Love isn’t for me.I don’t dream – I work. I don’t fall in love – I focus. I never let anything, or anyone distract me.Until I meet Simon.The gorgeous, brilliant young architect snares me with his dark eyes.He sets me aflame with his dirty, filthy mouth. He breaks down my defenses one sweet, sexy smile at a time. Suddenly, I find myself, breaking all my rules. I forget that only fools fall in …
I forget that only fools fall in love.
I don’t remember that dreams are just lies we tell ourselves.
All is do is dream… of his hands, his lips, his body.
Of a heart good enough…and a love strong enough
to make me believe in happily ever after.
When our pasts rear their ugly heads and our secrets start to be revealed,
we buckle under the weight of them.
Will we let them break us?
Or will we find the courage to rise to the challenge
and fight for our love?
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“Dreams aren’t made of fairytales and romance, they are made of hard work and grit.” Dylan Allen, Then Came You
Then Came You (formerly titled Rise) by Dylan Allen is a sexy and emotional workplace romance. I really enjoyed it. Addie and Simon’s back stories really tug on the heartstrings, and their chemistry is that much stronger because they both are harboring secrets, pain, and insecurities. Their vulnerability paired with the sexual tension also make it VERY when they finally get together. Neither of them want a relationship, they aren’t looking for love (and Addie is vehemently opposed) but they cannot fight their attraction or desire for each other. I love how both characters are so strong and determined to rise above their circumstances and become successful in spite of the hurdles life has thrown in their way. Simon and Addie are absolutely wonderful.
Then Came You is a beautiful story.
Rise Dylan Allen is book One in the Symbols of Love Series. This is the story of Addie and Simon.
Simon is immediately attracted to Addie on their first meeting by he has reason he can’t pursue anything further with her. Addie has learn from an early age not to depend on a man nor to give him any of you feelings of love. Addie’s father left them and her mother never really got over him leaving. So when she has sparks fly with Simon she tries to stay strong in her beliefs. But there is just to much feelings going on between them that neither can fight.
I enjoyed this book and of course this author’s writing. I hope to read more books by her in the future.
This book I was having a really hard time deciding how to feel about Simon…. I mean he can’t seem to make up his mind about Addie, but then the way that he is with his family kind of makes up for it. Their relationship is kind of back and forth for a while. Both of them seem to have a problem letting people in because of the ones that have betrayed them in the past. Once they finally start to get through all that crap is when the love begins to bloom! You just can’t help but love them and cheer for them to be able to get through all the mess so they can be together. Totally love this book by Dylan Allen…. absolutely worth all 5 stars!
Dylan Allen can’t stop amaze me. With Rise she established her position in my heart and mind as “great new author”. Now I am in a deep need for next books because the ending left me with so many questions.
I loved every aspect of this story, the plot, writing, heroes. Addie after the crushing blow from her father created walls so high around herself, she doesn’t trust easily, let alone falls in love with someone. She sets her mind of becoming the best lawyer, independent, successful and strong woman. Until she meets Simon…
And let me tell you. When she met him for the first time the sparks flew, even in my room. It was love at the first read. But…
Simon has his own issues. From a very young age, he had to grow up very fast and take care of his siblings. His determination and hard work provide him an amazing job as a successful architect but past caught him and left with a younger brother on the couch and little nephew to rise. New responsibilities left him with no time to the relationship. Will gorgeous Addie change his mind?
They struggle very much at first and the push and pull thing was slowly making me angry. But when I got to know their background and motivations I wanted to slap myself. I was so happy when Simon and Addie opened to themselves and started to trust and talk about their feelings with siblings, friends which really helped them to heal. But the dark past reached Addie and almost destroyed everything. And I want to say almost because when you fall in love deeply with someone, you are ready to do everything to fight for your beloved one.
What I cherish the most is the message Rise carries. Your heritage or parents actions don’t define you. Only you are responsible for your dreams, your hard work, and persistence. Don’t let anyone tell you otherwise. Also, don’t judge people because of their background or the clothes they wear. Be brave, be strong and don’t let your past define your future.
Thank you so much, Dylan Allen, for this amazing story!
Rise by Dylan Allen is one of the bests book I’ve read. I’m sure, my bookhangover will last for days… but it’s nothing suprising, I’ve got this problem with every book from this author.
Mrs Allen always knows how to suck me in her bookish world EVERY SINGLE TIME.
About RISE, I can only say one main word : BEAUTIFUL!!!!
