Aflame

Fall Away #4

by Penelope Douglas

Everyone wants to be me.

Maybe it’s the sway of my skirt or the way I flip my hair, but I don’t care. Even though their attention is the last thing I crave, I just can’t stop. I dominate the track, the speed rattles my bones, and the wind and the crowd screams my name.

I’m her. The girl driver. The queen of the race. And I’m surviving—something he thought I’d never do.

They all talk about him. Did you see Jared Trent on T.V? What did you think of his last race, Tate? When is he coming back to town, Tate?

But I refuse to care too much. Because when Jared does come home, I won’t be here.

Tatum Brandt is gone. I’m someone new.

Genres: Romance, New Adult, Contemporary, Contemporary Romance, Young Adult, College, Sports

262 pages, ebook

First published April 21, 2015

About the author

Penelope Douglas is a New York Times, USA Today, and Wall Street Journal bestselling author. Their books have been translated into nineteen languages and include The Fall Away Series, The Devil’s Night Series, and the stand-alones, Misconduct, Punk 57, Birthday Girl, Credence, and Tryst Six Venom. Please look for The Hellbent Series, coming next.

They live in New England with their husband and daughter.

Would you like to join the reader group? ---> https://www.facebook.com/groups/16198...

Looking for News?
Text DOUGLAS to 603-519-3800 to be alerted when new releases are live!
Website: www.penelopedouglasauthor.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PenelopeDoug...
Twitter: www.twitter.com/PenDouglas
Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/penelopedoug...
Amazon: http://amzn.to/1A8hUBX
Instagram: www.instagram.com/penelope.douglas

Reviews

[Penelope Douglas]

Madoc and Fallon got their happily ever after.
So did Jax and Juliet.

This is Jared and Tate's.

Thank you for everything. The reviews you've left throughout the series and the messages. Your faith and confidence in me means the world. If you're interested in Aflame information, here you go---> http://on.fb.me/1EGF8Rp

[Val ⚓️ Shameless Handmaiden ⚓️ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Some Stars

So I'm gonna kick off this ramble-fest with a bit of verbal diarrhea an aside.

Because that's just how I fucking roll, people.



But back to my aside...

Just the mere existence of this book leaves me torn, quite frankly.



Everyone has their own personal likes and dislikes - and none of those likes/dislikes are wrong...

However, mine are just that:

MINE.

And thus simply better than everyone else's...



I kid, I kid.

Seriously.



My point is that each and every one of us have our own personal reading preferences.

And one of my biggest personal reading statutes is...

*
*
*
*
*

Thou shalt not fucketh with the covenant of the HEA-eth.



Quite simply, don't go back to the well and jack around with characters for whom you have already established an HEA in a previous book.

PERIOD.



We all know how tightly we can cling to our own personal reading statutes.

It's like chocolate the week before your period.



And when those statutes get broken?



We feel betrayed.



So needless to say, my initial reaction to the teaser for this book?

And the fact that my beloved Jared would be leaving his beloved Tatum?

*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*



#sorrynotsorry

And so I took this book and said:



*
*
*
*
*

But as release day got closer...

*
*
*
*
*



My curiosity overcame my previous need for self-preservation.

And I pre-ordered that shit faster than a Paleo-eating Crossfitter binges on "cheat day."



And I became what some might refer to as:

A SELLOUT.

But you know what?



And I'm riding a fucking unicorn.

So, #WINNING.

I'm glad that I trusted Penelope Douglas and read this book, because I definitely enjoyed it.

It was cool to see Jared and Tate come back together as true adults.

Certain things that I wanted to see happen did happen.

And - sometimes more importantly - certain things that I did NOT want to see happen...did NOT happen.

So there's that.

At the end of day though, does it still inherently bother me that Jared and Tate were broken up in this book to begin with?

*
*
*
*
*

Yes.

Because even though I know they were both young at the end of Bully/Until You...even though, yes I understand that in real life people need to go off and find themselves as complete individuals before they can truly be complete together...

I don't really WANT realism.

I want the fictional boy and girl who climbed trees to get to each other - the other half to each other's whole - to live forever in uninterrupted flawlessness in my imagination.

To get a piece of that idealistic perfection that - while we know it can't exist in the real world - we can revisit it untouched whenever we want, safe within the pages of our favorite romance novels.

But at the end of the day, these are Penelope Douglas' characters and - despite some of her rabid fan girls attacking myself and some of my friends (which isn't Douglas' fault) - I really do have nothing but respect for what she did with those characters in this book.

And, while I definitely don't regret reading this book, I wholeheartedly respect the reservations others may or may not have about reading it - because they used to be mine too.

In short:

If you don't want to read this book, rock on. Don't read it.

And if you are on the fence - like I was - I recommend you give it a shot.

[Samantha Young · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ahhh it was awesome to return to Jared and Tate. Heart wrenching, passionate, emotional! I'm so glad I got to read this early because the suspense was killing me! A fantastic, authentic, beautiful conclusion. I love this series!

[Geri Reads · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm twenty, and all I know about myself is that I love Tatum Brandt. Two years ago, I thought that was enough.

One thing that Penelope Douglas did right, right off the bat with this book was she gave us Jared's POV during that pivotal scene at the end of Falling Away. It set the tone for the whole book.

Aflame is about Tate and Jared coming full circle. It's also about growing up, finding out who you are. It's about finding your place in the world. It's about letting go.

It's no secret that a lot of fans of the series are upset about this book and what they perceive to be a betrayal by breaking up an established couple. To me personally, an author is allowed to write whatever book she wants the same way the reader has every right to refuse reading a book she doesn't like. End of.

That said, I personally believe this story needed to be told. Yes, Jared and Tate already had their HEA in Bully and Until You but their age and Jared's restlessness about his career choices made this book necessary for me. Did I want them to break up? Not necessarily but after reading this book, I couldn't blame Jared. Tate, for the most part had time to grow up and she did. She spent a year in France. She had time to figure out what she wants for her life apart from Jared. Jared on the other hand never had that chance. While Tate was away, he was dealing with his dad, Jax and his deteriorating relationship with his mom. He never really had that. Love him or hate him for his choices, the author did a great job with staying true to Jared's character 'til the very end.

So what did I like about Aflame?
♥ Jared and Tate's memories from childhood. We get a glimpse of how their lives are linked together. Same with Madoc and Jax. Theirs is a dynamic friendship and their bond is very apparent in this book.

♥ The way the author handled their time apart. I know a lot of people are scared about this part and I have to say, you shouldn't be. It was handled very well. I don't think you'll be disappointed. It all made sense.

♥ Jared's POV was on point. PD writes the male POV really well. As I mentioned, Jared grew up but he is still Jared. His ways of getting Tate again was very much in keeping with his character.

♥ Tate also has come a long way from the Tate we met in Bully. I loved how she moved on with her life and I didn't blame her for one moment.

As much as I really liked this one, there were parts that I didn't particularly care for:
The racing…I get that this is probably their way of communicating and I have no doubt that it's exciting and many readers will eat it up, but it just wasn't my cuppa. There was one race in particular that I didn't really care for. I would have rather they spent it fighting or talking like normal people. But like I said, character wise, it's very J&T, it just didn't do anything for me personally.

Favorite scene?

Jared and the gang meeting Quinn Caruthers the first time. Oh my word. That was one of the most beautiful moments in the book.

Overall, I really liked this one. For all the brouhaha this book has gotten, there was nothing rage inducing about this book at all. I was expecting chest crippling angst but there's none. The author stayed true to her characters and stayed true to her vision of the story. Plus, there's a sweet long-ass epilogue that had me grinning like a loon.

ARC provided by Penelope Douglas in exchange for an honest review.

---------------------------------------------------------------




I just need to do this first...




Update: The Prologue and Chapter One of Aflame is up on Penelope's website.

PROLOGUE & CHAPTER ONE

Yes! I will definitely be reading this. That teaser only fueled the newly-awakened angst whore in me!

[Christy · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 stars!



Aflame is one of those books I debated on whether to read or not. I am a huge Penelope Douglas fan. I haven’t loved every one of her books, but I think her writing is solid and I love how her characters seem to start out with this love/hate relationship. Bully will always hold a place on my favorites list. Book one and two in this series focus on Jared and Tate. They go thorough a lot to get to their happy, but they get it. I feel like this book sort of took it away and I didn’t know how to feel about that.

“I left so I could be a better man for you. So I could come back for you.”


Jared feels trapped. Not with Tate necessarily, but with his life. He’s got to make a change, to figure out what he wants to do with his life. To be a better man for her. Tate takes this the wrong way and Jared doesn’t do the best job reiterating whats going on. The miscommunications between them are both of their faults and it causes Jared to go years without much communication with anyone in their gang. But now, it's two years later and Jared is back in town. Something brought him home and he’s facing Tate.

