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Hydraulic #1
Hydraulic Level Five
How does a woman get over her one great love? With whitewater rafting, bluegrass, and a touch of revenge…
Kaye is an extreme sports addict with a kind heart and an axe to grind with her childhood sweetheart and ex-husband, renowned writer Samuel Caulfield Cabral. While Samuel enjoys a celebrity life in New York, Kaye remains in their hometown of Lyons, Colorado, running her PR agency and chatting daily with Samuel's family, the beloved Cabrals—first-generation Mexican-Americans who have embraced Kaye as their own.
But when Samuel returns home for his sister's wedding with a new love interest, stunning editor Caroline Ortega, the gloves are stripped off. Kaye is determined to unearth the reasons behind the death of their marriage and why two people who lived to love each other were driven apart, all leading to startling revelations about Samuel, about life...and about herself.
Kaye is an extreme sports addict with a kind heart and an axe to grind with her childhood sweetheart and ex-husband, renowned writer Samuel Caulfield Cabral. While Samuel enjoys a celebrity life in New York, Kaye remains in their hometown of Lyons, Colorado, running her PR agency and chatting daily with Samuel's family, the beloved Cabrals—first-generation Mexican-Americans who have embraced Kaye as their own.
But when Samuel returns home for his sister's wedding with a new love interest, stunning editor Caroline Ortega, the gloves are stripped off. Kaye is determined to unearth the reasons behind the death of their marriage and why two people who lived to love each other were driven apart, all leading to startling revelations about Samuel, about life...and about herself.
225 pages, ebook
First published September 1, 2013
About the author
Sarah Latchaw
4 books224 followersSarah Latchaw was raised in eastern Iowa and appreciates beauty in mud-splattered gravel roads and fields. She also loves to explore far-away places, thanks to countless family minivan trips across the States. This passion for finding stories led to college adventures in many different countries, and each place’s story rests in the back of her mind and in her photo albums.
Sarah received her BA from Wartburg College in public relations and media, and entered the workforce, ready to climb the ladder. However, when researching MBA applications evoked feelings of dread, with the loving support of her husband, she pursued a career in creative writing and was awarded her MA from Iowa State University.
These days, Sarah wakes every morning thrilled to cuddle her small children, show them the world, then capture that world and shape it into stories on paper. She is not thrilled when she wakes to her cats smothering her face. She and her family reside in Des Moines, Iowa—one of the best places to live and work.
Sarah received her BA from Wartburg College in public relations and media, and entered the workforce, ready to climb the ladder. However, when researching MBA applications evoked feelings of dread, with the loving support of her husband, she pursued a career in creative writing and was awarded her MA from Iowa State University.
These days, Sarah wakes every morning thrilled to cuddle her small children, show them the world, then capture that world and shape it into stories on paper. She is not thrilled when she wakes to her cats smothering her face. She and her family reside in Des Moines, Iowa—one of the best places to live and work.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 185 reviews
December 7, 2019
This is The book that you will never forget once you read it. This story will make you feel everything from anger, hurt and despair to love, passion and hope. A MUST-READ!
My Kaye and Samuel:
Childhood friends, highschool sweethearts, early marriage, quick and ugly divorce. Now, seven years later, Kaye and Samuel have to meet again - at his sister's and her best friend's wedding. Seems like now is best time for Kaye to get answers and revenge...
Kaye, even after so many years is still questioning herself where did their relationship go wrong. She is blaming herself and she is unable to move on with her life. Samuel is famous successful writer with a new girlfriend by his side - seems like he moved on without problems. But reality is that he has his own demons which are very hard to fight against.
Hydraulic Level Five is one of the BEST stories I have ever read! It was so good that I am not able to praise it enough. This story literally owned me and completely captured me right from the very beginning. It was totally addictive reading with excellent style of writing. Main themes of Hydraulic Level Five are forgiveness, honesty, new beginnings, dealing with the past. So beside the perfect storyline, some heavy and serious issues were discussed in this book, which made this story very real and special for me.
We get a glimpse of their childhood times and let me tell you, little and young Samuel is so adorable in this story. I had no other choice than to fall in love with his young as well as adult version. And I truly liked Kaye too. She was unhappy but strong and willing and I could definitely understand reasons for her behaviour.
No one is ideal in this story, no one is either black or white, good or bad and this story shows us that people change during their lives. I loved everything about this story! There were parts that left me swoon, parts that made me laugh or parts that left bittersweet sad feeling in me.
This is not a standalone. But a great thing is that there is absolutely no cliffhanger! I highly recommend you to read this book, it has everything a great realistic emotional contemporary novel should have had. I LOVED IT!
*ARC provided by author as an exchange for honest review*
MORE REVIEWS ON MY BLOG Reading Is My Breathing
My Kaye and Samuel:
Childhood friends, highschool sweethearts, early marriage, quick and ugly divorce. Now, seven years later, Kaye and Samuel have to meet again - at his sister's and her best friend's wedding. Seems like now is best time for Kaye to get answers and revenge...
Kaye, even after so many years is still questioning herself where did their relationship go wrong. She is blaming herself and she is unable to move on with her life. Samuel is famous successful writer with a new girlfriend by his side - seems like he moved on without problems. But reality is that he has his own demons which are very hard to fight against.
Hydraulic Level Five is one of the BEST stories I have ever read! It was so good that I am not able to praise it enough. This story literally owned me and completely captured me right from the very beginning. It was totally addictive reading with excellent style of writing. Main themes of Hydraulic Level Five are forgiveness, honesty, new beginnings, dealing with the past. So beside the perfect storyline, some heavy and serious issues were discussed in this book, which made this story very real and special for me.
We get a glimpse of their childhood times and let me tell you, little and young Samuel is so adorable in this story. I had no other choice than to fall in love with his young as well as adult version. And I truly liked Kaye too. She was unhappy but strong and willing and I could definitely understand reasons for her behaviour.
No one is ideal in this story, no one is either black or white, good or bad and this story shows us that people change during their lives. I loved everything about this story! There were parts that left me swoon, parts that made me laugh or parts that left bittersweet sad feeling in me.
This is not a standalone. But a great thing is that there is absolutely no cliffhanger! I highly recommend you to read this book, it has everything a great realistic emotional contemporary novel should have had. I LOVED IT!
*ARC provided by author as an exchange for honest review*
MORE REVIEWS ON MY BLOG Reading Is My Breathing
December 17, 2014
***** 5 unholy cliff-hucker stars *****
WOW! Just WOW! This book was utterly beautiful. And I can't believe it's been hidden on my TBR for so long. I can honestly say it is one of the best books I have ever read. The writing is remarkable, the author did an amazing job with telling this story. I loved this book hard. It is an astonishing second chance romance. It will break your heart while reading and put it back together in the end.
The story is about Kaye and Samuel, childhood friends, whose friendship transformed into great love. They got married young, but after nineteen months Sam leaves Kaye without as much as word of explanation. Fast forward seven years and they are attending Sam's sister wedding (who is also Kaye's best friend). Sam is now a successful writer, who runs celebrity life in New York and Kaye is extreme sports addict, running PR agency and being still close with her ex-husband's family. While Sam clearly moved on with his life and comes to their hometown with a new girlfriend in tow, Kaye can't help the feelings she still has for her ex. She is determined to find out the reasons for their marriage's failure, and maybe then she can move on either. But as the story goes and more and more facts from the past are revealed, it seems that everything they believed in and everything they thought was true, is not what it seemed to be.
This story was so captivating. I had a hard time putting it down. I loved the emotional turmoil it put me through. There is so much tension and angst while reading. You read and you guess and you try to figure out what happened and when you finally think you'll get the answers... nope, the story goes on. The anticipation was killing me at times, but in a good way, it made me pissed or sad or happy or freaked out, it simply made me FEEL. But beside the emotional part of the story, it had a good dose of humour too. I loved the pranks they made to each other and all the interactions with their friends. The second characters were fabulous addition to their story. But what I absolutely loved, was precisely Kaye and Sam.
Kaye was a strong heroine, she was a good girl with a big heart, kind, thoughtful and forgiving. She believed in undying love and couldn't believe that theirs ended the way it did. She discovered along the way, that she was also the one to blame, that she didn't give enough of herself to save their relationship.
And oh boy, did I love Samuel. He wasn't perfect, "so stunning it hurt, but still so flawed." He made so many, you may seem, hurtful things, that you should hate him, but you simply can't. I fell hard for this tormented man, this sad boy with a troubled past, this wonderful friend and generally a man with faults like all of us.
Buddy Read with my girl Nikki. Thank you luv!
WOW! Just WOW! This book was utterly beautiful. And I can't believe it's been hidden on my TBR for so long. I can honestly say it is one of the best books I have ever read. The writing is remarkable, the author did an amazing job with telling this story. I loved this book hard. It is an astonishing second chance romance. It will break your heart while reading and put it back together in the end.
The story is about Kaye and Samuel, childhood friends, whose friendship transformed into great love. They got married young, but after nineteen months Sam leaves Kaye without as much as word of explanation. Fast forward seven years and they are attending Sam's sister wedding (who is also Kaye's best friend). Sam is now a successful writer, who runs celebrity life in New York and Kaye is extreme sports addict, running PR agency and being still close with her ex-husband's family. While Sam clearly moved on with his life and comes to their hometown with a new girlfriend in tow, Kaye can't help the feelings she still has for her ex. She is determined to find out the reasons for their marriage's failure, and maybe then she can move on either. But as the story goes and more and more facts from the past are revealed, it seems that everything they believed in and everything they thought was true, is not what it seemed to be.
This story was so captivating. I had a hard time putting it down. I loved the emotional turmoil it put me through. There is so much tension and angst while reading. You read and you guess and you try to figure out what happened and when you finally think you'll get the answers... nope, the story goes on. The anticipation was killing me at times, but in a good way, it made me pissed or sad or happy or freaked out, it simply made me FEEL. But beside the emotional part of the story, it had a good dose of humour too. I loved the pranks they made to each other and all the interactions with their friends. The second characters were fabulous addition to their story. But what I absolutely loved, was precisely Kaye and Sam.
Kaye was a strong heroine, she was a good girl with a big heart, kind, thoughtful and forgiving. She believed in undying love and couldn't believe that theirs ended the way it did. She discovered along the way, that she was also the one to blame, that she didn't give enough of herself to save their relationship.
And oh boy, did I love Samuel. He wasn't perfect, "so stunning it hurt, but still so flawed." He made so many, you may seem, hurtful things, that you should hate him, but you simply can't. I fell hard for this tormented man, this sad boy with a troubled past, this wonderful friend and generally a man with faults like all of us.
"I'm sorry I filled your head with lies. I'm sorry you don't know how lovely you are. And I'm sorry I've made you feel undesirable. It's shameful. It's shameful, because I have never desired anybody the way I desire you. And I should have told you a long time ago. I should have told you every single day."
"I want you. A lot. And I should have told you every single day, too - that was just as much my failure as it was yours."
Buddy Read with my girl Nikki. Thank you luv!
December 22, 2014
**4.25 Stars**
A heart-wrenching story about childhood friends who fall in love, marry and divorce after 19 short months. What happened to Kaye and Sam? Why did he leave? I was aching to discover what had come between these two people who obliviously loved each other. Unfortunately for me, RL and a cold, constantly kept me from my kindle, when all I wanted to do was spend time with these characters.
“I was barely twenty-one! Most people haven’t even met their spouses at that age, you know that? I’d already married the love of my life, lost him, and I was only just old enough to cry over a drink at happy hour. What do you want me to say? I failed at love.
With her best friend/ex sister-in-law getting married, Kaye must prepare for her ex, Sam's return, after 7 years. Since their separation, he has become a successful writer, while she has embraced extreme sports and building her PR firm. So when Sam shows up with his new girl-friend, Kaye decides it is time to finally get some answers.
"Each week, we both ask the other one question . You ask your question on one day, and I’ll ask mine the next day.”
Kaye and Sam begin asking their questions, and oh boy was that hard to read at times. These two broke my heart. I could feel the love and the despair, anxiously waiting to learn what had happened, and if they could overcome it.
