Giving It Up (The Lost Girls #1)

Jun 17, 2012 Steffi rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: arc, review-request

Original review: www.sweptawaybyromance.blogspot.com

4.5 stars

The most amazing book I have read in a long time. Giving It Up is an outstanding tale about a woman on the journey of finding herself and realizing that she is worth so much more than she believed. The uber-hot Colin accompanies her on that journey and it turns out he has some demons to battle himself.

Once a month, Allie goes on the prowl for a man, one that takes her hard and rough. Maybe a little too rough, but that’s exactly what sh...more Original review: www.sweptawaybyromance.blogspot.com

4.5 stars

The most amazing book I have read in a long time. Giving It Up is an outstanding tale about a woman on the journey of finding herself and realizing that she is worth so much more than she believed. The uber-hot Colin accompanies her on that journey and it turns out he has some demons to battle himself.

Once a month, Allie goes on the prowl for a man, one that takes her hard and rough. Maybe a little too rough, but that’s exactly what she wants; to escape to that place without pain because that’s what she deserves right? That’s what sex is about. Sex hurts and she has to endure it, that’s how it is. If she can act as if sex is normally rough and hurts than what happened to her doesn’t seem so bad anymore.

One night, she chooses Colin because he has that cold, hard, detached look in his eyes and is perfect for what she’s looking for. When he touches her softly and gently, actually cares about her pleasure, Allie is confused. That’s not what she signed up for, not what she needs.

Somehow, she can’t forget Colin, though, and becomes entangled in what is a very complicated life on the edge of crime and danger. Does she really want to bring her daughter into this violent world? Can she give up Colin who has shown her that there is more to life and more to her than she thought possible? Allie realizes that she has a powerful voice and that she is strong enough to fight for what she wants; Colin.

I can’t seem to stop talking about this fabulous book.
I started reading without any expectations and was blown away by the amount of talent Amber Lin shows in Giving It Up. I actually couldn’t stop reading once I started and eventually fell asleep around 3 am. The next day I squeezed in a couple of pages on the train and between classes because I couldn’t stop thinking about Allie and Colin. The only thing that I would have wished for was more time with them as a couple. I felt that I didn’t get enough of their romantic relationship and the process of falling in love.

This is not your average cute and sweet feel-good book. Rather, it’s a dark and edgy story about flaws, vulnerabilities, hope and real life. To say that I loved Giving It Up would be an understatement. It really touched me and I hope more people out there discover Amber Lin and see her as the amazing author that she is!

Amber told me that she is currently working on Shelly’s book. Shelly is Allie’s best friend and works as a prostitute. She seems to have feelings for a cop who tried to take down Colin’s brother. You see that this will get even more interesting. I can’t wait!!

Giving It Up comes out on June 19th, 2012. I received a copy from the author in exchange for an honest review.
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Jun 17, 2012 Jill rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: contemporary-romance, 2012-debuts

Allie Winters dates once a month. But her monthly 'date' nights are at a club where she picks up men. Not nice men either. She wants men that will give her a 'fix', rough and unsafe but on her terms. The men she targets are cold and mean, in it for the quick, anonymous, hard sex she wants.

Men had only one use in my life and that was what the club was for.

Colin Murphy is one such man. Or so Allie thinks going by his rough demeanour. But Colin is much more than she bargained for. Though Colin's hi...more

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Jun 24, 2012 UniquelyMoi *Dhestiny* BlithelyBookish rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: publisher-looseid, recd-by-jills-review, review-for-author, provided-by-author, erotic-dark, rape, hero-anti-hero, single-mom, child-product-of-rape, difficult-to-read, baker, restaurant-club-owner, 2012-reads, debut-novel, first-read-of-an-author, 4-stars, ebook-own-have-read

Blowing a guy was one thing, folding his underwear seemed so…personal.

Allie Winters lives in an emotionally dark place, coping with the secrets from her past in a way that works for her. She's only told one person the truth about what happened to her and the dangerous extremes she goes to to find peace.

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 protest

...more
Blowing a guy was one thing, folding his underwear seemed so…personal.

Allie Winters lives in an emotionally dark place, coping with the secrets from her past in a way that works for her. She's only told one person the truth about what happened to her and the dangerous extremes she goes to to find peace.

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 mind-blowing 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 new-found power will be enough to save them all.

In this, her debut novel, Amber Lin tackled a difficult subject and took us inside the mind, heart and soul of a survivor. And make no mistake about it - despite her actions - Allie is a survivor. As a mother myself I appreciated how much Allie loved her daughter, despite the circumstances of her conception. She recognized that Bailey was an innocent in all that had happened, I only wish she could have recognized that she was an innocent, too. The glimpses we were allowed, the time we spent inside her head, made her internal conflict all the more poignant, and left me wishing I could wrap her in my arms and hold her until she could see herself for the amazing woman she truly is.

Colin Murphy - well, I'm a hero driven reader but this is a heroine driven story so when it comes to Colin Murphy... sadly, there's not much I can say about him. For all the insight we were given into Allie, Colin's personality - aside from sex - wasn't really developed as much as I would have liked. We know he's a bad guy doing bad guy things for his bad guy brother, but we don't get much more than that. Here we have Allie, this incredibly complex, troubled, tormented heroine... why on Earth was Colin drawn to her? What did he see in her? Why did he want her? And in the end, what made him accept her? Those are all questions that, even after finishing the story, I'm still asking myself. The little we did get to know of Colin had me liking him a lot, but not nearly as much as I wanted to. Just a bit more insight into his thoughts and feelings... well, I've no doubt I would have loved him.

Before closing I'll quickly mention that this is a dark, emotional, very sexy contemporary romance, and while the rape is not depicted in horrifying detail, Allie's desire for rough sex might make some readers uncomfortable.

