Angel of Redemption

by J.A. Little

Seasoned social worker Kayla Brooks has dealt with her fair share of difficult situations, but nothing could have prepared her for the likes of Dean Wyatt, head of Wyatt House Group Home for Boys. When a case unexpectedly brings Kayla to his door in the middle of the night, sparks fly. With a piercing gaze and heavily inked skin, Dean looks like a walking wet dream.   Until he turns out to be an asshole.   Dean Wyatt has always kept those around him at arm’s length. Secrets lurk beneath his tattoos—a traumatic past known to very few.   Forced to work together in order to help two vulnerable boys, Kayla slowly penetrates Dean’s tough exterior. Along the way the two discover something they've each been missing—but only time will tell if they can overcome the painful past that’s kept anyone from bringing true happiness into Dean’s world.  This book contains adult situations and sexual content. For mature audiences only.Praise for Angel of I absolutely loved it! One of the best books I have read in the last few months, which is saying a lot with the amount of books I got through."—Goodreads reviewer "This has just moved into my number one read this fall."—Goodreads reviewer "I highly recommend this book to anyone that loves romance, helping children, and finding your place in the world."—Once Upon an Alpha  

Genres: Romance, Contemporary Romance, Contemporary, Friends To Lovers, Adult, Childrens, Ebooks

594 pages, Kindle Edition

First published October 19, 2013

Reviews

[NiCoLeTa E. {Addicted To Books} · Rating 4 out of 5]

***4 "Atoning" stars from me***



First of all, i have to say that this book was huge!!!
Really guys, when i saw how many pages was my eyes bugged out of my head... but yep, i dove into it and i don't regret it at all!!!

It was a really good story and it was keeping your interest in high levels!!!
Thank God!!!
Do you imagine 900 of pages that you wouldn't feel the story???

But nope, i didn't have this kind of problem...
I loved the story and the characters very much...
Yep, i could live with less pages, because in some point i got tired but i really enjoyed this book!!!


But let me tell you some things about the story!!!
I will try but there were too many characters and adventures in there...
So i will try to give you a small glimpse about the book, but i would mainly focus to Dean and Kayla, which i loved them both so much!!!


Kayla is a social worker and one of her cases was giving her a hard time...
For the past seven years, she was Logan and Matty's worker and she cared very much for the brothers. But Logan was wild and untamed and she was making her life and their miserable...

From every foster home that Kayla put them, they kicked them out because of Logan....
So her last chance is to put them at the Wyatt House...

Wyatt House is a place for boys from the age of 11-18 and when nobody else wants them!!!
Thank God, that they are having two free spots and Kayla can sent the boys there...

But she is not so sure about her choice when she is meeting Dean Wyatt and he is treating her like a total douche. And it's not helping at all the fact that he is sexy as hell with his piercing green eyes and his tattoo covered body!!!


Dean have been through a lot of shits in his life... He got at juvie at the age of 16 and in prison later... His past is hunting him and he don't let anyone to come closer to him.

The last seven years he and his brother are the leaders of the Wyatt House and they are doing a great job. He is living for those boys and he had forgot how to live for him. He is so desperate for redemption but his guilts are too many and too big.
The new social worker is making him a mess. He is lusting over her, but he just can't let her in.

For his sake, her sanity and of course because of the fact that she is a social worker and they have to co-work together...

Dean and Kayla from the first moment felt something for each other, but they were fighting it!!! They decided to be friends but it didn't take a while before they became something more!!!

But there were many complications...
Firstof all, the boys and then Dean's past and his trusting issues.
Will Dean let Kayla in??? And will he manage to fight his demons and to find the redemption that he is seeking for so long???
And what about all the other fucking messes that are surrounding them???
The boys??? Kayla's sister??? Her parents??? Her brother and best friend??? Their jobs???
Yep, there were too many shits in there and in the center of al of them were Dean and Kayla!!!


I have to say that i loved Dean and Kayla.... Separately and together...
Yep, the problems were too many, but when they were together they were having so much fun!!!
I adore them...

