Overprotected by Jennifer Laurens

Apr 03, 2012 Sonja P. rated it did not like it

Shelves: don-t-bother, ya-general-fiction

This book was terrible. It was written so, so badly. Here are a few examples:
“This kiss was like the petals of one flower gently coaxing another to open and bloom.”
“Everything you need to know about love is already inside of you.”
“His whisper slipped into my soul, just like it had countless times before, and wound around my tender heart.”
“Mother swiveled out the door.”
“I lifted my shoulders. I was used to visitors being taken in by an opulence I now passed by with second nature.”
“With year This book was terrible. It was written so, so badly. Here are a few examples:
“This kiss was like the petals of one flower gently coaxing another to open and bloom.”
“Everything you need to know about love is already inside of you.”
“His whisper slipped into my soul, just like it had countless times before, and wound around my tender heart.”
“Mother swiveled out the door.”
“I lifted my shoulders. I was used to visitors being taken in by an opulence I now passed by with second nature.”
“With yearning fingers, the song reached deep inside my soul.”
“I jerked to my feet, rubbing my arms to ward off a chill. But the chill wasn’t real. Underneath the bumps covering my flesh, warmth flurried.”
"To quell the storm inside of me, I continued playing the melody taunting my head. Daddy watched my hands move over ivory keys I used to speak a language he could never understand."
There's also this kissing scene where it seems that the gentlemen is about to suck her soul out, because the author keeps mentioning his darkening eyes. THEY TURNED SO BLACK WITH NEED. What does that even mean?
This is probably the worst book I've read this year, and its mostly because of the shoddy writing. Think of Chasing Liberty with Mandy Moore, only written by an overly emotional teenager in their journal at night.
Some scenes reminded me of the really bad Lord of the Rings fan-fiction I used to write in biology. The writing was so amateurish. The characters never said anything; they huffed, or sighed, or snickered. It was just terrible. This is the kind of book where I would read passages aloud to my husband just to hear him groan.
The characterization was abysmal, and the plot was so predictable. This had so many terrible YA tropes: the bitchy mean girl that was never really characterized besides OH MY GOD THEY ARE SO EVIL BECAUSE THEY ARE FLIRTING WITH THE GUY, the Ridiculously Gorgeous Male trope, and the instant love/connection trope. There was also the fact that the heroine played the same song over and over, and her best friend could only make jokes about Chinese food. I almost started playing a drinking game with myself about that one. WE GET IT FELICITY. YOU DON'T LIKE CHINESE FOOD AND YOUR PARENTS MAKE YOU EAT IT. It was supposed to add humor, but I was just annoyed.
It was tripe, all right.
I know this review is really harsh, but it is as honest as I can make it. The writing was horrid, and the plot was predictable, and the characters were cardboard. I would suggest this if you like watching bad movies, because it had the same groan-worthy entertainment value. Otherwise, skip it and just watch Chasing Liberty instead. At least you'll get to stare at a gorgeous guy for two hours. ...more

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Aug 24, 2011 Wendy Darling marked it as to-read

Shelves: indie-author, young-adult, realistic-fiction

Hey peeps, this title and SEASON OF EDEN are currently free for Kindle: http://www.amazon.com/Overprotected-e... and http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004...

And they may be free in the UK Kindle store, too! Still full price on Nook, though. Thanks to Rosa for the heads up on the first one. :) ...more

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Oct 23, 2012 Jamie *Gypsy Smut-a-teer* rated it it was ok

Shelves: not-so-bad-boy, protection-needed, kidnapped-shootings-danger-oh-my, young-adult

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Source: innocence-is-lost.tumblr.com via Debbie on Pinterest

The guy on the cover of this book is not working for me. I found my own version of Collin. I think mine looks better :) And I totally could picture him as being the 21 year old rather than that guy on the cover who looks 40.

Now for the book, I really liked the storyline, I mean truely. But for starters I had no idea this was a Young Adult book. That I can't blame on the book, that was my fault for not lookin

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Source: innocence-is-lost.tumblr.com via Debbie on Pinterest

The guy on the cover of this book is not working for me. I found my own version of Collin. I think mine looks better :) And I totally could picture him as being the 21 year old rather than that guy on the cover who looks 40.

Now for the book, I really liked the storyline, I mean truely. But for starters I had no idea this was a Young Adult book. That I can't blame on the book, that was my fault for not looking more into the book before I read it. I had bought the book a while ago as a freebie and thought the storyline sounded really good.

I felt so sorry for Ashlyn. Her dad was an overbearing prick, who wouldn't even take the time to listen to what his daughter was trying to tell him. I really think he had her best intentions in mind, but not allowing her to have even the freedom to have friends is a little extreme. No wonder the girl was constantly trying to escape. At first I thought her mom was a royal bitch, well not just at first but during the majority of the book. I mean the main reason she was having anything to do with her own daughter was just to get Colin's attention. They for sure had a messed up family. I applaud Colin for taking the job and deciding to stick it out. Wow, what a situation he got himself into.

BUT, there were so many things about the book I just didn't get. I felt we never got all of the answers. From Ashlyn's mom, dad, or Colin. Ashlyn kept asking her dad and mom what had happened the day of the incident, in the end we never got that answer. Ashlyn kept asking her dad when and what happened to her parent's marriage, we never got the answer to that. AND, my biggest thing was I felt like we never got a complete conversation out of Ashlyn and Colin. I wanted to know when (view spoiler) THEN, the ending??? What the hell was that?!?!?! (view spoiler) I felt like we could have had all of these question answered had Colin and Ashlyn just had a conversation in the end. After all they had gone through I felt the ending was just lacking.

