Darker Water

Once and Forever #1

by Lauren Stewart

This is a previously-published edition - ASIN: B00N1X6ZDE

After another painful breakup, Laney Temple finally understands that love is a fairytale and sex rarely comes with a happy ending. She's too busy for it right now anyway--she has a business to run, art to create, and candy to crush. Eventually she'll be ready to switch from her plastic-or-silicon lover to a flesh-and-blood one. But before that happens, she needs to be sure she won't feel any of those annoying emotions that make her heart do things it wasn't meant to do...

Like break

Carson Bennett is completely upfront about what he wants, and it has nothing to do with Laney's heart. Her lips? Hell yeah. Other parts of her body? You better f*cking believe it. But her heart? Nope, not even a little. Until it does...a lot. But having feelings for someone isn't allowed. It's the kind of thing you're supposed to push down deep and cover up with one-night stands, sarcasm, and booze...

Like secrets

Two people want the same thing--a commitment to nothing more than great sex in a bunch of different positions. Simple. Enjoyable. A win-win. Problem is, those two people have families and fears and pain that spill into every moment of their lives, control what they do and who they are. And if either Carson or Laney can't free themselves from the past, they'll both be pulled under by it.

Darker Water is a stand-alone contemporary romance that does not end in a cliffhanger.

Genres: Romance, Contemporary, New Adult, Contemporary Romance, Friends To Lovers, Humor, Abuse

327 pages, ebook

First published October 3, 2014

About the author

Lauren Stewart lives in Northern California with two teenagers, a cat named Luna Lovegood, and a very hairy, drooly old man who loves belly rubs. Lauren reads almost every genre so naturally, her writing reflects that. In all her novels, you'll find elements of other genres--fantasy, mystery, romance, paranormal, suspense, all with a touch of humor.

Because what doesn't kill us should make us laugh.

Join her newsletter to get exclusive Once and Forever extras, deleted Hyde scenes, and a PNR novella: http://bit.ly/LS_news

Website: https://www.LaurenStewartAuthor.com
Facebook: https://bit.ly/LS-on-FB

FULL LIST OF BOOKS:

Once and Forever
Darker Water
Virtually Impossible
Deeper Water
Immaterial Defense

Hyde
Hyde
Jekyll
Strange Case

She's Everything - Coming Soon
Everything She Isn't
Two Doors Apart
Never, Ever a Bride

Others
No Experience Required
Second Bite

The Heights - Coming Back Soon
Into the Dark
Into the Fire
Into the Wild

Reviews

[Aestas Book Blog · Rating 4 out of 5]

UNIQUE, FUN, & SEXY!! I absolutely loved this book!!

The banter was awesome and the chemistry was sizzling. It was almost the opposite of a traditional romance — the hero and heroine were both openly set on NOT falling in love. He was all tortured and damaged but also cocky and charming (and loaded with tattoos!!) ... Trust me, you want to meet him! ;)

One of the most refreshing things to me is finding a story that defies the norm. It's like a breath of fresh air, and that is exactly what Darker Water was. It was a contemporary romance twist on the Frog Prince fairy tale. I'm a huge fan of taking a classic story and putting a new spin on it, so this was right up my alley.

The story follows a girl, Laney, who'd been burned one too many times by jerks who claimed to love her, and so she decided that she was done with love. Clearly the whole thing was a myth. A fairy tale.

"Princes don't exist, happy endings never happen, and love was make believe."

So she stopped looking for it, stopped believing it would ever happen. And that's when Carson, her (very unlikely) prince, fell right into her life. Sure, he may have been charming, but his dark, painful past had left him bound and determined to never, ever, under any circumstances fall in love.

"Let me guess," I said. "You're different from every other guy, searching for the one woman who will complete you. You're considerate, caring, and really want a chance to know who I truly am."

"Not at all," he said… "Definitely not. Dear god no. That's not even close."

But this was perfect for her! She may have sworn off love, but she hadn't sworn off men, and when he proposed a one-night-stand of amazingness, she decided why not!! He was honest about it -- this was sex only. No strings, no commitments, no gooey emotional feelings -- just two people having a good time.

"I am one hundered percent screwed up and without a doubt the worst possible man a woman could ever have a relationship with... I've never broken anyone's heart because I don't stick around long enough to create any of those feelings."

Their banter was GOLD!!! I was chuckling to myself non-stop and highlighting everything!!!

"You know that 'Ribbed for her Pleasure' doesn't actually mean she's all taken care of and you don't have to do anything, right?" I asked.

"No one has put anything in my complaint box since I was fifteen. And I can explain that one -- it was just a simple misunderstanding."

So essentially the commitment-phobic guy who wanted nothing to do with relationships met the girl with a broken heart who no longer believed in love. It was a perfect match. The perfect arrangement. Until, against both of their wills, they slowly began to fall in love.... ;)

"If it could be anyone," he whispered, "it would be you."

I totally loved their "non-dating". See this is why I said it was almost an anti-romance -- they were so determined not to fall in love or date or develop feelings or attachments or anything, that nothing about this book followed the typical development of a normal relationship.

"No hand-holding."

"Fuck no! Are you kidding me?"

"No whispering secrets in my ear."

"Unless it's something seedy or morally questionable that will make you blush."

"No getting my jacket for me. Or walking me to my door after."

"Does that stuff really still happen? In this century?"

"Not as much as I wish it did, actually."

"I swear I'll be nothing but rude to you the whole night," he said. "In fact, I might accidentally forget that I brought you and you'll have to find your own way home. You should bring some cab money just in case."

The fun, flirty banter was definitely one of the highlights of the book for me, but I also really appreciated that there was a more serious side to it too. Carson's past had genuinely damaged him and this got quite a lot of attention in the last half of the book. Oh, and this story was also quite hot!! Not erotic, but I was certainly fanning myself. It was all really just a great mix of everything.

"Carson, we can't."

"Shit." He backed up and adjusted his pants, his clenched jaw expressing everything he was feeling. "Expect me to be inside you about four seconds after you say yes. And don't make any plans for the rest of that week...

...I don't want you to regret anything. So until I'm inside you, you're allowed to change your mind. Even after I'm inside you, you're allowed, although you might have to used small words and lots of hand gestures to get me to focus."

Heehee!!! :D

This is a standalone with a sweet, happy ending. I do wish it had an epilogue, but since this is first book in a series of standalones, I'm sure we'll see glimpses of Carson and Laney in the future. The next book will be about Carson's brother -- we got to meet him in this book and I'm very intrigued by his character and his story will be a contemporary twist on the Sleeping Beauty tale. Very exciting!! I'm so glad I discovered this series and now I can't wait for the next Lauren Stewart book!

Rating: 4.5 stars. Standalone contemporary romance.
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[Christy · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 stars!

LIVE on Amazon!



