First Touch

by Loni Ree

Zander Burton
Never trust a woman and make sure you’re never stupid enough to give your heart to one. I’ve always lived by these words, then Rachel Marsh crashed into my life. It only took one night, one touch for the gorgeous blonde to make me ignore the rule I’d followed my whole life. The next morning, I found the strength to ignore my heart and walk away even though a little voice told me I was making the biggest mistake of my life.

Rachel Marsh
I escape one violent jerk only to find “the one.” At least, I give my heart to him only to have him stomp it the next day when he turns into the next jerk in my life. Zander’s hot and cold act grows old really fast, and I’m going to get my life together with the help of my new family and leave both the jerks in my past behind me.

When Zander finally wakes up and figures out he’s been living by a crazy rule, he’s way too late. Now, he’s got his work cut out for him if he has any chance of winning Rachel’s heart again. He’s going to take matters into his own hands and take her away for some time alone so she can hear what he has to say. He doesn’t care if she goes willingly or not.

Genres: Contemporary

ebook

Published June 4, 2020

Reviews

[♡Tonya♡]

3.5 stars

If you love an asshole hero sometimes (I do if he is a grumpy ass that doesn’t use other women to be a jerk) then you might like this story

-no cheating
-no ow drama
-om drama - she is running from an abusive ex
-safe- no others after meeting
-just ok epilogue not far out

[Darlene I read WAY to many books]

We have book 2 in this first series!! This one was pretty okay and little steam. Also i got this as an ARC.

Now we met these two in the last book I felt more bad for Rachel for dealing with a abusive guy and then her push/pull hate/love relationship with Zander who at times was a BIG JERK yes about 50% of the book he was a big doo doo head (had to change my words due to amazon but it starts with a A) And ill be honest I wish he begged more when he finally got his head out of his butt. He deserved to be on his knees begging. But that's me lol I wanted to see him work harder for his mistakes. Even if he had a misunderstanding about his own family when he was younger. I did wish the story started after the ex was locked up and that whole moving out to see Zander work harder for Rachel.

Up next is Brock but from the stories he doesn't seem like an as*hole. Hope he isn't as jerkish as Zander.

Low low angst, No ow drama slight om drama (the abusive ex), Tiny drama, slight secondary character, sexy times, no virgins no manwhore

Recommend- yes/maybe
Cover-⭐⭐⭐

Prologue
Slowinsta
Push away from H
Masturbation
Mentions of past abuse
No condom
Hea
Epilogue

[Amyb1975]

The first day we met, she snuck in and stole my heart and now she’s a part of me.

Whew...this author knows how to do it!
So many emotions were brought out in me on this one..anger, heartbreak, sadness, love, forgiveness, envy.
Zander sure was a douche canoe for the first part of the book, I just wanted to punch him in the junk. But boy did he make up for it. Such a touching and emotional groveling scene...loved it. Loved the whole book, even when Zander was being difficult and mean, we still knew why and knew his feelings. Having dual POV was essential, I think. Because otherwise, I don't know if I would have loved Zander like I do.
-neither virgins
-no cheating
-no OW drama, some OM issues with ex-boyfrnd
-great grovel
-epilogue at 5 years
Great job, I'm ready for Brock now. 😃

[Nova]

am voluntarily reviewing an advanced copy of this book.

Rachel is running from her abusive ex boyfriend, after the last beating he gave her she knew she had to leave or she’s die. Knowing the only place that she could run to was her step brother Slater in hope that he could help her restart her life. The first day she meets Zander the chemistry is clear but as much as he pulls her to him with one hand he pushes her away with the other. Knowing things have to change she needs to make sure there is distance between them as much as it makes her heart ache it’s the only thing she do to survive the pain, but when her ex arrives back in her life will he finally destroy her and will Zander admit to his feelings for her?

Zander doesn’t do relationships after once overhearing a conversation with his dad he grew up thinking there was no love in his parents relationship, determined to keep all women at arms length only to discover he was wrong, he doesn’t know how to handle the feelings he has for Rachel. But watching her move on from him isn’t something he wants, so when he thinks she might have a new man in her life, there is only one thing to do, prove he loves her. But after all he had said and find will she ever be able to believe him or trust what he says?

This is a great story of a women learning to heal and love again, and a man who discovers he can love and be loved. It’s not safe in the domestic violence sense although it’s only really mentioned. Looking forward to reading the next story. 4 Read

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Jami]

Zander is a jerk and has never trusted women. Rachel is running from her abusive ex boyfriend. The only person she can think of going to for help is her step brother from when her dad was married years ago. That’s where she runs into Zander. Even though her mind is telling her not to fall for him, her heart is leading her different. He goes from hot to cold so fast, it gives her whiplash. She’s finally had enough. She is not going to escape one jerk only to land with another one. When Zander finally wakes up and realizes what he’s lost, it’s too late. He’s got a lot of groveling and making up to do if he expects to when his love back.