"I’m scared— no, terrified— to forget this. Us. I need to get it down on paper before it’s too late, and those little details are completely gone from my mind. I don’t want to lose them. Tell me it isn’t the same for you, and I’ll leave you alone."
Hydraulic Level Five the first part of Kaye and Sam's story, which continues in Skygods. For my smutty loving friends, the steam in this one is SUPER low, but the emotion was high. I really enjoyed this one, and look forward to continuing Kaye and Sam's story.
*Favorite quotes*
"I’d been so wrapped up in chasing our happily-ever-after, I hadn’t noticed until it knocked me flat."
"I wasn’t strong like you , Kaye. I needed you to stay above water, but instead I dragged you down."
"How could I care about her that way? She wasn’t you. No one has ever been you."
"God, I wish I could go back. But I was so hell-bent on being the perfect man for you, I forgot I just needed to be your man."
“Firecracker,” he breathed against my ear, “please, just kiss me back.”
A heart-wrenching story about childhood friends who fall in love, marry and divorce after 19 short months. What happened to Kaye and Sam? Why did he leave? I was aching to discover what had come between these two people who obliviously loved each other. Unfortunately for me, RL and a cold, constantly kept me from my kindle, when all I wanted to do was spend time with these characters.
“I was barely twenty-one! Most people haven’t even met their spouses at that age, you know that? I’d already married the love of my life, lost him, and I was only just old enough to cry over a drink at happy hour. What do you want me to say? I failed at love.
With her best friend/ex sister-in-law getting married, Kaye must prepare for her ex, Sam's return, after 7 years. Since their separation, he has become a successful writer, while she has embraced extreme sports and building her PR firm. So when Sam shows up with his new girl-friend, Kaye decides it is time to finally get some answers.
"Each week, we both ask the other one question . You ask your question on one day, and I’ll ask mine the next day.”
Kaye and Sam begin asking their questions, and oh boy was that hard to read at times. These two broke my heart. I could feel the love and the despair, anxiously waiting to learn what had happened, and if they could overcome it.
"I’m scared— no, terrified— to forget this. Us. I need to get it down on paper before it’s too late, and those little details are completely gone from my mind. I don’t want to lose them. Tell me it isn’t the same for you, and I’ll leave you alone."
Hydraulic Level Five the first part of Kaye and Sam's story, which continues in Skygods. For my smutty loving friends, the steam in this one is SUPER low, but the emotion was high. I really enjoyed this one, and look forward to continuing Kaye and Sam's story.
*Favorite quotes*
"I’d been so wrapped up in chasing our happily-ever-after, I hadn’t noticed until it knocked me flat."
"I wasn’t strong like you , Kaye. I needed you to stay above water, but instead I dragged you down."
"How could I care about her that way? She wasn’t you. No one has ever been you."
"God, I wish I could go back. But I was so hell-bent on being the perfect man for you, I forgot I just needed to be your man."
“Firecracker,” he breathed against my ear, “please, just kiss me back.”
August 15, 2014
4,5 EMOTIONAL STARS
This was a big surprise for me...because I wasn't sure if I love it.But believe me it was amazing and so unique!!It captivated me from the beginning and made me want to read more and more!! It was absolutily amazing!!!It was so realistic!!!I think everybody should give it a try!!!I loved it so much that I didn't have a problem that there wasn't sex in the book.You know sometimes books are much better without sex!!It was a book about love,friendship, betrayal ,hurt and second chances.
What do you think about second chances? Is it easy to give second chances? Is it worthy?
This is what exactly you will find in this book..
This is Samuel's and Kaye's story..They were friends when they were young and then they married..but something happened and they divorced...Now after years Kaye she will see Samuel again in his sister's wedding..
But Kaye hasn't dealt yet with the fact that they were not together and she is still in love with him!
Now they decide to give a second chance to themselves by becoming friends...But as the days past..Kaye will learn some things that she didn't know....Sam has still feelings for Kaye too..
But are they going to admit it?Can they forget and forgive?
Both characters were so realistic!They have many issues and some of the things they did was stupid but still I loved them so much!!Especially Samuel..He didn't has an easy childhood!He was a tormented author.I really liked him!I liked Kaye!She still cares for Sam but she afraid to give away what she really feels.I also loved a lot Samuel's family who were everybody lovable characters.The memories from their childhood was also beautiful!
The author's writing is so beautiful that I felt I was a part of the book!!!I got an ARC for the second book and I can't wait to start it and follow Sam's and Kaye's journey in the second book...which Lucia told me it's more emotional...so I must prepare myself....before I start it!!I'm so anxious for the next book!!
If you are looking for something unique read it!!!
October 19, 2014
★★★★4.5 Stars★★★★
This book was so heart-wrenching I just could not put it down, I was literally aching for Kaye and I had to find out what it was that broke the two apart. I think this is probably my favourite second chance story ever, it was so beautifully put together.
Samuel and Kaye were childhood friends, they fell in love and were married whilst young. After just 19 months of marriage, Samuel left Kaye without any reasonable explanation.
Since leaving, Samuel has become a famous author and when he returns 7 years later to attend his sisters wedding with a girlfriend in tow, Kaye has to ask herself why it is that she hasn't been able to move on.
Their story isn't perfect, it's gutting in places and Kaye soon discovers Samuel's demons and they eventually come to realise that they need to be honest and truthfully raw in order to move on from the past.
We have flashbacks to the past in the form of Samuel's current book, which helps us understand their background and make us wonder what went wrong. This book is angsty and sad, but eventually there is hope and forgiveness.
This is book 1, Skygods continues their story.
This book was so heart-wrenching I just could not put it down, I was literally aching for Kaye and I had to find out what it was that broke the two apart. I think this is probably my favourite second chance story ever, it was so beautifully put together.
Samuel and Kaye were childhood friends, they fell in love and were married whilst young. After just 19 months of marriage, Samuel left Kaye without any reasonable explanation.
Since leaving, Samuel has become a famous author and when he returns 7 years later to attend his sisters wedding with a girlfriend in tow, Kaye has to ask herself why it is that she hasn't been able to move on.
Their story isn't perfect, it's gutting in places and Kaye soon discovers Samuel's demons and they eventually come to realise that they need to be honest and truthfully raw in order to move on from the past.
We have flashbacks to the past in the form of Samuel's current book, which helps us understand their background and make us wonder what went wrong. This book is angsty and sad, but eventually there is hope and forgiveness.
This is book 1, Skygods continues their story.
January 3, 2015
What could get better than an ex-husband coming back to town for his sister's wedding with his new, gorgeous girlfriend? His sister who just happens to be his ex-wife's best friend. His ex-wife who just happened to be his childhood best friend and first love. Throw in a couple of secrets and you have all the makings for my kind of book!
But things aren't all rosy...this book is just a tad confusing in the beginning but hang in there, it does get better and things do get cleared up. It just takes a bit.
Samuel, the ex-husband, is an author so we get excerpts of his book. One of the problems is, he mostly uses people's middle names for who they are. For example, he is Samuel Caulfield so sometimes, he is Samuel and sometimes he is Caulfield...he was easy to figure out, the others...not so much. In addition, the story goes back to the past as well as the present. Throw in some rafting and skydiving analogies and you're all set.
But like I said, it does get better. What doesn't get better is the steaminess. Why you ask? Because...there. is. NONE! That's right...none! So, if you need that steam factor, this might not be for you. Hold on though....there's a whole lot of intense romantic feelings with the possibility of more, so that might make it worth it.
That's what really hooked me and I could not put this book down...reading it in one day. It was frustrating as well because I wanted some answers! The problem is both Samuel and Kaye are figuring out things along the way. Remember those secrets I talked about? Well, they start coming out but it's really s.l.o.w. It doesn't help that we mainly get her POV and only get his through his books.
I really loved all the family interaction and the friends. The pranks were hilarious and the extreme sports that they all liked was interesting as well.
Kaye (ex-wife) has a lot of decisions to make. Can she ever forgive Samuel for what he put her through? Can she forgive him for what he didn't tell her? Can they get back the good in their relationship?
The book ends with some hope. It will be interesting to see where things go from where here. I would definitely recommend having the next book ready to go! (Thanks to my BR, Melissa, for finding out this is a trilogy...which means we're gonna have to suffer till the last book comes out! LOL)
♦ ETA: Okay...so there is this "issue" and I just feel like I need to say something...I think if I had known, it may have influenced me. It's a big issue in this book but mostly because it's a secret, however, it's a major issue in the next book and there are some rough scenes! Warning! It is a HUGE spoiler. But for those of you that need to know what happens in books, you will probably want to know this...again, HUGE spoiler - click at your own risk!
Favorite quotes:
♥ "Firecracker.”
She wrinkles her nose. “Why’d you call me that?”
“I dunno. You’re kind of exciting and explosive, and you surprise me a lot.”
♥ "Kaye,
Go home to Colorado. I don’t want to see you again. The roots between us are dead, we are dead…"
♥ “For the life of me, I can’t figure out what scene in Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy would have you in tears.”
♥ “It’s shameful, because I have never desired anybody the way I desire you.” His voice grew hoarse. “And I should have told you a long time ago. I should have told you every single day.”
♥ "You don't get a lot of happy endings in real life."
♥ "But I was so hell-bent on being the perfect man for you, I forgot I just needed to be your man.”
♦ BR w/Melissa!
But things aren't all rosy...this book is just a tad confusing in the beginning but hang in there, it does get better and things do get cleared up. It just takes a bit.
Samuel, the ex-husband, is an author so we get excerpts of his book. One of the problems is, he mostly uses people's middle names for who they are. For example, he is Samuel Caulfield so sometimes, he is Samuel and sometimes he is Caulfield...he was easy to figure out, the others...not so much. In addition, the story goes back to the past as well as the present. Throw in some rafting and skydiving analogies and you're all set.
But like I said, it does get better. What doesn't get better is the steaminess. Why you ask? Because...there. is. NONE! That's right...none! So, if you need that steam factor, this might not be for you. Hold on though....there's a whole lot of intense romantic feelings with the possibility of more, so that might make it worth it.
That's what really hooked me and I could not put this book down...reading it in one day. It was frustrating as well because I wanted some answers! The problem is both Samuel and Kaye are figuring out things along the way. Remember those secrets I talked about? Well, they start coming out but it's really s.l.o.w. It doesn't help that we mainly get her POV and only get his through his books.
I really loved all the family interaction and the friends. The pranks were hilarious and the extreme sports that they all liked was interesting as well.
Kaye (ex-wife) has a lot of decisions to make. Can she ever forgive Samuel for what he put her through? Can she forgive him for what he didn't tell her? Can they get back the good in their relationship?
The book ends with some hope. It will be interesting to see where things go from where here. I would definitely recommend having the next book ready to go! (Thanks to my BR, Melissa, for finding out this is a trilogy...which means we're gonna have to suffer till the last book comes out! LOL)
♦ ETA: Okay...so there is this "issue" and I just feel like I need to say something...I think if I had known, it may have influenced me. It's a big issue in this book but mostly because it's a secret, however, it's a major issue in the next book and there are some rough scenes! Warning! It is a HUGE spoiler. But for those of you that need to know what happens in books, you will probably want to know this...again, HUGE spoiler - click at your own risk!
Favorite quotes:
♥ "Firecracker.”
She wrinkles her nose. “Why’d you call me that?”
“I dunno. You’re kind of exciting and explosive, and you surprise me a lot.”
♥ "Kaye,
Go home to Colorado. I don’t want to see you again. The roots between us are dead, we are dead…"
♥ “For the life of me, I can’t figure out what scene in Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy would have you in tears.”
♥ “It’s shameful, because I have never desired anybody the way I desire you.” His voice grew hoarse. “And I should have told you a long time ago. I should have told you every single day.”
♥ "You don't get a lot of happy endings in real life."
♥ "But I was so hell-bent on being the perfect man for you, I forgot I just needed to be your man.”
♦ BR w/Melissa!
