Hothouse Flower by Krista & Becca RitchieMy rating: 5 of 5 stars
You know that moment when you get to the end of a chapter, turn to the next page, and realize that it was the last page of the book? You panic because you’re not ready for it to end yet, so you’re left re-reading that last line a few times, close the book, then sit there for several minutes, staring into space in deep thought about what you just read. Then, once it sinks in that the story is over, you’re overwhelmed with all these emotions and you can’t decide whether you want to laugh or cry. That’s what I felt at the end of this book and what I’m still feeling now.
Hothouse Flower is a spin-off of the Addicted series and is the second installment of the Calloway Sisters series. It seems like it’s been years that I’ve been waiting for Daisy & Ryke’s story. They met when Daisy was 15 and Ryke was 22. Their story began when Ryke agreed to help chaperone Daisy’s 16th birthday. I am deeply and emotionally invested in this series. My love for these characters began with Lily and Lo’s epic love story in Addicted to You , then Rose and Connor’s perfect relationship in Kiss the Sky (Spin-Off)(Calloway Sisters #1), and now Daisy and Ryke’s forbidden romance in Hothouse Flower . Although you don’t have to read the Addicted series at all, I would strongly suggest doing so before getting into the Calloway Sisters series because of character development. You get so much more out of the story and witness how Daisy and Ryke’s relationship progresses and evolves throughout the years. You connect with them on a much deeper level if you start from the very beginning. Here is the recommended reading order:
Addicted to You (Addicted #1) – Lily & Lo’s story begins
Ricochet (Addicted #1.5) – Story of the time Lily & Lo spend apart (also beginning of Daisy and Ryke’s story)
Addicted for Now (Addicted #2) – Lil & Lo’s story continues (Daisy & Ryke’s story continue to develop)
Kiss the Sky (Spin-Off)(Calloway Sisters #1) – Rose & Connor’s story (a must read before you read Hothouse Flower)
Hothouse Flower (Spin-Off)(Calloway Sisters #2) – Daisy & Ryke’s story
Thrive (Addicted #2.5) – Lil & Lo’s POV covering the same period as Kiss the Sky and Hothouse Flower
Addicted After All (Addicted #3) – Final book of the series
Ryke is a very caring individual. He’s a jackass, he’s crude, and he’s very blunt. Despite his rough exterior, he has the kindest soul. Having been raised by a single mother, Ryke loves and cares for all women. He’s there for everyone he truly cares about. And Ryke is completely torn between taking care of Daisy and being there for his brother.
“We each have our roles, and I know mine is to keep an eye on this girl and that guy. I just don’t ever want to be faced with the decision of having to choose between them. If that day comes, then fuck me.”
Daisy is the youngest of four sisters and because of the age gap between her and her older sisters, she always got left out and wasn’t really close to any of them. It’s so heartbreaking to see how Daisy desperately wants to be closer to her sisters. But she needs to realize that she has to open up to them too. Modeling at a very young age, she’s lived a life under constant scrutiny. Her life as a fashion model is not a very easy one. Modeling is a precarious job where people are treated with less worth than the clothes that they wear. Daisy is endlessly worrying about her weight so she maintains a strict diet. Daisy was forced to grow up fast. Add that on top of the fact that her mother, who controls everything she does and goes everywhere she goes, suffocates her. She’s chained; she’s bound; she finds escape by being impulsive and doing as she pleases when her mother isn’t around.
When shit hits the fan, Daisy finds a reliable and trustworthy friend in Ryke. Daisy has found that she has no real friends ever since she and her family were put under the spotlight because of certain events and information leaked to the media.
“As I watched each friend call me a sex-addict-in-training and a media whore, stabbing me routinely in the heart, Ryke was the one who pulled out the blades. He even shielded me from them. He’s like my wolf—dangerous, alluring and protective—but I can never get close enough or he’ll bite me. He’s my last real friend. But I know that’s not entirely true. He’s the only real one I’ve ever had.”Daisy confides in him and they grow closer and closer over the years. There’s an attraction there that neither one of them can act on in fear of their family’s reaction, and because it’s legally not allowed given that Daisy is underage. It’s obvious that Daisy is attracted to him and she’s constantly flirting with him; always pushing his buttons to get a rise out of him. But Ryke would never let on that he’s in any way, shape, or form attracted to Daisy. He maintains a platonic relationship with her and when Hothouse Flower begins, they’ve been friends for over two years. He’s the only person who is truly there for Daisy but being friends with her puts a lot of pressure on him because of the circumstance they’re in.
