Author: Jen McLaughlin
Genre: Romance, New Adult
Published on: April 30, 2013, self-published
Desperate to break free…
I've spent my entire life under my father’s thumb, but now I'm finally free to make my own choices. When my roommate dragged me to my first college party, I met Finn Coram and my life turned inside out. He knows how to break the rules and is everything I never knew I wanted. A Marine by day and surfer by night, he pushes me away even as our attraction brings us closer. Now I am finally free to do whatever I want. I know what I want. I choose Finn.
Trying to play by the rules...
I always follow orders. My job, my life, depends on it. I thought this job would be easy, all the rules were made crystal clear, but when I met Carrie Wallington, everything got muddy. She's a rule I know I shouldn't break, but damn if I don’t inch closer to the breaking point each time I see her. I’m ready to step out of line. And even worse? I’m living a lie. They say the truth will set you free, but in my case…
The truth will cost me everything.
If I could choose a few novels that represent my "cup of tea" when it comes to reading, Out of Line would be among them. Although I’m a guy, I enjoy romance novels (as long as they don’t gush over the male protagonist or have a shirtless dude on the cover). This is the kind of book I wish I’d written if I were an author. I liked the relationship between Finn and Carrie. It develops steadily over the course of the book. They first start out as friends, but right from the start they're aware that they feel something stronger towards each other.
Finn is supposed to be a student at the same college Carrie attends. However, he has a secret of his own: he's Carrie's bodyguard. Finn was sent by her father to make sure she's safe at all times. Yeah, he's that kind of father. I'm frankly horrified by how far this man will go to "protect" Carrie. He's so overly paranoid it's not funny: this weirdo went so far as to have two guards watch Carrie sleep. If he could have some Secret Service agents follow his daughter around (perhaps with a helicopter or two and a SWAT team just in case), he would. It's no wonder that a suffocated Carrie flat-out refused to have a bodyguard. Her father agreed but slipped her one under the table anyway.
This is a tough situation for Finn, who shows himself to Carrie after she senses his presence. From there on, an intense attraction develops between the two. Finn, however, is reluctant to give in to his desires because he doesn't want to lose his job. He also has more to lose if he fails this mission. Heart ends up winning over mind, making Finn unable to find excuses to keep away from Carrie. She likes him, but is confused as to why Finn seems to want her, yet is afraid to go further. When Finn falls in love with Carrie, he knows he'll have to tell her the truth sooner or later, or risk losing her.
Carrie is perhaps one of the best female characters I've read about in a novel. Despite her crazy, paranoid excuse for a father, she turned out quite well. Carrie is a responsible, model student. She’s highly selfless and sort of a philanthropist. Carrie’s family regularly sends her too much money, so she gives most of it away. At night, Carrie leaves some of her name-brand clothes for other students to take. Carrie also gives out gift cards to people in need (this is kind of weird; I’d feel thankful but a little confused if I met a girl down the street and she handed me a gift card). To keep her from seeming too goody two-shoes, Carrie also has the rebellious streak typical of people her age. This rebellion is mostly directed at her father. Carrie seems to like defying him, and she does a lot of it throughout the book.
Finn is also a great character. It's nice to read a New Adult or romance novel whose main lovers aren't deeply broken people. Carrie's a little perturbed, but otherwise is very emotionally stable. Finn has no inner demons that affect his ability to interact with people, either. He's a Marine, and as one of the youngest in his squad, he was picked to protect Carrie. What Finn doesn't count on is falling in love with her. Though Carrie sends his hormones in a frenzy (often making Finn imagine what she'd feel or taste like), Finn never takes advantage of her. The courteous, respectful way in which Finn treats Carrie influences her falling in love with her. She also falls for him because he's her type (and, ironically, he's so not the type of man her father would want for his daughter).
If you're into New Adult or romance novels, you should get this one. I was surprised to find that Out of Line is Jen McLaughlin's debut novel. The story's very well written, the formatting exceeds the average self-published book, and the characters were well fleshed-out and likable. I can't wait to find out what's next for Carrie and Finn. Will they have a HEA, or not? This is just the beginning of their story, so anything could happen. I'm definitely reading the next book.
My rating: ★★★★ 1/2
4.5 stars - A fantastic page-turner!
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