THIS book is BEAUTIFUL because give me beautiful story, with beautiful words and beautifull storyline. And the best part of Rise ??? This love story is also so heartwarming, I wish that every women in whole world could be Addie who finds Simon….and who to rescue her from lovless life.
Absolutely must read!
I was blown away by Addie. She is an independent woman because of her past. Her father was involved in one of the biggest scandals in US history and disappeared before the authorities had a chance to catch him. He left her and her two older sisters along with their mother to deal with the fallout. Addie has grown up to trust no one but herself. She can only rely on making her own way in the world. She can’t even understand the devotion that her mother has shown her father after everything that has happened. The FBI has relocated them and given them new identities so that they can live their lives without scrutiny. And Addie does, she attends college to become a lawyer and is extremely successful. She even gets a job in London at one of the most prestigious firms. She meets Simon through a friend of a friend.
Simon has had a rough journey through life, too. His mother is presently in jail and his father took off while he and his brother were still very young. Simon has felt it was his job to protect his brother and sister and took that responsibility on at a young age. He has guilt from not doing a good enough job, though. Especially when his sister turns up after 5 years pregnant and addicted to drugs. He knows he needs to take responsibility of his nephew immediately. He doesn’t have time for a relationship. But he’s drawn to Addie. He can’t get her out of his mind.
This couple is unique in that they are so independent and refuse to admit any feelings for each other. They do admit the lust that they can’t ignore. But every time they seem to get close, something or someone brings them back to reality,. I loved that love conquered above all their objections. The secrets that they hold are better shared with each other. When they share their lives, they become stronger. Addie needed to learn the hard way. She is so down on getting support from a man that she almost misses something fabulous.
4 1/2 STARS FOR RISE!! This book was amazing!! I loved seeing the story play out for Addie and Simon, there were so many feels. This author is a phenomenal writer and shows it with her stories. I was addicting from the first word until the last word.
Rise is an exceptional book with a unique storyline that captured heart. Addie is a fierce, ambitious, strong and intelligent young woman who’s faced some hard challenges in her life and has a fear of abandonment. Her father was accused of running a huge financial scam, he abandoned his family which caused major disruption and turmoil to the point where Addie, her mother and two sisters were forced to leave their home and change their identities. Addie has now graduated from Harvard law and moved to London to begin her career at one of the most prestigious law firms in the world.
Simon is a suave, smooth and delectable man with a huge heart. He also comes from a broken past as he never knew his father, his mother is a longtime drug abuser which left him to raise himself and his younger brother and sister. He’s still supporting younger brother who’s now in college and has just taken responsibility of his newborn nephew because his sister is also an addict. I could feel his strength and perseverance through the pages. Simon is a talented architect who’s a partner at the firm and scored the project of a lifetime. When Simon and Addie meet, both feel an immediate attraction to each other. The timing isn’t perfect for either one of them to begin a relationship however, their chemistry and magnetic pull is undeniable. These two embark on a beautiful and sensuous relationship and it’s one heck of an emotional ride. The more I read, the more I became addicted to their story and in my heart, I knew these two were meant to be together.
Simon and Addie’s journey was fulfilling in every way. And they sure did make magic happen between sheets!! Simon has a dirty mouth and that really lit my fire!! I highly recommend reading this amazing book and I can’t wait to read Remember (Milly’s story).
I love this book so much. Addie is very focused in everything she does, she works hard and eventually lands in London for her job. She meets Simon who tilts her axis. These two struggle, simon has a wall that comes up when they are tog er, issues crop us for both of them. Addie has some sectets as does Simon. This is an amazing story about love and rising above. Can’t believe this is a debut novel; this story is beautifully woven together.
This is a story of like none I’ve read before. It hits the mark on multiple levels and unfortunately on issues that are very current. There is a lot going on in this book.
I became intrigued from the prologue. I did think it could have moved just a tad faster in the middle but then it picked up and took off from there.
I don’t do spoilers. I feel it isn’t fair to the author. You can read the blurb and get the gist of the story. Better yet, read the book. I feel it’s my job to tell you how it made me feel and affected me.
Addie is beautiful, headstrong, determined and in a tremendous amount of pain, with good reason. She has secrets that she is hoping will never be revealed.
Simon is exquisite. He’s dealing with a lifetime of issues no one should have to be confronted with.
The two individually and together are trying to maneuver their way through life, their businesses, as well as a burgeoning relationship.
With any intriguing story we have our villains, trusty friends and others you can’t really make a decision on. They all contribute to the depth of the plot. Within this book you witness; sadness, heartbreak, smiles, diversity, romance, and heat! We also are educated in some cultural traditions. It was extremely interesting.
