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Love at Center Court #1
Vérité
That’s me—Tingly Simmons—athlete, foreign-language major, professor lover, obsessed idiot girl. Definitely not a frat rat or sorority slut. I’ve never even played beer pong.
I ditched the vapid, soulless high-society life of Los Angeles for the promise of something more meaningful in rural Ohio. Accepting a track scholarship for college, I tried running my way to happiness, but instead I ended up sleeping with my French professor and falling head over heels for him.
When that relationship fell apart, so did I.
Barely hanging on by a thread and using the most absurd coping skills, I was determined to hide behind my past indiscretions. That was, until I met Tiberius Jones. Never in my wildest dreams did I think I’d learn the truth about love from a six-foot-five basketball player.
I ditched the vapid, soulless high-society life of Los Angeles for the promise of something more meaningful in rural Ohio. Accepting a track scholarship for college, I tried running my way to happiness, but instead I ended up sleeping with my French professor and falling head over heels for him.
When that relationship fell apart, so did I.
Barely hanging on by a thread and using the most absurd coping skills, I was determined to hide behind my past indiscretions. That was, until I met Tiberius Jones. Never in my wildest dreams did I think I’d learn the truth about love from a six-foot-five basketball player.
288 pages, Paperback
First published June 12, 2015
38 people are currently reading
966 people want to read
About the author
Rachel Blaufeld
27 books939 followersA recent poll of her readers described Rachel Blaufeld as insightful, generous, articulate, and spunky. Originally a clinical social worker, Rachel creates broken yet redeeming characters. She’s been known to turn up the angst like cranking up the heat in the dead of winter. A devout coffee drinker and doughnut eater, Rachel spends way too many hours in local coffee shops, downing the aforementioned goodies while she plots her ideas.
As a side note, Blaufeld, also a long-time blogger and an advocate of woman-run anything, is fearless about sharing her opinion. She captured the ears of stay-at-home and working moms on her blog, BacknGrooveMom, chronicling her adventures in parenting tweens and running a business, often at the same time. To her, work/life/family balance is an urban legend, but she does her best. Rachel has also blogged for The Huffington Post and Modern Mom. Most recently, her insights can be found in USA TODAY Happy Ever After Blog, where she shares conversations at “In Bed with a Romance Author.”
Rachel lives around the corner from her childhood home in Pennsylvania with her family and two beagles. When she isn’t writing, she can be found courtside, tweeting about hoops as her son plays, or walking around the house wearing earplugs while her other son, the drummer, bangs away.
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As a side note, Blaufeld, also a long-time blogger and an advocate of woman-run anything, is fearless about sharing her opinion. She captured the ears of stay-at-home and working moms on her blog, BacknGrooveMom, chronicling her adventures in parenting tweens and running a business, often at the same time. To her, work/life/family balance is an urban legend, but she does her best. Rachel has also blogged for The Huffington Post and Modern Mom. Most recently, her insights can be found in USA TODAY Happy Ever After Blog, where she shares conversations at “In Bed with a Romance Author.”
Rachel lives around the corner from her childhood home in Pennsylvania with her family and two beagles. When she isn’t writing, she can be found courtside, tweeting about hoops as her son plays, or walking around the house wearing earplugs while her other son, the drummer, bangs away.
Connect here 👇🏻
Website: https://www.rachelblaufeld.com
Newsletter: https://www.rachelblaufeld.com/signup
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rachelblaufe...
Facebook Private Readers Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/Tunne...
Twitter: https://twitter.com/rachelblaufeld
Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/rache...
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rachelblauf...
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show...
Amazon Author Page: http://www.amazon.com/Rachel-Blaufeld...
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 185 reviews
June 18, 2015
4.5 stars!
This is the second book I’ve read by Rachel Blaufeld. I enjoyed the first, but this was so much better for me. I really connected with the characters and loved the direction the story took. It’s a wonderful NA coming of age book and one that will stay with me.
Tingly is coming off a rough year. She’s made some poor decisions in the past, but she’s determined to turn it around. To focus on school and track (she’s an athlete on scholarship). While doing some mandatory study sessions, she meets Tiberius Jones. A new guy on the basketball team. Ty likes Tingly right away. There is something about this girl that makes him want to reach out and be friends with her. Tingly doesn’t make that easy for him.
Ty befriends Tingly and gives her the nickname T Rex (which sounds a bit silly but I absolutely loved). He brings her into his fold with the basketball team and even though it’s a bit rocky at first, he gives her a place to belong. A new normal. A group of friends that are like family.
I love stories about falling in love. Ones that aren’t rushed and where you can actually see and feel it happening. Once Ty talks his Rex into becoming friends with him, it’s not long before she’s falling. Even though she tries really hard not to. Ty is a persistent guy. He’s genuinely a good person. He was raised the right way and it shows. I adored his character. Tingly did things that irked me, but in the end she always came around.
This is not your every day sports romance. It’s not just a book about an interracial couple. It’s so much more than that. I loved the writing style, the flow of the book and the characters. Even the ones that took me longer to like, I ended up loving in the end. These characters aren’t perfect (well, Ty is pretty close) but they’re real. I know this is a stand-alone but I’m hoping down the line Blaufeld will give us some spin offs- a Jamel, Trey or Lamar book ;)
If you like sports romances, coming of age stories and/or new adult reads, this is one I would highly recommend!
This is the second book I’ve read by Rachel Blaufeld. I enjoyed the first, but this was so much better for me. I really connected with the characters and loved the direction the story took. It’s a wonderful NA coming of age book and one that will stay with me.
Tingly is coming off a rough year. She’s made some poor decisions in the past, but she’s determined to turn it around. To focus on school and track (she’s an athlete on scholarship). While doing some mandatory study sessions, she meets Tiberius Jones. A new guy on the basketball team. Ty likes Tingly right away. There is something about this girl that makes him want to reach out and be friends with her. Tingly doesn’t make that easy for him.
Ty befriends Tingly and gives her the nickname T Rex (which sounds a bit silly but I absolutely loved). He brings her into his fold with the basketball team and even though it’s a bit rocky at first, he gives her a place to belong. A new normal. A group of friends that are like family.
I love stories about falling in love. Ones that aren’t rushed and where you can actually see and feel it happening. Once Ty talks his Rex into becoming friends with him, it’s not long before she’s falling. Even though she tries really hard not to. Ty is a persistent guy. He’s genuinely a good person. He was raised the right way and it shows. I adored his character. Tingly did things that irked me, but in the end she always came around.
This is not your every day sports romance. It’s not just a book about an interracial couple. It’s so much more than that. I loved the writing style, the flow of the book and the characters. Even the ones that took me longer to like, I ended up loving in the end. These characters aren’t perfect (well, Ty is pretty close) but they’re real. I know this is a stand-alone but I’m hoping down the line Blaufeld will give us some spin offs- a Jamel, Trey or Lamar book ;)
If you like sports romances, coming of age stories and/or new adult reads, this is one I would highly recommend!
June 20, 2015
The cover is so beautiful.....
Verite is the love story of Tingly Simmons, an athlete and foreign-language student, and a talented Basketball player called Tiberius Jones who is sweet, caring and relatively innocent....
In her recent past Tingly has made a few ill advised decisions, one that left her devastated. She's now searching for something meaningful in her life and to move on from past mistakes and misplaced loyalties. She's searching for the truth about love.... The question is, will she find it?
This College set sports New Adult drama began with engaging dry anecdotal story telling. There are moments throughout the story that I enjoyed. The premise is one that I found both interesting and appealing and the ethos behind Verite is lovely. With the opening chapters the author drew me in with her beautifully written prose and made me smile but as the story progressed I began to feel a slight disconnect to the feel of it. I've tried to consider why because, in truth, many of my reviewing friends, including people whose perspective I hugely respect, have enjoyed this story to a far higher level than myself. I didn't always feel fully invested in elements of the story arc. I found the heroine to be irksome and somewhat immature in her ways and her parent's story line didn't quite work for me so unfortunately a large part of the angst impact was lost on my emotions.
The hero is undoubtedly the highlight of the story for me. He's so sweet and there are some lovely moments between the protagonists that will appeal to readers of College romances.
The sentiment of the story is beautiful and if New Adult is your first love when it comes to reading then this author will no doubt tick many boxes with her sporting story of love and truth.
Excerpt
* Amazon US * Amazon UK *
Advanced copy provided by the author, via Flirty Subs PR Services, in exchange for my honest review thoughts.
Verite is the love story of Tingly Simmons, an athlete and foreign-language student, and a talented Basketball player called Tiberius Jones who is sweet, caring and relatively innocent....
In her recent past Tingly has made a few ill advised decisions, one that left her devastated. She's now searching for something meaningful in her life and to move on from past mistakes and misplaced loyalties. She's searching for the truth about love.... The question is, will she find it?
This College set sports New Adult drama began with engaging dry anecdotal story telling. There are moments throughout the story that I enjoyed. The premise is one that I found both interesting and appealing and the ethos behind Verite is lovely. With the opening chapters the author drew me in with her beautifully written prose and made me smile but as the story progressed I began to feel a slight disconnect to the feel of it. I've tried to consider why because, in truth, many of my reviewing friends, including people whose perspective I hugely respect, have enjoyed this story to a far higher level than myself. I didn't always feel fully invested in elements of the story arc. I found the heroine to be irksome and somewhat immature in her ways and her parent's story line didn't quite work for me so unfortunately a large part of the angst impact was lost on my emotions.
The hero is undoubtedly the highlight of the story for me. He's so sweet and there are some lovely moments between the protagonists that will appeal to readers of College romances.
The sentiment of the story is beautiful and if New Adult is your first love when it comes to reading then this author will no doubt tick many boxes with her sporting story of love and truth.
Excerpt
* Amazon US * Amazon UK *
Advanced copy provided by the author, via Flirty Subs PR Services, in exchange for my honest review thoughts.
June 15, 2015
★★★★ 4 Stars ★★★★
Now LIVE!
Amazon US: http://amzn.com/B00ZM532HG
Amazon UK: http://amzn.to/1G3fTay
This is a story of 2 athletes, both of which have come from entirely different backgrounds.