“I wish I could take away her problems. I’m not used to being unable to fix things, and it hurts, having to watch her go through this while I pretend that my presence is a fucking solution.”
In this book, Daisy is now 18 and Ryke just turned 25. Daisy is finally free of her mother’s grasp and is living in her own place. Because of Ryke and Daisy’s close relationship, they are incessantly hounded by Ryke’s little brother Loren about keeping their relationship non-romantic. But as Connor observed in Kiss the Sky,
“While Lo believes he’s protecting Daisy from his half-brother, he’s really creating a barrier between Daisy and the only person here who’ll look out for her first rather than last.”Daisy’s mother despises Ryke. It just seems like everything is against them being together. What’s great about this book is that it takes you inside both Daisy’s and Ryke’s head. You get the dual POV so you have both sides of the story. And it is a beautiful story of friendship, romance, and forbidden love. When the moment comes when Ryke is left to decide exactly what Daisy means to him and whether or not he truly has feelings other than friendship for her, it is absolutely mind blowing! It will leave you completely breathless. The stairwell scene…INTENSE!!! That’s all I have to say about that.
Both Ryke and Daisy are completely misunderstood and the only people who see their relationship for what it is, has no problems, issues, or qualms on whether or not they should be together romantically, are Rose and Connor. But expect a lot of humor and smartass remarks every time these six characters get together. There are so many funny and awkward moments in the book! I seriously look forward to the banter between them and I’m so glad that we get a lot of moments with the six of them in this book! The dynamic with these characters is just unbelievable. It’s hard not to fall in love with every single one of them.
Rose’s quips had me laughing my ass off! I think she totally outdid Connor in her comebacks.
“If you disappoint my little sister, I will personally snip off your balls and feed them to Connor’s cat.”
Connor is the see-it-all, know-it-all guy in the group. But as much shit as he and Ryke give each other, Connor has great influence on how the story plays out. When Ryke was literally broken down and second guessing all the choices that he’s made in the past, Connor was his voice of reason and helped to put things in perspective. One of my favorite Connor quotes to Ryke,
“What you’ve done for them, it’s nothing short of heroic, and if you can’t see that, then you’re blind, my friend.”
Lily is flippin cute as always. Her weird and eccentric behavior cracks me up! She and Ryke should seriously just admit that they’re BFFs.
Lo really got under my skin in this book. I mean I understand that he’s got a lot of anger and hate and he’s under a lot of turmoil as a recovering alcoholic. But I don’t think these justify his actions sometimes. He’s not the only one suffering. Each one of them is fighting their own battles. There were moments when I wanted to shake some sense into him and I definitely wished that Ryke would just punch him in the face. But that wouldn’t have helped the situation and it would’ve done more harm than good. Still, I love Lo to pieces and I can’t wait to read Thrive and find out all about what was going on inside his head during these times.
And I swear any time that the three guys are together, I am done for! The banter is through the roof hilarious!! There’s a lot of bromance going on.
This book was a major head rush! Beautiful story with a wonderful ending that leaves me wanting more!!! I loved every minute of it. I’ve had the most difficult time writing this review because so much happens in the story and I don’t want to spoil it for anyone who hasn’t read any of the books in the series. I think this is my absolute favorite book from Krista & Becca Ritchie. Wait. No. I still love Lily and Lo. Actually, I love them ALL in all their different, quirky, crazy, and effed up ways!! But seriously, this book is by far the best that they’ve written. No, wait, I can’t say that either because I absolutely love Addicted to You and Kiss the Sky was the most complicated of all with the reality TV show worked into it...and well...I really love all the other books as well. Krista & Becca Ritchie will totally blow your mind! They are absolutely wonderful and insanely brilliant!!! I’m completely and utterly addicted to their writing and this series! I haven’t had a book hangover this bad.
quote in poster from Ricochet
quote in poster from Addicted for Now
My Reviews On:
Addicted to You
Ricochet
Addicted for Now
Kiss the Sky
View all my reviews
