Review: Chasing Serenity by Eden Butler

Title: Chasing Serenity
By: Eden Butler
Series: Seeking Serenity #1
My Copy: Ebook for Honest Review
BookWhisperer Rating:


Graduate student Autumn McShane has had her share of heartbreak. She's been abandoned and betrayed and she lost her beloved mother in a tragic car accident five months ago. That loss damaged her body and fractured her spirit but she's learning to recover, until her ex-boyfriend returns to town, intent on making her life miserable. 

Declan Fraser hates her ex as much as Autumn does, but the last thing she needs is to put her trust in the hands of another man, especially one like Declan: his hard body and lulling Irish accent makes more than a few girls weak-kneed. The talented rugby player is rude and sarcastic, with tattooed, muscular arms and a cocky attitude, but he's the only one who can help Autumn win an ill-advised bet that, if lost, could cost her more than she's willing to pay. The reluctant alliance between Declan and Autumn stirs up cravings she doesn't want to admit, but Declan is a hard man to resist. 

Just when Autumn starts letting down her carefully constructed walls to the sexy bad boy, he betrays her when she needs him most. Autumn suspects Declan has secrets, and she is determined to uncover what drove him away from her, even if that means fraternizing with the enemy. But will the truth return Declan to her arms or add to the scars on her heart?

I know that I am not supposed to admit this. I am about to commit a cardinal sin. Here is my admission, and I will bow my head in shame as soon as the words cross my lips. I AM A SUCKER FOR A PRETTY COVER!!!  There I said it. You can know shun and punish me. Chasing Serenity instantly caught my attention with this simply beautiful cover. Now, let me say this was not the only reason that I am reviewing, but I just had to say that the eye catching appeal is a positive, and I fell for it.  Fortunately, I was a story that totally backs the amazing cover, and once you then check out the book description it is a no brainier. Chasing Serenity is a story of heart break and tragedy with a side runner of intense romance. Autumn's entire life has been shadowed with dark corners, but I don't want to say that this is what the entire story is about. It proved so much more than the dark and lonely depth, and the shadows are overpowered by the courage and strength of Autumn and her ability to survive. The level of emotion throughout the telling of this story carries an intensity I was definitely not expecting. Not because I didn't think it capable, but it was the level of which very few stories can accomplish. Declan and Autumn's chemistry has the power to move mountains, and readers will sense the intensity from the start. Autumn is a girl with a life of struggle, and it was so encouraging to see her gain this bright ending. I am a fan, and will be continuing the series.