December 27, 2014
2.5 "Sorry" Stars
Kaye and Sam have been divorced for seven years. Now she runs some kind a business and Sam is a famous and a rich writer.Till this very day Kaye doesn't have answers. Why? Why did thier wedding go down the drain? Where did things go wrong?
Sam's sister also Kaye's best friend is getting married. Kaye knows that this is her time. This is the time that she will have the opportunity to talk to Sam. Where did she go wrong?
I’d already married the love of
my life, lost him, and I was only just
old enough to cry over a drink at
happy hour.
This book...Man this book.....I had really high expectations for it. I read amazing reviews that made me fall in love with it. But when I started the book everything fell. It was really..."blunt." I really didn't enjoy it at all. It took me a while to finish this book because I just couldn't dread the feeling. I didn't want to finish it but I just sucked it in and finished as best as I could. There were parts that I didn't read I kept skipping pages.
I'm really sorry to those who loved it I tried I seriously did. I guess it wasn't my cup of tea. It was just boring to me.
“I’m sorry you don’t know how
lovely you are.”
“And I’m sorry I’ve made you feel
undesirable. It’s shameful”
Kaye and Sam have been divorced for seven years. Now she runs some kind a business and Sam is a famous and a rich writer.Till this very day Kaye doesn't have answers. Why? Why did thier wedding go down the drain? Where did things go wrong?
Sam's sister also Kaye's best friend is getting married. Kaye knows that this is her time. This is the time that she will have the opportunity to talk to Sam. Where did she go wrong?
I’d already married the love of
my life, lost him, and I was only just
old enough to cry over a drink at
happy hour.
This book...Man this book.....I had really high expectations for it. I read amazing reviews that made me fall in love with it. But when I started the book everything fell. It was really..."blunt." I really didn't enjoy it at all. It took me a while to finish this book because I just couldn't dread the feeling. I didn't want to finish it but I just sucked it in and finished as best as I could. There were parts that I didn't read I kept skipping pages.
I'm really sorry to those who loved it I tried I seriously did. I guess it wasn't my cup of tea. It was just boring to me.
“I’m sorry you don’t know how
lovely you are.”
“And I’m sorry I’ve made you feel
undesirable. It’s shameful”
April 23, 2018
The last bit threw me for a loop! Reserving my rating until I read book 2.
December 24, 2014
4 emotionally gutted stars
I can't write a review for this book. I can't even write much about it. All I can say is that it has emotionally gutted me. The writing was outstanding, and the cast of characters a cut above.
To be honest, I don't know if I even want Kaye and Samuel to be together. I don't think Samuel deserves her for what he put her through, and for how he never gave her true answers to pertinent questions. What really got me was that there are still tons of questions that have no answers. I know that there's a second book, but I feel like I need more closure on this chapter. The whole Caroline thing makes me angry. I just don't understand it. For those of you that have read this book
Kaye is my book HERO. She is funny, strong, vulnerable and just so true to herself. I couldn't ask for more from her. But I could ask for more for her.
I seriously hope the second book gives me the answers that I'm looking for, and that Kaye gets what she deserves. As for Samuel, I'm holding out judgement.
I can't write a review for this book. I can't even write much about it. All I can say is that it has emotionally gutted me. The writing was outstanding, and the cast of characters a cut above.
To be honest, I don't know if I even want Kaye and Samuel to be together. I don't think Samuel deserves her for what he put her through, and for how he never gave her true answers to pertinent questions. What really got me was that there are still tons of questions that have no answers. I know that there's a second book, but I feel like I need more closure on this chapter. The whole Caroline thing makes me angry. I just don't understand it. For those of you that have read this book
Kaye is my book HERO. She is funny, strong, vulnerable and just so true to herself. I couldn't ask for more from her. But I could ask for more for her.
I seriously hope the second book gives me the answers that I'm looking for, and that Kaye gets what she deserves. As for Samuel, I'm holding out judgement.
December 16, 2014
5 Cliff-Hucking Stars!!
Hydraulic Level Five – When water pours over an object hidden in the heart of the river, water reverses upstream and creates a white water hydraulic. River travelers are often trapped in its dangerous churn indefinitely.
I am honestly surprised more folks haven’t read this book. Very much a treasure and so refreshingly different. I am still in awe, and I am almost pissed I have to write the review because I am so damned ready to get to the next book!
So for some background here, a girl and a boy grow up together (they have their own language hence the cliff hucker reference), high school/college sweethearts, get married very young…and divorced very young. The story starts off with our heroine Aspen Kaye enjoying her latest extreme adventure with friends. She is 7 years post-divorce and having trouble moving on from her first love. The divorce wasn’t pretty, there were some really terrible circumstances surrounding. And what makes that even more difficult is her first love is now like the Nicholas Sparks of the writing world, except he is young and hot (sorry Nicky just saying).
Over the past 7 years, she appears to be stuck in a rut in her small town where they grew up in Colorado, while he is richer than rich, with a new starlet on his arm in the tabloids every week. Samuel Cabral is coming home though, and she is dreading seeing him again. His sister and one of Kaye’s BFF’s is getting married and they are both in the wedding. She is already nervous seeing him, but oh joy, he isn’t coming alone. No friends, he is bringing a date with him.
Oh yeah, it’s on beotch.
The “date” is Caroline, long time friend and publicist for Samuel. She sucks..A LOT. So buckle up ladies and gents, this is one rough angst ridden ride.
You can figure out pretty quickly that Samuel and Kaye have some major issues to work through and you can almost feel the fact that they still have a connection. The writing is freaking amazing. Man, you feel Kaye’s pain so much. She was a fantastic heroine, full of life and love. The story unravels very slowly and you are just hooked. You want answers, I needed answers!! My heart was just pounding, again going back to the writing, but so many things I thought I had figured out to be surprised in the end. **Oh and hoochie warning** There is no sex in this book, but get over it. There is enough sexual tension you will want to explode.
Absolutely love and recommend this book. It’s so beautifully written and such an emotional journey. Off to book #2!!
Another successful buddy read with my homegirl Mysza!! Muah girl now get your arse moving to numba two!!
Hydraulic Level Five – When water pours over an object hidden in the heart of the river, water reverses upstream and creates a white water hydraulic. River travelers are often trapped in its dangerous churn indefinitely.
I am honestly surprised more folks haven’t read this book. Very much a treasure and so refreshingly different. I am still in awe, and I am almost pissed I have to write the review because I am so damned ready to get to the next book!
So for some background here, a girl and a boy grow up together (they have their own language hence the cliff hucker reference), high school/college sweethearts, get married very young…and divorced very young. The story starts off with our heroine Aspen Kaye enjoying her latest extreme adventure with friends. She is 7 years post-divorce and having trouble moving on from her first love. The divorce wasn’t pretty, there were some really terrible circumstances surrounding. And what makes that even more difficult is her first love is now like the Nicholas Sparks of the writing world, except he is young and hot (sorry Nicky just saying).
Over the past 7 years, she appears to be stuck in a rut in her small town where they grew up in Colorado, while he is richer than rich, with a new starlet on his arm in the tabloids every week. Samuel Cabral is coming home though, and she is dreading seeing him again. His sister and one of Kaye’s BFF’s is getting married and they are both in the wedding. She is already nervous seeing him, but oh joy, he isn’t coming alone. No friends, he is bringing a date with him.
Oh yeah, it’s on beotch.
The “date” is Caroline, long time friend and publicist for Samuel. She sucks..A LOT. So buckle up ladies and gents, this is one rough angst ridden ride.
You can figure out pretty quickly that Samuel and Kaye have some major issues to work through and you can almost feel the fact that they still have a connection. The writing is freaking amazing. Man, you feel Kaye’s pain so much. She was a fantastic heroine, full of life and love. The story unravels very slowly and you are just hooked. You want answers, I needed answers!! My heart was just pounding, again going back to the writing, but so many things I thought I had figured out to be surprised in the end. **Oh and hoochie warning** There is no sex in this book, but get over it. There is enough sexual tension you will want to explode.
Absolutely love and recommend this book. It’s so beautifully written and such an emotional journey. Off to book #2!!
Another successful buddy read with my homegirl Mysza!! Muah girl now get your arse moving to numba two!!
November 18, 2013
Ride the Churning, Restless Rapids of a Second Chance at Love
What a rich and deep adult contemporary romance!
Kaye is in her late twenties and still in love with her childhood friend / ex-husband Samuel (even though it's hard for "stubborn as super glue" Kaye to admit she still holds the candle for him). Kaye is an extreme sports enthusiast, and she and her friend run a PR firm in Colorado. Meanwhile, since the divorce, Samuel has shot up the bestseller charts as a famous author.
Samuel comes from a boisterous Hispanic family, and his sister Danita is about to get married. Naturally, Kaye is Danita's maid of honor, and naturally, Samuel will be in town for the big wedding. Though Kaye and Samuel divorced six years ago, is it possible for them to rekindle a beautiful childhood love?
Kaye is quite a quirky character, and I wonder if the author is equally quirky. There's also much sadness to the story about two broken people trying to mend themselves and each other.
I am so not a fantasy fan and at first I had trouble getting into the snippets from Samuel's wildly successful fantasy series Water Sirens. But when Samuel explains why he wanted to write faerie tales for his little "firecracker" Kaye (cutest nickname ever), I fell for the fantasy completely.
Having finished his fantasy series, Samuel moves on to writing a memoir of his childhood love of Kaye, and excerpts from this story alternate with present events. It makes for interesting reading.
There are some humorous moments in the story, like the time Kaye's attorney pretends to be her lesbian lover in order to make Samuel jealous, as well as:
The morning had been spent calmly arguing over the phone with a ski rental client about why "Going down with you since 1973" was not a family-oriented business slogan.
When we exited the theater after seeing Titanic, Hector shouted, "Hurry up, Kaye! There's only enough cars in the parking lot for half of us!"
Kaye describing a spat between Samuel and his posh editor Caroline: There was tension in Versaceville
The characters develop in a gradual, satisfying way. Both Kaye and Samuel were young when they married, and have made plenty mistakes. Samuel comes from a troubled background that makes you want to hug him.
"I don't need your pity," he said gently, firmly. "I'm a grown man, Kaye -- not that little boy anymore."
"But it doesn't mean I can't feel pain for that little boy. Or that I love him any less," I quietly added.
I like when Kaye says:
"Samuel, you have to get it into your head that when you shield people -- me, Danita -- from the big, bad world, you cause more harm than good."
This was a touching story and I'm excited there will be a sequel titled Skygods.
What a rich and deep adult contemporary romance!
Kaye is in her late twenties and still in love with her childhood friend / ex-husband Samuel (even though it's hard for "stubborn as super glue" Kaye to admit she still holds the candle for him). Kaye is an extreme sports enthusiast, and she and her friend run a PR firm in Colorado. Meanwhile, since the divorce, Samuel has shot up the bestseller charts as a famous author.
Samuel comes from a boisterous Hispanic family, and his sister Danita is about to get married. Naturally, Kaye is Danita's maid of honor, and naturally, Samuel will be in town for the big wedding. Though Kaye and Samuel divorced six years ago, is it possible for them to rekindle a beautiful childhood love?
Kaye is quite a quirky character, and I wonder if the author is equally quirky. There's also much sadness to the story about two broken people trying to mend themselves and each other.
I am so not a fantasy fan and at first I had trouble getting into the snippets from Samuel's wildly successful fantasy series Water Sirens. But when Samuel explains why he wanted to write faerie tales for his little "firecracker" Kaye (cutest nickname ever), I fell for the fantasy completely.
Having finished his fantasy series, Samuel moves on to writing a memoir of his childhood love of Kaye, and excerpts from this story alternate with present events. It makes for interesting reading.
There are some humorous moments in the story, like the time Kaye's attorney pretends to be her lesbian lover in order to make Samuel jealous, as well as:
The morning had been spent calmly arguing over the phone with a ski rental client about why "Going down with you since 1973" was not a family-oriented business slogan.
When we exited the theater after seeing Titanic, Hector shouted, "Hurry up, Kaye! There's only enough cars in the parking lot for half of us!"
