REVIEW: EVERSEA (EVERSEA #1) by NATASHA BOYD

Series: Eversea #1
Category/Genre: Adult Contemporary Romance
Publisher: Self-Published
Publication Date: 6/4/13
Format: eARC
Pages: 358
Source: Received from author for review

Eversea, a love story, is a Winter Rose Contest FINALIST 2013. Emilia Pisani of Simon & Schuster (judge) says "Great southern flavor!" and "Jack is an alluring leading man!"

An orphaned, small-town, southern girl, held hostage by responsibility and self-doubt.

A Hollywood A-list mega-star, on the run from his latest scandal and with everything to lose.

A chance encounter that leads to an unlikely arrangement and epic love affair that will change them both forever.

When his co-star and real-life girlfriend is caught cheating on him with her married and much older director, A-list hottie, Jack Eversea, finds himself in sleepy Butler Cove, South Carolina. Jack hopes the sultry southern heat in this tiny coastal Lowcountry town will hide him not only from the tabloids and his cheating girlfriend, but his increasingly vapid life and the people who run it. He doesn’t count on meeting Keri Ann Butler.

Keri Ann has relied on herself so long, dealing with her family’s death and the responsibilities of keeping up her family's historic mansion, that boys and certainly the meager offering of eligible boys in Butler Cove, have never figured into her equation. But fate has other plans. Suddenly face to face with the man who played the movie role of her favorite fictional character, Jack has Keri Ann yearning for everything she has previously avoided ... and Jack must decide whether this funny, sassy girl is worth changing his life for, before his mistakes catch up to him.

 

The "hot Hollywood actor who escapes to a small town and falls for a local girl" is one of my favorite stories, be it in movie or book form. There's something about it that just appeals to the teenage girl in me, who just knew that Corey Haim (sob) would one day show up and realize that he needed a small town girl to heal what fame and fortune had stolen. I know that this is a trope that appeals to many readers, and Eversea is a great addition to the ranks.

Eversea is the story of Jack Eversea, the hottest young actor in the world, and Keri Anne a small town waitress. Jack is unhappy and searching for some peace on the South Carolina coast. Keri Anne is a young woman saddled with responsibility, but wants more from life. When Jack and Keri Anne meet, they strike up a quick friendship and partnership. Jack helps her remodel her home; Keri Anne keeps Jack being in town a secret. The friendship between the two was really sweet, and I loved that they didn't take long to warm up to and trust one another.

But there is more than a platonic relationship going on in Eversea, and the chemistry between Jack and Keri Anne was excellent. This was a slow burn, which made complete sense because the reasons to be hesitant are numerous. Jack has a life in California, contractual obligations to fulfill, and an ex-girlfriend who isn't giving up. Needless to say, Jack and Keri Anne have a lot of reasons to stay in the friends-zone. I appreciated that these were characters who were very aware of the risks and potential fall-out. Jack doesn't want to hurt Keri Anne, or leave her with regrets. Keri Anne doesn't want her heart broken, but doesn't want to miss the chance to find love with Jack. The thoughtfulness of these two was what really endeared me to them. And though their hesitance and over-thinking of the situation was frustrating, it was really nice to have characters who were smart! Jack is not without some big issues, but he does the best he can, really. And Keri Anne... this girl was strong and smart. I love that she's not afraid to love, but is also not afraid to stand up for herself and what is best for her.

Eversea is not without angst. Jack's struggle to keep the situation with Keri Anne as only friends made sense, but it was frustrating. I'm more of an instant gratification person, in real life, which has led to a lot of awkward, but also a lot of good outcomes. So when I have characters who think, think, think things through, I often want to shake them and say "Enough already! Just kiss her, you ass." (Not that Jack's an ass, I just like to swear a lot.) And there's also Jack's life in Hollywood that plays a big part in the drama, and just...sigh. I could kind of see it coming, but geez, it hurt.Having said that, all of this was carried off very well by the author, who managed to create the tension and angst without it seeming forced or theatrical. In fact, the I found the entire book to be really well-written, with both charm and humor among the drama.

I warn you, Eversea has a bit of a cliffhanger, or more like a "to be continued" ending. This is not an ending that would cause me to tell readers to hold out for the second book to read this one. It did not leave me feeling like I had one foot off a cliff, waiting for resolution. I would consider the ending to be a hopeful ending. I am, like many others, anxiously awaiting book two Forever, Jack coming in November.

 

Favorite Quote:

  His hands came up to the back of his neck again as he looked down at the ground.
  The action drew my attention to his broad shoulders. Oh, how I wanted those arms wrapped around me. When he looked up again the stark emotion on his face was unlike anything I had seen. I had read books and books about men and women betraying a world of emotions with just one glance. I used to chalk it up to artistic license, but this was really happening.   ~eARC, 56%


  Then, he slowly reached for my stinging hand and placed it back in the center of his chest where I'd had it seconds ago. He covered it with his own. I swallowed, trying to ignore the feeling of my hand in his and the way he was pressing it so hard into his chest it was like he was trying to push it through to his heart.  ~eARC, 86%

 

 

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About the author:

Natasha Boyd is a writer with a background in marketing and public relations. She lives in the coastal Carolina Lowcountry, complete with Spanish moss, alligators and mosquitoes the size of tiny birds. She has a husband, two sons and a cat named Tuna. Eversea is her first full-length novel.

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