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Torn (All Torn Up, 1) [Cole, Carian] on desertcart.com. *FREE* shipping on qualifying offers. Torn (All Torn Up, 1) Review: MUST READ TABOO ROMANCE :) - This is gonna be a long one (like maybe the longest I've ever written)... so, get comfy ;) This book was unfreakingbelievably AMAZING ... and that's putting it mildly. It had everything I could want in a book: engaging characters, one of which is an AWESOME book boyfriend ;), terrific writing, and a well developed plot line. I highlighted so many parts of this book because of all the perfect moments there were. I know this book seems controversial, and if everything is taken out of context, it might seem "creepy." But it's not. It's far freaking from it. I honestly couldn't imagine Tor and Kenzi falling in love with anyone else, they were perfect together <3 And I'm not saying this in the sense that they had chemistry or somehow they just "worked" together. No, this author genuinely crafted a wonderful novel and made it clear that they really were soulmates. -Kenzi- Being the daughter of two rockstars made her experience growing up different than most. One of the results is that she is much more mature than most of the people her age. You can tell the difference in how she thinks and even how she interacts with her best friend, Chloe. Growing up is about a lot more than age. Growing up is about the experiences you have, and Kenzi's had a lot. She isn't in that weird place that most teenagers are in where they are struggling to find themselves. Kenzi knows what she wants. "Is it too fifties to want to get married and have kids?" I love when women can confidently state that this is something they want. Because no, there's nothing wrong with wanting to stay home and take care of your family. Not at a all, it's a job too and with Kenzi's tender nature and already having experienced a "wild phase" by vicariously living through her parents, it makes a lot of sense. She doesn't see Tor as someone to love right away, but once she does realize it, she doesn't hold back. Kenzi chases him and never wavers in her feelings. And what proved her maturity even more was her discussions with Tor. She laid out her feelings, and they talked about the problems and what they wanted. It never felt juvenile or like he was pressuring her. In fact, he's pretty torn up about it. But, at the end of the day, she knows it's Tor she wants and she sees him for what he's always been. "When I look at you, I don't see my father's friend, or my uncle, or my godfather, or an older man. All I see is the person I've always loved and has always made me happy." -Tor- Good God, he was perfect. I feel bad for the next few books I'll read because the bar is pretty damn high right now. He was absolutely incredible and I have many quotes to prove it (and this is the narrowed down list). I mean how can you not swoon at these lines... "I'm just waiting for the one that makes me feel like forever wouldn't be long enough." "I just want that magical feeling I wrote about years ago when I used to write the lyrics for the band’s rock ballads. I want crazy f***ing love. I want someone that'll never let me go. I want to wake up to my best friend every day." "The moment I kissed Kenzi, she became the One. Maybe she always was." "Young love... first love is so innocent. So pure and trusting. So all encompassing. I shouldn't be on the receiving end of that love from her at my age, but in all honesty, she's my first love, too. "I think I'm falling in love with her, and I'm powerless to stop it. I can feel it, like a train with no brakes, coming faster and faster, straight for me. Soon, it's going to crash, and it's not going to be pretty." And then there's this... I freaking LOVE this... he's discussing his celibacy for the past six+ months, and his sister tells him it's "impressive" that he's abstained. His response: "No, it's love. I only want her. That's it." Like YES! Why is this a hard concept?! It's not like your dick will fall off if you don't use it every four seconds... I'm tired of reading books where the guy physically can't keep it in his pants. He was so dedicated to Kenzi. And in regards to the other women in his life, I never really got the feeling he loved them. Tor is simply tired of being overlooked. He had to give up his dreams in order to take care of his family when his father died, watching his friends go on and get famous without him. Then he gets his crush, which is Kenzi's mom, "stolen" from him by Asher, his best friend. I could see some people being bothered by this. But honestly, I didn't feel that he wanted Ember as much as he just didn't want to be second best. I mean, they were 15 years old. And I'm not saying 15 year olds don't know what love is, but I think more often than not, the "love" teenagers feel is often a crush/infatuation. And I think from that point on, Tor just wanted someone he could trust and love, and know that he was this person's number one. When he talks about these things later on, he says, "I'm not going to be anyone's second choice." And when Asher takes Ember's attention that first day at 15 years old, Tor thinks, "I can feel myself slipping into the background." He's not necessarily just thinking about Ember, he's thinking about himself being overlooked, not being enough. I felt the same way with Sydni and Lisa (his relationships before Kenzi). Personally, I don't believe Tor loved either of them. Again, he just wanted a connection. Even though Sydni's relationship with him spanned (intermittently) 12 years, I think it was a comfort thing. But with Kenzi, he knows he's her number one. She's