Review: Dirty Red by Tarryn Fisher

Dirty Red by Tarryn Fisher
Publisher: Self-Published
Publication date: December 21st 2012
My rating: 5 stars 

 

Dear Opportunist,

You thought you could take him from me, but you lost. Now, that he's mine I'll do anything to keep him. Do you doubt me? I have everything that was supposed to be yours. In case you were wondering; he doesn't ever think about you anymore. I won't let him go....ever. 

                                            Dirty Red

I was nervous picking up Dirty Red after reading The Opportunist, because frankly, I HATE LEAH!!! With the heat of a thousand suns, kind of hate.  Maybe I’m being a little melodramatic, but this series brings out some pretty powerful feelings in me.  Obsession is probably first and foremost.  The fact that I LOVED Dirty Red as much if not more is a testament to the brilliant writing skills of Tarryn Fisher, because how else could I love a book that’s in the POV of a woman I detest?  

I you haven’t read The Opportunist, you may want to stop reading now.  It’ll spoil some things you learn in that story.

We pick up the story not long after Olivia has left Caleb in Rome after her heartfelt confession.  Exactly how long, is something I’m trying to figure out.  It will tell me something I desperately want to know!  Anyways, Olivia is now married to Noah (I think) and Leah and Caleb are married and bringing their newborn home from the hospital.  If you though Leah was bad in The Opportunist, you will cringe and die reading her thoughts on motherhood and her baby! I’m a mother and I just can’t even fathom the thoughts!! Horrible, hateful woman!  Caleb however, is beyond excited at the prospect of being a father.  It’s something he’s always wanted.  He refuses to let Leah get a full-time nanny, and she’s horrified by the thought of taking care of this “thing” on her own, while he works.  Her devious plans on getting pregnant to get and keep Caleb are about to backfire on her SPECTACULARLY, and I was glued to my kindle seeing how this all played out!

Olivia is in the story, only peripherally and through Leah’s eyes, but she is a huge presence in Leah’s mind.  Leah has always suspected that Caleb isn’t over Olivia, to the point that so many of her actions revolve around that.   Oh what a tangled web we weave.   Unfortunately for Leah, when you scheme and manipulate, more often than not this comes back to haunt you.  

I will say that Leah does have a sad history, but I still couldn’t excuse her intentions and actions.  I really felt no pity for her at all, because people have been treated worse and not turned out like her.  She had a sister who loved her, even if she came in second with her parents.  If she would’ve acted more like a genuine friend to others, she would’ve had more people who care for her.  Plus, if I really felt she actually loved Caleb instead of feeling like he was her rightfully won prize, I might have been able to excuse some of her actions.  That was not the case, IMO.

Through Leah we see so much of Caleb.  It gave me insight on his past with Olivia and how he feels about her now.  I adore Caleb, but he was not without fault either.  But Olivia and Caleb can’t stay away from each other, and it’s just a matter of time.  As Cammie says:

“When they’re together, it’s like putting a hurricane and a tornado in the same room—you can feel the tension.  I didn’t believe in the cliché of soul mates until I saw them together.” 

“There is a possibility that you feel like you’re worth more than being Caleb’s marriage of pity, and if that’s true then you should jump ship now.  It’s only a matter of time before the Caleb/Olivia saga starts up again.”

I can’t wait!

The last 10% of this story my jaw was on the floor with the revelations!  And OH MY GOODNESS that last page, holy heck!!!  Needless to say I’m on pins and needles until the third book, Thief (In Caleb’s POV!!) comes out!  Caleb and Olivia have to end up together.  I CAN’T imagine it any other way.  At this point I’m not above camping out at Tarryn Fisher’s home to speed up the process.  That’s a restraining order I’m willing to brave, lol!  Just kidding.  Well, sort of….