Ruin

Gods #1

by Samantha Towle

As seen on TikTok, f rom Samantha Towle, the New York Times bestselling author of Wardrobe Malfunction and Breaking Hollywood , comes a the first dramatically powerful and passionate novel in the Gods series.Readers are raving about Ruin !'Samantha Towle at her best''Wow! What a story, I can't even begin to tell you just how much I loved . . . this mind blowing book''I adored this story! . . . Samantha Towle really knows how to make her characters jump out of the page and into our hearts as their journey becomes our own''I love a good second chance romance story and this one was A-M-A-Z-I-N-G'..............................................................................And the new heavyweight champion of the world is...Those are the words that Zeus Kincaid has been waiting to hear since he first put on a pair of boxing gloves. He just didn't think they would come with a tragedy that would change how he viewed the sport forever.Cameron Reed was in her second year at Juilliard when her childhood sweetheart, Zeus Kincaid, walked away from her. A few months later, Cam realized that she would never fulfill her dream of dancing for the New York City Ballet.Now working as a dancer in an upscale club in Manhattan, Cam is brought face-to-face with the man she once loved. And it's her turn to walk away from him.After five years of missing Cam, Zeus isn't prepared to let her go again. But when he finds himself standing on her doorstep the next morning, things don't go quite as he expected . . ...............................................................................The Gods series continues with Rush - out now!Plus, don't miss any of Samantha Towle's sensational love stories, including the romantic comedy Breaking Hollywood , the sizzling beach romance, The Two Week Stand , and many more!More incredible praise for the Gods 'Epic. Loved every word, and Sam Towle proves yet again a true veteran in the art of contemporary romance''Her characters are always amazing and her stories leave you wanting more.....enjoy the read!!''Every expectation was surpassed and I devoured this book in a day''A phenomenal book'

Genres: Second Chance, Romance, Sports, Sports Romance, Second Chance Romance, Contemporary Romance, Contemporary

304 pages, Kindle Edition

First published March 5, 2018

About the author

Samantha Towle is a New York Times, USA Today, and Wall Street Journal bestselling author.

A native of Hull, she lives in East Yorkshire with her husband, their son and daughter, and three large furbabies.

She is the author of contemporary romances, The Storm Series, The Revved Series, The Wardrobe Series, The Gods Series, and standalones, Trouble, When I Was Yours, The Ending I Want, Unsuitable, Under Her, River Wild, Dead Pretty, The Two Week Stand and Sacking the Quarterback which was written with James Patterson. She has also written paranormal romances, The Bringer and The Alexandra Jones Series. With over a million books sold, her titles have appeared in countless bestseller lists, and are currently translated into ten languages.

To receive an email when Samantha releases a new book, sign up for her newsletter - http://samanthatowle.co.uk/newsletter...


You can also find Samantha at -

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Samantha-Tow...

Twitter: https://twitter.com/samtowlewrites

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/samtowlewri...

BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/saman...

Reviews

[Val ⚓️ Shameless Handmaiden ⚓️ · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 Stars

This was super cute.

I loved the premise, I enjoyed the characters, and best of all - there was GROVELING and BEGGING and it's like crack to me, folks.



Plus, I love that the heroine didn't just immediately cave. She actually had a brain in her skull, was reasonable, and didn't start panty gushing like a total tool just because the h said, "Sorry."

#winning

[Christy · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.25 stars!!!



Sigh. I love a good second chance romance! I’m a huge fan of Samantha Towle’s books, and when I heard she had a new one out and saw that cover, I knew I needed to read it asap! Full of angst, steam, and some feels to top it off, this was another win from Towle!

Zeus Kincaid and Cameron Reed used to be the center of each others worlds. Cam was dancing in Juilliard and Zeus was on his way to being one of the biggest boxers in the world, when suddenly, Zeus ends it. One day these two are happy and in love, then it’s over. Cam’s heart was broken but she moved on. She had no choice but to move forward.

The man is my weakness. My downfall. My ruin. He always has been. And it seems that he always will be.


Fast forward about five years later and Cam and Zeus run into each other again. Every thing in their lives have changed, but one thing has stayed the same. Those feelings, that pull they feel to each other is still there. I love being engrossed in a story and you can just feel the chemistry and connection the characters have. It was like that with Cam and Zeus.

I wish I could say things were easy for them when they were back in each others lives, but they weren’t. Zeus gave Cam some major trust issues and he has to earn his place back in her world. I could understand why Zeus did some of the things he did, but I am glad Cam didn’t let him off too easy. He deserved to have to work for her after all he put her through.

"You've been mine since the moment I saw you. That's never going to change.”

Ruin was a fast paced read that I flew through. I get so much joy reading a story that I don’t want to put down, and it’s getting more rare these days. Cam and Zeus had a sexy slow burn, second chance romance. I enjoyed this one from start to finish and I only hope that the author gives us more from this world! Though Zeus and Cam’s story is complete, I would LOVE a book about each of Zeus’s siblings!

[Patty ~ Wrapped Up In Reading Book Blog · Rating 5 out of 5]

*****4.5 STARS*****
{ARC Generously Provided by Author}


The man is my weakness. My downfall. My ruin. He always has been. And it seems that he always will be.





I have been a huge Samantha Towle fan for about six years now and can honestly say I am always so excited when I hear about a new book she is getting ready to release. Her books are always an automatic must-read for me and what I love about her is that she can pretty much write about any trope and it’s guaranteed to be a winner! Her Heroes have been rock gods, race car drivers, Hollywood actors, wealthy businessmen, and now in ”RUIN”, the Hero stealing our hearts this time is a world-renowned boxing champion! Ladies, meet your next amazing book boyfriend….Zeus Kinkaid.



Zeus and Cameron met at a fair in Coney Island when they were teenagers. It was love at first sight. From that day forward they were inseparable. A few years later, Zeus’s boxing career starts to take off in a big way and his fighting schedule made it almost impossible for the couple to spend any time together. Zeus winds up doing the one thing he swore he would never do to Cameron. He breaks up with her after confessing that he cheated on her. Cameron’s heart is ripped to shreds. Then as if to make the situation worse, she finds out that she’s pregnant and when she tries to tell Zeus, he’s not even taking her calls and gets word to her that he wants nothing to do with the baby.




