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The Harrisons #1
More Than You Know
Hotel owner Dane Harrison, middle brother of a wealthy Long Island family, needs a lounge singer for his new luxury property. With her stunning voice and amazing curves, Julia Shay is perfect. She also seems be the only woman in New York City who isn’t falling at Dane’s feet. And despite her feisty attitude and his rule against workplace affairs, he wants her—in his arms, in his bed, anywhere and everywhere.
Julia loves her new job, and she knows better than to think she can keep it and Dane. Even if he wasn’t her boss, Julia’s painful history has given her ample reason to steer clear of rich, powerful charmers. Still, their chemistry is unlike anything she’s known, and when it becomes too much to resist, they agree to one no-strings night together. But instead of quenching the fire, the intense encounter only proves how much they have to lose—or win…
Julia loves her new job, and she knows better than to think she can keep it and Dane. Even if he wasn’t her boss, Julia’s painful history has given her ample reason to steer clear of rich, powerful charmers. Still, their chemistry is unlike anything she’s known, and when it becomes too much to resist, they agree to one no-strings night together. But instead of quenching the fire, the intense encounter only proves how much they have to lose—or win…
312 pages, Kindle Edition
First published December 29, 2015
53 people are currently reading
626 people want to read
About the author
Jennifer Gracen
21 books257 followersJennifer Gracen was born, raised, and still lives on Long Island, New York, and is a proud mom of two grown sons. She loves to write for readers who look for authentic characters, some humor, some passion, and warmth. A medical copy editor by day, Jennifer also does copy editing and proofreading for novelists. She's also been known to give lively concerts in her car (she's an alto).
The Harrisons Series:
Book 1: More Than You Know
Book 2: Someone Like You
Book 3: 'Tis The Season
Book 3.5: Happily Ever After (novella)
Book 4: Between You And Me
Book 5: It Might Be You
The McKinnon Brothers Series:
Book 1: All I Want For Christmas
Book 2: The Doctor's Love
Book 3: Marrying His Best Friend
Book 4: Love In Dublin
Her short story A DOSE OF GELT was featured in a Chanukah anthology, BURNING BRIGHT: Four Chanukah Love Stories, published by Avon Impulse/HarperCollins in December 2015.
The Seasons Of Love Series:
Book 1: Autumn Getaway
Book 2: Winter Hopes
Book 3: Spring Shadows
Book 4: Summer Champagne
More to come...
The Harrisons Series:
Book 1: More Than You Know
Book 2: Someone Like You
Book 3: 'Tis The Season
Book 3.5: Happily Ever After (novella)
Book 4: Between You And Me
Book 5: It Might Be You
The McKinnon Brothers Series:
Book 1: All I Want For Christmas
Book 2: The Doctor's Love
Book 3: Marrying His Best Friend
Book 4: Love In Dublin
Her short story A DOSE OF GELT was featured in a Chanukah anthology, BURNING BRIGHT: Four Chanukah Love Stories, published by Avon Impulse/HarperCollins in December 2015.
The Seasons Of Love Series:
Book 1: Autumn Getaway
Book 2: Winter Hopes
Book 3: Spring Shadows
Book 4: Summer Champagne
More to come...
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May 15, 2016
"Stop being so nice to me," she said raggedly.
"No." He caressed her cheek. "Sorry. In fact, tonight, I might even be EXTRA nice to you. Deal with it."
Damn him. Damn him and his tenderness and his beautiful eyes and his gentle voice and his seeming to actually CARE.
Okay, I started reading this book and it wasn't even a few pages before I started seething with rage.
Dane Harrison is a rich, entitled, charming, billionaire playboy who thinks he can get anything he wants just because he's rich and good-looking.
In case you're new here, this is my idea of a turn-off. I despise rich men who think they're slick, don't know the meaning of a dollar, and think the world is going to hand them everything on a silver platter. I found this man disgusting.
Julia Shay is a gorgeous redhead bombshell lounge singer. She has a very bad and troubled past which makes her not trust men, and ESPECIALLY not rich, good-looking ones.
This being a romance novel, you can imagine how long that lasts. >.< I didn't like Dane and I didn't really like Julia, either. They were both pretty unpleasant.
It was so strange to her; she didn't do anything to invite the attention of men. At least, she didn't THINK she did. But she still got hit on all the same. It had to be the job. Just like girls flocked to musicians, men seemed to be equally entranced by female singers. They saw a figure on the stage and spun their own fantasies about what she was like, putting her on an impossible pedestal.
Yes.... why on earth would men hit on a drop-dead gorgeous redhead that they always see on stage in killer dresses and stiletto heals? Makes no sense. No sense. /s
Then we have Dane. He's also stupid. For example, when he invites her for a relaxing day of boating with him and then is baffled by her awe that he brings her to a gigantic yacht.
Especially because he hadn't set out to try to impress her with the trappings of his family's wealth. It had never even occurred to him. He'd just wanted to spend the day with her, out on the boat.
"Wow, I wasn't trying to impress her with my wealth when I took her to my YACHT. I mean, yachts are just normal, right? Everyone has them, right?" Either he's this stupid or he's lying to himself and was totally trying to knock her off her feet by showing off his yacht to her.
And unlike the too-skinny women who ruled fashion pages these days, Julia was built like a WOMAN.
Ugh, disgusting. As if thin women aren't "real women." Fuck you.
She was voluptuous. Her unbelievable breasts were to die for, and he'd bet they were real, because nothing about her seemed plastic or fake.
Ugh, disgusting. When you have big breasts and men think they have a right to speculate on whether they are fake or not. Usually they just ask you this right out, total strangers, it's highly disgusting. WAYS TO TURN OFF A WOMAN: #1: Ask her if her breasts are real.
#2: Insinuate the noises she makes in bed are fake because she's trying to impress you like a porn star.
"You're a moaner," he remarked, teasing her back. "Hot damn, porn star."
I was about ready to kill him at this point. Some women are really vocal in bed. One way to ensure a woman isn't comfortable being her (vocal) self with you is to insinuate she's faking it and also comparing her to a porn star. DON'T DO THIS. Learn from this man's lack of brain cells. This happens SO MUCH in real life. You have sex, great sex, you were really turned on and lots of fun things were happening, and then the man is like, "Where'd you learn to moan like that? Been watching porn?" - Instant mood killer. Get your pants on and get out, fucker. Zero chance of ever getting this woman into bed again. If you are meet a woman who is noisy in bed, please just allow her to enjoy herself and keep your snide, rude, insulting remarks to yourself, jackass.
#3: "You're going to keep me here?" she said tightly.
"No, of course not. But Julia..." He stared down at her, his bright blue eyes flashing. "Don't run away," he ground out. "You're better than that."
NEVER say the following things to a woman if you actually want her to be in your life:
"You're better than this."
"You're smarter than this."
"Are you SURE you want seconds?" *concerned look*
I mean... I shouldn't have to tell you this basic stuff, but just in case you don't realize that you are an asshole, NEVER say this stuff to people. If you do, you're an asshole. Don't be that guy.
Obviously, having her sing in his hotel... he'd been close to choosing between a few of the other singers he'd seen, though none had been... enough. This woman was. He was drawn to her, but he'd have to ignore the pull he felt; he wouldn't be able to pursue her, much less have her. Sleeping with one of his employees was a huge no-no. He didn't cross that line, ever. He signed and swore under his breath. Well, that was it. There would be other women. There always were. Julia Shay would be off-limits.
She's off-limits because she's his employee, but don't worry, he's got 1,294,295 other women to chose from, right!?!?
Then, when he flirts with her, she doesn't act grateful.
She looked away with what he took to be an expression of disdain, back down into her half empty glass. The corner of his mouth quirked in a combination of amusement and surprised indignation. That wasn't usually the reaction he garnered from women. Especially ones he'd been picturing in a steamy position beneath him, naked and writhing, only minutes before.
"What'll it be?" the bartender, a pretty brunette, asked him. She smiled engagingly, a flirtatious sparkle in her eyes. Now THAT was the reaction he was used to.
Wow, so rare women don't immediately kneel down in front of him and start unzipping his pants. SO INTRIGUING, wow, he must learn more about this woman!
He wanted her in his bed, sure. But even more than that, he wanted her to headline in his hotel. And he almost always got what he wanted. ESPECIALLY when it came to women.
HUGE TURN-OFF.
"I'm a secretary at a construction company," she said evenly.
He surveyed her face. He didn't mean to be elitist, honest work was honest work, but something told him instinctively she wasn't cut out for that - that she was capable of much more.
Fuck you, you classist piece of shit!
Then we have horrible writing like,
She rose to her feet, her large breasts accidentally brushing against his arm.
Just no. That's a terrible sentence. Why are you throwing the adjective 'large' in there arbitrarily. You mentioned her big breasts about 20 times already, no need to sprinkle in more reminders, it just makes this clunky and awkward.
Here's Dane talking to his sister:
"Redheads are your weakness, huh?" Tess needled. She smiled as she stroked her dog's fur, cradling her in her lap. "I just learned something."
"Every day's a school day, Tess," Dane said.
FUCK YOU. Disrespectful.
Dane chuckled. "Yup. She's sexy as hell, but with class and grit. You'll approve."
Charles II nodded firmly at his son. "Good. Sex sells. Men will want her, and women will want to be like her. Smart move."
"The only kind of move I make, Dad."
"I'm smart and powerful! A perfect decision-maker. Also, women are objects, right, Dad? Let's access her fuckability and therefore her worth as a female."
But he didn't WANT to stop. He wanted HER - in his bed, against the wall, over the damn piano, wherever he could have her. And he'd never been very good at denying himself something he really wanted.
EW.
She finished her shot, feeling it burn through her. "Strong stuff."
"Of course it is. You're drinking straight vodka."
You should see the look on my face right now. She KNOWS she's drinking straight vodka, you unbelievable asshole.
She held nothing back, she just went for it. What was that saying - a lady in the front room, a tigress in the bedroom? Her unabashed passion rocked him to the core.
You're stupid, that's not the saying; also, I hate you.
"Goddamn, Red, your body was made for staring at."
Thank you? I guess? You sexist piece of trash. Is this a turn-on to anyone!?!?!? Rich entitled assholes?
