Book Review – Josh and Hannah by Lynda Chance

Josh and Hannah (Redwood Falls #1)
I got sucked in again, you guys!!! Into a YA’ish book (because of their ages) that had me glued and yet… I don’t know if I loved it or not. But there was something about it that had me. Recommended by my friend Joanna, and we…well, we have VERY similar taste in book-boyfriends. And it just so happens that I totally get her when she connects with one, ’cause I often find I connect just as intensely.

So even though it’s been a few days since she had recommended this one, after seriously “sampling” 3 books yesterday, I finally gave this one a go, and this is the one that stuck. This is the one that had me scrambling to purchase the rest. This is the one that I happily stayed up until 3-something am for before I had no choice but to conk out. This is the one that had me reaching for it first thing in the morning, to finish.

Don’t let my “YA’ish” label fool ya. It’s older YA and I felt it.

This one that had me swoooooooning and melting even though logical-me said… this kind of demanding “boyfriend” can’t be good.

This intense relationship… attraction, super-connection (at such a young inexperienced age) would logically be… unhealthy. It had that potential to become a Steve Wilkos episode. Or maybe Dr. Phil. Steve always wants to bring on the frighteningly obsessed bossy boys to yell at ‘em and tell ‘em to stop being so controlling. Give them a dose of reality. Cut ‘em down to size. And in real life (where troubled family members and friends might want to intervene), I could so see Dr. Phil having a sit down with the young, damaged  and controlling “Josh”.

But reality is a buzz-kill when I’m reading, so… again, I tried shushing logical-me. This is not an eventual “Steve Wilkos show”, ’cause it’s fiction. It’s about finding that primal level love, that soul-mate that can’t be denied (no matter what age) and it romanced my heart right out of my chest. It would have been even easier if logical-me could just pipe down for once. But you know… sometimes that was quite difficult. Things Josh would say (no… demand), and Hannah would agree to… eeeeeep!!! I’d think to myself, how can I swoon after that? *shudder*…

… and then I’d swoon. LOL!!!

A deep spriral of heat coiled through her belly at the demand. Oh God. She couldn’t like him telling her what to do, could she? That wasn’t normal, was it?

Hehe. Oh relax… his “demand” was for her own good, in this instance. Trust me.

Yep. My silly super-romantic side ahhhhhhh’d and would try to drown out Miss Logical. After all, the author was careful… demanding, controlling and bossy, yes. Obnoxiously claiming, yes. But affectionate, protective and always SO so careful with her. Scary but not that kind of scary.

But then logical me says… “not yet“. *hrmph* And apparently, logical-me was highly irritated when she highlighted and noted a certain section with “bunch o’ cavemen little boys!!!”.

So what’s it about?

Fifteen (almost 16) year old Hannah is the daughter of one of the wealthiest families in this small, close-knit community. Protected, sheltered and exceedingly rich, but not your typical rich girl. In fact, she’s often targeted by the mean girls, instead of one of them.

And one evening, she catches the attention of super-sports-hottie (and exceedingly popular), 18 year old Josh, when he sees her being ostracized by said mean-girl group. So he walks up to her, kisses her passionately (to make the other girls jealous) and stalks off with her. And while it was supposed to be a “kiss” for appearance-sake, there’s that undeniable spark. Until he realizes she’s only 15. She insists 16!!!

“Sixteen won’t even be old enough, Hannah. That’s still too young for what I want…”

An he walks away and insists she keep away from him.

1.) ‘Cause of the age difference. While some 16/18 year old couples *should* be fine, nobody would ever accept innocent Hannah with Josh. Why?

2.) ‘Cause she’s from the right side of the tracks. And he is SO from the bad side. In fact, he’s tainted by his father’s criminal misdeeds. He just knows everyone has an eye on him, waiting for him to follow in his father’s footsteps.

But the relationship, for lack of a better word, between his family and hers was contentious at best and hostile at worst. And he figured Hannah didn’t have a clue that any of it was going on.

But she keeps trying… and he keeps resisting.

“Do us both a favor and remember that the next time you come looking for me. Repeat it to yourself if it helps. I’m dead serious, Hannah. You may feel grown-up, you may even know what you want, but the state of Texas doesn’t agree with you.”

YESSSSS for me!!!! I love that! But when he sees other guys around her… oh yes. That primal intensity, his need to claim her as his, overrides his logical side. And I loved that, too!

There was no question that he was pissed, even though he seemed to be trying to control it. The facial scar that always gave him an air of menace stood out more prominently than usual as his face filled with heat.

Not a word was spoken, but Hannah could almost feel the cold sweat break out on Steven. Josh never moved a step, never said a word, just stood and silently waited, his hostility more than apparent.

