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Heart Collection #4
Fragrance Free
When a forbidden office romance happens in this small town, one night might blossom into something more than either ever expected.
Pam Carter loves all things bright and beautiful, but as manager of the local gardening center and moonlighting as a personal assistant, life isn’t always blooming lilacs. Especially when she has a crush on the one man she shouldn’t...the ruggedly handsome, horror writer she assists. His demons haunt more places than the page, but she doesn’t scare easily.
Jacob Vincent loves all things dark, especially his home - a mansion in the woods. His Elk Lake City retreat brings inspiration but also temptation in the form of his curvy, quiet, and hardworking assistant. She’s fun to flirt with but he knows his limits. Love doesn’t exist within his black heart, but could he be persuaded to turn the page for a new adventure?
When a shadowed heart clashes with blooming desire, love fights to be set free.
** PREVIOUSLY PUBLISHED as Fragrance Free, Sensations Collection 3
Pam Carter loves all things bright and beautiful, but as manager of the local gardening center and moonlighting as a personal assistant, life isn’t always blooming lilacs. Especially when she has a crush on the one man she shouldn’t...the ruggedly handsome, horror writer she assists. His demons haunt more places than the page, but she doesn’t scare easily.
Jacob Vincent loves all things dark, especially his home - a mansion in the woods. His Elk Lake City retreat brings inspiration but also temptation in the form of his curvy, quiet, and hardworking assistant. She’s fun to flirt with but he knows his limits. Love doesn’t exist within his black heart, but could he be persuaded to turn the page for a new adventure?
When a shadowed heart clashes with blooming desire, love fights to be set free.
** PREVIOUSLY PUBLISHED as Fragrance Free, Sensations Collection 3
359 pages, ebook
First published October 31, 2014
207 people are currently reading
624 people want to read
About the author
L.B. Dunbar
97 books3,280 followersL.B. Dunbar loves sexy silver foxes, second chances, and small towns. If you enjoy older characters in your romance reads, including a hero with a little silver in his scruff and a heroine rediscovering her worth, then welcome to romance for those over 40. L.B. Dunbar’s signature works include women and men in their prime taking another turn at love and happily ever after. She’s a USA TODAY Bestseller as well as #1 Bestseller on Amazon in Later in Life Romance with her Sterling Falls, Lakeside Cottage, and Road Trips & Romance series. L.B. lives in Chicago with her own sexy silver fox.
To get all the scoop about the self-proclaimed queen of silver fox romance, join her on Facebook at Loving L.B. or receive her weekly newsletter, Love Notes.
To get all the scoop about the self-proclaimed queen of silver fox romance, join her on Facebook at Loving L.B. or receive her weekly newsletter, Love Notes.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 184 reviews
November 8, 2020
The first time Jacob and Pam met was a night neither of them will ever forget. Her sense of duty as an EMT had her stopping to help him when she needed to be somewhere else with someone important to her.
Meeting Jacob that night led to a professional working relationship between them that organically grew into something much more. However, neither of them have voiced their personal feelings for each other. This had led to frustration and longing for both of them.
Jacob is a successful author and Pam is his assistant. He spends a lot of time in New York, where he also has an on/off again girlfriend. When he is back at his home in Elk Lake City he sees more of Pam, she regularly reads and reviews chapters of the books he writes and he really respects her thoughts and opinions.
‘She’s this contradiction of innocence and temptation. With big blue denim eyes and bouncy blonde waves to her chin, she wears bright lipstick in shades of red or hot pink. Her clothing is either too vibrant or all black. And her interests lean to the dark and morbid. She loves the shit I write.’
Pam’s unrequited love for Jacob has been going on for two years now. She knows he has no interest in her, in the romantic sense, and there could never be anything more but he loves to flirt and tease Pam and it really messes with her confusing feelings for him.
‘Here’s the thing about love. When you haven’t had it, you don’t know what to look for. You just know it’s different from anything else.’
When Jacob begins doing more than flirting with her she finds it hard to believe that he is serious. He has wanted to do more with Pam than just flirt but deep down inside he doesn’t feel like he deserves her, she deserves to be loved by a man without a dark past, one that can offer her marriage and children one day.
It only takes one night to change everything.
‘I want this woman. I want her to know how beautiful she is. I want her to know how worthy she is. I want her to know how important she is to me, and I want to show her because my words are not enough.’
I was so thrilled to discover this story would be focused around Jacob and Pam. They featured in the previous story and it really piqued my interest and set the scene for this friends to lovers story.
Meeting Jacob that night led to a professional working relationship between them that organically grew into something much more. However, neither of them have voiced their personal feelings for each other. This had led to frustration and longing for both of them.
Jacob is a successful author and Pam is his assistant. He spends a lot of time in New York, where he also has an on/off again girlfriend. When he is back at his home in Elk Lake City he sees more of Pam, she regularly reads and reviews chapters of the books he writes and he really respects her thoughts and opinions.
‘She’s this contradiction of innocence and temptation. With big blue denim eyes and bouncy blonde waves to her chin, she wears bright lipstick in shades of red or hot pink. Her clothing is either too vibrant or all black. And her interests lean to the dark and morbid. She loves the shit I write.’
Pam’s unrequited love for Jacob has been going on for two years now. She knows he has no interest in her, in the romantic sense, and there could never be anything more but he loves to flirt and tease Pam and it really messes with her confusing feelings for him.
‘Here’s the thing about love. When you haven’t had it, you don’t know what to look for. You just know it’s different from anything else.’
When Jacob begins doing more than flirting with her she finds it hard to believe that he is serious. He has wanted to do more with Pam than just flirt but deep down inside he doesn’t feel like he deserves her, she deserves to be loved by a man without a dark past, one that can offer her marriage and children one day.
It only takes one night to change everything.
‘I want this woman. I want her to know how beautiful she is. I want her to know how worthy she is. I want her to know how important she is to me, and I want to show her because my words are not enough.’
I was so thrilled to discover this story would be focused around Jacob and Pam. They featured in the previous story and it really piqued my interest and set the scene for this friends to lovers story.
November 5, 2020
A fight for the Heart, an uphill battle for a man who's chased by the monster in his heart, till he gets pummeled to the ground. And an angel who comes heals his wounds and rescues him.
“I always fuck things up. I’m the monster in my own story, destroying what I have that’s good.”
The love is powerful, the tug of war torturous and the self depreciation is pure agony.
Dunbar goes a step further in travails of relationships with book 4. Highlighting the everlasting impact of abuse, both verbal and physical, she shows us the scars and bruises in stark honesty.
She has penned the ultimate fantasy of romance between a writer and a blogger, stuff bookish dreams are made of.
“He’s misunderstood,”
“He’s been rejected from his creator,
Hunky and grouchy boss - Fiction writer Jacob Vincent and his muse, his assistant, his Blood and Blossoms blogger Pam are locked in a denial. And it's a stare off, no one wants to blink first. Dunbar throws a gauntlet of emotions and makes them run through it, their bodies screaming for each other and hearts craving. It's written with a lot of angst, a lot of turmoil and whole lot of heart
Sentimental and tearful, this story will make you laugh, make you cry and make you fall in love.
4 stars for Nevermore
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“I always fuck things up. I’m the monster in my own story, destroying what I have that’s good.”
The love is powerful, the tug of war torturous and the self depreciation is pure agony.
Dunbar goes a step further in travails of relationships with book 4. Highlighting the everlasting impact of abuse, both verbal and physical, she shows us the scars and bruises in stark honesty.