Tingly hails from LA and is from a family who are high in the social standings, where only outer appearances and reputation matter. She is on a track scholarship at a college in Ohio, so very far away from the people and lifestyle she hates. A girl who only wants to be loved for who she is, she is recently back from some time away, after being caught naked with her French professor. She is ashamed that everybody knows that she slept with her teacher, and mortified that she thought that what they had was love.
One day whilst at study hall, she meets a Freshman basketball player who wants to get to know her, but she cannot fathom why and tries her hardest to avoid him.
Tiberius is from Brooklyn, NY and on a Basketball scholarship. He grew up in the hood, with a single mother who fought for him to be a good person and to fit in and make something good for his life.
Ty refuses to let Tingly push him away, her coping mechanism is to run and boy does she like to run.
Let me tell you about my love/hate relationship with this book:-
1. Love = Tiberius aka Ty was a big sweet giant, who had compassion and morals (unlike his fellow team members, who were all dirty players, although somewhat loveable). He made the book for me, his determination to get through to the sweet but feisty girl that he was drawn to was admirable, he really fought for his girl. Also, he was a complete gentleman which is quite unusual in books these days.
2. Hate = Tingly aka Rex was one of the most annoying heroines IMO. She was a bitch, and I understand it was a self defence mechanism, but she didn't really have that many redeeming qualities, she just annoyed me when she kept running when the going got tough with Ty.
Overall though, I really enjoyed reading this book. It was engaging and I loved the flow of the writing and the fact that it was a bit different to other sports romances out there at the moment. Once Tingly got over herself, the romance between her and Ty was adorable and gave me a big fat smile. I would love to read more about Jamel, Lemar and Trey, Ty's team mates.
This is a standalone new adult novel, told in Tingly's POV.
ARC gratefully received from the author in exchange for an honest review
Now LIVE!
Amazon US: http://amzn.com/B00ZM532HG
Amazon UK: http://amzn.to/1G3fTay
This is a story of 2 athletes, both of which have come from entirely different backgrounds.
Tingly hails from LA and is from a family who are high in the social standings, where only outer appearances and reputation matter. She is on a track scholarship at a college in Ohio, so very far away from the people and lifestyle she hates. A girl who only wants to be loved for who she is, she is recently back from some time away, after being caught naked with her French professor. She is ashamed that everybody knows that she slept with her teacher, and mortified that she thought that what they had was love.
One day whilst at study hall, she meets a Freshman basketball player who wants to get to know her, but she cannot fathom why and tries her hardest to avoid him.
Tiberius is from Brooklyn, NY and on a Basketball scholarship. He grew up in the hood, with a single mother who fought for him to be a good person and to fit in and make something good for his life.
Ty refuses to let Tingly push him away, her coping mechanism is to run and boy does she like to run.
Let me tell you about my love/hate relationship with this book:-
1. Love = Tiberius aka Ty was a big sweet giant, who had compassion and morals (unlike his fellow team members, who were all dirty players, although somewhat loveable). He made the book for me, his determination to get through to the sweet but feisty girl that he was drawn to was admirable, he really fought for his girl. Also, he was a complete gentleman which is quite unusual in books these days.
2. Hate = Tingly aka Rex was one of the most annoying heroines IMO. She was a bitch, and I understand it was a self defence mechanism, but she didn't really have that many redeeming qualities, she just annoyed me when she kept running when the going got tough with Ty.
Overall though, I really enjoyed reading this book. It was engaging and I loved the flow of the writing and the fact that it was a bit different to other sports romances out there at the moment. Once Tingly got over herself, the romance between her and Ty was adorable and gave me a big fat smile. I would love to read more about Jamel, Lemar and Trey, Ty's team mates.
This is a standalone new adult novel, told in Tingly's POV.
ARC gratefully received from the author in exchange for an honest review
December 4, 2015
5 Vérité STARS
It's always extra special when you go into a book looking forward to it and just get blown away! Wow, this one just crept up on me and stole my breath away. I simply loved this story. This is one of my favourite books for the year!
The tale is simple. Tingly Simmons (aka T-Rex,) born filthy rich, could have anything and everything money could buy but having someone (family, friend or otherwise) to care for her, love her, be real with her and honest with her is something she's only dreamed of.
Screaming for attention, Rex does what many would do in her shoes, she seeks any kind of attention (all bad) to feel something, cause a stir and piss her parents off, which frankly, I totally think they deserve. In the process, she degrades herself and chips away at any self-worth she may have.
Coming back from a year of therapy and being red shirted from the track team for a major indiscretion with her French professor, Rex crosses paths with Tiberius Jones (aka Ty).
I so want to describe to you the beauty that's all Ty but you MUST experience him for yourself. He's this freshman, basketball star with youth and innocence when it comes to the opposite sex yet he's got this protective, take charge, and honest nature that was so beautiful, refreshing and mature.
Ty...
Ms. Blaufeld created two completely opposite characters both with their own flaws and challenges that are just so captivating, real and raw. This story she's crafted and gifted anyone that reads it is the beauty of truth, of being real with another, soul to soul. And while so simple in theory, it's not easy to find and when you do, it's a rare thing of beauty, which is exactly what's she's given us.
"Feel that Rex? That's my heart beating for you. You can push and shove and run and whatever other stupid shit you want, but I'm coming for you."
"I like you too, Ty, but I don't get why me?"
"'Cause you're not into me for my jump shot or my jersey. 'Cause you got the best smile when you let it come out. 'Cause you're kick-ass fast in your running shoes. 'Cause you're tough and sweet, but don't even know it."
I highly recommend this book. If you love deep, sweet, moving and memorable romances, this is for you! This was an alley oop for me!
**ARC generously provided by author in exchange for an honest review.**
For more reviews and blog posts.
It's always extra special when you go into a book looking forward to it and just get blown away! Wow, this one just crept up on me and stole my breath away. I simply loved this story. This is one of my favourite books for the year!
The tale is simple. Tingly Simmons (aka T-Rex,) born filthy rich, could have anything and everything money could buy but having someone (family, friend or otherwise) to care for her, love her, be real with her and honest with her is something she's only dreamed of.
Screaming for attention, Rex does what many would do in her shoes, she seeks any kind of attention (all bad) to feel something, cause a stir and piss her parents off, which frankly, I totally think they deserve. In the process, she degrades herself and chips away at any self-worth she may have.
Coming back from a year of therapy and being red shirted from the track team for a major indiscretion with her French professor, Rex crosses paths with Tiberius Jones (aka Ty).
I so want to describe to you the beauty that's all Ty but you MUST experience him for yourself. He's this freshman, basketball star with youth and innocence when it comes to the opposite sex yet he's got this protective, take charge, and honest nature that was so beautiful, refreshing and mature.
Ty...
Ms. Blaufeld created two completely opposite characters both with their own flaws and challenges that are just so captivating, real and raw. This story she's crafted and gifted anyone that reads it is the beauty of truth, of being real with another, soul to soul. And while so simple in theory, it's not easy to find and when you do, it's a rare thing of beauty, which is exactly what's she's given us.
"Feel that Rex? That's my heart beating for you. You can push and shove and run and whatever other stupid shit you want, but I'm coming for you."
"I like you too, Ty, but I don't get why me?"
"'Cause you're not into me for my jump shot or my jersey. 'Cause you got the best smile when you let it come out. 'Cause you're kick-ass fast in your running shoes. 'Cause you're tough and sweet, but don't even know it."
I highly recommend this book. If you love deep, sweet, moving and memorable romances, this is for you! This was an alley oop for me!
**ARC generously provided by author in exchange for an honest review.**
For more reviews and blog posts.
January 17, 2016
Vérité is the story of two college athletes at Hafton University and that’s about the only thing these two have in common at first glance.
Ty is a basketball player, from ghetto in New York and has the reputation as being a great guy. He is the exact opposite of Tingly. See Tingly is a track star, from an affluent family, and has a reputation as a slut. Together they are quite the contradiction.
Ty doesn’t care about Tingly’s past or reputation he sees something in her and wants to be friends. It’s an uphill battle for sure, because Tingly can be very difficult to say the least.
What impresses me most about this story is the character development and slow build of their relationship. There is no insta-love, plenty of awkward moments and growing pains. I loved feeling like I knew the characters and seeing their growth.
My absolute favorite part of this story is Ty. He is 5 star fantastic! He seriously made me swoon so many times. He is protective, honest and just a good guy. He is forgiving and trusting, he honestly made this story for me. Tingly is a little bit more difficult to love and did wear on me, but in the end I did really enjoy falling in love with the Ty and Tingly.
Ty is a basketball player, from ghetto in New York and has the reputation as being a great guy. He is the exact opposite of Tingly. See Tingly is a track star, from an affluent family, and has a reputation as a slut. Together they are quite the contradiction.
Ty doesn’t care about Tingly’s past or reputation he sees something in her and wants to be friends. It’s an uphill battle for sure, because Tingly can be very difficult to say the least.
What impresses me most about this story is the character development and slow build of their relationship. There is no insta-love, plenty of awkward moments and growing pains. I loved feeling like I knew the characters and seeing their growth.
My absolute favorite part of this story is Ty. He is 5 star fantastic! He seriously made me swoon so many times. He is protective, honest and just a good guy. He is forgiving and trusting, he honestly made this story for me. Tingly is a little bit more difficult to love and did wear on me, but in the end I did really enjoy falling in love with the Ty and Tingly.
December 21, 2015
3.75 Conflicted Stars
“Vérité . . . that’s the first time anyone has ever given me that,” I half mumbled, half whispered to myself.
“What?”
“The truth. You’re the first person to give me the truth.”
Time for some big time honesty. This book had my emotions all over the place and it's taken me over a week to get my thoughts in order. Not necessarily because of the big time feels this story evoked, though at times it most definitely did, but more because of what I wasn't feeling. Confused yet? Me, too but here goes nothing.
"I’m not who you want to be friends with, because I’m not right. And by not right, I mean fucked up in the head all the way down to my soul.”
