All three book in the New York Times, USA Today, and International bestselling series together in one book! FADING (book 1) Can a guilty conscience keep wounds from healing? Fine arts major, Candace Parker, grew up with a mother who thinks image is everything, and her daughter’s perfection will never be good enough. About to graduate college and pursue her dreams of becoming a professional ballerina, Candace decides it’s time to let go and have a little fun. But fun is short-lived when a brutal attack leaves her completely shattered. The memories that consume and torment Candace are starting to destroy her when she meets Ryan Campbell, a successful bar owner. He feels instantly connected and tries to show her that hope is worth fighting for. But is Ryan harboring his own demons? As walls slowly begin to chip away, the secrets that are held within start to become painful burdens. At what point do secrets become lies? FREEING (book 2) Knowing who you are and accepting who you are come at different prices. Jase Kinrick grew up in your typical, all-American household. But after the death of his sister, his parents shut down, forcing him to deal with everything life throws his way alone. Terrified of the person he’s discovering himself to be, Jase has his way with every willing girl to try and rid himself of what he fears he is—gay. Escaping California and moving to Seattle to attend the University of Washington, Jase frees himself to the reality that he likes men. Never staying with any guy long enough to get to know them, he doesn’t realize that he’s still hiding from who he is until he meets Mark. Scared of having real feelings for another guy stirs up the questions and fears he’s fought hard to bury. To strip away the barriers to the heart of what is real, and to be okay with what lies underneath, will be Jase’s moment of truth. But he’ll need Mark to lead him there. FALLING (book 3) Sometimes it takes someone else to show us what we are truly capable of becoming. Suffering from years of violent abuse, Ryan Campbell has learned how to keep people from getting too close. But when you shut yourself off, people get hurt along the way. Never caring much about others, Ryan creates a world in which he doesn’t have to feel. When Ryan meets Candace Parker, all of his walls slowly begin to crumble. Not sure of the truth of who she is, he feels his mind is playing tricks on him. Unable to force out the thoughts that consume him, Ryan is haunted by visions that torment him every time he looks at her. He finds himself swallowed by guilt and blame, but he’s unwilling to turn his back on the one person that could possibly save him. You’ve heard Candace’s story in Fading, now hear Ryan’s.
Oh I really liked this series. The first book in the series laid the groundwork for the rest of the series, and this was a plot that I haven't read before. It was not an easy topic and it was done very well. Rape, true aggressive and abusive rape. So this is how the book starts and then it follows the series of emotions that follow. Anger and guilt to name a few. It really was well written with the emotions being very real. You may not like the choices that the victim (Candace) makes, but I guarantee that you will LOVE the support system that she has. And I guarantee that you will love how she transforms. It isn't an easy read because it does start out hard and dark. It is an emotional roller coaster and it isn't just about rape, it is also about family, the good the bad and the ugly. How they can support you and how they can turn their back on you. The three books together are quite long. I am a fan of EK Blair. Great job on this series. I wanted to crawl inside the book and be Candace's friend. Other characters, Kimber, Jase, Mark & Ryan. I fell in love with Ryan. I fell in love with the person he became. So many characters that play a pivotal role in this book.
Candace is a dancer attending college as a dance major. She was described beautifully and the emotions that she lacked in her dance after the rape, it was written so well. Her practice sessions, her instructor, her performances, they were so visual when I read this book.
Fading: Just Wow! I absolutely loved this story. Although the storyline was dark and an emotional roller coaster, it was done in a beautiful way. The characters came to life with each turn of the page that I couldn't put my kindle down til the end. I won't lie, I went through a few tissues but in the end happiness prevailed. Freeing:This series is amazing! I loved reading it through Jase's point of view. Tissues are a must with this book! These characters draw you in and you can't help but feel their emotions. The author is amazing at pulling at your heartstrings. Falling: Yet again I am blown away by this series. Even though it's all the same heartbreaking story just told in different prospectives. The ups and downs, highs and lows are what make this a beautiful story. Ryan and Candace create a beautiful bond and are truly perfect together. It breaks my heart to say goodbye to these characters. E.K. Blair did an amazing job from start to finish. The closure was perfect.
Three books that follow three people with much heartache and tragedy in their past.
The first book is about Candace as she is finishing college and following her dream to dance professionally. When a brutal attack leaves her shattered she turns to her close friend Jase. As she navigates many trying and brutalizing moments she meets Ryan. Can he save her from her past?
The second book follows Jase, who I though had it so together in the first book. He struggles with who he is. When he meets Mark he struggles with his feelings for him. This is truly a book about someone who seems to have its all together but struggles with self esteem and feelings. It was a powerful read.
The third book is Ryan turn. We finally find out the dark secrets of his past.
Wow what a sad but beautifully written book. This series tells a very traumatic experience from Candace and Ryan's view points. How they both were affected after the attack happened. I felt like it was so real and I couldn't put my kindle down. I just had to finish each chapter. Even though Candace went through a lot she had a great support system with Jase and Mark and then eventually trusting Ryan. I learned a few things about how people deal with terrifying situations like theirs. Always remember to not judge a book by its cover and ask for help.
