Synopsis:
Welcome to Panic, a sultry Miami nightclub where bodies and hearts move to a beat that doesn’t stop at sunrise—the setting for “a magnificent story full of deep emotion” (Sawyer Bennett).
Katherine: I thought I could enjoy a night out like a normal person. I thought I could handle the flashing lights, the pulsing music, the crowded dance floor. I couldn’t have been more wrong. After having an anxiety attack and passing out during my sister’s engagement party at Panic, I wake up in the arms of the hottest guy I’ve ever seen. Nick Moreno’s no gentleman. But he might just be the man I need to help me take control of my life.
Nick: When I hear there’s some random girl passed out in the back room of my family’s South Beach nightclub, I’m pissed. My dad’s already behind bars and we can’t afford any more bad press. But after giving her a lift—literally—back to her apartment, I stop seeing Katherine Wilson as some random girl. She’s gorgeous, vulnerable, and braver than she knows. And when we kiss, all I want to do is pull her close and promise that she’ll always be safe in my arms.
Review:
Pull Me Close by Sidney HalstonMy rating: 5 of 5 stars
I bought Pull Me Close on a whim when I saw it pop up on my news feed on Facebook. I had no idea who Sidney Halston was at the time but the synopsis intrigued me, so I bought myself a copy, and after reading it I can honestly say that the synopsis did not even begin to cover how deep the story went. I'm glad I one-clicked it and took a chance on it, because I ended up falling in love with the book, the characters and the story. It was different from anything I have ever read and I absolutely loved it from beginning to end. I did not want it to end when I read it.
I really loved that it was not predictable at all, which was a nice change, because with most stories I can guess where the stories are going, but with Pull Me Close that was not the case at all. There were revelations that took me completely by surprise, which was really refreshing for me, because I read a lot of romance novels and I mean A LOT, and after a while story lines start becoming predictable, but that was not the case with Pull Me Close. It kept me on my toes and made me wonder what was going to happen next.
I will admit that some parts are predictable BUT I bet you will never predict what the protagonist lived through or some of the things that are going to happen in the story. It's hard to predict something like that and I personally loved not knowing. It made the story that much more intriguing and kept me on the edge of my seat.
When I first started reading Pull Me Close I went into it thinking it was going to be your typical romance novel where the guy swoops in and saves the girl and they fall madly and hopelessly in love, but Halston proved time and time again that her novel is not your average romance novel. It is different in every way. Yes, Nico did help Katherine in her time of need, but it wasn't instalove. He helped her because he had to, but he honestly didn't want anything to do with her in the beginning.
Nico was convinced that she was a user and was on some sort of drugs and because of that he tried to stay away from her, but that wasn't the case at all. Katherine actually suffered from severe anxiety and because of that she would often show symptoms that someone with withdrawals would show, but she couldn't help it. It was all part of her mental illness. It was hard for Nico to understand that because he never suffered from anxiety or knew anyone with anxiety, so it was new terrain for him, but slowly but surely he got to know her, the real her, and realized she is more than her mental illness.
Pull Me Close really intrigued me because Katherine is not your average protagonist, just like her story isn't your typical romance story. She has anxiety. She's afraid of the dark and suffers from night terrors. She can't step out of her apartment without feeling terrified. She literally lives in fear, but as a reader you don't really know why.
When her life story begins to unravel, you finally learn what she lived through and when you do, you will be shocked. It's the last thing you'll ever expect. I never could have guessed what happened to her, and was in utter shock when I learned that her character lived through such a horrific event that shook a nation so many years ago.
I remember that day like it was just yesterday and to see a character suffer from the aftermath of that day, really moved me emotionally, because it made me feel like I was looking into the mind of the people who were directly affected by that event. It was hard to read something based on that day but it was also really intriguing, because I have never read a novel that felt so real and emotional like Pull Me Close. It really made me feel for Katherine and what her character went through.
Nico doesn't understand anything at first and thinks Katherine is just a complicated mess he doesn't need in his life, but no matter how much he tries to stay away from her, he can't. And the more he gets to know her, the more he realizes just how great she is. He slowly builds a friendship with her and slowly but surely they start developing feelings for each other, and when that happens their friendship is no longer enough. They both want more from each other but they don't know how to proceed.
Nico is hesitant because he ended things on bad terms with his ex and Katherine hasn't dated in years, so it's hard for them to jump on head first but they make it work the best they can. But like in every relationship, they have their issues, and at times Nico tries to push Katherine too hard because he doesn't understand her condition. All he wants is for her to get better so they can be like any other boyfriend and girlfriend, but he doesn't realize just how fragile she is. Just like she has her good days, she has plenty of bad days, and when that happens, there's always the chance that rather than take one step forward, she'll take two steps back. It's bound to happen with a condition like hers, but Nico pushes her until she hits her breaking point, and when he does, things quickly spiral downhill for them and they face a trial you wouldn't wish on your worst enemy.
It broke my heart to see their love tested in such a heart-wrenching way, but it made me root for them so much harder, because I knew that if they could overcome it, they could overcome anything.
After reading Pull Me Close I decided to read some reviews to see what others thought and I saw a lot of people complaining about the pacing, because they felt that the pace that Katherine healed and got better was not logical. But the way I see it is that not everyone is going to get better in the same amount of time. Every person is different and readers have to understand that everyone heals differently. Some take more time than others. Some take less. It's up to the author to decide how long it takes their characters to heal and I am completely happy with the approach Halston took. I commend her for going with her gut and writing such a touching novel.
Overall, I loved Katherine and Nico's story, so much so, that it brought tears to my eyes. I don't cry often with novels, but I can honestly say Pull Me Close moved me emotionally and I cannot recommend it enough to all romance readers out there!
I hope you give it a chance! I'm so glad I did and cannot wait to read the rest of the novels in The Panic Series!
I give Pull Me Close 6 STARS and have to say that Pull Me Close is without a doubt one of my favorite books that I have read in 2017! I cannot and I mean CANNOT recommend it enough! Now go get yourself a copy and read this wonderful novel for yourself!
I promise Sidney Halston did not hire me to hype up her book. I honestly just loved Pull Me Close that much and hope every romance lover out there takes a chance on it and reads it. :)
FYI this book can be read as a stand alone. The next book in The Panic Series is based on Nico's brother, so if you want stop at Pull Me Close you can, but if you end up loving it as much as I do that won't be happening. You are going to want so much more. Believe me, I speak from experience. ;)
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Favorite Quotes:
- “You’re alive.” The voice startles me and I whip my head to the side to see the hot guy from last night sitting on a chair in my room with his bare feet propped on my bed, my favorite travel book in one hand and my cat, Julius, sleeping on his lap. I remember his name is Nick.
- A tear slips out, and it does something weird to me, but I ignore it. This is the crux of my problem: I feel bad and I want to help, but I can’t. It’s not my problem. At least with Naomi, she was my girlfriend. But this woman is nothing to me. I just met her.
- “Women love the asshole vibe,” I retort. “She came all the way here to explain herself. Obviously she doesn’t hate me.”
- “I’m good at sex, Katherine. I’m not being cocky, I’m being honest. I want to make you feel good. I want to take my time and play with every single inch of that body of yours over and over again. My tongue,” I say, kissing right under her ear, “has magical powers. You’re going to want to see and feel that.”
- “I’m good at sex, Katherine. I’m not being cocky, I’m being honest. I want to make you feel good. I want to take my time and play with every single inch of that body of yours over and over again. My tongue,” I say, kissing right under her ear, “has magical powers. You’re going to want to see and feel that.”
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