Kelly 'Perusing Princesses blog''s Reviews > Emerge

BOOK REVIEW: Emerge (Evolve, #1) – S.E. Hall

Most girls go their whole life without meeting a man as wonderful as Evan or Dane, let alone finding themselves sandwiched in between two of them. The age old love triangle only seems cliché and trite until you actually find yourself in one, then it becomes agony.

Emerge tells the tale of Laney Walker, an innocent 18 year old who finds herself in one hell of a predicament. This is a coming of age story that focuses strongly on the solid foundations of friendship, built gradually over time. Her best friend Evan planted himself firmly into her life at the age of 10 and they have remained joined at the hip ever since, these two sweet kids shared every first experience together, from fishing, to first kisses, to falling in love.

Now eighteen, with college placements and scholarships becoming a fast reality, Laney is devastated when she gets offered a place at Southern and not her first choice at UGA. Her solid tri-unit is about to be broken as Evan and Kaitlyn attend the same college, with Laney left to venture into the unknown without her rock, and the love of her life.

Laney is a realist, she doesn’t want to hold Evan back, she loves him too much and for this reason she decides to cool off their blossoming romance. Distance playing a pivotal role in her decision with ‘college temptations’ a possibility, she sets him free, both promising to find their way back home to one another when college is over.

Feeling isolated and alone, Laney finds solace in her new roommate, Bennett. A fun-loving and quirky redhead who successfully manages to coerce Laney into taking part in a Southern College tradition – a dorm hall crawl.

Making new friends is imperative but its also a headache, none of the guys at Southern could ever come close to Evan, the void of his loss so palpable, impossible to fill. And yet, the night isn’t completely wasted when the room down the hall provides comforting joviality in the form of Tate, Sawyer…and Dane.

Dane Kendrick is Tate’s Brother and regular visitor to the dorms. He’s beautiful, successful, rich and everything Laney doesn’t need. But with Evan so far away and depression chomping at her heels, she finds solace in her new friend as she tells him with open honesty about her life and her love for Evan. Gradually, they form a close relationship but the air has a habit of shifting, and its not long before friendship turns into unspoken sexual attraction between the pair.

With a new solid group of friends, Laney is not short of advice and people to lean on, especially Zach, who lives across the hall as he provides her a crutch in times of need.

”It’s okay for you to be confused, Laney, that doesn’t make you a bad person. Just be honest, Laney. Don’t stray from that beautiful heart of yours okay?”

Laney starts to question herself, as she explores her true feelings, and stumbles incessantly with which direction she needs to take.

Follow Laney in her journey as she struggles to make the biggest decision of her life.

*

This college-based romance exceeded every expectation. Hands down its got to be one of my favourites as I loved every character in this book...well, all apart from one.

This may have strong elements of a triangle but it's certainly not a sordid cheat fest in any shape or form. I felt Laney' s pain, it was impossible not to because I fell in love with both Evan and Dane too. Yes...Okay, I am officially waving my cougar card, but what the hell... You only live once and I will forever regret not attending college so I am living precariously through New Adult literature. Don't judge me!

Unlike other NA college drama’s, many seem to be rather predicable but this book wasn’t at all. It could have gone either way.

Book two cannot come fast enough! Sign me up S.E. Hall, this cougar needs her Evan and Dane fix.

Brilliant!

4.5 Stars.