RECAP

Leo Scott is your average poster boy athlete. He has the look, the drive, the brain and the girl. But at home Leo's life is far from perfect. Dealing with a hard ass Navy Commander is just the beginning of his very complicated life. Leo must deal with the constant abuse, his new addiction and the twists and turns his life takes.

Audrey also has the picture perfect life. Except that her Navy father is in prison for murder. A murder that he doesn't remember committing.

Together Leo and Audrey must deal with the hurdles thrown their way, staying on top of their swimming careers, and the horror of their home life.

Will they both rise above the current or sink and drown?

MY TAKE

When I heard about the Streamline Birthday Book Bash I signed up and was given an ARC by the wonderful author! Now, I've read another Jennifer Lane book so I didn't mind picking this one up and joining the celebration. All in all Streamline was a good read.

Going into this book you expect for Leo to be this teenage guy with a teenage guy life and...he is. But then he goes home and all hell breaks loose. His father is TERRIBLE. He treats his family like he treats any one below his league. There isn't one redeeming quality about that man. And although Leo is sweet at times I felt like he had a long way to go to get away from his fathers influence. Leo struggles with a slew of things during the book and I felt bad most times but other times I thought he was irrational and hotheaded. Which okay maybe its realistic for a teenage boy now and days but I just expected more from him. This was the first male character that I just didn't swoon for. Don't get me wrong he was nice and he loved his family and Audrey but at the end of the day I thought that he had a long way to go to "grow" up.

Then there is his relationship with Audrey. I think they made the perfect couple because they balanced each other. She was sweet and levelheaded and kept him grounded. She was his anchor throughout the book. I felt bad for her circumstances and also teared up a little when she had to go through one particular event by herself.There wasn't anything I didn't like about her but unfortunately I felt no real connection with her character. It would be interesting to see where this couple is five/ten years later and see if they make it.

Now, I did enjoy the secondary characters in this book, I think much more than the primary. Each one had an impact in Leo and Audrey's lives and in the unfolding of the events at the end. I adored Jase, Leo's brother, the most and was happy to see the change in him throughout the book. When the events at the end unfolded and caused him to lose his sanity I was so sad but was then happy things worked out.

The twist and turns in this book were what made this an enjoyable read. It was interesting to have the view of the abuser as well as the abused and everyone involved in helping the victim(s) heal. Some of the swimming aspects were good but throughout the first half of the book I was kind of bored with it. Which is why I think I liked the last 40% of the book the most.

All in all Streamline was a good book. A really slow and detailed beginning but an action packed ending. Don't let the 3.5 stars deter you from reading it because the suspense was really good and the author does a wonderful job immersing you in the story. I enjoy the way she keeps you guessing throughout her storytelling and then shocks the hell out of you.

Buy it. Read it. Enjoy it.


HAPPY READING!