Connected Review

Connected (Connections) by Kim Karr

What if a ‘Once in a Lifetime’ could happen twice?

Suffering from a past full of tragedy, Dahlia London's soul has been left completely shattered. Happily ever after is a far cry from reality in her world. But, when she is reconnected with her past, the bonds that form are irrefutable.

When River Wilde, lead singer of The Wilde Ones, comes back into Dahlia’s life, the intensity that fires their relationship combined with underlying feelings that have never died lead her to believe she has met her soulmate.

Struggling with confusion as old connections fade and new ones begin, Dahlia's grief begins to lift--but guilt remains. River wants to be the one to mend all that is torn within her.

But with a past that is never really gone, can their future survive?

Have you ever started a book when you really weren't feeling the greatest and thought to yourself maybe now isn't the best time to start this book... only to find yourself so completely engrossed in every word, every detail, that you couldn't put it down?  Yeah - Well that was me with Connected!  I was recovering from surgery, had some nasty complications that made recovery a little more difficult and I didn't really get a chance to read for over a week because I just didn't feel good... BUT one evening after watching almost an entire season of Veronica Mars on the DVR I found myself gazing at my Kindle thinking "I really want to start Connected because I've seen so many awesome reviews for this book from my fellow bloggers"  not to mention the blurb, the excerpt I had received from Kim for the blog tour, and the freaking gorgeous cover had my curiosity peeked.  So I picked it up with the intention to start it and just take it slow... But I couldn't, I ended up devouring it and was so captivated by these characters and their lives that when my three year old woke up in the middle of the night and crawled in bed with me I handed him the iPad and said "Watch a movie monster, Mommy's reading this book".  Of course at the time I kind of felt guilty because I really should have put my kindle down and cuddled him until he was ready to go back to bed... okay so at the time I didn't really feel guilty but I did once I realized what I had done (you know after I finished Connected and after I sat there glaring at the last sentence for about 20 minutes), even though he was more than happy to watch Team Umizoomi until he fell back asleep!  Obviously I am NOT going to get nominated for Mom of Year but what can I say... It's all Kim Karr's fault, or should I say it's Dahlia and Rivers fault?

So here's the deal with the book...

Well hell, I can't even begin to put into words the emotions this book inflicted in me so I can tell y'all why you should read it, other than YOU SHOULD READ IT!!! 

Don't hate me, it's one of those books where there is SO much I want to gush about - like:

Did she really just do that?
 Oh. My. God. She did!!! 
No wait, what did he just say to her? 
What the hell was that about? 
He is so darn sweet I want to pinch his cheeks, give him a big wet kiss, and then do dirty things to him! 
Oh my God... Did she really just do that?
And it goes on and on and on... but I can't gush because it would give to much away! But it's good my fellow book lovers... It's REAL good!

Kim has done such a wonderful job with bringing these characters to life... Dahlia... I wanted to hate her at times but I couldn't because I was SO inside her head that I felt every little emotion she did.  The love, the hurt, the confusion, the love, reality, the tough decisions... I felt like I was right there with her.  The connection (get it?  Connection?) she felt with River... it was undeniably beautiful, it touched my heart.... both times, and it made me want to call my husband (who was out of town at the time) and tell him all the reasons why I love him! 

Dahlia isn't just a fictional character in a book... she's a fictional character that comes across so real that even her mistakes make you love her even more!

Then there is River... Jesus, Mary, and Joesph!  Talk about a new book boyfriend (shh... don't tell my other book boyfriends, because like the Vegas Naughty Mafia T-shirt says - It's not cheating if they're in different books!)... he seriously couldn't have been more perfect.  Don't mistake my usage of perfect because he does have flaws.. but he's perfect for Dahlia!  He's sweet, kind, patient, and funny; but yet still has that cocky bad boy rocker thing going too!  And the things he says to her?  Um... Refer back to my line "I want to do dirty things to him".  But he also said some of the sweetest things to her and because I can't resist not sharing at least 1 quote... because this one is too good not to share and he said it at what I consider the absolute PERFECT moment:

"Those lyrics tell the story Dahlia, our story.  I wrote that song five years ago and even now when I sing it, your face is the face I see."

UGH, you'll understand when you get to it... you'll see WHY that quote (and the rest of it, which I did not share) couldn't have been said in a sweeter or more perfect moment!  

Needless to say Connected (Connections) by Kim Karr is one that NEEDS to go on your TBR's... if you've got it there - Seriously, go read it now!  If you've already read it - send me a message on FB or an email and tell me what you think of that ending and what you think will happen in book 2!  If you haven't added it - What are you waiting for?  This is a must read for 2013!

On that note I will ask one question - Is it Fall 2013 yet?  I'm ready for Torn!

If you missed my day on the Kim Karr Connected Blog Tour click HERE to read a little excerpt!

Happy Reading!