One chance encounter and the Lakefield journey begins…
Olivia is a quirky, spirited, intriguing woman running from the hellish memories of her past. Aiden is a determined, possessive, rich alpha male who’s used to getting exactly what he wants.
She’s sassy, he’s sexy, sparks fly, and now he’s out to own her heart and soul.
When Olivia’s past threatens to put everyone she loves in danger, will she face her fears or run?
In this suspenseful, funny story, two people find that love is sometimes unexpected, differences can make them stronger, and trusting each other can make them whole.
**Full-length standalone romance. 67,000+ words. No cheating, or cliffhangers with a Happily Ever After!
Jennifer Vester is a romance author whose ambition is to entertain readers with off-beat female characters and the over-the-top alpha men that love them.
Her books revolve around romantic suspense with a little something for every reader. Always an HEA....(but look out for those twists!) It's romance suspense after all.
The Lakefield series deals with some very serious subjects at times.
I was promised a sassy heroine And I Got What I Really Got Was
If I describe the hero it would say he’s a stalker, a possible serial killer. A person who has no regards for people’s privacy. Nothing romantic about this. Instead of giving him the time of day she should be running to a police station to get a restraining order.
She leaves her phone behind in the bar/restaurant because she was so flustered by him that she runs without eating her food, leaving her phone behind and he takes it, unlocked it, proceeds to check her phone to see if she has any dirty pictures, talks to her mother and reads her emails. When she cussed he threatens her with spanking her if she continues. Someone was 100% certifiable.
This is a sweet romance about a girl who got out of a toxic relationship two years prior. Olivia has been going to therapy and she’s working on healing herself, but she still isn’t ready to date again. But, of course, that’s when Aiden barges into her life. He’s perfect–almost too perfect–with his alpha personality, incredible hotness, wealth, and power. They have adorable chemistry, and the entire book has a hopeful note to it, despite the dark themes to the story. The only reason I didn’t give this book a higher rating was because it could be cliche at times, and because the book is so short, the cliched plot points felt rushed and there were a few too many of them for me. For instance, Aiden acts a little stalker-y in his over-protectiveness of Olivia, which would be fine to me if this was more of a dark romance. Because it isn’t–quite the opposite in tone–the stalking came off as cliche, because it’s a popular trope in romance books right now. All that said, others may love the plot as well as the characters, and I look forward to reading more books by this author!
Even though this wasn’t perfect, I absolutely loved Aiden and how he pursued, behaved, and treated Olivia. He was bossy, intense, protective and even a bit playful. That’s a mix I can’t resist. He completely made this book for me.
I do wish there first encounter was a bit more realistic. I’m actually a fan of instant love, however I still like a bit of a realistic approach to it. It’s really the only part I struggled with and in the end, it didn’t take all that much away from it.
I also really like how Olivia resisted. I’m not a fan of resistance but she did it in a way that I’m totally down for. She resisted half heartedly. She knew things were too fast, but she also liked Aiden so much that she didn’t really want him to slow down. This actually caused a few scenes I adored. It brought out a dominant side to Aiden that was just hot.
I’m so glad to have found this book/ series. Fingers crossed the rest of the series is just as good!
2 stars. This book just did not work for me. There is instalove in a way that turned me off, an overly bossy hero (and not in a hot way), and a TSTL heroine. There is poor communication, plot holes, eye rolling moments, immature and stupid characters. Sometimes I felt like the author must be a teenager to come up with some of the things in this book. The writing was awful and the story was not believable. Overall, this was just bad for me.
I really enjoyed this book. Liv was finally living her life with her best friend Julia after a horrible and traumatic college relationship. She makes a stop to eat dinner and sees Aiden sitting in a business meeting at the table across from her. The attraction is instant for both. Of course Liv decides to run from it. Aiden chases her down to return her forgotten phone. And so the hilarious and suspenseful story starts. Liv and Aiden were perfect. They were absolutely perfect for each other. Aiden is take charge and in control of every aspect of his life. Liv is a book worm, foul mothed, crazy quirky lady. She was always pushing his limits and the banter back and forth is hilarious. I had quite a few laugh out loud moments. The very real danger Liv was in from her stalker had me turning pages to see what would happen next. The story was very well written and the side characters were amazing and so funny at time. I finished this story very quickly. I couldn't put it down (even while at work)! Definitely 5 stars and I can't wait to start on Julia's book!
