Did I Mention I Love You?
(The DIMILY Trilogy #1)
By: Estelle Maskame
Publisher: Sourcebooks Fire
Release Date: Dec. 1, 2015
Genre: YA Romance
Rating:
When sixteen-year-old Eden Munro agrees to spend the summer with her estranged father in the beachfront city of Santa Monica, California, she has no idea what she’s letting herself in for. Eden’s parents are divorced and have gone their separate ways, and now her father has a brand new family. For Eden, this means she’s about to meet three new step-brothers. The eldest of the three is Tyler Bruce, a troubled teenager with a short temper and a huge ego. Complete polar opposites, Eden quickly finds herself thrust into a world full of new experiences as Tyler’s group of friends take her under their wing. But the one thing she just can’t understand is Tyler, and the more she presses to figure out the truth about him, the more she finds herself falling for the one person she shouldn’t – her step-brother.
Throw in Tyler’s clingy girlfriend and a guy who has his eyes set on Eden, and there’s secrets, lies and a whole lot of drama. But how can Eden keep her feelings under control? And can she ever work out the truth about Tyler?
Eden’s father walked out on her and her mother three years ago. He hasn’t called or wrote them since. So, imagine Eden’s surprise when her father asks her to come out to southern California and stay with him and his new family for the summer. She ends up going and expects to meet her three little stepbrothers. What she doesn’t expect is the fact that not only are they not little but she’s got some serious attraction going on with one of them. What is supposed to be an uncomfortable summer reconnecting with her father turns out to be a whirlwind summer filled with debauchery and bad choices.
Okay, I’m sorry but I was planning on loving this book. Sure, the romance is little taboo but I mean, it’s not like she was raised with this kid or anything. However, what got me was the volatile character of Tyler. I mean, he smokes pot, snorts cocaine, and drinks until he black outs. Not to mention he has a huge chip on his shoulder that needs to be knocked off. He is nothing but rude and condescending towards Eden and literally everyone around him. Heck, he knows how she feels about drugs and yet her talks her into going to a party (a stoner party to be precise) only to ditch her so that he can get high. Leaving Eden freaking out that this is not your typical party. Even when his “big bad secret” came out, I still didn’t care for him. He’s just a very toxic character and I can’t believe that anyone would swoon over him.
Eden was naive. I mean, this kid has been horrible from the first second she meets him. He’s rude to his mother, he treats his girlfriend like she’s a joke, but yet because he’s so “hot” she overlooks it all. Instead of just writing him off, she continues to put herself in his business. Let’s not even touch base on her morals–and I’m not even talking about hooking up with your stepbrother either. I suppose you could say that Eden and Tyler were made for each other. They are both equally screwed up in the head.
I wanted to like this book so much. It sounded great but I just—the characters and the situations they put themselves in—I just can’t. I can’t. I mean seriously?! I hope people don’t walk away after reading this thinking, “I wish I had a Tyler!” No sweety, you don’t. I mean, Tyler is just toxic. If his character was redeeming in any way, I would have enjoyed this story so much more but the entire time I kept thinking to myself, “C’mon. Seriously, Eden? You’re really gonna go out of your way for him? Really?!” In the end I was not rooting for any of the characters. I didn’t care if Tyler overdosed at a party, knocked up his girlfriend and his stepsister at the same time, or if Eden wound up turning into an alcoholic at the ripe old age of 16. The one redeeming quality this story had was the ending, but then the epilogue came and had me throwing my hands up in the air again in irritation.
“I just spent the past half hour arguing with myself. I was like, ‘No way, they’re totally related.’ But I’ve watched Clueless before, okay? You know, when Cher falls for her stepbrother? I’m not stupid.”
Oh my gosh! This one sounds like a train wreck! No thanks! I can never decide what’s worse. Horrible, crappy, toxic guys or the stupid girls that actually like them.
Oi, not for me, I can’t get behind “romances” like this. I’d much rather read BDSM than a “love story” that looks like… whatever this is
I think you’re right, Tyler sounds like a toxic character. Hope your next read is more to your liking!
Tyler is not sounding like my cup of tea at all. Sorry you didn’t enjoy this one.