Kayla was kind and sweet and generous and she were soooo funny. She was caring so much for all those kids and she was doing her best for their benefits!!!

Dean wasn't giving himself enough credits and that was such a shame!!! He was a good man whom somewhere in the past, he lost his way but not everything back then was his own fault!!!
He was just too good and they took advantage of him!!! He was punishing himself without a good reason!!!

He was doing also a great job with his boys and i love him for that!!!

Also, I would like to talk to you about the secondary characters but they were too many, so i will focus only to some of them...
Logan was a weird kid... I dont know why he was acting like a jerk all the time. He was making Kayla's life so difficult and it was such a pity...
Matty was a sweetheart and i was so happy with the way that he ended up in his life.

Claire was also a nice kid. And her life gave her an unpleasant surprise but with Kayla's and Dean's help, she did a great job!!!
As i said before all the characters were amazing, except Richard who was such an asshole and Kayla's mother who i never understand her actions...


As you can understand i loved this story and i really enjoyed it, even though that it was having too many pages... I just think that it will be better if there were less pages in there!
I could live with less sex and less details about how were spenting their days and what they were doing in work!!! There were too many cases!!!

Well, I think that after so many days with their company, i will miss those guys very much!!!
But I'm looking forward for another book of J.A. Little!!!

***ARC kindly provided via NetGalley for the exchange of an honest review***

[Chan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mariana Zapata and KA are the only authors that I invest over 500 pages of my time. Until now...J.A. Little is now added to that list. I had never heard of Little. And sad to say that this is her only work.

Kayla is in desperate need to find another placement for Matty and Logan....again. She is at her wits end and her last ditch effort is Wyatt House where she meets Dean. Dean and his brother run the place. Dean is tattooed and dealing with some serious issues as are the foster kids that live there.

Very long and so good. It was sad and sweet. Even heart wrenching in some parts. It would be great if Little would write a story on Matty and/or Logan.

[Kate · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’ve been thinking the whole way through the book and since I’ve finished it that I really don’t know how I’m going to rate the book.
I have read a book like this in a long time. It was long there was a lot of going on but it was captivating to be able to participate in the main MCs lives. But it also did drag on a bit.

I think that if I was solely rating for me I would say 3 Stars but overall being objective on the matter I’ve decided to give it 4 Stars.
I’m just going to give the basics on this book.

Kayla Brooks is a dedicated social worker due to one of her kids acting up she is forced to uproot Logan and Matty. The last resort is Wyatt House. Kayla is strong and independent but she still has a vulnerable side. Her past and childhood hasn’t been ideal but name one person whose childhood is ideal.

Dean Wyatt runs and owns part of Wyatt House. He first meets Kayla when she brings Logan and Matty. He is one moody, broody hermit. He has Kayla also has a past. He is guarded and perceives himself in a negative way. He doesn’t know how to deal with his emotions. So he pushes everyone anyway. What he doesn’t get that we all make mistakes and life can get messy.

Kayla and Dean don’t get on very well at the beginning due to sexual frustration, mixed emotions and past scars. They become friends and things develop from there. There is no insta-love this is deep, getting to know one another. Developing a deep connection with one another. Bearing your soul and make you as vulnerable as possible. I enjoyed their banter and the chemistry.

To what happens in each of their lives. Well we all have stuff to deal with. There is a pregnant sister with a father who is a kid himself. Domestic abuse and what it really is like to grow up in the system.
The book deals with real life situations although I did get confused when whose POV it was but that was probably because I wasn’t always concentrating. It shows that there always consequences for each action that we take.

Some of the jargon for working as a social worker wasn’t explained well. What is a RTC? And if I look on the internet. I get about two dozen options. I would have liked to have known what happened to the Mum.

It’s been tough trying to find a book that I liked but an Angel of Redemption was a book I could get on board with. This is the debut novel by Ms. Little and you can tell that a lot of thought went into the setup and the characters of the book. The secondary characters were likable. The Epilogue left me content.

This is a standalone novel at the moment.

Ms. Little should continue the good work and I hope to read more about this author in the future.

