Way Too Far (The Way Too Far series)

Way Too Far #1

by Marilyn Cruise

I try not to think about my traumatic past too much... I've moved on and dammit, this new life in college will help set me up for a great future with a major dance company And guys? Yeah, I'm so done with men. They're nothing but trouble and pain, and I have plenty of experience to prove it. When I'm cast as Juliet in Romeo and Juliet, I feel like I've got it made. But due to my lack of experience in love and in the bedroom, I struggle to interpret the love scenes. My artistic director gives me an develop my on-stage sensuality and passion or lose the role. And that's when everything starts to take a turn for the worse. You see, I've been able to withstand Scott, the hot new accompanist’s, advances. But, with the looming threat of the artistic director, I feel like I have no other choice but to take a chance on love... This is book 1 in the "WAY TOO FAR" series. Book 2, "WAY TOO SOON," and the conclusion, "WAY TOO NEAR," are now available.

Genres: Contemporary Romance

272 pages, Paperback

Published February 13, 2015

About the author

Ever since she can remember, Marilyn has been a believer in the happily ever after. When she started writing professionally in 2013, her books were received with great enthusiasm and quickly became bestsellers on Amazon. Today she continues to delight her readers with steamy modern fairytales, stories that will captivate you to the very last page.

Reviews

[Lauren · Rating 1 out of 5]

This was so cliche and typical NA aka everything I hate about the genre in one book. Also the story line was not the best as everything happened so fast and was so set up

[Romuald Dzemo · Rating 5 out of 5]

Anne is the girl with a hurt-and-closed heart, the type of girl with a not-so-healthy idea of men. She suffers from anxiety, and having made the decision to never date any guy until her ambitions are achieved, she focuses on her studies. But things cant always be the way she plans them to be. Cast as Juliet in a play, she has a hard time interpreting the scenes until the director asks her to get fully involved, else shed lose her role. It is then that she accepts to play the game with Scott whom shes resisted all along. The only thing they don't know is a past that could destroy their whole families. Will they have what it takes to face it?

Way Too Far by Marilyn Cruise is a brilliant opening to the Way Too Far series, a love story fraught with drama, featuring powerful characters, and an equally compelling plot. I loved everything about this book, from the book cover that creatively suggests a love story to the engaging plot. Although the plot may appear to be an adaptation of Romeo and Juliet by Shakespeare, it is creatively conceived and masterfully executed. One of the books I will recommend to fans of romance and drama.

[Coco.V]

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Blurb:
Clinging to her dreams & running from a shameful past, Anne enrolls in college, majoring in ballet. Determined to succeed, she vows to not date until she graduates or is hired by her dream company. Guys are nothing but trouble & pain, & she has the anxiety to prove it.To her great joy, Anne is cast as Juliet in Romeo & Juliet. When she struggles to interpret the love scenes, the artistic director demands she find a lover to cultivate her passion—if not she will lose her role. All along, Anne has been able to withstand Scott, the hot new accompanist’s, advances. However, with the looming threat of the artistic director, she takes a chance on love. But neither Scott nor Anne is aware that they are bound together by a dreadful past, a tragedy that will tear them apart no matter what.

[Alina Vlădoi · Rating 5 out of 5]

A book about overcoming fear and discovering oneself again.
Very accurate descriptions of the protagonist's states of mind and reactions.
Interesting and easy to follow.

[Ola · Rating 5 out of 5]

Exciting Read

Excellent read. Great plot. Characters have great interactions. Rough language. Includes mystery. Looking forward to next book in this series.

[Amanda · Rating 1 out of 5]

Possible Spoilers

This book was just ok. First off there were a couple of editing issues (grammar issues and a couple of repeated sentences). Secondly, the story, to me, was just not believeable. Anne has been a victim of two assaults; one was a sexual assault that led to an unwanted pregnancy. When we first meet Anne she is so overwhelmed with anxiety that her roommate has to escort her everywhere. The sight of a man walking in the hallway near her sets her into a panic attack. However, when she lays eyes on Scott for the first time she almost instantly feels an attraction and a safety she's never felt before. (Inset eye roll here). Anne is Juliet in her college's ballet group and her instructor basically tells her she's too uptight and she needs to get laid or she's going to lose her role. Sure, right, this happens all the time.
Also, there's her scholarship. A stripper is paying for her tuition, a large off campus condo, and her car via a scholarship funded for abused women. That happens.

Anne's father, at the time of her rape, blames Anne for the incident and refuses to believe the poor girl until she turns up pregnant. Then he launches a smear campaign against the boys family that gets them basically run of their hometown. And this guy is a judge. You would think he would be aware of the laws against libel/slander and stalking. But I guess they don't apply to him.

I know this book is touted as being a modern day retelling of Romeo and Juliet but I'm not buying it. The story is too unbelievable to me. Some of the dialog seems a little stiff but besides that and the editing issues already mentioned the writing was ok. I know this is the first book in a series and this book leaves you with a little cliffhanger but I'm not interested enough to read the next book to see what happens.

[Julie Baswell · Rating 4 out of 5]

Anne was raped when she was seventeen years old. Then a few years later, she was attacked, and left for dead. Ever since, she has shunned any type of relationship because of the terror she carries with her every day. Pouring her heart and soul into becoming an above average ballerina has made that an easy task. Until now. When the Ballet Ensemble gets a new accompanist, Anne is strangely drawn to Scott, and with no fear whatsoever. As they grow closer, Anne trusts Scott enough to divulge her past with him, which, in turn uncovers a tie to his past, threatening to destroy the foundation of their relationship.

I liked the plot, as well as the characters. The attraction between Anne and Scott was intense. It was hard to tell what Scott’s end game was. I wasn’t sure if I trusted him as much as Anne did. There were a few clues that made me doubt his intentions. The story ended with things left up in the air, and questions unanswered. I’m sure the rest of this series will be great, but I would have liked to know at least some of those answers without having to wait to read the next book.

[Victoria · Rating 5 out of 5]

It is a great book to read