Kaye describing a spat between Samuel and his posh editor Caroline: There was tension in Versaceville
The characters develop in a gradual, satisfying way. Both Kaye and Samuel were young when they married, and have made plenty mistakes. Samuel comes from a troubled background that makes you want to hug him.
"I don't need your pity," he said gently, firmly. "I'm a grown man, Kaye -- not that little boy anymore."
"But it doesn't mean I can't feel pain for that little boy. Or that I love him any less," I quietly added.
I like when Kaye says:
"Samuel, you have to get it into your head that when you shield people -- me, Danita -- from the big, bad world, you cause more harm than good."
This was a touching story and I'm excited there will be a sequel titled Skygods.
July 25, 2015
5 marvelous stars!
Now, before I begin my review I’m going to rant… just a little bit…
It’s common knowledge that a lot of fanfiction stories are being published. Now, this story is one of those; but what does that really mean?
Does it mean that the author didn’t actually WRITE every single word? No.
Does it mean that the author didn’t actually go through the process that every author goes when a book is being editing or published? No.
Does it mean that the author didn’t spend HOURS – DAYS – WEEKS – OR EVEN YEARS writing the book and devoting personal time to it? No.
Does it mean that the author didn’t come up with an original idea based on a few names? No.
So what does it really mean?
Why are people so hateful when it comes to those books?
Is it about the money? Sure you can google it and find it and read it for free – but you can also do that with ‘actual’ books FYI – so if it is not about the money, then what is it really?
Maybe the fact that, writing itself is not as easy as everyone is making it out to be? Maybe the fact that a lot of people have tried to write fanfiction and were not successful, so a book is out of the question?
Unfortunately this literary world is full of books that need a whole lot of editing to even begin to resemble a good enough book, but no one is complaining about those despite the fact that the author is getting paid for a crappy book that did not require as much time as a chapter by chapter fanfiction update does.
And while we’re at it… Fifty Shades of Grey – it is rather popular these days – a fanfiction story that not only is being adored but is now getting a movie casting.
Hmmm…
Moving on!
Since we covered the whole fanfiction thing I want to say that I’m in love with this story. Totally and utterly in love. Yup.
I’m sure I have read the sequel and I really don’t want to give away anything so I won’t say much… I’ll keep that to myself.
A beautiful story about friendships, relationships, marriage, love, betrayal, hurt, survival, self-destruction and so much more I can’t even begin to tell you.
Plus, this story has more mature characters than what most books deal with.
Samuel and Kaye, seven years after their divorce, are both attending Danita’s wedding. With their past and the heartache, they both have so many things to talk about and clear the air around them. Samuel’s novels keeps reminding Kaye about their past and what happened between the two. Now back in town with a new girlfriend, Kaye has to try and get her answers so she can finally understand just what when through Sam’s head when he told her, he couldn't be married to her anymore…
Each chapter has an extract from Sam’s novels, which is basically their childhood through his characters.
Epic doesn't even begin to describe it and as the saying goes, don’t judge a book by it’s cover and I will alter it a little bit and say, don’t judge a book by it’s fanfiction history.
Now, before I begin my review I’m going to rant… just a little bit…
It’s common knowledge that a lot of fanfiction stories are being published. Now, this story is one of those; but what does that really mean?
Does it mean that the author didn’t actually WRITE every single word? No.
Does it mean that the author didn’t actually go through the process that every author goes when a book is being editing or published? No.
Does it mean that the author didn’t spend HOURS – DAYS – WEEKS – OR EVEN YEARS writing the book and devoting personal time to it? No.
Does it mean that the author didn’t come up with an original idea based on a few names? No.
So what does it really mean?
Why are people so hateful when it comes to those books?
Is it about the money? Sure you can google it and find it and read it for free – but you can also do that with ‘actual’ books FYI – so if it is not about the money, then what is it really?
Maybe the fact that, writing itself is not as easy as everyone is making it out to be? Maybe the fact that a lot of people have tried to write fanfiction and were not successful, so a book is out of the question?
Unfortunately this literary world is full of books that need a whole lot of editing to even begin to resemble a good enough book, but no one is complaining about those despite the fact that the author is getting paid for a crappy book that did not require as much time as a chapter by chapter fanfiction update does.
And while we’re at it… Fifty Shades of Grey – it is rather popular these days – a fanfiction story that not only is being adored but is now getting a movie casting.
Hmmm…
Moving on!
Since we covered the whole fanfiction thing I want to say that I’m in love with this story. Totally and utterly in love. Yup.
I’m sure I have read the sequel and I really don’t want to give away anything so I won’t say much… I’ll keep that to myself.
A beautiful story about friendships, relationships, marriage, love, betrayal, hurt, survival, self-destruction and so much more I can’t even begin to tell you.
Plus, this story has more mature characters than what most books deal with.
Samuel and Kaye, seven years after their divorce, are both attending Danita’s wedding. With their past and the heartache, they both have so many things to talk about and clear the air around them. Samuel’s novels keeps reminding Kaye about their past and what happened between the two. Now back in town with a new girlfriend, Kaye has to try and get her answers so she can finally understand just what when through Sam’s head when he told her, he couldn't be married to her anymore…
Each chapter has an extract from Sam’s novels, which is basically their childhood through his characters.
Epic doesn't even begin to describe it and as the saying goes, don’t judge a book by it’s cover and I will alter it a little bit and say, don’t judge a book by it’s fanfiction history.
December 28, 2014
REVIEW TO COME
(BR with Sharon)
(BR with Sharon)
September 11, 2013
Why we wait for the books.
People have asked me in the past why I yearn so hard to hold the book of a story I already know. I often find it hard to explain.
Stories aren't dead things. Words live and breathe on the page. In this case... they grow.
This story was familiar but is also incredibly new. It's the difference between driving past a house you know, seeing the roof, coloured shutteres, the bricks. You know the location and the look of it. You know where the birds nest near that eave in the corner. You know the types of weeds growing in the side garden closest to the fence because nobody can get past the bushes to pull them.
You know all these things but it all changes once you get invited inside. Turning the pages is like crossing through that open door for the first time. You know where the birds roost but suddenly you can hear the chirping.
Though Hydraulic Level Five was the story I expected it to be it was also much more. Reading things I never imagined to grace the page.
It strummed upon my heart. It fought against me then manoeuvred behind to push of pull me in another direction. I think this series will battle with me and maybe for me.
What I do think, above all else, is that it will be one of those books I can't shake or forget. One I can't confuse with a million others.
This is great writing. This is true storytelling and if I were it's creator... I'd be so proud.
But I'm a reader - I'm moved - and what more can you ask for but to feel the turning of the page?
Squally x
People have asked me in the past why I yearn so hard to hold the book of a story I already know. I often find it hard to explain.
Stories aren't dead things. Words live and breathe on the page. In this case... they grow.
This story was familiar but is also incredibly new. It's the difference between driving past a house you know, seeing the roof, coloured shutteres, the bricks. You know the location and the look of it. You know where the birds nest near that eave in the corner. You know the types of weeds growing in the side garden closest to the fence because nobody can get past the bushes to pull them.
You know all these things but it all changes once you get invited inside. Turning the pages is like crossing through that open door for the first time. You know where the birds roost but suddenly you can hear the chirping.
Though Hydraulic Level Five was the story I expected it to be it was also much more. Reading things I never imagined to grace the page.
It strummed upon my heart. It fought against me then manoeuvred behind to push of pull me in another direction. I think this series will battle with me and maybe for me.
What I do think, above all else, is that it will be one of those books I can't shake or forget. One I can't confuse with a million others.
This is great writing. This is true storytelling and if I were it's creator... I'd be so proud.
But I'm a reader - I'm moved - and what more can you ask for but to feel the turning of the page?
Squally x
November 24, 2013
There are books that I really like. Some I love. Rarely I fall in love with them. I AM SO IN LOVE WITH THIS STORY AND THIS BOOK.
First with Sempre followed by Dusty and now Hydraulic Level Five. I'm beginning to believe that the best book finds are in the fanfictiondom.
Kaye and Samuel have known each other since he was the quiet, serious six year old cousin from Boston who was adopted by the Cabrals. Kaye lived next door with the Cabrals and with separated hippie parents, she wanted nothing more than to be a Cabral. At first she was threatened by him. But Samuel and Kaye grew up together.
Until 19 months into their marriage, Samuel tells Kaye (out of the blue) he couldn't be married to her anymore. He upped and left and when she found him New York, his betrayal stung so hard that she finally had the resolve to file for a divorce. That was seven years ago. Since then they've only seen each other four times - the last time was pretty disastrous.
But seven years on, Kaye remained stuck while Samuel had moved on. He went on to become a very successful author and a fodder for Page Six articles as he dated famous people. Now, Samuel was coming home for his sister's wedding with his writer/agent-editor-publicist-girlfriend.
With that on the horizon, Kaye resolves to be unstuck. She wanted answers to provide her the closure she felt she needed - to tie up the loose ends.
But was this really out of left field? Samuel's claim to fame is a book series where the lead character is largely patterned after Kaye. In the concluding book, the character is called out on her lack of "peripheral vision." In hindsight, Kaye realized that there had always been that unfathomable sadness in Samuel. She had been so wrapped up in chasing their happily-ever-after, she didn't notice this until it knocked her flat. She starts questioning the realness of their relationship. Was it friendship love mistaken for romantic love? Did he just simply outgrow her?
Samuel finally offers up answers to Kaye. "Weird symbiotic relationship" he calls it. They were too dependent on each other - the kind that bordered on parasitism as opposed to mutualism. It was dysfunctional. And when Samuel could no longer fight this overwhelming sadness , he decided to let go of Kaye. He didn't want to drag her down with him. But he had never stopped wanting her. And now he wants to mend their friendship. But is it too late?
I wouldn't even classify this as NA. I know most reviews criticize the abundance of side characters. They were a bit distracting in the beginning and took a lot more to digest versus your usual NA that focuses mainly on the couple and the token best friend. But I find that so unoriginal and limiting. It was also essential to the plot. Danita and Angel's impending marriage, in particular, provided a stark contrast to their failed one.
Instead of your usual NA fare, this read like a very smart contemporary novel. Rich with meaning yet subtle in its way. The language, the dialogues, the introspections and characters were mature and the story evokes profound feelings from the reader. It is a second chance romance without the trappings of a simplistic plot where angst and intensity (of the dialogue, of the characters and sexual tension) are the driving factors of the story. In lieu of intensity, we get depth. I experienced the whole gamut of human emotions reading this book - for Kaye's lack of self-esteem and her struggle to accept things to move forward. The writing was beautiful - not lyrical nor poetic ala Gayle Foman - but equally insightful and brimming with wisdom. If you appreciate deep, complex and mutifaceted reads - with so many layers to it, you need to read this.
This was a story of true love, falling apart, lack of communication, guilt, grief, profound heartbreak, anger, self-preservation, self-discovery, mending fences and forgiveness. It is bittersweet. Moving. So utterly poignant
First with Sempre followed by Dusty and now Hydraulic Level Five. I'm beginning to believe that the best book finds are in the fanfictiondom.
Kaye and Samuel have known each other since he was the quiet, serious six year old cousin from Boston who was adopted by the Cabrals. Kaye lived next door with the Cabrals and with separated hippie parents, she wanted nothing more than to be a Cabral. At first she was threatened by him. But Samuel and Kaye grew up together.
Playing by St. Vrain Creek. Guitar lessons. Baseball games. Camping trips. Summer jobs. Prom.
Our first kiss.
First date.
First time.
First marriage.
First love.
First everything, to our detriment.
Until 19 months into their marriage, Samuel tells Kaye (out of the blue) he couldn't be married to her anymore. He upped and left and when she found him New York, his betrayal stung so hard that she finally had the resolve to file for a divorce. That was seven years ago. Since then they've only seen each other four times - the last time was pretty disastrous.
But seven years on, Kaye remained stuck while Samuel had moved on. He went on to become a very successful author and a fodder for Page Six articles as he dated famous people. Now, Samuel was coming home for his sister's wedding with his writer/agent-editor-publicist-girlfriend.
