Review (Randi): The LENGTHS this book went to make me cry!

Title: Lengths

Author: Steph Campbell & Liz Reinhardt
Publisher: Createspace
Publication Date: August 9th, 2012
Page Count: 640 (on my Nook)
Genre: contemporary romance
Audience: new adult
Source: bought the ebook
Rating: 4 I would spend all day at the beach with this book, snuggling and surfing (well, if I learned how to surf first)

Goodreads Summary: 
Nineteen-year-old Whit Conrad leaves her conservative Pennsylvania home for sunny California, looking for independence, a fresh start, and a place to stash her grief. She promptly finds a job at a tattoo parlor, a craptastic first apartment, and one friend—Ryan—who is a little less friend, a little more benefits. 

Deo Beckett is a soulful surfer with a passion for tattoos and beautiful women. On the eve of his twenty-second birthday, he finds himself living with his grandfather, recently unemployed, and seriously adrift. He doesn’t know much about what he wants out of life, but he does know his current situation isn't cutting it. 

When Deo meets Whit, she’s all sexy makeup and fierce, smart-ass fun. It doesn’t take him long to see past her tough shell. And when he gets a good look at what's under all the superficial stuff that usually gets his attention, it leaves Deo wondering if there might be more to life than living fast and free. 

Too bad Whit has a past she doesn't plan on sharing—no matter how hot Deo is. She might want him, but she knows better than to let her guard down. 

Deo falls for Whit, and falls hard. But everything about her, down to that mysterious tattoo and the way she thrashes in her sleep, tells him that the girl he loves is hiding something. And the more he pushes for answers, the more Whit pulls away. 

Having your guard up is one thing, but are the lengths Whit goes to to protect her secret worth throwing away the second chance she has at happiness with Deo? 

Note: this is a New Adult romance (not YA), so there are steamy bits & lots of swearing.

My thoughts:  First off, I have to mention why I picked up this book in the first place because I probably wouldn't have read it without the huge recommendations I got from Amanda @ Letters Inside Out and Preet @ A Written Rhapsody! (Thanks, ladies!) Although I love romance in my books, I'm really picky when it comes to books labeled as romance. But the tattoos, the beach-town setting, and mystery regarding Whit completely caught my attention and I knew I needed to read this! And I'm so glad I did.

Deo and Whit are those kind of characters that I'd love to be friends with. They've both got their demons, but they both grow a lot throughout the novel as well. (And they both seem like a blast to hang out with.) They definitely act like their ages as well (Whit's 19 & Deo's 22), so it was nice to read about characters whose actions and dialogue fit their age so well. The secondary characters aren't super developed, but I absolutely loved Deo's grandpa. Dude is hilarious. At one point he asks Deo "Why haven't you brought that girl of yours around here? Afraid if she met me, she'd leave you for a real man?" or something to that effect. And that's just the tip of the iceberg. He was actually my favorite character. And Rocko and Marigold are likable as well.

It might seem like the book starts out instalove-y, but I'd say it's more like insta-lust, which for me is completely in the realm of possibility, so it didn't bug me. The shifting forward in the timeline without specifically knowing where in time we were supposed to be was slightly annoying, but didn't throw me off too much. This book is a bucketful of heart-wrenching, tear-jerking, laughing out loud, tension-filled wonderfulness. Nothing is picture perfect at any turn, and that dose of realism in a romance totally gets a big thumbs up from me. While I like lovey dovey romances occasionally, it's refreshing to read about a relationship that feels true - two people, both with their own huge problems trying to figure things out. Love isn't perfect and I appreciate that this book gets that. I cheered for Deo and Whit never really knowing what was coming next because their characters seemed so real and therefore unpredictable. I really commend Steph Campbell & Liz Reinhardt on writing a really awesome dual-point-of-view novel that rings true and is enjoyable and unique. Whit and Deo's voices are very distinct and while sometimes I dislike dual-POV, it totally works here.

I recommend this to anyone looking to dip into New Adult romance or anyone just looking for a genuinely new and refreshing story.

FTC Disclaimer: All reviews are solely the opinions of Becky and/or Randi. We are not paid in any way for our reviews, and all opinions are 100% honest.