Tingly Simmons has spent the past year trying to get her life together. After an affair with her engaged professor is publicly exposed and she's forced to take a year off from both her studies and track team, the beginning of a new academic year finds her at a bit of a crossroads. Questionable life choices and an unstable relationship with her parents have left her floundering and wondering who the hell she is. Is she the girl who uses sex to manipulate and get what she wants? Why does everything that matters to her seem to turn toxic in a hurry? These thoughts seem to run in a constant loop and to say homegirl is feeling lost and confused would be an extreme understatement.
God, he was such a contradiction. A muscular wall of an athlete with a hard body and clearly an iron will, yet a soft heart and the grin of a little boy.
Tiberius "Ty" Jones, unlike Tingly, isn't confused about a damn thing. At school on a basketball scholarship, he's had a clear vision of what he hopes to achieve from the moment he set foot on campus. Meeting Tingly and wanting her is no different and he knows with certainty she's meant to be in his life. Whether Tingly thinks that's a good idea or not.
Yep, even though Ty is sweet, smart, resilient and hot as hell, our gal Tingly resists any kind of relationship with him. You know, because even a friendship could poison all that's good in Ty's life. Lather, rinse and repeat. This goes on for a loooong time and I found myself wanting to shake the ever loving shit out of Tingly more than once.
“Shh, don’t ruin it. You don’t have to be the big, bad Tingly for me. I missed you, and that’s it. Don’t say it back. Don’t give some explanation. And don’t run away.”
Bottom line, what did I love? One word:Ty! It's not often I find myself swooning like a pervy cougar over a twenty year old but I'm not ashamed to admit Ty brought the major swoons. Yes, I had some of those pervy moments but I was also struck by how damn good of a person he was. His life had been anything but easy up to this point and he still managed to keep his head above water and triumph.
On the flip side, I never found myself connecting with Tingly and therefore couldn't understand why Ty was so hell bent on having a relationship with her. She pushed him away and ran from him Every. Damn. Time they started to get close and because this story's told from Tingly's POV, I never caught the gist of what was so special about her that had Ty pushing for more.
This could've easily been a 3 Star read for me and though I didn't connect with Tingly, I still thought the writing was excellent. It's difficult to keep me reading a book where the main character doesn't really float my boat but Rachel Blaufeld managed to do just that. I found myself becoming invested in this couple and ultimately rooting for their HEA.
Copy provided by the author in exchange for an honest review
“Vérité . . . that’s the first time anyone has ever given me that,” I half mumbled, half whispered to myself.
“What?”
“The truth. You’re the first person to give me the truth.”
Time for some big time honesty. This book had my emotions all over the place and it's taken me over a week to get my thoughts in order. Not necessarily because of the big time feels this story evoked, though at times it most definitely did, but more because of what I wasn't feeling. Confused yet? Me, too but here goes nothing.
"I’m not who you want to be friends with, because I’m not right. And by not right, I mean fucked up in the head all the way down to my soul.”
Tingly Simmons has spent the past year trying to get her life together. After an affair with her engaged professor is publicly exposed and she's forced to take a year off from both her studies and track team, the beginning of a new academic year finds her at a bit of a crossroads. Questionable life choices and an unstable relationship with her parents have left her floundering and wondering who the hell she is. Is she the girl who uses sex to manipulate and get what she wants? Why does everything that matters to her seem to turn toxic in a hurry? These thoughts seem to run in a constant loop and to say homegirl is feeling lost and confused would be an extreme understatement.
God, he was such a contradiction. A muscular wall of an athlete with a hard body and clearly an iron will, yet a soft heart and the grin of a little boy.
Tiberius "Ty" Jones, unlike Tingly, isn't confused about a damn thing. At school on a basketball scholarship, he's had a clear vision of what he hopes to achieve from the moment he set foot on campus. Meeting Tingly and wanting her is no different and he knows with certainty she's meant to be in his life. Whether Tingly thinks that's a good idea or not.
Yep, even though Ty is sweet, smart, resilient and hot as hell, our gal Tingly resists any kind of relationship with him. You know, because even a friendship could poison all that's good in Ty's life. Lather, rinse and repeat. This goes on for a loooong time and I found myself wanting to shake the ever loving shit out of Tingly more than once.
“Shh, don’t ruin it. You don’t have to be the big, bad Tingly for me. I missed you, and that’s it. Don’t say it back. Don’t give some explanation. And don’t run away.”
Bottom line, what did I love? One word:Ty! It's not often I find myself swooning like a pervy cougar over a twenty year old but I'm not ashamed to admit Ty brought the major swoons. Yes, I had some of those pervy moments but I was also struck by how damn good of a person he was. His life had been anything but easy up to this point and he still managed to keep his head above water and triumph.
On the flip side, I never found myself connecting with Tingly and therefore couldn't understand why Ty was so hell bent on having a relationship with her. She pushed him away and ran from him Every. Damn. Time they started to get close and because this story's told from Tingly's POV, I never caught the gist of what was so special about her that had Ty pushing for more.
This could've easily been a 3 Star read for me and though I didn't connect with Tingly, I still thought the writing was excellent. It's difficult to keep me reading a book where the main character doesn't really float my boat but Rachel Blaufeld managed to do just that. I found myself becoming invested in this couple and ultimately rooting for their HEA.
Copy provided by the author in exchange for an honest review
June 23, 2015
The cover gets a million stars, because GORGEOUS.
The book itself gets a strong solid 4 stars.
Full review to come...
The book itself gets a strong solid 4 stars.
Full review to come...
June 16, 2015
**Verite generously provided in exchange for an honest review.**
It's LIVE! Verite
5+++ ”That’s pure good, babe.” Stars
This author keeps getting better and better! What I love about stories written by Rachel Blaufeld stems from the honesty and forthrightness from her characters. Each character she writes presents itself to the reader as someone real, someone who’s fighting a battle, making hard choices and owning up to their faults.
A New Adult stand-alone romance novel, Verite excels in the genre. Rachel Blaufeld broke the bad boy/good girl mold with a story about a broken, self-perceived bad girl in Tingly Simmons and a strong, kind, gentle giant in Tiberious Jones. Through her exquisitely honest and poignant writing, Blaufeld blazes through racial stereotypes and taboo affairs to provide a truly captivating, heart melting tale of the forever kind of love.
Told strictly from her point of view, Tingly Simmons shows us she just wants to be loved. As a young woman on the brink of personal freedom, she felt attention and worth from a man unwilling to give her the right kind of relationship. Wanting so badly to be loved, Tingly makes a colossal mistake shaping her emotionally and scarring her from understanding the true essence of the emotion. I commend Rachel Blaufeld to highest degree possible because Tingly Simmons is not a heroine I’d usually love but I do, I LOVE HER. Her self-deprecation feels completely genuine, the motivation behind her actions completely warrant her behavior. Everything about this character feels true to the story and the character herself. She owns her mistakes, she uses them as a shield to protect herself from feeling and it helps progress her growth throughout the story. I understood TIngly in such a way that I was prohibited in finding fault with her actions. A testament to the great writing and honest character development of this author.
Tiberious Jones. My feelings for this hero run deep. He’s a true hero to Tingly. He breaks down her barriers. He’s honest and kind. Tiberious is a quintessential good guy. If there were more men in the world like Tiberious Jones, the world would be a better place. He’s the guy you hope your son grows up to emulate. He’s the guy that scares away the demons in Tingly’s head and pushes her to believe in the self-worth she inherently knows she possesses. He refuses to let Tingly run and hide from something true and real. He constantly fights for what he believes. He stands up for himself. He’s appreciative of his past and the fortunes his mother worked to provide. He has no room for stereotypes or frivolous judgment. The man literally staves off heart ache. Tiberious Jones forces Tingly to believe in not only herself but in the fairytale while concurrently gives the readers hope for their own personal fairytales.
Rachel Blaufeld is so very good at “real” fairytales. Her characters are true themselves. They carry the simple plot of the story forward so gracefully. She surrounds them with strong secondary characters who you want to be friends with too. Friends whom defend and love her main characters just as the readers do. This author never leaves out the mistakes we as humans make especially at this vulnerable time period in our lives. She doesn’t sugarcoat the consequences or make light of one’s own failures but rather uses them to provide an example, a base to grow and achieve greatness.
Rachel Blaufeld achieved her own greatness with Verite by breaking stereotypical boundaries that shouldn’t even be in there in the first place. She achieves greatness with blunt honestly and vulnerability in her exquisite writing because Verite is as honest and real as a NA romance can get and it’s absolutely stunning.
February 4, 2016
4 - "Be extra-ordinary." Stars!
It wasn’t a real surprise to me that I absolutely adored Vérité. This isn’t the first book I have read by Rachel Blaufeld and I know for certain it won’t be the last.
”Let’s think of the now.”
There is one thing that you can guarantee, and that is that this is an author who takes the standard and popular tropes and gives them a unique and refreshing spin. Once again I was absolutely blown away by the level and skill of the author’s storytelling and depth of characterization for Tingly and Ty’s romance.
”Feel that? That’s my heart beating for you.”
Both athletes, trying to make their way through college, and whilst Ty is a Basketball player, Tingly is a runner, but not just on the track, in every sense of the word. If things get difficult Tingly is the first off the blocks and out the door.
”Leave your running for the track. Leave your past where it belongs… in the dirt. If you’re gonna run, run to me, to your future, to being happy.”
You can understand why, when pretty much everyone in her life and her past has dumped on her from a great height or used her for their own agenda. And I must admit I was worried that this ’Cut and Run’ type of relationship would get repetitive in it’s telling for me, but with everything else they had going on as a couple it actually added more depth to their eventual coming together in all senses of the word.
”Want you, all of you. Not just once or twice, or just for fun. Want all of you… The naughty and the nice, especially the nice, because I’m scared to death I’m going to screw up and not be the man you need when it comes to the naughty…”
There is a massive amount of charm and vulnerability to both of these characters, and it was nice to see the author mix it up in relation to who was the inexperienced one in the relationship. You cannot help but feel empathy for them both, for everything they experience as individuals, on top of everything they have to deal with and get through on the path of becoming a solid couple.
Loved it, can’t wait to sink my teeth into Dolce, the next book in the Love at Centre Court series, due for release on 21st January 2016.