I love Jared. Nothing Jared does makes me not love him. He comes back to town not knowing what to do or how to feel, but after seeing Tate, one thing becomes apparent to him. He still loves her. He still wants her. And he will fight to get her back.

I wanted her to love me again. I wanted her to say she was mine. And I didn’t want to have to bully her about it, either.


There were things about Tate in this story that irked me. She was hurt and made a few poor choices in my opinion. Jared may have went about things the wrong way, but his heart was always in the right place. I love how he loves Tate. Completely.



I thought that this story would completely stress me out and be full of angst, but I was pleasantly surprised that it wasn’t. There was some drama, but not an overload. It was fantastic to catch up with these characters I love (especially Madoc) and even though it may not have been 100% necessary for this couple to have another book, I still enjoyed it and I’m happy I read it. I’ll miss these characters and even though Penelope is done with this series, I'm hoping there might be some sort of spin off ;)

[Kristen · Rating 4 out of 5]

4–I'm Impressed–Stars




I have to admit I wasn't planning on reading this book. I don't like authors messing with couples that have already had their HEA. It's a huge no-no in the world of romance readers. However, nothing this author writes could be considered the norm, so I decided to give it a try. I'm so glad I did!

I'm not going to go into detail about the plot; there are plenty of reviews that give a good summary, as well as answering some readers concerns (NO, Jared doesn't sleep around. The author handled that whole situation brilliantly.). I will, however, share my feeling about the story.

First, do I feel this book was necessary...NO! Am I glad the author wrote it...YES! YES! YES! This series has never been a fairytale. It's been messy, and complicated, and steeped in reality. Exaggerated reality, sure, but reality all the same. Because of that, this book worked. At least it did for me.

What shocked me was how my feelings for Jared changed in this story. I've NEVER been a Jared fan. Even after reading and loving Until You, Jared's POV of Bully, I still DID NOT like his character. That all changed after I finished this book. I really came to like, might I even say LOVE , Jared. He grew up and matured during the continuation of this couple's story–as most people do when transitioning into adulthood–and I appreciated getting to read about his progression rather than being told about it in a Falling Away epilogue. That aspect right there made this worth the read.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book. It actually made me a believer in Tate and Jared's HEA. I'm glad Penelope Douglas not only had the courage but the skill to write what could have been a disaster of a book but ended up being a great read. If you're on the fence about this one like I was, I encourage you to give it a try. I don't think you'll be sorry.

[Lisa · Rating 5 out of 5]

*ARC Given to Blog for Honest Review*

5++++ “I melted” “forever” “JT” “My new lifeline.” Kisses

I have so many things to say about this book and this series that I am completely and totally at a loss for what to actually write. How can I put into words what this book means to me...how deeply these characters are imbedded in my heart...how hard it is to say goodbye to a series that has been a part of my life for almost two years? The feels are overwhelming! Needless to say, Aflame blew any and all expectations I had for an epic way to end the Fall Away Series out of the universe. If the series had to end at all, I cannot think of a way that Penelope could have done these characters any better justice. So…as I said, Aflame is the fourth (and final) book in the Fall Away Series…if you haven’t read Bully & Until You , I would definitely recommend it (cause this book will not make any sense…) and if you don’t want any spoilers, I would read Rival and Falling Away too. To really appreciate the build of the story in the series overall…it’s better to read in order.

Tatum Brandt…my love for Tate runs deep…this girl just speaks to a part of me and I simply adore her. From the moment I met Tate, I knew she was one of the strongest heroines I have ever read…but she has proved consistently how strong she truly is…emotionally and physically. I mean, it definitely takes a strong girl to put up with a guy like Jared, but the strongest thing about Tate is her heart. She is so loving…so giving…so kind…she’s just a naturally good, sweet girl…and four years after Until You, that hasn’t changed. She’s driven and dedicated…I love that she’s focused on fulfilling her dream of becoming a doctor and considering she got into Stanford medical school, she’s still insanely smart. I love that she’s still a tom boy to her core…wearing chucks and kicking ass on the race track…spending any free time she has under the hood of her car and playing her fav rock bands as loud as she can. Add that to another one of the things I love about Tate…she’s such a contradiction…on the outside she looks like a Barbie doll but she couldn’t be farther from a girlie girl…well, unless you look at Fallon. Tate really has grown a lot in the past few years…she’s still the same girl that captivated me in Bully…but she has changed a little bit…not in a bad way by any means, but something felt different about her, and that had a lot to do with the actions of the boy who stole her heart when she was 10 years old.

‘At ten years old, Jared was my friend. At fourteen, my enemy; at eighteen, my love; and at twenty, my heartbreak. I’d known him more than half my life, and although the roles had changed, his impact was always all consuming.
Always.’

Jared Trent…*le sigh*…where do I begin with this boy. I can’t not love him…it’s physically incapable for me to. Part of me wanted to, after reading the excerpt in the back of Falling Away…or at least get really mad at him…but I couldn’t even do that. It’s like once I truly understood him in Bully, a switch was flicked and my brain will not allow me to do anything but love and adore him unconditionally…and so I do. In all of his tatt’d up, bad boy glory…I so completely do. Because the thing is…you don’t love Jared Trent because he’s romantic in the typical book boyfriend kind of way (cause he’s not)…you love him for his filthy mouth…his ability to command respect in any room that he walks into…the fact that he can drive anything with a motor (sorry, there is just something infinitely sexy about that!)…and you love him for his dedication to those he cares about…because when Jared Trent loves, he loves for life. I could go on for days about all the things I love about Jared...all the ways he is absolutely unfathomably amazing...he's totally one of a kind...but I will say that if I thought I loved him before...his actions in Aflame sent my feelings to another universe. I knew to expect greatness from Jared and I got so much more than I bargained for.

‘Tate was different.
I shook my head and turned my gaze back to the track, seeing her hop out of her car and talk with the other drivers. So confident. So strong.
But the way I wanted her was still the same.
Jax was right. I could go around about it for days or weeks or another two years, but I’d still come to the same conclusion as he did this afternoon. I loved Tate, and I would always love her.’

The fact that Jared and Tate aren’t together in Aflame was never kept a secret…I’m not going to sit here and lie and say that I wasn’t upset at first…but it was definitely short lived. I never doubted Penelope’s creative genius when it came to what she would do with the story line for Aflame…that’s not to say that the moment I read the excerpt in the back of Falling Away that I wasn’t filled with a myriad of emotions…but one of those emotions was excitement. I know that might make me sound a little crazy but…it’s true. I have to think back on Bully…she took this practically impossible situation and worked some voo-doo magic on me, made me fall head over heals in love with this complete ass who was so horrible to Tate…and yet turned him around into this amazing creature who I couldn’t love more if I tried…I fell so hard for Jared and Tate the first time…and going through all of that was one of the best reading experiences I can remember. So…getting to experience that again, on another level – umm, yes please! Considering I’m more invested with Jared and Tate now then I was two years ago…they’ve grown up considerably…there are just a lot of factors going on and every single one of them adds up to this amazing cocktail of reading bliss. I cannot imagine the plot being any more brilliant than it was…and this is coming from someone who would have rather poked her eyes out then have Jared and Tate be separated from one another but the way it all worked was genius.

“I’m never letting you go again, Tate,” I whispered, almost desperate. “I’m your friend forever, and if that’s all I get, then that’s what I’m taking, because only when you’re here” – I took her hand and placed it on my heart – “do I feel like my life is worth a damn.”

Penelope Douglas is one of my favorite writers ever…for so many reasons. First of all…as if I haven’t said it enough, her characters are perfection…and it’s not only who they are individually, but how they interact as a group. Each of them have their strengths and they play off each other so effortlessly…the combination of all of their personalities is priceless…it’s impossible to force. The emotions that are entwined in this book are as crucial as the characters are…no matter whose POV she writes in, I feel every ounce of what they’re experiencing…I always look forward to having that connection with those characters because it’s everything I crave when I read and she never leaves me wanting more. Her combination of angst and tension…sexy and swoon…comedy and fun…friendship and family…it’s equal parts of everything that blends flawlessly into this brilliant story. It’s funny because I couldn’t ask for more from any of her books…but I always want more because I love them so much, I never want it to stop – it’s a very satisfying and conflicting feeling.

