Review: Shatter by Erin McCarthy

Shatter (True Believers #4) by Erin McCarthy
Publisher: Penguin Intermix
Publication date: September 2nd 2014
My rating:  5 stars 
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From the USA Today bestselling author of True, Sweet, and Believe comes a tantalizing New Adult novel about finding love in the most unexpected ways…

Kylie Warner prides herself on being optimistic, but after finding her best friend in bed with her boyfriend and flunking chemistry, her upbeat attitude has taken a dive. Even an impromptu hook-up with her sexy new chemistry tutor only brightens her mood slightly. After all, it’s not like she’ll ever see the tattooed scholar again…

While he’s a whiz at complex equations, Jonathon Kadisch has trouble when it comes to figuring out women. So when Kylie tells him that she’s pregnant after their night of passion, he’s at a complete loss. He’s prepared to be a good father—unlike his own deadbeat dad—but he’s less prepared to fall for the genuine and alluring blonde bearing his child.

With emotions running high, Kylie wonders if Jonathon’s devotion is out of growing love or looming obligation. And when heartbreak threatens to tear them apart, Jonathon will have to fight for the only girl who’s ever made him feel whole…

My Thoughts:

It’s no secret I’ve enjoyed Erin McCarthy’s New Adult series, True Believers, but Shatter is my favorite so far!

Kylie had her world shattered when she found out her longtime boyfriend cheated on her with her friend, Robin.  Not only did he cheat on her, but he tried many times to hookup up again with Robin, while he was still supposed to be with Kylie. Having lost her focus over all the turmoil, Kylie is struggling with her classes and she’s in danger of flunking chemistry.  To help, she’s enlisted the services of a school tutor, Jonathon, a grad student who happens to be a genius.  She expects Jonathon to be the requisite braniac nerd, not the geek hottie she meets with.  They have an easy, fun banter back and forth and even though Jonathon isn’t her usual type, Kylie is completely taken with him both mentally and especially physically.  Jonathon attributes the physical to “the chemistry of attraction”:

“A female instinctively responds to the scent of a male and she is subconsciously drawn to the specimen she thinks will ensure her progeny’s survival.”

Lol! Jonathon was certainly showing his nerd with that comment, but trust, he certainly doesn’t act nerdy AT ALL with what follows! They have a heated and steamy one-night stand (or so they think) and wow, was it ever HOT!! I think Shatter is the hottest book of the True Believers series for sure. And let me tell you, Jonathon doesn’t just put his brain to use with equations and lab experiments! He was very much all about Kylie that night; so very different than her douche bag ex-boyfriend, as you’ll discover. 

Anyhow, this one-night stand turns out to be much, much more when Kylie discovers she’s pregnant.  They don’t know each other beyond that one night of tutoring and passionate love making, but that’s about to change.

Shatter was sweet, heartbreaking, and I felt a realistic take on the situation they faced.  Both Kylie and Jonathon struggle with the repercussions of their one-night stand.  They were very attracted to each other with oodles of chemistry, but doubts surface about any relationship now.  Kylie wonders if Jonathon is truly interested in her beyond the obligation he feels, and some of the doubts created by her failed relationship with Nate color her perspective as well. Also, Kylie has insecurities about her IQ in comparison to Jonathon’s. He’s a genius and she is most decidedly not. I did not like the fact that she sold herself short in that area for much of the book.  Just because someone doesn’t have book smarts doesn’t make them stupid.  Everyone has their own individual strengths, but I think this was something Kylie had to figure out on her own.  In the end, Jonathon and Kylie made a good match because where one lacked, the other excelled.  I think a lot of great partnerships, marriages included, are made up of opposites that complement each other.

Jonathon worried about trying a relationship with Kylie, the mother of his child because if it didn’t work out it would screw up all their future interactions. His father was never involved in his life until he hit college age, and he doesn’t want to be type of father at all.  It could turn into something completely adversarial if things don’t work.  But Jonathon really, really wants it to work with Kylie.  She’s so sweet, generous, and beautiful, and it would be heaven if a little happy family came out of all this.

Jonathon was a completely different male lead than the others, they were manly men, and Jonathon was a geeky genius.  Swoon-worthy for sure, but so very literal and analytical at times, I had to 

laugh!  He was also kind, considerate (most of the time), and very attentive! Yum!

“I never believed in destiny, fate, soul mates. It was illogical to me. Then I met you.—That you and I were drawn to each other not by evolution, but by something that can’t be measured. Love.”

Shatter was my favorite in the series so far, full of tender and HOT moments, but also with realistic situations, emotions, and reactions.  Erin McCarthy captures what New Adult should be, beautifully and with heart! I’m not sure if more are planned in the series, but a girl can hope!

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