Mirjana **DTR - Down to Read**'s Reviews > Fueled

***4.5 I RACE this book hard stars***

”We’re not broken baby...we’re just bent. And bent is okay. Bent means that we’re just figuring things out.”

Talk about a 360 from the first book!! This book….this damn book had my blood racing, adrenaline pumping and heart palpitating throughout the entire angsty ride.



I saw the mixed reviews to the first book, hell I HAD mixed feelings about the first book, but I was told over and over again to hold on and push through...it’ll be worth it. Well I’m here to say…..IT’S WORTH IT! This second book was more focused, flowed better and pulled me deeper into the story from the prologue...the FUCKING PROLOGUE!!





A lot of the redundancy and circular dialogue was gone. The characters stayed true to their actions. Most of my aggravation from the first book was remedied. Don’t get me wrong, these two still had their stupid moments, but I could understand them more now. I understood Colton’s fear better. His hesitation. His reluctance. And Rylee, well she definitely did a better job grappling with her insecurities. She accepted that she needed to be the strong one in this relationship. She needed to give Colton the nurturing environment and acceptance that he craved in order to begin to address his past.

”You. This, it scares the shit out of me. I don’t know how to…I don’t know what to do…”

Little by little you watch Colton and Rylee chip away at each other’s walls. Although fears of still being thought of as an “arrangement” filter into Rylee’s thoughts and crossing paths with Colton’s previous hookups unnerve her, she holds on to her resolve to build a relationship with Colton. She rationalizes her insecurities, steps back to look at the bigger picture and draws strength from miniscule yet infinite changes that Colton shows her. Through Colton’s POV, and his actions, we see him slowly start to realize that he’s letting Rylee in, realize that he needs her…that she’s slowly healing him. He still doesn’t believe in a full recovery, but now he sees signs of hope for maybe something more than he’s had so far. Each of them giving pieces of themselves to the other. Scared like hell, but they were trying.

”Spiderman. Batman. Superman. Ironman.”

I love the way songs were interwoven into this story. Sometimes it’s hard to say what’s on your mind or in your heart and the author uses songs and their lyrics at just the right time to convey the perfect message. It could have been clichéd or overused, but each song was perfectly placed and delivered an extra layer of emotion to the scene. Sometimes a line to a song sums it up perfectly.



All this gushing and not 5 stars? Well, unfortunately two of Rylee’s actions hit on my female pet peeves…game playing and unnecessary stubbornness. The first one I could somehow wrap my mind around – it really wasn’t her idea so she’s partially excused, but her stubbornness...UH UH...NO WAY. When your heart is involved it’s hard to think rationally at times, I get that...but give a person a minute to explain if you’re angry about a situation. Be an adult. Don’t run away. Don’t ignore them...especially when they’re begging you for that opportunity to explain. GAH...I’m getting frustrated all over again.

I’m not going to touch too much on the sexual chemistry between these two in this book. I’ll just say...



This was a second book I wasn’t expecting. A depth of story I didn’t anticipate. The heartbreak and healing. The fight and surrender. At the beginning of the first book I wasn’t sure what I was in store for, and now after only finishing the second book I already know this series is going to hold a special place for me.

” I want her to own me.
Every fucking piece of me.
Game over baby.
She's my motherfucking checkered flag.”