Review: Such a Rush by Jennifer Echols

Title: Such a Rush
Author: Jennifer Echols
Published: July 10th 2012
Publisher: MTV Books
Rating: 4 stars

A sexy and poignant romantic tale of a young daredevil pilot caught between two brothers.

Heaven Beach, South Carolina, is anything but, if you live at the low-rent end of town. All her life, Leah Jones has been the grown-up in her family, while her mother moves from boyfriend to boyfriend, letting any available money slip out of her hands. At school, they may diss Leah as trash, but she’s the one who negotiates with the landlord when the rent’s not paid. At fourteen, she’s the one who gets a job at the nearby airstrip.

But there’s one way Leah can escape reality. Saving every penny she can, she begs quiet Mr. Hall, who runs an aerial banner-advertising business at the airstrip and also offers flight lessons, to take her up just once. Leaving the trailer park far beneath her and swooping out over the sea is a rush greater than anything she’s ever experienced, and when Mr. Hall offers to give her cut-rate flight lessons, she feels ready to touch the sky.

By the time she’s a high school senior, Leah has become a good enough pilot that Mr. Hall offers her a job flying a banner plane. It seems like a dream come true . . . but turns out to be just as fleeting as any dream. Mr. Hall dies suddenly, leaving everything he owned in the hands of his teenage sons: golden boy Alec and adrenaline junkie Grayson. And they’re determined to keep the banner planes flying.

Though Leah has crushed on Grayson for years, she’s leery of getting involved in what now seems like a doomed business—until Grayson betrays her by digging up her most damning secret. Holding it over her head, he forces her to fly for secret reasons of his own, reasons involving Alec. Now Leah finds herself drawn into a battle between brothers—and the consequences could be deadly.

Jennifer Echols is the author that can still make me want to read more of her books even though most of it didn't really make me fall in love with them. From all the four books I've read of her Going Too Far was the only one that had successfully astounded me. But after reading Such a Rush, I'm glad to say that a new book from her has found it's way directly into my heart! Such a Rush is a complex story yet a poignant and heartwarming one that deals with issues about family and I just loved how Jennifer Echols explored it through Leah, Grayson and Alex's story.

Leah is a very endearing character. She's tough and independent yet there's something in her that makes you feel so protective of her. She is a character that is so easy to like and care about. Her determination to get a way from her current life through flying was something I really loved about her. Her passion with it was just very captivating and impressive that I myself can sometimes feel the elation she get through it with her narration. Jennifer Echols voiced her character in a very appealing way but with great realness and honesty in it.

Grayson is a complex and a very confusing character. He acted like a complete jerk but I can see that she cares for Leah a lot. He'd shown some of his caring and sweet side but still it didn't stop me from getting mad at his actions. I know there was something behind all the blackmailing but when I figured what it was all about I can't help but feel sad and sympathetic for him even if his choice of actions were wrong. He was emotionally wounded from the grief of losing Jake and his Dad. He was broken and was scared of having someone he really loved to lose again. In the end, I'm glad that he gained himself and I realized how invested I was to his character actually.

Jennifer Echols did an amazing job on exploring the importance of the relationship within a family whether you're blood related or not. I love how she showed and addressed the father-daughter like relationship Mr. Hall and Leah developed, the close relationship of the Hall boys and their father even though it was quite tainted by the past and how the loss of two of them affected the others. It was poignant, heart breaking but touching and moving. I love how the characters developed, grew and learned throughout the course of the story.

Although I find the pacing a bit slow it wasn't the kind that would make you feel bored about it. It would just make you want to know more and be eager to see what's gonna happen next. 

Such a Rush sure lived by it's title. Reading this was indeed such a rush, it was thrilling and exhilarating. Meeting these characters and seeing them grew and developed through all the obstacles was heartwarming and lifting. Being with them as they fly and feel the elation with it was like having the same experience as the had. It was wonderful and utterly captivating. This is such a beautiful novel. I recommend this.

P.S. I can't believe I didn't mention this. There are actually smexy times here that just had me really swooning and grinning like a maniac. Haha! Just adding more reason why you have to read this! XD