Review: Slow Twitch

Title: Slow Twitch (Brenna Blixen #3)
Author: Liz Reinhardt
Genre: Fiction, Romance
Pub Date: March 2012, Self-published
Format: eBook
Source: Purchased from BN.com

Synopsis (from Goodreads)

Summer scatters three friends, ties them back together, and makes them question who they have been and who they want to be in the future.

Brenna expected to soak up the knowledge of great Irish writers at her summer workshop in Dublin. But there are some things even the best books can't teach you, and a passionate new friend and an old familiar full of surprises challenge Brenna to follow her heart. By the time she's back in the States, she can't wait to throw herself back into Jake's arms and tell him exactly what he means to her.

She puts the brakes on that plan when it becomes clear that Jake may not be ready to shoulder any more. He visits his family's palatial home in the mountains of New York, and is exposed to all the possibilities a life surrounded by his pampered relatives and washed in money would hold for him. But is it possible to accept so much and not change who you are? Jake has to face the reality that changing sometimes means losing things...but how much is he willing to put on the line?

Saxon has been thrust into a life of drudgery and indentured service he never dreamed of after a brush with the law puts him on family-enforced probation. Who would have thought Sussex County's resident bad-ass layabout would fall head-over-heels in love with a girl, an elderly aunt, and a shot at a whole new life. The problem is, he's a Maclean to his marrow, and it's in his blood to be a selfish screw-up. Isn't it?

Brenna, Jake, and Saxon spend one summer growing up, working things out, and doing their best to weather the changes that get thrown their way. But can the love and friendships of one amazing summer last through the ups and downs of the coming years?

My Thoughts

Wow, what a finish to the Brenna Blixen series! While there were a lot of things I really enjoyed about this book, frankly, there were some things I didn't like, as well, and I'm going to start with the negative. I couldn't bring myself to classify this one as YA (or even YA Mature as it is noted), though I would say the first two books probably did fit into that category. Call me uptight, old-fashioned, a prude, whatever you like, but in my opinion this last book was just too explicit to be categorized as YA or YA Mature. It's been awhile since I read the first two books, but I don't remember them being quite so daring as Slow Twitch -- well, Junk Miles came closer, I guess. (Makes me wish I hadn't read these on my blogging hiatus so I'd have reviews to refer back to.)

I just really wasn't prepared for the content in Slow Twitch. I guess the times are changing, but I don't recall any of the books I was able to get my hands on as a young adult being as explicit as this one was. And I admit I sure got tired of the F-bomb being dropped all over the place. I mean, I do remember that once kids/teens learned that word and tried it out, it frequently became a part of their vocabulary, but the use of the word just seemed ridiculously overdone in this book and got tiresome quickly. And yes, it's a self-published book, and there are a few (a very few) typos that spellcheck wouldn't catch, but closer editing would.

Okay, all of that said, I really did enjoy this book. There was a lot to like, despite the things I could have done without. I thought the three main characters really came into their own in Slow Twitch and this was, by far, the most I enjoyed reading about them. Saxon's transformation was most impressive and his point of view was the one I most looked forward to reading. (This book switches between Brenna, Jake, and Saxon telling the story.) He may have been a total screw-up in the past, but we finally see the good in him here. Jake was also more enjoyable to read about this time -- he wasn't quite as pathetic as he was in past books. Sure, by the end, we're back Brenna being his whole world, but he does grow a little bit and maybe finally realizes he does need to live his own life some. Brenna didn't change too terribly much. I did enjoy the introduction of a friend she made while in Dublin -- Evan, a crazy gal from Georgia. Evan's scenes really added a lot to the story and were a refreshing change of pace.

The end was a mixture of happily-ever-after and perhaps a bit of uncertainty for some involved. I suppose it was open enough that Reinhardt could get another book out of this series, but I would prefer for this to be the end. It's not always a bad thing to leave a little to the imagination. Bottom line, if you liked Double Clutch and Junk Miles, I am reasonably sure you are going to enjoy Slow Twitch. Just be prepared for much more explicit content to go along with the fast-paced, gripping storyline.

My Rating: