Have you ever gone just a little too far? Lexie Banks has… She’s torn between falling in love with the man she shouldn’t want and the man she can’t have. And she isn’t sure how she can live with herself either way.
Okay, I have to admit, the moment I read the blurb for this book, I knew I wanted to read it. I mean, a double taboo?! I’m not usually a love triangle fan but this one had my attention just because it seemed so… different! We’re talking a stepbrother and a priest here! This was not your average love triangle!
The story followed Lexie who, after her boyfriend of over three years cheats on her felt that she needs a fresh start and accepted a one year scholarship to study abroad in Italy. But first, she spent the summer back home and two days before she left something happened…. she had mind blowing sex with her stepbrother!
She and Trent had been very close ever since their parents married each other. While they may not have grown up together, there had always been the ‘undercurrent’ of something more between them. Over the last several years, they had bonded over a shared understanding of what it was like to survive a broken family and had always supported each other. And then…
“All of a sudden, he isn’t my stepbrother. He’s everything I’ve ever wanted.”
Eeeep!!
Ok, honestly though, it really didn’t feel that awkward between them… I mean, okay, sure, a leeeeetle bit at first just ‘cuz, you know… but honestly it didn’t feel quite as dangerously ‘taboo’ as I expected and they really kind of just felt right together. Or at least, I was definitely rooting for them. But still… I mean, given the situation, it wasn’t exactly smooth sailing.
“So what happens now?”
And that’s when I come crashing back to Earth – and reality.
I just had totally mind-blowing sex with my stepbrother.
And I’m leaving for Rome in two days.
Which is a good thing because I just had totally mind blowing sex with my stepbrother.
Once she got to Italy, Lexie headed to confession feeling guilty over her night with Trent and the fact that she couldn’t stop thinking about him. After a somewhere lengthy (and pretty hilarious) confession, she turned to leave and ran smack into Reverend Moretti… soon to be known to us as Alessandro. Now see, Trent was just such an all-round nice guy — protective by nature but also a total sweetheart. I knew as soon as I met him who my choice would be. And I absolutely decided that I was NOT going to fall for the priest. Nu huh. Nope. Nope. Nope.
Well, that didn’t last too long and I have to admit, I did swoon when I met Alessandro. Personally though, I never was ‘torn’ between them as to which one Lexie should end up with still… there was swooning. Turns out, he was eight months away from being ordained but for all intents and purposes, he counted as a priest — we’re talking robes, vow of celibacy and the whole nine yards…. and when the Father at the confessional sent Lexie to work with Alessandro on a project at the museum (idle hands and all), they began to build… a friendship.
“I needed the perfect missionary for this job, and the Lord sent you.”
“Actually, it was Father Reynolds who sent me, on account of the fact that there weren’t enough Hail Marys I could possibly say to cover my ass.”
This worked out well because she wasn’t looking for a new relationship and he was sooooooo totally forbidden — like all the way straight-to-hell style forbidden. But the more they got to know each other, the more their feelings grew.
For the record, for those of you on the fence at the whole ‘priest’ thing. He wasn’t a saint. In fact, he was actually a reformed bad boy with some pretty shady spots in his past and while he was certainly devoted to his higher purpose now, it wasn’t always so.
Lexie was a fun heroine. She messed up, took leaps and I really enjoyed reading the story from her perspective. There were a few times when I wanted to shake her but generally, I really liked her.
While I did enjoy the book, I found the first half to be a little bit slow. But by the half way mark, it had really started to build and I pretty much just sat there madly flipping pages until the end. Things were all going down the wrong path! There were big “oh-noooo” moment, so many “almost” moments — the phone calls and texts between Trent and Lexie killed me! If only…. *sigh* I missed Trent and there was all that going on back home. But Alessandro was there but still so forbidden and just… yeah…
If it makes a difference, I loved the ending!! It was the one I wanted and I really appreciated that all the characters were very sensible about the way they handled the whole situation. The uncertainty was drawn out a little but it wasn’t taken too far keeping everything in the deliciously angsty territory. I also appreciated that things were resolved early enough in the book to give me a little time to bask in the happy glow before the end.
“Our hearts know. They always have.”
Overall, A Little Too Far was a really cute double taboo New Adult romance with just the right amount of angst, two swoony guys, and exactly the ending I’d hoped for.
The writing style was witty, easy flowing and drew me right into the story. I read it in one sitting — took me about 3 hours and I really just enjoyed it. And, obviously since this is a love triangle, only one guy “gets the girl” so the next book in the series, A Little Too Much, will tell the other guy’s story and be out in November 2013. I’m looking forward to it 🙂
4 – 4.5 stars
Kara Jimenez says
A priest as a love interest?! Holy cow. I think I have to read this just to find out how she managed to make a priest appealing sexually.
Aestas says
lol – yeah it was definitely different than the norm!
Kyle says
I don’t know how you didn’t fall for Alessandro more! I really did, he seemed so perfect! 🙂 I actually felt really bad for him all of a sudden questioning everything and was really rooting for him. Don’t get me wrong, I really thought the ending was great, but I couldn’t help but be a little sad. I can’t wait for the next book, hopefully it will fill the tiny void I have left over!! 🙂
Aestas says
In the review, I meant that I wasn’t “planning” to fall for him but I definitely swooned once I met him. I wasn’t torn between him and Trent though even though I liked them both individually. And I’m definitely looking forward to the next book 🙂
Lexie Mendicino says
Not only does the book sound awesome, but the main chick has my name, totally sold!