been showing him since she was a little kid, and it's not weird or unsettling. It's all just really beautiful. *Also, I'm really glad he had relationships during that time. I totally understand the concept of not wanting the hero or heroine to sleep around after meeting the "one," but if the "one" happens to be six years old... yeah... that'd be weird for me. I think if he hadn't had relationships it would have been really strange. And like I said, he didn't love them, so I really didn't mind. He was all about Kenzi. We get a lot of great flashbacks of Kenzi when she was younger, and we get to see how non-creepy Tor was. It was one hundred percent normal. And while he takes some convincing (because he is a really good guy and doesn't want to betray his friend like that), once their relationship does change, he doesn't shy away. He's with her. Full stop. "Is it possible that falling in love doesn't always start when we think it might, and sometimes, it starts way before we're ready, and grows slowly over time, allowing two people to truly fall in love with every aspect of each other?" I loved this theme. I think it's awesome what this author did. It is not a conventional love story, but I felt it so deeply. She took such care with the characters and it seemed like every single word was carefully thought through. It was absolutely breathtaking. Now about the ending. While I do agree with others, I didn't love how long the separation was (or some of the particulars around the reconciliation) and I wished their HEA was longer, I was able to overlook it. I think it was more realistic to give them that time apart because Asher would not have come around much quicker. And I'm satisfied knowing that Tor and Kenzi will be back in Asher's book and we'll get to see more of their HEA <3 <3 Oh, and can we talk about Asher?! I freaking loved him and his devotion to Ember! "He thinks he can love her back to life, Tor. That's what he believes." I can't wait for his story!! :) Review: great story! - Right from the start, Toren “Tor” Grace had been a constant presence in Kenzi Valentine's life. He was more than just a loyal friend or adoptive uncle; he was family. Over time, their connection grew deeper, slowly transforming into something beyond friendship. But their love was deemed forbidden, overshadowed by Tor’s close relationship with Kenzi's parents. Their bond was at risk of being torn apart, threatening to strip away everything they cherished. ✨Thoughts✨ When it comes to age gap romance, no one does it quite like Carian Cole! She is a masterful storyteller, and her talent shines through in every word. Since stumbling upon her incredible work in "Don't Kiss The Bride," I have been a fan of her writing style. As I delved into this book, I was immediately struck by Kenzi's maturity and grounded nature. It was impressive to see how she handled herself, especially considering her father is the legendary Rock God, Asher Valentine. As for Tor, our male lead, he was the epitome of selflessness, always willing to go above and beyond for his loved ones. Although it did take me a moment to grasp the fact that Tor had been a constant presence in Kenzi's life from the very beginning, the way their relationship developed felt natural. Their shared experiences and the way they grew up together made their connection even more profound. Tor fulfilled the roles of both protector and caregiver, treating Kenzi as if she were his own family. Carian Cole expertly balanced the angsty nature of their romance with its forbidden aspect, creating palpable tension that added depth to the overall story. Overall, this novel is a true gem, a hidden treasure waiting to be discovered by those who love forbidden romance and age gap stories. It's a must-read that will leave you yearning for more of Carian Cole's exceptional work!
J**E
MUST READ TABOO ROMANCE :)
This is gonna be a long one (like maybe the longest I've ever written)... so, get comfy ;) This book was unfreakingbelievably AMAZING ... and that's putting it mildly. It had everything I could want in a book: engaging characters, one of which is an AWESOME book boyfriend ;), terrific writing, and a well developed plot line. I highlighted so many parts of this book because of all the perfect moments there were. I know this book seems controversial, and if everything is taken out of context, it might seem "creepy." But it's not. It's far freaking from it. I honestly couldn't imagine Tor and Kenzi falling in love with anyone else, they were perfect together <3 And I'm not saying this in the sense that they had chemistry or somehow they just "worked" together. No, this author genuinely crafted a wonderful novel and made it clear that they really were soulmates. -Kenzi- Being the daughter of two rockstars made her experience growing up different than most. One of the results is that she is much more mature than most of the people her age. You can tell the difference in how she thinks and even how she interacts with her best friend, Chloe. Growing up is about a lot more than age. Growing up is about the experiences you have, and Kenzi's had a lot. She isn't in that weird place that most teenagers are in where they are struggling to find themselves. Kenzi knows what she wants. "Is it too fifties to want to get married and have kids?" I love when women can confidently state that this is something they want. Because no, there's nothing wrong with wanting to stay home and take care of your family. Not at a all, it's a job too and with Kenzi's tender nature and already having experienced a "wild phase" by vicariously living through her parents, it makes a lot of sense. She doesn't see