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Razor Bay #1
See ongi armastus
Mehe kohta, kelle kägistamisest naine on unistanud, näeb Jake Bradshaw igal juhul kena välja. Tegelikult tekitab ta võõrastemajapidaja Jenny Salazaris tõsist kiusatust oma käsi paremini kasutada. Ainult et see on mees, kes jättis Razor Bay – ja oma väikese poja Austini, keda Jenny armastab nagu enda oma –, et hakata maailmarändurist fotograafiks. Ta ei saa nüüd lihtsalt sisse marssida ja Austinit endale nõuda.
Jake oli ise vaevalt enamat kui laps, kui ta isaks sai. Muidugi oli ta kuurortlinnast pagemisest unistanud, aga ta oli ka siiralt uskunud, et Austinil on vanavanemate juures parem. Nüüd tahab ta – ei, tal tuleb – oma viga heastada. Ta kavatseb seniks Razor Baysse jääda, kuni tal õnnestub veenda Austinit endaga New Yorki kolima. Probleem on selles, et kui seksikas, kaitsev, täiesti vastupandamatu Jenny on tema elus, tema voodis, ei tahagi ta võibolla kunagi ära minna...
Jake oli ise vaevalt enamat kui laps, kui ta isaks sai. Muidugi oli ta kuurortlinnast pagemisest unistanud, aga ta oli ka siiralt uskunud, et Austinil on vanavanemate juures parem. Nüüd tahab ta – ei, tal tuleb – oma viga heastada. Ta kavatseb seniks Razor Baysse jääda, kuni tal õnnestub veenda Austinit endaga New Yorki kolima. Probleem on selles, et kui seksikas, kaitsev, täiesti vastupandamatu Jenny on tema elus, tema voodis, ei tahagi ta võibolla kunagi ära minna...
349 pages, Paperback
First published July 26, 2012
100 people are currently reading
981 people want to read
About the author
Susan Andersen
104 books1,275 followersI grew up in a household with two brothers, a daddy, and my grandfather. Too many men, in other words. They diluted M'ma's influence by diverting my attention to things like the danger of answering nature's call in the dead of the night. I've got a hint for those of you raised in a less spit-and-scratch world: check before you sit, because chances are that seat is gonna be up. And they don't even have the grace to be embarrassed about it. According to my sweet baby boy, if you're the minority sex in the household, you oughtta be putting it up for them. Sigh.
Having brothers was a mixed bag. When anybody messed with me they were always quick with an offer to beat them up. That was sorta nice, although I personally believe it had more to do with the fact that guys just like to fight than with any towering concern for my welfare. You might think that's cynical but guess who the target was if no one else was around and they were tired of fighting each other? I must've spent half my childhood locked in the bathroom, screaming, "Dad's gonna get you when he gets home." I know, I know, nobody likes a stoolie. But it was either that or have my block knocked off on a regular basis, and trust me, Daddy was the best deterrent going.
A smart woman probably would've gone away to an all-girl school or moved in with some girlfriends at the first opportunity. Me, I got married to my high school sweetie. And the tradition continues. Our only kid (who hasn't been a kid for quite some time now) is the aforementioned sweet baby boy, and except for an Irish setter we had for eleven years a long time ago, even our pets have all been male. I just try to stay afloat whenever I find myself in the deep end of the testosterone pool, and if you don't think that isn't a trial sometimes, I'm here to tell you- it can be hell.
Then again, it can also be heaven. In fact, it mostly is. But listen, don't tell my guys I 'fessed up to that, okay? Trust me, it's difficult enough already, just trying to stay one step ahead of the game.
Having brothers was a mixed bag. When anybody messed with me they were always quick with an offer to beat them up. That was sorta nice, although I personally believe it had more to do with the fact that guys just like to fight than with any towering concern for my welfare. You might think that's cynical but guess who the target was if no one else was around and they were tired of fighting each other? I must've spent half my childhood locked in the bathroom, screaming, "Dad's gonna get you when he gets home." I know, I know, nobody likes a stoolie. But it was either that or have my block knocked off on a regular basis, and trust me, Daddy was the best deterrent going.
A smart woman probably would've gone away to an all-girl school or moved in with some girlfriends at the first opportunity. Me, I got married to my high school sweetie. And the tradition continues. Our only kid (who hasn't been a kid for quite some time now) is the aforementioned sweet baby boy, and except for an Irish setter we had for eleven years a long time ago, even our pets have all been male. I just try to stay afloat whenever I find myself in the deep end of the testosterone pool, and if you don't think that isn't a trial sometimes, I'm here to tell you- it can be hell.
Then again, it can also be heaven. In fact, it mostly is. But listen, don't tell my guys I 'fessed up to that, okay? Trust me, it's difficult enough already, just trying to stay one step ahead of the game.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 155 reviews
July 1, 2012
Review Now Posted
3/5 Stars
This is a story about Jenny Salazar, Jake Bradshaw and Austin Bradshaw. I will include Austin as we got to read a lot about him and his thoughts and feelings etc, so it was definitely a book about the three of them.
Jake was returning to Razor Bay after a 13 year absence. In high school his girlfriend Kari had got pregnant and although he had a scholarship set up he did what was right and they got married, but sadly she died fairly soon after Austin was born. Kari’s parents (Emmett & Kathy Pierce) offered to look after the child whilst Jake went away and got his education and he jumped at the chance. The only problem was that he never came back and Austin was raised by his Grandparents. Sadly Emmett & Kathy have now passed away and 13 year old Austin is living with Jenny. At the age of 16 Jenny was taken under the wing of the Pierces, and the then 3 year old Austin soon became attached to her and looked upon her as his sister.