She has penned the ultimate fantasy of romance between a writer and a blogger, stuff bookish dreams are made of.
“He’s misunderstood,”
“He’s been rejected from his creator,
Hunky and grouchy boss - Fiction writer Jacob Vincent and his muse, his assistant, his Blood and Blossoms blogger Pam are locked in a denial. And it's a stare off, no one wants to blink first. Dunbar throws a gauntlet of emotions and makes them run through it, their bodies screaming for each other and hearts craving. It's written with a lot of angst, a lot of turmoil and whole lot of heart
Sentimental and tearful, this story will make you laugh, make you cry and make you fall in love.
4 stars for Nevermore
Follow me on:
Email🌻 Bookbub 🌻 Twitter🌻 Instagram🌻 Blog🌻 Facebook🌻 Amazon 🌻
October 25, 2014
Its been days since I have read Fragrance Free and I'm still having trouble putting down what I want to say. Fragrance Free was an amazing book full of angst. I LOVED every bit of it. From the little teaser L.B. Dunbar posted I knew this book would gut me. It did and more, several times my heart stopped of stomach dropped.
What can I say about Pam.... She is a very hard worker always seems to be taking care of someone else. But she didn't always be this way. Pan had her time of endless one night stands and it left her feeling unlovable and lonely. Pan realizes she wants someone to be there for her and chase after her to prove she is wanted. And with Jacob she can feel it with him at times. But Jacob never chases her, never really proves he wants her.
Jacob SIGH there is so much to Jacob. While reading Fragrance free I took notes on my feelings or thoughts and one of the 1st ones I took on Jacob was How I want to fix him. He's broken and don't let others get close to fix him. And with Pan he just seems so confused that it don't help him at all. Then there's the whole thing with Lucy and I wont go there because I don't want to spoil it and too I probably wouldn't be able to explain it for you to get the whole picture. At one point I got so mad at Jacob, in my notes I put down, Don't be this man please. But Jacob won me back (Thank you Dunbar)
L.B. Dunbar's writing is fabulous!! I want nothing but success for her and for her to keep doing what she is doing. I love it all!! I want ot keep soaking in all things Dunbar (in a not crazy way) She is on my list of authors to watch, I believe she will go far.
What can I say about Pam.... She is a very hard worker always seems to be taking care of someone else. But she didn't always be this way. Pan had her time of endless one night stands and it left her feeling unlovable and lonely. Pan realizes she wants someone to be there for her and chase after her to prove she is wanted. And with Jacob she can feel it with him at times. But Jacob never chases her, never really proves he wants her.
Jacob SIGH there is so much to Jacob. While reading Fragrance free I took notes on my feelings or thoughts and one of the 1st ones I took on Jacob was How I want to fix him. He's broken and don't let others get close to fix him. And with Pan he just seems so confused that it don't help him at all. Then there's the whole thing with Lucy and I wont go there because I don't want to spoil it and too I probably wouldn't be able to explain it for you to get the whole picture. At one point I got so mad at Jacob, in my notes I put down, Don't be this man please. But Jacob won me back (Thank you Dunbar)
L.B. Dunbar's writing is fabulous!! I want nothing but success for her and for her to keep doing what she is doing. I love it all!! I want ot keep soaking in all things Dunbar (in a not crazy way) She is on my list of authors to watch, I believe she will go far.
November 5, 2020
I haven’t had a lot of time to process my reading experience as I just finished this ARC yesterday so I’m probably not going to get into all the things I’d like to discuss and maybe just highlight. The one thing I’ve struggled with all day to say properly is that although I had zero connection to both Pam and Jacob, I did connect with the story, or the bones of it I should say. Here’s the thing, I already knew I wasn’t in like with Pam from her shenanigan behavior in the previous book, but I expected that to be because I didn’t get the real her yet. Well, I got her now and I’d like to return her. Thanks. While I’m on this subject of leads, Jacob was … well, I can’t really say much because I still barely know him. I know, I read every word in this book yet … *side-eye* Both Pam and Jacob were very superficial on the page. It’s not that I can’t imagine things about characters, but I’m pretty sure I’m not supposed to be doing that. Who they are and what they stand for should be conveyed to me on the page. At least that’s what I think should be happening but I’m not a professional writer so what do I know. Let’s move on.
In the last book I mentioned how much I liked the story but the characters, not so much. And I even went as far as saying I couldn’t tell you why because I’d give away the story. Well, the same thing happened with (book) but I can tell you why without giving away much, I think. Okay, so Pam has some deep-rooted self esteem issues along. Deep, people. She carried these issues almost all the way to the finish line. That’s a little problematic for me, because it was a constant conflict within her, which caused a constant conflict in the story/journey. The story was always in conflict, and it gets better (no, not really lol) Jacob has serious demons that are imprinted in his soul. Very real and relatable demons. Demons that have led him down a path no one wishes to be on but some are powerless to its pull, it is excruciating getting out and surviving. So now we have two leads riddled with conflict, very real and realistic conflicts within themselves, that is putting up a roadblock for a romance journey between them. But that wasn’t enough conflict in this story, there was more and this is where it gets dicey for me to continue down this path in my review because nothing good can come out of you reading my opinion on how bat balls crazy this story got LOL SO I’m not doing it. Because it’s an opinion. But I’ll give you some facts.
This story would rip anyone’s emotions to shreds. Struggling with addiction and overcoming it is not easy and the desire for that stimuli lives in you forever. I have no greater regard than that of a person living with an addiction. It is powerful, life-altering, all-consuming, devastating and has no regard to the world around it. A person that lives with this inside of them and battles it every second of every day has my undying support in anything. As I am sure you have figured out by now, Jacob is one of those people. His journey out of the dark and into the light should have been a thing of beauty to read but it was presented to the reader in abstract content. Basically, it happened off the page and it frustrated me to no end. So no, I wasn’t a happy reader when I realized I read a story that was 90% conflict and during the last 10% (those aren’t accurate percentages but you get my drift) BAM, we’re out of the dark and into the light. Out of all the things that unfolded in this story, this was the most disappointing. But again … not my story to tell.
Sorry, one last opinion, there are several plot points that come at the almost end of this journey that are baffling to me. As I mentioned at the very beginning of this very long review (sorry guys) Pam and Jacob both held enough drama within themselves to laden the story with conflict so adding fuel to an already blazing fire seemed counterproductive and truly tested me. I did a lot of screaming “C’MON!!!” while I read which was pure comic relief in my household LOL
I’ll leave you with this, which I’ve mentioned in the previous book’s review … I just discovered this author not too long ago and everything I’ve read by her has been done really well, so this could very well be a me thing and I hope no one stops themselves from reading this story just because I was twitchy :)
In the last book I mentioned how much I liked the story but the characters, not so much. And I even went as far as saying I couldn’t tell you why because I’d give away the story. Well, the same thing happened with (book) but I can tell you why without giving away much, I think. Okay, so Pam has some deep-rooted self esteem issues along. Deep, people. She carried these issues almost all the way to the finish line. That’s a little problematic for me, because it was a constant conflict within her, which caused a constant conflict in the story/journey. The story was always in conflict, and it gets better (no, not really lol) Jacob has serious demons that are imprinted in his soul. Very real and relatable demons. Demons that have led him down a path no one wishes to be on but some are powerless to its pull, it is excruciating getting out and surviving. So now we have two leads riddled with conflict, very real and realistic conflicts within themselves, that is putting up a roadblock for a romance journey between them. But that wasn’t enough conflict in this story, there was more and this is where it gets dicey for me to continue down this path in my review because nothing good can come out of you reading my opinion on how bat balls crazy this story got LOL SO I’m not doing it. Because it’s an opinion. But I’ll give you some facts.
