Stealing Our Hearts

Top three things I loved about this book:

• Sniper. German Shepherds are the best dogs in the world.
• Mafia meets Sports meets Fake Marriage romance? Yes please!
• Yelena and the fact that she brings ANOTHER dog into the story.

Charlie laid her hand on mine. “Are you okay?” I shook my head. “No.” My answer pulled her out of her sleep. “What can I do?” I worked and failed to keep my husky emotion out of my voice. “Let me hold you.” She snuggled deep against me. “Is that it?” “That’s everything.”

Oh. My. Goodness. This love story was my favorite to date. The build up was insane and addictive and the twist at the end, giving the story a thriller-type edge, was incredible. I’m not lying when I said our author, Odette Stone, pulled out all the stops with this one. You get a taste of 3 different tropes (mafia, sports, and fake marriage) and nothing feels overdone. The plot is laid out perfectly; every twist and turn is expertly placed. 

Mica Petrov, our delicious alpha-male hero, is a Russian hockey player for the Vancouver Wolves. At the beginning of our story, we are told that he has a bad boy reputation that is only worsened by his relationship with the Russian mafia.  His childhood best friend heads the Russian mafia chapter based out of Vancouver. When the police come down hard on Mica for his friendship, his hockey career is put on the line. He is given a choice, either get married and start a family or his career is over.

Turns out, his managers assistant is the perfect woman for the job. The only problem is…she’s already kind of in love with him. Our heroine, Charlie, is the ultimate badass. She has a slew of problems that she’s trying to handle on her own (i.e. her brother who is currently in prison owes money to the Japanese gang, Sasori, and they’re coming after her to collect), but she’s selfless enough to put her life on hold to help Mica out. Charlie’s determination to remain honest and open about her feelings at all times, especially with herself, made her beyond admirable. She constantly voiced her worries to Mica without fear of judgement. She knew she needed to be vulnerable with him to keep herself from getting even more hurt in the long run.  Because she knew she would fall for him…she already had!

There’s a lot of delicious drama with crazy ex-girlfriends and obsessive next door neighbors.  This story keeps you on pins and needles; I couldn’t put it down. Mica’s dominating personality coupled with Charlie’s soft and sweet yet independent and respectful attitude kept me turning pages at lightning speed. This story is worth your time. 5 stars!!!

“This marriage was the best inconvenience of my life.”

My mom said we were like the last two pieces of a jigsaw puzzle. I agreed with her because Colton was my other half. From the first moment I saw him, I knew we belonged together.

So I know everyone talks about their “book boyfriends”, but can there be such a thing as a “book child”? I know when I first started my blog and really began delving into each of my books, I mentioned that I didn’t like to read about stories with children in them. I’ve come back to this idea a few times since then, but it’s safe for me to say, now that I’ve had a plethora of positive experiences, I was just reading the wrong books before. Ava is the most perfect book child I’ve ever read. Extra brownie points for the fact that she’s lactose intolerant and projectile vomits if she eats too much ice cream. I actually laughed out loud. 

Now that my testimony is out of the way, we can dig deeper into this extraordinary story. Our lovers, Ellie and Colton, were childhood best friends that were separated when Colton’s mom passed away and his dad moved them to a different city. They were six-year-olds in love. Inseparable. A bond that couldn’t be broken even with time and distance. Our author introduces our hero, Colton, and we are immediately thrown into this man’s world. He’s struggling with erectile dysfunction at the age of 22. It wasn’t funny but it also wasn’t sad or uncomfortable, because the idea that he could only get it up for the “right” woman is so romantic, I don’t even care if it’s not scientifically plausible. The right woman just happens to be his childhood best friend, Ellie. She is an exotic dancer with a three year old daughter, still living with her parents, trying to take college classes when she has the time. Colton works as a mechanic in his dad’s autoshop, but is also a co-owner of a moving business with his father. They stumble back into each others lives after eighteen years of separation, and it’s love at second(?) sight.

“Even when your face looked like hamburger meat, I still thought you were the most beautiful boy I’d ever seen.”