It wasn’t a real surprise to me that I absolutely adored Vérité. This isn’t the first book I have read by Rachel Blaufeld and I know for certain it won’t be the last.
”Let’s think of the now.”
There is one thing that you can guarantee, and that is that this is an author who takes the standard and popular tropes and gives them a unique and refreshing spin. Once again I was absolutely blown away by the level and skill of the author’s storytelling and depth of characterization for Tingly and Ty’s romance.
”Feel that? That’s my heart beating for you.”
Both athletes, trying to make their way through college, and whilst Ty is a Basketball player, Tingly is a runner, but not just on the track, in every sense of the word. If things get difficult Tingly is the first off the blocks and out the door.
”Leave your running for the track. Leave your past where it belongs… in the dirt. If you’re gonna run, run to me, to your future, to being happy.”
You can understand why, when pretty much everyone in her life and her past has dumped on her from a great height or used her for their own agenda. And I must admit I was worried that this ’Cut and Run’ type of relationship would get repetitive in it’s telling for me, but with everything else they had going on as a couple it actually added more depth to their eventual coming together in all senses of the word.
”Want you, all of you. Not just once or twice, or just for fun. Want all of you… The naughty and the nice, especially the nice, because I’m scared to death I’m going to screw up and not be the man you need when it comes to the naughty…”
There is a massive amount of charm and vulnerability to both of these characters, and it was nice to see the author mix it up in relation to who was the inexperienced one in the relationship. You cannot help but feel empathy for them both, for everything they experience as individuals, on top of everything they have to deal with and get through on the path of becoming a solid couple.
Loved it, can’t wait to sink my teeth into Dolce, the next book in the Love at Centre Court series, due for release on 21st January 2016.
June 3, 2021
Why did it take me so long to read this one? I loved it!
June 19, 2015
ARC provided by author in exchange for an honest review
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The French word for truth is Verite. And so here's the truth, Verite by Rachel Blaufeld was a well written beautiful coming of age story. Though this book spotlights an interracial relationship which I think there should be more books that highlights that, Verite was so much more than that. This book was about going through an emotional journey with Tingly Simmons as she discovers the TRUTH. The truth of accepting her past mistakes, the truth of letting go, and the truth that LOVE heals. And the most important verite, running away from your problems is a race you'll never win.
Tingly Simmons' life is a hot mess. After it was discovered that she was having an affair with her French professor, her life was a big emotional mess. She was known around campus as the student who was having an affair with her teacher. Luckily for Tingly, she was able to get lost in her love of running. As a member of the track and team, she had to go to mandatory study times in the library where unbeknownst to her she meets a young man who has been admiring her from afar. From the first moment, Tiberius Jones saw Tingly, there was something about her that had him gravitate towards her. Soon he was able to form a friendship with her and slowly break down the walls of her heart. So can this six-foot-five basketball player show Tingly the truth that he is irrevocably in love with her?
Verite is the first book that I have read from Rachel Blaufeld and it won't be my last. I really enjoyed this book and found myself really invested in getting to know the characters especially Tiberius Jones. I loved how the author showcased Tiberius as a man who never wavered in his love for Tingly. What I really enjoyed about this book was Ms. Blaufeld allowed readers to really see Tingly's progression in dealing with her emotional vulnerabilities and past. Tingly is not a perfect heroine and I loved that we get to see flawed characters who are REAL in which allow readers to FEEL for her. Though at times, I struggled with Tingly with her need to run away from her problems, I got to admit I really loved how it worked out in the end for her. The journey of Tingly was well worth it in the end. So if you are looking for a book that highlights friendship, love, self worth, and acceptance then I would recommend VERITE.
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Review can also be found on Four Chicks Flipping Pages:http://fourchicksflippingpages.weebly... Rachel Blaufeld
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The French word for truth is Verite. And so here's the truth, Verite by Rachel Blaufeld was a well written beautiful coming of age story. Though this book spotlights an interracial relationship which I think there should be more books that highlights that, Verite was so much more than that. This book was about going through an emotional journey with Tingly Simmons as she discovers the TRUTH. The truth of accepting her past mistakes, the truth of letting go, and the truth that LOVE heals. And the most important verite, running away from your problems is a race you'll never win.
Tingly Simmons' life is a hot mess. After it was discovered that she was having an affair with her French professor, her life was a big emotional mess. She was known around campus as the student who was having an affair with her teacher. Luckily for Tingly, she was able to get lost in her love of running. As a member of the track and team, she had to go to mandatory study times in the library where unbeknownst to her she meets a young man who has been admiring her from afar. From the first moment, Tiberius Jones saw Tingly, there was something about her that had him gravitate towards her. Soon he was able to form a friendship with her and slowly break down the walls of her heart. So can this six-foot-five basketball player show Tingly the truth that he is irrevocably in love with her?
Verite is the first book that I have read from Rachel Blaufeld and it won't be my last. I really enjoyed this book and found myself really invested in getting to know the characters especially Tiberius Jones. I loved how the author showcased Tiberius as a man who never wavered in his love for Tingly. What I really enjoyed about this book was Ms. Blaufeld allowed readers to really see Tingly's progression in dealing with her emotional vulnerabilities and past. Tingly is not a perfect heroine and I loved that we get to see flawed characters who are REAL in which allow readers to FEEL for her. Though at times, I struggled with Tingly with her need to run away from her problems, I got to admit I really loved how it worked out in the end for her. The journey of Tingly was well worth it in the end. So if you are looking for a book that highlights friendship, love, self worth, and acceptance then I would recommend VERITE.
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Review can also be found on Four Chicks Flipping Pages:http://fourchicksflippingpages.weebly... Rachel Blaufeld
February 28, 2018
***Truth & Love - do they work together?
Tiberius is so special. HOPE you have a chance to meet him!
Tiberius is so special. HOPE you have a chance to meet him!
June 5, 2015
*ARC provided by the author for an honest review*
This was just great I could put it down Rachel just keeps getting better an better
This story is about Tingly she as had a pretty messed up life so far an she is only just turnin 21 she is a really bright girl she's has an athletic scholarship an knows 3 foreign languages she as had a really shitty yr she made the mistake of fallin 4 her French teacher Pierre an got caught she thought the world of him but he just left her then her spleen failed and had 2 have a op on that there is only so much someone could take but this was the start of an new yr so she just wanted 2 get on with her work an enjoy her running she knew everyone knew what had happened with her an Pierre but she just kept her head down
With everything that had happened last yr Tingly had 2 go back an do study hall it was part of the scholarship this is where she bumped into the gorgeous Tiberius he is on the basketball team an he seem 2 like her but Tingly doesn't want 2 get close 2 anyone after goin through the shit yr an then goin through therapy but Ty c her differently an she finds it hard 2 believe but she just keeps pushin him away even though she does think he would b what she needs so just not sure if she can do it again
I thought this story was really really good I did like Tingly even though she can b a lil annoyin at times but her parents an just bastards I can't believe the things they will do 4 money it's just sick an then the whole Pierre stuff was so hard on her an then the way she grow up with her shitty parent an they wonder why she was wild an ended up leaving 2 live on her own she is a really strong character an I do like that about her the only thing at did annoy me was the way she just kept pushin Ty away even after everything he does u just know hes a great guy
Tiberius/Ty is just so caring sexy an would just do anything 4 u his carin side is so cute it just made me luv his character I just could get enough of him even with the stuff that Tingly as been through he doesn't care the past is the past but al Tingly ever does is run it another thing this man as is patience cause thing get rough between then she just runs an it's so annoyin cause there so good 2gether sexy time is hot an the kissin is hot but Ty just won't just up on them
The book is really well written an the story is filled with everything u need 4 a great story the characters were great an not just the main 1 I would luv more from Jamel an Stacey I liked the way that got put in so I would luv 2 know what happened there but I would high recommend this book an the rest of her books there great xxx
This was just great I could put it down Rachel just keeps getting better an better
This story is about Tingly she as had a pretty messed up life so far an she is only just turnin 21 she is a really bright girl she's has an athletic scholarship an knows 3 foreign languages she as had a really shitty yr she made the mistake of fallin 4 her French teacher Pierre an got caught she thought the world of him but he just left her then her spleen failed and had 2 have a op on that there is only so much someone could take but this was the start of an new yr so she just wanted 2 get on with her work an enjoy her running she knew everyone knew what had happened with her an Pierre but she just kept her head down
With everything that had happened last yr Tingly had 2 go back an do study hall it was part of the scholarship this is where she bumped into the gorgeous Tiberius he is on the basketball team an he seem 2 like her but Tingly doesn't want 2 get close 2 anyone after goin through the shit yr an then goin through therapy but Ty c her differently an she finds it hard 2 believe but she just keeps pushin him away even though she does think he would b what she needs so just not sure if she can do it again
I thought this story was really really good I did like Tingly even though she can b a lil annoyin at times but her parents an just bastards I can't believe the things they will do 4 money it's just sick an then the whole Pierre stuff was so hard on her an then the way she grow up with her shitty parent an they wonder why she was wild an ended up leaving 2 live on her own she is a really strong character an I do like that about her the only thing at did annoy me was the way she just kept pushin Ty away even after everything he does u just know hes a great guy
Tiberius/Ty is just so caring sexy an would just do anything 4 u his carin side is so cute it just made me luv his character I just could get enough of him even with the stuff that Tingly as been through he doesn't care the past is the past but al Tingly ever does is run it another thing this man as is patience cause thing get rough between then she just runs an it's so annoyin cause there so good 2gether sexy time is hot an the kissin is hot but Ty just won't just up on them
The book is really well written an the story is filled with everything u need 4 a great story the characters were great an not just the main 1 I would luv more from Jamel an Stacey I liked the way that got put in so I would luv 2 know what happened there but I would high recommend this book an the rest of her books there great xxx
June 2, 2015
I would like to thank Rachel for asking me to beta read Verite- it was an honor and a pleasure.
