From New York Times bestselling author Cassia Leo comes a heartrending tale of all-consuming love, deadly family secrets, and overcoming unbearable loss.Jack and I had everything. Then in one brutal instant, the universe tilted on its side, discarding us into black nothingness.Now Jack is obsessed with revenge, and I’m desperate to leave the night of our anniversary behind me. When we’re not … anniversary behind me. When we’re not fighting, the only way we communicate is in the bedroom.
With nothing left to lose, I write a goodbye letter and head for my mother’s empty house, three hours away from Jack, where I quickly meet a neighbor who helps me find a job.
My new neighbor—handsome ex-soldier Isaac Evans—is complicated. Nevertheless, we form a fast friendship, bonding over a mutual desire to create something beautiful from the wreckage of our lives.
But despite the distance between us, Jack and I are still trying to make things work—fighting and playing dirtier than ever. And he doesn’t appreciate my new friendship with Isaac. Not one damn bit.
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Huh. Somehow, deep down, I saw that freaking ending coming. Ugh. Cliffhangers. I loathe them as much as I love them. And these two seriously need to get a grip – they belong together, despite all the tragedy they went to – or maybe even because of it. I felt that deep down in my bones while reading. And I want to be there when they finally figure that out.
That being said. What’s with the third point of view?? I mean – I do like Isaac, I really do. But he has no claim on Laurel. No the tiniest bit. Gnn!! I’ll gladly read about him finding happiness in a spin off series though. Lol.
So, yeah, this one if kind of a (love) triangle, yet not – or not yet? Both main characters have some really obnoxious tendencies which had me wanting to pull out my hair, especially with Jack, who seriously has a large portion of a…hole in himself. Gaahh!
But still, as much as they need to talk things through, cope together not separately and help one another heal from the devastating tragedy nobody should ever experience, what they still have in spades, even five years into their marriage and despite everything that happened in the past two years, despite Laurel wanting and pulling through with a separation, is explosive chemistry, passion. It’s raw and dirty and special, yet unhealthy, as it is lacking the all-encompassing closeness that an emotional connection should provide.
DIRT is the story of how a tragedy can slowly but effectively destroy the strongest marriage until there is nothing left to save. The husband’s obsession over the case, one broken promise after another, without the ability to ever move forward. But how can you move on when you cannot forgive, when all trust between you and your loved one has been lost?
Don’t expect dark and twisted, revenge and suspense, because this is not what this story is about. It’s about a shredded relationship, about picking up the pieces – and no healing insight yet. I really hope that the second book will get that right somehow, so that Laurel and Jack truly find one another again, but I also desperately want to see more of Jack’s hunt for the person responsible for their heartbreak.
I’m giving this one 3.5 stars.
OMG, this first book in the Evergreen Series is, in some ways, quintessential Cassia Leo in that you get the angst and heart-shattering emotions you expect to find if you’ve read any of her books. But it is also very unique and I ABSOLUTELY LOVED IT!!!!
I TOTALLY empathize with Laurel, I completely identify with her and what the devastating event that occurs does to her emotionally! At the same time. I can understand Jack’s reaction to the same event, yet I find myself disliking him for it and the way he becomes obsessed, at the expense of his marriage.
The journey that these two are on is FILLED with drama, half-truths, sexual dominance (this seeming to be the only way they communicated, other than fighting) and you can FEEL that they DO love each other intensely…but will it be enough to hold them together through THE most challenging of circumstances?
And then there’s Isaac!!! Ex-military, tall, gorgeous…..and has ALL kinds of his own issues! I have a STRONG suspicion that THIS one will be the one I fall head-over-heels-in-love with! I’m already more than half way there!
I loved the way this story has been plotted, the character development is superb and I just wanted to see where it was leading…..until the SHOCKING cliffhanger at the end! I CAN’T WAIT to see how it all pans out! I’ll be waiting VERY IMPATIENTLY for the NEXT installment!!!
Dirt is a heart wrenching novel about a husband and a wife going through life’s worst tragedy. This story is the aftereffects of how a tragedy such as this one can slowly destroy a marriage until there is nothing left.
Laurel has had enough of her husband Jack obsessing over the tragedy that took place two years ago. Jack has broken promise after promise and Laurel is sick of it. She decides a separation is needed so she packs and heads to her Mother’s house in Portland. While there, Laurel finds there is more to life than just being Jack’s wife. But Jack is a stubborn man and will do anything to win not only Laurel’s heart but also her trust back.
Usually when rating a novel with an extreme cliffhanger such as this, I tend to drop a star. However this novel is so freaking amazing and it deserves a full rating!
Part one of Laurel and Jack’s story is intense. I was swept away in this novel of heartbreak and finding the courage to move on from such tragedies. But nothing could predict that ending fast enough for it not to shock the hell out of me. I didn’t see it coming. HOLY SH*T. My heart is still racing!
I cannot wait to read SEED and get some much needed answers!
I NEED ANSWERS!