Creed

Unfinished Hero #2

by Kristen Ashley

Way too young, eleven year old Tucker Creed and his six year old neighbor, Sylvie Bissenette, find they have something awful in common. Creed then decides he’s going to do everything in his limited power to shield his Sylvie from her ordeal. So he does and Creed and Sylvie form a bond that grows and blossoms with their ages.

They plot to leave their lives behind, the town they live in that will hold them down and the histories they share that, unless they break free, will bury them. Sylvie goes to their special place, Creed never shows and she doesn’t see him again until it’s too late.

With Creed gone, Sylvie is forced to endure a nightmare and do the unspeakable to end it. To deal, she develops a hard shell with sharp edges that very few can break through. So when Creed again finds his Sylvie, he discovers the girl he loved is locked away and he has to find his way back into her heart without getting shredded in the process.

Genres: Romance, Contemporary Romance, Contemporary, Erotica, Second Chance, Adult, Erotic Romance

360 pages, ebook

First published September 14, 2012

About the author

Kristen Ashley was born in Gary, Indiana, USA. She nearly killed her mother and herself making it into the world, seeing as she had the umbilical cord wrapped around her neck (already attempting to accessorise and she hadn't taken her first breath!).

Kristen grew up in Brownsburg, Indiana but 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 multi-generational family. They lived on a very small farm in a small town in the heartland and existed amongst the strains of Glenn Miller, The Everly Brothers, REO Speedwagon and Whitesnake (and the wardrobes that matched).

Needless to say, growing up in a house full of music, clothes and love was a good way to grow up.

And as she keeps growing up, it keeps getting better.

Reviews

[KristenReviews · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 STARS

Wow! Just wow! What a ride, bumps and all. Simply fantastic! I ended up loving this book. Not because it's my favorite Kristen Ashely story, it's not, but because of it's gritty, and raw, and authentic feel. 

Sylvie and Creed, two characters I adore, breathe life into every page of this story. It's obvious from the beginning that this is their story—and Kristen Ashley their storyteller. Their heartbreaking yet triumphant love story had me feeling a kaleidoscope of emotions on every page. I felt anger, betrayal, devastation, horror, frustration, humor, happiness, elation, giddiness, hopefulness, tenderness, and overwhelming love. It was simply magnificent! 

The epilogue was beautiful, touching, emotional, and exactly what these two soul mates, and I, yearned for and wholeheartedly deserved. I've never felt such happiness or joy as I did while reading Creed and Sylvie's much deserved, and, frankly, earned ending.

A book that has the power to elicit such strong emotions and reactions from me, regardless of my misgivings, deserves a five star rating. 

Slight spoiler. Please  read with caution. 
Like a few of you, I struggled with Creed's choice not to check up on Sylvie through the years. To make sure her "daddy" kept his promise and to personally know, for himself, she was okay and happy. That said, and after reading the book, finding out all that happened to him; what he was lead to believe; and the choice he made to protect her; I do not feel Creed could have dealt with checking up on Sylvie throughout the years. He handled what happened to him the only way he knew how, and did what he could to personally (tattoo, kids names, the necklaces) keep her close to him through the years. Was it the right decision? No. Was it a human response?  Most definitely! 

Not to mention, Sylvie would have never have taken him back had she not understood his views, what he was lead to believe, and how that affected him throughout the years. She even explains this to Charlene during a segment of the book:

"So I helped her get the rest of the way. "There's no one but him. No one. I want our future, the one that was stolen from us. I want it for me and I needed to give it to him. He was..." I hesitated, having shared a bit but not entirely and deciding not to, for Creed. "I can't say, what I can say is that I explained it all came out and we worked it out. What you can guess is, we're together so the reason he disappeared was understandable. So understandable, there's not even anything to forgive."

Still, I plan to ask Kristen Ashley her thoughts and feelings on this matter. I want to know if my assumptions are correct.

I know this book was not a hit with everyone, but for me, Creed, is one of Kristen Ashley's better works. I feel it's her most authentic book to-date, and I simply loved it.

Song Note: Where The River Goes, by  Zac Brown Band, captures the overall ambiance of this book for me. There is a haunting feel to this song that reminds me of Creed and his Sylvie. 


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5xzdcG...

September 19, 2012 Update: For those of you who expressed an interest in Kristen Ashley's response to the reason Creed never checked up on Sylvie through the years, here is the link to her answer. Questions For Kristen-Message 40 

If you're already a Kristen Ashley addict, or interested in checking out her books, be sure to stop by our Kristen Ashley Addict's Support Group here on Goodreads!

[UniquelyMoi ~ BlithelyBookish · Rating 5 out of 5]

May 4th, 2013

Pre-reveal of the paperback cover for CREED!




Review:

I spent literally hours a day, for a few days, trying to write a review for this book and all I got, time after time, was a bunch of raving and gushing and corny rambling so I’ll just break it down this way because it reminds me of Creed and Sylvie's innocence and their naïvete of adolescence and first love, and then all the deeper, more compelling things that make up their relationship as adults.

C - Complex
R - Raw
E - Edgy
E - Exciting
D - Devoted

+

S - Sexy
Y - Yearning
L - Loving
V - Vital
I - Intelligent
E - Enigmatic

=

P - Passionate
E - Enduring
R - Romantic
F - Fevered
E - Erotic
C - Complete
T - Triumphant

And this is why Creed, the second book in the Unfinished Hero series, might just be my favorite Kristen Ashley story, ever! Amazing, solid, sexy, romantic, poignant, heartbreaking, uplifting… Creed is all those things and so much more, and precisely the reason Kristen Ashley is quickly becoming the Queen Diva of Storytelling, regardless of the genre she writes!

------------------

If you're already a Kristen Ashley addict, or interested in checking out her books, be sure to stop by our Kristen Ashley Addict's Support Group here on Goodreads!

[Baba · Rating 2 out of 5]

Review edited September 18, 2012, (new paragraph in italic)

DNF when I hit the 70 % mark.

On a personal note
Honesty is the best policy.

Kit, I am very sorry. I really tried very hard to like your book and its characters. Well, you win some and you lose some and unfortunately it was a lost cause. And I know that reading a book is a very personal experience and everyone's opinion is bound to be subjective. Kit, I adore your work and I believe that you are a fantastic storyteller. Having said that, it really saddens me to admit that Creed did not work for me at all. After loving Knight I just expected way more but as a matter of fact, Creed couldn't live up to my high expectations.

***************

Where Creed most certainly failed for me...

The sex
The heroine
The plot
The repetitiveness in characterization, speech, behavior and plot

Creed is supposed to be an erotic romance book. I think that the blurb was kinda misleading. What was kinky about Creed? Nothing at all. Further, a great erotic story provides great erotic, steamy and HOT sex scenes. The sex in Creed was neither hot nor erotic. It was boring and repetitive. Sure, there were some varying positions, but first and foremost the sex felt too mechanic and detached. I don't necessarily need to read how many times a hero/heroine could orgasm. Sometimes less is more. What I mean is I want a hot AND explicit sex scene that is well developed. A scene that provides CHEMISTRY as all get out. Instead of writing three short ones, write one that will make me want to combust. As a reader I can't push a specific button and all of my girlie parts will feel hot and bothered. I need a certain build-up. I want sexual tension and please…I want sensuality.

I love heroines who kick ass. Sadly, I really disliked Sylvie--she was just OTT. I have read so many KA books and I don't mind when her characters are dropping the F-bomb. But Sylvie? That's not cool anymore. That's NOT badass either. A woman who is cussing all the time is simply a turn-off. The term f*ck/f*cked/f*cking etc. has been used !392! times. Admittedly, Sylvie is not the only perpetrator but then again, she used foul language all the time during the first half of the plot. It was too much. Period. Even though Creed was more or less all right I felt that Sylvie almost overshadowed him. Hence, it's possible that two badass MCs can't go hand in hand 'cause there's too much friction.

The plot was "meh" and some parts of Creed dragged and couldn't hold my attention. I could feel how my interest slowly yet steadily petered out. Well, I think I won't bother to go into details here.

Finally, I also feel there is a repetitiveness in characterization, speech, behavior and plot. I have read so many KA books by now that Creed, the character, was nothing special to me anymore. Sure, I liked him well enough but he was a common reflection of many other KA heroes. One of my friends wrote “Saturation point, maybe?” This is a valid question and it has its “raison d’être”. However, I will gladly read the next fifty KA books if I get a better quality. Having said that, it’s possible that cranking out so many books in such a short time span won’t help to improve the quality of the stories though. Maybe it’s time to reconsider and the benefit of taking a little bit more time to develop a plot and its characters ought to translate into both better quality and maybe less stress for the author. It could be very favorable on so many levels. Hearing or reading criticism is not pleasant, I completely understand that. But I try to give a constructive feedback and I believe that if you don’t go forward, you go backwards.

Overall Creed was a disappointment. In fact, I'm reading a book for my personal pleasure, and if I can't enjoy a story and their characters then it's better to move on.



*********************************

My preliminary thoughts after having read the working chapters:

Mid-September can't come soon enough!! The thrill of anticipation...