This book was given to me by Full Fathom Five via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

First post 6th November.





FINALLY a book that I like and can get on board with.

[Sometime · Rating 5 out of 5]

I can't explain why I like this book so much but Oh, how I adore this book! This book is long people. 900 pages long. And while it's not perfect, I've read it 3 times and loved every one. Kayla is a social worker and she meets Dean when she brings some of her charges to stay in the group home that Dean's family runs. Dean is a pretty grumpy jerk and is pretty rude to Kayla, but they are attracted immediately. They try to work together, then become friends, then become more. Kayla had a difficult time after her parent's divorce and was a rebellious teen. This makes her a great social worker who cares deeply about her kids. Dean has some demons that are pretty serious and he still feels guilt, regret, and unworthy of happiness. The two of them are perfect for each other! It was flawless the way the plot was so well balanced with their careers, their families, their past demons, and the romance.

At 900 pages, the plot is complex and well filled out with great secondary characters and plotlines. These people all felt real and the family and friendship bonds were well written. There is a lot of time spent on the mundane things of life. Some might find the story boring or dragging but I loved seeing behind the scenes of these people. I was so interested reading about Kayla's job as a social worker and Dean's work at the group home. The boys at the group home were entertaining and behaved like teenage boys. The author has worked as a social worker and you can tell she understands the system and the people who inhabit it.

I loved this story and the slow burn romance. Kayla and Dean are great together. Bonus points for a beautiful epilogue!

Safety Neither are virgins, both were wild in their younger days but have calmed down. H only does ONS but I didn't think he was a manho. No cheating, no OM/OW drama.

[Kristiej · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 out of 5

I’m not sure what prompted me to pick up this book to read but I’m rather glad even though I don’t remember why.

Kayla Brooks is a social worker. She is particularly close to two brothers, Logan and Matty. Logan is almost 18 and Matty around 13. At the beginning of the book they have been kicked out of yet another foster home as Logan can’t seem to stop acting out. Kayla has used up all her options for these brothers except for an emergency only solution, Wyatt Home, a group home for boys. She doesn’t really want to go this route as Matty is still rather young for a group home but she has no choice.

The group home is run mostly by two brothers, Adrian along with his wife and brother Dean Wyatt. It’s kind of a family business. It’s later in the evening when Kayla and her charges arrive and Dean is the one who admits them. While Kayla finds Dean gorgeous on the outside, he really manages to piss her off and leaves her with a less than stellar impression. But because they are new to the home, this is the first time Kayla has placed anyone at the Wyatt House, there is ongoing interaction between Kayla and Dean and she begins to see a different side of Dean. She sees how he does a very good job with the boys and how caring and dedicated he is. But then he’ll do or say something that annoys her all over again. Kayla had it rough growing up. Her mother got pregnant while she and Kayla’s father were married with another man. That ended the marriage and her mother and the baby daddy ending up getting married. He was vile towards Kayla and she became very wild when younger. But she’s pulled herself out it and now loves her job.

Dean had it even worse. He grew up in a very happy home but when he was young and living wild, as many a young man will do, he was responsible for a tragedy that had a fallout that still haunts him. He’s very, very damaged and his self-worth is almost non-existent. And if that weren’t enough, he got involved with a young woman who totally used him, leaving him wary of women. He’s really drawn to Kayla as she is to him when he’s not being a jerk but there are so many barriers to the two of them developing a relationship. They are both worried about a conflict of interest due to their jobs. There is there is Dean’s damaged soul. Even though Kayla is still wanting a relationship even after Dean tells her about his past, he questions it. He also tends to keep things from her, mostly because he’s a very close up person.