The bottom line: Giving it Up is quite an impressive debut novel and I'm very much looking forward to reading more by this very talented author!

My sincerest thank you, Ms. Lin, for providing me with an eARC of this story.(less)

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Jun 20, 2012 Baba ♥♥♥ Marcus, Tyler, Tate, Dan, Ty, & Hunter rated it 2 of 5 stars

2.5 stars.

My mind took up a chant. Hurt me, hurt me, hurt me. Make me hurt, cry, bleed. Make my outside match my inside. Help me get it out, because I can’t cry on my own.

After reading my review I was not so sure anymore if I should post it. You will notice it’s rather negative but that's the way I feel about this story/characters. Then again, I am a strong believer in honesty. That’s what you get when you read my reviews. I will outline what I liked and what I disliked. Moreover, everyone is e...more

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Jun 22, 2012 KatLynne rated it 4 of 5 stars

Recommended to KatLynne by: Steffi

Shelves: debut, arc-from-author, 2012-reads, 1st-person-pov, g-erotic-romance, g-contemporary-romance, hero-alpha-warrior, heroine-abused-raped, intensely-emotional, part-of-a-series, sensual-steamy, smokin-hot-steamy

Giving It Up is not your regular sweet romance, and I liked that. It is a gripping tale with real life characters who are dealing with major issues. This is the story of Allie Winters and her journey from being a victim of rape to becoming a survivor. It is a story of healing and of hope as she learns to trust again.

Allie believes she is damaged goods. Suffering from the horrific nightmare of betrayal from someone she knew, trusted and loved, each day is a struggle. The only good thing to have

...more Giving It Up is not your regular sweet romance, and I liked that. It is a gripping tale with real life characters who are dealing with major issues. This is the story of Allie Winters and her journey from being a victim of rape to becoming a survivor. It is a story of healing and of hope as she learns to trust again.

Allie believes she is damaged goods. Suffering from the horrific nightmare of betrayal from someone she knew, trusted and loved, each day is a struggle. The only good thing to have come from that dreadful night is her two year old daughter, Bailey.

I found myself absorbed as the book slowly unfolds giving glimpses of Allie’s ordeal and the extent of the damage left behind. She has severe trust issues along with no self worth. The book is laced throughout with the shadows of a pain so deep from a soul that is broken. At times, it is gripping in its despair.

>Hurt me, hurt me, hurt me. Make me hurt, cry, bleed. Make my outside match my inside. Help me get it out, because I can’t cry on my own.”

Using sex as a way to cope, one night each month she prowls the clubs, trolling, looking for a man who will give it to her quick, hard and then be done. She’s not looking for a partner. This night is about “dirty, emotionless sex,” a place where she can go somewhere else in her mind and escape her misery.

I thought the author did a really good job portraying some of the damaging effects of rape. While each person may react differently, there are many common factors left it its wake…fear, humiliation, shame, unworthiness, trust issues and despair are among a few. (view spoiler)

How fortunate for Allie that on one of her trolling expeditions she meets Colin. He looks the part, all strong and tough, but with tenderness and gentleness he shows Allie what real sex is supposed to be like. In one night he gives her back a small piece of something she had lost! And though he’d like to see her again, she knows there can never be more. She’s far too damaged to pursue any type relationship! But deep down, she wants to. She yearns to be normal again! Soon Allie finds herself in need of a rescuer and takes Colin up on his offer to help. And so begins her journey out of darkness.

Colin quickly won a piece of my heart. This big, strong man knowing Allie’s flaws still wanted her in his life. There’s no doubt he wants to protect and provide for both Allie and Bailey. In many ways he was her “knight.” I admired his courage as he pursues a relationship with a woman fighting demons from her past. It wasn’t easy and was fraught with pain and yet, he sticks with her.

..(Allie's thoughts)... What had I done? I couldn’t face him.” A tear slid down my face. That wasn’t strange. My face was wet – I’d been crying before we even started. But this one came from near my ear and slid down to my nose. It wasn’t mine. Wow, this strong man has a vulnerable side when it comes to Allie.

Amber Lin has done a very good job with her debut novel giving us a love story that is different from the traditional. It is stark and somber with a cast of characters that are unusual. Colin’s past involved illegal activity and soon it will bring danger upon them all. Allie’s best friend, Shelly, is a prostitute and one of the most compassionate and caring persons I’ve read. Her unselfishness and unconditional love for her friend “wowed” me. And there is a mystery that kept me invested until the very end along with a twist that I didn’t see coming.

While I really enjoyed this book there were a few things I wished were different. I wanted more information about the hero, his feelings and thoughts. I wanted to know Colin better. I realize he is the “strong, silent type” but I would have liked to have more dialogue between these two. The chemistry was there but I felt it would have been much deeper if there had been more communication.

Still, this is a well written love story that I very much enjoyed. I was so glad to find Allie in a better place and on her way to healing. But more than that I was glad to see Colin get the happiness he so deserved! I was intrigued with Allies’ friend Shelly; A prostitute that has fallen in love with a Detective! That should be an interesting story and one I’m looking forward to reading!

Thanks to my GR friends Steffi, KarLyn and Jill and their wonderful reviews that led me to this one:)!

My thanks to the author, Amber Lin for providing me with a copy of this eBook in exchange for an honest review.(less)

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Jun 19, 2012 Becs - Sinfully Sexy Book Reviews rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: arc, abused-heroine, contemporary-romance, gamma-hero, romantic-suspense

Wow, this book really stunned me!

This is contemporary romance but it has a raw, gritty feel to it. There’s no sugary romance here – it’s edgy, thoughtful, challenging.

Allie is a young single mother. She was betrayed in the most awful way by her best friend when he raped her and then disappeared, leaving her pregnant and alone. She has in fact been let down by just about everyone who should have been there for her – only her friend Shelly stands by her and she has a good share of demons of her ow...more Wow, this book really stunned me!