‘“It’s easier to be angry and pass judgment than it is to take a chance. It feels stronger.”
I felt his chest inflate with a breath. “Yeah, I know that feeling.”
I laid the side of my face on his back, hugging him close. “Nothing feels right without you. Not school or home,” I cried. “Everything is just giving me enough air to get to the next day without you. I never stopped being yours.”
He dropped his head back, letting out a sigh.
I swallowed, taking my chance. “I love you, Jared. I’ve always loved you, and I will always love you.”
There was no one but him, and even when he wasn’t around, he was. I would never be free of him – because I didn’t want to be.’

Of course the main focus of Aflame is Jared and Tate…we started with them, we end with them – but just like with all of the other books in the series, Madoc and Fallon and Jax and Juliet have their key parts of play and we get continuations of their stories as well. Madoc is one of the funniest characters I’ve read and he totally kept me laughing in Aflame…his timing was perfect, his liners were fantastic…he’s just this perfect little preppy boy class clown that I love to death. Jax…is like a ninja – he flies totally under the radar until he wants to make his presence known and then usually it’s something completely unexpected and totally freaking awesome. Fallon and Juliet…they’re the perfect besties for Tate…these three girls have this rare balance of just the right amount of things in common to keep them close but they’ve got their own uniqueness. And I don’t think there is every going to be a word to describe the feelings I have with seeing these three couples together…it fills a part of my heart that nothing else can touch, it makes me want to cry and yet I’m smiling so hard my face hurts.

‘I ignored truth and reason, because it was easier to believe that my power defined me rather than admitting I needed anyone. Rather than admitting the reality.
That I loved Tate.
That she loved me.
And that together we were invincible.
It has taken me years to learn, but I’d spend the rest of my life making up for it.’

I am not afraid to admit it…I hate goodbyes. Not that I think anyone particularly loves them but still…and I especially hate them with books. I’m a self-professed stage 5 clinger…and I think it’s even stronger with these characters because they’re some of my favorites. But as I said in the beginning, this was the best way for the Fall Away series to end…I truly cannot be happier after reading that epilogue. I love a good epilogue and holy fuckin hell…this is one for the record books. Per-freakin'-fection! There is no other word to describe it. At the end of Aflame, Penelope wrote a note to the reader…and she said ‘Jared, Tate, Madoc, Fallon, Jaxon, and Juliet represent a piece of who I am. I put so much of my heart into creating them, and they are not imaginary to me. It’s a difficult good-bye, but then I guess most good-byes are.’ Well…bravo Penelope, because from a readers perspective, you’ve made it equally as difficult to say goodbye. These characters have been in my head and heart for almost two years…I have loved every single second of every page that I have read and having to accept the fact that the series is over is hard…there’s no way around it. Alas…all good things come to an end…but my head is happy and my heart is overflowing with love…and all because Aflame was an absolutely flawless ending to this series.

[gloria .☆ﾟ. · Rating 1 out of 5]

➥ 1 Star *:･ﾟ✧

She looks up at me with a small smile, and I start to grow hard as I think about her open for me on the bed. I can close my eyes and go at her, get lost in the act and let go of my anger and pain and use her like I have so many other women.

━━━━━━━━━━━ ♡ ━━━━━━━━━━━

Jared and Tate, I never liked them, actually. Or any of the characters in this series for that matter, so are we surprised that they can't even stand eachother? No.

This book follows Jared and Tate getting back together after breaking up for no reason. Well, actually, it was because Jared wanted to "find himself" (which he did not do even a little bit of) and because he was insecure about Tate having a serious job that paid more than his. She is a doctor and he worked in the military. Like, that this was the exact written reason.

I hate to put it like this, but the raw truth? My pride can't take it. I can't be the deadbeat boyfriend doing shit with his life as he figures himself out while she's there to see it.

"I just need time," I plead. "Some space, to figure out who I am and what I want."

At this point, Tate is better off without him. Why the fuck is she okay with waiting around for him at his beck and call? All because his pride can't take it? Oh hell no. And ofc, that's how he told her. But then he thinks...

I should've sat her down and eased her into it. But I don’t know how to do that shit. I don’t know how to be gentle.

I hate when guys try to act tough by acting like they don't have a single caring bone in their body. You do know how to be gentle. I'm sure you're gentle with your balls when you're trying to shave them so shut up.

After this bullshit, I thought "well at least we'll get groveling. Maybe Jared on his knees, at Tate's feet? Maybe some begging? I sure hope so." But no.

This man did not try at all, not one fucking bit. Tate just took him back, as if he were a little puppy who came back after running away. And the funny thing is, he knew she would lmaoo.

"I have to have Tate in my life. She’ll wait for me."

And Jared came out with shit like this:

"I couldn’t see her and not want her. Or not want to hate her."

I generally really enjoy bully romances and hate-to-love books, but I've found that when they actually try to word the "I hate you" it's like...ok. Show, don't tell. And it felt like PD was trying to just do a redo of Bully: Jared hating Tate again, Tate hating Jared again, and supposedly, them having sexual tension (which I actually did not see at all in this book).

And then this:

"When she wakes, I have to hurt her."

Like...actually you don't! He comforted her because she was dealing with family issues and they fell asleep in the bed (but they haven't forgiven each other yet, it's just a weak moment) and he thinks this. In his internal monologue, these are the thoughts he has of Tate.

And I actually think it's a really good representative of their relationship because it doesn't have any romance. It's just attraction, sexual tension, and (a little bit of) sex, no intimate/sweet moments. I'm never the one to complain about sex/sexual tension, but there is no fucking relationship development. Not in this book, nor in Bully.

And from there I get to mention that there was not enough sex in this book. So, if I'm not here for the relationship, or character growth, or plot, what am I here for? SMUT . And there were like 2 scenes towards the end max.

I hate this book, it had no redeeming qualities at all. Not even good sex, which is tragic. You'd think Jared would have gotten character growth, he didn't. Yet, Tate seems to think he's a great guy...

“You’re a lot of things,” she continued, folding her arms across her chest, “but you’re not sexist.”

He definitely is lmaoooo. Like explain this:

"It was always the same with these women."

and

She looks up at me with a small smile, and I start to grow hard as I think about her open for me on the bed. I can close my eyes and go at her, get lost in the act and let go of my anger and pain and use her like I have so many other women.

And the even funnier thing is that Madoc felt that Tate was the one who was in the wrong LMAO. Something about her not realising what she's missing or something. (???)

“I think she knew you would never have forgiven her,” Madoc added. “And she would never have forgiven herself once she got her head out of her ass.”

All this if she slept with someone other than the grotty man? She's the one who needs to be forgiven?? Spare me.

Unfortunately, PD's older work has a lot of dubcon.

Jared looked up at me, raising himself higher as I shook my head. “No,” I warned, knowing what he was going to do. But he let out a low breath and sank his lips onto my skin anyway, covering my entire nipple with his mouth.

Things like this happened countless times in this series and it's so unnecessary, but reading Falls Boys, I think PD is moving away from doing this kind of thing.

Still though, when Tate is talking about why she doesn't like her current bf, Ben, she says this?

When he actually tried to get to second base, he’d asked me if it was okay. I felt bad for feeling disappointed. He was only being polite, after all. He’d wait for my say-so, and I wasn’t sure if that would ever turn me on.

It wouldn't ever turn you on for him to make sure you're okay and consent to what you're doing...?

Anyway, and now I just want to express how cringey Jared is because ohmygod I cannot stand him.

"In fact, I’m steel-rod straight right now."

Thank you, Jared, for kindly informing us.

“Everywhere you kiss her,” Jared belted out to us from behind—and I noticed bystanders turning to look—“just remember that my tongue was there first.”

Jared being angry because Tate's new boyfriend isn't actually such a dick lmaoo (#justiceforben).

“Does she still like it in the morning?” he taunted. “That’s when she has the most energy.”

Publicly humiliating the person you're trying to win back by advertising their sex life and preferences 👎.

He jerked me into his body. “It will be my ring on your finger and my kids in your belly someday.”

That is actually disgusting um...

I saw his Adam’s apple bob as he swallowed. “I never wanted other women.” His thick voice was practically a whisper. “I left so I could be a man for you. So I could come back to you.”

Bullshittt.

“You always liked my tits,” she taunted.

Tate, enough, please. You're sounding like a middle-aged woman trying to get frisky with her wrinkly husband.

"My dick was fucking begging for her warmth."

I'm fucking begging for you to stop.

"She wrapped her smooth fingers around my dick, which stood as stiff as a flagpole."

Such lovely descriptive language, Jared.

“Oh, Christ,” I groaned, gripping one of her tits so hard I was probably bruising it. “Baby, your hips are like a fucking machine.”

Is this supposed to have me creaming or

“Come on,” I urged, feeling her hair and her sweat graze my fingers on her back. “I want you spread for me on the hood, so I can taste how wet you are.”

Keep this to yourself, please.

