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Like a Fox
I work at my family’s café/bookstore. Every day is the same, but it has never bored me; I’m content with my life. Or I was, until the day he walked in at approximately nine that morning. He was poised, enigmatic, and carried himself like a man who knew who he was and what he wanted. Unfortunately, what he wanted wasn’t me, or so I thought from the way he always remained remote and aloof towards our encounters. What I didn’t know was that he did want me, even before he stepped foot into Brennan’s Novel Tea Café.
I quickly became consumed by him. The problem was, he was hiding a secret; one that would turn my existence upside down and take me into a world I wasn’t ready for.
I should be clear that he told me he would never lie to me, and he didn’t, I just never asked the right questions.
This is my journey of falling hard and fast for a man I knew very little about, and the downfall that went with it. I won’t tell you how it ends; some things are worth not knowing. After all, half the fun is the fall; it’s the landing that’s unpredictable.
This book is intended for mature audiences due to language, violence, and sexual content.
I quickly became consumed by him. The problem was, he was hiding a secret; one that would turn my existence upside down and take me into a world I wasn’t ready for.
I should be clear that he told me he would never lie to me, and he didn’t, I just never asked the right questions.
This is my journey of falling hard and fast for a man I knew very little about, and the downfall that went with it. I won’t tell you how it ends; some things are worth not knowing. After all, half the fun is the fall; it’s the landing that’s unpredictable.
This book is intended for mature audiences due to language, violence, and sexual content.
199 pages, Kindle Edition
First published October 10, 2015
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 71 reviews
October 13, 2015
Very readable small town romance which flips in second half to suspense thriller. People who have read the Noah Baxter series by this author will recognise Vault/Cole in this book. Even Link makes a small appearance.
Freya, the h is from a hippie family and develops insta lust upon setting eyes on Vic, the H, who is a recent customer in the cafe owned by her family. H is new in town. H is also a decade older than h( she is in early twenties), originally from Eastern Europe. I found the H controlling, a bit of an oddball( maybe OCD?) and very mysterious. I found it adorable how h and H kind of stalked each other. Their chemistry was off the charts and sex scenes were the hottest I've read in months. H was dominant in bed.
In the second half we come to realise H has a mafia background(though he is more of an investigator) and h's father has some ancient history which is not tied up neatly. The rest of the story is fast paced and action filled leading to a smooth resolution (plotwise there were some holes, but who cares)
I adored how much the h and H wanted and were obsessed with each other, it was sweet and heartwarming and hot. I enjoyed this book and would recommend it. 4 stars!!
Safety:
Freya, the h is from a hippie family and develops insta lust upon setting eyes on Vic, the H, who is a recent customer in the cafe owned by her family. H is new in town. H is also a decade older than h( she is in early twenties), originally from Eastern Europe. I found the H controlling, a bit of an oddball( maybe OCD?) and very mysterious. I found it adorable how h and H kind of stalked each other. Their chemistry was off the charts and sex scenes were the hottest I've read in months. H was dominant in bed.
In the second half we come to realise H has a mafia background(though he is more of an investigator) and h's father has some ancient history which is not tied up neatly. The rest of the story is fast paced and action filled leading to a smooth resolution (plotwise there were some holes, but who cares)
I adored how much the h and H wanted and were obsessed with each other, it was sweet and heartwarming and hot. I enjoyed this book and would recommend it. 4 stars!!
Safety:
April 30, 2016
4.5 Stars
I have to give a thousand "THANK YOUS" to Barbara for bringing this book to my attention...
I loved this book. HOT BROODY MYSTERIOUS ALPHA HERO - KICKASS HEROINE - GREAT SIDE CHARACTERS - SMOKIN SEXY TIMES - SWEET AS PIE EPILOGUE.
The only thing missing that would have made it perfect was if we have gotten Vic's POV.
I have to give a thousand "THANK YOUS" to Barbara for bringing this book to my attention...
I loved this book. HOT BROODY MYSTERIOUS ALPHA HERO - KICKASS HEROINE - GREAT SIDE CHARACTERS - SMOKIN SEXY TIMES - SWEET AS PIE EPILOGUE.
The only thing missing that would have made it perfect was if we have gotten Vic's POV.
February 8, 2016
I really enjoyed this one.
Vic is an intense brooding hero with stalkerish tendencies . I love all those things in a male lead and he was obsessed with Freya so there was no needless other woman drama.
You could feel their chemistry, the sex was hot and there was enough going on outside their relationship to keep the whole book going.
This would have been even better if we got to read some of Vic's thoughts too.
Vic is an intense brooding hero with stalkerish tendencies . I love all those things in a male lead and he was obsessed with Freya so there was no needless other woman drama.
You could feel their chemistry, the sex was hot and there was enough going on outside their relationship to keep the whole book going.
This would have been even better if we got to read some of Vic's thoughts too.
October 18, 2015
BASICS
Love triangle?