COUGAR
Then we have this whole "cougar" thing, which is INSANE, okay? She is 41, he is 36 and the book just WILL NOT shut up about how she's a "cougar." *Carmen bashes her head against the wall* So, I find the term "cougar" to be a demeaning and sexist piece of shit for all parties involved, but if I were going to use it, it certainly wouldn't be for a piddly five-year age difference. That's normal. Perfectly normal. Not even approaching skeevy, weird, or a May-December romance or anything like it. Not only does she worry a lot about being a measly five years older than him, but he always goes on and on about "older" women and "experienced women" as if she's 60 or something. o.O And he's extremely experienced, it's not like he needs someone to show him the ropes, or anything.
I didn't get it. I didn't get anything about it. Complete fail.
She was so passionate, giving as good as she got.... maybe even giving better. Jesus. There was definitely something to be said for the stereotype of experienced older women after all. Julia had just single-handedly proven it to be true, a one-woman wrecking crew.
For fuck's sake. >.<
SEXUAL EXPERIENCE
She'd kissed him, SHE'D made the first move. He'd been, as Pierce would say, gobsmacked. He wasn't used to a woman taking what she wanted from him so boldly. She'd wanted it so she'd taken it, without apology and without restraint. It turned him on more than he wanted to admit.
DANE: "I'm so experienced! I've been with so many women!"
DANE: "I'm SHOCKED she made the first move and kissed me!!!"
Dane never stops reminding us of how many women he's slept with: so many. "More than he'd like to admit." But he flips out every time she ribs him about being promiscuous. Actually, this is true to real life and I can't fault Gracen for accuracy here. No one likes their sexual past thrown in their face, and it hurts Dane a lot when Julia acts like he's a slut. It's not usually I have to ask a woman to shut up and stop holding a man's sexual past against him, she's humiliating him and embarrassing him for having a long sexual past. And she also has a long sexual past, not sure where she's getting off. This is refreshing, usually I'm lecturing men on this. Nice gender-role swapping here on the part of Gracen. She's mean, petty, needling him about his sexual past and holding it over his head when she ALSO has a past. This is usually the behavior of men in romance novels. I told you this woman wasn't very likable, and this is one example of it.
As for Julia, Gracen certainly doesn't make her virginal, nor does she make her tragic past with an something that turns her off sex until the hero comes and heals her with his magical penis. Julia loves sex and has it frequently - under her 'no strings' rules, of course. This is also refreshing. She's not virginal, she's not just had "one bad experience" - she loves sex and she goes out and gets it, even before the hero comes into her life. Points.
HER PAINFUL PAST
Julia has a tragic and secretive past and Dane just WILL NOT stop pushing her for information about it. Even though every time he does so she freezes up and pulls away. He usually decides idiotically to do this immediately after sex.
"This is just supposed to be fun sex," she said, rolling away.
"It is," he said, holding her in place. "But the advantage of sleeping with a smart woman is you can actually talk to her afterward."
One, FUCK YOU for that comment about women. Two, why would you have sex with her and then bring up shit you know hurts her and is painful for her to talk about and will make her instantly get out of bed??!? You're stupid.
TURN-AROUND
Well. Now that I've torn the book to shreds thoroughly, I must say it improves at about 62%.
Gracen has her strengths. For instance, I rarely read an trope in which the female 15 years ago and is now a strong, tough, no-strings-sex-having bombshell. This is excellently done and her reaction to Dane and how he needles her is also well done.
Also, at 62% Gracen starts turning on the cute and sweet parts. It worked. I didn't think she could be effective, but she got me.
He'd been so gentle, so tender, that her heart had just thawed, tumbled, and split wide open. She'd never felt so adored; not just in how he touched her, but in how he spoke to her, looked at her. She saw true feeling in his stunning blue eyes, she sensed it. It had taken her breath away. And that was it.
It starts dawning on Julia that Dane might actually be a basically good person who cares for her.
How could she NOT love him after last night? And it was awful, just awful. Admitting to herself that she loved him was the worst thing she'd done in a long, long, time.
Wow.
But his eyes were intense, searching her face face for clues.
"Tell me why you have to go," he said.
"I just do," she stammered. Her mind blanked, and the rising panic was making it harder for her to breathe. Her heart felt stuck in her chest, and she rubbed at her sternum in an effort to relieve the pressure.
"What the - why are you shaking? Hey. Everything's okay." His velvety voice, intending to soothe, only made it worse.
Things start to get good, and the book ends on a high note.
Looking down at her, he realized he had no idea what was going through her head. The kinder he was to her, the more she bucked him. Sad frustration permeated him and he sighed in resignation. He was a fool; he wasn't going to undo years of emotional damage with one gorgeous night. What was he thinking?
Good, excellent, he's learning it's going to take more than his magical penis to "fix" her. Possibly she is unable to be fixed, and if she is, it's not going to be by him alone.
Julia is also waking up:
She was glad he'd called her on her bullshit. She was glad she'd apologized, steeled herself up, and stayed. She'd one it for him, sucking up her fears, because she'd caught the betrayed look in his eyes when she'd headed for the door. It had made her insides unravel. He looked so hurt....
God, she was such a bitch sometimes! Why? Why still, when he'd always been so good to her? He hadn't been good to her last night out of pity. He'd done it because he was a seriously decent man, and he'd wanted to comfort her. To treat her with care and make her feel better. Which, truthfully, had been exactly what she'd needed. She'd loved every moment of it. She'd gone over the edge of the cliff and fallen in love with him last night. How could she not?
She had to stop punishing Dane for the sins of other men. It wasn't fair. To either of them. What he'd said was true: he wasn't Max, or Liam, and it wasn't fair to put him on their shelf. He deserved better.
She needed to cut back on the sharp quips, the running for the door, the standoffishness, and start reciprocating his goodness. It was the least she could do for him. She'd never tell him she had true feelings for him, much less that she loved him, but she could at least show it by being sweeter. The words would never be necessary if she did that. And she wanted to do that. She LIKED him. She really did.
This is excellent.
He was tired of the games. The holding back, the push and pull. He loved her, and tonight, he'd tell her that. After trying to drink her away last night without success, then thinking about her all damn day, he couldn't see the point in not telling her anymore. Maybe it would change things for the better. Maybe she'd bolt. He wasn't sure. But he'd swallow his pride, take a deep breath, and just tell her how he felt. And also tell her that she had to stop pushing him away. And that he wanted to be with her, only her. That he'd never felt this way about anyone before.
Aw, good. Tell her how you FEEL. :D
How's the sex, Carmen?
It's awful, I could barely read it. The only scene approaching good is the one where he's real tender with her, but Gracen doesn't go into detail about this. The sex is terrible, don't read this for the sex. This couple's idea of "sexual banter" is also atrocious.
Tl;dr - How should I rate this? I was convinced for 62% of the book that this was going to get 1 star. I hated him, I didn't like her much... there was SO MUCH wrong with this book and Gracen wasn't doing herself any favors by making an entitled billionaire her hero. However, Gracen does miraculously manage to turn this around and tug on your heartstrings by the end. Don't ask me how. She deserves props for this. So 2 stars. I wish it could be three, but too little too late, sadly.
I'm going to read her next book, Someone Like You
and see what happens.
"No." He caressed her cheek. "Sorry. In fact, tonight, I might even be EXTRA nice to you. Deal with it."
Damn him. Damn him and his tenderness and his beautiful eyes and his gentle voice and his seeming to actually CARE.
Okay, I started reading this book and it wasn't even a few pages before I started seething with rage.
Dane Harrison is a rich, entitled, charming, billionaire playboy who thinks he can get anything he wants just because he's rich and good-looking.
In case you're new here, this is my idea of a turn-off. I despise rich men who think they're slick, don't know the meaning of a dollar, and think the world is going to hand them everything on a silver platter. I found this man disgusting.
Julia Shay is a gorgeous redhead bombshell lounge singer. She has a very bad and troubled past which makes her not trust men, and ESPECIALLY not rich, good-looking ones.
This being a romance novel, you can imagine how long that lasts. >.< I didn't like Dane and I didn't really like Julia, either. They were both pretty unpleasant.
It was so strange to her; she didn't do anything to invite the attention of men. At least, she didn't THINK she did. But she still got hit on all the same. It had to be the job. Just like girls flocked to musicians, men seemed to be equally entranced by female singers. They saw a figure on the stage and spun their own fantasies about what she was like, putting her on an impossible pedestal.
Yes.... why on earth would men hit on a drop-dead gorgeous redhead that they always see on stage in killer dresses and stiletto heals? Makes no sense. No sense. /s
Then we have Dane. He's also stupid. For example, when he invites her for a relaxing day of boating with him and then is baffled by her awe that he brings her to a gigantic yacht.
Especially because he hadn't set out to try to impress her with the trappings of his family's wealth. It had never even occurred to him. He'd just wanted to spend the day with her, out on the boat.
"Wow, I wasn't trying to impress her with my wealth when I took her to my YACHT. I mean, yachts are just normal, right? Everyone has them, right?" Either he's this stupid or he's lying to himself and was totally trying to knock her off her feet by showing off his yacht to her.
And unlike the too-skinny women who ruled fashion pages these days, Julia was built like a WOMAN.
Ugh, disgusting. As if thin women aren't "real women." Fuck you.
She was voluptuous. Her unbelievable breasts were to die for, and he'd bet they were real, because nothing about her seemed plastic or fake.
Ugh, disgusting. When you have big breasts and men think they have a right to speculate on whether they are fake or not. Usually they just ask you this right out, total strangers, it's highly disgusting. WAYS TO TURN OFF A WOMAN: #1: Ask her if her breasts are real.
#2: Insinuate the noises she makes in bed are fake because she's trying to impress you like a porn star.
"You're a moaner," he remarked, teasing her back. "Hot damn, porn star."
I was about ready to kill him at this point. Some women are really vocal in bed. One way to ensure a woman isn't comfortable being her (vocal) self with you is to insinuate she's faking it and also comparing her to a porn star. DON'T DO THIS. Learn from this man's lack of brain cells. This happens SO MUCH in real life. You have sex, great sex, you were really turned on and lots of fun things were happening, and then the man is like, "Where'd you learn to moan like that? Been watching porn?" - Instant mood killer. Get your pants on and get out, fucker. Zero chance of ever getting this woman into bed again. If you are meet a woman who is noisy in bed, please just allow her to enjoy herself and keep your snide, rude, insulting remarks to yourself, jackass.
