From RT Book Reviews New Adult Award Winner, comes a suspenseful small town mountain romance.Lost in the shadows of a tragedy that stripped Aurora of everything she once loved, she’s back in the small town of Balsam Grove, ready to face all she’s kept locked away for seven years. Or so she thinks.As one of the victims of a string of mysterious disappearances in the small, picturesque Appalachian … picturesque Appalachian Mountain town, darkness has become her home—her safe blanket when the world reveals its true colors. But as the walls of darkness start to move in on her, she knows the only way to free herself from her past is to face it, head-on. She just needs to figure out how.
Upon arrival, Aurora isn’t expecting her first collision to be with the boy she left all those years ago. The boy who betrayed her trust with no regrets. The boy who is no longer a boy, but a man with the same stormy eyes that swept her into his current before she ever learned to swim.
She’d thought he was safe. He’d thought their path was mapped out. Turns out neither of them was ready for the crash at the bottom of the cascade.
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K.K. Allen crafted a breathtakingly original love story full of mystery and suspense. The storyline gripped me from beginning to end. It was full of raw, unadulterated passion and emotion, making me truly vested in the characters right from the first page. Jaxon and Aurora’s tale is one of heartbreak, intrigue, and most of all – a story of forgiveness. I smiled at the tender moments, and my heart broke from their tragedies. The complex layers of emotions that grew from childhood to adulthood absolutely blew me away.
What struck me the most about this book was Allen’s ability to effortlessly weave descriptive details into the story. She allowed me to paint a clear picture in my mind, so much so that I could visualize every one of Jaxon or Aurora’s brush strokes. At times I felt as though I could actually hear the roar of the waterfalls as I read.
Waterfall Effect is an insanely intense, emotional, and amazing story. It will take any reader on an emotional journey of love, yet filled with plenty of angst, that will leave even the harshest of critics gripping the edge of their seat. And when it’s all over, it will leave you breathless and thinking about the characters long after you read the words THE END.
“You came into my life like the fastest river, unsure of where you would end up. And then you leapt- from that rock at Hollow Falls when you were fifteen years old. You leapt and you crashed into my world. Even then, I saw you. I didn’t realize what it meant- I wouldn’t allow myself to figure it out- but I could feel it.”
There are some books that keep you awake until the wee hours of the morning and when you turn the last page of the book the first thought that comes to your mind is — “This was worth it.”
Being my first 5 Star of 2018 this is one of those books where losing sleep is so worth it.
Cover to cover, Waterfall Effect is a poetic prose that is meaningful, captivating, thrilling and above all breathtaking that left me in awe of this story as I turned the last page.
To be very honest, I hadn’t read the blurb nor had I seen the cover when I signed up. I just saw the title of the book and the name of the author and I just knew I had to get it simply because of the fact that K.K. Allen is an immensely talented writer who goes not deep not only in her characters and their psyche but all the psyche of the setting and the way it plays with the story which adds to the reading experience.
“She was four years younger, and her feelings for me weren’t subtle. Around my friends, that was dangerous. That night haunted me for two damn years—until I saw her again and could finally make up for everything we’d lost. Can we do it again? Yet another tragedy has brought her back to me—first her mother’s death, and now her father’s. But will she stay this time?”
This is the story about a girl who is the centre of a tragedy that has left her in pieces. Leaving behind her home and the only boy she ever truly loved with all her heart and soul, Aurora sought a new life that allowed her to pick up her shattered pieces.
Six years later, Aurora is back in the mountains — still trying to piece her heart and her life back together — in the same town where everything was destroyed.
The quaint little town that she once called home looks the same but its history and its people are marred by the spine-chilling tragedy and one thing is clear — Aurora June is not welcome.
“My mind is spinning when I give in to the memories of the boy that made my heartbeat against my chest the way the water beats against the boulders.”
This is the story about a boy who was left behind in the aftermath. Jaxon Mills’ love for Aurora June trespassed any and all tragedies. It was the kind of passionate love that seeps into your bones and never let’s go.
Six years later, he is standing face-to-face with the shell of a girl he once loved.
Told in between the past and the present, mainly from Aurora’s point of view and a few times from Jaxon’s; Allen gives us a story that is raw and painful but shines with a glimmer of hope for everything to get better.
