Hi there everyone!
Today I'll talk about Natexus by Victoria L. James. I met this author last year by reading Babylon series(she co-wrote this series with L.J. Stock), and really loved it. She announced in social media she was writing a book called Marcus and that said book was part of a series. First I felt curious and excited. It was my chance to read Victoria's writing again. Then I started to read Natexus.
* * *
I spend almost a week with this book. Not because it was too long, despite it has around 600 pages. Not because it was a bad book. In fact, it was the opposite, and I loved it. The story is filled with raw emotions and situations you can feel as yours. It was so intense that I found myself turning off my eReader, taking ten tiny breaths and saying "keep calm,girl. Everything is gonna be fine."
Natexus is narrated in first person from Natalie's perspective. In the first chapter we start to meet this girl, her fears, what makes her smile, what makes her sad, and through her eyes we live the emotions of the attraction at first sight when she meet Alex.
In these first chapters Natalie experimented so many and so different emotions. First she was affraid, then she started to relax with her friends. When Alex appears in the picture, she was nervous but curious. She wanted to know him, to make that moment beside him as longer as possible, but life happened and lost, as part of the life, happened too. I cried my eyes out in this part. I was sad for Natalie and her family. I don't want to say too much in case you haven't read yet. But, if you did read this book you know what I'm talking about. This scene was very personal, because I've been in Natalies shoes and it was impossible not to remember.
But what it was supposed to be a private moment, had a witness. And some words of wisdom flown in the air: Never let the end of one thing stop you from enjoying the beginning of another. It was an advice for Natalie, but it took a good part of this book for her to follow it.
Through Natalie's eyes we live a 'first love' story. It wasn't easy, but it was beautiful to see a couple of friends become something else. But Alex isn't a knight in a shining armor, he's just a boy trying to survive his own demons. He doesn't want Natalie to see his problems, to be related with them. He wants to keep her as far as possible by keeping them secret. But secrets don't keep hide forever. They will be revealed and wreck everything. One night and everything is over. One night will break Natalie's heart and change everything.
This book is divided in two parts. The first one focussed in Natalie's teenage years, and the second one happens 5 years later.
Despite we met Marcus at the end of the first part, it's in the second part when we know more about him. He's Natalie's boyfriend, the one who helped her to carry on with her life after Alex. Marcus is handsome, sexy, smart, sweet, tender and funny. He has the power to make her smile, to awake her body with desire, to support her when she's feeling weak but he also has the power to change her life.
5 years had passed when the ghosts from Natalie's past appearead again. And that time wasn't enough for her to forgive or forget. Alex is back in town, and Natalie's feelings turn conflicted. She loves Marcus, but she hasn't get over Alex. Suddenly all the memories, the good and the bad ones, haunt her.
Alex is back in town and he wants Natalie back. Alex is in town and he's willing to wait for her, to prove himself for her, to win her heart again. But Natalie doesn't want to betray Marcus. He's been good for her and he doesn't deserve it.
Marcus has some ghosts to fight against too. He found in Natalie the love to ease his mind and his heart, but maybe he didn't need the to ease. Maybe he needed to heal. And those are concepts totally different.
Past and present. Heart and mind. Love and lost. Forgiveness and hope. This book isn't your typical romance novel. It was so much more. This book will take your heart in its hand and will squeeze it, twist it and then will give it back to you. This story will make you feel in love, to cry and to smile (and then cry a little more).
Natexus will have you wondering what's next at the end of every chapter just to surprise you with something you don't expect. This book was awesome and I can't wait to see what Victoria has under her sleeve in Marcus.
* * *
You can find more about this book in Goodreads
and buy your copy on Amazon.