As I said there are a number of issues that touched my heart. It made me happy, sad and think. It’s nice many times to escape. However, we should always be open to learn and feel and evolve. This book scores on all those levels.
This was a beautiful love story of Addie and Simon! It really gave me all the feels!
I couldn’t put it down!
Rise the first book in this author’s Symbols of Love series and I enjoyed this story. There were some parts that I felt lacked enough detail but the overall story was worth the read.
This book revolves around secrets of the past and attempting to find a way to have a new life while guarding those secrets. There are parts that are raw and ugly but their love story brings so much brightness to the dark.
I still have a bunch of questions and I can’t wait to find out the answers in the next books. There were parts of this book that were pretty choppy and some that I had to go back to see if I missed something but it was still a book I recommend that you read!
For me Dylan Allen is one of those authors who touch my soul with their words. The beauty of their stories is timeless and the way they are conveyed is so moving that you devour them with your whole being. Rise is a wonderful book that besides a great love story also raises an important topic, which is life with the consequences of parents mistakes, as well as evaluating the nature of the society wherein we live. This story also shows that neither your background nor the family you were born into don’t define you and persistence and hard work make you able to achieve everything you dream about.
Addie’s teenage life has changed drastically from day to day. Together with her mother and two sisters she was abandoned by her father and stigmatized by society because her father committed an unacceptable fraud. The sense of betrayal never left Addie even in adulthood and she began to see her own mother as a weak and pathetic person. That’s why she grew into an independent and strong woman who would never allow herself to be dependent on a man. Having graduated from the prestigious university she moved to London, where her career takes off. Until Simon gets on her way.
Despite a very difficult upbringing Simon managed to succeed as an architect. Unfortunately family issues seem to follow him forever, so he ended up with his younger brother on his couch and with nephew to rise. There’s no place for relationships and love in his life. However, since he saw beautiful Addie, he can’t stop thinking about her. Is the amazing chemistry that combines these two turns out to be fatal? Or will it be a salvation for Addie and Simon?
I love this couple with all my heart! The push and pull between them was completely understandable, considering the issues they were struggling with but the sexual tension didn’t give up! As soon as they let go for a second, they were overwhelmed by raw lust. I understand Addie’s fears perfectly- she was abandoned without explanation by a person who should be a male model for a young girl. On the one hand I admired her strength and determination and on the other I wanted her to have someone to rely on. Simon also suffered a terrible disappointment in life from the person who should take care of him. After really unpleasant experiences, he took responsibility on his shoulders and therefore refused to let himself to be happy. In addition to the electrifying chemistry, these two were connected by the need for mutual consolation. Their time together was so heartwarming and so hellishly sexy that I felt the steam with my whole self! Although they initially view each other as a total distraction, they proved to be exactly what they needed for themselves. Their love developed in a beautiful way and the thought that one for another is a reward for all the suffering in life brings a tear to the eye.
Dylan Allen doesn’t cease to amaze me. As soon as I reach for her stories I feel the magic that embraces my mind and heart. It’s not without reason that she’s called a peddler of passion- while reading you can feel the enormity of love that her books are filled with. Just like Rise.
I have enjoyed every ever written by this author and Rise is no different. The prologue sucked me right in. Addie has a big secret and she worries that if revealed, her career, relationships and essentially all aspects of her life would be ruined. She is a likable character who is independent and showed great perseverance and resilience after what happened to her as a preteen. At first I wasn’t sure about Addie because she resents how (she perceived) her mom handled what happened in the past and it turned into her going off on her mom which made me want to tell her to calm down put herself in her shoes, but it was necessary to show how she evolves as a character throughout the book. Simon also didn’t have an easy childhood and you can see how that affects his approach to romantic relationships. He is sweet and loving with a protective streak when it comes to his family. You cannot help, but love him even though he does pull a few bone-headed things. The first meeting between Addie and Simon is hilarious – especially Addie’s reaction! There is insta-lust between the two of them which isn’t really my thing, but I did like the two of them as a couple. While this book is a standalone, there is a loose end that I am hoping will be addressed in the next book, which is about Addie’s sister. Rise is an entertaining contemporary romance with a good plot, likable characters, hot chemistry, secrets, and a bit of drama. I received this book for free and I voluntarily leave this review.
“You’re so f*cking beautiful. I think you might be the most beautiful woman I have ever seen. I feel tormented by it.”