With that on the horizon, Kaye resolves to be unstuck. She wanted answers to provide her the closure she felt she needed - to tie up the loose ends.
“But…what if getting unstuck meant letting go of Samuel? Not just physically separating myself from him—I’d tried that already, and it hadn’t worked. What if it meant letting go of the love I still harbored for him, buried amidst bitterness, anger, regret? Was that what Jaime meant when she said I wanted to be stuck? If so, I didn’t know if I was strong enough to let go.”
But was this really out of left field? Samuel's claim to fame is a book series where the lead character is largely patterned after Kaye. In the concluding book, the character is called out on her lack of "peripheral vision." In hindsight, Kaye realized that there had always been that unfathomable sadness in Samuel. She had been so wrapped up in chasing their happily-ever-after, she didn't notice this until it knocked her flat. She starts questioning the realness of their relationship. Was it friendship love mistaken for romantic love? Did he just simply outgrow her?
Samuel finally offers up answers to Kaye. "Weird symbiotic relationship" he calls it. They were too dependent on each other - the kind that bordered on parasitism as opposed to mutualism. It was dysfunctional. And when Samuel could no longer fight this overwhelming sadness , he decided to let go of Kaye. He didn't want to drag her down with him. But he had never stopped wanting her. And now he wants to mend their friendship. But is it too late?
It came down to this: was sharing each other's lives (now as just friends) and taking the joys that came with it, worth the heartache (if they find HEA with other people)...Could I risk it with Samuel Cabral?
10. LIE: I don't love Samuel anymore.
TRUTH: Is it possible to stop?
I wouldn't even classify this as NA. I know most reviews criticize the abundance of side characters. They were a bit distracting in the beginning and took a lot more to digest versus your usual NA that focuses mainly on the couple and the token best friend. But I find that so unoriginal and limiting. It was also essential to the plot. Danita and Angel's impending marriage, in particular, provided a stark contrast to their failed one.
Instead of your usual NA fare, this read like a very smart contemporary novel. Rich with meaning yet subtle in its way. The language, the dialogues, the introspections and characters were mature and the story evokes profound feelings from the reader. It is a second chance romance without the trappings of a simplistic plot where angst and intensity (of the dialogue, of the characters and sexual tension) are the driving factors of the story. In lieu of intensity, we get depth. I experienced the whole gamut of human emotions reading this book - for Kaye's lack of self-esteem and her struggle to accept things to move forward. The writing was beautiful - not lyrical nor poetic ala Gayle Foman - but equally insightful and brimming with wisdom. If you appreciate deep, complex and mutifaceted reads - with so many layers to it, you need to read this.
This was a story of true love, falling apart, lack of communication, guilt, grief, profound heartbreak, anger, self-preservation, self-discovery, mending fences and forgiveness. It is bittersweet. Moving. So utterly poignant
August 29, 2013
P2P Twilight fanfic called Hydraulic Level 5 by Gondolier.
September 25, 2013
Jointly reviewed on: http://totallybookedblog.com/2013/09/...
Gitte: 3.5 Stars
Jenny: 4 Stars
Jenny: Well, if there was ever a book that dealt really well with second chance love then this was it, don’t you think G? Kaye and Samuel were soul mates. From very early on, you felt the bond and the love between these two implicitly.
I was continually asking myself at the beginning of this story, what could have possible gone wrong because Kaye and Samuel were so perfect for each other, they were so in sync, so in love that you couldn’t’ fathom what could have torn these two people apart.
‘For a moment, I was home – that perfect place everyone hunts for in music, and comfort food, and scents. Then, that perfect place slapped me with a goodbye letter and I remembered how he’d thrown this- me – away, with the callousness of a con artist.’ - Kaye
They really were like two missing pieces that became whole just being in the same room as each other. I was dying to find out what it was that tore their marriage apart, you were too weren’t you G?
Gitte: They truly were soul mates Jenny and I really felt for both of them individually and the bond, despite their distance, was never really broken. As a reader you really felt that connection, it was brilliantly written. You felt their love and their pain equally. So yeah I was dying to find out exactly why these two weren’t together anymore and this second chance love really was quite heart breaking.
“You want to earn my trust? Well, you’ve got to trust me back. When there’s no trust…nothing…”
Jenny: I did enjoy this second chance love story. It was beautifully written and I loved the way Samuel’s stories were intricately woven through Hydraulic Level Five. The bringing together of Samuel, the author, and Samuel the man was beautifully orchestrated and I was immersed in every moment.
‘How different a man he’d grown into, from the deep-feeling boy I’d once known.’
Samuel, a now famous author, was such a tortured man and oh how I loved him. His unravelling story broke my heart and I felt so much for this man and the demons he was carrying. Learning the cause of the careless and drastic decisions Sam made in his life really broke my heart. I know there were a few times I was in tears throughout this very poignant and moving story. Did you enjoy the way the author wove this story around Samuel’s storytelling Gitte?
Gitte: I have to say that Samuel completely got to me. His character was a bit of a mystery and yes, the Author wrote his character with such intrigue and emotion that I just fell in love and really felt so emotional over his character. It was pretty clear that Samuel was a troubled soul, who’d been through some bad stuff, he was needing to work through still. I have to admit though, that if it wasn’t for me wanting to find out exactly what had happened to Samuel consequently adding to the marriage break-up with Kaye I may not have enjoyed this story as much. Samuel kept me reading so kudos to the Author for writing a fantastic male hero who was both compelling and addictive.
Jenny: Yes, Sam was definitely the catalyst for me enjoying this as much as I did. For all intents and purposes, Kaye, the extreme sports junkie, seems to have moved on since the breakup of her marriage to Samuel, a man she had loved since she they were childhood sweethearts, some 7 years earlier. In fact, they both seem to be at a good place in their lives. But looks can be deceiving and when you scratch the surface and delve deep you find there is a lot of bitterness, pain and hurt over the ending of their marriage.
‘Instead, there was fire. And I hadn’t seen true fire there in a really long time. Not since….not since high school.’
Not to mention confusing. These two never really communicated or let their hurt surface. They both kept so much inside, so much pain that bringing it to the fore was always going to be difficult but necessary if they were ever going to find their way back to one another.
Gitte: I’m still in two minds over Kaye. I loved her spunk and zest for life by enjoying the extreme sports and the adrenalin rush that comes with it. She’s quietly vulnerable yet shows such strength. She was wronged and she had my complete sympathy, however, I struggled to get a handle on her. I’m thinking this was the intention as she has to work through her own issues in order to fully understand what happened to the love of her life and her marriage.
“Kaye! How is it possible that you can dive head-first into white water rapids and not bat an eye, but when it comes to having a friendly exchange with your ex-husband – who may I remind you, was your best friend for years – your feet freeze?”
Again, I loved the crux of their story together, the childhood, the memories, the intensity of their love and friendship.
Jenny: I adored the childhood flashbacks which cleverly introduced via Samuel’s story and I found Kaye’s voice to witty and entertaining. Kaye was strong yet vulnerable and I found a beauty and sadness in her that drew me to her. The banter between Samuel and Kaye and their friends brought fun and respite at a time when the story would feel heavy with emotion. It was the perfect balance.
‘Samuel had always been an amazing storyteller, and his words allowed me to see the places he’d seen.’
This was a beautifully told story of loving, letting go, communicating, of soul mates, friendship and I really did adore this book for that portion of the story. I have to say though G, that Hydraulic Level Five did at certain times become a bit bogged down with what felt like fillers to me and I thought parts of the story suffered because of it. For me, it seemed to stem from the amount of characters introduced, and the time spent on them rather than on Kaye and Samuel. I know that some of these characters formed and shaped Kaye and Samuel’s pasts, and these characters were necessary, but there were some characters who never really felt developed, and these had the tendency to drag the story at times which was a bit disappointing.
However, that can’t take away from what was a clever, beautiful and heart-warming, as well as heartbreaking story of two people finding their way back to each other. Yes, I really did enjoy this story. I just wish it could have focused more on Kaye and Samuel at the expense of some of the unnecessary fill ins. I’m so looking forward to rejoining them in Book Two and getting the closure I was hoping for in this one.
‘Her face is pure sunshine for him, warming his chest, searing the web of cracks closed. He will give her fairy tales, pages and pages of fairy tales, in exchange for her sunshine.’
Gitte: I have to say I absolutely LOVED all the scenes with Kaye and Samuel be they past or present, together or individually. I loved the idea of them trying to overcome their marriage break up step by step, trying to work back to how it all started when they were kids. Their banter and pranks made me laugh and I was so invested in these two characters. I loved Samuel, I just think he was amazingly written and I loved who Kaye became as the story moved on and she worked through some personal issues.
“He is also a poster child for order and logic. Chaos distresses him…But you, sweet child, are a messy whirlwind…”
For me though their story got somewhat lost at times amidst a sea of characters that in my opinion were unnecessary as many of them didn’t add anything to the story. Also, for a normal sized novel it felt really long, I think there were too many redundant fillers with secondary characters and at times I felt the urge to skim as the story dragged. Also, I felt confused over what was going on at certain points. As for the ending, well I was a bit disappointed, I have to say. I suppose in a way I felt as if I needed some kind of epilogue or perhaps for this to be just one book rather than a series. It was very abrupt and left me feeling frustrated. I will say though that the love I developed for Samuel and Kaye’s story and wanting them to be okay makes me really want to read the next book. I just hope it becomes about them and their love, first and foremost!
“Firecracker, he whispers, just to hear the sound of her name…”
Gitte: 3.5 Stars
Jenny: 4 Stars
Jenny: Well, if there was ever a book that dealt really well with second chance love then this was it, don’t you think G? Kaye and Samuel were soul mates. From very early on, you felt the bond and the love between these two implicitly.
I was continually asking myself at the beginning of this story, what could have possible gone wrong because Kaye and Samuel were so perfect for each other, they were so in sync, so in love that you couldn’t’ fathom what could have torn these two people apart.
‘For a moment, I was home – that perfect place everyone hunts for in music, and comfort food, and scents. Then, that perfect place slapped me with a goodbye letter and I remembered how he’d thrown this- me – away, with the callousness of a con artist.’ - Kaye
They really were like two missing pieces that became whole just being in the same room as each other. I was dying to find out what it was that tore their marriage apart, you were too weren’t you G?
Gitte: They truly were soul mates Jenny and I really felt for both of them individually and the bond, despite their distance, was never really broken. As a reader you really felt that connection, it was brilliantly written. You felt their love and their pain equally. So yeah I was dying to find out exactly why these two weren’t together anymore and this second chance love really was quite heart breaking.
“You want to earn my trust? Well, you’ve got to trust me back. When there’s no trust…nothing…”
Jenny: I did enjoy this second chance love story. It was beautifully written and I loved the way Samuel’s stories were intricately woven through Hydraulic Level Five. The bringing together of Samuel, the author, and Samuel the man was beautifully orchestrated and I was immersed in every moment.
‘How different a man he’d grown into, from the deep-feeling boy I’d once known.’
Samuel, a now famous author, was such a tortured man and oh how I loved him. His unravelling story broke my heart and I felt so much for this man and the demons he was carrying. Learning the cause of the careless and drastic decisions Sam made in his life really broke my heart. I know there were a few times I was in tears throughout this very poignant and moving story. Did you enjoy the way the author wove this story around Samuel’s storytelling Gitte?
Gitte: I have to say that Samuel completely got to me. His character was a bit of a mystery and yes, the Author wrote his character with such intrigue and emotion that I just fell in love and really felt so emotional over his character. It was pretty clear that Samuel was a troubled soul, who’d been through some bad stuff, he was needing to work through still. I have to admit though, that if it wasn’t for me wanting to find out exactly what had happened to Samuel consequently adding to the marriage break-up with Kaye I may not have enjoyed this story as much. Samuel kept me reading so kudos to the Author for writing a fantastic male hero who was both compelling and addictive.