If you follow my reviews you know I am a very generous rater. I can get lost in any story and enjoy it no matter reviews or ratings. To me it's not about everything being perfect in a book just if I get lost in the story or not. I did get lost in this story and enjoyed it, I just felt in the end I had questions still left unanswered and I just felt the ending was lacking the big finale with Colin and Ashlyn I felt they needed. I think the book had the potential to be extremely good but just left me a little disappointed. :( ...more

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Nov 12, 2011 Haley ~ YA-Aholic rated it liked it

“Everything you need to know about love is already inside of you...”

Overprotect: to overly defend or guard from attack, invasion, loss, annoyance, insult; cover or shield from injury or danger.

When I picked up Overprotected I expected to read a nice easy fluffy read, but what I got was thrown onto a roller coaster of emotions, suspense, and of course romance. .and I loved every minute of the ride!

Overprotected is about a girl Ashlyn, all she wants is to be a normal teenager. But Ashlyn does not “Everything you need to know about love is already inside of you...”

Overprotect: to overly defend or guard from attack, invasion, loss, annoyance, insult; cover or shield from injury or danger.

When I picked up Overprotected I expected to read a nice easy fluffy read, but what I got was thrown onto a roller coaster of emotions, suspense, and of course romance. .and I loved every minute of the ride!

Overprotected is about a girl Ashlyn, all she wants is to be a normal teenager. But Ashlyn does not have a normal teenage life, actually it’s anything, but normal. She has a body guard everywhere she goes, she can’t hang out at friend houses, and if that wasn’t enough..as if she couldn’t already hate her life enough..daddy just happened to hire a new bodyguard for her, and he’s not just any bodyguard, he is Colin, her childhood bully. As Ashlyn’s family starts to fall apart more and more by every passing day, she finds comfort in the very guy she thought she hated, Colin, but Ashlyn doesn’t know..Colin isn’t the only one watching her..

I really did not expect to enjoy Overprotected as much as I did, this was my first novel I have read of Jennifer’s and I can safely say that I am now a forever fan! I have been so sucked into paranormal books lately it was such a relief to read a contemporary romance with an awesome thrill ride along with it!

Jennifer Laurens put together a great story, along with that great story she also put together some amazing characters! Ashlyn I could not help, but feel so sorry. I could never imagine having such a protective father who never lets her do anything, she is almost an adult and he protectors her as if she is still an infant!

Colin…well he is just hot! I adored him and I believe any girl in her right mind will enjoy him too, I mean come one, some hot strong guy, who wants to be an FBI agent when he gets older? He is also Ashlyns body guard? If that doesn’t scream hot I don’t know what does! Along with a pretty face though, Colin is a protective caring guy who is all around admirable inside and out!

Ashlyn’s mother I also felt sorry for..sometimes I dis liked her, but by the end of the story I grew such a soft spot for her. I know she was supposed to be kinda evil in the beginning, but at the end all I could think was how depressed she seemed..and how desperate she was just to be showed some love that no one was showing her..ya she had fancy nice things, but this story really teaches you money can’t buy happiness.

Ashlyn’s father was the only character I could not stand at all. He was great for the story and the story would not had been a story if he was gone, but lets just say if he were a real person I would probably punch him in the face. He was cold hearted, and I feel his power and money was what got to his head and honestly made him go crazy. I am just glad that his crazy-ness did not affect Ashlyn and Ashlyn was able to stay such a strong character threw everything he caused.

All in all if you’re looking for a story of romance, suspense, and maybe even a story that teaches you a few life lessons then Overprotected by Jennifer Laurens is a book you need to go pick up now.
...more

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Apr 10, 2011 Gale rated it did not like it · review of another edition

I can't believe I got excited for this book. I'm really really disappointed. All the characters were annoying. Yes, even Ashlyn. Even though she got seriously really overprotected and sexually harassed? Yep. Still hate her. Well, let's see. She whines and yearns for trust yet she doesn't seem to do anything to gain it. She keeps on escaping from her bodyguards, wanders on her own and she even calls her Dad, Daddy. Even though she had a terrible past with bodyguards, she should have done her best ...more

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May 12, 2011 Zemira (Kylo Ren fangirl) Warner rated it really liked it

Shelves: chick-lit, contemporary

My third Jennifer Laurens book.
It was like Overprotected was about me. I know all about those controlling parents because mine are like that even though I am 22(how embarrassing is that?). The only difference between Ashlyn and me is that she is rich and she gets to have 'companions'(bodyguards) while I only get my four walls. Well.that's just the way it is.
What an useless review.
...more

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Jun 02, 2011 Seanean rated it did not like it

http://librarytalker.blogspot.com/201...

Ashlyn is a high society girl who doesn't get to live with the rest of society. Ever since she was kidnapped by a former nanny who was obsessed with her dad, her dad has been obsessed with her safety. She's escorted everywhere by a bodyguard, has no moment of peace outside of her own bedroom, and is followed by the stares of others who think she's strange for her security detail.
.
Weirded out by her current bodyguard of three years who seems to have develo http://librarytalker.blogspot.com/201...

Ashlyn is a high society girl who doesn't get to live with the rest of society. Ever since she was kidnapped by a former nanny who was obsessed with her dad, her dad has been obsessed with her safety. She's escorted everywhere by a bodyguard, has no moment of peace outside of her own bedroom, and is followed by the stares of others who think she's strange for her security detail.
.
Weirded out by her current bodyguard of three years who seems to have developed a bit of an obsession about her, Ashlyn conspires to get him fired. She's also trying to get rid of the detail altogether since she's nearly 18 and figures she can now be trusted on her own.
.
She was wrong.

