The Day He Kissed Her

Bad Boys of Crystal Lake #3

by Juliana Stone

He can’t wait to leave…

Mac Draper finally has everything he’s always wanted: An amazing career. A New York City apartment. He’s this close to being free of his past forever. But a mind-blowing encounter with the sexy yet tough-as-nails Lily St. Clare has him delaying his plans to put Crystal Lake in his rearview mirror for good.

She’s finally found a place to stay…

For Lily St. Clare the charming small town of Crystal Lake is her haven – a place she can hide from her famous, back-stabbing family. It’s as close to happy as she’s ever been. Until an unforgettable night with tall, dark and tortured Mac Draper gives her a glimpse of what true happiness feels like.

Lily can’t help but melt a little under the sizzling heat of Mac’s touch. But Mac’s scars run deep, and Lily’s afraid she may be falling for the one man who can never return her feelings...

Genres: Contemporary Romance, Romance, Contemporary, Chick Lit, Ebooks, Adult, Abuse

304 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published April 1, 2014

About the author

Juliana Stone is also known as J.A. Stone.

USA Today bestselling author and 2015 RITA® winner JULIANA STONE fell in love with books in the fifth grade when her teacher introduced her to Tom Sawyer. A tomboy at heart, she splits her time between baseball, books, and music. When she’s not singing with her band, she’s thrilled to be writing young adult as well as adult contemporary romance—books that have garnered starred reviews from Publishers Weekly & Booklist—from somewhere in the wilds of Canada.

Reviews

[♡Karlyn P♡ · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 - 4 'Angsty, Steamy, & Damaged Souls Need Healing' Stars

What a roller coaster ride of emotions! Whew. At times I wasn't sure I was going to like this book, and then I wasn't sure I could put it down. Up and down it went, all the way til the end. Loving it, hating it, loving it, hating it, and finally just really liking it.

This story aims for the heart, and will have you wondering if either of these two really can get passed all of the baggage life gave them. I felt so bad for them, and mad at them, and sad, and well... a whole bunch of emotions.

Both of these two are damaged souls, messed up from their crazy families and neither is good with making emotional ties with other people. They have seen too much, experienced too much, and have been burned too much.

Mac grew up in Crystal Lake with an asshole father that beat the shit out of anything that pissed him off; him, his mother, brother, sister...etc. He got the hell out of there and hates coming back. Now living in NYC as a successful business man, he makes a short visit to his old homestead of Crystal Lake to visit old friends. Surprisingly, he runs into a woman he had a hot one-night stand with back in Boston last New Years Eve. Lily turns out to be friends of Jake and Raine, but he had no idea how to find her.

This is Mac, as he is always shirtless


Lily is now living in Crystal Lake, and like Mac she had a horribly messed up family life. Her brother was killed in the same combat fight that killed Jesse, Jake's brother (from book 2). She is bold and speaks her mind, but emotionally she is stand-offish and reserved.

Lily


Since neither of them are looking for a romantic, long-term relationship, a hot no-strings-attached summer affair seems like the perfect solution. What they didn't bargain for was that their deep connection and desire for each other would work like a soothing balm on their broken souls, and soon their no-strings-attached relationship gets quite complicated. Now they find themselves asking if they want more out of the relationship, and more importantly can they handle more?

I'll be honest, while the story pulled me in I didn't like Mac and Lily until nearly halfway through the book. By the end I really got them and understood both their pain and love, but their initial attitude toward each other was abrasive. It made sense given that these two are trying to avoid anything emotional between each other, and it emphasized how this relationship was meant to be just a physical one, but some of the scenes between them pissed me off. I found myself mad at Mac and Lily often during the first half or so of the story.

Where these two really worked was on the physical level. OMG, the steamy passion between these two really heated up as it was instant and hot. It was this desire that made me realize early on that what they had between each other was something deep and special, if only they would open their eyes to it and quit acting the fool.

Overall, this ended up being a really good read, albeit a bit frustrating in parts with Mac's temper and Lily's passive attitude towards him. I haven't read the first two books in this series, but I thought it worked well as a stand-alone.

ARC provided by Netgalley.com

[Jonetta · Rating 4 out of 5]

Quick Summary
Lily St. Clare had a one-night-stand with a gorgeous but anonymous man she met in a cab as she was leaving a pub on New Years Eve. Now, six months later she's facing that man who turns out to be her good friend's best friend, Mac Draper, after he returned home for the first time since that night.

So, what's the conflict?
Neither Lily or Mac want to be in ANY relationship, with good reasons. Mac's sort of a man whore and Lily is terrified by how attracted she is to this man. He's ready for the chase because...he's Mac. She's not playing hard to get...it's real for her. But, their coming together is just inevitable.

Then, what about the romance?
I LOVED their romance. It was honest, real and sizzling while both tried to convince themselves they weren't getting deeply involved with each other. Mac's family history is still his present and he's afraid it will haunt his future so why commit. Lily's family background is equally dysfunctional, just different issues. In spite of all of this, they created something pretty special.

Anything else?
This story put a spotlight on domestic violence and it was chilling, adding to the frankness and honesty of this story. It was sometimes hard to digest and it provided insight on the residual effect of it on all of those involved, including friends and neighbors.

Bottom line
The last book ended with Mac and Lily's one-night-stand so I was really anticipating their story. There were no disappointments here as I enjoyed all aspects of this story, most especially how well crafted Mac and Lily were as characters and their wonderful relationship. I don't know if this is the last book in the series (I really hope not) but I really want to see more of these characters and those around them. I loved the story and Mac and Lily. It was worthy of them both.

(I received an ARC from NetGalley)

[Holly · Rating 4 out of 5]

From the moment I started this series I was intrigued by Mac Draper and what his story would be. While it was a tad predictable it was still incredibly enjoyable!!

Mac Draper has exactly the life he wants. A carefree bachelor living the good life in New York City, any woman he wants with no commitment. The successful man that no longer resembles that abused little boy from a horribly dysfunctional family in a small town in Michigan. But that is all about to change!

In the previous story we met Lily St. Clare, who comes from an equally dysfunctional, albeit very wealthy family. She exploded on the scene in Crystal Lake as Jake Edwards friend who had lost her brother in the same war as the boys lost Jesse Edwards. They bonded instantly but just as friends. Now at the end of Jake's story Mac and Lily shared a cab on New Years Eve and likely a lot more but that was left as assumption. Knowing that neither of these two are looking for anything but a good night we find out at the beginning of this story that a wonderful one night stand was had by Lily & Mac and apparently Lily split before Mac even woke the next morning.

Only problem here is Lily is now living in Crystal Lake and guess who came home for a visit? You got it! Let the fun begin!

Mac decides to spend the summer in Crystal Lake helping Jake on a project he has going and figures he and Lily, who he affectionately refers to as 'Boston' can enjoy each other while he's there. Problem is of course that they fall in love!

This was a fun, sexy read with some real emotion thrown in to make some parts rather angsty! Overall a great story and great addition to the series!

[Karla · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 Stars!! Best in the series!

I love this series and with each book it's gotten better, and The Day He Kissed Her was an absorbing read…the pages flew by. It tugged at all my emotions, took me on a whirlwind ride that left me completely satisfied. Mac and Lily were the perfect pairing, emotional baggage and all. While there was angst, particularly when a life changing dilemma presents itself, it was dealt with in a way that the reader felt the character's stress and uncertainty over the situation, but wasn’t wallowing in fabricated drama. I thought it was handled well, fit the circumstances, and gave Mac and Lily the push they needed, even though it was unexpected. The author didn't drag it out for chapters on end, which this reader appreciated. The ending was pure bliss!

