Torn (All Torn Up, 1)

This is gonna be a long one (like maybe the longest I've ever written)... so, get comfy ;) This book was unfreakingbelievably AMAZING ... and that's putting it mildly. It had everything I could want in a book: engaging characters, one of which is an AWESOME book boyfriend ;), terrific writing, and a well developed plot line. I highlighted so many parts of this book because of all the perfect moments there were. I know this book seems controversial, and if everything is taken out of context, it might seem "creepy." But it's not. It's far freaking from it. I honestly couldn't imagine Tor and Kenzi falling in love with anyone else, they were perfect together <3 And I'm not saying this in the sense that they had chemistry or somehow they just "worked" together. No, this author genuinely crafted a wonderful novel and made it clear that they really were soulmates. -Kenzi- Being the daughter of two rockstars made her experience growing up different than most. One of the results is that she is much more mature than most of the people her age. You can tell the difference in how she thinks and even how she interacts with her best friend, Chloe. Growing up is about a lot more than age. Growing up is about the experiences you have, and Kenzi's had a lot. She isn't in that weird place that most teenagers are in where they are struggling to find themselves. Kenzi knows what she wants. "Is it too fifties to want to get married and have kids?" I love when women can confidently state that this is something they want. Because no, there's nothing wrong with wanting to stay home and take care of your family. Not at a all, it's a job too and with Kenzi's tender nature and already having experienced a "wild phase" by vicariously living through her parents, it makes a lot of sense. She doesn't see Tor as someone to love right away, but once she does realize it, she doesn't hold back. Kenzi chases him and never wavers in her feelings. And what proved her maturity even more was her discussions with Tor. She laid out her feelings, and they talked about the problems and what they wanted. It never felt juvenile or like he was pressuring her. In fact, he's pretty torn up about it. But, at the end of the day, she knows it's Tor she wants and she sees him for what he's always been. "When I look at you, I don't see my father's friend, or my uncle, or my godfather, or an older man. All I see is the person I've always loved and has always made me happy." -Tor- Good God, he was perfect. I feel bad for the next few books I'll read because the bar is pretty damn high right now. He was absolutely incredible and I have many quotes to prove it (and this is the narrowed down list). I mean how can you not swoon at these lines... "I'm just waiting for the one that makes me feel like forever wouldn't be long enough." "I just want that magical feeling I wrote about years ago when I used to write the lyrics for the band’s rock ballads. I want crazy f***ing love. I want someone that'll never let me go. I want to wake up to my best friend every day." "The moment I kissed Kenzi, she became the One. Maybe she always was." "Young love... first love is so innocent. So pure and trusting. So all encompassing. I shouldn't be on the receiving end of that love from her at my age, but in all honesty, she's my first love, too. "I think I'm falling in love with her, and I'm powerless to stop it. I can feel it, like a train with no brakes, coming faster and faster, straight for me. Soon, it's going to crash, and it's not going to be pretty." And then there's this... I freaking LOVE this... he's discussing his celibacy for the past six+ months, and his sister tells him it's "impressive" that he's abstained. His response: "No, it's love. I only want her. That's it." Like YES! Why is this a hard concept?! It's not like your dick will fall off if you don't use it every four seconds... I'm tired of reading books where the guy physically can't keep it in his pants. He was so dedicated to Kenzi. And in regards to the other women in his life, I never really got the feeling he loved them. Tor is simply tired of being overlooked. He had to give up his dreams in order to take care of his family when his father died, watching his friends go on and get famous without him. Then he gets his crush, which is Kenzi's mom, "stolen" from him by Asher, his best friend. I could see some people being bothered by this. But honestly, I didn't feel that he wanted Ember as much as he just didn't want to be second best. I mean, they were 15 years old. And I'm not saying 15 year olds don't know what love is, but I think more often than not, the "love" teenagers feel is often a crush/infatuation. And I think from that point on, Tor just wanted someone he could trust and love, and know that he was this person's number one. When he talks about these things later on, he says, "I'm not going to be anyone's second choice." And when Asher takes Ember's attention that first day at 15 years old, Tor thinks, "I can feel myself slipping into the background." He's not necessarily just thinking about Ember, he's thinking about himself being overlooked, not being enough. I felt the same way with Sydni and Lisa (his relationships before Kenzi). Personally, I don't believe Tor loved either of them. Again, he just wanted a connection. Even though Sydni's relationship with him spanned (intermittently) 12 years, I think it was a comfort thing. But with Kenzi, he knows he's her number one. She's been showing him since she was a little kid, and it's not weird or unsettling. It's all just really beautiful. *Also, I'm really glad he had relationships during that time. I totally understand the concept of not wanting the hero or heroine to sleep around after meeting the "one," but if the "one" happens to be six years old... yeah... that'd be weird for me. I think if he hadn't had relationships it would have been really strange. And like I said, he didn't love them, so I really didn't mind. He was all about Kenzi. We get a lot of great flashbacks of Kenzi when she was younger, and we get to see how non-creepy Tor was. It was one hundred percent normal. And while he takes some convincing (because he is a really good guy and doesn't want to betray his friend like that), once their relationship does change, he doesn't shy away. He's with her. Full stop. "Is it possible that falling in love doesn't always start when we think it might, and sometimes, it starts way before we're ready, and grows slowly over time, allowing two people to truly fall in love with every aspect of each other?" I loved this theme. I think it's awesome what this author did. It is not a conventional love story, but I felt it so deeply. She took such care with the characters and it seemed like every single word was carefully thought through. It was absolutely breathtaking. Now about the ending. While I do agree with others, I didn't love how long the separation was (or some of the particulars around the reconciliation) and I wished their HEA was longer, I was able to overlook it. I think it was more realistic to give them that time apart because Asher would not have come around much quicker. And I'm satisfied knowing that Tor and Kenzi will be back in Asher's book and we'll get to see more of their HEA <3 <3 Oh, and can we talk about Asher?! I freaking loved him and his devotion to Ember! "He thinks he can love her back to life, Tor. That's what he believes." I can't wait for his story!! :)