Not only does her father hire a new guard in record time, but he's the boy who used to torture Ashlyn as a child. There's no way she'd be in danger of falling in love with him.

Or is there?

Final thoughts: Blech. Poorly written tripe. It's a YA Harlequin with bad characters, shifting time and plot structures, no real story, and a horribly written "romance". It's obvious almost from minute one what's going to happen all the way through. Everything is telegraphed way in advance. You KNOW she will fall in love from Colin the moment she sees him on the street. You KNOW what will happen near the end of the book with Stuart. You KNOW how it will all end by the second chapter. It's awful. Ashlyn's "hatred" of Colin seems to solely be based on him chasing her with a crab on the beach when she was five and even that, which is sooo important at the start of the story, is ignored halfway in. Other things bug me like why would a father so extremely concerned with his daughter's safety hire a 21-year-old with NO training (only aspirations to be an FBI agent) instead of hiring a 40-something former cop? Why would Colin reach for a gun that wasn't there at one point in the story when no one ever mentioned a gun before? Why would the author telegraph that Ashlyn calling her father "Dad" instead of "Daddy" would be a big deal by saying something to the effect of "I later figured out..."? Why is the guy on the cover 30 something and the girl obviously in her 20's when she's supposed to be 17 and he's supposed to be 21? So much more to complain about, but I've wasted enough time on this book already.

Skip it. ...more

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Feb 02, 2011 Gina Riccitelli rated it it was amazing

Where do I even begin? Overprotected is an AMAZING book to put into simple words. The style of Jennifer Laurens writing is so easy to connect with and is very raw. All the emotion and conflict capture you and keep you until the very end.

Overprotected is about a girl named Ashlyn, Her daddy is a very well known lawyer and is very rich. Ashlyn was kidnapped by her nanny when she was 5 years old and ever since then daddy hasnt let ashlyn out of his sight without protection. Ashlyn is a 17 year old ...more

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Jan 27, 2011 Nisha rated it really liked it

Shelves: childhood-connection, forbidden-love, frenemies, ya-fiction, bodyguard

I have a lot of emotions concerning this book. Despite unlikely circumstances and the ending, I can recommend this one.

Ashlyn, our 17 year old YA heroine, is the overprotected society princess. As a child, she had been kidnapped by a nanny with a dangerous obsession with her father and since then, her father has had an obsession to keep his princess safe. Unfortunately, this means Ashlyn lives in a beautiful gilded cage, in a near isolation, as her father monitors almost her every movement. Due I have a lot of emotions concerning this book. Despite unlikely circumstances and the ending, I can recommend this one.

Ashlyn, our 17 year old YA heroine, is the overprotected society princess. As a child, she had been kidnapped by a nanny with a dangerous obsession with her father and since then, her father has had an obsession to keep his princess safe. Unfortunately, this means Ashlyn lives in a beautiful gilded cage, in a near isolation, as her father monitors almost her every movement. Due to the discomfort brought on by her current bodyguard (he has a creepy fixation toward her), she complains to her father and gets him fired. Unfortunately, it doesn't mark the end of her bodyguard days. He hires Colin, the hero, a 21 year old FBI wannabe (well, he's going for training sometime *shrug* and being a bodyguard was sorta like an internship, I guess). Colin and Ashlyn have history, the childhood kind in which Colin sorta terrorized Ashlyn. Her dislike for him is enough of a recommendation for her father to like him. Anyway, the rest of the book follows her path to loving someone, surviving her parents' failing marriage and finally growing out of her father's guard.

First of all, it's so unlikely for her father to hire someone like Colin. 2nd, this is YA, so the language is excessively simplistic. 3rd, first person POV. I hate not being able to see into Colin's mind. 4th, the cover. Is it too hard to have people who look the age of the characters. I may even accept the girl, but the guy, ewww.

Otherwise, Ashlyn was an interesting character. She is naive, living within delusions of romance novels, but I could understand her feelings toward her life. The frustrations about not being able to escape and loving her family despite all the shit that happens that she sure as hell knows aren't normal. Colin is a perfect man, other than his lack of fashion sense and the fact that he's not inheriting tons of money. He's honorable, sweet, and loving. During Ashlyn's delusions of their chemistry, I was almost fooled into thinking that he didn't really care for Ashlyn other than as a brotherly figure. Glad that isn't the case.

Ashlyn's family is highly flawed, and Ms. Laurens's look into Ashlyn's thoughts and emotions is one of the highlights of the book. It felt so real to read them, with the right amounts of teenage angst, optimism and helplessness.

Overall, I must admit, its not spectacular. I was disgusted by how quickly everything happened and was resolved in the end (too YA in my opinion), but its one of the better YA books I've ever picked up and for that alone, I must recommend it. ...more

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Jun 11, 2011 Lindsay rated it it was amazing

Shelves: kindle-books, reviews, musicians-rock-star, kindle-freebie

This book has been on my TBR list…forever. I always hesitated to buy it because of the price. Then the most amazing thing happened…I found it for free on Amazon. Needless to say, I snatched it up and never looked back (I also told as many people that would listen to do the same).

Before I started this book, I expected a bratty, rebellious teenager with protective parents that just want what’s best for her. I expected immature hijinks, where she tried to ditch the bodyguard or treated them badly. This book has been on my TBR list…forever. I always hesitated to buy it because of the price. Then the most amazing thing happened…I found it for free on Amazon. Needless to say, I snatched it up and never looked back (I also told as many people that would listen to do the same).