#3: "You're going to keep me here?" she said tightly.
"No, of course not. But Julia..." He stared down at her, his bright blue eyes flashing. "Don't run away," he ground out. "You're better than that."
NEVER say the following things to a woman if you actually want her to be in your life:
"You're better than this."
"You're smarter than this."
"Are you SURE you want seconds?" *concerned look*
I mean... I shouldn't have to tell you this basic stuff, but just in case you don't realize that you are an asshole, NEVER say this stuff to people. If you do, you're an asshole. Don't be that guy.
Obviously, having her sing in his hotel... he'd been close to choosing between a few of the other singers he'd seen, though none had been... enough. This woman was. He was drawn to her, but he'd have to ignore the pull he felt; he wouldn't be able to pursue her, much less have her. Sleeping with one of his employees was a huge no-no. He didn't cross that line, ever. He signed and swore under his breath. Well, that was it. There would be other women. There always were. Julia Shay would be off-limits.
She's off-limits because she's his employee, but don't worry, he's got 1,294,295 other women to chose from, right!?!?
Then, when he flirts with her, she doesn't act grateful.
She looked away with what he took to be an expression of disdain, back down into her half empty glass. The corner of his mouth quirked in a combination of amusement and surprised indignation. That wasn't usually the reaction he garnered from women. Especially ones he'd been picturing in a steamy position beneath him, naked and writhing, only minutes before.
"What'll it be?" the bartender, a pretty brunette, asked him. She smiled engagingly, a flirtatious sparkle in her eyes. Now THAT was the reaction he was used to.
Wow, so rare women don't immediately kneel down in front of him and start unzipping his pants. SO INTRIGUING, wow, he must learn more about this woman!
He wanted her in his bed, sure. But even more than that, he wanted her to headline in his hotel. And he almost always got what he wanted. ESPECIALLY when it came to women.
HUGE TURN-OFF.
"I'm a secretary at a construction company," she said evenly.
He surveyed her face. He didn't mean to be elitist, honest work was honest work, but something told him instinctively she wasn't cut out for that - that she was capable of much more.
Fuck you, you classist piece of shit!
Then we have horrible writing like,
She rose to her feet, her large breasts accidentally brushing against his arm.
Just no. That's a terrible sentence. Why are you throwing the adjective 'large' in there arbitrarily. You mentioned her big breasts about 20 times already, no need to sprinkle in more reminders, it just makes this clunky and awkward.
Here's Dane talking to his sister:
"Redheads are your weakness, huh?" Tess needled. She smiled as she stroked her dog's fur, cradling her in her lap. "I just learned something."
"Every day's a school day, Tess," Dane said.
FUCK YOU. Disrespectful.
Dane chuckled. "Yup. She's sexy as hell, but with class and grit. You'll approve."
Charles II nodded firmly at his son. "Good. Sex sells. Men will want her, and women will want to be like her. Smart move."
"The only kind of move I make, Dad."
"I'm smart and powerful! A perfect decision-maker. Also, women are objects, right, Dad? Let's access her fuckability and therefore her worth as a female."
But he didn't WANT to stop. He wanted HER - in his bed, against the wall, over the damn piano, wherever he could have her. And he'd never been very good at denying himself something he really wanted.
EW.
She finished her shot, feeling it burn through her. "Strong stuff."
"Of course it is. You're drinking straight vodka."
You should see the look on my face right now. She KNOWS she's drinking straight vodka, you unbelievable asshole.
She held nothing back, she just went for it. What was that saying - a lady in the front room, a tigress in the bedroom? Her unabashed passion rocked him to the core.
You're stupid, that's not the saying; also, I hate you.
"Goddamn, Red, your body was made for staring at."
Thank you? I guess? You sexist piece of trash. Is this a turn-on to anyone!?!?!? Rich entitled assholes?
COUGAR
Then we have this whole "cougar" thing, which is INSANE, okay? She is 41, he is 36 and the book just WILL NOT shut up about how she's a "cougar." *Carmen bashes her head against the wall* So, I find the term "cougar" to be a demeaning and sexist piece of shit for all parties involved, but if I were going to use it, it certainly wouldn't be for a piddly five-year age difference. That's normal. Perfectly normal. Not even approaching skeevy, weird, or a May-December romance or anything like it. Not only does she worry a lot about being a measly five years older than him, but he always goes on and on about "older" women and "experienced women" as if she's 60 or something. o.O And he's extremely experienced, it's not like he needs someone to show him the ropes, or anything.
I didn't get it. I didn't get anything about it. Complete fail.
She was so passionate, giving as good as she got.... maybe even giving better. Jesus. There was definitely something to be said for the stereotype of experienced older women after all. Julia had just single-handedly proven it to be true, a one-woman wrecking crew.
For fuck's sake. >.<
SEXUAL EXPERIENCE
She'd kissed him, SHE'D made the first move. He'd been, as Pierce would say, gobsmacked. He wasn't used to a woman taking what she wanted from him so boldly. She'd wanted it so she'd taken it, without apology and without restraint. It turned him on more than he wanted to admit.
DANE: "I'm so experienced! I've been with so many women!"
DANE: "I'm SHOCKED she made the first move and kissed me!!!"
Dane never stops reminding us of how many women he's slept with: so many. "More than he'd like to admit." But he flips out every time she ribs him about being promiscuous. Actually, this is true to real life and I can't fault Gracen for accuracy here. No one likes their sexual past thrown in their face, and it hurts Dane a lot when Julia acts like he's a slut. It's not usually I have to ask a woman to shut up and stop holding a man's sexual past against him, she's humiliating him and embarrassing him for having a long sexual past. And she also has a long sexual past, not sure where she's getting off. This is refreshing, usually I'm lecturing men on this. Nice gender-role swapping here on the part of Gracen. She's mean, petty, needling him about his sexual past and holding it over his head when she ALSO has a past. This is usually the behavior of men in romance novels. I told you this woman wasn't very likable, and this is one example of it.
As for Julia, Gracen certainly doesn't make her virginal, nor does she make her tragic past with an something that turns her off sex until the hero comes and heals her with his magical penis. Julia loves sex and has it frequently - under her 'no strings' rules, of course. This is also refreshing. She's not virginal, she's not just had "one bad experience" - she loves sex and she goes out and gets it, even before the hero comes into her life. Points.
HER PAINFUL PAST
Julia has a tragic and secretive past and Dane just WILL NOT stop pushing her for information about it. Even though every time he does so she freezes up and pulls away. He usually decides idiotically to do this immediately after sex.
"This is just supposed to be fun sex," she said, rolling away.
"It is," he said, holding her in place. "But the advantage of sleeping with a smart woman is you can actually talk to her afterward."
One, FUCK YOU for that comment about women. Two, why would you have sex with her and then bring up shit you know hurts her and is painful for her to talk about and will make her instantly get out of bed??!? You're stupid.
TURN-AROUND
Well. Now that I've torn the book to shreds thoroughly, I must say it improves at about 62%.
Gracen has her strengths. For instance, I rarely read an trope in which the female 15 years ago and is now a strong, tough, no-strings-sex-having bombshell. This is excellently done and her reaction to Dane and how he needles her is also well done.
Also, at 62% Gracen starts turning on the cute and sweet parts. It worked. I didn't think she could be effective, but she got me.
He'd been so gentle, so tender, that her heart had just thawed, tumbled, and split wide open. She'd never felt so adored; not just in how he touched her, but in how he spoke to her, looked at her. She saw true feeling in his stunning blue eyes, she sensed it. It had taken her breath away. And that was it.
It starts dawning on Julia that Dane might actually be a basically good person who cares for her.
How could she NOT love him after last night? And it was awful, just awful. Admitting to herself that she loved him was the worst thing she'd done in a long, long, time.
Wow.
But his eyes were intense, searching her face face for clues.
"Tell me why you have to go," he said.
"I just do," she stammered. Her mind blanked, and the rising panic was making it harder for her to breathe. Her heart felt stuck in her chest, and she rubbed at her sternum in an effort to relieve the pressure.
"What the - why are you shaking? Hey. Everything's okay." His velvety voice, intending to soothe, only made it worse.
Things start to get good, and the book ends on a high note.
Looking down at her, he realized he had no idea what was going through her head. The kinder he was to her, the more she bucked him. Sad frustration permeated him and he sighed in resignation. He was a fool; he wasn't going to undo years of emotional damage with one gorgeous night. What was he thinking?
Good, excellent, he's learning it's going to take more than his magical penis to "fix" her. Possibly she is unable to be fixed, and if she is, it's not going to be by him alone.
Julia is also waking up:
She was glad he'd called her on her bullshit. She was glad she'd apologized, steeled herself up, and stayed. She'd one it for him, sucking up her fears, because she'd caught the betrayed look in his eyes when she'd headed for the door. It had made her insides unravel. He looked so hurt....
God, she was such a bitch sometimes! Why? Why still, when he'd always been so good to her? He hadn't been good to her last night out of pity. He'd done it because he was a seriously decent man, and he'd wanted to comfort her. To treat her with care and make her feel better. Which, truthfully, had been exactly what she'd needed. She'd loved every moment of it. She'd gone over the edge of the cliff and fallen in love with him last night. How could she not?
She had to stop punishing Dane for the sins of other men. It wasn't fair. To either of them. What he'd said was true: he wasn't Max, or Liam, and it wasn't fair to put him on their shelf. He deserved better.
She needed to cut back on the sharp quips, the running for the door, the standoffishness, and start reciprocating his goodness. It was the least she could do for him. She'd never tell him she had true feelings for him, much less that she loved him, but she could at least show it by being sweeter. The words would never be necessary if she did that. And she wanted to do that. She LIKED him. She really did.
This is excellent.
He was tired of the games. The holding back, the push and pull. He loved her, and tonight, he'd tell her that. After trying to drink her away last night without success, then thinking about her all damn day, he couldn't see the point in not telling her anymore. Maybe it would change things for the better. Maybe she'd bolt. He wasn't sure. But he'd swallow his pride, take a deep breath, and just tell her how he felt. And also tell her that she had to stop pushing him away. And that he wanted to be with her, only her. That he'd never felt this way about anyone before.
Aw, good. Tell her how you FEEL. :D
How's the sex, Carmen?
It's awful, I could barely read it. The only scene approaching good is the one where he's real tender with her, but Gracen doesn't go into detail about this. The sex is terrible, don't read this for the sex. This couple's idea of "sexual banter" is also atrocious.