This is contemporary romance but it has a raw, gritty feel to it. There’s no sugary romance here – it’s edgy, thoughtful, challenging.

Allie is a young single mother. She was betrayed in the most awful way by her best friend when he raped her and then disappeared, leaving her pregnant and alone. She has in fact been let down by just about everyone who should have been there for her – only her friend Shelly stands by her and she has a good share of demons of her own.

Allie is emotionally damaged – every bad thing a rape victim hopes that society won’t think about her, Allie thinks about herself. Consequently, she trawls clubs once a month looking for rough sex, for a man to hurt her as if consenting to this will somehow make the rape not seem quite so bad in her mind. She thinks she’s taking back control, giving consent which she rightfully feels was denied her before.

One night, she picks up Colin in a club. She wants him to f*ck her in the alley behind the club but he takes her to a nice motel. Quickly, he shows her he has the strength to do what she wants but he doesn’t do it. He treats her with reverence and a beautiful tenderness and makes love to her instead of f*cking her. Allie can’t cope with this and, despite this being her first pleasurable sexual encounter, she runs. They do, however, start to build a relationship.

Colin – how I loved him. He’s strong, silent, taciturn, saying very little but communicating much. It’s obvious how much he cares for Allie but he’s so reticent, very little of it is vocalised but he’s also over-protective, controlling and he is a very deeply flawed character and is involved in criminal activity that will eventually threaten Allie’s safety. Allie's lack of self-esteem is emotionally destructive to their relationship and there's a moment when Colin's tears mingled with Allie's and I confess I cried with them.

With his care and protection, Allie is on a journey of self-discovery from emotionally destroyed rape victim to a strong, empowered woman who will stop at nothing to protect the man she has come to love. Her growth throughout the novel is tangible and the strength of the story.

The narrative is strangely atmospheric – even though it is written from Allie’s POV in the past tense, it has an eerie ‘present tense’ kind of feel to it. It feels almost otherworldly and I definitely lost myself reading this – stayed up way too late to finish it because I simply just could not put it down. I always know when I’m reading something special when I find myself transported to another world in my head and reality just slips away and this really was that special.

It’s an incredibly accomplished debut by Amber Lin (which sounds like Ann Boleyn in my head) and I very much hope that she will write Shelly and Rose’s stories.

So don’t expect hearts and flowers, expect damaged characters, gritty reality and a raw edge.

5 big and shiny stars

I was lucky enough to receive an ARC from the author in exchange for a fair and honest review.(less)

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Jun 20, 2012 ♡KarLynP♡ rated it 4 of 5 stars

Recommended to ♡KarLynP♡ by: Amber Lin

Shelves: 2012-06-june, genre-contemporary, genre-erotica, arc-copy, damaged-heroine, disturbing, published-2012, read-2012, steam-hot, debut-author, rape-sexual-abuse

In a nutshell, Giving it Up was a gripping and emotional romance that will stretch your comfort zone. If you like a dark mysterious hero as your Knight in Shining Armor, a damaged heroine who seems beyond repair, a heavy storyline with some dark moments (including the subject of rape), mixed together with some suspense and a bit of mystery, this might be for you.

This is an emotional romance story with a heavy tone and some dark graphic scenes, so I will say right now: it is not for the faint of...more

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Jun 24, 2012 Rhonda rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: arc

Over the past couple of years, I have had the pleasure of making some great author contacts and recently Amber Lin was one of them. I was very excited to be given the opportunity to read and review this novel. As I had hoped, Lin did not disappoint!! She brought a dark edgy element to her story, and I have discovered within the past year that I like reading this type of story, I love it when an author can get my emotions flowing! I think Lin has done an excellent job with her story and giving he...more

Over the past couple of years, I have had the pleasure of making some great author contacts and recently Amber Lin was one of them. I was very excited to be given the opportunity to read and review this novel. As I had hoped, Lin did not disappoint!! She brought a dark edgy element to her story, and I have discovered within the past year that I like reading this type of story, I love it when an author can get my emotions flowing! I think Lin has done an excellent job with her story and giving her characters life.

Giving It Up is a first person narrative of Allie Winters who at a young age was a victim of rape, a betrayal of her best friend that also left her with a child. One of the saddest parts of her story is that it’s not the only time her trust is violated. This was such an emotional journey into the mind and heart of a young lady that after two years still hasn’t come to terms with what happened to her. Allie thinks she is in control of her life, but really she’s letting the events of her past control her. She of course still harbors the self blame, and is on a path of self destruction until the night she encounters Colin, who on a night of a random sexual encounters she craves, gives her the experience she’s never had. This night setting in motion the events that will change Allie’s future.

Colin owns his own restaurant and has plenty going for him, Allie wonders why he would even want her, a damaged single parent with deep issues. But Colin has secrets and a past of his own. He has shady business dealings with his brother Philip which land directly at Allie’s doorstep. Although Colin is a man of few words, I can really relate to him because he reminds me a lot of my husband. Colin is there for Allie when her rapist / daughter’s father shows up. Allie is afraid he will try to take her daughter from her, so she turns to Colin for help, which Colin is more than happy to give. I thought Colin was very sweet toward Allie’s two year old daughter, but their happy little bubble is short lived when more secrets, lies and betrayal come to the surface. There were times I was a little frustrated at Allie and Colin’s lack of communication, but that is part of what makes the story.

I don’t want to give up too many details here, but I will say that the secondary cast of characters were wonderful, from Shelly who is Allie’s best friend, and also Philip who is Colin’s brother. I was also very excited to learn that these two will be getting a story, and I’m very much looking forward to them especially Philip! I also have to give a shout out to Linda, their neighbor. For all her quirkiness she turned into a bit of a mother figure for Allie.