Lauren Stewart is an author I had yet to read. I had no expectations of this book, but a friend I trust recommended it to me so I jumped in. Once I started reading, I didn’t want to stop. I fell in love with both of the characters and their story. Such a funny, sexy and emotional read. There is no better feeling than taking a chance on an unknown (to you) and getting a 5 star read in return!

I was done lying to myself. Princes didn’t exist, happy endings never happened, love was all make-believe.


Laney Temple is over love. She is over happily ever afters and princes and relationships. She’s been burned too many times and she is done.



After spending a few months alone, no relationships, Laney is happy with herself. She has a job she loves, a roommate/best friend and thats all she needs. One day in a coffee shop, she meets a man who is tattooed and gorgeous. He makes it clear he only wants one thing from Laney, and it’s not love or a relationship.

Carson Bennett is outspoken, cocky, sexy and funny as hell. He can be an asshole and he knows it. He embraces it. Laney can’t go without sex forever, so she thinks why not... Carson has made it clear the type of man he is so Laney is in no danger of getting hurt.



Laney might not be quite as ready for casual sex as she thinks, so she and Carson become friends. She needs to make sure she has absolutely no feelings for him before she’ll let herself get intimate. Their banter and talks of their feelings cracked me up!

“Was that the first time?”


“That I felt girlie about you? I think so.”

“Good. I like you, Lane. But that needs to be the first and last time you get girlie on me, because that would fuck everything up. Know what I mean?”


I nodded.
“Do you ever think us spending time with each other is one big, drawn out lapse of good judgement?”


“All the fucking time,” he muttered, his lips grazing my forehead before he walked away.

“By the way, you’re in charge of making your own coffee from now on. Evidently it touches on some weird emotional erogenous zone for you.”

Laney and Carson quickly become the type of friends who spend all their time together. They really hit it off. But Laney still isn’t 100% sure she can take that step...



Carson is the best type of hero. He made me laugh out loud so many times... I mean, really, who says stuff like this?

“You know whats worse than a than a woman giving you a hand job because she feels obligated to?”


“What?”


“Her not giving you a hand job at all.”


He’s smart, charitable, tattooed, sexy and a little bit broken to top it off! Those are my favorite type! I loved watching him with Laney. They were fabulous together. Laney was one of those heroines you can’t help but love. The two of them together were fantastic.

The first half of this story was funny, light and full of the best kind of sexual tension. The last half was a little different. We got to see more of Carson’s past. It was much more emotional and way more steamy.



Can two people who have come to care about one another, who have become best friends really have a relationship where no feelings are involved? And once those lines are crossed, is there any coming back from that?

What’s worse than falling in love when you don’t want to? Falling in love with someone who can’t love you back.

After reading Darker Water, I can say with absolute certainty that Lauren Stewart has a fan in me. I’m so excited to read the rest of the series. Don’t worry- this is a stand alone with no cliffhanger- the next book will be about Carson’s older brooding brother Hayden. The writing was fluid and fast paced. This author was able to master writing a laugh out loud funny book without it being over the top, to write a sexy and steamy book without it being smutty, and write an emotional story without it being depressing. There was just the right amount of angst, not overly dramatic.

Darker Water is a wonderful contemporary romance full of fun, steam, humor, friendship and love. It’s one I highly recommend.

[* Meli Mel * · Rating 4 out of 5]

♥♥♥ 4.25 STARS ♥♥♥

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"Someday it won't matter what you want. Hopefully someday, with someone, you won't have a choice. She'll come into your life and show you how wrong you've been about everything you've ever known. And you won't stand a chance against her, little brother."

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First and foremost, I want to say that I just LOVE the cover of this book. I am in serious lust with it. Makes me want to lick it ha ha! It's just so beautiful. Ok, I will stop now. Anyway, the story itself was just as great. I really freaking enjoyed this one.



The story starts with Laney getting dumped. It's that yet again, her relationship with a man has failed. She is so done with it all. She has given up on ever finding her "The one", getting married and having a happily ever after. She now knows that it was just not meant for her. As time passes, Laney is in a place where she is happy being herself and being alone. But a charming, tattooed, hot guy named Carson, that she meets at her regular coffee shop, could change that for her.

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"I can't wait to see you, I smile like a shithead every time I see it's you calling, I want you to stay over every single night because I sleep better when you're next to me and the next day always seems brighter, better."

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The initial meeting between Laney and Carson was so damn refreshing. I loved the back and forth dirty banter so much that I couldn't stop from smiling (and this goes on throughout the book). Carson, just like Laney, is not interested in a relationship, and he says so. He just wants Laney in his bed. Just because Laney has banned herself from being in a relationship doesn't mean she isn't ever going to have sex, so she decides to see if it is possible for her to do this without having her heart involved.





Carson was awesome! I loved his cocky attitude, his random and sarcastic humour that had me laughing out loud, how sweet he was, and just his overall sexiness. He makes no apologies for being the way he is. He is totally comfortable in his skin. Carson and Laney grow closer the more time they spend with each other. There is something about her that makes him want to be near her even when they aren't having sex. Laney was just as awesome. I loved how not annoying she was. She was really chill and handled things great. She didn't whine or overreact. I really liked her.

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'But what he didn't know was that his heart was pure and beautiful and strong. And all he needed was the right woman to unlock it and set him free...with a kiss.'

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It did take a while before Carson and Laney had sex for the first time, but it didn't bother me because I enjoyed every freaking moment of the build up. I loved that I was really able to feel what these two were feeling. The connection between them was at times intense and I loved that. Despite there being an easy going and funny vibes at times in this book, there were also a lot of emotional parts. I didn't expect it to be that way. I felt for Carson's upbringing and how broken he was as a result of it. The amount of angst in this book was just perfect to me. The ending was really great. I was happy with it. This is my first book from this author, and now I am really looking forward to reading the next book and getting Hayden's story. I totally think you should give this one a read.



~Ecopy gifted to Kris & Vik Book Therapy Cafe in exchange for an honest review.~

[Catarina · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 Messed Up Stars.

Laney kissed a lot a frogs, searching for a prince. He never appeared and her heart suffered a lot from it. So she swore of man until she finds the perfect one.



Enters Carson. They met in a coffee shot and immediately became friends. They both want something more, but Laney isn’t prepared for be involved with anyone and Carson doesn’t do relationships. He have seen in his past what messed up relationships can do to a person and will not follow that path.
So even when they both know that are something growing between them, they refuse to see it and settle on being friends with “some” benefits.



But when their pasts starts to haunt them they have a choice to make: grow from it and admit their feelings and move on… or be afraid and stay eternally broken by it.



