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Out of the Storm

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Carter Avery has loved Andrea Jensen his entire life. He let her go when he thought he would never be good enough for her, but never too far. Always watching over her from afar, he made himself her guardian angel even after starting out as her first heartbreak.

After nearly losing Andrea forever, he worked to get her back. Now that she's his again, he will move heaven and hell to keep her.
With his love and help, Andrea has come a long way...but still has some healing to do.

Carter’s hard hitting reputation in the homicide unit of Wayne County, has spread far and wide. While earning respect, he's made some enemies.
When the scales of justice threaten to topple for this crime fighter, which way will his compass point?

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Published January 1, 2017

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Jillian Elizabeth

12 books25 followers

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5 stars
28 (41%)
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 39 reviews
Profile Image for Laura.
370 reviews63 followers
July 18, 2017
ARC gratefully received in exchange for an honest review.

I have a certain weakness for guys that protect their girl. When that guys career is to protect people period you can pretty much guarantee I'm going to be a fan. Carter Avery is a detective who along with his partner Nick is investigating a series of homicides.

This book has everything. It's a second chance romance which is quickly becoming one of my favourite tropes. I loved getting to know the circumstances of their separation and of course their reconciliation. The duel POV, another favourite of mine, really helped me get into both Andrea and Carters heads. I loved how dreams, memories and flashbacks helped to tell this story.

As well as romance there is fast paced drama, angst and a real thriller/suspense element that had me wishing I could read quicker still because I needed to know happened next. I went through all the emotions while reading this book. I full on ugly cried, I smiled while crying happy tears and I held my breath through all the tension.

The timeline of this book runs along side another book, Mass Casualty by Derek Adam, and some scenes appear in both books. Another thing I really love is retellings from another POV so some of my favourite parts of this book were the scenes from Mass Casualty but this time from Carters perspective. I actually got chills while reading one huge scene that was a crossover. This book even answered some questions I was left with on finishing Mass Casualty. I'm really impressed with what both Jillian and Derek have created here and I'm even more excited now for their collaboration, Due Soldati.
383 reviews18 followers
December 30, 2017
3.5 stars
I'll be honest it was nearly a DNF for me...I wasn't being pulled in at the start, I couldn't quite get a handle on the characters. it appeared that Carter and Andrea had at some point split up and during this time Carter had been a man-whore and Andrea had a serious relationship with someone else. They are now back together and all lovey dovey with a good dose of hot sex thrown in. It all seemed to have been conveniently forgotten about. So I came over and read the reviews to see if I was being picky or if there were any similar feelings... anyway as a few of the reviews suggested to keep with it, I did. And as promised at around 50% the action started up. There were a few parts where there were inconsistencies though, such as Andrea saying she'd not discussed her dreams with Carter at all...yet she'd told him about the first one. also Carter didn't trust Ed and didn't want to involve anyone on his team in his investigation, yet he phoned him to get his opinion on something ... this made him look sloppy or stupid.
There were some heartbreaking parts to the story especially the reunion with Carter and Andrea when she was with her son for the short time he was alive.
There were also some other editing issues that unfortunately got in the way of me enjoying it fully.
Profile Image for L. Sommers.
Author 10 books80 followers
August 16, 2017
As a debut novel, I am thoroughly impressed. This book is a crossover from Mass Casualty but can be read as a standalone. The chemistry between Andrea (Starfish) and Carter is undeniable. If you love reading about love, loss, second chances, drama and suspense then this book is for you. It even had me laughing and crying at parts.
Out of the Storm is written in dual pov’s which is what I prefer to read. I love knowing what is going on in the others character minds. I never like giving away the stories but you will not be disappointed in checking this book out. I look forward to reading more from Ms. Jillian Elizabeth. Great job!
Profile Image for Amanda.
280 reviews26 followers
July 17, 2017
I received this as an early copy before release.