This story has very little drama in the way of events.  It’s simply a story about life. What it’s like to grow up and make mistakes.  What it means to believe that everything happens for a reason.  Jamie Schlosser, our author, surprised me in more ways than one with this narrative.  We’re given a lot of information up front, but then we get to sit back and enjoy watching everything play out. It’s the least stressed out I’ve been whilst reading a novel in over a month.  To say it was refreshing is an understatement.  I laughed and cried and thoroughly enjoyed myself in the few short hours it took me to read this in its entirety. Schlosser gifted us a treasure with this one. It’s not every day that someone can write about something as simple as life, and make it interesting and entertaining. Bravo, Schlosser. I can’t wait to read about Jimmy and Mackenna next! 🙂

“And how are things now? What’s that supposed to mean?” As she asked the question, I could see the doubt behind her eyes. She was still unsure about us. Well, that was going to stop right now. “It means now that I found you again, I’m not letting you go.”

“Our love always had a pulse. Sometimes it was faint. Sometimes it was beating so hard I couldn’t hear anything else. But it would never die. It can’t I won’t let it.”

Welp. It’s official. I died and went to heaven. Everyone was right. This is, hands down, the best book of 2019. I’m having trouble putting into words how I feel right now, so I’m just going to start from the beginning.

I knew this would become a favorite of mine as soon as I flipped to the first page and saw that Shen uses my favorite Mary Oliver quote:

“Someone I loved once gave me a box full of darkness. It took me years to understand that this, too, was a gift.” – Mary Oliver

So, it was blatantly obvious to me that this story was going to touch my soul. Surprisingly, this is the second book I’ve read in the past month where the heroine has selective mutism.  I find it fascinating that this is being utilized more in writing. PTSD, especially in childhood, leaves lasting traumatic effects, one of which is selective mutism. The patient just stops speaking one day – cold turkey. Our leading lady, Luna, was abandoned by her birth mother as a toddler. To this day, she still remembers the moment her mother left her, like a scar on her heart. That was the last day she spoke. Luna was raised by her biological father and stepmother, and was the “girl next door” to the Cole’s. Knight Cole, our hero, attaches himself to her from the moment they meet (as babies) and they are inseparable from then on. 

Knight is sexy and caring and attentive; everything a woman would want. Luna is smart and witty and determined. The only thing that gets in their way is themselves.  Communication is a weak point for Knight and Luna, as is for most sixteen year olds, but it doesn’t help that there’s an entire other layer to their communication issue – Luna’s voice. When we are finally gifted with Luna’s voice, it’s like a breath of fresh air. It swallows you whole. The scene, the emotions, the fire. Tears leaked from my eyes, but I didn’t want to blink for fear that I’d miss something. The obvious love and passion between our two leads is truthfully what fairytales are written about. There are just some really large hurdles in the road before our lovebirds get their happily ever after…

This is not an easy read, my friends. Just a few hours ago I was ugly crying in my bed. Honest to god…I was a snotty, sobbing mess. This is a warning – be aware of what you’re getting into. Shen ripped open my chest, leaving my heart bleeding out everywhere, only to mend it back up again by the end of this journey. You will be forever changed by Knight and Luna’s story. On top of that, I also haven’t read any of the other books in the Saints and Sinner series EXCEPT Vicious…so you can only imagine what a blubbering mess I am after the devastating circumstances of this book.

Broken Knight is a vehement, excruciating journey of life and love. Perfectly orchestrated to tear you to pieces while simultaneously forcing you to the edge of your seat, this novel is nothing short of superb. I’m going to be healing from this for a long while, but I wouldn’t change a thing. I’m unquestionably bound to Shen’s work from here forward; a devout follower. Thank you, Shen, for rewarding us with this life-altering adventure. All my love goes out to you. A million stars and a lifetime of snaps. 

“Moonshine,” he whispered. “You fill up the empty, dark space – like the moon owns the sky. It is quiet. It is bright. It doesn’t need to be a ball of flame to be noticed. It simply exists. It forever glows.” He’d called me Moonshine every single day since. I called him nothing, because I didn’t speak. Maybe that’s how he knew, all those years later, that I’d lied – by omission. He wasn’t nothing. He was my everything.

Let me just start off saying that J Saman NEVER disappoints. I have yet to read a book by this author that I didn’t like and even more than that…J writes the best love scenes. Like holy freaking moly SO good.

He kisses like a rollercoaster. Fast, exciting, and with enough dips, spins and swirls to make my head spin and scream out for more. 

This book definitely had some mafia-like vibes to it. Crazy, over the top alpha males that don’t understand what “no” means. I love a bit of mystery and drama in a romance and Saman delivered that and so much more with this novel. Obsession, murder, romance…the works, my friends.

