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ROADSIDE
Zayne finds Serena's lifeless body off the side of the road one morning. She has been beaten and left for dead. As she recovers, they become the best of friends. It doesn't take long for Zayne's feelings to grow stronger. Will the fear of ruining their friendship keep them from taking a chance on love?
178 pages, Paperback
Published May 6, 2017
About the author
Angie Dokos
4 books224 followersI was born a reader and grew to be a writer. Okay, so the reading took a few years, but in the meantime, I was having someone else read to me. I enjoy hiking and love to travel. I currently live in the Atlanta, GA area with my husband and children. I love to read and write to escape reality and to live more than one life. You can find me on Facebook, Twitter, WordPress, and other sites if you are interested. If you are entertained by my work, chances are your friends will be too, so spread the word, please. Thank you. Remember, live life one chapter at a time!
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Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
May 14, 2020
Roadside is a contemporary fiction / young adult / romance novel by author Angie Dokos. I've previously read another of her books, and when I saw she was doing some marketing for an upcoming tour of this one, I decided to move up the book in my reading queue.
Zayne, a ~20ish college student, finds the almost dead body of a young girl on the roadside with his dad. They take her to the hospital, and Zayne keeps returning to check on her. He feels a weird connection. When she wakes up, he learns her name is Serena. She was attacked and had been unconscious for days. She remembers a lot of details, and Zayne's father does the investigating with the police to find her assailant. Clues remain in the forest by the roadside, but ultimately, this is a story about the aftermath, how to trust someone you've just met, and recovery.
Dokos creates memorable characters. This is a very simple, sweet, and touching story. There is complexity in the plot and relationships, but the writing is casual, easy to read, connective, and makes you feel warm and cozy, even in the scary parts. There's a balance of light and darkness, given the subject matter, and in the end, you 100% root for Zayne and Serena to fall in love. But there's a supporting cast you also find yourself keen to get to know. Best friends, siblings, parents, school administrators and staff... everyone plays a pivotal role. Just who did attack Serena and why?
We learn the truth midway through the book, and the remainder is about dealing with the recovery and results of trusting someone you shouldn't. How can you assign blame and fix the problem when the problem occurred so long ago, you feel bad for the assailant too? Okay, just a little, as (s)he did try to rape and kill Serena. No matter the circumstances, the person needs to be punished.
I enjoy Dokos' writing style, and she makes you flip the pages quickly to keep investing in the story. I look forward to reading more from her in the future.
Zayne, a ~20ish college student, finds the almost dead body of a young girl on the roadside with his dad. They take her to the hospital, and Zayne keeps returning to check on her. He feels a weird connection. When she wakes up, he learns her name is Serena. She was attacked and had been unconscious for days. She remembers a lot of details, and Zayne's father does the investigating with the police to find her assailant. Clues remain in the forest by the roadside, but ultimately, this is a story about the aftermath, how to trust someone you've just met, and recovery.
Dokos creates memorable characters. This is a very simple, sweet, and touching story. There is complexity in the plot and relationships, but the writing is casual, easy to read, connective, and makes you feel warm and cozy, even in the scary parts. There's a balance of light and darkness, given the subject matter, and in the end, you 100% root for Zayne and Serena to fall in love. But there's a supporting cast you also find yourself keen to get to know. Best friends, siblings, parents, school administrators and staff... everyone plays a pivotal role. Just who did attack Serena and why?
We learn the truth midway through the book, and the remainder is about dealing with the recovery and results of trusting someone you shouldn't. How can you assign blame and fix the problem when the problem occurred so long ago, you feel bad for the assailant too? Okay, just a little, as (s)he did try to rape and kill Serena. No matter the circumstances, the person needs to be punished.
I enjoy Dokos' writing style, and she makes you flip the pages quickly to keep investing in the story. I look forward to reading more from her in the future.
September 14, 2017
A wonderful story of first love!
I've never been much into romance novels, but 'Roadside' by Angie Dokos has changed this.
Serena is a young woman brutally assaulted in the middle of the night on her way to the store. Zayne finds her left for dead on the side of the road. The desire to help this young woman compels Zayne to remain by her side until she's recovered. While the police search for her attacker, Zayne and Serena develop a fast-friendship. But something keeps them from moving forward to the next step of a serious relationship. Why? What is it that keeps Serena from opening up to Zayne. And what keeps Zayne from doing the same.
Readers will enjoy this book which has dark moments as Serena explains her ordeal to the police, and then awaits the outcome of finding her attacker. Then there's the developing relationship between Zayne and Serena. It's tender, sweet, and loving. I actually related with Zayne's shyness (much to my own embarrassment). And there's the friends of each, who support, encourage, and joke about how Zayne and Serena keep putting off the inevitable first date. You'll love Destiny who presses Serena to open up, while Zayne's friends do the same.
