Finding It: A Novel (Losing It)

Finding It was predictable and frustrating, but not in good ways. I was excited to get Kelsey's story because she seemed like such a fun, confident character in the first book. However, it becomes very clear from the beginning that she's very troubled and is running away from her problems. Kelsey has taken off to Europe for a gap year of sorts. She says she wants to gain new experiences to become a better actress, but she's just boozing around and sleeping around to avoid her problems. Then she meets Hunt, and things start to feel different.

I figured out the twist in Finding It as soon as Kelsey met Hunt. He says vague, suspicious things and I immediately knew why he was there. Of course, Kelsey is too self absorbed and horny to realize that something is weird about how he always seemed to be where she is. And how he won't leave her alone and then makes plans to travel around with her. Um, red flag?! She does find out later, and they fight about it, and she makes him beg and grovel before throwing herself back into his arms. And then nothing. They just fight, separate, and get back together.

Actually, Hunt stalks her for the last quarter or so of Finding It. Kelsey ignores him at first, but he's persistent, which to me isn't endearing. It's creepy. I was actually starting to like Kelsey at this point, because she rightfully dropped him, confronted her parents, and was getting her life together. But apparently stalking is sexy and stalkers are totally irresistible. That's where the story ends. There's no resolution to anything. Kelsey was dealing with huge issues and they just magically disappear when she decides to forgive Hunt. Right.

Clearly, Finding It was not the story for me. Kelsey was unlikable for the majority of the time. Hunt is just kind of there, and I felt no connection between them despite Kelsey constantly telling us that there's a connection between them. Kelsey's very real issues are swept under the rug in favor of her romance drama. And the ending is super sudden, so I felt like the story went nowhere.

Carmack has outdone herself with the final book in the Losing It "Trilogy".

Kelsey is tired. Tired of pretending, tired of putting on a happy face. Tired of feeling only half alive. She spends the summer after graduating college--the time when her other friends are excited to be starting their new lives-- trekking through Europe as a last, adventurous hurrah with the added bonus of annoying her overly critical father.

But for some reason, she doesn't feel any different. She's in Europe. She's surrounded by gorgeous men, at awesome clubs, and yet nothing feels any different.

Until one night she meets Hunt aka Jackson Hunter.

He's different than the other guys she's been hanging with. He doesn't immediately fall at the Kelsey altar and worship, like the other guys. And there's an air of mystery and danger that surrounds him.

In spite of--or maybe because of--that Kelsey finds herself agreeing to an exchange: the kiss she's been dying to get from him, if she'll agree to letting him pick their itinerary for the next two weeks.

This is where things really get good. The chemistry Carmack has written between Kelsey and Hunt is scorching. While Kelsey is all for jumping right in, Hunt tries to resist the pull and keep things strictly on the friend level. As their friendship develops we get to see a more vulnerable, and compassionate side of Kelsey as well as a softer side of Jackson.

When secrets are revealed that shatter their relationship and Kelsey goes her own way this is where she really shines. Because of what happened with Jackson, both the split and the things they've seen together, Kelsey really shines as she tries to pull her life back together.

Of all of Carmack's novels this was truly one of self-discovery and finding one's place in the world. I highly recommend.

Kelsey Summers is one of those people whom most of us envy. A recent college graduate, she is able to tlc tour hostpostpone adulthood and the Real World by traveling all over Europe. For as long as she wants. On Daddy’s bill.

Of course, nothing is so simple in Kelsey’s world.

She has a fractious relationship with her parents, thanks largely to an Incident From Her Past. (You see this Incident about five miles away, so when Kelsey finally gets around to telling us about it, we might feel as if we beat her to it.) She also doesn’t have the greatest relationships with her friends; she goes days without touching base with them, and you can’t figure out why any of them stick around.

As she cavorts in Europe, Kelsey meets new people, one of whom is gorgeous, hot Jackson Hunt. He seems to pop up in Kelsey’s travels just when she wants to see him, serendipitous man that he is. He’s also clearly interested in Kelsey – and she in him – yet he won’t make a move. Instead, he talks her into a week of adventures that he plans and with him as a companion. Kelsey agrees, and we follow their capers.

This is a romance, largely, with some hot sexy times. Granted, a lot of those hot sexy times end with a certain element of blue ovaries because Jackson just won’t go as far as Kelsey – and we – wish he would. Therein lies one of the mysteries of this book: why won’t Jackson rock that headboard? The other mystery is the Incident From Kelsey’s Past, but that one doesn’t have near the payoff of Jackson’s.

Here are the pluses to this book: the European locales are fun to read about, and Jackson is so hot that he positively scorches the pages. You’ll keep reading just to see if Kelsey and Jackson finally rock the headboard. But here is the minus: Kelsey. I did not like her at all. Jackson says that she is on fire and lit from within and a bunch of other cliches, but I didn’t see evidence of any of that. She comes across spoiled, entitled, and selfish. At one point I hoped that Jackson would run away from her.

Despite Kelsey, it is a fun read. I just wish I liked her more. If I did, I think the book would have been more enjoyable.

Thanks to TLC Book Tours for the preview.
Published on cupcake's book cupboard
@VivaAmaRisata

First Thoughts: 5 stars! *sings* I loved this so much! Definitely my favorite in the Losing It series. My book hangover situation is pretty serious now.

Plot, Setting, Pacing and Style: This book was so different than the first two in the series, but I actually loved it the most. Kelsey needed something in her life to make her feel good. Something to shake things up in order to give her life a new direction. She had no limit on her parents' money it seemed, and spending more of it didn't seem to get a reaction out of them. She was always meeting people and partying, yet seemed so alone. Until she met Jackson.....

Kelsey had the travel bug, so that made for an awesome setting: Europe. This made me want to be spontaneous and go to Europe so that I could just explore small towns, countrysides, and just absorb so many different cultures! :)

The story was told only in Kelsey's POV, and I have to say, it was the right choice. But I am desperate, DESPERATE to know Jackson's (Hunt's) thoughts. For the love of all things romantic, I neeeeeeed some type of Jackson POV and cannot wait for Seeking Her.

The MCs: Oh, I really, really don't even know where to start. I wasn't really a huge Kelsey fan when I read Losing It. Not that I disliked her, but she made no impact on me. She was the standard best friend. Boy was I wrong about her. I loved her more than any of the other characters so far. She was deep, had baggage (I love damaged goods), beautiful, and she was oh so real.

Jackson. Oh mama likey so very much. He is the type of book boyfriend I salivate over: the brooding one. Yes, the one that was so controlled even though he clearly was attracted to Kelsey. And then, when he let go, it was so very amazing. Like the part in the story when he eyes seemed to shine black. *smokes cigarette*

Romance /Chemistry: Holy cow. That was so crazy smoking hot, and so crazy full of UST. I had a very favorite scene, and it would be the one I referred to in the MC section.

Title/Cover: I can't stop with the flails. I loved both so much. The title seems to follow the same path as Ms. Carmack's writing...it was fantastic before, but this, THIS book and title were so perfect for so many reasons. The cover is also gorgeous and looks just like Kelsey and Jackson would to me.

Twists and Turns: Yes. They happened. I knew there would be a bump in the road, but did not see that angle. Not saying anything else.

Ending: I need more. So much more. Yes, it was a HEA, but I don't feel satisified. Was it because Ms. Carmack didn't write a good ending? No. It was because I feel so invested in these characters that I'm not ready to give them up. I'm terribly sad it's over. I'm praying that we get some bonus scenes from all those deleted pages Ms. Carmack says she has. *prays very hard*

Gripes/suggestions: Just give me more.

Final Thoughts/Rec It? Yes, yes, yes a million times.

Kelsey should be having the time of her life roaming from picturesque town to scenic village in Europe, but the light in her eyes has been dimmed for years. When an incredibly hot and enigmatic American challenges her to find her true adventurous spirit, she strays off course and away from bad habits — right into his arms. But she can’t truly escape her self-destructive chains without facing her parents and her past, and when the truth of the present is discovered, their adventure feels less like fate and more like manipulation.

The Verdict: When I read the first book in the series, Losing It, I was convinced I’d found romance novel gold. It was entertaining and heartwarming and often hilarious in a way few authors can pull off. So of course I wanted to continue with the series. However, Faking It, the second book in the series, didn’t quite achieve the same kind of magic, though I did enjoy it. Unfortunately, Finding It fell quite a bit lower for me.

On the one hand, these are three very different stories about three very different characters, and I suppose it’s good that they each felt original and separate rather than recycled. However, the humor I loved so much in the first book was nowhere to be found in Finding It. Sure, Kelsey and Hunt joked around occasionally, but for the most part, it was all angst and self-destruction. An abuse incident in Kelsey’s past, compounded by her parents’ non-reaction has pretty much obliterated her self-respect, and she moves from bed to bed, not really even seeking companionship, as she makes her way through Europe. She has little sense of self-preservation as well, and were it not for Hunt, she most likely would have been taken advantage of on at least a couple of occasions.

Hunt was one part mystery and one part complete hotness, but he, too, had some darkness leftover from his past. He’s a good guy who tries to help Kelsey find a better path simply by challenging her and refusing to play her games, but he’s in over his head when he falls for her. And then when the truth comes out, it all goes to hell for a while, requiring quite a bit more angst and self-reflection to get back to some bit of happiness.

