{Tour Stop} Review & Giveaway: The Replacement by Rachael Wade ★★★★1/2

The Replacement by Rachael Wade 
Publication date: January 27th 2014
Genres: Contemporary, New Adult
Buy Link: AMAZON | BARNES & NOBLE



Synopsis: A gritty New Adult drama about a young woman’s self-destructive quest to find purpose, self-worth, and love in a broken world.

My name is Elise Duchamp. I’m twenty-three years old and I’m known as the town whore.

No, not the kind who exchanges sexual favors for money. The other kind. The kind who gives it all away for free, whenever and however she likes. I am that girl. The one everyone whispers about and the one none of the girls seem to like, because all of their boyfriends either want to sleep with me or already have. Promiscuity is my thing—the kind that slowly, violently turns my insides black, but gives me something I need.

All things considered, I’m not completely reckless. I’m safe, and contrary to popular opinion, I do have a heart. I live in a world of careless choices, and with those choices come careless people. I cannot judge them, because I am one of them. I too bow down to the altar of the self-serving. I am not a good friend. I am not and never could be anyone’s girlfriend. I’m convinced any goodness in me shriveled up and died long ago.

But I am a replacement. That is something I know how to be, and this is a story of the lengths I’d go to in order to keep it that way.


*Contains sexually explicit content and mature subject matter, including language and elements of abuse.*

A Bold and Powerful Story

When I first read the blurb for The Replacement, I was torn. Did I really want to read a book about a twenty-three-year old woman who embraces the title of town whore? No, I was quite sure I didn't. But the book was written by Rachael Wade, and as a fan of her work, I knew that if anyone could pull off a story about a character like Elise Duchamp, she could. And because I trusted the author, I was willing to gamble on the book. 

Do I regret that decision? Nope, not even a little. 

Elise is a hot, broken mess. She's the girl guys cheat on their wives and girlfriends with. The girl we love to hate, the one all too many of us back stab or turn our noses up at. Befriend her? Heavens no, we'd be more likely to chase her out of town - and Elise knows it. Heck, she embraces it! She doesn't pretend to be someone she isn't, or hide her flaws the way the rest of us do. She is who she is, and if you don't like it, you know where the door is. Don't let it hit you on the way out. 

Here's the thing, though. For all her effed-upness, there is something so refreshingly honest about Elise, and as a reader, that appealed to me. She didn't pretty up what she was doing, didn't glorify it or at any point think (or say) that everyone should do what she's doing. And when the guys she was with got too pushy, aggressive, or clingy, she immediately cut things off. She wasn't trying to build relationships or steal someone's man for herself. It was sex, or nothing. Period. 

I didn't agree with a lot of Elise's choices. Not in any way, shape or form. I had many disquieting and downright uncomfortable moments as I was reading, and I can't even count the number of times I gritted my teeth and said, "Why, Elise? WHY are you doing this?!" But I think that is what I was meant to feel. I wasn't supposed to cheer Elise on when she behaved badly. The challenge was to see past her mistakes and into the heart of the woman who made them. Who was Elise, really? What made her this way, and could she be redeemed? If she had the chance to change, would she, or would she continue on her self-destructive path because it was all she knew? 

The Replacement does have a romance in it, and it's a hot one, but for once, the romance isn't what kept me glued to the pages. Don't get me wrong, I adored Ryder. He was amazeballs and so good for Elise, in so many ways, I'm surprised she resisted him as long as she did. But this was Elise's book, through and through. She was the reason I kept reading. Her journey was a powerful one, and honestly, the most important relationship I thought she had in the book was with her boss, Jay, who was a much-needed friend and father figure. 

This book isn't for everyone. Some readers won't make it past the blurb. Others will start it, only to quit after the first chapter or two. As for me, I'm so glad I gave The Replacement a chance. It shook me up, made me think, and at times even pissed me off, but it was also one of the boldest, bravest contemporary novels I've read in a long time. I loved it. 

4.5 Stars ★★★★1/2
ARC provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

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Rachael Wade is the Amazon bestselling author of The Preservation Series, The Resistance Trilogy, and the upcoming sci-fi series, The Keepers Trilogy. When she’s not writing, she’s busy learning French, watching too many movies, and learning how to protect animals and the environment. Visit her atwww.RachaelWade.com and www.LightsOnOutreach.com, or come chat with her on Twitter via @RachaelWade

Author Links:
http://www.rachaelwade.com/
https://www.facebook.com/AuthorRachaelWade
https://twitter.com/RachaelWade
https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4831558.Rachael_Wade

-1 signed paperback (US only)

- one ebook copy (INTL)

-signed postcard swag (US only)

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