This story would rip anyone’s emotions to shreds. Struggling with addiction and overcoming it is not easy and the desire for that stimuli lives in you forever. I have no greater regard than that of a person living with an addiction. It is powerful, life-altering, all-consuming, devastating and has no regard to the world around it. A person that lives with this inside of them and battles it every second of every day has my undying support in anything. As I am sure you have figured out by now, Jacob is one of those people. His journey out of the dark and into the light should have been a thing of beauty to read but it was presented to the reader in abstract content. Basically, it happened off the page and it frustrated me to no end. So no, I wasn’t a happy reader when I realized I read a story that was 90% conflict and during the last 10% (those aren’t accurate percentages but you get my drift) BAM, we’re out of the dark and into the light. Out of all the things that unfolded in this story, this was the most disappointing. But again … not my story to tell.
Sorry, one last opinion, there are several plot points that come at the almost end of this journey that are baffling to me. As I mentioned at the very beginning of this very long review (sorry guys) Pam and Jacob both held enough drama within themselves to laden the story with conflict so adding fuel to an already blazing fire seemed counterproductive and truly tested me. I did a lot of screaming “C’MON!!!” while I read which was pure comic relief in my household LOL
I’ll leave you with this, which I’ve mentioned in the previous book’s review … I just discovered this author not too long ago and everything I’ve read by her has been done really well, so this could very well be a me thing and I hope no one stops themselves from reading this story just because I was twitchy :)
November 6, 2020
Pam and Jacob are the perfect match - she is the light to his dark, the calm to his chaos. She keeps his life in order as his personal assistant, but he wants things to get a lot more personal. *wink wink*
And it’s not that Pam doesn’t feel the same, but she has seen first hand his idea of relationships (he doesn’t have many) and she’s not sure they are compatible or that he won’t break her heart. Pam knows better than anyone that Jacob has issues he needs to deal with.
Pam is such a genuinely likable character who always puts other’s first, that she fights her feelings for her boss and doesn’t believe she’s worthy of him. And there’s kind of a lot a of that in the book - that push and pull. Both of them feeling unworthy in different ways.
So the path for these two is not easy, but it’s so worth it. They have such a palpable connection and such true love for each other, even if they make stupid mistakes along the way. LB has such a way of writing flawed characters and their path to healing that really makes you believe that people can change for the right reasons.
Great addition to the small town Elk Lake City/Heart collection!!
And it’s not that Pam doesn’t feel the same, but she has seen first hand his idea of relationships (he doesn’t have many) and she’s not sure they are compatible or that he won’t break her heart. Pam knows better than anyone that Jacob has issues he needs to deal with.
Pam is such a genuinely likable character who always puts other’s first, that she fights her feelings for her boss and doesn’t believe she’s worthy of him. And there’s kind of a lot a of that in the book - that push and pull. Both of them feeling unworthy in different ways.
So the path for these two is not easy, but it’s so worth it. They have such a palpable connection and such true love for each other, even if they make stupid mistakes along the way. LB has such a way of writing flawed characters and their path to healing that really makes you believe that people can change for the right reasons.
Great addition to the small town Elk Lake City/Heart collection!!
Read
April 18, 2020COMING SOON - a new improved romance filled with more heat and stronger/older characters.
March 22, 2015
Jacob. Wow. New book boyfriend right there.
This book is hands-down my favorite from this collection. Dunbar's rich descriptions of setting and place really have given me a case of wanderlust. I want to pack my bags and go to Elk Rapids, MI, and I want to read this book again while I'm there. Legit. I told my husband that it's really been a while since a book has lit that fire in me, and so Elk Rapids is now on the bucket list of to-sees. I'm so not kidding. The book, the story, the setting...it's just that good and I now must see the inspiration for the backdrop.
I've been undergoing a terrifically difficult semester in my post-graduate studies. My coursework has me up until all ungodly hours of the night. To be perfectly honest, I need an escape just to calm my brain on those nights. LB Dunbar's novels provide that. Pure escapism, but to a place where the characters seem very real and like people you might encounter on the street. Their problems aren't fantastical, they're pretty down-to-earth in terms of characterization, and their stories are easy to get lost in. Just what I need right now.
I truly did not want this particular novel to end. I loved it that much. I think you will, too. :)
This book is hands-down my favorite from this collection. Dunbar's rich descriptions of setting and place really have given me a case of wanderlust. I want to pack my bags and go to Elk Rapids, MI, and I want to read this book again while I'm there. Legit. I told my husband that it's really been a while since a book has lit that fire in me, and so Elk Rapids is now on the bucket list of to-sees. I'm so not kidding. The book, the story, the setting...it's just that good and I now must see the inspiration for the backdrop.
I've been undergoing a terrifically difficult semester in my post-graduate studies. My coursework has me up until all ungodly hours of the night. To be perfectly honest, I need an escape just to calm my brain on those nights. LB Dunbar's novels provide that. Pure escapism, but to a place where the characters seem very real and like people you might encounter on the street. Their problems aren't fantastical, they're pretty down-to-earth in terms of characterization, and their stories are easy to get lost in. Just what I need right now.
I truly did not want this particular novel to end. I loved it that much. I think you will, too. :)
November 3, 2020
Heartstrings, This story does that from the very first page right up until you see the words The End.
Jacob Vincent a successful writer lives in his words to escape his reality always finding reasons not to grab the present but living in his past thinking he doesn’t have a reason for happiness until he meets his muse years ago but until recently seeing that she always has been right in front of him.
Pam Carter has never had luck in finding love, always being the last to know when it comes to her life but when she meets Jacob under the hardest of circumstances she knows that he was always going to be someone special in her life.
Jacob & Pam have always had a Fantastic working relationship but she has always known she would want more with him, but he never was at that position in his life to see that. Watching them navigate through so many emotions will definitely have you feeling them coming off the pages and knowing that once they find it themselves they just might get that the HEA after both truly deserve.
Jacob Vincent a successful writer lives in his words to escape his reality always finding reasons not to grab the present but living in his past thinking he doesn’t have a reason for happiness until he meets his muse years ago but until recently seeing that she always has been right in front of him.
Pam Carter has never had luck in finding love, always being the last to know when it comes to her life but when she meets Jacob under the hardest of circumstances she knows that he was always going to be someone special in her life.
Jacob & Pam have always had a Fantastic working relationship but she has always known she would want more with him, but he never was at that position in his life to see that. Watching them navigate through so many emotions will definitely have you feeling them coming off the pages and knowing that once they find it themselves they just might get that the HEA after both truly deserve.
November 6, 2014
This is the 3rd book of LB Dunbar's I have read, and I have loved them all. LB is a very talented author that has me glued to my kindle to the very end.
Fragrance free is the story of famous horror writer, Jacob, and his personal assistant, Pam. We have met these 2 in previous books, and I felt the connection between them in her second book, 'Taste Test'. 'Fragrance Free' takes that connection, and takes us on a ride of romance, sexual tension, and lots of angst as we learn about these 2 characters a whole lot more.
Pam works as Jacob's assistant, we know she has feelings for him, but, after spending time with him at his house while she is sick, we learn her affection for him is very strong. Jacob is a quiet man that has had his fair share of heartache in his life, and keeps to himself most of the time, but, as soon as we start reading, we know he wants more from Pam... but can he take things further with her? You'll have to read to find out.