I can’t say the writing was bad or the story was awful, but I guess it just wasn’t what I was expecting, and in that sense it was a disappointment. Perhaps if I had known what I was getting into, I would have chosen to read the book at a different time, when I wasn’t looking for the same lighthearted fun I found at the beginning of the series. Whatever the case, the traipsing across Europe, the parties, the angst… It just wasn’t the right story for me.

After I quickly binge read and loved Losing It and Faking It by Cora Carmack, I put off Finding It, the last book in the series, because I just hadn't heard many good things. After some time, my desire for more hot romances loaded with chemistry (preferably by Cora Carmack) trumped my hesitance, and I'm happy to announced that I loved Finding It. It is my least favorite of the three, but that's hardly worth mentioning, because with its heartbreakingly realistic characters and hot romance, it's a truly great read.

Now, Finding It probably won't work for everyone. Reading some of the many negative reviews of friends of mine, I kind of get it. Kelsey, the main character, is not the easiest to relate to. She's a party girl, into more casual sex than meaningful sex, and she runs from her problems like they're the plague. Some might call her over-dramatic or naive, and they may be annoyed by how not down-to-earth she really is. But I related to her nonetheless. I understand running from your problems. I understand being on the edge of a depression and searching for any way too keep from thinking about those problems. I understand the fear that acknowledging them would destroy you. Those picking up Finding It expecting a fun, upbeat, European road trip romance, may be shocked at how dark this book really is. But I loved it regardless. It reminded me that I'm not alone in my avoidance of confrontation and my fears of facing reality. It reminded me that even those who seem like they have it all together can be suffering from unthinkable pressures. And it painted the beautiful picture that there will be someone who can see through that facade, and in facing those problems together, they could save you.

So, while Kelsey is a party girl on the surface, she really has a lot more going on underneath. She's feeling lost, having just finished college, and alone, because of superficial friendships and relationships. She doesn't know how to deal with it all, so she keeps on a brave face, thinking that as long as people around her see her having fun, that will somehow make it true. There are things in her past that she's been running from for all too long, and basically, she's just a mess. I really was amazed by the depth to her character - but it never felt like too much. I'm usually one of the first people to complain about melodrama, and I typically stay faaaaar away from books that lean that way. Perhaps it was good that I didn't know Finding It would be that kind of story, but again I think it's largely due to Cora Carmack that it swept me up in it anyway. Kelsey was truly realistic to me, and the more I read through her narrations, the closer I felt to her. I needed to know what she was running from, and I needed to know that she could get out of this dangerous downward spiral.

Enter Jackson Hunt. Again, often I would hate the kind of romance where a guy is the "savior" of a girl with a dark past. It reeks of clichés and melodrama, but again I didn't really mind. Jackson has a mysterious past of his own, which, when unveiled, truly makes him the best kind of person to help Kelsey with all of her problems. They fit together, and on top of all of that, their chemistry drips off the page. It is hot, man. Every single one of their kisses basically had me sitting on the edge of my seat. Cora Carmack knows how to write her romances, that's for sure. I can't get enough of them! (Though I could have done without all of Jackson's pet names for Kelsey - but that's a personal preference.)

While I loved these thorough, realistic, and heartbreaking characterizations, their romance, and the deep emotions that came with it all, the story did lack in a couple of minor aspects. First, it was a trip across Europe, but it didn't have a great wanderlust effect. If you were hoping for that, you might want to reconsider this book. It's more about the characters and their personal growth (and of course that romance) - and let's not forget that Kelsey's not out to really go sightseeing - she's a party girl. Still, I missed that a little, because the setting could have been much more vivid and memorable.

My biggest hesitance, however, is largely the ending. While I liked Kelsey and Jackson together, at some points it seemed a bit too co-dependent, and Jackson seemed like a bit too much of a stalker-type. Now there are plot-related events and twists that kind of explain away a lot of that, and when you're swept up in that story, in Kelsey's pain, it is relatively easy to overlook that. The ending, however, upped the stalkery element and it just left me feeling a bit uncomfortable. MILD SPOILERS HERE: I liked that Jackson got Kelsey to face her problems (or at least acknowledge them). But he did get a bit annoying sometimes in his obsession with her. Now, I understand, also from reading the novella, Seeking Her, that her dad hired him, and because he had a similar past, he couldn't help but be drawn to her. But I felt the story would have been a bit stronger if Kelsey had really ended it with him. I liked seeing her pick up the pieces herself and build a new life in Spain. It should have ended there. Instead, Jackson becomes an even worse stalker, sending her notes, showing her he knows where she lives, and not letting up in spite of her asking repeatedly for him to stop. For her to give in to that, in the end, and forgive him for following her (which I would still be creeped out by, by the way), it really became a bit too sappy sweet for me. I would have liked a stronger message about independence. There's a thin line between the big romantic gesture and the creepy romantic obsession, and I felt like Jackson kind of tip-toed over that line.

Though it was a happy ending, it left a bad taste in my mouth.

Summing Up:

I fully expected that, like so many of my friends, I wouldn't like Finding It that much, but I'm so happy that that was absolutely not the case. This story is unexpectedly dark but extremely realistic and relatable to me. It won't work the same for everyone, but if you can find that link with Kelsey and get sucked into her story, Finding It will resonate with you and linger in your mind for days. I marveled at the deep characterizations, I melted in the hot romance, and I couldn't turn the pages fast enough. I may have had a tear in my eye a couple of times. I fully believe it is impossible for Cora Carmack to write a book I wouldn't like.

Recommended To:

Fans of somewhat darker romances with deeeeep emotions.

Kelsey Summers is a rich girl traveling around Europe in an effort to spend her father's money (and get his attention). After she is roofied and saved by hunky Jackson Hunt, he convinces her to travel for adventure rather than just for the partying.
I had a hard time liking Kelsey, and Jackson, while nice was kind of a cipher. The ending was about what you'd expect, not very believable or interesting. I did like the descriptions of Terre Cinque and other places in Italy. I've been there and Ms. Carmack did a nice job portraying the setting. But the drama and for no real reason. Thank goodness it's a quick read.

At A Glance
Liked Jackson, didn't like Kelsey. Interesting story but unfulfilling ending.

The Good
Finding It is very different from Losing It and Faking It. The latter two are funny and quirky. Finding It was a little darker and serious. I didn't mind it so much. Some fans may not be into the change though.

I loved the plot and setting. Traveling around Europe with a hot boy, sounds fun to me. Kelsey has a lot of issues, but Jackson sees something extraordinary in her. Jackson pulls Kelsey away from the bottle and random sex and shows her what living really is. He shows her how to enjoy life without letting her past get in the way. Jackson was a great character for me. He's sweet, but demanding. He knows how to show a girl a good time, and he always retains a bit of mystery. I wish we got to know more about him, but I have heard he is getting his own novella, so that's exciting.

I will admit, I figured out the twist pretty quickly. It's hard for plots to surprise me much anymore so it didn't bother me. I loved the utter devastation it caused though. It may have been mean of me, but because I didn't like Kelsey, I didn't mind her being fooled the way she was. It actually made things more exciting. Plus, Jackson did some sweet things to win her back. So effing cute!!!

I was so envious of the places these two got to go. I could totally imagine all these places through Carmack's writing. I couldn't think of a more exciting and romantic vacation for a young couple. I hope to see Kelsey and Jackson again in future books so I can see how they are doing.

The Bad
I found the travel to be quite boring. The scenery was described nicely, but the traveling never really excited me the way I hoped. I think it was glanced over too much, too rushed. I just wanted more. And that ending, umm, nothing is really resolved. I didn't understand that. Kelsey has huge issues with her family, but she never confronts them. That left me unsatisfied.

Kelsey was a hard character to like. She is selfish, shallow, manipulative, mean, and a drunk. I get why she drank but it got annoying when she did so with total disregard to her safety. It's like she doesn't use logic most of the time. Her biggest issue was running away from her problems, and by the end, she still hadn't changed. Mind-boggling. Not much redeemable here.

The Snuggly
Kelsey and Jackson have an insta-love thing going but it didn't bother me too much. Kelsey tried to hump Jackson every five minutes which was hilarious and annoying at the same time. But luckily, Jackson saw Kelsey's destructive ways and denied her. Now that was awesome. Once the romance got going I did find it sexy and heartwarming. But I wish there was a little more of a connection between these two. Finding It only scratched the surface of their relationship.

Expect new adult sex scenes, hot but not overdone. And that sexual tension, OMG.

Final Thoughts
In a way, this book did disappoint me a tiny bit but it's hard for me to not like a Carmack book. I enjoyed reading it, even if Kelsey was not my favorite character. I wish there was more resolution at the end, but I am excited to see this couple together and working on their issues. Recommended.

Quotes
“The best parts of life are the things we can't plan. And it's a lot harder to find happiness if you're only searching in one place. Sometimes, you just have to throw away the map. Admit that you don't know where you're going and stop pressuring yourself to figure it out. Besides...a map is a life someone else already lived. It's more fun to make your own.”

