Celebrating Debutantes 2016: Arrows by Melissa Gorzelanczyk (Review + Giveaway)

Hi guys! For today, I'm reviewing one of my favorite Cupid novels so far. Cupid stories have always been my weakness but Arrows was just it for me. I loved it a lot. All the feels kept coming back to me days after I read the book.

Book Description:

Hardcover, 240 pages
Published January 26th 2016 by Delacorte Press

A modern cupid story set in present-day Wisconsin combining the fantastical elements of Greek mythology with the contemporary drama of MTV's Teen Mom.

People don’t understand love. If they did, they’d get why dance prodigy Karma Clark just can’t say goodbye to her boyfriend, Danny. No matter what he says or does or how he hurts her, she can’t stay angry with him . . . and can’t stop loving him. But there’s a reason why Karma is helpless to break things off: she’s been shot with a love arrow.
Aaryn, son of Cupid, was supposed to shoot both Karma and Danny but found out too late that the other arrow in his pack was useless. And with that, Karma’s life changed forever. One pregnancy confirmed. One ballet scholarship lost. And dream after dream tossed to the wind.

A clueless Karma doesn’t know that her toxic relationship is Aaryn’s fault . . . but he’s going to get a chance to make things right. He’s here to convince Danny to man up and be there for Karma. But what if this god from Mount Olympus finds himself falling in love with a beautiful dancer from Wisconsin who can never love him in return?

This fast-paced debut novel explores the internal & external conflicts of a girl who finds herself inexplicably drawn to a boy who seemingly doesn't reciprocate her feelings, touching on the issues of love, sex and responsibility, with a heroine struggling to control her destiny--perfect for fans of Katie McGarry's novels and MTV’s 16 and Pregnant.

Reviewer's Copy: e-ARC

Source: Edelweiss

My Thoughts:

My first impression of Arrows was that it was quite tragic from the start. The promise of tragedy and pain in the beginning jump started my reading experience. I am fond of Greek mythology and am quite well-versed with the levels of tragedy, pain, agony and heartbreak that are usually involved with these stories, but to witness the beginning of a fresh disaster was something else. It added to the excitement of the story since the readers are part of it right from the start.

The story was told from two perspectives, Aaryn's and Karma's. Aaryn was my favorite narrator. He was the son of Eros, Cupid himself. He was devastatingly charming that I couldn't quite move on from the story. He was handsome, so painfully sweet and thoughtful that my heart just melted all over the pages. He has to be one of the most caring gods I have ever encountered. His time on earth humanized him, making him see the situation of people, especially the lovestruck ones, up close. Interacting with Karma and witnessing the difficult time that she was going through on a day to day basis enabled Aaryn to understand the consequences of his work. Cupid stories have always been a weakness of mine. Arrows was another chink in my armor.

Karma was a heartfelt character. I felt her love, passion, sadness and pain. She was a victim of Aaryn's arrow and it was hurting more and more every day to be desperately, hopelessly in love with a person who didn't love her the same way she loved him. She was a dedicated mom, a passionate dancer and a loyal girlfriend. It was equally painful and amazing to read about a person who gave her best in everything that she did and yet wasn't receiving the appreciation and goodness that she was giving to the universe. It broke my heart to see an achiever settle for something inferior to her big dreams just to be with a person who didn't even want to be with her.

When Karma was with Aaryn, fireworks would explode, flowers would bloom and the side effects of all the feels would crawl all over my skin. The chemistry was palpable, although in the beginning Karma would deny it or shut it down because she was still in love with her boyfriend, the boy Aaryn was supposed to have shot with the second arrow so he could pair them for life. Now back on Earth, Aaryn would do everything he could to right his mistake, even if it meant saving the Karma himself. As he realized the magnitude of the effects of his failed pairing, he also found more and more reasons to love Karma. I loved reading about their interactions and conversations. It was like watching something beautiful and fragile unfurl.

Arrows is a heart-wrenchingly beautiful debut that will leave readers entranced and encapsulated in a cocoon of feels. I recommend this to readers of romance, readers who are looking for Cupid-related stories, or stories inspired by the Greek mythology. Give this gem a chance. You won't regret it.

Rating:

4 Cupids = Strong book love.
I really enjoyed this. I recommend this!

About the Author:

Melissa Gorzelanczyk is a former magazine editor and columnist who believes love is everything. She is a proud member of the SCBWI, The Sweet Sixteens and the Class of 2k16. She lives in Green Bay, Wisconsin, with her husband and family.

Her debut novel ARROWS is available now from Delacorte Press, a division of Penguin Random House. She is represented by agent Carrie Howland of Donadio & Olson.

Follow Melissa: Website | Facebook | Goodreads | Twitter


Giveaway

Thank you to Melissa for this giveaway!
What's up for grabs: Signed Swag
Scope: US


a Rafflecopter giveaway


Treat yourself to a complete #CelebratingDebutantes2016 experience. Click the image below for the full schedule and links to the posts!