If you like bossy cocky arrogant alpha men then this is the book for you. But I honestly love Aiden. Yes he acts like an ass, but deep down you know he cares deeply and fiercely. As for Olivia, you've gotta love a girl that doesn't take any crap. Great story line.
3.5 Stars! Run is my first book by Jennifer Vester, and a recommendation by one of my fave authors.
Summary: Olivia Dawkins isn’t paranoid. She’s just extremely knowledgeable about true crime and isn’t afraid of a little research. She’s living life how she wants with her best friend, and after the experience she had with her ex, that’s all that matters. She’s comfortable, happy, and has no plans for another relationship anytime soon, if ever. Aiden Latimer doesn’t agree. Aiden is a billionaire used to getting what he wants, and he wants Liv. He’s bossy, annoying, and likes control. Liv is convinced he’s a stalker who bugs her house. She won’t even dream of them being a couple. Their lives are worlds apart. But Liv hadn’t expected to feel such a searing attraction to the enigmatic businessman. And Liv is no match for the possessive alpha-male. But will she want to run when faced with her psycho ex-boyfriend or will she stand strong with Aiden at her side, finally putting the past behind her?
I enjoyed Aiden and Liv’s book. There was a lot of action and I fell in love with the characters. Liv was a fun heroine. I loved her dialogue. Her banter with both Julia and herself never failed to bring a smile to my face. She was funny, smart, and loving. She was very cautious with her trust, and you could tell something terrible happened to her in the past. Aiden was an uber-alpha male, and crazy possessive. He was also hard-working, loyal, supportive, and down to Earth. I loved almost all of his alpha personality. The way he pushed himself into Liv’s life was so sweet and sexy, but some of his reactions I had an issue with. I’m always down with an alpha who’s OTT when it comes to possessive and protective, but I felt in one instance he took it too far. He flipped out when she was gone for a walk on his property. It just didn’t sit well with me. Otherwise, I adored him, how he was with Liv and his men. I wouldn’t have minded a quick peek into his mind with a scene in his POV. The characters had a mind to setting up their own stories for future books. All of the men were suitably mysterious and badass, promising you wouldn’t want to miss reading about them. Lol. I look forward to Holden’s story since he’s a lot like Aiden, but Julia scares me with her crazy. Haha. Overall, this was a solid start to the series. The storyline was believable, if a little abrupt at the beginning. I do think maybe a prologue about Liv’s past experiences or even a flashback would have added depth and support her reluctance with Aiden. I also felt that a few plot points were glossed over or not detailed enough. For instance, Liv’s mom was mentioned several times, as was her work, and the reactions after the explosion were a little too tame. That said, I still highly enjoyed the book, characters, and storyline. I look forward to getting the rest of the guys’ stories.♡
I enjoyed Liv and Aiden’s story with the insta-love and not too much (Liv) pushing away. It was a simple read, which I needed at this time; I was able to enjoy it without having to put any thought into it. Aiden had a Kristen Ashley hero thing going on, where just the word ‘babe’ was a sentence unto itself and spoke volumes. The ending had me rolling my eyes and wanting to bang my head on a desk. It was like the chick in a horror movie you yell at because you can’t believe how stupid she is- actually, they all were. Ah well. The book was decent for what it is. 👍
Wow where gas this book been, it's exactly what I've been looking for. Suspense. Action. Romance. Sexy alpha protective team. Loved aiden & liv. Loved this book.
Have you had a good laugh lately? If not, then check out this book. Seriously. Olivia's mind had me cracking up the whole time. I had a first hand experience with her brain and I wish I could have some more.