The author has a vivid style leaving you feeling like you're in the same room with the characters. She creates scenes that leave you laughing over the jokes they have on one another, and scenes which remind you of first love. This is my first book I've read by Angie Dokos, and it won't be my last.
I highly recommend this book for readers of all genres! If a reader like myself (who prefers action-suspense, thriller stories) can enjoy a romantic story, then so will you.
I've never been much into romance novels, but 'Roadside' by Angie Dokos has changed this.
Serena is a young woman brutally assaulted in the middle of the night on her way to the store. Zayne finds her left for dead on the side of the road. The desire to help this young woman compels Zayne to remain by her side until she's recovered. While the police search for her attacker, Zayne and Serena develop a fast-friendship. But something keeps them from moving forward to the next step of a serious relationship. Why? What is it that keeps Serena from opening up to Zayne. And what keeps Zayne from doing the same.
Readers will enjoy this book which has dark moments as Serena explains her ordeal to the police, and then awaits the outcome of finding her attacker. Then there's the developing relationship between Zayne and Serena. It's tender, sweet, and loving. I actually related with Zayne's shyness (much to my own embarrassment). And there's the friends of each, who support, encourage, and joke about how Zayne and Serena keep putting off the inevitable first date. You'll love Destiny who presses Serena to open up, while Zayne's friends do the same.
The author has a vivid style leaving you feeling like you're in the same room with the characters. She creates scenes that leave you laughing over the jokes they have on one another, and scenes which remind you of first love. This is my first book I've read by Angie Dokos, and it won't be my last.
I highly recommend this book for readers of all genres! If a reader like myself (who prefers action-suspense, thriller stories) can enjoy a romantic story, then so will you.
June 8, 2017
Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars by Iris Chacon.
After Zayne and his father happen upon an injured young woman left for dead on a deserted roadside, her recovery and protection become central to Zayne's life. The story revolves around the victim, Serena, and her relationship with Zayne and other young adults as her body and spirit gradually heal. The search for Serena's attacker is suspenseful. The ebbing and flowing relationships between the young people surrounding Zayne and Serena provide various insights into the human condition in general and Serena's damaged psyche in particular.
Author Angie Dokos has called Roadside a "New Adult Romance," but it might also be considered YA Contemporary Romance or YA Mystery. The main characters are students or college-age adults, and their story is told in an ingenuous style reflective of a young person's natural lack of sophistication.
Roadside is a sweet story that will appeal especially to high school and college age readers but is suitable for readers of any age.
This is a G-rated story, free of steamy sex, foul language, or gory violence. Characters show kindness, acceptance, and forgiveness, and, though no one is perfect, the protagonists attend church. The novel is secular enough to appeal to a wide audience, but it treats people of faith respectfully.
After Zayne and his father happen upon an injured young woman left for dead on a deserted roadside, her recovery and protection become central to Zayne's life. The story revolves around the victim, Serena, and her relationship with Zayne and other young adults as her body and spirit gradually heal. The search for Serena's attacker is suspenseful. The ebbing and flowing relationships between the young people surrounding Zayne and Serena provide various insights into the human condition in general and Serena's damaged psyche in particular.
Author Angie Dokos has called Roadside a "New Adult Romance," but it might also be considered YA Contemporary Romance or YA Mystery. The main characters are students or college-age adults, and their story is told in an ingenuous style reflective of a young person's natural lack of sophistication.
Roadside is a sweet story that will appeal especially to high school and college age readers but is suitable for readers of any age.
This is a G-rated story, free of steamy sex, foul language, or gory violence. Characters show kindness, acceptance, and forgiveness, and, though no one is perfect, the protagonists attend church. The novel is secular enough to appeal to a wide audience, but it treats people of faith respectfully.
May 6, 2020
"There aren't many girls that meet Zayne's expectations. I’m not saying it as a negative. I think it's good he doesn’t play the field knowing he has no future with them. Most guys would hook up with whomever and leave a trail of broken hearts."
A girl is found on the roadside, severely beaten...
One of my Indie April reads, this short love story by Angie Dokos is a true YA novel, not an R-rated romance masquerading as a young adult story to catch a trend of readership. It's decently paced and touching, with all of the elements that make a good teen romance.
A girl is found on the roadside, severely beaten...
One of my Indie April reads, this short love story by Angie Dokos is a true YA novel, not an R-rated romance masquerading as a young adult story to catch a trend of readership. It's decently paced and touching, with all of the elements that make a good teen romance.
