Love can stand every test, even a TV show?

Synopsis

Berkley Kaine was lucky enough to meet her perfect man at a young age.

Blissfully in love, she’s about to graduate college, take on her dream job, and has never been more optimistic for the future.

Will Adler has been in love with Berkley Kaine since the moment he laid eyes on her.

But ever since they became a couple, Will and Berkley have had to contend with his influential, richer-than-rich socialite family who have never thought Berkley is good enough. Determined to drive the young lovers apart, Will’s family reveal the secret he’s yet to find a way to tell her – he’s signed on with his brother to be a part of a reality TV show called PDX Royals, as apparently, money is all it takes to be ‘royalty’ in America.

Can Berkley forgive Will for lying?

Can the couple survive the pressure of Will’s crazy family, his constant bad decisions, and a TV show they never expected to blow up the way it did?

Can first love ever become forever love?

Enjoy Aimee Brown’s steamy-as-hell, laugh-out-loud rom com and find out if Will and Berkley get their happily-ever-after. The perfect novel for all fans of Sariah Wilson, Lindsey Kelk and Abby Jiminez.

My review

Berkley and Will have been in love with each other and together for years, despite their young age. their future hasn’t looked any brighter, and they have so many plans together.
Weren’t it only that Will’s parents, or rather his whole family, think that Will can do better than Berkley.
As the Adler family is a very rich and influential one, nothing will stop them to gain more money and prestige. And so Will finds himself being part of a reality TV show, together with his brother.
A TV show Will didn’t tell Berkley about.. and the one thing that they never had for each other, were secrets…
Will their strong relationship stand the test of camera’s, interfering families and a succession of bad decisions? Or will this once again be the case where first loves never make it? 

Having read several books of this author, and each one of them put a smile on my face, made me very eager to pick this one up too.
But part of writing reviews, also means that you have to be honest. So I have to say that this book didn’t make me smile as much as Aimee Brown’s other books.
And there is no need to panic, because there were definitely smiles, and I did enjoy reading this book. But there are also many painful, heart – breaking moments in this book… 

The book starts great, as we see that Berkley and Will are happy together, have great plans and they show that first loves can stand the test of time, and even the test of a difficult and obnoxious family.
I was rooting for this couple from the first words in the book. 

But then things start to fall apart, at the discovery that Will is going to be part of a TV show with just a terrible name. I think it’s common knowledge that despite being called a ‘reality’, there is a lot fake in whatever we see on TV. And I was afraid that this TV show would not only be confirming that aspect, but would even go over the top with it. 

I understood the decision Berkley made, as being on a TV show goes against everything that Berkley is, even if it means heartbreak. But I also liked it how despite that decision, she doesn’t just give up on Will. It shows that she truly loves Will, and that she will always be there for him, even at his lowest moments. 

And there are many low moments for Will. Seeing his struggles is heart – breaking but also painful. Seeing him on this self – destructing path broke my heart but also made me dislike him a tiny bit. We see how a bright, nice, kind person changes into just a shadow of his former self. We see the effect on someone who feels alone, without support and a camera on his face the whole time. 

I have to say, that Will’s family for sure is a despicable one. And while perhaps toward the end we can see how it all fits together, it didn’t made me change my mind about them. Especially Will’s parents are the worst, they are so self – centred, selfish, obnoxious. Even when at a moment they should be grateful of what Will and Berkley are doing, still they don’t change…  

The author made the choice of making time pass very quickly, as we easily jump months or even years ahead. And while this may seem a bit odd, it’s also a great opportunity to see the change in the characters, but also how at the core they are still the same person. 

Yet do not despair, as this isn’t a depressing story at all, because there still are plenty of moments that made me smile, made me laugh and were definitely funny.
We also see how it helps to have friends on your side when things are going downhill. They are there for you with advice (perhaps not always the right advice, but it comes from the right place). 

I can understand that this story is not for everyone, as Aimee Brown for sure put the spotlight on several difficult topics. But in the end, I had to admit that I fully appreciated this book and I absolutely liked it. Because life and love isn’t a fairy – tale. They both come with ups and downs. The ups can be high and the downs very low. But we also see that no matter what has happened, there is always the chance to pick yourself up, to make a change yourself. And if the drive is winning back the person you love, you should grab that opportunity with both hands. 

And it doesn’t matter when you meet the love of your life, it doesn’t matter if you are just a teenager or not. When love crosses your path, and you have found that perfect person, even the darkest and most difficult moments cannot just take that love away. Love is and will always be a work a progress and even when you go your own ways, love, if it’s the real thing, will always bring you back together…