At first I didn't quite understand what was going on. But as I kept reading, I couldn't put it down! It was action packed and really steamy. At times I felt like there should have been a book before this to clear some things up and who knows maybe there is and I just didn't know it. But besides that I loved every minute of this book. I knew who the culprit was the whole time behind the investigations it just took a while for Carter to get there. Haha. But I'm not spoiling who it is! It's funny it's placed in Detroit since that's where I was born.

This is a definite must read!
Profile Image for K..
Author 38 books88 followers
October 9, 2017
If you love romance, like gooey drippy, so sweet it makes your teeth hurt romance, this is your book. Carter's got his girl back and man is he over the moon in love with her. Having loved Andrea from the time they were kids, he's so happy to finally get her back. Ah but Romance isn't the only thing you'll get with this book. There's a mystery happening just below the surface. And wow, what a doozy! I am not ashamed to admit I cried at one point. Out Of The Storm has all your favorite characters from the Motor City Universe, so you need to read it! For a first ever published novel Jillian nailed it. Cannot wait for more from her.
Profile Image for Susan.
1,015 reviews12 followers
August 14, 2017
I enjoyed this book a lot. It took a bit to get into and be able to follow (I later learned that the characters were a part of another book earlier), but it didn't take too long, and soon I was comfortable and understood everything. Carter was super protective of Andrea, which I loved!

The writing was done well, the plot developed, and I enjoyed the characters a lot. I will more than likely go back to read other books by Jillian Elizabeth. This was a good read!
4 reviews
January 12, 2018
“Out of the Storm” by Jillian Elizabeth is a steamy ride into the world of romance and thrill. The story takes a start from the intense chemistry between two of our very main characters i.e. Carter Avery and Andrea Jensen. They share an immensely loving and caring bond where Carter is being depicted as a man who is strong headed in nature but when it comes to his relationship with Andrea he literally can be anything just in order to protect her. He is sexy, intelligent, intense, protective, understanding and supportive; a perfectly all-in-one. His love for Andrea is unconditional and focused as it seems his one and only priority. Apart from protecting her, he does a full time job of a detective in town and has earned some good reputation among folks.
Andrea, on the other hand, is clearly a woman figure who is a mix of feminist sensitivity and courage of a lioness when she tries to pull herself together in her hard times and comes out to be a Star fighter. She has a tragic past with Trent Zito, her ex, from which she tries to heal every single day and undoubtedly, Carter has stood with her in every storm she comes across in her life. But it seems her past is about to reoccur and its nightmares haunt her frequently these days for which both Andrea and Carter are apprehensive about. So basically, this story revolves around two childhood lovers and their infallible love story which comes in breathtaking turns where Carter tries to regain what he has lost in the past; his girl. Both have an unshakable belief in their love for each other and they are like two souls irrevocably in love even before they are born.
But that’s not all as the story has a dark side to it which leaves the reader to look for more; page after page. Carter has caught himself in the middle of an unsolved mystery which is getting on to his nerves as he helplessly tries to pave his way through all this. The way this thrilling part of the story is pieced together is quite wonderful and I would leave it to the readers to find out what awaits for them in this beautifully written piece of work.
