Breathless

Love Serial #1

by Maria Luis

***BREATHLESS will be free from December 14th-19th***

Jake Matthews has seen me at my worst.

We’re talking me dressed in a chicken-suit, selling fried wings for his family’s restaurant kind of bad--a fact he never lets me forget.

He’s arrogance wrapped up in Hollywood good looks.
A New York City lawyer who owns vintage cars (I’m pretty sure he’s overcompensating), and who takes delight in driving me insane.

I wouldn’t mind punching him in his handsome face. I also wouldn’t mind kissing him, just to shut him up.

And then he sends me a note: “When you bite into a cherry, just know that I’m imagining the same. Your legs over my shoulders. My mouth tasting your sweet heat. Your fingers tugging at my hair. I want you, Claire. But you already know that, don’t you?”

Under all that sex appeal and swagger is a man who won’t stop until he’s left me breathless...


From the author: BREATHLESS is the first of my Love Serials, a reader-based novella that took place on my website over the course of Summer 2017. Each week, readers cast their votes for what they wanted to happen next in the story. I didn't know what would happen. My readers didn't know what would happen. What transpired were ties, blindsides, and a good dose of sexy-times. I hope you will enjoy Jake & Claire's story, and I hope to see you in the voting during the next Love Serial...which begins on December 14th! Happy reading. xoxo

Genres: Romance, Novella, Rom Com, Contemporary, Enemies To Lovers, Contemporary Romance, M F Romance

140 pages, Kindle Edition

First published December 11, 2017

About the author

Maria Luis is an Amazon Top 25 Bestselling Author.

Historian by day and romance novelist by night, Maria lives in New Orleans, and loves bringing the city's cultural flair into her books. When Maria isn't frantically typing with hot chocolate in hand, she can be found binging on reality TV, going on adventures with her other half and two pups, or plotting her next flirty romance.

★ Looking for something quick, fun and sexy to read? Check out these freebies on Maria's website! (Available: Breathless, Undeniable, and The First Fix): https://www.marialuis.org/free-books

Stalk Maria in the wild at:

★ Facebook: facebook.com/marialuisauthor

★ Book Boyfriends Anonymous: http://bit.ly/MariaLuisBBA

★ Instagram: http://bit.ly/MariaLuisIG

★ TikTok: tiktok.com/@marialuisauthor

★ Website: www.marialuis.org

★ Bookbub: http://bit.ly/MariaLuisBB

Maria loves to hear from readers!

Reviews

[C.K. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rating: 4.5

Breathless was originally released as a newsletter serial. One part was released very week for a few months. I think it was 11 parts. It was neat because readers got to choose what happened next in the story. At the end of each part readers were given a multiple choice voting poll and the read got to pick which option they liked the best. The option that was chosen by the majority of the readers won. Sometimes there was a tie so the author tried to tried to incorporate both choices.

Due to how well the serial was received, the author decided to publish Breathless in e-book form. The book will be available for free from December 14th-19th. Breathless will also be available on Kindle Unlimited. Maria will be starting another newsletter serial for the second book in the serial I think on December 14th so sign up for Maria's newsletter if you want to read book two and decide what happens. I think the second serial will feature some of the side characters as the main characters. The second serial will feature a different couple.

Here is the link to sign up for Maria's newsletter: just scroll to the bottom of the page and there is a box to sign up for her newsletter
https://www.marialuis.org/contact

I really enjoyed the story and loved the characters. I thought the story was funny. It was nice that the reader didn't have to week too long for the next part to be released because a new part came out every week. It left you wanting more, but wasn't too torturous. Again I thought the fact that the readers got to choose what happened next was a really neat idea. Sometimes you read a story and wish the author would have done this or that. Well in this story the reader got to choose so it was really a book written for the readers.

[Coco.V]

💝 FREE on Amazon today (12/14/2017)! 💝

***BREATHLESS will be free from December 14th-18th***

[Princess · Rating 3 out of 5]

This one was a pretty good story but I just didn’t connect with the female lead as much as I did in the other book. I might have enjoyed it more if I had read it before the other one.

[нuѕηαн .☘︎ ݁˖ · Rating 3 out of 5]

Great storyline, amazing hero- I freaking loved Jake Matthews.. It would have been perfect if it was longer.. I would have appreciated a different kind of epilogue rather than having to read a series of texts..