I'm hooked on this series and the Bad Boys of Crystal Lake, I love them all, and I hope that it will continue. Even though the "bad boys" each have a story, there are other characters that I would love to read about, and it would also give readers a chance to re-visit the boys again!

*A copy of the book was provided by Sourcebooks Casablanca via NetGalley*

[Jess · Rating 5 out of 5]

Review posted: Happily Ever After - Reads
Blog rating: A

“You need to get over it. When you see me, you need to leave the baggage behind. We all have scars. We all have regrets. But there’s a time and a place, and it sure as hell isn’t in the bedroom.”

(…)

“Think about it, Mac. I don’t want to be a punching bag for all your emotional shit. I’ve got too much of my own to deal with, but if you can get past all that stuff, well…”

She [Lily] pushed the door open and disappeared.

A few seconds later, his brain registered her parting shot.

“It’s gonna be one hell of a summer.”

Mac stared after her, his pulse quickening at the thought. It certainly was.

Mac Draper is spending the summer in Crystal Lake to help his best friend Jake get a new housing development up off the ground. Crystal Lake is a place of horrible memories for Mac. He grew up in a home with an abusive father, a mother who was so beaten down and weak, she kept choosing her abusive husband over and over again instead of stepping up and making some tough decisions that would not only help her but more importantly, protect her kids. As a result, Mac’s relationship with his father is volatile, it’s frustrating with his mother and basically non-existent with his other siblings save for his younger sister who runs back to Crystal lake with her son and away from her own abusive relationship. Mac has been angry for so long, never really dealing with the pain his childhood was filled with and the only thing he knows for certain is that he will break the cycle of abusive males in his family and not put a wife and child through that by never getting married or having kids. The only people he’s let himself get close to are his best friends Jake and Cain but still Mac constantly deals with the anger inside himself. He’s just so hardened and every negative emotion seems to come out of him at one point or another. Whether it’s being frustrated and angry at his mother and now sister for not cutting all ties with the men who beat them or with his nephew, a boy he doesn’t even know, or with Lily for daring to love him, Mac goes through the emotional wringer and it’s been a long time coming.

Lily St. Clare didn’t have her own shiny, sunshine and rainbows upbringing either. She has a screw up for a sister and for so long, Lily’s mastered the art of putting on a smooth, indifferent mask and just going through the motions. The one person who understood her and loved her completely, her brother, is dead and while her best friend Jake has been a rock in her life, it’s Mac who she’s been thinking about ever since their hot one night stand months ago. A night where they didn’t exchange names but came together out of need and the desire to be connected to someone, if only for one night. Now that Mac is back in Crystal Lake for the foreseeable future, he wants to reconnect with Lily soon and often and they start a physical (only) relationship since their chemistry can’t be ignored. It, of course, turns into so much more than either one of them expected and especially for Mac, it ends up being life changing when the very things he swore he’d never, ever want become the things he can’t imagine living without.

Whew. Ok, where to start with this one. I think I felt every emotion possible during this book. It’s a balance of a sweet, sexy, hot romance countered with the pain, hurt and anger that Mac has to work through in order to start to fully live his life. All aspects of this story worked for me. The romance between Lily and Mac – loved it. I loved how sexy they were together but what especially stood out was how Lily just got Mac. She knew the turmoil he was feeling and how the things in his family life and in his past were impacting what he was able to give her in their relationship and yet she stood by him. She didn’t create additional relationship angst by adding to what was already a very heavy story. She loves Mac, she supported him and she ultimately had to step aside while he figured things out.

My heart went out to Mac. For as much as I loved his scenes with Lily, the heart of this story was Mac and the pain and anger he feels all the time toward his father, and to a lesser extent his mother. His childhood was horrible, no other way to describe it and it’s shaped him into the man he is today. But after he meets and starts falling in love with Lily, the man he had been content with being doesn’t feel right anymore but he’s ultimately scared; scared to make a change, scared to hope, and scared that he’d fail Lily. There’s nothing about this man that I didn’t like. He’s sexy as hell but broken and seeing him want to put the pieces back together if it means a future with Lily was a journey that I was fully invested in and loved every page along the way.

This is by far my favorite story in this series. It’s the darkest book of the three, but it felt like it hit on a little bit of everything. From a sexy romance between two leading characters that I loved equally and a powerful and painful story for Mac who has to deal with his past, come to terms with some issues and find hope in moving forward. I loved it all, start to finish.

[Gloria—aka—Tiger]

DNF at 9%

Clichés and overblown reactions.

[Blodeuedd Finland · Rating 3 out of 5]

Mac and Lily gets their story here, and the last one of the Bad Boys are caught.

Mac has demons a plenty. He grew up in a abusive household and thinks he will end up like his dad.

Lily grew up rich in a well known family. Her sister screwed her over, her brother died.

So two people with issues who think they can just start a fling and walk away. But you can't walk away when you start falling in love.

Mac did say something effed up that made me mad. But I forgave him cos those demons in his head like messed with him.

A romance that builds and a passion that stays.

[Gokce G · Rating 4 out of 5]

Alright. I didn't even have the time to mark this book as 'currently reading', which should say a thing or two about it. It's no secret that I loved Juliana Stone's Bad Boys of Crystal Lake . Ever since the first book, I've read these guys getting over their problems and finding love, and with each book my excitement grew more and more. Naturally, when I realized Mac's story was within reach, I grabbed for it and inhaled it real quick.

I already said this before, but the biggest thing I like about this series is the kind of problems the heroes are facing. I still call myself a newbie when it comes to contemporary romances, and the ones I've read so far, as enjoyable as they were, didn't exactly deal with the kind of real life struggles these heroes had to face. Don't get me wrong, every book has its own unique story and beauty, but I love a challenge when it comes to romance, something more than just jealous exes or spiteful could've beens. So when I come across a story that takes its hero and/or its heroine and puts them through some rough patches, it becomes extra special and exciting for me. This story, along with its predecessors, did exactly that.

Violence is never an easy issue. Domestic violence is even more difficult and delicate issue, one I wish didn't even exist to discuss here or anywhere else. The sad truth is that it exists. And it's more often that not gone unnoticed. It ices the blood in my veins and makes my hands shake with anger. By the time we start reading this book, we already know what Mac's been through in his house when he was young. What he still has to struggle with. Violence has been part of his life for so long that he truly believes the saying, 'apple doesn't fall far from its tree'. That is, of course, not the case here, and we know Mac is a good person and he'd rather die than hurt the people he loves. But for a person who's been though what he's been through, I think it takes a while to get there. I've realized that while reading his story. There were times I was mad at Mac because the anger inside him hadn't found an outlet, and so he reflected it towards people who didn't deserve it, but once I put myself in his place and tried to look at things from his perspective, it all made sense. And that's the whole point of a plot and character point of view, right? Step by step, I followed Mac's journey from bitterness to acceptance and finally letting go, and I loved every bit of it. I thought I had a problem with this book because I usually like my stories to have closure in every way, but I guess it's part of the reality-that I look for in stories- that for some things in life, there's no closure, just letting go and moving on. I knew I already loved Mac, and I ended up loving his story just as much.