Have you ever fallen in love with a book? I mean REALLY fallen in love with one? I have read hundreds of books and yes, I have read many great ones BUT there are a few that stand out above the rest. Ones that I will never, ever forget. Ones that will stay with me forever. Verite is one of those books. And no, I am not exaggerating. There is something about Verite. Actually, there are a lot of things about it. Put those things together and you have an amazing read that will always be one of my favorite books.
Verite is completely different than Rachel’s other books in terms of the setting and age of the characters. Unlike her other books, Verite is New Adult- it centers around college kids and a college setting. Tiberius and Tingly come from 2 different backgrounds- not only in color but in upbringing and social status. While Verite tackles the issue of race, it is about so much more. It is about letting go of your past. Tingly has made some bad decisions in her past. Ones she can’t let go of. Ones that make her feel unworthy of love and happiness. Tiberius is her savior in a way, helping her see she does deserve good things. That she can overcome her past. That she can be happy. I fell in love with both of them, both individually and together. Their dialogue, their interactions, their chemistry- it’s all perfect. They are both perfect in an imperfect way. The secondary characters are a great addition to the story as well. They are funny, they are great friends to each other and I loved them all.
I never reread books. Ever. I have only reread one book. I figure what’s the point when there are hundreds of books I want to read. Well now I know why people reread books- because some are just that special. I will definitely be rereading Verite.
I loved every single thing about Verite. It’s sweet. It’s romantic. It made me smile a lot. There’s some drama and conflict. The characters are amazing. It’s realistic in every way. The writing style is beautiful, smooth, fluid, descriptive, and the perfect pace- it’s a gift on paper. Verite is perfect. It’s a must read. Trust me.
Have you ever fallen in love with a book? I mean REALLY fallen in love with one? I have read hundreds of books and yes, I have read many great ones BUT there are a few that stand out above the rest. Ones that I will never, ever forget. Ones that will stay with me forever. Verite is one of those books. And no, I am not exaggerating. There is something about Verite. Actually, there are a lot of things about it. Put those things together and you have an amazing read that will always be one of my favorite books.
Verite is completely different than Rachel’s other books in terms of the setting and age of the characters. Unlike her other books, Verite is New Adult- it centers around college kids and a college setting. Tiberius and Tingly come from 2 different backgrounds- not only in color but in upbringing and social status. While Verite tackles the issue of race, it is about so much more. It is about letting go of your past. Tingly has made some bad decisions in her past. Ones she can’t let go of. Ones that make her feel unworthy of love and happiness. Tiberius is her savior in a way, helping her see she does deserve good things. That she can overcome her past. That she can be happy. I fell in love with both of them, both individually and together. Their dialogue, their interactions, their chemistry- it’s all perfect. They are both perfect in an imperfect way. The secondary characters are a great addition to the story as well. They are funny, they are great friends to each other and I loved them all.
I never reread books. Ever. I have only reread one book. I figure what’s the point when there are hundreds of books I want to read. Well now I know why people reread books- because some are just that special. I will definitely be rereading Verite.
I loved every single thing about Verite. It’s sweet. It’s romantic. It made me smile a lot. There’s some drama and conflict. The characters are amazing. It’s realistic in every way. The writing style is beautiful, smooth, fluid, descriptive, and the perfect pace- it’s a gift on paper. Verite is perfect. It’s a must read. Trust me.
June 17, 2015
Tiberius was the star player in this book! He was an awesome guy with such a touching back story. I really loved his character a lot. He had a tough childhood with an MIA father but somehow he managed to defy the odds around him and find success. He was determined to be the type of man his father wasn't.
Tingly had to grow on me a bit. I didn't like the way she treated Tiberius for a good portion of the book. Tingly is a runner on the track team. And, perhaps that was why she spent so much time "running away" from him. :) It was okay at first because she is a little gun shy when it comes to men now. But it got to the point where I felt like she was just being overly dramatic.
Tingly needed a guy like Tiberius to come into her life. He was patient, caring and liked to take things slow and easy. He wanted something real and whether she believed it or not, she needed that too. She was always taking things fast and because of that, she was missing out on an important part of forming a true relationship, which is friendship. I liked the way Tiberius was able to help Tingly actually stop and take notice of the little things that matter between couples. I think that was my favorite part of the story.
This is a type of New Adult romance I had never read before and I thought it was refreshingly different. And, I love that it was an interracial romance but the focus wasn't necessarily on race. It was more about their attraction to each other.
Very well written, engaging, heartwarming... pretty good NA... it ticks all the boxes!
ARC provided by Flirty Subs PR
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Tingly had to grow on me a bit. I didn't like the way she treated Tiberius for a good portion of the book. Tingly is a runner on the track team. And, perhaps that was why she spent so much time "running away" from him. :) It was okay at first because she is a little gun shy when it comes to men now. But it got to the point where I felt like she was just being overly dramatic.
Tingly needed a guy like Tiberius to come into her life. He was patient, caring and liked to take things slow and easy. He wanted something real and whether she believed it or not, she needed that too. She was always taking things fast and because of that, she was missing out on an important part of forming a true relationship, which is friendship. I liked the way Tiberius was able to help Tingly actually stop and take notice of the little things that matter between couples. I think that was my favorite part of the story.
This is a type of New Adult romance I had never read before and I thought it was refreshingly different. And, I love that it was an interracial romance but the focus wasn't necessarily on race. It was more about their attraction to each other.
Very well written, engaging, heartwarming... pretty good NA... it ticks all the boxes!
ARC provided by Flirty Subs PR
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June 23, 2015
4.25-4.5 stars
Tingly hasn't made the best choices in life. Just last year, she got caught having sex with her French professor in his office. A year later, after therapy and some time to recover, she's back on the track team and ready to get her life back together. She's not looking for a relationship, she doesn't do relationships anyways. Tiberius is a freshman basketball player. He's not like the other guys on the team, he doesn't do hookups. He's kind, sweet and thoughtful. He's exactly what Tingly needs, even though she doesn't know it.
I really enjoyed this story and the main reason why is Tiberius. He was perfect! Tingly and Ty were opposites and kind of a role reversal from typical books in the genre. Tingly is the more experienced sexually and has used it to her advantage over the years. Ty is a one-woman type guy and sex needs to mean something to him. There is instant chemistry between these characters. Tingly was not my favorite heroine, she ran away too much and I didn't like the way she treated Ty in the beginning but as the book progresses and you get to know her, it makes sense why she is the way she is. Ty is incredibly patient, more so than she deserves at times and he really brings out the best in Tingly. I also really liked the supporting characters. I look forward to reading more by this author.
Tingly hasn't made the best choices in life. Just last year, she got caught having sex with her French professor in his office. A year later, after therapy and some time to recover, she's back on the track team and ready to get her life back together. She's not looking for a relationship, she doesn't do relationships anyways. Tiberius is a freshman basketball player. He's not like the other guys on the team, he doesn't do hookups. He's kind, sweet and thoughtful. He's exactly what Tingly needs, even though she doesn't know it.
I really enjoyed this story and the main reason why is Tiberius. He was perfect! Tingly and Ty were opposites and kind of a role reversal from typical books in the genre. Tingly is the more experienced sexually and has used it to her advantage over the years. Ty is a one-woman type guy and sex needs to mean something to him. There is instant chemistry between these characters. Tingly was not my favorite heroine, she ran away too much and I didn't like the way she treated Ty in the beginning but as the book progresses and you get to know her, it makes sense why she is the way she is. Ty is incredibly patient, more so than she deserves at times and he really brings out the best in Tingly. I also really liked the supporting characters. I look forward to reading more by this author.
July 28, 2017
3 Stars
Overall Opinion: This was just ok for me. I thought it had a lot of potential, but sadly the h ruined it for me. The H is the primary reason for the 3 stars, because without him being so awesome it would've been less. She constantly pushed him away, and it became extremely frustrating (especially because he was such a good guy). I don't think she was worth his fight at all, and I would've been happy if another deserving woman came into the story and stole him away -- I just didn't get why he would continue to pursue her.
Brief Summary of the Storyline: This is Tingley and Ty's story. Tingley is known around campus for being caught sleeping with her professor. She is trying to earn back her spot on the track team, and in order to do that she needs to attend a study session. This is where she meets Ty. He is instantly friendly (and gorgeous), and she is hesitant to accept his friendship because of her history. He gives her space, but is also relentless in his pursuit of her. After a lot of her pushing him away, she eventually give in and they become a couple. There is some friend drama, some family drama, some sweet moments, some sexy times, and some frustrating moments...but they get their HFN ending.
POV: This was told in Tingley's POV.
Overall Pace of Story: Ok. Slow at times and kind of an abrupt ending, but I never skimmed. I think it would've been nice if they had more time after their separation where the h wasn't pushing the H away.
Instalove: No. They had adequate development of feelings IMO.
H rating: 5 stars. Ty. He was pretty perfect. He respected the h (and women in general), and tried his hardest to make her respect herself. He didn't have much experience in relationships at all (1 OW), and he wanted to wait until it "meant something" before jumping into bed. He dealt with her constant pushing him away, and frankly I think he should've moved on and found someone more deserving -- because I didn't get it.
h rating: 1 star. Tingley. I struggled a lot with this h. She ruined the book for me.
Sadness level: Low. I didn't need any tissues here.
Heat level: Moderate. They have some stood chemistry, but it was slow getting there.
Descriptive sex: Yes
Safe sex: Yes, mentions of condoms and then birth control.
OW/OM drama: Mild
Sex scene with OW or OM: Yes,
Cheating:
Possible Triggers:
Closure: This had ok closure with a jump ahead epilogue, and what I would call a HFN ending.
How I got it: It was part of my kindle unlimited subscription.
Safety: Safe with exception
Overall Opinion: This was just ok for me. I thought it had a lot of potential, but sadly the h ruined it for me. The H is the primary reason for the 3 stars, because without him being so awesome it would've been less. She constantly pushed him away, and it became extremely frustrating (especially because he was such a good guy). I don't think she was worth his fight at all, and I would've been happy if another deserving woman came into the story and stole him away -- I just didn't get why he would continue to pursue her.