This story was heartbreaking, and dark, and very emotional. It was suspenseful, and erotic, and best of all it was the journey of a young woman coming to terms with what happened to her and finally gaining some control over her life. I was very moved when she finally opened up about her experiences, and started to believe in herself and her worth. I’m definitely looking forward to more from Amber Lin.

Available now at: http://www.loose-id.com/Giving-It-Up....(less)

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Aug 14, 2012 Stacia ~ Mistress of Mediocrity rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: adult

Another lazy weekend review because I have a serious lack of motivation to write tonight. Blame it on the alcohol.

Giving It Up - Tally :

First 25% - 4 stars
Middle 50% - 2 stars
Last 25% - 3 stars

For whatever reason, I was expecting some seriously dark erotica with this book, just based off the description. This read more like a contemporary romance with a bit of something else - what it was, I couldn't tell you. Suspense would not be the right word. Mystery would be pushing it.

It was as if the m...more

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Jun 19, 2012 Tiya Rosa rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: arc, debut, pissed-me-off, too-stupid-to-live-mc

First of all, I'd like to say that I wanted to love this book. The premise is unique and twisted enough that it promised to be an interesting read. And the start held such promise I couldn't wait to get done with work so I could totally get into it. Alas, the great part was short lived and I had to wade through about 250 pages of intense dislike with everyone involved except for the adorable little girl and the old woman next door.

Allie is a scarred and damaged young woman who was raped by her b...more

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Sep 27, 2012 Kindle Gal rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: genre-erotic-romance, review-request-by-author, read-in-2012, first-person, suspense-subplot, read-for-blog

Review and author interview posted on Kindles & Wine

Allie Winters doesn’t want a relationship. She essentially objectifies men so that she can use them once a month to get her “fix”—rough sex on her terms—as a way to deal with the aftermath of being raped. What she doesn’t want or expect is for one of the men she picks up to actually care for her, which is exactly what happens at the start of Giving It Up. Colin Murphy looks the part of “tough guy,” but he shows a tender, caring side when he...more

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Jun 23, 2012 Gillian (Tattooed Book Review) rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: erotica

See more reviews at www.tattooedbookreview.com

GIVING IT UP is a dark and portrait of people caught in lives they didn't ask for, with pasts they must escape. Allie and Colin must save themselves, in order to save each other.

"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...more

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Aug 02, 2012 heidi 1820 rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2012-favorites, favorites

Wonderful debut
With so many erotic romance novels following the same thread, Giving It Up changes the pace with a darker compelling theme that keeps the story riding on an intense emotional nerve. Written in first person, Author Amber Lin takes the reader inside the mind of a young woman struggling to keep her life together for her and her daughter while trying to control the hold her past demons have on her body and her mind. Only looking for a man to give her a night of sexual pleasure, Allie...more

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Jun 28, 2012 Michael Dunellen rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2-lost-souls-swimming-in-a-fishbowl, soul-mates

For some reason when I finished this one, I got the old Pink Floyd lyric stuck in my head: "We're just two lost souls swimming in a fish bowl."

I could understand Allie's anguish at the beginning, but not her guilt. But then you find out why and it a lot of it makes sense. And then you find out more, and you are kind of amazed at how well she has been keeping it together.

Colin was very hard to understand. We knew what Allie was thinking, but we never quite knew what he was thinking until the very...more

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Dec 13, 2012 Denise rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: reviewed, cute-funny-kids

As much as I enjoyed the story and the characters, it was apparent that the author didn't really know what she wanted this book to be. It began as a dark erotic romance (this I expected), then it veered into crime drama territory (this caught me off guard), and finally ended - with some what of a whimper - in a much lighter erotic romance arena. There was just too much going on and many times the puzzle pieces just didn't fit together or make any sense. While I liked Colin and Allie together, I...more

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Aug 12, 2012 ~V~ rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: contemporary-romance

There have already been some really great reviews written about this book, some that have gone into detail about what this book was about, so I'm just going to put in my quick two cents here.

Allie, the heroine, was a likeable enough character and her past and everything she'd suffered was definitely heart breaking but some of the things she did had me questioning her thought processes! For instance, why in the world would you let a man you've slept with once, messed around with once and had dinn...more There have already been some really great reviews written about this book, some that have gone into detail about what this book was about, so I'm just going to put in my quick two cents here.

Allie, the heroine, was a likeable enough character and her past and everything she'd suffered was definitely heart breaking but some of the things she did had me questioning her thought processes! For instance, why in the world would you let a man you've slept with once, messed around with once and had dinner with once, into your home at 1 am, to help take care of you and your sick little toddler AND allow him to put her to sleep in her bedroom while YOU are busy doing something else in another room?..they'd known each other a matter of days at that point! He could have been a child molester! One would think, given her past, that that might have crossed her mind!
Then, she moves in with Colin right away (about a week later), yes..i realize she is struggling financially and the father of her child has shown up and she's panicked but she didn't even know him and she knew that he was definitely doing something illegal on the side with his brother! It was all pretty crazy and something i was having a hard time grasping considering she had a child to consider.

Colin was the hero, the white knight who swooped in to rescue Allie and her little girl, Bailey. While he was also a likeable guy and according to his description, very yummy..we just never really get to know him. This story was told in 1st person, Allie's point of view, so i understand we're not going to get into his head and know what all his thoughts are but we weren't really given ANYTHING on him! We weren't given any information about his past other than that little moment towards the end of the book when Allie meets his crazy Aunt! We had no clue what he was doing when he would leave Allie to go do "business" for his brother...what exactly WAS their "shady" business?...that also was never really confirmed! The other very frustrating part was how Allie didn't ASK..EVER! Their whole situation was just bizarre!