“You’re a brat!” I saw him growl in the middle of the crowd.

How sweet of you, Jared <333

End my misery, please. Anyway, don't fucking read this book. Or this series actually. It's all garbage.

━━━━━━━━━━━ ♡ ━━━━━━━━━━━

[Rachel L · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 stars

I'm not tagging my spoilers, so beware!!!



I loved Bully, Until You and Rival by this author. The first three books in the series were everything I look for in New Adult books. When it was revealed that Jared leaves Tate at the end of Falling Away I was pretty surprised. Sure they were not the perfect couple, but they never were.

My biggest issue with this book is Jared never really had a good reason for leaving Tatum behind. Yes it was to find himself, but with the career he found he didn't have to leave her behind and break up with her. I know the author needed to break them up in order to have this book, but I wanted something more believable.

My second issue. NOT ENOUGH GROVELING . It's the reason I gave Bully a 4 and not a 5. Jared doesn't work hard enough to get Tatum back and he does, easily. In fact, in this book, it literally takes her two days after two years of him being away to break up with her current boyfriend. I get that he wasn't the one, but after the BS of Jared leaving her, I needed to see some on the knees begging on his end.

“I wanted her to love me again. I wanted her to say she was mine. And I didn’t want to have to bully her about it, either.”

Now I wanted to focus on the positive. I loved seeing how all of the characters in this series grow. Four years later and Madoc still makes me smile and giggle, Fallon is still awesome. Jax is no longer an ass (imo) and is great to Juliet. The addition of Jared's little sister Quinn was such a sweet moment to read.

Overall I liked this book, but I honestly was okay with how things ended in Until You. Not to repeat myself but I felt like this book was unnecessary drama in order to create more plot.

[Jennifer Kyle · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 Stars



I was a bit hesitant in reading this last book in the series with the fear of what the author would do to this once thought HEA’d couple. To be honest, their separation could have been cut down a ton if they actually communicated. I still don’t get the need to cut things off completely as Jared sets out to find his own way. (Thus star deduction for simply being dumb and a phone call could have remedied things a whole lot sooner.) Still, this story is well done and the drama was kept at a bare minimum.

Jared returns to Fall Away Lane after two long years and his feelings for Tate haven’t change in the slightest.

” I'm a better man, but there’s never been a better woman for me.”



The banter and chemistry between the two was very well done. I also enjoyed all the other characters being present along the way and the great epilogues that the author gifted. Overall, this pretty light on the drama, high on the heat, and ties up the series very nicely.

Goodbye to all my friends on Fall Away Lane!

[Shazy · Rating 2 out of 5]

2 stars.

SPOILERS AHEAD.


I really really want to say I am not disappointed but then I would be lying because I am. Very much. Let me start off by saying I was not really happy in the beginning when I first read the prologue in Falling away. I lashed out, I was angry and wasn't sure I was going to give this book a chance. But then with teasers here and there I really started getting excited and I was okay with the idea of Tate moving on. Do you guys remember when you all were saying that Tate should move on while JARED who was the one who broke up with her should refrain from sex with ANYONE that was not Tate? Yeah, well guess what, apparently he did sleep with "A COUPLE OF WOMEN". But that was when he saw tate moving on with someone else. Still doesn't make it right tho. Later on in the book we find out that he always knew Tate was the one for him, that she was the one he would marry. Then why go and sleep with other women when he should have been trying to get her back? I always saw Tate and Jared as two book couples that were super in love but Jared's actions doesn't say a man in love.

Idk man! In a way reading Aflame sort of ruined bully for me or more like ruined Tate and Jared for me. I didn't see them the same way and I found my self skipping some of the book. I would like to say I am not angry and sad but I won't. I was expecting soo much for from this. I didn't really feel any connection between them. Meeeeeeh!

I am sure that it will be different for everyone. Some will like it and some won't. All I know is Penolope Douglas is a phenomenal writer and I have really enjoyed this journey with her. Till falling away that is and I am super excited to read corrupt when it comes out.

Peace out!

[Candace · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm still not sure how I feel about this book. On one hand, the story was good and it was nice to reconnect with the characters we've grown to love over the course of the earlier books in this series. I also think Ms. Douglas deserves some credit for taking this story in such a brave and unpopular direction. On the other hand, let's face it, nobody wants to have their favorite book couples break up! That's why it is unpopular to take a book in that direction!

Yep, Jared and Tate are split up for most of this book. That was a pretty big downer for me. I want my happy book couples to live their perfect lives together forever, without any problems. I know it isn't reality, but if I wanted reality in my love stories, I'd watch an afternoon of Divorce Court! I want a HEA!

Now that I've had my tantrum, I should say that I did enjoy the story once I got past my initial upset. They still loved one another, but it was painfully awkward to read about Tate's attempts to move on. Even if it was all Jared's fault, I wanted her to be devoted to the very end. He had it coming, but still...

Finally, things get worked out. This book didn't play out like I had wanted, but I enjoyed it. The ending was good one and it left me feeling content again. However, even though I liked it, I'm not sure I'd do that to myself again. I'd rather remain blissfully unaware than to have my happy bubble burst.

[Michelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

ARC provided by publisher in exchange for an honest review

If I could sum up my review of Alfame by Penelope Douglas, it would be ABSOLUTELY BREATHTAKINGLY BEAUTIFUL!!!! This was one story that I truly wanted to savor and take my time reading but being that it was a Penelope Douglas book, I couldn't helped but devour this book. I have nothing but LOVE LOVE LOVE for Aflame. Ms. Douglas consumed and captivated me with her brilliant and engaging writing and storytelling. So if you want a story to get lost in and have your heart brimming with love, friendship, family, sacrifices, and hope then Aflame is the book for you. We all know the saying when you truly love someone, you have to let them go and if they come back to you, they were always yours. And so Ms. Douglas will finally complete the story of Jared and Tate. Will these soul-mates finally get their chance to write their storybook ending and drive off to the HEA? Or will their love and friendship be not enough to save them?



I will admit this was a bittersweet read for me since I am a bit sad to say goodbye to Jared, Tate, Madoc, Fallon, Jax and Juliet but at the same time I am beyond happy that Ms. Douglas brought back these beloved characters back into our hearts. When I first read Bully, I was so consumed with the relationship of Jared and Tate. Their story and struggle was so engrained into our hearts that I felt their deep emotional connections and scars that ties them. In the previous books, we all saw that Fallon and Madoc got their happily ever after ending. And so did Jax and Juliet. And now it's time for Jared and Tate to get theirs. Aflame is a story that completes and brings to a full circle of Jared and Tate's journey. It is a journey that was filled with happiness, pain, resentment, sadness, loneliness, loss, anger, and love. So will Tate and Jared be able to drive this new journey together or separately?



Can the heart truly forget a love that was so consuming and etched onto your soul and being? And the answer is NO. In Aflame, Ms. Douglas delivered a story of characters who grew and learned from their mistakes. The past was something that neither Jared and Tate could forget. It is a reminder of the hurt, pain, and sadness that they inflicted upon themselves. But at the same time, the past was a reminder of an intense passionate love that was tattooed in their hearts and memories. The beauty of this book was that Ms. Douglas allowed us to see Jared and Tate grow as individuals. They are two people who had to learn from their past. They were a couple who was separated. You can blame it on their lack of communication, stubbornness, pride, and fear for their separation. In a sense, maybe they did need that time apart so they can finally realized the truth. The truth that they belonged together. The truth that were meant to be. The truth that Jared and Tate are fated. The truth that their love for one another never died. The truth that their love was a flame that was still burning bright but they just needed a little help from their friends and family to make them see the truth.

I have nothing but high praises for Ms. Douglas for showcasing a passionate love. A love that made your heart pitter patter and gives you the warm fuzzy feelings. Ms. Douglas completed my heart when she gave us the ending that we all knew Jared and Tate deserved. The writing was so consuming that you could feel every emotion that Jared and Tate were feeling. And as for the chemistry, this book was so intense and dripping with passion, love and devotion. Every raw emotion was captured and felt. Did I love this book? Absolutely! Would I want to re-read this book again? Of course, especially I could re-read the last 25% of the book and epilogue so many times!! Would I recommend this book and series? Absolutely YES!!!! So if you are a big fan of this series, this book is a MUST READ!!!



Aflame and this series is a reminder to us all that we are all human. We all make mistakes. Our past doesn't define our happiness and future. Love heals. And most importantly, life is about growing and learning from our mistakes. And Jared and Tate's journey of HEA was not instant but it was a journey filled with so many ups and downs but it was a journey they are learning to tackle together. A journey of forever. So I want to thank Ms. Douglas for bringing Jared, Tate, Madoc, Fallon, Jax and Juliet into our lives. Their story was like a puzzle, hard to piece together but beautiful when when all the right pieces are put together. And now Aflame is the final piece to the Falling Away series.

