BELIEVE, a new adult book by Erin McCarthy, gets to work
showing us the ups and downs of college life. Robin,
reveling in being away from home, tries out drinking,
partying and lots of guys. Then one morning she wakes up in
bed with her best friend's boyfriend. The night before is a
total blank, and she feels awful. Nathan wants to continue
the experience, but Robin bolts for safety, disgusted with
herself - and Nathan.
BELIEVE that Robin isn't a bad person. She can't tell
friend Kylie that Nathan betrayed her, so Robin avoids all
her friends, staying sober and realising that a decent guy
who loves her is not going to be found at a hectic frat
party. Kylie wants to know what's wrong, but the more she
asks, the more Robin clams up.
Phoenix, a cousin of another student, is temporarily staying
in their shared house. He's just out of jail, and Robin
doesn't want to know more. While Phoenix had a girlfriend,
she's moved on in his absence, so to pass the time this
tattooed lad chats to Robin about her art. Phoenix has no
family, since his addict mother vanished, and maybe it's his
own sad past that makes him a sucker for a sad girl. Robin
is only happy when painting. She wants to work in graphic
design so she straightens out her life. Phoenix knows he has
no business getting involved with a college girl, but he
still makes friends with her. He could do with friends, and
as neither of them drink or take drugs, they start hanging
out, watching movies or going to the park. Robin doesn't
need to say that she's not letting guys close to her either
- Phoenix can tell there's a boundary, and he respects that.
BELIEVE does heat up in the bedroom once Robin and Phoenix
are ready for a relationship. There's also strong language
and references to hard drug abuse, and a character who downs
too much vodka, too fast, suffers blood alcohol poisoning.
On a lighter note, a slight irritation is the constant use
of the word awesome, which just seems to be in fashion right
now.
The events in BELIEVE are heavier than in True, also by Erin
McCarthy. We have to admire the new adults for taking charge
of their lives with so little direction and so many big
issues. Erin McCarthy brings in a few of her past characters
to tie the books together and we wish all the cast well.
Robin used to be a party girl… until she got black out drunk
and woke up in bed with her best friend’s boyfriend. Now
she’s faced with being THAT girl, and couldn’t be more
disgusted with herself. She can’t even tell her friends the
reason for her sudden sobriety and she avoids everyone until
she meets Phoenix—quiet, tattooed, and different in every
way that’s good and oh, so bad…
Phoenix is two days out of jail when he meets Robin at his
cousin’s house, and he knows that he has no business talking
to her, but he’s drawn to her quiet demeanor, sweet smile,
and artistic talent. She doesn’t care that he’s done time,
or that he only has five bucks to his name, and she supports
his goal to be a tattoo artist.
But Phoenix knows Robin has a secret, and that it’s a naïve
dream to believe that his record won’t catch up with them at
some point. Though neither is prepared for the explosive
result when the past collides with the present…
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