I love the authors style of writing. As with all her books, I was captured by the way she describes characters, landscapes, and emotions. I have the urge to want visit this beautiful town of Elk Rapids, and enjoy everything she writes about this little place. Her characters are written with lots of heart, that you'll love them all, and hate the villains so much that you want to throw your kindle to make them stop being so bad (I love reading the villains, especially the one in this book).
Fragrance Free can be read as a stand alone, but, I do love hearing the characters from her previous books, so I like to read them in order to enjoy the whole experience.
5 HUGE stars from me.
Fragrance free is the story of famous horror writer, Jacob, and his personal assistant, Pam. We have met these 2 in previous books, and I felt the connection between them in her second book, 'Taste Test'. 'Fragrance Free' takes that connection, and takes us on a ride of romance, sexual tension, and lots of angst as we learn about these 2 characters a whole lot more.
Pam works as Jacob's assistant, we know she has feelings for him, but, after spending time with him at his house while she is sick, we learn her affection for him is very strong. Jacob is a quiet man that has had his fair share of heartache in his life, and keeps to himself most of the time, but, as soon as we start reading, we know he wants more from Pam... but can he take things further with her? You'll have to read to find out.
I love the authors style of writing. As with all her books, I was captured by the way she describes characters, landscapes, and emotions. I have the urge to want visit this beautiful town of Elk Rapids, and enjoy everything she writes about this little place. Her characters are written with lots of heart, that you'll love them all, and hate the villains so much that you want to throw your kindle to make them stop being so bad (I love reading the villains, especially the one in this book).
Fragrance Free can be read as a stand alone, but, I do love hearing the characters from her previous books, so I like to read them in order to enjoy the whole experience.
5 HUGE stars from me.
October 20, 2014
Fragrance Free
Let me start out by saying that LB Dunbar has the knack for mixing sweet with dark and twisted, and I love it. In this book we finally get to see inside the inner workings of the elusive and mysterious Jacob. While we met him in Taste Taste, this one will chill you and make you want to love him hard. Pam is his personal assistant but she too has some past demons that she needs to expel. Of course, she finds herself glaringly infatuated and in lust with Jacob. The relationship these two have is expertly written and flows so great with the whole story. As I read Taste Test, I really wanted to know more about this "thing" going on between Pam and Jacob. And LB did not disappoint. Be prepared to be shocked, awed, murderous, and in love with these two. I love the well placed villain Lucy. No not her in general but the antagonistic role she played. She made me want jump through my kindle and throat punch her. I despise the way she treats Jacob. I felt so much in tune with these characters. I love that we were able to be updated on the past characters. I just seriously can't gush about this book enough. Between ugly crying and serious bouts of anger and angst, I loved this book. I devoured this and have already started telling my friends it's a must read! Hats off to LB for writing one badass book that wrecked me in the best way!
Let me start out by saying that LB Dunbar has the knack for mixing sweet with dark and twisted, and I love it. In this book we finally get to see inside the inner workings of the elusive and mysterious Jacob. While we met him in Taste Taste, this one will chill you and make you want to love him hard. Pam is his personal assistant but she too has some past demons that she needs to expel. Of course, she finds herself glaringly infatuated and in lust with Jacob. The relationship these two have is expertly written and flows so great with the whole story. As I read Taste Test, I really wanted to know more about this "thing" going on between Pam and Jacob. And LB did not disappoint. Be prepared to be shocked, awed, murderous, and in love with these two. I love the well placed villain Lucy. No not her in general but the antagonistic role she played. She made me want jump through my kindle and throat punch her. I despise the way she treats Jacob. I felt so much in tune with these characters. I love that we were able to be updated on the past characters. I just seriously can't gush about this book enough. Between ugly crying and serious bouts of anger and angst, I loved this book. I devoured this and have already started telling my friends it's a must read! Hats off to LB for writing one badass book that wrecked me in the best way!
November 1, 2014
Every book I read by LB Dunbar just gets better and better. If I could rate this with more than 5 stars I would. With that being said it is still hard to put in words my thought on this book. Pages and pages of Angst.
We meet Pam who we have met in the previous Sensations Collection books. She has deep feelings for Jacob. She works for him and doesn't know how he feels or if she should act on these feelings. Pam is the person who always takes care of everyone else. Throughout this book she has to deal with her feelings for Jacob but she does it in a level headed way.
Jacob, sigh, what to say about Jacob. He causes so much angst in this book. He will make you want to pull your hair out and scream at him. He has feelings for Pam and sometimes acts on them and then pulls back. He is conflicted and it shows throughout the book. Within the pages you can feel that Jacob is a conflicted person and feels that he does not deserve someone good for him.
You also see glimpses of characters from Sound Advice and Taste Test. Pick this book up and you will quickly become a fan of LB Dunbar and want to read the other books in Sensations collections. This book is standalone.
I received a gift copy in exchange for an honest review.
We meet Pam who we have met in the previous Sensations Collection books. She has deep feelings for Jacob. She works for him and doesn't know how he feels or if she should act on these feelings. Pam is the person who always takes care of everyone else. Throughout this book she has to deal with her feelings for Jacob but she does it in a level headed way.
Jacob, sigh, what to say about Jacob. He causes so much angst in this book. He will make you want to pull your hair out and scream at him. He has feelings for Pam and sometimes acts on them and then pulls back. He is conflicted and it shows throughout the book. Within the pages you can feel that Jacob is a conflicted person and feels that he does not deserve someone good for him.
You also see glimpses of characters from Sound Advice and Taste Test. Pick this book up and you will quickly become a fan of LB Dunbar and want to read the other books in Sensations collections. This book is standalone.
I received a gift copy in exchange for an honest review.
October 29, 2014
Let me start by saying LB Dunbar always finds a way to amaze me with her stories. I was eager for more of Jacob. I got teased by him and the mystery around him. Oh, and it didn't hurt that he was a horror writer. He captivated me from the start in Taste Test, but he stole my heart in Fragrance Free. If there ever was a time I needed a cloning machine it is now. I would so clone him, so that I can have my own Jacob. Pam is one lucky girl. Sometimes it isn't the woman that needs a gentle hand. We see him evolve the more he is around Pam, and I loved his behavior. I won't say more, but I will say he is one book boyfriend I will enjoy seeing in my dreams.
November 9, 2014
*I was given a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review*
First of all, I need to say that I really adored this story. Seeing that it's book number 3, I want to read the first 2!
A sweet, but twisted up romance, it was one easy for anyone who has been burned before to understand. The characters were so wonderfully brought to life, that I could actually feel the pull between them, feel their happiness, uncertainty, sadness, and everything else. It was truly well written, and I'm glad I had the opportunity to read it. This was the first thing I've read from this author, and I do believe it shan't be the last.
Bob says: 4 Platypires!
First of all, I need to say that I really adored this story. Seeing that it's book number 3, I want to read the first 2!
A sweet, but twisted up romance, it was one easy for anyone who has been burned before to understand. The characters were so wonderfully brought to life, that I could actually feel the pull between them, feel their happiness, uncertainty, sadness, and everything else. It was truly well written, and I'm glad I had the opportunity to read it. This was the first thing I've read from this author, and I do believe it shan't be the last.
Bob says: 4 Platypires!