“I'm going to kiss you, princess. But not now, not when you're telling me to. Not when it's just something you want to check off a list. I'll kiss you when it counts.”

“Women love a mystery. But only if we think we can figure it out.”

“I'll be good. I promise. Unless you want me to be bad, of course.”

My Thoughts:

After reading and LOVING Losing It, I knew I needed to get my hands on Finding It. When it showed up on Edelweiss I requested it immediately right away. I dove in immediately and for seriousness, I could not stop reading it.

As I started it, I thought about how I wanted to smack Kelsey. The situation she was in, all I could think was how stupid she was. Enter Jackson, and I'm just enchanted by him. I'm not kidding. The chemistry between the two of them, it's new. There's attraction, but there's also hesitancy on both sides. I loved how this became an adventure with travel and experiencing new things. All I expected from this was a romantic tale, but what I got was romance AND a journey. And you guys know how much I love love love those stories. Once we get near the end, a secret is revealed and you're hopeful that it won't ruin the magic between Kelsey and Jackson.

Finding It took me on an adventure of love and life. I adored Kelsey and Jackson and everything they did and said. Kelsey grew and you grew with her. Cora Carmack, I swear, I don't know how she does it. Everything I read, I love, and I'm not going to stop reading her work. Ever.

My Rating: Exceptional

I received a copy via Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review.

Finding It by Cora Carmack is the third novel in the Losing It series, which is really a collection of companion novels following the lives of multiple characters in Carmack's fictional world. I enjoyed this addition to the series more than the previous one (though I've yet to read the first in the series), especially since it included a travelling aspect, which I am a sucker for. The pacing is quick and the romance is steamy as the characters try to "find" themselves while exploring various countries. I did have a slight issue with originality, but it didn't take away from my experience.

Kelsey, the protagonist, is the all-too-familiar beautiful rich girl who is vibrant on the outside, but pretty much dark and moody on the inside. Her actions are destructive and her attitude nonchalant. But Kelsey is running from a past that is slowly revealed to us, even as she opens up to Jackson, her love interest. The tricky thing about Kelsey is that she is, to be blunt, a cliché character, but hey, so is Jackson. These two types of characters have been featured in dozens of novels (her the damaged protagonist, him the damaged saviour), but to be fair, this was still a fun read. Carmack's novels are not the most original ones, but they are light, fun, and fast reads.

The character growth, in my opinion, is what made the novel a bit more unique. Yes, Kelsey does grow to face her demons, but she goes about it in her own way, and changing her life drastically. The climax of the story is, of course, the proverbial tipping point, but she begins to notice that her life needs a change even before then. It was fun seeing a character go from being so flawed to being a strong independent woman who strives to overcome her dark past.

I'm probably a huge fan of this simply because of the travelling aspect. I love reading about adventures (romantic or not) in foreign countries, and Finding It allowed for me to see just a bit more of the world through literature. The storyline may not be perfect, but the setting was absolutely gorgeous and addicting. It takes a special kind of talent to be able to transform a reader's world from the current country s/he is in to a completely different place. The descriptions and awe of the characters were great and I couldn't put the book down thanks to them. It was almost a rush to see where the story took Kelsey and Jackson next.

Like I said before, the originality is questionable, since the idea of two flawed characters finding each other in a different place is a popular theme in literature, but this is still a fun and sexy read.

I recommend this one to fans of Carmack's writing and anyone who likes romance blended in with the adventure of travelling.

The third companion in Cora Carmack's Losing It series, Finding It follows rich party girl Kelsey Summers as she traipses around Europe upon graduating college. Dressed in her uniform of tight jeans and stilettos, armed with her dad's credit cards, and on a mission to lose herself in fun before facing real life, Kelsey still can't seem to fill the void in her heart. When she keeps bumping into hot American Jackson Hunt during her travels, everything begins to change. He challenges her on a week-long adventure where Kelsey learns more about herself and wants to learn more about the mysterious Jackson.

To be honest, I wasn't planning on reading Finding It because I didn't care for the character of Kelsey in the previous books in this series. However, I'm a sucker for finishing a series and knew that if nothing else, Carmack's spunky writing and quick wit would entertain me. I was pleased to discover that Kelsey actually is a likable character underneath the facade she maintains. While this story is overall fairly predictable, what set it apart from other New Adult romance novels is observing Kelsey slowly remove the layers she's built up to protect herself.

Based on the title of the book, I asked myself, "Finding what?" The simple answer in a New Adult romance is love, and while Kelsey is definitely on track to find that, this novel is also about finding a lot more. It's about finding adventure, finding hope, finding independence (emotional and financial) finding your history and, most importantly, finding yourself. Kelsey has a lot more depth than I anticipated and she's not nearly as obnoxious once she starts stripping away her layers.

As with all of her novels, Cora Carmack has a wonderful talent for being laugh-out-loud funny. Her characters each have their own individual voice and Kelsey is by far the sassiest. As I've said, it was fun to watch her grow on me when I expected to be annoyed. This book definitely delivers the pleasantly unexpected.

Bottom Line: A great finale(?) to the Losing It series; Kelsey is fun, sassy and her metamorphosis is much more in-depth than I anticipated. If you enjoy New Adult, this book is a winner. Contains strong sexual content. 4/5 stars.

Originally posted here: [...]

At this point, I had been enjoying how the Losing It series was about Bliss’ group of friends – starting off with Bliss, then Cade, and now Kelsey. I think Kelsey may be the most broken one of all, but she just hides it really well under the barbie-girl look and party-girl attitude. In Losing It, Kelsey mentions how she wanted to tour Europe to see the world and that’s exactly what she did, but I think she just really needed to get away from things and find herself. She wanted an adventure that could exhilarate her or maybe even change her.

Kelsey is the kind of girl who looks like she has it all – beauty, money, popularity, etc. But she’s been carrying heavy baggage ever since she was 12 and she just kept on adding more to it. It certainly doesn’t help that her parents don’t seem to show much concern for her. I think she just really feels lost and alone. The only times she feels better is when she’s distracting herself from all her internal struggles, even if it means ruining herself in the process with alcohol, fake friends, one-night stands, etc.

On a night she went out to a bar with people she just recently met, she finds Jackson Hunt watching her and laughing at how she’s stuck in one of the grossest make out sessions ever. I think I pretty much knew who Jackson was at the start so some parts of the plot were quite predictable. Jackson was a very conflicted person and that really showed in how he treated Kelsey at the beginning of the book. But eventually, both Jackson and Kelsey let each other in their lives in a weeklong unforgettable journey.

I personally love this book for the adventures that Kelsey and Jackson had throughout the book. I think a lot of people like myself dream of backpacking across Europe and seeing all kinds of breathtaking sites and experiencing all kinds of different things. Jackson saw how Kelsey was spiraling out of control with her drinking and partying, and he wanted to help her escape the fate he once experienced a long time ago. So he made a proposition to give her a real adventure, and not just the ones she’s been having going through the different clubs or bars of Europe. So they set off to see castles, grottos, beaches, etc. and just experience wonderful things.

P.S. My favorite part was the dozens of letters.

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OVERALL, Finding It is a tragic yet humorous tale of personal struggles, coping, and letting go. There are a lot of things that could happen that may be really bad for us or good for us, and what’s important is finding the good in all of it to live life at its most. Sometimes we find it through another person. Kelsey and Jackson surely found what they needed with each other, despite their rough start and conflicts along the way. Sometimes one needs to be broken to be whole again. Sometimes we need an adventure to get away from everything, but sometimes we just really have to lose something to know what we need and find it again.

4.25

I adored this book. Hands down my favorite in the Losing It Series. I was nervous going in because I never really felt any connection with Kelsey in Losing It. The crazy party girl isn't the kind of character I can relate to and I kind of dreaded reading a story about this crazy girl galavanting all around Europe. But in the end I absolutely loved Kelsey. Yes, she was a party girl, but she was also so much more, good and bad and superficial and deep. But most of all I thought she was hilarious and so relatable.

When the story starts Kelsey is in Hungary hanging out with cute guys she just met who speak pretty much no English. While out that night she meets Hunt, a mysterious American who rescues her from the worst kiss of her life. Kelsey's attracted to Hunt and she thinks he's attracted to her, but he refuses to act on his attraction and Kelsey and him part ways at the end of the night. She runs into him again a few days later, but once again nothing happens. Eventually they both happen to be on the same train to Prague and they decide to travel together, but just platonically.

Obviously if things stayed platonic there'd be no story here, but I'm not going to ruin it for you. As Kelsey and Hunt travel around together we learn more about how the two of them interact with each other, we learn a good amount about Kelsey, but we don't learn much about Hunt. And that did bother me. Also, quite a lot of the book takes place inside Kelsey's head and even though I really liked Kelsey and liked hearing her thoughts and learning more about her, I often found myself wanting more action. Which is a weird thing to be thinking when the characters in the book are going on all these adventures all around Europe.

Another point of confusion is the timeline. Losing It ended with Bliss and Garrick living in Philadelphia. Faking It takes place maybe six months or so after college ends? (I'm not totally remembering the timeline.) But Finding It skips backwards in time with Bliss and Garrick having just recently moved to Philly and Kelsey having only graduated a short time before. Which is fine, it was just weird to have read stuff about Bliss and Garrick and Cade and then have it not factor into this book at all. I'm not sure I've ever come across that in a series before.

