Riley's Pond

by Harley Brooks

Due to content, the author recommends this book for readers age 16 and above.

Riley Martin finds his life suddenly flipped upside down when his rebel older brother commits the unforgivable betrayal. When Riley escapes to his private swimming hole for refuge, he finds a beautiful stranger already swimming in the dark waters. By Summer's end, Riley's broken heart will be a memory, and what's left behind…his nightmare.

Taylor Wilson's hopes for escaping the drama she left thousands of miles in the rearview mirror take a sudden twist when she climbs out of Riley's pond and into his life. Her dream for a happy-ever-after seems almost tangible, until the monster from her past rolls into town to collect his prized possession.

Riley's Pond…where worlds collide, sparks fly, and a kiss "goodbye" means anything but.

Genres: New Adult

417 pages, Kindle Edition

First published April 15, 2012

About the author

"Home" is tucked in the shadows of majestic red rock cliffs of the high desert, where inspiration can be found in any direction, and riding my Harley Davidson through rainbow colored canyons makes my muse dance wildly. I write edgy, emotional teen reads filled with unforgettable characters learning choices have consequences, relationships are messy, and broken hearts mend. In the end, it's about embracing life's lessons and learning to forgive oneself. I untangle superheroes from their capes.

Reviews

[Jo Notary]

417p Riley Martin finds his life suddenly flipped upside down when his rebel older brother commits the unforgivable betrayal. When Riley escapes to his private swimming hole for refuge, he finds a beautiful stranger already swimming in the dark waters. By Summer's end, Riley's broken heart will be a memory, and what's left behind 26his nightmare.
Taylor Wilson's hopes for escaping the drama she left thousands of miles in the rearview mirror take a sudden twist when she climbs out of Riley's pond and into his life. Her dream for a happy-ever-after seems almost tangible, until the monster from her past rolls into town to collect his prized possession.
Riley's Pond 26where worlds collide, sparks fly, and a kiss "goodbye" means anything but.

[Gaele · Rating 3 out of 5]

There was a spark and freshness missing. I will admit after reading others by this author this one pales in comparison. As a stand alone, however, it’s got likable characters and it’s easy to see the connections and emotions between them. But it was predictable, and felt too familiar, even not knowing Taylor’s deep secret she’s not quite as reserved as I would have expected once it was revealed.

It will be a favorite for some, and others won’t be at all engaged: that spark that should draw me in sputtered far too soon

I received an eBook copy from the author for purpose of honest review. I was not compensated for this review: all conclusions are my own responsibility.

[Emmy · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book has a fairly old idea about love - not that it's necessarily bad, but just cheesy. I'm not a romance reader, however. The thing that really made me stop while reading is the grammatically incorrect sentence structure. But that's something that comes in time with editing. Great job, Harley!

[Rae · Rating 5 out of 5]

A suprisingly great read. I love the whole Martin family. Wish this was a series but it was a book I didn't want to put down until the end.