Blog Tour Review & Giveaway: A Little Too Hot by Lisa Desrochers

I'm excited to be part of the Blog Tour for A Little Too Hot by Lisa Desrochers.  I had heard wonderful things about this series and now I can see why!  This tour is hosted by the lovely Inkslinger PR. As part of my tour stop I have my review for A Little Too Hot, an excerpt, and an awesome giveaway!  Be sure to scroll down to the bottom to enter for a chance to win.

A Little Too Hot (A Little Too Far #3)  by Lisa Desrochers

Publication Date: January 21st 2014 by William Morrow Impulse

New Adult Contemporary Romance

Purchase Links: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | iBooks

About the book: 

This book is a stand-alone A LITTLE TOO FAR novel.

"Every page is deliciously breathtaking, wickedly sexy and sensational. A LITTLE TOO HOT is wonderfully unique and a LOT HOT! I am a HUGE Lisa Desrochers fan." --KATY EVANS, New York Times bestselling author of REAL

If you play with fire…

Tossed out of college and cut off by her parents, Samantha West is in pretty dire straits. So when her rocker best friend hooks her up with a job dancing at a gentlemen’s club, who is she to turn it down? Plus, there are rules to dancing at Benny’s: No touching, keep your clothes on at all times, and never get closer than three feet. Unfortunately for Sam, her first private client makes her want to break every single one of them.

Harrison Yates is scorching hot, but he’s got a past that involves being left at the altar not too long ago. Sam is determined to make him forget about his ex, but when she makes her move, it flings her life into a spiral of chaos she never saw coming.

Because Harrison Yates isn’t who he seems to be. And his secret will probably get her killed.

My Thoughts:

This is my first book by Lisa Desrochers but I can see why she has such a large fan base. She has a writing style that immediately sucks you in.  This is the third book in the series, but you don’t need to read the first two to enjoy the story.  You do get glimpses of the past characters in A Little Too Hot and I found out quickly how Samantha fit into the mix. 

Samantha West’s life has gone down the tubes since she was dumped by Trent, her boyfriend who was secretly in love with her best friend, Lexie. Since then Sam’s been kicked out of college and fired from her latest job.  With no job and no money Sam agrees to take a job as a dancer at a gentleman’s club.  She’s a hit right off the bat, dancing her heart out for a man that catches her eye: Harrison.  When he pays for a private dance they talk instead and she starts to fall for him hard. The chemistry and attraction between them is intense! But there’s a no-touching rule at the club.

He leans in, his lips nearly touching my ear. The heat of his mouth, so close to me, ripples every muscle south of my wait. “Yes, I can touch you?” he purrs. “Or yes, you’re sure I can’t.”

“I’m sure you can’t.” My voice comes out rough, and he groans at the sex in it. His lips brush my ear as he leans closer. “I’m not sure I’m going to be able to stop myself.”*

They’d have to take things to the level outside the club, and Sam’s not sure she or Harrison are interested in that, when both of them are on the rebound.

It’s really hard to write a review for this story without spoiling the plot, but suffice it to say that all is not what it seems.  Soon Sam is in over her head and in a lot of trouble thanks to the irresistible Harrison.  I seriously wanted to smack Harrison! But like I said not all is as it seems.  Can these two get past all the lies, danger and drama and find something worthwhile to fight for?

It took me a little while to warm up to Sam.  It wasn’t that she was unlikable, it was because she seemed so directionless and pathetic at first.  She got kicked out of college for partying and then missing classes the next day so it was a little hard to have sympathy when she acted so irresponsibly.  I say that and yet, I do know how it feels to have my heart spectacularly broken and then not care if I acted like a complete moron.  So I can see it both ways.  Fortunately, Sam quickly realized what an idiot she had been and starts to change. 

Once you figure the whole situation with Harrison it’s hard not to fall for him.  He’s strong, protective and determined.  I liked that he wasn’t judgmental with Sam; rather he encouraged her to be her best and also to see things from a different angle. I liked that even though there were some intense and steamy encounters between Sam and Harrison they took a step back and got to know each other all the while trying to fight their urges.  This made for some smoking hot sexual tension!