Jenny: Yes, Sam was definitely the catalyst for me enjoying this as much as I did. For all intents and purposes, Kaye, the extreme sports junkie, seems to have moved on since the breakup of her marriage to Samuel, a man she had loved since she they were childhood sweethearts, some 7 years earlier. In fact, they both seem to be at a good place in their lives. But looks can be deceiving and when you scratch the surface and delve deep you find there is a lot of bitterness, pain and hurt over the ending of their marriage.
‘Instead, there was fire. And I hadn’t seen true fire there in a really long time. Not since….not since high school.’
Not to mention confusing. These two never really communicated or let their hurt surface. They both kept so much inside, so much pain that bringing it to the fore was always going to be difficult but necessary if they were ever going to find their way back to one another.
Gitte: I’m still in two minds over Kaye. I loved her spunk and zest for life by enjoying the extreme sports and the adrenalin rush that comes with it. She’s quietly vulnerable yet shows such strength. She was wronged and she had my complete sympathy, however, I struggled to get a handle on her. I’m thinking this was the intention as she has to work through her own issues in order to fully understand what happened to the love of her life and her marriage.
“Kaye! How is it possible that you can dive head-first into white water rapids and not bat an eye, but when it comes to having a friendly exchange with your ex-husband – who may I remind you, was your best friend for years – your feet freeze?”
Again, I loved the crux of their story together, the childhood, the memories, the intensity of their love and friendship.
Jenny: I adored the childhood flashbacks which cleverly introduced via Samuel’s story and I found Kaye’s voice to witty and entertaining. Kaye was strong yet vulnerable and I found a beauty and sadness in her that drew me to her. The banter between Samuel and Kaye and their friends brought fun and respite at a time when the story would feel heavy with emotion. It was the perfect balance.
‘Samuel had always been an amazing storyteller, and his words allowed me to see the places he’d seen.’
This was a beautifully told story of loving, letting go, communicating, of soul mates, friendship and I really did adore this book for that portion of the story. I have to say though G, that Hydraulic Level Five did at certain times become a bit bogged down with what felt like fillers to me and I thought parts of the story suffered because of it. For me, it seemed to stem from the amount of characters introduced, and the time spent on them rather than on Kaye and Samuel. I know that some of these characters formed and shaped Kaye and Samuel’s pasts, and these characters were necessary, but there were some characters who never really felt developed, and these had the tendency to drag the story at times which was a bit disappointing.
However, that can’t take away from what was a clever, beautiful and heart-warming, as well as heartbreaking story of two people finding their way back to each other. Yes, I really did enjoy this story. I just wish it could have focused more on Kaye and Samuel at the expense of some of the unnecessary fill ins. I’m so looking forward to rejoining them in Book Two and getting the closure I was hoping for in this one.
‘Her face is pure sunshine for him, warming his chest, searing the web of cracks closed. He will give her fairy tales, pages and pages of fairy tales, in exchange for her sunshine.’
Gitte: I have to say I absolutely LOVED all the scenes with Kaye and Samuel be they past or present, together or individually. I loved the idea of them trying to overcome their marriage break up step by step, trying to work back to how it all started when they were kids. Their banter and pranks made me laugh and I was so invested in these two characters. I loved Samuel, I just think he was amazingly written and I loved who Kaye became as the story moved on and she worked through some personal issues.
“He is also a poster child for order and logic. Chaos distresses him…But you, sweet child, are a messy whirlwind…”
For me though their story got somewhat lost at times amidst a sea of characters that in my opinion were unnecessary as many of them didn’t add anything to the story. Also, for a normal sized novel it felt really long, I think there were too many redundant fillers with secondary characters and at times I felt the urge to skim as the story dragged. Also, I felt confused over what was going on at certain points. As for the ending, well I was a bit disappointed, I have to say. I suppose in a way I felt as if I needed some kind of epilogue or perhaps for this to be just one book rather than a series. It was very abrupt and left me feeling frustrated. I will say though that the love I developed for Samuel and Kaye’s story and wanting them to be okay makes me really want to read the next book. I just hope it becomes about them and their love, first and foremost!
“Firecracker, he whispers, just to hear the sound of her name…”
September 4, 2013
I went in to this story knowing the angst level would be high. Was pleasantly surprised that though there was much interwoven hurt, angst, and betrayal of the heart, it was so well written it didn't leave me running for the hills.
First and foremost, I loved the Cabral family! They were so genuine and engaging that I felt I was sitting at the table with them. Kudos to the author on that alone.
Funny way to start a review I suppose, noting the secondary characters before the primary, but sometimes those secondary characters really can make a story come alive, in this case, they were very important in driving the story line and deserve a little recognition.
As for Kaye and Samuel. Completely engaging, very realistic in characterizations. Such to the point I wanted to slap them both for stupidity. Kaye for not seeing the nuances and Samuel for up and leaving with the BS "for your own good". Not cool dude, not cool at all. Now that I think about it, more slaps for Samuel than Kaye.
I think the passion of the Cabral's has rubbed off on me invoking violent tendencies towards characters.
I make light of the situation but in all seriousness, this was a story heavy on the emotion and hurt. A ton of underlying angst covered up by the "what happened to our love" feelings.
The story is told in reverse as we already know Kaye and Samuel are divorced, Kaye was devastated and blind sided as to the real reason for Samuel walking out on her. She rebuilds and moves on until 7 years later she attends the wedding of her best friends, and in strolls Samuel with a "girlfriend" on his arm. (I was majorly annoyed over that scene.)
Samuel is an author and much of the story is told in his writings though the POV is Kaye's.
A tale of childhood friends becoming best friends becoming sweethearts, soul mates, love of existence only to have it all crumble without any tangible reason is heart breaking. The author did a really good job making the words pop and visualize those emotions. The feelings these two have are palpable.
The hurt and misunderstandings are even more so.
I really enjoyed the story, heart break and all. Not a perfect story in that there were some parts a bit confusing but overall an excellent read and fantastic debut for the author.
My only disappointment was the ending. Well, the lack of ending that I wanted and now having to wait until book 2 to find out if there will be the ending I wanted. Oy! Yes, I am greedy like that. I hate waiting for a series when I am completely engaged and invested in the characters.
Definitely a naughty author to do that to me.
*ARC received by author via tour host in exchange for a fair review
September 15, 2013
blog/fb page link : https://www.facebook.com/SLiTsReaD
"Deer cabral, you white-jot unjoly cliffhuckr. sorry I missed the twigging concert. I do lick them, your right That’s it."
Hahahaha.... What can I say, I loved this book! It is hilarious, intense yet light, hot yet there's no sex in it, the angst, the hurt, the passion... it had me awake till dawn!!!! Never a dull moment! Kaye is so funny, add to that her friends that not only supports her craziness, but pushes her to it, LOL...
I don't want to get into the blurb, I'd say just read it! You won't regret! I got nothing but high praises for this book. All the characters are a delight!!! Samuel, I wanna slap you, then kiss you, then hug you and never let go!!!
Ending is kinda sorta made me sad, but it only makes me look forward to the next book!!!
HIGHLY RECOMMEND!
"Deer cabral, you white-jot unjoly cliffhuckr. sorry I missed the twigging concert. I do lick them, your right That’s it."
Hahahaha.... What can I say, I loved this book! It is hilarious, intense yet light, hot yet there's no sex in it, the angst, the hurt, the passion... it had me awake till dawn!!!! Never a dull moment! Kaye is so funny, add to that her friends that not only supports her craziness, but pushes her to it, LOL...
I don't want to get into the blurb, I'd say just read it! You won't regret! I got nothing but high praises for this book. All the characters are a delight!!! Samuel, I wanna slap you, then kiss you, then hug you and never let go!!!
Ending is kinda sorta made me sad, but it only makes me look forward to the next book!!!
HIGHLY RECOMMEND!
September 14, 2013
It's shameful, I have never desired anybody the way I desired you." His voice grew hoarse ." And I should have told you a long time ago.I should have told you every single day."
WOW ,WOW, WOW!!!!
What a captivating story , the writing was AMAZING!!!!
Samuel and Aspen second chance at LOVE?! Would it be worth it ,after all these years......hmmmmmm?! Can't give anything away ...Sorry you have to read this!
HYDRAULIC LEVEL FIVE IS ON LEVEL 5+++ stars!
Happy reading:)
WOW ,WOW, WOW!!!!
What a captivating story , the writing was AMAZING!!!!
Samuel and Aspen second chance at LOVE?! Would it be worth it ,after all these years......hmmmmmm?! Can't give anything away ...Sorry you have to read this!
HYDRAULIC LEVEL FIVE IS ON LEVEL 5+++ stars!
Happy reading:)
September 26, 2013
Jointly reviewed for: http://totallybookedblog.com/
Gitte: 3.5 Stars
Jenny: 4.0 Stars
Jenny: Well, if there was ever a book that dealt really well with second chance love then this was it, don’t you think G? Kaye and Samuel were soul mates. From very early on, you felt the bond and the love between these two implicitly.
I was continually asking myself at the beginning of this story, what could have possible gone wrong because Kaye and Samuel were so perfect for each other, they were so in sync, so in love that you couldn’t’ fathom what could have torn these two people apart.
,B>‘For a moment, I was home – that perfect place everyone hunts for in music, and comfort food, and scents. Then, that perfect place slapped me with a goodbye letter and I remembered how he’d thrown this- me – away, with the callousness of a con artist.’ - Kaye
They really were like two missing pieces that became whole just being in the same room as each other. I was dying to find out what it was that tore their marriage apart, you were too weren’t you G?
Gitte: They truly were soul mates Jenny and I really felt for both of them individually and the bond, despite their distance, was never really broken. As a reader you really felt that connection, it was brilliantly written. You felt their love and their pain equally. So yeah I was dying to find out exactly why these two weren’t together anymore and this second chance love really was quite heart breaking.
“You want to earn my trust? Well, you’ve got to trust me back. When there’s no trust…nothing…”
Jenny: I did enjoy this second chance love story. It was beautifully written and I loved the way Samuel’s stories were intricately woven through Hydraulic Level Five. The bringing together of Samuel, the author, and Samuel the man was beautifully orchestrated and I was immersed in every moment.
‘How different a man he’d grown into, from the deep-feeling boy I’d once known.’
Samuel, a now famous author, was such a tortured man and oh how I loved him. His unravelling story broke my heart and I felt so much for this man and the demons he was carrying. Learning the cause of the careless and drastic decisions Sam made in his life really broke my heart. I know there were a few times I was in tears throughout this very poignant and moving story. Did you enjoy the way the author wove this story around Samuel’s storytelling Gitte?
Gitte: I have to say that Samuel completely got to me. His character was a bit of a mystery and yes, the Author wrote his character with such intrigue and emotion that I just fell in love and really felt so emotional over his character. It was pretty clear that Samuel was a troubled soul, who’d been through some bad stuff, he was needing to work through still. I have to admit though, that if it wasn’t for me wanting to find out exactly what had happened to Samuel consequently adding to the marriage break-up with Kaye I may not have enjoyed this story as much. Samuel kept me reading so kudos to the Author for writing a fantastic male hero who was both compelling and addictive.
Jenny: Yes, Sam was definitely the catalyst for me enjoying this as much as I did. For all intents and purposes, Kaye, the extreme sports junkie, seems to have moved on since the breakup of her marriage to Samuel, a man she had loved since she they were childhood sweethearts, some 7 years earlier. In fact, they both seem to be at a good place in their lives. But looks can be deceiving and when you scratch the surface and delve deep you find there is a lot of bitterness, pain and hurt over the ending of their marriage.
‘Instead, there was fire. And I hadn’t seen true fire there in a really long time. Not since….not since high school.’
Not to mention confusing. These two never really communicated or let their hurt surface. They both kept so much inside, so much pain that bringing it to the fore was always going to be difficult but necessary if they were ever going to find their way back to one another.
Gitte: I’m still in two minds over Kaye. I loved her spunk and zest for life by enjoying the extreme sports and the adrenalin rush that comes with it. She’s quietly vulnerable yet shows such strength. She was wronged and she had my complete sympathy, however, I struggled to get a handle on her. I’m thinking this was the intention as she has to work through her own issues in order to fully understand what happened to the love of her life and her marriage.