So far I really like Sylvie. She's got a gun, she kicks ass and she drives a Corvette. She can hold her own, that's for sure, and there's no damsel in distress to be seen…at the moment. :-)

Love me some Creed. From the cutest boy in town to a hard-edged and scarred man who features a beautiful smile.

Boy, these two are bitching at one another...

“God granted me peripheral vision, Creed. I can see someone coming. I’ll slow and roll through like normal. You’ll be fine.”
“Jesus, Sylvie, the slow and roll doesn’t work. A stop sign is put up for a reason.”
I cocked my head to the side and narrowed my eyes. “When did you get a stick planted up your ass?”
He cocked his head to the side and regarded me closely. “We talkin’ about our pasts now?”
F*ck, f*ck, f*ck!
“Okay, I’ll stop at stop signs,” I gave in.

[Aestas Book Blog · Rating 5 out of 5]

5++ stars!!! (maybe even 6)

I seriously LOVED this book!!! I loved Sylvie. I loved Creed. Their story broke my heart and despite adoring it, emotionally, it ripped my heart out. It was a heart wrenching, tragic, BEAUTIFUL love story about survival of loss...

But you know, the most tragic stories of loss make for some of the most heart warming and MEANINGFUL reunions -every moment of good becomes unimaginably precious. Full. Earned. Treasured…. that what this story is about.

“I’m not what you want, Sylvie, I get that because its the same for you as it is for me. I’m not what you want ’cause I’m what you need.”

When Sylvie was six and Creed was eleven, they met in the woods one night – both trying to get away from the misery wrapped up in their homes. Over the years, their bond is forged and cemented – they helped each other, sheltered each other, supported each other, fell in love, made plans to get away. But on the night they were supposed to leave, Creed never showed. He just disappeared….. Cut to present day, sixteen years later, Sylvie is working for Knight’s business in the security department. When there is a breach, he calls in Creed – not knowing of their connection. Suddenly faced with the man who abandoned her so many years ago and forced into a situation where they have to partner up for a job, Sylvie has no choice but to deal with the past she’s been trying to put behind her… But it all leads to one very important question: Why did he abandon her? What could have happened to make him never show up?

Let me tell you , I was feeling really betrayed and hurt by him at that point. All I could think about was how on earth could he abandon her after everything they’d been through together and promised each other, and not communicate for sixteen years… I couldn’t think of a single reason that would honestly justify that. I went through a period of extreme HURT and betrayal while I was reading. My heart ached. It was a physical pain. I felt ill. It was the strongest hurt I’ve EVER felt from any of KA’s character’s actions.

I was desperately wracking my brain to come up with ANY reason for what he did…. The closest feeling I can describe to what I felt here was how I felt while reading The Sweet Gum Tree. In a word: intense and painful.

But then the reason came out as to why he never showed and it hit me SO hard. Tears were pouring down my face. It was a tragedy of epic proportions. I didn’t think KA would go there, I honestly didn’t, but she did and my heart is still hurting when I think about what happened to him.

It took Creed and Sylvie up until about the half way mark to sort out their past, but once they did, they became functional to an extreme with an intense chemistry and H.O.T.N.E.S.S. off the freaking charts. I mean SERIOUSLY hot. Think make-up sex, but a million times hotter because its making up for sixteen years of heart ache.

I loved Sylvie!!! In a word, she was badass! As one of the protection enforcers for Knight’s business, its literally her job to kick ass. She was just totally one of the guys – an Alpha female not to be messed with . She read, acted and talked exactly like one of the KA men – except with a decidedly feminine twist. I love it!! She took care of herself, no one controlled her. In many ways, she was the female version of Creed.

I loved that they saw eye to eye, stood toe to toe – badass to badass. Sylvie is Creed. Creed is Sylvie. They were born for each other. Made for each other. I loved that even through unthinkable tragedy and years of separation, the love that they’d had since they were children never faded. It was absolutely BEAUTIFUL.

“I loved the man under me in a way that wasn’t just mean to be. It wasn’t a way we were born to be. It was in a way that needed to be.”

Creed melted my heart. I fell really hard for him and just fell deeper and deeper in love as the story went on. He was a tortured badass whose life and heart was tied to Sylvie. When he came back into her life and found out the truth of what had happened to her, it killed me and yet melted my heart how much it hurt him and how strongly he was devoted to working towards replacing her bad memories with good ones, determined to do everything in his power to put their lives back together.

I’ll say that there was a point where I was pretty furious with him and even to this moment, I still don’t agree with a series of decisions that he made after they were ripped away from each other (you’ll know what I mean when you get to it). Its not even that I can understand what he did, cuz honestly, I can’t. But its ok. I recognize that he’s not perfect and I can accept him as such. The circumstances were horrific, tragic and I’m not going to judge how people react in those situations… it still doesn’t sit fully right with me, but that’s ok. You don’t love someone cuz they are perfect, you love them flaws and all… and I can say that I completely, 100% LOVE Tucker Creed. Flaws and all.

Their story is told in present day with flash backs to their past filling in the blanks and answering the myriad of questions that their present day story leads to. I loved how we never got the whole thing at once… we got little snippets here and there that piece together their story… it was really powerful and built up from when they were kids to that fateful day when Creed never showed.

Creed and Sylvie were just two amazingly wonderful people who life had dealt and unthinkably horrific hand of cards. But they were survivors. Reading this story just made me SICK to my stomach, thinking about the lengths that people in this world will go through to steal happiness from others…

They were strong before, but the joint trauma of having gone through what they were made to go through makes them closer than you can imagine. Its about the point of how when you meet that person that is The One, even if the world comes crashing down, there is nothing that can erase those feelings.

“For over twenty-seven years, every day, every minute, every second, I’ve loved you, Tucker Creed.”

When you have precious in your life and are willing to do anything and everything in your power to fight to keep it but have it wrenched away form you, have to live without it – with the ache of it missing from your life. That’s what makes it so that when it’s back, there is not one minute, not one second, not a breath that isn’t precious, priceless, full.

“You need me. You won’t stay away and you won’t let me go because, baby, you can’t breathe without me.”

I cried a few times throughout this book, but by the end I was crying so hard I could barely see straight. Happy tears of course :) The end killed me in a wonderful way. It was an BEAUTIFUL, PERFECT, GORGEOUS, AMAZING, INCREDIBLE ending… just WOW.

I’m tempted to give this one 6 stars. It was THAT good.

“You’re my world, Sylvie. Always have been. Always will be.”

Lol, funny side note… my husband heard me crying from the other room and came in and took one look at my face and went “Jeez, baby, you do this for fun?!?” hahahaaa I sorta tried to smile and wailed out a pretty pathetic “yyeeeeeaaaaahhhh”

Let me just say that there are a lot of incredibly gifted and talented authors out there, and I mean a LOT. But NO one can write badass like KA does. She truly is the reigning queen of badass.

And speaking of badass, there were some great cameos in this book - namely from Knight and Hawk (yes, Mystery Man Hawk). I really warmed up to Knight in this book. Like REALLY. To the point where I absolutely freaking ADORED him. I loved his relationshipip with Sylvie – how deeply protective he was of her and how much she meant to him. “Bottom of my soul.” *cluthes heart* … I struggled with his book a lot but in this book, I loved seeing how much he had grown, changed, adapted. It was beautiful and heart warming…. and when Hawk (and his gorgeous dimples) make a fantastic, if brief, appearance for the final 90% craziness, I could barely contain my squees

CREED was just a gorgeous, beautiful, intense read. One of KA’s best. I’m writing this a day after having finished the book and my heart is still full to the brim with my love for Sylvie and Creed. Their story was emotional exhausting and deeply satisfying.

I started my review with this line, but I want to end it with it as well. I think its one of the most beautiful lines I’ve ever read. If that doesn’t convey the depth of their love, I don’t know what can.

“Born to love you, baby… Die lovin’ you, my Sylvie.”

CASTING:

This is the guy I'm seeing as CREED! Just scar and bulk him up a bit in your minds.... HAWWWWTT!!



Then this (and the picture at the top of the review) reminded me of a younger Creed & Sylvie at their pier :)



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[Blacky *Romance Addict* · Rating 2 out of 5]

I just feel so bad This is the first KA book that I didn't adore, and where I skipped pages just to see the ending *gasp*



Sylvie - she was GREAT! I loved her and the fact that she was a badass! I wish there were more tough heroines like her I really felt for her, what she went through, she waited for him and he didn't show up, and everything that happend with her after that - just awfull. But sometimes I just didn't understand her actions, considering everything and all, after she found out about the kids names, I mean what???? I wouldn't forgive him for that, and even before he explained it to her, they ended up having wild sex and making a schedule for more Seriously? I just don't understand that So right after all is explained, she pretty much stops being a badass O_o Sure, there was one scene with some action near the end but that was it, I just stopped feeling her as a tough-ass b*tch working for a pimp.


Creed - He was pretty much anoying from the start and I didn't seem to be able to make myself love him like the other KA heroes even after all was explained. He was OK I guess, but just OK.