The plot provided suspense and danger which added excitement, keeping me glued to the story.  I have to say though, that the things lagged a little after the first third and through the middle, but then picked up again by the last third and I was eagerly turning the pages to find out what happened next.

Readers who have kept up with the series will no doubt appreciate the cameos from past characters. There is a momentous and happy event that put a smile on my face even if I didn’t even read the previous books.

Lisa Desrochers’ A Little Too Hot was a captivating and steamy read, but also one of character growth and positive change.  I’ll be keeping my eye out for what she has in store next!

4 Suns

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

Excerpt: 

Out of nowhere Jonathan nearly tackles me, hoisting me over his shoulder.

“You son of a bitch,” I screech, whaling my fists on his back. “Put me down!”

“Hey, Nora! Anyone in the VIP room?” he asks through my shrieks, hauling me that way. “Red and I need the couch and a thermometer for a science experiment. How hot is backstage sex between a rocker and an exotic dancer? Will spontaneous combustion occur? Inquiring minds want to know.”

“Put her down, you Neanderthal! She’s got work to do!” Nora yells up the hall behind us, but Jonathan has already turned the corner into the VIP room.

“Hello.”

I freeze, mid-shriek, as Harrison’s warm honey drawl trickles over me, sending a shiver up my spine.

Jonathan unclamps a hand from my legs. “Sorry, man. Didn’t know anyone was in here.”

I break free from his loosened grip and slide off his shoulder, suddenly acutely aware that Harrison has a very unflattering view of my ass. “You moron,” I mutter, shoving Jonathan, once my boots are back on the floor.

Nora comes up behind us and grabs Jonathan by the scruff of the neck, dragging him out of the room. 

“Inquiring minds want to know!” he calls, just as the door snaps shut.

Praise for Lisa Desrochers:

"Every page is deliciously breathtaking, wickedly sexy and sensational. A LITTLE TOO HOT is wonderfully unique and a LOT HOT! I am a HUGE Lisa Desrochers fan."

   -- KATY EVANS, New York Times bestselling author of REAL

"Lisa is brilliant at creating sizzling sexual tension and impossible circumstances that make the reader hold their breath all the way to happy ever after. Sam and Harrison are more than A Little Too Hot, they are scorching!"

   -- JAY CROWNOVER, New York Times bestselling author of RULE

"Lisa Desrochers' best yet! A LITTLE TOO HOT is hotter than hot with all the emotional punch to back it up!"

   -- SOPHIE JORDAN, New York Times bestselling author

Click on titles for Goodreads link:

     

LISA DESROCHERS is the USA Today bestselling author of the A Little Too Far series, courtesy of HarperCollins, and the young adult Personal Demons trilogy from Macmillan. She lives in Northern California with her husband, two very busy daughters, and Shini the tarantula. Find her online at www.lisadwrites.com , on Twitter at @LisaDez, and on Facebook at www.facebook.com/LisaDesrochersAuthor.

Connect with Lisa Desrochers:

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads

As part of this tour we have this awesome giveaway provided:  A LITTLE TOO HOT blurb pack: REAL, MINE, and REMY signed by Katy Evans; RULE, JET, and ROME signed by Jay Crownover; and FORPLAY signed by Sophie Jordan plus signed swag. Simply fill out the rafflecopter below for a chance to win.  Good luck!

Release Day Launch and Giveaway: Be With Me by J. Lynn

Be With Me by J. Lynn/Jennifer L. Armentrout

About the book:
From the author of the #1 New York Times bestseller Wait for YouDo Teresa and Jase have a real shot at getting together or will life get in the way?
Teresa Hamilton is having a rough year—she's in love with her big brother's best friend, but he hasn't spoken to her since they shared a truly amazing, mind-blowing, life-changing kiss. Then she got out of a terrible relationship. Now an injury is threatening to end her dance career for good. It's time for plan B: college. And maybe she'll have a chance to convince Jase that what they have together is real.
Jase Winstead has a huge secret that he's not telling anyone—especially not his best friend's incredibly beautiful sister. Even though he and Teresa shared the hottest kiss of his life, he knows that his responsibilities must take priority. He certainly doesn't have time for a relationship. But it doesn't help that all he can think about is kissing the one girl who could ruin everything for him.