Before I started this book, I expected a bratty, rebellious teenager with protective parents that just want what’s best for her. I expected immature hijinks, where she tried to ditch the bodyguard or treated them badly. What I actually got was something completely different and unexpected.

I don’t normally waffle about ratings. I normally know the number of stars to give a book. But with this book, I was torn. The biggest drawback to this book was the formatting. Paragraphs would be broken off in the middle and start on the next line again. Nothing was lost, it was just mildly distracting.

I honestly loved this book. It started as a light book about a girl that was feeling oppressed by her parents and their overprotective ways, but the further I went in it, the more dark and emotional and full of angst it became. I just finished reading Effortless by S.C. Stephens and I didn’t want another angsty read. But I got one anyway. Ashlyn was an amazingly strong girl for what lived with. The author did an amazing job of making the book darker and more emotional with the new revelations that Ashlyn became aware of. The more she grew as a person, the more aware she became of her familial situation, the more angst ridden the book became. It wasn’t anywhere near and gut wrenching as Thoughtless, but it still kept me on the edge of my seat wanting to find out what happened next.

I heard some complaints about the ending from friends that read this book, but I had no problems with it. I thought it was a fitting ending to the story. It doesn’t give great detail to the future, but it leaves you with a definite HEA and a sense of how things now stand in Ashlyn’s life.

I will definitely be re-reading this book, and I would be more than willing to read other books by the author.
...more

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Feb 19, 2012 Simcsa rated it liked it

Shelves: read-in-english, realistic-ya

3.5 stars

Obsessed with keeping his society-princess daughter safe, Charles hires his daughter's childhood enemy to be her bodyguard. He never imagines that Ashlyn would fall in love with Colin.

It was a good story, but as far as I'm concerned Ashlyn wasn't in love, she was in lust. Sorry, girl, it's true. Why did you like him so much? Because he was sexy? Nope, that's not love. However, it's not uncommon to mistake lust for love, when a girl is as inexperienced as Ashlyn. Everything she knows abo ...more

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Jan 26, 2011 Saniya rated it liked it

This book was okay. NOT amazing, NOT cute, NOT romantic, just okay.

First of all, I want to kill the cover artist or whoever the person is responsible for the god-damn ugly cover!
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I think the only thing I liked was the way the title and the author's name is written on the cover and the way the guy is standing. But, Gosh! Look at the guy! He looks in his 30's something and the girl in her 20's when she's supposed to be 17 and he's supposed to be 21!

And okay. o.o I just went to her you ...more

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Jan 26, 2011 Kathy rated it it was ok

Shelves: lds-author, contemporary-ya, bodyguard-witness-protection-hiding, stalker

I have to say, I was actually disappointed in this one. Maybe my expectations were too high, or I was just expecting a different kind of book. I didn’t click with Ashlyn at all. I get that she has been extremely sheltered, but I was still hoping to see more growth (the only growth we get is that instead of saying Daddy she says Dad.) Maybe part of my problem was that we get a lot of inner thought and not enough action or conversation. Conversations between her and Colin left a LOT to be desired. I have to say, I was actually disappointed in this one. Maybe my expectations were too high, or I was just expecting a different kind of book. I didn’t click with Ashlyn at all. I get that she has been extremely sheltered, but I was still hoping to see more growth (the only growth we get is that instead of saying Daddy she says Dad.) Maybe part of my problem was that we get a lot of inner thought and not enough action or conversation. Conversations between her and Colin left a LOT to be desired. Ashlyn and Colin grew up together, he was supposed to be a bully (although the stuff he did didn’t seem that bad and I wasn’t sure why she hated him so much). So, I guess I was expecting there to be a bit more conflict between the two, but she lets him off the hook rather quickly and he never really knows how hurt she was by his earlier treatment of her.

Their conversations also lacked a lot of substance, I mean most of the time she would just answer him with one word (while the reader gets a plethora of inner thought) and I kept wondering how he could fall for her when from his perspective she hardly talks. Although, she does come on to him something fierce (ever hear of letting the guy make the first move?) Ashlyn has read too many romance novels. We just get to hear about all these deep looks that pass between them and supposedly all this chemistry. I don’t know, I wasn’t feeling anything and to be honest it felt more like a relationship of convenience than anything else. I mean, this is the first good looking guy around her age that she has ever really been around. I needed to feel a deeper connection then just the fact that he was the only guy around. They didn’t really have anything in common; I didn’t feel any true friendship to build on. It just felt flat to me. Don't get me wrong, I actually liked Colin. I thought he was a good guy, made good decisions and treated Ashlyn well. I just didn't think he came across as a bodyguard, more like a buddy.

I wasn’t buying Colin as a bodyguard. He has NO experience in security; he was going to school to be an accountant and eventually wanted to join the FBI. That’s a far cry from being eligible as a professional bodyguard. It was just a bit far-fetched. Why not at least make him ex-military or something besides his interest in psychology. He didn't come across as one who had the knowledge or experience that kind of job would require.

Ashlyn’s parents were nut jobs. I started out not liking them and ended up hating them. Her dad was just plain awful, not only a coo-coo but a creep as well. Her mom was a cougar that was awkwardly trying to pursue Colin. Yeah, how is that relationship going to work if Ashlyn and Colin ever married? Talk about awkward family gatherings.

The bad guy was a little underdeveloped and seems to only show up randomly when the story required it. I would have liked if he had been worked into the story a bit more, maybe have Colin earn his paycheck in other ways besides taking Ashlyn to the bookstore. I thought he was creepy and could have been used more.

