The summer after senior year was supposed to be the best summer of my life.It was supposed to be full of adventure and self-discovery and making love under the stars.It was supposed to be about losing myself and finding my way.Only, it wasn’t supposed to start like this.I wasn’t supposed to go to that party.He wasn’t supposed to notice me.The hot jock with the … supposed to notice me.
The hot jock with the trust fund and chip on his shoulder.
My ex-boyfriend’s half-brother.
Noah Tedesco is so far out of my league he might as well be playing a different game.
Noah wasn’t supposed to look twice at a girl like me, but he did.
Now that I’m on his radar, my life will never be the same.
Truly is a dark, coming of age romance that explores themes like NON-CON DUB-CON, and happily ever after.
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Truly.
What a ride. Carmel Rhodes pulls out all the stops in her most emotionally developed, dare you to look away dark romance Truly. From the very first page you are pulled into the world of Truly, an uncomfortable High School senior struggling to figure out life, love, and herself.
The journey she takes is unforgettable and will stay with you long after you close this beauty. The book deals with so many issues – bullying, heartbreak, sexuality, love, friendship, exploration, pushing out of comfort zones, and discovering oneself. Throughout it all, Carmel’s writing has you feel every emotion, every up, every down on the journey. You will be uncomfortable, you will be angry, you will swoon, you will laugh. The novel is so beautifully written that you will experience every moment of Truly’s growth right along with her. Add onto it the emotionally complex Noah and you have a deadly mixture that will leave you wanting more.
Truly Great.
Carmel Rhodes has penned a novel that is dark, detailing events that are triggers for most; hence, the warning at the beginning of the novel and found in the book’s blurb. But underneath the dark tones shadowing this novel, there is indeed romance still.
Noah Tedesco and Truly Parker, together were not a simple push and pull but rather a shove and yank. Everything about them is intense though there are glimpses of soft, sweet moments in-between. At first, those moments are pretty much non-existent as we are privy to an act (one which I will refer to as the tree house event going forward), that will indeed deem Noah as the anti-hero and villian of this story. I strongly disliked him, probably harbored more hate for him than Truly did. He’s confident verging cocky. His presence and force is so in-your-face that you will be drawn to him, and once you are exposed to the vulnerability that lies right below Noah’s surface you start to hate him a bit less, full on liking him a little bit more.
Truly is grief, fear, and trauma all in one. The victim of this story, we watch her work through her emotions and somehow as the story progresses, so does Truly. She separates Noah into two versions, the one who hurt her and the one who, despite his actions, she is growing this weird attachment to. The thing I loved most about Truly is that after the tree house event, she begins to push back against Noah’s force and she’s not afraid to let him know that he did hurt her. However, as Truly delves deeper into the hurt boy she begins to understand his forceful and rough nature… But she also discovers herself.
From the road trip to honor Truly’s mother, the Melody Parker journal entries and all the sentimental places said journal takes them; to Noah’s character growth and acceptance, and Truly’s truly caterpillar to butterfly moments–there was so many things I liked about this novel! But, I did think for Truly to forgive Noah for the tree house event, something that was so massive, but react the way she does later in the novel over something miniscule in comparison to said tree house event, was a bit of an overreaction. Nevertheless, part three, the Jameson section of this novel, ended up being my favorite and was filled with some heart fluttering romancing, but of course, in true Noah and Truly fashion.
***WARNING: Though there is a happily ever after, Truly is a coming-of-age interracial romance exploring themes of non and dubious consent.
Carmel Rhodes is created a books with all the twist and turns we love in a DARK Romance. She is fearless.
Truly is an amazing character who is trying to figure out her life, and when Noah who is her ex-boyfriends brother notices her things become complex. This is a beautifully written story which is dark and intense, and filled with heartbreak, bullying, friendship, and love which all leads to a humorous and all-consuming storyline. This story is not for the faint-at-heart, and this tale has the unique ability to push boundaries and make you think. This talented author has done an outstanding job in penning this tale, and she is certainly at the top of my list of favourites.