“Kaye! How is it possible that you can dive head-first into white water rapids and not bat an eye, but when it comes to having a friendly exchange with your ex-husband – who may I remind you, was your best friend for years – your feet freeze?”
Again, I loved the crux of their story together, the childhood, the memories, the intensity of their love and friendship.
Jenny: I adored the childhood flashbacks which cleverly introduced via Samuel’s story and I found Kaye’s voice to witty and entertaining. Kaye was strong yet vulnerable and I found a beauty and sadness in her that drew me to her. The banter between Samuel and Kaye and their friends brought fun and respite at a time when the story would feel heavy with emotion. It was the perfect balance.
‘Samuel had always been an amazing storyteller, and his words allowed me to see the places he’d seen.’
This was a beautifully told story of loving, letting go, communicating, of soul mates, friendship and I really did adore this book for that portion of the story. I have to say though G, that Hydraulic Level Five did at certain times become a bit bogged down with what felt like fillers to me and I thought parts of the story suffered because of it. For me, it seemed to stem from the amount of characters introduced, and the time spent on them rather than on Kaye and Samuel. I know that some of these characters formed and shaped Kaye and Samuel’s pasts, and these characters were necessary, but there were some characters who never really felt developed, and these had the tendency to drag the story at times which was a bit disappointing.
However, that can’t take away from what was a clever, beautiful and heart-warming, as well as heartbreaking story of two people finding their way back to each other. Yes, I really did enjoy this story. I just wish it could have focused more on Kaye and Samuel at the expense of some of the unnecessary fill ins. I’m so looking forward to rejoining them in Book Two and getting the closure I was hoping for in this one.
‘Her face is pure sunshine for him, warming his chest, searing the web of cracks closed. He will give her fairy tales, pages and pages of fairy tales, in exchange for her sunshine.’
Gitte: I have to say I absolutely LOVED all the scenes with Kaye and Samuel be they past or present, together or individually. I loved the idea of them trying to overcome their marriage break up step by step, trying to work back to how it all started when they were kids. Their banter and pranks made me laugh and I was so invested in these two characters. I loved Samuel, I just think he was amazingly written and I loved who Kaye became as the story moved on and she worked through some personal issues.
“He is also a poster child for order and logic. Chaos distresses him…But you, sweet child, are a messy whirlwind….”
For me though their story got somewhat lost at times amidst a sea of characters that in my opinion were unnecessary as many of them didn’t add anything to the story. Also, for a normal sized novel it felt really long, I think there were too many redundant fillers with secondary characters and at times I felt the urge to skim as the story dragged. Also, I felt confused over what was going on at certain points. As for the ending, well I was a bit disappointed, I have to say. I suppose in a way I felt as if I needed some kind of epilogue or perhaps for this to be just one book rather than a series. It was very abrupt and left me feeling frustrated. I will say though that the love I developed for Samuel and Kaye’s story and wanting them to be okay makes me really want to read the next book. I just hope it becomes about them and their love, first and foremost!
“Firecracker, he whispers, just to hear the sound of her name…”<?i>
Gitte: 3.5 Stars
Jenny: 4.0 Stars
Jenny: Well, if there was ever a book that dealt really well with second chance love then this was it, don’t you think G? Kaye and Samuel were soul mates. From very early on, you felt the bond and the love between these two implicitly.
I was continually asking myself at the beginning of this story, what could have possible gone wrong because Kaye and Samuel were so perfect for each other, they were so in sync, so in love that you couldn’t’ fathom what could have torn these two people apart.
,B>‘For a moment, I was home – that perfect place everyone hunts for in music, and comfort food, and scents. Then, that perfect place slapped me with a goodbye letter and I remembered how he’d thrown this- me – away, with the callousness of a con artist.’ - Kaye
They really were like two missing pieces that became whole just being in the same room as each other. I was dying to find out what it was that tore their marriage apart, you were too weren’t you G?
Gitte: They truly were soul mates Jenny and I really felt for both of them individually and the bond, despite their distance, was never really broken. As a reader you really felt that connection, it was brilliantly written. You felt their love and their pain equally. So yeah I was dying to find out exactly why these two weren’t together anymore and this second chance love really was quite heart breaking.
“You want to earn my trust? Well, you’ve got to trust me back. When there’s no trust…nothing…”
Jenny: I did enjoy this second chance love story. It was beautifully written and I loved the way Samuel’s stories were intricately woven through Hydraulic Level Five. The bringing together of Samuel, the author, and Samuel the man was beautifully orchestrated and I was immersed in every moment.
‘How different a man he’d grown into, from the deep-feeling boy I’d once known.’
Samuel, a now famous author, was such a tortured man and oh how I loved him. His unravelling story broke my heart and I felt so much for this man and the demons he was carrying. Learning the cause of the careless and drastic decisions Sam made in his life really broke my heart. I know there were a few times I was in tears throughout this very poignant and moving story. Did you enjoy the way the author wove this story around Samuel’s storytelling Gitte?
Gitte: I have to say that Samuel completely got to me. His character was a bit of a mystery and yes, the Author wrote his character with such intrigue and emotion that I just fell in love and really felt so emotional over his character. It was pretty clear that Samuel was a troubled soul, who’d been through some bad stuff, he was needing to work through still. I have to admit though, that if it wasn’t for me wanting to find out exactly what had happened to Samuel consequently adding to the marriage break-up with Kaye I may not have enjoyed this story as much. Samuel kept me reading so kudos to the Author for writing a fantastic male hero who was both compelling and addictive.
Jenny: Yes, Sam was definitely the catalyst for me enjoying this as much as I did. For all intents and purposes, Kaye, the extreme sports junkie, seems to have moved on since the breakup of her marriage to Samuel, a man she had loved since she they were childhood sweethearts, some 7 years earlier. In fact, they both seem to be at a good place in their lives. But looks can be deceiving and when you scratch the surface and delve deep you find there is a lot of bitterness, pain and hurt over the ending of their marriage.
‘Instead, there was fire. And I hadn’t seen true fire there in a really long time. Not since….not since high school.’
Not to mention confusing. These two never really communicated or let their hurt surface. They both kept so much inside, so much pain that bringing it to the fore was always going to be difficult but necessary if they were ever going to find their way back to one another.
Gitte: I’m still in two minds over Kaye. I loved her spunk and zest for life by enjoying the extreme sports and the adrenalin rush that comes with it. She’s quietly vulnerable yet shows such strength. She was wronged and she had my complete sympathy, however, I struggled to get a handle on her. I’m thinking this was the intention as she has to work through her own issues in order to fully understand what happened to the love of her life and her marriage.
“Kaye! How is it possible that you can dive head-first into white water rapids and not bat an eye, but when it comes to having a friendly exchange with your ex-husband – who may I remind you, was your best friend for years – your feet freeze?”
Again, I loved the crux of their story together, the childhood, the memories, the intensity of their love and friendship.
Jenny: I adored the childhood flashbacks which cleverly introduced via Samuel’s story and I found Kaye’s voice to witty and entertaining. Kaye was strong yet vulnerable and I found a beauty and sadness in her that drew me to her. The banter between Samuel and Kaye and their friends brought fun and respite at a time when the story would feel heavy with emotion. It was the perfect balance.
‘Samuel had always been an amazing storyteller, and his words allowed me to see the places he’d seen.’
This was a beautifully told story of loving, letting go, communicating, of soul mates, friendship and I really did adore this book for that portion of the story. I have to say though G, that Hydraulic Level Five did at certain times become a bit bogged down with what felt like fillers to me and I thought parts of the story suffered because of it. For me, it seemed to stem from the amount of characters introduced, and the time spent on them rather than on Kaye and Samuel. I know that some of these characters formed and shaped Kaye and Samuel’s pasts, and these characters were necessary, but there were some characters who never really felt developed, and these had the tendency to drag the story at times which was a bit disappointing.
However, that can’t take away from what was a clever, beautiful and heart-warming, as well as heartbreaking story of two people finding their way back to each other. Yes, I really did enjoy this story. I just wish it could have focused more on Kaye and Samuel at the expense of some of the unnecessary fill ins. I’m so looking forward to rejoining them in Book Two and getting the closure I was hoping for in this one.
‘Her face is pure sunshine for him, warming his chest, searing the web of cracks closed. He will give her fairy tales, pages and pages of fairy tales, in exchange for her sunshine.’
Gitte: I have to say I absolutely LOVED all the scenes with Kaye and Samuel be they past or present, together or individually. I loved the idea of them trying to overcome their marriage break up step by step, trying to work back to how it all started when they were kids. Their banter and pranks made me laugh and I was so invested in these two characters. I loved Samuel, I just think he was amazingly written and I loved who Kaye became as the story moved on and she worked through some personal issues.
“He is also a poster child for order and logic. Chaos distresses him…But you, sweet child, are a messy whirlwind….”
For me though their story got somewhat lost at times amidst a sea of characters that in my opinion were unnecessary as many of them didn’t add anything to the story. Also, for a normal sized novel it felt really long, I think there were too many redundant fillers with secondary characters and at times I felt the urge to skim as the story dragged. Also, I felt confused over what was going on at certain points. As for the ending, well I was a bit disappointed, I have to say. I suppose in a way I felt as if I needed some kind of epilogue or perhaps for this to be just one book rather than a series. It was very abrupt and left me feeling frustrated. I will say though that the love I developed for Samuel and Kaye’s story and wanting them to be okay makes me really want to read the next book. I just hope it becomes about them and their love, first and foremost!
“Firecracker, he whispers, just to hear the sound of her name…”<?i>
February 17, 2021
A million stars✨🙌
Saying I devoured or just read this book would be an understatement cause I more than read it; I savoured it I felt it I tasted it I let the words wash and linger over me that's how tangible each emotion depicted in this book was.
It wasn't just about a divorced couple going back to their roots and finding what went wrong. It was a journey of characters finding their worth and discovering ugly secrets and past mistakes about their partner and forgiving them for it. It's about second chances about how love isn't always easy, how upholding your vows is sometimes the most difficult thing on earth and how sometimes in trying to protect you destroy that person the most.
“Is it really this simple, Samuel—the key to a strong relationship? The vows, the nourishment?”
“In theory, yes—it is that simple. In practice, no. It will be very difficult at times, Kaye.”He didn’t ask me if I was ready for this, and I was glad.
Saying I devoured or just read this book would be an understatement cause I more than read it; I savoured it I felt it I tasted it I let the words wash and linger over me that's how tangible each emotion depicted in this book was.
It wasn't just about a divorced couple going back to their roots and finding what went wrong. It was a journey of characters finding their worth and discovering ugly secrets and past mistakes about their partner and forgiving them for it. It's about second chances about how love isn't always easy, how upholding your vows is sometimes the most difficult thing on earth and how sometimes in trying to protect you destroy that person the most.
“Is it really this simple, Samuel—the key to a strong relationship? The vows, the nourishment?”
“In theory, yes—it is that simple. In practice, no. It will be very difficult at times, Kaye.”He didn’t ask me if I was ready for this, and I was glad.
September 3, 2013
This book is by far one of my favorite books of 2013! I adore Sarah’s style of writing. From the moment I picked up the book, I just couldn’t let it go. I cried my eyes out over the beauty of this tale. Hydraulic Level 5 is all kind of feels. It consumed me.
Hydraulic Level 5 is a love story about two individuals, Kaye and Samuel whose relationship parted away. They shared many years of childhood memories along with a passionate love but an event occurred leaving Kaye questioning herself. She didn’t know where their relation go wrong, wondering for years where she made the mistake that caused Samuel to depart. With the upcoming wedding of Samuel’s sister, he must return to his hometown. With his arrival, Kaye is determined to get the answers of his departure.
I love everything about Hydraulic Level 5. I love Kaye, she is very driven and yet humble. I love how I can feel all of her emotions. I feel proud of her when she is strong in parts that I know I will crumble. I adore Samuel, even with his dark and mysterious side. I know he is fighting his own demons and is hard for him to open up. I just feel like he needs to open up with Kaye to understand him better. I love his writing, well technically it’s Sarah’s, but yes, he is very talented. I love the glimpse he provides us of their childhood times. They way both adored each other at such age. It made me love them even more knowing their history.