There is a very touching side story between Logan and Kayla’s little sister, the sister who was the catalyst between the end of Kayla’s marriage, but Kayla loves her sister.
I really enjoyed this book and recommend it with a qualifier. This is a very long book and it could have been tightened up quite a bit. There were a number of scenes that I felt didn’t need to be there really, they didn’t advance the story at all. Now this didn’t bother me at all really as I think the author follows my motto – why say in 10 words what you can say in 100. The author is a good writer and I found even the unnecessary scenes interesting but I know this might get to some readers who prefer their books a bit crisper. But for me, I still enjoyed it. I love both Dean and Kayla. Dean is so damaged you want to take him home and bandage his heart. And Kayla is exactly what he needs as she went through a wild stage herself and since she deals with troubled kids as her career, she is patient with Dean and willing to wait until he figures things out – even though at times it seems a close thing. This is my first book by J.A. Little but I’m going to see what else she’s written. As with many of the books I seem to be reading these days, it’s written in the first person alternating between

[Reanell Tisdale · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 stars


When my good friend Kandace tells me to read a book, I listen. She hasn't failed me yet. So she messages me and a few other friends in a group chat we are in telling us we need to read Angel of Redemption by J.A. Little. I 1-clicked INSTANTLY. I was in the middle of another book but started as soon as I finished. I was HOOKED from the very start.

This book is LONG, but when the storyline is good it just makes for a better book. The author could have split this story up into 3 books, but she kept it one and I'm glad she did. I loved that there are so many characters to fall in love with. She easily made me connect to each person.

There are a few mistakes in the book, it's not perfect....but it didn't take away from the story at all. I still give a full 5 stars because it deserves that high rating. Every chance I got in the past 2 days to read I did. I didn't want the story to end, but I couldn't get enough of Dean and Kayla.

I'll be screaming to anyone who listens to READ THIS BOOK! I want to say a huge thanks to Kandace for bringing this book into my hands!

[Susan (susayq ~) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Oh my! This was great! Take a broody hot tattooed man with emotional baggage that makes him keep himself from really connecting with anyone and introduce him to a sexy social worker that has a sassy side and brings out the best in him and you've got this book.

Dean and Kayla had the best flirty banter going on and they were great together. Dean was so emotional cutoff that he had a hard time not just opening up, but really, just having a normal conversation with people without making them mad and them leaving thinking he's a total jerk. Dean took everything to heart and it was hard for him to let go and let anyone in. Kayla had a less than perfect upbringing, but she was flirty and funny and she loved Dean so much she'd take whatever he was willing to give.

I loved the rest of the characters...Kayla's little sister, Claire and her relationship with Logan was great. I'd love to see where they end up. No, I don't want a book about them. I got their story here. But I would like to know how they end up 10 years down the road LOL

I'll gladly read anything else J.A. Little writes :)

ARC provided by the publisher via Netgalley

[Christine Alibutud · Rating 3 out of 5]

So here's my two cents:

1. The whole concept had potential, and the storyline was interesting enough, but there were certain times that I felt some parts were draggy and unconvincing.

2. Generally, I like the characters. They were all appealing, and had equally nice personalities. Characterization was actually well underway.

3. I wasn't at all bought by the relationship between Kayla and Dean, especially because I felt that they were more connected through their physical desire and attraction for each other.

4. PLEASE. PLEASE. PLEASE. A better cover. PLEASE. Thank you.

3 stars!

[Jae · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is exactly how a family drama should've been told. I laughed, cried, eye-rolled and even pulled my hair during the journey. It was actually a lot like KA books but with a whole lot of improvements. Absolutely refreshing. About everything and everyone.

And was I glad that I disregard the cover because at first I really thought that it was a dark romance/biker story. And I totally wouldn't want to waste my time on one of those mundane meh stories. That's probably the reason why it took me this long to even pick this one up.

5STARS. Who'd a thunk it? Drama drama and more drama and I read and finished the whole long ass book. Loved it. Looking forward to more JAL tales.

[Yvonne · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a very interesting read and a romance topic I'd never read before.
I was impressed with this author and look forward to reading more from J.A. Little.

Nice epilogues from both H/h's perspectives.

[Laura (Kyahgirl) · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5/5; 3 stars; C+

I liked the story itself and the main characters. I also really liked the insights into the world of social services. Unfortunately, I think it was way too long for the amount of actual story. It was over 600 pages on my kobo and I found myself skimming quite often.

