Beautiful Addictions by: Season Vining

I was instantly pulled into this book from the first sentence. I found the writing to be good and the characters intrigued me, drawing me in to read more. There was Josie Banks, an anomaly to say the least, who did exactly what she wanted to do, how she wanted to, and when she wanted to do it. Josie’s past was well… complicated. However, one thing was for certain, she was absolutely entranced by Tristan Fallbrook, a tattooed bartender with a photographic memory. She is drawn to this man like a moth to a flame that burns by the fire.

Josie watches Tristan from afar and has planned her shadowy existence around getting a daily glimpse of him at the bar where he works. Like clock-work, Josie goes to the bar and sits in a corner and draws and waits for him to arrive for his shift until one day they meet… so I thought. Tristan already knows her but not as Josie but as McKenzi. I never quite got as far as to why the name change, in depth that is, because an unusual mobster character was introduced with his own internal dialogue and his point of view.

Then, Tristan and Josie agreed to meet up but before this happens, Josie’s neighbor, an apparent drug dealer and her protector is introduced. Apparently he knows about Josie’s “secret”.  And then, as Josie is on the way to meet Tristan I was introduced to a character she met at a homeless shelter.  So after… or during…Josie meets up with Tristan, I was introduced to a ban of homeless youths.  But it was during the meeting that I got a glimpse of who Josie really is or was or is going to be… Heck, I don’t even know anymore.

I digress. All of these characters have been introduced before Chapter Five. And then in Chapter Five, yet another character popped up and this is when I stopped. I realized at this point that all of what was going on in this at this moment was too complicated for me.

Overall, I don’t know what to really tell you about this novel by Season Vinnings. There is absolutely no doubt in my mind that she is a talented writer. However, sometimes…it doesn’t have to be this deep…this complicated. I cannot tell you how frustrating it was to be introduced to a new character in every chapter. All the introductions caused me to detach from the main characters.  I mean, there were too many twist and turns, taking me here there and there there until I completely lost all interest. This one was definitely a complicated order. Who knows, maybe in time, I will go back and read Beautiful Addiction and become beautifully addicted to all the complications? Just maybe…

A compliementary copy was provided via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.