Sy reviews: ONLY FOR YOU by Genna Rulon

Title: Only For You
Series: For You #1
Author: Genna Rulon

“In its purest form love is self-sacrificing, eternal, selfless, enduring, truthful, forgiving and indulgent. It also feels an awful lot like a kick to the stomach when you try to fight it!”

All Everleigh Carsen wanted to do was complete her final semester at Hensley University and begin the life she carefully planned.

When a wave of violent crime seizes campus, Everleigh is persuaded to attend a school sponsored self-defense seminar by her best friend, where she meets volunteer instructor, Hunter Charles. After Everleigh’s biting sarcasm induces Hunter to eject her from class, a tempestuous relationship is born.

Everleigh is determined to forget the striking man, but fate—that fickle shrew—continuously intervenes. Unable to escape him, she declares Hunter an enemy combatant. The only complication…Hunter is resolutely pursuing vindication…by any means necessary. Verbal warfare ensues, and despite Everleigh’s ingenious efforts, in Hunter, she has finally found her equal.

Only For You is a compelling tale of friendship, desire, and redemption—brimming with intelligent characters, witty dialogue, unexpected twists, profound sorrow, unfettered hope, and love’s unassailable perseverance.

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~Review~

I want to thank Genna Rullon for considering our blog in reviewing her book. Me and Nikki were thrilled that someone noticed us and requested us to review her work.

Only For You is a story about a college student, Everleigh Carsen, attending Hensley University. Her bestfriend/destiny sister, Sam, is also attending the same university and they're roomies coz they're inseparable. Hensley is under a state of paranoia and panic because of series of attacks to female students that later on escalated to killings. The victims were unable to identify their attacker while police suspected the unsub (unidentified subject - yes, I watch a lot of Criminal Minds haha) is a student of Hensley since the attacks are mainly directed to Hensley students.

Enter Hunter Charles. He's a sensei. A hot sensei. Well, he teaches self-defense so as the women won't be too powerless if there's an attacker. Hunter is also a business student in Hensley. Aside from being an uber hot and attractive student slash sensei, he does something else which is a top secret. You might get frustrated with him, ehem sexually frustrated, but everything would make sense once the pieces of the puzzle fall together.

I had too many laugh out loud moments in this book. Hunter and Everleigh are too funny and witty whenever they have one of those verbal contests. The banters are too funny and you kinda anticipate who'd get the last word in. I tried to choose sides but I can't. They're really equally good. I love how Genna made me guess and suspect almost everyone as the attacker (or maybe I really just watch too much crime series). I think it's important for a reader to read something that's not so predictable. And I think Genna achieved that. I also like how she made me so attached to the characters that I feel like I'm one of them so I feel their joy, their sadness and their pain. I don't know how she does it but she built strong personality for each character that you love the characters that need to be loved and hate the characters that need to be hated fiercely.

I think though that the story was a bit slow to pick up but I guess that's also important in the overall ending of the book.

I love how each chapter started with a quote. I also appreciate that this book revolved around mystery and a story of great friendships between people. I have several favorites on this book but my ultimate would be at 96% when I totally swooned over Hunter. So as not to spoil anything, I'll just say one word: Forever.

Here's my Only For You playlist:

Almost Lover - A Fine Frenzy
I Can't Make You Love Me - George Michael
Strong Enough - Sheryl Crow
Hot - Avril Lavigne
King Of Anything - Sara Bareilles
Stupid Boy - Cassadee Pope

~Playlist~

Almost Lover is my Hunter and Everleigh song because Hunter is the unboyfriend of Everleigh. I Can't Make You Love Me is the Everleigh song for Hunter when she almost begged him to have a relationship with her. Strong Enough is also my Everleigh song for Hunter. Hot is dedicated to Hunter of course. King Of Anything is also a Hunter song. This is my version of the Sweet As Hole song in the book. Stupid Boy is for Hunter. I think the line "she laid her heart and soul right in your hands. And she showed you every dream and you crushed her plans" fit him.

Rating:

PLATINUM RECORD

 

About the Author 

During her 15 years in the corporate world, Genna, inspired by her love of reading, fantasized about penning her own stories. Encouraged by her favorite authors, many of whom are indie writers and self-published, she committed to pursuing her aspirations of writing her own novels.

Genna was raised in Long Island, New York, where she still resides, surrounded by the most amazing family and friends. Married to a wonderful man, who patiently tolerates her ramblings about whichever book she is currently working on, even feigning interest relatively convincingly! Genna is blessed with two little boys who do their best to thwart mommy's writing time with their hilarious antics and charming extrapolations.

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