Easy

Tammara Webber
A girl who believes trust can be misplaced, promises are made to be broken, and loyalty is an illusion. A boy who believes truth is relative, lies can mask unbearable pain, and guilt is eternal. Will what they find in each other validate their conclusions, or disprove them all?
When Jacqueline follows her longtime boyfriend to the college of his choice, the last thing she expects is a breakup two months into sophomore year. After two weeks in shock, she wakes up to her new reality: she’s single, attending a state university instead of a music conservatory, ignored by her former circle of friends, and failing a class for the first time in her life.
Leaving a party alone, Jacqueline is assaulted by her ex’s frat brother. Rescued by a stranger who seems to be in the right place at the right time, she wants nothing more than to forget the attack and that night–but her savior, Lucas, sits on the back row of her econ class, sketching in a notebook and staring at her. Her friends nominate him to be the perfect rebound.
When her attacker turns stalker, Jacqueline has a choice: crumple in defeat or learn to fight back. Lucas remains protective, but he’s hiding secrets of his own. Suddenly appearances are everything, and knowing who to trust is anything but easy.
As I sit here attempting to gather my thoughts into some sort of coherent order, my heart is racing and my stomach is squirming. Either I’m reacting to the forth cup of strong coffee I’ve just finished consuming, or it is the echo’s of emotions I experienced last night. Regardless of the trigger, the blame for my current condition can be placed solely on Tammara Webber and her contemporary romance novel, Easy.
I’m sorry to admit that Easy had been a resident of my kindle for some time before I pushed it to the top of my TBR pile at the praise of Kerri from Read and Repeat and the dogged pestering “read it, read it , read it” of Pruedence The Library Mouse. Deciding to put the nagging to rest, I dutifully promised to read it next.
I settled down to bed with the plan to read a few chapters before going to sleep, before I’d fully comprehended what had happened, I found myself staggering up to bed just a few short hours before my ridiculously bouncy children were due to bound in to my room to mark the start of our day. Without meaning to I’d read Easy in one, highly addictive, sitting.
Despite being floored when her boyfriend of three years, the boy she followed to university, dumps her in order to sow his wild oats, does Jacqueline sit around in her sweats, consuming ice cream and moping? Well, yes probably! But after two weeks of avoiding the no good, pretty boy and their shared Economics class, Jacqueline knows that it is time to pull herself together and get her priorities in order. Her lecture recommends a tutor; her best friend recommends a rebound fling.
Suddenly everywhere she goes she bumps in to mysterious, artistic Lucas. The man who saved her from a vicious assault and who has the ability to make her heart (and mine!) beat faster with just a look. Although that’s nothing compared to what the boy can do when he uses his mouth. Honestly *tuts* go wash your dirty mind! What I meant is that Lucas had some of the most swoon worthy, butterfly in stomach inducing lines. For example:
“So I don’t want you to feel pressured. Or overpowered. But I do, absolutely, want to kiss you right now. Badly.”
*swoons*
The electricity between Jacqueline and Lucas sizzles off of the page. While not graphic or gratuitous there is no fading to black when it comes to the sexual content.
While Lucas undoubtedly makes her breath catch and her blood simmer, deep down Jacqueline knows that the academic slacker, usually found sketching in his pad rather than paying attention to their lecturer, is the opposite of the boys she is usually attracted to.
On the other hand, smart, witty Landon, is just her type. Communicating via email alone, her teacher assigned tutor, is completely off limits, but oh so tempting. His flirty emails had me grinning from ear to ear as he not only helps Jacqueline recover her Economics grade from failure but also her confidence.
While her grades are soon back on track Jacqueline finds her love life not so easily remedied. Torn between the developing relationships with these two very different, but equally compelling men and the reappearance of her ex who’s just realized that the grass isn’t always greener. This girl has man trouble with a capital T.
One of my favourite elements of the book was Jacqueline’s character development into a confident, independent young woman. At the start of Easy we meet a young woman who has made some questionable decisions and allowed her life to be influenced by her relationship at the expense of her education and her personal safety. Following on from her attack, particularly when her attacker turns stalker,Jacqueline could have easily found herself relying on Lucas and his protective nature. Instead, with a little nudge from her friends,Jacqueline takes control of her life and take steps to ensure she is never that vulnerable again.
Verdict: I absolutely loved Easy. Although it contained some very serious and adult themes it is definitely a book that I would re-read when in need of something feel good, comfortable and stomach squeezing. Despite owning a copy of the independently published eBook I have every intention of purchasing the traditionally published paperback from Razorbill.
Warning: This book is most suited to the older YA/New Adult reader as it contains scenes of violence, attempted rape and alcohol consumption in addition to consensual sexual activity.
Reviewed by Caroline