Blackout

I really enjoyed this book. I loved the mystery and the suspense of the plot, as well as sexiness and heat in the romance between Teal and Dare. One thing I especially liked was that the main characters felt real and weren't always perfect, such as Dare being sort of a player and having slept with a girl with a boyfriend, which gave dimension to the characters and made the read more interesting. The plot is intriguing in that the mystery was about something that happened ten years ago, so there isn't initially immediate danger/need to know for the characters, allowing the reader to get up to speed, but as you read the tension escalates and by the end I couldn't put the book down until I found out what had happened in the swamp ten years ago.

I received a free copy from NetGalley in exchange for a fair review.

Blackout had me intrigued from the get go. An interesting synopsis I hoped that like many books it didn't give me too many answers and spoil things. There was just enough info to have my interest pique! This was the first book I'd read by the author too which would usually give the author a bit of a break, but after the good synopsis I had high expectations (Plus I'd read 2 good books before it, this couldn't possibly be 3 in a row!).

I'm not going to go into the synopsis, nor the storyline too much. Blackout is one of those books that I could say something and it gives too much away. What I will say is there's a really good mystery. You will think you have a suspect then something else will happen to sway you and change your mind. I did this throughout the book and although my suspicions were right (Sorry I always work these darn things out!), there's a really nice twist that will throw things on their head again.

There's some cool characters in this. I loved the Tucker boys although you obviously here more about Dare as the story centres around him and Teal. The story is told from Teal's point of view with flash backs to the fateful day when everything changed and her blackouts started. She's a really likeable character. I loved her thoughts on The Story of O and how she grew in the book too. Can I add the sex scenes are HOT! The chemistry between Tate and Dare is undeniable and I feel that in many ways kept me more gripped. At times i wished we had heard more of her best friend which I really liked, that girl had some character!

The story has a good pace. I could have easily read this in 1 sitting but unfortunately I had to sleep and do 'mum' stuff, which meant it was read over 2. However, it remained on my mind with me trying to work out what had happened.

There is a strong romantic, new adult feel to this book but I also feel those who love mystery/thrillers/suspense will get a kick out of this too. Don't let it being a NA put you off. I will say this is definitely not a YA, do not suitable for those under 18. I give Blackout 4 stars, I'm starting Kiss The Boys next which is the second book in the Lost Girls series (Although I also believe they are standalones).

This book had me from the beginning! What an intriguing story! I tend to read books where the characters are a little older, but the age didn't take anything away from this amazing story. I couldn't put this book down!

Dare and Teal knew each other as kids. At 8 years old Teal followed Dare around everywhere. Then one day, Dare found Teal in the swamp and her clothes were torn and she had been hit in the head and there was a lot of blood. Teal could never remember what happened that day. That day ripped Dare and Teal's friendship apart and set a different path for their lives. Ten years later, Teal is coming back home and needs to remember what happened that day. As she reconnects with Dare, she wants nothing more than to clear his name and prove to the town he is the amazing boy she remembers. Dare knows that getting involved with Teal is a mistake, but he can't leave her alone. He will do anything to protect her.

This story had me guessing until the end! I never saw what had exactly happened coming. I love when I read a story like this and it wasn't what I was predicting! The story had me completely engrossed and the characters were truly broken wonderful characters. I loved stepping into Teal and Dare's world. The family and friends that surrounded them I thought were great secondary characters. Great read!

BLACKOUT is a skin-crawling thriller full of tension, mystery, adrenaline, and more than just a dollop of steamy romance.
-pooled ink Reviews

