Review | Unlovable by Sherry Gammon

Posted December 7, 2011 by Asheley in review, Uncategorized / 11 Comments

Unlovable by Sherry Gammon
Published by Wordpainting Unlimited, Inc.
Publish Date:  January 19, 2011

My Source:  review copy from the author
Unlovable by Sherry Gammon 

Port Fare, New York, has fallen into the clutches of true evil. The Dreser brothers have arrived with a scheme to increase drug sales in the area by whatever means possible. Seth Prescott is part of MET (Mobile Enforcement Teams) a branch of the DEA (Drug Enforcement Administration). He’s been assigned to work undercover at Port Fare High, and things aren’t going very well, until senior Maggie Brown enters the equation. He’s harbored a secret crush on her from day one, and now that she is in the center of the case, he’s trying to stay clear and objective while walking the line between business and unrequited love. 

Maggie is truly the poster child for Heroin Chic, complete with jutting bones and dark-ringed eyes, but is she an addict, or is there another reason for her appearance? She struggles with her feelings for Seth, fearing he is just another person who will eventually let her down, as everyone in her life has done thus far. 

Maggie has spent her life caring for her alcoholic mother. A task that has left her heavily burdened and alone. Before long, her mother’s health takes a turn for the worst, sending Maggie’s life into a tale-spin. 

While Seth works relentlessly to inject fear into the dealers and flush them out into the open, Maggie fights to stay alive as the hunt turns deadly. 

Seth and Maggie’s romantic journey is one of humor, heartbreak, and self-discovery.  (Goodreads)  

My Thoughts:  I am so, so excited that I got a chance to read Sherry Gammon’s Unlovable. This story is absolutely incredible. I’m not one to typically pick up contemporary stories, romances, or crime thrillers – and I’ve just read all of that rolled into one! From pretty much the moment I started reading, I was hooked and completely attached to these characters. 

Here’s why you need to read Unlovable NOW:



1. The Characters. EVERY ONE written expertly, well-developed, and completely believable.


  • Seth & Maggie. Seth is the undercover cop posing as a high school student; while on assignment, he falls hopelessly in love with Maggie. Maggie is the dangerously thin, dark-eyed but beautiful, co-dependent student that is the object of his affection. Maggie has a crush on Seth too, but she can’t believe that he would ever be interested in her. She has no idea Seth is a cop – she just thinks he is an unbelievably handsome guy that suddenly has taken an interest in her. Maggie has major trust issues that stem from losing her grandparents, an alcoholic/verbally abusive mother, and guys that dated her only for that one thing. But Seth is patient and kind, and their relationship develops slowly – a sweet and lovely slow-burn. By the time they’ve fallen in love, it is clear that Seth would do anything to protect Maggie, including lay down his life for her. 
  • Booker & Cole. Seth’s best friends. Booker is a fellow cop that is like Seth’s brother. Cole is a rising doctor with a heart of gold, and he ends up taking care of Maggie’s critically ill mother. Both of these guys are supportive of Seth in both his job and his relationship with Maggie. By the end of the story, both of these guys have grown to love Maggie like family – they genuinely adore her and this is obvious in the writing. Because they love Maggie so much, the readers love them even more. These are some of the best supporting characters I’ve ever read. 
  • Barbara Brown. Maggie’s mother. An alcoholic, she never tells Maggie she loves her and is never able to come to terms with her addiction. Correction: She never WANTS to come to terms with her addiction, always choosing booze over her child. She causes Maggie so much heartache, and it broke my heart to read about it. 
  • Bill & Alan. The bad guys/drug dealers. Excellent villains, they’re rotten to the core. The closer the cops came to destroying their drug ring, the more ruthless and awful they became. 
2. The Romance. Beautifully written. Seth completely swept me off my feet. I was so emotionally invested in Seth and Maggie as a couple, and this spilled over to the secondary characters because of the role that each of them played in the lives of Seth and Maggie. While the circumstances surrounding their “getting together” were definitely not ideal (the heroin ring, the starving child, etc.), I was absolutely captivated by the complete and total falling-in-love. It was a very passionate love affair without any sexual tension, innuendo, or sex scenes. I agree that it is nice to read about passionate love in books, but there is something to be said for a sweet romance where two people are innocently swept off of their feet. It was so refreshing and I loved it. 

