The Navy SEAL had lost his team, his brothers-in-arms, his family and his home.
Hell, he'd even lost his goddamn mind.
He had survived hell on earth, and the taint of death and violence that filled his soul was toxic; the demons he carried within, a threat to everyone around him.
In his darkest hour, he met a sweet, innocent woman who warmed his cold, barren heart and gave his tormented soul peace.
She made him want to be the hero she thought he was.
Her unconditional love gave the weary warrior something to fight for, and he'd walk through the fires of hell to keep her.
Tonya Brooks is a teller of tales, a dreamer of dreams, and a weaver of words. Her steamy romances contain action, suspense, and humor with unexpected plot twists and turns. You never know what's going to happen next, hence her catchphrase, It's all smoke and mirrors till… The End.
Lakeside is the most wonderful town to visit. Home of the Baker Family. Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John Baker. Known collectively as the Bad Baker Boys. They are rough, rowdy, but oh so sexy as all get out. But how did they get that way? This is the story of Jebediah Matthew Baker, and Ginny Lawson, their Dad and Mom. Jed Baker is a 28 year old war hero. He was Special Forces, one of two members of his team who survived their last mission. Mustered out of the service partially because of it, he comes home to find that he is now the proud owner of an Antebellum Mansion. When he goes to check out his inheritance, he finds a mansion that needs a lot of repairs, and a little surprise. The surprise is 17, almost 18 year old Ginny Lawson, daughter of the local preacher. Taken under the wing of the previous mansion owner, Ginny has fallen in love with Jed Baker just from the stories she has heard about him, and knows in her heart that she will marry him someday. This story is the prequel to the Baker Boys series, and really gives the reader the insight in where the boys came from, and why they grew up the way they did. It is a passionate story, of love growing by proximity. It is not one of those 'meet and greet, hit the sheets' stories. It is about the growth of love, tenderness, and affection. When they first meet, Ginny is still only 17, a minor, and jailbait. Ginny wears on Jed, doing those small things for him that a person in love does for their significant other. Oh, yes, Jed tries to send Ginny away, several times, and tries as hard as he can to push her away. But Ginny perseveres, and she is quite the stubborn woman. Yes, there is at least on hot love scene ( he he...we see where the boys got their ideas from), but it is still a wonderful story. And there are a few twists and turns, that, as you read this, if you have read the rest of the books, some things that are said and done will become more clear. I would recommend the rest of the Baker Boys ( and lakeside resident) be read, after this book, in this order: Matt, Mark, Brett ( not a baker brother, but a related storyline), Luke, then John.....they are funny, sexy, and yet poignant in their own way
There is nothing like going back to the beginning in a series. This series is about the Bad Baker Boys which is a family of boys with the Baker last name and of course a few additional words in the title that they have earned in their small town called Lakeside. I really like that this series starts at the very beginning with Jed and Ginny which are the parents to the Bad Baker Boys. As reader you don't often get the parents story just the siblings with the parents having highlight moments so this is a treat in my eyes. This was a great story of a Navy Seal returning home to his small town after losing everything and meeting an incredible woman that rekindles his inner fire and the amazing family that they go on to create that we get the pleasure of reading more of in this series.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Jed is ex military who has come home after his whole team has been killed and his sniper spotter has been injured. Ginny is the daughter of the town preacher, but was raised by Jed's great aunt after her mother passed away. When Jed comes home from the military to find his great aunt and his grandfather both have passed and he is the heir to both their estates. this story is very emotional, has a bit of steam, plenty of action and will keep you interested to the very end. I very much enjoyed it.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I really enjoyed Jed and Ginny's story. Jed comes back a shattered shell of a man after losing his team (minus one) in a Seal mission. He comes home to find his Uncle has passes away as well as his Aunt. He is the heir of their Estates and soon finds Ginny is waiting for him when he gets to their property. Ginny is an eccentric underage young woman and I will admit that was my least favorite part of the book. However, the story line is well written and there is intense chemistry between Jed and Ginny. I would recommend this book and will most likely read the other books in the series.
This book is one of those hidden gems in my opinion. I was expecting a book where they see each other and hit it off right away. With a great deal of hot steamy sexy times. That the hero was into having control. Well, he is but not the way I thought. What I got was something more. They have great chemistry and attraction. I also got heavy drama, I would recommend this to anyone!
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
So this was the first time reading for this author and I really enjoyed this story and look forward to seeing more from her.I couldn't put it down once I started reading it, I thought it was that good.It has a great storyline and great characters to.Plus its so sizzling hot.So i hope you all enjoy it to.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Jeb is a former Seal and Ginny is the Pastor's daughter. This is a sweet well written romance with believable characters and I cheered for them every step of the way. The story flowed nicely and I loved the unconditional love Ginny had for Jeb. I am looking forward to reading the rest of the Bad Baker Boys series.