Review can also be found on Four Chicks Flipping PagesPenelope Douglas

[~♡AB♡~ · Rating 4 out of 5]

★★★★ 4 Stars ★★★★



I make it no secret, I love this series, and I love it hard. Of course I was nervous to read it, especially since I knew going in that Tate & Jared were no longer a couple and they had spend a few years apart.

Jared was feeling lost, and he wanted to be a better man for Tate. He didn't know what he could offer her, he was doing something that he didn't enjoy and he needed to be away from Tate to do that. Some might think this is dumb move but by the end of the story you come to understand his reasons, he just went about it the wrong way.

"I'm twenty, and all I know about myself is that I love Tatum Brandt."

Two years later, Jared is back in Shelburne Falls and at first reverts back to doing what he does best when he's hurting, he bullys Tate.

"Fuck me, Tate.
Fuck me like you hate me."

Jax & Madoc save the day and make him see what he needs to do, that they belong together and that neither is happy without the other.

Jared is doing well in life, and Tate has grown as a strong confident woman, but she is missing a piece of her heart that only Jared can fill.

"Jared devoured me like food. No one loved me like he did, and I lived him. And loved him."

_ _ _ _

This was actually quite low in the angst department, and I really enjoyed seeing these two come back together again as adults. It was great to spend time with the other couples too, and the epilogue was absolutely lovely.

I just want to give a shout out to my man Madoc <3 I loved his relationship with Tate and his banter and his general sillyness. I really will miss this series, it has been such a pleasure to read.

[Pavlina Read more sleep less blog · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 AMAZING STARS

I really enjoyed this book and I also generally loved the series! Penelope is so talented that I would read whatever she writes!!I adore Tate and Jared!They are one of my favorite couples!!I missed them so much and I was glad to see that they have another book together!!From Until You I knew that something was missing in their story, I needed more!This book really broke me and then put me together and made me so happy!!It was intense,emotional,sweet and so hot!!




Tate has unsuccessfully tried to get Jared out of her mind, now after two years of separation Jared is back!Seeing each other again isn't easy for them.Tate has changed so much she isn't the same girl he left behind.She is much stronger and distant.Can they finally be back together?Can they finally have their happy ending?

I loved Tate so much!!She is definitely one of the best heroines!!She became so strong!! I loved seeing a different side of Jared that we haven't seen before.I had forgotten how much I liked him!In this book I loved him even more and devoured him!!He love and cares so much for Tate!What I love about these two characters is that we see them gown up!!Their relationship is full of sexual tension!There is a fire when these two are together!!




It was nice to see the other characters again!!I loved this group of friends!!Madoc, Fallon, Jax and Juliet!!The epilogue was exactly what I need it!!It has everything I wanted and even more!!I'm going to miss them all!!They always will be a part of my heart!!

[Katy Loves Romance ❤️ · Rating 5 out of 5]

5+++++ AMAZING Stars



Ok first off I adored Bully, I got it for free before I even knew about this author I just picked it up from the recommendations that got shared at the time and I just went into the unknown. Lets say it blew me away, I was so effected by Bully I stayed up late and it made me think made me FEEL well here's my review to understand my thoughts ~ http://bit.ly/1EfqqBz
Therefore when there are novellas on this couple I would stop anything to read more of Jared and Tate.

At the end of Bully you get a HFN feel and although I was happy to see them happy I'm overjoyed to read this cause in Aflame we get a HEA maybe it wasn't all sweet and lovely but that isn't them, this really was the icing on the cake 'for me' it was what was needed. It was a journey they both needed to go through they had to ride the pain out to get their ending, not sure I'm making sense here but for me this really gave me the complete ending for them to be whole.

Tate knew what she wanted to be and where she was going and Jared didn't, he didn't get that chance growing up the way he did, therefore here in Aflame this is where Jared felt he needed to go and find himself its how he knew he couldn't stay in their hometown and just pretend that everything was ok when it wasn't. You could get annoyed with Penelope for making these characters go through it all over again when we felt that everything was ok but in reality Jared wasn't happy so to me its what was needed.

And that was it. No more talking, no more arguing, no more denying what couldn't be changed..... I only lived in her orbit, and I would die there, too. There was no choice to be made.

What I enjoyed
•I enjoyed them as MEN and WOMEN and not children anymore, mature and stronger, Individually and as a couple.
•I thought that Jared's career helped him to grow as a person and made him a wiser man, made him stand on his own two feet. He as a young man had to be strong for his brother and as a teen learn to live independently concerning his mum but he didn't know who is was and to me this really shone though on the pages he was stronger, wiser and much more put together as a MAN.
•Tate has been through the pain has been hurt and is hurting but there's only one person for Tatum Brant and that's Jared. They are Intense as ever but Tate knows who she is, she is feisty but not over the top, just in that playful way she is when you love someone. Jared just brings it out of her and in turn she fights to be stronger its all she's known yet its her learning to fight for her man, here we see that.
•Jared what a sweetheart he is, in Bully you probably didn't like him that much or maybe you did? Here he fights and works hard to learn who Tate is again, to find out who this new Tate is, a much more mature lady she's become. How he takes his time to gain her TRUST again and in turn to see how Tate remembers how much she loves Jared.
•Tate went oversees to get stronger in school and Jared never had that so I can totally see why the author did what she did, Jared needed this time to find him away from his girl in all honesty he loved her too much to see what he needed for himself now he knows and now he's come to GET HER, even if that's not how it started out.

All in all it was a perfect ending to Jared and Tate, it was fast paced, Intense but loving and romantic too. I will FOREVER keep them close to my heart ALWAYS. If you love friends to lovers YA/NA reads this a definite page turner and I highly recommend it.



THAT.IS.ALL

READING ORDER!!!


For more Reviews and blog posts.

[lizp · Rating 1 out of 5]

well.. after all the hype... all the teasers... that epilogue that leaves us with angst- it comes down to: just ok.

I wrote in my review for "Falling Away" that more and more, authors are using cliffhangers, serials, and series to pull their readers in. This may or may not be motivated by money, but to me, the writing strategy should always match the content. To me, Aflame feels like a money motivated decision rather than "this is how the characters spoke to me" bs that PD explained.

Here is my problem- Jared was supposed to leave Tate so he could "find himself." PD expressed that this was necessary for them to grow... the only problem is I see very little growth in Jared. There is little to no explanation of how his time apart helped him to grow(really almost everything we know about his time apart comes from the first chapter). There are plot holes that just don't justify the book. Where is the big self revelation that would make him such a better man for Tate? There is none. In fact it's the opposite in that Jared resorts back to sarcastic/bully comments towards Tate when he first arrives back.

Jared- I just don't get it. He straight up says he couldn't stay there to find himself because it would hurt his pride. his PRIDE. he LEFT Tate, to keep his pride in tact. Ugh. And let's just see what Jared did when he was away from Tate- he joined a racing team and then opened his own business. wow. That was so difficult, he just HAD to leave. See what I mean- it's stupid and unnecessary.

and fyi- he did sleep with other girls when he was away from Tate [but then Tate also slept with another dude too, so all's fair in love and war right?ugh gag me]. And I am confused because at the beginning he doesn't want to even see Tate, then he admits he still loves her, then he is a jerk to her, then he says crap like she is going to marry him and have his babies, and then she says

"I know you loved me. I never wanted you unhappy... But I don't trust you. You always desert me."

and he gets really mad and says cruel things. He is a bipolar character for me. He is mad at her because she tried to move on when this is all HIS fault. It's a game of "She did this, so I did this."

And Tate- good God, what a pushover. Ugh. She is cold in some parts, but then just gives in so easily in others without making Jared account for his actions. Give me a break.

[Natasha is a Book Junkie · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Would it have been better if I had never left? Would you still love me if I kept living a lie?”

Ah, the sweet sorrow of seeing one of your most beloved series come to an end! I have to admit, I was a late comer to the Fall Away ‘party’, having discovered this phenomenal group of characters only very recently, but from the moment I dove into their world, I have been utterly bewitched. It all began with Jared and Tate’s tumultuous teenage romance, and in this stunning conclusion to the series, we revisit these characters and watch them fight once again for their happily-ever-after. It’s the kind of scenario no fan of this series really wanted to ever see happening, but every aspect of this story was just as it should be, true to the characters and their personal journeys, thus cementing my love for this author’s consistently perfecting writing style and her uplifting brand of storytelling.

“I love you. I love you so goddamn much. I just…I just need time, some space, to figure out who I am and what I want.”