Cheating?
HEA?
Any Descriptive Sex w/OW/OM/Ex?
Would I read more by this author/or in this series? Maybe, but not for now.
Rating: -3 stars
Review
When I saw this one I had high hopes and expectations for it. I had a hard time reading it and it took me nearly three days to finish it (and that's saying something for such a short read). Now, I have to say that I'm not sure as of what to make out of the whole story or the H's character. The first part was fantastic and really captured my attention but after the big secret got revealed it just went downhill for me. I don't know, if it was me getting bored of H's character, since he doesn't develop much since the first few chapters, or maybe it was something else. What I liked in this short story, tho, was surprisingly Vikki and Bones, also h's family and friends (apart from Ray, who seemed a bit bitter and immature because of how his romantic relationship with h ended in the past).
Bottom line is this read wasn't my favourite but that shouldn't stop someone else from reading it. :)
Safety-gang:
Love triangle?
Cheating?
HEA?
Any Descriptive Sex w/OW/OM/Ex?
Would I read more by this author/or in this series? Maybe, but not for now.
Rating: -3 stars
Review
When I saw this one I had high hopes and expectations for it. I had a hard time reading it and it took me nearly three days to finish it (and that's saying something for such a short read). Now, I have to say that I'm not sure as of what to make out of the whole story or the H's character. The first part was fantastic and really captured my attention but after the big secret got revealed it just went downhill for me. I don't know, if it was me getting bored of H's character, since he doesn't develop much since the first few chapters, or maybe it was something else. What I liked in this short story, tho, was surprisingly Vikki and Bones, also h's family and friends (apart from Ray, who seemed a bit bitter and immature because of how his romantic relationship with h ended in the past).
Bottom line is this read wasn't my favourite but that shouldn't stop someone else from reading it. :)
Safety-gang:
October 18, 2015
Pretty sexy and suspenseful read. Loved how brooding and intense Vic was. Sexy stalkerish alphas check my boxes every time.
Totally safe for me.
Totally safe for me.
October 18, 2015
***4.25 Stars***
I really enjoyed this. It had romance, suspense, action and a broody, obsessed and stalkerish hero. And it was smoking hot to boot! It probably would have been a 5 star read for me if we had Vic's POV. I would have really loved to see what his thoughts were especially since he was so obsessed over Freya. I did get a little confused during the "climax" and had to reread that part. Could have been because I started and stopped so many times due to real life. Loved the epilogue. Now, I'd really like to get Vault's story....
I really enjoyed this. It had romance, suspense, action and a broody, obsessed and stalkerish hero. And it was smoking hot to boot! It probably would have been a 5 star read for me if we had Vic's POV. I would have really loved to see what his thoughts were especially since he was so obsessed over Freya. I did get a little confused during the "climax" and had to reread that part. Could have been because I started and stopped so many times due to real life. Loved the epilogue. Now, I'd really like to get Vault's story....
November 18, 2015
If you've read this my link text , you're in for a treat here. I'll say no more because I think the author, who loves to screw with the reader's mind intentionally, specifically worded her blurb as she saw fit lmao.
This is not your typical hearts and flowers romance. It's not dark and full of so many wrongs that it can't be love, either. Nor, is it angsty melodrama that makes missing a Macy sale into a cataclysmic event. No. This is an animal of its' own color and pattern. It's the perfection of an absolutely imperfect romance.
Pacing
While there is a romantic plot playing out and just the footprints leading you to the suspense plot, the first half of this book is highly character focused. The middle point climaxes the suspense and is a pivotal moment for the romance. And the last half fits the detailed pieces together as we see if the romance can survive it all.
If you read my review from this author's pervious work, I complained that the character intros were too mundane and that the author tried to put the horse before the cart in character development.
This time, the author gets it perfect!
Characters
Vic is new to a small town and eats breakfast at the cafe/bookstore everyday where our female MC works at.
He comes in, says three words everyday, and leaves as quietly and strangely as he arrived.
She's crushing hard over the mystery guy that seems to never veer from composure. And, you'd have to literally be a mind reader to ever guess what this bastard is thinking. He is the most aloof, monosyllable character you could fathom. Lurch from the Adam's Family is more colorful and verbose, okay?!? For a good while, you will want to call...
I respected it, however, because the author didn't attempt to do that bs 'I saw guilt, love, lust, and a mini-unicorn flash through his gaze' every five seconds. Body language, actions, and even the total lack of response were expertly used tools by the author.
Initially, I wasn't so sure Vic was going to work for me with all the stares, one-word or stare answers, overbearing personality, and non-answers to questions. It was a lot to take in... over so little. I mean how hard is it to answer what your last name is?
Let me just reiterate to you that Vic, our male MC, is one strange, OCD, dominant mfer.
Their initial dates were some bizarro shit that, sexy btart or not, I would've...
She, of course, was all...