For every little affirmative tick I put on Mac's side, I put one for Lilly St. Clare. She actually managed to surprise me in her own story. When I first met her, she was cold and distanced-though she had her reasons for that- but the Lilly St. Clare I met in this book was a warm, sensual woman, who was strong yet fragile, tough yet tender. It is why we gotta wait for their own books, the are so many more layers to peel off the characters. The only little detail I wished was different abut Lilly's storyline was her relationship with her sister and father. We're given bits of their problems but never really get back to them to see how they ended up.

When you have personalities such as Mac and Lilly, you expect a romance that's beautiful, because who better to fall in love than two broken souls? My expectations were met. Not only was their romance sweet, their chemistry was sizzling. I guess they didn't call these guys 'Bad Boys' for nothing.

As sad as I am to leave these guys and Crystal Lake, I'm glad to have finally read them all. They've been through a lot, but they each got what they deserved, a happy ending.

[Simply Love Book Reviews]

Rhayne‘s review posted on Guilty Pleasures Book Reviews

4 STARS

Review copy provided for an honest review


Finally book three in The Bad Boys of Crystal Lake series is here and I get to revisit one of my favorite fictional towns. I missed Crystal Lake and I have missed reading about these characters that will forever have a soft spot reserved in my heart.

We had a pretty solid introduction to Mac and Lilly in book two. It set up the stage nicely for what was guaranteed to be an emotional yet sexy as hell story. I was not disappointed! This book allows readers to experience so many different emotions it’s definitely not a light easy love story.

After reading the synopsis for this book I thought we were going to get a cookie cutter romance about someone feeling not worthy of having love and never getting involved in a relationship because their past demons were somehow going to worm their way in and poison anything good they find. You know the typical books where they don’t do relationships, there is no future, it’s strictly physical for pleasure.. Well there is all of that, but so much more. Let me be the first to say I was very wrong about it being like others I have read.

Mac is a survivor. I think that word is fitting for him, because it’s all he is doing right now. He is just living to survive. There is no happy, no love, no real emotion. The only thing outside of his career he cares about is his lifelong friends back in Crystal Lake. He lived in a very abusive home growing up and his anger, rage and hate have consumed him. Readers get a very up-close and personal look into the very dark depths of hell Mac had to experience. It’s left him scarred very deeply.

Lil has her own family battles she is constantly fighting. She tries to put and keep distance between them, but they always seem to find a way to find her and pull her back into their shit storms. She has no experience of love and family going together and long ago accepted that neither would ever be in the cards for her.

Once Mac comes back to Crystal Lake for the summer to help Jake on a building project it’s only a matter of time before he and Lily connect. They have so much chemistry together it’s like they are being pulled together by magnets. With both of them on the same page as far as relationships go, it’s the perfect opportunity to enjoy each other’s company and bodies while he is here for the summer. No commitments, no feelings, no strings….just simple sizzling sex.

As you can guess, that plan quickly falls to pieces and feelings get involved. She has a way to make Mac think of things he never felt worthy of having. In return, Mac is the only man who has peeled back all her protective layers and lets her lose all control. They just get to a place where they can both accept their “only pleasure, no commitment” deal is going to be trashed, when the horrors from Mac’s past creep back into his life and he is forced to deal with them head on. I don’t really want to get into a lot of detail here, because it’s very emotional and very personal and needs to be read as the story develops for the reader to experience the raw emotion.

Ms. Stone always does a superb job placing her readers right inside the story and giving them a front row seat to experience all the feelings her characters feel. This was a very emotional, and at times dark book, but the love story and the battle these two learn to fight together is beautiful. It’s a story about overcoming a past you couldn’t control and learning to fight for the love you deserve.

[Paranormal Kiss · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Day He Kissed Her is the third book in the Bad Boys of Crystal Lake series but can easily be read as a stand-alone novel. I haven’t read the first two books in the series and I had no problems following along. I liked this book, the flow is smooth and the story drew me in. I had a hard time liking the hero though. He was a decent character through much of the book but he was a jerk at times with some anger and alcohol issues. If you have a need to drown yourself in alcohol when times get tough then it’s definitely an issue. He had moments of being charming and sexy as well as moments of being distant and selfish. I wasn’t really sure why Lily fell in love with him. In fact I didn’t feel an emotion connection with either of the main characters. There was plenty of chemistry but I wanted to see what it was they saw in each other that made them fall in love. Ultimately, I thought it was good but it’s not a book I would read again.

[Jackie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Book Info
Kindle Edition, 320 pages
Expected publication: April 1st 2014 by Sourcebooks Casablanca
original title The Day He Kissed Her
ASIN B00HFDVMWU
edition language English
series Bad Boys of Crystal Lake #3
other editions (1)
Source:Netgalley EARC

Book Buy Links
Amazon
B&N

BOOK SYNOPSIS

He can't wait to leave...

Mac Draper finally has everything he's always wanted: An amazing career. A New York City apartment. He's this close to being free of his past forever. But a mind-blowing encounter with the sexy yet tough-as-nails Lily St. Clare has him delaying his plans to put Crystal Lake in his rearview mirror for good.

She's finally found a place to stay...

For Lily St. Clare the charming small town of Crystal Lake is her haven - a place she can hide from her famous, back-stabbing family. It's as close to happy as she's ever been. Until an unforgettable night with tall, dark and tortured Mac Draper gives her a glimpse of what true happiness feels like.

Lily can't help but melt a little under the sizzling heat of Mac's touch. But Mac's scars run deep, and Lily's afraid she may be falling for the one man who can never return her feelings.

My Thoughts

The latest book in the Bad Boys of Crystal Lake series is the story that fans have been waiting for. Mackenzie (Mac) Draper is the bad boy of the group whose tale we have wanted to know the particulars of since the New Years night when he and Lily St. Clare hooked up for a night neither one has forgotten since.

Having grown up with an abusive alcoholic for a father and a mother who chose her husband’s welfare over that of her five children Mac left Crystal Lake to make a life for himself in New York. Now in his mid thirties he has become successful with all the trappings that he thought would fulfill him, however the echoes of the past that he cannot erase still torment him and keep him from committing to anyone.

Lily St. Clare has found her place within the small town of Crystal Lake, growing up in a family of wealth and privilege was never all it seemed on the outside and the peace she has found in her life now means putting her past firmly behind her for good.

This story centers on Mac and Lily as it unfolds we find out that the cycle of abuse has touched Mac’s nephew when his younger sister Becca brings him home with her for refuge with their mother.

The emotions that gripped me while reading went from one extreme to the other before finishing this book, it took a lot of deep breaths during certain scenes as reading about abuse of any kind is hard but that involving an innocent child really rouses my protective instincts to the forefront. Luckily for fans of the series no matter how dark the subject matter it is handled with respect and sensitivity without becoming too overwhelming and when things work out for the characters the relief they feel is shared.

This is a story of two people whose initial attraction to one another is off the charts and leads to both of them finding a friend as well as a lover to heat up the sheets. What I find especially compelling about all of the books in this series is the fact that no matter how much events in the past still shape decisions that the characters make they manage to find a way to resolve old insecurities and move forward. This is most true about Mac, his biggest worry that he would turn out like his father is what has hindered him from allowing himself to fall in love. Lily is the woman who finally manages to break down his walls and you will so enjoy the journey the two take to their final HEA! Just have the tissue box handy as you will need them.