Mia (Fiona), our heroine, is on the run from her abusive spouse. She’s the heiress to a huge fortune and multi-million (billion?) dollar company that she inherits on her 25th birthday. Her husband, Nikolai, is only married to her for the money and power. He is extremely physically abusive. *Trigger warning*  Mia is afraid of physical touch because of the years she spent under Nikolai’s fist. We first meet her when she gets stranded on the side of the road, in her gardener’s beat up old car, just outside of Las Vegas while she’s on the run. She’s scared and alone and has nothing with her.  It’s only then that we meet the hero of our story, Jake. 

Jake is a smart, handsome, driven man who is also extremely wealthy, but keeps his secret hidden. He owns a bunch of hotels on the Vegas Strip that his late father left to him. When he stops on the side of the road to help out Mia, he’s immediately intrigued. He takes her to a towing station and before he can help her out anymore, she disappears. Like she actually runs away from him.

Only to show up two weeks later, working in the bar of the hotel he owns. 

Jake’s obsession with Mia/Fiona is immensely interesting. He loves the challenge but also has a possessive need to protect her. Maybe because she appears so vulnerable? Their dynamic is addictive. Both are insanely attracted to the other, looks and personality-wise. It takes them until about halfway through the novel to make their first move with each other and it is a BLESSING. Seriously guys, just read it. You’ll understand what I mean.

I can’t recommend this book enough. A delicious blend of seduction and obsession that leaves you at the edge of your seat, begging for more. A must-read, 5 star masterpiece! 

“You’re worth the risk. And I can more than handle myself.”  “That’s what all the heroes say before it all falls apart.”

“Lately I feel like I’m openin’ my eyes for the first time.  Hell, maybe it’s that I didn’t wanna open ‘em before ‘cause I’d have to admit what I was lookin’ at.” “And what’s that?” She asked in a whisper. “I dunno,” I replied eloquently and shrugged, flitting my eyes across the sky. Constellations. Clouds. Darkness. “Everything, I guess. Or at least everything I’ve ever really wanted.”

Friends to Lovers romances are probably my favorite subtropes, and Kelsey KILLED it with this gem. I’m a huge fan of everything Kelsey Kingsley writes; her novels always leave me in a warm, thoughtful, happy place. She definitely outdid herself with this masterpiece and I can’t wait to see what this creative genius whips up next! In her author’s note before the start of the novel, she explains why she chose to write about such a sensitive topic, Ulcerative Colitis. She writes with brutally honest truth and integrity, something you don’t find often in written work. Her keen awareness of this delicate topic as it pertains to the human condition in general, but more specifically, masculinity, is brilliance at its finest. She writes with a certain understanding that only the most emotionally intelligent authors are capable of.

HOLY HELL MOLLY DRYER COMING IN FOR THE WIN!!! I am alllllll about empowered female leads and Molly is just that. What a perfectly written character. She’s flawed in her own, individual way, but she also has a confidence about her that comes from her past experiences.  She is strong and beautiful and Chad, our leading man, sees it from the moment he sets eyes on her again.

Kingsley created Chad, a handsome, charismatic professional guitarist who is diagnosed with Ulcerative Colitis. He reconnects with his childhood best friend, Molly, and our romance begins. During the entirety of his emotional journey, he has to come to terms, not only with his illness, but with what he really wants out of life. Molly, being the incredible human that she is, puts aside all the past hurt and abandonment she felt towards Chad, and helps him rediscover himself again. Of course they fall in love but, I kind of wonder if they had always been in love but didn’t know how to put it into words?

“Somewhere deep down, I think I knew it’d be you…” His words drifted, and he was asleep.

Chad and Molly’s mothers are best friends, so when I say the grew up together, I mean they literally have known each other since infancy. That’s pretty rare. As they navigate these new waters together (i.e. Chad’s health, their sexual exploration, etc.), we get to witness what fame can do to a romantic relationship. Some bonds are strong enough to withstand that spotlight, others aren’t. Chad and Molly might be my new favorite fictional couple, if I’m being honest. Their love comes with a lifetime of memories made before their first kiss; such magic. 

Side note: Kelsey mentioned HEB in this novel and I just about had a cow. Texas pride at its finest. If you’re not from Texas, you have no idea what you’re missing out on. HEB is the greatest grocery store ever created and it filled my heart to see it written into this story. 🙂 Anyway, Kelsey, congratulations – you’ve stolen my heart yet again. Bravo!  An exquisite 5 star read.