At twenty years of age, Tate and Jared have their whole lives ahead of them. They have grown up together, overcome their worse fears while finding their ways to one another, and ultimately discovered the kind of love that defines them, shapes their every decision in life. But somewhere along the way, Jared lost himself. Torn between what he believes is expected of him and what his free-spirited nature calls him to do, he makes the ultimate sacrifice for the sake of the woman he loves more than life itself, hoping that by making the right changes in his future and thus finding himself in the process, he’d give Tate the man she deserves to have at her side.

“I hate feeling like I’m a lost puzzle piece. Where the hell did I fit?”

Two years go by, two years of heartbreak on both sides and endless longing, and when they meet again, they are no longer the kids they once were. They are stronger, more confident in themselves, finally certain of what they want out of life, but their love has not changed at all, regardless of all the resentment obstructing their path towards each other. Having channelled all her anger and pain into her passion for racing cars, Tate is no longer the hesitant little girl who once allowed a bully to make her life miserable—she now thrives in situations that used to intimidate her, drive her to tears, and having to now face each day the man who broke her heart and left her behind only draws out even more the tenacious fighter in her.

“The players might be the same, Jared, but the game has changed.”

But this is not a story of heartbreak, as heartbreaking as Jared and Tate’s separation is to witness. This is the story of two halves of a whole finding their way to one another, of having enough self-awareness to see where their life was inevitably heading and enough courage to make the necessary changes. There is no pointless angst or superfluous drama aimed at putting these characters through the wringer and back. Every aspect of this story is character-driven, their inner battles just as crucial to the development of the story as their occasional confrontations, and we feel their pain, their uncertainty, their desire, their anger, their hope, and their determination. We feel it all and our hearts rejoice in every little dagger that is aimed their way, every heart-clench, every moment of skin-tingling emotion that makes this story so addictive and impossible to put down.

“I left so I could be a man for you. So I could come back to you.”

This story, quite simply, makes sense. It adds a wonderful new layer to a tale that, in hindsight, would have felt incomplete without it, showing us that sometimes one needs to lose their beacon in order to learn to navigate through life as a complete person, without crutches or lifelines, and that no amount of time or distance can erase true love. While in their first book we heard only Tate’s voice, and in the second one only Jared’s, in this book, we hear both, never losing our connection to both these characters and the insight into the emotions driving their every action. Everything about them is different this time around—their maturity levels, their levelheadedness, their willingness to fight for one another—making this chapter in their beautiful story only even more compelling and appreciated.

“I’m a better man, but there’s never been a better woman for me. There’s never been anyone like you.”

But this is not only Tate and Jared’s grand finale—we get to see again all the other couples as well, as their fates remain forever closely intertwined, leaving us with the goofiest grins on our faces. A spectacular ending, a much needed closure, a series that only kept getting better and better, becoming one of the finest examples of the New Adult genre.

“Everything else may change, but never the way I love you.”

See this review on my blog! | Follow me on Facebook! | Follow me on Twitter!

mazon US: http://amzn.to/1yv8Rxd
Amazon UK: http://amzn.to/1JZLuyr
Amazon CA: http://amzn.to/1xIiSWn

[moonlight ☾ [semi-hiatus] · Rating 5 out of 5]

reread: march 2022

had the urge to reread this book after finishing falls boys earlier today and this book still gave me all the fucking feels. i know ppl either loved or hated this book bc of where jaredtate's story went but bc i love being in pain and feeling emotional, it's no surprise i don't mind this type of story lol.

the bar scene when tate tested jared's loyalty and they had an argument before making up? i'm sorry, but i'm a sucker for that shit. 😭

it's a crime for this series to be under appreciated, compared to devils night tbh. 😩

✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:*:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ✧✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:*:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ✧✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:*:･ﾟ✧*:･ﾟ✧

5 stars ☆

this was angsty af and i loved every moment of it. ♡

[NiCoLeTa E. {Addicted To Books} · Rating 5 out of 5]

What an excellent conclusion...
That was fan-freakin'-tastic!!!!


And now what??? What i will do now????

How am i suppose to live without Jared & Tate??? Jaxon and Juliet??? Madoc & Fallon???
Jared??? Jared???? Jared??? Jared????
Oh, God!!! I love that guy!!!!

Yeah, i loved them all very much!!!! Every single one of them...
But he is my absolute fantasy... The best bookfriend ever....
I loved him and i will always do!!!!

I really was so exciting and happy when i finally took this book in my hand...

I was waiting so long about this one!!!!

Jared and Tate are not together anymore...
What the fuck????
Yeah, i know that the things wasn't in good condition, but i totally understand the reasons why Jared did what he did... He had to do it!!!
Because if he didn't try to discover himself, maybe the conclusion of this series wasn't gonna be so excellent after all...
Even though i had inform a big knot in my stomach about this situation...

...I really liked the development of the final act in Jared's and Tate's love story!!!!
I was anxious about what was going to happen and how every single broken piece inside of them will go to their right place, but at the end it didn't disappoint me at all...


I understand perfectly the reasons why the things had to reach this point and i won't lie to you... I enjoyed every move that Jared forced to make for winning back Tate's love and trust...
My only objection was Tate's stubborness... Because of that they lost so much time...
I think that Jared was accused unfairly... Tate's feelings got hurt from his runaway and i know that she couldn't understand his reasons why and as a result she was overreacting....
I won't accuse none of them both but i feel sorry forall this wasting time that they've been apart...
I really liked the way they finally found their way to each other...

What can i remember first from this book???
*The races???
*The insults???
*The hot tension???
*The parties???
*Zac's bachelor party????
*Madoc's crazzieness???
*Or the fact that all their friends they were trying with emotional and hillarious ways to make them get back together????
Everything was amazing...

Penelope knows how to write a wonderfull story that will keep you captivated from the beginning until the end....
I liked the ending so much!!! It was just right and absolutely amazing!!!


I will miss these guys so much... My heart ache for that reason....

But i know that Penelope will never leave us without a good story... even if it's not about our favorites old ones...
We will discover new people that will sneak inside our hearts and get their own space there.

And who knows??? Maybe someday we will meet up again with Jared, Tate, Jaxon, Madoc, Juliet and Fallon....


I will never forget this series... N.E.V.E.R.

[Cristina · Rating 5 out of 5]

I picked up this book yesterday to read it because well...I'm a huge fan of the Fall Away series and, of course, Mrs. Penelope Douglas. What I didn't expect was to not be able to put it down and I ended up reading it in one day (or better said in half a day). With a one year old around the house that's kind of impossible but thanks to my parents that did a little babysiting I was able to reclaim an old record that I haven't achieved since I was pregnant and all I was "allowed" to do was work and stay in bed :P





But enough about me...let me tell you what I thought od this book ;)



First off all I have to say I totally get why some of my friends thought this book was pretty unnecessary and where wandering why the author didn't leave well enough alone. I would have been right there with them if I hadn't been in a relationship for the past 9 years and ended up marring my right after high school boyfriend (witch happened to also be a former schoolmate :P)

What I'm trying to say it's that I understand the fact that you change so much right after high school and you try to find out who you are and who you want to be and it's pretty hard doing that next to a person that going through the same thing. So I understood why Jared needed some time to find himself and had to leave (even if I wasn't happy about that) and this thing just made the book even more real and relatable for me :D



Two years later Jared returns after a little scheming from his mother and brother and finds Tate right where he left her. The problem is that this is a different Tate then the one he walked out on two years ago but it doesn't mater...she's still his and now he's even more determined to get her back.



Tate has college, work and a new boyfriend and when Jared comes back she's all...



...but deep down she can feel how much he still affects her.

Of course this book ends with a HEA but the road to happily ever after isn't smooth and paved with good intentions'...in this case they have to fight for each other and the irony is that they have to fight with each other.



And what would the relationship between them be without some steamy in car and on car sex? :P





That being said...to all of you Fall Away series fans out there: You have to read this book even if you'll love it or hate it I can guarantee that once you'll pick it up you will not want to put it back down :D

[Mariℓina · Rating 5 out of 5]

If there is an author out there that can pull me out of my reading slump that is Penelope Douglas for sure. And yes she did it again, even if i was very apprehensive towards this book at first.


Aflame is many things, but for me it is mostly a goodbye. A bittersweet farewell to a beautifully crafted series filled with enough pasion and chemistry to wake the dead. Bully, will always stay on the top-ten of my favorite books and Jared and Tate's story, will never stop bringing tears to my eyes, filling me with pain, anger, love and forgiveness.


Reminiscing about the past i can still remember reading the first few pages of Bully back in 2013. I recall clearly being so captivated by it, i caught myself holding my breath numerous times and that was only the beginning. I loved every story in this series and every character but Jared and Tate -and Madoc, let's not forget Madoc- have a weird hold on my heart.


