Review and Giveaway: Connected and Torn by Kim Karr

 
 
 






































                                                                                                              



                                                          
Connected

What if a ‘Once in a Lifetime’ could happen twice?

Suffering from a past full of tragedy, Dahlia London's soul has been left completely shattered. Happily ever after is a far cry from reality in her world. But, when she is reconnected with her past, the bonds that form are irrefutable.

When River Wilde, lead singer of The Wilde Ones, comes back into Dahlia’s life, the intensity that fires their relationship combined with underlying feelings that have never died lead her to believe she has met her soulmate.

Struggling with confusion as old connections fade and new ones begin, Dahlia's grief begins to lift--but guilt remains. River wants to be the one to mend all that is torn within her.

But with a past that is never really gone, can their future survive?

4.5 Amazing Stars

 

Review by Nicole Lorenzo

Dahlia London has been in love with Ben since they were children.  One day while out with her best friend she spots a gorgeous guy across the bar and they share an instant connection, one like she has never experienced before. His name is River Wilde, and he is the front man on a new and upcoming band called The Wilde Ones.  After sharing a drink with River, Dahlia knows if she doesn’t get out of there quickly she will do something she will regret. So she flees the bar and goes on living happily with Ben, the love of her life.

“How could love at first sight even exist when you were already in love with someone else?”

A few years down the road a horrific event tragically tears Ben from Dahlia’s life. She has no idea how to live life without him. Ben was her whole world for so long and she is still teetering on the edge of depression almost two years later. Then the fates intervene and Dahlia and River reconnect once again.

“My heart is pounding at the mere sight of him, and the feelings I felt five years ago come flooding back.”

When they met again the connection they felt that one moment five years ago is there and as strong as ever. River brings forth feelings in Dahlia she’s never experienced before. She finds herself happy for the first time in years after only spending one day with him and that leaves her feeling an extreme amount of guilt over Ben. She finds herself wondering if there could ever really be love at first sight. Deciding to act on what she couldn’t all those years ago Dahlia chooses to not fight the gravitational pull she feels towards River.

“I’m wrapped up in a different emotion. It’s happiness growing inside me, overshadowing the sorrow. I feel my darkest days slipping away, right here, right now, with him- and I’m paralyzed.”

River has thought about Dahlia for five long years and even wrote a song about the insane connection they shared that night before she disappeared. Now that he found her after all this time he has no intention of letting her go again. River knows and understands how Dahlia grieves for Ben. He is just grateful to be able to be the one who helps put the pieces of heart back together again.

“I feel like fate brought us together again. I also believe that one night, so long ago, just wasn’t the right time for us. But tonight is.”

As Dahlia and River navigate their new and very rapid relationship, Dahlia learns that their chance meeting all those years ago affected River in more ways than one. River is also keeping something from Dahlia that he learned about her past, something he is hesitant to tell her because of the pain he knows it will cause her. Besides this, River completely and utterly loves Dahlia with all his heart and he plans on loving her forever.

“Not only does my heart belong to you and yours to me, but I’ve known since the first time you kissed me that we were soul mates.”

I absolutely LOVED this book. I gobbled it up and when I got to end I was completely blown away!!!  It was very well written, I felt all of Dahlias heartbreak right along with her. I loved that we got a mention of some of our other favorite rock stars, Kellan Kyle and Jake Wethers.  Dahlia and River's chance meeting turned out to be the moment that changed their lives. When they reconnected, poor Dahlia had suffered through unmentionable heartbreak and River helped heal her and show her that love at first sight really does exist. River is a one in a million kind of guy, and I dare you to not fall into love with him!! I cannot wait to find out what River is keeping from Dahlia. The ending of this book was just utterly shocking, and I cannot wait another minute to read the next book, Torn!!  I will not give anything away so go read this now, you will not be disappointed!!

Torn

Rock star River Wilde brought Dahlia London back from the brink of hopelessness with his unwavering love and devotion. But their entangled history is about to test the strength of their relationship…

Dahlia was certain she had found true love and met her 'Once in a Lifetime’ when she reconnected with River. But Dahlia’s world comes crashing down when someone from her past resurfaces, and all of River’s carefully hidden secrets are exposed.

River wants to show Dahlia that life isn’t about waiting for the storm to pass—it’s about dancing in the rain. But how many times can one broken heart be mended?  Will River and Dahlia be able to stay together or will they be torn apart?

4.5 Fantastic Stars

 

Review by Nicole Lorenzo

 

*Contains spoilers

Torn picks up exactly where Connected left off. River and Dahlia were just about to take their relationship to the next level when they received a phone call that changed everything. Ben was alive. Having faked his death after unearthing some deadly information on a drug cartel he went into hiding. Now it’s safe for him to return and he wants his old life back, including Dahlia. Shock, disbelief and anger are just a few of the emotions Dahlia goes through when she finds out Ben is alive. She loved Ben dearly and part of her always will but now her heart belongs to River and she is truly happy for the first time in years. River is not dealing with Bens return well, fearing that she will return to her first love and leave him forever. 

"What it comes down to is that unless you tell me you still love him, there is nothing we can't work out."

Dealing with Ben’s return puts a big strain on Dahlia and River’s relationship. Dahlia has no intention of returning to Ben. She is angry and hurt by the way he left her and too much in love with River. Ben on the other hand is heartbroken that Dahlia is with River now and he tries everything to get her to see they should be together again.  Lack of communication and misunderstandings make quite a mess of things and Dahlia and River find themselves at odds despite how much in love they are.

“..a beautiful thing is never perfect.” 

River had been keeping a secret from Dahlia, something he decided to keep from her to spare her any more pain. When the truth is revealed Dahlia is angry and heartbroken, but knowing River she understands why he kept these things from her. When another tragedy sets Dahlia in a tailspin, River is there to pick up the pieces. Dahlia knows then that no matter what happens River is the one she is meant to be with. 

“He’s so much more than I could ever have asked for- he’s my soul mate in every sense of the word.” 

After reading Connected I couldn’t wait to dig into Torn to see what happened next! When I found out that Ben was back my heart immediately hurt for Dahlia. She was completely devastated when he died so to find out it was all staged really hurt her all over again. I did feel a little sorry for Ben, but it was his actions that led him down the road he chose. River although he was keeping secrets from Dahlia the reason behind it was very noble and only because he loved her so much. I really like the fact that the conflicts that these characters faced felt real to me. But I loved that Dahlia's love for River never wavered. I hope we get to see more of Dahlia and River, and yes, even Ben in the next book in this series!

“A long time ago, I wished for you and now I have you. See…wishes really do come true even if you tell someone your wish.”

 

 

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