Thursday, October 8, 2015

Review: Repentance by Meghan Quinn




Every choice you make in life comes with a consequence, which dictates the outcome of your future.

I was once on top, I was living the life I dreamt of, I had everything I could possibly hope for. I was happy, satisfied, content…until one night.

One off day.

One moment in time I wish I could take back. My biggest regret.

The once bright future I possessed vanished and in its place a dark world of self-hatred and loathing encompassed me.

People like to celebrate the day they were born, I like to celebrate the day my soul died.

This is my story of repentance.
 



4 Stars!

Review by Trinette Dungee


Kace Haywood has a damaged soul or to hear him tell it, a damned soul. At one point in his life Kace Haywood was living the life; he was an up and coming boxing sensation, the hometown hero. Betrayal and one wrong decision took it all away from him; a decision that changed not only the course of his life but the lives of others known and unknown to him and that has left Kace living a life of regret. So regretful that he has built up walls around his heart. He lets no one in except his best friend Jett until Lyla enters his life. For the first time Kace finds someone he’s willing   to let in, but only if he can let go of his demons.


This is my first Meghan Quinn adventure, and I’m ready for the next. Repentance is the fourth book revolving around the Lafayette Club run by Kace’s best friend Jett Colby.  The story is told in multiple flashbacks but I think I could have appreciated it a lot more had I read the previous books. With that being said, I really liked this book! Although I liked the story line, what really made me like this book was the grit. This was the first time I’ve read a book where the characters were not just flawed but raw; they were edgy. Aside from Jett the characters in this book were from “the streets” they led hard lives and had to fight to survive. 
Unknowingly given steroids by the trainer he trusted, Kace was banned from boxing. Although he is encouraged to clear his name Kace doesn’t do so. Feeling like a disappointment to his community and especially his father Kace drowns in his sorrow.

 An encounter with a man in a bar one night leaves the man dead and sends Kace on a downward spiral. After realizing that the man leaves behind a wife and child Kace spirals even further out of control. As always, his best friend Jett stood by his side; while they may not be blood brothers they possess that brotherly bond. Jett is determined to keep Kace from destroying himself. In an effort to do this he enlists Kace’s help into building the Lafayette Club. The workings of the Lafayette club are somewhat skewed for me because the details are more deeply explained in the previous books. However Jett’s next project, the community center, is very much a part of this story. Attempting to pull Kace off his path of destruction Jett has convinced Kace to run the center and even give boxing and self-defense lesson in hopes it will help he once again become the man he used to be. Although he’s very apprehensive Kace agrees (but I swear he changes his mind like every 5 minutes). In working with Jett on the Lafayette House project Kace encounters Lyla and his life will never be the same. 

From the moment Kace and Lyla encounter each other the attraction is evident.  Kace slowly allows Lyla to penetrate his walls and even when she’s finally in, he stills keeps her out. Lyla is like no one he’s ever met. She just as forward and crass as him, she gives as good as she takes and she doesn’t take much from Kace. She’s her own person, her own boss, she doesn’t take orders from anyone but she wouldn’t mind taking an order or two from Kace…in and out of bed. For as tough as she is Lyla is also a sensitive soul. Her home life was shattered at a young age and she learned that security from the world is not always guaranteed. With Kace, she sees a kindred spirit. Although she doesn’t know exactly what has happened to make Kace so distant she can see through his tough exterior. As hard as he tries not to, Kace can’t help but to soften towards Lyla. She’s manages to get under his skin in more ways than one and it makes him feel. What scares him most is that she makes him feel enough to think that his soul could possibly be saved.  

I loved Kace and Lyla’s relationship. At first I didn’t think I was going to like Lyla because she was just so, so “street”.  She wasn’t this prim and proper woman trying to make it out on the streets, she was from the streets and I just had to respect her for her “in your face approach” and her “don’t take life or yourself too seriously attitude”.  Through the flash backs you see how they two first met and I really loved the progression of their relationship.  Lyla and Kace were definitely the couple to root for.  I rooted for Kace and Lyla, I rooted for Jett getting his best friend back but mostly I rooted for Kace to move on with his life and after a shocking discovery about the family of the man whose death he caused and with Jett and Lyla in his corner he manages to do just that. 





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