[Shabby -BookBistroBlog · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love me some good ol' naughty-kinky sex, Esp where a chicken suit is involved.
This book has it all, but in stages.
First Claire Galway/Holloway is made to wear a chicken suit to sell fried chicken cause she need the money. And just then the handsome son of the owners walks in, and she's embarrassed more in front of her crush.
Soon he has a proposal she can't say no to
The sex is so so desperate and off the charts hot, pages are on fire people!!

“When you bite into a cherry, just know that I’m imagining the same. Your legs over my shoulders. My mouth tasting your sweet heat. Your fingers tugging at my hair. I want you, Claire. But you already know that, don’t you?”

Jake is a dirty talking, Uber sexy alpha and their banter was fun and engaging.
Short, sweet, sexy novella that's just fiiiiine.
4 stars for The Roost & The Hen
Follow me on:
Email🌻 Bookbub 🌻 Twitter🌻 Instagram🌻 Blog🌻 Facebook🌻 Amazon 🌻

[Michelle Monroe · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a fun and sassy little novella! I was intrigued that the author let her readers decide how the story went. Wish I had been there for that. Would have been fun!

Short but packs a punch that’s for sure. The banter between Jake and Claire was great. And let’s not forget Claire in the ridiculous chicken costume, that was great!

Jake and Claire had an explosive chemistry about them, even with her in the chicken costume. Lol. Jake, the ever the playboy, was intrigued by her ever since she started being the chicken for his family’s restaurant. He was determined to see her face and tried so hard to ignore his attraction to her. He never settled and never had girlfriends, being the player that he was. Until Claire.

And Jakes partners at the firm, his friends, are great secondary charters. Charming and all too eager to help Jake get the girl. The note on the edible arrangement was hilarious. Just saying.

Want a funny, quick witted short read? This is for you. Sweet, Sexy and sassy and I really enjoyed it.

[Maria Luis]

I'm so excited to announce that Breathless is live on Amazon/Kindle Unlimited!!
And, as a thank-you to my readers for all the support and love during my debut year, Breathless is not only live, but it is FREE from December 14th (today) until December 18th!

You can pick it up here >> http://amzn.to/2Cjq2H3

I so hope that you enjoy Jake & Claire's story, and there's a little surprise treat at the back of the book...let's just say that the voting polls are back open on my website with the start of Book 2 in the Love Serials!

xoxo
Maria

[Cathy · Rating 1 out of 5]

No, just no. What a yawn! Sorry people who do like it. Those that want to give this book a try, please read other reviews because it appears they are going to review this book fairer than me and I found this book only good as maybe a Dr’s surgery material just to pass the time.

[BookAddict · Rating 5 out of 5]

Maria Luis is one of my all-time favorite authors, and this book is an example why. She released a chapter of this book each week on her website and asked for input from her readers to direct the course of each subsequent chapter. It was great fun, as a reader, casting my vote for what should happen next and then eagerly anticipating the next chapter! With her patented sassy snark and slapstick humor, Ms. Luis immediately draws the reader into the world of Claire and Jake, with larger-than-life characters and a delightfully entertaining storyline, and before you know it, you’re at the end of the book. In fact, my intent was just to glance through the book and refamiliarize myself with it before writing a review. Then there I was, at the end of the book, and really glad to have read it again.

Claire and Jake have a love/hate relationship. He loves to see her dressed in a chicken suit advertising for his family’s restaurant and she hates him for it. He loves to tease and needle her and she hates him for it. Are you sensing a pattern? Of course Claire gives as good as she gets, and it’s clear which side the love/hate coin will land on with these two, and when they get together, well let’s just say a sauna is chilly by comparison. So if you like a book that has lots of sarcasm and humor, lots of steam, and still a ton of heart, you’ll love Claire and Jake's story. And if you’ve never read Maria Luis before, this is a great introduction to her amazing talent and gift for writing and storytelling.

[maria.g · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a sweet short story that you just have to finish in one read.
Claire is an aspiring actress who is attracted to her boss's son. She is a bit sassy and a very lovable character. Jake is a playboy lawyer who is also attracted to Claire even in her chicken suit.
Their hate or rather faux hate relationship develops into a lustful one and then into love. The short read was refreshing .I even liked the secondary characters. They were all fun to read about
I'm just sad their story ended so quickly. But maybe that's one of the reason I liked the book so much.

