Blog Tour Review: Finding It by Cora Carmack

From the Back Cover:

Sometimes you have to lose yourself to find where you truly belong...

Most girls would kill to spend months traveling around Europe after college graduation with no responsibility, no parents, and no-limit credit cards. Kelsey Summers is no exception. She's having the time of her life . . . or that's what she keeps telling herself.

It's a lonely business trying to find out who you are, especially when you're afraid you won't like what you discover. No amount of drinking or dancing can chase away Kelsey's loneliness, but maybe Jackson Hunt can. After a few chance meetings, he convinces her to take a journey of adventure instead of alcohol. With each new city and experience, Kelsey's mind becomes a little clearer and her heart a little less hers. Jackson helps her unravel her own dreams and desires. But the more she learns about herself, the more Kelsey realizes how little she knows about Jackson.

My Thoughts:

I have a confession to make: After reading half a dozen books featuring rotten players who were supposed to be heroes, wishy-washy heroines who could do much better, and nothing but sex everywhere with nary a real story in sight, I quickly became disenchanted with the "new adult" genre. I vowed not to allow myself to be drawn in again by a sexy cover and a flashy description. So when the blog tour invitation arrived for Finding It, I was hesitant. But I was drawn to the different setting of this one--who can resist a European tour with a hunky guy? So I read it. Actually, I inhaled it. And upon finishing, I was like,

Holy cow, this is what new adult is supposed to be like!

I was drawn into Kelsey's story right off the bat and I couldn't put it down. It's been awhile since a book has really gotten under my skin, and I'm grateful to Finding It for pulling me out of my slump. Not only is the book exceptionally well written, but there's actually a real, meaningful STORY to go along with the sexy times. Kelsey has just graduated from college and is attempting to find some purpose to her life. She comes from a wealthy family, a product of a loveless marriage, and her parents are far more concerned with appearances and their own projects than they are with their daughter. As her friends settle in to post-college jobs and relationships, Kelsey feels lost. So what better way to find herself than to spend a few months partying across Europe on her daddy's credit cards? But Kelsey soon realizes that putting thousands of miles between herself and her problems doesn't make them go away, and she's not finding that sense of purpose and meaning she's desperately seeking in clubs and bars. So when she meets sexy fellow American Jackson Hunt, who is not into drinking and casual sex, but is into showing her what she's been missing on her grand tour, Kelsey decides a change in gears is exactly what she needs.

I loved reading along as Jackson took her to some of his favorite places in Europe, many of them off the beaten track and none of them including a bar or a club. I could feel the point where Kelsey started to finally get the big picture, when she realized that slowing down and just being, just enjoying the view and savoring the moment, was what it was really all about, and I was so happy for her. I was also happy that she got to experience one of the most awesome first kisses ever (real first kisses--you'll know what I mean when you read it)! And I loved that Kelsey and Jackson didn't just fall into bed together. She wants him from the beginning, and she knows he wants her and that he feels the deeper connection growing between them, but something is holding him back. At one point, I had a niggling little suspicion about the secret Jackson was hiding, but I had completely forgotten about it by the time the bomb was dropped, and I was left reeling just like Kelsey was. But she needed that experience too. Because in the end, Kelsey's European tour does finally serve its purpose--helping Kelsey find hers. It's not easy and there are some bumps in the road, but she emerges stronger, more grounded, and ready to be an adult and start the rest of her life.

The only drawback to this story is that I felt like I didn't really get to know Jackson terribly well, and he has a very interesting and meaningful back story, so I would have liked to see more of it come out. But at its heart, this is Kelsey's story, and when the only complaint you have is that you want more, more, more, can you really call it a complaint? I would say that this is actually the first "new adult" novel I've read that really gets across the "new adult" experience. It's not about having as much sex as you can and getting the guy that no other girl can get. It's about discovering who you are, what's most important in life, and what you want to do with yours. And Finding It nails it. Loved it.

My Rating:  4.5 Stars out of 5

GIVEAWAY!

Wanna win your own copy of Finding It?

Simply leave a comment with your email address and you're entered!

This giveaway is open to residents of the US and Canada and ends at 11:59pm Sunday, November 17, 2013. Winner will be selected at random. Thanks, and good luck!

This giveaway is closed and the winner has been selected. Check my sidebar for more great giveaways!

Finding It is on a TLC blog tour!

Visit the tour site   ~   Visit Cora Carmack's website