Giving It Up by Amber Lin

Allie prowls the club for a man who will use her hard and then ditch her. Hey, it's not rape if she wants it. Instead she finds Colin, who looks tough but treats her tenderly, despite her protests.

He tempts her, but kindness and a few mindblowing orgasms aren't enough to put her back together again. Allie has no hope for a real relationship. Two years ago her best friend betrayed her in the worst possible way – she’d be stupid to trust a man again. Besides, she has her daughter to think of, the only good thing to have come from that dark night.

But when her rapist returns, threatening her sanity and custody of her daughter, Allie turns to Colin. Under his protection and patient touch, Allie begins to heal and learns to hope. Colin’s no saint, though, and his criminal past draws danger of its own. Allie must fight to protect her child and the man she loves, hoping her newfound power will be enough to save them all.

I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review.

What I Liked:

This book was knee deep in the gritty reality of what rape does to you, body, mind and soul. Allie trolls the clubs at night to get her fix. Rough sex. Having sex means she is wanted by a man. Rough sex is a punishment and a reward that she craves. It is a risk to her safety that she is compelled to do. Colin is the perfect poison for her desires, more than she could ever hope for. The edgy nature of their relationship and how it progresses is truly a page turner. The sex is cosmic, characters so real they breathe off the page and the plot is not predictable. 

What I Didn't:

Not a thing. Every aspect of this story worked.

Overall:

This book covered some pretty tough topics. Rape, sex as love, violence as love...all of them a very real aftermath of rape. What makes this book stand out is the way Amber Lin crafts her characters, breathes life into their lives and makes you care what happens to them. The sex scenes are molten hot and I stayed up late in the night to read this book from cover to cover. The intricate nature of Lin's writing is a breath of fresh air and you could feel every edgy moment as Allie put herself in danger and the sudden and surprising love she begins to feel for Colin. Excellent read! 

5/5