As they're thrown together more and more, Jase and Teresa can't keep denying their feelings for each other. But a familiar danger looms and tragedy strikes. As the campus recovers, the star-crossed couple must decide what they're willing to risk to be together and what they're willing to lose if they're not. . . .

Excerpt:

“You got a visitor, Tess.” He rested his chin atop my head, which caused my pulse to try

to outrun my heart. “Two of them to be exact.”

“Okay.”

There was a pause. “Are your eyes closed?”

“No.”

His chin slid off my head and then his chest rumbled as he laughed. “Your eyes are

closed.” He laughed again. “Open them up.”  

Cursing under my breath, I pried one eye open and then jerked against him. His arm

tightened. “Oh wow …”

The black-and-white horse was the closest, standing mere feet away from me. The brown

one wasn’t too far, shaking its head and making soft snorts. My eyes were wide as they bounced

between the two creatures. “They’re not carnivorous, right? Because at their size, they could eat

me.”

Jase laughed deeply as his hand shifted up, resting in the center of my stomach, just

below my breasts. “Horses do not eat people, you little idiot.”

I started, eyes narrowing. “There’s always a first.”

The lips pulled back on the black-and-white horse as if it was smirking at me. 

            “This one right here? Mr. Friendly? Jack calls him Bubba One,” he said in a quiet,

calming voice. But air hitched in my throat when his thumb moved in a slow circle over the thin

material of my tank top, hitting against the wire in my bra. “And the brown one is Bubba Two.”

Mouth dry, I wetted my lips. “That’s good for remembering names.”

He chuckled as his pinkie and forefinger started to move up and down, reaching my belly

button and then sliding back up. It was almost as if he was unaware of what he was doing, or the

electrifying response the tiny motions were dragging out of me. “I think so too, but his real name

is Lightning.”

Said horse shook his head, tossing the shaggy mane.

“Lightning seems to be a more suitable name,” I admitted, relaxing as the seconds

passed. Maybe that was his intention. Distract me with the soft, almost innocent touches. It was

working. “What about Bubba Two?  

“Ah, the one who is staring at the pail like it’s the holy mecca of grain?” His cheek

grazed mine as I laughed. “That’s Thunder. And we’re going to feed them. Together.”

The friction his fingers created with my shirt sent tiny shivers up and down my back.

“With our hands?”

His answering laugh tipped the corners of my lips up. “Yes. With our hands.”

“After checking out the choppers on them, I’m not so sure about that.”

“You’ll be okay.” He slid his hand off my stomach and wrapped it around my wrist.

Slowly, he lifted my hand out in front of me. “Hold still.”

My heart lurched. “Jase—”

Lightning trotted forward and pressed his wet nose against my hand. I cringed, waiting

for him to eat my poor fingers. The horse didn’t. Nope. It nudged my hand as it whinnied softly. 

He guided my hand up over Lightning’s jaw, all the way to the pointy, twitchy ears.

“See?” he murmured. “That’s not too bad, is it?”

I shook my head as my fingers curled along the soft coat. Lightning seemed to anticipate

the direction of the petting, pressing his long head against my hand as my fingers tangled in his

mane. It wasn’t bad at all. 

Jase shifted behind me, and in an instant all thoughts of the horses evaporated. His hips

lined up against my backside, and I bit down on my lower lip as I focused on the white splotch

covering Lightning’s muzzle. 

I could feel him—feel Jase. And there was absolutely no doubt in my mind that he was

affected by how close we were standing. That knowledge and the hard length of him left me

dizzy, just like it had done that Saturday night. An all too warm flush spread down my neck. In

the back of my head, I was rationalizing his physical reaction. He was a guy. Our bodies were pressed

together. If a wind blew on a guy’s private area, they got hard. So I should just ignore it,

but my body was so not on board with my head. My body was operating on a different playing

field. An ache centered low in my stomach. A sharp and sweet yearning raced through my veins. 

