
4.5 stars! I 1clicked ‘Tragic’ when I saw it was free. I had not heard of the series (unbelievable really), and I was intrigued by the blurb. It had high ratings and what the heck, it was free, right? What a find!
Running from her abusive past, Rook Walsh leaves Illinois with little money and barely more than the clothes on her back. She finds a job at a hotel and is then fired over a false claim. With no money, she is forced to live in a homeless shelter.
“Now I’m homeless, jobless, and broke. But at least I’m not scared and at least I’m not broken and at least I’m not letting people who know nothing about me dictate who I am.”
She hopes her day just might turn around when she is quite literally hit in the head with a business card for a photographer.
Realizing she has zero money for food, she takes the chance and goes to the booking, hoping to get the advertised job. Little did she know, this would be the day that changes her life forever.
Ronin Flynn, who was raised by his sister, Elise, since he was 10, works for Chaput studios of ‘Antoine Chaput-Photographer of Artful Beings’. As soon as Rook walks into the studio he knows instantly that she is the perfect person for the Tragic campaign. When Antoine agrees that she is best for the job, Ronin sets forth to make sure she signs the contract. He sees past her exterior and sees a lost, guarded, unhappy, and resigned girl. Yet he also sees defiance. And he is very interested.
“Of course, for very different reasons. Antoine wants to shoot her, I want to keep her. Antoine wants to take pictures if her gorgeous body and her fragile face, but I want to peel away her layers and see what’s underneath. Antoine wants to make her famous and I want to hide her away in my room, under the covers of my bed, under me.”
I loved Rook’s strength and ability to push beyond the walls that had kept her hidden for so long. She is a survivor.
‘”I’ve seen what being poor and stupid and scared does to you. I looked at it in the mirror and I’m not going back there.”
Rook and Ronin collaborate on the Tragic campaign. It is through this campaign that their relationship blossoms. It is intense. It is caring. It is mutually beneficial.
I fell in ‘book love’ with Ronin. He was strong, caring, patient and sexy as hell. He understands that Rook has a past she’s not over and is willing to take it slow.
“Why are you kissing me?”
“Because I can’t stop myself. And because I’m the only one who knows you, and you’re just Rook, the girl who appeared out of nowhere. But tomorrow you’ll be the face ‘Tragic’. And I don’t think you’re tragic at all, Rook.
The electricity between them was both on and off the set. I was hooked, sucked in, and never felt like it wasn’t believable.
I lean down again and brush against her ear with my lips as I whisper, “But no matter what happens-you will never shrink back into a corner from me again. Because I will never hurt you.”
I didn’t put this book down until I was finished and then immediately 1clicked the next book. I didn’t want their story to end and HAD to keep it going. The writing was fluid and consistent. The dialogue, dynamic. I loved all the side characters and they definitely added to the book.
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