THE FINISH (The Finish #1) by JADE EBY

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Reviewed by Jenny & Gitte

✯✯✯✯ Stars

 ‘The thought of leaving him scares me more than staying. I don’t know who I am without him.’

One book that has always stayed with us is Whiskey and a Gun. That book left us gasping and we’ve desperate to hear Tawny’s side of their sad and tragic story since coming to the end of the prequel.

We have to stress that you MUST to read Whiskey and a Gun BEFORE reading The Finish. It’s imperative that you obtain both pov’s to better understand the characters.

‘We’re the same person inside. His anger is mine. His pain is mine. When he pushes, I push back harder.’

We enjoyed much of this story – though not sure if ‘enjoyed’ is the right word to use given the subject matter of The Finish – it was certainly a difficult and compelling read.  This instalment had a completely different ‘feel’ to the prequel which was told in Carters pov.  Carters voice took us to the moment, we were there in the story with him for every heart stopping word as he had us constantly sitting on tenterhooks anticipating his next move.

‘Lying has become my superpower.’

In The Finish Tawny’s voice came across as though we were reading a diary, or a case study and because of this – at times – we felt as though we were reading her story as opposed to living as we did in Carters book. Now that’s not to say Tawny’s voice didn’t have impact because it did, it’s just that sometimes it seemed to lack the emotional pull of the prequel.

What Tawny went through, the abuse she suffered at the hands of ‘love’ was upsetting and very, very tragic and The Finish is a book that makes you stop and think. As we live in our bubbles of bliss, to know this goes on around us is frightening. To think this is someone’s daily life is soul destroying. To think this is someone’s perception of love is gut wrenching and depressing.

‘Carter is not evil. He’s a broken man that needs me. Needs my love. I know that with enough love, I can fix everything inside of him that aches to be mended. ‘

This is not a hearts and flowers story. This relationship is toxic and Tawny’s story is difficult and heart breaking reading at times. We were championing for her the whole way through and even though there were times we wanted to shake her we understood this was her reality, this was her perception, this was her acceptance and that saddened us immensely. Jade Eby really put her heart on the line for this one and we admire her immensely for bringing this to life because it couldn’t have been easy to write.

‘There are days when I look at my body and wonder what I’ve done. What horrible sin I’ve committed to have to pay for Carter’s love with my body. I’ve given him everything. All of me. Heart, body and soul. ‘

At times the latter part of the book did feel a little drawn out, we had no idea what to expect from the ending, but Jade Eby wrapped it up perfectly. The Finish is a difficult, unsettling and ‘real’ story and one we’d definitely recommend picking up for those readers who love being pushed outside their comfort zone just beware of the obvious triggers.

**Reviewed from an ARC copy provided by the author, with thanks*

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THE FINISH SERIES by JADE EBY

❈ WHISKEY AND A GUN – PREQUEL BOOK #0.5
(Our Review)
AMAZON US || AMAZON UK || AMAZON AU

❈ THE FINISH BOOK ONE
AMAZON US || AMAZON UK || AMAZON AU