I guess I was just expecting a romantic-comedy with a dash of mystery-adventure. Instead, I though the overall feel of the book was kind of a downer.

Content: Pretty clean, mild innuendo.
...more

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Jan 12, 2011 Katrina rated it it was amazing

Ashlyn: A lonely society princess living in New York City.

Daddy hired you to be my bodyguard.

Colin: Childhood enemy, now her protector.

Daddy thought I’d be safe. He thought I’d never fall in love. He thought he could keep me forever.

Charles: obsessed with keeping her safe, keeping her his, he hires the one person he knows she could never fall in love with: Colin.

Daddy was wrong.

**My Review ****************************************************************************************************** ...more

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Jan 30, 2012 Jessica Buwalda rated it liked it

So I picked this up thinking this would be a light upbeat novel. I thought “hey this sounds like that movie with Katie Holmes The First Daughter! That was such a cute movie”. Let me set the record straight: Not like the movie. Some thing I expected to be upbeat and fun was dramatic and occasionally dark. This book smacks you in the face with the intensity of her situation and her extremely broken and screwed-up family. There were barely any happy moments to this novel. This should be a “what hap So I picked this up thinking this would be a light upbeat novel. I thought “hey this sounds like that movie with Katie Holmes The First Daughter! That was such a cute movie”. Let me set the record straight: Not like the movie. Some thing I expected to be upbeat and fun was dramatic and occasionally dark. This book smacks you in the face with the intensity of her situation and her extremely broken and screwed-up family. There were barely any happy moments to this novel. This should be a “what happens when you suffocate your daughter and not let her have a real life” story. Don’t get me wrong there were aspects about this book that I liked, but the big downfall was the writing. For a story that is so intense and dark I found most of it to be grey/blah. I didn’t feel it pulling at my heartstrings like so many other emotionally intense novels. I guess that’s it—it was missing the emotional part. It recounted the story but I didn’t get the feeling from it. I could barely even feel the emotion connection between Colin and Ashlyn. Otherwise this story would have been extremely good even ignoring the somewhat predictable plot. Don’t get me wrong I didn’t predict everything, but the main climax could be seen coming from chapter one.
And I’m not 100% sure what kind of copy I got (although I borrowed it from the library database) but there were a considerable amount of errors. Weird
Good:
Colin—cool headed and not willing to leave her in a bad situation.
Bad:
Ashlyn—for a mad girl who wanted to be independent she sure acts like a child and doesn’t really fight for herself. I would have escaped so many time instead of just saying “Fine”, and “Yes, of course.” Not the female lead I was expecting.
Overall (Writing style, story line, and general):
Overall the story has so much potential. Sadly its simply how it was brought across that doesn’t make it a favourite of mine. Now, that in no way should deter you from reading it if it was already on your to-be-read-pile because you never know, you may see it differently from me.

View more of my review and others at my blog: www.mynotsovacantshelf.blogspot.com ...more

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Jul 08, 2011 Ritwika rated it did not like it

Recommends it for: readers who savour pathetic reads

sad book...The premise of the story was undeniably promising,the heroine's musical genius a delightful new experience and the wordplay wonderful; I delighted reading the way the author crafted words into beautiful pieces of art, subtly weaving in emotions of both the protagonists. But as the narrative progressed, the story steadily waned to any other commonplace romance that you can pick up on the street, and the ending sealed the fate of the book. Now, all I am left with is that twinge of bitte ...more

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May 27, 2012 Katie W rated it really liked it

Shelves: young-adult, romance

Ashlyn was kidnapped as a child by a crazy nanny and since then, her father has her under lock and key--and under constant care of a bodyguard. She longs for freedom and friends, but it isn't granted.

When Colin, a former childhood friend, becomes her bodyguard, her life is turned upside down and she pushes for freedom even more, and finds herself falling for him, even though he was mean to her in the past.

I liked the way that Ashlyn started to grow and mature, and express her opinion more. Colin ...more

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Apr 10, 2011 The BookWhisperer rated it it was amazing

Is there such a thing as OVERPROTECTING your children? Jennifer Laurens dives head long into the reality of a life for a young girl that has just that. After being kidnapped at five years old Ashlyn has learned to live a life of constant surveillance. Now at almost eighteen life is changing for this young woman, but her father is determined to remain limiting her experiences and understanding of the real world. While rebelling against her father wishes she finds herself without a body guard. Who Is there such a thing as OVERPROTECTING your children? Jennifer Laurens dives head long into the reality of a life for a young girl that has just that. After being kidnapped at five years old Ashlyn has learned to live a life of constant surveillance. Now at almost eighteen life is changing for this young woman, but her father is determined to remain limiting her experiences and understanding of the real world. While rebelling against her father wishes she finds herself without a body guard. Whom is quickly replaced by the one person that she hoped to never meet again.

Truth be told Ashlyn’s father must have realized that with his “princess” changing that he had more to protect her from than years prior. Now as a beautiful and talented young woman it became clear that she was no longer a little girl, but her father was determined to avoid changes that would allow her to life, learn, and most importantly love. When Colin and Ashlyn spend more and more time together it becomes clear that the memories she holds of this young man does not represent the man that he has become. As the story unfolds, so does the attraction and mystery of these two characters. Anticipation will keep readers on the edge throughout this novel with Colin’s constant dedication to her job. Even as Ashlyn begins to show her feelings; it appears as though the feelings are not reciprocated. Though it soon becomes evident that his strength to hide his true emotions are beginning to slip.

