Duly Noted

I can say only two good things about Duly Noted. The first one is <b>Nate</b>. He is sweet, nice, understanding and he wants to help Aurora to get over her fear of cars. He doesn't give up and that's why I like him. The second one is <b>Aurora's determination</b> to fight with her fear. I was amazed how did she handle <input type="checkbox" class="spoiler__control" aria-label="The following text has been marked spoiler. Toggle checkbox to reveal or hide." onchange="this.labels[0].setAttribute('aria-hidden', !this.checked);" id="260d396c-74d7-4a0a-b6bf-4650cdd25a0d" /><label aria-hidden="true" class="spoiler" for="260d396c-74d7-4a0a-b6bf-4650cdd25a0d">the way to the last race without any drug</label>. <br />But that's all. <br /><br />I hate Aurora. I hate how she treat with her dad. Actually I hate her behaviour in general. I get it - it is difficul to live with PTSD, but she makes herself a victim in every way possible. Even when she tried so hard to overcome her fear, I didn't find any connection with her. <br /><br />The story was good, a little bit predictable. I would appreciate more detailed scenes because few passages were too short in my opinion. Also would be nice more funny/sarcastic answers from Aurora's side to Nate. He said few good sentences on which she could react in funny way, not so seriously. Also <input type="checkbox" class="spoiler__control" aria-label="The following text has been marked spoiler. Toggle checkbox to reveal or hide." onchange="this.labels[0].setAttribute('aria-hidden', !this.checked);" id="0cef44ba-0983-40ff-b62a-c799cad44452" /><label aria-hidden="true" class="spoiler" for="0cef44ba-0983-40ff-b62a-c799cad44452">the first Nate &amp; Aurora's sex scene had unrealistic dialogues and was more funny than romantic.</label><br /><br />I didn't like Duly Noted as I thought I will and I was struggling to finish reading this book. <br /><br />***<br /><b>I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review! </b>

<b>3 stars</b><br /><br />I thought I'd like this book much more.. It was a good read, but some things disappointed me.<br /><br />SYNOPSIS:<br /><i>PTSD sucks.<br />Just ask Aurora.<br />She’s dealt with it for the past two years. Effing car crash.<br /><br />Resigned to live a mediocre life, she’s coped all on her own with only her friends Percocet and Xanax along for the ride. Broken and damaged, she doesn’t need anyone, thank you very much. Until she meets him.<br /><br />Shy but smoking hot, Nate Johnson has a mouth as smart as hers, and can handle every ounce of sass she dishes out. Immediately, he’s hooked by Aurora’s sarcastic wit. A man on a mission, he wants to help her over her fear of cars. He needs to, if he’s ever going to have her as part of his world – a passion he’s kept hidden from her. As he succeeds with the impossible goal, he finds he’s curing more than just her PTSD, he’s healing her heart.<br /><br />But when the unthinkable happens, it drives Aurora away.<br />From him.<br />From them.<br />From the best thing to ever happen to her.<br />Because sometimes love just isn’t enough.<br /><br />However, Nate wants her back and he’s willing to give up everything he loves for her. Aurora refuses to have him sacrifice his passion because of her, and dreams up a risky plan to stop him. It’s dangerous. It’s foolish. And if it doesn’t kill her first, it could just save them both.</i><br /><br />MY OPINIONS:<br /><br />Even though I'm not the greatest fan of third-person narration, in this book it didn't bother me that much. The writing was good.<br />I liked the story, the idea of overcoming PTSD was amazing, but I think the whole Matthew James affair was absolutely <i>irrelevant</i> for the plot. That is the thing I hated most about the book.<br />That part of the story was frustrating, and Matthew James is such a <i>jerk</i>.<br />The book would've been soo much better without him!<br />I didn't like the fact that the author skipped the last part of the summer in the story and got to September in the blink of an eye, because what happened during that months was soo worthy of telling! I really would've liked to read that part of the story.<br /><br /><i>Aurora</i>: she is one of the most immature and frustrating main characters I've ever read of. We are the same age, so I should've understood her, but <b>I didn't</b>.<br />Her choices made me scream at the book, because they were so stupid! Ok, you have PTSD, you have lost so much, I completely get that, but that doesn't allow you to be such a bitch! And you can't be the poor little victim everytime you do something wrong.<br />And she is such a <i>horndog</i>!!!<br />Her way of thinking is like this: <i>"Oh poor me! I have PSTD! Sex, sex, sex!!"</i> NO. NO. NO.<br />And, OMG, she has the mouth of a sailor!<br />Her relationship with her dad looks like a relationship between two three-years-old babies: how can a fifty-year-old man be so immature? Unlikely.<br />Aurora atoned just a little bit at the end of the book, but just a little bit; I simply couldn't get myself into liking her.<br /><br /><i>Nate</i>: He was much more likable than Aurora, but there were some things that didn't make much sense for me.<br />He was sweet, he was cute, he cared about Aurora, and that was okay; but (there's always a <i>but</i>, I think it was clear that he was a male character written by a woman. Sometimes he was a little too much girly for me, and I didn't think he was 22, judging from is behaviour.<br />The whole overcoming-the-PSTD thing was fantastic, and he was amazing in that situation.<br /><input type="checkbox" class="spoiler__control" aria-label="The following text has been marked spoiler. Toggle checkbox to reveal or hide." onchange="this.labels[0].setAttribute('aria-hidden', !this.checked);" id="eb702088-7990-4891-a259-40dfc274b4b2" /><label aria-hidden="true" class="spoiler" for="eb702088-7990-4891-a259-40dfc274b4b2">The virginity thing seemed a bit unlikely, and the first time scene was <i>a lot</i> unlikely.</label><br /><br />All in all, I liked the book, but in my opinion there are some things to work on.<br /><br /><b>I received an ARC from the author in exchange for an honest review</b>