Rise by Dylan Allen is a remarkable read. I’m a big fan of this author’s books, and can’t believe I’m just now reading her debut novel. Not unexpectedly, Rise was riveting, poignant, and captivating from the first pages. This book is original and realistic, with a unique storyline. Expect beautifully broken characters, drama, angst, an instant connection, and heat for days. Dylan Allen’s descriptive and emotive writing makes reading her books an experience, because you don’t just read them – you feel them. An unforgettable and memorable read Rise is no exception. Because I’ve read this author’s more recent works, I felt Rise was lacking in some areas of execution and character building, in that I struggled to picture these characters physically, and left a little to be desired. In addition this book is written as an interconnected standalone, however one main part of the plot is left unresolved until the next installment.
I truly enjoyed this book, and would definitely recommend Rise as an unputdownable, absorbing, and spellbinding read. Fall in love, and one-click Rise today! Enjoy babes, xo
Hiding not only from her past but from her heart Addie becomes all she ever wanted to be with a dream career in the city she loves. She is a beautiful, strong, intelligent and independent young lady who knows what she wants and what she has time to deal with. Simon is not who she should be dreaming of. . . but she does. Beautiful story of healing, love, forgiveness and so much more. They both have a past they are hiding from things they are afraid to share. I loved this story and the way this debut author weaved the web. I love how she is not repeating so much as giving more info from another’s eye. The back story is good, my only thing is I wish the characters took longer before going further, built up the friendship which really needed to help support this deep love.
I love this author’s work and can only see her getting better. I am so glad to be apart of her beginning so I can say, I knew her when. I look forward to many beautiful and emotional and yes yes passionate reads from this author.
The book is well written and the plot is quite different with some unexpected twists and turns.
I enjoyed the story and, whilst the main characters (in fact all the characters ) were well rounded and believable. I just didn’t fully engage /connect with them or ‘feel’ their emotion but that is a very subjective thing so please don’t let that put you off a good book. This is why it doesn’t get a higher rating from me.
Whilst I wasn’t left with a feeling of having read an emotional or powerful book, at no point did I get bored or feel like putting the book down as a DNF.
The pace of the story is good, the chemistry between Addy and Simon is nicely portrayed, the narrative flows smoothly and the book is easy to read.
Wow!!!! This is a MUST READ!!
What can I say???? This book Rise by Dylan Allen is absolutely amazing!! The Love story of Simon and Addie is so beautifully written. Dylan pulls you in and makes you feel like this book is a true story, it gives you all the feels!! I laughed,cried,screamed and rooted for these two. Both Simon and Addie came from messed up backgrounds and yet they both RISE above their circumstances to be better than what they could’ve been. This book was the perfect amount of love, passion,strength and heartache! I can’t wait to read more books by Dylan Allen!
I couldn’t wait to read this after finishing Remember. Yes, I technically read the books out of order, but since they can be read as standalones, it didn’t matter. I wanted to know all the things about Addie and Simon and their story didn’t disappoint!
Addie is such a driven and closed off individual following the events of her childhood. She has hidden her scars and tried to distance herself as much as possible from that life. Simon also has been dealt a tragic set of cards and has struggled to balance his sense of duty and loyalty to his family with his own needs and desires. Though I didn’t always agree with her or Simon’s actions, I certainly could understand why they were making the decisions that they were.
The chemistry between Simon and Addie from the moment they meet is electric. Simon is the perfect blend of sweet and thoughtful and oh so sinfully sexy! His dirty mouth in the bedroom and alpha personality almost melted my kindle! The push and pull between Addie and Simon as well as the slow burn build-up made the moments so much more intense and delicious. Every glance, kiss, and lingering touch was so meaningful and when it all finally boils over, it is beyond perfect. Though Dean will always be my favorite I think since I met him first, Simon is a very, very, very close second.
One of my favorite things about both books so far is how Dylan Allen has woven the timelines together to create this incredible story. There is some overlap viewing a particular moment from a different character’s POV and it’s absolutely brilliant! I can’t wait to read Lilly’s story next in Release and am still stunned that this was Dylan Allen’s debut novel. Simply amazing!
This book was a good read. Simon and Addie will definitely keep you interested in their story, and as much as they fight what they feel for each other, they are both great in their own way. They will definitely aggravate you with the back and forth between what they feel and what they think is the right thing to do but you will want to know how things turn out, not only with them but with family, friends and work. I’m more than sure there will be another book following this one and I would definitely read it because this story is far from over. I enjoyed all of the characters a lot and I look forward to reading more books from this author.