Rating: 4 Stars.
Storyline: This was a sweet NA romance with some refreshing elements. I’ve read amazing reviews so I had some expectations when I started reading it. It was a nice story, but dragged a lot in the beginning. I found myself wanting to skip pages and wondering when the good part would come. Eventually it did and the book really picked up… but that doesn’t mean that for about 1/3 of the book I was bored. Nonetheless, if you’re a NA fan, this is a good bet.
Writing Style: First person. Dual POV. Engaging and flawless writing.
Character Development: This book was a rare event for me. Why? The hero annoyed the hell out of me. (Rare because is usually the heroine who does that.) Carson was sweet, sexy, broken, completely honest and stubborn as a wall. I just wanted to beat some sense into him. Laney was sweet and a little dumb. I liked her and I especially liked how she positioned herself towards the end. A nice group of supportive characters, I’m really curious about Hayden’s story.
Steam: Hot.
HEA: Yes. But felt pretty rushed and no epilogue. Meh.

[*J* Too Many Books Too Little Time · Rating 4 out of 5]

4--I Give it an F--Stars!!

An F for FUN and FUNNY....

This was a fun take on the Frog Prince fairytale! Laney the girl who turned all of the boys in her life into frogs. Who thought she'd never find love.

"if you kiss a lot of frogs, all you end up with us sore lips and a bunch of frogs. And if you kiss a lot of princes, hoping at least one of them will stay that way, all you get is a horrific amount of disappointment and even more frogs."

And Carson, who thought he was anything but a Prince. Who thought he was the biggest frog of them all. Incapable of falling in love. Afraid to let himself try.

I loved the banter between Carson and Laney! They made their beliefs on love and relationships a joke and tried to make sure that neither one fell in love with each other.



Which brings me to my next F....FRUSTRATING...

Carson makes it known from the beginning that he only wants sex from Laney. And Laney knows she can't separate sex from her feelings. The sexual tension between Laney and Carson was delicious. They become friends and the tension builds and builds. The more they are together the more they like each other.

Carson's past was really heartbreaking. It was so obvious to me that they both were falling in love with each other but they neither one would recognize what they shared. And how different it was from every other relationship in their past. This got a little frustrating!



My last F is for the the FADE to black sex...

With chemistry between Laney and Carson as explosive as it was I'd have to say, the sex fell a bit flat for me. Such great build-up leading up to them getting together.....some of the sex was more detailed than others but most was pretty glossed over.



Still overall, I found this one to be a fun and entertaining read! And I'll definitely be checking out the other books in the series!

[❃**✿【Yasmine】✿**❃ · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 STARS

'Princes didn't exist, happy endings never happened, love was all make-believe'

Genre: Romance
Cover: 9/10 – love the symbolism
Writing: 8/10
Heroine: 9/10
Hero: 9/10
Humour: 6/10
Hotness: 3/10
Romance: 7/10
Extra book Details: Heroine & Hero POV; 1st person. Approx 360 pages. First in the series. Next book is about the hero's brother

After another painful breakup, Laney finally understands that love is a fairytale. Every guy she meets, she manages to turn into a frog. All she wants now is a life without men. She's not ready for another broken heart.

Carson is completely upfront about what he wants. A warm body in his bed. Not only is Laney's body one of the best, but the rest of her is extremely intriguing. She doesn't want love? Well that's just fine, because he can't give her any.

'Darker Water' kicked off exceptionally well. The characters first meeting was fab and incredibly banter filled. I couldn't stop grinning at the two of them. They were filled full of wit, had a great back-and-forth snappy dialogue and both had some excellent character traits.

The book isn't without it's faults. A little too much family drama. And it really needed a few good sex scenes, and not fade to black. It's not like the author can't write them, her book 'Hyde' had some really good ones. Could have also done with an epilogue to round it off nicely.

I loved the way Laney and Carson kept on changing their arrangement around. I really enjoyed the amount of dialogue between them. And I REALLY loved how well Carson treated Laney. He was a very funny guy, and both of them were very fun-loving.

[✦❋Arianna✦❋ · Rating 4 out of 5]

“You have to kiss a lot of frogs to find your prince.”

Until she found out her boyfriend is a liar, cheating bastard, Laney wanted like everyone else for someone to love her and to find someone she could love, someone who respects her and didn’t use her or manipulate her. But this was before, now she’s done with men, with relationships and with love. She’s single now, spending her time with her friend and roommate and creating art in her shop.

“I was done lying to myself. Princes didn’t exist, happy endings never happened, love was all make-believe.”

One day in a coffee shop, she meets Carson. Carson is sexy, tattooed and he knows what he wants. And he wants Laney, no matter what. He proposes to Laney to spend some hot time between the sheets, no relationship, just sex and she accepts. Why not? Carson is the complete opposite of everything she used to look in a man and she’s sure she will never fall for him.

“He was so far from being the perfect guy, and that was what made him so perfect for me. No expectations, no emotional crap, no frog.”

But Laney is not ready for sex yet or to be in a no strings attached relationship. She never had a relationship like this because she can’t separate physical from emotional. She wants to be sure, before making the same mistake, to confuse sex with love.

Carson wants to wait for Laney until she’s ready for him, so they become friends, spending more and more time together. Soon both are ready for the sex part, but what happens when one of them wants more?!

“I’d been looking for love for the last eight years. And when I finally stopped wanting and believing in it, it found me.”

I really liked this one! It was just what I needed and wanted to be – funny, sweet, heartwarming and emotional at times.

The storyline was engaging and the two main characters are lovable and relatable. I loved them both! Carson is an amazing guy and he’s perfect for Laney, even if he doesn’t know. He’s funny as hell, sweet, smart and hot. He’s considerate and patient with Laney and I adored him for that. I adored how he cares about her art.

I loved their relationship from the beginning when they started to be just friends. I truly enjoyed how their relationship progressed. All seemed real. They are sweet as friends and fantastic as lovers, because all the sexy moments between them are H.O.T and their chemistry so great and palpable. I enjoyed all the sexual tension between them and all the sexual innuendos.

All the funny moments between them are so great and hilarious at times and the banter between them terrific.

The angst and drama are not overwhelming which I really liked.

All in all, “Darker Water” was a great, funny and sexy read. Can’t wait to read the other books in the series! I truly recommend this one!

"...he didn’t know was that his heart was pure and beautiful and strong. And all he needed was the right woman to unlock it and set him free…with a kiss."

[rj · Rating 1 out of 5]

DNF @ 50%

[spoilers]

Strike 1: The hero is a manwhore. But what I hated even more than that was hearing him go on and on about how much sex he has had. And he kept thinking about it giving me these damn visuals that really turned me off.

Strike 2: The heroine kept going back and forth between "Should I sleep with him or not?" and "Can I keep sex and love separate?" Bitch make up your mind! That went on for too long and eventually I got annoyed.

Strike 3: The heroine doesn't know this right away but we later find out that the hero and her bestfriend had a one night stand. She lives with her bestfriend and remembers hearing them going at it that one night! But she never saw his face. UGHH. I would never sleep with someone my bestfriend has slept with. That's just a big fucking no and something that you just don't do. Mmmkay? Especially when you remember her gushing about him the next morning. And then he wouldn't shut up about how good her bestfriends mouth was giving him a blowjob because apparently that's all he remembered. This 'I don't remember the faces of the women I sleep with' hero is so not my type.

