Train Wreck by Elise Faber

  Train Wreck by Elise Faber

Blurb:

train wreck
noun

1. A chaotic or disastrous situation.
2. An utter catastrophe or mess.
3. A devastating calamity or source of trouble.
4. Pepper O’Brien.

As the daughter of a famed film producer, Pepper O’Brien is Hollywood royalty.

Also, her life sucks.

Because, unfortunately for her, the old adage is true: money can’t buy everything—including grace, true love, or the ability to not screw up every single opportunity her life has brought her.

After her latest disaster, Pepper moves across the country to start over but, as usual, her life has other plans, namely in the form of Derek Cashette, her former teenage crush and now ridiculously handsome friend of her older brother.

Derek is determined to salvage the train wreck of her life and Pepper’s determined not to let him. Her life is her problem and, dammit, why can’t she be her own hero?

But sometimes fate has other plans. Or maybe it’s hormones. Especially when her rescuer comes with a killer smile, a chest Thor would be jealous of, and a butt that any girl just wants to—


I really really loved this book! Aaaaaand I really really hated Pepper's family. Argh. Okay, let's get back to the nice part, the book. And the story about Pepper and Derek because those two are so sweet together, you just have to love them!

I also loved how the author took situations that seemed to be underlining Pepper's history of being a train wreck and with Derek looking at those situations now from a distance, he sees something else and understands her and her family's dynamic a bit better. Of course, that doesn't stop him from doing stupid things and messing things up but he is determined and kind and...well. Maybe he'll end up with an HEA, who knows, right?

As a reader, you get the way Pepper's sees herself and the way others look at her (and, alright, sometimes they are right but - are they really always right? Truly?) but you can also see Pepper taking control when it is needed, Pepper acting capably and confidently. Sometimes she is the one picking up the pieces (or the shards) who turns a bad situation into a success - or some shards and some pieces of driftwood into a thing of beauty. 

Looking closer you get the chance to see that she's indeed more than just chaotic or just a mess. She is even more than just the daughter of a famous producer. And so it is time for Derek to once again make his inner hero dust off his super suit and...well, do what superheroes do who fall in love with an amazing young woman:
Fight for her and her happiness!

The more I thought about this book, the more I loved how well constructed this story is. Add some really amazing characters, some villains that you'd love to feed to the sharks (symbolically speaking, of course) and you get a really wonderful story that I can wholeheartedly recommend.

★★★★★