Waves of Fiction is thrilled to be a part of the blog tour for When I Break - the newest novel by Kendall Ryan!
When I Break by Kendall Ryan
Published February 24, 2014
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About the book:Knox
Bauer's life has unraveled to the point of no return. Fighting to fill the
emptiness inside himself, he seeks solace in unfamiliar beds with unfamiliar
women. As guardian to his three younger brothers, he can't seem to do a thing
right. But this can't go on...they look up to him in every way and all he’s done
lately is prove how messed up he really is. Needing a change, he attends a
local Sex Addicts Anonymous meeting, where he finds himself tempted by the
alluring instructor, McKenna.
Twenty-one year old McKenna is trying to make amends. After
losing her parents in a horrific accident, she knows if she can just be good
enough, maybe she can forgive herself for what happened. With her newly
acquired degree in counseling, she begins leading a sex addicts group where she
meets the troubled Knox and her life takes on complications she never bargained
for. She doesn't have time for a bad boy who only wants to take her to bed,
even if her body disagrees. The fixer in her wants to help, but trusting Knox's
true motivations might take more courage than she has.
When I Break is book 1 in a new mini series by bestselling
author Kendall Ryan.Warning: Contains a stubborn alpha male with addiction
issues and loads of sexual tension between two damaged characters. Read at your
own risk.
Due to mature content, it is recommended for 17+.
Brandie's Thoughts
ARC kindly provided by the author
in exchange for an honest review.
I have a few favorite authors that
I know will never disappoint me. When I'm in a book slump - I just have to pick
up one of their books and I'll devour it's goodness in one sitting. Kendall Ryan
is one of those authors and I LOVE her writing.
I adored Knox and McKenna.
He is a tough guy on the outside, but once you see him with his brothers and see
him confide in McKenna, you can't help but swoon and fall in love with him. And
McKenna, although living with so much sorrow and guilt over her own tragic past
- she is sweet and kind - making it her life's mission to help others. But she
will find out that her desire to help Knox turns into so much more when they
have an undeniable chemistry sizzling between them.
What I haven't been loving lately are cliffhangers. BUT, I knew this one was going to have a not-so-happy ending before I even began and that got me through. Also knowing I won't have to wait too long before I get the rest of Knox and McKenna's story helped - hurry up April 7!
There just wasn't
enough!! I NEED MORE. I barely got my feet wet and then it was over. Ms Ryan,
you broke my heart, but I forgive you because I know you'll give me more soon
and I can't wait!
5 Suns
Arlene's Thoughts
Darn those painful cliffies!!!
I knew going into this one that there would be a cliffhanger, and as much as I thought I was prepared for it... I was not. I had just picked up on the cadence of the story when all of a sudden the lights turned off, and I was left in the dark. Well past the midpoint of this book, Knox and McKenna were starting to accept their feelings for one another and getting to know each other when I stumbled on the last chapter. I really wish this book would have completed their story because I was really into it towards the end.
Overall, I enjoy Kendall Ryan’s books. She has a way of creating edgy male characters that are attractive and easy to fall for. However, what I felt was missing with Knox was that I didn’t feel he quite lived up to his reputation or supposed condition. I’m no psychologist by any means, and the most I have under my belt are a couple of college required courses on psychology, but am I the only one that feels he was misdiagnosed? I don’t think he encompassed what I believe an addict of any sort would be and a simple google search on the symptoms proved to me that he didn’t belong in SAA. Maybe I’m delusional or simply trying to excuse away the relationship between him and his counselor. However, I really didn’t feel he belonged in that counseling group, but if that’s what it took for him and McKenna to meet, well there you go!
On a different note, I have to mention how much I loved how Knox took care of his younger brothers. He was loving and responsible, and to see how much he sacrificed to make sure his family wasn’t torn apart was really inspiring and heart rending. In addition, it was nice to see McKenna find her way into the folds of Bauer family. She blended well with the brothers and I liked how she handled their tough questions. I was a bit confused about Brian’s role in this story. There were parts of me that felt sorry for him and wished McKenna would have appreciated him a bit more. I’m curious where his storyline will lead him because overall, he seemed like a pretty decent guy.
Lastly, I’m really looking forward to picking up where this book left off to see what comes of McKenna and Knox. Good beginning to what I hope will have a fantastic ending for these two characters.
3.5 Suns
Excerpt:
Knox,” she
murmured, her voice a tiny plea. “I wish we’d met under different
circumstances. My being your addiction counselor complicates things.”
“Why
can’t I just be a man, and you just be a woman?”
“You’re
in recovery. I can’t be a temptation to you.”
I
swallowed heavily. Too late for that. My balls were aching with the need to
sink inside her.
“We
all have certain wants and desires, McKenna. It doesn’t make them wrong. We’re
only human.”
Indecision
flashed in her eyes and her gaze zeroed in on my mouth. If I had to guess, I’d
say she was thinking about what it would be like to kiss me. It seemed that
good-girl McKenna had a naughty side to her. Every ounce of her wanted that
kiss. I could read it all over her, from her flushed chest to the thrumming
pulse in her neck. I’d be willing to bet it had been a long time since a man
touched her. Her body’s responses were too obvious, and I could read the want
and curiosity all over her.
I
leaned forward just slightly, wetting my lips. She swallowed, her eyes tracking
the movements. Angling my head to hers, I paused, stopping myself. Why? To
prove a point. We were mammals, we reacted to the opposite sex. It was biology.
We were born to breed, to reproduce. Men especially—to spread around our seed.
Just the fact that I stopped myself proved that I didn’t have a problem. Only I
wasn’t sure if I was trying to convince McKenna or myself.
About the Author:
Kendall
Ryan is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of the contemporary
romance novels, HARD TO LOVE, THE IMPACT OF YOU, RESISTING HER and WORKING IT.
She's
a sassy, yet polite Midwestern girl with a deep love of books, and a slight
addiction to lipgloss! She lives in Minneapolis with an adorable husband, two
naughty puppies, and a brand new son.
She
enjoys being naughty, reading, and anything girly.
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