Four years later, Cameron is still living in New York with her aunt and she works two jobs to help support her little daughter Gigi. Her side job is working in a club as a go-go dancer. Cameron is a dancer. Her main form of dance was ballet. She had a full scholarship to Julliard but had to quit once she was pregnant with Gigi. Cameron comes face to face with the man who once owned her heart but whose cruelty turned her love into hatred. She never expected that Zeus would ever come back into her life. When he shows up at her home and lays eyes on little Gigi, the truth that has been buried away for the last four years finally comes out.



News of Cameron’s pregnancy never got back to Zeus and the reason for their breakup was yet another lie that kept the lovers apart unnecessarily. Zeus is instantly a goner for his little girl and while Cameron gives him all the time he desires to spend with their daughter, she is not so free with her heart. Zeus’s actions all those years ago tore her apart and her trust in him is barely hanging by a thread. She’s not willing to take a chance on getting her heart broken again by him.




Zeus is a determined man on a mission. He wants another chance with Cameron and nothing is going to get in his way. Can Cameron find a way to face her fears and give her little girl the family that she deserves?



Here are my overall ratings:
Hero: 5
Heroine: 4
Plot: 4
Angst: 4
Steam: 5
Chemistry Between Hero & Heroine: 5

RUIN releases on March 6th! Make sure you one-click!


Amazon US: http://a.co/1WM10R4
Amazon UK: http://amzn.eu/fstBc3B
iBooks US: https://goo.gl/m3xGUU
iBooks UK: https://goo.gl/TAywEy
B&N: https://goo.gl/j2CwRx
Kobo: https://goo.gl/PnrYQZ

[Lana ❇✾DG Romance❇✾ · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 STARS

The man is my weakness. My downfall. My ruin. He always has been. And it seems that he always will be.

Samantha Towle brought the feels and the sizzle with this angsty second chance romance. I knew from the very first chapter that I'm going to fall in love with this story, and I definitely wasn't wrong. It was a perfectly paced, emotional slow burn. A deliciously angsty story that tugged at every heart string.

Because, when you love someone—really love them—you fight for them. You fight hard and dirty, no matter the cost to yourself.

At first when all the details of Cameron Reed's present came out, I thought, oh here we go, been there read that. I was afraid that the author was going to use this particular plot device to string the drama along until the end. I couldn't have been more wrong. And I couldn't love the way she handled this story line more. It was even more than I'd hope for.

Cam had her heart broken by Zeus and she's not looking for a repeat when he comes blazing back into her life. But Zeus isn't the same man that left those years ago. He's determined to right all his wrongs, and he's not afraid to fight dirty to prove to Cam that he deserves her heart back.

God,” I breathe.
His eyes lift to mine, his mouth glistening with me. “That’s what they say, baby.”
“Cocky bastard,” I mutter.

Zeus was not perfect, but he was perfectly endearing. He was possessive, protective, jealous and deliciously broody. God but I loved every facet of this man and he had a lot of them. Samantha Towle definitely created a multi-layered character with him that goes well beyond just a sexy undefeated heavyweight boxing champion. He never once stopped loving Cam and I couldn't get enough of their sizzling back and forth game.

Cam never stopped loving Zeus, but she also doesn't trust him. He shattered her when he walked away those years ago, and she refuses to go back to being that woman. I really loved Cam and her no bs attitude. She wasn't afraid to put Zeus in his place and she took plenty of opportunity to do so.

Ruin was a page turner from beginning to finish. It was sexy and emotional and deeply satisfying. I can't recommend it enough!

ARC courtesy of author in exchange for an honest review

Find me on:

[Leo (Queen of the Rants and Spoilers)]

I guess she forgot quickly that he told her that he cheated on her over the phone? She just sitting there talking to him like nothing has happened? The f*ck? I would be plotting cutting his d*ck!!
I don't care that they have a kid together and they're talking about introducing him to her but if I were her I wouldn't bother introducing my daughter to this asshole. I'm a cold hearted bitch and I wouldn't forgive him at all.
Thank goodness she hasn't been celibate during those 5 years but poor sex with no string guy he'll be drop like a hot potato for the ass of a hero.

Btw he didn’t cheat, he told her that he cheated so she could follow her dream of dancing. He had no balls to tell her to follow her dreams without breaking her heart? He's a pathetic excuse for a man.

[Snow · Rating 3 out of 5]

Urgh...

This book...

This book kept me up all night...and I've read it in one sitting...I gluped it, and that's Samantha Towle's writing, for ya.

She writes the most infuriating tension and pent up anticipation like no one...*wink*

and yet, me and the "second chance" romances have a bit stretched relationship, to start with...

In second chance romances I need to segments to function perfectly, for me to be able to get pass the "fuck-up" and give the characters the "second chance" , those being :

1) the REASON (for the fuck-up)
2) the GROVELING while redeeming oneself towards forgivness

I have no preferations to who does the actual fuck-up, I just need the actual WORK done, for me to feel like the fuck-upees deserved a second chance...

HERE, I had issues with both.

Starting with the main character Zeus "The God" Kincaid

Twenty-five years old, I'm undefeated. Olympic champion. Internaitonal Boxing Federation and World Boxing Council world heavyweight champion.

Everything I've had to do, endure, sacrifice has brought me to this moment.

Well, good for you!
And while achieving all that, you dumped your highschool sweetheart of four years over a phone while you were concentrating on your boxing career. By telling her that you cheated on her

(which we later hear that you lied about, but still, why the fuck would we believe you now, when you lied about it in the first place, who says you're not lying now, huh?!)

okay, digressing here...

anyway, NOW, 4 years later, he comes back to hometown case of the upcoming match for another title he's after, and he accidentaly sees "his ex-love of his life" Cameron/Cam dancing in the club and from there on, all of a sudden he has a NEW reason to come back - he wants THEM back together

BUT then, he also finds out that he has a daughter Gigi, he never KNEW existed.