May 13, 2017
I don't think I can really review my own book, but I do hope you'll read it and enjoy it. Thank you.
June 7, 2017
Ms. Dokos was kind enough to send me a copy of her book for an honest, and well thought out review.
Roadside is a romantic novel about a young woman who is assaulted and left for dead in the woods. She is then discovered by Levi, a detective, and his son Zayne. Her name is Serena, and she is a college student who works at a convenience store. Serena managed to fight off her attacker (who is later identified) and crawl to the edge of the road where she is found and rescued.
What I liked about Roadside was the packaging; the cover was simple and cute, and it remained tasteful in that aspect, while other romance novels tend to show naked people clinging to each other in some kind of ridiculous embrace.
Roadside was different. The lovable macaroni and cheese orange font, complete with heart and a calming photo of a nice road surrounded by trees was a refreshing change. Another thing I liked was that the novel kept you interested in the characters, Serena's recovery, the discovery of her attacker, and her relationship with Zayne. These four factors lead the plot until the end, which is a very positive thing.
What I did not like about the story was the writing style, because it felt a bit rushed and that it needed more work. I wish that the characters were older, and not college aged because they seem a bit immature and silly and that took away from the story for me. The last thing I did not like was the constant mention of religious elements, and how it seemed to control how the characters acted and what they did. I am also not a fan of novels that take place in the South, but that is a personal preference and should not impact future readers views of this book.
Overall, Roadside is a great book for young people, and Ms. Dokos did a remarkable job engaging the reader throughout the book.
Roadside is a romantic novel about a young woman who is assaulted and left for dead in the woods. She is then discovered by Levi, a detective, and his son Zayne. Her name is Serena, and she is a college student who works at a convenience store. Serena managed to fight off her attacker (who is later identified) and crawl to the edge of the road where she is found and rescued.
What I liked about Roadside was the packaging; the cover was simple and cute, and it remained tasteful in that aspect, while other romance novels tend to show naked people clinging to each other in some kind of ridiculous embrace.
Roadside was different. The lovable macaroni and cheese orange font, complete with heart and a calming photo of a nice road surrounded by trees was a refreshing change. Another thing I liked was that the novel kept you interested in the characters, Serena's recovery, the discovery of her attacker, and her relationship with Zayne. These four factors lead the plot until the end, which is a very positive thing.
What I did not like about the story was the writing style, because it felt a bit rushed and that it needed more work. I wish that the characters were older, and not college aged because they seem a bit immature and silly and that took away from the story for me. The last thing I did not like was the constant mention of religious elements, and how it seemed to control how the characters acted and what they did. I am also not a fan of novels that take place in the South, but that is a personal preference and should not impact future readers views of this book.
Overall, Roadside is a great book for young people, and Ms. Dokos did a remarkable job engaging the reader throughout the book.
May 23, 2017
Tale of triumph over tragedy
Roadside is a gripping tale of triumph over tragedy. Selena is a strong woman who fights through the physical, mental, and emotional violation of her body, and over time, the healing of her mind and spirit as the narrative unfolds.
This is the second book I've read from the author, and I enjoy how she allows the reader to organically unravel the plot.
Zayne is the hero in Roadside. He and his father find Selena's lifeless body on the roadside. His tenderness, kindness, and compassion earns Selena's trust, and the push and pull of their growing friendship evolves into a blistering attraction. Will Selena and Zayne allow their friendship to develop into something more? That my friends, you'll need to read for yourself.
Kudos, Angie Dokos!
Roadside is a gripping tale of triumph over tragedy. Selena is a strong woman who fights through the physical, mental, and emotional violation of her body, and over time, the healing of her mind and spirit as the narrative unfolds.
This is the second book I've read from the author, and I enjoy how she allows the reader to organically unravel the plot.
Zayne is the hero in Roadside. He and his father find Selena's lifeless body on the roadside. His tenderness, kindness, and compassion earns Selena's trust, and the push and pull of their growing friendship evolves into a blistering attraction. Will Selena and Zayne allow their friendship to develop into something more? That my friends, you'll need to read for yourself.
Kudos, Angie Dokos!
August 5, 2017
The story has a great premise that could have made for a deep, rich love story, and as it was, it wasn't bad. I loved the character of Destiny and how she related to Serena, and there were some great one-liners in this sweet romance. However, there were some things that kept me from rating it higher. The pacing was off for me. Some things happened far too quickly, while time was spent in other places that didn't seem quite as important. Some of the dialogue was stiff, and not how most people in their early twenties talk; the same can be said for a lot of the texting conversations. There were several instances where things were explained through dialogue rather than shown through action and exposition. While I liked the characters well enough, there was enough telling rather than showing that it kept pulling me out of their heads.
