Rough Boys series – 4.5 stars
This wonderful trilogy written by J. Vaughn is something I never thought I’d touch. If it hadn’t been written by J., I wouldn’t have because, to my deepest shame, I am a crybaby. I tend to stay away from any books that have the potential to make me bowl. Anyway, I really wanted to read it, and, although a bit hesitant at first, I quickly fell in love with it.
The series is broken into three parts that are a macro example of the three act structure plotting technique. The first act (here the first book – Runaway) eases the reader into the universe if the series, present the main characters, both heroes and villains and their goal and stakes. The second act (here the second book – Redemption) is the climax of the story; it shows the characters in their most desperate condition, when everything seems lost and there’s no hope in sight. Villains are the ones who gain terrain, while heroes are at the brink of the precipice.
The third act, in this case represented by the last book – Revenge, shows the heroes winning over the evil, both external, in the form of villains, but also internal, in the form of their own weaknesses, to finally emerge as better people at the end of the fight and get their long-awaited happy ending.
Based on the above, you can well guess that J. Vaughn is a master at plotting, because she didn’t just manage to write such a big project following the very schematic three act structure that I previously described, but she applied the same pattern in every individual book in the series. This feat alone is enough to earn five stars from any reader.
But, let’s say you don’t give a zilch about structure and technique (even though that’s the real proof of a writer’s talent); you’re only interested in the story. Well, in that aspect, there are a few things you have to be aware of beforehand, all summarized in one phrase – this is not an easy read.
If you expect lots of fluff and boys having raunchy sex, you might end up being disappointed (well, there’s plenty of sex and fluff too, but that’s not what this book is all about). Or, you might end up getting something out of it that you didn’t expect.
The universe portrayed by the author is a very rough one, clearly hinted by the title of the trilogy. J. Vaughn didn’t shy away from cruel realities, but spoke about them head on through the challenges hampering her characters. Some of the major themes she touched are: drug abuse, rape, racism, domestic abuse.
Like in real life, the line between right and wrong is often blurred during the book’s plot. Even the villains are given twisted reason for acting the way they do, in the end managing to somehow redeem themselves, however little.
I loved that one message that comes across the series is that you always get what you deserve; even when you’re on the good side, if you did something wrong, just a little mistake, the Universe will repay you in kind. Which is something real, guys. Many of us are too cynical to think everyone will get what they deserve, but in one way or another, life ‘takes care’ of everyone. I really liked this message and J. managed to make it come across time and again.
You will find both the bad and the good in this series. The bad, like I said before, are issues like drug abuse and rape. The author doesn’t spare us from details and I found myself musing a lot on many aspects I didn’t think of before. Some scenes were painful to read. I literally used dozens of tissues while I was reading the books.
There’s also the good, though, among which some very amazing sex scenes that will excite many fans of the erotic genre. The main characters are also a big part of the good. You’ll find yourself cheering for them and praying they’ll get a happy end. I loved all of their stories, especially Sean’s and Kaeden’s. They are such amazing characters. If there were any character awards, they’d definitely get the gold IMO (in case you’re curious, these two are the ones featured on Revenge’s cover above; at first my favorite couple were Abe and Ty, featured on Redemption’s gorgeous cover, but Sean’s persistence conquered even me 😛 )
Generally speaking, no matter how gritty the world J. Vaughn portrayed in her trilogy, I think the big picture was a positive one. This series is about fighting the bad in life and winning the battle. It’s definitely a read I’d recommend, especially for those who are facing some ugly problems in their lives and they think there’s no way out. I think you’ll have an aha moment once you get to the end.
I give it 4.5 stars instead of 5 simply because at times it was too sad. Be prepared to have a lot of tissues at hand. It gets to you, but if you force yourself to get through, you’ll be rewarded with a beautiful happy ending 🙂
Shayla Mist 