Dammit, duped by the raving reviews again. I kinda liked the banter in the beginning but between the hero incapable of thinking about anything other than sex and the heroine being wishy-washy, this wasn't for me. I actually really hate the storylines where the hero's all "I can never love you back blah blah." They never seem worth the trouble. I find a hero much more attractive when he's not afraid of falling in love and even goes after it with the heroine.

[TheCrazyWorldOfABookLover · Rating 4 out of 5]

Currently on sale for .99$! | http://amzn.to/294OX4q



I really really liked this one!

Loosely based on the fairytale, The Frog Prince, this story was the perfect amount of funny, sexy, sweet, and emotional.

Quick background- Laney hates men. Hates relationships. Is over it all completely after being burned so many times. Insert Carson, sex on a stick bad boy with a heart of gold who tries to get into her pants the first time they meet.

They decide to be friends, and as you may have already guessed, eventually turn into more. But with Carson's huge list of issues (his background really was so heartbreaking), and Laney, who is scared she may not be able to stop her feelings from growing, their "relationship" is destined to become a fairytale gone wrong.



This actually wasn't what I expected it to be. The first half of the story was insanely funny, filled with sarcastic and humorous dialogue between Carson and Laney. But somewhere around the half way mark, it took a turn into dark water (see what I did there?).



This was an extremely well written friends to lovers story. I LOVED how sarcastic Carsen and Laney were, and I loved how even though there was so many funny parts to this, it was just as emotional as it was comical. I really can't wait for the rest of this series!

[Natalie ~ The Biblioholic · Rating 3 out of 5]

I almost DNF'd this book within the first 10% but I pushed on through.

I tried. I really tried to love this book. But I didn't. I ended up doing a lot of this:



And then I felt:



After skimming through I discovered some components of the book that I did enjoy. Such as the witty banter; a damaged hero because Carson suffered through repeated traumatic experiences; and a heroine who had all but given up on true love.

I love when a story tackles issues that effect much of society and handles it with sensitivity. I truly believe the author accomplished that and I really appreciated her note on statistics and how to get help at the end.

What I didn't like: although the FMC was beautiful, smart, artistic, ambitious, generous, caring and compassionate, something about her got on my last nerve. Okay I have my reasons.

1. She was delusional. Like her thought process and reasoning was really messed up.



She went on and on about how she's been unlucky with love and relationships for 8 years.

She's 23 years old!



Now I'm not saying that one cannot find love before the ripe old age of 23. Far from it. But to make it seem that love was a serious issue/problem/dilemma for the 8 years proceeding that age is just plain ridiculous! IMO

Okay, so I had only one real reason not to like her. But it was enough to tarnish my opinion of her going forward. I didn't hate her. I liked her for the most part. I just couldn't get over this.

Additionally, while we got plenty of background on Carson, there was virtually nothing on Laney. How was I supposed to connect with her if I were able to get beyond her unreasonableness? I didn't. However, I absolutely adored Carson (the reason for the 3 star rating and for me not DNF'ing the book). Every single thing about him was interesting and amazing, especially his broken parts.

XO

[Lauren Stewart]

ICYMI: This book is free everywhere right now! Go! Go now! Hurry!

He leaned forward and spoke conspiratorially. “I’m new to this being-friends-with-someone-I-want–to-sleep-with thing, so you’ll have to help me out. What happens now?”

“I’m not sure. I’m new to the being-friends-with-someone-who-wants–to-sleep-with-me thing.”

“You’ve never had a heterosexual male friend?”

“Of course I have.”

“Then you’re not new to it. He just didn’t tell you.”

I touched my cheek as I felt it redden. “Do you think eventually I’ll stop blushing every time you say something?”

“I hope not. Would a friend tell you that your blush shows him what you’ll look like after sex? Minus the I-just-got-fucked hair.”

“No. A friend wouldn’t say that.”

“Then I think you’re going to have to do most of the talking.”

***
I've always said I would never write a contemporary romance. Then a friend challenged me to write one, thinking there was no way I could get to a happy ending in only one book.

Well, I did. It was 100x harder than I thought it would be, but I'm so happy with the end result. Darker Water is funny and tragic and sarcastic and meaningful. It's a very different genre from what I'm used to, but the writing and story style are still very much mine.

Now the challenge has morphed from writing a single, standalone romance into writing a series of seven standalone romances. What can I say? It's really fun. :)

[Jen (jenslostinthepages) ♥Star-Crossed Book Blog♥ · Rating 5 out of 5]

Darker Water was a steamy, heart-felt story that constantly had me smiling. Just within those first few pages, I was already laughing and obsessed with our two main characters. It all flowed so seamlessly and I devoured it in no time at all. Darker Water became an instant favorite and I'm kicking myself that I didn't pick it up sooner. Especially since I bought this book four years ago.

He was ten times more wicked than anyone I’d ever dated, the complete opposite of everything I used to look for in a man. Untamed, irreverent, demanding. Exactly what I needed. I wouldn’t fall in fake-love with a guy like this in a million years.

Laney Temple had sworn off guys, after having her heart stomped on again and again. So when Carson Bennett barged into her life, she told him to go away. Their first conversation had me cracking up so hard and it's going down as one of my favorite meet cutes! You see, Carson knew what he wanted and it was Laney in his bed. He didn't do relationships and he was completely upfront with Laney. It seemed crazy at first, but then it started to sound like the perfect situation. But something got in their way and they parted, which left me begging for more!

“Do you ever think us spending time with each other is one big, drawn out lapse of good judgment?”

“All the fucking time,” he muttered, his lips grazing my forehead before he walked away.

From there, Carson and Laney started to meet for coffee which lead to them hanging out. They weren't dating, they weren't having sex, they were actually getting to know one another. So while a friendship and trust started to form, they struck a deal. Laney wanted to learn how to not mix sex and love. And Carson had never been friends with someone he slept with. And while neither of them wanted to get attached, it's funny how life doesn't always work out how you want it too.

“If I get you drunk, will you let me take advantage of you?” I teased.

“Alright, that’s it,” he growled. He took the dress box from me, picked me up, plopped my ass on a display of jeans, and nudged my knees apart so he could stand between them. “I tried to be patient. I really did, but this friend thing sucks.”

“Umm…” I took a quick breath when he put his hands on my thighs. “You know we’re in public, right?”

I. Loved. Carson. If you love alpha males then you have to meet Carson. He was addictive, seductive, powerful and charming without any effort at all. His words and actions had me melting into a puddle. Even if he was kind of an ass at times, but that didn't matter because I loved how kind he was to Laney. I was so obsessed with him that I've already gone back and re-read so many of the scenes where he shows exactly who he was and what he could do. Sigh.

“If I turn around now things are going to escalate, Lane.” I spoke with my eyes closed, my hands clutching the countertop. “So what would you say if I asked you how far you wanted to go with this?”

“I’d say, ‘Why are you asking me questions when you should be fucking me?’”

