Review: Addicted To You & Ricochet by Krista & Becca Ritchie + Best Friends Romance Week Giveaway!

I was excited to read this book because it featured a best friends romance and I also thought the addiction plot sounded intriguing. Never read anything with a sex addict and I was curious to see how it went. I ended up loving it way more than I thought I was going to.

Past Reviews
Memoirs of a Teenage Amnesiac by Gabrielle Zevin
The Queen of Kentucky by Alecia Whitaker
Being Friends With Boys by Terra Elan McVoy
Winter Town by Steve Emond
Siege and Storm by Leigh Bardugo
Hunting Lila & Saving Lila by Sarah Alderson
Frigid by Jennifer L. Armentrout

Upcoming...
Last day discussion post of other favorite best friends romances I've read

Addicted To You (Addicted #1)
by Krista & Becca Ritchie

Release Date: July 1, 2013
Publisher: Self-Published
Pages: 324
Genre: New Adult Contemporary
Source: Won
Purchase: Amazon | B&N | Smashwords
Haunt Author: Website | Twitter

No one would suspect shy Lily Calloway’s biggest secret. While everyone is dancing at college bars, Lily stays in the bathroom. To get laid. Her compulsion leads her to one-night stands, steamy hookups and events she shamefully regrets. The only person who knows her secret happens to have one of his own. Loren Hale’s best friend is his bottle of bourbon. Lily comes at a close second. For three years, they’ve pretended to be in a real relationship, hiding their addictions from their families. They’ve mastered the art of concealing flasks and random guys that filter in and out of their apartment. But when they go on a family boat trip, surrounded by open seas and limited male bodies in sight, Lily’s confronted with a big fear. Only one guy onboard can fill her addiction, and she’s sworn off going there with Loren Hale ever again. Now the only person who can truly help her can barely help himself.

ADD TO GOODREADS

Addicted To You was highly addictive! Pun intended. Addictions come in so many forms especially nowadays with technology. People have literally died from playing video games for so long without remembering to eat, drink, and sleep. I took an addiction class in college and the main thing the teacher said was that you have to ask the question, is this interfering with my life? Is this affecting my job, school, friends, family and other important daily things? Sometimes it can be a thin line that you cross one day and can never get back from.

Lily's addiction is sex. She watches porn, has one night stands, and masturbates. While these things are no big deal in moderation they do affect Lily on a daily basis. She uses sex as a high to escape. She avoids friends and family so she doesn't have to explain why she is grabbing random men and taking them to the bathroom. She watches porn on her laptop in class. She is continually seeking a bigger high by even meeting strangers off Craig's list. Her addiction is becoming more and more dangerous.

Lo's addiction is alcohol. He is drunk all day everyday. Usually drinks until he passes out at night. He also has no friends and avoids family so no one will question his drinking. Steals expensive drinks from parties. Lily's worries his need for alcohol will one day kill him. But neither wants to give up their addiction so they continue to enable each other. Both want the other to stop but don't want to stop themselves. Back in high school they even began a fake relationship so they could hide away from everyone else.

I love a good dysfunctional couple but over time I found myself really truly caring for these two. I found their friendship to be very deep and special. I thought it was kind of obvious that Lo was into her the way he would tease her and flirt even during times when they weren't pretending to be a couple. Lily uses boys and has this addiction and she doesn't want to use Lo. He is the one person who has always been there for her and she won't have him become that. She doesn't want to cheat on him.

While they're stuck on a boat Lo wants to feed Lil's addiction and also be more to her. Be enough so she doesn't have to seek her high with other guys. Lil is scared that her addiction will cause her to cheat. Then as I was reading I became a bit of an enabler because I loved them together and I didn't want them to part for treatment. Also at first it seemed to help them both. Lily wasn't out with strangers in dangerous situations and Lo cut down on liquor so he could be there for Lil when her addiction called. But you can't just cut down on your addiction and eventually you hit bottom. I think the strength of the relationship and how well they understand each other will help both of them get through it. They want to be better for the other person and I am hoping they can be happy and healthy alone so they can be happy and healthy together. I can see how it would be especially hard for Lo to stop enabling Lil because he doesn't want to cause her to cheat on him. That is a difficult situation.

I just read straight through this book it was so good and I was so into Lo and Lil. I also loved Lil's sisters and Lil and Lo's new friends Connor and Ryke. It is really hard for Lil and Lo to let people in so it was nice to see them start to try. Being a female and a sex addict was difficult for Lil. There is still such a bad social stigma with females and sexuality so imagine having to tell your parents or your sisters about your addiction. I really felt Lil and Lo's pain as they faced their demons. Even without having an addiction problem I could easily sympathize and relate to the characters in different ways. I'm rooting for them. I just loved it but I know it won't be for everyone.