Brief Summary of the Storyline: This is Tingley and Ty's story. Tingley is known around campus for being caught sleeping with her professor. She is trying to earn back her spot on the track team, and in order to do that she needs to attend a study session. This is where she meets Ty. He is instantly friendly (and gorgeous), and she is hesitant to accept his friendship because of her history. He gives her space, but is also relentless in his pursuit of her. After a lot of her pushing him away, she eventually give in and they become a couple. There is some friend drama, some family drama, some sweet moments, some sexy times, and some frustrating moments...but they get their HFN ending.
POV: This was told in Tingley's POV.
Overall Pace of Story: Ok. Slow at times and kind of an abrupt ending, but I never skimmed. I think it would've been nice if they had more time after their separation where the h wasn't pushing the H away.
Instalove: No. They had adequate development of feelings IMO.
H rating: 5 stars. Ty. He was pretty perfect. He respected the h (and women in general), and tried his hardest to make her respect herself. He didn't have much experience in relationships at all (1 OW), and he wanted to wait until it "meant something" before jumping into bed. He dealt with her constant pushing him away, and frankly I think he should've moved on and found someone more deserving -- because I didn't get it.
h rating: 1 star. Tingley. I struggled a lot with this h. She ruined the book for me.
Sadness level: Low. I didn't need any tissues here.
Heat level: Moderate. They have some stood chemistry, but it was slow getting there.
Descriptive sex: Yes
Safe sex: Yes, mentions of condoms and then birth control.
OW/OM drama: Mild
Sex scene with OW or OM: Yes,
Cheating:
Possible Triggers:
Closure: This had ok closure with a jump ahead epilogue, and what I would call a HFN ending.
How I got it: It was part of my kindle unlimited subscription.
Safety: Safe with exception
December 11, 2015
|| Provided a copy of Vérité in exchange for a review ||
3 stars
I've got to be honest, I was excited to be reading my first interracial romance.... but I found Tingly (aka Ting-lee, T-Rex , Rex, Rexy, T) really annoying. Tingly was the poor little rich girl from La-La land with parents that didn't really give her the love she needed. She searches for love in the wrong places to rebel against her parents. After being caught having an affair with her French professor, she feels humiliated and thinks no one will want to love her. She meets Tiberius (aka Ty) and makes it difficult for him to get close to her in the beginning. I don't know why Tiberius was attracted to her? In the beginning she was a bitch to him. I loved Tiberius though, he was a real sweetheart.
"Leave your past where it belongs... in the dirt. If you gonna run, run to me, to your future, to being happy"
Tingly see's the vérité in Tiberius.
If I don't like the heroin, I find it difficult to like the book. Parts of the book were repetitive also. I can see why some people would love it, but sadly I didn't.
November 24, 2015
5 Moving, Touching, Emotional Stars......Beautiful
Wow, this is the 3rd book that I have read in the last week and a half by this talented author and she has once again blown me away. Now, with that being said anyone who has read my reviews on her books or has read her books knows, just knows, these stories are so much more than a typical romance. No, this is where the author takes a slight turn and breaks out from the "pack" and let me tell you the powerful emotions behind all of her stories and this story is no exception, are so overwhelming for me at times that I was literally moved to tears at points and at other points I wanted to scream at Tingly.
Yes, you read that right, it wasn't the male lead of this story that made me want to scream, made me want to put my Kindle down at times because I wanted to throttle some sense into her, lol. Tingly was broken, she was broken in so many ways and yet, she truly was strong in her own way, a way in which she didn't even see in herself. It took that incredibly, hot, sexy and oh so damned sweet, Ty to try and make her see her self-worth! Ty, oh my, I was all hot n bothered while reading about this beautiful and incredibly sexy man....yeah, just thinking about him now gets me all worked up, lol.
Ty and Tingly's relationship was a long beautiful and yet torturous at times, road but my gosh was it all worth it:) Once I started this book, I never put it down, I was totally engrossed from the get-go and can I tell you the opening of this book already had my kindle on fire, heheheheh! Their road to happiness was a tough one, it was very emotional and yet it was so perfectly woven, it was like watching a rose bloom for the first time, it was simply incredible in every way. Yes, I got frustrated at times and yes, I was on the edge of my seat too because heck at some points I didn't know what the heck I was in for with these two but let me tell it was worth the ride!
Author Rachel Blaufeld, you wowed me once again and to say I am surprised wouldn't be the truth......to say that your writing challenges a reader's emotions, heck yes, to say your writing makes a reader truly feel every bit a part of the story, yes....your writing leaves me hanging on every word, every sentence, it gives me time in between to pause and really digest the meaning behind the words of your characters and to say I am moved by it all would be an understatement. Thank you, again, for allowing me the pleasure of reading such a masterpiece, I am so glad that I discovered your books because I am a fan for life...or as long as you continue to write such beauty!!!!!!!
Wow, this is the 3rd book that I have read in the last week and a half by this talented author and she has once again blown me away. Now, with that being said anyone who has read my reviews on her books or has read her books knows, just knows, these stories are so much more than a typical romance. No, this is where the author takes a slight turn and breaks out from the "pack" and let me tell you the powerful emotions behind all of her stories and this story is no exception, are so overwhelming for me at times that I was literally moved to tears at points and at other points I wanted to scream at Tingly.
Yes, you read that right, it wasn't the male lead of this story that made me want to scream, made me want to put my Kindle down at times because I wanted to throttle some sense into her, lol. Tingly was broken, she was broken in so many ways and yet, she truly was strong in her own way, a way in which she didn't even see in herself. It took that incredibly, hot, sexy and oh so damned sweet, Ty to try and make her see her self-worth! Ty, oh my, I was all hot n bothered while reading about this beautiful and incredibly sexy man....yeah, just thinking about him now gets me all worked up, lol.
Ty and Tingly's relationship was a long beautiful and yet torturous at times, road but my gosh was it all worth it:) Once I started this book, I never put it down, I was totally engrossed from the get-go and can I tell you the opening of this book already had my kindle on fire, heheheheh! Their road to happiness was a tough one, it was very emotional and yet it was so perfectly woven, it was like watching a rose bloom for the first time, it was simply incredible in every way. Yes, I got frustrated at times and yes, I was on the edge of my seat too because heck at some points I didn't know what the heck I was in for with these two but let me tell it was worth the ride!
Author Rachel Blaufeld, you wowed me once again and to say I am surprised wouldn't be the truth......to say that your writing challenges a reader's emotions, heck yes, to say your writing makes a reader truly feel every bit a part of the story, yes....your writing leaves me hanging on every word, every sentence, it gives me time in between to pause and really digest the meaning behind the words of your characters and to say I am moved by it all would be an understatement. Thank you, again, for allowing me the pleasure of reading such a masterpiece, I am so glad that I discovered your books because I am a fan for life...or as long as you continue to write such beauty!!!!!!!
June 15, 2015
Verite is the first book I have read by Rachel and I completely fell in love with this story.
Verite is such a sweet and warming read, that you can't help but smile and feeling all sorts of gooey warm and loving all over. Rachel does a wonderful job giving us a beautiful and heart-felt romance that's not all about the hot an heavy, although there is some of that too.
"Everything was better when it meant something."
Ty and Ting are two college athletes from two complete opposite worlds. But their story will prove that it doesn't matter where you are from, it's who you are and what you do now, that matters. Ty - he melts my heart, he really does. He's a baller with the heart of gold. Ting will infuriate you at times, but will also make you want to push her to move forward and not let her past dictate who she is. The woman is very strong and it takes a warm and honest heart to make her see her true self. But what made me absolutely fall in love with this story is watching their relationship grow. It's not all hot and heavy - it's sincere, heart warming and gives you that "falling in love" feeling all over.
You will love every single character in this book (minus a few asshats). Rachel wrote these characters very well - you will feel the emotions they go through and really pulling for them. Ty's patience and persistence with Ting is so honest and truly shows how he feels about her. Ting's view of herself and her past actions are truly genuine - you can understand why she puts those walls and up and guards herself. And the secondary characters flowed perfectly with the story and really show the love and support in this book.
Verite is one book that many readers need to pick up and read this summer. It will make you fall in love with romance all over again. I can't say enough this book. I found myself highlighting and bookmarking so many pages as I was reading this. This book definitely has woven a piece into my heart and will stay there. It's a captivating and refreshing read.
Bravo Rachel!!
Verite is such a sweet and warming read, that you can't help but smile and feeling all sorts of gooey warm and loving all over. Rachel does a wonderful job giving us a beautiful and heart-felt romance that's not all about the hot an heavy, although there is some of that too.
"Everything was better when it meant something."
Ty and Ting are two college athletes from two complete opposite worlds. But their story will prove that it doesn't matter where you are from, it's who you are and what you do now, that matters. Ty - he melts my heart, he really does. He's a baller with the heart of gold. Ting will infuriate you at times, but will also make you want to push her to move forward and not let her past dictate who she is. The woman is very strong and it takes a warm and honest heart to make her see her true self. But what made me absolutely fall in love with this story is watching their relationship grow. It's not all hot and heavy - it's sincere, heart warming and gives you that "falling in love" feeling all over.
You will love every single character in this book (minus a few asshats). Rachel wrote these characters very well - you will feel the emotions they go through and really pulling for them. Ty's patience and persistence with Ting is so honest and truly shows how he feels about her. Ting's view of herself and her past actions are truly genuine - you can understand why she puts those walls and up and guards herself. And the secondary characters flowed perfectly with the story and really show the love and support in this book.
Verite is one book that many readers need to pick up and read this summer. It will make you fall in love with romance all over again. I can't say enough this book. I found myself highlighting and bookmarking so many pages as I was reading this. This book definitely has woven a piece into my heart and will stay there. It's a captivating and refreshing read.
Bravo Rachel!!
February 3, 2016
OOPS, I totally read this out of order, but it was not a problem as it is a complete standalone!
There are some great reviews out there so I am going to keep it simple...I really enjoy this author's writing style. I really enjoy this author's unique stories. I think the underlying theme in this series is fantastic male characters who are completely swoon worthy and then the woman they fall for! It has been a long time since a female character got me this irritated...Tingly. What can I say other than this woman is completely NUTS. I could not enjoy much of the story as her crazy-of-the-charts- behavior had me thinking who in the hell could want this girl???