I loved Laney too! She was brave, outspoken and I loved how she stood up for herself. I had so much respect for her and her sharp mouth. So when Laney and Carson were together? Be prepared to laugh, they were hilarious! They were so perfect together, especially when they crossed that physical line. Those moments were toe curling and would leave the hugest smile on my face. I loved how steamy and exhilarating they were *fans face*.

“Being with you makes me feel like I’m more of a man, because I know without a doubt that I would do whatever it took to protect you.” My voice caught. “So that’s what I’m finally doing. I’m telling you to go away.”

She lifted her head to say one word: “No.”

This book also had a strong emotional side and I kept hoping they'd see what I saw. How much they deserved one another. So looking back, this book was a ton of fun. Darker Water made me laugh, smile, sigh and even tugged on my heart which made tears spill from my eyes. Now I'm looking forward to picking up the second book. It's about Carson's brother and just from the few glances we got of him, I can't wait to learn all there is about Hayden!

For more of my reviews, please visit:

[Jennifer Kyle · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.75 ~ 4 Frog Stars

"He was so far from being the perfect guy, and that was what made him so perfect for me. No expectations, no emotional crap, no frog."




Full review to come...

[Jess-i-ca · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this one. The banter between these two was great. Wish it didn't really have fade to black sex scenes but it was a decent read!

[Jennifer Lane · Rating 4 out of 5]

Deeper Water Is Better

My Goodreads buddy Mitsy told me I must read Lauren Stewart novels, and I’m glad I followed her advice. I particularly enjoyed the ending of this contemporary romance.

Laney is stuck in a reverse fairytale, dating princes who turn into frogs.

’You have to kiss a lot of frogs to find your prince.’ My mother’s favorite expression was completely wrong. If you kiss a lot of frogs, all you end up with is sore lips and a bunch of frogs. And if you kiss a lot of princes, hoping at least one of them will stay that way, all you get is a horrific amount of disappointment and even more frogs.

When her boyfriend Kevin breaks up with her (oh yeah, he’s marrying the woman he’s been seeing on the side), she declares him yet another frog and swears off all men, amphibian or otherwise.

Five months later, she’s hanging in a coffee shop when a cute guy flirts with her. She’s not having it.

”Trust me, you don’t want me to get to know you, not if you like who you are right now. I’m cursed. I could turn you into a frog with barely any effort at all. Go find someone else to pretend to be in love with. I wish you luck.”

Naturally, her blow-off intrigues Carson to no end. Men do enjoy the chase!

For the first half of the story, there’s a lot of snappy dialogue as Laney and Carson get to know each other…as they pretend they’re not falling in love. I didn’t feel connected to either character at that point. It's like they're in the shallow end of the pool.

Then Laney discovers why Carson says he can’t fall in love, and I was hooked. Here he has a confrontation with his mother:

I rubbed my cheek and jaw to lessen the sting and get the blood moving. “It hurts even more than the hit does, but if you rub the area right away, you don’t get as much bruising.” My next words were soft. “My mother taught me that.”

I thought Carson’s mother demonstrated good insight into why she stayed with abusive men.

There is excellent character development for both Laney and Carson. Laney learns that her needs are important. Finding our voice seems like such a universal struggle for women. Carson muses:

She needed to learn how to say what she wanted instead of pretending she was fine with every decision someone else made for her.

And Carson learns that he isn’t doomed to repeat his father’s abusive behavior. Laney pleads with him:

”You’re great and you’re not broken and you won’t hurt me. The only person you’re hurting is yourself. Over and over in some stupid, useless kind of penance.”

With each other’s support, maybe the water will be lighter and smoother for these two?

[Jacqueline's Reads · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 Healing Stars

Darker Water isn’t like the cover. I imagined something dramatic and slightly intense, but it’s really kind of sweet and light hearted. It’s not a comical book, but it’s cute and adorable, which I like.

Summary

Laney dates a lot of frogs and no princes. She dates guys who use her, treat her like crap and are no good for her. She loves passionately and it always leaves her broken hearted. This time she is telling herself not to fall for anymore frogs.

Carson doesn’t do relationships. He doesn’t know how to love, but he’s really attracted to Laney. He wants Laney and is willing to do anything to get her. All Laney wants is a friendship because she knows if she moves to the next step with Carson, she will fall for him.

Review

What I really liked about Darker Water is the relationship and bond Laney and Carson have with each other. There’s a lot of character of development which made the book really enjoyable to read. I loved the beginning.

When Laney first meets Carson there’s instant attraction and lust. I love Laney. I love how smart, sassy and strong she is. She knows she can’t be in a relationship with anyone because she falls in love with them. How cute is that storyline?! I love that she keeps on telling Carson she can only be friends, even though she’s super attracted to him.

I also like Carson. He’s very attractive and he goes after Laney like mad. I like a Hero chasing after the Heroine. Towards the middle and end, the book shifts and more of Carson are revealed. I liked getting to know Carson’s past, but he did frustrate me a bit. You kind of want to slap him and say, you will be okay and you will figure it out.

If you are looking for a read that has an adorable couple with some issues then Darker Water is for you.


An ARC was provided in exchange for an honest review

AMAZON

[~♡AB♡~]

DNF @17%

Just not doing it for me. She wants a one night stand, so does he, they get interrupted so she goes home. They end up becoming friends even though she really wants to be loved, and he doesn't want a girlfriend, blah blah blah.

Sorry - It's not you, it's me.

[Nadine ShelfLove · Rating 5 out of 5]

RECOMMENDATION!! It's on SALE 99c ONLY!

...Sometimes you have to kiss a lot of frogs to find the one....

When I heard that Lauren writes a contemporary romance book I was game right away! Why? I fell in love with Lauren's writing when reading her urban fantasy series, Hyde - which is hands down, one of the best series ever. Mitch is a bastard; a cocky, filthy-mouthed, hot 'I wanna rip his clothes off and hump him' kind of bastard. You'd love him and the whole plot Lauren came up with. Anyhow, back to my point, Lauren's writing is just flawless, gripping, and it has everything I love in a book. Therefore I couldn't BUT read her newest book. Was I disappointed? Heck no, I loved it.

The story is about Laney, poor sweet Laney, who had the fortune to cross paths with many 'princes' that turned into useless jerk-frogs. We've all been there, dating lots of wrong guys and hating them and ourselves for letting them stomp all over our heart. If you can relate then you, including myself, and Laney have something in common - join the "I'm done with men"-club ;)

"Evidently, my judgment was so off, the only men I wanted were the ones who would treat me like shit."

Yeah poor Lane! Right when she least expects she meets Carson...or better Carson meets her. He is a special kind of cocky, ladies. Did I love him? Hell yeah. I fell for him instantly and I was cracking up non-stop. His humor, confidence, charm and wit won me over in no time. He is this "you get what you see" kind of guy and Lauren hit it right on with this guy - perfect match for Laney.