Oh yeah, and just to state here, that when she found out that she was prego, she called him to tell him, but he cut her off, he cut all contacts and she left a message to his slimy agent, who never told him the news.


And well, now you can just imagine the turmoil in front of ya, can't you?
And I'm sure you have a lot of questions, don't ya?

the explanation...WHY? Why DID he fuck up four years ago?

I thought, if I sacrificed my own happiness by letting you go, that I would be doing the right thing for my family. You'd get over me. You'd move on and have this amazing career as a dancer.

you see, that was kinda lame...in my book

[image error]

so, the REASON...lacking....but moving on, lets see what she did...

So, he's asking to see his daughter and to get to know her, since he's been missing out on her for four years, so, she allows that, cause suddenly he has rights, even though, she "hated" him for all that time thinking HE abandoned his own child. And she never could get pass that "cheating" thing, even though he said he lied about it to cut her off...

Shit, even now as I go on, Zeus sinks even deeper in my line vision LOL

anyway, what I'm trying to say is that Cam, gave in to Zeus, too soon...it may seem longer cause of the number of pages in the book BUT in fact, she kinda slipped up pretty fast...

The man is my weakness. My downfall. My ruin. He always has been. And it seems that he always will be.

that's kinda sad, actually, cause it looks like you've been hanging on a thread here, dear!

Cause, just think, if he hadn't come back for that match, would he come back at all?
Well, we'd never know, will we?

I guess, that's the point of second chances, huh?
Believing and keeping the fate that you won't be crushed again...
sure, Cam fights it, cause she's afraid of being hurt again...and she doesn't trust him

I don't trust him with my feelings. I've been hurt by Zeus Kincaid once before. i'm not looking for a repeat performance.

...when you love someone-really love them-you fight for them. You fight hard and dirty, no matter the cost to yourself. And not once have you ever fought for me.

And just that sentence alone, should have been a trigger for Cam to hold on tighter to her belief until she truly sees he's changed...



Okay, I'm already tired after writing this and I feel like I've been going around in circles...

Exhausting, really

Anyway, the point to all this ranting here, is, the fact that Zeus didn't redeem himself, in my eyes, nor did he grovel enough, even though I can't really portray him as a bad guy, he's imperfect, sure, we all are...but he's kind of annoying in all this macho puffing his chest and all, and in his actions, he's trying to "show" Cam that she's still jealous...which makes me think, he's only emphisizing the "sexual" connection between them, cause WTF?!
You were supposed to show her the side of you, she can lean on, emotionally - sexually being only a bonus.

And Cam, well, this constant "jo-jo" effect she's pulling off, I get that she's scared of being hurt, but then, she should have delt with the matter in question first and then hop into bed with him. But she just caves in, then she regrets it...and than again, and again...damn, that's low, even from a woman's perspective...

it's not like SEX is gonna open your eyes suddenly, the sex part wasn't your issues in the first place...you know what I mean?

BUT watever...I obviously didn't connect to either of them, and that has nothing to do with Samantha Towle's writing, cause that was the part, the main essence that kept me reading.
BUT unfortnatelly, I couldn't be "happy" for me, in the end, but I guess, they deserved each other in the end, so yoooohooo!



I'm sure, this is another case of "it's me NOT you" kinda thing, so don't pass up on this book, those of you who LOVE second chance romances with an angsty touch, and you don't dwell upon the little shit stuff, too much, then THIS is the PERFECT book for you!

[MELISSA *Mel Reader* · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 It’s Always Been You Stars!
(ARC provided by author)

-We're the real fucking deal. Our love is what most people spend a lifetime searching for and never find.



Cameron Reed was raised by her aunt after her mom passed away. They moved to Coney Island where she met the love of her life Zeus Kincaid. She was 15 when she gave her heart away. They were together four years & had plans for a future together, but life takes them in different directions. Zeus has always wanted to be a boxer, and Cam a dancer. Cam is in her second year at Juilliard & Zeus’s boxing career is finally taking off when he suddenly breaks up with her. Shortly after her heart is shattered circumstances alter her life and take away her dreams of dancing for the NCY Ballet. Now she’s 24, & lives in Port Washington where she works at a police station during the day, and as a dancer at an upscale club in Manhattan at night.



Zeus is the undefeated current heavyweight champion boxer of the world. He’s back in New York, and decides to look up his first love. He’s never gotten over her. He wants another chance, and to be a part of her life. He’s determined to get her back, and convince her they could have a future together.

Cam is stunned to see Zeus for the first time in five years. He stole her heart, and she never quite got it back. She doesn’t trust him anymore, & is still angry and bitter, but Zeus is ready to fight for her. After all this time he still looks at her like she’s his entire world.



-His eyes... they were the first things I noticed about him.

-You stare into them, and they give away nothing but make you feel everything.

-"You are mine."

-"You've been mine since the moment I saw you. That's never going to change."

-I want you, Dove. And I will do anything to make that happen.



This second chance romance was fantastic! This man was absolutely dreamy. He’s gorgeous, has a beautiful heart, and is alpha to the extreme. I loved everything about this book, & hope we get a book for Zeus’s brother Ares next!



*NOW AVAILABLE*
http://a.co/1WM10R4

[Samantha Towle]

RUIN is LIVE! Who's ready to get RUINed?!

RUIN has a SPECIAL pre-order price of $0.99/£0.99! This is the only time it will be on sale. Price will rise to $3.99/£2.99 on release day.

Amazon: http://a-fwd.to/4CPcrx2
iBooks US: https://goo.gl/m3xGUU
iBooks UK: https://goo.gl/TAywEy
B&N: https://goo.gl/j2CwRx
Kobo: https://goo.gl/PnrYQZ

[Megan✦❋Steamy Reads Blog❋✦ · Rating 5 out of 5]

“The man is my weakness. My downfall. My ruin. He always has been. And it seems that he always will be.”

