Fall Away series by Penelope Douglas
This series was quite fun to read. It is a romance that I would consider new adult but with adult situations. I read Bully, Until You, Aflame, and Adrenaline. There are other books in the series that are more about the other characters.
Bully focused on Tate and Jared from Tate's perspective. Until You is the same story from Jared's perspective.
Tate and Jared were friends growing up but one summer his life changed. As a result he started treating Tate terribly and made her life horrible. She leaves to be a foreign echange student and when she comes back she is different, more bold and less likely to take his bullying. Jared has never stopped loving her but does not know how to show it. Both stories follow their path back to each other and to the love/lust that they cannot deny. Along the way they face many stumbling blocks, more than a few bad apples and a huge scandal but come out stronger because of them.
Aflame is a novella that catches us up on what happened after high school. It tells us their breakup story and the path back to each other as stronger adults. Also *spoiler* our babies have babies, like EVERYONE has a baby or several.
Adrenaline is a collection of outtakes and conversations between characters. We get a inside view of their thoughts and lives. There were a few scenes that I am glad she left out becasue they irritated me.
The story is fun to read and the characters were likeable. I was mad at Tate in several chapters of each book but she redeemed herself at each turn. Jared was my favorite character and I loved him all the way thru. The side characters, who get their own stories, are also fabulous. Ms.Douglas really made all the characters lovable and relateable.
The realness of the storyline was refreshing. It is not often that an author will break characters up so that they can grow as individuals. Usually we get unrealistic journeys with no bumps or hiccups.
I may at some time go back and read the other stories but I feel satisfied with the characters at the end of Aflame.
All Penelope Douglas's book are on Amazon and Adrenaline is on Wattpad.