“Not so scary, right?” His voice was deeper, richer. “They’re like dogs. Well, like a dog

that can carry around two hundred pounds, if not more.” Hand sliding off mine, he stepped back,

and the sudden emptiness of his body was like a cold shock. “Trust me.”

Then he smacked my ass.

About the Author:

# 1 NEW YORK TIMES and USA TODAY Bestselling author Jennifer lives in Martinsburg, West Virginia. All the rumors you’ve heard about her state aren’t true. When she’s not hard at work writing. she spends her time reading, working out, watching really bad zombie movies, pretending to write, and hanging out with her husband and her Jack Russell Loki.

Her dreams of becoming an author started in algebra class, where she spent most of her time writing short stories….which explains her dismal grades in math. Jennifer writes young adult paranormal, science fiction, fantasy, and contemporary romance. She is published with Spencer Hill Press, Entangled Teen and Brazen, Disney/Hyperion and Harlequin Teen. Her book Obsidian has been optioned for a major motion picture and her Covenant Series has been optioned for TV.

She also writes adult and New Adult romance under the name J. Lynn. She is published by Entangled Brazen and HarperCollins.

Website / Facebook / Twitter / Goodreads

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Launch Day Blitz & Giveaway: Kaleidoscope by Kristen Ashley

I'm so excited to be part of Kristen Ashley's Launch Day Blitz because I loved Kaleidoscope (my review) and I'm a HUGE fan of Kristen Ashley's writing! As part of this post I have an excerpt from Kaleidoscope to share and an amazing giveaway!

Also, on February 5, Forever will be hosting a LIVE Spreecast Chat with Kristen Ashley at 7 PM EST. Click HERE to RSVP.

Kaleidoscope (Colorado Mountain #6) by Kristen Ashley

Publication Date: February 4th 2014 by Forever

Purchase Links: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo | iTunes

About the book: 

KALEIDOSCOPE by Kristen Ashley (February 4, 2014; Forever E-Book; $3.99)

Sexy, gifted, and loyal, PI Jacob Decker is a tall, cool drink of perfection who had Emmanuelle Holmes at "hello." His relationship with Emme's best friend kept them apart for years, but things have changed. Now that a case has brought him to Gnaw Bone, Colorado, the road is wide open for Emme and Deck to explore something hotter and deeper than Emme dreamed possible. So why is she sabotaging the best thing that's ever happened to her?

It isn't easy to catch Deck off guard, but Emme does just that when she walks back into his life after nine long years. The curvy brunette had her charms back in the day, but now she's a bona fide knockout . . . and she wants to rekindle their friendship. Deck, however, wants more. Emme's always been the one; she excites Deck's body and mind like no other woman can. But a dark chapter from Emme's past overshadows their future together. Now only Deck can help her turn the page-if she'll let him . . .

Read the first Chapter HERE. 

Excerpt:

I dropped my leg so I was sitting cross-legged in the couch and leaned into him. “Honey, you remember everything so I don’t have to remind you I haven’t seen you in nine years. I dig it that we reconnected and I love having you back.” I again threw an arm out, this time toward him and back to me. “This is great. You and me spending time together, shooting the breeze. I missed that. And I get it that friends make gestures, but this is too much.”

His eyes warmed during this speech and he took his arms from the couch, bent his legs, leaned into them, and me, and put his elbows to his knees, never releasing my eyes.

“Baby, I want you warm and liquid. The first bein’ physically, the second bein’ financially. You stop payin’ so much for heat, you’ll have more money for the rest of the shit you gotta do.”

This made sense.

But he’d again called me “baby.”

And I needed to address that.

So I asked, “What is that?”

His head cocked and his eyebrows drew together. “What’s what?”

I drew in breath and on the exhale, stated, “You calling me baby.” Then I went on quickly, “Not that I don’t like it. It’s sweet. It’s just not…” I hesitated, “us.”