Tl;dr - How should I rate this? I was convinced for 62% of the book that this was going to get 1 star. I hated him, I didn't like her much... there was SO MUCH wrong with this book and Gracen wasn't doing herself any favors by making an entitled billionaire her hero. However, Gracen does miraculously manage to turn this around and tug on your heartstrings by the end. Don't ask me how. She deserves props for this. So 2 stars. I wish it could be three, but too little too late, sadly.
I'm going to read her next book, Someone Like You
and see what happens.
Read
January 14, 2016DNF @20%
I hate to DNF a book, especially an ARC, but in this case it's for the best. I've been trying to get into this for over a week but it's just not happening. Even with all of the heroine's inner monologues, and they're seemingly never ending, I'm just not connecting with her character or the story in general.
ARC provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review
I hate to DNF a book, especially an ARC, but in this case it's for the best. I've been trying to get into this for over a week but it's just not happening. Even with all of the heroine's inner monologues, and they're seemingly never ending, I'm just not connecting with her character or the story in general.
ARC provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review
January 10, 2016
This is my first Jennifer Gracen read, and while I really wanted to love it, it was just an okay read for me.
Julia has been through a lot in her life and she has walls made of steel around her to keep her self protected from getting hurt again. While I can understand her hesitance when it comes to Dane, especially since he's so similar to her ex in a lot of ways, I found her more annoying and wishy washy than anything else. The way she treated Dane? I can't believe he didn't cut his losses and leave her.
Dane, on the other hand, was a great hero. He's not into relationships either, and while he didn't admit his feelings right away, he was all about Julia and did everything he could to make her happy. When he finally walked away at the end? All I could think was FINALLY! But this is a romance novel so after a little groveling on Julia's part they did get their HEA.
Overall, this book was just not what I was hoping it'd be and since I really didn't like Julia it wasn't exactly enjoyable either. Would I consider reading another book by Jennifer Gracen? Absolutely! And to be honest I'm still interested in continuing this series in the hopes that the rest of The Harrison's get their HEAs with more likable characters :)
*ARC kindly provided through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Julia has been through a lot in her life and she has walls made of steel around her to keep her self protected from getting hurt again. While I can understand her hesitance when it comes to Dane, especially since he's so similar to her ex in a lot of ways, I found her more annoying and wishy washy than anything else. The way she treated Dane? I can't believe he didn't cut his losses and leave her.
Dane, on the other hand, was a great hero. He's not into relationships either, and while he didn't admit his feelings right away, he was all about Julia and did everything he could to make her happy. When he finally walked away at the end? All I could think was FINALLY! But this is a romance novel so after a little groveling on Julia's part they did get their HEA.
Overall, this book was just not what I was hoping it'd be and since I really didn't like Julia it wasn't exactly enjoyable either. Would I consider reading another book by Jennifer Gracen? Absolutely! And to be honest I'm still interested in continuing this series in the hopes that the rest of The Harrison's get their HEAs with more likable characters :)
*ARC kindly provided through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
August 20, 2023
This book had the potential to Be better.. it got bogged down in the fmc’s past… too much of her current emotional reaction to a past that was never really explained although it was used as the driving force of the constant push back. I liked Dane the H. Julia the fmc was a sassy hold nothing back red headed bombshell who mesmerizes Dane from the gitgo. I wanted more connect time between the Mc’s and less of the other minutiae.There was enough here to make me
Skip to book 3 which was the one I really wanted to read anyway.
Skip to book 3 which was the one I really wanted to read anyway.
January 4, 2016
3.5 stars
Dane Harrison is opening a new hotel, his favorite, most luxurious property yet. He likes perfection and the bar and lounge of the hotel must have the best singer on stage. After weeks of hunting for a smart, confident, sexy, and successful singer, Dane thinks he may just have to give in and take a second choice from the long list of women he's watched every evening. On a tip from his sister's friend, Dane travels to Long Island where he sees his dreams come to life in the form of Julia Shay. Not only is she everything he wanted in a singer, something about her is just drawing him in, the chemistry is off the charts. Julia wants nothing to do with rich hotel owner Dane, she's had enough rich men to last her a lifetime, but his job offer is one she can't refuse. With her best friend playing piano by her side, Julia makes a huge positive change in her life. When their chemistry comes between the job, Julia and Dane decide to have some no-strings attached fun.
Oh man, I would happily take a Dane Harrison of my own. I loved driven Dane, he sounded handsome, smart, and most of all, sensitive. He seemed to be the perfect man, even if he sometimes lost his temper and went a little alpha male. I enjoyed reading from his POV, because he really seemed to enjoy his family, his career, and his experiences with women. Charlotte on the other hand, while she's been dealt a rough hand, was sometimes hard to handle. I loved her as a character, especially at her age. I think she was incredibly well written, however it drove me nuts how against help and love she was. At times, I thought she had given in, only to throw walls up again. The push and pull was nuts, through out their entire relationship, however I ended up and enjoying their dialogue. At times snarky, sometimes funny, and always sexual, it was never boring when the two were together. The minor characters of best friends and family members, and even other hotel employees, really brought a lot of life to this novel. Gracen does a great job of writing unique voices into every character.
There's some complex drama to this book, some of it believable, some of it not, and some felt very forced. There were parts that I just wanted to say, "oh come on!" The entire book really focuses on the relationship growth between Dane and Julia, and while I loved that, it was really hard to make room for the other things taking place in their lives. I sort of felt like some things that would've been good to have more detailed were left out in order to allow Dane and Julia just a little more time together. Don't get me wrong, I loved their time together, but it kind of felt like personal life stopped for both characters.
I enjoyed this book; I liked the maturity of the characters, the dynamic of an older women and younger man, and the on-fire chemistry the two main characters shared. I really look forward to reading more of the Harrisons in book two, especially if the younger sibling is anything like Dane.
Dane Harrison is opening a new hotel, his favorite, most luxurious property yet. He likes perfection and the bar and lounge of the hotel must have the best singer on stage. After weeks of hunting for a smart, confident, sexy, and successful singer, Dane thinks he may just have to give in and take a second choice from the long list of women he's watched every evening. On a tip from his sister's friend, Dane travels to Long Island where he sees his dreams come to life in the form of Julia Shay. Not only is she everything he wanted in a singer, something about her is just drawing him in, the chemistry is off the charts. Julia wants nothing to do with rich hotel owner Dane, she's had enough rich men to last her a lifetime, but his job offer is one she can't refuse. With her best friend playing piano by her side, Julia makes a huge positive change in her life. When their chemistry comes between the job, Julia and Dane decide to have some no-strings attached fun.
Oh man, I would happily take a Dane Harrison of my own. I loved driven Dane, he sounded handsome, smart, and most of all, sensitive. He seemed to be the perfect man, even if he sometimes lost his temper and went a little alpha male. I enjoyed reading from his POV, because he really seemed to enjoy his family, his career, and his experiences with women. Charlotte on the other hand, while she's been dealt a rough hand, was sometimes hard to handle. I loved her as a character, especially at her age. I think she was incredibly well written, however it drove me nuts how against help and love she was. At times, I thought she had given in, only to throw walls up again. The push and pull was nuts, through out their entire relationship, however I ended up and enjoying their dialogue. At times snarky, sometimes funny, and always sexual, it was never boring when the two were together. The minor characters of best friends and family members, and even other hotel employees, really brought a lot of life to this novel. Gracen does a great job of writing unique voices into every character.
There's some complex drama to this book, some of it believable, some of it not, and some felt very forced. There were parts that I just wanted to say, "oh come on!" The entire book really focuses on the relationship growth between Dane and Julia, and while I loved that, it was really hard to make room for the other things taking place in their lives. I sort of felt like some things that would've been good to have more detailed were left out in order to allow Dane and Julia just a little more time together. Don't get me wrong, I loved their time together, but it kind of felt like personal life stopped for both characters.
I enjoyed this book; I liked the maturity of the characters, the dynamic of an older women and younger man, and the on-fire chemistry the two main characters shared. I really look forward to reading more of the Harrisons in book two, especially if the younger sibling is anything like Dane.
January 13, 2016
This is such a sweet and sultry love story - I actually wasn't entirely sure I was going to enjoy it at first, but damnit Dane was perfect and I'm glad I gave him a shot. Julie can't quite grasp that Dane is too good to be true: he's rich, he's offering her the job of a lifetime and he's hot. The problem is that he's a lot like a prior man in her life that let her down and ruined her life. You may want to shake Julia a bit - but I cut her some slack.
Dane knows that Julie's been through a lot but he's willing to stick it out - and stick it in other places too. What starts out as a no string attached attraction quickly builds strings that tie them together when they least expect it. I also really liked all of the supporting characters in this book - especially Tess and Kalvin. While Dane and Julia are being stubborn, their best friends are there to rein them back in and tell them what they're doing wrong.
More Than You Know puts a twist on the millionaire hotel owner story and Julia is so much more complex than I was expecting and I totally loved that she was a bit older than your average romance heroine and she was still sexy as hell.
Fun, sweet, sultry and sexy - you'll want to get to know these characters! 3.5 tars.
[I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review]
This review looks prettier on my blog: http://obsessedwithmyshelf.com/2016/0...
Dane knows that Julie's been through a lot but he's willing to stick it out - and stick it in other places too. What starts out as a no string attached attraction quickly builds strings that tie them together when they least expect it. I also really liked all of the supporting characters in this book - especially Tess and Kalvin. While Dane and Julia are being stubborn, their best friends are there to rein them back in and tell them what they're doing wrong.
More Than You Know puts a twist on the millionaire hotel owner story and Julia is so much more complex than I was expecting and I totally loved that she was a bit older than your average romance heroine and she was still sexy as hell.
Fun, sweet, sultry and sexy - you'll want to get to know these characters! 3.5 tars.
[I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review]
This review looks prettier on my blog: http://obsessedwithmyshelf.com/2016/0...
December 22, 2015
DNF.
I've kinda just stopped reading this book. And have no real desire to resume reading. This is mostly because I don't particularly like the heroine. I think she is just hypocritical in her life and judges others to harshly. She seemed whiny.... and annoying..
I've kinda just stopped reading this book. And have no real desire to resume reading. This is mostly because I don't particularly like the heroine. I think she is just hypocritical in her life and judges others to harshly. She seemed whiny.... and annoying..
