4.5 Stars! We are back at The Manor, and I couldn’t be happier about it. Since book one, I’ve had a running list of characters I want to see in this series. Jett was definitely one of them. Especially after meeting him with a whole lot of mystery surrounding him.
Summary:
Lennon Shaw has risked everything to get where she is now. Who knew after all she’d endured and escaped from, that she’d lose everything by almost killing her boss’s soon-to-be brother-in-law. Lennon’s goal was to lay low, make money, start living her life again, and pray that the life she left behind stays in her rearview. Staying under the radar disintegrates for Lennon in the most horrifying, embarrassing, dramatic way. Jett should not have to defend himself from me after just surviving major surgery, but here they are. Jett has his own troubles, what with becoming the newest board member of Stonebridge Capital, Unfortunately, the short time they are physically connected has Lennon obsessed. Things get real, though, when Lennon gets a blast from her past, and not a good one. She’s been found and they are coming for her. Or rather the precious treasure she stole on her way out. Eek! But Lennon has lived in a world where she had to rely on herself, be alert to danger and mind her footing so as not to be singled out for the last six years. As she plans her next great escape, Jett is reeling her in because he’s determined to protect her in spite of his new-found family and the risks that entails and her unrevealed secrets. In the end, Jett and Lennon will have to hold onto the dream they each represent for each other, and the future they could have if they can survive the high stakes obstacles standing in their way.
I really enjoyed Crimson Love, and Jett and Lennon’s story. I started the book with intense focus, because I had lots of questions about Jett and what Harlow was doing for him to save his life. That kept me going long enough to then switch to having to know Lennon’s story, because I was not expecting all that went down with her. Lennon is a sweet heroine. She was very brave, determined, and strong, but with an innocence born of her past that was still so sweet. I won’t lie, though, and say that there weren’t times that she broke my heart with her outlook on life and her future. I liked her for Jett. Her past was…well, it was tragic and had me gripping my Kindle at the audacity of someone, let alone family, doing that to someone. I think she found Jett, Devon, Harlow, and their connections at the perfect time. Jett was a lot a mystery to start. I knew who he was, but not his purpose in approaching Harlow, and how that was truly life and death. Learning that was also hard. Jett is a strong, independent, smart, hard-working, protective man, but he was also very much a young man that stared death in the face in a very different way than he did in the military. Being a retired military spouse, I could fully connect with feelings at having to leave a career he loved and was good at, and losing his purpose. On top of that, he had serious concerns that meant he may not have a future. Watching him dream again was very inspiring and satisfying. Together, Jett and Lennon had chemistry for days. I loved their meet-cute and subsequent awkwardness that caused when they ran into each other. It did feel a teensy bit rushed, but heightened emotions can accelerate anything. There were also moments that I thought their confessions were a little over-the-top. That said, I still gobbled up every bit of it. The intimate scenes were very well done, and I liked that there was an added element between them that made things more exciting. Overall, I had a good time being back in Winslet, and I cannot wait to go back. Of course, we got a lot of Devon and Harlow, and I still love Devon in every way. Seeing Dean again was also a plus, and I really hope he’s on the list of future male leads. and I don’t know if I blacked out or what, but I completely forgot about Payne Deacon. We got even more of him in this book, and I was there for all of it. Talk about mystery, humor, and just a raw appeal that had me searching out his scenes in this book. Book three can’t come soon enough. The plot was good in this book, and the high action scenes were my favorite. I did feel like some of the moments that should have had me on the edge of my seat fell a little flat for me, but it would soon pick back up and my heart would be racing again. I’m curious to see how things in this book might tie into book three. I adore The Manor series because it’s classic Brynne Asher writing that’s so, so good, but also new and reviving at the same time. It’s hard to explain, but I love all of it, and I love that the connections remain strong with our previous characters that we’ve gotten to know and love. I’d recommend this book to anyone who likes some suspense with their steamy romance and a found family that keeps growing. ♡