Book Review: Charade

Charade by Nyrae Dawn
(Games #1)
October 22, 2012
213 pages
Genre: New Adult
(contains mature sexual scenes, language, alcohol)
Source: Personal ebook purchase

Book Blurb:

Nineteen-year-old Cheyenne tries to portray the perfect life to mask the memories of her past. Walking in on her boyfriend with another woman her freshman year in college threatens that picture of perfection.

Twenty-one-year-old Colt never wanted college and never expected to amount to anything, but when his mom's dying wish is for him to get his degree, he has no choice but to pretend it's what he wants too.

Cheyenne needs a fake boyfriend to get back at her ex and Colt needs cash to take care of his mom, so they strike a deal that helps them both. But what if Cheyenne’s past isn’t what she thought? Soon they’re trading one charade for another—losing themselves in each other to forget about their pain. The more they play their game, the more it becomes the only thing they have that feels real.

Both Cheyenne and Colt know life is never easy, but neither of them expect the tragedy that threatens to end their charade and rip them apart forever.

My Review:

Before starting this book I'd hoped I'd at least like it. What I did not expect was how much I loved it. This quickly became one of those stories I did not want to put down. Nyrae Dawn brought two characters together unexpectedly, and created a relationship that I really believed in. What started as a charade and a way to get back at an ex turned into something far more real than Cheyenne and Colt could have imagined.

I loved these characters. Both Cheyenne and Colt have their own personal fake fronts they've been living behind. But behind the walls are lovely people with depths that we get the privilege of exploring. The way they get to know each other and connect with each other felt very natural and honest. I also appreciated that these were characters who felt real and also portrayed real emotions, but weren't over-the-top. I was very grateful I didn't have to read chapter after chapter of annoying, immature behavior. I genuinely liked Cheyenne and Colt. Plus we get both their POVs, so that made the reading all the better for me.
  
I also enjoyed the progression of the story and the plot. There was necessary drama to the story, but it wasn't ridiculous the way some stories can get. It felt realistic and served to further the story and the relationship. There was substance and depth. Nyrae does a wonderful job of pulling the reader into the story and making us feel a part of everything. I felt many emotions throughout and felt my heart break several times. I felt the pain the characters went through as well as the love. I was completely sucked into this story and was plowing through my pages until the very end.

Bottomline: I loved this story and I loved these characters. Once I started reading I didn't want to put it down. This is the first of a series of companion novels, and if the next books are anything like this one, I will gladly be reading them all.

5 STARS

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