" 'Seriously, I'm a complete asshole who only cares about what he can get from someone. Take you for example. I saw you sitting here alone, no ring, great body. And thought, 'I want to fuck her'. And yeah, those were the exact words that went through my head. On the way over here I tried to figure out the fastest and most efficient way to get you into my bed -which isn't far from here by the way - hoping you weren't the type who needed a couple dinners out first. So, Lane' - he popped an eyebrow - 'are you?' "

And that my dear gents is the way to get laid for sure!! No kidding; he totally sold himself. Carson is a no bs sort of man and I pretty much appreciated the fact. But ooh he's yummy looking and as I said earlier, his charm makes you want to volunteer to get naked!
So how do you refuse such an offer? You don't, exactly! Laney has nothing to lose and she agrees to no strings attached. She told him about her unsuccessful love life and Carson 'volunteers' (yeah right) to help her learning how to separate sex and love.... sounds easy right?!? Yeah it's not that simple if you realize your buddy you practice is a perfect fit, a connection you never experienced before, and that you might have the BEST, MIND-BLOWING SEX EVER!

It got harder and harder for both of them to hide their growing feelings and I was chuckling all the time. Carson, the "I don't do relationships" turned into a pretty jealous, but adorable no strings attached kind of guy. He and feelings?!? Naaa... yeah, right.

"She could see other people, too. Of course, if I was in a room with any of them, I'd make it so that they physically couldn't fuck her again, but she could see whoever she wanted to." LOL yeah right.

First half of the book is filled with humor, sexy nagging and spending naked quality time with each other, but Carson has a reason why he's not the relationship guy. He lived through too much to risk to end up like so many other men his mother brought home. He didn't trust himself and strongly believes he can't love....he's incapable of loving someone.

"And what's worse than falling in love when you don't want to? Falling in love with someone who can't love you back." ~Laney

In the second half of the book we get glimpses of what went down in Carson's childhood and it gave me the chills... I wanted to constantly hug him, telling him he deserves so much more but I understood it wasn't easy to let go or to let in.
Lauren touched on a serious topic that made me think and reflect; remembering many woman suffer from such things and don't see a way out of it. That not only they but also their kids suffer from such traumatic upbringing.

One day of the other Carson and Laney's relationship gets turned upside down and both realize they crossed the line....but by then it's too late and things turn bad, so bad they walk in opposite directions.

"I wouldn't have thought I'd ever miss something so much, that I'd care about anything enough that I couldn't sleep or work or focus without it. Without her. I'd fucked it up and i'd fucked it up good. I had to accept that."

Darker Waters is a romance filled with humor, steam, advice, and light drama, slightly addressing a serious topic. I enjoyed it immense. Lauren hit my taste with this book 100% and I can't wait to read the second book in the series, Hayden (Carson's brother), book. I think this book offers something for everyone; sure, if you're looking for a over-the-top, cheesy love story then no, this isn't your book. If you want something light-hearted, good-humored...something realistic, then I highly recommend it.
Personally I don't like over the top romance, too much drama; thus, this book was perfect for me.

Lauren's writing style helps to read any of her books in a good enjoyable reading pace. Even though I love her urban fantasy like crazy, her trying out the contemporary scheme, was a full success and made me hungry for more. Another plus: it's written in dual pov. Have fun being in Carson's head!

"Unlike all the times before, this actually was love and it hurt and it wasn't going to stop. Because I would never give it up. Because it was worth everything."

*** 4.5-5 Kiss a Frog Stars ***
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[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

I didn't sign up for the pain but here I am.

In Darker Water we have this (non [hahaha!]) romantic story where Laney, a 23 years old artist, is leaving her love life behind. Too many frogs, she said. Love's just a fairytale, she said. And now she's done with men and love. She's not going to stay celibate and she's ready to try sex without any kind of commitment.
Carson is a young man who has suffered a lot and the only relationship he wants to have are the few hours type. No commitment and only good times is his motto and when he sees Laney in a coffee shop he's sure she's the one for that day but when Laney's smart mouth and clever mind get in action and he finds himself wanting to spend more and more time with her all his fucked up issues come to play. Will Laney succeed in not falling in love or will Carson be her next frog?



I liked this book a lot and I don't know where to start!

Let's begin with Laney, shall we?
Laney is this cool girl who is sick of liars and assholes. She's got some bad luck in the relationship deparment and the only thing she truly wants is to be happy.

I really enjoyed her as a character. You could see how she was growing in the story and how she was gaining more and more confidence and she's just so damn hilarious and cute. I could relate to her quite easily. She was easy to read and I truly didn't have major issues with her and I always find something I didn't like. And I really understand her behavior toward men and toward Carson and even when she blamed herself I couldn't. I would be the same in her situation.


Emotions can screwed us all up big time.

And then we got Carson.



You gotta love this man, really, and that's what maked it all worse.
It feels awful when you care about someone who doesn't care about themselves.

Once you know the whole story, yeah, you can obviously see when he was coming from but still. I was so heartbroken. Like, he was really well written, man. His evolution is also palpable and oh the hurt.

Other thing I absolutely adored was their dynamic. They were so so so so so funny. And sexy. They were so good for each other I really have no complains about them at all.


One thing that I didn't like about the book was the pace it had. It was weird. First I thought the book was going way too fast. The first 10 chapters were like running in a race but them they got stuck. They didn't seem to move forward but them and, in the last 5 chapters, the pace was fast again. In a hurry. And I think that screwed a bit with the ending. I really enjoyed all the characters but I think Lauren has to think about how fast her stories are supposed to go.

Anyhow, this book was a pleasant susprise. I wasn't expecting to get involved this much and I'm really looking forward to the next book.

[Juanita · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 "frog" stars
This was a funny sexy read.

"You have to kiss a lot of frogs before you find your prince"

"He was so far from being the perfect guy and that was what made him so perfect for me, no expectations, no emotional crap, no frog"

[Michelle]

It started off really good. I loved Carson and his straight to the point vibe. Laney was putting up a really good fight keeping Carson out of her pants. They made me laugh a lot! Then they had sex. That's when it went down the shitter for me. They are not in a relationship. There are no feelings involved. They spend almost everyday and night together. Like that's not a relationship. lol They will tell each other before they decide to fuck someone else. There's an evil step sister involved. Any who...you know the drill. Feelings are coming forward. Evil step sister lies about something. Laney believes her. Carson and Laney make up. I'm quitting at 64% because evil step sister just put something else in Carson's mind and I know it's getting ready to cause more stupid drama to a non relationship with no sex details. lol Moving on:)

[Nancy's Romance Reads · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 PERFECT CHEMISTRY STARS!



What a FUN book this was, I loved it! From the very first pages the characters' personalities and their unique wittiness totally captured me and had me laughing so hard. So much so that I finished the book rather quickly because I could not put it down. All that sexy flirting, outstanding humor, and that perfect chemistry that transpired between the characters was enthralling.