November 30, 2015
This is my first novel by author Jennifer Gracen. I don't know if I could say definitively that I'm a lifelong fan but More Than You Know wasn't too shabby. I had a few problems with the story and all of that, which is why I'm a bit on the fence at this point.
At the beginning of the novel, the timeline was uber confusing. I wasn't really for sure what day it was in the book during the first ... I don't know ... 30 pages? The story just jumps around. A LOT. Let's say the first day in the book is Monday and then all of the sudden it's Friday and then it jumps two weeks and then a week and then a month. It was just hard to get a grip on exactly what was going on when I don't even know what day it is and everything. I wish that the time had been more clearly established or if it wouldn't have jumped around, that would have worked as well. I felt like it detracted from the story because instead of focusing on what in the world was going on, I was trying to figure out WHEN it was going on. It was just distracting.
It was about halfway into the story that I felt like something was off. You know when you leave the house and you just have this feeling like you forgot something but you have no idea what it is? That's this book for me. I enjoyed getting to know the characters, I really enjoyed Dane, Julia and (mostly) Kelvin and I enjoyed the story for the most part but there was just something missing. I think it may have been a spark but I have no idea what kind ... the spark between the reader and the book ... the spark between the two main characters ... the spark of something. Maybe that is what it is ... a spark between the main characters. Yeah ... now that I have all of this written, maybe that is part of it. The author tries to convey the spark between Dane and Julia but for some reason, it just wasn't believable. I didn't get that HOT DAMN! feeling when I was reading about these two characters. I wanted it so very badly because I liked the story between the two but I just never felt like it was there. Thanks for going on that roundabout journey with me to figure out what I was talking about.
This brings us to the ending. Which was depressing. I just didn't like it and it didn't feel like it was true to the characters or the storyline. It was ... MEH. It ended how I thought that it would but when I thought that it should go out with a bang, it just fizzled and died on me. Not how I expected and I wish that it were different but it is what it is. Maybe I'll pick up another book by Gracen in the future and I'll have a different reading experience. Hopefully.
* I received this novel in exchange for an honest review *
Check out more of my reviews at Little Miss Bookmark!
November 22, 2015
3.5 stars
More Than You Know by Jennifer Gracen caught my eye because of the beautiful cover and the summary. I was curious to see how the story went and I am always up for a romance. While I did like More Than You Know, I enjoyed some parts more than the others. While I was not mind blown by More Than You Know, it was still an all right read.
Let's start with Dane. Dane Harrison is the owner of multiple hotels and a self made millionaire, though he comes from old money. With the opening of his new hotel he is searching for the perfect lounge singer. This is where he finds Julia. I really liked Dane. Though he was infamous for his playboy attitude we never once got to actually see him in action. He is genuinely smitten by Julia and I liked that his intentions towards her were always pure.
Julia has been through a lot in life. I was happy to read about a heroine who is in her forties. This is an older female younger man romance and I liked that. What I didn't like was Julia as a person. Yes, I understood that she had been through a lot and that life was difficult but sometimes her actions were that of a girl than a woman. Julia irritated me at times and that is the only flaw in the book.
I liked how the romance went between Julia and Dane. Both of them had loads of chemistry and they weren't afraid to act on it. I didn't like the way Julia treated Dane at times even though he hadn't given her any reason to doubt him. Julia and Dane were definitely intense together.
I also really liked all the side characters. We get to meet Dane's siblings and I hope we get stories for each one of them because they deserve it. I also really liked Julia's friends who were nothing but a solid support system for her. All in all, More Than You Know was a good read but I feel that it could have been better.
*Note: A copy of this book was provided by the publishers through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. We thank them.
Find more of my reviews at The Readdicts- http://thereaddicts.blogspot.in/
More Than You Know by Jennifer Gracen caught my eye because of the beautiful cover and the summary. I was curious to see how the story went and I am always up for a romance. While I did like More Than You Know, I enjoyed some parts more than the others. While I was not mind blown by More Than You Know, it was still an all right read.
Let's start with Dane. Dane Harrison is the owner of multiple hotels and a self made millionaire, though he comes from old money. With the opening of his new hotel he is searching for the perfect lounge singer. This is where he finds Julia. I really liked Dane. Though he was infamous for his playboy attitude we never once got to actually see him in action. He is genuinely smitten by Julia and I liked that his intentions towards her were always pure.
Julia has been through a lot in life. I was happy to read about a heroine who is in her forties. This is an older female younger man romance and I liked that. What I didn't like was Julia as a person. Yes, I understood that she had been through a lot and that life was difficult but sometimes her actions were that of a girl than a woman. Julia irritated me at times and that is the only flaw in the book.
I liked how the romance went between Julia and Dane. Both of them had loads of chemistry and they weren't afraid to act on it. I didn't like the way Julia treated Dane at times even though he hadn't given her any reason to doubt him. Julia and Dane were definitely intense together.
I also really liked all the side characters. We get to meet Dane's siblings and I hope we get stories for each one of them because they deserve it. I also really liked Julia's friends who were nothing but a solid support system for her. All in all, More Than You Know was a good read but I feel that it could have been better.
*Note: A copy of this book was provided by the publishers through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. We thank them.
Find more of my reviews at The Readdicts- http://thereaddicts.blogspot.in/
February 22, 2016
Hotel owner, Dane, needs a lounge singer for his hotel bar. Julia is a secretary who moonlights as a lounge singer. When Dane hears her perform, he knows he's found someone with talent and star quality. When he makes her a lucrative offer, she doesn't trust him and tries to brush him off. Julia has a past that's left her suspicious of everyone. This book got off to a slow start, then never really picked up the pace. I couldn't warm up to Julia, she was too prickly, and Dane had no edge, he was kind of bland. So, there wasn't anything story or character-wise to engage my interest.
January 24, 2018
Dane is opening a new hotel. To set his hotel apart, he is looking for a lounge singer to help attract guests. Julia has her regular day job and takes gigs on the side. When Dane hears Julia, he knows she would be perfect for his hotel.
Starting out, I hated Dane. He is obnoxious, elitist, entitled, and a snob. Julia was a little better. But, I didn't like her focusing so much on her past and that was effecting her present. I got irritated with the age difference (he's 36, she's 41) being brought up over and over. Not a big fucking deal! Also with Julia's bust size. Yes, I know they are large. Just stop it, please! Say it once and then move on.
I liked Dane's family, particularly Tess. I might check out her story. Julia has a few awesome friends that are supportive of her and call her on her shit. Luckily, both get their shit together. I didn't hate Dane at the end, he was okay.
*after reading synopsis for Tess's story....probably not.
Starting out, I hated Dane. He is obnoxious, elitist, entitled, and a snob. Julia was a little better. But, I didn't like her focusing so much on her past and that was effecting her present. I got irritated with the age difference (he's 36, she's 41) being brought up over and over. Not a big fucking deal! Also with Julia's bust size. Yes, I know they are large. Just stop it, please! Say it once and then move on.
I liked Dane's family, particularly Tess. I might check out her story. Julia has a few awesome friends that are supportive of her and call her on her shit. Luckily, both get their shit together. I didn't hate Dane at the end, he was okay.
*after reading synopsis for Tess's story....probably not.
August 8, 2017
I would love to give 5 stars to every book I read but of course this is not possible. It's always a pity when I finish a book that I have to admit that a lot of things bothered me and it's even worse when there are more things that I did not like than those I liked. The parts about the sex may be deleted for me because they did not add anything to the story. I would have liked to read more about Julia's life before she met Dane. I think it would have made a more interesting read. Sorry.
January 12, 2016
My first introduction to this author was as a part of a Chanukah anthology, and I loved her deft hand with conversation and the life she imbued in her characters. Now in a full length story, Jennifer Gracen has brought us into the lives of Dane and Julia, and the people who surround and care for them.
Julia is a singer, working days as a secretary and many evenings with her best friend and accompanist, Kelvin, singing in a small martini bar on Long Island. While her younger dreams of a life in music were interrupted by several personal tragedies, she’s never lost the spark, or the ability to hold an audience.
Dane is the second son of a wealthy family, but wanting to prove himself, he’s struck out on his own to build a successful hotelier career with several successful sites. Now he wants to build his dream space: boutique, excellent services and a lounge that provides the best singer in the city. Long months of searching never quite brought him ‘the one’ until he stumbles upon Julia and Kelvin performing on recommendation of a friend.
These two are adorable: both are stuck in commitment free zones, Dane’s reasons being his childhood / family history, Julia’s being the combination of a horrid ex-husband and bad ex-boyfriend. Both are wounded and guarded, using ‘no strings attached’ as a watchword and guide to live by. Julia is a difficult person to get close to, and it almost feels as if Dane would have given up, but the chase and their moments together will and do change their attitudes if not allay their fears.
Rounding out the story of Dane’s chase are friends and family: loyal, dedicated and often more cognizant of their faults and fears than the two are themselves. Kelvin with his ready wit, not so gentle truth telling and unfailing support of Julia shows a long friendship that is wholly loving, while her bestie Randi mixes truth and support in equal measure. Dane’s not alone: his sister Tess, his best friend who both adores and reprimands him knows his history and has suffered heartbreak of her own. Both have watched their oldest brother Charles during his divorce, and see the aftermath, and while they’ve all reasonably decided to not get involved, Tess sees a change in Dane, that is wholly down to Julia.
Steamy moments, heartbreaking tragedy and several twists that show both character and heart of both Julia and Dane in actions and conversation, with plenty of moments of laughter and light showing the true connection between them, despite their own pigheaded refusal to drop their guard and accept it. A wonderful start to a new series: I know that Pearce (the unknown Harrison brother) is up next, but I truly can’t wait for Tess’ story.
I received an eArc copy of the title from the publisher via NetGalley for purpose of honest review. I was not compensated for this review: all conclusions are my own responsibility.
This review was originally posted on I am, Indeed
Julia is a singer, working days as a secretary and many evenings with her best friend and accompanist, Kelvin, singing in a small martini bar on Long Island. While her younger dreams of a life in music were interrupted by several personal tragedies, she’s never lost the spark, or the ability to hold an audience.
Dane is the second son of a wealthy family, but wanting to prove himself, he’s struck out on his own to build a successful hotelier career with several successful sites. Now he wants to build his dream space: boutique, excellent services and a lounge that provides the best singer in the city. Long months of searching never quite brought him ‘the one’ until he stumbles upon Julia and Kelvin performing on recommendation of a friend.