Romance - I'm a sucker for it, and in this book there virtually wasn't any, well only in the scenes when they were kids/teenagers, but that just doesn't count cause it isn't the present and that won't make me like the new Creed and Sylvie. Seduction? Not here either. They just went directly for sex and didn't stop doing it till the end XD Sexual tension? Nope, not here either, as I said they just skipped that right for the sex. I get that this was supposed to be erotica, but I've read some erotic novels myself, and some left me hot and bothered (that was the point right?), but only if I could connect myself with them. Sometimes, one touch, one look, a word is enough so you feel the chemistry between the main characters. With 6-7 orgasms you just feel they're exausted


The story was good, there were some very intense moments (mostly Sylvie, cause she's the only one I was able to connect to), the shock after she finds out what happened, that was horrible, when they fight because of the kid's names (before the sex), all her nightmares were just awfull. But right after the time they finally got together and figured things out, it got boring for me. I guess I wanted more angst or something, or just them not being together so soon lol, yeah I'm messed up XD


Sorry KA, I love you and all your books, but I just didn't feel this one like I did with the others

[~*~Princess Nya Vasiliev~*~ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Creed & Sylvie.. Just hot

Once again Ms. Ashley brought it home with the 2nd installment to this series. To say that we KA fans & fans of this series were losing our minds waiting for this book, would be an understatement. I mean we were all literally STALKING the internet waiting for this book to be released.

Yes this was us..



And when we finally got our Creed..

LOL so you get the idea.

It was certainly well worth the wait I must say. I truly enjoyed this one and could not be moved from my laptop.

It took me a bit, but not too long to really become enthralled with this story, though I was not sure how I was feeling about Sylvie. I like her. She's a strong cookie, but I wasn't sure how I was feeling overall about her purpose or place within this story. And Creed, I was blown away and conflicted and eager to know why he and Sylvie suffered and was ultimately torn apart for so many years. Once I admitted my eargerness to know the deal, shortly it was revealed & thus began my sobbing, screaming, laughing, heart pumping into my throat reactions, concerning this book.

I was suprised that we got to see alot more of Knight in this one than I thought we would. And there were a few heartfelt, heartwarming just OMG! scenes involving he and Sylvie. I loved this. And I loved Anya in this as well. But ultimately Knight will always just leave me beside myself..

The reason why this one gets 4 instead of 5 stars from me is because I felt the issues that brought Sylvie & Creed's story to the forefront in the first place (their jobs) was glossed over and ended very anti-climactic to me.

Which was a bummer for me cos this is what dominated the story for the 1st 11 or so chapters. And Knight's brother Nick??? WTHeck happened there? And Why? And of course the build up to what led to Creed being Sylvie's first was great, but when it actually happened I was like "Really? That's it?" Yeah, that left me wanting big time.


So there were things in this one that I felt needed to be a bit tighter within the story to give a little more balanced feel to it.

But I do love their story. It was beautiful, it was frightening at times. Heartbreaking. But over all just a beautiful, spiritual journey. And I loved it. The growth that you see happening with Sylvie as an individual and a woman in love, was done superbly I think. And the responsibility you see on Creed's shoulders, how he handles and tackles their demons and not just on his own, I thought shown through beautifully. Another great installment.

So.. READ IT!!
I HIGHLY recommend this read.

[Mysza · Rating 5 out of 5]

Probably my favorite in this series. I loved this second chance love story, I loved badass Sylvie and badass Creed, I loved the emotional part and the steamy part. Another great book from KA, which I adored. I swear this woman can't go wrong. Now, I only wait for Nick Sebring's book. Why do I have a feeling he has something up his sleeve?

[Christy · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 Fabulous Creed and Sylvie Stars!!!!!

“Some people get to live life. Some people survive it. We’re survivors. We can carve out our pieces of happy, and, I swear to god, baby, right now, you got my vow, for you and me, the rest of our lives, I’ll bust my ass to carve our piece of happy.”



Six year old Sylvie often ran out of her house when the yelling started. Her father and step mother yelled a lot. One night, she ran into eleven year old Tucker Creed. He doesn’t like the yelling either. This is where their story begins...

“Next time you gotta get away, Sylvie, you come to me.” My breathing felt funny. “What?” I whispered. “It gets bad, you gotta get away, you come to me. I’ll take care of you.”

“I don’t like being alone.” I whispered. “You’re not anymore.”

Sylvie and Creed are always there for each other. They meet by the lake, by their pier, as regularly as they can, and Sylvie’s birthday is their special day. Creed has gotten Sylvie the same thing for her birthday ever since she has been seven. They are best friends. As they get older, their relationship changes.


“Your sixteenth birthday. You got the same thing every year for ten years, but you acted every time like I didn’t hand you some shit necklace but the moon. I looked at you and it hit me it was you. It hit me that it could be no one else but you. You were born to be mine and I was born to be yours.”

She is seventeen, he is twenty two. They are in love, and they have a plan. When Sylvie turns eighteen, they are going to run away together, leave their messed up lives behind and start fresh. Just the two of them. On Sylvie’s birthday, everything is set to go. But Creed never shows. Sylvie’s life takes a terrible turn. Everything changes for the two of them. Sylvie goes sixteen years with out seeing or hearing from Creed. Her life is good now. She has gotten over her past, and she has a couple of close friends that mean the world to her, then he shows up...

Tucker Creed. My first love, my protector, my savior. My betrayer.


“You’ll always be my Sylvie. Yeah?”


Sylvie is more than a little shocked to see Creed. And even more surprised to find that he is working for her best friend Knight, and is being partnered with her on a case. Knight had no idea that Creed was the one Sylvie had told him about. Sylvie tries to play it off that its no big deal, but Knight sees straight through her.
“Anya left me or I lost her, I’d never get over it so don’t bullshit me.” he shot back. “There’s only one, we both know it, and Tucker Creed was your one. So you aren’t over it. That doesn’t mean you can’t cope. But you won’t cope if you deny that somewhere inside you can’t.”
Can I just throw this out there... I was SO HAPPY to see more of Knight :D


I absolutely LOVED Sylvie! Not your normal heroine, she was a straight up bad ass and I loved it! Not sure how I felt about Creed at first. I was more than a little hurt with how he abandoned Sylvie, but once you got the whole story... WOW. Creed.. what a guy! When I found out the reason he never showed up, I was more than a little shocked, and upset. Once Sylvie found out, she needed a little time, Creed, not so much.
“I need time.” His head jerked then his eyes locked on mine. “Honest to Christ, give you anything. Anything baby. But lost enough time. Can’t give you that. Space, maybe. Time. No.”

Sylvie tries to convey to Creed she is not the same girl anymore. Her past changed her. Changed everything. He doesn’t care. He loves her and wants to be there for her, make up for all the lost time.
“Not sure where you are but I’ll state clear where I am. I gave you up once. It killed me. It was figuratively but its still killed me. I’m not doin’ that shit again.”

“Then and now, beautiful, I’ll take you any way you come to me.” His hands in my hair shook my head gently. “Any way. I love this Sylvie. I loved that Sylvie. I just love you, baby.”

Once they are together, they are together in every way. They had one of those undeniable connections. And some hot chemistry! And a love worth fighting for.

This is one of those stories that wasn’t easy to read, they both went through some pretty heavy stuff. But it was such a beautiful love story. Beautiful, but also heartbreaking, traumatic, emotional and amazing. I loved the back and forth between Creed and Sylvie’s past and present. It was great to see my Knight and Hawk in this one too! And the ending/epilogue... pure perfection KA style! Loved it! This one wasn’t quite as good as Knight for me, but still a worthy 5 star read! Looking forward to the next one in this series!!!

“On a cold night, a long time ago, you put your hands almost exactly where they are right now and , I might have been six years old, but I fell hard. So, yeah. For over twenty-seven years, every day, every minute, every second, I’ve loved you, Tucker Creed.”

“You’re my world, Sylvie. Always have been. Always will be.”

[Karla · Rating 5 out of 5]

An exhausting, utterly satisfying read…I LOVED it!!

To appreciate this book and the full impact of Creed and Sylvie’s story, I strongly suggest you read every word, every sentence, every page, every chapter, beginning to end, before you come to a conclusion on this book. If you don’t like it after that, then so be it. However, I believe you will find the story captivating, charming, heartbreaking, confusing and at times even frustrating. It’s an emotional roller-coaster, but the payoff is a truly unique and genuine love story. Annoyance towards the characters will arise, you will have questions, and they will be answered…every single one of them! When all is said and done, you will see Sylvie and Creed in a different light. Their love for each other is rooted in deep in their hearts, and this is the story of how that came to be, why it was lost and how it was found once again.

Creed was an honorable boy, teen, and man! He never wavered in his commitment to Sylvie and he did not leave her, he was forced to make a decision in a no-win situation, he was baited with an incentive, and I use that word loosely, when brutalizing him…did not work! Sylvie, oh poor Sylvie, she thinks she knows, but she doesn’t, the pain of losing him sets in, and then her own personal hell begins. Creed kept his promise, and when others didn’t, Sylvie ultimately paid the cost…they both lost so much, the worst of it being each other.