Jake is determined that he will not live in Razor Bay again and that the boy must go and live with him in New York, but he agreed with Jenny to give Austin a couple of months to get used to him before uprooting him. Needless to say in this time Jake and Jenny initially fight their attraction to each other but soon give in and in the end get their HEA.
I did enjoy the story but I just didn’t love it, for me there were a few issues/problems that I just couldn’t get past. I really liked reading about Austin and I had loads of admiration for Jenny but I just couldn’t connect to Jake’s character. I never really got over the fact that he had no contact with his son. I understood why he went away to get his education, after all he was still very young himself, but for me personally I just didn’t like that he never looked back nor did he stand up and take responsibility for Austin. In the end his in-laws completely cut him out of Austin’s life as they were tired of seeing the boy get his hopes up which were completely dashed.
I didn’t feel any romance between Jenny & Jake and in fact in one scene where Jenny knocks on his door he asked her why she was there and her answer was ‘a booty call’ and that’s what all of the sex scenes felt like, for me there was just no connection…I think if I had of felt a connection between them then I would have enjoyed it more, but for me it was just run of the mill and just didn’t hit the mark!
Having not read any Susan Andersen before I didn’t know what to expect but I had seen some fairly good reviews on previous releases, hence the reason I thought I would give this a go. The problems that I had were personal to me and therefore other readers will probably not have an issue with them, but because of them I couldn’t rate this book higher than 3/5 stars.
If I was asked if I would read this author again I would probably say no, but that decision would be on the basis of this story alone and in order for me to be fair to the Ms Andersen, I really do think that I need to read at least one other of her books before making that decision.
ARC kindly supplied by Harlequin via Netgalley
3/5 Stars
This is a story about Jenny Salazar, Jake Bradshaw and Austin Bradshaw. I will include Austin as we got to read a lot about him and his thoughts and feelings etc, so it was definitely a book about the three of them.
Jake was returning to Razor Bay after a 13 year absence. In high school his girlfriend Kari had got pregnant and although he had a scholarship set up he did what was right and they got married, but sadly she died fairly soon after Austin was born. Kari’s parents (Emmett & Kathy Pierce) offered to look after the child whilst Jake went away and got his education and he jumped at the chance. The only problem was that he never came back and Austin was raised by his Grandparents. Sadly Emmett & Kathy have now passed away and 13 year old Austin is living with Jenny. At the age of 16 Jenny was taken under the wing of the Pierces, and the then 3 year old Austin soon became attached to her and looked upon her as his sister.
Jake is determined that he will not live in Razor Bay again and that the boy must go and live with him in New York, but he agreed with Jenny to give Austin a couple of months to get used to him before uprooting him. Needless to say in this time Jake and Jenny initially fight their attraction to each other but soon give in and in the end get their HEA.
I did enjoy the story but I just didn’t love it, for me there were a few issues/problems that I just couldn’t get past. I really liked reading about Austin and I had loads of admiration for Jenny but I just couldn’t connect to Jake’s character. I never really got over the fact that he had no contact with his son. I understood why he went away to get his education, after all he was still very young himself, but for me personally I just didn’t like that he never looked back nor did he stand up and take responsibility for Austin. In the end his in-laws completely cut him out of Austin’s life as they were tired of seeing the boy get his hopes up which were completely dashed.
I didn’t feel any romance between Jenny & Jake and in fact in one scene where Jenny knocks on his door he asked her why she was there and her answer was ‘a booty call’ and that’s what all of the sex scenes felt like, for me there was just no connection…I think if I had of felt a connection between them then I would have enjoyed it more, but for me it was just run of the mill and just didn’t hit the mark!
Having not read any Susan Andersen before I didn’t know what to expect but I had seen some fairly good reviews on previous releases, hence the reason I thought I would give this a go. The problems that I had were personal to me and therefore other readers will probably not have an issue with them, but because of them I couldn’t rate this book higher than 3/5 stars.
If I was asked if I would read this author again I would probably say no, but that decision would be on the basis of this story alone and in order for me to be fair to the Ms Andersen, I really do think that I need to read at least one other of her books before making that decision.
ARC kindly supplied by Harlequin via Netgalley
February 2, 2016
Because of my mad love for Susan Anderson I gave this 3 stars. Jake was a jerk, who abandoned his kid. Now admittedly he was very young when Austin was born and the grandparents stepped in, but there was no excuse once he was out of college...none. He never really redeemed himself in my eyes. Now to be fair, I have really hard feeling about guys who abandoned there kids, so there was really nothing that he was going to be able to do that was going to make this right for me. Even there at the end, he was still trying to get out of being a dad....so he was scared and going to run like jackrabbit. There is only so much you can blame on your childhood...was his crappy...sure it was, but no reason to continue with the daddy issue. Now having said that...I really like Max and think his story is going to be awesome and I can't wait for the next Razor Bay.
June 24, 2012
Susan Andersen is an author that I loved reading way back when. I loved her books Obsessed and Present Danger. They are dark, sexy, and gritty. She quickly left dark and gritty and became funny, cute and lighthearted. Suffice it to say I really want dark, edgy and sexy back!
Jake is a famous professional photographer who has traveled the world over all the while neglecting his home of Razor Bay – and more importantly his son whom he left behind. He hasn’t been a father figure in any sense of the word and now he’s back to pick up the slack and attempt a relationship with his 13 year old son. There’s a little bit of a snag though; Jenny, his son’s temporary guardian. She’s been with him since he was a toddler, loves him like a little brother and isn’t about to let him go to a man who he doesn’t know and has never been there for him.