So, it's amazing that I really like the female MC. But, I empathize because I'm actually feeling the same way about Vic...
[image error]
But wondering if he'd win a game of tag the sociopath...
She's a little immature & a little shy, which should spell doom paired with Vic's personality. But, she's got just enough spunk that she's not going to be one of those lay down and die characters.
He, for example, tries to passive aggressively chastise her about having two glasses of wine before she eats on the first bizarro date, and her response is:
In another scene, he tries to tell her she can't play a game with her ex:
While she didn't play on her ex's team after he left, she didn't just roll over to his demanding tone.
So, it's subtle... She's not a mouthy bit€h and she isn't what I would classify as a doormat, either. She makes some decisions that may be TSTL, but it's done in love, not reckless abandon. She's forgiving, but not without effort and thought.
Back to Vic....
He may be a man of few words, but who can't appreciate the simplicity in this:
Well, alrighty then. F' words! Who needs em anyway;)
If you don't dig dominant personalities, words or not, you may not survive this book to get to know Vic. All I can tell you is to be patient. His first genuine smile isn't until 76%, but it's so worth the wait to see his facade lessen and exterior crack under the burden of love.
This Rose Isn't Without Thorns BUT I Made Like An Ostrich
The author is such a great writer and the characters are so consuming that I found myself willing to overlook a lot of the thorns that would otherwise have had me going on a rant. Like...
When he tells her his job is dangerous to her and him. She basically shrugs and moves on. Closing my eyes while I pretend not to drink ...
*
That no one but Maya, the Mc's sister, had any problem with the speed and oddities of the romance and the strangeness of Vic knowing her father and talking to him like he was furniture vs her father.
Our female MC often mentally concurs with me that the obtuse answers are for shit, BUT she gives up too easily or gets distracted for too long from asking the questions any sane mfer would ask ASAP. Again,
There are a few editing issues & punctuation errors:
Nothing, distracting. It's just needs a fine-toothed comb.
Narrating Praise
I'm struck by the ease at which the author engages readers with the first-person narration.
A lot of authors shy away from first-person because a it's significantly more difficult to write, and even those that try their hand in it and technically succeed, sadly, still often lack the phantom ability to show readers the inner thoughts, actions, and story from a lens'esc perspective vs just telling the reader what's happening. Even harder in first-person, is capturing the personalities of non-POV characters.
Considering our male MC is all but mute and doesn't have a POV, this author deserves a big high five for her writing skills!!!
Plot
... Just read the book!
Conclusion
4 1/2 stars....Just read the book!
This would be a 5 star book, but 1/2 a star is deducted for the editing work that needs to be done for punctuation errors and typos.)
This is not your typical hearts and flowers romance. It's not dark and full of so many wrongs that it can't be love, either. Nor, is it angsty melodrama that makes missing a Macy sale into a cataclysmic event. No. This is an animal of its' own color and pattern. It's the perfection of an absolutely imperfect romance.
Pacing
While there is a romantic plot playing out and just the footprints leading you to the suspense plot, the first half of this book is highly character focused. The middle point climaxes the suspense and is a pivotal moment for the romance. And the last half fits the detailed pieces together as we see if the romance can survive it all.
If you read my review from this author's pervious work, I complained that the character intros were too mundane and that the author tried to put the horse before the cart in character development.
This time, the author gets it perfect!
Characters
Vic is new to a small town and eats breakfast at the cafe/bookstore everyday where our female MC works at.
He comes in, says three words everyday, and leaves as quietly and strangely as he arrived.
She's crushing hard over the mystery guy that seems to never veer from composure. And, you'd have to literally be a mind reader to ever guess what this bastard is thinking. He is the most aloof, monosyllable character you could fathom. Lurch from the Adam's Family is more colorful and verbose, okay?!? For a good while, you will want to call...
I respected it, however, because the author didn't attempt to do that bs 'I saw guilt, love, lust, and a mini-unicorn flash through his gaze' every five seconds. Body language, actions, and even the total lack of response were expertly used tools by the author.
Initially, I wasn't so sure Vic was going to work for me with all the stares, one-word or stare answers, overbearing personality, and non-answers to questions. It was a lot to take in... over so little. I mean how hard is it to answer what your last name is?
Let me just reiterate to you that Vic, our male MC, is one strange, OCD, dominant mfer.
Their initial dates were some bizarro shit that, sexy btart or not, I would've...
She, of course, was all...
... Like if he asked me to elope right now, Im not entirely sure I'd say no. How crazy and stupid is that? We've only had three dates, during one of which not a single word was spoken. I shouldn't feel this way this fast.
So, it's amazing that I really like the female MC. But, I empathize because I'm actually feeling the same way about Vic...
[image error]
But wondering if he'd win a game of tag the sociopath...
She's a little immature & a little shy, which should spell doom paired with Vic's personality. But, she's got just enough spunk that she's not going to be one of those lay down and die characters.