These two are adorable: both are stuck in commitment free zones, Dane’s reasons being his childhood / family history, Julia’s being the combination of a horrid ex-husband and bad ex-boyfriend. Both are wounded and guarded, using ‘no strings attached’ as a watchword and guide to live by. Julia is a difficult person to get close to, and it almost feels as if Dane would have given up, but the chase and their moments together will and do change their attitudes if not allay their fears.
Rounding out the story of Dane’s chase are friends and family: loyal, dedicated and often more cognizant of their faults and fears than the two are themselves. Kelvin with his ready wit, not so gentle truth telling and unfailing support of Julia shows a long friendship that is wholly loving, while her bestie Randi mixes truth and support in equal measure. Dane’s not alone: his sister Tess, his best friend who both adores and reprimands him knows his history and has suffered heartbreak of her own. Both have watched their oldest brother Charles during his divorce, and see the aftermath, and while they’ve all reasonably decided to not get involved, Tess sees a change in Dane, that is wholly down to Julia.
Steamy moments, heartbreaking tragedy and several twists that show both character and heart of both Julia and Dane in actions and conversation, with plenty of moments of laughter and light showing the true connection between them, despite their own pigheaded refusal to drop their guard and accept it. A wonderful start to a new series: I know that Pearce (the unknown Harrison brother) is up next, but I truly can’t wait for Tess’ story.
I received an eArc copy of the title from the publisher via NetGalley for purpose of honest review. I was not compensated for this review: all conclusions are my own responsibility.
This review was originally posted on I am, Indeed
February 19, 2016
Originally posted on Adria's Romance Reviews
* A copy of this book was provided by the publisher via NetGalley for the purpose of an honest review.
I really wanted to like this book. I tried really hard to like it but nope, I just couldn’t get into it. Let me be clear, the potential is totally there, the basic plot sounded interesting and so did the characters but the execution was less than appealing and the characters felt only half way developed.
So the story goes that middle brother Dane Harrison is looking for a lounge singer for his hotel and Julia Shay is perfect plus she doesn’t fall at his feet like other women. But Dane wants her even though he has a rule against workplace affairs. Their chemistry leads them to agree on a one night stand and then it will be back to business as usual but of course, one night isn’t enough for them. Julia has had a bad experience with men like Dane in the past so she’s under no illusions that their affair could be anything more than a fling but Dane has other ideas.
Quick and to the point: Julia didn’t work for me. I understood her reservations about Dane in the beginning, she would have been stupid to jump into any kind of relationship with a man like him after what she went through BUT…
Dane was different in personality than her ex and while it wasn’t obvious to Julia at first, he DID show that he wasn’t what she expected and yet she couldn’t cut him some slack for the longest time. Her whiny, pity party inner monologue was bad enough but when that mentality manifested into her sometimes harsh treatment of Dane that was when I said “Nope. Don’t like her. At. All.”
Dane was a little more interesting and likable but I still felt like he fell a little short of the “Wow” mark. He was a considerate and intelligent character that just loved the ladies. At times he was a bit too Alpha for my tastes but overall he had good intentions.
It still wasn’t enough though.
More Than You Know bounced around in some places and left me a bit befuddled and disoriented. I could have dealt with this but the overall story was lacking something that even now I can’t quite pinpoint. It was like the story was climbing a mountain and moving along at a clunky pace but right as it was about to reach the top and accomplish an awesome plot point only to stall and come tumbling down the mountain. The same happened with Dane and Julia’s chemistry, it started off strong but sort fizzled right before it could accomplish something great.
Final Verdict: I just couldn’t get lost in this book, it managed to get me interested with the first few chapter but it couldn’t keep my interest after a certain point. The series has the potential to be witty, daring and fun if there’s a clear focus and less whining from the characters.
* A copy of this book was provided by the publisher via NetGalley for the purpose of an honest review.
I really wanted to like this book. I tried really hard to like it but nope, I just couldn’t get into it. Let me be clear, the potential is totally there, the basic plot sounded interesting and so did the characters but the execution was less than appealing and the characters felt only half way developed.
So the story goes that middle brother Dane Harrison is looking for a lounge singer for his hotel and Julia Shay is perfect plus she doesn’t fall at his feet like other women. But Dane wants her even though he has a rule against workplace affairs. Their chemistry leads them to agree on a one night stand and then it will be back to business as usual but of course, one night isn’t enough for them. Julia has had a bad experience with men like Dane in the past so she’s under no illusions that their affair could be anything more than a fling but Dane has other ideas.
Quick and to the point: Julia didn’t work for me. I understood her reservations about Dane in the beginning, she would have been stupid to jump into any kind of relationship with a man like him after what she went through BUT…
Dane was different in personality than her ex and while it wasn’t obvious to Julia at first, he DID show that he wasn’t what she expected and yet she couldn’t cut him some slack for the longest time. Her whiny, pity party inner monologue was bad enough but when that mentality manifested into her sometimes harsh treatment of Dane that was when I said “Nope. Don’t like her. At. All.”
Dane was a little more interesting and likable but I still felt like he fell a little short of the “Wow” mark. He was a considerate and intelligent character that just loved the ladies. At times he was a bit too Alpha for my tastes but overall he had good intentions.
It still wasn’t enough though.
More Than You Know bounced around in some places and left me a bit befuddled and disoriented. I could have dealt with this but the overall story was lacking something that even now I can’t quite pinpoint. It was like the story was climbing a mountain and moving along at a clunky pace but right as it was about to reach the top and accomplish an awesome plot point only to stall and come tumbling down the mountain. The same happened with Dane and Julia’s chemistry, it started off strong but sort fizzled right before it could accomplish something great.
Final Verdict: I just couldn’t get lost in this book, it managed to get me interested with the first few chapter but it couldn’t keep my interest after a certain point. The series has the potential to be witty, daring and fun if there’s a clear focus and less whining from the characters.
January 11, 2016
Review can be read at It's About The Book
4.5 stars
This lush story combines sensual imagery and engaging characters in a story too intriguing to ignore. Especially great for those of us who love more mature characters (thirties and forties), they come to life in this book in colourful ways that engage both your heart and dreams. Great read!
Dane Harrison has something of a magic touch when it comes to properties. He’s opened several great, highly successful restaurants and hotels, but this time, he’s trying for something to set himself apart. And to do this, he needs a woman with fabulous stage presence, a quality voice, and amazing charisma and star power to be the headliner in the lounge of the brand new hotel, The Alexandra, that he’s opening in New York City. He’s been looking for months, but he’s finally found her in a martini bar in Long Island.
Julia Shay had come a long way from Boston’s Berklee College of Music, where she’d meet her accompanist Kelvin Jones their freshman year. He and her friend Randi were as close to family as she had anymore. Her job as a secretary at a construction company pays the bills, but it’s music she really loves– but the dream of doing it full time has been over for a while. It died when all her dreams were crushed more than twelve years ago.
But if what this man is offering is true, maybe they can be revived? Getting paid enough to live on just to sing? Amazing! Her tour of the hotel is incredible and one of the best perks is the man himself–but their six-year age difference makes her feel like a cougar. He doesn’t seem to care, though, and as their business relationship grows, so does the sexual tension.
The Harrison’s are a family of non-committers, thanks in large part to their parent’s horrible relationship example. Charles as the oldest had married, only to divorce after a loveless trainwreck of a marriage. Dane’s sister Tessa had a couple of broken engagements under her belt, the last one resulting in a vow to never again. Youngest brother Pierce had left the country; which left Dane, the man whore, a charming sobriquet awarded to him by society newspapers. So when his relationship with the sultry singer passed business and slammed into personal, he didn’t know what was going on.
And neither did she. She’d been destroyed by one handsome playboy on the past and had lost everything; was letting herself get close to Dane a quick ride to a second heartbreak? This time, her dream job was on the line…
Smoky, sexy, and hot, this is a wonderful romance full of wonderful moments and fiery emotion; vivid and descriptive imagery that takes you right into the hearts and minds of these two adults who’ve learned not to trust love…but are desperate for a second chance.
Great read, especially if you’ve been looking for a romance with older characters (35-42).
4.5 stars
This lush story combines sensual imagery and engaging characters in a story too intriguing to ignore. Especially great for those of us who love more mature characters (thirties and forties), they come to life in this book in colourful ways that engage both your heart and dreams. Great read!
Dane Harrison has something of a magic touch when it comes to properties. He’s opened several great, highly successful restaurants and hotels, but this time, he’s trying for something to set himself apart. And to do this, he needs a woman with fabulous stage presence, a quality voice, and amazing charisma and star power to be the headliner in the lounge of the brand new hotel, The Alexandra, that he’s opening in New York City. He’s been looking for months, but he’s finally found her in a martini bar in Long Island.
Julia Shay had come a long way from Boston’s Berklee College of Music, where she’d meet her accompanist Kelvin Jones their freshman year. He and her friend Randi were as close to family as she had anymore. Her job as a secretary at a construction company pays the bills, but it’s music she really loves– but the dream of doing it full time has been over for a while. It died when all her dreams were crushed more than twelve years ago.
But if what this man is offering is true, maybe they can be revived? Getting paid enough to live on just to sing? Amazing! Her tour of the hotel is incredible and one of the best perks is the man himself–but their six-year age difference makes her feel like a cougar. He doesn’t seem to care, though, and as their business relationship grows, so does the sexual tension.
The Harrison’s are a family of non-committers, thanks in large part to their parent’s horrible relationship example. Charles as the oldest had married, only to divorce after a loveless trainwreck of a marriage. Dane’s sister Tessa had a couple of broken engagements under her belt, the last one resulting in a vow to never again. Youngest brother Pierce had left the country; which left Dane, the man whore, a charming sobriquet awarded to him by society newspapers. So when his relationship with the sultry singer passed business and slammed into personal, he didn’t know what was going on.
And neither did she. She’d been destroyed by one handsome playboy on the past and had lost everything; was letting herself get close to Dane a quick ride to a second heartbreak? This time, her dream job was on the line…
Smoky, sexy, and hot, this is a wonderful romance full of wonderful moments and fiery emotion; vivid and descriptive imagery that takes you right into the hearts and minds of these two adults who’ve learned not to trust love…but are desperate for a second chance.