As an overall story it was a bit depressing to see this young woman craving adventure and knowledge that her protection prohibits. While at this age most young adults are experimenting and studying their selves; this young woman is under constant demand to continue being a child. This is a sweet love story that readers will enjoy, and remember long after the last page

Merged review:

Is there such a thing as OVERPROTECTING your children? Jennifer Laurens dives head long into the reality of a life for a young girl that has just that. After being kidnapped at five years old Ashlyn has learned to live a life of constant surveillance. Now at almost eighteen life is changing for this young woman, but her father is determined to remain limiting her experiences and understanding of the real world. While rebelling against her father wishes she finds herself without a body guard. Whom is quickly replaced by the one person that she hoped to never meet again. [return][return]Truth be told Ashlyn s father must have realized that with his princess changing that he had more to protect her from than years prior. Now as a beautiful and talented young woman it became clear that she was no longer a little girl, but her father was determined to avoid changes that would allow her to life, learn, and most importantly love. When Colin and Ashlyn spend more and more time together it becomes clear that the memories she holds of this young man does not represent the man that he has become. As the story unfolds, so does the attraction and mystery of these two characters. Anticipation will keep readers on the edge throughout this novel with Colin s constant dedication to her job. Even as Ashlyn begins to show her feelings; it appears as though the feelings are not reciprocated. Though it soon becomes evident that his strength to hide his true emotions are beginning to slip. [return][return]As an overall story it was a bit depressing to see this young woman craving adventure and knowledge that her protection prohibits. While at this age most young adults are experimenting and studying their selves; this young woman is under constant demand to continue being a child. This is a sweet love story that readers will enjoy, and remember long after the last page[return] ...more

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Jun 26, 2010 Amy Jacobs rated it it was amazing

After eager anticipation, Jennifer Laurens has brought to us another fabulous book about teen angst, love and determination. I am a HUGE fan of this author after reading her other books. She never disappoints me in her writing and creativity.

In Overprotected, we are introduced to the Adair family. Ashlyn is 17 years old and rarely gets a taste of freedom. If she wants to step outside her Security Box that her Father has constructed in the form of a personal bodyguard, she has to sneak away to d After eager anticipation, Jennifer Laurens has brought to us another fabulous book about teen angst, love and determination. I am a HUGE fan of this author after reading her other books. She never disappoints me in her writing and creativity.

In Overprotected, we are introduced to the Adair family. Ashlyn is 17 years old and rarely gets a taste of freedom. If she wants to step outside her Security Box that her Father has constructed in the form of a personal bodyguard, she has to sneak away to do it. The outside world is merely a glance outside her home windows. When she gets her latest bodyguard fired, Ashlyn thinks that maybe her father will let her be an adult and have some freedom. Unfortunately, her Father is not willing to give up his control. He hires Colin. Colin is an old childhood friend from when they all lived in California. After Ashlyn was kidnapped in California, the family relocated to New York. Colin is going to school in New York and is hired as a protective companion for Ashlyn. At first, Ashlyn is not very friendly to Colin. Colin used to torment her as a child and she can't stand to even be around him. They quickly work past their history, and eventually find that they truly care for each other.

Some people might think Ashlyn is a bit of a snob in the book. At first, I though she was just going to be another rich girl who is a spoiled brat. After reading the first couple of chapters though, I quickly realized that Ashlyn is not the snob I thought she was. She has had such a protective and controlled life that she barely can even eat in privacy. I can see where the frustration comes from and how freedom would be so sought after. The only relationship with a boy she has ever had has been from reading her romance novels that her friends and previous bodyguards have sneaked in for her. She is a great pianist and has a future at Julliard to look forward to, but all she craves is love and freedom.

Colin is very professional with his new job. While he is attracted to Ashlyn and very caring towards her, he is constantly fighting the urge to be more than just a bodyguard to her. Colin was sweet and protective, yet professional and calm. I love how he is always put into the awkward moments with Ashlyn's Mother and friends. He is always relieved when Ashlyn rescues him from the attention.

When Ashlyn's ex-bodyguard keeps making sneaky reappearances in her life, she is naturally scared and suspicious. When Ashlyn is kidnapped again, you can't help but cheer her on at kicking some butt! What floored me the most was the extremes her Father has gone to though when Ashlyn is rescued. What he did was over the line and he deserved what Ashlyn does to him.

Another wonderful read by an outstanding author. Each book she writes just keeps on getting better. Overprotected was wonderful and I can't wait what to see what the author will bring to us next! ...more

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Jul 22, 2010 Alyssa hoffmaster rated it really liked it

more reviews here

I have been waiting a whole year at least to read this book, and finally I have been able to buy it!!

I’d like to say it was all I imagined and beyond. But I think I got myself a little to hyped up for it, I still loved this book to death though.

I felt very sad for Ashlyn; her parents were controlling her life. They picked out her college; her dad didn’t want her to date at all. Her parents hired “companions” for her, another word for a bodyguard.
Ashlyn was almost 18 and she did ...more

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May 11, 2011 Mari rated it it was ok

Ashlyn: A lonely society princess living in New York City.

Daddy hired you to be my bodyguard.

Colin: Childhood enemy, now her protector.

Daddy thought I’d be safe. He thought I’d never fall in love. He thought he could keep me forever.

Charles: obsessed with keeping her safe, keeping her his, he hires the one person he knows she could never fall in love with: Colin.

Daddy was wrong.