The story and plot was well written and the title was very well thought out. The writer does an amazing job putting the characters in place exactly where they belonged to and this story could never have been better. From the soulful love to mystery, thriller and heroic victory there is everything that a reader can think of while sinking into a book. The story nicely catches pace between the past and present and everything is beautifully and neatly tied up together in a flow and sequence. Every time I think of Cater and Andrea and their priceless love relation I feel like to read the story again and again to get lovesick.
The writer has achieved a big feat by creating a divine couple out of her imagination which sounds like every lover’s dream. I would happily like to mention the fact that this story comes across as my second best romance and fantasy love story after Stephanie Meyer’s “Twilight series”. Where the characters had been that much intense and I was instantly carried away by the spice of the story and chemistry as I am now. In short, this story sets me to reminisce about my dream love and brings back to me some of the old cherish able moments. The story is purely original and the characters and situations are so real and natural which is evident of the fact that the writer has an unbeatable skill of carving out such a beautiful literary piece of writing and I really hope she continues to amaze her readers with her God gifted talent.
I was impressed by her writing skills after reading a few paragraphs and as each chapter switches between Andrea and Carter and lets the reader view the situations from two different perspectives is something hilarious. However, as far as the writing style goes, some of the sentences at the very beginning of the story were very oddly written in a sense they had a slightly different and unusual sentence structure where I had to stop and take it all in. But after reading a few pages I got used to the author’s writing style and that’s where I fell in love with the whole story and it began making sense to me. For any general reader, the bold sex scenes or sex language along with some of the crime situations could be a little detracting but as for a romantic venture it was nicely been layered in with the overall plot and was not dominating the story at all.
The story raises some of the topical issues about girl trafficking and an urge to clean the air of those filthy monsters that do such a crime. A peculiarly interesting aspect about healing was when the hero not only supports but agrees for counseling to a therapist to help himself take some of the extra load off his brain. It not only poses divergent possibilities of healing but directs the attention of its readers to the most stigmatized issue of today when it comes to be aware of your emotions and to reach out for help. I am sure those who are desperate for love will find the story worth reading and truly appealing. I would rate this book 5 out of 5 on the literary scale and would really hope that it helps its readers to make their way out of their own share of storm and come to a meaningful end to it by picking out some love treasure along the way like Andrea and Cater.
Profile Image for Rebecca Austin.
3,153 reviews3 followers
September 25, 2017
Carter Avery has been in love with Andrea Jensen but they have not had an easy go in the past but it looks like they have found their happiness. Carter is a Wayne County Sheriff's Homicide Detective and has been working on a difficult case with women's dead bodies being found in the trunks of cars.

