[Review: Under The Dusty Sky by Allie Brennan]

"Under The Dusty Sky"
Author: Allie Brennan
Series: Holloway Farms #1
Pages: ?
Genre: YA, Contemporary, Romance
Date Published: May 2013
Publisher: Self Published (Allie B Books)
Format Read: eARC provided by author for honest review

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Summary:

Sixteen-year-old Graceland Holloway doesn’t believe in perfect love, or love at all thanks to her mother. But she does believe in perfect memories.

And she gets them.

The perfect first crush, the perfect recital, the perfect summer with her best friend, the perfect first kiss…

When her oldest brother leaves the Holloway farm, Gracie meets the gorgeous new farm hand, eighteen-year-old Bentley McKinna.

Thinking he’ll be easy, like all boys are, Gracie plans his role in her next perfect memory…

The perfect first time.

~

Bentley knows it’s all a game he can’t afford to play.

But there’s only so much a guy can take… especially from someone like Gracie.

-Goodreads 

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My Thoughts:

Under The Dusty Sky was one of those perfect summer reads.  It was fast, it was fun, it was full of almost too much chemistry (the romantic kind, not the kind your learn in a classroom) and a handful of well constructed drama.  I don't read too many books that are set of a farm, but I liked this one a lot!

The story isn't something that is entirely new.  Rich, LA boy decides to get away and ends up working on a farm in the middle of nowhere and living with the family.  But somehow Brennan does a wonderful job with everything she wanted to include in this story.  A story all about a girl on the verge of her 16th birthday and the beautiful boy who falls into her lap, launching her newest plan to lose her virginity.  

The romance plays the biggest role in this novel.  The chemistry is off the charts and yet teases us without showing us almost anything.  I couldn't get over how much I loved Bentley and Graceland's interactions with each other.  He's older and it shows, but it makes for some really fun times out on the farm.

Gracie is so headstrong and so much of flirt that it's almost annoying.  She damaged by the fact that people seem to keep leaving her.  She victimizes herself so much that you can't decide if you want to yell at her or hug her.  I have to admit that I wasn't her biggest fan, but I don't think that you have to love every character to the fullest point to love their story.  Others will love her more than I do, that I'm sure of.

Bentley had a great role in this book and I kinda loved him.  He's trying to figure out his life and the last thing that he needs is a beautiful, overly intense girl trying to get him in bed with her.  He's trying to get away from his old life and instead gets so much more than he was bargaining for.  It's quite funny to watch, actually.  I think that he is just what Gracie needed and in a way Gracie helped him grow up as well.

I know I said that the romance is the main point of this book, but Brennan layers in some really interesting family dynamics as well.  Gracie's dad and 3 brothers are amazing!  I loved each and every one of them for different reasons.  They all added such interesting layers to the story, showing so many different sides of both of our main characters through their interactions!  There is so much pain left behind by Gracie's mom leaving, even if she left years ago.  It's an interesting thing to see. 

All in all Under The Dusty Sky  is a brilliant beginning to what is sure to one heck of an awesome series!

Rating:

  4 Unicorns = Close to perfect!