A word of warning, if you haven't read this book do not read the description for Carmack's upcoming novella, Seeking Her. I made that mistake and it ruined what I imagine would be quite the surprise about Hunt if you were reading Finding It without knowing. It didn't ruin the book for me at all, but I do wish I hadn't know because I think it would have been a really different reading experience.

Bottom Line: This is my favorite book in the Losing It Series. I loved Kelsey. I loved Kelsey and Hunt together. And I loved the journey that Kelsey went on to find herself. These books work as standalones if you want them to and if the first two books in this series don't appeal to you (but they're good, you should read them!) don't let that stop you from reading this one.

I received a copy via Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review.

Finding It by Cora Carmack is the third novel in the Losing It series, which is really a collection of companion novels following the lives of multiple characters in Carmack's fictional world. I enjoyed this addition to the series more than the previous one (though I've yet to read the first in the series), especially since it included a travelling aspect, which I am a sucker for. The pacing is quick and the romance is steamy as the characters try to "find" themselves while exploring various countries. I did have a slight issue with originality, but it didn't take away from my experience.

Kelsey, the protagonist, is the all-too-familiar beautiful rich girl who is vibrant on the outside, but pretty much dark and moody on the inside. Her actions are destructive and her attitude nonchalant. But Kelsey is running from a past that is slowly revealed to us, even as she opens up to Jackson, her love interest. The tricky thing about Kelsey is that she is, to be blunt, a cliché character, but hey, so is Jackson. These two types of characters have been featured in dozens of novels (her the damaged protagonist, him the damaged saviour), but to be fair, this was still a fun read. Carmack's novels are not the most original ones, but they are light, fun, and fast reads.

The character growth, in my opinion, is what made the novel a bit more unique. Yes, Kelsey does grow to face her demons, but she goes about it in her own way, and changing her life drastically. The climax of the story is, of course, the proverbial tipping point, but she begins to notice that her life needs a change even before then. It was fun seeing a character go from being so flawed to being a strong independent woman who strives to overcome her dark past.

I'm probably a huge fan of this simply because of the travelling aspect. I love reading about adventures (romantic or not) in foreign countries, and Finding It allowed for me to see just a bit more of the world through literature. The storyline may not be perfect, but the setting was absolutely gorgeous and addicting. It takes a special kind of talent to be able to transform a reader's world from the current country s/he is in to a completely different place. The descriptions and awe of the characters were great and I couldn't put the book down thanks to them. It was almost a rush to see where the story took Kelsey and Jackson next.

Like I said before, the originality is questionable, since the idea of two flawed characters finding each other in a different place is a popular theme in literature, but this is still a fun and sexy read.

I recommend this one to fans of Carmack's writing and anyone who likes romance blended in with the adventure of travelling.

The third companion in Cora Carmack's Losing It series, Finding It follows rich party girl Kelsey Summers as she traipses around Europe upon graduating college. Dressed in her uniform of tight jeans and stilettos, armed with her dad's credit cards, and on a mission to lose herself in fun before facing real life, Kelsey still can't seem to fill the void in her heart. When she keeps bumping into hot American Jackson Hunt during her travels, everything begins to change. He challenges her on a week-long adventure where Kelsey learns more about herself and wants to learn more about the mysterious Jackson.

To be honest, I wasn't planning on reading Finding It because I didn't care for the character of Kelsey in the previous books in this series. However, I'm a sucker for finishing a series and knew that if nothing else, Carmack's spunky writing and quick wit would entertain me. I was pleased to discover that Kelsey actually is a likable character underneath the facade she maintains. While this story is overall fairly predictable, what set it apart from other New Adult romance novels is observing Kelsey slowly remove the layers she's built up to protect herself.

Based on the title of the book, I asked myself, "Finding what?" The simple answer in a New Adult romance is love, and while Kelsey is definitely on track to find that, this novel is also about finding a lot more. It's about finding adventure, finding hope, finding independence (emotional and financial) finding your history and, most importantly, finding yourself. Kelsey has a lot more depth than I anticipated and she's not nearly as obnoxious once she starts stripping away her layers.

As with all of her novels, Cora Carmack has a wonderful talent for being laugh-out-loud funny. Her characters each have their own individual voice and Kelsey is by far the sassiest. As I've said, it was fun to watch her grow on me when I expected to be annoyed. This book definitely delivers the pleasantly unexpected.

Bottom Line: A great finale(?) to the Losing It series; Kelsey is fun, sassy and her metamorphosis is much more in-depth than I anticipated. If you enjoy New Adult, this book is a winner. Contains strong sexual content. 4/5 stars.

Originally posted here: [...]

At this point, I had been enjoying how the Losing It series was about Bliss’ group of friends – starting off with Bliss, then Cade, and now Kelsey. I think Kelsey may be the most broken one of all, but she just hides it really well under the barbie-girl look and party-girl attitude. In Losing It, Kelsey mentions how she wanted to tour Europe to see the world and that’s exactly what she did, but I think she just really needed to get away from things and find herself. She wanted an adventure that could exhilarate her or maybe even change her.

Kelsey is the kind of girl who looks like she has it all – beauty, money, popularity, etc. But she’s been carrying heavy baggage ever since she was 12 and she just kept on adding more to it. It certainly doesn’t help that her parents don’t seem to show much concern for her. I think she just really feels lost and alone. The only times she feels better is when she’s distracting herself from all her internal struggles, even if it means ruining herself in the process with alcohol, fake friends, one-night stands, etc.

On a night she went out to a bar with people she just recently met, she finds Jackson Hunt watching her and laughing at how she’s stuck in one of the grossest make out sessions ever. I think I pretty much knew who Jackson was at the start so some parts of the plot were quite predictable. Jackson was a very conflicted person and that really showed in how he treated Kelsey at the beginning of the book. But eventually, both Jackson and Kelsey let each other in their lives in a weeklong unforgettable journey.

I personally love this book for the adventures that Kelsey and Jackson had throughout the book. I think a lot of people like myself dream of backpacking across Europe and seeing all kinds of breathtaking sites and experiencing all kinds of different things. Jackson saw how Kelsey was spiraling out of control with her drinking and partying, and he wanted to help her escape the fate he once experienced a long time ago. So he made a proposition to give her a real adventure, and not just the ones she’s been having going through the different clubs or bars of Europe. So they set off to see castles, grottos, beaches, etc. and just experience wonderful things.

P.S. My favorite part was the dozens of letters.

**************************************************

OVERALL, Finding It is a tragic yet humorous tale of personal struggles, coping, and letting go. There are a lot of things that could happen that may be really bad for us or good for us, and what’s important is finding the good in all of it to live life at its most. Sometimes we find it through another person. Kelsey and Jackson surely found what they needed with each other, despite their rough start and conflicts along the way. Sometimes one needs to be broken to be whole again. Sometimes we need an adventure to get away from everything, but sometimes we just really have to lose something to know what we need and find it again.

4.25

I adored this book. Hands down my favorite in the Losing It Series. I was nervous going in because I never really felt any connection with Kelsey in Losing It. The crazy party girl isn't the kind of character I can relate to and I kind of dreaded reading a story about this crazy girl galavanting all around Europe. But in the end I absolutely loved Kelsey. Yes, she was a party girl, but she was also so much more, good and bad and superficial and deep. But most of all I thought she was hilarious and so relatable.

When the story starts Kelsey is in Hungary hanging out with cute guys she just met who speak pretty much no English. While out that night she meets Hunt, a mysterious American who rescues her from the worst kiss of her life. Kelsey's attracted to Hunt and she thinks he's attracted to her, but he refuses to act on his attraction and Kelsey and him part ways at the end of the night. She runs into him again a few days later, but once again nothing happens. Eventually they both happen to be on the same train to Prague and they decide to travel together, but just platonically.

Obviously if things stayed platonic there'd be no story here, but I'm not going to ruin it for you. As Kelsey and Hunt travel around together we learn more about how the two of them interact with each other, we learn a good amount about Kelsey, but we don't learn much about Hunt. And that did bother me. Also, quite a lot of the book takes place inside Kelsey's head and even though I really liked Kelsey and liked hearing her thoughts and learning more about her, I often found myself wanting more action. Which is a weird thing to be thinking when the characters in the book are going on all these adventures all around Europe.

Another point of confusion is the timeline. Losing It ended with Bliss and Garrick living in Philadelphia. Faking It takes place maybe six months or so after college ends? (I'm not totally remembering the timeline.) But Finding It skips backwards in time with Bliss and Garrick having just recently moved to Philly and Kelsey having only graduated a short time before. Which is fine, it was just weird to have read stuff about Bliss and Garrick and Cade and then have it not factor into this book at all. I'm not sure I've ever come across that in a series before.

A word of warning, if you haven't read this book do not read the description for Carmack's upcoming novella, Seeking Her. I made that mistake and it ruined what I imagine would be quite the surprise about Hunt if you were reading Finding It without knowing. It didn't ruin the book for me at all, but I do wish I hadn't know because I think it would have been a really different reading experience.

