Connected (Connections #1) - #review

Connected (Connections #1)

by Kim Karr (Goodreads Author)

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?

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Source: eARC for Honest Review from Penguin Via NetGalley
Genre: Adult Contemporary

My Review...

Finally, I have been in a reading funk lately with being bombarded with similar plots, formulas and story lines but this little number shook me out of it.  It was different with an air of mystery and suspense in the background but still had a great love story. 

Here we have Dahlia who has lived through a lot of sadness and loss but one constant she always had was Ben who also happened to be the love of her life.  With Ben they have a huge once in a lifetime love being friends since they were kids growing into lovers and on their way to getting married....then the unthinkable happens and she has to live through another HUGE loss. 

When Dahlia was still with Ben, she had a girls night out and during this night out with her best friend she meets a singer named River from a band who she is instantly drawn too but she does the right thing and goes back to her boyfriend and pushes thoughts of this singer to the back of her mind.

"...All I know is, I was a young college girl who flirted with an insanely attractive guy at a bar and had to leave because she felt like the cosmic universe had crashed down on her. And she couldn't accept that; she had a boyfriend." 

Dahlia is having a hard time with the loss of Ben but with time and the support of her friends she is able to finally move on and start living again.  Her first real step out into the world she runs right back into River from years gone past and their connection is as strong as ever.  

River and Dahlia make up for lost time and their connection does nothing but grow and cements the two of them together.  Dahlia has a hard time with this since these feelings are so new, different and stronger than she had with Ben but since Ben is gone she has to let go and move forward with River. 

Now this love story is all and good and I adore it but the awesome part through the whole book is the undercurrents of secrets that you know are going to cause a world of shit for these two.  There are so many elements that are going to be pulled together I assume in the next few books that can either strengthen or break River and Dahlia. But let me tell you that epilogue HOLY SHIT!!!  SO was not what I expected but I LOVED that twist and I can NOT WAIT to read TORN to find out what happens with this new twist and how they play out with all the other undercurrents. 

This books is a must read for me and I can't wait to read more from the series.

4 Connected Thumbs up!

Lauren