I am really torn between giving this book 4 vs 5 stars. It is a phenomenal book on so many levels and one that I won't easily forget. I read the authors book Bang, which is also an awesome book but darker. I have Echo, but I am not in the emotional space to read something so dark right now, so I got this trilogy instead. I didn't really expect this series to be as good as The Black Lotus series, but what a pleasant surprise.
This series isn't as dark as the Black Lotus series, but it's not for the faint hearted either. The first book, Fade, opens with a pretty graphic rape scene. Candace, a senior in college majoring in dance, experiences date rape. Ryan the hero, is a bar owner and hears Candace being raped in an alley outside his bar and comes to her rescue. He never finds out what happened to her but later runs into her again at a coffee shop where she works. He thinks she might be the woman he rescued, but then he kind of ignores his intuition and moves on. They keep running into each other and slowly but surely they become friends and end up falling in love.
The author does a fantastic job depicting the subsequent PTSD that Candace experiences as well as accurately depicts how the rape and PTSD not only affects Candace, but her best friend Jase and his new boyfriend Mark. Some of the scenes are really heart wrenching. It doesn't help that Candace's parents are butt faces personified, so she never tells them about her ordeal. Ryan has his own demons from his childhood as well: before Candace came into his life he avoided getting close to anyone, content to go thru a series of one-night-stands. But Candace captures his heart and he can no longer devalue himself and other women with having vacuous sex.
The second book focuses on the development of the relationship between Mark and Jzse. This book was also very good, but my least favorite of the three. I loved the book when it focused on the burgeoning relationship between Jase and Mark, but a lot of this book is redundant with the first book.
The third book is something else!!!! It focuses on the story from the perspective of Ryan. There is some redundancy between this book and the first book, but when the author focuses on the way Ryan feels about Candace, OMG!!! The romanticism is simply out of this world. Most of us would DIE to have someone love us the way that Ryan loves Candace. The PTSD and lots of other factors take a toll on their relationship but his love for Candace NEVER waivers.
The author does a SUPERB job describing the treatment of choice for trauma and PTSD: Exposure therapy. I was SO HAPPY the author depicted Candace not only getting help, but benefiting from professional therapy. Her depiction of Candace's recovery is honest and realistic: Candace's mental health significantly improves, but she still has some emotional scars from the experience, due in part because Candace would be at higher risk for developing PTSD after the trauma because she already had a history of struggling with anxiety, Brava to you for getting that part of the book so spot-on correct. This depiction of what happened to Candace and her eventually getting help did a tremendous service to your readers!!!!
You will need to bring out your hankies for the last 10% of the book. If you don't cry at at least one scene, you need to call on the Wizard of Oz to make you a new heart!!! The best line in the book is: I see you in colors that don't exist" MERCY!!!!!
The ONLY reason I am not giving the series 5 stars is that the last book is a little too long, and there is too much redundancy, particularly between books 1 and 2. Still, absolutely fantastic series!!!!!
E.K. Blair is an indie author who I prefer to now just refer to as: genius. This series is an incredibly thought provoking & deep work of literature that needs to be shared with the world. I’ve read a couple *cough* of erotica / romance novels and sometimes I find myself ranking or rating a book based upon it’s place in the genre. But no. Not this one. This is fantastic piece of fiction. Period.
I am in awe of this series. Not only is the storyline brilliant but the writing is fantastic. The story is emotionally jarring and imperfect in all the ways it should be. Yes, it’s a somewhat dark story but it’s also beautiful. It’s about pulling yourself out of the pit of despair; its about allowing others to help you when you can’t help yourself; its about learning to accept love. What better message is there than that?
Candace is strong enough to break. As we watch her try to pick up the fractured pieces of herself, I found myself wanting to comfort her just as much as Jase & Mark & Ryan. Speaking of Jase…his loyalty is unwavering & absolute. We should all have a friend so fucking awesome. and Ryan. OH MY GOD RYAN. I really can’t talk about this without giving spoilers, but know that when Ryan falls in love, he does it with his whole self. Also, Note: I love his mother immensely. Fuck, I wish my mother was as awesome as Donna.
After finishing Fading (and after picking up the pieces of my heart that had been scattered around the room) I was at a loss for words. Days later, I am still so unbelievably affected by this book. Fading shook me at the depth of my core. There will be Before I read Fading and After. My heart shook and shattered and burst. I cried. I fucking cried. Only Colleen Hoover makes me cry. Well done, E.K.
In Freeing, we learn about Jase’s story�.and of course it’s fantastic. HOW COULD IT BE ANYTHING ELSE? Like many other readers, this was my first foray into a male/male love story. In case you were wondering, it made zero difference. What some may call as a risk for E.K., I say is perfection. My body shuddered & then warmed as Jase finally began to accept himself and fell in love with Mark. You get some pieces filled in that you were missing in Fading by viewing it from Jase’s perspective & you really find out just how much Candace is loved. By the way, Jase & Mark are the best. I’d like cookouts and snugglefests with them immediately. kthx.
and then there was Falling. Oh.My.God. Ryan’s story. RyanRyanRyanRyan. I knew he was a bit of a manslut, but I have to admit I was a little surprised at the extent. But it’s ok, because again we see Candace’s story in a new light. The shadows become a little lighter and the pixels a little clearer. You cannot read Fading without reading Falling. YOU CANNOT. I thought my heart was full at the end of Fading but I was so fucking wrong. The end of Falling (& the extra Finding Forever that’s part of the bundle) filled my soul. These pieces are so unbelievably necessary to this story and I loved every bit of this series.
