Functioning Insanity Reviews: Not hard to see why I fell for Love's Paradox by Laura Kreitzer

So now that I'm not sleeping 19 hours a day, yes I was sick. I knew it was bad, I love me some sleep like the next person and when I don't sleep well for days it's not unheard of for me to sleep 12-14 hrs once and recharge but that much for multiple days and feeling icky nope. Two shots in the behind and another day to let the other meds kick in and I was much more me again. Yes with my days of you'd think I could get so much reading done but sadly when I say I slept it was too hard to hold my eyes open for a good book or even a movie/show. Serious business that is.

Goodreads / Amazon / B&N

Now I'm catching back up. I want to say thank you again to all of you who participated in my very first giveaway. A very good friend and someone who entered herself asked me recently who won as I didn’t make an announcement. My apologies to anyone who was waiting for a big announcement, I simply put the winner in the little entry contraption and contacted them personally to get the details for the delivery. So a bit late but yeah the winner was Donna! Who received her book and cookies and is enjoying them! This is a learning process and next time I promise to make it clearer for everyone so any and all feedback, thank you.

*****Update/Announcement type information finished onto Book Love*****

Now the main reason for my post today is not only to say yes I'm still alive but because I finished two great books and I'm ready to review the first of which, Love's Paradox by Laura Kreitzer. I received this book NetGalley and Revolution Publishing Inc. for my thoughts and an honest review. This was originally an ARC but with being sick and all I'm a bit behind but bright side is you don't have to wait Love's Paradox is available now.

Love's Paradox is a New Adult book and as such has more adult material inside as the characters are just past teenagers. Just a warning for those who don't want any steaming love scenes, stronger violence/action/themes or yes language. To each their own, I find the New Adult section to be a good progression of all the things I love about YA and just progressing further.

With that said I adored this book. I started it at lunch one day and then accidentally stayed up until 3am to finish it. Yes accidentally because I only meant to read for an hour before bed but the next thing I knew it was over and it was well past bed time for my early morning ahead. I couldn’t put it down and had no desire to check my clock, aka phone, I was so immersed. The book doesn't cover a large span of time really things happen pretty quickly and as a result you think, 'well I have to know what happens next' at every chapter end.

The story is about Rae who is getting over her abusive ex-fiancé who has turned stalker. She decides to send a clear message one night signing a song about their past and he doesn't take it well. When he tries to stop her a strong, sexy, and somewhat intimidating hero comes to the rescue in the biker bar. His violent intervention, while deserved doesn't sit as well with Rae but yet as they talk they have a connection. Even as she attempts to ignore her attraction to him she can't win and their bond will be tested. Her ex-fiancé's twisted mind and violent proclivities are not to be easily dismissed.

The cover was catchy, the title intriguing, and the summary made me want to learn more about Raw. As per usual I'm all about characters. Rae is a strong female character I can get behind but she is also someone who has a lot of issues that come through the tough exterior. I liked her and I wanted things to work out for her. Hearing about her past I felt like she was a good friend of mine and I wanted to take care of her. Then you have Parker. He is a contradiction to so many things but I fell for him. He was easy to make into a sexy bad boy with a heart of gold book boyfriend, but he was more than a cliché. There were some things about him that seemed 'too good to be true' at first but as you dig into the character it really worked.

It's clear from their first lines that there is something between these characters which I adore. There is nothing worse than being forced to see how characters should be together because it's intended. Rae and Parkers connection with all its problems and differences feels natural. The back and forth banter between them had me giggling like a school girl with her first crush. At one point I dropped my kindle (thankfully only onto the couch and it was in a case) because I was laughing so hard at some points.

And of course you have to consider the vindictive ex, who is a trip and very authentic. There are people like this out there everywhere and he was just the right balance. Or the best friends. As someone who has a few friends who I would do pretty much anything for and don't know how I would survive without them just being there to keep me sane sometimes I can love a book friendship almost more than a romance if it feels like friends I would have. I could easily see myself hanging out with Cherry and Hunter without fail.

There were pop culture references for readers to enjoy and something that I LOVED the title tie in. I'm all about a pretty cover and catchy title but if you can make it tie into the story, especially at a critical moment, it really hits home. Love's Paradox, did it in spades. Also something I greatly appreciate is valid information. I know not everyone has my previous job history and might not catch onto some simple legal flaws but to know someone was able to put correct terminology in there is refreshing.

I easily give Love's Paradox 5 shinning stars. It will make your day or night fly by. Pick it up and enjoy the beautifully complex characters and the fight to find ones happiness when your past keeps trying to get in the way. Tell me in the comments below your thoughts on love and romance. Any crazy stalker ex's?