3. The Crime. Oh my gracious! I haven’t spent too much time reading crime/thriller stories, but why on earth not? The crime part of the plot was intense and action-packed. I was literally flipping the pages faster and faster during those scenes because my heart was pounding as I was pulling for the good guys. Unlovable is a well-written, believable crime tale that kept me engaged, and it is perfectly paced. 

This read had my emotions all over the place. I was so happy, and also sometimes sad. I was heartbroken, and also elated. I was full of righteous anger, but I was thrilled when justice was served. I am amazed that this author could have me all over the map so well with her debut. In the end, my heart was warmed and I will shamelessly admit to hugging this book. 

I just really loved this one, you guys! When I finished the book, I took a deep breath, then I exhaled and was happy with the world. Even though there is some heartbreak in these pages, Unlovable is one of those books that makes you feel good when you read it. I’m thrilled that this is the start of a series and that book two, Unbelievable, will be out soon. I honestly can’t wait to get my hands on a copy of that one as soon as it is available. 


If you are a fan of romance, and don’t mind something clean, something a little different – don’t wait a second longer – please do yourself a favor and get this book! If you like contemporary crime stories, you should give this one a try. No matter if you are a fan of action-driven stories or character-driven stories, this one will be perfect for you. It was amazing and I can’t wait for Unbelievable to be released.


Be sure to stop back by tomorrow for an
 Interview with Author Sherry Gammon 
and a GIVEAWAY!! 


**I received a review copy from the author, Sherry Gammon, in exchange for an honest opinion and review. I received no compensation for my thoughts. Thank you SO MUCH, Sherry! 

Don’t miss my thoughts!
Find me on Litsy: @intothehallofbooks

Asheley

About Asheley

Asheley is a Southern girl. She loves Carolina blue skies, Ben & Jerry's ice cream, and NC craft beer. She loves all things history but prefers books over everything.

You can find her somewhere in North Carolina, daydreaming about the ocean.

Find Asheley on Litsy @intothehallofbooks!

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11 responses to “Review | Unlovable by Sherry Gammon

  1. 99.9% sure I have this on my Nook right now…Don't know what's worse: That I have no idea what books I've bought and downloaded (I blame the wine) OR That I'm obviously far too lazy to check (given I'm on my computer and my Nook is within arm's distance)

    Obviously I'm a total waste of reading space, lol.

    In any case I'm very excited to start this book! Great review 😉

  2. WOW! This sounds truly fabulous! I LOVE contemporary books, even more so if there's some swoon-worthy romance and a thrilling plot!

    And Asheley, my dear, lovely Asheley! what a beautifully written, detailed review! I love your reviewing style, hun 🙂 I love how you list all the things you liked about a book – that's just brilliant!

    I am hoping to get a chance to read this book soon, would love to kick off 2012 with a sweet contemporary novel like this one!

    HUGS!!! 🙂
    Evie

  3. This sounds so good! I love a good romance and the characters sound awesome. Have I ever told you how much I like the way you layout your reviews…the breakdown of everything is always so well done:)

  4. i do not read enough action/thriller books, and that's the truth. i love to watch that type of movie, so why don't i read those books?

    i am a fool.

    i will change that by reading this book.

    you have sold me!

  5. You=awesome.

    Also, I don't know how/why, but I totally thought this book was about ghostly-beyond death stuff… Huh.

    I used to LOVE this type of book!! I'll for sure have to read this one sometime! 🙂

  6. It was so beautifully written. The plot was so unique and refreshingly paranormal-less 😉 Once I started, I could not put it down. Seth is an undercover cop that falls in love with Maggie. Beautiful, unloved, co-dependent Maggie. What I love most about her is that even though she had every right to be, Maggie never played the victim. She and Seth begin a powerfull journey together that's so pure and full of romance. Even without sex (Yes ladies, he is saving himself for marriage), their relationship is overflowing with passion.
    Seth's friends Cole and Booker completely stole my heart. The way they all look after each other and rally around Maggie had my heart completely bursting; they were a family.

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