Ok, I know I’m a little late to the Samantha Towle bandwagon, but better late than never right? Another new-to-me-author and OMG what a story to start with. I am a huge sucker for angsty second chance love stories and Ruin had it in spades. I adored Zeus and Cameron’s story to the point where I couldn’t stop reading even if I wanted to. Samantha Towle wrote a highly addictive story about second chances, love lost, love found and the heartache and regret of giving up that one person who completes you.

Zeus ‘The God’ Kincaid is at the height of his career; Olympic Boxing champion, International Boxing Federation and World Boxing Council world heavyweight champion, wow what an achievement. It may appear to the outside world that Zeus is untouchable, invincible perhaps, but he has had to pay a heavy price to be the best.

Cameron has always dreamed of becoming a professional ballerina. She is a phenomenal dancer, even to the point of being accepted to Julliard on a full scholarship, which was to be the first stepping stone to achieving her dreams. As we know however, life can sometimes get in the way and plans don’t always work out as expected.

While Zeus is out there in the world fulfilling his dreams and becoming the best boxer in the world, Cameron is still stuck in New York living with her aunt and making a living as a go-go dancer, which is a far cry from the life she was meant to lead.

Zeus and Cameron were childhood sweethearts who met at a fair on Coney Island when they were just teenagers. From the moment they met, two became one and they were attached at the hip. They fell madly and irrevocably in love; they had the kind of intense love that people can only hope to one day experience. Zeus and Cameron’s blissful happy ever after was not to be, with a mixture of Zeus’s intense boxing schedule, misunderstandings, secrets and lies. I just felt so bad for both of them and wanted nothing more than for them to come back together again, because a love like theirs should last forever.

When Zeus and Cameron come face to face once again a few years later, Cameron is very wary and untrusting towards Zeus. He has torn her heart to shreds, what’s to say it won’t happen again. Cameron has felt so much heartache over losing the love of her life she doesn’t think she can survive the second time around. Will Cameron be able to forgive Zeus and will she give her heart to him once more? The angst and anticipation literally kept me on the edge of my seat and after suffering such a turbulent ride to get to this point, I wanted nothing more than to see this couple get their long sought after HEA.

“We’re the real fucking deal. Our love is what most people spend a lifetime searching for and never find. Don’t throw us away, please.”

Your first love is always the hardest to get over, it’s the one that always hurts more deeply and shatters your heart into a million pieces. You may not remember your second or your tenth love, whatever the case may be, but you will always remember your first love and Ruin really showcased this to me. How devastating and heartbreaking it can be to lose the first love of your life, a love that should last a life time.

I absolutely adored Ruin and if you’re anything like me and are a sucker for angsty second chance love stories then you should seriously check this one out. The storyline was crafted thoughtfully and engaging, the characters were lovable and I was completely enthralled from the very first page. I highly recommend.

[Jen · Rating 5 out of 5]

There was just something about this book that I loved!! I devoured this one in less than 24 hours, and even though I sometimes became frustrated with Cam (the heroine) it wasn't enough to annoy me to any degree. Zeus, was the type of hero that I fall for in the books that I read. He is loyal, possessive, but also so darn sweet!! The scene where these two meet (back when they were teenagers) at the fair, captivated me, and it made me root for their relationship right off the back! I won't ever forget that romantic ferris wheel kiss!!! That kiss was what dreams are made of!!

I highly recommend this book!!! This was my introduction to Samantha Towle's work...and I have to admit...she has my attention! I want to read more of her work immediately!! She writes the kind of love story that keeps me hooked on this genre!!

Thank you Steph, for asking me to Buddy read this with you!! I might have passed on this one, and that would have been a shame!!!

[• Jodi Bibliophile • · Rating 5 out of 5]

“This man…he ruins me. Every word. Every look. Every touch. But there’s no one I’d rather be ruined by than him.”

Zeus Kincaid, holy fuck that man melt my knickers.

I read this book back in December and still remember it like it was yesterday. It’s one of THOSE books. I literally couldn’t put it down and fell in love with every page. Like the second I finished I wanted to start all over again. Oh the motherfucking FEELS!!

Now back to Zeus…I mean just the name alone is enough to bring a girl to her knees *while you’re down there*, he is the perfect book boyfriend material!

I loved the whole build up between both the characters. The love story between Zues and Cam and the heartbreak that followed them both.

I love second chance romances and this is by far one of my fucking faves!

You need this book in your life!!

Zeus will RUIN you!

[Jenny••Steamy Reads Blog•• · Rating 4 out of 5]

Simply loved this book. I couldn’t read quick enough. Love a book that holds my attention from start to finish. Definitely a sucker for these famous men Mrs. Towle dreams up

[Jx PinkLady Reviews ♡ · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's live!



'Ruin,' absolutely won me over with the power of its charismatic lovable characters and dramatic story line that took me on a romantic, passionate journey of second chance love set in the world of boxer, Zeus Kincaid and Cameron, the girl he once loved.

Zeus is at the height of his profession but one might say he and Cameron paid a heavy price for his career. In stark contrast Cameron works to make ends meet and had to sacrifice her ambition of being a professional ballerina. The story arc is not overly convoluted, the scene is set with the history of the sweethearts peppered into the earlier part of the novel, giving power to their second chance love story with simple perfection.

I swooned at the actions, words and heart of Zeus who makes no secret of the fact that he wants his girl and when he witnesses her predicament reacts in the best way possible, I could not have loved him more! The reasoning for this couple being apart for five years is very plausible. I wondered if the author would make me believe in the motivation of Zeus but as the context of the story unfolded I totally believed in everything depicted which in turn provided a sad pang in my chest at all they had missed together. The back and forth nature of the narrative, the, ‘Will they? Won’t they?’ is perfectly set for my tastes, it made my heart beat fast and long for their happy ever after.

Ruin is quite simply a delight to read, a STANDALONE, contemporary romance that ticked all my reading boxes making me smile and swoon and bask in the partnership of this couple. Their chemistry is palpable and as the story progresses the development of their relationship is dynamite, so passionate, so sensual and so very, very HOT. A story that I would recommend to all romance readers and is certainly one of my favourite Samantha Towle stories.



