.{ ink.eaters }.: "Tough Love" by Skye Warren

Tough Love by Skye Warren is the prequel (0.5) to Love the Way You Lie, book one in the Stripped series. Since Tough Love is currently free on amazon, I decided to give it a go before diving into Love the Way You Lie, to see if Warren's writing was for me - and I have to say, it was a lot more captivating than I had expected, considering this prequel only contains 49 pages.

Tough Love lets us experience what it's like to live in a golden cage - and to be desperate to get out - told from the point of view of Clara, a fifteen year old Las Vegas mob-princess.

Clara has been dreaming of escaping the mob's premises for a while - but with locked doors, gates and numberless guards, that's easier said than done. Plus, there's Clara's older sister Honor, whom she'd never leave behind, and Giovanni, the young man who has her heart and whom she has been sneaking around with, although they're both painfully aware that they could never be with each other.

In the mob, it's all about power and rank - so it doesn't come as much of a surprise when Honor is supposed to get married to someone who will ensure her father's presence amongst the high ranking faces, even if that means not only being with a man she has no feelings for, but being with a man who is bad for her - in the most violent, abusive ways. When Clara discover's just how bad Honor's situation is, she prompts her sister to run away - with her and Giovanni. And then Clara herself gets cornered by a friend of her sister's fiancé, and Giovanni has to step in before things get too dire. He then provides Clara and Honor with what they'll need to get away - a car, cash, and a distraction for the guards... but will Clara and Honor really make it? Will they get away - will they get out, alive? Where will their journey take them? And what about Giovanni - will Clara ever see him again?

That part of the story is not Tough Love's to tell - it ends on a cliffhanger, which definitely has gotten me interested in Love the Way You Lie.
It's already waiting for me on my kindle. (;

I really liked that the whole story is told from Clara's point of view - it makes it very easy to put yourself in her shoes, and to sympathize with her. It's a very easy read and the style of writing makes it believable that the story is a fifteen-year-old's.
Overall, I'd say it's a great read - you should, however, not plan on reading this as a stand-alone; despite not having read Love the Way You Lie myself yet, I might even recommend reading this prequel after having read book one in the series - that might make it an even easier and more enjoyable read, as it would probably put a different perspective on the happenings of Tough Love.

4/5

A story about the sacrifices we make for love...

I sneak out of my room every night. My father's guards don't see me. My sister doesn't see me.

No one sees me, except him.

He's the son of a mafia foot soldier. My father is the boss. I shouldn't even know Giovanni. And I definitely shouldn't kiss him. Our relationship is doomed to fail, but that won't stop me from trying.

Not every girl wants to be a princess. I just want to be free.