REVIEW: Torn by Kim Karr

In Torn (Connections #2) by Kim Karr, Dahlia London’s life has been nothing but one tragedy after another for so long that she couldn’t find her way out of the despair. Then rocker River Wilde appeared, helped her fight her demons, and in him she finally found someone to trust and love. Not that they haven’t had their share of issues. But their relationship is strong and they are determined to make it last. So when Dahlia receives news of someone pivotal from her past reappearing, she knows it will be difficult, but with River by her side, she hopes she can get through it unscathed. Then lies of omission begin to pile up from several of her friends causing Dahlia to question everyone around her. Who should she trust?

“I love you forever, I love you more, River Wilde. You turned my life into a fairy tale and I don’t need to wish for anything else as long as I have you.”

River Wilde is the lead singer and guitar player for the rock band The Wild Ones. Music has been his life and his focus since he was very young. When he met Dahlia, he finally found his muse and has been writing heartfelt song after song ever since. She’s the only woman for him, forever, and he will do anything to protect her, to make her happy. That includes shielding her from information if need be. However, River wasn’t expecting the reaction he receives from Dahlia when certain things come to light. Now he’ll do whatever it takes to win back her trust while still keeping her from harm, all while facing down the possibility of life on tour with his band.

‘Looking at her, I know what we have will last a lifetime. She’s everything I have ever wanted and more. To think I almost lost her still scares the shit out of me.’

Torn, the second offering in the Connections series by Kim Karr, is an emotionally charged new adult novel full of drama, music, and the hope for lasting love.

I would say Torn is a pretty apt name for Dahlia and River’s continued story. They are both being pulled in different directions: Dahlia with the reappearance of someone important from her past, and River with his reluctance to go on tour. There were a lot of moments when information that had been withheld, mostly on River’s part, came to light and threatened to put a wedge between them. Miscommunication, and even lack of communication, plays a huge role in the drama here. But when things are right between Dahlia & River…boy, is it right. And hot! They have a bond that is very strong that definitely gets tested over and over this time around. And the music. *sigh* I loved the way Ms Karr incorporated music into the chapter titles, the scenes, and wrapped the character’s emotions around certain songs.

This would be one of those instances where I would suggest reading book one (Connected) before reading the continuation. I unfortunately did not do so and it was a bit challenging to figure out what was happening, but it was doable with some perseverance. Kim Karr’s writing style had a nice flow to it and is set mainly in Dahlia’s POV, which was very…confessional. Which I greatly appreciated. It’s a style that works well for the new adult genre, I think, so we can get a clear picture of the protagonist’s thoughts and motivation. We also get to see the surprise character’s POV woven in at times, and then River’s POV at the end. (I know “surprise character” sounds vague but I’m trying not to give away the whole plot!!)

So if you’re a fan of the Connections series or of the new adult genre in general, Torn is an emotional roller coaster that will have you on the edge of your seat the entire time. I’ll leave you with lyrics from one of River’s songs to Dahlia: ‘Our love is strong, Let me ease your mind, Let me in, I will always love you, I will always love you, We’ll never be in pieces.’

Book Info:

Published April 1st 2014 by NAL Trade

Rock star River Wilde brought Dahlia London back from the brink of hopelessness with his unwavering love and devotion. But their entangled history is about to test the strength of their relationship…

Dahlia was certain she had found true love and met her “Once in a Lifetime’ when she reconnected with River. But Dahlia’s world comes crashing down when someone from her past resurfaces, and all of River’s carefully hidden secrets are exposed.

River wants to show Dahlia that life isn’t about waiting for the storm to pass—it’s about dancing in the rain. But how many times can one broken heart be mended? Will River and Dahlia be able to stay together or will they be torn apart?