He, for example, tries to passive aggressively chastise her about having two glasses of wine before she eats on the first bizarro date, and her response is:
"I take a sip in case he's a control freak in all aspects of his life. I want to make it clear I'm not something or someone to be controlled. Now, if he wants to get freaky in the bedroom, that's another thing."
In another scene, he tries to tell her she can't play a game with her ex:
"You can't tell me what to do." "Don't force me to go back in there and prove a point."
"Don't threaten me."
"Don't control me."
"You're mine."
"Yes. But only in the sense that no one else can have me. That doesn't mean I'm not allowed to play a game with a friend."
While she didn't play on her ex's team after he left, she didn't just roll over to his demanding tone.
So, it's subtle... She's not a mouthy bit€h and she isn't what I would classify as a doormat, either. She makes some decisions that may be TSTL, but it's done in love, not reckless abandon. She's forgiving, but not without effort and thought.
Back to Vic....
He may be a man of few words, but who can't appreciate the simplicity in this:
"I need you wetter."
"Wetter?" I've never been so wet in my freaking life."
"Yes. I have a large dick. I need you ready for it."
Well, alrighty then. F' words! Who needs em anyway;)
If you don't dig dominant personalities, words or not, you may not survive this book to get to know Vic. All I can tell you is to be patient. His first genuine smile isn't until 76%, but it's so worth the wait to see his facade lessen and exterior crack under the burden of love.
This Rose Isn't Without Thorns BUT I Made Like An Ostrich
The author is such a great writer and the characters are so consuming that I found myself willing to overlook a lot of the thorns that would otherwise have had me going on a rant. Like...
When he tells her his job is dangerous to her and him. She basically shrugs and moves on. Closing my eyes while I pretend not to drink ...
* That no one but Maya, the Mc's sister, had any problem with the speed and oddities of the romance and the strangeness of Vic knowing her father and talking to him like he was furniture vs her father.
Our female MC often mentally concurs with me that the obtuse answers are for shit, BUT she gives up too easily or gets distracted for too long from asking the questions any sane mfer would ask ASAP. Again,
There are a few editing issues & punctuation errors:
"We do as we're told moreso for Maya..."
"A common way it to simply offer the..."
"It's no skin off their backs , because what's that to a person...."
Nothing, distracting. It's just needs a fine-toothed comb.
Narrating Praise
I'm struck by the ease at which the author engages readers with the first-person narration.
A lot of authors shy away from first-person because a it's significantly more difficult to write, and even those that try their hand in it and technically succeed, sadly, still often lack the phantom ability to show readers the inner thoughts, actions, and story from a lens'esc perspective vs just telling the reader what's happening. Even harder in first-person, is capturing the personalities of non-POV characters.
Considering our male MC is all but mute and doesn't have a POV, this author deserves a big high five for her writing skills!!!
Plot
... Just read the book!
Conclusion
4 1/2 stars....Just read the book!
This would be a 5 star book, but 1/2 a star is deducted for the editing work that needs to be done for punctuation errors and typos.)
October 20, 2015
Couldn't help but feel that the H was too aloof, touching on indifferent throughout half the book. But a enjoyable read nonetheless.
October 20, 2015
THIS BOOK WAS AWESOME!
What else can I say peeps? Read this book. The journey here was beyond awesome & intense. I loved everything about this story.
I think, think/hope I may have found another great author :)
Happy reading :)
What else can I say peeps? Read this book. The journey here was beyond awesome & intense. I loved everything about this story.
I think, think/hope I may have found another great author :)
Happy reading :)
October 14, 2015
Amazon freebie.
This one was pretty corny, but i liked it at the same time. Though licking pizza grease off a guys lips is really really ****ing gross.
This one was pretty corny, but i liked it at the same time. Though licking pizza grease off a guys lips is really really ****ing gross.
April 30, 2016
My girls led me to yet another great story! Hot, alpha, Russian Vic has been coming into the cafe that Freya works in everyday without fail. She admires him from afar thinking she would never really have a chance with someone like him. Boy was she ever wrong. What she didn't know was Vic was there daily to watch her . He finally makes his move and sparks fly. No cheating or ow/om drama. Vic never waivers in his pursuit of Freya. I appreciate that there was no pushing away from either MC. Sweet HEA with a great epilogue that wraps up not only their lives but also secondary characters as well. I would read more about this group!
October 12, 2015
I would have rated this book higher but the last 25% was awful. The whole secret mission part was such a disappointment and made no sense. The characters including Vikki and Bones were OTT and stupid. The h was a bit of an idiot. The h's hippie family was also stupid. It drives me crazy when a h and everyone around her loses their common sense just bc a guy is very handsome. I'm still not sure what the story was with the h's father and neither did I care. I liked how the H really wanted the h and was so possessive. The sex scenes were my favorite part. They were super HOT.