Run is the story of Olivia running from Aiden Latimer. Literally. She ran from him at the bar, the car, after their kiss. Aiden is your typical alpha with a little extra "stop cussing before I punish you". I'm not sure if it's insta-love between the two, but it's instant awareness, instant attraction, and instant craziness. There's danger, laughs, sarcasm, and a lot of wondering if the stranger kidnapping her is a serial killer. Oh and a lot of stalking. But if you're gonna die, might as well do it in a Bentley or a Benz right?
Olivia has legitimate reason to be wary of the super-bossy Aiden. Her ex-boyfriend was not kind to her. And by not kind I mean the absolute worst. Olivia's roommate, Julia, and her mother conspire against Liv and trying to push away a potential date (though if this was real life I would probably be screaming at her to RUN THE OTHER WAY. but it's not real life so I can yell at her to stop running away from him.)
I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book. It was full length- but it was a quick easy read. There was danger and excitement, as well as super steamy scenes, had some hilarious text messages, and guys that were like family to each other. It was definitely 4 great stars.
My issue with it was my issue with basically all heroines that have super hot, super rich boyfriends with awesome security: why do you try to ditch them?!? I've never needed security (knock on wood) and I definitely like to feel safe, so I don't know why, when you get text messages from legit stalkers that you know are trying to hurt you, that you DITCH THE SECURITY TEAM. I understand independence and crap, but seriously stop running from the guys trained to take care of ya.
That's my pet peeve though... maybe not everyone's...
This was my first Jennifer read and I can't wait to read the other three in the Lakefield series... Go add this to your TBR! Like... now! And do you have Kindle Unlimited? Well it's free on KU!
At first I wondered how these two would work and what all the fuss was about but then I realized I was hooked and couldn't turn the pages fast enough. He is all alpha and demanding and controlling and a general pain in the butt, then we find out why. She is on someone's radar which steps into full on crazy when Aiden lands in the picture. Cloak and dagger, suspense and mayhem, pain and finally love. Neither of them are prepared for the fallout of caring for someone or the fallout from stalking. The twist and turns are painful the realization they work well that is something altogether different, if she will stop running.
My first read by this author who had me banging my head at times, was so good that I will most definitely be reading more of this author. Great style that works perfect for what I need in a book. All the feels, all the anguish, all the action.
Olivia Dawkins works at the bookstore Stacks and is roommates with Julia, her long time friend. She has recently gotten out of a relationship with Brandon but he keeps messaging her but she is trying her best to ignore them.
Aiden Latimer is at a restaurant when he first spots Olivia and knows that she is the one for him. The billionaire will stop at nothing to find Olivia, even if that means having to chase her down twice to find her.
Soon Olivia discovers that Aiden will do anything to keep her safe and when her life is in danger from her crazy ex-boyfriend he and his friends step up to protect her. But when Brandon uses Olivia's weakness to get to her, can she protect herself?
This was a great book and I was gripped from start to end.
Olivia was a great character who never saw the beauty in herself that others saw. I loved when she first met Aiden and that she kept running from him! It truly made me laugh so many times. I loved her feisty attitude and how she truly challenged Aiden.
Aiden was such a bossy billionaire but he had great guys all around him that kept him in check. I don't think he was used to being challenged as much as Olivia did but he had such a big heart and really wanted to protect her at all costs.
Brandon was a crazy psycho and you knew deep down that he would never give up.
I was definitely worried about one of the attacks and I was super sad for who was lost and the guilt felt by Olivia.
I knew something was coming and I was not surprised on how it came to be. I was super proud of Olivia for what she did but the recovery will be slow for the other character and I am crossing my fingers that they will get a book of their own!
The very end was awesome with the house issue and I can't wait for more in this series!
Liv lives quietly, working in a bookstore and keeping her nose in a book. One day, she stops for dinner and her whole life is shoved off its axis. She sees a gorgeous man and he definitely sees her. Aiden pushes his way into her life and claims her for his own. But her past is coming back to haunt her and how a successful, powerful man like Aiden would want a boring girl like her?