Darker Water tells the story of of Laney and Carson, two characters who are brought together by chance. When they meet their attraction is instantaneous yet both of them have a lot of baggage from their pasts to even contemplate the idea of a relationship. That's why they decide on a honest arrangement between two "friends," no strings attached, and definitely no emotions involved all with the common goal to have a great time together. Oh my, and what a time they have! The dynamic, the bantering, the honesty, and all the sizzling tension between them slowly brings them closer and closer together in more ways than they're ready for, yet, they love every second of being together and so did I!! Their chemistry was just out of this world that they kept making me laugh, swoon, fan myself, and highlight more scenes than I can count. They were just one-of-a-kind duo and I loved them for it!

“I’m new to this being-friends-with-someone-I-want–to-sleep-with thing, so you’ll have to help me out. What happens now?”

“I’m not sure. I’m new to the being-friends-with-someone-who-wants–to-sleep-with-me thing.”

“You've never had a heterosexual male friend?”

“Of course I have.”

“Then you’re not new to it. He just didn’t tell you.”

I touched my cheek as I felt it redden. “Do you think eventually I’ll stop blushing every time you say something?”

“I hope not. Would a friend tell you that your blush shows him what you’ll look like after sex? Minus the I-just-got-fucked hair.”

“No. A friend wouldn’t say that.”

“Then I think you’re going to have to do most of the talking.”

As things start to get hotter between them, Laney's constant question was: How do you separate sex from love? And more specifically, how do you not develop feelings towards a guy like Carson who's so charming, hot, and covered in tattoos?! Also, someone who's persistent yet completely honest about his intentions of only wanting sex, how do you resist that? Well, watching Laney figuring all that out was truly hilarious. This is a girl who's had her heart broken before so this time around she's daring herself to try something new. To not let herself get emotional involved anymore since she's convinced that love is not real but sex definitely is. So meeting Carson couldn't have come at a better time in her life; however, making the transition to just sex is not an easy thing for Laney plus her attraction and connection to this new amazing man feels a little overwhelming to her. But then again, she wonders, how can she pass on the opportunity to have an amazing time with no commitments and with a man who seems to have it all figured out? That should be a no-brainer, right? ;)

“He was ten times more wicked than anyone I’d ever dated, the complete opposite of everything I used to look for in a man. Untamed, irreverent, demanding. Exactly what I needed. I wouldn't fall in fake-love with a guy like this in a million years.”

Carson indeed had everything figured out as he always followed his rule. No relationships, just honest one-night-stands. Nothing more because he couldn't offer more. That was his lifestyle and the result of a troubled past that he was managing just fine. Even after meeting Laney he thought everything was going great, he kept reminding himself of the pleasurable goal behind their arrangement and that made his pursuit for her that much more worth it. So yes, Carson felt he was in control of the situation, well, until he realized he really wan't. When the tension exploded between him and Laney he just couldn't stop the emerging feelings he sure as hell wasn't prepared to feel or want. But the feelings were there and forcing him to confront his past or otherwise he would risk losing the best thing that's ever happened to him.

“She didn't want me to be with anyone else. Just like I didn't want her to be with anyone else. Just like I didn't want anyone other than her in my bed and my mind and my life. Oh fuck. I needed to get out of this. Right now.”

I absolutely LOVED this book. The unique and sexy banter between Laney and Carson, which created that chemistry between them, totally bewitched me. That was my favorite thing about this book, how that perfect chemistry felt so refreshing, lively, and truly captivating from cover to cover. Now my second favorite thing, among many others, has to be that touching message at the end. Oh yes, even with all the humor in this book the author was able to wrap the story around a beautiful and genuine message about giving oneself a true second chance. To me that special twist at the end was excellent, it gave the story the perfect combination of charm, humor and meaningfulness and it made me love everything about this book even more. ♥

"If it could be anyone," he whispered, "it would be you."

If you haven't read Darker Water I cannot recommend it enough. These fabulous characters will make you fall in love with love in such exciting and unique ways that by the end you're going to wish for more of them and their one-of-a-kind chemistry. :)

Purchase: Amazon US * Amazon UK



Visit my blog at Nancy's Romance Reads for more reviews, book news, and more! Happy reading! ;)
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[atomickitten · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 - 4 stars?

Good but frustrating as hell at times.



This book touches some delicate subjects such as domestic abuse and toxic relationships. And it was handled really well, so kudos to the author.
The frustration, however, came from the lack of communication when it comes to our characters. Did I like them? Hell yeah! I loved them, their chemistry and their hilarious banter. But it was clear from the start the girl wasn't the 'no strings attached' kinda girl and we have to go through 350+ pages for her to realize that. I'm also not a fan of such relationships and I don't like them in my romance feasts. They kept making the same mistakes and that was kinda frustrating as well.
Hence no 5 stars from me.

But it was a good read and I kinda want to continue with the series.
Especially now that I know these two have another book.
So yeah, count me in.

[EgyptDiva · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars

First Of All , I really like the cover , but the name of the book along with it , gave me the impression that it was a dark read . which it is not .
Anyways , I really really enjoyed this book . I laughed out loud a lot and I actually shed a few tears here and there .

The book started out really good , It held my attention and I was intrigued from the get go. The way the prologue and the epilogue were written was unique and I really liked it.

The story is about Laney and Carson . Laney is a good person who didn't have enough sense of her self-worth , she kept dating "frogs" , and after the last one hurt her pretty bad , she gave up on love . She decided she won't be a doormat for anyone anymore and she'll take whatever she wants without feeling guilty for it .

When she meets Carson , she doesn't want anything do with him at first , but then when he convinces her what a "selfish prick" he is :D ( Which btw isn't true ) , she finds that he is the perfect guy to have a one night stand with , without her feelings getting attached , because after-all , she can't ever love an asshole like him .

“Seriously. I’m a complete asshole who only cares about what he can get from someone. Take you, for example. I saw you sitting here alone, no ring, great body. And thought, ‘I want to fuck her.’ And yeah, those were the exact words that went through my head. On the way over here I tried to figure out the fastest and most efficient way to get you into my bed—which isn’t far from here, by the way—hoping you weren’t the type who needed a couple dinners out first. So, Lane”—he popped an eyebrow—“are you?”

Isn't he charming :D ?!

But before they do sleep together , somethings happens that makes Laney second guess her decision, she starts to feel "butterflies" for him . So in order to protect herself , she backs down. But of course , Carson won't give up that easily.

This is sort of a friends to lovers story , although from the very first scene they know they're attracted to each other , they become friends first ( friends who flirt ;) )

The banter in the story is hilarious . I loved Carson's sense of humor , he cracked me up A LOT . From the very first scene between Laney and Carson , you just get sucked in . And although the sex scenes are fade to black , the chemistry was really good .