I think this plot had a lot of promising potential, unfortunately I didn’t really feel any chemistry between Jenny and Jake. At times the writing felt confusing. One moment, they’re acting like preteens who’ve never dealt with adult feelings and issues and then the next moment they’re having very adult thoughts and reactions. It made me not really like either Jake or Jenny and it made it feel like their feelings were not genuine and real.
I’ve wanted to get back into a Susan Andersen for a long time and I was really hoping that this series would do it for me, but I don’t think that will be the case. I didn’t fall in love with the town or the people in the town. I imagine the next book in the series will be about Jake’s half brother, but I didn’t even like him in this book. Ultimately, I do love Susan Andersen, I will read her again – but I’m looking for something really deep that I can stink my teeth in.
Find my reviews at page 317.
Jake is a famous professional photographer who has traveled the world over all the while neglecting his home of Razor Bay – and more importantly his son whom he left behind. He hasn’t been a father figure in any sense of the word and now he’s back to pick up the slack and attempt a relationship with his 13 year old son. There’s a little bit of a snag though; Jenny, his son’s temporary guardian. She’s been with him since he was a toddler, loves him like a little brother and isn’t about to let him go to a man who he doesn’t know and has never been there for him.
I think this plot had a lot of promising potential, unfortunately I didn’t really feel any chemistry between Jenny and Jake. At times the writing felt confusing. One moment, they’re acting like preteens who’ve never dealt with adult feelings and issues and then the next moment they’re having very adult thoughts and reactions. It made me not really like either Jake or Jenny and it made it feel like their feelings were not genuine and real.
I’ve wanted to get back into a Susan Andersen for a long time and I was really hoping that this series would do it for me, but I don’t think that will be the case. I didn’t fall in love with the town or the people in the town. I imagine the next book in the series will be about Jake’s half brother, but I didn’t even like him in this book. Ultimately, I do love Susan Andersen, I will read her again – but I’m looking for something really deep that I can stink my teeth in.
Find my reviews at page 317.
November 13, 2013
Really did not fancy the charters or the narration .... :/
overall this book kinna sucked for me.
i definatly wont be recommending this to anyone,anytime soon.Not even as a light one time read. sorry :P
overall this book kinna sucked for me.
i definatly wont be recommending this to anyone,anytime soon.Not even as a light one time read. sorry :P
July 28, 2012
Susan Andersen is an author who I always read as soon as her books are out. That Thing Called Love is the start of her Razor Bay series and has a very intriguing setup, a hero who isn't really heroic, after all he hasn't seen his thirteen year old son since he was born, so I was mighty interested in how we could fall in love with Jake and by the end of the book I did warm up to him a bit if not fall over him.
Jake is a famous photographer who carries his family history like a shield, after all his father abandoned many families so he thinks he is unlucky in love and his own one shot didn't go very well. His girlfriend got pregnant in their senior year of high school, they got married and that didn't go very well, he declined the scholarship that would have taken him out of the town he badly wanted to leave and took a job, then she died and he was left with a baby and when his wife's parents offered him an out, he took it and went to college and kept promising to come back but never did and his son's Austin's grandparents rightly told him not to anymore, so he carried on his life, occasionally feeling the guilt for being a lousy father. Now, his son Austin is all alone and he has come to be a parent and that means taking him away to New York.
Jenny is like a sister to Austin and his guardian. She loves the town of Razor Bay, she came there as a sixteen year old whose life came crashing down once her father was convicted of running a ponzi scheme and her mother for all purposes checked out, so it was upto Jenny to support herself and Austin's grandparents gave her a job and they gradually became close. I loved how fierce Jenny was about Austin and told Jake that Austin had wanted a father when he was small but he got over the disappointment and that Jake couldn't expect to just walk in and wipe out thirteen years of absence.
Jake was kind of immature in a way for me and the part when Jenny told him that he wasn't the only one who had been dealt a crap hand was awesome for me, it served him right. What I did like how he finally got to know his half brother Max and Austin, his teenage angst was fun and his feelings for his father and noticing a girl was kind of cute.
The romance department was the one that was kind of slow for me, it took a while to get going and even when it did I didn't really fall in love with Jake. Now, Jenny she was sweet and I loved her standing up to her father and her friend, she was a nice person.
So, yes this book was good and I would read the next book in this series but this is not the best written Susan Andersen but it does take a chance when it comes to the hero.
ARC received through Netgalley.
Jake is a famous photographer who carries his family history like a shield, after all his father abandoned many families so he thinks he is unlucky in love and his own one shot didn't go very well. His girlfriend got pregnant in their senior year of high school, they got married and that didn't go very well, he declined the scholarship that would have taken him out of the town he badly wanted to leave and took a job, then she died and he was left with a baby and when his wife's parents offered him an out, he took it and went to college and kept promising to come back but never did and his son's Austin's grandparents rightly told him not to anymore, so he carried on his life, occasionally feeling the guilt for being a lousy father. Now, his son Austin is all alone and he has come to be a parent and that means taking him away to New York.
Jenny is like a sister to Austin and his guardian. She loves the town of Razor Bay, she came there as a sixteen year old whose life came crashing down once her father was convicted of running a ponzi scheme and her mother for all purposes checked out, so it was upto Jenny to support herself and Austin's grandparents gave her a job and they gradually became close. I loved how fierce Jenny was about Austin and told Jake that Austin had wanted a father when he was small but he got over the disappointment and that Jake couldn't expect to just walk in and wipe out thirteen years of absence.
Jake was kind of immature in a way for me and the part when Jenny told him that he wasn't the only one who had been dealt a crap hand was awesome for me, it served him right. What I did like how he finally got to know his half brother Max and Austin, his teenage angst was fun and his feelings for his father and noticing a girl was kind of cute.
