Going Under 

by Lexi Ryan

Don’t let the fact that this is the third book in a series deter you because if you haven’t read the others then you are in luck, this can definitely be read as a standalone novel, but you may want to give the others a try when you can fit them in.

From the first time Sebastian Crowe made his appearance in an earlier book (Spinning Out) I had a feeling that I was going to enjoy getting to know him, I have been hanging out for his book and now that it was here I couldn’t help but dive in; this was an indulgence that I just wasn’t going to feel any sense of remorse for, my family and sleep were forgotten. I’m not sure I can put a finger on what it is about him other than he just captivated my attention…so did he live up to my expectations?

Well, what do you think?????

I liked the fact that this was my chance to see his back story, the things that made him tick and to get a better understanding of the intensity of the love that he has for Alex, if that was even possible because he was all in and not afraid to show it either! He made sure that Alex was left in doubt about how he felt about her, and I loved him for that.

Alex was a difficult character to get a handle on somewhat, she had been through so much, the death of her twin, the subsequent hospitalisation and the resulting permanent scars that refused to let her forget those tragic events. I got why she felt she needed to get out of town at the first available opportunity but after two years away how she would fair now she was back? Sebastian had always had a major crush on Alex, but because of his relationship with her brother he never acted upon it, how much longer can he keep that to himself is debatable because working alongside her and taking class with her is going to test his resolve.

The element of secrecy and deceit that are present in the story is flabbergasting – I don’t mean that everything is an out and out lie, but there are more things left unsaid than could ever possible be healthy. Alex has so much yet to discover but what exactly will knowing the truth do to her? How will it affect what she not only thinks and feels about Sebastian? And how will he be able to reconcile his misconception that he needs to stay away from her, with the fact that his heart just can’t let her go?

I liked the pace and path of the book, the fact that there were nuggets of OMG moments, with clues that weren’t always easy to decipher. I worked for their story and that lifted the story in my opinion. The challenge was enticing. I found the interactions and conversations between the brothers and

I turned the last page with a sense of contentment and that isn’t always the case, I felt happy for the two of them. They had what they needed and that made what they had been through worthwhile…and I felt that rung true for me too, I got what I needed from the story which made every emotion I went through while reading it worthwhile too!