Sincerely, this is one of the best stories I’ve ever read. HL5 is a combination of both of my all times favorite movies: The Notebook and Sweet Home Alabama. The love these two share is something few people has ever experience. The book is not a standalone. It ends right at their new status of relationship – their friendship vows. The story is not rushed; it is well build, well explained. I know some of you know this story from the Twilight fanfic era, but Sarah’s has changed a couple of things. Yet the story remains as amazing as ever, even better in my opinion. This is a without doubts a must read! I strongly suggest everyone to start this book right away. The story is simply beautiful.
Hydraulic Level 5 is a love story about two individuals, Kaye and Samuel whose relationship parted away. They shared many years of childhood memories along with a passionate love but an event occurred leaving Kaye questioning herself. She didn’t know where their relation go wrong, wondering for years where she made the mistake that caused Samuel to depart. With the upcoming wedding of Samuel’s sister, he must return to his hometown. With his arrival, Kaye is determined to get the answers of his departure.
I love everything about Hydraulic Level 5. I love Kaye, she is very driven and yet humble. I love how I can feel all of her emotions. I feel proud of her when she is strong in parts that I know I will crumble. I adore Samuel, even with his dark and mysterious side. I know he is fighting his own demons and is hard for him to open up. I just feel like he needs to open up with Kaye to understand him better. I love his writing, well technically it’s Sarah’s, but yes, he is very talented. I love the glimpse he provides us of their childhood times. They way both adored each other at such age. It made me love them even more knowing their history.
Sincerely, this is one of the best stories I’ve ever read. HL5 is a combination of both of my all times favorite movies: The Notebook and Sweet Home Alabama. The love these two share is something few people has ever experience. The book is not a standalone. It ends right at their new status of relationship – their friendship vows. The story is not rushed; it is well build, well explained. I know some of you know this story from the Twilight fanfic era, but Sarah’s has changed a couple of things. Yet the story remains as amazing as ever, even better in my opinion. This is a without doubts a must read! I strongly suggest everyone to start this book right away. The story is simply beautiful.
May 25, 2015
I LOVED, LOVed, Loved this story as a fanfiction!
Back in 2008, when it was still being written, I waited with bated breath for each and every update!
It's a fabulous story!
And all the more special to me because of everything the author went through while writing it! She is one of those truly strong women that can overcome any obstacle! She is so admirable!
My heartfelt appreciation to her for sharing her gift for beautiful words with us!
♥Bless you, Sara Latchaw♥
Back in 2008, when it was still being written, I waited with bated breath for each and every update!
It's a fabulous story!
And all the more special to me because of everything the author went through while writing it! She is one of those truly strong women that can overcome any obstacle! She is so admirable!
My heartfelt appreciation to her for sharing her gift for beautiful words with us!
♥Bless you, Sara Latchaw♥
February 1, 2020
3 ⭐️⭐️⭐️ 1/2 Stars! Second chance romance. An ok read.
August 23, 2013
Formerly the Twilight fanfic Hydraulic Level 5 by Gondolier.
November 13, 2017
HYDRAULIC LEVEL FIVE is a completely unique second chance romance between a famous author and his ex-wife, who fell in love and married after being best friends since they were children. Years after he left her, Samuel returns to his hometown for his sister's wedding where he will be in close proximity with Kaye, who isn't quite over him....or ready to let go of her anger.
After being on my to-read list for years, I decided to pick this up. How can you not pick this up when the tagline for the book is: "How does a woman get over her one great love? With whitewater rafting, bluegrass, and a touch of revenge…?" I was in!
This book was such a blast to read! There was a charm to the writing and the two leads' history of growing up together. Much of the story is set with Samuel showing up in town for his sister's wedding, coming face-to-face with Kaye, his ex-wife. The dynamic between Samuel and Kaye was captivating and fun. There is the perfect amount of angst as well, with there being so many unanswered questions as to exactly why Samuel left his wife and best friend of more than 15 years.
I really liked the way the story was told. We get the whole story from Kaye's perspective, often feeling a little in the dark as to what Samuel is thinking. Disbursed between Kaye's chapters are excerpts from Samuel's current work in progress, which provide a good amount insight into Samuel's mind. Does he regret leaving her years ago? Has he moved on? Does he still love her?
One little element that drew me in even more is that Samuel writes his ex-wife into his super popular book series. The trilogy ends in a way that Kaye doesn't really like, so what does she do? She shows up to his book signing after not seeing him for 2 years, of course! I really liked that scene.
At first, Kaye resorts to childish antics, by her own admission. Once the thirst for revenge is quenched and the need for answers grows, she and Samuel finally sit down and go through what went wrong. I really liked that these two adults actually took the time to have meaningful conversations to work through their issues. And what's more, it wasn't boring!
My main criticism of the book was that I found the reason for Samuel leaving her to be a little contrived. What Kaye walked into when she went to New York felt that way as well. At the time of writing this review, I haven't read book two, so I don't know what's in store for Kaye and Samuel. But I almost wonder if their story could have been condensed into one book. I hope the sequel (or the upcoming third novel) doesn't feel stale, drawn out, or drum up unnecessary conflicts. Some contemporary series who feature the same couple in multiple books can fall victim to that.
All of that aside, I had a blast reading this one. It's lighthearted but the characters deal with a lot of hurt at the same time. It hit the spot for a good contemporary romance. Check it out if you haven't read it!
* I purchased this book myself.
"What are you going to do? Write another book about me?" His hand was warm on my arm despite the chilly air. But I still shivered and wrapped my sweater tightly around me.
"Maybe."
After being on my to-read list for years, I decided to pick this up. How can you not pick this up when the tagline for the book is: "How does a woman get over her one great love? With whitewater rafting, bluegrass, and a touch of revenge…?" I was in!
This book was such a blast to read! There was a charm to the writing and the two leads' history of growing up together. Much of the story is set with Samuel showing up in town for his sister's wedding, coming face-to-face with Kaye, his ex-wife. The dynamic between Samuel and Kaye was captivating and fun. There is the perfect amount of angst as well, with there being so many unanswered questions as to exactly why Samuel left his wife and best friend of more than 15 years.
I really liked the way the story was told. We get the whole story from Kaye's perspective, often feeling a little in the dark as to what Samuel is thinking. Disbursed between Kaye's chapters are excerpts from Samuel's current work in progress, which provide a good amount insight into Samuel's mind. Does he regret leaving her years ago? Has he moved on? Does he still love her?
"It's shameful, because I have never desired anybody the way I desire you."
One little element that drew me in even more is that Samuel writes his ex-wife into his super popular book series. The trilogy ends in a way that Kaye doesn't really like, so what does she do? She shows up to his book signing after not seeing him for 2 years, of course! I really liked that scene.
At first, Kaye resorts to childish antics, by her own admission. Once the thirst for revenge is quenched and the need for answers grows, she and Samuel finally sit down and go through what went wrong. I really liked that these two adults actually took the time to have meaningful conversations to work through their issues. And what's more, it wasn't boring!
My main criticism of the book was that I found the reason for Samuel leaving her to be a little contrived. What Kaye walked into when she went to New York felt that way as well. At the time of writing this review, I haven't read book two, so I don't know what's in store for Kaye and Samuel. But I almost wonder if their story could have been condensed into one book. I hope the sequel (or the upcoming third novel) doesn't feel stale, drawn out, or drum up unnecessary conflicts. Some contemporary series who feature the same couple in multiple books can fall victim to that.
All of that aside, I had a blast reading this one. It's lighthearted but the characters deal with a lot of hurt at the same time. It hit the spot for a good contemporary romance. Check it out if you haven't read it!
* I purchased this book myself.
September 3, 2013
Hydraulic Level Five is one of those stories that will stay with you forever. I mean it is a story that grabs you right from the prologue and keeps you going until you can't believe you are at the end of the story. I love when an author pulls me into a story like that to the point I am screaming and crying and I have no idea what to really feel because so many emotions are coursing through my veins. It is so with this story and Sarah does not disappoint in any way.
We get to meet so many characters in this story that I felt like I was home. I love the close knit love that came from The Cabrals and Kaye was a part of that family every step of the way. Since childhood Kaye and Samuel have been inseparable. They were not only best friends but they became lovers and married. They had a happy life until one day Sam decided he needed to find himself and left for New York City. At first Kaye was devastated because she never saw it coming but then she decided she would pick up the pieces and start to live again.
But seven years later when her best friends are getting married and Sam comes strolling in with his latest girlfriend on his arm Kaye is pissed and hurt and wants to know what went wrong. How could two people who love each other so much be apart? How could Sam do that to their love and their friendship. Because before they were lovers they were friends.
In this story we get so much in the form of Sam's writing and Kaye's wild adventures that are her balm to her broken heart. I have to say the ending had me screaming like a lunatic at my kindle because I wanted no I needed more and did not want it to end. I am going to stalk this author until I find out when the second book is going to be released because I need more or I am going to die! This is a must read for everyone.
Happy Release Day Today http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00E...
We get to meet so many characters in this story that I felt like I was home. I love the close knit love that came from The Cabrals and Kaye was a part of that family every step of the way. Since childhood Kaye and Samuel have been inseparable. They were not only best friends but they became lovers and married. They had a happy life until one day Sam decided he needed to find himself and left for New York City. At first Kaye was devastated because she never saw it coming but then she decided she would pick up the pieces and start to live again.
But seven years later when her best friends are getting married and Sam comes strolling in with his latest girlfriend on his arm Kaye is pissed and hurt and wants to know what went wrong. How could two people who love each other so much be apart? How could Sam do that to their love and their friendship. Because before they were lovers they were friends.
In this story we get so much in the form of Sam's writing and Kaye's wild adventures that are her balm to her broken heart. I have to say the ending had me screaming like a lunatic at my kindle because I wanted no I needed more and did not want it to end. I am going to stalk this author until I find out when the second book is going to be released because I need more or I am going to die! This is a must read for everyone.
Happy Release Day Today http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00E...
December 1, 2013
2 stars
WTF I stayed up real late to finish this book and I got a crappy ending!? Was that even 'The End' since there will be a sequel? So it's a cliffhanger crap then? Argh it was frustrating!
I gave it two stars because I liked the main characters. I liked their conversations too as they were full of meanings and revelations. Also, I liked the chemistry between them. Besides, I enjoyed reading the outdoor, adventurous, adrenaline rush related activities.
Hydraulic Level Five was quite heavy, emotionally drained to read and I just found out it was Twilight fanfiction. TBH only if I knew, I wouldn't even want to pick it at all.
Read on your own peril.
WTF I stayed up real late to finish this book and I got a crappy ending!? Was that even 'The End' since there will be a sequel? So it's a cliffhanger crap then? Argh it was frustrating!
I gave it two stars because I liked the main characters. I liked their conversations too as they were full of meanings and revelations. Also, I liked the chemistry between them. Besides, I enjoyed reading the outdoor, adventurous, adrenaline rush related activities.
Hydraulic Level Five was quite heavy, emotionally drained to read and I just found out it was Twilight fanfiction. TBH only if I knew, I wouldn't even want to pick it at all.
Read on your own peril.
February 17, 2021
IT WAS PERFECT!
My amount of love for this book is so much I can't even process it.
Since the year began, only 2 books were added in my favorites shelf. And I gladly include this in it! God, I love it.
I was blown-away! The story, the characters, the writing. It was a trifecta of perfection. I kept on looking for some mistakes, but none, it was perfect. It was a rare kind of book that you'll love in a long time, and you can't wait to share it to your friends.
Sarah Latchaw, I love you. x
Reread: 02.2021
My amount of love for this book is so much I can't even process it.
Since the year began, only 2 books were added in my favorites shelf. And I gladly include this in it! God, I love it.
I was blown-away! The story, the characters, the writing. It was a trifecta of perfection. I kept on looking for some mistakes, but none, it was perfect. It was a rare kind of book that you'll love in a long time, and you can't wait to share it to your friends.
Sarah Latchaw, I love you. x
Reread: 02.2021
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