No, the book is not perfect and in places it’s lacking, namely some of the sex scenes. They are frequent and felt incomplete at times. Then there are other moments that are raw and passionate, so much so, it’s as if Sylvie and Creed need to crawl inside each other so they will never be separated again! I would not classify Creed as an anti-hero, however I would say he’s an unfinished-hero, his story’s not done. He needs to be the knight in shining armor to the girl who stole his heart so many years ago. Creed needs to knock down the walls that his Sylvie has built around her, be her man, absorb her pain and bring the soft back into her life!

It’s an exhausting book, and one that requires the reader to put the pieces of the puzzle that is Tucker Creed together. Keep this in mind, the answers are there and they are plausible and will have you, if not loving this man, at least respecting him. He sacrificed so much for the woman he loves, they both lost so much. At the outset Sylvie is harsh, she has every right to be. She swears like a sailor; yes, she drops the f-bomb, a lot, but mostly in her head. Once she understands what Creed went through, were his mind and heart have been for sixteen years, she accepts him back into her life. At that point they don’t let go, nor do they question that a renewed relationship is inevitable…they go with it, because they are meant to be together!

Kristen Ashley did an amazing job of keeping the reader on edge. The past and present development worked well. It might anger some readers, as the truth behind Creed’s disappearance is told to Sylvie early on, but it’s only revealed in bits and pieces to the reader throughout the book. So, I can understand how some readers might be frustrated with Creed, not knowing what drove and kept him away. Again, I reiterate the answers are there! They might not always be clear and upfront, but it will all make sense in the end.

In true Kristen Ashley style she give us a story that toys with our feelings, has us loving people we might otherwise hate, and like we’ve come to expect, takes us on an emotional journey like no other. Then she treats us to her trademark epilogue, and all is right once again in our KA world!

I had a hard time finding a picture of Creed as he would be today, but this is how I would have seen him as a young man.

Sky blue eyes, messy brown hair, rugged face…my 23 year old Tucker Creed



Thanks to my sweet friend Kristen for reading this with me. It was a great ride!!

[Amy | Foxy Blogs · Rating 4 out of 5]

I bought this book a couple of years ago and left it on my kindle. A couple of weeks ago I saw the audio was on sale and grabbed it. I've struggled with KA books because they're very descriptive which causes me to gloss over all extra descriptions. But listening to this one worked for me.

When I first started listening I wasn't into the story because I felt like I missing something. I figured it was because I was listening to it instead of reading it. Once the information started flowing in on the backstory (happens within the first quarter of the book) I connected to the story.

I got to around 85% thinking we were going to have rainbows & kittens but in true KA fashion, this part of the book got very intense. My heart started pumping thinking about how this was going to end on a positive note. But KA never fails! And of course, there are the great KA epilogues that make you smile.

A word of caution - if cussing offends you then this book isn't for you. The F word is thrown around by both the female and male lead.

Overall, I enjoyed listening to CREED. I'm thinking listening to KA books is the way to go for me. And since this was "spicier" than normal I had a moment sitting in the dentist's office wondering what the people around me would think if they knew I was listening to a sixty-nine scene. *lol*

SERIES:

Each anti-heroes has their own book.
To keep updated click here on if there will be more books in the series.

[Vika aka ♔ of GIF & Grumpy Smut-ateer *P/T Freebie Fairy · Rating 5 out of 5]

❤❦ 5 Frozen-Snickers-Bars rating ❦❤

My Cuties little Sylvie & Creed

His Sylvie.
His dreamweaver, able to weave dreams doing nothing but sitting on a pier and smiling.
The way it always was.
The way it always would be.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Young Tucker met Sylvie in dead of night in woods. Both of them were escaping their parents awful life choices of alcohol and domestic violence. That night he was her protector, her love her soul-mate... There were so many things working against them: Sylvia was only 6 and he was 5 years older and their socioeconomic status made a BIG difference in the town.

"...you always got something if you're not alone. We were alone. Now, we're not alone."

I loved watching them growing up together. Tucker growing into bad-ass Creed and always taking care of HIS SYLVIE without having Sylvia as his.



They had plans and they had dreams to run away and start life over but cruel fate interfered (more like motherfucker Daddy... gotta say it was annoying me that she was referring to him as daddy esp. coming off Post-Knight Daddy High lol).

Years go by, Sylvie meets Creed through her work. Can she overlook Creed's betrayal? Can he get her back after 16 years? Both had torturous pasts, pasts that tore them apart and shredded them to bits... but this is KA and thankfully that answer is YES (this is not even a spoiler so shhhhh).

"You need me. You wont' stay away and you won't let me go because, baby, you can't breathe without me."

Want to thank KA not in only creating a badass alpha that is Creed but giving us an amazing woman. A woman who took all the shit that was given to her in life and as Knight said that she could have come to him 2 ways... Thankfully to her strong personality she chose the strong one instead of an easy one.

I will miss this sweet but dark story of Creed and Sylvie.

"Born to love you, baby," he repeated. "Die lovin' you, my Sylvie."

"Some people get to live life. Some people survive it. We're survivors. We can carve out our pieces of happy, and, I swear to God, baby, right now, you got my vow, for you and for me, the rest of our lives, I'll bust my ass to carve our piece of happy."

I absolutely loved this re-read with my girls. Nothing like smut-ateers doing their thing and dissecting the books :)


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[~ Becs ~ · Rating 3 out of 5]

Well, I’m finding this one really hard to review.

Sylvie and Creed, both victims of bad parenting and awful childhoods, were about to run away together when she turned 18 when her father managed to separate them in the cruellest way. Sylvie now works for Knight Sebring and Creed is brought in on the case and they are thrown together and have to deal with their past. So the story is told in the now and in the past as we get Sylvie and Creed now and then.

I have to say that I didn’t totally love this. Creed is very much a typical KA uber-alpa hero – he talks the talk and behaves pretty much as all her other heroes. Sylvie is a little different from the regular KA heroine – in fact; she’s much more like one of her heroes.

The story is entirely Sylvie and Creed. There’s not really much else going on. They are working a case for Knight trying to find a mole in his operation but this plot line never really revs up and is resolved fairly quickly and quietly. I did love the first half of the book, the revelations and Sylvie and Creed’s rekindling of their relationship but this is completely finished by the 50% mark and then nothing else happens. It became repetitive with Creed and Sylvie saying the same things over and over and having sex and her getting to know his kids. You could probably have skipped the second half of the book entirely and not miss anything.

Also, I really didn’t connect with the characters. Usually KA’s heroes and heroines spring vividly to life in my imagination and totally exist there but these two really just felt like words on a page. At first, I found Sylvie refreshingly different but, mostly, I couldn’t empathise with her. She and Creed just didn’t seem very real to me. I also didn’t find it very sexy. It’s definitely not erotica, it’s fairly steamy contemporary romance but I didn’t find it very hot – the sex was repetitive and definitely not kinky.

This series is supposed to be ‘unfinished heroes’, maybe anti-heroes but Creed is just a straight up hero. He’s one of the good guys – his only crime is to be hired by Knight. Other than that, he doesn’t fit the bill.

I can’t quite work out why this one didn’t work for me – maybe it’s been too much of a good thing as it’s really not very different from any of her other books and I’m really quite sad not to love this even though I very much enjoyed the first half of the book.

3 stars for the first half of the book.

For more of my reviews, please visit my Sinfully Sexy Book Blog

[Flo · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 yummy frozen Snickers STARS



That was beautiful and heartbreaking and kick-ass and scorching hot and naughty and I sure was a bit bored there for a while...

Creed is book number two in the Unfinished Hero Series and also my second Kristen Ashley book. I'm hooked. I swear I will read every book this woman wrote so far and will write in the future. I'm so happy in my fangirl world filled with domineering alpha-male book boyfriends.

Ok, let's do this...my review:

“Born to love you, baby,” he repeated. “Die lovin’ you, my Sylvie.”

This time around we meet Creed and Sylvie. Now first off I was happy to see we still operate in Knight's world. In fact Sylvie as well as Creed work for Mr. Seberin and that just means we get a little Knight as a cherry on top. I'm totally fine with that...I take as much as I can get.



Twenty-eight years ago a six year old girl named Sylvie stumbled through the forest, trying to escape the drama and yelling at home and she runs straight into the arms of eleven year old Tucker Creed. A chance encounter that leads to a beautiful friendship and love. Both kids have a hard time with their parents, and together they find strength and a home. For eleven years their whole world revolved around each other until one day it is all taken away. Seemingly lost forever.

Sounds amazing, right? I know I did a lot of happy dancing as well. ;D

“It’s always you and me.”
I nodded again and felt my lips quivering.
He kept whispering, “Always me and my Sylvie, yeah?”
“Yeah,” I whispered.”

Sixteen years later Sylvie Bissenette is one kick-ass woman. She is working as a PI and on the side she does a little work for Knight. (Not going to tell you exactly what in case you haven't read the first book.) She is independent, strong and it is apparent that there are some ghosts in her past. One of those ghosts re-emerges one morning in her bedroom and she greats him with a gun to his head.

