Series Review: Crash by Nicole Williams

SERIESous’ Top Book Series: A top New Adult Read
Series: Crash Trilogy
Author: Nicole Williams
# of Books: 3 (Crash, Clash, Crush)
Complete?: Yes
Genre: New Adult, Sports, Romance, Contemporary
Heat Rating: Crash & Clash: warm ; Crush: Really Warm

Thoughts:

This series will forever hold a special place in my heart as it is the first New Adult read I have ever picked up and I credit it with introducing me to the genre. It’s a great series and a great way to get a feel for the New Adult genre but without all the sex that seems to accompany some books in the genre (there isn’t very much in the first two books).

I went into Crash with very low expectations. It was my plan when I started it to finish it ASAP so I could start another book but I quickly got into the story and finished it super quickly anyways 😛 I think the book summary for Crash is a little deceiving (it’s posted at the end of the blog post FYI). I went into this book thinking it was going to be your typical bad boy-good girl relationship but it wasn’t. I also thought it was going to focus more on Lucy’s dancing but it doesn’t–which is a good thing in my opinion, dance isn’t really my thing to read about. There isn’t a ridiculous plot that the characters go through, it’s more focused on how their pasts effect their futures but that is what I liked about the story.

Throughout the series, I had a love-hate relationship with Jude and Lucy, the main characters.

I’ll start with Jude. You could tell her adored Lucy so I liked that. In Crash, he reminded a lot of a young Christian Grey minus the need to dominate his woman (ie no BDSM). He is very possessive which is really attractive and I know that makes girls swoon but it is also scary because it could have been too much. Actually, at some points in the book I felt like the relationship bordered on unhealthy (it’s actually alluded to in later books which I thought was ironic). My mind often drifted to another book I had read this year, The Taming by Teresa Toten, where a teen relationship turns into an abusive one. I really feared that this was going to happen here but I’m glad it didn’t.

I think part of the reason it didn’t border on unhealthy was because of Lucy–which is why I liked her. She was a strong character who was also independent and intelligent enough to realize when Jude needed to turn it down a notch. She freely expresses her thoughts on his actions and makes sure she is heard by him as well. Though sometimes I found her to be a little contradictory in what she said/did so that caused me to like her a little less as the books went on. But to her credit, she does grow considerably as the series progresses so that is nice to see.

Which is another thing I like about this series: it’s relatable to its readers. A majority of what Lucy and Jude go through, especially once they reach college, is something that a majority of young adults go through. The series was definitely a more realistic New Adult series than what I am used to reading which is refreshing.

Clash was great. I read it in a day–which sucked because I had to wait 4 months for Crush. Crush was great also. I always get worried with romance trilogies that follow the same two characters because often times the story gets dragged out and the last book ends up being disappointing. I am happy to say that wasn’t the case here. Crush was a fantastic end to the series.

Conclusion:

For those just starting out in the New Adult world, this is a great bridge to reach there! For those who want a less “sex-focused” New adult read, grab this! Or if you just want to read about a couple growing individually while within a relationship, check this out!

Rating: 4.5/5

Similar Reads: The Perfect Game (Perfect Game Series) by J. Sterling

Synopsis for Crash (from Goodreads):
Jude Ryder and Lucy Larson are this generation’s Romeo and Juliet: Explosive. Sizzling. Tragic.

A steamy summer encounter with bad boy Jude means trouble for Lucy. Her sights are set on becoming a ballerina, and she won’t let anything get in her way . . . except Jude.

He’s got a rap sheet, dangerous mood swings, and a name that’s been sighed, shouted, and cursed by who knows how many girls.

Jude’s a cancer, the kind of guy who’s fated to ruin the lives of girls like Lucy—and he tells her so.

But as rumors run rampant and reputations are destroyed, Lucy’s not listening to Jude’s warning. Is tragedy waiting in the wings? This racy romance is hot, hot, hot!