Great read, especially if you’ve been looking for a romance with older characters (35-42).
November 11, 2015
Jennifer Gracen
This story was gifted to me in exchange for an honest review by Net Galley.
This was the first time that I have read a story by this author and it will not be the last.
Julia Shay is an amazing singer and as such catches the eye of wealthy hotel owner Dane Harrison who decides that he must have her for both himself and his new upscale hotel. As a rich playboy Dane is used to woman who fawn all over him. Julia has a lot of personal history and because of this she is one tough cookie. She falls for no one and lets no one past the armour she maintains as her heart.
Bit by bit they spend time together and get to know one another. We learn that Dane is really a sweetheart and can be all loving and mushy, we also get to see Julia be tough and tougher and get some answers to why.
I enjoyed how the author built up her characters and kept them true to form throughout the story. The characteristics that these characters introduces themselves with at the beginning of the story remained the same throughout. I hate when females start out strong and independent and loose it when they fall in love. This was not the case for Julia, she kept herself strong and independent all through. We, the reader actually feel sorry for Dane as she is that tough and closed off to romance.
The author also does a great job with the secondary characters. Her best friend and pianist is a strong part of her life and the story. Dane's siblings are also frequently mentioned and may have their own stories at one point. This story is a love story and in the way all great love stories are made, they are about more than just the two main characters. It is a love story not just a sex show. I loved it. I am eager to read more of this series and more by this author.
This story was gifted to me in exchange for an honest review by Net Galley.
This was the first time that I have read a story by this author and it will not be the last.
Julia Shay is an amazing singer and as such catches the eye of wealthy hotel owner Dane Harrison who decides that he must have her for both himself and his new upscale hotel. As a rich playboy Dane is used to woman who fawn all over him. Julia has a lot of personal history and because of this she is one tough cookie. She falls for no one and lets no one past the armour she maintains as her heart.
Bit by bit they spend time together and get to know one another. We learn that Dane is really a sweetheart and can be all loving and mushy, we also get to see Julia be tough and tougher and get some answers to why.
I enjoyed how the author built up her characters and kept them true to form throughout the story. The characteristics that these characters introduces themselves with at the beginning of the story remained the same throughout. I hate when females start out strong and independent and loose it when they fall in love. This was not the case for Julia, she kept herself strong and independent all through. We, the reader actually feel sorry for Dane as she is that tough and closed off to romance.
The author also does a great job with the secondary characters. Her best friend and pianist is a strong part of her life and the story. Dane's siblings are also frequently mentioned and may have their own stories at one point. This story is a love story and in the way all great love stories are made, they are about more than just the two main characters. It is a love story not just a sex show. I loved it. I am eager to read more of this series and more by this author.
December 21, 2015
Having enjoyed His Love (Summer in NY – Book #3) by Jennifer Gracen, I was very excited to receive an ARC for the first book in this series. I must say I was completely captivated by the main couple’s chemistry and the suspense of learning the full story regarding Julia’s painful past had me anxiously waiting for the big reveal. Unfortunately, it pains this NetGalley reviewer, more than you know, to admit after about 60% into it things started to take too long to unfold. Maybe it was because I grew weary of Julia and Dane’s internal dialog protesting too much and too often how/why they shouldn’t be together.
Though there were good, interesting sub-characters, the storyline revolving around Liam and Julia’s ex-husband seemed too far-fetched. Also, it was quite disappointing that the ex never made an actual appearance. It felt like a giant missed opportunity not to have a showdown between Dane and him. In its place were too lengthy, too frequent steamy scenes that started to hijack the story. I found myself skimming way too much near the end. That, my fellow romance book-loving friends, is never a good sign.
So overall I would have to rate this as an average read, which is a shame because the first half was really great. I just needed a more credible explanation/conclusion to this romantic tale. Here’s to hoping others enjoy it all the way through.
Title: More Than You Know, Series: The Harrisons (Book 1), Author: Jennifer Gracen, Pages: 352, stand-alone, HEA, no cheating, no love triangles, very steamy scenes.
Book 1 – More Than You Know (Dane and Julia), 12/29/15
Book 2 – Someone Like You (Pierce and Abby), 4/26/16
(This review is based on NetGalley ARC generously provided in exchange for an honest, unbiased opinion.)
Though there were good, interesting sub-characters, the storyline revolving around Liam and Julia’s ex-husband seemed too far-fetched. Also, it was quite disappointing that the ex never made an actual appearance. It felt like a giant missed opportunity not to have a showdown between Dane and him. In its place were too lengthy, too frequent steamy scenes that started to hijack the story. I found myself skimming way too much near the end. That, my fellow romance book-loving friends, is never a good sign.
So overall I would have to rate this as an average read, which is a shame because the first half was really great. I just needed a more credible explanation/conclusion to this romantic tale. Here’s to hoping others enjoy it all the way through.
Title: More Than You Know, Series: The Harrisons (Book 1), Author: Jennifer Gracen, Pages: 352, stand-alone, HEA, no cheating, no love triangles, very steamy scenes.
Book 1 – More Than You Know (Dane and Julia), 12/29/15
Book 2 – Someone Like You (Pierce and Abby), 4/26/16
(This review is based on NetGalley ARC generously provided in exchange for an honest, unbiased opinion.)
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 26, 2015
4 Microphones
This is the first book of the Harrisons. The Harrisons are part of Long Island blue blood.. Each part of the series is a stand alone novel focusing on one of the Harrisons. The first book is about Dane Harrison. He is the middle son of four children. There is a sister, named Tess. She plays an important dynamic in the lives of the four brothers.
Dane is the “heir to spare.” As the second born, he is not faced with carrying on as the head of the family business. That falls on shoulders of the oldest brother Charles, often referred to as Chuckles by Dane. For the most part the siblings are very close, sharing their problems with one another. The exception is the youngest brother. I believe he is the focus of book 2.
Julia is the heroine of this story. She is an older woman whose past has left her jaded towards men, especially rich and powerful men. She is a singer at a club with a day job as a secretary. She has a beautiful voice and is a redheaded beauty. Dane and Julia start a no strings relationship shortly after Julia starts headlining at the club in Danes new hotel.
I enjoyed this book, I liked the fact that Julia is not a young 20 something, but a mature woman with life experience. I like Dane, he is a powerful man who isn’t afraid to show that he cares. I think that this will be a good book to get you through those long, cold night this winter.
ARC provided by Tasty Book Tours via Net Galley in exchange for an honest review. Reviewed by Mollien from Alpha Book Club.
January 15, 2016
I received an Advance Copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Along with his siblings, Dane Harrison, gorgeous middle son of a wealthy East Coast family, suffered a dysfunctional childhood thanks to his parents contentious relationship. As a result, he has no interest in long term romantic relationships or marriage although women throw themselves at him on a pretty regular basis. He has made his own fortune in luxury hotels and is in the process of finding the perfect chanteuse as a lounge headliner at his newest hotel in NYC. He finds Julia Shay performing with her accompanist one night and is spellbound by her amazing vocal talents as well as her allure. Determined to hire her, he discovers that Julia isn't susceptible to his charms to the point of being circumspect. He convinces her to come work for him by more than doubling her income from her day job as a secretary. Though he never dates his employees, Dane is drawn to Julia and finds her irresistible. Julia has good reason to be standoffish to Dane since she has been betrayed more than once and is determined to protect her heart. They enter into a no strings affair that soon begins to feel like something more.
I found this book to be immensely enjoyable and the characters stories were well developed with a satisfying resolution. Based on the excerpt in that back of this book, I'm looking forward to the next book in the series.
Along with his siblings, Dane Harrison, gorgeous middle son of a wealthy East Coast family, suffered a dysfunctional childhood thanks to his parents contentious relationship. As a result, he has no interest in long term romantic relationships or marriage although women throw themselves at him on a pretty regular basis. He has made his own fortune in luxury hotels and is in the process of finding the perfect chanteuse as a lounge headliner at his newest hotel in NYC. He finds Julia Shay performing with her accompanist one night and is spellbound by her amazing vocal talents as well as her allure. Determined to hire her, he discovers that Julia isn't susceptible to his charms to the point of being circumspect. He convinces her to come work for him by more than doubling her income from her day job as a secretary. Though he never dates his employees, Dane is drawn to Julia and finds her irresistible. Julia has good reason to be standoffish to Dane since she has been betrayed more than once and is determined to protect her heart. They enter into a no strings affair that soon begins to feel like something more.
I found this book to be immensely enjoyable and the characters stories were well developed with a satisfying resolution. Based on the excerpt in that back of this book, I'm looking forward to the next book in the series.
January 5, 2016
Dane Harrison (36, wealthy) owns various extravagant Hotels & is highly invested with his family in Harrison Enterprise.
Julia Shay (41) gets a new job & later meets Dane.
What is in Julia’s past she isn’t willing to reveal?
How will Dane & Julia lives turn out?
I did not receive any type of compensation for reading & reviewing this book. While I receive free books from publishers & authors, I am under no obligation to write a positive review. Only an honest one.
A very awesome book cover, great font & writing style. A very well written romance book. It was very easy for me to read/follow from start/finish & never a dull moment. There were no grammar/typo errors, nor any repetitive or out of line sequence sentences. Lots of exciting scenarios, with several twists/turns & a great set of unique characters to keep track of. This could also make another great romantic movie, or mini TV. There is no doubt in my mind this is a very easy rating of 5 stars.
Thank you for the free Goodreads; Kensington Publishing Corp (Zebra Books); paperback book
Tony Parsons MSW (Washburn)
Julia Shay (41) gets a new job & later meets Dane.
What is in Julia’s past she isn’t willing to reveal?
How will Dane & Julia lives turn out?
I did not receive any type of compensation for reading & reviewing this book. While I receive free books from publishers & authors, I am under no obligation to write a positive review. Only an honest one.
A very awesome book cover, great font & writing style. A very well written romance book. It was very easy for me to read/follow from start/finish & never a dull moment. There were no grammar/typo errors, nor any repetitive or out of line sequence sentences. Lots of exciting scenarios, with several twists/turns & a great set of unique characters to keep track of. This could also make another great romantic movie, or mini TV. There is no doubt in my mind this is a very easy rating of 5 stars.