October 26, 2015
3.5 Stars
Overall Opinion: This was a pretty easy, hot read. I didn't realize that this was from the same author (J.M. Sevilla), that wrote the The Missing Link duo until the second half of the book that has some similar characters. I really enjoyed that series (and would recommend), so once I realized this fact I think it made my expectations higher. I didn't like this one as much, but it was still enjoyable read.
Storyline: This is Freya and Vic's story. Every morning at 9 on the dot, Vic comes in to Freya's family's cafe. She has been lusting over the mysterious stranger that hardly talks or makes eye contact since the day he walked in. One day Vic finally tells her (doesn't ask) that he is taking her out to dinner after her shift, and they start going on these odd dates that they hardly talk and Vic doesn't kiss her at the end. Eventually things heat up between the two, and Freya finally gets Vic to reveal some feelings. They become close quickly and their feelings only grow stronger. There are some of Vic's secrets that get revealed, and their relationship dynamic changes. They then have some drama with family, drama with some powerful characters, and some life-threatening situations...but they find their HEA at the end.
POV: This was told in Freya's POV.
Overall Pace of Story: Ok. I did find myself skimming once it got to the part that they were explaining all the connections of the bad people, and it had a kind of slow start. It wasn't instalove -- but I would say that it was instalust, and they moved really fast feelings-wise once they started their relationship.
H rating: 4 stars. Vic. He was odd that's for sure, but it was rather endearing. I loved how he admitted all that he knew about Freya when someone had mentioned that he didn't know her (even though a lot of that info was obtained by stalking her).
h rating: 4 stars. Freya. I liked her quirky personality, especially when she was dealing with Vikki and Ben.
Sadness level: Low. No tissues needed for this one.
Heat level: Moderate. The is had some steamy times with the couple, but not too much to take away from the story.
Descriptive sex: Yes
Sex scene with OW or OM:
Cheating:
Possible Triggers:
Closure: This had a decent time jump epilogue that gave us a good glimpse into the couple's future, and the closure we need to make it a HEA ending.
Worth the $?: Definitely worth the $0.99 on Amazon, and it is part of kindle unlimited.
Overall Opinion: This was a pretty easy, hot read. I didn't realize that this was from the same author (J.M. Sevilla), that wrote the The Missing Link duo until the second half of the book that has some similar characters. I really enjoyed that series (and would recommend), so once I realized this fact I think it made my expectations higher. I didn't like this one as much, but it was still enjoyable read.
Storyline: This is Freya and Vic's story. Every morning at 9 on the dot, Vic comes in to Freya's family's cafe. She has been lusting over the mysterious stranger that hardly talks or makes eye contact since the day he walked in. One day Vic finally tells her (doesn't ask) that he is taking her out to dinner after her shift, and they start going on these odd dates that they hardly talk and Vic doesn't kiss her at the end. Eventually things heat up between the two, and Freya finally gets Vic to reveal some feelings. They become close quickly and their feelings only grow stronger. There are some of Vic's secrets that get revealed, and their relationship dynamic changes. They then have some drama with family, drama with some powerful characters, and some life-threatening situations...but they find their HEA at the end.
POV: This was told in Freya's POV.
Overall Pace of Story: Ok. I did find myself skimming once it got to the part that they were explaining all the connections of the bad people, and it had a kind of slow start. It wasn't instalove -- but I would say that it was instalust, and they moved really fast feelings-wise once they started their relationship.
H rating: 4 stars. Vic. He was odd that's for sure, but it was rather endearing. I loved how he admitted all that he knew about Freya when someone had mentioned that he didn't know her (even though a lot of that info was obtained by stalking her).
h rating: 4 stars. Freya. I liked her quirky personality, especially when she was dealing with Vikki and Ben.
Sadness level: Low. No tissues needed for this one.
Heat level: Moderate. The is had some steamy times with the couple, but not too much to take away from the story.
Descriptive sex: Yes
Sex scene with OW or OM:
Cheating:
Possible Triggers:
Closure: This had a decent time jump epilogue that gave us a good glimpse into the couple's future, and the closure we need to make it a HEA ending.
Worth the $?: Definitely worth the $0.99 on Amazon, and it is part of kindle unlimited.
October 18, 2015
4.75 Stars
Freya Brennan, 24, is a waitress in her family’s café-bookstore in Northern California. Vic Vitalle, 32, is her new elusive regular customer who shows up every day at 9am. She has her eye on him; he has his eye on her. And when he finallyasks her on a date tells her he’s picking her up for dinner things get a lot more interesting.
Vic is quite the aloof mystery man of few words. His strange and enigmatic ways were intriguing, pulling me into the story. Freya is pretty down-to-earth, and while she gets sucked into Vic’s intense aura, she still remains a strong character.
Vic and Freya have some distinct chemistry together and their encounters are seriously hot.
“‘Wetter?’ I’ve never been so wet in my freaking life….”
“‘Yes. I have a large dick. I need you ready for it.’ Oh, shit. And I just got wetter.”