Andrea Jensen has always belonged to Carter but in one of their "off" periods of their relationship she got involved with Trent Zito, a man who is now in jail for trying to hurt Andrea.

When Andrea begins to get threatening messages involving the case Carter is working on will they figure out who is sending them in time? Can Carter be there for Andrea when it counts the most?

This was a great novel that had you working out who was on the good side and who wasn't through the book. Although as a reader you had your suspicions it was great reading how everything played out.

I really liked both of the main characters - Andrea and Carter and hearing about the highs and lows of their relationship and how they worked hard to get it where it was. They both had made mistakes in the past but loved each other and wanted a future together.

I was pretty sure I had figured out who was behind of the stuff and I was glad that I was right but at the end I really enjoyed reading how everything came together and I loved Sam!

This was first time I have read this author and I look forward to more!

Profile Image for Deirdre Stokes.
184 reviews1 follower
December 20, 2017
I like the way this story starts with Carter and Andrea, it's a sweet and sad and interesting story. As you go from Carter point of view to Andrea and how much love is between them. It's a romance book but there is so much going on and you can only find what it is when you read this book and get lost in the story of love and some pain.
Profile Image for Evelyn.
216 reviews
September 24, 2017
A slow burn story with lots of background history that lets you become immersed in their story. Carter is an alpha male who will do anything to protect the woman he loves. I really liked that about him. His protectiveness of Andrea some might find a bit too much, but not me. Andrea is sweet and compassionate, but also strong in character.
Profile Image for Izzybear.
755 reviews
September 12, 2017
This was the first book of Jillian's that I've read and it will not be the last.
Out of the Storm is a very emotional story. I could feel the love that Andrea and Carter had for each other. They were very loving, dedicated and protective of one another. Practically sweethearts from the time they could walk, Andrea and Carter grew up knowing that they were meant to be together. That no one else in the the world would do. Until one day Carter pushes Andrea away. A mistake that almost had him losing her forever. Carter worked hard to get Andrea back and doesn't plan on ever losing her again.
Andrea is strong but some nights the past comes back to haunt her in the form of nightmares, leaving Andrea heartbroken all over again. As Andrea struggles to come to terms and overcome the terrible events that happened to her Carter stands lovingly by her side.
Just when things seem to be going great and they're about to get their happy ending tragedy strikes. A case that Carter has been working on starts hitting close to home. Can Carter solve the case before it's too late and he loses everything?
Profile Image for Nicole Studioso.
591 reviews6 followers
September 14, 2017
Wow, this is my first book by Jillian Elizabeth, and I'm really looking forward to the next. I happily read a copy of this novel for an honest review. The main characters, Andrea and Carter are given such deep, intense backstories. Andrea had been through so much in her 26 yrs. She and Carter have known each other their entire lives but during her senior year of college, they split up because of Carter's jealousy. Andrea begins an intense relationship with a man named Trent and becomes pregnant. Unfortunately, Trent is a controlling abusive drunk and nearly killed Andrea in a car crash. Carter came to her aid, helped her through the accident and the loss of the baby and they were able to make their way back to each other. The book is very heavy and can be confusing at times. There are a lot of secondary characters and Ms. Elizabeth does not tell the story in a linear fashion. There is drama, suspense, betrayal, and great emotional scenes in this book!
Profile Image for Arien/Sloan.
255 reviews3 followers
July 25, 2017
Carter and Nick are back in this book but in this story we get a better insight on Carter and Andrea and how they've been reunited. This story takes place after Due Soldati.
Murders, mayhem, a mystery, threatening notes. Who can be trusted to figure this all out? Who can Carter trust other than his partner Nick to help solve it all and keep his Starfish safe. This is a major storm that will test the mettle of this seasoned cop who is incorruptible and refuses to back down from anyone or anything. With the knowledge that there are cops on the take and a friend warning him away from things, what is a cop like Carter Avery to do?
He comes out of the storm stronger than ever! Having seen Carter from a different insight I am little thrown by this softer, super protective side of him but still enjoy seeing it immensely.
What does Carter Avery really look like in love? Can this rough and tough, solid as they come cop be such a soft touch? How much does Andrea really have him tied around her finger and heart? What wouldn't he do to protect the woman he loves? His Starfish.
This book brings a closer , more personal, softer outlook on to Carter Avery and his lady love Andrea Jensen. It is a slow build to the story but has a great action packed conclusion. I am giving this book a 4 of 5 stars. I look forward to seeing what may come next!

Profile Image for Ann Kelly-Uhryn.
220 reviews3 followers
July 25, 2017
ARC received in exchange for an honest review.

I like men who love to protect their women, but usually I see them in an alpha role where as with Carter in this story we see him more as a huge Teddy bear (as Andrea describes him). I found it started out slow compared to much of what I've read lately, and I kept thinking to myself that there's a reason for this slow build-up. Well, when the action starts I couldn't stop, I had to keep reading to find out what happens next.

Early on I started to develop an idea of what was going to happen based off the information we got in flashbacks and as scenes unfolded. I was partial right with my guesses, I just wont tell you what happens since you'll need to read it.

I loved the relationship that Carter and Andrea have, how they dive into their history with us and how things are brought forward to the present. It definitely gives you a feel for their relationship and you know that they love one another, and not to mention it's their second chance at being together because when we are young we do make stupid mistakes.

