What Danielle Did Next

Read more reviews at What Danielle Did NextSo I keep surprising myself. I have this love/hate relationship with NA and I keep coming back for more. I don't know if Gaga is right and we're "caught in a bad romance" but I won't lie books like April Showers put me firmly on the love side of this relationship. I'm also a fan of some "home-grown" fiction from my "cousins" over in the UK so I was really happy to see an NA being published that "spoke my language" and...I'm done with the "" I swear...April Showers is set in Manchester and April has just moved there for University. Starting over with no friends in a new city is terrifying for her and distracted by many thoughts of how everything could go wrong she barrels into her future and her fate...literally. Isaac Sharpe is gorgeous, snarky, funny and kind and when both April and Isaac are swept off their feet and land in the grass and muck there's a spark and sizzling connection that neither can deny. Making a date, April finally gets to class where she meets Lukas, also gorgeous, sweet and reliable, and April finds herself drawn to two very different men. Who will she choose? Charismatic Isaac or Caring Lukas? April Showers was definitely a roller-coaster! It's been a long time since a book literally made me gasp out loud and even longer since it made me do it twice! At every step of the way I was pulled along with April, felt her indecision, her pain at trying to choose between two equally amazing guys and her heartache at the thoughts of hurting either one. April and Isaac immediately fell for each other and well...you know me and insta-love, I'm not a fan but despite how quickly April's feelings for Isaac came rushing to the surface I was willing to forgive it because Karli writes in such a warm, evocative way you cannot help but be swept along with their blistering chemistry. April and Lukas is very much a slow burner, Lukas is at all times careful with April's feelings, never pressuring her, always restrained, allowing April to be guided by her own emotions which I liked especially considering how forward Isaac was in comparison particularly with the position he held in the book, I found it problematic at times just how far he was willing to go in spite of the consequences. I really liked April as a character. She was warm, genuine with a great sense of humour. She was very much driven by her feelings and gut which was interesting to witness how things panned out but at times she did frustrate me with her indecision and unwillingness at times to face up to the consequences of her actions, preferring to hide away with a bottle and a duvet. This was more because I truly cared about her as a character, I was rooting for her every step of the way and really sympathised with her plight. Tough life if you can get it! lol Both boys carry secrets which threaten to destroy their relationships with April and I was on the edge of my seat as the truth started to come out. I couldn't put the book down! By the end I can honestly say I was Team Neither simply because I love them both in very different ways. Both made some mistakes but both also made amends and for once I can hold my hands up and say I finally read an NA novel where there wasn't a douche-bag of a guy but two who were both very human. There was an interesting cast of supporting players including April's best friend Katie who I loved and am dying to learn more about. I have a feeling there's more to her story and am hoping we discover more about her in the future.April Showers kept me enthralled from start too finish, tugged on my heartstrings, made me laugh, cry and curse Karli Perrin to hell when I read THAT ENDING! Oh my goodness, my heart plummeted to the floor and I seriously wailed. I'm on tenterhooks waiting for book two which if it's anything like April Showers is sure to be stunning.One hell of a début!