Thank you for the free Goodreads; Kensington Publishing Corp (Zebra Books); paperback book
Tony Parsons MSW (Washburn)
December 30, 2015
I received this advance uncorrected proof copy from Goodreads Giveaway. I Love, love, loved this book! It's got steamy sex and fun banter between Julia and Dane, employee/lounge singer & employer that it was a wonderful page turner. Julia has had a rough and painful past which makes her from trusting men but can't deny her attraction to Dane. Dane comes from a wealthy family, and has made his own hotels successful and wants to find the perfect lounge singer for his new hotel and is infatuated with Julia's looks and her beautiful voice. But they both think its best to keep their relationship on just a professional basis, but the attraction is too strong to ignore.
Julia has issues opening up and letting anyone know about her past, but Dane keeps trying to break thru her trust issues and there is some push and shove at times, but all ends well and I'm a sucker for great happy endings.
I would recommend this book to all my friends who love contemporary romance stories as I do. I want to read the next book 'Someone Like You', about another Harrison Brother! :)
Julia has issues opening up and letting anyone know about her past, but Dane keeps trying to break thru her trust issues and there is some push and shove at times, but all ends well and I'm a sucker for great happy endings.
I would recommend this book to all my friends who love contemporary romance stories as I do. I want to read the next book 'Someone Like You', about another Harrison Brother! :)
December 27, 2015
Jennifer Gracen's More Than You Know is the first book that Kensington Publishing Company is releasing as part of its Zebra Shout imprint. Zebra Shout will release one book a month authored by up and coming romance writers. Even though Jennifer Gracen is fairly new, she has a good number of books published in the last few years. More Than You Know is the first book in a new Trilogy about the Harrison Family.
More Than You Know is a great book because the focus is on the characters and there is not a lot of fluff to fill space outside of that. Gracen's writing style is very engaging and attention-grabbing. The story is written in such intimate detail that the reader gets to experience the two main characters truly falling in love. There is no magic and quick moment of realization, but rather a journey through their feelings and experiences that gives the story a very real feeling. There are also some pretty steamy scenes that are an added bonus. The next book will be out in March, so fans don't have to wait long to continue following the Harrisons.
More Than You Know is a great book because the focus is on the characters and there is not a lot of fluff to fill space outside of that. Gracen's writing style is very engaging and attention-grabbing. The story is written in such intimate detail that the reader gets to experience the two main characters truly falling in love. There is no magic and quick moment of realization, but rather a journey through their feelings and experiences that gives the story a very real feeling. There are also some pretty steamy scenes that are an added bonus. The next book will be out in March, so fans don't have to wait long to continue following the Harrisons.
January 21, 2016
Dane has made his fortune in building hotels. He "dates" a lot and is not looking for a relationship. He and his siblings didn't have great role models in their parents growing up for healthy partnerships. He is good at reading people and is searching for a lounge singer for his latest hotel that is about to open. After a long search he finds Julia, who blows him away with her performance.
Julia has a very troubled past. After everything is taken from her by someone she loved, and her family turns against her, she keeps most everyone at a distance. She has three friends and only goes for one night stands with no strings. She doesn't trust anyone and feels like the deal Dane is proposing is too good to be true. It doesn't help that there is a very strong attraction there and that scares her.
I loved the emotions and the characters in this book. The only thing I wished for was more at the end to round it out a little more. It was very well written and moved through at a good pace.
February 5, 2016
Julia loves to sing. She has dreamed of nothing else. So when she is offered a job singing in a hotel three nights a week she all but jumped at the chance. However with her past she wanted nothing to do with rich siccessful men. But her boss kept proving he was different then her ex. She just has to open herself up.
Dane is the owner of a hotel chain and was looking for someone to be a lounge singer in his new hotel. When he found Julia he knew that she was different. He wanted to get to know her. He would do anything. He just had to prove that he was different then any other man she knew.
Throughout thw book Julia fought her feelings for Dane. But when she needed his comfort and protection she realized that she eas completely in love with him.
In the end both Dane and Julia admitted to each other that they loved each other and were in it for everything.
I did enjoy reading this author. She made the storyline lovely. She brought us on a ride of broken love to flouroshing new love. I am intrigued to see what the nexr book will be like.
Dane is the owner of a hotel chain and was looking for someone to be a lounge singer in his new hotel. When he found Julia he knew that she was different. He wanted to get to know her. He would do anything. He just had to prove that he was different then any other man she knew.
Throughout thw book Julia fought her feelings for Dane. But when she needed his comfort and protection she realized that she eas completely in love with him.
In the end both Dane and Julia admitted to each other that they loved each other and were in it for everything.
I did enjoy reading this author. She made the storyline lovely. She brought us on a ride of broken love to flouroshing new love. I am intrigued to see what the nexr book will be like.
December 15, 2015
A truly awesome read! Very well written with amazing characters who are complex and intriguing. Dane and Julia just felt right for each other throughout the story!
Dane Harrison is rich, powerful, and Julia's new boss. After looking all over NYC for a singer to perform in his new luxury hotel Dane knows he found the right person as soon as he hears Julia sing. Although he has a strict no dating employees rule, well he is the boss and Julia might be worth breaking all his rules. Convincing Julia of that may be a little tricky though.
Julia hasn't had an easy life. She wants nothing to do with rich, powerful men like Dane Harrison. Been there, done that, has the emotional scars to prove it. Resisting him may prove to be too difficult though. So what's wrong with a little no strings fun. When Dane starts hinting at wanting something more though, Julia knows she's in a world of trouble.
This is one I highly recommend!
Dane Harrison is rich, powerful, and Julia's new boss. After looking all over NYC for a singer to perform in his new luxury hotel Dane knows he found the right person as soon as he hears Julia sing. Although he has a strict no dating employees rule, well he is the boss and Julia might be worth breaking all his rules. Convincing Julia of that may be a little tricky though.
Julia hasn't had an easy life. She wants nothing to do with rich, powerful men like Dane Harrison. Been there, done that, has the emotional scars to prove it. Resisting him may prove to be too difficult though. So what's wrong with a little no strings fun. When Dane starts hinting at wanting something more though, Julia knows she's in a world of trouble.
This is one I highly recommend!
November 23, 2015
I would like to thank NetGalley and Kensington Books for giving me the opportunity to read this in exchange for an honest and open review.
This is not my usual genre but I was attracted by the beautiful cover. I'm so pleased I requested it because I loved it.
Dane Harrison needs a singer for his new hotel. When he sees and hears Julia, he realises she's the one.
Ms Gracen has written 2 wonderful characters in Dane and Julia. They are characters that you like and care about it. They are alike but different. The fact that Julia is over 40 makes such a refreshing change.
I am so pleased that there will be another book about the Harrison family. I look forward to learning more about them and will pre-order it as soon as it becomes available.
This is not my usual genre but I was attracted by the beautiful cover. I'm so pleased I requested it because I loved it.
Dane Harrison needs a singer for his new hotel. When he sees and hears Julia, he realises she's the one.
Ms Gracen has written 2 wonderful characters in Dane and Julia. They are characters that you like and care about it. They are alike but different. The fact that Julia is over 40 makes such a refreshing change.
I am so pleased that there will be another book about the Harrison family. I look forward to learning more about them and will pre-order it as soon as it becomes available.
December 27, 2015
Jennifer Gracen is an author to watch. The versatility of her stories blended with her writing style and heartwarming characters it is easy to fall in love. An ARC of More Than You Know was given to me in exchange for an honest review. Dane and Julia come from different backgrounds. Dane's focused determination has made him a successful business man. His wealth and business acumen far exceed anything he ever expected, but is everything he hoped for. Julia has seen and experienced a life that has not been an easy one and has learned some heartbreaking lessons along the way. I like the premise of the story and this author has the great ability to dig into the emotions not easily faced. More Than You Know is a story that is as sweet as it is complicated.
January 6, 2016
Dane meets Julia when he checks her out singing at a lounge. He wants to hire her to sing at his new hotel, and offers her a job hard to refuse. She is thinking it is almost too good an offer and those tend to be bad.
Julia is wary, and her best friend talks her into taking it since these offers never come along in most lifetimes. Dane is warned off her, after admitting she is beautiful to his siblings, and reminded not to mix work with pleasure.
The story itself is a solid one. I liked the characters and how they interacted with one another. I just felt the book itself to be too wordy and focused away from the main point of the story too many times.
***This ARC copy was given by Netgalley.com and its publisher.
Julia is wary, and her best friend talks her into taking it since these offers never come along in most lifetimes. Dane is warned off her, after admitting she is beautiful to his siblings, and reminded not to mix work with pleasure.
The story itself is a solid one. I liked the characters and how they interacted with one another. I just felt the book itself to be too wordy and focused away from the main point of the story too many times.
***This ARC copy was given by Netgalley.com and its publisher.
November 12, 2015
You know you've picked up a jewel when you pick up a Jennifer Gracen novel. This book had a beautiful blend of romance, drama and dysfunctional families (the latter two being two of my weak points when it comes to romance novels). Dane is looking for a singer for his new hotel. When he finds Julia she is perfect. Both for the job and for him. However Julia has a dark past of her own that refuses to let her get close to anyone. I loved that this book had two characters that were so alike in such different ways. This book is well-written and interesting. The characters are real, there's enough tension to keep you constantly turning the pages and there's a beautiful ending.
March 27, 2017
I read Book 1 after Book 2!?!? Loved it either way!
Julia and Dane were a great couple. Julia had her share of heartache in the past and was such a strong character. I really loved how Jennifer Gracen wrote this character and cleared up the past with Julia'a child-- she deserved that! Dane being the playboy that he was and reading as he crumbled to love was delicious! I love to read of the mighty player succumb to LOVE!
Since I have already read Abby and Pierce's love story- I am looking forward to reading of how love will bring Charles III to his knees and then a (I HOPE) sweet sappy, with all the bells and whistles, love story for Tess! That sister deserves it!
Julia and Dane were a great couple. Julia had her share of heartache in the past and was such a strong character. I really loved how Jennifer Gracen wrote this character and cleared up the past with Julia'a child-- she deserved that! Dane being the playboy that he was and reading as he crumbled to love was delicious! I love to read of the mighty player succumb to LOVE!
Since I have already read Abby and Pierce's love story- I am looking forward to reading of how love will bring Charles III to his knees and then a (I HOPE) sweet sappy, with all the bells and whistles, love story for Tess! That sister deserves it!
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