Review: Ace's Wild by Erika Van Eck

Ace's Wild by Erika Van Eck

(The Caplin Brothers #1)

August 1, 2014

208 pages

Genre: New Adult Romance

Contains: strong language and sex

Ace Caplin is a rock star destined for fame but plagued by addiction. That addiction becomes responsible for his plunge to rock bottom. As he begins to put the pieces of his life back together, he’s finally ready to join his band mates on tour again. Little does he know, he’s been replaced. Will this discovery push him over the edge into a drug filled abyss? Or will he make an unforgettable come back?

-Enter Melody-

Mel was at one time an outgoing girl with a passion for life but a couple of years ago her family life was turned upside down by her fathers deceit. She's left with a broken heart and an emotional scar so deep she may never trust again. With a little brother to help take care of, college to finish, and trust issues to sort out, will she find love again? This is the journey of two very different individuals whose lives intertwine and get the chance to have something neither of them ever thought they deserved- Love.

I genuinely enjoyed reading 'Ace's Wild' and flew through the pages, finding it to be a quick, engaging read. The cover made me think it was going to be one of those dark, rocker reads, but it turned out to be a much sweeter book than I had anticipated.

Plot-wise, Ace and Mel are both in the midst of pasts that they are dealing with, or at times avoiding, when their paths cross and the first seeds of something more are planted between them. They have trust issues, having both been burned by people close to them. But the nice thing about these trust issues is that it allows their relationship to progress at a slower rate. And I really enjoyed the build-up of their friendship into romance. Along with their love story, is the fact that outside issues are still plaguing each of their lives. How they cope, overcome, and chose whether or not to forgive, all come into play. I appreciated the different twists and turns the author attempted. Some were predictable, but enjoyable nonetheless.

Character-wise, I liked both Ace and Mel. Ace may be a rocker and recovering drug addict, but the way we get to know him as he is currently, he's not the typical bad boy/alpha male. Ace was a softy underneath all those muscles and tattoos. Now, he had a few moments when his past blew up in his face and he reacted poorly, but even then I could see his heart. Mel is even more skittish than Ace is when it comes to trust, but despite the hurts of her past, she still has compassion and understanding. She's also a bit danger-prone, and some pretty funny moments result from her snafus. Together, Ace and Mel were a sweet, fun couple. I liked their connection, the chemistry, and the genuine way they cared about each other. And I came to care about them as well and rooted for them.

Overall, Ace and Mel's love story was a sweet, enjoyable, quick read. It had a nice blend of friendship and love, drama and fun, and an overall feeling of tender, developing romance. The writing is fairly simple, a bit cliche at times, but did not detract from the story. And Ace and Mel were two characters I enjoyed getting to know and rooted for through all the twists until the end.

3 to 3.5 Stars

AMAZON ~ GOODREADS