I was lucky enough to be given the chance to read this revised telling of Callen and Sterling’s story. I received an ARC copy of this story and am now voluntarily sharing my thoughts.

Crash & Burn was AJ Nicole’s debut novel. She has since went on to publish more stories and is event a Best-selling author of When Night Falls. After growing as a writer, she decided to go back and give her first characters the story she felt they deserved.

Sterling is a young adult, 23 year old, trying to find her way in the world on her own with only her best friend Dakota at her side. After having a tumultuous upbringing, with her father emotionally abusing her mother for years, cheating and then blaming her mother for the cheating and finally leaving in her preteens and her mother spiraling and mentally checking out, essentially leaving her and her brother to fend for themselves, she sets out on her own with only her clothes and abandonment issues and negative self worth to her name.

Callen is the son of wealthy business owner, in line to take over the family business. With his own family issues and secrets in tow, he lives a life devoid of emotions. Well, all except the anger he feels for his father.

When a freak car accident causes Sterling to lose her car and her job, she stumbles into the car dealership Callen just happens to be the CEO of. Sparks fly and secrets reveal themselves.

Is this story hot and full of spice? Yes, absolutely. However, this story is also chock full of character development. I absolutely love Sterling’s growth. I personally could relate to Sterling’s tendency to believe she was at fault for everyone leaving, her tendency to believe she could never please anyone, and her tendency to believe she was not good enough.

Her relationship with Callen, as well as her relationship with Dakota, helps bring awareness to her struggles and that just maybe she may not be at fault for everyone else’s action.

From Sterling’s words:

I once thought life was out to get me. A crashing course to nowhere land, setting me up for utter failure and putting me in the spotlight of damaging rejection. But I have to believe now that everything happens for a reason. And while the journey to happiness may not always be a fun one, dealing bumps in the road and harsh fears, sometimes if we just hang on a little longer and believe in our ability to get where we belong, it’ll all turn out okay.

And maybe we’ll find someone who truly gets us along the way.

This story was my first foray into AJ Nicole’s Pain and Pleasure Series, but it will not be my last. I know the second one focuses on Dakota, and I am personally hoping for one focusing on Jax, maybe? One can hope, right?

Anyways, go check out this wonderful revised version of the first story in this contemporary romance series.