[Emily · Rating 2 out of 5]

There is nothing about this that is good, to be honest. The insta-love, the character inconsistencies, the plot holes. Typically, I’d give this 1* with zero commentary. However, this novella is also something I’ve never read before. The author had her readers group answer a survey to decide the plot points for weekly installments that were put together into this short story. I think that’s a ballsy exercise for an author, so I wanted to give her props and an extra star for the effort.

[Samantha Love HEA Romance Book Blog · Rating 5 out of 5]

Maria has such a knack for writing! I loved this short story so much! Breathless is a Story in the Love Serial series, where Maria posts on her web page every week with a new chapter. Her followers and fans are able to vote for what will happen in the next chapter by voting in a series of polls every week. Maria doesn’t know where the book will go and neither do the readers. I loved Jake and Claire’s story.

Jake is a bit of a playboy. He is a lawyer and owns a company with his two best friends Devin and Max. He has almost everything he wants and has worked hard to get it. He isn’t used to hearing the word “no”!

Claire is an aspiring actress who tends to work a lot of odd jobs. She sometimes needs to wear a chicken suit and hand out chicken drumsticks to pay the bills. Claire has a crush on Jake and it’s his family restaurant that pays her to dress up like a chicken. Claire is a bit of a sassy character.

I loved both Jake and Claire’s characters. Jake was so sweet and sometimes awkward while Claire was so funny and her puns were fantastic, made me laugh out loud. I laughed even louder at Max at the end “No, No, NO, my car is innocent”, I just loved that part of the book so much. And the cuffed but I didn’t see coming, nice little twist and funny! Jake and Claire had some hot chemistry through this book. The ending with the texting was so good as well! Maria just has a knack for writing the connections between the characters, they are always electric and hot! She also writes such well written stories, no matter what length they are, it’s seriously beautiful writing. I can’t wait to see what happens in the next Love Serial Story. Looking forward to Darci and Devin!

[Samantha Love HEA Romance Book Blog · Rating 5 out of 5]

Maria has such a knack for writing! I loved this short story so much! Breathless is a Story in the Love Serial series, where Maria posts on her web page every week with a new chapter. Her followers and fans are able to vote for what will happen in the next chapter by voting in a series of polls every week. Maria doesn’t know where the book will go and neither do the readers. I loved Jake and Claire’s story.

Jake is a bit of a playboy. He is a lawyer and owns a company with his two best friends Devin and Max. He has almost everything he wants and has worked hard to get it. He isn’t used to hearing the word “no”!

Claire is an aspiring actress who tends to work a lot of odd jobs. She sometimes needs to wear a chicken suit and hand out chicken drumsticks to pay the bills. Claire has a crush on Jake and it’s his family restaurant that pays her to dress up like a chicken. Claire is a bit of a sassy character.

I loved both Jake and Claire’s characters. Jake was so sweet and sometimes awkward while Claire was so funny and her puns were fantastic, made me laugh out loud. I laughed even louder at Max at the end “No, No, NO, my car is innocent”, I just loved that part of the book so much. And the cuffed but I didn’t see coming, nice little twist and funny! Jake and Claire had some hot chemistry through this book. The ending with the texting was so good as well! Maria just has a knack for writing the connections between the characters, they are always electric and hot! She also writes such well written stories, no matter what length they are, it’s seriously beautiful writing. I can’t wait to see what happens in the next Love Serial Story. Looking forward to Darci and Devin!

[Louise · Rating 4 out of 5]

So damn nice to read a story where it isn't all about getting, or even wanting to get, preggo.
Babies are not the natural result of a healthy, loving relationship.
You want them? Be my guest. Fuck like mutant bunnies. But leave a portion of the romance genre for those disinclined to breed, yeah?

Thank you, Maria Luis for writing a heroine who acknowledged her pain (Endometriosis is a fucking terrible condition) and chose her health and happiness over the expectations of society.
And thank you again for gifting us a hero who also isn't hyper-focused on making miniatures of himself and shows abject respect for the h's decision.