Advance copy provided for my honest review thoughts *


★ Teaser picture created by me with purchased stock photos from deposit photos ★

[❥ KAT ❥ Kitty Kats Crazy About Books · Rating 4 out of 5]

MY REVIEW can also be found on my blog:
KITTY KATS CRAZY ABOUT BOOKS

RUIN: Is a full length contemporary stand alone romance novel by Samantha Towle.

PAST: Fifteen year old Cam has just arrived into the area ofConey Island from Baltimore due to her Aunts promotion in the Police Department decides to spend the day at the famous fair she meets seventeen year old Zeus an aspiring boxer.




Twenty-five year old Zeus ‘The God’ Kincaid is at the top of his game, undefeated, olympic boxing champion, he was born to be a fighter, it’s all he knows, it’s all he’s good at, he's the best of the best.



Dancing has always been Cam’s passion, a passion that surpasses all else, she’s good at it and she knows it. She trained in ballet and street dance but ballet was always her calling, she’d even been at Juilliard on a full scholarship sight set on better things but then everything changed.

Now she’s a go go dancer by night and a receptionist and the local police station by day

Kincaid was her childhood sweetheart, the love of her life, dreams of the white picket fence then out of the blue years later he breaks up with her over the phone.

Now 5 years have gone by and they are in the same city, all cards are on the table he's out to win her back and there is no holding him back. Cam has other ideas, he hurt her beyond words and she wasn't after a repeat performance, so expect the push and pull on your emotions as Zeus tries to win her back because it's a rough road paved ahead for them, she's not going to make it easy for him to get back into her good graces, he has to pull out all the stops. Even though these two had been apart for so many years their love was still simmering away in the background it just needed to be ignited again.

"We’re the real fucking deal.
Our love is what most people spend a lifetime searching for."

The love these two felt for each other sizzled off the pages, you could feel it slow burning in the background, an emotional all the feels of a second chance romance at its best.

The man was my weakness. My downfall. My ruin.

     

[Fre06 Begum · Rating 2 out of 5]

I think for the most part she was strong but as always “betraying body” always has to get in the way of her strong resolve not to give in!

[Stacey · Rating 4 out of 5]

What may Ruin you, may also make you stronger…

A friend of mine reached out to me to let me know there were Aussie review copies available for Ruin. I have never read a book by Samantha Towle but a lot of my friend have and loved her work. Being the Sassy lady that I am, without hesitation, I requested it. Blind. Yep, you read that right, I didn’t even look at the blurb before requesting it. Even when I was approved and downloaded my review copy, I was still in the dark. So, I loaded Ruin so I could start reading as soon as I got home. With a quick squiz to make sure it loaded OK, a few words caught my notice…

ZEUS
GOD and
FIGHT

HuH??? I didn’t see that coming…

Yep, you guessed it, I went to work thinking that I would be coming home to a Paranormal/Fantasy Romance. To be honest, I was a wee bit surprised, as that cover did not lead me to think of Gods at all. Obviously, I didn't look past the hot guy with guns of steel, or I may have noticed the boxing gloves around his kneck (DOH!!!). So, I spent the day talking myself up to enjoying a romance where the God’s were fighting and I’d see some clashes between the big men. Wasn't planning (or in the mood) for a paranormal but Deep breath…I CAN DO IT!!

Totally wrong, I had a bit of a chuckle as I started Ruin. Well, I wasn’t totally wrong, there were some big guys having fights. The only difference was these guys used fists instead of bolts of lightning.

Yeah, yeah, laugh it up, real funny.

Anyways, I really enjoyed my first Samantha Towle. It was an emotional story about dreams being broken, love sacrificed, and mistakes made. Young love is tricky at the best of times. In the case of Zeus (not sure about that name) and Cam, they also have the pressure of both having intense career dreams. Zeus plans to be a boxer and Cam, dreams of being a ballerina. They train and work hard to give themselves the best chance of reaching their goals. Their love for each other always took priority, until, Zeus hits the big time. What follows is surprises, heartbreak and betrayal.

Cam has no choice but move on and make a life for herself without Zeus. She’s hurt and finds it hard but luckily she has the support of her very sweet Aunt Elle. Zeus was supposed to be it, "the one", but you don’t always get what you want. When Zeus comes back into her life 5 years later, she’s not so excited to see him, and it’s going to take a lot of work on Zeus’s part, to fix what he broke.

Zeus thought he was making the right decision when he let Cam go. Yep, turns out he’s a numbskull who took the wrong advice and he paid for it for 5 lonely years. His first look at Cam after their time apart nearly brought him to his knees and now he will do anything to fix what he broke.

I really enjoyed this romance and accepted the highs and lows for what they were. Life, throwing a spanner in the works now and again. The storyline was a little predictable and I saw each conflict as a flicker before the flame took hold. I did rolleth my eyes a few times, but the storytelling made the predictability not so bad. There was plenty of sexual tension between the main couple and when they finally hit the wall…literally…my heart was beating fast and I was squirming in my seat. Pretty damn HOT!! I loved the additional characters and found them easy to “see”. I strongly believed in Zeus and Cam’s HEA and thought they could survive any hurdles that would come their way.

I’m glad I got the opportunity to read Ruin and I will be reading more of Samantha Towle’s books in the future.

Stacey is Sassy, received a complimentary copy of this story. The copy provided is not the final copy and may be subject to edits and changes.

[NMmomof4 · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5 Stars

Overall Opinion: I'm in the minority again it seems 🤦🏻‍♀️ I didn't love the H. I felt like he was a jerk when they were first reunited he would allow women to flirt with him and would even flirt back some in front of the h and he knew she thought he cheated on her so that seemed extra cruel to me, but he would just look "amused" and keep doing it , and I guess I never got over that. I also felt like sex was the only connection I felt between them. I actually skimmed some of the sex scenes because I felt myself rolling my eyes. The ending left me with so many unanswered questions that I was just left feeling frustrated The manager? The woman he was photographed with after he broke up with her? His career? The media leak and if it got cleared up? Etc. Just simply wasn't my cuppa I guess...

