Friday, July 5, 2013

Blog Tour {Review & Giveaway}—Addicted to You by Krista & Becca Ritchie


Stopping by The LUV'NV today is the Addicted to You  blog tour, organized by YA Bound Book Tours.
We got the pleasure of reading and reviewing this superb New Adult novel,
and you can enter to win a $25 Amazon gift card and a signed copy of the book!



Addicted to You
by Krista Ritchie and Becca Ritchie
Book #1 of the Addicted  series
Publication: July 1st 2013 by K.B. Ritchie
Genre: New Adult Contemporary Romance

Amazon B & N Goodreads

No one would suspect shy Lily Calloway’s biggest secret. While everyone is dancing at college bars, Lily stays in the bathroom. To get laid. Her compulsion leads her to one-night stands, steamy hookups and events she shamefully regrets. The only person who knows her secret happens to have one of his own.

Loren Hale’s best friend is his bottle of bourbon. Lily comes at a close second. For three years, they’ve pretended to be in a real relationship, hiding their addictions from their families. They’ve mastered the art of concealing flasks and random guys that filter in and out of their apartment.

But when they go on a family boat trip, surrounded by open seas and limited male bodies in sight, Lily’s confronted with a big fear. Only one guy onboard can fill her addiction, and she’s sworn off going there with Loren Hale ever again.

Now the only person who can truly help her can barely help himself.

**This is a New Adult book recommended for readers 18 and up**

There comes a sad time in an avid reader's life when books and story lines begin to feel the same. The protagonists, the romance, the plot and delivery, even the writing, are shades and reflections of what you've read before. It's disheartening and frustrating, yet you can't stop from picking up the next book because you're addicted and searching for more words, more depth, something to fill an emptiness or scratch that good story-itch.

Addicted to You  filled every hole, scratched every surface, and left me breathless while imprinting itself deep within.

The subject matters alone are unique. Lily is a sex addict, and Loren is a functioning alcoholic. Lily is past promiscuity. Without sex or gratification, she can't think or function normally. Sexual activity is not a craving or a replacement for her, but a driving need. Loren drinks so much consistently and from such a young age that he doesn't slur or seem drunk; he simply passes out when his body momentarily shuts down because it can't handle any more toxic substance from all day bingeing.

Both subject matters can hard to believe and understand in the first place, but female sex addicts are unheard of—more precisely, aren't spoken of, confronted, or even accepted. The female is automatically termed a slut, but it can be and lead to much deeper, and the authors captured that line without making me think badly of Lily. Okay, not too badly of Lily. There were times I wanted to scream at her to not do it, but more often than not, I sympathized with her. I felt that she truly could't help herself. She didn't even think she needed to because she didn't believe she was hurting anyone.

And that's the crux, for all addictions and in Addicted to You. Lily and Loren have hidden their addictions from everyone but each other. Since they live together as a supposed couple, no one suspects. They help each other hide, not physically hurting anyone but enabling by "protecting" one another's secrets.

When they actually do become a couple, the inner and outer battles begin. With a new dynamic between them, Lily and Loren become more aware of hurting one another and they're faced with many ugly truths. I can't express how raw and painful it was to watch—read (I felt as if I was in every scene). The foundation, the essence, of their relationship was beautiful and poignant but also tragic. Together they can be ideal and essentially perfect. As individuals, they are so flawed yet endearing that I wanted to shake then hug them while begging them to stop.

There were heart-warming and better moments too, though. The first real friends Lily and Loren made offered a little comic relief, intrigue, and mystery. I also loved Lily's family; they're close, genuine, and good. Although I did guess a bit of a secondary character's motive, my jaw and gut dropped when the entire background story was revealed. I died then and twice again at the end of the book. Thank God there's a book two, as well as a novella releasing before that.

There is a cliffhanger, but it's one I quickly became okay with. I didn't realize the book was part of a series until after I finished it, so I had assumed the ending was an open one in which you form your own opinion, dream of what could be, and hope for the best. I did and still am!

The authors did such amazing job with every aspect of this book. They authentically portrayed the addictions and captured the ugly emotions that came with them. I wasn't expecting such an intense read—the authors took the premise and characters much further than I anticipated, for which I'm glad. Addiction, of any kind, shouldn't be taken lightly, and it isn't sexy or pretty.

I wish I could say I'd recommend Addicted to You  to every and anyone, but I can't. It may not be for the faint of heart or readers who get easily uncomfortable, hate awkward situations, or go in hating any facet of addictions, destructive behavior, and unashamed sex.

But if you're open to any of that and are looking for a well-written story that's realistic, moving, and emotionally gripping, with characters and plot that are a different typeset, I strongly suggest you read Addicted to You. It set a whole new bar for NA Contemporary Romance on all my shelves.




eARC provided by the authors via YA Bound Books Tours.
Thank you!



Favorite lines (out of many):
Being in a real relationship was supposed to fix the kinks in our lives. It should've made our problems easier. We no longer have to pretend. We can be ourselves. We're free from one life. Isn't this the part where our love overcomes our addictions? Where our problems magically solve from a kiss and a promise?


Visit the Addicted to You  Tour Schedule for excerpts, interviews, guest posts, and more reviews!


Becca Ritchie is a carnivore of pop culture, television, film and of course YA and NA books. While in college, she worked at The CW television network and put her vampiric knowledge to good use, blogging about hit series and swooning over actors’ abs. When she’s not blogging, she writes novels and has teamed up with her twin sister for their New Adult novel Addicted to You. Available July of 2013.

Krista Ritchie is the mind behind popular trading website YA Book Exchange and created Nawanda Files, a book blog that also features books into movies news. When not pouring over entertainment news and the newest releases, she spends her time conducting research in a genetics lab. She’s happy to join forces with her sister, harnessing their twin powers to produce the first in a New Adult series.

$25 Amazon gift card and signed paperback of Addicted to You
Open internationally
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