Rebel by Skye Turner

Sassy, smart, and sexy, former supermodel-turned-tech guru Rubi Russo has it all—looks, money, confidence and freedom. Her life is a whirlwind of fast cars and fleeting affairs—and she likes it that way. With a past like Rubi’s, forever isn’t part of her vocabulary. So when studly Renegade stuntman Wes Lawson wants to take their friendship to the next level, she’s all out.

Raised a simple country-boy, Wes knows the brazen Rubi isn’t his type. But after spending time with her, he discovers she’s everything he’s ever wanted in a woman. To win her wild rebel heart, he’ll have to prove he sees behind her smokescreen to all the goodness she tries to hide. Then it’s just a matter of crushing her fears, shattering her barriers, and convincing her that loving him is everything she’s been missing in her life, too.

Piece of cake.

I was totally in love with the first Renegades book, “Reckless”.  It just appealed to me on many levels, so I had high expectations for this book.  Rebel was good, and it revisited some of my favorite characters from Reckless.  I think, overall, I just didn’t enjoy it as much as Reckless.

We met Rubi and Wes in the first book.  Rubi is Lexi’s best friend and Wes is a stuntman with Jax’s company, the Renegades.  You can tell in the first book that they are attracted to one another.  In this one, we find that over the months they have become best friends.  There’s an underlying attraction there, but Rubi doesn’t want to act on it.  She doesn’t form emotional attachments.  For her, sex is an escape, and she knows that with Wes it would be anything but casual.  Wes turns on the charm and breaks down her defenses, and they begin to explore a physical relationship.  Wes is certainly hoping that it will lead to more, and Rubi is trying her best to hold her at arm’s length.   For her, everyone she’s ever loved and was supposed to love her back ultimately left her, and she just doesn’t want to put herself out there like that.  Wes is the complete opposite, as he believes in love and wants to give that love to Rubi.  Will she take it?

One thing that I liked about the first book and certainly continued in this one is that the characters are completely likeable.  Wes is sexy, tough, stands up for what he believes in, is smart and he wears it all on his sleeve.  Rubi is much more guarded, but endearing nonetheless.  She cares about the people she lets in fiercely.  There’s a lot to like about Rubi even with her issues.  Also, the chemistry between the two of them is awesome.  And the sex is completely and utterly hot.  I will never look at ice cream the same again.

I guess my biggest problem with this book is I just felt like the overall plot was a bit thin.  I had a hard time keeping my interest in it.  I even started it, put it down about halfway through and read a few other books, then came back to finish it.  It just didn’t have that “pull me in” factor that the first had for me.  It honestly just felt like not much happened.  Rubi and Wes go back and forth, but it just didn’t keep my interest.

Don’t get me wrong, I still liked the book and I will certainly want to read the next installment.  I just thought that his book came off kind of flat and unoriginal. 4 stars for me.