Brief Summary of the Storyline: This is Cam and Zeus's story. They met when Cam was 15 and Zeus was 17, and became childhood sweethearts for ~4 years. Something breaks them up and ~5 years later Zeus sees Cam and can't help but go after the one that got away. Zeus is now a famous boxer and is shocked to find out that Cam has been keeping a big secret from him all this time. There are some big reveals, some past hurts they have to work through, some sexy times...and they get a HFN ending.

POV: This was told primarily in Cam's POV (the prologue is in Zeus's POV).

Overall Pace of Story: Good. I never skimmed (except those sex scenes, but that wasn't the pacing) and I thought it flowed well.

Instalove: No, but they are both probably already/still in love when reunited.

H rating: 2.5 stars. Zeus. He was alright, but at times his behavior really bothered me.

h rating: 3 stars. Cam. Meh, she was okay.

Sadness level: Low, no tissues needed

Push/Pull: Yes The H pushes away in the past and the h pushes away in the present. I'd say that the H is the main pursuer of the relationship.

Heat level: Good. They have some good tension, chemistry, and scenes -- but not so much it takes away from the story.

Descriptive sex: Yes

OW/OM drama: Yes The h believes that the H cheated on her in the past, and there were pictures of him with OW in the press shortly after. The h has a f-buddy that is around when the h and H are reunited and this causes some jealousy for the H.

Sex scene with OW or OM: No

Cheating: No But the h is made to believe that the H did in the past.

Separation: Yes They are separated for ~5 years. Both of them had other partners during this time.

Possible Triggers: Yes Unexpected pregnancy (off and on page), and the h is made to believe that the H cheated on her and didn't want anything to do with their daughter (off page)

Closure: This had alright closure, but I would've liked more time with them as a successful couple and maybe a farther glimpse into their future. I would call this a HFN ending, but others might be fine in labeling this a HEA the h is pregnant and the H proposes

Safety: This one is probably either Safe or Safe with exception for most safety gang readers depending on personal preferences.

- Does Not have cheating (see above)
- Does Not have a descriptive sex scene with OW/OM
- Does have both the h and H pushing away
- Does have a separation between the h and H
- Does Not have abuse
- Does Not have a HEA ending

[Nikki · Rating 1 out of 5]

DNF @ 40%
SPOILERS BELOW!!

This book is not for me.

A- He breaks up with heroine over the phone saying he cheated, Ok so fuck you and break up I get that BUT he lied about it.............. So instead of explaining he had to focus on his career, he went and lied like a baby bitch. I would rather have you cheat on me and tell me then lie and say you cheated and not.

B- After this phone break up she becomes pregnant (of course) and for some reason cannot contact him, so all she does to tell THE FATHER OF HER CHILD she is pregnant is contact his manager, and leaves it alone.

C- This so-called child only says certain words incorrectly everytime and I just could not read anymore because I love kids but this book was making me go crazy.

[Sonya ♕Chatterbooks book blog♕ · Rating 3 out of 5]

“This man…. He ruins me. Every word. Every look. Every touch. But there’s no one I'd rather be ruined by than him. “

I’m a huge fan of second chance romances. Missed connections, wrong timing, manipulations, whatever it was that made the love of your life walk out the door, I’m all for picking up the pieces and trying to move on. Only to come and find out, that you can’t really move on because that person who left? Took your heart in the process and just seeing them again, will bring out the best and worst in you.



At the age of fifteen, Cam knew that she were looking into the eyes of the love of her life for the very first time. From the moment they met, Zeus became Cam’s everything and the feeling was mutual. For four years they were happy and in love. That is, until everything changed and one phone call wrecked the course of their lives.

Now five years later, Cam is a different person. She’s stronger, more confident, and she tries her best to do a very important job. But the past has a way of never staying in it’s place and with that , you get a man like Zeus showing up on your doorstep out of the blue. Hey.. Real love isn’t without a little complication.

First off let me just say that I freaking loved Zeus!! I felt for him in everything and I just loved him as a person. He was most certainly stubborn a few times but he fought like hell to get Cam back. His love never wavered and I Iiked the fact that for such a macho man, he had his vulnerable moments and that showed he was human. Now as for Cam, I did not like her at all! I’m sorry but you know what they say..



I definitely understood her hesitation and concerns when it came to letting Zeus back into her life but it took her waaay too long to get over her anger and resentment. I felt like Zeus was waking on egg shells around this chick and I wanted to shake the hell out of her and tell her to stop being so petty but you know what? I’ve never been in a situation like her and everyone reacts differently. I guess this was her way.

If you’re looking for a semi angst second chance story, then you should give this one a try.



   

[Deanna❤Pink Lady❤️ · Rating 5 out of 5]

Second chance love with the love of your life can be angsty, nostalgic, hurtful, and hopeful. But trusting someone who broke your heart and your faith in that love can also be a difficult hurdle to overcome.

I found this story to be sweet and light with the perfect blend of angsty and hopefulness. Young love, sidetracked and derailed, only to be so strong that it couldn’t be forgotten. Zeus and Cam were young when they fell in love. But their love got tested and it crumbled. But 5 years later, Zeus sees Cam again and it’s...... ”Let’s Get Ready To Rumble”

I loved that Cam didn’t cave when Zeus showed back up in her life. She made him work and show her that he was in fact back for good. When he left her she was heartbroken and the heart never forgets. She was wary and untrusting. Zeus really had to show and prove to Cam that he was back because it was always her and never anyone else.

A feel good, sweet second chance love story that pushes all the right buttons. It’s not instantaneous but a slow easy simmer that eventually shows all the love and passion that these two have for one another. The trusting issue is present throughout the story but Zeus is determined to win over the love of his life again no matter what it takes. His sexy, jealous, passionate, alpha self knows he can’t hold back the punches when trying to win back Cam. Though Cam is wary about this being too good to be true, she takes her time and makes Zeus work and prove his love.

This is a fast paced book and an easy read. One that will melt your heart and leave you smiling. The Epilogue was wonderful❤️❤️❤️

[Jo - •.• Midlife Cosy Reader •.• · Rating 5 out of 5]

* * Spoiler free review * *

Freaking. Loved. This. Book.

