Review & Giveaway; Freeing Asia by E.M. Abel

Title: Freeing Asia
Author: E.M. Abel
Genre: New Adult Contemporary Romance

Publication Date: August 11th 2013
Add to: Goodreads
Purchase Links:  Amazon

Synopsis 

How does a tomboy raised in a house full of men find the sensual woman inside of her? Growing up with a widowed, retired Marine as a father and two older brothers taught Asia to be tough. But how does she stop being one of the guys and learn to find the right one?

Finding herself won't be easy, finding love will be even harder.

Meeting Jay opens Asia's eyes to the possibility of love and unbelievable sex but can his country club world accept the woman more comfortable in torn jeans and flip flops? Or will she find the love she yearns for in the tattooed arms of her first love, a pro skater who has come back into her life?

With the possibility of new love or closure from a painful first love, finding her path is riddled with uncertainty and discoveries but before she can follow her heart she must first set it free.

**Not recommended for younger readers due to sexual content, recreational use of marijuana and language.**

My Review

Freeing Asia was an amazing read, it held me and kept me until the very last page.

"It's okay to cry, baby. Each tear makes you stronger."

Asia is a young woman who's whole life has been surrounded by hot, bad boys. Her mother died when she was young and she has 2 brothers and her father. Asia always hang out with the boys, skateboarding, surfing this always only ever made her 'one of the guys'. Marcus, Asia's brother's best friend, was the only one who saw her differently, he is the only man Asia has ever loved or been with, but Marcus left to travel to California to hit the big time with his skateboarding. Marcus hurt Asia when he left and she has really never gotten over it.

“Living with only men hadn't been the environment for sharing feelings and crying over a bucket of ice cream. I’d been raised to suck it up and keep moving, so that was what I did.”

Asia hasn't seen Marcus for 7 years and still has problems trusting men and decides that it is time to change that and starts with a make over by one of her best friends Nick. She transforms from jeans and t shirt to silk tops and pencil skirts, makeup and sleek shiny hair. Asia then meets Jay, the son of the famous Jason Clarke who owns half the city. They hit it off straight away and Asia starts to fall for Jay, but still holds back as she knows what she is showing Jay isn't who she really is.

“I’d just met this guy, but in this second, I knew he had the power to hurt me. He had the power to change me and turn me into anything he wanted me to be. And, in this moment, I was willing to be whatever he wanted.”

When things are going great for Asia and Jay, Marcus comes back to visit her family and to look for a building to open his new skateboarding store. Asia instantly freaks out at seeing him again and drags her best friend Hailey with her to act as a buffer. With Asia's mantra "Think about Jay, Think about Jay, Think about Jay" Asia gets through her visit with Marcus but not without realizing that he still affects her way too much. 

"Nah. I don't really do the girlfriend thing. Besides, I never found anyone that could measure up." 

"Measure up to what?"

"To you"

Jay is about to take over his father's business and become a CEO and explains to Asia that he use to be a bad boy and do stupid things but now he has to grow up and start acting a certain way, Asia understands this and they both agree that their feelings are growing for each other and they will try and make their relationship work. But soon after Jay starts pulling away and does something that hurts Asia then their relationship comes to a head and Asia has to walk away from Jay or continue to be someone she isn't.

“But I was also angry. I was angry with myself for giving my heart to someone who didn't even know me, let alone love me back. I was ashamed that I’d tried to be someone I wasn't just so I could feel wanted.” 

After having Marcus and Jay break Asia's heart she decides it's best to lock her heart away and never trust someone else with it again.

"From now on, I'd be smart enough to keep my heart tucked away nice and tight."

Hurting after breaking up with Jay, Asia spends more time with Marcus and they both decide to have a friends with benefit relationship. They both know this is a stupid idea but they can't keep their hands off each other.

“Hey.” Marcus cupped my cheek with his rough hand and lifted my face, so I would look at him. “If you wanna be free, Asia, all you have to do is see yourself through my eyes. If you could see how beautiful you are, what an amazing artist you've become, how you light up a room just by walking into it, you would realize that you have no reason to keep yourself locked up. You should be proud of who you are, babe. ’Cause you are amazing.” 

Soon after starting their 'friends with benefits' relationship, Marcus realizes that he wants more with Asia, Asia is scared out of her mind at the thought of trusting another man let alone Marcus and tells Marcus that she doesn't think she can do it again.

“I’m sorry, babe. I’m sorry I hurt you. I was stupid. I fucked up. I thought I was doing you a favor by keeping things light. I thought I was helping you when I left. But now, I see… it was the biggest mistake of my life. You gave me something precious, you gave yourself to me, and I threw it away. I’m not makin’ that mistake again, babe. Never again.” 

Their relationship was going great until something devastating happens and it leaves them both reeling and hurting.

"I could taste the salt of my tears and hear the painful silence in the room, but the wrenching pain in my chest was all I felt. I fell to my side on the bed. I curled into the fetal position as my body rocked with each struggling breath."

Jay comes back and tells Asia how sorry he is and that he should never have expected her to change for him. But then something horrible happens to Asia and this brings Marcus back into her life. But Asia soon realizes that she needs to learn to love herself before she can let anyone else love her.

“Why does it take a man's attention to make me see anything good about myself?” 

Asia goes on a journey of self discovery and discovery about who her mother was.

But who will Asia choose when she's ready to let someone in again...

I loved, loved, loved this story! Asia is strong, loyal and so confused about herself. She grew up thinking no guys ever wanted her only to find out that her brother Shaun warned all the guys away from her. So Asia had to learn that she was beautiful and that she was special and it was a beautiful journey reading how she accomplished this.

Yes! This does have a HEA! Squee!!! It's beautiful and had me in tears!

There is a bonus chapter here http://www.freeingasia.com/freeing-asia-bonus-chapter/

★★☆  5 Stars ☆★★

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About the Author

My husband is awesome and also a Chief in the US Navy. This means crazy schedules, uncertainty and lots of nights spent alone writing on my computer.

I have two amazing kids who always know how to make me laugh.

I've been passionate about writing since I wrote my first poem in the 3rd grade and I've been using it as a means to express myself since.

I think because I hold my emotions so close and fear being vulnerable I use different forms of self expression- writing, drawing, painting, photography, tattoos- to show the world who I am.

The one rule I use everyday is the Golden Rule--"Treat others the way you'd like to be treated." I believe karma is very real and sometimes she can be a bitch if you make her that way.

I love acting crazy, I love to laugh, I love making people laugh, I love the ocean, I love dancing like no one is watching, I love good music, I love good books... oh man I should probably stop there. I love a lot of stuff.

Follow the author at these links

Website | Facebook | Twitter

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