kathleenmontemayor1

5/5 stars

Trenton's story is very different than Travis's. They are alike but different too. Fighting is Travis's go-to position. He puts his fists up first and asks questions later. Trenton can and will fight for those he loves, especially Cami, but he doesn't look for trouble the way Travis does. And when Cami asks him not to start a fight with her dad, he honors her wishes even though I wish he had put her dad in the hospital.

Travis has been having a hard time. He kind of dropped out of college after he was involved in a car accident that left a girl dead. The girl was driving and he blames himself. To this day, he has a hard time letting Cami, or any other girl drive when he's in the car. It gives him anxiety if he doesn't do the driving.

Cami's life is more screwed up than Abby's. Abby's father, the mob guy/gambler, who blamed his daughter for his losing streak, and extorted money out of his daughter every time he got in deep to the mob, wins the father-of-the-year award compared to Cami's physically and verbally abusive dad. Her mother won't leave him and her brothers have like this weird enabling relationship with him. For some incomprehensible reason, the brothers think Cami should come every week to the family dinner so that her father can berate her and blame her for what's wrong in the family. She skips a few dinners and they get mad at her.  When her dad comes to her apartment drunk and ready to physically strike her, Trenton knocks him out. Instead of outrage at the dad's behavior, Cami is concerned her brothers will come after Trent and start a war. Apparently, in this household, beating up your wife and daughter is A-OK, but if someone strikes the abusive father  in order to PROTECT said daughter, then all the brothers are going to make him pay.

I'll give you a few highlights:

If Trent hadn't been there, Mom...he was set on beating the hell out of me. Trent had to hold him back, and he still came at me."
"He was angry you didn't come for lunch. And then Chase (one of the brothers) started in. Oh, God. This family is falling apart."

"Coby, (one of the brothers) please don't day anything," I begged. "We don't need a Maddox-versus-Camlin situation on top of this."
Coby glared at Trenton, and then nodded at me. "I owe you one."

So, you're glaring at the guy who just protected your sister from a raging lunatic, and promising not to tell your other hot-headed brothers that Trent beat up your dad, not because your dad was CLEARLY IN THE WRONG HERE, but because you owe your sister for bailing you out for your steroid abuse? This same sister who took a second job to cover your debts so your dad wouldn't find out? Un-freaking-believable.

Why everyone is so concerned about making the father happy I'll never understand. And the mom still doesn't leave him even after he nearly beat up their daughter. They have Thanksgiving at the house. At least Cami doesn't attend.

Enough with loser dad and the brothers. Cami has a secret she's keeping from Trenton. He has loved her since middle school, and he is committed to her in every way. When she nearly loses Trenton, she finally gets her priorities straight. She is holding back to protect someone else. She firmly believes he will leave her if he finds out the truth. I won't give away anything, but the end will be a shocker.

This was a great read. I read it in one day. It's more intense than BD and WD, but in a very good way.