Told from Freya’s first person point of view, the story boasts steamy encounters and a mystery action-adventure plot. Certain aspects may require some suspension of disbelief, but still it’s an interesting story that kept me turning pages to find out what was going to unfold next. Plus, I have a soft spot for exclusive partners-in-crime type romance. ;-)
I liked the message of finding something you don’t know you need and shaking things up a bit.
“‘I was quite content with my life. Then I find you, and none of it’s good enough anymore.’”
The supporting characters, from Freya’s quirky family and friends to Vic’s badass ones, make a nice addition to the story, and I enjoyed all the twists that accompanied them. They never seemed flat or trite, and they certainly weren't stereotypical which can be a pitfall of minor characters. I particularly appreciated the depth that Vikki’s character was hinted at having, and I think she’d make an interesting tale with Vault from the snippets shown of him in this story.
The author did a good job with the epilogue, wrapping up even some of the supporting characters and glimpsing into the future of Freya and Vic.
Thanks to Talltree’s review (https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...) for bringing this book to my attention, and knowing going in that it was safe made it such an enjoyable read. I would have been sweating a few parts otherwise! ;-)
Freya Brennan, 24, is a waitress in her family’s café-bookstore in Northern California. Vic Vitalle, 32, is her new elusive regular customer who shows up every day at 9am. She has her eye on him; he has his eye on her. And when he finally
Vic is quite the aloof mystery man of few words. His strange and enigmatic ways were intriguing, pulling me into the story. Freya is pretty down-to-earth, and while she gets sucked into Vic’s intense aura, she still remains a strong character.
Vic and Freya have some distinct chemistry together and their encounters are seriously hot.
“‘Wetter?’ I’ve never been so wet in my freaking life….”
“‘Yes. I have a large dick. I need you ready for it.’ Oh, shit. And I just got wetter.”
Told from Freya’s first person point of view, the story boasts steamy encounters and a mystery action-adventure plot. Certain aspects may require some suspension of disbelief, but still it’s an interesting story that kept me turning pages to find out what was going to unfold next. Plus, I have a soft spot for exclusive partners-in-crime type romance. ;-)
I liked the message of finding something you don’t know you need and shaking things up a bit.
“‘I was quite content with my life. Then I find you, and none of it’s good enough anymore.’”
The supporting characters, from Freya’s quirky family and friends to Vic’s badass ones, make a nice addition to the story, and I enjoyed all the twists that accompanied them. They never seemed flat or trite, and they certainly weren't stereotypical which can be a pitfall of minor characters. I particularly appreciated the depth that Vikki’s character was hinted at having, and I think she’d make an interesting tale with Vault from the snippets shown of him in this story.
The author did a good job with the epilogue, wrapping up even some of the supporting characters and glimpsing into the future of Freya and Vic.
Thanks to Talltree’s review (https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...) for bringing this book to my attention, and knowing going in that it was safe made it such an enjoyable read. I would have been sweating a few parts otherwise! ;-)
October 20, 2015
Awesome book. I loved how over the top in love the hero is with the heroine. He stalks her (to keep her safe), he eats at her café every day just to see her, and when she asks him for a compliment, he gives her a very memorable compliment.
If you like crazy in love heroes, read this book.
If you like crazy in love heroes, read this book.
October 13, 2015
Loved the first half, super hot with an amazing and mysterious alpha. Then the ending bit was just disappointing.. I could barely finish it because it was just such an upset how the story concluded.
October 14, 2015
3.5 stars
This book was five star at the beginning. I really liked Vic. I loved Freya and Vic together. How intense they were and how into each other they were; the chemistry. Then at about 60% it took a turn for the worse. The plot starts to develop and Freya turned into an extremely dumb character. After hearing all those stories, knowing what these people are capable of....she just bumbles her way right into a dangerous situation. Like a bull in a china shop. I know she's feeling hurt and betrayed, but she starts acting like a child towards Vic, and is hurtful. Luckily for her it turns out ok. But during the last part if this book, all the things I liked about this book at the beginning were missing.
This book was five star at the beginning. I really liked Vic. I loved Freya and Vic together. How intense they were and how into each other they were; the chemistry. Then at about 60% it took a turn for the worse. The plot starts to develop and Freya turned into an extremely dumb character. After hearing all those stories, knowing what these people are capable of....she just bumbles her way right into a dangerous situation. Like a bull in a china shop. I know she's feeling hurt and betrayed, but she starts acting like a child towards Vic, and is hurtful. Luckily for her it turns out ok. But during the last part if this book, all the things I liked about this book at the beginning were missing.
May 1, 2016
I really enjoyed Vic and Freya's story. These two people couldn't be anymore opposite but they worked together. This story definitely needed Vic's POV. If Vic was a more vocal person, it maybe would've been ok without it. But, since Vic doesn't talk much it was sometimes hard to know what he was thinking and connect with his character. Freya was a great h though. I loved her attitude of not caring what others thought of her. She was going to live her life how she wanted too. The epilogue was nice too.