The romance department was the one that was kind of slow for me, it took a while to get going and even when it did I didn't really fall in love with Jake. Now, Jenny she was sweet and I loved her standing up to her father and her friend, she was a nice person.
So, yes this book was good and I would read the next book in this series but this is not the best written Susan Andersen but it does take a chance when it comes to the hero.
ARC received through Netgalley.
September 20, 2013
This was a decent read, but I'm deducting a star because the hero pissed me off so much. He gets off way too easy -- after being an absentee father for his son's entire life, he comes home to a mini-him who loves everything he loves, so he barely has to work at it to make his kid love him. And after starting off the story as such a jerk, adding in a little sexual humiliation of the heroine was really overkill. Everything is served to Jake on a platter -- he just barely gets a dark moment.
The best part of the story was Jake starting to make friends with his previous lifelong enemy, his half-brother. Excellent sequel-baiting.
The best part of the story was Jake starting to make friends with his previous lifelong enemy, his half-brother. Excellent sequel-baiting.
August 1, 2012
Review posted: Happily Ever After - Reads
Blog rating: 2.5/5
Jake has been absent from his son’s life from almost his birth, leaving him in his Grandparents care when he left to go to college at 19. He became a photographer, traveling around the world and never stopped to go see his son. I’m not going to lie, the hero dug a huge hole for me right off the bat. Now, his son, Austin’s Grandparents have both died and the woman in Austin’s life, Jenny, is his temporary guardian. She’s known him since he was a toddler and thinks of him just like a brother. She’s tried to get word out to Jake about what’s happened but two months go by before he shows up in their small Washington town. He wants to get to know his son and eventually move him across the country to New York to live with him.
Like I mentioned above, I was so pissed at the hero early on. Yes, he was a young 19 year old when he and his girlfriend, who he married, had a baby. His wife died right after childbirth, and yes he had no support from her parents, or his deadbeat dad who’s completely absent. So when his wife’s parents said they would care for Austin so Jake could go to college he jumped at the chance. I kind of get that. What I kept expecting to come out was that he made strong attempts to see his son, made trips to Washington to be a part of life, but something outside of his control got in his way. Either the Grandparents were a little more devious then anybody knew…something. I wanted there to be some reason that wasn’t Jake’s doing that kept him from his son. But, no. He couldn’t be bothered to keep in touch with Austin, to get to know him and yet all the sudden, once the Grandparents have died, now he wants to step up? Good thing kids are a little more direct and sure, even hostile because Austin doesn’t make it easy for Jake. Rightfully so.
Jenny knows that Jake is here for a short time to get to know Austin before moving him away from the only home and people he’s ever known. She’s not related to Austin, so she doesn’t have a leg to stand on if she tried to fight for custody, and for Austin’s sake, she tries to bridge the gap between he and his father. It doesn’t go smoothly at first, Austin needed a dad in life for years and at 13, he’s not going to jump up and down now that dad is in the picture. But all he’s ever wanted is to know Jake, and Jake slowly works his way into Austin’s life.
Also along the way, Jake starts to have feelings for Jenny and vice versa. They try to keep it simple, sex only (which takes forever to build up) and their sex scenes are sweet and allow Jake to show more emotion then he does in other aspects of the book. I really enjoyed Jenny. She’s true and good and just wants what’s best for Austin. It will kill her to see him leave with Jake but she knows he needs his dad in his life. She opens herself up to Jake and considering her life growing up, having a father in prison and mother who slowly wasted away until she died, Jenny worked hard as a teen to keep a roof over her head and the bills paid even when she had no one looking out for her. Jake didn’t have a great childhood either, but at least Jenny is willing to take a chance with her feelings. For awhile, it felt like Jake was willing to risk his heart as well, but when a hero starts out as a jerk, I usually think, great (!), because this will make his journey all the more sweet. But Jake was still saying and doing jerky things up until almost the end of the story and I just did buy it. I wanted a happy ending for Jenny and for Austin, and I’m glad Jake got his HEA as well, but only because it was wrapped up into the happiness for Austin and Jenny.
I am so intrigued by Jake’s half-brother Max. He’s broody, a bit angsty, and I want to know more. I also really enjoyed Austin and his small side storyline with his first crush, Rachel. I’m curious to know more about Rachel as well because she shows up half way through the story to live with her Aunt and Uncle (the parents of Austin’s best friend) while her mom battles cancer. Not much else is given in the way of details, so I really hope this gets expanded on more in the future.
This ended up being an ok read for me. I enjoyed Jenny, the small town setting the story is set in and Austin was fun to read about. Jake just wasn’t a hero I could get behind and cheer for. He would start to get me on his side, making attempts to right all the wrongs he did with Austin, and then things would get heavy and emotional and to protect himself he’d say something mean or cutting to Jenny and I just thought she could do so much better. He did end up on a path of being a real father to Austin which was nice to see, it just wasn’t enough for me to really enjoy his character.
Blog rating: 2.5/5
Jake has been absent from his son’s life from almost his birth, leaving him in his Grandparents care when he left to go to college at 19. He became a photographer, traveling around the world and never stopped to go see his son. I’m not going to lie, the hero dug a huge hole for me right off the bat. Now, his son, Austin’s Grandparents have both died and the woman in Austin’s life, Jenny, is his temporary guardian. She’s known him since he was a toddler and thinks of him just like a brother. She’s tried to get word out to Jake about what’s happened but two months go by before he shows up in their small Washington town. He wants to get to know his son and eventually move him across the country to New York to live with him.
