I had pretty high hopes for Tragic, based on the cover alone. Yeah, sometimes I pick a book based on the cover alone. Can you blame me? Look at it. Gorgeous and tantalizing!It's what is inside the cover that matters though. The first couple of chapters had me worried. I'll admit it, I'm not ashamed. Tragic starts off with a pretty unlikely situation. Rook is an escapee from a horribly abusive and controlling ass-wipe of a boyfriend. But that's not the unlikely part...obviously. She ends up spending the last of her money on a mammoth Starbucks latte and while there, some bitchy skinny chicks (i.e. models) toss away a business card that happens to ping Rook in the forehead. Said card turns out to be an invitation to test shoot with a local phenom photographer. Rook takes the appointment, faking as a skinny chick...sorry, I mean model. Of course, the photographer loves her, hires her on the spot and provides her with an apartment in his studio. Complete with food, clothes, toiletries, hot model/ manager, and drama.So, it's a little, well - easy or rags to riches, for my liking. But there were factors that made up for that. Want to know what they were?Rook is an appealing character. She's beat up mentally, she's defensive, she's scared, she's so far down on her luck she might actually be halfway in her grave. Rook is also a determined fighter, she knows this lucky opportunity can't be wasted and won't last but she's hell bent on making the most of it and improving her situation, her mind and her life. She's a little hot and cold but it just made me like her more, it showed passion when someone with her past would easily have lost all of that.Ronin is a model for Antione, but he also manages all the other models. At first he comes off as an arrogant and controlling jerk. Ronin was a little harder for me to get a handle on. Honestly, I still don't have it. I'm not sure I trust him fully. He seems to genuinely care about Rook and there are some very sweet moments with him. On the other hand, there is some sketchy shit going on with the dude and I don't fully understand his motives or intentions. Of course, that only has me drooling for more and luckily it won't be a long wait. Book two, Manic, is due in August 2013.The story really does suck you in and I found myself instantly rooting for Rook. She's not in the easiest situation, even after being handed the equivalent of Willy Wonka's Golden Ticket. This model gig pushes her to her limits of self discovery, lust, love, sexual awareness and survival. Well, the model gig and Ronin who she has super nova type chemistry with.While I loved, for the most part, the characters and truly fell tongue first in to the story of Tragic...it felt like an appetizer. Tragic is a lot of story and character build up without a really big climax. It's hot (especially the photo shoot scenes), it's exciting but at 95% I was thinking there was no way I could be that close to the end because the shit was just starting to hit the fan. Then it ended without a big bang, no fireworks, no soul crushing cliff hanger...nothing really but a promise of more story to come. I guess what I am saying is I really enjoyed Tragic but I'm ready for the full meal now. Dessert would be nice too.