[EArc from Netgalley in exchange for honest review]

[Nikki · Rating 5 out of 5]

Being back in Crystal Lake isn’t where Mac wanted to spend his summer. He’d much rather be in New York and not where all his most painful memories of growing up are. At his best friends urging he decides to stay and help with the planning of an upcoming new development on the lake. But with his mothers continuing aiding of his abusive father and his sister showing up with a shiner all her own, Mac knows that it’s going to be a difficult few months. The only thing he’s looking forward to is the fact that his holiday one night stand is also in town and she’s looking better than ever

All Lily wants is to belong. To have a home that isn’t marred by her own pathetic family. Her friendship with Jake has her sticking around Crystal Lake and laying down some much needed roots. She wasn’t expecting Mac to show up there again so soon, let alone stay for a few months. She can’t deny their attraction and things are certainly heating up between them again. Lily knows he isn’t really what she needs with his fear of commitment and many family issues but that doesn’t mean her body is listening to her mind.

Juliana Stone writes books I want to live in. Seriously, her writing tears me to pieces each and every time. It’s not truly a Juliana Stone book until I’m crying. The Day He Kissed Her was no different. It’s emotional, it’s real and it’s just honestly a fantastic book in the romance genre.

Mas has intrigued me since book one. He hits the bottle a bit to hard but his loyalty to his friends is forever unwavering. When he meets Lily at the end of book two readers got zero closure because it happens on literally the last page. So I was eager to read this one and find out (past the obvious) where these two were headed. Mac has some serious baggage from his upbringing in an abusive household. He’s justifiably skittish about relationships that delve any deeper than a sexual connection because of his fear of turning into his father. Lily seems different to him though, for whatever reason Mac is willing to give her the entire summer, as long as she agrees that’s it.

Lily thinks she can handle a no strings attached summer fling but as the summer drones on she realizes that she most certainly can not. Her feelings for Mac are evolving and she finds herself starting to fall for the man with so many issues. Lily never thought she wanted someone for keeps but Mac is making her change her mind. The problem is that he won’t let her in any further. He is convinced his fathers bad blood flows freely through his veins and that given the opportunity, he’ll become just like him.

With a story line focusing on abuse and those that never seem to be able to escape it I knew this would be an emotional ride and Stone delivered. She approaches the subject with grace, finesse and conviction. Mac’s childhood was paved with bruises and black eyes and the man he’s become still fights the demons of his past. Lily had her own version of a bad family life and together these two people are trying to achieve more than they grew up with. Together they find themselves both yearning for things they never thought they deserved. Mac and Lily are simply sigh worthy together. I highly recommend this, and anything else you can get your hands on from Stone. She’s a sure thing. This is one for the keeper shelf.

I give The Day He Kissed Her by Juliana Stone 5 stars!

[Kathy · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars.

The Day He Kissed Her is the third installment of the Juliana Stone's captivating Bad Boys of Crystal Lake series. In this outing, the last of the bad boys finds love and in the process, he finally makes peace with his turbulent and dysfunctional past.

There is absolutely nothing that can bring Mac Draper back to Crystal Lake for more than a fleeting visit. Or so he thinks until a scorching one night stand with Lily St. Clare. Months after their anonymous New Year's Eve hook up, Mac and Lily are reunited but with Mac's feet firmly planted in New York and Lily entrenched in Crystal Lake, is there any future for this emotionally damaged couple?

Lily and Mac are both carrying some heavy emotional baggage but Mac is, by far, the one with the most serious issues. Mac left Crystal Lake and his troubled childhood behind years earlier but the scars from his past certainly influence his present. He has a successful career and although he shies away long term commitments, he has a very active social life. Mac is confused (and dismayed) by his all consuming desire for Lily, who is NOTHING like the women he usually dates.

Lily's family is wealthy but that has not shielded her from the pain of loss and betrayal. With the her friend Jake's help, she has finally recovered from the death of her brother and she has distanced herself from her troubled family. Lily loves the tranquility she has found in Crystal Lake and in fact, she is on the verge of making her stay permanent when she unexpectedly runs into Mac.

Mac is almost relentless in his pursuit of Lily and while she is determined to resist him, their attraction is too powerful to ignore. They agree to a no strings summer fling and they are soon involved in a blistering hot and delectably steamy love affair. It does not take long for their relationship to become quite messy with emotions that neither one expected but it is Mac's unanticipated encounter with his past that threatens their future.

The Day He Kissed Her is an emotional and passionate novel that is fast-paced and compelling. Mac and Lily are vibrant and richly developed protagonists with believable flaws and imperfections. Juliana Stone does not gloss over Mac's demons and the resolution of his part of the storyline is realistic. Another enchanting installment in the Bad Boys of Crystal Lake series that old and new fans are sure to love.

[Kristin · Rating 5 out of 5]

In the town of Crystal Lake, there were four young boys. This is Mackenzie Draper's story, oone of those Bad Boys of Crystal Lake.

He came home for the funeral of one of his best friends. He came back because his reamining friends decided to make their homes here. He thought he'd left his hometown behind, along with his past and his pain. He'd done okay for himself. He has a well paying job, luxuries and a constant parade of women in his bed. One evening he has a one night stand with a beautiful girl with a Boston accent. She's gone in the morning and he's left bewildered.

Lily St. Claire is an heiress of sorts. Her family is wealthy and well known, kinda of like the Hiltons. She's moved to Crystal Lake to be near her best friend, Jake. She's enjoying her new life and the town suits her. It's different but in a good way. Her only regeret is her ill-timed one night stand with her best friend's best friend. She hasn't forgotten him but knows it was a huge mistake.

They see each other at a family get together and Mac pursues her almost relentlessly. They agree to a exclusive but no strings attached relationship. Clear as mud? They both have their demons and baggage to deal with concerning their upbringings. Neglect and abuse are nothing new to them.

I love this series. I really, really do. You think you're getting a series like Jill Shavis' Lucky Harbor or a Susan Mallery's Fool's Gold or even a Toni Blake's Destiny series but it's more than that. Don't get me wrong, I love those other series too but there's more emotion in this one. It tugs at your heart strings. I haven't read one yet that hasn't brought tears to my eyes. Juliana Stone is a master at her craft and I am a devoted fan and reader.

[Kelly at · Rating 4 out of 5]

Review will be posted at www.books-n-kisses.com .

NUMBER OF HEARTS: 4 1/4
REVIEW:
You know what they say about the bigger they are the harder they fall? Well things technically fall at the same rate of speed, but the bigger you are the bigger mess you are going to make when you hit. Poor poor Mackenzie is big and has build up so many walls that it is going to be a long scary way down for him. And boy does he make a mess of everything.

Lily never thought she was the forever type. But the moment she sees Mac again that thought goes right out the window. Oh, she fights it. But fate is a fickle bit.... well let’s just say that what Fate wants Fate gets.

I loved this book. I loved Mac & Lily. I loved that they both are so darn stubborn and almost ruin everything. I will say that I did cheer for Mac a little when he let his dad have it, although I think that his dad deserved more! If you have read any of the other Bad Boys of Crystal Lake you will know that Mac is the last of the three boys to get his story and it was well worth the wait.

I can’t wait to see what might be next :)

Disclaimer:
I received a complimentary copy of the book from NetGalley & SourceBooks Casablanca in exchange for an honest review. This review is my own opinion and not a paid review.

