Dalton,
I loved you once. A love I thought irrevocable. A love I
mistakenly believed could transcend both time and circumstance. Under the
influence of my dimwitted, naïve, traitorous heart, I became intoxicated with
what I now know was simply a figment of my self-indulgent imagination. So drunk
on the feeling, I couldn’t see what was right in front of my face. So foolishly
enamored, I blindly followed my heart into the depths of an emotion that would
ravage me.
Years later, I know now what I wish I knew then. I am
stronger. Smarter. Tougher. I will not allow myself to be broken again.
I loved you.
I raged for you.
I wept for you.
And now, I’m letting you go.
Author’s Note: Under
the Influence is the journey of two childhood friends that spans the course of
five pivotal years in their lives. It is a story about their discovery of true
friendship as it blossoms into first love, their experience of crucial
sacrifice and ultimate betrayal, and their endurance of agonizing heartbreak on
the way to finding lasting redemption.
My Review
"I have always belonged to you. I will always belong to you. Regardless of what you've done, what you do, or what you will do, I will forever be yours. And that's my choice to make, whether you choose me or not.
ALL.THE.FEELS. I went into this book knowing that there was a possibility that it would make me cry. However, I didn't think it would tug on my heart strings right off the bat, but it did. I was pulled in to Spencer and Dalton's story and I could not put it down.
This book tackles some heavy subject matter and I feel like even though it is tagged that way, there needs to be a warning for those that could possibly not handle this. Because it was difficult to read just because it made my heart hurt.
Anyways- without giving much away, because I am all for diving in clueless, Dalton has not had an easy childhood, not even a little. Because of this he has not always made the best decisions. But deep down he was still a good kid that just got the shitty end of the stick. The only bright spot in his life is Spencer.
I liked Spencer a lot. She instantly came across as a genuine and compassionate person and I couldn't help but be drawn to her. It's no surprise that her and Dalton are drawn to one another. But Dalton's poor decisions catch up to him and lead to devastating outcomes. That's all I will say.
I have to admit I was surprised a little with how things turned out but I was so drawn into this story! I love the way everything worked out. This book was nothing like I expected, I never wanted it to end.
"I loved you. I raged for you. I wept for you. And now, I'm letting you go. Goodbye, Dalton.
ALL.THE.FEELS. I went into this book knowing that there was a possibility that it would make me cry. However, I didn't think it would tug on my heart strings right off the bat, but it did. I was pulled in to Spencer and Dalton's story and I could not put it down.
This book tackles some heavy subject matter and I feel like even though it is tagged that way, there needs to be a warning for those that could possibly not handle this. Because it was difficult to read just because it made my heart hurt.
Anyways- without giving much away, because I am all for diving in clueless, Dalton has not had an easy childhood, not even a little. Because of this he has not always made the best decisions. But deep down he was still a good kid that just got the shitty end of the stick. The only bright spot in his life is Spencer.
I liked Spencer a lot. She instantly came across as a genuine and compassionate person and I couldn't help but be drawn to her. It's no surprise that her and Dalton are drawn to one another. But Dalton's poor decisions catch up to him and lead to devastating outcomes. That's all I will say.
I have to admit I was surprised a little with how things turned out but I was so drawn into this story! I love the way everything worked out. This book was nothing like I expected, I never wanted it to end.
"I loved you. I raged for you. I wept for you. And now, I'm letting you go. Goodbye, Dalton.
5 STARS!
ARC provided in exchange for my HONEST review. Thank you!
ARC provided in exchange for my HONEST review. Thank you!
EXCERPT
Dalton POV:
And that’s when I see it.
The faded bruising high on the little girl’s cheek and the red welts that line it. A
slap mark.
I force a deep
breath through my nose and crack my neck, my natural response when stricken
with memories from my own past. The rage I feed upon, the anger that fuels me
to perform on a regular basis, skims dangerously close to the surface as my
fingers tighten around the crayon in my hand.
Her blue eyes
remain locked with mine. She watches closely for a moment, studying me
intently, then rises and leans her tiny body across the table to place her palm
on my cheek.
Normally I would
strongly object to anyone I don’t know putting their hands on me, but I remain
frozen as the warmth from her hand seeps into my skin. Huge tears sprout,
coating her eyes before she finally speaks.
“You’re one of us. I can
tell.”
She removes her
hand and places it on my chest, the burning beneath my ribcage strangely
anesthetized by the contact. “I know. “
She nods as she
focuses on her touch. “It hurts here. Where they break your heart.”
When I’m barely able to
nod my response, she offers me a defeated smile. My throat clogs with emotion I
haven’t felt in years,
and I’m forced to swallow
it deeply. Her eyes fall to my throat and then rise once again to meet mine.
“Yeah, I feel it
too.”
Author Bio:
L.B. Simmons is a graduate of Texas A&M University and
holds a degree in Biomedical Science.
She has been a practicing Chemist for the last 11 years. She lives with her husband and three
daughters in Texas and writes every chance she gets.
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