[Britton Epps · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the first book I have read by this author and she blew me away. From the plot buildup and character development of not only the main characters but the secondary characters as well, to the flawless word building. This book is what solid reading looks like. There is not one single thing that I didn't love. Five huge stars !

[UnusualChild{beppy} · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 stars.
POV: alternating 1st person, present tense

Kayla is a social worker who takes an interest in and takes care of her kids. When she has an emergency placement one night, she meets Dean, who is head of a group home. Dean's family started the home before he was born, and now he and his brother run it. They are immediately attracted to one another, but Dean has some demons in his past and doesn't like to let anyone in close. After some back and forth and hurt feelings, they decide to give friendship a try. Of course, their feelings can't be contained by friendship, so Kayla and Dean are soon embarking on a friends with lots of benefits relationship. But in addition to Dean's past, they also have to deal with the boys at the house, two of whom are in Kayla's caseload, Kayla's sister and her drama, as well as life.

I actually really enjoyed this one. I wasn't expecting to, because it sat at around 9% read FOREVER. But once I sat down and got into it, I really liked the characters and the story. The social work job, the group home, and dealing with mental health all seemed authentic to me. There was actually quite a bit of drama, which I'm not entirely sure was necessary, but I can't imagine the story without it, so it must be. The story was fairly lengthy, but again, I'm not sure what could be cut that wouldn't harm the story that was being told.
My one issue was with Dean and his so-called manhood/manliness. He called himself pussy a LOT. For having emotions, for having differing emotions in the same thought bubble, for, I don't know, otherwise acting like a girl supposedly (stereotypically) does. Now, since it was dealing with emotions, I'm assuming he's not talking about a cat. Which means that it is another name for vagina that he is calling himself. (Which, you know, he might as well call himself a dick to mean wussy. Because the vagina tears and rips during birth and bounces back. The dick gets a hard whack and goes into hiding for a month or longer, and the man DEFINITELY whines about it longer. Guess which one I think is tougher?) But I digress. Anything emotional is pussy-like to Dean. Except for anger, jealousy, aggression: those are MANLY emotions, and as such are not indicative of pussiness. Also, his manhood was impugned when Kayla asked him if his date was her friend Warren. Yeah, because potentially being bi or gay or pan isn't manly and threatens manhood. *rolls eyes* Personally, even though I liked Dean, once in a while I did wish that Kayla was attracted to Warren. He seemed cool. And his manhood didn't seem to be threatened by emotions and sexuality.

[Joyce · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book. It was not the normal, run-of-the-mill romance. It really captured the trials of every aspect of the foster care system, as well as the trials and tribulations of being a teenager. I got choked up at certain parts. The author had such a great way of showing the reader the truth.... that it's not easy to be a teenager. Everyone makes mistakes but unfortunately, some cost more than others. Some just get dealt heavier consequences than others.

All of the characters, not just Dean and Kayla, symbolized to me the importance of embracing your mistakes. How you deal with mistakes make you who you are AND remembering that can help you understand and sympathize and help others.

This book was a bit overly wordy. I'm not sure it needed to be as long as it was; I didn't mind but I hope it doesn't discourage readers from picking this up. I enjoyed living the day to day life of these characters. I think the writing nailed the environment the characters were living - physically and emotionally. In some ways, here and there, the writing seemed choppy. Especially, the epilogue, but it didn't hurt the essence of the storyline at all.

I hope the feeling I have after reading this remains with me. It's just one of those stories that made me reflect and realize the importance of compassion, forgiveness, communication and patience. I am sad to say goodbye to everyone. I actually would LOVE to see a romance with Matty in the future. I would like to know he he does in life and see him happy. Maybe see some cameos from Dean and Kayla and Logan and Claire and Braydon and even Jax.

[Jeannie Smith · Rating 3 out of 5]

What I liked about this book:
I definitely liked that foster parents and social workers were not made to be the stereotypical bad guys. They were good people who tried hard and really wanted to help these kids. And the way things were handled with many of the foster kids rang very true and felt believable. I read so many books where the foster system is only made up of foster parents abusing the kids and social workers who don't care. I'm sure that does happen, but it so refreshing to read a book where most foster parents and social workers are trying their best to help these kids from broken homes.

