You know, I can’t think of many New Adult series books, but one of the NA series I keep up with is the True Believers series by Erin McCarthy. We are up to book three with the latest installment, Believe. This series can be read standalone as a different couple is featured each book. But, the series centers around a group of friends and the characters carry over so it’s probably a more enjoyable experience to just read them in order. Believe includes the romance, drama, and rough around the edges tattooed boys you’ve come to expect from this series, and it was a good comfort read fans of the series should enjoy.
About Believe:
Robin used to love to party, until the night she got so drunk she wound up in bed with her best friend’s boyfriend. In one night she became THAT girl. Someone she doesn’t even recognize, let alone want to be. Suddenly Robin is avoiding parties, alcohol and her closest friends in an attempt to stay sober and manage her guilt.
The last thing Robin needs is to meet a guy, but Phoenix, the quiet, intense, tattooed bad boy she meets at Tyler and Riley Mann’s house calls to her in a way no one else ever has. Phoenix is only two days out of jail when he meets Robin at his cousins’ house. He has no business talking to her, but he’s drawn to Robin, recognizing the look of someone carrying around a burden they’re trying to hide. Robin doesn’t judge him for his past and she supports his goal to be a tattoo artist. He knows she has a secret and he’s patient enough to wait for her to share it.
But neither Phoenix nor Robin is prepared for the explosive result when the past collides with the present.
The True Believers series begins with True, about the relationship between Rory and Tyler. The series continues with Sweet, about Jessica Sweet (Rory’s college friend) and Riley (Tyler’s brother). And in Believe, Rory and Jessica’s friend Robin is in the spotlight along with the boys’ cousin Phoenix.
In previous books, Robin is the artistic girl who likes to party. That was before. After a huge misstep where she had a drunken hookup with her friends’ guy, she’s now on the straightedge path. Phoenix is just out of jail and looking for a fresh start. He has some anger management issues he’s working through, but he’s on a clean living kick too. Both Phoenix and Robin are into art and interested in that as a career. They each have some bad boy/girl baggage that they are trying to move past together. Their relationship moves lightning fast but I could buy it considering their history. We get insight into both characters heads through dual POV.
Robin and Phoenix (named after River) hit it off quickly, and found each other at just the right time. At their age everyone around them is drinking and partying so it made sense that they would gravitate to each other since they both live a clean lifestyle.
In Believe, friendships and relationships are tested by secrets and betrayals. Since the characters carryover from previous books, it makes the scandals sting that much more. Phoenix and Robin are put through the wringer in their very new relationship and I rooted for them to figure things out.
Though this series follows the traditional NA formula, I am fond of the makeshift family in the True Believers series and will see it through to the end. The characters are endearing and I like seeing the small improvements in their lives with each book.
The next book in the series is Shatter, and it centers on the wronged woman, Kylie. Can’t wait to read it this fall!
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Believe is an e-book exclusive from Penguin InterMix: Amazon * Barnes & Noble
Review copy provided by Pengin Group via Netgalley.
Look for the next (and final) installment in the True Believers series, Shatter, in September 2014.
This series reminds me of JT Geissinger’s series which also deals with a different couple in each book but characters in the other books show up too. I love that format because you can read them as standalones. I’d love to try this one!