I honestly didn’t think Carmel Rhodes could top my most loved book of her’s Cherry Bomb because that book has Alpha all over it. I was W-R-O-N-G! Truly is Everything! She hit Steroid level writing this book! Noah is such an Alpha-hole, a bully, so possessive and man did I love him! And Truly was such a brat a lot of times pushing his buttons, she was genuine, kind and a true friend. I loved Noah and Truly! The Psycho Monster and his Little One. Gah- I swooned over these two and my emotions were all over the place. The heat level of these scenes were hot and intense. Watch out because Carmel Rhodes has made it to the Bully Romance scene and is taking over!
I knew I’d love this book because anything by Carmel Rhodes I immediately love. Just her intro/blurb we’ve been teased with had me sold. I read the entire book in one night then had to reread it slowly because I knew I probably missed something. Truly is a loyal, stubborn girl with a big caring romantic heart. Noah is the true bad boy we all love to hate and you will hate him but you will fall in love with him. If you’ve read Carmel’s Lithium Springs series CT is my all time #1 favorite Carmel Rhodes character but Noah is now pretty high up there at CT level. There are some dark areas so definitely head her warning but this book is a definite must read!! You will cry and get angry but you will also fall in love with these characters and all the amazing details Carmel Rhodes has put into them. My favorite line in the book which is the perfect description of Noah is “he is whiskey in a wine glass, fire and spice hiding in a pretty polished package.”
Omg I could put this book down once I started. I loved everything about it. Tru and Noah had a love story like I have never read before but was perfect. They are 2 imperfect broken souls that ended but being perfect for each other. Even with Devin in the mix made their love that much more pure and keeps you reading. I did love the little tv show plug, I died laughing at that. Once again a perfect book that I need more because Tru and Noah broke me but made me love them that much more!!!!
So about 25% of the way into this book two things occurred to me at the same time.
Number 1. This is a brilliant book!
And number 2. This is gonna hurt me badly at some point.
I was right on both counts by the way and I regret nothing.
TRULY
Truly is a fairly innocent 17/18 year old. She’s just graduated high school and is all set to spend three weeks of travelling the country with her bestie.
Things do not start off well for her though.
She’s upset and so her friend talks her into going to a party to cheer her up.
While there she realises that it’s her ex’s brother’s hoose! And this guy has always been kinda mean to her. That’s because he (Noah) and her ex (Devin) do not get along. They shared the same dad – who died when they were kids – and seem to hate each other now, although why isn’t clear.
For the last couple of years, Noah has been teasing her and mainly being a jerk.
Then something happens between the two of them and it leaves Truly a mess of nerves and traumatised.
The story goes through Truly’s incredible transformation from quiet and good and sheltered to wild and passionate and determined to live for herself more.
NOAH
This lad…well I’m so torn about how I feel about him.
He’s a complete tool at times and his actions and behaviour are most certainly unacceptable…I think? See, this is my issue.
He’s been a prick. Done unforgivable things. But he’s somehow redeemable. And I don’t hate him!
Well played Ms Rhodes, well played.
He’s dark and broody. Unpredictable and wild. But can be sweet and gentle too.
He’s got some internal demons though and that’s for sure.
What goes on inside his head is a direct result of his…experiences and most definitely contributes to his actions and reactions.
So I feel for him…and then I feel for him,ye ken? Lol!
Anyway, this relationship is a little toxic and a lot intense and sexy AF!
I will say this though, I wish I had met someone like this when I was 18 because…damn! No one at 18 knows how to fuck like this. No one at 18 has that much confidence in their sexuality…right? Please tell me I’m right and that I didn’t just always hook up with losers!!
SEX SCENES
The dirty talk in this story was on-freakin’-point. Damn it made me wet! And again I say, I love angry sex!
“Run,” he murmurs against my lips. I blink up at him. Then, a split second later, I bolt, trying in vain to reach the bathroom. Noah is a world-class athlete. He can outrun and overpower me without breaking a sweat, but he lets me almost get there. My hand touches the cool metal knob before I’m yanked back by my hair. “Not fast enough.” “Let me go,” I grit, letting his depravity seep into every crevice of my body until it becomes my own. My heart races. The space between my legs throbs at his harsh touch. He yanks my head back, his free hand plunges into the front of my sleep shorts, and he groans when his fingers glide through my folds with ease. “God, it’s like you were made for me.” I turn, shocked by the tenderness of his words, but the moment is fleeting as I’m shoved into the door with so much force it slams closed. “On your knees.” He fists my ponytail, dragging me to the ground so hard my knees hit the floor with a thud. Noah’s thumb traces my lips. I open for him, allowing him to insert the digit in my mouth. He presses it against my tongue. “You like being on your knees for me, don’t you, Tru?”
