Blindsided by E K Blair
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4 stars
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Dedicated E's Review...
I have to say that I was completely consumed by this book, and managed to finish it in a day (I might add that I did nothing else all day). It is powerful, emotive and heart wrenchingly beautiful. The first thing that had me drawn in was the cover, it was simple and alluring yet it spoke to me and I didn't fully appreciate it till after I had read the book. Once I had read it, the cover spoke volumes, and you can tell that Blair put a lot of thought into it. What I love about this book is that it covers topics, such as rape, and homosexuality, that aren't always so openly discussed in society.
The characters are oh so appealing, Candace, is so vulnerable, that all the way through you just want to hug her. She is beautiful, inside and out, and oh so endearing. What she's subjected too is awful and the aftermath and her trying to live with it is so well written that it made me want to cry for her. Candace is a brilliantly talented ballet dancer at Uni studying ballet and dance before her life is cruelly destroyed, this book covers the before, during and after and some of it is not pretty. Rape is not often covered in books and the author has covered this subject sensitively and compassionately. It centres around Candace coping, surviving and trying to recover from this terrible ordeal and learning to trust and love again.
Candace leans on her best friend Jase, who she met at UW, who is also gay. Jase has got to be the best BFF ever written, he knows exactly what Candace wants and needs and is always there for her. Between him and his partner Mark, they start to help her through her darkness and they make a formidable trio. Candace shuts out Kimber (her room mate and "sister")because she is embarrassed about what has happened and does not want to have to explain to anybody about what she has been through as she feels that she is responsible. She shuts herself off from everyone apart from Jase & Mark. Until Ryan.....
Ryan, is a definite book boyfriend, he's macho, sexy, loveable and so caring. I love the way he treats Candace. I loved Ryan and I adored his mum, she was the mum that Candace never had and I am glad that she saw through Candace and worked hard at breaking her walls down. Ryan comes from a loving family, something that Candace never had. Her parents whilst supporting her financially are embarrassed at her chosen profession and feel that their money is wasted on a pie in the sky vocation. They cannot see that Candace lives, eats and breathes dance and most days it is her reason for even getting up in the morning. Only lawyers, doctors etc are suitable enough to uphold the family appearances not the arts - including ballet 0 and they are willing to lose their daughter over this.
I was so glad that Ryan was 28, being that bit older he was more sensitive, more worldly wise and knew that he couldn't push too far. He was very accepting of Candace's relationship with Jase to a point, and the scene when realisation dawns was perfect, I could feel his shock, anguish and pain. Incredibly well delivered.
I have to say that I was completely consumed by this book, and managed to finish it in a day (I might add that I did nothing else all day). It is powerful, emotive and heart wrenchingly beautiful. The first thing that had me drawn in was the cover, it was simple and alluring yet it spoke to me and I didn't fully appreciate it till after I had read the book. Once I had read it, the cover spoke volumes, and you can tell that Blair put a lot of thought into it. What I love about this book is that it covers topics, such as rape, and homosexuality, that aren't always so openly discussed in society.
The characters are oh so appealing, Candace, is so vulnerable, that all the way through you just want to hug her. She is beautiful, inside and out, and oh so endearing. What she's subjected too is awful and the aftermath and her trying to live with it is so well written that it made me want to cry for her. Candace is a brilliantly talented ballet dancer at Uni studying ballet and dance before her life is cruelly destroyed, this book covers the before, during and after and some of it is not pretty. Rape is not often covered in books and the author has covered this subject sensitively and compassionately. It centres around Candace coping, surviving and trying to recover from this terrible ordeal and learning to trust and love again.
Candace leans on her best friend Jase, who she met at UW, who is also gay. Jase has got to be the best BFF ever written, he knows exactly what Candace wants and needs and is always there for her. Between him and his partner Mark, they start to help her through her darkness and they make a formidable trio. Candace shuts out Kimber (her room mate and "sister")because she is embarrassed about what has happened and does not want to have to explain to anybody about what she has been through as she feels that she is responsible. She shuts herself off from everyone apart from Jase & Mark. Until Ryan.....
Ryan, is a definite book boyfriend, he's macho, sexy, loveable and so caring. I love the way he treats Candace. I loved Ryan and I adored his mum, she was the mum that Candace never had and I am glad that she saw through Candace and worked hard at breaking her walls down. Ryan comes from a loving family, something that Candace never had. Her parents whilst supporting her financially are embarrassed at her chosen profession and feel that their money is wasted on a pie in the sky vocation. They cannot see that Candace lives, eats and breathes dance and most days it is her reason for even getting up in the morning. Only lawyers, doctors etc are suitable enough to uphold the family appearances not the arts - including ballet 0 and they are willing to lose their daughter over this.
I was so glad that Ryan was 28, being that bit older he was more sensitive, more worldly wise and knew that he couldn't push too far. He was very accepting of Candace's relationship with Jase to a point, and the scene when realisation dawns was perfect, I could feel his shock, anguish and pain. Incredibly well delivered.