So basically 5 for the writing...the man...the story...1 for the lady. My book funk continues!
There are some great reviews out there so I am going to keep it simple...I really enjoy this author's writing style. I really enjoy this author's unique stories. I think the underlying theme in this series is fantastic male characters who are completely swoon worthy and then the woman they fall for! It has been a long time since a female character got me this irritated...Tingly. What can I say other than this woman is completely NUTS. I could not enjoy much of the story as her crazy-of-the-charts- behavior had me thinking who in the hell could want this girl???
So basically 5 for the writing...the man...the story...1 for the lady. My book funk continues!
October 15, 2019
A college sports romance sounded just the thing. It's been a while since I picked one up and I had this one waiting on my Kindle. I liked the idea of both main characters being athletes in their own sports and that the heroine had a past to overcome. I'm not one for heaping helpings of drama and this one did have that, but I found the author's writing and the persistent love of the hero able to help push me past much of it.
Verite is narrated entirely by the heroine in first person so, in a sense, its her story. It was probably good in a way because she has a lot of baggage to unpack by the end and the reader has to get the sense of what she was thinking and doing through all that. It was bad enough knowing she was a mixed up, bitter, and hurting person through it which wouldn't have endured anyone, but knowing how she came to be that way does earn her some points.
So, the story begins with a prologue of how Tingly (yes, I know, ignore the name if you can) gets herself quite a few labels for getting caught having sex with her French Prof at school. She basically loses a year of school and nearly her track scholarship, but now she's back for a re-do and getting in trouble with the male sex is off her list.
But right after she determines this, she encounters a new freshman from the basketball squad in her study hall who wants to be friends. Tingly puts on her Raging B persona to flick him away, but Tiberius won't go. He was drawn to her when he saw her being kind and concerned to her roommate and doesn't by her brush off. He senses the loneliness and pain in her because he has his own. Tiberius pushes past her walls each time she erects them, but she knows it is only a matter of time before her snobby over the top parents and her sordid past ruin things so she wants to break it off first.
As you might have surmised from earlier comments, Tingly brews up drama. She had a tough break in her awful parents and knows that life back in LA was hollow and not for her, but she brings her issues with her and can't seem to get past them. Like most of us at that age, she's plenty self-absorbed and takes repeated efforts and I do mean repeated- like the whole book- for Ty to get it through her thick skull that everyone has a past and everyone screws up, but to let it go and get on with things. Tingly definitely enjoys her poor little rich girl wallowing and I honestly couldn't figure out what Ty saw in her other than the one incident because she gave him little in return other than running away and throwing shade. I felt like the running away was a cliche after a while. I actually laughed when she took on that tone in the dialogue about 'we're adults...' with Ty when he was the only one of the two acting like an adult.
Ty, oh my stars, that guy was something and worth the book. But, he shines this bright because of Tingly forcing him to pursue so hard and be the level-headed one. He grew up with his dad in jail, his mom poor and then dying before he came to school and he grew up on the tough streets of Jersey, but he didn't let it be only and all that he was. He had a good head on his shoulders and didn't let himself think he was all that because he was good at his sport and would likely go pro.
Now, they are college age so they got busy quite a bit. I liked that it wasn't immediately nor was this remotely close to instalove. Ty was the one that didn't let Tingly push it into a mere sexual encounter or cheap affair so she could avoid her feelings. He held them back until he was sure it meant something and he wouldn't let her run or lie to herself or him about what was happening between them after the first time. Sigh... he was so good. Tingly was only good at self-loathing and sabotaging the good because she didn't think she deserved better (made a martyr out of herself over this, in fact).
They got there in the end. I can't say I enjoyed this one so much as I wanted to see Tingly get her act together, stop being the victim of her past, and grow up to have something special with a great guy. Plus, it was definitely fun seeing his career start out and how he handled early sports' celebrity. The story was more or less what I anticipated in a college sports romance and I was good with that. I would recommend it to those who enjoy New Adult College Romances with a deal of angst and a sports element.
Verite is narrated entirely by the heroine in first person so, in a sense, its her story. It was probably good in a way because she has a lot of baggage to unpack by the end and the reader has to get the sense of what she was thinking and doing through all that. It was bad enough knowing she was a mixed up, bitter, and hurting person through it which wouldn't have endured anyone, but knowing how she came to be that way does earn her some points.
So, the story begins with a prologue of how Tingly (yes, I know, ignore the name if you can) gets herself quite a few labels for getting caught having sex with her French Prof at school. She basically loses a year of school and nearly her track scholarship, but now she's back for a re-do and getting in trouble with the male sex is off her list.
But right after she determines this, she encounters a new freshman from the basketball squad in her study hall who wants to be friends. Tingly puts on her Raging B persona to flick him away, but Tiberius won't go. He was drawn to her when he saw her being kind and concerned to her roommate and doesn't by her brush off. He senses the loneliness and pain in her because he has his own. Tiberius pushes past her walls each time she erects them, but she knows it is only a matter of time before her snobby over the top parents and her sordid past ruin things so she wants to break it off first.
As you might have surmised from earlier comments, Tingly brews up drama. She had a tough break in her awful parents and knows that life back in LA was hollow and not for her, but she brings her issues with her and can't seem to get past them. Like most of us at that age, she's plenty self-absorbed and takes repeated efforts and I do mean repeated- like the whole book- for Ty to get it through her thick skull that everyone has a past and everyone screws up, but to let it go and get on with things. Tingly definitely enjoys her poor little rich girl wallowing and I honestly couldn't figure out what Ty saw in her other than the one incident because she gave him little in return other than running away and throwing shade. I felt like the running away was a cliche after a while. I actually laughed when she took on that tone in the dialogue about 'we're adults...' with Ty when he was the only one of the two acting like an adult.
Ty, oh my stars, that guy was something and worth the book. But, he shines this bright because of Tingly forcing him to pursue so hard and be the level-headed one. He grew up with his dad in jail, his mom poor and then dying before he came to school and he grew up on the tough streets of Jersey, but he didn't let it be only and all that he was. He had a good head on his shoulders and didn't let himself think he was all that because he was good at his sport and would likely go pro.
Now, they are college age so they got busy quite a bit. I liked that it wasn't immediately nor was this remotely close to instalove. Ty was the one that didn't let Tingly push it into a mere sexual encounter or cheap affair so she could avoid her feelings. He held them back until he was sure it meant something and he wouldn't let her run or lie to herself or him about what was happening between them after the first time. Sigh... he was so good. Tingly was only good at self-loathing and sabotaging the good because she didn't think she deserved better (made a martyr out of herself over this, in fact).
They got there in the end. I can't say I enjoyed this one so much as I wanted to see Tingly get her act together, stop being the victim of her past, and grow up to have something special with a great guy. Plus, it was definitely fun seeing his career start out and how he handled early sports' celebrity. The story was more or less what I anticipated in a college sports romance and I was good with that. I would recommend it to those who enjoy New Adult College Romances with a deal of angst and a sports element.
June 17, 2015
Wow, this story was an unexpected highlight of my reading week. Two people, who you could not find more opposite as far as their upbringing and culture, who just seem so right for each other.
Tingly (yep, that's her name) has made a lot of mistakes in her past and carries them around with her like a cloak. She is trying to keep her head down and just blend in quietly now that she is back at college. She has a very disfunctional, estranged relationship with her family and is pretty much alone in life.
"I was hungry for contact. I'd starved myself for so long." - Tingly
Tiberious is a beautiful young man, in every way. He has a sweet disposition and is very intuitive. He is a basketball player so very tall and muscular in physique. So yeah, not bad to look at either. He is not like the other guys in his team who always seem to be looking for the next girl they can hook up with.
He sees in Tingly what she can't see in herself. She is not like the other girls, who only want to know him because of who he is and what they can get out of it. He isn't interested in her past mistakes. He is intrigued by her and cannot stop thinking about her.
'Leave you past where it belongs.... in the dirt. If you're gonna run, run to me, to your future, to being happy.' - Tiberious
Tingly continually doubts herself and puts up walls faster than a master builder. She thinks she is not good enough for him and sooner or later he will realise it too. Her self-talk is her downfall. Tiberious had no idea he was looking for a girl like Tingly until he found her, when you least expect it, you find your person, the one.
"You can push and shove and run and whatever other stupid shit you want, but I'm coming for you." - Tiberious
Tingly feels so much uncertainty and she just needs to embrace it, trust in Tiberious and see herself through his eyes. I loved how Tiberious was so patient with Tingly and let her figure things out at her own pace. Nothing was rushed, it just slowly grew between them and was just so damn sweet to read.
I loved this story so much. It was a breath of fresh air, completely unique story and I could not put it down until I was done.
'Everything was better when it meant something'
Tingly (yep, that's her name) has made a lot of mistakes in her past and carries them around with her like a cloak. She is trying to keep her head down and just blend in quietly now that she is back at college. She has a very disfunctional, estranged relationship with her family and is pretty much alone in life.
"I was hungry for contact. I'd starved myself for so long." - Tingly
Tiberious is a beautiful young man, in every way. He has a sweet disposition and is very intuitive. He is a basketball player so very tall and muscular in physique. So yeah, not bad to look at either. He is not like the other guys in his team who always seem to be looking for the next girl they can hook up with.
He sees in Tingly what she can't see in herself. She is not like the other girls, who only want to know him because of who he is and what they can get out of it. He isn't interested in her past mistakes. He is intrigued by her and cannot stop thinking about her.
'Leave you past where it belongs.... in the dirt. If you're gonna run, run to me, to your future, to being happy.' - Tiberious
Tingly continually doubts herself and puts up walls faster than a master builder. She thinks she is not good enough for him and sooner or later he will realise it too. Her self-talk is her downfall. Tiberious had no idea he was looking for a girl like Tingly until he found her, when you least expect it, you find your person, the one.
"You can push and shove and run and whatever other stupid shit you want, but I'm coming for you." - Tiberious
Tingly feels so much uncertainty and she just needs to embrace it, trust in Tiberious and see herself through his eyes. I loved how Tiberious was so patient with Tingly and let her figure things out at her own pace. Nothing was rushed, it just slowly grew between them and was just so damn sweet to read.