The story was told at a good pace and kept me intrigued. I didn't put it down and pick up something else, I wanted to know what happened next. The romance was done in a realistic way - it built slowly, over time and was believable. There may have been instant lust, but it wasn't the next chapter that they were together. I also liked that Dean's demons were not a letdown. He had good reasons to feel the way he did. When what haunted him and held him back in relationships was finally revealed, I understood why moving on from it would be difficult. And I loved the romance between Kayla and Dean and the other relationships in the story.

Some of the things I didn't care for:

The story seemed a little too long. There were some things that happened that were never resolved or seemed really unnecessary to the story. Just too many things about so many different characters that seemed to be important to the story then died away and were never resolved. One of my pet peeves in books - alot, awhile, etc. They are NOT words. I hate when writers use them because it makes the writing seem amateurish, which I feel this book was not. There was good character development at a believable pace. Dean did not change in one or two chapters.

There was also a lot of detailed sex. A lot of it. Too much I thought. I don't mind explicit sex scenes the first few times the characters get together, but I really don't want the details of every sexual encounter the entire book. I want more story, less sex.

I liked the epilogues, but I felt there wasn't enough resolution for some of the other characters. You find out that life isn't all roses for Logan and Claire and that Logan had screwed up a few times, but you don't really find out in what way. Is he cheating or just partying too much? I just wanted more information.

All in all, I did like this book and I would definitely read more by this author.

[AJ Swen · Rating 5 out of 5]

*this book was given to me via Net Galley in exchange for an honest review*

4.5-5 stars!

Wow! This book rocked! You get a bit of everything: the whole relationship of the couple, an actual ending with them (closure!) and I loved that it was my hometown!
Kayla Brooks works as a Social Worker with Child Protection. She's worked some really tough cases, specifically her two clients that hold a special place with her: Logan and Matty. They were her first case, and she's grown to know the brothers extremely well. Kayla offers an insight to dysfunctional homes as her parents divorced when she was really young, she bounced around homes, and rebelled against what was happening in her life (drugs, boys, theft). She's not turned her life around, but those feelings from her childhood also are center stage. Her little sister, who lives under the thumb of her (Kayla's step father) abusive father, ends up pregnant and without a home (due to daddy kicking her out). That's one piece of the story..the other are Logan and Matty. Logan fights again with a foster dad, and he and Matty are once again asked to leave their foster home. Kayla is now stuck moving the boys to the "Wyatt House" which is a home for troubled boys. She's reluctant, especially after dealing with the infuriating, Dean Wyatt, but the boys are running out of options.
Dean Wyatt has his scars. He's made a lot of dumb mistakes in his youth that are a daily reminder (prison tats on hands that he looks at daily). Once he got out of prison, and reacquainted with his family, he starts working at the Wyatt House. He clearly has a different insight that he can offer the boys, and his demeanor with the boys lets them know that he's not going to play their games. Late one night, he gets a call about two troubled brothers: Logan and Matty. Logan clearly is the ring leader of the brothers, and poor Matty is stuck living in his shadow of choices. Their Social Worker, Kayla strikes a cord with Dean: she's beautiful, mouthy, and he can't help being an ass towards her.
Dean and Kayla have no choice but to work with one another due to the boys. The walls start to come down for both of them. Dean REALLY struggles with his feelings stemming from the choices he's made in the past. He and Kayla build on their relationship and all the obstacles it brings.
Such a great story. It is lengthy, but love that you get the WHOLE relationship. Great side characters as well. Would highly recommend this book..I really enjoyed it.

[Tracie Payne · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book gets all the stars!!! Holy wow, was this one of the best books I've read this year or what. Almost 600 pages of goodness that I never wanted to end. Quite the slow burn between Kayla and Dean but it was done so unbelievably well. We can just feel and see it happening, it was a thing of beauty. Nice premise also with the foster kids, something different. Lots of side characters that I would love to read about. Excellent chemistry and conflict. Fantastic writing, so real it felt. I could go on and on.