In case you missed it, I fucking love these books. E.K. Blair goes right on my list of favorite authors � a place well earned. There are not enough stars to give.
4.5 stars What a fantastic trilogy! Book 1 - Fading : such an emotionally charged story that pulls you into the despair that the characters are struggling through. For these characters to find light at the end of the tunnel is a pure delight. Tough issues which some people cannot handle to read but I think the way this book is written is amazing.
Book 2 - Freeing : OMG! I'll admit that I was nervous to read my first MM book but wow, just wow what an incredible read. To see Jase & Marks relationship & Jade and Candace's relationship from Jase's POV was truly special. A fantastic read.
Book 3 - Falling : this is 1/2 a star off 5 for me and that's because even though we get information that we didn't get in book 1 from Candace's POV I struggle re-reading information I've already seen. It was nice too see the extra bits from Ryan's POV but not sure it was worth a whole book.
I really enjoyed this book. I didn't like what happened to Candace, I know that had to be terrifying. I can't imagine what she went through. But she had a great friend in Jase. Her parents were some crazy people, you should have unconditional love for your child. I'm glad Jase came out to his parents, but I didn't like when they rejected him. He moved on with his life. He and Mark. I'm also happy that Ryan and Candace got together and he was very patient with her. I'm was also happy that she started seeing a therapist to help her to deal with her problem, Ryan as well. GREAT book!
Omg,I've finished these books. They will be cemented into my heart forever. I have been feeling heartbroken with this story, it gripped me from the beginning, I don't know how many times I cried. I have added this trilogy to my all time favourite books of all times & I commend the author on this unremarkable heart gripping story with so much love, a little laughter & so much passion. I'm a little lost now I've finished, I fell in love with the characters but I look forward to reading more books from this author. If you haven't read this trilogy, hop to it coz you're missing out!!
Wow. These books. The first book especially broke my heart. The author was courageous in writing about rape as a main theme in this series. My heart broke for what Candace went through, but seeing her blossom with Ryan made my heart so happy. I liked getting to read the different perspectives. My favorite were the first and third books, written from Candace's POV and Ryan's POV. I highly recommend this series.
I love E.K. Blair's writing. I have a love/hate relationship with her because I love that she writes detailed and thought provoking stories, but hate how she will rip my heart out and emotionally exhaust me before putting it back together. If you want an emotional read that will stay with you and you like stories from different/multiple perspectives, then, you will love this bundled trilogy.
This entire series blew me away! I devoured these books when they came out and with each one I fell harder and harder for the characters. I let this author draw me in with her pretty words and waited holding my breath at what would come next. I still think about these books as one of my all time favorite reads and re-read them often. I also have the audios. If for some reason you haven't read this series, I highly recommend you do.
I only read book one in this trilogy, "Fading". See my review for this book there.
I did not enjoy the characters or the young adult aspect to want to continue reading any more of the books.
I think that E.K. Blair's writing style is excellent. I just did not connect with the storyline. I would read other works by her, I just rarely enjoy new adult stories and this one didn't change my mind.
I was gripped by this book from start to finish. It's centered on rape so be sure you want to read that. The emotions, tears, trials and tribulations that Candance endures throughout this book made me feel as though I knew her, she was a friend of mine. This is a very real issue in today's cyber world and I would highly recommend this book.
I had wrote 3 separate reviews for this. This series cannot be missed! It will pull at every heartstring you have. Make you fall in love with each character and how their stories tie in together. I love EK Blair after reading this series! She has now become a one click author and I won't miss a book after this. Thanks for sharing their story.
This story broke my heart and gave me hope! Candace and Ryan's story is one to read. I also love Jase and Mark. Jase is the best friend you always wanted. I love them all.
I love these books. My heart breaks you feel lost what are the chances? But it's a story of courage and picking up the pieces and moving forward. The separate POV is my favorite Iove seeing the other perspective. You need to read these you must read these.
fantastic story. worthy of more than five stars. I loved that we saw both points of view. I felt every emotion available .my heart hurt for Candice. I loved how ryan loved her and looked out for her.....I really enjoyed these books and look forward to more from e k Blair.....
Really loved this series and what a great book but have to admit I did find it a little dragged out. Taught there was a chapter or two throughout the series that didn't need to be there
Great story in the first book, had me hooked. But having the following 2 books be about the same thing but different experience got old. I just wish it continued in Candaces life and it wasn't re told 3 times!
This series was one of the most heartbreakingly beautiful reads. The characters are real. So believable. The trials and turbulence of life can be mended a healed with a profound love only these characters can provide. A must read!
I loved all 3 books from start to finished such a great intense roller-coaster of a ride in the books kept me hooked from page one Loved it Has a bit of everything in it really