October 24, 2015
So excited to read a book I could get into. It's been a while. Short read, 215 pages. I usually like longer books but with the stinkers I've read of late I wanted to give it a chance based on reviews. I would have liked his POV. Steamy read.
October 17, 2015
FREE READ ON AMAZON UK
I liked the first half of the story and the mystery surrounding Vic. He was a man of few words but the words that I found off putting were when he referred to his manhood as 'him'! It's quite light hearted to begin with and has Vic and Freya falling in love.
Then in the second half, I became confused by the plot and who all the mystery characters were and Freya's character changed. It then became far fetched but it was an easy going read. I would recommend reading it seeing as it's a freebie.
I liked the first half of the story and the mystery surrounding Vic. He was a man of few words but the words that I found off putting were when he referred to his manhood as 'him'! It's quite light hearted to begin with and has Vic and Freya falling in love.
Then in the second half, I became confused by the plot and who all the mystery characters were and Freya's character changed. It then became far fetched but it was an easy going read. I would recommend reading it seeing as it's a freebie.
March 24, 2018
DNF at 90%
Yep, 90% - I just couldn't finish it.
The first 1/2 wasn't too bad, even though the hero was an ass. I really liked the heroine. She was way too forgiving, but she was a fun character.
The second 1/2 was just bonkers. Not sure what the hell kind of suspense I was reading.
This is the 2nd J.M. Silva book and I couldn't finish either one. Just didn't work for me.
Yep, 90% - I just couldn't finish it.
The first 1/2 wasn't too bad, even though the hero was an ass. I really liked the heroine. She was way too forgiving, but she was a fun character.
The second 1/2 was just bonkers. Not sure what the hell kind of suspense I was reading.
This is the 2nd J.M. Silva book and I couldn't finish either one. Just didn't work for me.
January 8, 2016
Freya works at her family's cafe. Every morning at 9am a guy walks in. He orders coffee, sits at the same table, and reads the paper. Anytime Freya has tried to make contact, he barely replies. He is not interested in conversation or anything for that matter. One day he asks her to meet him for dinner. There is a lot about Vic Freya does not know which makes for a great story.
I liked this book. If you read MARKED, Lincoln and Vault make an appearance which I loved. I loved the MARKED series.
Freya mentioning how she previously had sex with her friends, Keith and Ray, whom she still hangs out with bothered me. I got it the first time she mentioned that Keith was her first and then she dated Ray whom she really did not even really like and had sex with him, but I did not need it repeated over and over. I got it the first two times it was said. Freya got jealous over "his girls" but he had to sit there and hang out with the two men she had sex with. Even though this bothered me, I still enjoyed the story. However, the last 3% was okay. I thought the epilogue was okay too (3 stars). I think I would have preferred if it was in Vic's POV. I was a little leery of how things were ending.
I am not sure since I did not check yet but I would LOVE to read the following character's story. I have to put it in a spoiler since this character is kind of important to the outcome in something that happens. This is more of a note to the author *wink* *hint*.
I liked this book. If you read MARKED, Lincoln and Vault make an appearance which I loved. I loved the MARKED series.
Freya mentioning how she previously had sex with her friends, Keith and Ray, whom she still hangs out with bothered me. I got it the first time she mentioned that Keith was her first and then she dated Ray whom she really did not even really like and had sex with him, but I did not need it repeated over and over. I got it the first two times it was said. Freya got jealous over "his girls" but he had to sit there and hang out with the two men she had sex with. Even though this bothered me, I still enjoyed the story. However, the last 3% was okay. I thought the epilogue was okay too (3 stars). I think I would have preferred if it was in Vic's POV. I was a little leery of how things were ending.
I am not sure since I did not check yet but I would LOVE to read the following character's story. I have to put it in a spoiler since this character is kind of important to the outcome in something that happens. This is more of a note to the author *wink* *hint*.
February 9, 2016
DNF at 50%. It's just not working for me. The story, up to the point which I've read, reads like a hillbilly version of Monster In His Eyes. Even the bloke's last name is Vitale. But where MIHE manages to be dark and thrilling, this one seems bland and annoying. The heroine is described as a fairly smart person but seems to not notice the fact that the hero is up to some weird things (profession wise). Not only does she turn a blind eye towards his profession, other super weird things keep happening like her hippie parents seem to have some sort past relationship with H's father, and H's twin sister appears all of a sudden and literally acts like the mother from Adam's Family (at least that's how it seemed to me). The twin sister, after thoroughly insulting h and all her friends, decides to leave but gives her some cock and bull story about how both twins are killers and some other things and that h's father will fill in the rest of the mystery.
So naive/feisty h decides to confront peace-loving hippie dad and finds out a whole host of non-sensical, far fetched conspiracy and then h decides to confront the bad guy (H's boss) and H is all like, "Let me come with you". That's when I gave up.