[Trisha · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a great book. The only negative thing I can think of is that the book was long. But it was so well written, I was involved from the first page to the last. I loved all the characters involved in the book, ok maybe not all (Richard, the Dick). The relationship of Dean and Kayla was a slow build, but so worth the wait. The dimensions of each of the main characters, were amazing and well written. I would recommend this book to everyone.

[Sandra · Rating 1 out of 5]

Formerly the Twilight Fanfiction "The Demons In My Dreams" by LittleCat358.

[Mell · Rating 1 out of 5]

It was a chore to finish this, as I felt the characters were just the usual and story went on for *such a long time.* I couldn't help but feel like I had read this all before- nothing unique or new.

[Sheryl C. Nash · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really liked this story, but it felt like it kept dragging on...

Review to follow...

*ARC courtesy of Netgalley and Full Fathom Five Publishing*

[♡ Jeri's Book Attic ♡ Jeri the Romance Bibiliophile ♡ · Rating 4 out of 5]

[Sunny · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was warned that this book was long, and it really was. I liked it well enough, but I did not think there was enough storyline to really justify the length.

[my CHAOTIC BOOK CLOSET · Rating 5 out of 5]

Schmexy Girl Book Blog posted a recommendation on their page for this book and I decided to give it a try. J.A. Little is a new Author for me and I had no idea what I was in store for, especially when I noticed how many pages this story is. Don’t let that deter you though because from beginning to end, this book is packed with a plot that will consume you like you wouldn’t believe!!
There are so many layers to this story and every single character plays a valuable part. I loved how the author told a story within a story. Not only did we get Dean and Kayla’s story but we also learn about the boys who live in Wyatt house, Kayla’s sister and Logan and Matt.
This story is a slow burn romance but also an unexpected growth in so many characters!!
Characters who are judged and learn to face obstacles, overcoming their setbacks and learning through their journey.
Absolutely loved this book and highly recommend!!

[Michelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

I couldn’t put this story down, sneaking in chapters whenever I could during the day. A lot of difficult situations explored in this one. It’s quite a lengthy book. Yet I was never bored or skimming. Not only did I really admire Dean and Kayla and their line of work and colored pasts which shaped them into the people they are presently, but also the other secondary characters as well. It’s an insightful and in-depth look into the social services system. People like Kayla and Dean (and all of their coworkers) are the everyday heroes that the children need more of. There’s so many ups and downs and a hard look at reality with heartbreaking situations. I loved the character development, the relationship build-up, the angst and tension, and of course the drama. It was impossible not to get invested in the story and to advocate for everyone who needed a supporter in their corner. It’s one of those heart squeezing books that show how a person isn’t defined by their circumstances or mistakes, even though they are burdened by pain and regret, but how they overcome the obstacles and resolve to do better afterwards in every way.

[Daisy · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars

[Jen · Rating 5 out of 5]

We all get book recommendations and sometimes they remain on the back burner while we're trying to get through our TBR's. But after reading the sample of Angel of Redemption by JA. Little we just couldn't stop till we finished the 600+ pages of perfection!!!

OH.MY.GAWD!!! BOOKGASM! Drop everything and read!

Angel of Redemption was fantastic. We devoured every word and loved everything about it!

Kayla Brooks is a dedicated social worker who works diligently to watch over the kids she supervises. When the day arrives that one of her cases brings her to Wyatt House, she meets "asshole" Dean Wyatt, and sparks fly, the air sizzles. Fireworks explode all around them, yet there are so many obstacles in their path. Aside from the fact that they have to work so closely together, the demons of Dean's past have kept him from letting anyone in.

We fell for Dean HARD. God, he is just pure badass deliciousness.

"He has a sexy little smirk on his face that makes me want to lick him. I wonder what he'd do if I just ran my tongue across his face."

We thought about licking his face, and everywhere else, throughout the whole book. SWOON!