I was perfectly at ease with how things were for them in the previous books and i couldn't see the need for another heartbreaking story that would sure have me screaming at my tablet right away. In my mind they already had their legendary HEA, why mess with that? Why tear apart an epic couple?


The answer is simple really. They needed to grow up, they needed to know they could thrive even on their own, they needed to find the strength to make it work again. I'm not thrilled to say it, but that's the truth. If this book wasn't here the whole story would have been left unapologetically incomplete. In the end, i'm really happy that Penelope decided to write this wonderful ending the way she did.


With a subtle but always emotionaly charged nod to the way it all started with Jared and Tate's love story the series starts and ends. But this book is not only about them, it's actually a tribute to all of our favorite characters, they get their after HEA in such a unique way that made me smile all the time. So, at this point i'm inclined to finish up my review and say my own goodbye to all of them.. well, at least for now!




THOUGHTS ABOUT THE BOOK

- Dual POV.
- Jared the antisocial, God i love this man.
- Tate, girl i LOVE you!
- So much chemistry!
- Madoc, Madoc, Madoc!!!
- Quinn!! Aww now they all share a little sister! It's so adorable.
- I'm pleased to say they all end up being very close.
- Madoc is an amazing friend.
- All the kids!
- I loved every race with them. I felt my heart pumping in every turn!!
- J.T. Racing team! Wow!
- Dylan and Kade, i'm telling you, this is happening.
- It was a magnificent way to say goodbye!
- I forgot to mention the awesome playlist! Playing it on repeat!

[Sharon ∞❥ is an emotional book junkie ❥∞ · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 ★'s

I just love Jared and Tate together...and apart but they are so much better together. When I read about there being trouble between the two of them, I have to admit I was shocked but I was also intrigued. The "junkie" in me, of course, wanted more!

More angst and more drama...OMG, it was sooo good! PD just wrote everything right!

Does that mean I liked everything? Of course not but I think it's something that both Jared and Tate had to go through now to make things better in the future.

And HOLY COW...their sex scenes were beyond steamy! All that passion was off the charts!



But my favorite things were Madoc and Jax...being there for Tate and sticking it to Jared. I think I even fell for both of them a little more than I did before.

I loved getting updated on everyone and how they all get along so well. There's a scene where something happens with Jared's mom that just melts your heart!

The epilogue was amazing...let's just say, everyone got exactly what they should have. ♥




Favorite quotes:

♥ “This isn’t high school,” I said, eyeing him playfully. “You’re way out of your depth.”
on.

♥ "Leaning in, I pressed my nose into the crease and inhaled the scent of old paper as my eyes fell closed.

“Dude,” I heard Madoc’s voice. “Kinky.”

♥ “Can we just skip to the end?” I asked softly. “I’m tired of missing you, Tate.”

♥ “But, sweetheart,” I yelled, catching the others’ attention. “You love it when I’m alpha.”

♥ “You’re written all over my body,” he spoke low, just for us. “The tattoos can never be erased. You hold my heart, and you can never be replaced.”

♥ "My new lifeline."

♥ “I love her. I absolutely do, but she’s a viper, dude,” he growled low. “She filled her water gun with toilet water and was shooting them with it!”


(Prior to review)

i cant wait for more Jared and Tate! ♥

[Raj · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 Stars

*rating went up*

So I'm gonna make this easy and short. I'm too lazy to do a full review plus I have other books I wanna read and more boyfriends I need to whore around with.



So basically Jared leaves Tate to go find who he truly is and blah blah blah you know the usual "I need to know who I really am" and the


2 years later Tate is a new person. She's cold and she doesn't give a fuck. Jared comes back, he wants Tate back. There you go, that sums it up. Do I think that it was necessary to write this book? No. It was just more heartache.



It was also really nice seeing where the rest of the characters ended up.

Overall

[Fre06 Begum · Rating 1 out of 5]

Jared what happened to him in this book? His character was just so different and not in a good way he just felt so bland and Tatum was just as different I can't believe I she slept with someone else only six months after Jared left I know people change and there needs to be growth but after everything they went through I just felt so let down by their characters. This book was a let down of a couple that I felt could have been left alone without the need for them to have partners after each other, I will pretend I did not read this I think!

[Hazel *Craves the Angst Reviews* · Rating 5 out of 5]

Find This and Other Reviews At Craves The Angst.

5 “Challenge Accepted” Stars!
Everything I Wanted... And More!

The Review:
Two Words. ABSOLUTE PERFECTION!

This author... how can I possibly express the amount of “feels” she can pull out of me. I can go from happy to sad to every spectrum of feeling in between during one of her books. Jared and Tate have been through so much on their road to happily ever after and this book was a wonderful, exciting and intense conclusion for not only them but for all the characters we’ve come to love and adore.

Simply put... this book was spectacular and I loved every minute of it!

Story/Characters...
At the end of Falling Away, we see Jared and Tate go their separate ways and though it was painful and totally unexpected, after reading Aflame and understanding Jared’s mindset, it was necessary. Jared didn’t know who he was without Tate. He wanted to be his own person, someone he could be proud of and he needed to find himself in order to be the man he needed and wanted to be for Tate. This book comes after all that discovery with enough of a back story through flashbacks to get the full picture of what happened during their time apart... and it’s all in dual POV!

When this books starts, Tate and Jared are in different places. The once unsure Jared is now a man and fully in control of his life, but yet he’s still missing a puzzle piece. He may have found himself, but he’s lost his other half.

The once confidant Tate is still resolute in what she want to be but her heart is floundering and she too, is incomplete. She may know where she’s heading but she’s no longer sure of what she’ll find once she gets there.

Tate is trying to move on from the abandonment she feels from Jared. I never once disliked Tate or thought she was in the wrong for trying to move past the pain. She was hurt and didn’t understand why Jared needed to be away from her to find himself. I also felt Jared deserved a little challenge in getting her back after all he’d put her through and all the pain he’d caused her. You know they love each other and they will eventually be together but there needed to be that challenge, not out of vengeance or retribution on her part but because without the struggle, there wouldn’t be the sweet perfection that follows.
These two had more demons to conquer in their journey and thankfully they both realize they aren’t complete if they aren’t together. This author did a brilliant and amazing job getting us there with them.

I also really loved seeing all the characters revisit in this book and rally behind these two to put their family back together. That’s what they had all become. Family.

The Wrap Up:
Watching Jared win back his girl and watching Tate surrender was beautiful, angsty, heartbreaking, heartwarming, intense, dramatic and fun. And totally HOT! It was everything I thought it would be and more! I loved that the author addresses two things in their reunion. Jared promises to never run again and Tate promises to fight for their love. That shows just how much they’ve grown over the years.

I’m going to seriously miss these characters from Fall Away lane but I’m delighted and astounded at how their lives are forever bonded and all of them found their HEA!

............Just SOME of my Favorite Quotes............

Quote Spotlight...
“I exist as I am, that is enough.”

Quote Spotlight...
“You want to play?” he charged, biting out every word so only I could hear.
“Challenge accepted, Tatum. This time I don’t want you hurt,” he continued, his breath falling over me as he got in my face, “and I don’t want you small. I just want you. Do you hear me?” He jerked me into his body. “It will be my ring on your finger and my kids in your belly someday.”

Quote Spotlight...
“Tatum Brandt is my fucking food,” he growled. They all knew it in high school, and not a damn thing has changed.”

Quote Spotlight...
I’m never letting you go again, Tate,” I whispered, almost desperate. “I’m your friend forever, and if that’s all I get, then that’s what I’m taking, because only when you’re here” - I took her hand and placed it on my heart - “do I feel like my life is worth a damn.”

Quote Spotlight...
Nothing feels right without you. Not school or home,” I cried. “Everything is just giving me enough air to get to the next day without you. I never stopped being yours.”

Quote Spotlight...
I only lived in her orbit, and I would die there, too.

[Three Chicks · Rating 5 out of 5]

For two years Tate has unsuccessfully tried to get Jared Trent out of her mind. But he’s everywhere even when he’s nowhere near her. At first she closed herself off from everyone. She focused on school and even stopped coming home on the weekends. She tried to move on. She tried to date. She tried not to follow Jared’s career. She tried. But she failed. Now she has her routine down. School, work and racing at the Loop. She took something that belonged to Jared and made it her own. Racing gives her power, makes her feel strong and in control. When Jared comes home unexpectedly Tate is thrown into a tailspin of emotions that threaten to consume her. Part of her wants to run to him, devour him the other wants to inflict lots of pain on him and give him a taste of his own medicine.

