Friday, December 6, 2013

Review: Blue Lines by Toni Aleo

Blue Lines (Assassins, #4)

Blue Lines (Assassins #4) by Toni Aleo
Publication Date: December 9th 2013 by Loveswept-Random House
Purchase Links: Amazon | Barnes & Noble

About the Book:

Opposites do more than just attract in Toni Aleo’s latest Nashville Assassins novel about a very bad boy and the good girl he can’t resist.

The instant Piper Allen sees Erik Titov, she wants him—wants his rock-hard body, sure, but the strength and mystery that lies behind that superstar hockey jock demeanor, too. So when he sidles up to her at a bar and slinks his arm around her waist, she’s lost. What follows is the wildest night of her life . . . followed by inevitable heartbreak the next morning. And then, a few weeks later, a very big surprise: two blue lines on a pregnancy test.

Only a check to the head could make Erik fall for a nice girl like Piper. But since their crazy-sexy night together, he’s been trying to forget about her alluring body by falling into bed with every woman in Nashville, and it’s not working. So when Piper shows up at his house with a baby-bomb to drop, it doesn’t take much for Erik to suggest the nuclear option: marriage. While it’s supposed to be all for show, the second they say “I do,” the ice between them starts to melt into sizzling steam.

Includes a special message from the editor, as well as excerpts from these Loveswept titles: Taking Shots, Trying to Score, and Empty Net.


My Thoughts:
This is my first Toni Aleo read and it will not be my last.  I was completely addicted to this story trying to read snippets in between work and then staying up late to finish!

Piper Allen has longed for Erik Titov for the last two years.  His brother married her sister and since then they run into each other at family get-togethers.  Trouble is Erik is a raging man-whore. He’s on the professional hockey team The Assassins’ and has no shortage of women throwing themselves at him, and he’s happy to oblige. Still, Piper sees a different side to Erik at these gatherings, one where he dotes on his niece and shows unconditional love to his family. But still Piper can’t ignore the fact that Erik never has a serious girl.  Everything changes for Piper when in a moment of weakness they spend the night together.  She hopes for more but he of course crushes that hope by telling her that night was a big mistake.  Fast forward a few weeks and Piper has the shock of finding out she’s pregnant.

Erik has always been enamored by Piper, his sweet and gorgeous sister-in-law but he’s never let himself act on anything, until one fateful night.  He can’t get Piper out of his mind since that night, and boy does he try by sleeping with tons of women.

This all started and ended with Piper Allen. She was also the reason he had been with every woman in Nashville…he was trying to forget Piper.*

His efforts do not go unnoticed by the team management and they are not happy because he’s giving the team a bad reputation.  Erik must clean up his act or he’ll be kicked off the team for good.  When Piper shows up on his doorstep months after their hot and lusty night to let him know he’s going to be a father, Erik freaks out. He’s worried he’ll be kicked off the team once it gets out, and his family will be livid with him. They all know and love Piper.  He comes up with the idea of a fake marriage just until the smoke blows over.  JERK!!!

I have to say I wanted to CUT CHOICE BODY PARTS off of Erik for a good portion of this book! He was such a gigantic prick!  Normally this would completely ruin the story for me but somehow Ms. Aleo managed to write Erik in such a way that it didn’t.  Erik’s POV shed light on his reasoning. Yes, he was a total ASSHAT, even in his head at first, BUT gradually we see him change and little bits of the great guy I knew was under all that would peek through.  He can’t help but fall for Piper; she’s sweet, impulsive and so full of life.  One thing I was SOOOOO happy about is that there was no (highlight to see spoiler) cheating once Piper and Erik “married”.  It was a condition of Piper’s, and he never betrayed it.  Thank goodness!!  

My heart bled for Piper! Oh man, did I want to do some violence to Erik for hurting her so!  He was so thoughtless and would blurt out the most insensitive things.  I was glad she stood up for herself without being bitchy. Loved Piper! Luckily for Erik, Piper can see exactly how Erik sells himself short.  She’s pretty patient with him knowing that once he removes his head from his sphincter he has a real chance at having a happy life and family with her.  At about the 50% mark Erik begins to change and I slowly fell for him.   

The super sweet HEA made my heart swell with happiness!  Toni Aleo brought out strong emotions and sucked me right in with her addictive writing! I’m definitely going back to read the rest of this series!

Favorite Quote:
“I’m hard to love but when I mess up, I promise I’ll do everything to make it better because I want you.  Only you. For the rest of my life. I love you Piper Titov, and you are mine. Marry me…again, and know that I will only love you for the rest of my existence.”*


4.5 Suns






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*Quotes taken from an uncorrected proof and may change in the final copy.



 

1 comment:

  1. I read the first three in this series, and yes it is addictive! You should definitely give Taking Shots and Trying to Score a try. I will definitely add Blue Lines to my to-read list!

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