“He crossed his arms again and requested, “You wanna stop aiming your weapon at me?”
Actually, no. I didn’t. I wanted to keep aiming my gun at him and I might also want to pull the trigger.”

Sylvie hasn't seen Creed since her eighteenth birthday and finding him standing at the bottom of her bed is not what she expected to happen. He had abandoned her, left her to suffer a nightmare and now he is back looking all hot and yummy like...and claims to be her new partner. Not fair!

“Some people get to live life. Some people survive it. We’re survivors. We can carve out our piece of happy, and, I swear to God, baby, right now, you got my vow, for you and for me, the rest of our lives, I’ll bust my ass to carve our piece of happy.”

Tucker Creed is one hell of a man and he was one hell of a boy when he knew Sylvie, but a lot of time has passed and the last sixteen years haven't been easy on him either. The best day he had in years was when Knight hired him as an outside source (yes, they work in the same field) to find a leak in his operation and Creed discovered the identity of his new partner. And now his single most important goal in life is to get her back and get his life back.

The story is told from Sylvie's POV and for a while we don't really know if Creed is a good guy and what exactly happened to make him leave. Each book of the Unfinished Hero series is based on another guy, but in the beginning Sylvie was the stronger and more dominant (and I don't mean that in a sexual way) character. I even read that KA considered naming the book Sylvie, but Creed pulled through and he blossomed into a wonderful character; who is not only equal to Sylvie in charisma and gravitas, but also managed to be one hell of a book boyfriend.

“Then and now, beautiful, I’ll take you any way you come to me … Any way. I love this Sylvie, I loved that Sylvie. I just love you, baby.”

Yes, Mr. Creed is a hard ass, who knows what he wants, who is control and basically rocks your freaking socks off, but at the same time he is a sweet and caring man, who despite the hardship and loss that life has given him carries on and doesn't crack under the pressure.



Sylvie and Creed's story is quite wonderful. They have a lot of obstacles to overcome and things to deal with that are not easy, but they try their best. They are both such strong human beings and oh boy, do they clash and bicker and fight and they make up... And they do so mainly in a horizontal dance. *fans self* HAWT and even a little kinky!!!

“I’m not what you want, Sylvie, I get that because it’s the same for you as it is for me. I’m not what you want ’cause I’m what you need.”

I loved how KA pulled this whole story together by basing Sylvie and Creed in the future, while giving flashbacks into their past - how they met and how they got to the point where they didn't even know the other person was still alive.

After reading Knight I am aware that KA has a certain very elaborate style to write a book and she is detail oriented, but this time around I have to critique the middle part. It is simply too long for hardly any major plot developments. I do realise that the protagonists have to find and get to know each other again, but some parts felt repetitive and overdrawn. Also, the reason Creed was hired and the whole plot line that came with it was underwhelming to say the least. She really could have used that one a little better.

In all fairness, the ending made up for it. There is some major ass kicking involved as well as some cheesy goodness. All in all a heartbreaking and beautiful story...definitely worth a read and I'm on to the next one...

[Sher❤ The Fabulous BookLover · Rating 5 out of 5]

☆☆5++++++ Creed & Sylvie Stars!☆☆☆

First off, even though this is only my 3rd KA read, this is my favorite couple! This was just wow! There's a ton of reviews on this already so I'll just express my thoughts and feelings. So forgive me in advance for all the blabbering.

Sylvie is in my top 5 favorite heriones! This was one bad chick! She was rough, raw, real, dirty-talking, could hang with the guys, sort of gal. She was definitely an alpha-female, a lioness. And I loved her. Life made her rough, but I love how through the story she softens up and allows love into her life.

This story was so raw and edgy. Sylvie and Creed loved each other from a young age, but horrible circumstances pulled them apart for 16 years! And yet their love never fizzled.



This story touched my heart in ways I didn't think possible. The characters were all so solid and well rounded. I loved how Knight was apart of the story. And Creed...what can I say about Creed except he was amazing!!! He's my book-husband. He loved Sylvie with a consuming, passionate love and his devotion to her was beyond incredible. Words can't describe this alpha. He makes my heart go a-flutter.

I don't know how KA does it, but she writes a mean epilogue! I was like this at the end of it:



If I had to describe this story it would be this: Love can stand the test of time. Yes it's raw, dirty, grimy, sad, and I can see why this story would rub some people the wrong way, but it's real and all I can say is I LOVE, LOVE LOVED it!

[Shawna · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 stars – Contemporary Erotic Romance

Kristen Ashley has without a doubt earned the best/most of everything for 2012 (addictive stories, unforgettable heroes, and moving epilogues) and is easily one of my all-time favorite authors. Her books completely beguile me every single time and this was certainly no exception. Never mind that I had boxes to unpack or a gazillion other things to do because Creed simply demanded my full attention...and boy howdy, he got it! I simply couldn’t put it down!

This actually started off a little bit rocky and I wasn’t quite sure what to think. But then around the 28% mark, everything started falling into place and I ended up loving it! Creed and Sylvie are both broken and battered with horribly tragic pasts, but they find healing and forgiveness through their resilient, enduring, and unconquerable love for each other. They’re memorable, unique characters, and I adored them together.

I loved Knight and Creed, and it’s hard to decide which I liked better. Both have compelling, strong, albeit very distinctive, heroes, and although related, they’re still very different books; so it’s probably best not to compare the two. Having said that, this definitely left me more emotionally satisfied than Knight, probably because there’s a definitive, more traditional, hard-won HEA.

Bottom line, Kristen Ashley is an author goddess and she’s once again made me a very happy romance reader! Big 5 stars!

Most sigh-worthy moments:

Creed’s back tattoo...just faint.

The necklaces...just swoon.

The proposal scene with roses on the bed...so awww romantic.

The epilogue...of course. KA is the queen of heartwarming, mushy, gushy, and can’t-get-enough-of-it epilogues, and Creed left me smiling and wiping away tears.

Minor criticisms:

Creed naming his kids with another woman the same names that he and Sylvie had planned on made my heart break. Talk about a hot poker to the chest! His reasoning was awful, twisted, beautiful, and tragic, and although things eventually worked out, it was still hard to take.

After waiting so long for the flashback scene to reveal the moment that Sylvie finally lost her virginity to Creed, I was very disappointed that it faded to black.

I think it’s a bit misleading that this series falls in the Unfinished Hero series that’s described as erotic romances with anti-heroes because Creed is without a doubt an honorable man and a full-fledged hero, and it’s really not all that erotic.

[NMmomof4 · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 Stars (Originally Read 10/17/2015)

3.5 Stars (Re-Read 11/4/2019)

Overall Opinion: I always enjoy Kristen Ashley, and always have expectations when picking out her books. I expect strong characterization for our main characters, great side character relationships, true love type connections, drama and even suspense at times, and sweet moment that make me happy...and I got all that with this book. As a mom, I also always love when her characters have interactions with kids...so that aspect of this book didn't disappoint either. The only reason I have it as a 4 instead of a 5 star read is that the ending seemed a little drawn out. Not the jump ahead epilogue type parts -- but the part before that felt like it could've been edited down to me.

*Re-Read Update*: I enjoyed it, but like I said in my original review, it felt too drawn out in the end. It also felt a little too mushy. I still liked it though! ...just probably isn't going to be one of my go-tos for a KA re-read

Storyline: This is Sylvie and Creed's story. They meet one night when Sylvie is taking a walk to get away from her Dad fighting with her step mom, and Creed is doing the same with his Mom and her boyfriend. They bond instantly once they realize that they have this big thing in common. They build an amazing connection over the years that just continues to grow. When Sylvie finally turns 18, they have a plan to run away together and start new lives together away from their parents. Only Creed doesn't show up when and where they were supposed to meet. Some other things happen that I don't want to ruin, but we get to the part where they are reunited 16 years later while assigned to partner on a job assigned by Knight (from the first book in the series, Knight). There are truths revealed, adjustments to be made, and lots of happy times to make up for...but the couple do all of that and get their HEAs.

POV: This was primarily in Sylvie POV, and Creed's POV for a few sections.

Overall Pace of Story: Good. KA books always run on the long side, but I never feel it. I always breeze right through. I did have some issues with the ending (before the epilogues) moving along too slow, but I didn't feel the need to skim. No instalove for sure, since they have known each other since Syvie was 6 and Creed was 11, but we do get them 16 years later when the feelings are already developed (but we do get flashbacks to give us the development of those feelings).

H rating: 4 stars. Creed. I liked his ability to put Syvie in her place, but at the same time wait patiently for her to get there. He was really sweet at times, and an overall good man.

h rating: 4 stars. Sylvie. I loved her bad_ss ways, she was extremely loyal, sweet when she needed to be, and I loved her relationship with Knight, and Charlene (and her kids) too.

Sadness level: Moderate. I did tear up a few times, as it covers some heavy themes.

Heat level: Moderate. Typical KA with a good bit of sexy times, but not so much that it takes away from the story.

Descriptive sex: Yes

Sex scene with OW or OM: No

Cheating: No

Possible Triggers: Rape - mentions of it, domestic abuse - both h and H grew up around it.