Like I mentioned above, I was so pissed at the hero early on. Yes, he was a young 19 year old when he and his girlfriend, who he married, had a baby. His wife died right after childbirth, and yes he had no support from her parents, or his deadbeat dad who’s completely absent. So when his wife’s parents said they would care for Austin so Jake could go to college he jumped at the chance. I kind of get that. What I kept expecting to come out was that he made strong attempts to see his son, made trips to Washington to be a part of life, but something outside of his control got in his way. Either the Grandparents were a little more devious then anybody knew…something. I wanted there to be some reason that wasn’t Jake’s doing that kept him from his son. But, no. He couldn’t be bothered to keep in touch with Austin, to get to know him and yet all the sudden, once the Grandparents have died, now he wants to step up? Good thing kids are a little more direct and sure, even hostile because Austin doesn’t make it easy for Jake. Rightfully so.
Jenny knows that Jake is here for a short time to get to know Austin before moving him away from the only home and people he’s ever known. She’s not related to Austin, so she doesn’t have a leg to stand on if she tried to fight for custody, and for Austin’s sake, she tries to bridge the gap between he and his father. It doesn’t go smoothly at first, Austin needed a dad in life for years and at 13, he’s not going to jump up and down now that dad is in the picture. But all he’s ever wanted is to know Jake, and Jake slowly works his way into Austin’s life.
Also along the way, Jake starts to have feelings for Jenny and vice versa. They try to keep it simple, sex only (which takes forever to build up) and their sex scenes are sweet and allow Jake to show more emotion then he does in other aspects of the book. I really enjoyed Jenny. She’s true and good and just wants what’s best for Austin. It will kill her to see him leave with Jake but she knows he needs his dad in his life. She opens herself up to Jake and considering her life growing up, having a father in prison and mother who slowly wasted away until she died, Jenny worked hard as a teen to keep a roof over her head and the bills paid even when she had no one looking out for her. Jake didn’t have a great childhood either, but at least Jenny is willing to take a chance with her feelings. For awhile, it felt like Jake was willing to risk his heart as well, but when a hero starts out as a jerk, I usually think, great (!), because this will make his journey all the more sweet. But Jake was still saying and doing jerky things up until almost the end of the story and I just did buy it. I wanted a happy ending for Jenny and for Austin, and I’m glad Jake got his HEA as well, but only because it was wrapped up into the happiness for Austin and Jenny.
I am so intrigued by Jake’s half-brother Max. He’s broody, a bit angsty, and I want to know more. I also really enjoyed Austin and his small side storyline with his first crush, Rachel. I’m curious to know more about Rachel as well because she shows up half way through the story to live with her Aunt and Uncle (the parents of Austin’s best friend) while her mom battles cancer. Not much else is given in the way of details, so I really hope this gets expanded on more in the future.
This ended up being an ok read for me. I enjoyed Jenny, the small town setting the story is set in and Austin was fun to read about. Jake just wasn’t a hero I could get behind and cheer for. He would start to get me on his side, making attempts to right all the wrongs he did with Austin, and then things would get heavy and emotional and to protect himself he’d say something mean or cutting to Jenny and I just thought she could do so much better. He did end up on a path of being a real father to Austin which was nice to see, it just wasn’t enough for me to really enjoy his character.
July 19, 2012
Reviewed on http://atastyread.blogspot.com
So I FINALLY finished this book last night. I didn't hate it, but I didn't love it either. Something was just missing.
Jake Bradshaw comes back to Razor Bay, where he grew-up, after almost thirteen years of being away. He has come home to finally meet his son and hopefully become the father that he is sure Austin needs. Jenny Salazar, the woman who is caretaker of Austin now that his grandparents have both passed away, has a BIG problem with Jake waltzing back into Austin's life, wanting to up-root him from the only home he has ever known, and take him to New York City, where Jake lays his head when he isn't globe-trotting around the world as a Photojournalist for National Geographic.
Unfortunately for Jenny, as Jake and Austin get closer, she finds herself falling for him also, or it could be the kisses. Jenny knows that Jake couldn't wait to leave Razor Bay as a kid, so there is a big chance that she could lose Austin, as well as her heart to Jake. Will Jake decide to stay in Razor Bay, or will he deny the feelings he has for Jenny, and take Austin off to NY without admitting how he feels? Lots of questions to be answered.
Ok, so I honestly didn't feel ANY connection to ANY of the characters. I wasn't invested in their lives, or what was happening in the story. I finished the book because I felt that I should give it a fair shot, but I didn't feel invested in the story, or the outcome.
The one person I liked in the book was Austin, the thirteen-year-old son of Jake and his High School girlfriend who died after he was born, which the story just passes over. Austin was cute, and honest about his feelings, but I will say that some of his language was a bit off for 2012, he kept saying "dope" and I haven't heard that word being used in quite a while.
There was a small secondary story with Jenny and her father, which was very unnecessary, and didn't really bring anything to the story at all. We had Max Bradshaw, Jake's half-brother and Tasha, Jenny's best friend, who were necessary as the people who Jenny and Jake could share feelings with, and the author could use them to get information out of the main characters through conversation, but other than that, neither of them stood out at me as GREAT, or "I'd love to read his/her story next", I just felt nothing!
After reading the last release by Susan Andersen, I was very excited to see she had a new series coming out, but unfortunately it fell flat for me. I wish I could say I loved it, but I just didn't. It was ok, and other reader might feel differently, but I just didn't feel that spark or connection that some Romances can bring to the table.
So, I would say if you are not a die-hard Susan Andersen fan, maybe borrow the book from a friend, or wait until you can get the book on sale.
