Review & Giveaway: Layers (Stark #1) by Sigal Ehrlich

Layers (Stark #1) by Sigal Ehrlich
Published October 10th 2013

Purchase Link: Amazon

According to Hayley love is a subject of ridicule, a myth created by hopeless romantics.

When Hayley makes a resolution to declare her loose lifestyle era R.I.P, it’s all good in theory…

That is until she meets Daniel Stark, a well-respected, mid-thirties business man who is known for his short temper, lack of steady relationships as well as his strict preserve of his private life.

Opinionated, sharp tongued Hayley accidently steps into his office leaving Daniel resolved to put Hayley in her place and have her in his bed.

Both Hayley and Daniel can’t avoid the immediate instigation of the attraction between them.

In a unanimously agreed upon verdict by Hayley and her two best friends, Ian the gay self-absorbed, aspiring model and Natasha the witty, borderline neurotic soul mate, Daniel Stark is to be Hayley’s pure physical attraction, emotions aside era closure.

Will it indeed be a closure, or a beginning to something neither Hayley nor Daniel ever bargained for…

My Thoughts

I heart Layers… HARD!!
Well that was a lovely reading experience! I definitely enjoyed meeting the hot, sexy Mr. Daniel Stark, and I’m thinking it’s time to consider updating my laminated list of favorite fictional males because HOLY HOT MAN IN BOARD SHORTS Layers was DAMN good!!!! I want the next book now!!

Now that I’ve gotten that out of the way, let me tell you about this book…

In Layers, we meet Daniel Stark who is the owner and inventor of Stark Solutions. He’s been listed in Forbes for his achievements and has amassed a wealth that has rivals trying to get a piece of his fortune. He doesn’t trust easily and forming any meaningful relationships hasn’t quite worked for him in the past. So when he crashes into Haley Grace as she tours his company and sneaks into his private kitchen for a quick caffeine fix, he’s taken aback by her bold assessment of Mr. Stark realizing she doesn’t quite know he’s the target of her harsh opinion.

Haley never intended to interview for Stark Solutions. To be frank, she lost a bet and found herself interacting with this mysterious Stark employee named Daniel and telling him how pretentious she finds the owner of the company to insist on a private kitchen. The nerve!

When she’s later asked to return for a second interview with the owner himself, she’s shocked to find that the employee she talked to in the kitchen is Mr. Stark himself. What ensues is her turning down a job offer and ripping him a new one for making a joke of her and disrespecting her time. However, as Daniel slowly drops his guard and exposes his passionate yet playful side, Haley finds herself intrigued and reconsiders her opinion of him. There begins a romance that’s not without its share of obstacles.

There are so many different layers to him; he never ceases to amaze me. ~ Haley

I immediately came to enjoy Haley Grace as a character. I like her openness and confidence, but what stood out most was her honest and accurate assessment of Daniel. Her mental dialog, which at times could be a bit harsh, was never off the mark. I sort of found her mental babble about him humorous. Haley’s not shy about sharing how she feels about Daniel and admitting he can be a bit arrogant, volatile with a side of psycho. However, there’s no doubt a genuine attraction and deep seeded longing for him exists and she ultimately begins to have strong feelings for Daniel.

Have you lost your words now, do you need a moment? ~Daniel

Daniel Stark is the quintessential attractive character that’s gorgeous, refined, and confident - yet can also be domineering and impulsive. I actually liked the edgy side to his character. It made him exciting and unpredictable which is how I like the leading male to be at times. But most importantly, I liked how Haley responded to Daniel and how she handled his mood shifts with tempered patience. She was never intimidated by him but rather would confront Daniel in a way that resonated with him. Haley had an ability to step back and view him from a careful distance to try and understand his responses to people and situations. They ultimately fell into a passionate yet playful relationship which was fun to see unfold. I enjoyed their moments together and reading their playful dialog created a light feeling to balance the heated moments. Exciting!

The sea, the sunset, our closeness, him, his words. I want to stay in this moment forever.

Sigal Ehrlich as a graceful, yet vivid way of making the reader feel like they’re in the moment with her characters. She’s not overly descriptive, so I can only describe it as knowing the right words to use at the perfect time to create that feeling where the reader is right alongside the cast as they journey through their day to day. She times her back-story reveals carefully to create the proper flow and pacing, which ultimately creates a solid grounding for feeling in the moment with the story.

In addition, I truly enjoyed the secondary cast, especially Tasha with her genuine ability to be the right kind of friend when Haley needed it. I would have loved to see more of Ian, but I have a feeling I’ll get my wish in the second book, so I’m looking forward to seeing more of them.

Lastly, I knew going into it that there would be a cliffhanger. However, for some reason, the cliffhanger in Layers didn’t annoy me as most cliffies often do. I guess because Sigal Ehrlich did what authors should do in their first installment, which is to lay the foundation for the story, make you fall for the characters, don’t overwhelm the reader with excessive drama, yet whet your appetite for more because when you turn the final pages of the first book you’re not quite ready to let the story go. Well done! I can’t wait to read the continuation of Stark!

5 Suns

Book Two in the Stark Series!

Inner Core (Stark #2) by Sigal Ehrlich

Expected publication: January 31st 2014

When Hayley makes a resolution to take back the control over her life, and declare their relationship R.I.P, it’s all good in theory…

That is until Daniel decides to prove her wrong and get her back.

Together, Hayley and Daniel seem to have it all. But can love ever be enough when two strong personalities collide and while reality takes the lead?

Faced with more obstacles than she could have ever bargain for when it comes to Daniel, struggling to keep her own identity while sharing a life with her man. Buds of doubt start rooting in Hayley’s confidence, making her rethink her decision.

And just when it seems that they might make it together after all, life happens. Bringing a threat that neither Hayley nor Daniel could ever anticipate, a threat that could break them apart forever . . .

About the Author

By teen age, Sigal already lived in three different continents where she was lucky enough to experience and visit varied places, meet unique people, which only helped fuel her overly developed imagination. Currently, Sigal calls Estonia home where she lives with her husband and three kids.

Not exactly sure where they will end up next…

When she is not hiding in her office, writing, she enjoys music, reading and taking care of her little clan.

With a great believe in "don’t wait for things to happen - make them happen," she enjoys anything exciting life has to offer.

Author Links
Website | Facebook | Twitter | Pintrest

The author was gracious enough to offer one lucky Waves of Fiction Blogluvin follower a SIGNED COPY of Layers (Stark #1). Simply fill out the rafflecopter and leave a thoughtful comment for Sigal Ehrlich. This giveaway is open to US Residents only. Good luck!

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