“If it made you feel any better, I’d dim the stars if I could. If it meant you’d feel that much brighter.”

“I never want her to doubt the way I feel for her.  I want her to memorize the words and how I say them like a song lyric you never forget.  And then I realize, it doesn’t have to be long and elaborate.  I don’t have to have some perfect speech or long explanation to tell Victoria how I feel, because the love between us is enough to solidify the words. It just needs to be simple.”

What is it that they always say? Third times a charm? Well, here we are, my friends. Book three in Harlow James’ Hopetown Series and I just can’t get enough.  I know I’ve said it before, but I’ll say it again, James is simply a natural talent. Her story telling ability is remarkable. Hayley, Pauline, and now Vic…each of these women is a fully fleshed-out human being. I can’t imagine the amount of time our author devotes to character development.  Her dedication is evident in every sentence you read. These are some of the best, most unique, extraordinary characters I’ve ever had the pleasure of meeting. Oh and also…sorry Tyler and Dean…Mike took the cake. We’ve got a real winner here. I’m obsessed. 

A Simple Love was the perfect ending to a truly solid trilogy. Each book stands on its own, but also adds to the overall story arc of these six friendships. This third installment is the ultimate love-triangle fantasy.  I didn’t realize how much I needed to read a novel like this!  I feel like this plot is more common in movies, but I haven’t read a great book that took this risk (referring to the love triangle), until now.  James’ talent SHINES in this novel. Truthfully, she exceeds expectations in everything I’ve read by her, but this journey blew me away. 

At the beginning, we meet Victoria (Vic), our heroine, as she’s graduating college after seven years.  Her dreams of being a teacher are finally attainable and everything she’s hoped for is coming true.  It’s only at that moment that she realizes, now, she’s ready for Mike to be a part of her life.  She’s been waiting for him…forever. Mike is passionate, and thoughtful, and so freaking HANDSOME. Ahhh. He’s been in love with Vic since he was ten years old. Vic and Mike have been dancing around each other for years. They both know deep down that they are meant to be, but haven’t taken the risk yet, Mike realizes now is the perfect time to ask Vic out except…he’s too late. Another man, Ben, a bartender who has worked with Vic forever, jumps in and grabs her first. Like any deliciously territorial male lead would, Mike doesn’t accept no for an answer, and demands that Vic see both of them so it’s “fair”.  Oooo and that’s when things get JUICY!! I can’t spoil all the fun, but having access inside Vic’s head makes the whole love triangle plot that much more fascinating. She actually IS conflicted about her feelings for a little while. It makes sense though, because we learn that Mike asked Vic out once before and no-showed to their date. She’s been holding that grudge for a while. Don’t worry though, this novel is a HEA. James would never leave us hanging.

Our author continues to win me over with each and every one of her creations. I know she’s currently working on a new book (YEEEES) and I can’t wait!! She knows exactly what we want to hear, as readers, and she delivers in a beautiful, poignant way. I’m going to reiterate again: James is an expert in this genre. Don’t miss out on what she brings to the table. Thoughtful stories with addictive characters that’ll make you laugh and cry in a matter of pages. 5 stars again, James. Bravo ❤ 

“I feel like when I’m with him, I don’t need to breathe because he does it for both of us. But if something were to happen, if we broke up and destroyed our friendship, I don’t think I’d ever recover.”

“I think maybe it’s because I have been waiting for you my whole life without even realizing it. Never expecting I’d have a shot at your heart. Settling for your friendship and your happiness. Throwing everything into my career no matter the cost, because I could never feel about anyone else the way I feel about you. It wasn’t worth even trying. Unless it was you.”

Damn ladies if that quote didn’t feed you for the entire day, who even are you? This novel by Misti Murphy was such a pleasant surprise. This is the first book I’ve read by this author and I am thoroughly impressed. Dating Dutch was clever, poignant, and oh-so-sexy. I’m a huge fan of Friends-to-Lover’s romances, but this had an extra flare of sparkle.

Our heroine, Jeanie, is a romance novel author. She’s an independent, smart, and witty woman who knows what she wants. She’s known Dutch since she was eleven years old; he’s her older brother’s best friend. She calls him on his shit and holds him accountable. At the start of our story, though, she’s in a funk. She has writer’s block. She has zero inspiration for this book that she’s supposed to be crafting and she’s on a deadline. We learn a little bit about her past and that she doesn’t even think she believes in romance anymore. Dutch has been a staple in all Jeanie’s stories up to this point; in his many forms he’s played everything from the villain of the story to just a passerby. That’s why, when Dutch offers her the deal of a lifetime, she agrees to take it. Be his fake girlfriend and in exchange, hopefully, gain some creativity.