I felt the story was real , because unlike most heroines , Laney knew that it was hard for her to separate sex from love so she didn't do it until she felt she might be ready to separate them -as ready as she can be anyways- . And Carson , he waited for her , and as weird as it sounds he tried as hard as he can to NOT be romantic or show his feelings , because he knew he couldn't give Laney more , so he didn't want her to fall for him . He had a really bad upbringing which affected his view of himself . He doesn't see himself the way Laney does .

So they always put those lines they won't cross which was always fun to read :

“No hand-holding.”
“Fuck no! Are you kidding me?”
“No whispering secrets in my ear.”
“Unless it’s something seedy or morally questionable that will make you blush.”
“No getting my jacket for me. Or walking me to my door after.”
“Does that stuff really still happen? In this century?”
“Not as much as I wish it did, actually.”
“I swear I’ll be nothing but rude to you the whole night,” he said. “In fact, I might accidentally forget that I brought you and you’ll have to find your own way home. You should bring some cab money just in case.”

But of course , things always start to get blurry , and they both struggle with their feelings and the fear or losing each other .

The story needed a little editing here and there and sometime I felt like it dragged out a bit , but it worked for me . There is no cheating whatsoever , even though Laney and Carson weren't in a relationship in the real sense , they both agreed to be honest with each other if either one of them wanted to move on . And I really respected them both for that . I loved Carson's loyalty to Laney , he always supported her , took her feelings into consideration and just loved her even when he didn't think he could.

The only thing that might bother some people is Carson and Laney discover that he slept with Laney's friend and roommate one night when she broke up with her long time boyfriend , Carson doesn't remember her that much (It was 4 months ago ) , but the roommate does , she doesn't have any feelings for him or anything , she was just scared that he'll walk away from Laney as easily as he walked away from her the next morning , the fact that the roommate talked about how good the guy she slept with was to Laney before they realized who he was , bothered me at first , but I got over it because we don't actually get to read those scenes , they just talk about what happened and it made Laney more hesitant to agree to sleep with Carson but it all works out :) Because once Carson met Laney , she was it for him.

I'm looking forward to reading Hayden's story ( Carson's brother) . I have a guess who the heroine is but I'm not sure , so I'll just wait for it ;)

[Laure · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was an enjoyable and well-written romance. The female MC was very believable and likeable. As usual, the male MC was somewhat stereotypical: rich, with a horrible childhood etc. Also, a bit too long in the end.

[London · Rating 4 out of 5]

Title: Darker Water (Once and Forever #1)
Series: standalone series
Author: Lauren Stewart
Rating: 4.5 Stars
POV: Dual
HEA: .Yes.
Heat/Steam 1/5
Triggers?
Cliffhanger: . No.
Intolerable Heroine .No.
Über Douchebagery .No.
Taboo Subject Matter .No.
Cheating: .No.
Love Triangle .No.




The story is a sweet yet slightly angsty NA romance that I'm glad I gave a chance to. When I first read the blurb I was intrigued but after reading about everything Laney had already been through in all her past relationships I was worried. I didn't want to have to read about another guy who ends up breaking her heart after it took her so long to learn to trust again. After asking around a bit I was glad to find that while the characters do take most of the book to admit their feelings for each other the hero never hurts her. If it ended up being about him pushing her away and treating her like crap like most "tortured heroes" we read about lately I'd have been really upset.

Anyways, the story is about Laney, who has gone through many "princes" that turned into absolute douche-bag frogs and thus has given up on love. I got teary-eyed reading about how she felt like she must be the problem since she was the only constant in all her disastrous relationships.

“I was done lying to myself. Princes didn’t exist, happy endings never happened, love was all make-believe.”

Enter Carson. They end up meeting at a coffee shop where he pursues her relentlessly, but only for sex. He's upfront about what he can and cannot offer her and he definitely wants to offer her lots and lots of sex. From then on the two are pretty much inseparable and become good friends. It takes sometime for Laney to figure out whether she can have sex with him and not confuse sex for love but in the end she gives in.

Obviously things take a turn when one of them realizes that they want more than just sex.

“I’d been looking for love for the last eight years. And when I finally stopped wanting and believing in it, it found me.”

I liked the way Carson finally tells Laney how he feels about her and I loved that he didn't go whoring around to finally realize it. I do wish the author would have added an epilogue. I needed more! I hope she considers writing a novella because I would have loved to have seen them together as an actual couple with no holding back. Maybe a bit of a more affectionate and loving Carson too. Not that he wasn't sweet and caring but I would have liked more without him holding back anymore.

Also, THERE'S NO STEAM! What's with the fade to black?

[Pixie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book. It reminded me of a time…

When I was 18 I fell desperately in love for the first time. Problem was the man at the time was older than my mother’s husband, had a daughter a year younger than me, and was divorced.

Obviously seeing what a dummy I was he sat me down and basically told me that what I wanted was a horrible idea and that while he was flattered by my attempts (I had all but been stalking him for a good month – this is what had me at his home for this conversation) there would come a time when I would want things from him that he could not give. He wasn’t going to fall in love with me, get married, and have kids - there would be no fairy tale. Being 18 (I thinking I was immune to love – fucked up childhood so not exactly looking for the fairy tale) I shook my head like a good girl and then promptly stood up and took all my clothes off.

We lasted 10 months…

During that time there were a lot of conversations about leaving each other alone and letting each other go and all that jazz. This book reminded me of all that, how painful it can be to love someone who just cannot love you back. What it's like to realize that and have it destroy you. What it's like to be without them the first day, then the first week, then the first month.

Real life isn't a fairy tale, but I like that this book made me wonder (if only for a moment) what if…

[Tracie Payne · Rating 5 out of 5]

OMG I loved this book!! Exactly what I needed, fun, smart, sexy with the right amount of angst. The first time Carson and Laney met....perfect!! I could have highlighted something on every page, whether it was one of Carson's thoughts or dialogue between the two. There was no fluff here, no time was I wanting things to just move along. Perfect pacing of the story. I laughed at times and my heart clenched others. I felt them from start to finish. Lane wasn't a doormat, she was strong and honest and went for it. I want to read thousands of pages with these two. Can't wait for the next one!

[Jeannine Allison · Rating 5 out of 5]

*** 99c ***

[Briney (semi-hiatus) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Don't you just love it when a book takes you by surprise? I'd just finished my university exam and needed a super chill, low stakes romance to gently coax the return of my sanity. Now my superficial ass strongly dislikes the cover but what'd you know, this book was so freaking cute?! We stan a heroine finding self love and confidence in an authentic way, Laney was such a fun time and her character development felt like a warm hug. Also loved how conflict never arose from girl v. girl competition or pettiness - we fucking stan. Also, we're just gunna ignore those plot holes/ambiguities, I hated O'Leary anyways, so screw him.

But can we appreciate the central theme of communication in this book please?? Hello and welcome to me gushing about how such direct openness and trust left me SOFT. L and C's relationship dynamic is literally everything to me! THIS is why I have impossibly high relationship standards and am forever doomed to live vicariously through fiction. Thanks for coming to my ted talk x