November 3, 2020
Overall Grade: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
To decide to revisit a series, one that you had put to bed, and revise it for consumption feels certainly like an act of bravery. As a relatively new L.B Dunbar reader, I had not originally read her Heart Collection, formerly the Sensations series, given the extensiveness of her book list. With Dunbar’s willingness to revise this series, I have found myself falling into this new series as easily as I’ve fallen into her Sexy Silver Foxes, The Silver Foxes of Blue Ridge, and SmartyPants Romance collections. What Dunbar brings to these series is her ability to craft heroes and heroines who feel a little bit broken at the beginning of the story, but find completion and restoration in the arms of their paramours. For this reader, that reads like catnip to an insatiable cat.
Thus far, with the Heart Collection, I have fallen in love with Jess and Emily, Tricia and Leon, and Ethan and Ella. Within their stories, there is a cohesion. Whether it feels like hate-to-love or opposites attracting, Dunbar has crafted stories in these heroes and heroines’ books that draw you in and urge you forward through the difficulties of their journeys. Fight from The Heart is the first book in the series that quite literally felt like a fight. I am a particular fan of a hero who struggles to know himself and who is broody and inconsistent in nature. I am also a fan of a heroine who understands the hero’s temperament and challenges it as he learns himself. This is definitely the case with Pam and Jacob in Dunbar’s newest book. While Pam sees through Jacob’s pain, she struggles to understand it given his difficulty in expressing his feelings. As such, their journey is contentious and fraught because Jacob, a wordsmith by occupation, is unable to fully articulate his struggles in the presence of Pam. Normally, I love this type of journey. It makes the story compelling and fiery. Yet, with this book, I struggled.
There is distinct chemistry between Pam and Jacob. Anyone who read Look with Your Heart, Ethan and Ella’s story, noted Pam and Jacob’s chemistry quickly, and it feeds a want for Fight from The Heart. I know I was anticipatory for their story. Yet, Jacob as a hero is frustrating. He is a dark hero, one suffering from alcoholism and guilt, and it takes much of this story for him to hit rock bottom. During that time, one minute he wants Pam, she is his “angel”, his savior. In the very next moment, he can’t have her. This discord goes on for much of the story, and it creates an uneveness that slows down Dunbar’s narrative. Jacob’s epiphany takes longer than I would have liked. He is definitely the darkest of the Heart Collection heroes which is appealing, as it counters the simplicity and idyllic nature of the small town romance. That, in and of itself, is appealing. I simply wanted Jacob to be a bit more consistent with his feelings. Instead, he felt bipolar.
Pam is stalwart. She’s the type of heroine you expect for a brooding hero such as Jacob, and she challenges him even though her self-doubt derails her at times. That being said, she was my favorite part of the book in her dedication to him and her eventual challenge to his existing pattern of living. She becomes the impetus for his change, and that is always a swoony element in romance.
Fight from The Heart is your prototypical small-town romance except, in the context of L.B. Dunbar’s Heart Collection, it is its darkest. There is an appeal in that as small towns aren’t always idyllic places. I think what I love most about this book and its predecessors is the underlying literary influences (this one feels a little Phantom of the Opera or Edgar Allen Poe flavored) and the revelation of her characters’ journeys towards absolution of their pasts. Thus far, that feels like the underlying force of this series. With one more book in the series to go, Fight from The Heart has cemented its place as the darkest of the series.
To decide to revisit a series, one that you had put to bed, and revise it for consumption feels certainly like an act of bravery. As a relatively new L.B Dunbar reader, I had not originally read her Heart Collection, formerly the Sensations series, given the extensiveness of her book list. With Dunbar’s willingness to revise this series, I have found myself falling into this new series as easily as I’ve fallen into her Sexy Silver Foxes, The Silver Foxes of Blue Ridge, and SmartyPants Romance collections. What Dunbar brings to these series is her ability to craft heroes and heroines who feel a little bit broken at the beginning of the story, but find completion and restoration in the arms of their paramours. For this reader, that reads like catnip to an insatiable cat.
Thus far, with the Heart Collection, I have fallen in love with Jess and Emily, Tricia and Leon, and Ethan and Ella. Within their stories, there is a cohesion. Whether it feels like hate-to-love or opposites attracting, Dunbar has crafted stories in these heroes and heroines’ books that draw you in and urge you forward through the difficulties of their journeys. Fight from The Heart is the first book in the series that quite literally felt like a fight. I am a particular fan of a hero who struggles to know himself and who is broody and inconsistent in nature. I am also a fan of a heroine who understands the hero’s temperament and challenges it as he learns himself. This is definitely the case with Pam and Jacob in Dunbar’s newest book. While Pam sees through Jacob’s pain, she struggles to understand it given his difficulty in expressing his feelings. As such, their journey is contentious and fraught because Jacob, a wordsmith by occupation, is unable to fully articulate his struggles in the presence of Pam. Normally, I love this type of journey. It makes the story compelling and fiery. Yet, with this book, I struggled.
There is distinct chemistry between Pam and Jacob. Anyone who read Look with Your Heart, Ethan and Ella’s story, noted Pam and Jacob’s chemistry quickly, and it feeds a want for Fight from The Heart. I know I was anticipatory for their story. Yet, Jacob as a hero is frustrating. He is a dark hero, one suffering from alcoholism and guilt, and it takes much of this story for him to hit rock bottom. During that time, one minute he wants Pam, she is his “angel”, his savior. In the very next moment, he can’t have her. This discord goes on for much of the story, and it creates an uneveness that slows down Dunbar’s narrative. Jacob’s epiphany takes longer than I would have liked. He is definitely the darkest of the Heart Collection heroes which is appealing, as it counters the simplicity and idyllic nature of the small town romance. That, in and of itself, is appealing. I simply wanted Jacob to be a bit more consistent with his feelings. Instead, he felt bipolar.
Pam is stalwart. She’s the type of heroine you expect for a brooding hero such as Jacob, and she challenges him even though her self-doubt derails her at times. That being said, she was my favorite part of the book in her dedication to him and her eventual challenge to his existing pattern of living. She becomes the impetus for his change, and that is always a swoony element in romance.
Fight from The Heart is your prototypical small-town romance except, in the context of L.B. Dunbar’s Heart Collection, it is its darkest. There is an appeal in that as small towns aren’t always idyllic places. I think what I love most about this book and its predecessors is the underlying literary influences (this one feels a little Phantom of the Opera or Edgar Allen Poe flavored) and the revelation of her characters’ journeys towards absolution of their pasts. Thus far, that feels like the underlying force of this series. With one more book in the series to go, Fight from The Heart has cemented its place as the darkest of the series.
November 6, 2020
4.5 ⭐
Fight from the Heart is book 4 in the Heart Collection and Pam and Jacobs story. I was so excited to read their story since I've read Look with your Heart, because their chemistry was already so strong in book 3 😉.
Jacob is a successful author and retreats to Elk Lake City when he needs to write, so he's there must of the year. Until recently his half-sister Ella (from Look with your Heart) lived with him. But he also has an apartment in New York and an on/off-girlfriend there - much to Pam's regret. Because Pam is in love with Jacob since the day she found him by the roadside. Because of his past and because he can't or won't cope with things in his life, he likes to reach for the bottle. Drinking is supposedly his only possibility to cope with what happend. Until he finally "sees" Pam and wants to change. He has and wants to fight - for himself and for her.
Pam can't trust easily after what happened with her last boyfriend and even if she loves Jacob for years now, she's sure that a man like him could never love a woman like her. She's insecure but she always stays true to herself. She knows what she wants and she's not willing to give in. Once in her life love should play by her rules. But she also can't give up without a fight.
