Chasing Riptides by Aly Stiles

 

Synopsis:

MATTY

Rockstar. Heartthrob. Liability.

I'm the face, the body, a trophy for the masses.

They love to admire me, and I play the part like a pro. I can be whatever I have to be to survive.

But I'm not real. None of this is. How can it be with a past like mine? They think they know me, but no one does. The best I can do is chase another woman, substance, or scandal to escape the truth for one more day.

BRITT

I've loved Matty Silva from the moment a scared, blond kid from Brazil showed up in our second-grade class. While the world lusts for the gorgeous, troubled rockstar, it's the sad, lonely boy trapped inside who stole my heart.

The boy I loved too much to ever tell him.

That boy is now a superstar being worshipped for something he's not. They will never understand the pain he carries with each breath, and I saw the terrifying truth the second he returned home for the summer:

No one can spiral like Matty can, and it's finally about to break him.

Review:

Would you save someone that does everything to destroy himself?

For Brittany Esposito, best friend of Matty Silva, a famous rock star, the only answer to that question is yes.

Chasing Riptides tells the story of these two friends, one who tries to save the other, while the other one tries to sever every bond that unites them.

"Matty is an angry ocean. You can admire its beauty and power, even while you're drowning in it."

I loved Britt, she is a great character. I could feel her love for Matty into her words and actions. I adored the strenghth, the fierceness and the stubborness with which she defends whoever she loves and who she'll never leave alone. Matty broke my heart over and over again. I was so sad to see how he sabotages his friendship, his brotherly relationship and his career, because he thinks he is a fraud that doesn't deserve to be loved. I was so glad to see he had more than one person in his corner ready to help him.

Aly Stiles has got us used to her emotional stories, but everytime I read her works I'm surprised by how she depicts the deepest sadness and every facet of a broken soul in the most real and relatable way. I adore how her writing style and her words sink into your soul without giving you any chance to run from the ferocity of the feelings she tells.

Excellent read, definitely not easy but excellent.

Release Date: 02.10.2023