"The Mighty Storm" by Samantha Towle

@samtowlewrites
In preparation for for the release of Samantha Towle's "Wethering the Storm" I thought I'd put up our review for Book #1 in the series "The Mighty Storm." 

This was such an amazing book... one which I would highly recommend. If you haven't already, go click and buy because book #2 comes out on Tuesday!!!! 

The Mighty Storm Purchasing Links:
Amazon UK:   http://amzn.to/15Ea94s
Amazon.com:  http://amzn.to/19hSBAc

Review: The Mighty Storm: Surj Harvey

Imagine the life of a rock star for one second.... yup the stereotypical sex, drugs and rock ‘n’ roll usually springs to mind. Well add a soul mate, the love of your life into the equation... now what do you get? “Happily ever after” or a car crash waiting to happen?  That is the conundrum that will drive you crazy and keep you on the edge of your seat as you work your way through "The Mighty Storm": the story of Tru Bennett and Jake Wethers.

Tru and Jake were childhood friends, best friends, soul mates even. They were inseparable  until one day when they were fourteen, Jake left. He moved to America with his mother. That was the day Trudy Bennett lost the love of her life:

He was the absolute love of my life, not that he ever knew that of course, 
 and I was devastated when he left.

In the twelve years they were apart, Jake became the lead singer of the world famous rock band “The Mighty Storm” and head of his own music label “TMS”. Tru became a music journalist working for a not so  music focused magazine called “Etiquette”.

When Tru was asked to interview the infamous Mr Wethers, her  feelings for him started to resurface and old wounds were reopened. Tru tried everything to convince herself that she no longer had feelings for Jake, that he probably wouldn't even remember her. She was trying desperately not to get hurt again:

But I’m not in love with him anymore. That ended years ago. And really,     

what do you know about love when you are a teenager?

But on top of that, Tru has a boyfriend of two years:Will.When Tru and Jake first met at the Dorchester Hotel, his first words to her just completely and utterly melted my heart:

“Trudy Bennett?” he repeats. “My Trudy Bennett?”

He remembered her, he remembered everything. Every tiny detail of their past.... I fell in love with Jake Wethers in that very moment. And it was then that I knew I would not be able to stop reading until I knew they got their “Happily ever after”. Their story had me gripped. I knew it was never going to be plain sailing, not with Will in the picture and not with Jake being a rock star but I could not have for one second imagined how this story would pan out.

I just couldn’t take to Will. Maybe that’s because I’d already taken sides... I was definitely “team Jake”. Well what hot blooded female wouldn’t be. Tru’s “very thorough” description of him meant there was a very clear image of what he looked like in my mind...wow. And that tattoo just completed the perfect picture. Across his chest just under his collarbone read:

I wear my scars, they don’t wear me

Jake was well and truly a bass ass rock star, with the attitude to go with: arrogant, bossy, difficult to work with... the list goes on.
After their first encounter, Jake would do anything to keep Tru in his life. He had lost her once and was not prepared to lose her again. So what does a man with an unlimited cash flow do, he offered her a job; to tour with the band and write the bands biography (minus Will of course... how very tragic I found myself saying with a little smirk on my face) How could Tru refuse such an amazing opportunity? Well she obviously didn’t. Yay!!!! Even during their first encounter, the chemistry between them was undeniable, the sexual tension almost explosive... but there was still Will (god I wished he would just disappear).So as their journey began, as Jake made up for the twelve birthdays he had missed, as he showered her with new memories I was rooting for them. Jake had two sides, he was a shrewd business man and then he was a rock star. Tru Bennett gave him a third side: he became a hopeless romantic.

“I knew one day I would eventually see you again, and I knew when that day

 came I wasn’t letting you go for anything. And these were things I wanted to  do

with you when I had you back. No one else, you you”.

“So you were waiting for me?”

“Yes”.

OMG. He had saved up things he had many an opportunity to do but didn’t... because he wanted to share them with Tru!!!! OK I am officially a puddle on the floor.

Tru’s character was hilarious at times. Her mannerisms, her thought processes...

I’ve never wanted someone, as much as I do him, now. So much so that I’m actually trying 

to figure out some way to have sex with Jake without it actually counting as 

cheating on Will. So far I’ve come up with the different time zone theory.

See, funny without trying to be. But Tru was also thoughtful, strong willed and very brave.
So as I sailed on my happy ship with Tru and Jake reveling in their happiness, I was sooo not prepared for the “MO FO” of an iceberg that was about to hit. My ship was well and truly sinking and I was well and truly drowning. The first line in chapter twenty six...holy crap, my heart felt like someone had a tight hold on it and was not about to let it go anytime soon. I felt absolutely crushed for both characters.
 A sequence of events led to Jake’s life spiralling out of control, and this time even though he had Tru, there was nothing she could do except stand on the sidelines and watch him destroy himself. Would she stay and ride out the wave or would she go back on a promise never to leave? Well that decision was taken out of her hands:

My trust in him is broken- gone forever- and without that, we have nothing.

This book was just amazing. I was so captivated by the story that I couldn’t put it down... I read it in one sitting. I laughed, I cried and I fell hopelessly in love with the two main characters. I couldn’t even begin to give “The Mighty Storm” anything less that 5 massive Hearts.
Samantha Towle didn't pull any punches with this one... not when things were good between Tru and Jake and definitely not when things got ugly. This story was real and with no sugar coating and for that I thank you Samantha.
My favourite quote of the book:

"The drugs... the women... hanging out with the girl of my dreams

... you're my June, Tru"

Thank you to Samantha Towle for a mind blowing read. The ending was amazing and I won’t spoil it if you haven’t read it.
Let’s just say, there is a second book “Wethering The Storm” which comes out on 20th August 2013.
It is available on pre order so follow the link and go order yourself another dose of Tru and Jake.