I loved this story so much. It was a breath of fresh air, completely unique story and I could not put it down until I was done.
'Everything was better when it meant something'
June 15, 2015
I was honored to receive an ARC of Verite from Rachel. I have said it before, but with this new release, she continues to evolve delivering a story that is vastly different from her previous series in both genre and theme.
Verite tackles more than your basic sociological issues where components of class and race, backgrounds and culture come into play. These topics are touched on but are not huge factors in the overall theme of the book. It's much more profound.
What I loved most about Verite is Tingly's character, a classic self-sabotager with a mountain of issues. What this character had endured made me heartsick. Tingly's past is one that is paved with a plethora of poor choices. Mistakes that she is unable to move on from or forgive herself for have been taking a toll on her daily life. I ached for her pain, and wanted nothing more than for her to dig deep and realize that she was capable of being loved, really loved.
Then one day, Tingly meets all six foot five inches of basketball player, Tiberius Jones. Ty comes along being all sweet and adorable and pushes Tingly to see the goodness buried beneath her feisty stubborn exterior (his nickname for her is quite fitting). He urges Tingly to be her true self, not what others expect her to be because of her past transgressions. His character is endearing. There is absolutely no ounce of "Typical Male Athletic Ego" in his personality - only pure confidence, charm and a BIG heart. The spirit of this story is its core ~ love of the game encapsulated with a deep love of family and friends.
At the end of the day, this story was about moving on, letting the past be the past. AND sometimes if you are lucky, you find that one person who never gives up on you, no matter what obstacles and challenges arise. {No matter how stubborn YOU are.} <3
Fantastic wonderfully written story.
Verite tackles more than your basic sociological issues where components of class and race, backgrounds and culture come into play. These topics are touched on but are not huge factors in the overall theme of the book. It's much more profound.
What I loved most about Verite is Tingly's character, a classic self-sabotager with a mountain of issues. What this character had endured made me heartsick. Tingly's past is one that is paved with a plethora of poor choices. Mistakes that she is unable to move on from or forgive herself for have been taking a toll on her daily life. I ached for her pain, and wanted nothing more than for her to dig deep and realize that she was capable of being loved, really loved.
Then one day, Tingly meets all six foot five inches of basketball player, Tiberius Jones. Ty comes along being all sweet and adorable and pushes Tingly to see the goodness buried beneath her feisty stubborn exterior (his nickname for her is quite fitting). He urges Tingly to be her true self, not what others expect her to be because of her past transgressions. His character is endearing. There is absolutely no ounce of "Typical Male Athletic Ego" in his personality - only pure confidence, charm and a BIG heart. The spirit of this story is its core ~ love of the game encapsulated with a deep love of family and friends.
At the end of the day, this story was about moving on, letting the past be the past. AND sometimes if you are lucky, you find that one person who never gives up on you, no matter what obstacles and challenges arise. {No matter how stubborn YOU are.} <3
Fantastic wonderfully written story.
December 21, 2015
I got tingly all over when I find a book that pushes my boundaries.......parent n children, teacher n student and immature college kids inter actions mixing to form the perfect balance of truth.
Verity {French: the truth} was the last thing that Tingly expected to find upon her return to school. Finding that from a basketball star freshman male athlete was not even on her radar. After the way her last relationship ended with her French professor, she is focused on returning to school. Running is the one thing in her life that has always been just for herself, but the moment she runs into Tiberius her central balance shifts.
Tiberius is such a contradiction from what Tingly expected and each moment they spend together he forces her to want more for herself and her future.
"Feel the Rex? That's my heart beating for you. You can push and shove and run and whatever other stupid shit you want, but I'm coming for you."
Getting a chance to watch their relationship mature over weeks and weeks was just beautiful and such a treat!! The way we got to experience their ups and down gave that extra bit of emotional connection I have come to strive to find. The writing in this book was fabulous and I love that we got to face subjects that combined as a whole leave you with with a serious heartburn.
"J'ai la verite dans mess mains." {It means I've got the truth in my hands."
Please give this book a chance, as I you will enjoy it as much as I did.
**I was given an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Verity {French: the truth} was the last thing that Tingly expected to find upon her return to school. Finding that from a basketball star freshman male athlete was not even on her radar. After the way her last relationship ended with her French professor, she is focused on returning to school. Running is the one thing in her life that has always been just for herself, but the moment she runs into Tiberius her central balance shifts.
Tiberius is such a contradiction from what Tingly expected and each moment they spend together he forces her to want more for herself and her future.
"Feel the Rex? That's my heart beating for you. You can push and shove and run and whatever other stupid shit you want, but I'm coming for you."
Getting a chance to watch their relationship mature over weeks and weeks was just beautiful and such a treat!! The way we got to experience their ups and down gave that extra bit of emotional connection I have come to strive to find. The writing in this book was fabulous and I love that we got to face subjects that combined as a whole leave you with with a serious heartburn.
"J'ai la verite dans mess mains." {It means I've got the truth in my hands."
Please give this book a chance, as I you will enjoy it as much as I did.
**I was given an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
May 9, 2016
4.5 stars
This book has been on my TBR for a while and what attracted me initially to it was the cover, its so lovely; the blurb just pulled me in further. This book is a college age sports romance and it's one of the best of that genre I've read. You can clearly see from the cover that the main characters Tingly (odd name but her nicknames work better) and Tiberius are from different backgrounds and cultures. Ty (Tiberius) was such an engaging character with endless charisma and none of the cheese or alpha overload I thought there might be with a basketball jock. T (or Rex as she's called) is all over the place emotionally, having had a rough ride in her previous college year. She was frustrating at times but she grew as a character, realising her potential and believing in herself.
"Feel that, Rex? That's my heart beating for you. You can push and shove and run and whatever stupid s**t you want, but I'm coming for you."
I felt that the book lost a bit of traction towards the end as it raced to fruition but I was satisfied when all said and done. I would highly recommend this to anyone who likes a good sports-related romance, you will not be disappointed.
The author provided a copy of this book in return for an honest review.
Reviewed for Jo&IsaLoveBooks Blog.
This book has been on my TBR for a while and what attracted me initially to it was the cover, its so lovely; the blurb just pulled me in further. This book is a college age sports romance and it's one of the best of that genre I've read. You can clearly see from the cover that the main characters Tingly (odd name but her nicknames work better) and Tiberius are from different backgrounds and cultures. Ty (Tiberius) was such an engaging character with endless charisma and none of the cheese or alpha overload I thought there might be with a basketball jock. T (or Rex as she's called) is all over the place emotionally, having had a rough ride in her previous college year. She was frustrating at times but she grew as a character, realising her potential and believing in herself.
"Feel that, Rex? That's my heart beating for you. You can push and shove and run and whatever stupid s**t you want, but I'm coming for you."
I felt that the book lost a bit of traction towards the end as it raced to fruition but I was satisfied when all said and done. I would highly recommend this to anyone who likes a good sports-related romance, you will not be disappointed.
The author provided a copy of this book in return for an honest review.
Reviewed for Jo&IsaLoveBooks Blog.
June 24, 2015
I haven't read a book yet by Rachel Blaufeld that I haven't thoroughly enjoyed and Verite certainly didn't disappoint.
Tingly is trying forget her past and get over her fling with her French professor, all she wants to do now is concentrate on running in her track team. She just wants to fade into the background but she's forced to attend a study group and catches the eye of one of the members of the Basket Ball team, Tiberius. As much as she tries to push him away, Ty doesn't give up and slowly she begins to let him in.
Ty and Tingly are both such loveable characters, both from very different backgrounds. Ty is so big and strong but a real sweetie who really knows how to treat and protect his woman.
My favourite of Ty's team mates is Jamel and I really really really hope that Rachel is planning on writing his story
This book is brilliantly written and is solely from Tingly's POV.
I really enjoyed every single chapter and I can't wait to read more in future from this author.
Tingly is trying forget her past and get over her fling with her French professor, all she wants to do now is concentrate on running in her track team. She just wants to fade into the background but she's forced to attend a study group and catches the eye of one of the members of the Basket Ball team, Tiberius. As much as she tries to push him away, Ty doesn't give up and slowly she begins to let him in.
Ty and Tingly are both such loveable characters, both from very different backgrounds. Ty is so big and strong but a real sweetie who really knows how to treat and protect his woman.
My favourite of Ty's team mates is Jamel and I really really really hope that Rachel is planning on writing his story
This book is brilliantly written and is solely from Tingly's POV.
I really enjoyed every single chapter and I can't wait to read more in future from this author.
June 21, 2015
Cliched beyond belief. Poorly constructed characters. This is an opinion but I cannot stand when the protagonist does the "woe is me" thing especially within the first chapter and then drags it on into the rest of the book. There were instances I felt the book had potential but poor writing and character development outweighed those. If you use the word banter to describe dialogue between characters then that is not what they've been doing. There was an over all impression that the author thought her prose/dialogue clever. This wasn't the case. It was clunky, unnatural and unimpressive. There was no banter, no clever turns of phrase or witty exchanges.
June 21, 2015
I'm not going to rip this book to shreds but it just didn't do it for me.
Writing a book and publishing it is a very, very brave thing to do and you can't please everyone. Well done to Rachel for having the balls.
I loved the inter-racial relationship. I don't know why they are so rare in books. I loved the fact that Tiberius is a young respectful black man from a broken home. Tingly annoyed me. Too hot and cold. I did lots of eye rolling.
I received an ARC for an honest review.
Writing a book and publishing it is a very, very brave thing to do and you can't please everyone. Well done to Rachel for having the balls.
I loved the inter-racial relationship. I don't know why they are so rare in books. I loved the fact that Tiberius is a young respectful black man from a broken home. Tingly annoyed me. Too hot and cold. I did lots of eye rolling.
I received an ARC for an honest review.
August 1, 2015
Loved T & Ty! A unique and poignant story of unconditional love. Rachel gives us a jaded heroine with an unspeakable past, then she gives us Tiberius—the adoring hero. Falling in love with Tingly through his beautiful eyes made this book a must-read, emotionally-packed love story!
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