Something happened to his eyes, his face, his whole big body and that something made me brace at the same time it made my heartbeat escalate.

“You know what it is,” he said softly.

I didn’t.

“I don’t,” I shared.

His eyes stayed locked to mine and I knew him relatively well, or I used to. But even if we hadn’t been separated for years, I still would not have been forewarned to the fact he was about to blow my mind.

“Before, we had Elsbeth between us. My head was fucked about that, about her, and it took almost a decade to get it unfucked. Lookin’ back, havin’ you back, I now know and I reckon you know, that’s the way it was. She was between us. She knew it too. And she didn’t like it. But it didn’t matter. My head was fucked so I couldn’t see clear of her and not doin’ that, I didn’t see you.”

I knew my lips had parted. I also knew my eyes got big. And last, I had no clue what to say.

So I said nothing.

“Now she isn’t between us,” he finished.

It was then I knew what the “baby” business was.

I just had no idea how to react to it because I never considered it. He was beautiful. He was kind. He was smart. He was funny and interesting and affectionate.

But he was my best friend’s boyfriend.

That didn’t mean my mind didn’t go there in vague ways, not stupid enough to wish for something I could never have, just silently covetous of what Elsbeth had. And, because of all that he was and that Elsbeth had it, in the end, infuriated she threw it away. Angry enough to end an important friendship because of it.

Sitting there, all that was Jacob, and all that being spectacular sitting across from me, holding my eyes, I finally understood that the reason I was angry at my friend was because, in throwing Jacob away, she took him away from me.

And now I had him back, but also, he was saying I’d always had him a different way, we just didn’t go there and he was going to take us there.

Yes. I had no clue what to say but my body had a clue how to feel. Warm and there were a lot more tingles.

“Jacob—” I started on a whisper.

But he interrupted again.

“You saw me, asked me out to dinner that same night, no fuckin’ around. Since then, you’ve called twice for no reason except to connect, and, baby, before you freak that I noticed that and what it said, I’ll tell you, I’m fuckin’ glad you did and I’m also fuckin’ glad about what it said. The boyfriend you were on the fence about, you got off the fence in less than twenty-four hours after seein’ me again and decided to get shot of his ass. And you didn’t waste any time gettin’ me right where I am tonight. That is not friends reconnecting. You know it. So do I.”

“I—”

“Don’t deny it.”

I shut my mouth.

About the author:

Kristen Ashley grew up in Brownsburg, Indiana, and has lived in Denver, Colorado, and the West Country of England. Thus she has been blessed to have friends and family around the globe. Her posse is loopy (to say the least) but loopy is good when you want to write.

Kristen was raised in a house with a large and multigenerational family. They lived on a very small farm in a small town in the heartland, and Kristen grew up listening to the strains of Glenn Miller, The Everly Brothers, REO Speedwagon, and Whitesnake. Needless to say, growing up in a house full of music and love was a good way to grow up.  And as she keeps growing up, it keeps getting better.

Connect with Kristen Ashley:

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads

As part of this Blitz Forever is giving away: 5 bound copies of Kaleidoscope and 5 e-Copies. Simply fill out the rafflecopter for a chance to win. Good luck!

New Release & Review: Song of the Fireflies by J.A. Redmerski

Song of the Fireflies by J.A. Redmerski

Expected publication: February 4th 2014 by Forever

"I loved every last word! Beautiful, heartfelt, consuming--I couldn't put it down. There's pure magic in J. A. Redmerski's pen." --- KATY EVANS, New York Times bestselling author of the REAL series

From the New York Times bestselling author of The Edge of Never and The Edge of Always
THE TRUTH WILL SET THEM FREE
Brayelle Bates has always been a force of nature. Even as a child, Bray's wild and carefree spirit intimidated everyone around her. The only person who's ever truly understood her is her best friend, Elias Kline. Though every fiber of her being wants to stay with Elias forever, Bray can't bear the thought of him discovering her agonizing history. She's done everything she can to keep him at arm's length, including moving away. But their undying bond was too strong a pull to deny, and Bray couldn't survive without him. Now she's back home with Elias, and things have never felt more right--until one night changes everything.

