Genre: New Adult (Contemporary Romance)
Published: May 17, 2013
Publisher: Self
This isn't a deep book about first loves or self-discovery. If you want a book like that, I'd be happy to recommend one, but I don't have that kind of story to tell. Instead my story is about rash decisions and finding out that your dream guy is bad in bed. It's the story of when I finally went skinny dipping, and how my life was never the same again. Oh, and it's also the story of my freshman year of college and realizing Mr. Right might have been there all along.
The Hazards of Skinny Dipping is the first book in the Hazards series by Alyssa Rose Ivy. Yes! I'm finally reading the first book. I don't know how I got started reading this series out of order, but that's okay, they each stand alone just fine. This was Juliet's story. Juliet must be a looker. She pretty much has her pick of guys. .Dylan, Kyle, Reed. Of course she doesn't see it that way, and her self insecurities mixed with high expectations cause her to get involved with a complete jerk. Needless to say, Juliet's romance wasn't an easy one, but once she got her man, it was a sweet one.
The Hazards of Skinny Dipping by Alyssa Rose Ivy was kindly provided to me by the author for review. The opinions are my own.
Alyssa Rose Ivy is a New Adult and Young Adult author who loves to weave stories with romance and a southern setting. Although raised in the New York area, she fell in love with the South after moving to New Orleans for college. After years as a perpetual student, she turned back to her creative side and decided to write. She lives in North Carolina with her husband and two young children, and she can usually be found with a cup of coffee in her hand.
To read more about this author, visit Alyssa Rose Ivy's Blog and Website. You can also find her on Goodreads, Pinterest, Facebook and Twitter.
The Hazards of Skinny Dipping by Alyssa Rose Ivy was kindly provided to me by the author for review. The opinions are my own.
Prologue
Skinny dipping was the last thing on my list. Of the five items, it was the hardest one for me. It wasn’t a bucket list or anything like that—I wasn’t thinking about death. It was a things-to-do-before-college list my cousin, Amy, made for me.
Now, I know what you’re thinking. This is going to be one of those stories about the death of a loved one spurring a girl down a path of self-discovery. It’s not. My cousin is alive and well, and at the time of this story was in Malawi with the Peace Corps. The list was her way of preparing me for the wilds of college (her words, not mine). Amy was under the impression that I was entirely unprepared for the life of a coed.
I still remember her exact words. We were hanging out in her room at her parents’ house while she packed. “Juliet, sweetheart, you know I love you, right?”
I glanced at her apprehensively. “Yeah…”
“So know that, when I say this, it’s out of love.” She tossed a huge pile of t-shirts into her large black duffel.
I tensed. “Should I be scared?”
“No.” She smiled her million-dollar, brings-guys-to-their-knees smile, and I knew I should actually be terrified.
“Okay.” I clasped my hands together, refusing to look at my chipped nail polish.
She flipped long, dark hair off her shoulder. “I’m worried about you.”
“Worried?”
“I don’t want you to totally drown next year.” She shoved a small, pink envelope into my hand. “Here, don’t open this until after graduation.”
“But you won’t be here. You leave tomorrow.”
She gave me her signature ‘duh’ look. “I’m well aware. Just open it, and do exactly what it says.”
“This kind of feels like the beginning of a YA novel.”
She laughed. “No. Trust me. The contents of this letter are not YA appropriate.”
My stomach dropped. What was Amy getting me into?
I brought the envelope home and stared at it about four times a day for the next two weeks. Obviously, I could have just opened it, but I’m usually kind of a rules person. Each time I started to tear open the envelope, I chickened out. I kept picturing Amy’s perfectly made up face yelling at me. I know that description doesn’t quite fit with a girl who joined the Peace Corps, but if you knew Amy, you’d understand. She was just Miss Perfect. It wasn’t until I got home from a graduation party at a friend’s house that I finally opened it. As I unfolded the pale pink paper, a Georgia driver’s license saying I was twenty-two fell into my lap. I set aside the fake ID and read the note.
Juliet’s Must-Do Before College List
Get drunk (and no, a buzz from sugary drinks does not qualify as drunk).
Go to a bar. Any bar will do, but you need to at least know what they look like inside.
Wear something you know would give your father a heart attack if he saw it.
Kiss a random guy, and don’t let it go further.
Go skinny dipping.
I’m sure you expect me to detail how I crossed the first four items off my list, but this story isn’t about the first four. It’s about what happened when I did number five.
Skinny dipping was the last thing on my list. Of the five items, it was the hardest one for me. It wasn’t a bucket list or anything like that—I wasn’t thinking about death. It was a things-to-do-before-college list my cousin, Amy, made for me.
Now, I know what you’re thinking. This is going to be one of those stories about the death of a loved one spurring a girl down a path of self-discovery. It’s not. My cousin is alive and well, and at the time of this story was in Malawi with the Peace Corps. The list was her way of preparing me for the wilds of college (her words, not mine). Amy was under the impression that I was entirely unprepared for the life of a coed.
I still remember her exact words. We were hanging out in her room at her parents’ house while she packed. “Juliet, sweetheart, you know I love you, right?”
I glanced at her apprehensively. “Yeah…”
“So know that, when I say this, it’s out of love.” She tossed a huge pile of t-shirts into her large black duffel.
I tensed. “Should I be scared?”
“No.” She smiled her million-dollar, brings-guys-to-their-knees smile, and I knew I should actually be terrified.
“Okay.” I clasped my hands together, refusing to look at my chipped nail polish.
She flipped long, dark hair off her shoulder. “I’m worried about you.”
“Worried?”
“I don’t want you to totally drown next year.” She shoved a small, pink envelope into my hand. “Here, don’t open this until after graduation.”
“But you won’t be here. You leave tomorrow.”
She gave me her signature ‘duh’ look. “I’m well aware. Just open it, and do exactly what it says.”
“This kind of feels like the beginning of a YA novel.”
She laughed. “No. Trust me. The contents of this letter are not YA appropriate.”
My stomach dropped. What was Amy getting me into?
I brought the envelope home and stared at it about four times a day for the next two weeks. Obviously, I could have just opened it, but I’m usually kind of a rules person. Each time I started to tear open the envelope, I chickened out. I kept picturing Amy’s perfectly made up face yelling at me. I know that description doesn’t quite fit with a girl who joined the Peace Corps, but if you knew Amy, you’d understand. She was just Miss Perfect. It wasn’t until I got home from a graduation party at a friend’s house that I finally opened it. As I unfolded the pale pink paper, a Georgia driver’s license saying I was twenty-two fell into my lap. I set aside the fake ID and read the note.
Juliet’s Must-Do Before College List
Get drunk (and no, a buzz from sugary drinks does not qualify as drunk).
Go to a bar. Any bar will do, but you need to at least know what they look like inside.
Wear something you know would give your father a heart attack if he saw it.
Kiss a random guy, and don’t let it go further.
Go skinny dipping.
I’m sure you expect me to detail how I crossed the first four items off my list, but this story isn’t about the first four. It’s about what happened when I did number five.
Check out my reviews of the books in this series!
If you haven't done so already, you need to read Alyssa Rose Ivy's books!! While you're at it take a peek at my reviews too!
Alyssa Rose Ivy is a New Adult and Young Adult author who loves to weave stories with romance and a southern setting. Although raised in the New York area, she fell in love with the South after moving to New Orleans for college. After years as a perpetual student, she turned back to her creative side and decided to write. She lives in North Carolina with her husband and two young children, and she can usually be found with a cup of coffee in her hand.To read more about this author, visit Alyssa Rose Ivy's Blog and Website. You can also find her on Goodreads, Pinterest, Facebook and Twitter.