“I was the riverbed, trying to hold steady in the roughest water. Time was the river, and it continued to move over me, fast and furious on its way to the plunge. He said that every boulder I set up was me trying to stop time—stemming from a fear of moving forward and a fear of returning to where I came from.
Waterfall Effect is not a typical romance, it’s more than that. It is about fighting with yourself and learning to stand up. It’s about finding strength in the face of a tragedy. Add into all of this a well-plotted suspense and twist this book will keep you hooked.
As I’ve already said — cover to cover I am in complete awe of this book and I highly recommend it to anyone who is looking for something “more” in their books.
5 Stars!
Talking about emotion overload… this book deserve a 6+++
Aurora June , a young woman who is lost.. confused, heartbroken.. trying to piece her life when a miracle stepped infront of her… Her heart is so broken.. in hope that her past can heal it again until she met Jaxon Mills…
The story is well written… the imagination of being so serene in between waterfalls.. the rural area of Appalachian mountain town… a small town which held a very painful memory….
From the first chapter.. my curiosity had peaked through the pages…I feel the sense of hurt and sadness .. so lonely when the world had fallen onto you…this is a story of a woman who is trying to find herself again.. either to love or forgive… to be happy…
KK Allen has suprised me again.. this is a total fresh story.. its a slight different genre but its so her … her style of writing is descriptive.. I love the mountain.. the coldness of the story… there is a sense of comfort despite of many storms… My heart break at some point to see the cruelty in between the story.. Noone is perfect…neither is Aurora and Jaxon..
No amount of words can describe about my feelings after I finish the book…
Things that would be right.. yet it feel so wrong… im an emotional trainwreck…
I loved the build up of the relationship, the love story, the suspense and the little bit of action it had.
Only my 2nd book by this author and I’m loving her work. The kind of reads you don’t want to put down and when you do the story stays in your head.
Let me start off by saying that I love K.K. Allen! I’ve read quite a few of her ARCs for her recent releases and loved them. That being said, I finally had some time to put into her backlist before I discovered her. Waterfall Effect has been on my list since day #1 due to the genre and cover. The cover is so pretty and exemplifies the essence of the story so well.
However, the story itself fell a little flat to me compared to her recent work. Of course, I think that sometimes happens when you read the earlier work after reading recent work from any author. There wasn’t anything inherently “bad” about this story. I just felt like it was very long (so long that I ended up skimming parts), lacked some chemistry, and didn’t get me in the feels like she usually does. I liked that we received a look into the past with Jaxon and Aurora but I didn’t “feel” it. We were shown their past. I wanted to feel their past and their chemistry so when we got to the present day that I felt it in my chest.
The genre itself was intriguing. The plot line is very creative and unique. That definitely pulled me in to read this book. I will say that she threw me at the end. There are a couple twists and turns that I didn’t see coming so she handled that well.
All in all, this was a solid decent book. If you are a fan of K.K. Allen’s, I would say definitely pick it up and give it a try. Even if you don’t know her work, give it a try. Everyone has different tastes and preferences in their books. It is definitely unique!
Feeling SO MUCH love for the Waterfall Effect by K.K. Allen! This was my second read from her, and she’s quickly becoming a one-click author for me! If you enjoy romantic suspense in a small town setting, with all the feels and intense romance, I absolutely recommend this book for you!
What to expect: strong female lead, swoonworthy hero, small town vibes, killer on the loose, mystery & suspense, betrayal, lies, emotion, and all the FEELS! Grab your copy NOW!
“Waterfall Effect” is one of my favorite books by K. K. Allen.
I’m reading this book again and it felt like it was my first time. I can read every book this author wrote and will write, but “Waterfall Effect” will always be my favorite book.
I love the way she described the waterfalls in Balsam Grove and the nature that makes that place so magic.
Her words are so beautiful to read and easy that you fall in love.
Jaxon and Aurora are one of my favorite couples. They are so perfect together. The love and connection they shared is incredible.
I will always recommend this book to new readers and if you are one that never read a book by K. K. Allen please start with this one. She is an amazing author.
————————FIRTS REVIEW———————
———————————2019—————————
K. K. Allen was one of the authors I put in my list “I needed to read this year” and I started with this wonderful book.
I have choosen this one because:
1. I loved the cover when I saw it.
2. The title capture my mind after.
3. I love a romance with a bit of suspense.
When I start this book I couldn’t stop crying in the first pages, my heart felt for Aurora. She couldn’t belive what was happening to her and neither did I. How the love of her life testified against her father after she begged him not to do that and I was thinking what I would do if I was Aurora or Jaxon?