Closure: This had a complete HEA. It didn't have an epilogue per se, but it had many time jumps so we can see their happiness through different milestones and it was sweet.

Worth the $?: It was part of my scribed subscription, so yes! But at $3.99 on Amazon, I'd still say yes.

[❤️ Dorsey aka Wrath Lover Reviews ❤️ · Rating 5 out of 5]

* I never got around to writing a review for Creed after reading the book, so with the newly released audio book, I've decided to do an Audio Book Review.

5 "Beautiful Love" Stars!!!”

Sylvie Bissenette is a badass alpha female who carries a gun, talks trash and kicks ass. Sylvie works for Knight protecting the girls in his stable. She's also a PI who on occasion works with Hawk Delgado & Lee Nightingale. She keeps her life private and has only ever loved one man, Tucker Creed and she has loved him since she was 6 yrs old.

Sylvie met Tucker Creed when she was six years old, she would run into the woods with her constant companion (her dog Bootsie), she would run away from the ugliness at home. On one of her nighttime escapes she runs into eleven year old Tucker Creed whose home is just as ugly, they become friends and each others safe haven when Tucker tells Sylvie that they will take care of each other when the ugliness comes.

Later as they get older, They meet at the pier which becomes “their” special meeting place. It’s a safe place where they can do cannonballs, talk, swim, and eat frozen snickers bars. Eventually the fondness they have for one another turns into love and continues to grow with each year that passes. Until her 18th birthday when he vanishes....and it will be 16 years before she see's him again.

“Come back to me,” I begged, the tear slipping over my eye and gliding down my cheek.” - Sylvie (waiting for Tucker at their pier)

The amount of cruelness (Tucker) Creed & Sylvie suffered and what was taken from them in the most heinous way was devastating. The story of their past and the mystery that kept them apart is revealed throughout the book. Creed and Sylvie share what they’ve been through, some revealed during conversations, some through flashbacks, and some through Sylvie’s hellish nightmares.

There were a couple of things that bothered me, like the fact that Creed never checked up on Sylvie, it was later explained and made complete sense but I still found it hard to get past. Creed moved on with his life, he married, he created a family, and eventually divorced because he was never in love with anyone other than Sylvie. There is more to that story but you'll need to read about it and form your own opinions.

Knight has a pretty substantial role in Sylvie's life, his relationship with Sylvie was amazingly heartwarming, and I loved seeing what the two of them shared. We also get to meet Creed’s family and as always with KA, she brings them all together beautifully.




A Few Of My Favorite Quotes:

“We've been through a lot and you've earned a piece of my heart, babe. It’s all yours and always will be.”- Knight to Sylvie”

“Sylvie,” he called and I whirled and snapped, “What?” “Bottom of my soul,” he whispered across the room, eyes locked to mine. I sucked in breath through my nose before I whispered back, “Bottom of mine."- Knight to Sylvie””

“Born to love you, baby,” he repeated. “Die lovin’ you, my Sylvie””

“You love me?” he asked quietly. I dipped my face close and answered quietly, “On a cold night, a long time ago, you put your hands almost exactly where they are right now and, I might have been six years old, but I fell hard. So, yeah. For over twenty-seven years, every day, every minute, every second, I’ve loved you, Tucker Creed.”

Playlist:
http://youtu.be/A7tEx8bMBk0 - Remember When by Carrie Underwood
http://youtu.be/LgCWgfwlk0M - DreamWeaver by Gary Wright


* The audio book is just as great as the book. Creed is narrated by MacKenzie Cartwright who does a fantastic job!!


Originally Read: September 2012

[Mo · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's Kristen Ashley - need I say more?

[Auntee · Rating 4 out of 5]

Oh the angst! Oh the anguish! Oh the sex! (lol) This book had a lot of it all.

This one was a little different than the usual KA, because basically the plot was about longtime friends/lovers Sylvie (34) and Creed (39) finding their way back to each other after 16 painful years apart...and there really wasn't much else going on. A mildly suspenseful plot that had Sylvie and Creed both working together (they're both PI's) for Knight really just sort of fizzled and had some loose ends. While I did enjoy Creed immediately (c'mon, who wouldn't!), it took me a little time to fall for the adult Sylvie--her badassness took some getting used to at first. But I did eventually enjoy her and respect her.

Creed...



The book didn't flow so smoothly for me. And I hate to admit it, but half way through I found myself wondering "is anything going to happen in this book--they seem happy--now what?" It was hard to keep reading from the present day and then jumping back in time while KA eventually led you to read what happened to cause the breakup of their relationship. It was sad and horribly painful (those no good parents!) but I felt a little bit was missing. I wanted to read a little bit about what happened when Sylvie was sold off to that no good pimp/drug dealer, rather than being told what happened. I think that would've made even more of an impact. I wanted to read what Creed did when he finally escaped from Sylvie's rotten father. Did he ever try to look for her? Or did he believe that 'promise' he made? And why didn't he look for her years later, if he was so obsessed? Those questions kind of bugged me.

Sylvie and Creed...


I did enjoy seeing Knight(!) and Anya again, liked the relationship between Sylvie and her neighbor Charlene, and Sylvie's relationship with Creed and his kids (what a good dad!). And while I thought the sexual relationship between Sylvie and Creed was flamin' hot, dare I say that maybe there was a bit too much of a good thing? When I start thinking "maybe I'll skim over this" that isn't a good sign for me...

They were hot together...


But oh boy, that epilogue? Wow! I wanted a HEA for Creed and Sylvie, and man did KA give them one--and then some!:)

Not my absolute favorite from this author, but still a must read for her fans. And any potential new fans--this can be read as a stand alone. Enjoy! 4 stars

[Sabrina · Rating 5 out of 5]

Re-read 1/13/16
So many book on my tbr and here I am, re-reading more KA. It's madness!

Love Sylvie and Creed, reading this again made me realize I forgot how badass Sylvie was - one of my favorite kickass heroines ;)

[KatLynne · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Whatever our souls are made of, his and mine are the same.”…..Emily Bronte

Creed is the second installment in Kristen Ashley’s Unfinished Hero Series and a HUGE hit with me! I was enthralled as the story weaves back and forth in time, taking me from present day Colorado back into a small Kentucky town twenty eight years earlier. There I met six year old Sylvie and eleven year old Tucker Creed. Through the hardships of their childhood, a deep abiding friendship blossoms. Creed becomes her protector and as the years go by this special relationship develops into a beautiful and unwavering love.

They both agreed they had to leave this town to escape the monsters that also lived there. For Sylvie, one was called Dad and the other was referred to as stepmonster. Creed had one too, and her name was Mom.

So they plotted and planned, excited and looking forward to the day they could launch their future together. All packed, the meeting place and time arranged, the hope in their hearts is palpable. But, Sylvie’s Creed never shows. She's devastated and overcome with shock and grief. The Creed I had come to know would never leave his Sylvie waiting. She was his love, his heart, the very breath he needed to survive.

"Born to love you, baby," he repeated. "Die lovin' you, my Sylvie."

Tucker Creed aka Creed is much more than another badass, alpha hero. The manner in which the author reveals his layers had me falling for him slowly, bit-by-bit up until my total surrender.

The agony of living a life without Sylvie has left a man who merely exists. When circumstances once again change his life drastically, he steps up to the plate to do what is right. Even with the few rays of brightness that have been given back into his life, he’s still empty and loving only one woman.

We find Sylvie in Colorado doing work for Knight Sebring. She’s a kick-ass heroine and not the same young, innocent girl Creed knew sixteen years earlier. She takes no crap and is capable of taking care of herself in almost every way. Traumatized by betrayal and living a life of abuse, she’s wrapped herself deep in a protective shell. Shaped by life’s lessons, I understood her reasoning and fears. Her background of horror is overwhelming, leaving in its wake a determination I admired.

Kristen Ashley has once again given us a story that drew me in completely. I easily became submerged into the life of this couple. I felt their joy and hope as they made plans for a future together and then the despair and desolation when separated. The hardships they endured as children and the incredible pain they each suffered as adults brought me into their darkness. With everything shattered, we get to see how life has molded each of them. There's also beauty to be found in Creed’s determination to bring healing to Sylvie.

While there is a small plot surrounding Knight’s business, the focus is totally on Creed and Sylvie. Their love conquered the demons and we are given an emotional, heartbreaking yet triumphant love story. From early on you know they are “two halves of one whole.” And while painful to watch, it was such a beautiful thing seeing these two come back to each other. Creed’s Sylvie and Sylvie’s Creed...it couldn't be any other way.

The epilogue is right up there among her other greats and the small inclusion of Hawk made my day!

“In all the world, there is no heart for me like yours. In all the world, there is no love for you like mine.” ….Mia Angelo

[Michele ~ la Smoocherina · Rating 4 out of 5]

So as I started this book, I thought that I wasn't going to like it. I heard KA say that she almost called the book Sylvie and I get why. I loved that she was an ass kicker. I loved the parallel stories of Sylvie and Creed in childhood versus Sylvie and Creed present day. I loved the necklaces. I loved the epilogue, KA is a badass when it comes to epilogue-ing! The story built in a very unusual way for KA and it was a departure, but one that I loved!