So I FINALLY finished this book last night. I didn't hate it, but I didn't love it either. Something was just missing.
Jake Bradshaw comes back to Razor Bay, where he grew-up, after almost thirteen years of being away. He has come home to finally meet his son and hopefully become the father that he is sure Austin needs. Jenny Salazar, the woman who is caretaker of Austin now that his grandparents have both passed away, has a BIG problem with Jake waltzing back into Austin's life, wanting to up-root him from the only home he has ever known, and take him to New York City, where Jake lays his head when he isn't globe-trotting around the world as a Photojournalist for National Geographic.
Unfortunately for Jenny, as Jake and Austin get closer, she finds herself falling for him also, or it could be the kisses. Jenny knows that Jake couldn't wait to leave Razor Bay as a kid, so there is a big chance that she could lose Austin, as well as her heart to Jake. Will Jake decide to stay in Razor Bay, or will he deny the feelings he has for Jenny, and take Austin off to NY without admitting how he feels? Lots of questions to be answered.
Ok, so I honestly didn't feel ANY connection to ANY of the characters. I wasn't invested in their lives, or what was happening in the story. I finished the book because I felt that I should give it a fair shot, but I didn't feel invested in the story, or the outcome.
The one person I liked in the book was Austin, the thirteen-year-old son of Jake and his High School girlfriend who died after he was born, which the story just passes over. Austin was cute, and honest about his feelings, but I will say that some of his language was a bit off for 2012, he kept saying "dope" and I haven't heard that word being used in quite a while.
There was a small secondary story with Jenny and her father, which was very unnecessary, and didn't really bring anything to the story at all. We had Max Bradshaw, Jake's half-brother and Tasha, Jenny's best friend, who were necessary as the people who Jenny and Jake could share feelings with, and the author could use them to get information out of the main characters through conversation, but other than that, neither of them stood out at me as GREAT, or "I'd love to read his/her story next", I just felt nothing!
After reading the last release by Susan Andersen, I was very excited to see she had a new series coming out, but unfortunately it fell flat for me. I wish I could say I loved it, but I just didn't. It was ok, and other reader might feel differently, but I just didn't feel that spark or connection that some Romances can bring to the table.
So, I would say if you are not a die-hard Susan Andersen fan, maybe borrow the book from a friend, or wait until you can get the book on sale.
August 11, 2014
Tardé mucho en decidirme a leer esta novela porque no conocía de nada a la autora y me daba cosa, sin embargo hace unos días decidí probar surte y wow! Desde que agarré el libro no lo quise soltar. De inmediato Jenny y Austin se ganaron mi simpatía y cuando entró en escena Jake, casi morí de emoción. Me gustó mucho la manera en que los personajes crecieron a lo largo de la historia. Sobre todo la relación entre Max y Jake, que dejaron de guardarse rencor por cosas en las que no habían tenido de culpa. Ahora quiero la historia de Max, ese machote tiene muchas cosas que contar.
La novela no está exactamente subida de tono pero sí tiene un par de escenas ligeramente +18
La novela no está exactamente subida de tono pero sí tiene un par de escenas ligeramente +18
July 15, 2016
Quanto mi piace questa autrice *__*
Ancora una volta ho fatto nottata per finire un libro della Anderson XD Mi piace molto come scrive questa autrice, è semplice ma mi assorbe completamente. Jake si è ritrovato con un padre assente, un fratellastro che lo disprezza, vedovo e con un figlio appena nato appena compiuti 19 anni. Quando i suoceri gli propongono di affidargli il piccolo Austin Jake, confuso e spaventato, accetta e parte. Diventato un fotografo affermato non è mai tornato nella piccola città da cui è fuggito nè da suo figlio, ma la morte dei suoceri lo mette di fronte alla possibilità di conoscere finalmente suo figlio, ormai 13enne. Anche Jenny ha avuto una famiglia a dir poco difficile, perciò ama la piccola città che l'ha accolta dandole finalmente una casa. Lei è per Austin come una sorella maggiore e l'arrivo imprevisto di Jake la getta nella confusione e nello sconforto, sapendo che la cosa giusta sarebbe lasciar tornare il padre nella vita di Austin, che però lo porterà via da lei. Oltre alla storia tra Jake e Jenny assistiamo anche alla nascita di un amicizia tra Jake e il fratellastro Max, la difficile conoscenza tra Jake e il figlio Austin e alla prima cotta di quest'ultimo per la cugina del suo migliore amico, molto dolce ^_^ Tanti rapporti che si intrecciano, dunque e spero che l'autrice dedichi un libro anche a Max e all'esotica Harper, vedere lo sceriffo impacciato è fantastico XD
Ancora una volta ho fatto nottata per finire un libro della Anderson XD Mi piace molto come scrive questa autrice, è semplice ma mi assorbe completamente. Jake si è ritrovato con un padre assente, un fratellastro che lo disprezza, vedovo e con un figlio appena nato appena compiuti 19 anni. Quando i suoceri gli propongono di affidargli il piccolo Austin Jake, confuso e spaventato, accetta e parte. Diventato un fotografo affermato non è mai tornato nella piccola città da cui è fuggito nè da suo figlio, ma la morte dei suoceri lo mette di fronte alla possibilità di conoscere finalmente suo figlio, ormai 13enne. Anche Jenny ha avuto una famiglia a dir poco difficile, perciò ama la piccola città che l'ha accolta dandole finalmente una casa. Lei è per Austin come una sorella maggiore e l'arrivo imprevisto di Jake la getta nella confusione e nello sconforto, sapendo che la cosa giusta sarebbe lasciar tornare il padre nella vita di Austin, che però lo porterà via da lei. Oltre alla storia tra Jake e Jenny assistiamo anche alla nascita di un amicizia tra Jake e il fratellastro Max, la difficile conoscenza tra Jake e il figlio Austin e alla prima cotta di quest'ultimo per la cugina del suo migliore amico, molto dolce ^_^ Tanti rapporti che si intrecciano, dunque e spero che l'autrice dedichi un libro anche a Max e all'esotica Harper, vedere lo sceriffo impacciato è fantastico XD
July 28, 2012
Review written for www.books-n-kisses.com
I have been enjoying the works of Susan Andersen for a while now and this one ranks right up there as one of my favorites from her. Something about this book seems different than her past writing and it really stands out as one of her best. The characters of this book are simple and everyday people. I loved the fact that Jenny was not some supermodel or something. She is on the petite side and while they can joke with her about her size she will not accept being called cute or sweet. Jake has that diamond in the rough persona. He does things because he thinks they are for the best but he is never really sure if it is the best for him or for the other person but he really does have the best of intentions. I enjoyed Austin as well. He is written as a typical teenager who is just an everyday kid (though I could have done without him cursing - even though most 13 year olds do). And I enjoyed the blooming relationship of Jake and Max as well and hope to see Max get his own story in the future.