Bottom Line: This is my favorite book in the Losing It Series. I loved Kelsey. I loved Kelsey and Hunt together. And I loved the journey that Kelsey went on to find herself. These books work as standalones if you want them to and if the first two books in this series don't appeal to you (but they're good, you should read them!) don't let that stop you from reading this one.

Cora Carmack published her first book, Losing It, only one short year ago, and in that time she has quickly become one of my favorite authors. She has a knack for creating highly compelling characters who you start to care about immediately, and puts them in situations that draw you in and keep you turning those pages. Finding It is no exception.

Whereas I loved Losing It because Bliss was fun, quirky and laugh-out-loud hysterical, in Finding It, Cora Cormack gratifyingly gave Kelsey her own unique voice and story. Finding It dealt with some more serious themes, but at the same time, they didn’t bog down the story with darkness and undue drama. Cora handled them beautifully, striking the right balance between pain, loss and anger, and love, adventure and healing.

In Finding It, Bliss’s best friend, Kelsey, strikes out on a European back-packing odyssey hoping to find enough adventure to fill the void in her soul and last her a lifetime. Kelsey carries around a deep scar on her soul from a neglected and abusive childhood that she hides behind an actress’s mask. Since she feels life will never get any better for her, she wanted to build these amazing memories that she could carry with her forever. Unfortunately, she eventually realizes that her life in Europe is just as empty as her life was in the US…until she meets Jackson Hunt.

Jackson is a former combat soldier who carries his own scars from that experience, and from his own painful childhood. He recognizes this pain in Kelsey and is immediately drawn to her. However, he struggles to hold back from her physically, not wanting to be yet another in a long line of anonymous one-nght-stands for her. He wants to mean something to her – he wants it to be real (swoon!). Needless to say, I fell for Jackson immediately! To help Kelsey find the missing pieces of herself, he sweeps her away on a whirlwind tour of some of my favorite European spots, trying to give her a completely different adventure than she every expected.

I loved the build-up of Jackson and Kelsey’s relationship. It was real and compelling and oh-so-deliciously sweet and steamy. However, Jackson is holding back a secret from Kelsey at the same time that she is holding back the secret of her past from him. Will they both be able to finally come clean with each other? And if they do, will their relationship survive? Although this book didn’t tie up all of the loose ends related to Kelsey’s parents, I still felt very satisfied and fulfilled by the conclusion. Perhaps there will be a follow-up novella to address any remaining threads (hint hint, Cora).

If you are looking for a love story that has everything – pain, heartache, healing, devotion, plenty of steam and sensuality, set against a gorgeous backdrop of European locals, and not to mention beautifully written – then one-click Finding It right now! ~Dina

***I received an ARC in exchange for my honest review*****

"Everyone deserves one grand adventure, that one time in life that we always get to point back to and say "Then...then I was really living." Kelsey

Kelsey Summer is travelling around Europe, she's drinking, partying, having fun. She comes across as confident and independent with a bold and brash attitude, she was always out to have a good time, but in reality it's just an act she has insecurities, is lonely, running from her past, hiding from secrets and her parents.

"Thick skin and a mask were necessities of my childhood. But when you grow up wearing a mask, you never really learn the face beneath it." ~ Kelsey

When she meets Jackson Hunt he takes her on an adventure that she won't forget, and Kelsey soon realizes that she may have to stop running and face up to her past.

Jackson (loved him) was a mystery at the beginning; he has his own secrets and issues, but he did seem to understand Kelsey, he can see she has her guard up that she is hiding, and masking her pain.

"I'm not telling you how you feel. I would never do that. I'm just asking you to let me in. Let me feel it with you" ~ Jackson

Finding it has a great storyline told from Kelsey point of view, my heart went out to her many as you discover the reason behind her pain, her issues, about her relationship with her parents, and how she feels when she learns the truth about Jackson.

I loved the humor, the romance, the sexual tension, the setting, the twist and turns, it's a little angst at times, it's heartwarming, but also heartbreaking. I loved watching how the friendship that Kelsey and Jackson have turned into something more serious, more unique as their attraction and connection grows.

"I'm going to kiss you, princess. But not now, not when you're telling me to. Not when it's just something you want to check off a list. I'll kiss you when it counts. ~ Jackson

"When you love someone, really love someone. It's a last mark on your soul. There's a lock on your heart that you'll carry with you always. You may lose the key or give it away, but the lock stays with you all the same" ~ Kelsey

I enjoyed this one from the Finding series. It's has a different feeling the first two books its more serious, emotional, and deeper because of Kelsey and Jackson's past. The ending was sweet, and I was pleased to see that Kelsey had stop running, had found herself and grown as a person, but I will say I was left with a few unanswered questions and wanting more. Also, Cora Carmack where was my epilogue??? After having them in the last two, I was slightly disappointed that there wasn't one. As we all know, I love my epilogues.

I would certainly recommend this one, and the rest of the series you won't be disappointed. Cora creates such loveable characters, her writing style is such that she pulls you in from the start, and you don't what to put the book down until you have finished it. I love how in her books there is always something that make you smile or cringe with embarrassment and think, `oh yes been there done that'

I was excited to learn that we will be getting Jackson's point of view next year in a novella, and for me it can't come soon enough as so many times while reading it I wanted to understand Jackson's perspectives, what he was thinking and his feelings. I can't wait to read `Seeking Her', and its amazing epilogue that I'm sure it's going to have.;-)

"There was no way that was a cell phone or something else in his pocket. Unless they'd started making pockets in very awkward spot" ~ Kelsey

Everyone deserves one grand adventure, that one time in life that we always get to point back to and say, "Then...then I was really living."
***

I so desperately wanted to hate Kelsey when this story began. She came off as a tramp and I was disgusted with the way she went about getting guys attention. And I know she was Bliss’ friend in LOSING IT but I just don’t remember much about her. I wish I could. I guess I was too focused on Garrick and Bliss. But slowly, very slowly, Kelsey started shedding the layers around herself that was put up to protect her heart. And once those layers started falling off, the real Kelsey emerged. And that girl I liked a whole lot better. But the sad thing was, she was just looking for something...anything. Something to fill the void she left back in Texas. The very same void that followed her to the other side of the world. There was no hiding from it. She was in need of finding herself and then, only then, could she move on with her life and find the peace she so desperately seeks.

***
I wanted to experience something extraordinary, something more. I refused to believe that my best years were all behind me now that I'd graduated from college. And if adventures only existed in the now, that was the only place I wanted to exist, too.
***

Out of all the books in this series, I do believe this is my favorite. I never thought I would say that because I loved LOSING IT so very much. But this one, with it being set overseas in other places I have only dreamt of going...well I think that is why. Plus I loved that Hunt was trying so hard to be this person he wasn't, all while trying to tell Kelsey to be her own person. One of those ‘do as I say, not as I do’ moments. He was trying to keep his distance and I was eagerly wanting to know why.

I am so thankful that I have been allowed to review this series and I can only hope I will be asked to review all of Carmack’s future books. *wink, wink* There is no doubt in my mind that Carmack is an author to be reckoned with. Whatever praise she gets for her books is definitely deserved. Carmack has a true talent as an author and her books are done beautifully. FINDING IT is absolutely a must read!

I headed into Cora Carmack's Finding It expecting to love it, and I came out the other end of Cora Carmack's Finding It with my expectations met.

I'm a big fan of this author and her quirky, contemporary world she's created. We started out with Bliss meets Garrick in Losing It, which had me laughing at out at Bliss's hilarious character, and we spend more time with them in Keeping Her. Following that was Cade's story, Faking It, where he meets the somewhat troubled Max, and the fresh tone keeps the series fresh, and man, I fell in love with Cade. And now, in Finding It, we spend time with Bliss's bestie Kelsey on her worldly travels as she heads in search of, well, herself.

Those travels of hers puts her in the path of one hot and hunky ex-soldier Hunt. Excuse me a moment whilst I pause to say `Yum'.

From the off, there is chemistry between this pair. In the slightest of eye contact, the attitudes they show one another, the small touches they share. And I loved that the one with the history of whore-hood was the female for a change--though, don't condemn her yet; there is all too often a reason for why people (male and female) behave this way.

Despite Kelsey's behaviour being the kind I despise having to witness in others, I still managed to connect with her from the off. In real life, I'd have probably been pretty appalled by her carryings-on, yet in the book I just found myself concerned for her, wanting to understand why she was behaving this way, wanting to figure out a way for her to not behave this way, and wanting her to find the happiness she was so obviously seeking.

When Hunt steps onto the scene, and almost successively steps up to the task of helping her in her hunt (<<see what I did there?), whilst portraying one chivalrous task after another, I see that first glimmer of hope for her--as does Kelsey herself once she admits what her subconscious is trying to tell her. And henceforth, we are taken on a journey in a new direction, one where we get to watch the developing relationship between Kelsey and Hunt.

About here, the story starts to get really interesting. Because that chemistry between them fights even harder for its place at the forefront--which is a place it deserves.

I guess I could complain about how long Ms Carmack keeps the reader waiting for what we know is surely to come, but I don't think the book would have worked as well as it does had it been played a different way. Especially with the spanner thrown into the works that every romance author out there likes to toss at their characters once they've led them into a false sense of security.

