Series: Chadwell Hearts #1
Title: No One’s Angel
Author: Kelly Walker
Series: Chadwell Hearts #1
My Rating: 3 Stars
Good Reads Rating: 3.83 Stars
Content Rating: 18+ (language, sex, disturbing situations)
Pages: 390
Publisher: Self-Published
Check it out: Good Reads | Amazon | Barnes and Noble
Good Reads Summary:
Tess used to spend more hours than she’d care to admit playing her favorite computer game, using the nickname Angel. She could pretend her life was different, and she could pretend Arion was just a friend. But a girl needs more to keep her warm at night than pixels, and she traded her virtual heaven for a real-life hell. Now she’s on the run from a past she won’t talk about, and the only place she has to go is the doorstep of the friend she’s never actually met.
When Angel disappeared from their nightly games, it nearly destroyed Arion. He threw himself into work and women, but he can’t help knowing the one-night stands will never compare to the angel who haunts his dreams. At first, when she shows up soaking wet and scared-shitless on his doorstep, he thinks his prayers have been answered.
But the more Arion tries to keep Angel close, the more her fear drives her away. If they are ever going to have a chance for a future, they’ll first have to deal with the past that hasn’t forgotten her any more than she’s forgotten it–and Arion will have to learn how to let her go.
I received this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
No One’s Angel seemed to be pretty typical New Adult; girl running from terrible past, helped by absurdly hot and understanding guy. Who happens to have a lot of money. And owns a bar. And a farm. With horses.
The twist with No One’s Angel is that the main characters met through an online game. So they’ve been talking and flirting in this virtual environment, and when all hell breaks loose, Angel goes and finds Arion in the real world. They had a sweet relationship, although there were plenty of moments where Angel would be really upset, and Arion would be like, man I just want to have sex with you.
I’m sure that’s fairly accurate, but it also got kind of ridiculous.
Anyway. I was glad the conflict was serious, because sometimes in New Adult the conflict is really passive, aka this terrible thing happened to me in my past and now I have to deal with it before we can sleep together. No One’s Angel brought the conflict to Arion’s front door. Angel’s ex-boyfriend is bad news (drug cartel bad news) and Arion is an average guy-no superpowers, no armory at his disposal- so you are pretty concerned for his and Angel’s safety. It was kind of nice to have a guy who couldn’t just snap his fingers and make the problem go away. He was vulnerable as well, which raised the stakes.
Angel goes from being terrified to being awesome, but it takes a lot of work. And it also takes her finding something to live for. Seeing that transition was really nice and sweet and powerful.
There was a TON of language and adult situations, so if that bothers you, I don’t recommend this book for you. Angel’s story is one that doesn’t get told often in books, and its good that’s it out there, since it happens many times in real life; Angel runs from an abusive relationship that probably would have killed her.
Recommended for fans of the New Adult genre.
It’s free on Amazon and Barnes and Noble! Now you have no excuse.
