Blog Tour Review and Giveaway: Rebound by Noelle August

Rebound by Noelle August

Book Two of the Boomerang series

Publisher: William Morrow Paperbacks

Publication Date: February 10, 2015

Rating: 4 stars

Source: eARC from Edelweiss

Summary (from Goodreads):

Hooking up is only the beginning of the fun in this sexy and irresistible second installment of the thrilling New Adult series, Boomerang.

Adam Blackwood has it all. At twenty-two, he’s fabulously wealthy, Ryan Gosling-hot and at the top of the heap in the business world. His life is perfect, until a scandal from his past resurfaces and knocks the tech wunderkind down, throwing his company, Boomerang, a hook-up site for millennials, into chaos.

Three years ago, Adam married his high school love—and then lost her in a tragic accident. Now, the heartbreak and guilt he’s tried to bury with work and women begins to take over his life.

Alison Quick, the twenty-one-year-old daughter of a business tycoon—and the very ex-girlfriend of Boomerang’s former intern, Ethan—has a problem of her own. She’s got one chance to prove to her father that she deserves a place in his empire by grabbing control of Boomerang and taking Adam down.

But as Alison moves in on him, armed with a cadre of lawyers and accountants, she discovers there’s much more to Adam and Boomerang than meets the eye. Will earning her father’s approval come at the price of losing her first real love? It appears so, unless Adam can forgive her for wrecking his life and trying to steal his livelihood. But Alison hopes that old adage is right. Maybe love can conquer all.

What I Liked:

Okay, I think I liked this one more than I liked Boomerang. Boomerang was okay for me - not bad, but I didn't love it. I struggle with New Adult, especially New Adult contemporary romance. But I love Veronica Rossi and her Young Adult books (Rossi is one of the two authors co-writing this Boomerang series). So I definitely wanted to give this series a chance at some point. The first book was okay, but I liked this book more.

Rebound follows Adam and Alison. Adam is the creator of Boomerang, and Alison is the ex-girlfriend of Ethan, a former intern at Boomerang, and the boyfriend of one of Boomerang's employees (Mia). Alison is also the daughter of a businessman who is currently in the position to take control of Boomerang - and take Adam out of the Boomerang picture. But Alison doesn't expect to fall for Adam (and vica versa). Will she support her father, or follow her heart?

I didn't like Alison at all in Boomerang. She broke Ethan's heart! When I saw that this book (Rebound) would be about Adam and Alison, I definitely cringed. Adam and ALISON? I liked Adam. I didn't like Alison. This book had to be really good, in order for my opinion of her to change.

Well, my opinion did change a bit. I felt bad for her. Her father seems to have almost complete control over her life, especially since she had that meltdown for like, her entire college career, and he had to pay for her to graduate (basically), on top of tuition. Which should make me resent her - she can go crazy and get drunk all the time and lose control and STILL graduate, because her rich father can bail her out? Meanwhile, I'm busting my butt seven days a week - no going out for me - so I can do just the same (graduate, that is. Granted, I'm trying to graduate in a certain percentile, but still). Anyway. I shouldn't like Alison, but I eventually sympathized.

There is no excuse for cheating - or almost cheating. She didn't sleep with the guy, but they were still in the bed when Ethan walked in. It doesn't make things much better, but at least Alison came to her senses and stopped things. In the end, good on Ethan for dumping her.

Alison is kind of a lost soul, a lonely girl who loves horses. Adam is a lost soul too, a lonely man who devotes himself to his pride and joy (his company). Eventually, I grow into the idea of them together. The opening scene of the book is at a Halloween party, and things get pretty heated between Adam and Alison. But then things derail for the ENTIRE book (grrr), in terms of the physical nature of their relationship. But Alison definitely grows up, and Adam learns to open up.

I didn't like that Alison had initially started getting close to Adam because her father wanted dirt on Adam. But I really liked Adam and Alison together. Without the competitive aspect of Boomerang, I definitely enjoyed the flow of the story much more. 

The story is engaging and interesting. I wanted to know more about Adam's secrets, and what drives him so. His mysterious nature is hinted in Boomerang, and I was intrigued. All is revealed in this book, along with the future of the company, and the future of Alison and Adam. You'll have to read this one to find out what happens!

What I Did Not Like:

While I liked the romance in this book a lot (the relationship was very well-developed), the romance could have seriously benefited from more physical scenes between Adam and Alison. There are like, three, and one of them is truncated by someone (awkward). All relationships have a physical basis as well as the mental/emotional/intellectual ones. Especially in New Adult books. I expected more!

Also while I no longer dislike Alison, I'm still not her biggest fan. How dare she hurt poor Adam. It's okay, Adam. *hugs* All is well in the end, but girl. You messed up. Boooo.

Would I Recommend It:

For New Adult fans - if you like New Adult contemporary romance novels, then definitely check out this series! It's different from the typical cliche overused boring New Adult contemporary romance novels from that huge NA boom in the past few years (haaaated). I like the Boomerang series (for the most part), and I don't usually like New Adult contemporary romance novels!

Rating:

3.5 stars -> rounded up to 4 stars. I liked this one! I'll probably check out Bounce (book three) later in the year - Grey is one of my favorite characters in the series!

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About the Authors:

Question: What do you get when friends pen a story with heart, plenty of laughs, and toe-curling kissing scenes? Answer: Noelle August, the pseudonym for renowned editor and award-winning writer Lorin Oberweger and New York Times bestselling YA author Veronica Rossi, the masterminds behind the Boomerang series. You can visit them at NoelleAugust.com, @Noelle_August, and facebook.com/NoelleAugustBooks.

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The Excerpt:

From Adam's POV:

Ali laughs. Her gaze feels like sunshine on my back, but I don’t turn around. I pull my wetsuit up to my waist, adjusting myself so I’m comfortable. The cool Neoprene layer feels familiar and my body responds, my heart thumping hard, anticipation rushing through my veins. The prospect of the ocean always does this to me. This has nothing to do with the girl behind me. 

“Adam?”

Ali’s voice is close. Turning, I almost bump into her.

Her wetsuit is all the way on, which is good. And terrible.

“What’s up?” I ask. 

She smells like suntan oil and peaches. This close, I see that her cheeks are turning slightly pink from the sun. With her hair pulled back, no makeup, and the wetsuit covering her completely, she looks better than she has all week at the office. Better than she did in the Catwoman costume. There’s something powerful about her now. The way her slender legs are planted firmly on the swaying boat, like she’s not trying at all. She’s at home on the water. This from an admitted equestrian. I can only imagine what she’s like with her horses.

“Sorry, but . . .” She smiles and points at her back. “My zipper’s jammed.” She turns around and pulls her ponytail up. “Can you help me out?”

“Sure. You want this on, right? Just want to be sure.”

I can’t see her face, but I know she’s smiling. “Yes. On please.”

I allow myself a moment to enjoy the way she looks right in front of me. Then I take the zipper leash, letting my knuckles drift over her back, just above the knot of her bikini.

If I weren't completely focused on her, I’d have missed the way she curls slightly toward me.

Focus, Blackwood. Zip the wetsuit up.

The Giveaway:

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