Had this been the first book in a trilogy or even the first of just two books, i think i might be feeling differently about the whole thing, because then i would know that my questions would eventually be answered, but as far as i know, this is it! This was Allie and Colin's love story and for me, it was all just a little bit too rushed and not quite believable. The reason i'm not giving it a lower rating than 3 stars is because i DID actually enjoy it for the most part, i was never bored and never felt the need to close it and move onto something else. The mysterious things she had going on in the beginning, with Jacob and even with everything Colin was involved in with his brother, had me wanting to keep reading to find out what was going to happen! Sadly, nothing exciting ever did happen..they both ended in a "that's it?" moment for me...and again, i was just left with a bunch of questions. This story could have been great had she been a little more thorough on fleshing out her characters and not left so many things unanswered.

I recently found out from my friend, that Amber Lin plans on writing books for the secondary characters. I'll definitely be checking those out when they're released, in hopes that maybe some of the loose ends from this book will be tied up. Amber Lin definitely has the potential to be really good, I'm hoping that she will "listen" to what the readers are saying, so that when it comes time to write the rest of her books, she'll make sure not to repeat the same mistakes she made with this one.(less)

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Jun 30, 2012 Diana Leigh rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: kindle, romantic-suspense

GIVING IS UP was an emotionally draining read for me, definitely a powerful and unique story among erotic romances. It’s told in the first person point-of-view of the heroine, Allie. Allie was raped by her best friend Jacob two years prior, and he left her emotionally broken and pregnant. Since then, once a month Allie visits clubs searching for anonymous men who will give her dangerous, rough, meaningless sex. The thought of that makes me cringe – why, Allie? What if something happened to you?...more GIVING IS UP was an emotionally draining read for me, definitely a powerful and unique story among erotic romances. It’s told in the first person point-of-view of the heroine, Allie. Allie was raped by her best friend Jacob two years prior, and he left her emotionally broken and pregnant. Since then, once a month Allie visits clubs searching for anonymous men who will give her dangerous, rough, meaningless sex. The thought of that makes me cringe – why, Allie? What if something happened to you? What about your daughter? Allie was such a complex character. She engaged in this destructive behavior as a way to cope with her rape. It wasn’t so much that she didn’t believe she deserved better, it was more along the lines of if rape-like sex is the norm, then she could accept what happened to her. Allie’s inner monologues were heart-wrenching, to say the least.

The first man to come along who challenged Allie to change her unhealthy behavior was Colin. In no way was he the perfect Prince Charming who sweeps her off her feet and makes everything nice and pretty. He has his own troubled past and questionable behavior. But, despite his flaws, he does what he can to help Allie and her young daughter Bailey. The scenes of Colin caring for and spending time with Bailey melted my heart. I thought, oh yeah! That’s a real man. As heroes go, Colin was rather quiet, and we weren’t privy to deep, in depth discussions between Allie and Colin. I fell in love with Colin more through his actions than words.

Along with a cast of compelling characters was a suspenseful story line. I really felt for poor Allie! If she didn’t have enough on her plate, the man who raped her is back in town threatening to take Bailey, and her relationship with Colin brings crime lords and dirty cops to her doorstep. GIVING IT UP is a gritty, intense story, and quite possibly disturbing to some, but it’s also tender, erotic and very real. GIVING IT UP is top notch dark romantic suspense – don’t miss it!(less)

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Jun 18, 2012 Lori rated it 5 of 5 stars

I have to say that I am floored by this book... yes it's a little more on the darker side than I'm used to but the story itself is amazing. Allie is a beautiful girl who definitely has some issues and it's heart breaking to see everything she went through, but she's tough, and that strength is very admirable.

Full Review...
http://lorisbookblog.blogspot.com/201...

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Apr 29, 2013 Amanda Lee rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: stoic-hero, contemporary-romance

This nearly end up being a DNF for me after 2 chapters, but then I endure it and after finishing the book, I love it so much. I am wondering why this amazing book got such a low rating. Maybe this is not a romance that will have you gushing, this is not a romantic love story filled with flowers and roses or sweet words either. This story felt so raw and real, at times dark and gritty, but at times with a little touch of humor.

It all started with Allie, a single mum, who prowl the bar once every...more This nearly end up being a DNF for me after 2 chapters, but then I endure it and after finishing the book, I love it so much. I am wondering why this amazing book got such a low rating. Maybe this is not a romance that will have you gushing, this is not a romantic love story filled with flowers and roses or sweet words either. This story felt so raw and real, at times dark and gritty, but at times with a little touch of humor.

It all started with Allie, a single mum, who prowl the bar once every month to get herself hook up with random stranger with the intention of hurting herself. One glance, you know this girl is f*cked up and one hot mess. But then, she met Colin, a random guy she picked from the bar. She wanted him to hurt her and even demanded it from him. So you see why I nearly DNF, I never like to read about messed up heroin and then the relationship started off in a totally unromantic way. Colin wanted to date her after the one-night-stand. There isn't any sexual tension whatsoever. After reading 40% into the book, I knew this is not a romance that I usually read. But I'm totally hooked.

Allie's life revolves around her baby daughter, Bailey, her bff, Shelly (who is a prostitute), and her work at the bakery shop. When Jacob, her best friend who had once rape her and also the father of Bailey showed up, Allie worried he might take her daughter away. With Colin presence in her life as a knight in shining amour, wanted to protect her and all, she accepted his help. Allie's relationship with Colin started off with her wanting his protection, comfort and financial stability. Since he treated her well and seems so perfect, she know that she got the better end of the deal.

I'm not sure what I should make of Colin. He is such a mystery to me, even until the end. He came out of nowhere and after one night with Allie, he decided he wanted her. When Allie had problem with Jacob, he basically ask her to move in with him when they both barely know each other. Allie often seems to be walking on eggshells being around him, not that I blame her. She doesn't want to ruin anything and definitely doesn't want to be thrown on the curb if he decided not to want her anymore. He doesn't make things easier for her either, because he had this wall surrounding himself. Worst of all, she had a baby daughter. I admire the fact that she is trying to make the decision base on what she think best for her daughter. After moving in with Colin, she tried to be this perfect live-in girlfriend. Cooking, laundry, house chore and all. Not that he demanded any of it from her.