[♡ Sassy ~ Amy ♡ · Rating 3 out of 5]

Mac is a product of a highly dysfunctional family. Hid dad was a wife beater & his mom took it. She still clung to his dad & made excuses for him, even while he was in jail. Mac, not wanting to follow in his footsteps has never had a "real" girlfriend. He went away and became a rich businessman...

Lily is from a dysfunctional family too. her family is just too wacked. She has a crazy bitch sister & hides from the rest of her family in Crystal Lake to get away from their shadow... She still suffers from the loss of her brother, whom she was very close. She avoids Mac, who she had a one night stand without knowing he was connected to her friends, but he decides he's going to chase her...

I could go on and on with the synopsis, but... it's the whole book. Both Lily and Mac are trying to deal with their personal issues while also having a relationship. Near the end, it's pretty easy for Mac to walk away when he gets blindsided & pissed, but obviously it will all work out.

This was an ok book. It wasn't good or bad for me. I was entertained, but not really my kind of book with not much happening besides the romance & having to deal with crazy, stupid, complacent family members. It can be realistic...

[Kimberly · Rating 4 out of 5]

Review featured on www.books-n-kisses.com

The funny this is that I requested all the books from this series and each time I held off starting it even though I don’t know why. I read all the books around it until I give up and start the book and with the other two books once I started I couldn’t stop reading it and this book was the same. Why I don’t start it right away I have no idea.

This book was a bit rough in some parts. Mac is so haunted by the horrible childhood he had that his anger is quick and strong but when he is sweet he is just so sweet that you can’t help but fall for him. He is so cute when he is with Lily. Lily is strong and while dealing with her own stuff she is the type of woman you want to be friends with.

I do wish we had learned a little more about her past since we were told a number of times how she had a hard (albeit different from Mac) childhood but we didn’t get to hear too much about it. I hope this is not the last we see if Crystal Lake even though the Bad Boys are all settled down.

Disclaimer:
I received a complimentary copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

[Mariel Hoss · Rating 4 out of 5]

***ARC from NetGalley in Exchange for an honest review***

Two broken people finding comfort with each other for one night…until they meet again. This would have been a formulaic romance had it not been for the protagonists’ bitter pasts that refuses to stay in the past. Their everyday, day-to-day lives are still very much colored by the experiences that they have gone through and now are hindering their futures. Both Lily and Mac were written with layers and layers of emotion, anxiety, fear and steel. The supporting cast were very much alive and an integral part of the story arc. Steamy, tender, sad.

[Blender · Rating 5 out of 5]

There is soooo much story in this book! Mac and Lily did NOT disappoint. Both were damaged goods so to speak but they were so hungry for love, affection, belonging, that it broke my heart. So many issues to deal with but they got there in the end and it was beautiful to see. This is a must read of 2014!

[Michelle the Romance Witch · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.75 solid stars... full review to come

[Ginette · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this read. Liked the characters & I thought the author did a great job on their development & on the story line. I haven't read the other books, but now I think I will.

[Kame · Rating 5 out of 5]

4 1/2 stars

Review to come - but a great summer read for the beach (where I read it!)

[Ellen · Rating 3 out of 5]

One star off for the weird baby emphasis at the end.

[Sophia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Summer on the lake visiting with old friends while grilling and listening to the radio. Does that bring back fond memories for you? It does me which is why I enjoy coming back each time for the latest book in the Bad Boys of Crystal Lake series. Okay, so that's not the only reason. I come back for those dream-worthy bad boys and the women who are perfect for them though its always a heartwrenching struggle for each pair to achieve their chance at happiness.

This is the third- and I think- final installment- in the series with Mac and Lily's story. Mac was introduced in the first book as one of the Crystal Lake Bad Boys and he has been there all along. Lily acted the femme fatale part in the second book and now has her own story. Yep, this one must be read in order. The characters, story lines and background wind through each story. I love how there are still little ongoing storylines about the other characters so I can keep up with them. That being said, this story is very much all about Mac and Lily.

Each book centers around a holiday time and this one opens when Mac returns home for the Memorial Day weekend. He has a lot on his mind and decisions to make. All his life, he has had to hide the darkness that is his family shame even to a certain extent from his closest friends. As a kid and teen, his only respite from the abuse was to sneak out and sleep on the floor at the Edward boys or hang out with Cain Black, Jesse and Jake Edwards or go mindlessly from girl to girl. Now, even though he loves coming back and visiting friends, he is deciding whether he wants to wrap things up for good and never come back like the rest of his siblings who ran as fast and far as they could. His sadistic dad is still in county lock up for his last violent spree and he plans to take this time to fix things up around the old family home and take care of his mom. He feels ambivalent to her because he wants to love her, but can't quite forgive her for passively allowing the abuse against herself and worse, against all her kids by doing nothing. Even now, she has no plans to get shut of her husband when he gets out.

Macs plans get all snarled up like fishing line when a few things happen. First, Jake wants him to go into a business partnership to put in a housing development on the other side of the lake that will revitalize the area and has everyone's full approval. Then he bumps into his New Year's Eve one night stand at the Edwards family Memorial Day BBQ and boy does Lily St. Claire make him have thoughts of doing what he's never done before. He wants more of Lily even as she skittishly tries to run away and play like she's uninterested.

"How do you know that I've not forgotten everything about you except the fact that you're incredibly arrogant and full of yourself?"
Mackenzie set his beer down on the countertop and rolled his shoulders before glancing at her. "When I look into your eyes, I see New Year's Eve. I see every moment of that night, and you remember every bit of it as much as I do."
Damn, there went her heart again, p. 78 Mac and Lily from The Day He Kissed Her

As for Lily, she was the perfect and calmly collected ice queen in Jake's book, but now just one glimpse of Mac Draper and she books it out of the family party like Carl Lewis running for the gold. Her hormones go wild like a teenager and she doesn't know what end is up. The loss of emotional control and sense freaks her out. Lily is always in control- has had to be as a defense in dealing with her wealthy and prominent family. She needs to avoid Mac at all costs, but now she is living in Crystal Lake which is a small town and her best friend is also one of Mac's bestfriends. Avoidance is off the table. So she'll just have to maintain the upper hand with this nameless thing he wants to get going. Neither of them do the relationship and romance stuff so this should be fine, right?

"Good, do you want to get started?"
Hell, yes.
Lily nodded and moved aside. "After you, Mac."
Now if she'd been thinking clearly, the grin on her face would have faded immediately, and she would have run away as far and fast as she could. Because Lily St. Claire was not in control.
She was so far from control that she wouldn't know what control was if it bit her in the ass.
As it was, Lily pointed Mac toward the fridge and headed outside, toward the deck and the grill. She missed the wicked smile on his face and the way he eyed her up, as if she was the tasty bit of meat he'd be having for dinner.
Lily St. Claire should have treaded lightly...
Because from the looks of it, Mackenzie Draper was hungry. p.80 Lily and Mac from The Day He Kissed Her

But then just when he gets things started with Lily, he is confronted by more family drama from a direction he wasn't expecting. His sister Becca is back with her son Liam and man does the apple not fall far from the tree. Becca is battered and bruised and in serious denial about her husband just like her mother. Mac looks at the quiet, surly, scared and confused Liam and only sees himself at that age. All the old issues come barreling to the surface and Mac's emotions are building up for an explosion. The past is there and it won't stay pushed down where he hides it.

Mac and Lily both must come to terms with their pasts and with each other. The thing they have together grows bigger than they were expecting or know how to contain. Will Lily take a chance on something permanent that puts her heart on the line? Can Mac overcome his past and see that he is not his dad and he deserves a chance at happiness?

Just like the books before, the only easy thing about this story is the scenery. Slow pace, small town Crystal Lake with its characters and tradition are a huge draw to the book. The romantic plot line is very much character driven. The attraction is there from the get go and the heated encounters and sassy teasing (tormenting) dialogue, but the relationship stuff is a harder and slower process.

As to the characters, I'll start with Lily. I didn't really connect with Lily. She is alright and I didn't hate her and I definitely was fine with her getting her chance at romance. I guess I didn't get how her family hang-ups translated into not being interested in a relationship of her own. Yeah, sure, her parents and sister were messed up, but she has been surrounded by Cain and Maggie and Jake and Raine along with Jake's parents- ample evidence that relationships work. So yeah, didn't really see the barrier there. To give her credit, she was the first one to figure out that she wanted Mac and was willing to take him on his terms.
That leads to Mac. I knew going into this one that Mac had a warped opinion of things and I knew why. Not only did his dad verbally and physically abuse him and his family, but he did something even more crushing. He left poor Mac believing that this dark abusive bent was hereditary because the grandfather was that way too. Or, to be fair, the dad didn't necessarily teach him this, but it was the lesson Mac took from it. Mac fights the darker tendencies, but he does have anger issues and is right on the edge of tumbling into alcoholism. Truthfully, he could have probably used counseling even though that was never on the table. He almost does that self-fulfilling prophesy thing because he is so messed up. Anger at his dad and mom, frustration with his mom and sister, drinking to forget, and accidentally hurting people when he lashes out in anger, then the fear and remorse that it all happened. Yeah, I felt pretty bad for him, but I wanted to boot him when he had to really consider helping his sister and nephew because he was so caught up in chasing tail. Now, I get it. Pursuing an affair with Lily or having to confront the family trouble he likes to hide from? No brainer on the preference, but he made it clear to both of them at first that his help was reluctant making them feel worse than their situation already did. He hit a real low toward the end of the book and said some pretty hateful things that left me near tears for poor Lily. And there it was...the heartbreaking scene I have come to expect from Ms. Stone. But fortunately, his friends ride in for the last minute rescue. I tell you, these books are not for those who like easy. Each of these bad boys really have a flaw that makes the title earned.

All in all, it was good and I liked it to a certain extent, but it doesn't surpass the first book- Cain's story as my favorite. Those who enjoy Contemporary Romance in a small town setting that is heavy on the drama and passion might want to try these.

My thanks to Sourcebooks Casablanca for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for my honest review thoughts.

[Anne - Books of My Heart · Rating 4 out of 5]

Enjoyed this. Review on Yummy Men & Kick Ass Chicks:

http://yummymenandkickasschicks.com/?...

Julie: The Day He Kissed Her is the third and final book in Juliana Stone’s Bad Boys of Crystal Lake trilogy.

Anne: I love this series with its bad boys, high level emotional issues, and hot sex. With this being Mac’s book, I knew there would be horribly bad history. I just didn’t expect it to be in the present in the ways it was.

Julie: I always found it odd these men were labelled ‘bad boys’. I suppose they could be thought of as bad boys in the small town they are from but it’s not like they set churches on fire or anything of the sort. They were basically trouble makers in their youth and they have all found their way back to the town they grew up in and the label still stuck…even though there is nothing ‘bad’ about them now. All of these men have issues to deal with but none were as weighted as Mac’s.
Mac comes from an abusive household. Dad beat Mom and then turned his fists to his children. On top of that, he feels his mother chose his father over her children since she never tried to take them away from the abuse she knew was happening. Thanks to this, Mac feels he does not deserve a HEA. But really, it just makes him worthy of one all the more. He is a heavy and truly messed up character but Juliana writes him wonderfully. But even with that, I don’t think I have ever read a contemporary romance hero who I have wanted to strangle and shake so much, yet find so amazingly sexy at the same time.
But I completely agree with you where I didn’t expect Mac to still have new issues to deal with and that he was not dealing only with issues from his childhood.

Anne: So it is clear why Mac is not a “relationship” kind of guy. He starts as the alpha man whore as many hot guys do. I mean half the romance books start like this, with a guy who has never actually had a relationship.
I have to say I was rolling my eyes when Lily stays over and he just leaves her after talking to his sister. Seriously, he couldn’t just check in with her briefly or leave her a note or something? I realize he had a lot on his mind but common courtesy would have been nice.

Lily was amazing. For all the difficulties she had with her family, she handled it well. She also was patient and caring with Mac. She really pulled herself together quickly, no matter what life threw at her. Luckily, she also had the support of her good friend, Jake.

Julie: I also had some issues with how Mac treated Lily. His behavior is justified considering what he has been through but still, I think he could have gone once or twice without being such a douche.

Lily really impressed me. She has not had the easiest life either – nothing comparing to Mac but unnecessary drama nonetheless – yet she has done a better job keeping a more positive outlook on things. She too thinks she is not able to do a ‘real’ relationship but she is more open to things once Mac comes into the picture. I liked how she was not whiny or bitchy and I liked how she understood Mac but didn’t just roll over and let him treat her badly. And their chemistry! Holy cow, it was amazing! I think Mac and Lily have the most intense chemistry of all the couples in this series.

Anne: His connection with Lily was great, and that is what it took for him to grow personally. Their feelings for each other, the intensity of their need to be together, forced each of them to grow personally. Lily did a better job of it and more on her own than Mac, but her present and history were not as personally devastating as Mac’s life.
I also loved her strength and willingness to do what Mac needed and make the relationship work. Mac, as all alpha males, took longer to get it but once he did, he started making better choices.
And yes, wow they are hot! I loved it and how unabashed Mac is about it. I’d adore it but also be so embarrassed.

Julie: I’m glad Mac finally comes around and I do like him when he does. The author doesn’t make him sprout rainbows. He’s had a tough life and this ‘relationship stuff’ is always going to be a challenge for him and that is how Juliana writes it. She kept Mac real the whole way through and I feel that is important.

Anne: I really loved this series and hate to think this is the last one. I want to know what happens to them, and to Becca, for example. I enjoyed seeing all the other characters from previous books and their parts in the story. Cain and Jake were both pretty hilarious. Jake was there to support Lily and Mac at various times. We saw more of Mac’s family. I loved the baseball coaching too. These characters, even in small roles, seemed very real to me.

Julie: That is a talent I find Juliana definitely holds with this series – the ability to make these characters very real. And, like you say, it’s in the details. The coaching and the support of friends and family.

There are two scenes I absolutely love in this book and both involve the words “I call bullshit.” Jake has always been a good friend for Mac but in this book, at this time, he is exactly what Mac needs. And Jake’s mom! She really does not play a big role in this series but she definitely helped things along in this book.

Anne: Jake’s parents are more of parents to Mac than his own are. I don’t like Mac’s parents very much. I won’t say his mom is stupid, but she is weak. If some guy hit me, I’d hit back or be out the door in one second flat. It’s one thing to compromise for someone you love; it’s another to sacrifice your health or safety or that of your children.

Julie: I was very surprised by Mac’s mom’s attitude towards his dad and the things he did. Maybe that is a more realistic approach to it and maybe my vision of having Mom hit Dad upside the head with a baseball bat is not. I guess while reading I was assuming there would be more closure where the whole ‘Mac’s mom and dad’ plot is concerned but there really wasn’t. I am still undecided on whether I’m disappointed that there wasn’t much of a conclusion there or if my expectation was unrealistic all along and that Juliana actually wrote the story like it happens most often in real life.

Anne: The parents aren’t the focus of the story, only a side plot. This is Mac’s story. I really enjoyed him even with his issues and am happy he was able to live his own life.

Julie: I think I felt by having mom and dad subplot put to a satisfying rest, then Mac could move on more easily. But by not doing that, Juliana made that Mac had to grow and move on on his own, which ended up building his character. I still wish Mom hit Dad with a bat though ;)

Overall, I was pleased with The Day He Kissed Her, even though it is quite a bit heavier than I usually like my contemporary romances to be. The reason I got hooked to this series is the characters. Juliana managed to write such depth and realism into them that it was hard not to get invested. Cain, Jake and Mac are all wonderful heroes deserving of their HEAs and the heroines are strong, likeable characters who are deserving of our incredible men. Fans of this genre who appreciate emotionally captivating stories really need to check this trilogy out.

4.5 stars for me

Anne: I also recommend this series if you like emotionally based, character driven stories (with HOT sex). I’d like to have more.

4.5 stars

Giggle worthy quote:

“Oh God. Don’t you guys ever get sick of sucking face?” he said, his face all screwed up. “It’s all you ever do.”

Books in the Bad Boys of Crystal Lake series –
The Summer He Came Home
The Christmas He Loved Her
The Day He Kissed Her

[Julie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Posted at Yummy Men & Kick Ass Chicks

Julie: The Day He Kissed Her is the third and final book in Juliana Stone’s Bad Boys of Crystal Lake trilogy.

Anne: I love this series with its bad boys, high level emotional issues, and hot sex. With this being Mac’s book, I knew there would be horribly bad history. I just didn’t expect it to be in the present in the ways it was.

Julie: I always found it odd these men were labelled ‘bad boys’. I suppose they could be thought of as bad boys in the small town they are from but it’s not like they set churches on fire or anything of the sort. They were basically trouble makers in their youth and they have all found their way back to the town they grew up in and the label still stuck…even though there is nothing ‘bad’ about them now. All of these men have issues to deal with but none were as weighted as Mac’s.

Mac comes from an abusive household. Dad beat Mom and then turned his fists to his children. On top of that, he feels his mother chose his father over her children since she never tried to take them away from the abuse she knew was happening. Thanks to this, Mac feels he does not deserve a HEA. But really, it just makes him worthy of one all the more. He is a heavy and truly messed up character but Juliana writes him wonderfully. But even with that, I don’t think I have ever read a contemporary romance hero who I have wanted to strangle and shake so much, yet find so amazingly sexy at the same time.

But I completely agree with you where I didn’t expect Mac to still have new issues to deal with and that he was not dealing only with issues from his childhood.

Anne: So it is clear why Mac is not a “relationship” kind of guy. He starts as the alpha man whore as many hot guys do. I mean half the romance books start like this, with a guy who has never actually had a relationship.

I have to say I was rolling my eyes when Lily stays over and he just leaves her after talking to his sister. Seriously, he couldn’t just check in with her briefly or leave her a note or something? I realize he had a lot on his mind but common courtesy would have been nice.

Lily was amazing. For all the difficulties she had with her family, she handled it well. She also was patient and caring with Mac. She really pulled herself together quickly, no matter what life threw at her. Luckily, she also had the support of her good friend, Jake.

Julie: I also had some issues with how Mac treated Lily. His behavior is justified considering what he has been through but still, I think he could have gone once or twice without being such a douche.

Lily really impressed me. She has not had the easiest life either – nothing comparing to Mac but unnecessary drama nonetheless – yet she has done a better job keeping a more positive outlook on things. She too thinks she is not able to do a ‘real’ relationship but she is more open to things once Mac comes into the picture. I liked how she was not whiny or bitchy and I liked how she understood Mac but didn’t just roll over and let him treat her badly. And their chemistry! Holy cow, it was amazing! I think Mac and Lily have the most intense chemistry of all the couples in this series.

Anne: His connection with Lily was great, and that is what it took for him to grow personally. Their feelings for each other, the intensity of their need to be together, forced each of them to grow personally. Lily did a better job of it and more on her own than Mac, but her present and history were not as personally devastating as Mac’s life.

I also loved her strength and willingness to do what Mac needed and make the relationship work. Mac, as all alpha males, took longer to get it but once he did, he started making better choices.

And yes, wow they are hot! I loved it and how unabashed Mac is about it. I’d adore it but also be so embarrassed.

Julie: I’m glad Mac finally comes around and I do like him when he does. The author doesn’t make him sprout rainbows. He’s had a tough life and this ‘relationship stuff’ is always going to be a challenge for him and that is how Juliana writes it. She kept Mac real the whole way through and I feel that is important.

Anne: I really loved this series and hate to think this is the last one. I want to know what happens to them, and to Becca, for example. I enjoyed seeing all the other characters from previous books and their parts in the story. Cain and Jake were both pretty hilarious. Jake was there to support Lily and Mac at various times. We saw more of Mac’s family. I loved the baseball coaching too. These characters, even in small roles, seemed very real to me.

Julie: That is a talent I find Juliana definitely holds with this series – the ability to make these characters very real. And, like you say, it’s in the details. The coaching and the support of friends and family.

There are two scenes I absolutely love in this book and both involve the words “I call bullshit.” Jake has always been a good friend for Mac but in this book, at this time, he is exactly what Mac needs. And Jake’s mom! She really does not play a big role in this series but she definitely helped things along in this book.

Anne: Jake’s parents are more of parents to Mac than his own are. I don’t like Mac’s parents very much. I won’t say his mom is stupid, but she is weak. If some guy hit me, I’d hit back or be out the door in one second flat. It’s one thing to compromise for someone you love; it’s another to sacrifice your health or safety or that of your children.

Julie: I was very surprised by Mac’s mom’s attitude towards his dad and the things he did. Maybe that is a more realistic approach to it and maybe my vision of having Mom hit Dad upside the head with a baseball bat is not. I guess while reading I was assuming there would be more closure where the whole ‘Mac’s mom and dad’ plot is concerned but there really wasn’t. I am still undecided on whether I’m disappointed that there wasn’t much of a conclusion there or if my expectation was unrealistic all along and that Juliana actually wrote the story like it happens most often in real life.

Anne: The parents aren’t the focus of the story, only a side plot. This is Mac’s story. I really enjoyed him even with his issues and am happy he was able to live his own life.

Julie: I think I felt by having mom and dad subplot put to a satisfying rest, then Mac could move on more easily. But by not doing that, Juliana made that Mac had to grow and move on on his own, which ended up building his character. I still wish Mom hit Dad with a bat though ;)

Overall, I was pleased with The Day He Kissed Her, even though it is quite a bit heavier than I usually like my contemporary romances to be. The reason I got hooked to this series is the characters. Juliana managed to write such depth and realism into them that it was hard not to get invested. Cain, Jake and Mac are all wonderful heroes deserving of their HEAs and the heroines are strong, likeable characters who are deserving of our incredible men. Fans of this genre who appreciate emotionally captivating stories really need to check this trilogy out.

