738 Days by Stacey Kade // Not Your Typical Abduction Story

738 Days, by Stacey Kade
Publication: June 7, 2016, by Forge Books
Genre: New Adult Fiction, Contemporary, Romance
Pages: 432
Format: Paperback
Source: BEA/Publisher
Rating: 

At fifteen, Amanda Grace was abducted on her way home from school. 738 days later, she escaped. Her 20/20 interview is what everyone remembers—Amanda describing the room where she was kept, the torn poster of TV heartthrob Chase Henry on the wall. It reminded her of home and gave her the strength to keep fighting.
Now, years later, Amanda is struggling to live normally. Her friends have gone on to college, while she battles PTSD. She’s not getting any better, and she fears that if something doesn’t change soon she never will.
Six years ago, Chase Henry defied astronomical odds, won a coveted role on a new TV show, and was elevated to super-stardom. With it, came drugs, alcohol, arrests, and crazy spending sprees. Now he's sober and a Hollywood pariah, washed up at twenty-four.
To revamp his image, Chase’s publicist comes up with a plan: surprise Amanda Grace with the chance to meet her hero, followed by a visit to the set of Chase’s new movie. The meeting is a disaster, but out of mutual desperation, Amanda and Chase strike a deal. What starts as a simple arrangement, though, rapidly becomes more complicated when they realize they need each other in more ways than one. But when the past resurfaces in a new threat, will they stand together or fall apart?

My Thoughts:

I always do love me some abduction stories. Obviously, not because of the fact that I would want anyone (or any character) to experience what Amanda in the book had, but because my emotions plummet like a waterfall. They seriously do. And for once, an author has experimented the kidnapping/abduction theme by not focusing the story on what happened during the parts where the character was hidden from the rest of the world or the fact that they escaped, but focused on the aftermath instead. Just as the tagline reads, "Love is the greatest escape," Stacey Kade, a new favourite author of mine, focuses this new adult novel on the romance, for sure. 

738 Days' title is basically the number of days that Amanda Grace, our heroine, was abducted for. She came back, escaped, and she says that the reason she kept calm was because of the celebrity poster of Chase Henry in her room of where she stayed. Her story went viral. Even though he has had a bad reputation, Chase Henry, TV show superstar is now famous again because of Amanda's story. His publicist makes him give Amanda a surprise, and she freaks out. The world freaks out. And as they spend more time together... you got it: romance blooms. 

This was the third book I picked up to read that was from BEA this year, and I seriously wanted to love it so much. It turns out that I did. There has been such good word being spread out about this new adult novel of Stacey Kade's, and I was sure that I would love it just as much. Readers spend the whole 432 pages focused on Amanda's PTSD, her personal inner demons, the fact that she is in love with Chase, and even Chase's personal demons. The thing I adored the most was that Stacey focused the story on both of their perspectives because they were equally important characters. Without the other, the book wouldn't have been the same and I cannot imagine what else it could have turned into.

738 Days is raw, explicit with the amount of details and facts given about each of the characters' personalities and how they need each other. I ADORE THE "NEEDING EACH OTHER" PART OF THE STORY. It made my heart skip a beat because the relationship between Chase and Amanda was so strong that I admit, I have never read about such a relationship for a long time. These characters are mature, knowing what they are in for if they decide to take risks, and the maturity makes a stronger relationships. I loved the steamy parts of the story as well; 'twas very entertaining, my romance fans.

"One of the side effects of surviving the worst possible thing to happen to you is that you're left with this new awareness of the world. There's no control, no true safety; it's all random chance. Anything can happen at any time, to you, to the people you love. The world is full of sharp edges, just waiting to hurt you, one way or another" (22-23).

What I truly had mixed feelings about was the drama itself. Fellow readers, Stacey Kade does add this extra dose of drama that could be criticized: everything that had to do with Chase's publicist and how she played a role in the book. I didn't like that Amanda had to undergo an additional situation where she had to look behind her shoulders everywhere she went because of this publicist's envy. Yes, I do get that Chase is famous and all, but it wasn't needed. This wasn't necessary for entertainment. This was a minor fault that showed up once in a while and reminded readers that Chase and Amanda's romance isn't perfect, but flawed instead because there are people in the way of them accomplishing further stages in their relationship.

This is more than just the romance as well. It taught us so much about life, how overcoming difficult times in your life isn't easy for anyone. Chase, of course, didn't have a past similar to Amanda's, dealing with abduction and that personal fear, but he did have a past filled with drugs, isolation, alcohol and reminders that he isn't that person who everyone speculates he is. Their stories intertwined so perfectly that I could just squeal forever and ever. (It's been more than a month since I've read this and I'm still freaking out!)

738 Days is not your ordinary, fluffy, contemporary romance that I would prefer to call "chick-lit." It certainly does not fit any of those descriptions a hundred percent. Instead, it's a story about overcoming your personal demons, looking towards the future and having someone by your side to help you do that. Chase and Amanda both are stunning protagonists who each lead the book in their two directions, intertwining at one point and having all of us want more. The ending was so satisfying, so sweet, and all of our questions were answered, because seriously: this story is not a walk in the park. It's complex, beautiful and everlasting. I feel like Chase and Amanda are still in my head, maturing and continuing their relationship forever. 

*A review copy was provided by the publisher via BookExpo America in exchange for a honest review. Thank you so much!*

What is a book (YA or not) that has characters dealing with their own personal demons? What are some nice new adult romances that aren't too steamy?