Teal is eight and running away from the monster. Dare grabs her but he really can’t help the monster from getting her is only eleven. Dare asked Teal why someone had tried to kill her and all Teal could say was “ I Don’t Remember”. Then Teal comes to in a hollowed out log. Teal sees Dare coming to her with blood dripping off him and his hand is shaking. Dare is totally traumatized and won’t speak. Teal knows Dare has seen the slaughter.. Then several people call for Tara and find her and Dare. Teal’s father is one of the people. Then the sheriff thinks Dare has hurt Teal and takes Dare away. Ten years later Teal comes home for her maternal grandmother as she is going blind it had been two years since teal had been home.. When Teal was eight her mother left without a word just a couple days before Teal was found in Gator swamp. Teal has no memory of her mother. After Teal had been found in Gator Swamp she started having blackouts. Teal had a lot of treatments for blackouts but doctors could not figure out why Teal had them. Some doctors thought it was epilepsy. One doctor thought Teal was schizophrenic. Teal definitely had panic disorder because when the flashes of light swirl in her mind she freaks out because she knew next was another moment of time gone completely erased from her memory. When Teal and her dad lived in Paris for the two years she had no blackouts but one and that is when she lost her virginity. Teal’s dad was an international lawyer. The doctors told Teal she was cured. Yet Teal had a blackout on her way home and totaled the SUV and ended up in the swamp, she would have died there if Dare hadn’t pulled her out of the SUV. But dare was a very different person now a hard man and he told her he hated her for ruining his life. Kami had been Teal’s best friend and lived next store but teal had stopped texting and calling her when she made new friends in Pairs. But Kami forgave teal. Teal’s father had stayed in Paris to work. As time goes on Dare is always there to rescue teal from men, when she blacks out, when ever she unknowingly needs him. Then after a fight at the bar Dare didn’t start that Teal now works at even with her broken arm she has to take Dare to his home as he has been hurt and can’t drive. Teal freaks out by the swamp but Dare gets her through it somehow Teal feels safe with Dare. She tapes up Dare’s broken ribs and is way to attracted to dare. But because of Teal Dare is labeled a sex offender had been since he was eleven and dare couldn’t become the vet he always wanted to be Teal has never felt what she feels for Dare.
This is an excellent story and I absolutely loved it. It catches you interest right from the beginning and holds it until you finish the very last page. I didn’t want to stop reading. The action and the mystery totally kept you reading. I loved how no matter what Dare was always there for Teal even though he felt she ruined his life. But Teal told everyone Dare didn’t hurt her she was sure of that. I loved the plot and the way the characters interacted. I loved Dare and Teal together. I also loved the ins and outs of this story and I highly recommend.

Brilliant! This book was right up my alley. I haven’t read a book in ages that had me glued to the pages. I love a good romantic suspense/thriller and Blackout fit the bill beautifully. The story kept me thinking I might know what happened…but then something would shift and throw me off, ah the the mystery was definitely there and really well done.

The romantic connection between Dare and Teal was undeniable. I loved the feeling of push and pull between them, yet they couldn’t do anything about it. They truly were stuck and not able to act on anything, even with all the feelings bubbling below the surface. My friends, this was a fantastic and intense slow burn.

I knew Dare was one of the good guys and while he was tough, he was a good soul. But there were a lot of other characters in this book; there were good guys, there were tough guys, and there were bad guys. I had a vibe who I thought was THE bad guy(s), but didn’t know how to piece it together. I could eliminate person by person as I read, but I couldn’t figure out what happened…yet it was right at my fingertips. This is why I loved this story and was utterly addicted, I love a good mystery and this one was fantastic. As close as I got to guessing everything I just couldn’t and it was done so well.

What left me scratching my head? I didn’t like how everybody wanted to sexually assault Teal. It happened so often when she was younger, and then it was happening again in the present now that she’s older. It didn’t strike me as realistic. Yes, I know there are creeps out there, but this felt like that almost every single man around every single corner was doing this to her. Also, if these guys (like the Collins twins) were for real I would be scared out of my mind. If that happened to me I would be so worried that they would be coming to my house at night, yet there was no sense of stalking that should have gone along with it…and that’s why this is unrealistic. However, I know this is a story so I kept going.

The ending was perfect. The right amount of me freaking out, followed by closure that was so satisfying in so many ways. I can’t say more, but there was a happy ending with lots of answers.

Rec this? If you love an edgy romantic suspense, then YES YES YES. I also do need to warn that this is not for the faint of heart, so if you feel like adult topics or sensitive issues would bother you, this is not for you. However, if all those things are ok, this is a great add for your TBR. Ms. Myers has a gift for weaving a complex and compelling tell, all while fitting in a sexy romance. I can’t wait to start book 2!