This is by far the darkest story in this series. Jacob has a lot of issues because of his past and he struggles with so many things. He's angry and has a temper but with time and Pam's patience he learns how to be a better man. The two complement each other perfectly.
I really enjoyed getting to know these two and to accompany them on their journey to everlasting love, even if they are not my favorite couple in this series. This story is yet another testament to L.B. Dunbars greatness as a writer. Can't wait for View with your Heart.
Fight from the Heart is book 4 in the Heart Collection and Pam and Jacobs story. I was so excited to read their story since I've read Look with your Heart, because their chemistry was already so strong in book 3 😉.
Jacob is a successful author and retreats to Elk Lake City when he needs to write, so he's there must of the year. Until recently his half-sister Ella (from Look with your Heart) lived with him. But he also has an apartment in New York and an on/off-girlfriend there - much to Pam's regret. Because Pam is in love with Jacob since the day she found him by the roadside. Because of his past and because he can't or won't cope with things in his life, he likes to reach for the bottle. Drinking is supposedly his only possibility to cope with what happend. Until he finally "sees" Pam and wants to change. He has and wants to fight - for himself and for her.
Pam can't trust easily after what happened with her last boyfriend and even if she loves Jacob for years now, she's sure that a man like him could never love a woman like her. She's insecure but she always stays true to herself. She knows what she wants and she's not willing to give in. Once in her life love should play by her rules. But she also can't give up without a fight.
This is by far the darkest story in this series. Jacob has a lot of issues because of his past and he struggles with so many things. He's angry and has a temper but with time and Pam's patience he learns how to be a better man. The two complement each other perfectly.
I really enjoyed getting to know these two and to accompany them on their journey to everlasting love, even if they are not my favorite couple in this series. This story is yet another testament to L.B. Dunbars greatness as a writer. Can't wait for View with your Heart.
November 9, 2020
This is a hard review to write. While I enjoyed the story some parts just made me want to pull my hair out. And maybe that was the author’s intention. It certainly made for a drama filled book.
While the characters from other books are mentioned, this is a complete standalone story.
We met Jacob and Pam in book 3. Jacob has some deep seated issues and an addiction. Because of this he doesn’t believe he deserves a healthy relationship or love. Pam has some deep seated body image issues but we don’t learn why.
All of these combined make for lots of drama and angst. We have lots of push and pull from the characters. Jacob is the epitome of the damaged hero. There is some OW drama but most of it could have been cleared up if the characters had just communicated with each other, instead of jumping to conclusions. But that is the point of the story. They need to fight for their love. We see Jacob willing to do the “work” but Pam never really deals with her self confidence issues and I wanted to see that. Right up to the end she has trouble believing that Jacob would want her and if the things he says to her we really true. That bugged me. I wanted to slap her and say “How many times does he have to tell you?” I like that she made Jacob work for her but I wanted to see her work just as hard for him. Don’t get me wrong. I completely enjoyed the story but as a woman who has had weight issues her whole life I wanted to see Pam grow more.
All in all another great read from Ms Dunbar.
While the characters from other books are mentioned, this is a complete standalone story.
We met Jacob and Pam in book 3. Jacob has some deep seated issues and an addiction. Because of this he doesn’t believe he deserves a healthy relationship or love. Pam has some deep seated body image issues but we don’t learn why.
All of these combined make for lots of drama and angst. We have lots of push and pull from the characters. Jacob is the epitome of the damaged hero. There is some OW drama but most of it could have been cleared up if the characters had just communicated with each other, instead of jumping to conclusions. But that is the point of the story. They need to fight for their love. We see Jacob willing to do the “work” but Pam never really deals with her self confidence issues and I wanted to see that. Right up to the end she has trouble believing that Jacob would want her and if the things he says to her we really true. That bugged me. I wanted to slap her and say “How many times does he have to tell you?” I like that she made Jacob work for her but I wanted to see her work just as hard for him. Don’t get me wrong. I completely enjoyed the story but as a woman who has had weight issues her whole life I wanted to see Pam grow more.
All in all another great read from Ms Dunbar.
November 3, 2020
I honestly have to say, this book definitely stole my heart. Fight from the Heart, the next installment in the “From the Heart” by LB Dunbar is the re-written story of Pam and Jacob. It was my favorite of the stories when they were the “Sensations” series and I love the updated version just as much, if not more. Fight brings us behind the scenes of Pam,, who has worked for author Jacob for just over 2 years, since the tragic death of her Father on the same night they first meet. During this time, Pam has slowly fallen in love with her employer while watching him drag himself through a mentally and at times physically abusive relationship. Jacob thinks that because of his past, that he just can’t seem to get over, that this is the only type of relationship that he deserves. He doesn’t deserve love. Fight from the Heart is the story of how Pam and Jacob learn to love themselves and each other. That they both deserve the HEA that they can find together. As with all of the books in this series...there are levels of angst involved in the story and it is not a one way ticket to the golden ending, but the craft with which this story was hone is clear for all to see and the journey is a heart-grabbing one. Please keep them coming.
November 6, 2020
If you have read some of the other books in the Hearts collection set in small town Michigan, you have met Pam and Jacob. Light and dark. Positive and negative. Since the dark is always drawn to the light, and opposites attract, this book brings it altogether beautifully. It is about loving someone through their weaknesses, and holding on during a long-time, unrequited love.
I loved this story because it is so beautifully written. It pulls at my heartstrings and at times made me frustrated. Not at the author, but at the characters for not seeing what was right in front of them. That is a great talent for an author; to pull me in so deeply that I feel invested in the characters and their story. I really loved Pam and Jacob and their path to making a life together. I loved how Pam found confidence in herself and Jacob was able to face his demons and find happiness after a damaging childhood.
All of the books in this series are wonderful and the characters are amazing to watch grow and find themselves.
I loved this story because it is so beautifully written. It pulls at my heartstrings and at times made me frustrated. Not at the author, but at the characters for not seeing what was right in front of them. That is a great talent for an author; to pull me in so deeply that I feel invested in the characters and their story. I really loved Pam and Jacob and their path to making a life together. I loved how Pam found confidence in herself and Jacob was able to face his demons and find happiness after a damaging childhood.
All of the books in this series are wonderful and the characters are amazing to watch grow and find themselves.
November 3, 2020
I read this story a while ago when it was first published under the title Fragrance Free, and I thought it was perfect even then ...
Little did I know.
What can I say .... This new version is incredibly better! I don't know how Mrs. Dunbar managed it, but her protagonists, Jacob and Pam (aka Lilac), have gained even more depth and the plot has gained even more emotionality.
I loved - and hated - how neither character trusted to be sufficient and worthy of the other. Their emotions felt so real, and I could relate so much to their self-doubt.
But what I loved most was that they stayed true to themselves, that despite their doubts and insecurities, they fought for each other.
This is a very emotional read in this wonderful series, one that I couldn't put down and which moved me to tears time and again.
Little did I know.
What can I say .... This new version is incredibly better! I don't know how Mrs. Dunbar managed it, but her protagonists, Jacob and Pam (aka Lilac), have gained even more depth and the plot has gained even more emotionality.
I loved - and hated - how neither character trusted to be sufficient and worthy of the other. Their emotions felt so real, and I could relate so much to their self-doubt.
But what I loved most was that they stayed true to themselves, that despite their doubts and insecurities, they fought for each other.
This is a very emotional read in this wonderful series, one that I couldn't put down and which moved me to tears time and again.