Overall I enjoyed the story line but thought it was lacking a little more action that could have been portrayed. This is why I am giving it a four star rather than a 5, I kinda expected there to be a bit more action.
Profile Image for Mary Fazzi.
1,256 reviews10 followers
August 8, 2017
Omg!!! This book has it all. From love to drama to suspense to sex and hot mad Italian men, I mean come on........
Carter Avery is an older man that loves his Andrea. Will do anything for her and will always put her first. Andrea Jensen is a loving women who seen the stars and moon with Carter. They were always suppose to be together. Carter has always loved Andrea but with his new job stressing him out and he took it out on the one person that made his world turn, they lost their way for a bit. Carter shattered Andrea's heart and took time to start again with another man. Things that shouldn't of happened did. Andrea lo lived through a hell that can't be forgotten. She made it through with the help of Carter. He help her out of a shell and back to his Starfish. As they start to plan their life, Andrea starts having nightmares and she becomes closed off a bit and Carter knows something isn't right. They get through it and once things are right things crash again. Carter needs to be the White Knight for his Starfish and what happens is amazing chaos but healing happens. Absolutely a must read!!!!
Profile Image for Book Lovers Hangout.
2,759 reviews13 followers
July 27, 2017
I loved loved loved reading about Carter and Andrea. I thought it was really great how this story worked side by side with Mass Casualty and we got to see a different perspective on some of the scenes from this book. This was a debut book by Jillian and if I hadn't known, I would never have suspected. I thought the romance was so sweet, the mystery kept me on the edge of my seat and I fell head over heels for the characters in this story. I cannot wait for Derek and Jillian's collaboration in Due Soldati!
Profile Image for Tammy Deighan.
141 reviews1 follower
August 15, 2017
I have to be honest at first I wasn't to into the book I was trying to figure out what the author was trying to go with this. But I hung in there and I have to say it was well worth it. Carter and Andrea was a great couple who had had their share of ups and downs. I liked how the Author made us understand what each person was really about with the way their lives had taken them.. Growing up together really understanding each other is a very emotional bound and this book really takes you there so you get it. I would read more of her books for sure.
Profile Image for Deborah.
2,916 reviews22 followers
July 26, 2017
Loved this so hard! After reading Mass Casualty by Derek Adam and Due Soldati by Jillian and Derek I can say that this book was outstanding!!!! The mystery, romance and hysterical laugh out moments made this a well developed book. The descriptive writing and sensitive topics gave me all the feels. The more serious side of real-world crime brought home how fragile life can be for anyone of us. A great read!
Profile Image for Sabrina Samples.
Author 10 books24 followers
July 26, 2017
Absolutely loved this book. Not my normal read because it's so romance heavy but I found I couldn't put it down! I love the spin on these characters from her partner in crime(Derek Adams). I am so happy I was able to read this book because I feel it changed my thoughts on romance novels.
Profile Image for Michele Del Rey.
3,008 reviews30 followers
August 3, 2017
I loved this story. Carter and Andrea were so good together. The love that Carter had for Andrea was all consuming. I loved how this book flowed, before I k Ewing it the book was over. This will not be my last book from this author. I want to be loved like Andrea.
Profile Image for Jacqui.
295 reviews6 followers
January 3, 2018
Out of the Storm is the debut novel by Jillian Elizabeth and is a cop/thriller/romance with adult content interspersed (the author does warn about this at the beginning).

Carter has always loved Andrea. Even though they had a period apart where hot-headedness kept them separate, their hearts only belonged to each other. Now back together they are stronger and more in love than ever. Their idyllic life is about to be horribly interrupted when a string of murders points to a nefarious underground circuit which Carter throws his whole being into solving. Andrea is also feeling a little uneasy about something or someone, but can’t quite put her finger on it. Could their pasts be about to collide in a very bad way with their present? If so will their love be strong enough to endure it all?

The story was good for a debut novel. It is confusing in the beginning as so much of their past is alluded to and is only explained in the middle of the book onwards. The writing is easy to read with only a few grammatical errors, but sometimes speech from the same person was broken up into different paragraphs which interrupted the flow of reading. The story is told from different POV which helps with the emotions and understanding of the characters, especially in certain heartbreaking scenes. The story itself is nothing new and is tied up a little too neatly for everyone, but is told with the passion and enthusiasm of a new writer.

