Having no internet recently allowed for me to reread books that I’d not read in a year or more, and Crew was one of the first I selected. It comes as no surprise to me because from the moment I first read a story by Tijan, I’ve been obsessed. And while my blogging keeps me jumping from ARC to ARC as a rule, the minute I have time to squeeze something in from my wish list or a reread, I definitely lean first towards her stories.
Tijan writes angsty, sexy, and exceptional romances that stick with me long after I’ve turned the final pages. Crew is the first book in a coming of age, best friends to lovers, contemporary romance trilogy. This series is everything I expect from Tijan’s writing. The characters—Bren Monroe and Cross Shaw—have an almost tangible chemistry that’s well developed and intricately woven into a story that exhibits all. the. feels! Crew is a slow burn romance that I found richly rewarding because as readers we grow to love the characters individually and deeply as their budding relationship changes from best friends to lovers. Bren and Cross are brilliantly written characters. They have expertly crafted depths and a fabulous story arc that truly allows readers to see a character that grow and progresses in a very real manner. This, IMO, is often missing in modern storytelling. And while many readers now find slow burn romances unfulfilling, the time and patience that Cross put into his developing his relationship with the upmost care exactly what I look for in my favorite book boyfriends. I found it richly rewarding, very realistic, and indicative of the types of relationships that last the test of time.
Tijan crafts stories which offer a true richness of characters, complete unpredictability, epic entertainment, and she does all of this without penning a story that feels like we’ve read it a million times over. Her tropes and storylines all vary greatly, and I’ve come to expect total originality in the stories she delivers. While other authors might be known for off-the- charts sex, their ...hole heroes, or even true bad... heroines, Tijan talents outreach this consistently. Does she offer these traits? Absolutely. Yet, she also releases new and unprecedented stories time and again. And in my opinion, that’s truly exceptional storytelling. I’ve come to expect these as hallmarks of Tijan’s stories but something about Crew just held me extra captivated…extra invested in the story. I have read Crew a total of three times, and still I couldn’t put the book down the third time I picked it up--I read all through the night and dealt with an exhaustion that no parent of small children appreciates. Regardless, the book is incredibly rewarding even with the cliffhanger at the end…Lucky for readers who have just come across this story, the opportunity to read through the trilogy in one fell swoop is at hand with the coming release of Always Crew.
One aspect of the draw I felt initially with Tijan’s earlier crew books is something that I felt its important to touch on in this review. I’ve had the opportunity to read the Fallen Crest books and The Boy Who I Grew Up With, and have therefore, been introduced to the crew system Tijan’s fostered through these stories. Yet, I don’t expect everyone reading my reviews to know what a ‘crew’ is. And while I can’t come close to expressing it with the same skillset as Tijan, the primary takeaway is a crew is not a gang, it’s a group of friends who would do anything and everything to support each other…to have one another’s backs. And that is exactly the types of friendships we all value. So, when you pick-up any of the aforementioned titles, don’t go in with the notion of a gang-esque storyline.
Finally, if you’re looking for your next five star read, then look no farther…you’ve found it!
**This review has been updated from the first I left when the story was released in August 2018 to offer additional points from my earlier review. However, my rating has stood for two complete rereads and I just wish I could give it more than five stars.
Quotes:
Along with Jordan, there were two others besides myself—Cross Shaw and Zellman Greenly. My name is Bren Monroe
That was the basic rule of being in a crew: you backed each other up. No matter what.
“We don’t fight like you do.” I started for the door, saying over my shoulder, “And just remember, you declared war first.”
“In every situation, against every person, it’s you. Your first loyalty is to the crew, but mine is to you. It’s always been like that.”
Something’s going to happen.” He turned back to Jordan and Zellman. “I don’t know if they’ll be on our side or against us, but you have to know…” He swung those piercing eyes my way. “Everything I do is for you.”
“If they weren’t here, if you were ready, I would take you inside. I would strip you naked. I would lay you down, and I would worship every ... inch of your body because that’s just the beginning of what you deserve.”
$3.99 with 77 percent savings
Print List Price: $16.99 
The Print List Price is the lowest suggested retail price provided by a publisher for a print book format of this title, available on Amazon (e.g. hardcover, paperback, mass market paperback).
Learn more
Learn more
Download the free Kindle app and start reading Kindle books instantly on your smartphone, tablet, or computer - no Kindle device required.
Read instantly on your browser with Kindle for Web.
Using your mobile phone camera - scan the code below and download the Kindle app.
Shop this series
See full series
Shop this series
There are 3 books in this series.
Bundle price:
Kindle price
$12.97
By placing your order, you're purchasing a license to the content and you agree to the Kindle Store Terms of Use.
This option includes 3 books.
Bundle price:
Kindle price
$12.97
By placing your order, you're purchasing a license to the content and you agree to the Kindle Store Terms of Use.
Customers who bought this item also bought
Page 1 of 1 Start overPage 1 of 1
Popular Highlights in this book
“In every situation, against every person, it’s you. Your first loyalty is to the crew, but mine is to you. It’s always been like that.”Highlighted by 431 Kindle readers- “We don’t fight like you do.” I started for the door, saying over my shoulder, “And just remember, you declared war first.”Highlighted by 213 Kindle readers
- That was the basic rule of being in a crew: you backed each other up. No matter what.Highlighted by 209 Kindle readers
About the author
I'm dying for book 2!!
Once again this author captivated me from the beginning. Tijan definitely knows how to bring tension and drama in the best ways.They are a crew you don't want to mess with. People never learn not to mess with the Wolf's. This crew are savages and they will take you down. I love Bren and Cross, and I can't wait for book 2
Top reviews from the United States
There was a problem filtering reviews. Please reload the page.
- Reviewed in the United States on August 11, 2020
- Reviewed in the United States on September 1, 2018
- Reviewed in the United States on August 28, 2018