Dutch is a classic bad-boy. He sleeps around, always has a different girl on his arm…the ultimate bachelor. That is, until he makes a mistake…one that might cost him his entire career. He needs Jeanie just as much as she needs him. Turns out their chemistry is more than either of them bargained for.

The fall was my favorite part of this book. The subtle moments when each of our lovers realizes their attraction is growing. We get a glimpse inside Dutch’s head as he’s discovering this new side of himself. He opens up to Jeanie in ways that he never has with anyone else. In turn, Jeanie lets herself fall. Hard and fast. She’s swept away in their love story.

This Friends-to-Lovers meets Fake Relationship meets Love Triangle adventure is the perfect triple threat. It was an ideal afternoon read and I enjoyed every second of it. Our author really knew how to tie up the story in a pretty little bow for us at the end. I was left with warm, fuzzy feelings…exactly what I needed. Side note: now I know I have to read Parker (Jeanie’s brother) and his fiancé, Bree’s, love story. I can’t wait!! 

“Oh yeah, I’m in love with her.  Because my first thought as she entered the room was, this is what she’d look like in a wedding dress. My second thought was that I would love her forever if she would let me be the man who waits for her at the end of the aisle.”

So, I’d like to start out clearing the air a bit with this one. This was a really entertaining book by Maya Hughes. The love scenes were super sexy and the build up was very erotic. There was a bit lacking, though, that left me wishing our author had delved into the story a bit more. Nevertheless, this isn’t a negative review, but more of a critique.

We meet Melanie, our heroine, at the beginning of our novel, only to find out she basically lives on the street. She doesn’t have a single belonging to her name. Hell, one of the first moments I remember in this book, was Mel saying she didn’t have any clean underwear so she was commando under her waitress uniform. WHAT. Anyway, as luck would have it, she meets Esme, a young girl, who appears to be lost. Wellllll Esme is the daughter of the super famous and brilliantly wealthy, Rhys. 

Da da da daaaaaa – queue “Miracles Happen” by Myra.

Apparently, Esme has selective mutism. But she speaks to Mel the very first time she meets her, so Rhys decides to force Mel to be Esme’s nanny. Rhys quits Mel’s job at the diner for her and practically blackmails her into living with him and Esme.  You know me, I love a good alpha male as much as the next woman, but Rhys took things a bit far.  He chills out for a while after that, letting Esme and Mel get to know each other and fall into a sweet mother/daughter routine. Unfortunately, every time something bad happens…Rhys assumes the worst of Mel. He doesn’t trust her in the least. 

Rhys is a drop dead gorgeous billionaire with a huge secret. SPOILER: Esme isn’t his biological daughter. Also, his ex-wife died of a drug overdose, so it kind of makes sense that he has a lot of baggage from that. STILL, it takes him a while to open up to Mel about it and, even when he does, we don’t get much of the story. We know that Rhys’ parents were abusive and he feels incredible protective of his little girl. The sad thing is, Rhys never asks Mel about her past and how she ended up where she is. Mel’s past is filled with abuse and abandonment issues that are NEVER ADDRESSED throughout the entire book!!

I still really enjoyed the book and it was a fairly quick and easy read. I only wish our author had taken more time to breakdown our character’s pasts, so the readers could have had more insight into the reasons behind the decisions they made. I wanted to feel more included in Rhys and Mel’s world instead of an outsider looking in.

“I needed her like the air I breathed.”

“I regret the women and meaningless sex, Mac. I was chasing highs, trying to fill a void.” “What void?” Suddenly, I found myself wanting to reach inside him and heal the pain that was so evident in his face. His lips brushed gently against mine. “You. The space inside my heart that was only for you.”

I’d definitely recommend reading the books that prelude this one, before jumping straight in like I did. I know it says it can be read as a stand alone, but it was a bit hard to follow in some places. So, as a bit of an introduction into this book, you find out there’s a serial rapist/sexual predator/stalker (?) that our main female lead, Mac, and her best friend, Gemma, were victims of. Both of the girls suffer from PTSD, but this novel focuses on Mac and her healing process. She is a HOOT. Unfiltered and completely crass, she tells it like it is from the very beginning of our journey. Some might say it’s because she has severe ADHD, but I choose to believe it’s just part of her personality. It makes her quirky and unforgettable.