This is a great romance novel. It is a chick-lit book that no woman who enjoys the genre will want to put down. My suggestion is to send the kids to bed (or even better to a sleepover), pick up the book, pour a glass of wine and start enjoying.
Disclaimer:
I received a complimentary copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.
I have been enjoying the works of Susan Andersen for a while now and this one ranks right up there as one of my favorites from her. Something about this book seems different than her past writing and it really stands out as one of her best. The characters of this book are simple and everyday people. I loved the fact that Jenny was not some supermodel or something. She is on the petite side and while they can joke with her about her size she will not accept being called cute or sweet. Jake has that diamond in the rough persona. He does things because he thinks they are for the best but he is never really sure if it is the best for him or for the other person but he really does have the best of intentions. I enjoyed Austin as well. He is written as a typical teenager who is just an everyday kid (though I could have done without him cursing - even though most 13 year olds do). And I enjoyed the blooming relationship of Jake and Max as well and hope to see Max get his own story in the future.
This is a great romance novel. It is a chick-lit book that no woman who enjoys the genre will want to put down. My suggestion is to send the kids to bed (or even better to a sleepover), pick up the book, pour a glass of wine and start enjoying.
Disclaimer:
I received a complimentary copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.
September 19, 2012
Jake Bradshaw had every intention of coming back and getting to know his son, when he allowed his son's grandparents to raise them. When his grandfather passes away, Jake is back to step in and become the father he always should have been. Having his son Austin accept it though is harder than he accepted, especially when Jake meets Jenny Salazar who has become Austin's surrogate mother.
Jenny doesn't plan to make it on Jake, but is willing to help him find his way with Austin. She realizes Austin needs his father in his life, even if Austin doesn't want to admit it. The crux of the problem is her attraction to Jake and the few times she is alone in his company, Jake is pretty open about his attraction to her. With both Jenny and Jake moving on different paths, will they be able to find their way towards one another?
Full review on Single Titles
http://cataromance.com/2012/09/review...
Jenny doesn't plan to make it on Jake, but is willing to help him find his way with Austin. She realizes Austin needs his father in his life, even if Austin doesn't want to admit it. The crux of the problem is her attraction to Jake and the few times she is alone in his company, Jake is pretty open about his attraction to her. With both Jenny and Jake moving on different paths, will they be able to find their way towards one another?
Full review on Single Titles
http://cataromance.com/2012/09/review...
August 2, 2012
Jake and Jenny
What a disappointing book. This is the first SA book I haven't been able to read cover to cover. I found myself skipping the last 30 pages or so to find out the ending (which was so predictable).
Jake and Jenny had zero chemistry. Jake is a sleazeball. I don't care about your angsty need to break free of your small town chains. You have an effing child, man up. I couldn't get over how he played such a victim in this book. Please, what about Austin?
Jake and Jenny's characters had no depth, very 1D. The whole premise has been played out, there was little effort in the plot and I knew on page 1 how the book was going to end. I hate to rate this 1 star as SA is one of my favorite authors, but christ on a crutch this one was craptastic. Don't waste your time or money on this killjoy. I rate 1 star and am embarrassed (and pissed) to say I own it, as I bought it just because it had SA's name on the cover. Just call me Sucker.
What a disappointing book. This is the first SA book I haven't been able to read cover to cover. I found myself skipping the last 30 pages or so to find out the ending (which was so predictable).
Jake and Jenny had zero chemistry. Jake is a sleazeball. I don't care about your angsty need to break free of your small town chains. You have an effing child, man up. I couldn't get over how he played such a victim in this book. Please, what about Austin?
Jake and Jenny's characters had no depth, very 1D. The whole premise has been played out, there was little effort in the plot and I knew on page 1 how the book was going to end. I hate to rate this 1 star as SA is one of my favorite authors, but christ on a crutch this one was craptastic. Don't waste your time or money on this killjoy. I rate 1 star and am embarrassed (and pissed) to say I own it, as I bought it just because it had SA's name on the cover. Just call me Sucker.
November 28, 2012
Razor Bay Inn manager Jenny Salazar wants nothing more than to help young Austin through the ordeal of losing his grandparents. With his mother gone, Jenny has always been like an older sister to him, and all they have now is each other. But when his globe-trotting photojournalist father, Jake Bradshaw, returns to the resort town claiming he wants to suddenly be a part of his life, things change on a dime.