I really enjoyed reading this book. You get a different view of PTSD and addiction and it really opens your eyes on how a traumatic event can affect someone. I just love Aurora's witty comebacks, cursing like a sailor and her sarcasm. <br /><br />I'm going to defend this character, since I believe most are expecting rainbows and ponies and the perfect, happy-go-lucky MC. I've read that some readers have a hard time connecting with Aurora and they don't like her character at all. But I think the book really shines light on the darker side of addiction. Aurora is not perfect, she certainly is annoying and bratty, especially her attitude towards others and her excessive use of meds is a reflection of what addiction is really like. Most people don't realize they have a problem and/or use their trauma as an excuse to behave a certain way. There are plenty of people who are suffering, but you don't always know it. Who are we to judge? Everyone copes differently and you don't always know their story. In this book, Aurora truly believed there's nothing wrong staying in her comfort zone until Nate made her realize there is more to living than just staying in her bubble. <br /><br />This really delves into someone's mental and physical state after a traumatic experience and loss of loved ones, how it affects people differently, and how each cope differently. Overall, this was a great story showing Aurora's struggles with her PTSD and addiction and how the love and support from her best friend, father and Nate can help her. Never give up on those who really need your love and support.

Wasn't sure how to start this review. It was an incredible read. <br /><br />A) I loved NATE - loved, loved, loved him. He is everything you'd want in a perfect book boyfriend, or a real life boyfriend too. He is patient and kind and so full of compassion. The way he handles Aurora is nothing short of a gift. He is meant to be with her, and she needs him to. They are the balance to each other's tipping point. <br /><br />B) Aurora determination and fears. They felt so real, and although I have no dealings with PTSD, I felt her fear in dealing with her car issues. It was very real to me. SO well done H.M. Shander. I wanted her to succeed in beating it, and I cried with her setbacks. But she never gave up. Never gave in. Never found an easy way out. And her dependancy on prescription drugs. Handled brilliantly, IMO. I had a friend who dealt with it and this was pretty much bang on, sadly. <br /><br />C) Nates "passion". I'm not going to reveal anything because I think it would be a major spoiler - but it's so freaking sexy I find myself wanting to check out the real life version and see if those men are just as hot as Nate is. Because Nate is HOT. SEXY. HONEST. I love him. <br /><br />D) The family connections. This too was a major shock for me. Even though he seems aloof, the dad is very much invested in his daughters well being and love the way they finally connected on a deeper level near the end. <br /><br />E) Okay, I need to know. What is on the poster? Can you just inbox me and tell me? I have some ideas but I want to know if I'm right. <br /><br />In all, it was a fantastic read. It read very real, and I like that. I want there to be more, especially Nate. And maybe Lucas, cuz he was kind of sweet too.

A few years ago, Aurora was in a terrible car accident. It left her with horrible PTSD, lots of prescribed drugs and no mother or sister to go back to. As she now is afraid of being near cars, she walks everywhere. Her new job in the library is boring, but she does meet an awfully handsome boy, Nate. Slowly, they fall in love. Nate tries to get her over her fear of cars, but he does not mention his own secret hobby...<br /><br />I really loved this story. Nate is such an awesome character, so loving and good to Aurora. The character development is just so good in this book. I did get annoyed at times by Aurora's sarcastic comments, sometimes it was just a bit too much. All of the characters go through bad times, but they come out so much stronger. The love between Nate and Aurora is realistic I felt so happy when they were together. <br /><br />However, I don't think the writing was as good as it could've been. Some of the sentences just didn't flow that well and I also noticed that a lot of comma's were missing. This made some parts harder to read, since you have to go back and reread the sentence a couple of times before you actually understand what is said. If I hadn't been that interested in the story, I would've stopped reading because of this. But the story was just too good and it drew me in.<br /><br />I think PTSD is portrayed realistically in this book, which is a big plus. You clearly get that this illness is not something that is taken lightly, and you really feel for Aurora. But she is a strong willed character and fights for the better.<br /><br />I would give the story 4.5 stars, but because of the bad writing at times, this book is only rated 3 stars.

