BLOG TOUR - REVIEW & GIVEAWAY: Third Degree by Julie Cross

THIRD DEGREE

A New Adult Contemporary Romance

By Julie Cross

Release is March 25, 2014

Published by Flirt (Imprint of Random House)

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Fans of Monica Murphy and Tammara Webber will savor this New Adult novel—a story about coming of age in the heat of the moment—from Julie Cross, the internationally bestselling author of the Tempest trilogy.

I used to be “Isabel Jenkins, child prodigy.” As lame as that sounds, at least it was an identity. But now I’m not sure what I am. I just failed the most important exam of my life—the emotional readiness test required to get into a medical residency program—and it turns out my parents can’t stand each other. Now I’m trying to figure out how to pick up the pieces of my life, and that means re-enrolling as a college freshman, but this time I’m shutting the books and majoring in being eighteen.

But so far, my roommate hates me and I’m not into the party scene. The only good thing about school has been getting to know my insanely hot RA. Marshall Collins makes me wonder about everything I missed while I was growing up too fast. Pretty soon we’re hanging out constantly, but for the first time, I find myself wanting more than a no-strings-attached physical relationship. And the lesson I really need is one Marsh definitely can’t teach me: love. Because I’m going to be alone forever if I don’t learn fast.

Advance praise for Third Degree

“With quirky characters, laugh-out-loud moments, and a touching romance, Third Degree is a refreshing entry in the New Adult genre. I can’t wait to read what Julie Cross comes up with next!” —Roni Loren, bestselling author of Need You Tonight

“I fell for quirky, brainy, socially awkward child prodigy Izzy and even more so for her sweet, compassionate, and hot RA, Marshall. I was rooting for their happily-ever-after and was sighing with satisfaction by the end.” —Christina Lee, author of the Between Breaths series

“Loved! Fans of Huntley Fitzpatrick’s My Life Next Door and Tammara Webber’s Easy will fall hard for this book.” —Krista Ritchie, co-author of the Addicted to You series

My Thoughts:

I'm like an addict who feeds off the chase, this search for the answer. It's like my body shouting, I'm alive! I'm really alive!

At first glance, you would think that Isabel Jenkins has the world at her feet. A child prodigy on the verge of becoming a medical resident at the age of just eighteen. But suddenly everything that she's worked so hard to achieve seems to have been ripped from her grasp. Isabel has failed at the final hurdle when it came to her emotional assessment. So what's an eighteen year old girl, who's lacking in the skills of life to do? She enrols in college. But it's instantly apparent that Izzy's not like other eighteen year olds, so her super hot RA, Marshall Collins, offers to take her under his wing and help her fit in.

This was good. So very good. It was so much more that what the blurb eludes to. It actually didn't start out for me that way though. Isabel was hard to connect with. She was quite emotionless and abrupt, and I was thinking that there was no way that I was going to survive a whole book with her being like that. But I had hope. Hope that she would grow and learn and mature along the way. 

I usually find myself really gravitating towards the male characters in books. And I did this time around as well. Marshall was amazing. He was sweet and always willing to help. As I got to know him better his strength and selflessness were what really shone through. And he has the most absolutely perfect and quirky family. I loved each and every one of them. But after reading for a little while, there was just something about Izzy that I was drawn to. As her story was slowly revealed to us, that draw was even greater and I found myself absolutely loving her. There are so many things in her past that have led to her being so closed off emotionally. But when she's with Marshall, that's not the case. He makes her feel, and he makes her want more than what she's ever wanted before.

“Arms are around me, hands in my hair, lips moving across my cheek, over my neck, and I’m thinking about poetry, about Edgar Allan Poe and words that move like waves, people who move like waves together, and all the non-words we can make with our bodies.” 

I loved the chemistry between Izzy and Marshall. Their relationship was built from a great friendship. But boy, don't they have some huge issues to deal with. Despite everything that these two face and the wonderful romance that develops between them, it was Izzy's growth that I enjoyed the most.

I actually found myself shedding a few tears towards the end. It completely caught me by surprise, because as much I was absolutely loving the book, that was one emotion I just didn't expect. Third Degree is the first book that I've read by Julie Cross and I was really impressed by it's originality and depth. I will definitely be checking out more of this authors work.

I don't want to feel anything, but these words-his words-feel like everything.

4.5/5 Fantastic Stars

About the Author 

Julie Cross lives in Central Illinois with her husband and three children. She’s a former gymnast, longtime gymnastics fan, coach, and former gymnastics program director with the YMCA. She’s a lover of books, devouring several novels a week, especially in the young adult and New Adult genres. She’s also a committed (but not talented) long-distance runner, creator of imaginary beach vacations, Midwest bipolar weather survivor, expired CPR certification card holder, as well as a ponytail and gym shoe addict.

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