I was also confused by the introduction of a bracelet and picture that never really had a resolution. There's a saying for writers that if you show a gun in the first act, it needs to go off by the third. I kept waiting for the picture and bracelet to come into play, but they never did as anything more than a mention.
I would have liked to see things with the resolution to the attack stretched out as part of the conflict, showing Zayne and Serena working through more of the consequences of the attack rather than just him being protective and one scene near the end. More exposition between the dialogue and slower resolutions to keep the tension. Even so, I will probably check out this author's work in the future. I was given a free copy in a review exchange for an honest review.
I was also confused by the introduction of a bracelet and picture that never really had a resolution. There's a saying for writers that if you show a gun in the first act, it needs to go off by the third. I kept waiting for the picture and bracelet to come into play, but they never did as anything more than a mention.
I would have liked to see things with the resolution to the attack stretched out as part of the conflict, showing Zayne and Serena working through more of the consequences of the attack rather than just him being protective and one scene near the end. More exposition between the dialogue and slower resolutions to keep the tension. Even so, I will probably check out this author's work in the future. I was given a free copy in a review exchange for an honest review.
September 27, 2017
Definitely not my usual choice for reading material, but it was very sweet and I enjoyed it.
As I mentioned, the story of Zayne and Serena starts of in the most violent of ways. Serena is attacked and left for dead, and Zayne finds her on the side of the road. His father is the lead detective investigating her case and there are a million reasons why they should probably not get involved.
Zayne’s compassionate nature and Serena’s strength, allow them to form a special relationship which inevitably turns to romantic love. Of course it’s obvious to everyone but them, and there are many obstacles in their way.
This is a clean romance, no detailed sex scenes, or raunchy language. Not that there’s anything wrong with that, but there are tons of readers that prefer to read a more innocent romance, and Angie delivers. Don’t get me wrong, there are some dark moments and mature themes but they are handled gracefully.
“Roadside” is perfect for people who like romance with a dash of suspense. Also, a great story for people like me, who like to read something with a happy ending every now and then 😉
Rating… B
As I mentioned, the story of Zayne and Serena starts of in the most violent of ways. Serena is attacked and left for dead, and Zayne finds her on the side of the road. His father is the lead detective investigating her case and there are a million reasons why they should probably not get involved.
Zayne’s compassionate nature and Serena’s strength, allow them to form a special relationship which inevitably turns to romantic love. Of course it’s obvious to everyone but them, and there are many obstacles in their way.
This is a clean romance, no detailed sex scenes, or raunchy language. Not that there’s anything wrong with that, but there are tons of readers that prefer to read a more innocent romance, and Angie delivers. Don’t get me wrong, there are some dark moments and mature themes but they are handled gracefully.
“Roadside” is perfect for people who like romance with a dash of suspense. Also, a great story for people like me, who like to read something with a happy ending every now and then 😉
Rating… B
May 21, 2021
I love a good Romance; that was a beautiful part of this book. It was the rape part that made me stop wanting to read. I continued the dramatic love story. It's crucial how you write about rape. I say this because I was almost raped.
There was no emotion for the victim, from the part of the author's writing; other than that, the mystery and suspense are excellent.
I just felt something is missing with the story. I never give three stars. To me, it was essential to the subject. A lot of people care about the editing of a book. I care more about the story and the message it sends to others.
There was no emotion for the victim, from the part of the author's writing; other than that, the mystery and suspense are excellent.
I just felt something is missing with the story. I never give three stars. To me, it was essential to the subject. A lot of people care about the editing of a book. I care more about the story and the message it sends to others.
July 23, 2017
After being attacked and defending herself from an attempted rape, Serena is discovered by the roadside, disrobed and left for dead, by police detective Levi Morgan and his son, Zayne, who rush her to the hospital. As his father investigates to find the attacker, Zayne becomes very protective of Serena and commits himself to helping her recover and regain her trust in others. But as Zayne and Serena’s friendship grows, will they be able to get over their fear that their growing attraction to each other will hurt this friendship? The tremendous dramatic incident that brings Zayne and Serena together creates the impression that the reader is about to experience a strong suspense mystery with dramatic underpinnings of a character’s battle with post-traumatic stress; however, the mystery is quickly and almost too perfectly resolved, while Serena’s post mental fears are lightly touched upon and minimalized in order to bring the reader to the true theme of a mainly clean YA romance. The story is mainly presented through conversation and long texting over the period of plot time, and readers who enjoy a light HEA romance between college age adults and their circle of friends will be satisfied by this tale, while mystery, suspense, and mental drama adherents will feel a strong story may have been missed.
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews