This story is about a woman who wants revenge but instead happens upon an altogether different game!
I was engaged from the first line, because it was a statement that warranted explaining.
'Getting sexually accosted in Starbucks wasn't on my to-do list'
We meet Stella; she is initially portrayed as a ball buster, which she is also referred to on more than one occasion by her best friend. We soon get to see that first impressions aren't always accurate and she has not only a softer side but a humorous side too.
I loved the relationship she had with her friend Ronnie; she was hilarious, although there is obviously much more to 'Ronnie's story'.
From almost he beginning I could feel the fire between Stella and Gabe, it's hot, but it's also a push and pull situation, both of them fighting for control, in spite of Gabe being Stella's boss. However it works fantastically.
Gabe and Stella are incredibly entertaining and I find myself falling in lust with them both. Stella is a different kind of heroine and I like it, usually you get either the broken heroine or the superwoman, she is just the right balance, in the middle, making her 'real'. The same can be said about Gabe, just the right amount of Alpha with a dash of vulnerability.
The twists and turn's the author manages to include in the book is incredible, she's able to have so much going on without making you feel like any individual scene has not been given 100% of her time to make it 'just so'.
Every time I get to the next part of the book I know I'm going to be entranced. Every part is even better than the last, if you can believe it, because the characters are developing and so is the story.
As the story developed I fell in love with Gabe and Stella as they were falling in love with each other.
'I look at this complex man and my head reels as I realise I'm completely lost, I can't hold myself back any longer, my guard is down and it's like the chains that bind me have fallen away. He just moves me, I'm lost in him.'
The story is heating up too, bringing a new dislike of Arnie (Gabe's Dad) and fresh news and twists and turns are ever-present which only adds to the book.
Let's also not forget about all that is sexy and off the scale hot about the sex scenes. Put it this way if it doesn't get your juices going, then pinch yourself...because you're dead!
I still love the side characters, they certainly keep things interesting whether you love them or hate them and I still feel some would be great as lead characters in spin off books!
In the final stages we see the answers to all of our questions appear. We learn the full extent of Arnie’s sickness. We see Gabe and Stella’s relationship follow through even more up’s and down’s and secrets come to light that weren’t expected. Some parts of this book are really quite dark, but they need to be, it gives it depth and the storyline conviction.
In case I've not been clear, let me say that this book has sex. Lots of it. In various positions. And it's hot. Seriously hot. Certain parts made me want to climb into bed, draw the curtains, shut the door and have naked time with my BOB. Alternatively wait until my hubby has walked through the door and jump on him scaring the kids in the process! There were plenty of times I had to press my legs together to stop myself getting too overexcited!
I often find books with a lot of sex scenes can be quite repetitive and ultimately boring, well 'ding dong' no such worry with this book!
The book was just the right mixture of raw yet contained, it was paced just perfectly, not rushing the story and explaining details without letting too much information give the 'game' away.
It has a fantastic storyline, lots of sex which is written so well that you find yourself having hot flushes frequently. The interactions between characters leaves you fulfilled, the book is complete, and it holds every aspect you could want. It ticks every box and it makes you feel like reading it has been time well spent.
This book will be in my top 10 books for this year. I devoured it, not one morsel of this delectable book slipped past me, I was so engrossed, so engaged, so completely in their world that I didn't realise it was the end......until it was, then I wanted to scream.
Andie M Long has such a way of writing that there will never be enough; you will always want another page.