Aw, I dunno but for me, this reads like a mediocre Harlequin romance novel whose main character was replaced with ...more

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Dec 18, 2019 Piper Harris rated it it was ok

The writing is a little odd, but a fun read for my UES buds out there
Also it's helping me with me reading challenge ayyy ...more

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Aug 12, 2010 Rachel rated it it was amazing

Most girls would take comfort in the knowledge that they are being protected. That they are shielded from the evils of the world. That their parents love them so much that they want to make sure that no harm would ever come to them. And that Daddy would do anything for his little Princess.

But sometimes that protection can become a burden. The comforting embrace can become a noose and protection can quickly cross that fine line to overprotection.

Ashlyn Adair yearns for freedom. Trapped in her gil ...more

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Apr 08, 2012 Nicole rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Ashlyn is practically living in captivity since her father wants to keep her safe. Though she has access to almost any material thing she could ever want she would rather have her freedom. When she gets her last bodyguard fired her father decides to hire Colin, a boy Ashlyn has despised since childhood. Colin would constantly torment Ashlyn something she has never gotten over. The more time she spends with Colin the more she comes to realize that he is not who he used to be and she finds hersel Ashlyn is practically living in captivity since her father wants to keep her safe. Though she has access to almost any material thing she could ever want she would rather have her freedom. When she gets her last bodyguard fired her father decides to hire Colin, a boy Ashlyn has despised since childhood. Colin would constantly torment Ashlyn something she has never gotten over. The more time she spends with Colin the more she comes to realize that he is not who he used to be and she finds herself drawn to him. As I read about Ashlyn's life I started to feel bad for her. She is trapped, lonely, and sad. To me it seems as though her parents over-protection has stunted her growth socially and emotionally. She daydreams a lot and has little to no real life experience. She gets most of her love advice from the pages of romance novels. Ashlyn is not dumb by an means she just hasn't been given the chance to live her life which has left her innocent and naive. What I liked about Ashlyn was that she fought for control, she didn't just sit back and do what she was told. She knew she was missing out on a normal life and she tried several times to get out from under her parents tight supervision. I found myself hoping that she would get a chance to experience all the things that she missed out on because of her parents.

When Colin comes into her life everything changes. He is nothing like she remembered. He's young, professional and quite good at his job of protecting Ashlyn, though I'm not sure where he learned how to be a bodyguard. He treats her with respect but doesn't let her get away with trying to escape his protection by sneaking off. From early on it is apparent that Colin cares about Ashlyn's well being. He gets her out of the house when her parents are driving her crazy, he teaches her self defense, and worries about the way she is treated by her parents. I thought Colin was just the type of guy that Ashlyn needed in her life. He's serious about his job so he won't take advantage of her but he is someone she can talk to and depend on.

Let's just say I'm glad I did not have Ashlyn's parents. Her father is overbearing, manipulative, and expects complete obedience from Ashlyn. He treats her like a child who doesn't have a mind of her own. When she starts to rebel he threatens to tighten her security even more. He controls who she talks to, where she goes, and has only allowed her to have one friend. He purposely hires guards he knows Ashlyn will hate so that she will not be attracted to them. Her mother is no better. She treats Ashlyn like an accessory to be prettied up and brought out during special occasions. She's overly flirtatious with Colin and can't seem to keep her hands off of him, which id not only embarrassing for Colin but for Ashlyn as well.

Overprotected is essentially a story about a teenage girl who wants some freedom. This story was kind of sad but also hopeful. We are able to see what happens when parents go overboard in trying to keep their child safe. They inevitably end up hurting the one they were trying to protect. I liked Overprotected it is a well developed story with fascinating characters that I became invested in. I wanted to know if Ashlyn got the freedom she sought. I'm really glad I read this book, and I'm looking forward to reading more of Jennifer Laurens work. ...more

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Apr 14, 2011 Lindsay Paige added it

Shelves: favorites, own

Title Thoughts: Title says it all.

Cover Thoughts: I really like it. Bodyguard standing in front protecting and Ashlyn looking over his shoulder, probably planning an escape.

WARNINGS: Has the average thoughts of a 17 year old girl who reads too many romance novels. Ex. He pushed me on the door in a passionate kiss. Or something like that.

Okay, I just love this book. For some reason, I was thinking Ashlyn would be a snob. Why? I have no clue. Well, she wasn't. She was just a girl who was used to l Title Thoughts: Title says it all.

Cover Thoughts: I really like it. Bodyguard standing in front protecting and Ashlyn looking over his shoulder, probably planning an escape.

WARNINGS: Has the average thoughts of a 17 year old girl who reads too many romance novels. Ex. He pushed me on the door in a passionate kiss. Or something like that.

Okay, I just love this book. For some reason, I was thinking Ashlyn would be a snob. Why? I have no clue. Well, she wasn't. She was just a girl who was used to living in a beautiful house and who had always had a "companion" aka bodyguard. She was just a girl who was 17 and wanted to be able to go to the bookstore without someone accompanying her there. I liked her a lot and thought she would be an awesome friend, if of course her father approved me.

Colin. He was just such a gentleman. Something most men these days aren't. He opens the door for her, y'all. I think I would have melted right then and there! What I loved most about this book and Laurens writing, was that as the reader I was able to fall for Colin right there with Ashlyn.

I was surprised at the obsession her father had and the irony of Ashlyn's safety which had something to do with him. Oddly enough, I was able to relate to the relationship between Ashlyn and Charles, her father. Not because of his obsession with her safety but because there are two things our fathers have in common. One: They want us to always be their little girl. Charles expresses this through his nickname for Ashlyn. Princess. Two: they don't listen to us. Ashlyn tried and tried to talk to her father and get him to see her side of things and he just wouldn't do it. I know how she feels.

