ARC given in return for honest review
There is nothing I love more than an survival love story. My favorites books are from the Bronze Horseman series by Paullina Simons, I'm a sucker for an epic romance. They're so rare that once you find one you grab it and try to make it last. Big fail! I finished Uncharted in one sitting. It's a page turner, a HIT, an instant 2018 stand out. I was instantly hooked. Julie is such a good writer I knew it because I've read Say the Word and Erasing Faith but Uncharted is on another level. She confirmed her status as a solid writer with this one.
I absolutely refuse to write in detail what the story is about for one reason: this book is definitely short considering its premise. It's really perfect so I can't complain about this, it's just that if you're used to reading longer books and if you expected this one to be this way you won't be disappointed but you'll definitely be frustrated and will hope that Julie Johnson will hear you silent prayer for a sequel, trilogy or anything with Beck and Violet. And like me once you'll hit 50% you'll start to agonize at the idea of THE book hangover. So if i write a detailed synopsis I'm afraid it will ruin your reading experience, I'm frustrated when reviewers when they do this because I kind of like to know everything there is to know about a romance before I start it to avoid my deal breakers but trust me with this one!
Violet was a delight, she became one of my favorite heroines, she's THAT girl and I knew it from the first chapter . Even though I found the book too short she's one of the reason I can't complain because she's a fleshed out character and an exquisite narrator. She made me laugh so much, she also moved me even though she has the most basic backstory. I prefer it that way because I'm really tired of reading about broken characters with awful pasts I often find myself skipping the parts where they reveal their backstory because it's became so boring to read about drug addict parents or other troubled childhood backgrounds. Violet is an ordinary girl set to live the extraordinary, she left her normal suburban life to live an adventure and she got more than she bargained for and that makes for an intriguing story : how will she adapt ? what are her strengths and weaknesses ? Now that's an interesting premise imho!
Uncharted is told entirely on Violet's pov which is the best choice Julie could've made, most of us readers prefer it that way because you want to know but let's be real you absolutely don't want to know too. The tension, the angst, everything is better with just one pov even if you crave death while reading because you WANT in Beck's head. Beck, we don't know much about him because it's Violet's story and she hates him with the fire of a thousands suns. It makes him even more sexy and irresistible and as the novel progress you find out more and more and he goes from grumpy but sexy asshole to book bae real fast.Both of them just really moved me that's why it's so hard to leave them after one short book. The moment they met and learn each others name ? BEST. They have the best dialogs, crazy good chemistry. It's taboo, I would normally run the other way but like in On the Island with this particular trope, the age gap works and doesn't bother me tbh. Together they have explosive chemistry but what makes it work is the particular bond they formed in their situation. This is the kind of dynamic you can only find with this specific trope and this is why I love it so much. Uncharted is without doubt a must read, please give it a chance and meet these brilliantly written characters, you'll be charmed by their bravery, their humor and their undying hope.
I have to be honest... I have been on a major book slump in 2017. I still read a lot of books but many were DNFs and I can't think of one that gave me a major book hangover and made me passionate enough to beg for an ARC just from reading the blurb. So thank you Julie Johnson, I was starting to lose hope! I think a lot of people will be drawn to Uncharted just reading the blurb and seeing the cover. I wish more authors in romancelandia would understand the importance of a good roll out. I can't be the only one who dislike the trend of hipsters and ken looking obnoxious cover models. Unpopular opinion : you don't sell a sexy calendar , you're selling a couple, a STORY and I wish more covers would reflect this. I refuse to believe i'm the only one thinking this ... This author don't have any tasteless cover but this one is particularly good and perfect for this story.
Julie if you read this, pretty please with a cherry on top: would you consider developing this story more ? This cannot be it. Take this from a 5 stars story to a 10 stars epic trilogy. Violet and Beck are still out there living their epic journey and we want to know more :)
5 stars
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Long Shot by Kennedy Ryan is a solid and beautifully written romance novel, that I would also classify as women's fiction. It's an epic forbidden love story, set in the NBA world between a rookie basketball player and a recent college grad aspiring to work in sport marketing. It was really refreshing to read a sport romance that's not about hockey, baseball or American football. Let me speak this into existence : I'd love more books about basketball and soccer players! 