Elias vowed never to be separated from Bray again. So when she decides to flee in a desperate attempt to escape her fate, Elias knows he must go with her. As the two try to make the most of their circumstance, taking up with a reckless group of new friends, Elias soon realizes there's a darkness driving Bray he can't ignore. Now in order to save her, he'll have to convince Bray to accept the consequences of their reality--even if it means losing her.

My Thoughts
I’ve been a huge fan of J.A. Redmerski since she published her novel The Edge of Never. However it was her In the Company of Killers that showed me how Redmerski can really light up the pages with a solid story. She always seems to captivate my attention with her easy-to-fall-for characters, well-paced plot and hard hitting drama, so when I heard she was releasing a new novel, I was definitely excited!

Song of the Fireflies is probably one of the more difficult reads I’ve come across in a while. This story was told in two powerful perspectives as Elias and Brayelle share their volatile love that begins at a very young age. The novel includes tough subjects such as depression, suicide, homicide, drugs and all sorts of dark themes that may not be for the faint of heart, so needless to say it took a concerted effort for me to plow through this book.

In the novel, we learn that Elias has always loved Bray, but their relationship has never taken off mainly because of Bray’s fear of losing the one person who’s accepted her for who and what she is. See Bray has fought a long and hard journey with depression, which ultimately gets diagnosed as Bipolar II Disorder. Her family and friends have taken the easy way out by pushing her away, but Elias refuses to never give up on her as she faces her demons and struggles with the darkness that consumes her.

When Brayelle comes back to town after running away from Elias for two long years, he takes her back and they finally begin to catch a cadence to a healthy relationship. However, all of that comes crashing to a halt when a weekend at the river turns deadly and Elias finds himself on the run with Bray. As they hide from questioning and team up with a party group that has their own set of problems, Elias begins to see Bray fall deeper and deeper into a dark abyss that he fears will consume her once again.

Overall, there were moments in the novel that tugged at my heart and I mainly experienced those heartfelt emotions when Elias was narrating the story. Throughout most of the novel, I had a hard time connecting with Bray simply because I didn’t quite understand her. It wasn’t until the final chapters when her condition fully reveals itself and she self-destructs that she finally shattered my defenses.

As I mentioned, the novel carries some difficult themes, but I feel Redmerski did a great job bringing all of the characters full circle. I even enjoyed coming across Andrew and Camryn when they made an appearance in this novel.

Tough book to read, but I feel the author did a solid job of getting her message across and casting it with the right characters to bring it hit home. Intense!

3 Suns

Cover Reveal: Now and Forever by Brenda Rothert

Now and Forever 

Brenda Rothert

RELEASE DATE:  MARCH 3, 2014

SYNOPSIS

Now that Emma and Layla Carson have landed the men of their dreams, it’s time for happily ever after. Or is it?

Emma’s with childhood crush Cole Marlowe, and Layla finally found Mr. Right in alpha cop Ben Montrose. But both couples face unexpected obstacles that will test their relationships. Layla and Emma find solace in each other as battle lines are drawn, and they rediscover the close friendship they lost over Cole.

It’s all on the line as the sisters struggle to find the answer to the most difficult question they’ve ever faced: is the love they have now meant to last forever?

TBR Link

Other Books in the Series

Book 1 - Now and Then 

Book 2 - Now and Again

About The Author

Brenda Rothert started her writing career as a print journalist. She now writes Romances, some Contemporary and others with a twist of dystopian society and adventure. Rothert lives in Central Illinois with her husband and three boys.

Social Links

Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads | Website

Review: Kaleidoscope (Colorado Mountain #6) by Kristen Ashley

Kaleidoscope (Colorado Mountain #6) by Kristen Ashley

Publication Date: February 4th 2014 by Forever

Purchase Links: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo

About the book:

When old friends become new lovers...anything can happen.

