ARC Review: Crystal Gulf #1

 
Title: Destroy Me
Author: Shana Vanterpool
Published: 8th March 2016
My Rating: 4/5
Recommend: Yes 
Synopsis:

DESTROY ME is book one in the New Adult romance Crystal Gulf Series.

Bach lives his life with honesty and without restraints, happy to be known as a sexy as all hell, unapologetic asshole.

When he drinks, he drinks hard.

When he wants a woman, he makes sure she knows it.

When he opens his mouth, it’s either to piss someone off or to turn someone on.

You can normally find him with one hand on a bottle and one hand on a woman, trying to forget his past.

Harley Evans is a twenty-one-year-old year old college student. She's a good girl who fell hard for Dylan, who’d promised her forever. But Dylan, Bach’s best buddy, lied.

He enlisted in the Army, crushing Harley with equal parts anger and sadness. She’d already lost her father to that choice. Heartbroken, she falls back into depression.

Stuck in Crystal Gulf all summer with little to do, Harley needs a distraction. Enter Bach, sexy as f*#ck distraction, ready and willing.

Dylan’s not all bad though. Before he left, he asked Bach to watch out for Harley, knowing she’d never go for a guy like Bach. She’s too good for him. Too good for anyone.

But Dylan was wrong. He never should have left them together. Bach is there to pick up the pieces Dylan left behind. Soon pieces aren't enough. He wants more, needs more Harley.

DESTROY ME is dark, sexy, heartbreaking, and intoxicating.
 
I received this book in an exchange for an honest review, thanks to Swoon Romance

I've never ever read a military book. I don't think I have? Hm...Nope I cannot remember ever reading one and you know why I tend to stay away from them? Because I can't tolerate the pain, death, innocent civillians dying, corruption, hatred and the insanity. There is nothing good about War in my opinion, after studying it in depth for two years at school I vowed to never read a war book as long as I lived. However, I am glad to tell you that this book is not one of those. Pardon? You heard me right this book is nothing like it, yes it contains war elements but not in a very detailed aspect which I am thankful  about I don't think I could have gotten through this book otherwise.

This book was good, not just because of the sex that was oozing off Batch or much Batch and Harley are attracted to each other. But this is not one of those insta love kind of books, everything takes place when Dylan breaks Harley's heart and Batch is left to pick up the pieces. I found it quite difficult to see how the romance would work out since Batch used drugs, alcohol and women to numb the pain. He was running that was much clear? But what is he running from? What happened in their past? I wanted to know really badly! I got a bit annoyed when  the romantic or sex scenes would appear when I wanted to get to the root of the story, I was very tempted to just skip some parts. Very tempted. But I hung in there and I am glad I did. This story is very...I don't really have a word to describe it the emotions which are spiked up from the reader and the characters are very raw. I had to hold my heart whilst I read this story, now this is not a depressing story its just the content or what happened makes you feel sad. It is the harsh realitiy of the world we live in (you will know what I mean when you have read the book).

Dylan is a pain in the neck, I really want to use derogatory remarks here but I will refrain from that. How can the sweet innocent Dylan who claimed to love Harley turn out like this?
Either way, he is a jerk for what he did and then expects to have a second chance after treating Harley like dirt and keeping secrets? He also calls Harley a 'whore', now if I was in the book I would have slapped him one for insulting her like that!

Bach on the other hand, might use women for sex but atleast he is honest and a jerk not in a bad way. He never disrespects women. And I like him a lot. He is illustrated as looking so good that he oozes sex appeal as soon as he walks in the door which happens a lot whenever he is seen with the Harley and they go out. I do feel sorry for him for what happens to him, and no one should ever go through that, not at a young age :(

 

Harley is depicted as so 'good' she is practically an angel, don't get me wrong she is a good person with the right intentions and tries to help everyone around her including Bach. But I think its safe to say majority people try to be the best they can be and maybe referring her to a angel is somewhat someone who committs no mistake? But I can see why the author has shown this.

Buy the book

Amazon: http://amzn.to/1LxvNmJ 

Author Bio

When I walk into a book store I feel at home. When I smell the pages of a brand new book things make sense. When I read I am who I always wanted to be. I read to escape and I write so others can as well. My family, my actress dog Bella, coffee, and a steamy love story are a few of my most precious things. My Sweet Demise is my debut new-adult contemporary romance novel. Keep up to date with future releases by following on Twitter: @shanavauthor

Website: https://shanavanterpoolauthor.wordpress.com

Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/Author-Shana-Vanterpool-40467229639931

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Have you guys read books like this? Would you ever read books like this? What do you think? Let me know in the comments below, I would love to know your thoughts :) 

 Happy Reading!