This was the slowest burn ever. And when you get to it🌶️ it’s not 🌶️ at all (that was disappointing). I read for the 🌶️ but this book did not need it. The story has an ick factor to it but hey, it’s a book not real life so whatever. The story was amazing, the characters were easy to love. I loved the fight. Omg, that scene almost gave the book 5 stars. So good, it felt so real and emotional. But I didn’t like what the FMC did so I removed a star. This is a really good book. I was hesitant to read it but the author delivered. Forget the ick and read the book. It’s so good. It’s up there on my favorite forbidden trope, birthday girl, Older and this are my top 3.

Oh my aching heart!!!!! TORN, a forbidden love story about a hot, hard bodied biker and the sweet, innocent young woman whose spirits have been tethered together ever since he cradled her in his arms as a newborn babe, gave me so many shivery, fluttery feels I may never recover!! This is my first novel by the extraordinarily gifted Carian Cole but she is now officially on my immediate 1-click author list! She writes with such a stunning depth of raw emotion and crafts her characters with such precision, complexity and HEART it is awe-inspiring!! So if you have preconceived notions that TORN is just another taboo older man/younger woman forbidden romance, rest assured, it is not!!!! It is beauty and grace, hope and joy, angst and despair, and soul burning love blossoming against all odds, enveloped into one exquisite love story. TORN follows the lives of Toren Grace, a roughhewn confirmed bachelor who runs the local bike shop, and Kenzi Valentine, a wiser then her years 17 year old whose heart is firmly rooted in her hometown. She is a pure hearted country girl with simple dreams who yearns for the comfortable familiarity of small town life surrounded by her loved ones. Toren once had big rock star dreams and was part of the Ashes & Embers band but had to leave all that behind to fulfill family obligations when tragedy struck. But he's paved a very comfortable life for himself and he pours all his passion into running Devils Wolves dog rescue in his spare time. It fills his life with purpose yet there is still an aching void in his life that only one woman on earth can fill. Kenzi. The soulful romance between Tor and his sweet “Angel" is masterfully layered, and the torturous push-pull between this couple is OFF-THE-CHARTS!!! One aspect that truly adds to this book's allure for me is that is not insta-love...there is no abrupt shift from close, platonic friendship to a blazing red hot affair but a GRADUAL awakening. A slow flickering attraction that eventually ignites into a full raging inferno. “Thinking back, I can't deny that some of these feelings started to grow in me a very long time ago, like a seed that's been slowly blossoming over the years, growing as we grew together." You truly FEEL every pang of their emotional turmoil as they secretly pine for one another and struggle against their forbidden feelings. Most especially hot tatted loner Tor, who is wracked with guilt over his “inappropriate” lust for his best friend Ash's DAUGHTER! He has been there for every single milestone in her life, watching over her and guiding her with a fierce pride and tender affection as she blossomed from adorable, feisty little girl to beautiful, effervescent young woman.. While Kenzi also knows her "infatuation" for her father's best friend is forbidden, she has always known on some instinctual level that "Uncle" Tor is the man she's destined to marry and wears her heart on her sleeve even if it ends up getting ripped to shreds in the process. "I love this man without end. No matter what, I know that will never, ever change. He is my heart." It kills Tor to see the sting of anguish and rejection in his Angel's gorgeous green eyes every time he nobly tries to push her away. He's used to wiping away her tears and kissing away her boo-boos, not being the cause of them. But how can he possibly surrender to his feelings for his best friend's kid? But then again how can he let his one chance of happiness slip away? Kenzi's the perfect love he's been searching for his whole life. Too bad she's strictly off limits!! "I think I'm falling in love with her, and I'm powerless to stop it. I can feel it, like a train with no brakes, coming faster and faster, straight for me. Soon, it's going to crash, and it's not going to be pretty. But my heart is telling me this is my girl, my other half—the one I've been waiting for." Brace yourself for major FIRWORKS when they finally surrender to their torturous desire! Enticingly erotic and scorching hot, the love scenes are tinged with an undercurrent of sweet sensuality and heartfelt emotion--a natural, organic culmination of the profoundly touching love story that has been building throughout. "I want you to be my first. I want you to be my last. I want you to be all the in-betweens. I want you. Just you. Only you. And I want to be all yours, in every way." True love runs deep for Kenzi and Tor but will they be permanently torn asunder when they are forced to deal with the catastrophic fallout of their forbidden passion? "She promised me forever. She made me believe I could have it. I'll never let her go...but I have to set her free." Ahh...the secret yearning! The heartache! The family bonfires!! The stolen kisses!! The naughty sexting! The Devils Wolves animal rescue! The wishing moments!!! Snuggles the bunny, Diogee and Kitten!!! I cannot muster enough words to describe how utterly INTOXICATING this book is! Torn INFLAMED my heart, STIRRED my soul, made me SWOON in ecstasy, WEEP with anguish, and SIGH in rapturous delight. While the chemistry between Toren and Kenzi is passionate, intense and oh-so-combustible, there is an underlying tenderness and bittersweet nostalgia to this tale that is spellbinding!! Tor and Kenzi rank up there with my most beloved romance couplings of all time because there is just so much more to their connection than primal physical attraction--they are true soulmates in every sense of the word. I loved Tor to pieces...he is such a gentle, broodingly sexy Alpha with a sensitive soul and surprising romantic streak that belies his macho biker persona! But he also has a volatile, fiercely possessive side and that makes your toes curl! Soft-hearted good girl Kenzi is so innately kind and achingly innocent, truly beautiful in the inside and out, and sighhhh... the way she loves Tor with every fiber of her being is heartmelting. But her life is far from charmed. Her struggle to come to terms with the tragedy that befell her mother and having to bear witness to her dad’s never-ending sorrow over the absence of his one true love is heartwrenching. This book is chock full of SO MANY quietly profound moments and poignant rituals, big and small!!! One of my favorite aspects is that the protagonist’s extended friends and family and the animals they love so unconditionally are such a vital part of the tapestry of this story. And I think it's brilliantly effective how the author infuses their present relationship with a rich sense of history by providing, via brief yet incredibly poignant flashbacks, snapshot glimpses chronicling their relationship with each other and other key players in pivotal stages of their lives. In closing, just do yourself a favor and snuggle up with this BREATHTAKING book! I won't say how it all ultimately plays out, but after all the joy and tears, forbidden longing, soul-burning passion and soul-shattering angst, I am left basking in the sweet afterglow! This beautiful, enthralling love story is a true treasure, and should be at the top of every hopeless romantic’s TBR List!