Tor as someone to love right away, but once she does realize it, she doesn't hold back. Kenzi chases him and never wavers in her feelings. And what proved her maturity even more was her discussions with Tor. She laid out her feelings, and they talked about the problems and what they wanted. It never felt juvenile or like he was pressuring her. In fact, he's pretty torn up about it. But, at the end of the day, she knows it's Tor she wants and she sees him for what he's always been. "When I look at you, I don't see my father's friend, or my uncle, or my godfather, or an older man. All I see is the person I've always loved and has always made me happy." -Tor- Good God, he was perfect. I feel bad for the next few books I'll read because the bar is pretty damn high right now. He was absolutely incredible and I have many quotes to prove it (and this is the narrowed down list). I mean how can you not swoon at these lines... "I'm just waiting for the one that makes me feel like forever wouldn't be long enough." "I just want that magical feeling I wrote about years ago when I used to write the lyrics for the band’s rock ballads. I want crazy f***ing love. I want someone that'll never let me go. I want to wake up to my best friend every day." "The moment I kissed Kenzi, she became the One. Maybe she always was." "Young love... first love is so innocent. So pure and trusting. So all encompassing. I shouldn't be on the receiving end of that love from her at my age, but in all honesty, she's my first love, too. "I think I'm falling in love with her, and I'm powerless to stop it. I can feel it, like a train with no brakes, coming faster and faster, straight for me. Soon, it's going to crash, and it's not going to be pretty." And then there's this... I freaking LOVE this... he's discussing his celibacy for the past six+ months, and his sister tells him it's "impressive" that he's abstained. His response: "No, it's love. I only want her. That's it." Like YES! Why is this a hard concept?! It's not like your dick will fall off if you don't use it every four seconds... I'm tired of reading books where the guy physically can't keep it in his pants. He was so dedicated to Kenzi. And in regards to the other women in his life, I never really got the feeling he loved them. Tor is simply tired of being overlooked. He had to give up his dreams in order to take care of his family when his father died, watching his friends go on and get famous without him. Then he gets his crush, which is Kenzi's mom, "stolen" from him by Asher, his best friend. I could see some people being bothered by this. But honestly, I didn't feel that he wanted Ember as much as he just didn't want to be second best. I mean, they were 15 years old. And I'm not saying 15 year olds don't know what love is, but I think more often than not, the "love" teenagers feel is often a crush/infatuation. And I think from that point on, Tor just wanted someone he could trust and love, and know that he was this person's number one. When he talks about these things later on, he says, "I'm not going to be anyone's second choice." And when Asher takes Ember's attention that first day at 15 years old, Tor thinks, "I can feel myself slipping into the background." He's not necessarily just thinking about Ember, he's thinking about himself being overlooked, not being enough. I felt the same way with Sydni and Lisa (his relationships before Kenzi). Personally, I don't believe Tor loved either of them. Again, he just wanted a connection. Even though Sydni's relationship with him spanned (intermittently) 12 years, I think it was a comfort thing. But with Kenzi, he knows he's her number one. She's been showing him since she was a little kid, and it's not weird or unsettling. It's all just really beautiful. *Also, I'm really glad he had relationships during that time. I totally understand the concept of not wanting the hero or heroine to sleep around after meeting the "one," but if the "one" happens to be six years old... yeah... that'd be weird for me. I think if he hadn't had relationships it would have been really strange. And like I said, he didn't love them, so I really didn't mind. He was all about Kenzi. We get a lot of great flashbacks of Kenzi when she was younger, and we get to see how non-creepy Tor was. It was one hundred percent normal. And while he takes some convincing (because he is a really good guy and doesn't want to betray his friend like that), once their relationship does change, he doesn't shy away. He's with her. Full stop. "Is it possible that falling in love doesn't always start when we think it might, and sometimes, it starts way before we're ready, and grows slowly over time, allowing two people to truly fall in love with every aspect of each other?" I loved this theme. I think it's awesome what this author did. It is not a conventional love story, but I felt it so deeply. She took such care with the characters and it seemed like every single word was carefully thought through. It was absolutely breathtaking. Now about the ending. While I do agree with others, I didn't love how long the separation was (or some of the particulars around the reconciliation) and I wished their HEA was longer, I was able to overlook it. I think it was more realistic to give them that time apart because Asher would not have come around much quicker. And I'm satisfied knowing that Tor and Kenzi will be back in Asher's book and we'll get to see more of their HEA <3 <3 Oh, and can we talk about Asher?! I freaking loved him and his devotion to Ember! "He thinks he can love her back to life, Tor. That's what he believes." I can't wait for his story!! :)
�**.
great story!