I voluntarily reviewed an arc of this book. This is a really enjoyable book by Tonya Brooks. It’s a really good, well written book with a great, entertaining storyline that kept me glued till the end. This is a really enjoyable, entertaining, must read book
Loved Jed & Ginny's story. This was a new author for me & need to read the rest of this series. Wonderful characters. I'm voluntarily leaving an honest review for a copy of the book via booksprout.
Absolutely loved this book! I just could not put it down. Jed and Ginny are absolutely meant to be together and you are rooting for them the whole time. Of course obstacles are always going to try and prevent that which make this book a great read!! Highly recommend
A southern belle with a side of rebellion meets the hero of her heart!
**WARNING! THIS REVIEW MAY CONTAIN SPOILED INFO**
Jeb is a former SEAL who has survived a horrendous, God awful situation. He's a bona fide hero but guilt chases him and gives him no peace. The guilt he feels is an abyss without a lifeline or preserver. Until he meets Ginny!
Through a series of unexpected events he finds himself at a great-aunts house and South Carolina. There he meets Ginny, who was practically raised there and is no more than a slip of a girl. She's a balm to his tortured soul and she's too damn young.
Ginny is the daughter of the town pastor and lost her mother at the age of 4 to suicide. The town spinster took it upon herself to help with the raising of young Ginny and showed her a life with possibilities and let her know she was cared for and loved. She always told her one day her hero would come and save her from her father.
The story flowed and never dragged. You're going to laugh, smile and cry. I absolutely loved it and now I understand where it all began.
At first I didn't believe in the characters, Ginny especially didn't seem real. However I found that I had to find out what happened. By the end of the book I was pleased I had read it and when I finished it I had a smile on my face. I will be reading the notebooks in the series.
Where it all began. This is the ultimate sexy baker boy and the touching and sexy story of how it all began. Tonya Brooks has written a beautiful story and managed to make it HOT too. I recommend this book to anyone.
This is the story of how Jed the dad to the "Bad Baker Boys" met the love of his life. It is a sweet love story. With a dad like Jed it's no wonder he raised his sons to be fierce fighters and great lovers of women.
An amazing experience and loved story. I am so thrilled that I found you Ms. Brooks! This starts a wonderful journey that I am blessed to share... Grab it and come with us.
Wow! Redeemed is a fantastic contemporary romance by Tonya Brooks. This is a fairly quick read, perfect for those with limited reading time. Ms. Brooks has provided readers with a well-written book and a cast of characters you'll adore. Jed has lost it all. His team is dead except he and his friend that is in the hospital learning to walk again. His grandfather is dead. His home is gone. Now his aunt he didn't even know has left him her home, one more thing for him to get rid of. Ginny loved Jed's Aunt Daisy and spent most of her time with her before she died. She grew up hearing stories of Jed and seeing pictures of him. At 17 she was too young for Jed, but Ginny didn't care. Ginny and Jed's story is loaded with drama, humor, spice and a little action. I loved this book from cover to cover and can't wait for my next Tonya Brooks book.
Great story! This story had it all...handsome SEAL suffering from Survivor Syndrome, the injured best friend, a beautiful innocent young woman who's been mistreated her whole life, anger, and humor. Roll it all up together and you have the makings of a HEA. I loved how our hero was trying soo hard to be the gentleman he was raised to be and fighting the attraction that was calling his heart. This was a good fight to lose.
This book was gifted to me by the author in return for an honest review. This is definitely a 2 👍👍 book.
This is a new to me author. I've not read any of the actual Baker Boys books and understand this is a prequel written after all the others. I was on the fence at several points in the book, but in the end I did enjoy the read.
Ginny's age was an issue for me. But, Ginny was also a unique, endearing character who was, in Jed's own words, batshit crazy. I'm glad she wasn't yet another run of the mill, paper-cutout character. I appreciated it. It's what made this a 4 instead of a 3.
Jed was something I've seen before - the alpha seal/marine/army etc coming back from war broken, thinking they were more monster than hero and dealing with the aftermath of trying to fit back into society. It's a common trope, but it's also a realistic trope because that's how many, if not most, soldiers return home.
There is quite a bit of storytelling in the book, making it read a bit like a memoir in places. But, these sections weren't boring or drawn out. The writing was solid. It reads a bit like Big Fish or Fried Green Tomatoes.
I'm not sure I'll be reading the other books; I noticed at least one also had a young girl (sixteen) as the main, and I don't think that's really my cup of tea.
I did not enjoy this book at all. The storytelling seemed very monotone and one dimensional, the match up between the troubled war hero and the abused teenager heroine was just creepy. Nothing about this book makes me want to read anything else by this author.