Now- on to the sex. Could someone explain to me about the oiled up anal sex scene on the couch between Creed and Sylvie? Her knees on the back of the couch, her hands in the cushions. He asks her to spread wide. So is Kit writing that the couch is freestanding and not against a wall, I'm assuming? Is the couch back low? The geometry doesn't seem to add up. Sylvie is 5'2 and Creed a foot taller. Then, while in that position she was asked to rub her clit. This sounds like a health club boot camp to me. Pelvis and knees on the back of the couch, one hand on the cushions, holding your weight and one hand at your clit? That's some military drills, if you ask me! I read that scene like a cocker spaniel hearing a dog whistle. Seriously. . Anyone else feel that way?

I loved the book! Definate recommended read. :)

[Choko · Rating 3 out of 5]

*** 3.44 ***

A buddy read with the KA addicts at BB&B! Another week, another macho alpha... :)

"... “Some people get to live life. Some people survive it. We’re survivors. We can carve out our piece of happy, and, I swear to God, baby, right now, you got my vow, for you and for me, the rest of our lives, I’ll bust my ass to carve our piece of happy.”..."

And Sylvie and Creed are two tough survivors! The circumstances of their childhoods were as rough and hostile as they could get, so thank goodness 6 year old Sylvie and her fateful pup were able to meat the 11 year old Creed one evening close to a lake and a pier... He was her Knight is a shining armor then and he was who kept her sane through the years of her growing up, but he was not there to protect her once she became 18 and Sylvie felt betrayed... She did not see him for the next 16 years and by that point had found ways to become a tough, self-reliant, strong woman, who had developed some very unhealthy habits in order to deal with her past... And apart from the heart of gold she has reserved for the few in her circle of friends, Sylvie is low on virtues...

" ... “I may have mentioned patience wasn't one of my virtues. Actually, I didn't have many virtues but patience definitely wasn't one of them.”..."

Ever since he was ran out of town by Sylvie's father, Creed has tried to erase the memory of her from his mind and heart with no success what so ever. He created a life, love and lost since, but she was always the one his soul yearned for. The Sylvie with the smart mouth, habit of bossing and one night stands, a big attitude and a big gun, this Sylvie was not the one he remembered from their youth. But there are the moments when his Sylvie shone through, and he knew she had a hold of his heart just as back in those far away days... And he is willing to be patient and do anything he could possibly do in order to give them another chance.

" ... “I gave you up once. It killed me. it was figuratively but it still killed me. I’m not doin’ that shit again.”..."

Fireworks fly from the moment they meet again and Sylvie is determined to not care about Creed ever again. But this alpha male, gorgeous and gentle, is not giving up and maybe this is what will give her the peace she has craved for a long long time...

" ... “Just so you know, I speak English. You don’t have to macho-speak with shit like ‘you with me’ after you macho-speak with a bunch of bossing me around. I get you. I’m with you. Or if I’m not, I’ll tell you.”
“Noted,” he muttered but sounded like he was smiling.
I made the diplomatic decision not to look.”..."

Hahaha - I wish more of KA's heroins would say that to their pushy alphas!

Overall, it was a pleasant read, but apart from the story of their love, the plot was just so-so... She tends to set us up with drama and we get all prepared for big show-downs, than everything seems to get resolved as an afterthought and you are left a bit cheated by the resolutions... So, not much of a closer here... We got to see Knight and his woman, as well as some positive light on Nick Sebring... KA does follow-up on characters great, almost as great as she writes children!!! And as always, we got a long, very comprehensive Epilogue, which is usually where she gives us the most information and as such are my favorite parts of her books.

I wish you all happy reading and a beautiful Fall Weather!!!

[Mariann {at} Belle's Book Bag · Rating 5 out of 5]

Saying that I am a HUGE fan of Kristen Ashley does not even come close to the way I feel about her writing!! Every freaking book of hers has blown me away and left me wanting more!! Sure, there are Kristen Ashley stories that I like more than others, but that is based solely on the characters!! I am definitely addicted and I hope that I continue to be.
I think it is a true sign of how AWESOME a writer is when you can continue to reread their books and it is like reading them for the first time and this always happens for me with her books. Kristen Ashley has a way of writing her characters unlike anything I have ever read. Her strong, loving, arrogant, possessive, dirty~talking ALPHA males suck me(hehe!!)into the stories along with their usually kick~ass, sweet, loving, funny females on the way to their HEA. And I am so happy to say that Creed is no different.
OMG...Creed hit me with such an emotional punch that it had my heart aching through the journey between Sylvie and Creed's past and present. I LOVED Sylvie immediately and of course of I LOVED Knight but I was nervous about Creed. I should have known better, Kristen has a way of totally making you hate the hero and then has the ability to make you fall totally head-over-heels in love with him. And, for me, this continued with Creed. He definitely is one of my favorites heroes of hers. Just absolutely loved him!!! *sigh* The necklaces, the tat, his kid's names, and his dirty~talkin mouth. *sigh* Knight had some great moments and I just loved seeing him again!! And then there was Sylvie. Definitely my favorite heroine of hers. She was kick~ass but she was also sweet, caring, loving, and funny. Loved her!! Such tortured souls that I needed desperately to have their HEA together. Kristen just knocked me out with Sylvie and Creed and their story stayed with me long after I was finished.
I was on an emotional roller coaster with this book and I was worn out by the end!! But, oh, how I didn't want it to end!! I loved seeing Sylvie and Creed in the past, but I was biting my nails as Sylvie grew closer and closer to her 18th birthday!! BEST EPILOGUE EVER!!*sigh*
I can never get enough of Kristen Ashley's writing and I cannot wait for Raid's book next!! Thank you, Kristen, for another book that took me to a world that I didn't want to leave and can't wait to return to!! Creed absolutely has a place in my keeper pile, right next to Knight, to be reread. BEST OF THE BEST rating.

[XxTainaxX Curvy and Nerdy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Man, Sylvie hit me right in the feels. She is not your typical meek heroine and I totally love her for it. The woman is tough as nails hiding a vulnerability that few get to see due to some really jacked up things happening to her after Creed was forced from her life. Creed didn't have it all rosy either but at least he got two of something very special. It was great to see how they built each other back up. How they got to the root and moved forward. At times it was painful. Others beautiful. I really enjoyed this adventure with them.

[Rachael*Caribbean*girl*bibliophile · Rating 2 out of 5]

Spoilers ahead 2.5*


In all honesty I've avoided this book for years because I was afraid that Sylvie's past would be too much for me. Having completed yet another reread of Knight I decided to finally read this one.


Sylvie works part time on her own jobs and part-time with Knight dealing with his girls. As the girls are being attacked by customers Knight brings in an outsider because there's evidence of a leak in his organization. Sylvie is tasked with working with the new guy and her new partner takes her completely off guard

Tucker Creed has been newly hired by Knight and was stunned to realize that Knight's badass female employee was none other than his Sylvie. Though it kills him to do it he spends a month following her and getting the lay of the land. When they finally come face to face bitterness and hurt turn into rage on Sylvie's part and though they try to work together things eventually come to a heartbreaking head.


Whew ummmmm

1)Sylvie and Creed met really young as both their home lives were crap. Over the years they developed a very close friend ship even though Sylvie was 5 years younger. Crreed eventually starts to date and have girlfriends but when Sylvie starts dating a bragging asshole he asks her not too. He soon realizes that he's attracted to Sylvie and she wants him too. They decide to wait until her 18th birthday to be together physically and to leave their old lives behind
* Couldn't he have realized he wanted her before he started fucking around? Of course she was a virgin

2) Sylvie's supposedly Rich Dad owes money to a drug dealer and trades Sylvie to the man. Creed is taken captive, beaten and tortured and forced to watch the gang rape of a girl similar to Sylvie in order to force Creed to leave town and Sylvie and never return. Eventually Creed agrees to stay away from Sylvie in exchange for her dad's promise that she'd be happy supposedly with another guy more suited to her
*Why would he take her father's word knowing he was scum?
*Why didn't he leave, build up a group of badasses and go back and take out the father and the bad guys? I mean he can break into a house without even Sylvie knowing but he preferred to fuck around with OW then marry the one he knocked up but in all that time he couldn't spy on her to make sure she got her promised hea. Sylvie was basically raped for 6 years by the man who bought her. She eventually killed him and made a new life for herself

3) Why does being a female badass means cursing, drinking and in Sylvie's case smoking like one of the guys? She said shit shit fuck or fuck fuck fuck so many times it was 700 miles past annoying

4) Sylvie does some pushing away until the story is revealed and then it's pages and pages of the two of them and horrible sexy times while they worked on the case

5) What Sylvie endured was horrific and we are thankfully spared major details . What Creed went through is tough as well but honestly I expected to be gutted by this story instead I was just.......bored


6) Creed's ex had trapped him into marriage with a pregnancy but she realized that he was in love with OW but she loved him. Eventually she files for divorce but she's still in love with him even though she married another guy so his custody arrangements are easily sorted

7) I did not like the way Creed's ex was referred to by his daughter. Kara blamed her mother for Creed leaving but even his children knew who Sylvie was because he'd had her name tattooed so how could the mom be blamed for divorcing her husband who admitted to being in love with someone else?