Goddamn refreshing, that's what this was.
Why is it so hard for people to write characters like this? Is everyone that obsessed with the norm?
It's okay to be unconventional. It's okay to be conventional, too. They're all just societal constructs. But let's write them all, yeah? So no one feels left out. Please? I'm on my knees here.


Ps. The MC were banter-fuelled, cute as fuck, filth wizards - it was delightful.

[Niki · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Breathless" by Maria Luis is a short and sweet (and undeniably steamy) read, clocking in at just around 150 pages. I will admit, my initial impression was that it felt like it could have been written by someone very new to writing, with some moments that definitely bordered on a tad cringeworthy.

However - and this is a significant however - if you're looking for a story that requires absolutely zero brainpower and can be devoured in a single sitting, "Breathless" delivers. It's a perfect mental palate cleanser, especially if you're used to reading darker romance or something more intense. While it's definitely on the smutty side (think a lot of intense teasing and making out), it's more about the build-up and the naughty thoughts. Surprisingly, as I kept reading, the humor started to shine through, and I actually laughed out loud a few times.

What started as slightly awkward became strangely addictive. It's the kind of book that's pure escapism. If you're after something low-engagement, high on the teasing, and easy to finish in one go, "Breathless" is a solid choice. Despite my initial reservations, the unexpected humor and easy flow made it surprisingly enjoyable, and I found myself entertained enough to immediately pick up the next book in the series.

[Pauline (Passionate About Books) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Breaking down protective walls...
Claire is wildly attracted to her boss' son... a gorgeous, hot-shot lawyer who seems to have the whole package! Jake is also "Breathless" with lust for her from the first moment he sees her... but she's a sharp-tongued, confident, snarky thing who doesn't leave him much space to romance her. Their trademark is a wild back-and-forth style which drives them both up the wall. The attraction to each other is only heightened when they uncover each other's weaknesses and shady past... can they put their stubbornness aside long enough and see how much in love they are? Another great book by Maria Luis I enjoyed reading so much! 5 Defenseless Stars for "Breathless"... a story about letting go, giving up your protective walls, stripping yourself emotionally and facing your fears.

[Thuy Taylor · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was so much fun! You could feel alllllll the tension, chemistry, the looks, the touches, the arguments, the snide comments, the feistiness, all of it.

I had this sitting on my kindle forever. I opened it and couldn't stop. I loved Jake and Claire's story, and afterwards I immediately dived into Devin's story. Jake is a big, owns the room, commands attention, and he is really smitten by this firecracker in a chicken suit. CHICKEN SUIT! LOL. His friendship with his partners, the whole story was fun, quick, so enjoyable, I didn't want it to end.

This concept, the Love Serial that Maria decided to do, interacting with readers, they voted on what would happen in this series was so much fun, such a cool concept. I loved it all, she is currently offering it complimentary through her website for download. Go grab it!!!

[May Kathryn · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a refreshing read! This is my first book from the author and the first chapter made me cackle because I never expected it to have a hilarious turn! And when our MCs finally shared a scene, the banter is a riot I wanted to finish it right away. And boy I'm glad I did!

Even those usual chicken jokes (or so our heroine thinks) don't feel ordinary. I feasted on them (no pun intended) because they are new to me.

Although I have to admit that my heart breaks for the heroine at some point. I trust that the author has her reasons, seeing them in my reading is just heartbreaking (NTM our hero made a dick move at the latter part!). But in the end, it was all good and I am glad it did.

This won't definitely my last book from her. In fact, I think there is a potential couple brewing in here and they are the next book and I cannot wait to find out about them!

[T. Rosado · Rating 4 out of 5]

4+ Stars

I read this as a weekly released serial on the author's website where the reader helped (by multiple choice questions) choose the direction of the next chapter. It was a unique and fun way to be involved with the creation of a romantic comedy novella. I was truly amazed at the skill and creativity of the writing. This little serial novella spurred me to keep reading this new author's books and with each release I'm more impressed than the last. I haven't read the finished copy of Breathless, so I can't speak for any revisions that might have been made, but this was a sweet and funny little story with just a touch of angst and an amusing HEA.