I love the way I didn't want to close the book the whole time I was reading because I was enjoying the characters too much. I love the way Laurens just sailed me through, page after page. I loved how I was able to picture everything so easily. I even love how I was surprised that I ended up liking Ashlyn's mother. I love how Ashlyn grew. I just loved it all.

Addict's Last Words: Overprotected was definitely more than I thought. It was a pleasant surprise and I will definitely be reading more of Laurens' books.

To Buy or To Borrow: I am so happy to have this book on my shelf. I think this is a book everyone can enjoy.

Favorite Quotes: "Everything you need to know about love is already inside of you..."

Disclosure: I participate in tours with The Teen Book Scene and a copy was provided to me by the author, publisher, or another third party source. No payment was received by me in exchange for this review. There was not any obligation to write a positive review. All opinions expressed here are entirely mine and may not necessarily agree with those of the author, the book's publisher and publicist, or the readers of this review. This disclosure is in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255, Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising. ...more

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Oct 04, 2010 Kristen rated it it was amazing

Shelves: romance, ya

GENRE: Young Adult,
RECEIVED: Copy from http://guiltypleasuresreviews.blogspo...
BLOG: http://seeingnight.blogspot.com/
DATE POSTED ON BLOG: April 1st

REVIEW:
I have to admit this is the first time I read a book written by Jennifer Laurens, I have been missing out on some great stories it seems. I have a lot of catching up to do with her other works.
Ashlyn Adair is seventeen-year-old girl who hasn’t ever had a normal life. When she was young her nanny kidnapped her after becoming obsessed with Ashlyn GENRE: Young Adult,
RECEIVED: Copy from http://guiltypleasuresreviews.blogspo...
BLOG: http://seeingnight.blogspot.com/
DATE POSTED ON BLOG: April 1st

REVIEW:
I have to admit this is the first time I read a book written by Jennifer Laurens, I have been missing out on some great stories it seems. I have a lot of catching up to do with her other works.
Ashlyn Adair is seventeen-year-old girl who hasn’t ever had a normal life. When she was young her nanny kidnapped her after becoming obsessed with Ashlyns father. After her life was threatened her father decided that she was to be protected at all times, no matter what. Little did she know she’d forever have a life that felt like she was a prisoner in her own home.
5 years have passed since Ashyln has seen Colin; her memories of their time together were anything but great. He was a bully, something she would never forget. But after her last bodyguard became to aggressive and in love with her, her father decided she needed a new protector. Bringing Colin back into her life and making everything difficult, well at first, but soon Ashlyn begins to soften up to the older and more mature Colin.
I was pretty surprised with how deep this novel was, the emotions and real life situations that happen a lot in the real world really brought to life this story. Overprotected has a father wanting to do anything to protect his beloved daughter, but on a level that was way over the top. The more he protects her the more she wants to flee and have the freedom of a real life.
The romance between a bodyguard and a rich girl reminded me a lot of the movie with Katie Holmes, the First Daughter. The interaction between the two was heartwarming and heartbreaking. Colin is a really great guy, but really takes his job seriously and Ashlyn can resist his charm.
In the end, I highly recommend this book! Lots of drama and I mean LOTS, with romance that will make any girl squeal with excitement and a great plot that made me read the whole book in one sitting. So put this on your to be read list and read it asap!

RECOMMENDATION:
This is a young adult novel, suiting for any age. It has some older situations and a bit of violence. Recommended to Fans of Rachel Hawkins, and Lauren Oliver.
...more

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Oct 31, 2010 Jessica rated it really liked it

Ashlyn's life is one that most people dream of. Rich, lavish and completely perfect. Or is it? Unfortunately for Ashyln she was kidnapped at a very young age, and now her father is extremely protective of her. Trapped inside her beautiful fortress of a house, forced to have a bodyguard follow her around all the time, that's what Ashlyn's life has now become. How can anything at all, even love, possibly happen to her while she is trapped here?

Overprotected was a perfectly written story that had m ...more

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Apr 06, 2011 La Femme Readers rated it really liked it

Have you ever felt trapped in a world where your whole life was mapped out for you? The answer to this question lies within the pages of Ashlyn's frustrating reality. Due to a kidnapping at a young age, her parents made it their duty to control every step of their daughter's existence. By doing so, they've eliminated any normalcy for her vibrant and talented attributes. As a reader, I quickly established sympathy towards Ashlyn's situation. Honestly, I wouldn't be able to handle the non-stop sec ...more

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Jan 16, 2011 Kristan (Lost Amongst the Shelves) rated it it was ok

Overprotected was your run of the mill average teen love story. I wasn't really wowed by any particular part of the book- the plot was pretty predictable, the characters didn't really stand out, and the romance was a bit under developed. Plus, the book was riddled with obvious typos that started to frustrate me. Overall, the book just fell flat for me which was disappointing because the story had great potential.

I think my biggest issue was connecting with the main character, Ashlyn. She's an O ...more

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May 12, 2011 Marsha rated it it was ok

Recommends it for: Young Adults

I purchased "Overprotected" after reading the synopsis and all of the 4 and 5 stars reviews. Quite frankly, for me, it just did not live up to all of the hype. Ashlyn is a 17 year old socialite attending a private school in New York. When she was five she was kidnapped by her nanny who was stalking her father. Since that time her father has become overprotective hiring bodyguards for her. He does not allow her any freedom and she feels like a caged animal. Then enters Colin, a former family frie ...more

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