Sexy, gifted, and loyal, PI Jacob Decker is a tall, cool drink of perfection who had Emmanuelle Holmes at "hello." His relationship with Emme's best friend kept them apart for years, but things have changed. Now that a case has brought him to Gnaw Bone, Colorado, the road is wide open for Emme and Deck to explore something hotter and deeper than Emme dreamed possible. So why is she sabotaging the best thing that's ever happened to her?

It isn't easy to catch Deck off guard, but Emme does just that when she walks back into his life after nine long years. The curvy brunette had her charms back in the day, but now she's a bona fide knockout . . . and she wants to rekindle their friendship. Deck, however, wants more. Emme's always been the one; she excites Deck's body and mind like no other woman can. But a dark chapter from Emme's past overshadows their future together. Now only Deck can help her turn the page-if she'll let him . . .

My Thoughts:

Kaleidoscope is the sixth book in the Colorado Mountain series, a series I’ve come to love.  Sweet Dreams (book #2) was my first Kristen Ashley book and it started my love affair with her writing. Seriously, she writes the best alpha men, and wonderfully independent, sassy, loveable heroines!

Jacob Decker or “Deck” as most people call him is someone we’ve met through the series, yet he was always a mysterious character.  Deck is private for hire sort of detective/enforcer having earned a reputation of getting the job done.  Because of this reputation he’s hired by the Gnaw Bone police department to help track down a ring of buglers that’s become a huge dangerous problem.

Being in Gnaw Bone, Deck runs into Emmanuelle Holmes, and she doesn’t look like the Emme he knew from nine years ago. She breathtakingly gorgeous! Deck was always attracted to her mind, they always tuned out the room and had intense, soul-deep conversations, but she was what he described as “sexless”.  Plus, he was seriously dating her best friend Elsbeth at the time. Elsbeth didn’t care for Deck and Emme’s closeness, probably sensing the connection they shared. 

“Lookin’ back, havin’ you back, I now know and I reckon you know, that’s the way it was. She was between us. She knew it too. And she didn’t like it. But it didn’t matter. My head was fucked so I couldn’t see clear of her and not doin’ that, I didn’t see you.”*

But all that went out the window when Elsbeth broke things off with Deck and in turn Deck and Emme went their separate ways, too.  Now seeing Emme he realizes what he lost, and laments all the years wasted not seeing what should’ve been: Deck and Emme together instead of Deck and Elsbeth.  He’s not wasting time anymore.

Emme missed Deck, and so seeing him on the street she jumps at the chance to reconnect and get their friendship back.  But trouble lurks, because not only is she involved with another man, Dane, who is not all he seems, but Emme has something dark in her past that’s about to rear its ugly head.  No worries though, Deck is a determined man, and he’s not losing Emme after the light-bulb finally came on! 

Emme was sweet, smart, and self-sufficient.  Heck, this girl bought an old crumbling mansion and started fixing it up on her own, because she saw the beauty underneath.  I love a woman who has the courage to go after what she wants.

Deck was lovely as well. He wasn’t the uber-alpha/caveman bossy. I'd still classify him as alph-male, he just wasn’t as hard headed or pushy as some of KA’s previous males. Deck was pretty reasonable. When he saw what he missed in Emme with Elsbeth in the way he immediately moved to rectify and take them on the path they should’ve been on years ago.

I loved this couple and the reasonable ways they dealt with problems.  I love a romance based on friendship and one forged from something precious that was lost, as in the case of Deck and Emme. 

There is usually a little danger and mystery in every Kristen Ashley book and this one is no exception. The initial details with Emme and her past may seem a little tame when you find out what happened but the reactions and damage it caused are not something to set aside so easily.

Kristen Ashley somehow always manages to make me cry in every single one of her stories. Dang it! She always brings out a range of strong emotions!  The epilogue was amazing as usual!

Favorite Quote:

“You’re gonna share my bed, my home, my life, and build a family with me, Emmanuelle,” he told her, and her eyes opened, brighter now, tears again streaming. “That’s everything, baby.”*

4.5 Suns

A copy was provided by Forever through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.  

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

Connect with Kristen Ashley:

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Favorites Giveaway Hop!

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