[Quinn Fforde · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this each week as it was being written and had a great time voting after each chapter. Ms. Luis has a true genius for surprising chapter endings, so I was excited to see what was coming next. I had just as much fun reading the whole thing on my Kindle. I kept thinking, "Oh, I forgot that!" and laughing all over again. There are tons of laughs in here along with the surprises, and I may have teared up a time or two. The last chapter is amazingly unique, and the epilogue is so naughty in the best way. I'm already hooked on the series following this!

[Alexis Krobatsch · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fun, witty, quick read. I learned of this book upon its release, not knowing what a "Love Serial" was. Now that I know readers had a voice in how the story played out I love it even more. One chapter is released a week with options given at the end as to how the story should proceed. Most votes wins! This is like a "Choose your own adventure" for romance. I love this idea and Maria produced a wonderful story that flowed seamlessly; you'd never know it was directed by fans. It's impressive and fun to read.

[Malini Stargirl · Rating 4 out of 5]

I downloaded this ebook for free from the links on the author's instagram and am leaving this review voluntarily
It was a great idea to let readers vote on what they want to happen next, wished I was part of that! But, nevertheless, I love the story. It was an easy and light read, funny and witty and of course, sexy! Strong chemistry between Claire and Jake. It is a short story and that's what makes you crave more, well, for me I guess 😊
Looking forward to the next story in this series 'Undeniable' 🤩

[Lisa Guzman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this story

This is a new author for me. Saw the blurb for this story and thought how interesting it was because it was reader driven. <— does that even make sense??? Anyways loved the whole chemistry of Jake and Claire and how they came together. Definitely will want to connect with this author to see where her next serial will be coming out. Loved the premise behind the story.

[Annie Wizel · Rating 3 out of 5]

I would have to give this book a 3.5 out of 5 star rating. I loved the storyline, it made for a great book and the characters Claire and Jake were perfect for each other in each and every way, I actually liked one of the last chapters in the book where the two main characters Claire and Jake had a major life changing relationship discussion but that only made them more perfect for each other. I recommend this book to anyone wanting a quick, easy, cute and fun read.

[K B · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 stars
I purchased Breathless by Maria Luis December 14, 2018 and this review was given freely.
Growing up in the system, Claire works through her feelings of isolation and abandonment to accept the love of playboy lawyer Jack. Breathless is a complex full length romance that is witty, snarky, ironic, comical, steamy without excessive graphics, and both heart warming and hilarious with hints of future stories.

[Karen · Rating 5 out of 5]

This novella is a quick, excellent read. Characters that are easy to like and the chemistry between the hero and heroine is on fire!

Luis has a unique way of instantly pulling you into a story and not putting the book down until you've finished it! The book easily flows through the story and you instantly fall in love with the characters. I was excited to continue to Book 2 in this short story series because you love the secondary characters as much as the primary ones!

[Kirsty McCracken · Rating 3 out of 5]

You think it's just gonna be a fluffy kinda-sorta-enemies-to-lovers romance novella and then BAM she hits you smack in the feels and oooft. The only reason I'm not scoring it higher is the insta-love and the fact it was over too quick imo. I wanted more. HOWEVER. I adored the communication. Yes there was a hiccup but it wasn't prolonged and it was sorted and the pair communicated, honestly, imo better than so very many romance novel couples ever do in much longer stories.

[Jennifer Peer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow! What a steamy yet sweet romance! Claire and Jake don't seem to like each other when we meet the. But there are signs it's all a sham underneath the surface. The tension between these two jumps off the pages and sets the stage for what's to come.

Love these two together and the friends on the side are hilarious. This is an excellent read with enough heat to singe the pages. Highly recommended for anyone who loves heat, hilarity, and a slight frenemies trope.

[Lulu G · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was ok.

Normally I would have rated this type of a book 2 stars but I do like the flow and description of scenes so I gave it an extra star.

What I am on the fence with is the quick from meeting to saying “I love you” turnaround. From what I gather it was a total of 7 weeks (6 weeks of banter then 1 week until the gala). I mean I understand that this was a novella type book and the fans rated the scenes but the story and characters were not fully developed for my liking.

[C. Santos-Logan · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love a man who knows what he likes (wants)

Who wouldn't hold out for a kiss or touch that leaves you breathless? This was one take of continuous passion and desire. Jake's partner were like Dumb and Dumber; but, their hearts were in the right places. Reminded me of Frat brothers...