8) We see Creed and Sylvie build their relationship, she relocates to be with him and they are trying for a baby. The bad guys finally get their Justice and we get a couple of sweet epilogues

All in all this one didn't really work for me in the way I expected it too but I don't regret reading it

****
Virgin h ( in the teen years which we experienced through flashbacks)
A while after she escaped from her abuser she had quite a few men
The OW is around but doesn't cause drama because she loves Creed still
I don't remember a STD discussion
H dated as a teen, got together with h and was forced to give her up, he turned into a manwhore got trapped by
his ex with a baby and then reunited with the h
Ass play and lots of boring sex

[Robin (Bridge Four) · Rating 3 out of 5]

reread with my girls at Buddies Books and Baubles

2nd Read October 2016

Still about a 3.5 star rating. Sophie and Creeds lost years and love story still resonate with me and I was glad to see a heroine suffering in a real way from PTSD and her sexual abuse. Not all girls just shut their legs and let no one in. Some go far in the other direction and use sex as a weapon almost. Great look into how people cope with trauma differently.

1st read Sept 2014:

Sleep? Who needs sleep? I started this thinking I’d just get a few chapters in and then go to bed but that never seems to be the case with KA books. There is something about the characters that draws me in and I just can’t let it go until I’m done.

This series isn’t for everyone for a number of reasons. The heroes are more anti-heroes teetering on the line between good and bad. Their jobs and tactics might be a bit questionable. There is also something a little guttural or less polished about the words they use, almost caveman like grunting at times. And still I love them, although I’m not sure why. Then there is sex, sex and more sex a lot more than in Knight. I’m not complaining, because it was hot, just warning.

Sylvia was a bad ass at work and I was hoping that was going to translate over into her emotional life as well but with Creed she turns into an absolute softy. It is hard to reconcile the two ways she behaves into one person at times for me.

I really like the switch back and forth between when they were kids leading up to when everything went wrong and their present lives. I wanted it all to work out, I needed to know what happened that separated them for 16 years. The reconnection of Creed to Sylvie was warm, tender and moving.

Other things I enjoyed were seeing Anya and Knight again with their kids as well as a few other characters from the first book. I did like Knight a little bit better but just because it streamlined really well and this might have jumped around too much.

If you like KA books then this one will probably be another win for you are well.

[Sheryl C. Nash · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you are turned off by swearing, PLEASE DO NOT READ THE FOLLOWING REVIEW!

I LOVED IT!! I FUCKIN' LOVED IT!!!! My God, Creed, you are THE MAN, you hear me? A FUCKIN' AWESOME BADASS MOTHERFUCKIN' MAN!!!! I LOVE YOU!!!

God, what you and Sylvie had to go through... just made me break down and cry, yes cry! Oh Creed, you are such a beautiful soul, i just wanna cuddle up next to you right now and hug you and of course fuck you and never let you go!!! And Sylvie, girl, i did not like you at the start, fair enough i knew you had some bad shit happen, but i still did not like you... and then you let Creed in and man-oh-man, you became the sweet thing you were and then, BOOM, i feel in love with you too!

Kudos Kristen, you are a MASTER STORYTELLER!! You deserve ALL the accolades and praise that has been heaped on you and all that is to come. This was a love story through and through. A heart-wrenching, stomach-turning, sigh-worthy love story filled with such beautiful, emotional words from Creed... so there you go, Creed NOW ranks RIGHT UP THERE with Tack for me.

*SIGH* IMO, this story was A GAZILLION times better than Knight!!!

Now, i say BRING ON RAID!!!!!!

[Wminbc · Rating 5 out of 5]

As a qualifier...I have NEVER re-read this story. I still, even now nearly 4 years later, hate Creed. I hate what he did to Sylvie even more now than I did in 2012. I have not forgiven him and I don't believe I ever will...I have re-read Knight numerous times, and Sweet Dreams going on 12 times...but this one...never.

Love and devotion…what do those two words really mean. Throughout the story characters ask, "Do you know what love is?" Time and time again there are examples of love. Love is patient, love is kind, love does not boast or gloat, love need not be two sided, love is never jealous, love is always healing…

Devotion, like love, is wonderfully examplified within this story. Knight with Sylvie, Sylvie with the girls, Rhas with Pip, Live with Knight…on and on…but (and READ a HUGE BUT here) just because you tattoo someone's name on your body does not mean you are devoted to them. The symbolism of it being on the back all the more points to the secure knowledge that the person named on your back…Has your back, but does not speak to whether or not you have their back!

This was my critique with Creed. I went from being pissed off at him, to furious wishing to cause bodily harm, to utterly and completely disappointed in him. Not to give any spoilers, but the reader needs to decide for themselves how much they could take…and my cudos to Sylvie, because she could take a lot more than I ever could. But, then…she truly loved Creed.

Creed, I still firmly do not believe that he loves Sylvie the same way she loves him. If he truly did, he would never, could never have married another woman and given her babies. His selfishness after said babies arrived were all man being man (so no point on dwelling on the kids). But seriously, if he truly loved Sylvie, he would have become a player, messed around, maybe even spend more than one night with a few of them…but he never would have married some one other than his "it". That off my chest, I do believe that Creed believes he loves Sylvie. And, Sylvie believes it now. And, he will be thinking and dreaming of Sylvie while he is with her, so all good.

The story was a GREAT story…don't get me wrong. I loved Sylvie and the story and the weave that Ms Ashley wove…I just really hated Creed for most of the story. I was really disappointed that he didn't go back to salt his own wounded heart and get photos or proof that Sylvie was happier without him. That would have shown his love…selfless, giving, generous love would have done that and would have discovered the wasteland that was Sylvie's life. Personally, I would rather be alone than ever settle. I would never give my body or my heart away to someone unless I truly believed they were it. Maybe that is my issue. "For You" had me just as passionate. The reason is the same. Once you have had perfection, a place where your soul knows peace...how could you ever even want to be happy again? Yes, Sylvie forgave him...doesn't mean I have to...Loved the book and loved feeling all those jumbles for Sylvie and for Creed.

It is only a great book that can evoke that kind of passion and devotion from the reader! I love Sylvie, I've got her back and if she needs me as a dula or lacation consultant, I am there babe! Love the Epilogue (of course)...but also, I would want to drive too...that irked me too! LOL

Reviewed (passionately) by Me

[Jo · Rating 3 out of 5]

23/09/2016 Buddy read with the KA addicts over at BB&B

When Sylvie Bissenette was six and and Tucker Creed was eleven they realised they had something in common, both of them come from broken homes. For eleven years the bond they had blossomed and grew into something so powerful, it was their saving grace, and they were determined to escape their awful homes as soon as Sylvie was old enough. But when the day came, Creed disappeared and Sylvie was forced to live a nightmare.

Now it’s sixteen years later, and the Sylvie Creed knew is gone, entombed behind a shell so hard, no one can break through. But nothing will stop Creed from getting back Sylvie, his Sylvie that he thought was lost to him forever.

Tucker Creed. My first love, my protector, my savior.
My betrayer.

I really liked Sylvie. After what happened to her, she decided to protect women who were in the same position as she had been, and I respect the hell out of her for that. She’s tough and loyal, and so protective of the few people she cares about.

“I’m not what you want, Sylvie, I get that because it’s the same for you as it is for me. I’m not what you want ‘cause I’m what you need.”

I did like Creed and how much he loved Sylvie. He was also a great dad to his kids.

“Born to love you, baby,” he repeated. “Die lovin’ you, my Sylvie.”

I have to be honest, I didn’t expect to like the romance. Second-chance romances rarely work for me, but in this book the reason why they were apart was heartbreaking. Because of evil men and a love that would do anything to protect, Sylvie and Creed spent sixteen years apart, surviving and not really living. Their past was sad but also beautiful. I liked how KA slowly revealed it to us, how much they loved each other and how much it broke them to lose it. I did not like the fact that he gave his kids the names Sylvie chose for their kids. I know it was supposed to be romantic, and he had his reasons for doing that, but that just wasn’t okay with me. And the fact that minutes after she found out about this she had sex with him was just all kinds of wrong. The sexy times were very hot and I did love that these two finally got the future they planned so many years ago.

“Got a lot to be thankful for,” he told his window, his words confusing me. “A good woman, beautiful daughter, work I believe in, money, men around me I trust.” He turned back to me. “Still, you left, that hole will not be filled. Not ever.”

My favorite part of this book was Knight, he was fantastic! I liked him in his book, but here I LOVED him!!

I’m not a fan of second chance romances. It’s very rare that I will love one. And although I didn’t love this book, I did still enjoy it. But I am tired of second-chance romances where the hero married someone else during the separation from the heroine, had kids, got divorced while the heroine just survives. And I really wished this one had been different. Still, this is KA and I love her books. No other author makes me feel so many emotions while reading a book, and I love that. A must read for all Kristen Ashley (KA) fans.