⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️4.5 STARS⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Who loved this book?

Me!!!!!

I was a little bit hesitant to pick up this book because I was first introduced to Zander when he was seven years old in Driven by K. Bromberg and it was impossible for me then put him in the book boyfriend category. For me, if I knew you as a child, I can never see you as a book boyfriend, it’s just creepy. That being said… I am so glad I read this book. I just adored Zander.

Down Shift by K. Bromberg was such a charming story, even though Zander can never be a book boyfriend for me. Again, creepy. But, he makes a really good book boyfriend for someone else.

This won’t be too messy, it will mostly be pretty (like me 🙂 )

Let’s hear from the author first…

Synopsis

Behind the wheel, racing champion Zander Donavan is at the top of his game. But after too much excess in his personal life, he’s forced to step away. He needs to accomplish something all on his own—outside of his famous father’s shadow.  

Getty Caster is running away from the abuse that clouds her past. She thinks she’s found the perfect escape—until she discovers a stranger in the beachside cottage she’d been promised. He’s undeniably sexy, but she’s there to heal. Alone.

Before long though, fighting with each other turns into fighting their attraction. And giving into desire sets off a chain reaction that has their pasts colliding. With an unexpected love on the line, can they overcome the fallout to build a future?

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Let’s get messy/pretty…

Everybody has that kid they grew up knowing turn into this really good looking man or woman, right? I know I do. But, no matter how easy on the eyes they are, I can only see them as that kid I’ve known their whole life. That’s what Zander was for me – a kid that grew up into a really good looking man. Because of that, you won’t see me say things like, “He’s so sexy!” – ew, sorry, that’s the only one I could stomach to get out but you get my point, hopefully.

That being said, he does have the making for someone else’s book boyfriend.

Getty is a whole other story, I just loved her. From the beginning to the end, she was my book homegirl. She was the type of woman I would want my son to date. Loved her.

Getty and Zander were both running away from something. As Getty was running towards a new life…

Time has given me that clarity. Distance has allowed me to realize that the only love I lost was for myself. – Getty

…Zander was trying to find a way to cope with his past, even if it meant hurting the man who raised him, Colton.

“I’m not your goddamn son, so quit acting like you’re my father!” – Zander

The way Getty and Zander met…. yassssssss! It was so perfect for the two of them. Getty is staying at her aunts house for the summer for free to “find herself” when Zander pops up saying he was told by a family friend that he will be staying at the house. Both of them want the other to leave but neither will back down and pack up and go.

“You’re an asshole.”

“If you want to insult me, Socks, you better think of something better than that, because that’s a not an insult when it’s a well-known fact.”

After they met, I just knew that Zander was going to be an asshole and was prepared to hate him. I had my attitude face on and fuck you boots ready. Luckily for me and Zander he showed his true colors over the course of the book and you could see how well  Rylee and Colton raised him well.

Let’s be honest here folks – any additional time we can get with Rylee and Colton is a plus! You have to have read Driven to understand 🙂

Zander ends up being everything Getty needed to heal at the most unexpected time. He tried to be an asshole to Getty, he really did but it didn’t work out the way. Instead of being an asshole, he was one of the kindest people Getty had ever met in her fucked up life.

When you’ve never known kindness like this, it’s easy to give a part of yourself to the person who shows it, because when all you have are broken pieces to begin with, who’s going to miss one more little piece? – Getty

They both had invisible scars that were so deep rooted that only acceptance from yourself can heal. But when you can add acceptance from someone else in the mix – that’s magnificent.

Getty was beautiful, smart and resilient but it just took someone else to show her that. (coughs) Zander.

Zander had a family who loved him unconditionally even when he felt like he didn’t deserve it.

Two people, two broken hearts, and two lifeless souls…

I kind of feel like Getty and Zander could be me or you, a friend, a sister, a brother because they were so relatable. There pain was real and deep. The writing was perfect. Some might think that the Zander’s storyline was too simple but if you knew where he started from as a child you can see why this simple thing wasn’t that simple. 

Zander grew up in an abusive household before his biological father killed his biological mother. He knew the signs of a woman who was abused and scared. He wanted to be Getty’s safe place, to help save her in the way he wasn’t able to save his mother.

Getty grew up in a house were emotional abuse ran just as deep a physical abuse might.

“You don’t have to hit to leave bruises, Getty.” – Zander

I really enjoyed the banter between the two of them, it was so entertaining. It was the perfect amount of humor to ground the reader in an emotional story. Oh, the way the just got each other. I don’t know how to put it, all I can say is that they had a way of understanding what the other needed without even having to talk about it first. Priceless!

Now let me tell why Getty is my girl… When Zander’s actions made her question his motives she knew how to stand up for herself. Her journey to find her self-worth was achieved because she knew that a successful relationship needed more than just love, truth was also vital.

Love doesn’t fix everything. Trust and honesty are huge factors too.. And I’ve lived without all three of those for so long. Is it really so bad to require them the next go-round? – Getty

That’s what I’m talking about! Love yourself first, baby girl! She wanted Zander but she was prepared to be without him because she was worth more.

Now let me tell you why Zander was a man of honor… When he knew Getty wasn’t putting up with no bullshit, he was willing to show her why he deserved her.

Have patience. But not too much. When there’s something you want, go after it. But if there’s something worth your while you want bad enough, be patient.

My heart was all over the place throughout this book. I cried, I laughed, I got pissed, I felt joy, I felt everything. This book was EVERYTHING!

“Just remember, more hearts break from words left unspoken than from saying too much.” – Rylee

This story reminds us that there are many forms of heartbreak and loads of ways to become a victim of it. Hopefully, this book also reminds you of how important it is to find a way to heal from it.

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Zander was more than just Getty’s lover, he was her best friend. Their love story will always be one of my favorites.

His love roared loader than my demons. And he made me want to be found again. – Getty

This was so worth the re-read, so much so I even brought it in paperback and that is rare for me. As a woman who read it twice, trust me, it’s so worth giving it a try!

I told you this one wasn’t going to be messy, I kept it all the way pretty.

TTYL……….