Now, admittedly, I'd figured out the exact spanner size before we reached that point. Yes, I had suspicions--the reader is obviously supposed to--but I'd also worked out the smack-bang-up-yer-face of it, too. However, that didn't mar my enjoyment one iota. This was still a totally rocking read--made even more rocking by the imaginative redemption of said spanner that drew this book to a sigh-worthy conclusion.

Yeah, yeah, I get I'm being obscure--but why would you want to know the entire plot from me when you'll get so much more pleasure out of discovering it for yourself? Finding It is an awesomely sad yet witty book, filled with hope and self-condemnation, personal development and self-discovery, growing up, stepping up, and love lost and found, all wrapped up in a colourful and vibrant journey of places I've never visited but now would love to dearly. It's now available to buy. I recommend you do so.

"You're not horrible, Kelsey. You are vibrant and beautiful, and you burn. Burn so vividly. Fires can damage, but they are also so beautiful and vital and they can purify and give the chance to start fresh. You're not horrible. Not at all."

My Review
Finding It is a parallel story to Bliss's. This is the story of Kelsey after she leaves her friends after graduating college and decides to tour Europe. Kelsey has always been the one I was rooting for. I knew she had a dark past and I couldn't wait for her story! This book by far was my favorite in the series! I LOVE Kelsey and Hunt (Jackson). Kelsey meets Hunt at one of her worst drunken moments at a bar where she is trying to dance and drink her past behind he,while also trying to find herself. Unfortunately, the drinking and dancing doesn't seem to be working, nor is a different guy every night. After being rescued by Hunt at the bar, Kelsey tries to forget him but starts seeing him everywhere. Kelsey and Hunt go on an epic road(train) trip through Europe and Kelsey begins to open up and lets some of the hurt and angst from her past to slowly diminish. She begins to enjoy being around Hunt and spending time with him, but she questions his motives sometimes, especially when he sends mixed messages.

"He made me feel like I didn't have to keep heading in the same direction. I'd thought I needed this trip to give me a story, one that I could take with me through the rest of my miserable life for comfort or consolation. But he made me think that I could have a bigger story, one that didn't end when this trip was over."

The magnetism between them is air crackling and I was dying for them to finally give in and DO it ALREADY!! After one HOT and I mean HOT weekend holed up in a hotel, Kelsey decides that she really is falling in love with him but is scared to allow those feelings, afraid that it will open her up to feelings that she has been forcing down since she was a child. Kelsey fights long and hard not to have these feelings but when you have a hot ex military man around 24/7, how can you NOT give in at some point!!

"I pulled back so that I could look into his eyes, and that feeling, that attachment I'd felt to him was no longer a hook, but an anchor buried deep in my ribcage"

Hunt is a very mysterious guy and you really don't get much history about him in book. In fact, the only reason I gave the book 4 stars was because I felt that the author could have gone more in depth on the storyline with Kelsey and her parents and how Hunt came into the picture. When Kelsey finds out why Hunt is truly there, it devastates her and she
does the only thing she knows how to do, run.

"It's a quiet thing when your heart breaks. I thought it would be loud, louder than the air rushing around us when we 'd dove off that bridge. I thought it would drown everything else out. But it happened like a whisper. A small, clean split. It broke in a second, and the pain was little more than a pinprick. It's the echo that kills you. Like the echo inside the Grotto Azzurra, that tiny sound kept bouncing around the cavern of my ribs, getting louder and louder. It multiplied until I heard hearts breaking, a thousand, more. All of them mine."

"Of course, I can handle it. It's nothing, really. Just another thing that wasn't real. It was just another thing that doesn't count"

Hunt gives Kelsey some time to think run and think, but you he is going to find her and make her listen. He enlists the sweetest help to deliver special things to Kelsey to make her see how he feels. At first Kelsey denies them but once again after a bit she gives in.

Hunt- "I hated you because you made me face my past. But once I did that...once I acknowledged it, I started to notice the ways you are different from me. I meant what I said in Germany, Kelsey. You burn so brightly and beautifully. You light up a room when you walk into it. I watched people flock to you city after city, bar after bar. You just..even at your most miserable, you had more life in your pinky than I had in my whole body. And when I stopped hating you, I started wanting you. And then I didn't stand a chance. I tried to stay away, but I just...couldn't."

AWWWWEEE!!! How can you not be completely in love with Hunt now?! The ending could have defintely used a little more closure. There were several things that happened or were discussed during the book that needed to be cleared up a little bit more. Overall I LOVED Kelsey and Hunt!!! A must read for everyone!!!

Before I started on the newest installment to Cora Carmack's bestselling series, I did a re-read of all the ones that came before. Going into Finding It, I was certain that Cade and Max were my favorites and there was no other couple Cora could create that I would love more. Within just a few chapters I realized how naïve I was. With each book, her characters increase with intensity and depth, and this couple takes the cake!

~ So maybe, my new "friends" only wanted me for money and sex. It was better than not being wanted at all. ~

The unique thing about this series is that for a lot of the timeframe, they take place simultaneously. So while in each book all the characters appear, they are only front and center in their own book. I love being able to get each one's perspectives. I will admit that going into this, I didn't expect much out of Kelsey. She seemed like a spoiled rich girl who wasn't serious about anything in life except having a good time. I am here to tell you that appearances can be deceiving and sometimes the people who appear to have it all together are really the ones falling apart. Some of us just wear our masks better than others.

~ You don't realize how small you really are until you're faced with something like that. We live our lives as if we're at the center of our own universe, but we're just tiny pieces of a shattered whole. ~

After graduating from college, having no real direction in her life yet not ready to return home to begin life as a country club wife, Kelsey decides to take a year to explore Europe. Detesting being alone, she shuns nice hotels, choosing to stay in youth hostels instead. She meets new people daily and parties the night away, not caring about the consequences. After a few weeks, she starts to notice a handsome stranger, Hunt. Unknowingly coming from similar backgrounds, they push each other's buttons relentlessly.

~ "The best parts of life are the things we can't plan. And it's a lot harder to find happiness if you're only searching in one place. Sometimes you just have to throw away the map. Admit that you don't know where you're going and stop pressuring yourself to figure it out. Besides...a map is a life someone else already lived. It's more fun to make your own." ~

Coming to the realization that this trip is not at all what she imagined, Kelsey decides to give up and go home. Enter Hunt. He challenges her to give him seven days to help her find an adventure. If she will do that for him, he will kiss her. You may think this is a weird arrangement for a girl who has seemingly slept her across Europe, but she wants Hunt so badly, and he won't give her what she desires.

~ That was where it started. Those soft touches. Each one pulled us a little closer. Each one gradually smudged that imaginary line between us. And soon, the pull between us wouldn't just erase that line. It would obliterate it. ~

Immediately it because glaringly apparent that there was a magnetism between these two that rivaled all other couples. Despite how hard they each tried, how much they pushed each other away, they were drawn together like moths to a flame. Kindred spirits, they each had a heartbreaking story that unfolded throughout this journey. The only thing that would have made this story perfect for me is if it was told in dual POV. I LOVED that about Faking It, and was really hoping for the same with this book. That being said, as our couple fell in love, I fell right along with them. They have a novella coming soon, and I cannot wait to see what happens with them next. Top notch, heartbreaking, soul searching 5 star read for me!

~ When you love someone, really love someone, it's a lasting mark on your soul. There's a lock on your heart that you'll carry with you always. You may lose the key or give it away, but the lock stays with you all the same. ~

This review and others like it are available at confessionsofanadultteenreader.blogspot.ca

My love for Cora Carmack's books is almost annoying. I have yet to take more than a day to finish one of her novels because the characters are just so lovely and real, her writing style is so addictive, and I truthfully just cannot wait for the happy endings.

Jetting off to Europe after graduation, Kelsey wants to find experiences. She needs something that will shake things up and make her feel something real. But, after barhopping and adventure seeking all over Europe, loneliness sinks in, and Kelsey is no closer to finding something real than she was before her trip. It's only when ex-Army Jackson Hunt walks into her life, pointing out that she can't expect to have new experiences when every night is the same party in a different place, that Kelsey's adventure really starts. In Italy, Kelsey and Hunt spend every waking minute together. But, she has to learn the hard way that sometimes, before you can appreciate any new, great experiences, you have learn how to handle your bad ones.

I don't know if it was the exotic settings, or the fact that I ultimately related to Kelsey so much more than I have to any of the previous Losing It characters, but Finding It is my favorite Carmack novel to date. I wasn't the biggest fan of Kelsey in book one. I found her perkiness came off fake. But, in Finding It, Kelsey is shown to be so much more than the happy-go-lucky character she seemed to be. As more of who Kelsey really is seeps through, I related to her more and more, seeing so much of my past experiences and myself in her growth. Her character is so relatable, and in a much more profound way than just being someone with the ability to put on a happy face when much more is going on below the surface. As Kelsey opens up to Hunt, dropping the persona, as a reader you truly feel the pride and high level of responsibility Hunt feels, knowing Kelsey trusts him enough to hold her secrets.

