Maryse's Book Blog

Avoiding Responsibility (book #2 in the Avoiding Series)
I read this one back in the day when it was free on Fictionpress and what a crazy reading week that was!! We all pretty much…went nuts together, having no clue what we were in for. Thank goodness we had each other for support (you can check out my review of book#1 – Avoiding Commitment, and you’ll see what I mean).

This series mentally exhausted and drained me, and yet… while I was growling furiously, I was also grinning with devilish glee! Ohhhh the delicious, ridiculous emotional pain. 😉

The romance and intimacy coddled and bewitched me, and then “the crazy” startled me by slapping me in the face!! The nerve!!! Then, just to be softened and cajoled into moments of hope. Ohhhh the swooning, the deep-in-my-gut knowledge that no matter what, this was going to end up making some kind of sense in the end. *smirk* Boy was I in for it! “All is fair in love and war” describes these books perfectly.

So remember when I said this book provided *some* relief (in comparison to how crazy book #1 made me)? Well, you know… I meant that loosely. I described it in a chat as:

“Angsty but more “normal”. The drama and apprehension in it was … I dunno, just less anger-inducing.”

But don’t let that fool you. ‘Cause really, how much relief can a romance book this over-the-top angsty and dramatic, provide? Especially one with such obnoxious, devious, and outrageous characters.

Okay now to be fair, not all of them are obnoxious. In fact a couple of ’em have good hearts. Or at least… their hearts in the right place. But you know. I’m talking about the “other” ones. No matter where their hearts lie, one keeps sticking his… something… in the wrong place *ahem* JACK *cough cough*, and the other one, well. I don’t even know if she has a heart, as vindictive and conniving as she is.

And then we have the “good guys”. One that gets her heart trampled over and over again. The one that we bond to, that we root for, that we pine with, that we totally get. We fall in love along with her, only to be heartbroken, shocked, disappointed and deceived. But I was still with her, because you know. There had to be reason. There had to be light at the end of the tunnel, right? I was right there with her, until she seemed to lose herself completely. Breaking all of her own rules, losing almost every bit of her dignity and kept handing over her heart for yet another beating. Yep, at that point… she was lost. And she lost me.

Jack. The man who had taken her from a brilliant, confident, controlled woman to a love sick, low self-esteem, uncontrollable girl at the first glance from his blue eyes. Together they had ruined relationships, friendships, and families with their heated desire and relentless passion.

Which brings us to Ramsey, the other “good guy”. As badly as I wanted Jack to redeem himself, as badly as I needed Lexi and Jack to finally find each other, I found myself reluctantly handing over my heart to Ramsey. Picking her up after so many falls, always being there, waiting in the wings, watching while she self-destructed. *sigh* —> TEAM RAMSEY!!!

But you know, as with all juicy outrageous drama, the bad guys *might* (<— again, using the term loosely here) not be 100% bad, and the good guys aren’t always 100% good. 😉 Secrets abound, and Ramsey and Lexi (even with all of their potential together) have a few things up their own sleeves.

Perhaps there was more to him than she even knew. She really wanted to figure out the mystery behind Ramsey… but she wanted to do that without revealing her jaded love story.

She sighed and lay back against the bed. He wrapped his arms around her holding her close. At least in this moment, they could be content together with their secrets.

This book reveals a side to Ramsey that puts us on yet another roller coaster, and kept me on the edge of my seat, wondering…what could it be!!? Ramsey’s got a past, a secret, and it’s big. REAL big. And his secrets keep getting in the way. To make matters worse, Lexi is attending Jack’s wedding (silly Lexi!!! Why tempt it?!) and, well… you know that certain “destructive magic” that Lexi and Jack have when they get around each other? INTENSE.

They were self-destructive when in each other’s company. Their emotions were too strong, too heated. Their senses heightened and imaginations set free. They left a path of pain for whoever ventured near, and Jack and Lexi weren’t immune to the catastrophes they created. There was a reason the sin of lust was whirled around for eternity in Dante’s Inferno. No matter where they went, they couldn’t help but ceaselessly be in a whirlwind always crossing that line line between love and lust.

*nods reluctantly*. It’s unavoidable. And let’s not forget the she-devil that Jack is marrying, who just so happens to be Ramsey’s sister. Hell-bent on ruining every bit of Lexi once and for all, and she doesn’t care who and how she has to manipulate it to happen.

Does it end well? Does Lexi finally come to her senses? Does Jack? Or do they return to their old, destructive seemingly unavoidable pattern? And what’s the deal with Ramsey? And what about “Mr. Secret”? Shhhhhhhh. Nuh uh. I’m not saying. You must experience this tilt-a-whirl for yourself, and if you like these tumultuously brazen reads, you will LOVE this.

BTW, despite what the author thinks 😉 (we once had an in depth “Jack” discussion in the past, and she seems to be under the crazy assumption that deep down, I’m… into him or something… ) *giggle*

she said:

“Maryse you sound very team Jack right now :)”

Gak!  Ah… er.. Phhhhhh. Okay but… buuuuttttt!!!  To be fair… yes… I did once pine for him, but officially, on the record, I’m team Ramsey all the way. Just sayin’ 😉

But don’t get excited! That doesn’t mean by me choosing him, that I’m giving up the end, or hinting at an HEA or the who, how, what and all of that. After all… I’ve heard talk of a book #3 on the way, and well… you know how that goes. It’s not over, ’til it’s over, and who knows what the author has up her sleeve for us.

4 stars!

Hehe. These reactions made me laugh, ’cause they are EXACTLY mine.

Jennifer: So I just wanted to say that I finally finished book 2 in the avoiding commitment/responsibility series….although book 1 sent me through the wringer…I really enjoyed book 2…I loved the last couple chapters where *spoiler* 🙂 and although I probably won’t re-read this because of all the UGH moments and anxiety/panic attacks that book gave me I would suggest it in the future to others that want something crazy emotional to read…

Kristin: Avoiding Responsibility was just as good!! Just finished it!

Francine: Very very very good read.  Angst, love, lies, sex, bitchy girls and Ramsey <3.

Angel: reading Avoiding Commitment so I can get to Avoiding Responsibility, so mush angst and lying I almost cant take it and I hate Jack and should I like Ramsey? Someone please help me get through this book.

Kirsten: 🙂 I hate Jack too. I <3 Ramsey. We have a spoiler thread on Maryse’s blog or you can vent in the what are you reading now section.

➔➔➔  Looking for more of my must-read recommendations? Browse my 5 star and 4.5 star and 4 starreviews. 😀

➔➔➔  Love this trope? Browse more love stories that include infidelity & love triangles features and reviews on my blog.

➔➔➔  Love this author? Browse more K.A. Linde features and reviews on my blog. 😀