This was my indulgent weekend read that I was constantly sneak reading in between a few social engagements and when I wasn’t reading I was thinking about how soon I could get back to it. I could not put this book down!

Cam & Zeus meet in high school and pretty much fall in love while riding on the ferris wheel in the rain at the local fair. Zeus has a very promising future ahead of him as a boxer and is already winning tournaments, being noticed by key people in the industry. Cam is a talented ballet dancer and plans to attend Julliard after graduating.

They both do what they had planned for themselves but their relationship is very long distance. They love each other so they make it work but Zeus is travelling most of the time so they only get stolen moments together as they need to focus on their individual pursuits. Until one phonecall changes everything, leaving them both broken hearted.

Five years later, Cam now lives in Manhattan with her Aunt Ellie and has two jobs which keeps her really busy. A standard day job and an evening weekend job dancing at a club, this one is purely for her to still indulge in her love of dancing. However, this is what leads to her seeing Zeus again, for the first time since he ended things between them.

Zeus has achieved every possible award / trophy he aspired to have and is preparing for his next upcoming fight. Seeing Cameron is a huge shock, not just because he hasn’t seen her in years but the fact that she is dancing in minimal clothing in front of other men has him completely confused.

‘His eyes swing back to me. The look on his face slays me, and for a second, I feel like I might burst into tears. Those striking eyes of his are glittering with emotion. I give him a tremulous smile. It’s all I can manage.’

Cameron is just as shocked at seeing Zeus and is quick to get away from him as fast as she can. Therefore when he shows up on her doorstep the next day to see her, she is absolutely furious to see him again. Apparently five years of not seeing him has done nothing to her attraction to him, this frustrates her even more. And then he calls her Dove, his special name for her.

Zeus has never gotten over Cam, he knows he broke her heart when he ended things with her but his was broken too. He thought he was doing the right thing for both of them at the time but he soon discovers that it was the worst decision of his life. He could have reached out to Cam at any time these past few years but he never tried to.

‘And that’s the reason I’ll never believe a single thing you tell me, Zeus. Because, when you love someone – really love them – you fight for them. You fight really hard and dirty, no matter the cost to yourself. And not once have you ever fought for me.’

It is evident that these two really still do love each other and Zeus begins to realise how wrong he got things, he was influenced by people that were driven by money and it cost him the most important thing he values above everyone else, his family. He is determined to win his Dove back and show her that she can believe in him and trust his love for her. He never stopped loving her.

There is so much more to this story that I have not even skimmed on because I am not a fan of spoilers and when you read this book you will see why I left so much out of this review. What I can say is that stories like this are my book junkie kryptonite and I LOVED every moment of this one!

[Bri · Rating 4 out of 5]

Get it here:
Amazon US * Amazon UK

Re-read 9/1/2020



I'm not the biggest fan of second chance romances, which is why I let this book sit for so long on my Kindle even though it's by an author I really like. I'm glad I finally decided to pick it up because I thoroughly enjoyed the story and getting to meet these characters. There was still that element of angst from Zeus and Cam coming back into each others lives, but I didn't find it to be too over the top and instead it was done very realistically with the slow build up to them trusting each other again.

I thought both Zeus and Cam were very well developed characters and had a lot of growth throughout the story. It was easy to become captivated with them and what was going to happen with their relationship. I also enjoyed the secondary characters that were featured and they all piqued my interest of whats to come with them.

My complaint with this book comes from the blurb, which I know is something weird to complain about but it had me a little disappointed. When I read the blurb it sounded like Zeus being a boxer and what happened in the ring when he became the heavyweight champion was going to be a big deal. But then it really wasn't and for the most part it wasn't exactly a huge part of the story. Same with Cam, her dancing was barely part of the story but the blurb had me thinking it would be. That was just my take on it though and maybe I read more into the blurb than I should have, but either way it was a little disappointing when I didn't get those aspects that I thought I would.

Bottom line, this is a book I would recommend for anyone that likes angsty and hot stories. I'm already dying to get more from the series and I have high hopes for whats to come.

[Bev · Rating 3 out of 5]

Angsty, second chance romance with a good grovel and a strong heroine - all the things I love in my CR reads. However, a couple of things annoyed me:

Cameron .... I love how strong and sassy she was and that she put Gigi first, but I admit her push and pull/round and round got a bit old after a while. She wasn't celibate whilst they were apart, I really liked that she wasn't "saving herself" for him.

Zeus .... I couldn't decide whether he was punch drunk after all the hits to the head (he's a boxer) or just a plain moron for pulling the move that separated them five years before because .... bloody stupid! I would have preferred it if he HAD cheated instead of his weak and pathetic reason for the breakup.

The middle dragged on and on with the constant pushing away (I think I said that already lol)

Loved Aunt Ellie and Gigi, loved the writing and banter too.

3.5 stars

[JewelsyGoolsy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ok grovel. Nice story. But wasn’t feeling the sparks between the MCs as much as I would have liked.

[Malene · Rating 3 out of 5]

Zeus Kincaid was just delicious. Talk about a softie at heart and an alpha in bed. His road back to Cam and gaining her trust and forgiveness was long but it was filled with many swoon worthy moments. When he, Cam and their daughter Gigi we’re together the story shined. Also when Cam and her aunt Ella had scenes together they made me smiled. I really enjoyed Ruin.
So why only 3 Stars. Well, I had a couple of issues with the story. The reason for Cam and Zeus spending 5 years apart was a little too easy. I expected more cause what caused their separation could easily be fixed. I would have loved more background story from when they met at fifteen and seventeen besides their first meeting cut to when their relationship ended. One POV from Zeus was not enough. I needed more. Overall I really enjoyed Ruin thanks to the characters connection and the emotional impact.

3 BadAssDirtyDoveStars

[Roobie · Rating 4 out of 5]

⭐️4.5 stars⭐️

I was born to do this.
And every fucking thing I've lost and had to sacrifice to get here will be worth it.
The hush comes. My heart pounds harder and faster.
I get to my feet.
The cameras move in front of me. I don't focus on them. I can't. I'm already in my head.
Walk to the ring. Fight. Win.
That's all I can think about.
And it's time.
My eyes meet Scott's across the ring.
He looks hard. Empty.
But I'm harder. Emptier.
The bell rings, and I go in, fists up.