I may have warmed up to the H if I hadn't read MIHE. But once again he just seems like a washed out version of Ignazio Vitale, who is at the top of my all time favourite assassin anti-hero list.
This may work for other readers, just wasn't for me.
So naive/feisty h decides to confront peace-loving hippie dad and finds out a whole host of non-sensical, far fetched conspiracy and then h decides to confront the bad guy (H's boss) and H is all like, "Let me come with you". That's when I gave up.
I may have warmed up to the H if I hadn't read MIHE. But once again he just seems like a washed out version of Ignazio Vitale, who is at the top of my all time favourite assassin anti-hero list.
This may work for other readers, just wasn't for me.
February 26, 2016
I liked this one until I didn't anymore. I don't know why but the way Vic just openly said that he had sex with Arianna just kinda turned me off hardcore. I think a lot of my problem with it is because she also had sex with Link the H from her marked series. I feel like that info was completely unnecessary. I mean I know that I'm picky and that wasn't the only thing I didn't like but at that point I checked out of the story completely. He also just stood there why Arianna flirted with him, sure he turned her down but made no move to show her that he was committed to Freya which is crucial for me. I also feel like he was just too secretive. I get that he didn't want her to know everything cause he's gotta be discreet with his job, but he really refused to share anything with her. I don't think she had enough of a backbone honestly. He'd give her a look or kiss her and she'd melt. I found myself rolling my eyes way too much. I think if we were given his pov, it could have been a lot better but with just hers, no way. She let him get away with way too much and didn't call him on any of it. I'm trying to remember why I liked the marked series so much. This will be the last book the I read from this author. The last 40% just left me feeling worse and worse. Writing a book is hard work, no doubt and I'm not knocking her skills, I just really really hated the story.
October 20, 2015
Four stars!! I love this author. I really do. I had no clue of the premise of this book at all. I was pleasantly surprised to see some old characters briefly from the Missing Link series. You do not need to read those before you read this one. (Though if you haven't you are missing out).
What worked for me here was the intrigue of the H in the beginning of the book. I could not figure him out, in a good way. That whole first part of the book when they meet and begin a relationship is really really good. I also enjoyed Freya. She was this weird combination of naive, feisty, sweet and tough.
What I wasn't crazy about....the pacing. It felt really rushed to me. I almost think this could have been two books. I would have like to spend more time getting to know more about the H and h relationship, because it was rather fast. I also felt This distinct switch going from a seductive romance to full out action/suspense. But I am a reader, who isn't crazy about suspense at all.
Whatever JM writes. I am buying. I really like her style.
What worked for me here was the intrigue of the H in the beginning of the book. I could not figure him out, in a good way. That whole first part of the book when they meet and begin a relationship is really really good. I also enjoyed Freya. She was this weird combination of naive, feisty, sweet and tough.
What I wasn't crazy about....the pacing. It felt really rushed to me. I almost think this could have been two books. I would have like to spend more time getting to know more about the H and h relationship, because it was rather fast. I also felt This distinct switch going from a seductive romance to full out action/suspense. But I am a reader, who isn't crazy about suspense at all.
Whatever JM writes. I am buying. I really like her style.
October 29, 2015
So awesome! Can't get enough!
I have loved everything by JM Sevilla, but for some reason the marked series and this awesome spin-off are my favorites! Vic is just.... gah he's just one of those characters that you want to climb in the book for the sole purpose of watching him every second. He's mysterious and broody at first but wow what a surprise when he opens up to Freya! And his accent just adds to it.
I love the excitement and adventure JM does so well at building and those sexy moments can make your kindle melt! I loved Like a Fox and I can't wait for more!
I also loved the little cameo of Link in this one. It made me want to go back and re-read all of them over again!
If you want an exciting, sweet, steamy, and twisty plot, I highly recommend this one!
5 give me more because I want it bad stars!! :)
I have loved everything by JM Sevilla, but for some reason the marked series and this awesome spin-off are my favorites! Vic is just.... gah he's just one of those characters that you want to climb in the book for the sole purpose of watching him every second. He's mysterious and broody at first but wow what a surprise when he opens up to Freya! And his accent just adds to it.
I love the excitement and adventure JM does so well at building and those sexy moments can make your kindle melt! I loved Like a Fox and I can't wait for more!
I also loved the little cameo of Link in this one. It made me want to go back and re-read all of them over again!
If you want an exciting, sweet, steamy, and twisty plot, I highly recommend this one!
5 give me more because I want it bad stars!! :)
October 12, 2015
First half was good but the second half was stupid and illogical.
October 19, 2015
Interesting and different H character type. Enjoyed it just for that.
November 18, 2015
Another great book from this Author. I enjoyed the characters, the steamy scenes and the connection to her other books. The author has a flare for streaming words together....
October 20, 2015
Good read :)
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