I enjoyed it as a quick afternoon read and would be interested to see what happens to the couple.
545 reviews
October 13, 2017
If you like steamy second chance romance novels with a little bit of mystery and suspense, this book is for you. Jillian Elizabeth has written a story about Carter and Andrea. They have a history and had previously gone their separate ways. Now they are back together and their relationship is stronger than ever. Carter is a man who loves and protects with his heart and soul. Andrea is a woman who never stopped loving Carter and isn't about to let him go now that she has him back again. Are they destined to be together forever, or do circumstances get in their way of their happily ever after.

This is Jillian Elizabeth's debut novel. This book will make you swoon, laugh, and at times even cry. It will also leave you wanting more from this debut author.
Profile Image for Carla.
989 reviews3 followers
October 21, 2017
Carla's Five Star Review

Carter Avery has loved one woman his entire life, and her name is Andrea Jensen. After he nearly loses her once, he is determined to keep her forever. He has helped Andrea heal after suffering an unimaginable loss, and he vows to always protect her. When he makes some enemies as a hard hitting homicide detective, Andrea will once again face danger. Will he be able to keep his promises of safety and protection, or will Andrea end up in yet another horrible situation?

I loved how close Carter and Andrea were in this book. Their love and commitment to one another was truly inspiring. I also loved the suspense that was thrown in towards the books end.

Simply awesome read!!
437 reviews1 follower
October 6, 2020
I'd give it 3.5 stars if I could. It was better than the first book, and I am glad I continued on after the first book and read this one. I enjoyed the story, but would have been better to have time lapse and more details of Carter's case and him trying to solve it.
After reading this book I realized the first book wasn't necessary to read at all as all the important parts from the first book were retold in this book. Actually, I would recommend not even reading book one and going straight to this book, I think it would have been more suspenseful as to what had happened to Andrea as well as more of a shock factor to read about what she went through with Trent for the first time in book two.
Profile Image for Charlotte Coles.
54 reviews
August 23, 2017
I thought about what to write for a few days from finishing this book but feel i need to be honest.
I would give this book 3.5 stars as it has the basis to be really quite good, however i really struggled with the begining carter is overly loving to the point it was a bit cringy and over the top however towards the end that changed for the better, i felt like the story took too long for anything exciting to happen however if you make it through the first 50% it does get really good and i couldnt put it down. So please give it a go this is just ny personal opinion and from half way through its on the verge of being a 5 star read.
Profile Image for Bookish.
1,473 reviews27 followers
October 8, 2017
A second chance romance between two childhood loves Carter and Andrea. Carter pushed Andrea away once and it almost cost him everything. Now they are back together and this is where their story picks up. A fast paced book that brings Andrea's past and Carter's present together in an explosive meeting. I enjoyed the story line and found it to be quick easy read but it seemed to be missing a little something for me, not sure what so I'm only rating it with 3 stars.
2 reviews
November 21, 2017
Received this as an ARC for a honest review.

OMG! I loved this book. Carter and Andrea are such a real couple. You get to see their good and bad in there relationship and I love them together! This book has the right amount of romance and suspense.

I don't always like flashbacks in books but Jillian Elizabeth does such a wonderful job in it that I really felt like I knew them and enjoyed this story and can't wait for the next one.
Profile Image for Jennifer Richey.
1,992 reviews
October 21, 2017
Wow did this book had me hooked I couldn’t put it down for a minute! Carter and his starfish are still healing from what happen in recent events of her losing her baby and her ex trying to kill her!! My goodness did this poor girl go through some drama I mean GeEZe will their ever be a non drama day no!! Haha but I loved it and I loved carter and his starfish! Can’t wait to read more
242 reviews1 follower
January 17, 2018
I loved the conclusion to Carter and Andrea story. It will keep you in suspense with twist and turns. I enjoyed reading this book as Carter and Andrea get a second chance at love with all obstacles they have already endure and more to come. I am ready for more. Looking forward to reading more books by Jillian Elizabeth.
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