Welcome to today’s stop on the blog tour for The Failing Hours by Sara Ney!! I absolutely loved this book – check out my review below, as well as an excerpt and tour giveaway!
The Failing Hours by Sara Ney
Series: How to Date a Douchebag #2 (full reading order below)
Publication Date: January 31st 2017
Zeke Daniels isn’t just a douchebag; he’s an asshole.
A total and complete jerk, Zeke keeps people at a distance. He has no interest in relationships–most assholes don’t.
Dating? Being part of a couple? Nope. Not for him.
He’s never given any thought to what he wants in a girlfriend, because he’s never had any intention of having one.Shit, he barely has a relationship with his family, and they’re related; his own friends don’t even like him.
So why does he keep thinking about Violet DeLuca?
Sweet, quiet Violet–his opposite in every sense of the word.
The light to his dark, even her damn name sounds like rays of sunshine and happiness and shit.
And that pisses him off, too.
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The Failing Hours took me by surprise in the BEST way possible. I’ll admit, going into this, I didn’t have high hopes for Zeke. He was the BIGGEST douchebag in the first book and such a misogynist – I was so sure he couldn’t be redeemed in his book. But I am so glad I turned out to be wrong about him. Yes, he’s a dick and nothing can excuse that, but there’s more to Zeke than just his meanness. You get to see a new side of Zeke, one that Violet brings out in him, and I fell head over heels for him by the end of the book. If you love the classic new adult college romances, you HAVE to give this book a try. I was in NA heaven reading this – my heart was so happy to be reading college romances again!
Then.
She smiles.
My eyes, goddamn them, go to those curved glossy lips and rest there as she tries not to grin at me. Brilliant white teeth wink. Big, virginal doe eyes crinkle at the corners.
She’s like a fairytale caricature. Like a pixie.
So endearing it almost makes me want to barf.
To say Zeke Daniels is a jerk would be the biggest understatement. This is the sort of guy who cares for nothing but himself and keeps everyone at a distance. He’s annoyed that he has to get a tutor so he doesn’t fail his class, and even more annoyed that his coach forced him to join a “Big Brothers” program where he has to mentor a kid. He is moody and rude – and his first meeting with his tutor, Violet, is not a good one. She couldn’t be more opposite him if she tried – she’s quiet, gentle, has a slight stutter. She’s everything good that he is not. And when circumstances keep pushing them together, he can’t seem to stop thinking about her… and reluctantly falling for her. Her strength, heart, and kindness make a huge impact on him and make him believe that there just might be more to life than just keeping everyone away.
After driving away from her last night, I realize I probably know her better than she realizes. I know she’s a damn bleeding heart. I know she’s selfless, but only to a point. Kindhearted. Quiet. Inexperienced.
Stronger than either of us realizes.
Too goddamn trusting.
Too goddamn sunny for my gloom and doom.
Too light for my dark.
Too good for my bad.
Too everything.
My biggest worry about this book, besides whether or not Zeke could be redeemed, was the portrayal of the heroine, Violet. I was less than impressed with the shallow way the heroine from the first book was portrayed and was hoping for more character development with Violet, and thankfully Sara Ney delivered. Violet is a sweetheart of a character – despite losing her parents at a young age and not having a stable family for most of her life, she sees the positive side in all situations. She’s tough on the inside and never gives up – and she’s also not a pushover when it comes to Zeke. She discovers there’s more to him than meets the eye and that he has just as painful a past as she does, but she doesn’t let that excuse his douchey-ness. She’s a fantastic heroine and I applaud this girl for being able to put up with the grump that is Zeke.
“The best part of me is you, Violet.”
I loved this book SO MUCH. It was the perfect opposites-attract romance – bad boy athlete jerk meets good girl tutor… honestly, it was new adult perfection. I try not to read books with the douche-y heroes because it usually doesn’t end up well, but I absolutely adored this one. It was freaking hilarious, had fantastic characters, and the romance had me so giddy and in love. I LOVED that Violet didn’t make it easy for Zeke to win her heart – this was a redemption story done right. It was my first 5 star read of 2017 and I’m really hoping there’ll be more books in this series, because I can’t get enough of it!
Quotes are taken from the arc and are subject to change in the final version.
Now here’s an excerpt from The Failing Hours! ❤
The clock on the wall counts the seconds, steady as the rhythm of my beating heart, which thumps wildly within my chest until the glass door to the library opens, propelled by a gust of wind.
Some new fallen leaves flutter in, the heavy doors slamming from the draft.
Along with them? Zeke Daniels.
He shuffles in, dark gray sweatpants hanging low on his hips, black Iowa Wrestling hoodie pulled up over his head, the university’s bright yellow mascot screen-printed across the chest. Backpack slung over one shoulder, black athletic flip-flops, and a pair of black sunglasses perched on the bridge of his strong nose complete the overall ensemble.
He is utterly…ridiculous.
Unapproachable.
Daunting.
His arrogance knows no bounds; I can see it in his loose gait, the exaggerated swagger, and the too-casual way he’s dragging his flip-flops across the cold, marble tile floor. It’s noisy, irritating, and completely uncalled for.
In the moment, my mind drifts to his personal life, and I theorize that he listens to heavy metal music to sooth his foul temperament, drinks his coffee black—as black as his soul—and his liquor straight up. I imagine once he’s had sex with someone, they’re never invited back. I go one step further and theorize that they’re never invited to spend the night at his place, either.
Zeke Daniels makes his way to a table at the far end of the room, near the periodicals, one out of the way with plenty of privacy.
Sets his bag down in one of the four wooden chairs. Flicks on the small study lamp. Plugs his laptop cord into the base and stands.
Turns.
Our eyes would have met then were it not for those ludicrous sunglasses. I choose the exact moment he lifts his gaze to look down at the ground. Busy myself with shuffling papers on the counter. Count to ten instead of chanting, Please don’t come over, please don’t come over, please don’t come over…
But luck isn’t on my side because he most decidedly does.
Makes his way over like a predator at a pace so deliberate, I’m convinced he’s doing it on purpose. As if he suspects I’m watching from under my long lashes, dreading his imminent arrival.
He basks in my discomfort.
The distance between us closes, his strides purposeful.
Twenty feet.
Fifteen.
Ten.
Eight.
Three.
His large hand reaches up, pushing down the hood of his sweatshirt, his fingertips pinching the earpiece of his sunglasses and pulling them off his face. My eyes follow the movements as he folds them closed, hanging them on the neckline of his hoodie.
His gaze lingers—those clear gray eyes famous around campus—and finds the shiny silver bellhop bell perched on the counter with the sign next to it that reads, Ring for help.
Ding.
The tip of his forefinger presses down on the small bell.
Ding.
He hits it again, despite me standing not three feet in front of him.
What an ass.
Reading Order: How to Date a Douchebag series
#1 ~ The Studying Hours: Ebook • Paperback • Goodreads
#2 ~ The Failing Hours: Ebook • Goodreads
Purveyor of all things witty & romantic, I love: iced latte’s, traveling, and bright, bold colors. On any given day, you can find me in my office, lovingly gazing at my bookshelf or shuffling my Bic felt-tip pen collection. I love hand writing letters, and sarcasm.
I live in the midwest, but “Will Write for Travel,” and believe everyone should follow their dreams, no matter how big or small. My favorite authors include Cindy Miles, S Walden, Suzanne Enoch, Tessa Dare (to name a few). I am a glutton for Historical, RomCom, Sports and MC romance.
One husband. Two daughters. Plenty of chaos.
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