I normally love Andersen, but for the first time ever, I just didn't love this one. Not without her usual wit and heart, this book lacked a connection to the hero for me. This is a guy who abandoned his son and never looked back. There were excuses, but none that gelled. I kept reading, hoping to change my mind, but that moment just never came. From the start, the romance was unrealistic, as was everyone's reaction to the situation. The ending felt improbable too. Alas, I won't hesitate to buy Andersen again, though.
I normally love Andersen, but for the first time ever, I just didn't love this one. Not without her usual wit and heart, this book lacked a connection to the hero for me. This is a guy who abandoned his son and never looked back. There were excuses, but none that gelled. I kept reading, hoping to change my mind, but that moment just never came. From the start, the romance was unrealistic, as was everyone's reaction to the situation. The ending felt improbable too. Alas, I won't hesitate to buy Andersen again, though.
February 23, 2013
I am disappointed in Susan Anderson this time around. This book does not have the zing, zip or humor her other books always have. Not to mention, her other books always have a hint of mystery or suspense - That Think Called Love, nothing. What I really liked about this book was the location and the peek into boating/resort life. That was fun.
The story has Jake returning to claim the 13 year old son, Austin, he left as an infant. Austin has been living with Jenny since both grandparents died. Jake has a whole lot of baggage and making up to Austin is just a small part of it. Jenny loves Austin like a brother and only wants what is best for him. Although it will hurt, Austin leaving with Jake, Jenny will let him go. But, Jenny has this out of control sexual reaction to Jake and the feeling is mutual. They fight it for all the usual reasons, but true love always finds a way.
This book reads as the first of a trilogy. Look for Max and Harper, then Tasha and ??? to come.
The story has Jake returning to claim the 13 year old son, Austin, he left as an infant. Austin has been living with Jenny since both grandparents died. Jake has a whole lot of baggage and making up to Austin is just a small part of it. Jenny loves Austin like a brother and only wants what is best for him. Although it will hurt, Austin leaving with Jake, Jenny will let him go. But, Jenny has this out of control sexual reaction to Jake and the feeling is mutual. They fight it for all the usual reasons, but true love always finds a way.
This book reads as the first of a trilogy. Look for Max and Harper, then Tasha and ??? to come.
October 10, 2012
(Oct) I didn't think I'd like this at all! Susan Andersen's older books are some of my favorites, but I have been more than underwhelmed with her last few. Plus, the Hero, Jake, is a guy who abandoned his baby shortly after he was born and didn't bother coming back until the kid was 13 - I hate "bad parent" books, find it is hard to redeem them. But...I got Jake. I think it was pretty realistic to have him not want to be a dad at 17, not want to give up his life, his future, for this baby he'd no idea how to care for. He is truly sorry about what he did, the time he missed, and he really tries to get to know Austin. I liked Jenny - although a big fuss is made about how she is only 5' 2" (so am I - well, 5' 2.5"!)- I just don't think of that as being that tiny!! I hope the next book is about Max - I liked him a lot! Hopefully, SA is back!
August 23, 2012
I love Susan Andersen. But I was prepared not to like her hero, Jake Bradshaw, because he's basically the anti-Matt Fletcher. He knocked up his high school girlfriend and then, with strong motivation to do so, bailed. (This is not a spoiler, it's pretty much the premise of the book.)
But Susan Andersen makes it work. The kid Jake leaves behind is convincingly drawn, the setting is great, the heroine is a sweetheart, and Jake does eventually man up and redeem himself. All with Andersen's trademark humor and strong, emotional writing. I'm looking forward to returning to Razor Bay.
But Susan Andersen makes it work. The kid Jake leaves behind is convincingly drawn, the setting is great, the heroine is a sweetheart, and Jake does eventually man up and redeem himself. All with Andersen's trademark humor and strong, emotional writing. I'm looking forward to returning to Razor Bay.
August 15, 2012
A solid contemporary. I'll post a review sooner or later. But all in all it was decent.
September 21, 2012
This will probably become a re-read or me. I really enjoyed the story and loved the characters. Two thumbs up for this one!
April 1, 2018
This was a good story though I really found it had a bit of a slow start and struggled to like the chatacter Jake. The book did get better though as Jake got to know his son who he had ignored most of his life. Also as the attraction between him and Jenny increased. I usually really like Andersens books but did not find this as good as some of her other books, not sure if this was because of the storyline or the history of the characters though. Either way it was a good story and will continue in the series as curious what will happen with Max and Harper. x
June 7, 2017
I liked the beginning and the end of the book but found the middle of the book very predicatble. I liked tasha, jenny, and Austin. Jake was not my favorite character, and I had trouble understanding him a lot of the time. My favorite parts were near the end, and when Jenny and Ausin get together.
Read
August 7, 2020First read - 15 to 20 August, 2012
4 stars
Second read - 6 August, 2020
DNF
I don't remember reading this before but it was a DNF for me this time. I wasn't engaged by the writing style, the premise or the relationship development. DNF and unhauled.
4 stars
Second read - 6 August, 2020
DNF
I don't remember reading this before but it was a DNF for me this time. I wasn't engaged by the writing style, the premise or the relationship development. DNF and unhauled.
February 3, 2017
This book was okay. I struggle with forgive and forget and didn't really feel the efforts put forth here warranted the ending in the timeline.
June 16, 2018
Sweet but boring.
August 25, 2018
Quite enjoyed.
December 26, 2018
3.75 ⭐.
August 6, 2019
A cute romance novel that was an easy read and had a story that actually showed people with struggles that you can relate to!
January 24, 2020
This was good but not great.
October 31, 2020
3 stelline e mezzo
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