Jaxon and Aurora chemistry killed my soul. They were in love since they were kids. I don’t know why but I love the way the two of them loved witch other. All the bad moments they had and six years they were separated and the love was there.
The first thing I did when I finished this book was seeing all the waterfall and land scale Balsam Grove have. The beautiful places a country need to have is that. I loved the way K. K. Allen described all the places and the story. God she captured my heart and soul in this book. I couldn’t put this book away. When I finished I need to read the epilogue. What a cherry she put in the cake. One of my favorite books this year. Deserve the 5 stars I gave and more.
Book story:
Six years later Aurora was again in her home town Balsam Grove. She couldn’t belive her father was dead and left the house to her. She was afraid to returned home again.
Will the population in her town hate her after what her father did to her and to all the girls? But what was scaring her the most was what would it be if she saw Jaxon again? She knows she needed to find her purposes again.
After Aurora left the town Jaxon was very hurt.
He was sad because he made the right decision, but in her eyes he saw he lost her forever.
Time passed and Jaxon needed to started his life again and his art was everything in his life. And he started to make a life without Aurora.
…The rest you need to read it.
I RECOMMEND this book to all the people who love romance with a bit of suspense. And this author is wonderful with her words.
After almost loosing her life Aurora leaves her town and Jaxson. Seven years later she comes back to find herself and in the process she finds Jaxson. This book has twists and turns that you don’t see coming. Great characters and storyline. Highly recommended. Excellent book. Love Jaxson, Aurora, and Lacey.
I’m not usually a big fan of mystery/suspense mixed in romance unless it’s dark. Calling this book suspenseful is a stretch. It is there, but not so much that your waiting to know what will happen next because its everything is thrown in at the end. Don’t get me wrong, the ending was the best part, but I would have liked to seen more of a build up. I liked Aurora and Jaxon. I was rooting for them to fix their pasts so they’d have a future together. It was very satisfying seeing them find a way back to each other.
The story may not have been my favorite, but the romance and the end was hard not to enjoy.
This is a brilliant story- Aurora June can’t recall those 3 days she was taken at all only what she has been told. Her dad the man they tried to convict, but he was declared insane. He would never see her again. She is back in her home town trying to find herself. No one wants here here but Jaxon has never forgotten his first love either. This is suspenseful amazing read, love all the waterfalls. I want to visit.
This is the first novel by K.K. Allen that I have read and it won’t be the last. I really enjoyed this book. I loved the characters, the story line, the twists that I didn’t see coming…. in fact everything about this story ticked every box for me. I feel my only wish is that I would have liked that heart beating suspense feeling a touch sooner in the book, but that is probably me being a little greedy!
I loved the characters Jaxon and Aurora and I could definitely feel the chemistry between them. In fact I felt that all the characters in this novel played their roles perfectly. Once the story had me hooked I didn’t want to put my kindle down.
I have read so many recommendations for this book, and you certainly get one from me too. Enjoy!!
There were so many twists and turns, and a few time jumps to this story so be prepared for the wild ride. This was a great suspenseful read.
What do you do when something overcomes you, a trauma that has made you forget pieces in your life, in your mind, you think you’ll never get back, or you never thought had lost!
And one thing that happens in the story is something that happens to a lot of people. I think the author really captured it and has written it out beautifully. This was my first read from this author and it definitely won’t be my last one! Even though I had a bit of trouble at the beginning in following the story, it picked up quite nicely and I didn’t want to stop reading. Every word just took me by storm. I can’t believe I waited this long to read this book after I heard so many great things about it and trust me, it’s all true 🙂 Apart from the story, the writing is another thing that really got me hooked. The author really has a way with words and how to draw you in! Every chapter in this book just took me in deeper and deeper, in a way I even didn’t think was possible; that’s just how good it is. A definite must read!