Mac joins her brother, Hendrix, and Gemma (Mac’s best friend but also Hendrix’s girlfriend), John, and Cade (two guys they grew up with) on their tour bus for their band. So just to be clear: Gemma, Hendrix, John, and Cade are in a band that is currently on tour and our leading lady, Mac, joins them.  She needs a break from the constant reminder of her trauma, and wants to spend time with the people she loves (a la Hendrix and Gemma). Little does she know…her soulmate was sitting in front of her, her entire life. 

Cade is a dream. A complete manwhore at the beginning of our book, who transforms into a loving and supportive partner for Mac. As confusing as some of this book was for me (mostly due to the number a characters I had to keep track of), Cade and Mac’s storyline held it all together. It was definitely a journey, that’s for sure. 

He bent down and placed his cheek against my sternum. My fingers weaved through his short, soft black hair. “I could stay here and listen to your heart all day.” “Yeah?” I asked. “It’s because I know it belongs to me. I’ve waited so long, Mac.”

There are some very sensitive parts of the book that should probably be prefaced with a trigger warning. I was in tears in bed for a while during one part. Owenby, our author, is a gifted storyteller. I know if I went back and started the series over from the beginning, I’d be immediately hooked. I’m already incredibly invested in Hendrix and Gemma’s love story and I’m DYING to read about their bodyguard, Pierce, and how his story might play out. 

Overall, a well-written, enjoyable piece.  There was SO many great quotes, it was hard for me to choose just one 🙂

“When everything in my world turned so hopeless, you were the light that broke through the darkness.”

HOLY HELL!!! FORBIDDEN LOVERS ROMANCE FOR THE WIN!!! I don’t know what I anticipated from this book, but my expectations were exceeded immensely.

Continuous Thought Loop While Reading: couple goals. couple goals. couple goals. 

Wow. I’ve never fallen in love with a couple so quickly. Charlotte and Luke are the ultimate GOALS couple. Allie Winters really knew what she was doing when she wrote this book.

We meet Charlotte, an awkward introvert, who loves reading more than social interaction (sounds painfully familiar), when she professes her obsession …not love… with a handsome man who sits in the front row of her Psychology class in college. She stares at the back of this guys head every class period for months. Like true stalker style. I love it. She doesn’t even know his name, but is drawn to him like no one she’s ever met. Then…BAM. He shows up at a Halloween party her roommate, Becca, and her boyfriend Josh are throwing. Apparently Josh is friends with our mystery man, Luke. Because of course he is, right? Luke and Charlotte have a run-in at the party and then the fun REALLY begins.

Being completely truthful with you guys, Charlotte is my favorite type of female lead. She is uncomfortable in her own skin and puts her foot in her mouth all the time. She reacts on instinct, only later realizing that she could have handled situations better. The best thing about leading ladies like this, is that they come into themselves during the story. She finds confidence and strength. These women sometimes find this power through their male counterpart (those stories are a total eye roll), sometimes they find it by overcoming something holding them back in their past, and sometimes they find it through their own bravery; taking the bull by the horns and owning their mistakes. This story contains all three and it’s PURE MAGIC. We get to experience Charlotte taking risks she never would have before meeting Luke. She takes it upon herself to open doors out of her own volition. She keeps her head on straight and knows what she wants out of life. She makes sacrifices that hurt her in the moment, but only help her grow in the long run. Charlotte is incredibly admirable. Can’t you tell how much I love her? 🙂 A unique and fascinating character that I wish I could meet in real life.

Luke is a whole other ball game. He is out of this world perfect. He doesn’t realize the effect he has on women. I can’t even begin to describe him. I’m over here drooling just thinking about him. AH. Just imagine your ideal man – that’s Luke. He takes the time necessary to with Charlotte to get her comfortable around him. He comes up with extraordinary ( and HOTT) ways to get her to open up to him. Ladies. Charlotte and Luke’s love is unreal. He professes his love to her in a moment of emotional explosion that had me sobbing in bed. Gah! This whole book is a perfectly poised and beautifully executed gem. I’m so in love. 5 stars goes out to you, Allie Winters.

“Sometimes others can more easily see things in us that we can’t.”