REVIEW: UNSPOKEN (WOODLANDS #2) by JEN FREDERICK

Series: Woodlands #2

Category/Genre: New Adult Contemporary Romance

Publisher: Pear Tree LLC

Publication Date: 9/16/13
Format: eARC
Source: Received from author for review
Rating: 5 stars

Whore. Slut. Typhoid Mary.

I've been called all these at Central College. One drunken night, one act of irresponsible behavior, and my reputation was ruined. Guys labeled me as easy and girls shied away. To cope, I stayed away from Central social life and away from Central men, so why is it that my new biology lab partner is so irresistible to me?

He's everything I shouldn't want. A former Marine involved in illegal fighting with a quick trigger temper and an easy smile for all the women. His fists aren't the danger to me, though, it's his charm. He's sliding his way into my heart and I'm afraid that he's going to be the one to break me.

Impulsive. Unthinking. Hot tempered.

I allow instinct to rule my behavior. If it feels good, do it, has been my motto because if I spend too much time thinking, I'll begin to remember exactly where I came from. At Central College, I've got fighting and I've got women and I thought I was satisfied until I met her.

She's everything I didn't realize I wanted and the more time I spend with her, the more I want her. But she's been hurt too much in the past and I don't want to be the one to break her. I know I should walk away, but I just can't.

 

Welp, now that I've read the second Woodlands series book, I think I can officially say that I am a fan of both this series and author Jen Frederick. My favorite type of series is the companions, with each story focusing on a different member of a group of friends or family.  In this series, we get the guys of the Woodlands. The first book, Undeclared, was Noah Jackson's book. Unspoken is his best friend Bo Randolph's story.

If you've read Undeclared, then you've met Bo Randolph. And if you've met Bo Randolph, then you know why I wanted to read this as soon as possible. Bo is a blond-haired, sexy, charming former Marine. He's a good time guy who's always up for a fight or a f--- (you know what I'm saying). But the thing is, Bo is a good guy. A good friend. Best of all, he's more than good to the girl he cares about.

Not only does Unspoken have a worthy guy, but also a heroine who does my heart good. AnnMarie, AM, is a girl that I, like way too many women I'm afraid, could identify with. She's a girl who has been labeled, mistreated, harassed for one event during her first semester in college. She's become withdrawn from university society in an effort to protect herself, the campus ghost. Some might say AM's reaction to the bullying is weak, but I say she's not. That however she handles her feelings and fears is okay and part of a process. Unspoken is not only a love story, or Bo's story, but also AM's journey past the people who've persecuted her, and reclaiming her life and voice.

I absolutely loved AM and Bo together. I like how they started out as friends and had a natural chemistry that was both fun, antagonistic, teasing, and suggestive. I love that their relationship didn't revolve around the physical, though they definitely did have that going for them. It was a layered and beautiful relationship that did revolve around trust and friendship and becoming stronger together. A team.

Undeclared deals with several heavy issues: bullying, society's unbalanced treatment between the genders in regards to sexuality, physical and emotional abuse and how it affects a victim's decisions throughout their lives. It also deals with trust and the safety you can find in someone that loves you in your entirety.

Author Jen Frederick has really hit on something special with  the Woodlands series. Her stories are fun, funny, steamy, and thoughtful. Each story delivers enough of the other Woodlands guys to have you itching for more. And now, Frederick and this series have a permanent spot  on my "Highly-Anticipated" list.


Favorite Quotes:

    "I can't believe you're my lab partner. Would you just stand up an let me out?" She threw her backpack over her shoulder and gestured for me to move, but I couldn't. I had a little wood in my pants and I needed her to be about fifteen degrees less cute in order for me to be able to obey her commands.    ~ eARC, 6%


  "His breath was warm and his voice, deep and strong, raised the hair on my neck. "We'll have to test the hypothesis. I'll ask again when it's over."
  As he drew back, it felt like his lips dragged across the top of my lobe, and a shiver shook me from head to toe. He removed himself slowly, one arm pushing upward and off the barrel. I looked at him and bit my lip, trying to suppress any dumb statements. He grinned and brought his thumb up to draw my lower lip out of my teeth and rubbed his thumb over the abused area. My lip plumped up under his ministrations.    ~eARC, 26%


  "I like to think we have a more elevated form of bacchanalia," Finn quipped. "You should come see for yourself."
  "What special events occur if I do?" I smiled. The banter with Finn was easy and nonthreatening.
  "Me, of course. Once you've seen my delectable form in my natural habitat, every other guy will look dull and unformed to you." Bo's hand appeared heavily on Finn's shoulder. "Especially this guy."
  "Are you poaching on my territory?" Bo squeezed Finn's shoulder.
  Finn leaned toward me. "Bo's still stuck on level three of the evolutionary scale."   ~eARC, 30%
 

  "Now whenever you feel alone, know that I've got your back. No matter who's against you, know that a thousand others wait to avenge you."
  "But I'm not a Marine," I whispered back, my voice catching on the tears threatening to spill out.
  "You're a fighter, Sunshine. Plus, you belong to this Marine."  ~eARC, 80%

Woodlands Series

(cover will take you to GoodReads page)



My Review of Undeclared

Purchase the Woodlands Series
Amazon  |  Barnes & Noble  |  Smashwords

Connect with Jen Frederick:

Website  |   Facebook  |  Twitter

TEASER TUESDAY ~ UNSPOKEN

Teaser Tuesday is a weekly bookish meme hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Anyone can play along, just do as following:

·Grab your current read
·Open to a random page
·Share two (2) "teaser" sentences from somewhere on that page
·Be careful not to include any spoilers so as not to ruin the book for others.