Right from the start, Toren “Tor” Grace had been a constant presence in Kenzi Valentine's life. He was more than just a loyal friend or adoptive uncle; he was family. Over time, their connection grew deeper, slowly transforming into something beyond friendship. But their love was deemed forbidden, overshadowed by Tor’s close relationship with Kenzi's parents. Their bond was at risk of being torn apart, threatening to strip away everything they cherished. ✨Thoughts✨ When it comes to age gap romance, no one does it quite like Carian Cole! She is a masterful storyteller, and her talent shines through in every word. Since stumbling upon her incredible work in "Don't Kiss The Bride," I have been a fan of her writing style. As I delved into this book, I was immediately struck by Kenzi's maturity and grounded nature. It was impressive to see how she handled herself, especially considering her father is the legendary Rock God, Asher Valentine. As for Tor, our male lead, he was the epitome of selflessness, always willing to go above and beyond for his loved ones. Although it did take me a moment to grasp the fact that Tor had been a constant presence in Kenzi's life from the very beginning, the way their relationship developed felt natural. Their shared experiences and the way they grew up together made their connection even more profound. Tor fulfilled the roles of both protector and caregiver, treating Kenzi as if she were his own family. Carian Cole expertly balanced the angsty nature of their romance with its forbidden aspect, creating palpable tension that added depth to the overall story. Overall, this novel is a true gem, a hidden treasure waiting to be discovered by those who love forbidden romance and age gap stories. It's a must-read that will leave you yearning for more of Carian Cole's exceptional work!
F**N
I love how slow burn the book was. It was an amazing and interesting read!!! Loved every single second of this book
D**I
I enjoyed the book. I won’t say it is my preferred age gap romance but the story was well written. I read a similar story by Q.B Tyler between the godfather and the goddaughter and I think the chemistry between the MC was better.
S**K
6+ I love you the most stars!!!! EPIC BOOK HANGOVER ALERT!!! What an unforgettable, amazing, beautiful and passionate story! I LOVED everything about TORN, yet I don’t think I can find the right words to adequately express how I feel about this book!! Gahh! The soul searing connection between Toren and Kenzie wasn’t like anything I have experienced between two characters before. Their love and bond was predestined, unique, meant to be and EPIC!!!!!!!!!!! I haven’t loved a couple as much as I do these two for a very long time! What they had was just SO perfect, SO right despite their relationship being unconventional and taboo. I loved that this story was a gradual awakening of their feelings and there was nothing sordid or tasteless about it. I loved the flashbacks which were so poignant and heart warming. Carian Cole’s narrative was truly addictive and flawless. The story unfolded PERFECTLY and I was so close to having a heart attack as the story and emotions built up to their relationship being revealed!! But the aftermath was worth the temporary heartache I experienced! An unforgettable book that will stay with me for a very long time.
T**.
One of my favourite genre is taboo of any kind and this book had been sitting on my kindle since last year. I kept skimming past it thinking I WILL read that one day, and then I read No Tomorrow by this author and I was so hooked on her words I started this one the next day. This book - GAH, the feelings and emotions just oozed from every page and burrowed there way straight into my heart. Carian Cole's writing is just perfect and raw and deep and swoon worthy in every way possible. EVERYONE READ THIS BOOK !!!!! Let me just say I have read lots of taboo books with every possible scenario, this one is of a younger girl and the older man but in no way did this book make me feel uncomfortable in any way. It was so beautifully done, so perfectly executed everything just flowed and fell in place. Kenzi and Tor - oh my what a combination of feelings. Tor is an anomaly of a man, his feelings and thoughts run deep and it was easy to feel this guy's pain which just made me love him all the more. His heart was in the right place though and he stole mine completely; when he hurt so did I, when he was torn so was I, when he loved I felt it right in the depths of my soul. Kenzi is a girl with a mature head on her shoulders, with a kind heart and sensible head she knew exactly what she wanted from life which was impressive. I enjoyed Kenzi immensely, yes there were times she was immature and silly but then that was because she acts so grown up most of the time, you forget that this is what a seventeen year old girl will act like now and then. Also this story revolves around family, yes family is everything in this book, that and close friends which made this book the book it was. This story is a slow build of anticipation, of expectations but that is what it should be, it is so worth waiting for. Told in duel perspective that flits back in time to deliver memories from the past, this is the best way to get all the feels from a book. I adored it !! And let me tell you that cover - absolutely perfection for the characters in this book, I love it when an author gets it right, right to the very last detail and she did brilliantly. Now onto Tied the next book in this series, both can be read as standalone's but with words this awesome why would you not want to delve into both - absolutely awesome work !!!
J**N
It was good until the last third. Then it got so formulaic! Disappointing.
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