I discovered this author by chance and devoured Run, the first book in the Lakefield series, in one sitting. Aiden is the poster boy for possessive boyfriends and is relentless in his pursuit of Liv. Liv is an adorable character and just feisty enough to not make it too easy on Aiden. Jennifer Vester is an awesome author that knows how to hook the reader and not let them go until they turn the last page. If you love jealous/possessive male leads and the unique women who give them a run for their money, Jennifer Vest is the author for you! Now, I'm off to read the next book Chase, about Liv's roommate, Julia for I am addicted to the Lakefield series!
“Run” by Jennifer Vester is an excellent romance novel. There is sex and violence in the book. Oliva had moved across the country to get away from her past. She went into a local bar and grill for lunch. Near the table where she was sitting, was a table full of well dressed muscular men having a meeting. The head honcho notices her and continues to look at her enough to make her nervous so she leaves when her food is served. She leaves in such a hurry she doesn’t notice the loss of her cell phone. Enter Aiden Latimer a bossy millionaire who is immediately attracted to her. After that chance meeting, disasters begin to happen to her and Aiden and his gang is always there to watch over her. She can’t stand Aiden’s bossiness but she can’t deny there is an attraction to him. Although this is a part of a series, it is an excellent stand alone novel. Great book if you like a little “spice” in your romance.
BRILLIANT!!! OH my heck. So, this was a random recommendation from another author's page on FB. The series sounded so good, I immediately one-clicked all of them & started on this one straight away. SOOOOO GLAD I did!!!
We have Olivia (Liv) & Aiden, who have this immediate connection, but Liv's been deeply hurt in the past, and she has a tendency to ... well... run. Heh. Aiden, tho, is that perfectly perfect Alpha that I absolutely LOVE! He knows there's something there, and he sets out to gain Olivia's trust & love. And boy does he get it! This was a page turner & I finished it in a few hours. Couldn't put it down!!! It is a top top recommendation - it's fun, exciting, sweet, & has some steamy scenes that will make you swoon happily. Looking forward to the next story (Julia & Holden, who we see the beginnings of in this book)!! 10+++ stars for me!! : )
This was recommended to me by a group I belong to on Facebook and boy was I glad that I caught that particular post. I loved this book from start to finish it is full of action and I couldn't put it down! I have given it 5* because 4* wouldn't express how much I liked it however I really think that it could have been longer because so much happened you wanted to stop and take a deep breath. Parts of the story weren't developed enough for example Liv's stalker even though this was a big chunk of the story there was no depth to it. I also think that Liv's mother could have played a bigger role, she was referred to numerous times but again I think she could have been developed into a really good character. There were other issues that if handled in a slightly different way could have made a huge difference. Overall well worth the price!
I enjoyed this book! The story line was good and kept me interested. I could of used more detailed description of our characters physically. This book also introduced a lot of characters for future books. I feel like the feelings from our male lead were a bit rushed. I would have liked a bit more depth on Aiden's part. Liv and Aiden meet by chance at a restaurant. After that we find out that Liv has a crazy ex boyfriend that is after her. Things are a bit of a whirlwind, one disaster leads to another and Liv ends up living with Aiden (sort of). I would have liked the development of feelings between our two main characters to be a little more natural and complete. Other than that it was a good read and I am looking forward to the next book in the series.
Run by Jennifer Vester is the first book I have read that she has wrote. I wasn't disappointed if anyone was it was my family since I couldn't put this book down. I am definitely reading the rest of the books in this series. It is a fast paced book and leaves you wanting more. I loved the two main characters Aiden and Oliva. Oliva didn't know how to handle her over bearing stalker. Until she was put in harms way. Aiden was right there to make sure she was treated like a princess. When Aiden found out her ex Brandon treated her, he became more gentle. This book had some hot steamy spots, full of romance and is a bit suspenseful. If you love a romance with a hot, sexy, alpha, whose a bit bossy, this book is perfect.
This was the first book for me by this author and will definitely not be my last. I was intrigued by Aiden and Olivia from the word go. Who was this bossy, sexy and controlling man? I wanted him to kiss me! Liv held her ground and didn’t take crap and I loved that about her. She learned from the hell she had been through. This book is suspenseful and sexy and hot. I loved the fierce and protective nature of Aiden and his friends. Aiden is my new book boyfriend and he call go all alpha as long as he’s mine! This book has drama,danger, passion and lots of love.A rollercoaster ride that you will love every minute of!
