Author: Blue Ashcroft
Published: August 3, 2013
Self-Published
Blurbs:
Rain Wilson isn’t ever going to love again.
It’s a promise she made the day her boyfriend died in a water park accident, one she still blames herself for. Now she’s a senior lifeguard in a new town with a new pool and she’s just going to keep her head down and everyone safe.
Until a mysterious guy follows her into the waves at the pre-season bonfire and kisses her senseless. It’s just one mistake, and Rain is determined to put it behind her, until the dark haired, blue eyed hottie turns out to be her new co-supervisor Knight McAllister.
Knight is hot, tatted, and carrying baggage of his own. He’s not happy about having Rain for a co-supervisor, and he’s even less happy about his attraction to her.
But between lifeguard drama, hot underwater kisses, and a growing attraction between them that can’t be stopped, Knight and Rain are being pulled deeper into their pasts, and realizing that sometimes too much broken can make a relationship impossible.
Then again sometimes it’s the broken parts of us that fit together best.
When I read the synopsis of Deeper, I immediately pushed the request button from Netgalley and smiled like the Cheshire Cat when I was approved. Hot, tatted lifeguards, bonfires, oceans, waterparks... what's not to like? The names Knight and Rain definitely caught my attention. I think I'd melt at the feet of a lifeguard named Knight, seriously.
Short synopsis:
Rain left her home and moved to a place no one knew her after a tragic accident, involving one of her coworkers at the waterpark she worked at the previous summer. She felt responsible for the accident, and came to her new job determined to save everyone--the patrons and her staff. After all, a supervisor should be held accountable for everything happening during their shift. But what happens if when things go beyond her control? She's not one to ask for help, but she's going to have to learn to work with the most infuriating man she's ever known, her co-supervisor, Knight. Unfortunately, they met under less than perfect circumstances and he's less than happy to have her as his partner.
Knight has his own set of tragic circumstances, which lead to his need to protect everyone, especially females he cares about. And when you mix a person who is overprotective with another person who is willing to put herself in dangerous situations so others aren't hurt, well, the waters get a little rough. Knight also lost someone, his girlfriend who he loved. He's not afraid to move on, but he may have chosen the wrong person to fall for, because Rain has a set of rules she's bound herself to--no love, no sex, no life. Okay, maybe the "life" part isn't in there, but Knight believes she isn't really allowing herself to live. Maybe he's right.
My Thoughts:
Overall, I enjoyed Deeper. The plot kept me intrigued, I needed to know what happened next. Knight interested me and Rain interested me. I enjoyed the suspense of each of their stories, for a while, but then I became frustrated. Pieces of their backgrounds are fed to us in flashbacks, but they're trying to be in some sort of a relationship while keeping their entire pasts from each other. No way will this work without some major damage being done to both of them, hurting each of them more.
Obviously, with only 3 stars, there were a number of things that didn't hit me right. I've read a number of NA books that use rape as an emotional heart string, most do it tastefully and bring it around to a lesson or to educate young women on ways to handle certain situations and how to go about reporting the incident and how to find counseling and so forth. AND, they have a single incident, not multiple accounts of inappropriate sexual contact.
Off the top of my mind, I can think of at least three, if not more, instances of inappropriate groping and flat out rape. And other than for the sake of building tension and putting either Amy, Rain, or young girls at the water park in uncomfortable situations, there was little reason behind the plotting. Rain had already done her maturing and growing between the previous summer and the current summer, so it wasn't like the incidences led to an epiphany and she suddenly turned from a weak girl to a strong woman. Knight didn't learn from his past mistakes and suddenly learn to keep girls who'd been raped from committing suicide, something that was never in his control anyway.
Also, the blurb does a horrible job of describing the true details of the book. Rain never actually had a boyfriend. She was never in love. In fact, one part of the book implies Rain meant to reject William, so all the misery she's put herself through is actually for nothing. So this was also a bit off-putting.
But, Knight and Rain's chemistry was undeniably hot. Even with Rain's "no sex" policy, their make-out sessions raised the hairs on my arms and put butterflies in my stomach. Their interactions always appeared sincere and very realistic. The friendships between the coworkers at the water park formed bonds and looked out for each other, the kind of place I would have loved to have worked, friends I would have loved to have made.
Final Opinion:
While I enjoyed the book, I suggest readers be warned of the numerous inappropriate and unwanted sexual situations between young women and men ranging from college-aged to adults. Knight and Rain are both enjoyable characters who have needs. Knight is hoping Rain can fill the holes in his heart, and Rain is refusing to let anyone love her or love anyone. Maybe they can help each other, or maybe they'll fall apart. You'll have to read to find out.
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