I love how slow burn the book was. It was an amazing and interesting read!!! Loved every single second of this book

I enjoyed the book. I won’t say it is my preferred age gap romance but the story was well written. I read a similar story by Q.B Tyler between the godfather and the goddaughter and I think the chemistry between the MC was better.

6+ I love you the most stars!!!! EPIC BOOK HANGOVER ALERT!!! What an unforgettable, amazing, beautiful and passionate story! I LOVED everything about TORN, yet I don’t think I can find the right words to adequately express how I feel about this book!! Gahh! The soul searing connection between Toren and Kenzie wasn’t like anything I have experienced between two characters before. Their love and bond was predestined, unique, meant to be and EPIC!!!!!!!!!!! I haven’t loved a couple as much as I do these two for a very long time! What they had was just SO perfect, SO right despite their relationship being unconventional and taboo. I loved that this story was a gradual awakening of their feelings and there was nothing sordid or tasteless about it. I loved the flashbacks which were so poignant and heart warming. Carian Cole’s narrative was truly addictive and flawless. The story unfolded PERFECTLY and I was so close to having a heart attack as the story and emotions built up to their relationship being revealed!! But the aftermath was worth the temporary heartache I experienced! An unforgettable book that will stay with me for a very long time.

Torn by @cariancole_author ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 🌶️🌶️ I honestly don’t quite know how to articulate how I feel after reading Torn - it’s achingly beautiful, the characters are so perfectly written that from the minute you read the first page you know their thoughts, their feelings and all their emotions. There is no guessing, it’s all there; the angst, the tension, the taboo and the discomfort and it is uncomfortable as the reader. I love a dad’s best friend trope but in Torn Kenzi and Tor have known each other all of Kenzi’s life. Tor put her to bed as a baby, he helped her to learn to ride a bike and Kenzi has seen Tor at some of his worst points too as well as when he has been in complicated romantic relationships. This is a romance involving adults but it’s uncomfortable to read given their history; the characters feel it and as a reader you really do. There are no bad guys, just a whole heap of context that makes it messy, complicated and in the grey areas. It’s the sort of book you finish and you know you loved it but you’re not quite sure how you feel about everything else. I have know doubt that I will be thinking about this book forever as I try to settle it all in my brain. But what I can say is I loved the characters; I loved the plot (it’s not complicated, it’s focussed on the characters both the MCs and the wider cast and it was perfect for that) and I do love that it’s making me uncomfortable as I think about it. It’s not dark, it’s beautifully written and I would highly recommend but only if you are comfortable with being uncomfortable- it will be triggering for some people but its a beautiful story at the same time.

It was good until the last third. Then it got so formulaic! Disappointing.