Aurora decides it is time to go back to the one place she never thought she would return to; especially after what has happened but there’s just something lingering inside her that is trying to find a way out. She thinks by being back there, it’ll trigger something in the depths of her soul that will reveal the truth that’s buried deep inside. She just never thought she would see the one boy that not only broke her heart but also her trust, after all these years and when she and Jaxon come face to face again, there’s something between them that hasn’t passed over the years they have been apart… and that’s the love they have for each other. Step by step, Aurora is finding herself again but amidst it all there’s a danger lurking closely that will reveal itself with time. Will Aurora finally be able to discover what has happened so many years ago and will she and Jaxon finally have another chance to be together?…
I was so excited to receive an ARC of this book! K.K. Allen is one of my favorite authors and this suspenseful romance did not disappoint. This story is set in a small mountain town over several years time. The depth of the main characters is a slow unraveling that is both wonderful and unnerving to uncover. The connection and history between Jaxon & Aurora was beautifully written even amidst the tragic and horrific past events involving Aurora, her father and their quaint small mountain town. When they reunite after several years time you can feel all of the passion, love, hurt, regret, and hope between them. You can’t help but fall in love with their love, and hope that the secrets of their past will only reveal the truth and allow them to rediscover each other and their dreams. I love Aurora’s strength and courage despite all that she has survived, and when she must face a small town who turned their back on her. She portrays the ideal strong, independent woman fighting to figure out just exactly who she is and where she belongs.
Read it!!
This book is absolutely bursting with all the feeeeels. Second-chance romance in a small town, & full of mystery and suspense, building to a dramatic climax. The romance is written so beautifully. A young, forbidden love that was so strong, nothing could keep it down… I’m in love with this book!
Amazing beautiful story!
I love KK Allen’s writing so much!! Jaxson and Aurora’s story is breathtaking. The love, the heartbreak, the angst, the suspense- this book has it all.
I love how KK Allen describes Balsam Grove and the scenery, the arts, the nature, the waterfalls. I felt like I could hear water rushing while I read the book.
The supporting characters are incredible and add so much to the story! The details of mental illness and no one how it affects a person but the people around them was intense but amazing.
Aurora was such an amazing person, trying to figure out her past. And Jaxson- heartbroken but caring and supportive amongst his pain! This is a must read!!!
KK Allen’s work never ceases to amaze me, but this book…wow! Waterfall Effect will have your mind spinning, your emotions running wild, and keep you guessing until the very end of the book. This novel is one wild ride you’ll never want to exit.
There’s so much beauty in this novel. KK Allen is immensely descriptive when it comes to where this novel takes place. You literally can visualize the waterfalls, hear the crunch of the leaves, and listen to the wildlife in the woods in the small mountain town nestled in North Carolina where Waterfall Effect takes place. As a person who’s lived in North Carolina for over 20 years, I honestly can say, Ms. Allen hit the nail on the head when it comes to our gorgeous hiking trails, waterfalls, and hidden gems.
The romance was full of angst, forbidden love, secrets, and damn…was it hot! KK Allen can write the best angsty romance novels. The build – up is always slow burning and intense, like a slow burning candle lit on both ends. Once the flames touch—it’s explosive!
The suspense. I swear my knuckles where white due to holding onto my kindle so tightly. Waterfall Effect will keep you asking yourself questions about a few of the characters throughout the story, wondering who can be trusted and who is the snake in the grass. Ms. Allen did an amazing job on the suspense aspect of this story.
I highly recommend this book. It has everything—romance, suspense, injustice, small town gossip, emotional highs and lows, and the most perfect storyline. If I could rate it higher than 5 stars I most definitely would.
Whoa doggy.
This one will take you on a journey. A. Journey.
As always, KK Allen brings together the perfect blend of angst, suspense, and gorgeous writing.
Waterfall Effect by K.K. Allen is a small town, second chance, romantic suspense full of twisty surprises that will make your heart race. Wow! The cover might very well be the most gorgeous book cover that I’ve ever had the pleasure of feasting my eyes upon, but the writing inside is even more beautiful. Each scene was alive and rich with vivid imagery, and I drank it all in, savoring every single word. I was completely enthralled by Aurora’s journey to find herself, heal, restore her memories, and reunite with Jaxon, the love of her life.
“He was the wild rush of the creek barreling by, a force powerful enough to alter even the sturdiest of landscapes, and he halted me with his eyes. Icy gray orbs with a stormy finish. And I wanted to fall. To let his rapids carry me and take me over the edge. I wanted to live in his waterfall.”
I loved this story! It was dark, passionate, mysterious, deeply intense and entirely captivating. It was phenomenal! I can’t wait to read more by this author.