The relationship between Hunt and Kelsey, like Kelsey herself, grows and becomes more full as the novel continues. Their relationship is one of the best illustrations of two people bringing out the best in each other that I have read. They are so alike in their cautious, close guarded secretiveness, and so opposite in the way they way they outwardly present themselves. Yet they just work. They challenge each other, support each other, and love each other with such fierceness that you can't help but get what can only be described as "the feels". Of course not everything can possibly ever be perfect, but I really liked how even in the hardest times, that they fight for each other, and for their relationship. Theirs is a straight up realistic relationship.

I just really loved this book. I can't gush enough about how much I loved Kelsey and Hunt's story. If you haven't check out the Losing It series yet, step to it.

Rating 10/10

** I received a copy of this novel from the publisher to read and honestly review. I was in no way compensated.

I anticipated reading Finding It quickly, diving deep into the lives of the characters that Cora Carmack created. However, quickly turned into slowly. Slowly turning page after page, hoping, wishing, that the story of Kelsey and Hunt would never end. Wanting so desperately for Cora to surprise me, the reader, with many more books on the horizon of Kelsey and Hunt's lives.

Kelsey has traveled out of the country. Far away from home, from parents that she no longer feels has her best interest at heart. Looking for adventure in all the wrong places. Looking for ways to mask the heartache, the regret, the secrets. Living a life that only looks great on the outside, while the inside silently aches. When Kelsey least expects it, Hunt walks into her life, slowly. But at such a pace that they both quickly realize that an attraction is there that can't be ignored.

Cora Carmack's works started with Losing It, Faking It, Keeping Her, and now the best of them all, Finding It. Finding It was filled with a deeper connection to emotions and a yearning of finding purpose in life. A purpose that is so hard to captured when it feels as if the world is against you. Cora weaves her words with figurative language that provides the reader with the feeling that they are the "third wheel," an outsider looking in on lives that are filled with adventure, love and secrets that create turning points in life. I was captured with Losing It and Faking It, but Finding It has taken my commitment to literature and authors to a whole new level. I received a copy of Finding It from publisher William Morrow, however when I found out that there were specially, signed copies at Target, I was there on the day it released, hoping to get my signed copy and the extra introduction. I got the last of 3 copies and a sweet friend will be able to enjoy my extra copy. Cora, I can't wait for your next book. Keep the awesome writing coming. Your writing is truly putting the "New" in Adult fiction on the charts! - Deitre

While Kelsey was "Finding it", I was finding a few things myself. I was finding myself having laugh out loud moments. I was finding myself traveling to many places (some I never even thought of before). I was finding myself swooning over Jackson. I then found myself sexually frustrated (for Kelsey . . . not for me . . . ahem). Finally, I found my steam engine going into overload. What is it with rain and yelling and . . . woo . . . sorry.

Ahem. Back to the book . . .

I loved Kelsey's journey throughout this whole book. It's amazing how much self-discovery can happen when you are trying to run away from your problems. Sometimes, you get to a point in your life where your problems won't let you run anymore. If you're lucky, like Kelsey, you'll have a strong, caring person like Jackson Hunt in your life to help guide you through your hang-ups. If you're real lucky; there'll be some rain involved. *Fans self*

I really did enjoy this book. There was only one thing that disappointed me. There is a level of suspense behind Jackson's character, which I loved. I love to drive myself crazy trying to figure out the secrets behind a character. I was a bit disappointed when a clue was given that was so obvious to me, it took my fun away. :-( That's me though. It may not be obvious to everyone else.

I did love the end. It was sweet, gentle and just all around . . . perfect. :-)

Last but not least, I shall give you 2 warnings!

WARNING #1: After reading this book, do not drag your significant other out into the pouring rain and provoke an argument. They won't get it and you will possibly be ruining a special fantasy that you can use for inspiration at a moment's notice.

WARNING #2: This book contains a scene that may have you thinking and talking about rain more than usual and . . . with a stupid grin on your face. I know nothing of this, obviously (drops of rain trickling down hard pecs . . . his 8-pack). *Shakes my head*

So, do dive into this book and enjoy! I'm going to get a cold shower . . . I mean a cold drink! It's a little warm in here . . .

Kelsey is looking for adventure--fun and excitement with no strings attached. Jackson Hunt comes out of nowhere, and she starts to feel things she'd rather not feel. Plus, she can't figure him out. Not that she's an open book.

On a whim, the two take a chance and decide to look for adventure together. Can they both open up to each other and explore the possibilities? Or will all their secrets be too much to overcome?

I'm old fashioned in a lot of ways. I like a slow building romance where the sexual tension simmers before boiling over, where the will-they-or-won't-they intensifies with each page turn. Too quick in bed, and I often find myself less connected to the characters. That's what I loved about this book. Kelsey and Jackson don't just fall into bed and then figure things out, there's a lot of back and forth. But don't worry, it's sexy and captivating--and plenty hot!

But it's more than just a romance. Kelsey and Jackson have open wounds that need to heal. They are complex characters with complex feelings and needs. And that makes for excellent story.

I highly recommend Finding It. You'll find yourself wanting to read more of Cora Carmack's books. I know I did. (This was my first Cora Carmack read.)

Rating: 4.5 stars, but worthy of rounding up

Note: I received a complimentary copy for review purposes. A positive review was not requested or guaranteed; the opinions expressed are my own.

Be warned there are *SPOILERS* from the get go.

Ok so when I first started reading this I really enjoyed it. I like adventure/finding yourself road trip plot in books and this one gave us just that. However and this is where the SPOILER comes in, I wasn't very far into the book when I realized that this was another take on Chasing Liberty. Now don't get me wrong I like the movie, rich cute girl super hot undercover military guy they have an adventure and fall in love. The movie though had an ending, unlike the book in my eyes it just stopped. I liked that they came back together in the end but there was no Epilogue which for me left so many unanswered questions. I guess with the book focusing so much on Kelsey's family life I'd like to have seen something resolved there, even if it was they disowned me or something, I don't know I just wanted more. Not only that but parts of this story were so detailed that when it just stopped I was a little annoyed, give me something of THEIR future, anything!

SPOILER FREE ZONE
Aside from all of the above I did enjoy this latest addition to this series and yes, I will be recommending it.

Another wonderful read from Cora. She really went a different direction with Kelsey's character, and I commend her for that. I was so aggravated by her in the beginning of the book, but by the end I loved her. The second half of the book is really when the writing came alive for me and I fell in love with Kelsey and Jackson as a couple. I'm definitely going to have a book hangover tomorrow after this one.

I figured out both of Jackson's secrets fairly early on in the book, but that didn't take away from the enjoyment of reading it. I loved his adventures with Kelsey, and the ending was so well written. This is one of those books where you're mentally screaming at the characters to get it together and let each other in because they are so perfectly flawed together, but you have to sit back and go through a myriad of emotions while they figure it out. I thoroughly enjoyed going on Kelsey and Jackson's journey with them (and the fact that it took place in Europe was an awesome bonus!).

Miss Cora Carmack, you have done it again! I really needed this quick read. It had great characters that had intriguing back stories. And equally as awesome, their story unfolded while trekking through Europe! I loved that element of this story, because I have been to some of the places they went to and rode the same type of sleeping train while traveling across Europe. I have also stayed in hostels. :-) It was so much fun to reliving my college adventures as I read about Kelsey and Hunt's adventures. Another amazing element of this book was all the wonderful "quotable moments". These are things that the characters thought or said that rang true about life and love. I'm a "highlighter" when I read books on my Nook. When I read something that I like and want to remember and go back a reread, I highlight it. Unfortunately, the version of the book that I read on my Nook didn't allow me to highlight, so I am really hoping that the best quotable moments from this book have already been put on Goodreads. Now on to Keeping Her by Carmack! :-)

Kelsey Summers is living her life to the max. She's traveling around the world. She is enjoying her life without responsibilities, worries.

But that changed when she met Jackson. He's a smoking hot, mysterious guy that you can't resist. They both keep running into each other.

Jackson is so damn hot. Sweet. Protective. He takes care of her.

They start to spend more and more time together and become more closer.

Sexual tension between these two is so… powerful, intense.

I absolutely love this book. From the plot, the story, the characters.

Another amazing book by a brilliant author who never disappoints. Cora did an amazing job with this book.

≧◔◡◔≦ 5 ✰ read ≧◉◡◉≦

Finding It is the companion novel to Losing It and Faking It, and was equally as enjoyable! Cora's writing is fun and witty and seems to get better and better with each book she writes. Finding It is centered-around, Kelsey (who we meet as Bliss' best friend in book 1 of the series). The story follows the rich and wild Kelsey as she backpacks across Europe in search of herself. What she ends up finding is so much more. Enter the mysterious Jackson Hunt. The chemistry between Kelsey and Jackson is intense from the moment they meet; though, their relationship is far from easy going, as they both are keeping secrets and unwilling to truly let the other in. They go through a lot of ups and downs as they journey across Europe together, and every single sweet, steamy, heartbreaking, and tension filled moment helps them to grow as individuals and together. I loved watching the story unfold and their characters develop. Cora is such an amazing writer and her work seems to grow in depth and complexity with every new story. I am really looking forward to reading Jackson's novella and any and every other book that Cora writes in the future. She seriously rocks my socks!

2.5 stars... Not my favorite of the series

Kelsey is off backpacking abroad and trying to find her happiness. Enter Jackson Hunter aka Hunt.