Final Thoughts on TRULY by Carmel Rhodes
Reading the blurb, I thought that this was going to be darker than it was. Yes, there were definite dub/non-con scenes but I was picturing abduction, abuse and maybe some kind of Stockholm syndrome.
However, it was an excellent story and I enjoyed every word.
OMG Truly had my emotions all over the place with this one. On one hand you hurt for Tru and then you enjoy watcher her be happy only to see her break again. In the mix is Noah who you don’t never really seem to get what his true motivation is for wanting Tru.
The twist in this story almost had me trow my phone across the room I was so mad. Even with that twist these two are so cute together.
Honestly, this book was a little hard to take. It was everything that I have come to expect from a Carmel Rhodes book. The story was fantastic and it was totally engaging. I really did like it. However I had a hard time reconciling the beginning of the book with the ending.
Carmel Rhodes blew my mind with this one. I fell fast and so hard for Noah and Truly and their rocky story. The warning is no joke, this book is dark, but in the best possible ways.
Truly herself is such an amazing character. Loyal. Caring. Stubborn. Selfless. And she wears her beautiful heart on her sleeve. Noah is seemingly her opposite in many ways. Selfish. Pushy. Selective about who he lets in. Stubborn as well, but extremely driven. When they come together it’s an explosion. Neither hold anything back. And while Truly submits to her man she makes him earn it first.
The emotions involved… gahh. My heart was all over the place. Me: No, he shouldn’t have pushed that far. Also me: mmm, Noah is so sexy and alpha.. okay, I can get over it. Noah pushes boundaries, but Truly pushes them right back.
Have you figured out how much I love this book yet? If you haven’t, let me spell it out: this book is everything! Grab it! Read it! Don’t wait!!
This book was intense and amazing! I could not put it down! Once again Carmel Rhodes has done it again with this brilliantly written story!
“ ? . ? .“
Whew.
I was sold on this from the blurb.
And then I got the book.
And I read it all in one sitting.
I love uncomfortable romance(that’s what I’m calling it, so shh.) The kind that forces you out of your comfort zone when you read it. And this, this definitely delivered on that for me.
I loved Truly. Her journey wasn’t just about the romance. She grew, opened up, transformed, into this incredible being that knew her self worth. She stumbled along the way, but they were growing pains.
Noah was the definition of an uncomfortable hero. He wasn’t a bad guy, but he wasn’t the good guy either. He also wasn’t stuck in his box. He started with layers, and then he exposed even more.
The dynamics between the friends, the families, the dichotomies displayed.
‘ ’ , ’ , .‘
This won’t be my last read by this author.
Truly by Carmel Rhodes is a dark coming of age romance that I listened to on audio narrated by Lacy Laurel.
This is the first book of Carmel’s that I have read and it won’t be my last. The best way I can describe Truly and Noah’s relationship is messy and a bit toxic. But through the book they both really grew together and by the end you couldn’t help but root for them.
Lacy did a great job on the narration. I look forward to listening to more of her work in the future.
I would recommend this book if you like dark romances, new adult romances, or coming of age romances.
Audiobook Obsession Reviewer
Truly has been waiting for years to go on a cross country trip. It couldn’t come soon enough, after her boyfriend of 2 years humiliated and broke up with her at graduation.
This is a trip that her mom wrote about in her journal. All her mother’s thoughts and dreams are written in there. Truly planned this trip with her bestie, Becca. She wanted to get closer To her mom and have get the same life experiences.
Becca invited her boyfriend to tag along. Truly ex’s brother, Noah, invited himself.
Noah is arrogant, pushy, obsessed and possessive when it comes to Truly. She doesn’t want anything to do with him, but he is persistant. As she gets to know him, Truly is falling for him. when a secret is revealed. she breaks it off with Noah. Noah has to earn her love in order to win her back.