"A vibrator isn't going to help," I say opening my eyes.
"Why not? Are you out of batteries?"

"I have to figure out what I'm going to wear tonight"
"Are you serious?" Lo snaps. "You're going on a date with the devil. All you need is some pepper spray and a fire extinguisher."
Ryke nods to me. "Who's he talking about?"
"My sister, Rose."
"Huh." He watches Connor go to the foyer.
"She's a fashion designer," Connor tells us. "She's going to judge me on what I wear."

"What you believe about me is probably right. I'm a rich asshole who has everything. And I like it."

"I'll always be yours. No distance or time apart will change that, Lily. You need to believe that."

Rating: 5/5


Ricochet (Addicted #1.5)
by Krista & Becca Ritchie

Release Date: August 1, 2013
Publisher: Self-Published
Pages: 290
Genre: New Adult Contemporary
Source: Purchased
Purchase: Amazon | B&N  
Haunt Author: Website | Twitter

As a sex addict, Lily Calloway must do the impossible. Stay celibate for 90 days. Cravings and fantasies become her new routine, but while Loren Hale recovers from his alcohol addiction, Lily wonders if he’ll realize what a monster she really is. After all, her sexual compulsions begin to rule her life the longer she stays faithful to him. Progress. That’s what Lily’s striving for. But by trying to become closer to her family—people who aren’t aware of her addiction—she creates larger obstacles. When she spends time with her youngest sister, she learns more about her than she ever imagined and senses an unsettling connection between Daisy and Ryke Meadows. With Lily and Lo’s dysfunctional relationship teetering and unbalanced, they will need to find a way to reconnect from miles apart. But the inability to “touch” proves to be one of the hardest tests on their road to recovery. Some love brushes the surface. Some love is deeper than skin. Lily and Lo have three months to discover just how deep their love really goes. Includes the first chapter to the sequel Addicted for Now.

ADD TO GOODREADS

This is a full length companion novel to the sequel. It connects the first book to the second book which will release in November. It explores the three months that Lo is away in treatment and Lily works on her addiction separated from him. I'm so glad it was longer because I definitely needed a bigger dose to fill my own addiction to this series.

While Lo is away Lil is living with her sister Rose who is helping her find a sex addiction therapist. Lil continues to struggle with not cheating on Lo. I was soooo nervous the whole time chanting in my head please don't cheat on Lo. Three months is a very long time for Lil to go without sex but she throws herself into school and working at Rose's company. She also tries to spend more time with her family and chaperones her little sister Daisy's birthday party with Ryke.

It was nice getting to see Ryke, Lily, and Daisy spend time together. Ryke is kind of a jerk but I think he is a good guy and has the best intentions. He cares so much for Lo that he is willing to watch and help Lil with her addiction to make sure she doesn't hurt Lo. Daisy seems to have her own adrenaline junky addiction.

It really helped to understand Lily by seeing more of her family life. Especially insightful glimpse into their lives and the sisters problems when they attend a party for her dads company. There were also flashbacks showing Lil and Lo's relationship and those were my favorite part of the book. I loved getting to know their friendship on a deeper level and how things changed. It really showed how much they love each other, understand each other, and I think will be good for each other.

Lil worries about how Lo is doing in rehab and if once they get their addictions under control will they still be able to be together. Will Lo still want her? Does she cause him to drink? Will she ever figure out why she is like this? Why can't she have sex like a normal person? Will Lo want to be with someone so broken?

Lil faces her demons and is desperate to get to the bottom of her problems. She so badly wants to love Lo and be with him in a healthy way. I truly felt for her as she wondered why she wasn't normal and desperately wanted to change and worked so hard trying to be better. It is a life long struggle that Lil will have to fight daily but I think the strength of her love for Lo will help her.

This also included the first chapter for the next book, Addicted For Now, and I was so happy because that is when we see Lo return. It was kind of a tease because I desperately need the next book now! As soon as I finished I just wanted to start it all over again.




"That's right. Lo put a firecracker in his backpack in retaliation." Her smiles fades. "I wish I had a friend like that."

"You think more perverted things than any fucking guy I know."
Guilty.

"Lo," I interject. Please don't leave me just yet.
"Yeah?"
"I'm waiting for you." I love you.

"This battle is a forever sort of thing."

"I love you," he says again, "and no other man will ever say those words and mean them the way I do."

Rating: 5/5

~Giveaway~
To celebrate the week I bought some extra books for giveaways!
There will be at least 5 winners. 2 US & 3 INT.
To keep things open INT I am offering two of the eBooks that will be reviewed this week as well. May pick extra winners for eBooks depending on entries. 
You can comment every day for extra points! 

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