There was a suspense built up in the end in regards to Colin and his brother's illegal business. With police threatening Allie and some of her ugly past came to the surface. The last half of the book is non-stop page turner because I just need to know what is going to happen. If Allie were to have a biography, it will be a sad story. A story that make you wept for her, enrage for her. She is a flawed and so messed up. Colin isn't perfect either, but having him is the best thing ever happen to Allie and Bailey. I feared and grit my teeth to read the ending, worry of what lay ahead for them. At last, I cried happy tears for them. For all their imperfection, the ending was perfect. This is not a romance fantasy, this is reality.

Many reviewer complaint that when the story ended, we still didn't know much about Colin. Since this is from first person point of view, we can only see Colin through Allie's eye. I feels what Allie felt directly. She don't understand why Colin wanted her with her baggage and all. In the end, I tried to guess the reason, but we will never know the definitely answer, but I guess this is what life is. Even you are married to a man for years, you never know what is in his head. Is just is. (less)

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Apr 21, 2013 Kati rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2012-reads, 2012-reviews, 3-stars, books-with-reviews, contemporary, erotic, reviewed-by-jamie

**Original review by Jamie posted at Romancing Rakes For The Love of Romance**

Giving It Up tackles some pretty dark and deep things. I really, really wanted to love it. It’s written from Allie’s point of view, which I think has its up and down. Allie was raped by her friend two years ago, and this encounter left her pregnant. She never pressed charges because of some things that happened in the aftermath. Now all she cares about is taking care of her daughter.

Allie has what she calls “date night...more

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Feb 04, 2013 Guilty Pleasures rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: guiltypleasures-kittyangel

Kitty's review posted on Guilty Pleasures Book Reviews

4 Stars

Giving it up was a dark book about a broken woman and the men that she feels she needs in order to keep herself sane. It was also a very hard book to read.

Allie was raped by a friend. Her closest friend. A betrayal that was unforgivable but gave her the one person that she loved with her whole heart, her daughter. She feels that she is ruined for any man so, once a month, she goes trolling. She needs it hard, with a stranger, no string...more Kitty's review posted on Guilty Pleasures Book Reviews

4 Stars

Giving it up was a dark book about a broken woman and the men that she feels she needs in order to keep herself sane. It was also a very hard book to read.

Allie was raped by a friend. Her closest friend. A betrayal that was unforgivable but gave her the one person that she loved with her whole heart, her daughter. She feels that she is ruined for any man so, once a month, she goes trolling. She needs it hard, with a stranger, no strings attached. She takes what she needs and she leaves. Until she meets the one man who showed her what it was like to “make love” not just f**k.

Colin has a lot of secrets. Things that he just can’t admit to Allie without her thinking the worst of him. He is a restaurant owner but his brother controls his life, so Allie thinks. He is in love with Allie but does not know how to show her or make her believe that he only has her and her daughter’s best interest at heart. But his past and present are about to catch up with them.

Shelly is Allie’s best friend. She was there when Allie needed her the most, helped her through the rape and through the pregnancy. She’s a prostitute and will do whatever it takes to keep herself, Allie and Bailey safe and secure. Even to the point of taking a beating to get the money Allie is going to need to fight for custody of Bailey.

There were many different words that came to mind while I was reading “Giving It Up”: Deceitful, hurtful, controlling, mean, loving, caring, heart-broken, confused. These words describe all of the characters in the book. Yes, all of their lives were brutal and, once all of the stories unfold, it makes sense. Amber Lin takes a heart-wrenching story and has you rooting for Allie and Colin to understand each other and make a go of the life that they could have.

I do give Amber Lin a lot of credit … the story of rape and it’s aftereffects is a hard story to relate to people and have it come across as something other than a mad woman’s rambling. She did succeed in bringing us into Allie’s mind and making us feel her pain, uncertainty and finally her love for Colin.

Review copy provided for an honest review.(less)

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Dec 31, 2012 D rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: epub, romance, erotica, past-trauma

Allie seems like the typical young single mother struggling to get by. But she is broken and traumatized by a past event....raped by a dear friend while he was drunk and angry. Her daughter is the result of that night. She uses rough sex with random strangers as a form of "self-treatment", to have a way to control of her life and body.

She meets Colin one night while prowling at a local bar. Things are different with him right away. They begin a casual relationship of sorts.

Colin reveals to All...more

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Nov 11, 2012 Hanife rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2012, contemporary-romance, er-romance, suspense-horror-crime, alpha-male-character, e-books, favorites, pregnant-or-children, reading-english

Bu yorum aynı zamanda Romancekolikte yayınlanmıştır.

Kitaptan sevdiğim bir kısmı paylaşmak istiyorum. Colin tarzı evlenme teklifi;

“Allie,” he said. “You told me once I had a white-knight complex. You said I saved you.”
He was going to say I saved him. It was going to be so romantic.
“But the truth is,” he said, “I didn’t save you—I stole you. I wanted you and I knew I didn’t deserve you, but I didn’t care. And for some reason it seems like you
don’t either, so it seems to me that I should make it...more Bu yorum aynı zamanda Romancekolikte yayınlanmıştır.

Kitaptan sevdiğim bir kısmı paylaşmak istiyorum. Colin tarzı evlenme teklifi;

“Allie,” he said. “You told me once I had a white-knight complex. You said I saved you.”
He was going to say I saved him. It was going to be so romantic.
“But the truth is,” he said, “I didn’t save you—I stole you. I wanted you and I knew I didn’t deserve you, but I didn’t care. And for some reason it seems like you
don’t either, so it seems to me that I should make it permanent before you come to your senses. Will you marry me?”