-safe read
-neither virgins but no real talk about their past
-no om/ow drama

[Ellen Small]

I’ve been looking forward to this book since the last page of book one, and damn was it worth waiting for, Loni Ree really is on fire with each new release.

Zander love/hates, Rachel Love/hates Zander, but the fine line between the two keeps drawing them back together.

It really made my heart happy to read First Touch, now I’m here stalking Loni Ree like a nutter waiting for the next release.

[S Rosi]

I didn’t want them to end up together

This would have gotten AT LEAST one more star if he had even apologized ONCE. Their relationship starts with him being an ass. Their first time having sex sounds like he walked in on her naked threw her on the bed and went at when she was at her most vulnerable (having run away from an abusive ex who almost killed her, spent ages and all her money getting there, and just spent the night in the woods after said ex found her and trashed her motel room. So she’s scared, wired, exhausted, hungry, anxious, miserable and staying with a total stranger who has been nothing but mean to her and yet she had to rely on for her protection). Then he immediately dismissed what they did as anything more than sex and says it can’t happen again. He was then an ass to her for almost an entire year, being incredibly disrespectful and toxic in their workplace and personal lives.

Then he shows up yells at her for basically having a life and wearing a dress, has sex with her and then once again immediately dismisses it as nothing and says it won’t ever happen again. And goes back to being a massive asshole to her. For weeks.

And then only when faced with the possibility of losing her does he really realize he loves her. But that’s not enough for him to apologize or rethink things. No, no. It takes finding out that the one sentence he heard his dad say as a kid out of context was in fact wrong and not something to shape his entire view of romance and women around. But does he apologize? Still no. He continues being an ass until he thinks she might be with someone else. And then he shows up ready to kill the guy (who was actually a dog) and lectures her like she’s cheating on him when he’s the one who has been dismissing her for almost a year.

And it’s just excuses upon excuses. None of which justify ANYTHING. Even if his dad had meant that his relationship with his mom made him miserable, that doesn’t justify him leading her on only to shove her away or get mad at her anytime she talks to another guy while only ever being a dick to her. His mom could have been the freaking devil and it wouldn’t have given him a justifiable reason to treat the FMC the way he did. Him not wanting a relationship doesn’t make it okay for him to treat her like shit for over a year. Or for him to basically stalk her while simultaneously treating her like he hates her. And then he asks for a second chance and when she says she needs time. He gets all pissy and mad at her like “I can’t believe she won’t give me a chance now that I know what I want”. Which was totally reasonable for her to ask for after he treated her poorly for so long and only just changed his mind and then even in changing his mind didn’t really change his behaviour. He was still over bearing and controlling and angry. And especially now that she is dealing with being pregnant with his kid, she deserves some time to freaking think about what she wants their relationship and her future to look like and shouldn’t be expected to give him an answer after he barged in on her time away.

And then he does NOT give her space like she asks for. He even shows up at her place of work to try to force her into a conversation. And then he sends gifts everyday which is not giving someone space, and yet still NO APOLOGY. And then she finally agrees to start over but says she wants to take it slow. She needs to take it slow and he agrees. But then when they hook up over pregnancy hormones a while later (which wasn’t great but neither were the two times he initiated and at least she was clear about her intentions) and she makes it clear that she’s not 100% forgiven him, and he’s really disappointed. After the way he treated her he should have had a speech where he apologized, begged for forgiveness, and said he would understand if she didn’t forgive him but he was going to show her how much he loved her for the rest of their lives. I mean, they are NEVER shown having a conversation that isn’t about her abusive ex, him dismissing their relationship, or him being an ass to her before they’re supposedly in love. Not one.

And then, the cherry on top of why I’m so mad, not even six months later and he proposes (which feels like rushing things to me considering they were supposedly starting over—and like I said, it’s not like they had dated and broke up, they weren’t even friends. He didn’t know her favourite color or flower or anything. They were basically enemies—not taking it slow like she asked). And she not only says yes she says she had been hoping he’d ask and then SHE apologizes for giving him the “wrong” signals. After everything that happened why is she the one apologizing?????!????

What also should have been addressed, his view of his mom. He heard a throw away comment his dad made that was something like “women will drain you of your happiness and money” while his dad was referring to a case in the news about a gold digger who cheated, not his own marriage (which was a very happy marriage according him and an example of a good marriage according to their friends). And male lead immediately assumed it was in reference to his mom (did he literally have no memories of them happy together) and then when they died a few weeks later, he blamed his mom for his dad dying miserable. That is the view of his mother he has had all these years. That she was horrible and made his dad miserable and spent all his money. For decades he has thought the worst of a woman who loved him and his father because of something he heard out of context. Why is it then when he finds out that his anger at mom (and women in general) was misplaced he didn’t feel bad about it? His sole thought process was all about how he might have lost the female lead. Not about his disrespect for his deceased mother or the countless other women he’s treated poorly throughout the years. Like it has nothing to do with their relationship, but if his sole thoughts upon finding out he was wrong hadn’t all seemed to be focused around himself and how it affected him, I might have had more sympathy for him.