“At ten years old, Jared was my friend. At fourteen, my enemy; at eighteen, my lover; and at twenty, my heartbreak.”

In the two years Jared has been away there has not been one second of one day that he has not wanted Tate. He left her so he could be better for her, be a man, but he never stopped loving her. He’s spent his time away making a name for himself on the racing circuit and constructing a plan to open his own business. When he decided to come back he knew it was too late, he waited too long and he doesn’t have any expectations of even seeing her, until he does. Seeing Tate again puts everything in perspective for Jared. But Tate isn’t the same girl he left behind two years ago. She is different, colder, distant. Jared has his work cut out for him, because this time around Tate has the wheel and Jared is not used to being in the passenger seat. Jared knows his girl is still in there somewhere and he plans on finding her, and then reminding her who she belongs to.

“Everything flooded back. Every breath, every kiss, every smile, every tear, everything about her was mine.”

Tate worked so hard trying to find her place in the world without Jared. And now he is back and threatening to send her back to where she was before. She doesn’t trust herself around him because no matter how much she tries to deny it she never stopped loving him. The problem is she can’t trust him. He abandoned her twice already and she is afraid to let her guard down to him again. But Jared is relentless when it comes to making his intentions known to her, and the more he pushes the more she feels her resolve crumbling.

“There was no one but him, and even when he wasn’t around he was. I would never be free of him because-- I didn’t want to be.”

Knowing that Tate still loves him is one thing, getting her to admit it, is something else entirely. But Jared refuses to give up, he has every intention of being with Tate for the rest of his life. Convincing her that he is in this for the long haul is not easy though. There is still a lot of hurt and resentment between them. The journey to their happy ending depends entirely on them relinquishing the pain from their past and embracing the inevitability of their future.

“….I only lived in her orbit, and I would die there, too. There was no choice to be made.”

We got the first part of Tate and Jared’s story in Bully, then we got Fallon and Madoc’s, Then Juliet and Jax’s. Now we have come full circle as we get the conclusion to Tate and Jared’s story as well as the ending of this series. It’s no secret that this series is one of my top, if not, my favorite series. I was waiting on pins and needles after reading the ending in Falling Away. I wanted this book so bad and then I didn’t want it at all. I was so afraid to read it but my gosh, am I so glad I did. This book blew me away. It was such an unexpected surprise and I loved every single word on every single page.

The character dynamic change so worked and I loved seeing a different side to Tate that we haven’t been privy to before. She was just the right amount of both strength and vulnerability. But to be honest this book was all Jared for me. My God. In Bully I loved to hate him, but in Aflame??? His unwavering love for Tate, everything he does for her, because of her. I swooned a million times over. I was so happy to see the growth in his character and especially the absence of all the excess women in his life. I’m also so glad they still have that heat between them. From the first book Jared and Tate have always had this all-consuming, unwavering heat between them. They didn’t even to be to touching or even be in the same room, yet the connection was still there. The passion, the intensity, the angst, God this book was sooo good. There is only one thing I hated about it and that is that it ended. ☹

The best part of this series for me has always been how with each book you grow to love all of the characters more and more. Madoc, Fallon, Jax and Juliet all play an equal part in this book and we get to see how they have grown as well over the last two years. I absolutely loved Madoc here and it’s crazy to see how far he has come from Bully.

The epilogue was everything I hoped it would be and more and I would love, love love it if later on she revisited this series again. I’m going to miss every single one of them so very much and I am so sad to say good-bye and that this is the conclusion. Thank you Penelope for creating a story that makes the reader cry when it is over. I cannot wait to immerse myself into the next world you create, I’m sure it will be just as great of a ride.

“I exist as I am, that is enough.”

[Jessica Hull · Rating 5 out of 5]

Penelope Douglas' Fall Away series is one series that truly breaks my heart to see it come to an end. Ironic, since its a series that broke my heart the whole way through. Douglas' propensity for brutally painful storylines has kept me completely consumed with these characters and consistently coming back for more with each subsequent novel since I first met Tate and Jared in Bully. The very first taste of the exquisite pain Douglas delivered in Bully had me addicted and has consistently held me captive through Until You, Rival, Falling Away and through the very last page of Aflame. 

It's been a long, tumultuous road for Jared and Tate, a journey that saw them evolve from friends to enemies, to lovers, to exes. Their breakup at the end of Falling Away took a lot of readers completely off guard, but for me, as difficult as it was, I found it to be a completely realistic possibility for this couple. Pain, loss, and poor decisions have altered the trajectory of their relationship repeatedly since they were ten years old. So while their breakup broke my heart, I felt it was a plausible transition for Tate and Jared, a necessary step on their journey to happily ever after. Like the wounded tree that connects their bedroom windows, their story continues to grow and thrive despite a few cracks and flaws. 

Compared to the other books in this series, I thought Aflame was pretty tame with regard to the pain and angst factor. There's no denying that the knowledge of their separation itself is painful. But Aflame is heavier on the humor and fun factor and lighter on the heartbreak. This is a story of hope, of healing, of all of these characters growing into better, stronger people. Their journey toward self-discovery, toward absolution isn't rainbows and butterflies, and readers should prepare themselves for that. But in the grand scheme of things, knowing the gut-churning angst Douglas has put me through in previous books, I expected to hurt a lot more than I did. And in hindsight, I'm glad for it. Two whole years have gone by, a lot has transpired in the interim, hearts are broken, souls are adrift. It's rough, it's sad, it's frustrating knowing there's no making up for two years no matter what happens going forward. But the sweet is that much sweeter because of those dark days, because of the painful course of events they went through. Douglas kept me on a precarious line between hope and hurt throughout Aflame, but the antics and witty banter offered up by Madoc and Jax, Fallon and Juliet, Pasha, and Jared and Tate themselves made this story a seriously fun, refreshing one. 

Aflame is so much more than just another chapter of Tate and Jared's story. It's a beautiful farewell to every character in this series... Madoc and Fallon, Jax and Juliet, parents, siblings, friends, their lives as they knew it. Everything changes in this book. Penelope Douglas' deep love and respect for these characters comes through these pages in droves. It's obvious that it's her desire to send them off with the farewell they so deserve, to bring them to a place we can all be content knowing they are. And she did that. I couldn't be happier or more satisfied knowing where they are now, that they go on in their fictional world I've grown so invested in even if I can't see it. I loved every painful bit of this journey, and while I hate to see them go, I love the manner in which they were sent on their way.

[Michelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

Penelope Douglas does it again! I was fortunate to receive an ARC from the author and for anyone who has been reading the Fall Away series, Aflame is not to be missed. Everyone from the Fall Away series is present in this book. Aflame takes place about 2 years after Falling Away with Jared returning home to Shelburne Falls for a major family event. My favorite characters throughout this whole series has always been Jared and Tate so another book about them is a real treat to me. There are parts of them that are reminiscent of Bully/Until You and parts of them that have grown up. I loved the relationship between Madoc and Tate. This book answers all the questions about what happened during the last 2 years as well as what the future has in store for everyone. Aflame includes all the familiar aspects from the prior stories like the Loop, the tree, Madman and even previous characters. Jared is a man now and he's no longer haunted by his dad's influence. That is one of the most rewarding aspects about Jared's character development, to see him free from his past even though he will never forget it, and going after what he wants. He's always kept his emotions on lock down and unwilling to show any vulnerability except when it comes to Tate. Any time Jared does show emotion is a pretty pivotal scene. Tate isn't the same girl from 2 years ago either, she won't give out her heart or trust freely, but Jared is determined to earn her heart back. In the process, Jared discovers more about himself and his vision for the future with added clarity. Perhaps the home he ran away from was the home he originally belonged to all along.

[Kelli C · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am not going to get all fancy and deep here on this. I am simply going to say that I NEEDED this book. I NEEDED a HEA. I fell in love with Penelope Douglas just 10 pages into Bully and the whole series rocked me. I was a fan then, I am still a fan. Tatum Brandt and Jared Trent are in my top 3 fave YA book couples of all time.

I cannot say that I completely understand Jared's decision to leave Tate. Reading the scene in his POV made it somewhat better, but still he shattered me. I am pleased that the time apart was truly for "growing up" and NEVER did the author create unnecessary angst. True to her word, she brought about a change in both characters that was needed. Tate and Jared have always been in love...no one will ever compare...no amount of time will change it...they just are!

Many wont understand the need for this book. Many readers cringe when an author "messes" with the ideal. For me, I get this story. Filler? Maybe. Necessary? Perhaps. Without Aflame, Jared and Tate would have just continued to exist FOR one another instead of WITH one another!

I liked it. I appreciated it. I am happy.