November 5, 2020
Pam is determined to not only be the person she wants to be but to live the life she wants to live and not be influenced by the mistakes of her past. She is thoughtful and considerate of those she cares about and although she is attracted to her boss, she is determined to deny the feelings between them.
Jacob still bears the emotional scars from his past and how he wasn’t able to protect himself or those he loves. He may have feelings for his employee, but he believes that she deserves so much more than he can offer. Their complicated relationship is about to become more complicated as not only are they battling themselves but the outside forces that are determined to keep them apart as well.
Pam and Jacob’s journey features two compelling characters, all the feels and a heartwarming romance that is sure to bring a smile to your face.
Jacob still bears the emotional scars from his past and how he wasn’t able to protect himself or those he loves. He may have feelings for his employee, but he believes that she deserves so much more than he can offer. Their complicated relationship is about to become more complicated as not only are they battling themselves but the outside forces that are determined to keep them apart as well.
Pam and Jacob’s journey features two compelling characters, all the feels and a heartwarming romance that is sure to bring a smile to your face.
November 6, 2020
Man, I have been waiting for Jacob and Pam's story ever since I read Ella and Ethan's story (I know the series has been published previously, but I think it's even better to read the new version)
Oh my, was I frustrated the first half of the book. I don't mean anything bad by it, but it's just frsutrating to see Jacob's back and forth with Pam, flirting and playing with her feelings but in the end he would take a thousand steps back. I kept on wishing Pam wouldn't give in too fast and play hard to get some more. Sometimes I feel like he's just toying with her feelings even though they don't know each other's feelings at that point. I just pity Pam most of the time. Once he work on himself though, yup, there's no way I could get frustrated with him anymore hahah
Seriously, it wasn't easy for them to get their HEA but their story is worth the read!
Oh my, was I frustrated the first half of the book. I don't mean anything bad by it, but it's just frsutrating to see Jacob's back and forth with Pam, flirting and playing with her feelings but in the end he would take a thousand steps back. I kept on wishing Pam wouldn't give in too fast and play hard to get some more. Sometimes I feel like he's just toying with her feelings even though they don't know each other's feelings at that point. I just pity Pam most of the time. Once he work on himself though, yup, there's no way I could get frustrated with him anymore hahah
Seriously, it wasn't easy for them to get their HEA but their story is worth the read!
November 11, 2020
Fight From The Heart is an emotional tale that will hold your interest until the end. This is Pam and Jacob's story and I enjoyed it. They both had a complicated relationship, both of them feeling unworthy of each other in different ways, but you will be rooting for them throughout the story. The chemistry between them was sizzling and their emotions felt so real. These characters were flawed realistic and well developed. The story was well written, detailed and romantic. This was an excellent addition to the Heart Collection series and I would recommend it to all lovers of contemporary romance.
November 5, 2020
Pam and Jacob's story was freaking fantastical. There are so many layers and depth to these characters and that makes them feel the realest to me. I love how we get glimpses of them in the previous Fight From the Heart books, but we really get to know them in Fight From the Heart. This story captured my heart from the opening scene and hasn't let go of it yet.
Mrs. Dunbar has once again knocked another story of the ballpark.
Mrs. Dunbar has once again knocked another story of the ballpark.
November 6, 2020
Jacob Vincent is a horror author and Pam works for him as his PA. Pam is in love with him since the first day she met him but didn’t want to cross that line in their professional relationship. This is a slow burn romance. They both discover their love for each other. This book has all the feels. I recommend you read it.
January 16, 2022
the word frustrating is not strong enough to describe this book and not in a good way.
the book has a 40 year old man acting like 14 and a FMC with 'I can fix him' syndrome, who can't communicate to save their life.
literally had to drag myself to finish it.
the book has a 40 year old man acting like 14 and a FMC with 'I can fix him' syndrome, who can't communicate to save their life.
literally had to drag myself to finish it.
November 2, 2020
This was a breath taking read, I read it within 4 hours, I couldn't put it down! this couple was everything I needed and more! I can't wait for more!
October 30, 2014
Review for Fragrance Free
This is the second book I have read by LB Dunbar. I loved Taste Test and the characters that the reader was introduced to there. Those same characters blew me away in Fragrance Free. I love to watch the progression a writer makes in developing characters over a series. In Taste Test the reader was introduced to Jacob Vincent, a horror author and his niece, Ella. After being horribly disfigured by her father, Jacob, feeling guilty for the horror she endured, secludes her in the woods of Michigan. Along the way the reader meets Ethan, Ella’s love interest and Pam Carter, Jacob’s personal assistant. I like the fact that the reader is given an update on Ethan and Ella’s HEA in Fragrance Free.
Fragrance Free focuses on the Jacob and Pam. Their story is emotional, and at times, heartbreaking. Both people are horribly broken by their pasts. Jacob was damaged by his abusive family, while Pam’s emotional wounds were largely from the poor choices made in her younger years. Both characters feel that they are unworthy of true happiness and love. Ms. Dunbar carefully weaves the plot to show them that is not the case.
Pam has been attracted to her employer since the first time they met. As an EMT, the couple met in the aftermath of one of Jacob’s self-destructive episodes. After the accident Pam becomes the writer’s personal assistant. She fights desperately to deny the attraction she feels for Jacob. She attempts to keep their relationship strictly professional; ultimately she fails. The sexual tension is palpable throughout the book. Little did she know Jacob felt the same attraction for her.
Jacob is a complex man. Broken by his past and his family, he often partakes in self-destructive behaviors to numb the pain. He feels that the horror that Ella experienced was his fault. His guilt causes him to feel like unlovable and undeserving of true love. He often compares himself to a monster, but like several of the classic monsters, he is merely misunderstood. He doesn’t know how to deal with his attraction to Pam. The more he is attracted to her the harder he fights it. Add into the mix a nasty girlfriend that stakes her claim on Jacob and you have a very interesting change of direction in the book.
I like the idea of a series centering on the five senses, it is a unique way to tie a series together. The weaving of the sense of smell into the story gives the reader some wonderfully romantic scenes. The characters are well developed, realistic and beautifully flawed. The writing is detailed, concise, romantic, and sexy. Jacob will grab the reader by the heart and not let go until well after the book is read. I am not sure where the next book will take me, but I am definitely waiting for the ride.
This is the second book I have read by LB Dunbar. I loved Taste Test and the characters that the reader was introduced to there. Those same characters blew me away in Fragrance Free. I love to watch the progression a writer makes in developing characters over a series. In Taste Test the reader was introduced to Jacob Vincent, a horror author and his niece, Ella. After being horribly disfigured by her father, Jacob, feeling guilty for the horror she endured, secludes her in the woods of Michigan. Along the way the reader meets Ethan, Ella’s love interest and Pam Carter, Jacob’s personal assistant. I like the fact that the reader is given an update on Ethan and Ella’s HEA in Fragrance Free.
Fragrance Free focuses on the Jacob and Pam. Their story is emotional, and at times, heartbreaking. Both people are horribly broken by their pasts. Jacob was damaged by his abusive family, while Pam’s emotional wounds were largely from the poor choices made in her younger years. Both characters feel that they are unworthy of true happiness and love. Ms. Dunbar carefully weaves the plot to show them that is not the case.
Pam has been attracted to her employer since the first time they met. As an EMT, the couple met in the aftermath of one of Jacob’s self-destructive episodes. After the accident Pam becomes the writer’s personal assistant. She fights desperately to deny the attraction she feels for Jacob. She attempts to keep their relationship strictly professional; ultimately she fails. The sexual tension is palpable throughout the book. Little did she know Jacob felt the same attraction for her.