4.5 stars for me

Anne: I also recommend this series if you like emotionally based, character driven stories (with HOT sex). I’d like to have more.

4.5 stars

[Sandra Lockhart · Rating 4 out of 5]

So in my diversion, I have read two books in two days and have opened the third book in the series, The Day He Kissed Her. We know that Mackenzie Draper has serious issues with his father Ben. Ben is an abusive man who not only hurts his wife but his children, too. His abusiveness has gotten worse as the years go by and he has served jail time for his actions. As this book begins, Ben is in jail for theft at his previous job. Mac's mother continues to love her husband even though he is abusive to her and her last two children.

Lily is left in Crystal Lake after the night with Mackenzie and neither one know who the other one is. Memorial Day comes and Mac comes home to spend time with his mother and his friends. Lily tries to get away at the barbecue and not face her mysterious lover in front of his friends. The rest of this novel deals with Lily and Mac and his family. During the early part of the summer his sister and her son come in the middle of the night. She is badly beaten and her arm is in a sling. She has chosen an abusive man just like her father. Mac tries to deal with this and he decides to take the job working with Jake and he will stay the summer at Crystal Lake.

Mac and Lily are an item and they can not keep away from each other. Mac has told her he will not be serious with anyone and Lily has always been a loner. This summer has brought them together and all new problems arise.

I read all these books in three days and enjoyed them all even though they were 'cookie cutter' romances. The author has weaved the stories together in an interesting way, and the characters are compelling and sexy. The reader is rooting for happiness for all the couples and their families. Crystal Lake seems like a community that has supported the development of these characters throughout their lives. Only if more communities and groups of people were this supportive!

[Alene · Rating 5 out of 5]

I admit I didn't initially expect much from this book based on the cover and the title, but I was very pleasantly surprised. It was well written and had an engaging story line. The theme of growing up in a dysfunctional and physically abusive household resonated with me, since that was an environment I grew up in as well. The author's portrayal of the psychological and emotional effects of abuse on the main character were so accurate, I actually at times felt some post traumatic stress while reading this. I completely related to his struggles. Childhood abuse can and often does destroy a person's ability to function psychologically and emotionally as a healthy adult. 5 stars for an excellent job of incorporating this painful subject into this story!

[BookWorm · Rating 2 out of 5]

I found some aspects of this story to be problematic. Mac has some issues from a troubled childhood (family violence) and he would have benefited from some therapy. Instead it's on Lily to fix him. I also got sick of seeing 'pussy' used as an insult. A lot of the issues in this book connect back to toxic masculinity. I struggle to tolerate this type of thing in what's meant to be entertainment. It was also a little 'not like other women' in regard to the heroine. For example Mac thinks about all the women he's previously slept with who wore too much perfume but apparently natural old Lily smells delightful.

The writing style itself was ok.

[Tori · Rating 4 out of 5]

Originally posted at http://smexybooks.com/2014/04/review-...

Favorite Quote: “What? You think only guys can say that word? Cock?.”

Mac Draper, one of the Crystal Lake Bad Boys, has come a long way from his dark abusive past. A wealthy New York architect, he has almost shed the last of of his childhood ties to a town and family that let him down. When he comes home to visit his best friends who have decided to make Crystal Lake their permanent homes, he is shocked to find his hot steamy one night stand from New Years is not only there but plans on staying indefinitely. Mac decides to stay a little longer; hoping to slack his hunger for Lily enough to leave the town and her with no regrets.

Lily St. Clare fell in love with Crystal lake when she visited before to help her friend, Jake Edwards, deal with the death of his brother and the attraction he felt for his brother’s widow. When life gets to be too much for her, she retreats back to Crystal Lake, looking for the peace and tranquility that always seems to evade her. Seeing Mac shocks and excites her. Their one night together gave her a glimpse at true happiness but she knows that Mac’s emotional scars run deep as deep as her own.

When the sexual tension between them gets to be too much, they both agree to indulge themselves in a no strings affair for the small time Mac will be in town. When their feelings for one another threaten to take over and circumstances demand some tough decisions…Lily fears she has fallen for a man who can’t and won’t return her feelings.

The Day He Kissed Her is the third book in Juliana Stone’s emotionally heartfelt Bad Boys of Crystal Lakes series. Built around four best friends, each book addresses the emotional issues that push their way to the forefront when one in their group dies. An emotional love story about two severely damaged people who meet and discover the missing pieces to their soul. A visually impacting romance that focuses heavily on the protagonists and their journey towards love, forgiveness, and redemption. Heart wrenching emotional dialogue and lush sensual scenes paint a vivid picture that stays with you long after the end.

This story deals with some heavy subject matter. Mac’s childhood was filled with emotional, mental, and physical pain from an abusive father. It was not pretty and it’s made even uglier when he comes home to Crystal Lake and begins to see the patterns repeating themselves. Mac’s childhood shaped the emotionally battered and stymied man we see before us. Fearing that his father’s demons will eventually show up in him, he refuses to allow anyone, besides his two best friends, beyond the wall he has built around himself.

Lily St. Claire has too suffered abuse by her neglectful family. Like Mac, Lily carries heavy childhood baggage that has shaped her into a cool unemotional woman. She refuses to allow anyone to hurt her again which only serves to shore up her already almost unbreakable reserve. Neither Mac nor Lily seem to have the necessary means to form strong emotional ties with other people yet from the first moment they met, their souls call to one another. Though the push and pull of their relationship is abrasive and somewhat cruel in it’s evolution, the incredible physical scenes give readers hope that they may be able to let down their guards and allow each other into their hearts.

“Boston,” he said, his voice low and intimate. “I wanted to talk because we weren’t finished.”
He let that settle.
“We were far from finished.”

Multiple sub plots bring depth and a sense of continuation to the story. This is as far from a simple romance as you can get. We met Mac’s family and learn of the cycle of abuse and how it often repeats itself. Mac’s anger and pain is a physical force that permeates the story. He tries so hard to bury everything while struggling to understand what is happening with various family members and his relationship with Lily. He doesn’t want to feel. And when those emotions are dragged out of him, he reacts as a wounded animal might-striking out at those trying to help him.

The chemistry between them sparks hot and bright from the first moment they meet and only continues to flame brighter and brighter as their no strings affair deepens into something far more poignant and dangerous. Though not an erotic romance, Stone writes some incredibly sensual love scenes that she uses to explore our hero and heroine’s physical and emotional hearts. We are able to see past their public facades and into their very souls.

Watching Mac fight his attraction for Lilly is heartbreaking, especially when you realize the reasons he is doing it. He truly feels deep inside that he isn’t any good for her. His past has left him cold and unable to completely trust anyone and he honestly believes he carries a taint that he cannot bear to see touch Lilly. Fear soon overrides his common sense and we watch as our couple begins to disintegrate as Mac is unable to stop the loathing that resides within him. It is at this point that we see the steel that exists in Lilly.

She thought of the ugliness and pain, and she knew in that moment that Mackenzie Draper was never going to change.
Not for himself.
Not for her.


As per most romances, Mac and Lilly have to run a pretty rough gauntlet in order to overcome the emotional obstacles that block their path to their happily ever after.

RATING: B+