"Allie, bana bir zamanlar senin için kurtarıcı gibi olduğumu söylemiştin. Seni kurtardığımı."

Onu kurtardığımı söyleyecekti. Kesinlikle romantik olacaktı.

"Ama gerçek ise," dedi, "Seni ben kurtarmadım - seni çaldım. Seni istedim ve hak etmediğimi bildiğim halde bu gerçeği görmezden geldim. Bilinmeyen bir nedenden ötürü sende bunu umursamadığından, aklın başına gelmeden şu işi kalıcı bir hale getirelim diyorum. Benimle evlenir misin?"

Evet, kitap o kadar süperdi. En azından benim için. Konusu, işleyişi, bazen beni gersede duygular gerçekçiydi. Daha önce kitaplarda tecavüz mağdurlarını okumuştum ama ilk defa birinin bu konuda ki derinlemesine psikolojisine şahit oluyorum. Evet, tüyler ürpertici ama bazı şeylere gözünüzü açabiliyor hikaye. Yazarın süprizleri ise kitaba dört yerine beş vermemi sağladı. Allie'nin kızına bayıldım. Çocukların olduğu kitaplara zaten bir sempatim vardır.

Ayrıca yavaş yavaş Allie'nin kabuğundan çıkıp, güçlenişini izlemek ise farklı bir duyguydu. Ne kadar zorlu şeyler başından geçse, 20li yaşlarında tek başına çocuk yetiştirmek zorunda kalsanda, bir annenin nasıl çocuğu için hayata tutunduğunada güzel bir örnek.

Evet, sorunları var. Bunuda ayda bir kulübe gidip, kendine rastgele bir adam seçip istediği şekilde beraber olarak uğraşmaya çalışıyor. Bir nevi tecavüzünü tekrarlatıyor. Aynı zamanda kendine erkeklerin ne kadar cani, adi, bencil bir insan olduklarını hatırlatmak amacı.

Böyle günlerden birinde oğlumuzla karşılaşıpta şefkatine maruz kalınca kızımız panikler içinde. Beraber olduklarından sonra ayrılsalarda aklı hala adamda kalıyor. Oğlanı tekrar gördüğündeyse illegal işler yaptığı ortaya çıkıyor. Bir restoranı var ama ağabeyi mafya. Oğlanda onunla işbirliği yapıyor ara sıra. Allie'de kızına bir şeyin bulaşmasını istemediğinden bu ilişkiye ilk başta sıcak bakmasada, eski arkadaşı- tecavüzcüsü- çocuğunun babası Jacob yıllardan sonra karşısına çıkıpta çocuğu öğrenince Colin'in kollarına atıyor kendini.

İki sorunlu insanın birbirlerini iyileştirmesinin hikayesini anlatıyor anlayacağınız. Birbirlerini tatmadıkları şeyleri tattırmalarının ve hala güzel şeyler edinebileceklerini birbirlerine göstermelerinin hikayesi.

Dipnot: Hikayede BDSM yok. Ne kadar bazı yerlerde görebileceğiniz etiketlerde böyle geçsede artık insanlar ilk dominantlıkta BDSM etiketi basar oldu. Bağlama vb şeyler yok. Sadece kızın bastırılma, zor kullanılma sevdası sanırım insanları böyle bir kategoriye sokmaya itti. (less)

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Aug 06, 2012 Angie Holtz rated it 4 of 5 stars

From Lilac Wolf and Stuff

Review written by Lilith

Allison (a.k.a. Allie) is a girl on a mission. She wants to forget the terrible thing that happened to her in the past. The one thing, that while terrible, it also gave her a beautiful daughter. But it also destroyed her faith in men. Enter Colin, could he be the one to change Allie’s mind? Could he be the one to help her finally heal and move on?

This book is what I would call a thriller/erotica wanna-be. As a thriller, it kept me glued to the pag...more

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Jul 06, 2012 Nadine rated it 4 of 5 stars

Reviewed for http://www.mysecretromancebookreviews...

Giving It Up is not your typical romance by any means. It’s hard edged, rough and thought provoking.
Every month Allie hits up a local club searching for a hard looking man that can give her what she needs and not ask for more. Allowing these men to use her is what keeps her in control.
Colin is cold, surly and mean looking. Exactly what Allie needs for the night. However, after ending up in a hotel he turns out to be the exact opposite in the...more

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Jul 04, 2012 Jane Litte rated it 3 of 5 stars

This book had some lovely prose at times, but the book tried to do too many things. It tried to show a girl totally screwed up about sex because of a past rape and how she struggled to obtain happiness for herself when she believed she didn't deserve it. But it throws in a wild and improbable suspense plot that really overtakes the emotional arc. The "fall in love" happens too fast and I didn't believe in either her sexual healing or her emotional recovery.

I think the problem was that the story...more

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Jun 23, 2012 Vanessa theJeepDiva rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: ebook, erotic, request, romance

Reviewed by Mustang Sally

If you are looking for a Knight on a White Horse to save the damsel in distress…you are looking in the wrong neighborhood, however, there is a lot of saving going on in this book. Amber Lin’s first foray into the erotic world is a definite good first effort and I look forward to reading more of her work. I would like to see her expand on some of the characters of this book to fill out the rest of the world she has opened up for us. There is definitely more to the story o...more Reviewed by Mustang Sally

If you are looking for a Knight on a White Horse to save the damsel in distress…you are looking in the wrong neighborhood, however, there is a lot of saving going on in this book. Amber Lin’s first foray into the erotic world is a definite good first effort and I look forward to reading more of her work. I would like to see her expand on some of the characters of this book to fill out the rest of the world she has opened up for us. There is definitely more to the story of Colin, Philip and Rose and it’s a story I think I’d love.

