ARC: True – Erin McCarthy

Synopsis

When Rory Macintosh’s roommates find out that their studious and shy friend has never been with a guy, they decide that, as an act of kindness they’ll help her lose her virginity by hiring confident, tattooed bad boy Tyler Mann to do the job…unbeknownst to Rory.

Tyler knows he’s not good enough for Rory. She’s smart, doctor smart, while he’s barely scraping by at his EMT program, hoping to pull his younger brothers out of the hell their druggy mother has left them in. But he can’t resist taking up her roommates on an opportunity to get to know her better. There’s something about her honesty that keeps him coming back when he knows he shouldn’t…

Torn between common sense and desire, the two find themselves caught up in a passionate relationship. But when Tyler’s broken family threatens to destroy his future, and hers, Rory will need to decide whether to cut her ties to his risky world or follow her heart, no matter what the cost…

4/5 stars

Release Date: 7th May 2013

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My Review

*Thanks to NetGalley and the Publishers for an instant download of True in return for an honest review*

When Rory accidentally lets out that she hasn’t slept with anyone in her 20 years, her roommates Kylie and Jessica decide to help her out. Behind her back. It’s out of kindness as they want her to experience sex, so they decide to hire tattooed, bad boy Tyler Mann to do the job. Will he go through with it?

Tyler Mann has admired Rory from afar. She’s different from all the other girls but he knows he isn’t good for her. He’s barely scraping by his EMT program so he can get his brothers out of the hell hole of his family home, away from his druggy mother. Rory is too smart for him but he cant resist taking up the offer as it’s a way to know her better.

The more time they spend together, the more they are falling for one another. They open up to one another but what happens when Tyler’s family threatens his future. Will Rory stand by him or cut ties? Tyler had always known his not good enough for Rory, but he loves her. Will he fight for her or let her go?

I wrote this on Twitter when I was only a few pages in. I had a slight premise of what True was about, I had just forgotten who the guy was. So when I started reading about Rory’s roommate Jessica sleeping with Tyler, I was like “Hang on” and went back to read the synopsis. Now this is probably a spoiler, although you would have found out a few pages in anyway and been like “Hold up” but, in my opinion, I would NEVER want to sleep with a guy my friend had been getting with. Wouldn’t that just be completely weird?

But once I got over the whole issue of that, it didn’t actually bother me a whole lot throughout the book then. At the start Rory was a bit funny about it and about liking Tyler but it didn’t bother Jessica, seeing as her and her other roommate Kylie hired Tyler to help Rory lose her virginity and it didn’t bother me either.

This is the first book I have read of Erin McCarthy’s and when I saw it on goodreads and read the synopsis, I KNEW I had to get my hands on it. So when NetGalley emailed me saying it was a free download for a day, I jumped at the chance to download it. Seriously guys, you will not be disappointed in True at all. I devoured it, I fell in love with the characters, I smiled, cried, gasped, threw my kindle down. All the usual acts I do with a great book. Although it sounds like a book that has been rehashed many times over, it certainly isn’t like that at all. The book is completely different to every good girl/bad boy college love out there and you would be a fool not to read this.

As mentioned, Tyler is hired to help Rory lose her virginity, unbeknown to her. Tyler used to sleep with Rory’s roommate Jessica and so Rory is hesitant to get to know him, because she does like him but she finds it a bit weird to like him when he is sleeping with Jessica.

But when Jessica tells her that it’s fine, they weren’t together, Rory decides that maybe it’s okay to hang out with him. They both get along and are both helping each other out with their courses. The more time they spend together, they more they are liking one another but when Rory finds out about Tyler being hired to sleep with her, she’s so angry and upset that she lies to her roommates and tell them that she slept with him. She doesn’t want to lose her friends even though they set it up so she keeps quiet about knowing.

After a week of ignoring Tyler, they go back to being friends. One night there is a family emergency at Tyler’s and he takes Rory with him. No one has ever been to his family house, Rory being the first. This is the part where they truly begin their relationship.

But with every relationship comes family drama and although Rory and Tyler seem strong, something happens that tears them apart. It breaks Rory but what can she do? She doesn’t want to talk about it, she tries not to think about it but it’s all she thinks about. When a tragedy occurs on Tyler’s side, she goes to pay her wishes. She still loves him but she knows she can at least live without him, even if it hurts, but when they both talk and Rory walks off, Tyler can let her leave once again. Will she take Tyler back or let him go?

I really, really adored Tyler. From first glances, you would totally say he was a tattooed bad boy, but underneath his exterior he is a caring soul. He’s smart, he’s on the EMT programme and he is definitely family orientated, trying to power through college so he can pull his two brothers from the hell that is their druggy mother. He will do whatever to make sure they are okay and protected, coming to their every need. I truly admired him for this. For loving and protecting his brothers so fiercely that he would do whatever he could for them. He and his older brother both have a tattoo that reads “TRUE”. It is after the four bothers names and that proves that their bond is so strong that nothing will ever break them apart. They will fight together and for one another. I think this part of him is what made me want to be with him and be Rory. To be there for him when things got tough, to befriend his brothers, to be there for him and them. That is exactly what Rory did and you could really see the love Tyler had for Rory, to show her this side of him that no one has ever seen.

I really liked Rory too. Shes not like many young adults we read about in NA. Since her mother’s death at a young age, she’s had insecurities. Her father didn’t know what to do when her mother died and in turn, that meant all the parties she used to get invited to slowly decline until it was just her and her father for company. This is why she is so socially awkward. She’s a virgin and shes socially awkward but her roommates try to get her out of her shell, giving her hugs which is something she is not used to, trying to get her to open up and in turn, she craves the connections now, understanding that she actually likes being hugged or kissed or touched. Shes grown up not having this and now shes got it, she feels loved.

She’s a logical and honest girl, not like most heroines we read about who are so angst-ridden (even though I love those kinds of books) and it was kind of a breath of fresh air to read about Rory and see her grow into herself. Learn to understand that there are guys out there who like her – such a Tyler – who want to spend time with her, who find her interesting. Tyler lets her into his world and she lets him into hers. I think this helped her open up, to show her feelings, to fall in love, to actually talk to her dad about their feelings instead of bypassing them like they always did. She definitely got stronger throughout the book and I really liked that.

It was nice to see their friends and family take a big part in the book too. From both their friends being included a lot, you got to see their story and their personality throughout the book as well as both Tyler and Rory’s families. You got to see into their family background and why they are the way they are. Rory being the socially awkward girl and Tyler being the family orientated guy. It was lovely not to just focus on their relationship, but to add in the family and friends too, making True a wholesome book.

Rory and Tyler both go through a journey. A journey of acceptance, of learning to love, of growing up, but they do it together and alone. I truly enjoyed reading True and Erin McCarthy did an amazing job writing it that I hope you will all pick up your copy when it is out. If you are like me and don’t like the fact that you are going out with the guy your friend was a Fuck Buddy with, then don’t worry, you will completely bypass and forget that part when you see how utterly great Rory and Tyler are together. They bring out the best in each other and share sides that no one else has seen in them. It was pretty awesome to witness this.

So yes, please do read True. You will fall in love with Tyler and his brothers and just want to cuddle them all. I certainly did. Amazing book and I cannot wait to see more of Rory and Tyler in the book instalment which will be Jessica’s book.

Definitely recommend True to all you lovely readers.