Solid 4.5 star What a fantastic debut book in this series about a true Alpha male and strong will heroine, I loved how Aiden was so protective of Olivia but how she was also so resistant to his dominance. We go through plenty of emotions while finding out more about Livs past as well as seeing her try to resist Aiden while he works hard to see she is meant to be with him while he tries to find her crazy ex and the ending... oh my god freaking nerve wreaking and shocking!.. The characters are great not just Aiden an Liv but also those around them and you want to know more about them as well as what will happen next.
I voluntarily read an ARC for this book. I’m so glad I read Run suspense and romance are the perfect ingredients for a great book. I enjoyed the story of Olivia and Aiden. The story was engaging and flowed at a pace that I loved. The chemistry between the two was felt and the funny moments only added to having you drawn in. Aiden is the right degree of alpha male bossy, sexy and determined. Olivia is her own woman! Sassy and independent. Drama,obstacles and resistance and you have a relationship that is sure to entertain and engage. Jennifer Vester has totally captured my attention for the rest of this series.
A chance crossing of paths brings Liv to the attention of Aiden. Unable to deny his attraction to her, he jumps in full force pursuing Liv. Weary of forceful men Liv leads Aiden on a merry chase until her ex returns and threatens not only Liv but Aiden as well. This story is rich with alpha males and Aiden leads the pack. A little commanding but definitely lovable Aiden is everything you want from your book boyfriend. A book full of action, heat and great characters you won't be able to put it down. Jennifer Vester is well on her way to writing a killer series and I can't wait to read the next one.
I received a copy of this book and this is my honest review....... I cannot believe this is the first book I’ve read by Jennifer Vester and what a great introduction for me!!! Aiden and Olivia are great characters, well written, compelling, and fiercely loyal to their friends and family. Thief chemistry is red hot and instant and that scares Olivia who’s been hurt in the past. The book moved quickly, was a page turner from start to finish. The only problem is I can’t wait to read the rest of the series. These guys are some smokin’ hot alphas and I can’t wait for them all to get their HEA.
Where to start.... All I can say is Aiden definitely takes being an ALPHA to an all-new level. The book starts out with Olivia being hungry and deciding to go to a swanky bar to eat. She is seated around where Aiden is having a business dinner. There is some issues with her ex who is a psycho and does not know how to let go. Loved all the extra characters and hope each and everyone of Aiden's friends get their own stories. If you love an ALPHA man who hates being told no and "TRIES" to control just about everything then you will love this book.
So, this is the first book i've read from this author and OMG guys it was amazing. Jennifer Vester made me forget about sleeping because I could not put it down once I started reading RUN. There was a perfect blend of humor, romance, and suspense. After a night of 2 hours of sleep and an 8 hours shift ahead of me I was beyond thrilled because I couldn't wait to continue to the next book. This book deserves to be on the spotlight because of how good it is. I am now a fan of Jennifer Vester because I loved all the characters in this book.
there was a lot of rambling. details of details, a lot of extra sentences that should have not been included. I was also annoyed with that bit of the house exploding and how the things that had happened because of it was treated as nothing. also wasn't sure how strongly he came across with her when they had just met. it seemed a bit of an overkill
BUT by golly did the story and plot outshine ALL of that. great freaking storyline, interesting characters, a page turner for sure. I really want to read Julia's story
Run is the 1st book in the Lakefield series and my first book by Jennifer Vester. She is an amazing writer. I loved this book and can't wait to read the others in ther series. This book is about Olivia and Aiden. Olivia works at a book store and meets Aiden at Muse. She is there getting something to eat and he's having a meeting. At first she thinks he's a stalker especially when he won't give back her phone. Lol. That scene was hilarious. Aiden is an alpha male. Likes to get his way and normally does. The back and forth between these to are great. Can't wait to read the next one.