This is a dark, steamy, bully romance, that their relationship is toxic/complicated/ steamy.
Lacy Laurel told this story with so much emotion. I felt all the anguish, angst, love, confusion, anger of each and every character. Amazing narration.
audiobookObsession
I liked it! Truly is a beautiful, strong, and intriguing character. Noah is enigmatic, dominant, devious, manipulative, and possessive. Their story is complex, emotional, dark, raw, and twisted. This story is definitely original, heart-rending, and captivating. Lacy Laurel did an excellent job with the narration. She was perfect as Truly! Her performance is amazing. I loved Connor Crais’s short appearance. I enjoyed it. If you like DARK romance, this one is for you. #AudiobookObsession
Truly
By: Carmel Rhodes
Narrated by: Lacy Laurel, Connor Crais(cameo)
Carmel Rhodes, you have a way of getting in my head! This story is not an easy listen. Truly is graduating high school and is dumped by her boyfriend, Devon. Why you ask? Because he is moving on. Now she finds herself taking the road trip she has planned for years with Devon’s brother Noah and another couple. But why Noah? He is extremely popular and good looking, but his erratic behavior has her on edge. Circumstances have shown a side of him that is dark and dangerous. What will become of these two? How will Devon react when he finds out? And what will happen when they return? Dark, twisted and erotic, this story takes two broken people, and lets them slowly heal. It definitely has some triggers, so be warned, but if you love characters who are complex, full of layers and you love to hate and hate to love, then this book is for you. Truly has her own set of problems as she carries a lot of guilt for the death of her mother. Noah has deep seeded childhood problems and Truly can see past the hurt and abuse. It’s a true love story and had my heart pounding and falling all at the same time. A great listen!
Narrated by the talents of Lacy Laurel, we get to fall into the story. She understands her characters and knows exactly how to bring them to life. Cameo by Connor Crais comes in near the end as a wonderful surprise too! For me, who loves the dark romances, it is a book I am glad I had the chance to listen to.
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Ahhhh. This is one of those super rec’d books. I had super high hopes for it. It met them for the most part. I may be on a different level of what I consider dark romance, but had this been something I read in the beginning of my journey I am sure I would have considered it darker than I do today.
What can I say that hasn’t been said already, a book written a little different than others, and I think that’s what I loved most. Those little snippets of Truly’s mom just lent so much to the story.
I was lucky to receive an Audio ARC from Hatter PR and I could not see anyone else other than Lacy Laurel giving life to Truly. Phenomenal job!!!
Audio ARC provided and I decided to leave an honest review.
This is not an easy book to review. Because it’s not going to be for everyone. If you don’t do dark romance in any way, stay FAR away from this. Because it doesn’t shy away from the dark stuff. (I was fine with -most- of it, but not everyone is me) Truly and Noah both have been through a lot, not that it any any way excuses Noah’s actions. Truly is weighed down by grief and being dumped is the last straw but having your exes half brother suddenly be all in your business was…a lot. Now there are definitely elements of dub AND non- con in this so beware, and Noah and Truly are toxic together. Even the best friends..are not nice people. But you wanna know what kept me hooked on this? The writing, the angst, the way Ms. Rhodes made me want to lean into the toxicity. So I did and it was worth it. I volunteered to listen and review a complimentary copy of this. All opinions are my own.
Truly was such a conflicting read for me. The events that conspire in the very start of the book really set the mood for this whole story. Dark Romances are my jam, they really are BUT the lack of consent really did me in. That set me off, made me drop my review a good full star.
Truly was really such a strong willed, beautiful girl who just had her heart broken so she wasn’t exactly in the best place. She really was a great heroine. Noah on the other hand I did not really like him until the very end and even then, I still wasn’t 100% on board with him. Yes, people make mistakes and have reasons for the bad things they do but UGH I was so annoyed with him.
Overall if you can get past the first “intimate” moment these two share (if that is what you want to call it) then the book is fairly solid. I loved the journal entries from Tru’s Mamma about her own road trip, but this book was not a solid win for me. Sorry, not sorry.bout her own road trip, but this book was not a solid win for me. Sorry, not sorr