Gods, that was a sweet book!

[Iman · Rating 1 out of 5]

DNF
Sooooo Zeus did not try to get in touch with Cam (the love of his life) once after dumping her over the phone to focus on his career (what an asshole reason), and telling her he had cheated(a lie but still)

And 5 years later, after seeing her by chance in a club he absolutely needs to reconnect?

And it turns out they have a kid he never knew about, and wants to know, and Cam forgets all about the phone-dumping and decides to reconnect with him?

This makes no sense, I am ranting after not even 10% of the book...I think i will not finish this book, not until Someone writes an alternate version where Cam has. A backbone

[✰ Bianca ✰ BJ's Book Blog ✰ · Rating 5 out of 5]

BEFORE READING - MY REVIEW MIGHT SPOIL A TINY LITTLE BIT - YOU MIGHT WANT TO STOP READING IF YOU'RE SCARED OF SPOILERS! It's not too much, most of it can be assumed from the blurb anyway and the rest will become clear in the first pages - but still. ☺
a bit weird that I did that in this case - I usually never spoil - but maybe here it's all happening in the very beginning of the book, so it's not really spoilerish in my opinion.



When Cam was 15 she met the love of her life Zeus. He was 17 and the hottest guy in Coney Island. They were inseparable until Zeus's boxing career took off. He left for the Olympics and he kinda left Cam behind. And then he cheated on her and changed his number. No way to reach him. And she had to reach him with some big news. But she only got his manager - who told her Zeus didn't want anything to do with her. But of course we all know that things were not really as they seemed back then. Only Cam didn't suspect a thing.

Now, five years later, Zeus is back.

But Cam is not at all ready to welcome him with open arms.

But someone else is. Gigi.

And Zeus has to fight his biggest fight yet: win back his two girls!

What will happen with Cam, Zeus & Gigi?
Will the 3 of them get their HEA?
READ THE BOOK TO FIND OUT! ☺

══════════════════════════





Awww, that was adorable!!!

I'm not a fan of fighter romances. But Zeus is really adorable.
And we don't get much fighting action!



The main focus in the beginning is the new relationship between dad and daughter. So cute. Total ovary-expoloding material!



And then we want Zeus and Cam to fall back in love again and live happily ever after.

But of course it will take a while for that to happen. Poor Zeus has to fight really hard to win his biggest fight yet: get Cam to forgive him.

But we'll have an amazing time reading about that journey! Even though Cam got on my nerves a bit with her constant I WILL NEVER BE ABLE TO TRUST HIM AGAIN spiel. Ugh. That woman. Take him back or I will!!!!! ☺

It was such an adorable second-chance romance with lots of sweet and cute daddy-daughter moments and lots of sparks and fighting and between Cam and Zeus. They still love each other so much!!! But so much has happened. Ugh. I just want to throw that stupid manager out of the next window! He destroyed everything between them.

And we also met the future heroes of this series - Zeus's siblings! The first one is a football star! Eeep!

RUIN was such an adorable & moving & sexy 2nd-chance-romance. Run to your nearest amazon for your own Zeus - this one is MINE!!! ☺ Even though I have no idea how to pronounce the name in English. German sounds manlier in that case [tsoys].☺

Some tiny little things I didn't like - but don't worry, that's just my reading weirdness. I hate the word AS. In the non-comparing meaning. You know the one I mean? The one that could be exchanged for a semicolon, a since or a because. It's a British thing (and maybe a legal/official thing too) and obviously Sam is British, but the book and all its characters are American, so I hate that word in that book! No idea why, but I always hate it. I have never in my life heard a young American person use that word in conversations, so I don't want it in my books! And it's in this book A LOT!!!!!

And the other thing. In the beginning of the book it was mentioned SO often in so many different ways - that Zeus probably didn't know he had a kid. It was waaay too obvious. Some of those mentions should've been edited out. It was way too much. The reader has to guess a little at things, not be hit in the face with stuff so obviously.

End of rant!☺☺☺ I really LOVED the story, in case that didn't come across just now ☺☺☺


♡ ♡ ♡

[Gökçe · Rating 2 out of 5]

First things first: I didn't feel anything. That was this book's problem.

Cam and Zeus are high school sweethearts. Zeus is a boxer, he has a responsibility toward his siblings and he has to make money. After four years with Cam, he believes his manager about Cam being a distraction for him and that she deserves someone better than him, he breaks things off with her. And by that, he tells her that he slept with someone else. After five years they meet again and Zeus finds out that he has a daughter he didn't know about. Now he tries to win both his girls.

Secret child thing is not my cuppa but in this book, it was an understandable situation so I brushed that aside. The characters meet, talk, fight, have sex and I didn't feel any of it. It was almost like robotic. There was a scene where the heroine calls her aunt "mom" (because she raised her) after 20 something years and I felt nothing! I expected that moment to make sense but it wasn't. I wasn't even emotional. She keeps fighting with herself about loving Zeus but all that felt fake.
To be honest reading five-year-old kid's sentences was mostly boring. So the book wasn't satisfying for me. I didn't feel the love between main characters. And honestly, I don't even believe that Zeus loved Cameron enough in the first place.

This was my first book by this author. I must say her name choices are stupid. What kind of name is Zeus anyway? And don't forget his siblings: Ares, Apollo and Artemis. Guess who got bullied a lot in school?

This is just a guess but I wouldn't be surprised if the author writes about Scott and Missy. Mark my words :D

[Jena]

Self note
Avoid

H and h dated for years.
He dumps her for his career.
Lies about cheating on her over the phone, so she would stay gone, and then changed his number. 😒 they were together for 4 yrs and that’s how H ends things. Wow..

Secret baby happens.
They’re with OP.
Five years later…
They accidentally meet so 2nd chance happens. He didn’t go looking for her, he never planned to find her.

The h has a spine of jellyfish.
Lots of body betraying happens ..🙄
The kid seals the deal.