. One of which is Hazel, who is the heroine of this story. She is a star soccer player who’s easy to relate to, is strong and sensible, smart, confident and has so many other likable qualities. Then you have Cruz Donovan, who is nothing short of swoon worthy. The way he treats Hazel and protects her is at times kinda intense, but also hot and sweet at the same time. He has quickly become one of my favorite characters that Ali’s created thus far.
I can’t wait for the second book and for all of my questions to get answered and for more secrets to be revealed. I am confident that Ali won’t disappoint and the wait will definitely be worth it.
Defiance Falls is Ali Dean’s best book yet!
Defiance Falls has everything you could possibly want in a book. Right at the start I fell in love with Hazel. She is a down to earth but very guarded, young soccer star. Then I met Cruz and really fell in LOVE! He is the swoon worthy heartthrob of every girls dream. Their backstory is great but not fully developed in this book. I am sure it is going to be explained more in the next few books. The story is great with a great pace that Ali Dean is known for with her books. It was definitely a book that I could not put down. There many details of the story that keep me guessing. As the reader, I felt as in the dark about a lot of things as Hazel is which just adds to the intrigue. I only had two complaints with this book. One was that the book ended too soon. It is a quick read of just over 150 pages and while the story flows well and I did not feel rushed at all it wasn’t enough. I finished the book and wanted more! My second complaint was that the book ended on a major cliff hanger. NOOOO! Thankfully the next book is only a few months away but I need it now!
Move over Jace Wilder, Cruz Donavan’s in the house! I’ve been a fan of Ali Dean since I read her Pepper Jones series. This book is her best yet. This book has everything. Bad boys, romance and suspense. Hazel is a star soccer player, trains hard, has stellar grades and pretty much will have her pick of which collage she wants. She is popular, friends with everyone but still fills lonely at times. She tends to never get to involved or let anyone get too close. She decides in her Senior year to live a little, maybe find a little trouble. She decides to go to Cruz Donavan’s 18th Birthday party. He broke her hearts years before, but she still has feelings for him. Cruz, her twin cousins, Spike and Moody were all close to her before Cruz broke her heart. Now she has them all back. She went looking for trouble, but what she found was maybe more trouble than she wanted. They have secrets, they aren’t the same boys she knew and now she may be in danger.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Caution! Warning! Combustible! These words should have been splattered all over the cover. This is Ali Dean’s best book yet. I was so consumed with this story. I love the heroine of this story, Hazel. She is strong, self-assured, confident, smart, and modest. She is the girl that everyone aspires to be. She has a forever crush on her ex-friend, Cruz. At the beginning of the story, Cruz lets her know that he wants Hazel. Hazel is naïve and sweet so she does not get her hopes up. She convinces herself that she is over-reacting to all the special touches and endearing words Cruz whispers. The part of the book that has you at the edge of your seat and biting your nails is when her naivete slowly is wiped away. Instead of getting answers Ali Dean has you going crazy insane trying to figure out her plot. The twists and turns in this book are sure to leave you dizzy. I am dying for the rest of the series. It is sure to be the best roller-coaster ride of the summer!
I was given a free copy in exchange for my honest review.
As always, author Ali Dean’s storytelling is magnificent. This was a different type of book/genre than she’s ever written before and I found it extremely interesting how she added the suspense/mystery into her usual YA/teen romance. So if your looking for more than your regular teen romance book, this is absolutely the story/series for you! I can’t wait to get my hands on the next two books in the series! Thanks for another great read Ali!!!!
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.