There are many things I liked about this book and several things I didn’t, but the good definitely outweighed the bad. First thing is that Allie is a rape victim and yes, that brings about bad mojo for a person, but not every rape victim basically becomes a slut looking for every man to debase her – Allie does. This is how she meets Colin and he rocks her world by giving her what she NEEDS not what she WANTS. Then when the rapist returns and threatens Allie she runs to Colin for protection. OK, you can have your rapist’s child, stand on your own two feet and provide a decent life given your circumstances, but you just run and move in with a man that you slept with one time and let him take over your life for protection? Give me a break. These are the type of women that in real life would annoy me. With that said, Allie does eventually stand up for herself and starts to be the type of women I wanted her to be – self-sufficient and independent and able to defend what is hers. She was that way from the start, so to make her be whiney and fearful didn’t fly too well for me.

Colin was dark and gritty from the start. He’s real. Not some buffed up invincible body builder, but a real, good-looking, hard-working, rough hands and all man – thank goodness they really do exist in the literary world. Anyway, Colin picks Allie up in a bar and gives her what she needs and is opened up to the possibilities. Regardless of her past or present situation, he creates a safe home for her and her child – almost the perfect little family. He isn’t very talkative and doesn’t share a lot of himself. He stays true to himself from start to finish – a man that pulled himself up from his bootstraps in hell as a child to a successful business man with a dark side that if you hear his name you shake in your shoes…I liked him immediately. He isn’t very trusting, and with good reason, but he listens to his gut and decides for himself – he doesn’t have to be convinced. He wants that happily ever after, but his past has taught him that it’s not for him, but he knows that if you change your circumstances you can get what you want…and he does.

There are many twists and turns…sex in an alley, an evening at the ballet, the brother living with a hooker, a dirty cop and an arms deal gone wrong which all made this book hard to put down. It’s not for the squeamish to say the least. It isn’t your typical erotic romance and if you don’t like the dark stuff, the happily ever after may leave you empty but the writing and the story line were both excellent. I’ll be honest, it could have used more smut…it had good smut…but I wanted more smut. The descriptions of Colin having both the vanilla sex and the hardcore sex…I wanted more of it…most eroticas they can’t have a life because they can’t get their clothes on…not so in this book. So, if you aren’t a sex every page girl – you’ll definitely appreciate the story and if you are a girl that likes sex every page, you’ll still enjoy the path of Colin and Allie. The ending was believable and definitely makes me want the story to continue and I hope Amber Lin keeps going in this direction.

(less)

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Mar 15, 2013 Talk Supe Blogspot rated it 2 of 5 stars

Braine's Review

I did not connect with this book at all. First off I think some readers will find Allie's brokenness alluring and how Colin turned out to be her Knight in Shining armor so please, DON'T TAKE MY WORD FOR IT. I still encourage y'all to read this and hopefully your experience will be better than mine.

I won't dwell on the details of the plot to make this review succinct and not redundant so I'll stick to why this did not appeal to me.

Let me start with Allie. I did not find one redeem...more Braine's Review

I did not connect with this book at all. First off I think some readers will find Allie's brokenness alluring and how Colin turned out to be her Knight in Shining armor so please, DON'T TAKE MY WORD FOR IT. I still encourage y'all to read this and hopefully your experience will be better than mine.

I won't dwell on the details of the plot to make this review succinct and not redundant so I'll stick to why this did not appeal to me.

Let me start with Allie. I did not find one redeeming quality about this girl. Yes she's broken, a single-mom who'd leave her daughter to her escort/bestfriend when she's out prowling the streets for a quick lay. That would be a good starting point for her impending character development. But throughout the story I felt she never really developed a good sense of herself. She uses sex as a trade of some sort. Like with Colin, she is grateful for his kindness but there were times where their love making felt like Allie just giving him service in return for whatever nice thing he did for her.

Colin. He's gorgeous but he felt so cold, distant and too closed up. I didn't really connect with his attraction towards Allie. Did he felt sorry for her? Did he fall in love with her the first time? Was he looking for his own redemption by saving another person's soul? All that was lost on me, he felt too aloof for his own good.

There's a mini-conflict about Allie's baby daddy. When he was first mentioned in the book, Jacob gave me the impression of being a thug so until I finally met him, I had this image of this douche bag being all dangerous and out to hurt Allie and the baby. Then it was nothing but a misunderstanding of some sort and Jacob is a totally harmless dude. Like really?! It felt like Lin had other plans for Jacob's character but totally switched it up last minute to make way for the "bigger fish".

Then the conflict was a little too "staged" with cops and Colin's "illegal" activities and Allie panicking. Of course it still ended well but the entire conflict/resolution didn't feel heartfelt to me. There was a moral dilemma in Allie's part but apart from that, the entire thing was floating.(less)

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Mar 08, 2013 Jen rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: ebook, meh, hated-the-heroine

I really liked the author's voice but found much of the plot hard to swallow. For instance, when I found out that Colin initially fell for Allie while witnessing her hard f*** with another guy in an alley I practically yelled, "Come on!!" I've heard that Giving It Up is a gritty, raw, and realistic romance but that set-up is a complete fantasy. And how do you even make a positive ID when someone is bent over a trashcan? Please. He's a total white knight, riding in and offering up everything she...more

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Oct 30, 2012 Musing rated it 4 of 5 stars

WOW! For the most part, the sorts of books that i enjoy the most, are a tad sappy, sexy with sometimes nefarious twists in the plot, loveable characters, and humour. So, in many ways, Giving it Up, wasn't the sort of book I would normally say that I loved.

However, the writing was incredible, the characters, though obviously flawed and in many senses of the word, screwed, were likeable, and the story was gritty and plausible. There are many story lines introduced by talented writer Amber Lin. As...more

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