And Kayla. Wow. We loved her too. If we were ok with anyone getting to keep Dean for themselves, it was Kayla. She was strong, caring, protective and spunky.

"I like touching you and kissing you... I like tasting you. And if I could live inside you, I would."

 

But can he let her in? Can he push aside the Can he push aside the guilt and fear?

"The intensity of emotion that burns through my body is overwhelming, the urge to feel her, undeniable."

 

J.A. Little is an author to watch. We were blown away with her ability to have us feel so many emotions. We fell in love with the secondary characters as well. At the end we felt like we were saying goodbye to friends and family. The epilogue was one of the best epilogues we ever read and we left Wyatt house behind with a huge smile on our faces.

[Jaime Fiction Fangirls · Rating 5 out of 5]

While reading this book I couldn't help thinking what a great tv series it would make, which makes sense since it's categorized on Amazon under family saga.

Though the story centered around the romance between Dean and Kayla I was completely invested in each and every character throughout the whole story. Logan and Matty, Claire, Aiden and Emily, Sara and Andy, Warren, each of them had a tiny piece of my heart and I thoroughly enjoyed reading about their struggles and their triumphs. The author did an amazing job researching the foster care system and it showed in her storytelling.

However, since I can't really pretend that I would have enjoyed this story as much without the romance aspect, I should probably discuss how much I loved that part of the story. There is nothing I love more that a romance that starts from a place of dislike and/or rivalry muddied by instant attraction. There was definite chemistry between Dean and Kayla from the very beginning but with a touch of guarded mistrust and annoyance added to the mix it only ratcheted up the tension. I love the slow, steady burn and the realistic flow of the relationship between them as they navigated the ups and downs of the life they were smack dab in the middle of creating for themselves and the kids in their care.

As a whole the story was beyond anything I expected but everything I hope for in a really great book. When a book can make me FEEL the way this one did and leave me longing for more days after I've finished, it's definitely worth all 594 pages.

[Mariana · Rating 4 out of 5]

Okay so I really liked this book and I really thought I would give it 5 stars BUT I had a bit of a problem with the number of characters and stories being told!

The first 900 pages were awesome and I really liked Kayla and Dean and their relationship but then after that, so many things started happening... It's like there were 2 different books in one and that really bothered me... In the 1st part the focus is on K&D's relationship but then a bunch of shit happens and it feels like it's all about the sister and Logan! I liked Logan as a secondary character and maybe would have liked a story only for him but with another girl! Between K&D's relationship, Matt and Logan, Claire, the parents, the ex wife, it was just too much...

I also didn't like the way things evolved with Matt and Logan, it gave the impression that Logan blamed Matty for some stuff from the past... Idk, in the beginning I had the impression they were like best friends or smth.

Overall I'm giving it 4 stars cuz Kayla and Dean were awesome characters and their story was great but I felt like the story of too many people were being told at the same time, this definitely could've been split into two books or have the other character's stories as secondary instead of it it all having to go back to Kayla for her to take care of everything

[Donna Sweeney · Rating 5 out of 5]

Kindly provided with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.......

Sheesh this one pulled on the heartstrings and just had me from the start !!

Its Dean and Kayla's story. Both have had a really crappy start. Kayla as a result of her troubled past has become a social worker and is currently working a case involving two boys. As a result of her engagement with the duo, so meets Dean who works at "Wyatt House" a home for troubled boys.

Their worlds collide, but they have so much in common too. Is this a recipe for disaster or the start of a great love story ?........well you'll have to read the book to see.

The author does a stellar job of reminding you that not everything looks how it seems. Dean might have had a bad start, made some unwise choices leading him to serve time........but deep down he has a beautiful soul and is a great guy.
Kayla, well she restores your faith in humanity. Kayla reminds you that there are those special individuals out there who REALLY care and will go above and beyond to help others for no other reason other than its ingrained in them........big hearts !!!

Yup, all round a gorgeous, moving read. Definitely worth a try.

Well done JA and many thanks for this opportunity x

Later peeps xxx