Kelsey is spoiled but starved for love. Hunt was undervalued by his family and a drunk at 17. He joined the Marines and found 'family'. Tragedy struck leaving him injured and released from duty.

Kelsey's dad hired Hunt to follow her on her trip abroad so nothing bad happened. He tries to just do his job but he is drawn to her. Blah, blah. They fall for each other. Then she finds out his secret and is PISSED.

Sure there is a HEA but this story fell flat. Normally I love any story with a Marine but this one just didn't work.

Starting off with one of the best opening lines, ever, FINDING IT had me hooked from beginning to end. I can honestly say that I can't pick a favorite in this series now. I can also say that I didn't expect to connect with Kelsey as much as I did. This series is a definite favorite and FINDING IT confirmed that for me once again.

Kelsey is on the adventure of a lifetime. She's trotting around Europe looking for some fun. The problem is that she's using it as an escape. She isn't sure what she wants to do with her life. And...she's running from a painful past. To say she has issues with her parents, would be putting it mildly. As the story unfolds, we learn more about her relationship with her parents and the lack of support they've given her. It truly broke my heart and I saw Kelsey as a wounded soul. When she meets mysterious Jackson Hunt, she tries to connect with him the only way she knows how. With her body. But, Jackson isn't looking for a quick toss. He sees something deeper in Kelsey. He can also recognize the pain she tries to hide.

Jackson makes a deal with Kelsey to take her on an adventure. He has one week to show her what living is really like. As they travel, their connection gets even stronger. As their week of fun comes to an end, Kelsey learns the truth about Jackson and her heart is crushed. I hurt for her, but I really think it was a good thing. Kelsey had a lot of healing to do and she really needed to find her way. I loved seeing her growth, but I was even happier that she allowed herself to heal.

Overall, from the setting, romance, and the personal journey of each of them, I loved it. I devoured this book in one sitting and wasn't ready for it to end. After I had finished, I learned that there will be a novella from Jackson's POV and I. Can't. Wait. This book was more about Kelsey's journey, which I appreciated, but I can't wait to get inside his head! I highly recommend this series.

Quotes:
~Everyone deserves one grand adventure, that one time in life that we always get to point back and say, "Then...then I was really living."-Loc 45

~My amused stalker had olive-toned skin, dark eyes, and hair cut close to his head. He had that muscled, military look about him, which sparked half a dozen dirty puns in my head about him invading my territories.-loc 168

~He wasn't nearly as uninterested as he wanted me to believe, and that was what made him interesting.-Loc 267

~"I'm going to kiss you, princess. But not now, not when you're telling me to. Not when it's just something you want to check off a list. I'll kiss you when it counts."-Loc 2071

~You're my adventure. The only one I want to have. So, if this doesn't work, I'll try something else. If the military taught me anything, it was to be persistent. To whether the storms. So, that's what I'll do.-Loc 4320

Told in Kelsey Summers' POV, this book was perfect! The hot sexual tension with the creepy stalker, Jackson Hunt, was just what I needed.

I liked Losing It, Keeping Her, Faking It and then there's Finding It and I have to say Cora did it again. I love the different lives each character lives in each book and I love how they all end in HEA.

Kelsey and Hunt's story was a refreshing read and I can't wait to read Jackson's POV in Seeking Her

Recommend this series to anyone who wants to read sexy and fun New Adult books.

The first thing you should know about Finding It is that it's nothing like Losing It or Faking It. I thought Losing It and Faking It were great for a few reasons: the characters felt real, the scenes were hilariously awkward, and the relationships with slow-building. Finding It has none of those things.

Kelsey is not a likable character. She uses alcohol and sex to solve every single one of her problems, and I never feel like that changes--not even at the end of the book. Every move she makes is in an effort to sexually seduce Jackson and get him to have sex with her. This made it really hard for me to connect with Kelsey. I never sympathized with her or even liked her that much. She always seemed like such a shallow character. And she always talked about how she was "Done with [her] dad controlling [her] life", but she had no problem running around Europe on his money. *rolls eyes*

"God, I love when people love me."
"My killer stilettos kept my legs in decent shape."

And Kelsey couldn't even go a few days without sex without complaining. I get that she was a party girl, but geeze. I don't think I was prepared to handle all her cr@p. I think I thought that she'd get better or she wouldn't really be that bad, but she was.

"..my body aching from neglect. After a few nights, I couldn't take it anymore."

n general, the whole story felt quick, fleeting, and shallow. I never truly got invested in the story or characters. Kelsey and Jackson's relationship was insta-love from the very beginning. She saw him, drooled over his abs, and wanted to get in his pants. He saw her, thought she was sexy, but tried to hold back and wanted a relationship. But immediately that attraction was there, and that's all it ever felt like--physical attraction. They rarely talked or got to know each other... they just went bungee jumping and drooled over each other.

"Well, Jackson Hunt. Stop being a pansy, and just take my clothes off."

Also there were a few small things that bugged me.. Like the fact that Kelsey was able to get a work visa in Europe SO easily--in less than a month. What the heck??? You can't just waltz into Europe and get a work visa, believe me... I'd know.

Finding It had none of the elements that I loved in Cora Carmack's other two books. In Losing It and Faking It I LOVED laughing at the hilarious, awkward scenes. Well Finding It isn't funny or awkward. That's just not part of the book at all, which surprised me since it was so prominent in the other two books. And similarly, I loved the romances in Losing It and Faking It. In both cases, they were super slow burning, passionate, and just great romances to read about. But in Finding It it felt so shallow. I never felt like I knew or cared about the characters (or their relationship) at all. It felt like pure attraction and pure sex, but not a real relationship. Kelsey and Jackson didn't even know each other.. I didn't even know them. And as a result, I just couldn't get into their relationship at all.

Finding It is more a book about "I have super intense problems and I'm damaged and z0mg I need a man to fix me." But even with that in mind, I don't feel like Kelsey properly deals with her problems. At the beginning, her main problem is that she runs away from her problems, and I feel like she's still doing that at the end. It kind of gave the whole story a "What's the point?" feeling.

So, ultimately, I'm really disappointed in Finding It. I thought this book would be a slam dunk since I loved the other two books.. but Finding It was nothing like the rest of the series. The book was supposed to be all about a great romance, but it didn't even have that. It was too insta-lovey and too focused on physical attraction rather than real feelings and emotional connection.

I have heard rave reviews of Cora Carmack's writing. Finding It, is slow to start and completely predictable. I would have prefered more of a plot and less of the constant internal monologue going on in Kelsey's head. If you enjoy reading 300 pages of thoughts from a spoiled 22 year old, that doesn't know what to do with her life and thinks drinking and sleeping around it going to help her find her path then this is your book.

In this story by Cora Carmack we are introduced to Kelsey who is friends with Bliss. Kelsey is touring Europe is hopes to find herself with lots of parties and alcohol. Along the way she finds Jackson Hunt who teaches her to find what she wants in life through adventures of life. Does Kelsey end up finding herself and what she wants? Pick up this great book and find out for yourself. I did and it was well worth it. I give 4 stars.

Cora Carmack usually has me hanging onto every word, but with this one? Not so much. The main character was such a b****, and even though she said she saw a change in herself, I couldn't see it. This book wasn't a waste of time, but it was a disappointment.

Kelsey is traveling Europe, staying in hostels instead of posh hotels just to tick off her parents. She parties with her roommates, drinking and hooking up with random guys, putting herself in danger. It's obvious she's running from her home life. One night at a bar she meets Jackson Hunt. A mysterious former soldier. They flirt and keep running into each other and despite Kelsey's advances he remains a gentleman. Kelsey is interest in Jackson, yet he won't touch her. He wants a week to show her the adventures Europe has to offer...as friends. She agrees but her parents are pressuring her to come back home.
Much of the rest of the book is time spent traveling Europe and getting to know each other. One night they finally give in to temptation and that just brings them closer. It was smart of Carmack to not give us any scenes from Hunt's pov, he remains a mystery but around 87% all is revealed and it's a complete shock. I never would have guessed. But as good as the secret was, I thought it was revealed too late. Too late to make up for some of the duller scenes, this book lacked the humor of the previous books. And too late that the HEA was way too rushed. Not my favorite book in the series but I will keep reading.

Another amazing love story from this author. I find that with each book, the character development grows and the stories get better and better. I loved Kelsey and Jackson most of all, I think. I love that the stories are so steamy yet not full of sex. I want more!

Story started a little slow. To be honest it didn't interest me...I stopped about 3/4 chapters in and read another book! But wanting to complete the series, I came back to Finding It.
After coming back, it didn't take long before I was completely involved in Kelsey and Hunts story. Great character development. Only thing I would change is I would have liked to see the confrontation between Kelsey and her parents.

This book from the Losing It Series was wonderful too but difficult to read. Kelsey & Jackson "Hunt" struggled so hard throughout the whole book. They both had pasts that were so difficult and tried so hard to be happy. I cried for them more than once.

Not my favorite book of the "Losing It" series. As I was reading the book, it all seemed so familiar. Then it dawned on me, it was just like the movie "Chasing Liberty" with Mandy Moore, so the twist was not so surprising.