Make sure to share the title and the author so other TT participants can add the book to their TBR piles.


Series: Woodlands #2

Category/Genre: New Adult Contemporary Romance

Publisher: Pear Tree LLC

Publication Date: 9/16/13

 

Whore. Slut. Typhoid Mary.

I've been called all these at Central College. One drunken night, one act of irresponsible behavior, and my reputation was ruined. Guys labeled me as easy and girls shied away. To cope, I stayed away from Central social life and away from Central men, so why is it that my new biology lab partner is so irresistible to me?

He's everything I shouldn't want. A former Marine involved in illegal fighting with a quick trigger temper and an easy smile for all the women. His fists aren't the danger to me, though, it's his charm. He's sliding his way into my heart and I'm afraid that he's going to be the one to break me.

Impulsive. Unthinking. Hot tempered.

I allow instinct to rule my behavior. If it feels good, do it, has been my motto because if I spend too much time thinking, I'll begin to remember exactly where I came from. At Central College, I've got fighting and I've got women and I thought I was satisfied until I met her.

She's everything I didn't realize I wanted and the more time I spend with her, the more I want her. But she's been hurt too much in the past and I don't want to be the one to break her. I know I should walk away, but I just can't.

 

My Teasers ~

  "Sorry, couldn't resist," drawled Bo. The rumor about Bo being a southerner? True. His drawl was as recognizable as the shocking blue eyes he sported. They were so blue I wondered if they were fake. I stared at them for a moment too long, looking for the outline of a contact lens, but saw nothing but pure ocean blue, like the waves you see in the spring break pamphlets of the Caribbean Sea lapping against the white sand beaches. Who needed Cancun when you could stare at Bo Randolph's eyes for a week?
  I wrenched my gaze away. Bo was the poster child for every disaster that female singers warbled about. He'd break your heart and do it smiling. Worse, he'd make you think you were better off for having your heart broken because it was done in by him.   ~eARC, 3%

.

  "Oh my God," she said in clipped, low tones. "It's a good thing there are still people in here because, I swear, if we were alone, I would stab you through the eye with a pen."
  "You know, a lot of people say that they'd do those things, but I've found few can actually follow through." I tried for contemplative but could feel my facial muscles moving into a grin, and probably an unrepentant one at that, because the more she talked, the more interested I became. She was actually turning me on. I might have to sit in the chair for a few more minutes before I could walk out.    ~eARC, 6%

 

 

Woodlands Series

(cover will take you to GoodReads page)

I know, I know...I cheated. But in my defense, I loved this book and wanted to share the awesome! Be sure to leave a comment and I will come check out your teaser!

 

WAITING ON WEDNESDAY: UNSPOKEN by JEN FREDERICK

Waiting On" Wednesday is a weekly event, hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

This week's WoW selection is...

 

 

Series: Woodlands #2

Category/Genre: New Adult Contemporary Romance

Publisher: Pear Tree LLC

Publication Date: 9/16/13

 

Whore. Slut. Typhoid Mary.

I've been called all these at Central College. One drunken night, one act of irresponsible behavior, and my reputation was ruined. Guys labeled me as easy and girls shied away. To cope, I stayed away from Central social life and away from Central men, so why is it that my new biology lab partner is so irresistible to me?

He's everything I shouldn't want. A former Marine involved in illegal fighting with a quick trigger temper and an easy smile for all the women. His fists aren't the danger to me, though, it's his charm. He's sliding his way into my heart and I'm afraid that he's going to be the one to break me.

Impulsive. Unthinking. Hot tempered.

I allow instinct to rule my behavior. If it feels good, do it, has been my motto because if I spend too much time thinking, I'll begin to remember exactly where I came from. At Central College, I've got fighting and I've got women and I thought I was satisfied until I met her.

She's everything I didn't realize I wanted and the more time I spend with her, the more I want her. But she's been hurt too much in the past and I don't want to be the one to break her. I know I should walk away, but I just can't.

 

 Why I'm Waiting ~ I recently read Undeclared, the first book in the Woodlands series, and I loved it. I cannot wait to get my hot little hands on this one!

 

Woodlands Series

(cover will take you to GoodReads page)


What do you think of my pick? Be sure to comment, and I will come check your WoW out!