Jacob is a complex man. Broken by his past and his family, he often partakes in self-destructive behaviors to numb the pain. He feels that the horror that Ella experienced was his fault. His guilt causes him to feel like unlovable and undeserving of true love. He often compares himself to a monster, but like several of the classic monsters, he is merely misunderstood. He doesn’t know how to deal with his attraction to Pam. The more he is attracted to her the harder he fights it. Add into the mix a nasty girlfriend that stakes her claim on Jacob and you have a very interesting change of direction in the book.
I like the idea of a series centering on the five senses, it is a unique way to tie a series together. The weaving of the sense of smell into the story gives the reader some wonderfully romantic scenes. The characters are well developed, realistic and beautifully flawed. The writing is detailed, concise, romantic, and sexy. Jacob will grab the reader by the heart and not let go until well after the book is read. I am not sure where the next book will take me, but I am definitely waiting for the ride.
February 22, 2015
With each book in the Sensations Collection, L.B. Dunbar continues to impress me with her heartfelt stories and beautiful characters, managing to outshine herself every time. Fragrance Free was unquestionably heart wrenching and certainly unexpected. When we met Pam, she seemed sassy and full of life, always flirting and not taking any crap from anyone. The woman L.B. Dunbar introduces us to in this book is so much more complex than I could have imagined. Her personal journey and the emotions that colored it were overwhelming and I found myself easily caught up in her somewhat tragic story. Together Jacob and Pam’s story makes for one hell of a ride that is worth every second of the emotional upheaval you’ll experience with them.
L.B. Dunbar continually impresses me with her fantastic character development and Jacob and Pam were certainly no exception. Jacob’s transformation over the course of this book is simply breathtaking. There were moments when he infuriated me, enticed me, confused me, consumed me and tested the last of my patience. His painfully slow acceptance of his worthiness for love had me feeling like my heart was in a blender, especially when Pam experienced the consequences of his demons. Pam on the other hand is perhaps my favorite female of this series so far. Her emotional vulnerability and low self-esteem painted a picture of a woman who was so incredibly real that her experiences felt like my own. Seeing her come into her own and realize her worth was incredibly satisfying.
As always, L.B. Dunbar gives us glimpses of our favorite characters from the previous books in the series, making my heart happy at seeing the continuation of their happily ever afters. Plus, the interactions and relationships with other characters add so much to our understanding of both Pam and Jacob. L.B. Dunbar has once again written a complicated story of heartache and love, creating an emotional storm that will capture you with its relentless ferocity. As I make my way through this series, I find myself more invested in the community of characters that L.B. has created. It’s easy to become enthralled by her words and find yourself lost in the journey. Fragrance Free was a fantastic addition to the Sensations Collection and I’m restless to see what happens next in Elk Rapids.
L.B. Dunbar continually impresses me with her fantastic character development and Jacob and Pam were certainly no exception. Jacob’s transformation over the course of this book is simply breathtaking. There were moments when he infuriated me, enticed me, confused me, consumed me and tested the last of my patience. His painfully slow acceptance of his worthiness for love had me feeling like my heart was in a blender, especially when Pam experienced the consequences of his demons. Pam on the other hand is perhaps my favorite female of this series so far. Her emotional vulnerability and low self-esteem painted a picture of a woman who was so incredibly real that her experiences felt like my own. Seeing her come into her own and realize her worth was incredibly satisfying.
As always, L.B. Dunbar gives us glimpses of our favorite characters from the previous books in the series, making my heart happy at seeing the continuation of their happily ever afters. Plus, the interactions and relationships with other characters add so much to our understanding of both Pam and Jacob. L.B. Dunbar has once again written a complicated story of heartache and love, creating an emotional storm that will capture you with its relentless ferocity. As I make my way through this series, I find myself more invested in the community of characters that L.B. has created. It’s easy to become enthralled by her words and find yourself lost in the journey. Fragrance Free was a fantastic addition to the Sensations Collection and I’m restless to see what happens next in Elk Rapids.
October 28, 2014
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I received this book from the author for an honest review.
Holy Tear Drops this book!! When we first meet Jacob and Pam we can see the SPARK there but are so concerned for Ethan and Ella that we just kinda let them go. Well this book starts right in and we are so stressed out right away. The sexual chemistry is SOOOOO FREAKING GOOOOOOD and SOOOOOO FREAKING THICK!! OMG I have knots in my belly from the anxiety of "when will they ever!!"
Jacob is a dark man. He is not a bad man but he carries the guilt of Ella's sins and the darkness from the life with his father and brother. The man has not had a happy life. Then you add a WONDERFUL girlfriend, Lucy, and the triangle of abuse is complete!!
Pam is the "good time girl" or so she was. She is now just living day to day because she doesnt know what she wants outta life. She is slowly falling in love with Jacob but knows this is NOT a good plan so she decides professional is the way to go.
WEll Pam shows Jacob how love and affection can be. She opens his eyes to the way a loving and respectful relationship should be. He is soooo messed up and confused so he hides and then she hides and then they are both miserable!! I was so mad at both of them several times in the book.....ANND Then I would cry because they were finally moving forward and then WHAM again....4 steps back!!
I had the tears falling at the strangest places and even messaged LB to say "WHAT ARE YOU DOING TO ME!" and "Favorite book in the series!!" I loved the first book in the series but I feel that this book it IT!! This book will be my favorite and will definately stick out with series lovers. I think that LB writes a great story and can weave themes like none other but THIS book,....WOW!!! I can totally tell you that this book wil make my top 5 for the end of the year. It was just THAT special and powerful to me.
But I gotta admit, I have no clue who will be next but I have my fingers crossed for Trish. She really needs some love in her life :(
www.twinsietalk.com
www.facbook.com/twinsietalk
@twinsietalk
I received this book from the author for an honest review.
Holy Tear Drops this book!! When we first meet Jacob and Pam we can see the SPARK there but are so concerned for Ethan and Ella that we just kinda let them go. Well this book starts right in and we are so stressed out right away. The sexual chemistry is SOOOOO FREAKING GOOOOOOD and SOOOOOO FREAKING THICK!! OMG I have knots in my belly from the anxiety of "when will they ever!!"
Jacob is a dark man. He is not a bad man but he carries the guilt of Ella's sins and the darkness from the life with his father and brother. The man has not had a happy life. Then you add a WONDERFUL girlfriend, Lucy, and the triangle of abuse is complete!!
Pam is the "good time girl" or so she was. She is now just living day to day because she doesnt know what she wants outta life. She is slowly falling in love with Jacob but knows this is NOT a good plan so she decides professional is the way to go.
WEll Pam shows Jacob how love and affection can be. She opens his eyes to the way a loving and respectful relationship should be. He is soooo messed up and confused so he hides and then she hides and then they are both miserable!! I was so mad at both of them several times in the book.....ANND Then I would cry because they were finally moving forward and then WHAM again....4 steps back!!
I had the tears falling at the strangest places and even messaged LB to say "WHAT ARE YOU DOING TO ME!" and "Favorite book in the series!!" I loved the first book in the series but I feel that this book it IT!! This book will be my favorite and will definately stick out with series lovers. I think that LB writes a great story and can weave themes like none other but THIS book,....WOW!!! I can totally tell you that this book wil make my top 5 for the end of the year. It was just THAT special and powerful to me.
But I gotta admit, I have no clue who will be next but I have my fingers crossed for Trish. She really needs some love in her life :(
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