So, this book has been on my mind for a while now. Originally I gave it 3 stars because Aurora annoyed me and I thought Nate was a little unrealistic, but the more I think about it, the more I think I was wrong in my 3 star assessment. I still didn't care for Aurora's character, but that's part of who she's supposed to be. I don't want to give too much away, but she's got several serious problems that have made her who she is. And the reality is, people with various psychological problems tend to be annoying if you don't understand their disability. Even if you do, they can be hard to deal with. So I've decided to change my rating to 4 stars. This is a real look into the mind and behavior of someone who has a psychological disturbance. And Nate is still awesomely sexy and too good to be true. I love him. <br /><br />Original Review - <br />I liked this book. It was a solid read full of very descriptive and colorful paragraphs. My problem was sometimes it was too descriptive and colorful. I often found myself skimming through because it was too much information. <br /><br />Aurora lived through a horrific accident that she barely escaped and I felt bad for all of her pain and suffering, but I had a very hard time connecting to Aurora. I totally got her fears and pain, but I just didn't connect with her like I've connected with other characters. <br /><br />Nate was a great book boyfriend. Handsome and kind, he was willing to help Aurora in any way he could. I loved his patience and the loving way he tried to help her. <br /><br />All in all, I enjoyed this book and absolutely would recommend reading this book.

After reading the blurb, I knew right away this book's for me. I was in the worst reading slump when I started this book, but I think it got me out of my slump so yay me and Aurora and Nate!<br /><br />This book is easy to read and I think what I love most about this book is how the author handles the topic of PTSD. While I've never experienced PTSD myself, I was able to feel whatever Aurora felt and everything felt so realistic to me. I also loved the family aspect of the book - Aurora and her dad and Nate and his family. The two family relationships are very different, but yet again, they are very realistic and relatable.<br /><br />While the start of the book is really good, midway through it, I kinda lost interest in the book. In the last few chapters however, the excitement I first had when I began reading the book returned and I was so happy with the ending of the book.<br /><br />The character that stood out to me the most is probably Nate. Nate is such a great guy in all. I love his personality and his sacrificial attitude and just ahhhh *swoon*. Don't we all wish we have our own Nate now?! Aurora and the other characters are okay, but I don't love them as much as Nate.<br /><br />This is my first H.M Shander book and definitely won't be my last. I'd recommend this book especially to anyone in reading slumps!

I received this book from the author in exchange for my honest review. <br /><br />Aurora has been through a tragic accident that left her mother and sister dead and her body in so much pain she deals with drugs to help calm her. From the accident she also struggles with PTSD with a huge fear of cars. Nate is a normal guy trying to make his away through college and has a passion for cards and racing. Aurora and Nate meet and have a nice banter witty connection. This connection brings them together and has Nate wanting to help Aurora get over her fears. Aurora is content with how her life has been going until Nate swoops in and tries to help her with her fears and problems. Nate makes her see there is more to life and if she wants to experience it she needs to move forward and face her fear because if she doesn't she will lose him. <br /><br />Unfortunately for me Aurora's character was love/hate. There were times that I liked her but a lot of times when I did not. I know that she went through a lot and dealing with big things but I don't think she handled the situation the best and was a bit immature about some things. I loved Nate. He was so sweet and understanding. He wanted to help Aurora so much and would do anything to help her. <br /><br />I did enjoy reading this book and it dealt with a lot of strong topics. I would recommend.

I was provided a copy of this by the author in exchange for a review...<br /><br />I really enjoyed this book! There were a lot of elements to the plot that were very different from other contemporary storylines! That was super refreshing to not have the same type of characters, so thank you for that HM Shander! I adored Nate...like so much! I think the only thing that kept me from giving this book 5 stars, was the fact that I spent 90% of the book not loving Aurora. I wanted to sympathize with her so badly, but she felt selfish and whiny to me (even though she had obvious reasons to be the way she was), and the fact that she was so self-destructive! you could have seen that coming a mile a way, and I actually put the book down for 2 days because I was trying to spare sweet Nate the heartbreak (as if that works). I'm so happy with the outcome though, and deeply curious about what the poster said! I re-read that page 3 times thinking that I had overlooked it! Ha! thanks for atleast mentioning it in the notes that you left that part out :) <br /><br />Loved the book and cant wait to read more by this author! <br />

After a tragic car accident claims the life of her mother and sister, Aurora struggles with PTSD, drug abuse and anxiety disorder as she fights a fierce battle to regain control of her life. When she meets a sexy and charming construction worker named Nate, things start to turn around for Aurora as Nate is determined to help Aurora conquer all of her fears. But Nate is harboring a secret that can tear them apart, when Aurora finds out that her biggest fear is tied to what Nate loves most.<br /><br />Aurora is strong-willed, determined and a fighter. These are qualities that I usually like in a character but I disliked Aurora and couldn't seem to connect with her in this story. On the other hand, Nate is the perfect book boyfriend that I loved from the minute he was introduced to the story. I honestly didn't want these two to end up together because I felt that he was too good for her. I lost interest in their story about halfway through the book but the author did reel me back in at the end with a couple of surprise twists. Overall, I think it was a realistic potrayal of PTSD and a positive example of overcoming adversity.