Steven received the silent message, and stood up with haste and left the room.

Ohhhh that’ll get me EVERY time. That intense connection that is acted upon at first and then, when logic sets in, someone (like 18!!! year old Josh) says… No. We mustn’t. Not yet.

Good, right? But everything about his demeanor is claiming her, no matter what he says.

His expression visibly softened, and even though she should be upset by his display of ownership, she wasn’t. Her insides were like marshmallows, and since she couldn’t date him, touch him, or even talk to him, this was the only source of communication she had with him. His display of jealousy was like a balm washing through her.

*thud*

YES YES YES!!!!! Sorry… *dusts myself off* … ooooooh re-reading those scenes (and I have so many of ‘em highlighted) really, reallllllly gets me.

Er… whaaaatt?  What I meant to say was… if I were her, I’d be all, “Nooooo I’m way too young. I must play the fields, and kiss other boys, focus on school, friends and extra curricular activities. I can’t have already met my soul mate at 15. That’s impossible.” *hrmph*<—- that’s logical-me. What’d I tell ya? Buzz-kill right?

But I get them. It’s typical of teens to think this (I mean teen-age love can seem like true love. Darn those intense connections and hormones at that age!!)

Ahhhh who am I kidding? When Josh couldn’t help but stare down her perfectly innocent nerdy-boy study partner until he left the library… I cringed… giggled and yes. I melted. 

But these primal “mine” demands are just not… acceptable.  Right? *smirk* (No but for real. In real life I’d be all…. GAH. RUN!!!!!). Yep… if she were my friend, that would be my adamant advice. But if she were me…?

Sure he’s the most obnoxiously possessive guy I’ve ever read apart from a vampire or alpha-shifter. But this is TRUE LOVE (er… just go with it. It helps). This is the romance-read so many of us crave. The kind that makes us simultaneously roll our eyes and yet melt into a puddle, ’cause we just can’t help ourselves. ‘Cause it’s OH soooooooo sweet and sooooooooooooooo intense. I can’t stress the hero’s intensity enough. He was Travis intense. Remy intense. Cooper intense. His own kind of intense. His own kind of damaged. He’s powerful, good at everything, has a true heart of gold. He’s the ultimate protective alpha-male. And yet his insecurities are so overwhelming, now that his heart is engaged, that he is constantly on the verge of destruction. Self and otherwise.

It gets messy.

This is another “Maryse feels the need to warn you” book. You don’t like that kind of overly-possessive, ridiculously controlling book-guy? This is not for you. You DO like that kind of book-boyfriend (even if it’s “secretly”). Than YA’ish or not… this is SO for you.

No… this is not a lesson in the perfect romance.  The perfect guy. The perfect couple.

But it’s a love story nonetheless. One that had me focused on every one of his scenes like an alpha-fiend.

4.5 stars for how intensely I felt so many of the scenes. Him. His character absolutely fulfilled my “intense-alpha” need. His ways (and reactions) were not just “told”. They were felt. And I sure felt ‘em.

3.5 stars for the story as a whole (because, even though I was affected, I was also often irritated. They are super-young after all and that young-feel didn’t let up). The angst was over-the-top and at times, predictable, the decisions and reactions went from silly to scary, and even though I tried to stifle my “Miss Logical”, she was there front row and center for this one, and didn’t love it as much as my “quick-to-love” heart did. So that’s her rating.

Not my perfect read, but it absolutely satiated my alpha-need. Maybe not one that I’d easily recommend to just everyone, but if you’re in the mood for that over-the-top alpha and are having that “bad-for-you love” read-need, then… this. Oh yes.

Yah I won’t be forgetting Josh anytime soon. That’s for sure. *fans self* Great job on him, author!! And I loved that there was SO MUCH of him.  But after all that, I’m glad to be back in reality and am looking to go hang out with some level-headed adults, right now. And maybe an Dom or two. Tee hee!!!

P.S. This is OLDER YA. It’s got it’s steam, which of course made me squirm ’cause you know me ‘n steamy situations with characters under 18. It makes me uncomfortable. *shrug*

P.P.S. Ohhhhhhhh right!!!!!! I know who this author is!!! I read one of hers a year or two back that I can’t forget (also a serious-uber-alpha) called “Under the Cowboy’s Control”. Yep!!! Here is my review of that one. They’re adults. But I totally recognize a “Lynda Chance” alpha now. Just what I love in an alpha-romance-read. And I know who to go to when I want more. YUM!

Tagged as: 3.5 stars, alpha males, bossy bullies, contemporary romance, wrong side of the tracks