Defiance Falls begins with Hazel on her way out for the night, something which is out of the ordinary for her. During the first few chapters, you think you know what is going to happen. You expect for Hazel, the nice girl, to go out just once and thus begin her journey to love and maybe there will be an obstacle or two, but by the end, all will be well. That is 100% not the case with this book, so be prepared for Defiance Falls to be unlike what you'd typically expect. The best part? Ali Dean's writing has never been better.

I absolutely devoured this book. Truly, my eyes could not read the words quick enough. I stopped to take one note while reading: WHAT IS THE SECRET. I can show you screenshots if you don't believe me. The driving force behind this novel is trying to determine what exactly is going on with the people in Hazel's life. Shortly after the party Hazel attends, it becomes very clear that everyone in Hazel's life has been keeping something from her in order to protect her. Her dad, her cousins, her teammates, her friends. As the book progresses, it becomes clear that this isn't just some small hiccup that can be easily overcome in a few chapters. My guess is that the depth of this secret is going to be slowly unpeeled as the book goes on. (Side note: Ali, if you feel compelled to bounce the plot of the next installations off of a reader, I'm your girl).

At first, I was not sold on Cruz. I did not trust him and his long, lusty gazes at Hazel. I was very, very hesitant to trust him with Hazel's heart. Somewhere along the line though, he puts me under his spell, and I began to root for him. I think that what I admire about him the most is the friendship that he shares with the other guys. I am, and always will be, a sucker for positive male friendships, and Defiance Falls does not hold back in this department.

It's no secret that I love the female characters that Ali Dean writes. Pepper Jones is my icon. Hazel, however, feels so deeply real to me because I see so much of myself in her. Several times throughout the novel Hazel mentions that she is friends with everyone, but doesn't quite belong to any group. At one point, she marvels over an interaction with a friend, wondering if this is what it feels like to have a close girl friend. There are spaces in which Hazel very much belongs, but also others where we see her struggle to find her footing. It makes her story, and potentially her role within the secret, much more intriguing.

I am absolutely dying to see how this plays out for Hazel and am counting down the days until we get the next book. Defiance Falls is a big ole 5 out of 5 stars, so do yourself a favor and get a copy.

*I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review