[Rose]

I liked this story. It was entertaining even though there is some prior abuse of the heroine that is talked about. The characters were interesting and relatable. I felt that Rachel was very strong to walk away and hope that she could start over.

****Blurb
Zander Burton
Never trust a woman and make sure you’re never stupid enough to give your heart to one. I’ve always lived by these words, then Rachel Marsh crashed into my life. It only took one night, one touch for the gorgeous blonde to make me ignore the rule I’d followed my whole life. The next morning, I found the strength to ignore my heart and walk away even though a little voice told me I was making the biggest mistake of my life.

Rachel Marsh
I escape one violent jerk only to find “the one.” At least, I give my heart to him only to have him stomp it the next day when he turns into the next jerk in my life. Zander’s hot and cold act grows old really fast, and I’m going to get my life together with the help of my new family and leave both the jerks in my past behind me.

When Zander finally wakes up and figures out he’s been living by a crazy rule, he’s way too late. Now, he’s got his work cut out for him if he has any chance of winning Rachel’s heart again. He’s going to take matters into his own hands and take her away for some time alone so she can hear what he has to say. He doesn’t care if she goes willingly or not.
****
It took me a long time to like Zander. I didn't like how he talked to Rachel or how he treated her for the longest time. At first, I thought that Brock would make a better match with Rachel, but once Zander figured out his issues I liked him. I loved how Zander went about making up for his actions with Rachel and that he told Rachel that she was in charge. Their happy ever after made me smile. I recommend reading this book.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[lf]

He does not deserve her in any way........but he still ends up with her in the end

First Touch is the second book in the Passport 2 Love (Firsts) series and is the story of Rachel and Zander.
Rachel Marsh is escaping an abusive boyfriend who is also some type of criminal. After the last beating a couple of weeks ago she has planned her escape and the time is finally right. So she hopes on a bus from NYC to the little town of Darion, Texas. In Darion is her stepbrother Slater who she has not seen since her left right after he graduated high school and they lost contact.
When she arrives she calls the only number she has which is his shop but he is not there and instead a gruff voice hangs up on her when she explains she is his sister, because the man says Slater does not have a sister. So she ends up going to the shop the next day hoping he is there. There she meets Slater's business partners Brock and Zander. It was Zander who hung up on her and he is giving her the same treatment now but Brock takes an easier approach and they soon discover she is Slater's sister and she needs some help. From there the story takes a number of twists and turns.
For me I had a hard time connecting with this story. Zander was absolutely horrible and emotionally abusive to Rachel. Actually his whole attitude towards women is horrendous and really he needs to be slapped upside the head and kicked in the butt at the same time. Rachel was a sweet young girl who made one bad decision after another which includes falling for the wrong men over and over.
The story is well written but jumpy in places. There is a lot that is woven into this novella with some things really in there for a moment and a rushed ending which ended up a lovely HEA but was a sharp left turn in Zander's character. Overall First Touch was an okay story as I liked some parts and not so much others.

[Keitha Besok]

Zander and Rachel's story is a very exciting one... Rachel is trying to escape an abusive ex boyfriend, but he has figured out that she had left him and he comes to find her... Rachel finds her step brother's auto shop and meets Zander... When they shack hands it love.. So Zander gets a hold of Slater, Slater and Elyse come back from their trip to help Rachel get settled.. For the first week or so Rachel stays with Zander... Zander makes love to Rachel the first night that she is at his place.. He acts like nothing happened the next... Rachel is heart broke especially when it happens the second time... Zander is acting like an idiot because he misunderstood a conversation that his dad and uncle had years ago before Zander's parents died... Once Zander realizes the mistake he made he had to find Rachel to fix it.. That's when he finds out that she got the most ugliest dog ever and that she is pregnant with his a child... From that day forward Zander is proving that he would do whatever it takes to win her back... He bought her a house and asked her to marry him she said yes to both... Once Rachel goes into labor Zander winds up dropping the dog off at Slater, Duchess and Erine fall in love, that's how Zander got his revenge on Slater without even meaning too... Can't wait to see what happens to Brock

[Marie Brown (Marie's Tempting Reads)]

Marie's Tempting Reads ARC Review:

Oh how I do enjoy a good growly, arsehole-ish alpha who ends up falling in love with the beautiful and gentle heroine and who has to win her back after messing things up! In other words, this was a fantastic second chance romance that had passion and action and some good humor and heart.

Zander at first glance, seems like a major jerk...and ok, maybe he definitely was but my goodness, his hotness and protective and hot and cold manner made my pulse race and my thighs tremble and had butterflies swarming in my tummy! And Rachel, this heroine made me want to hug her hard. She was a kind and strong heroine and incredibly brave and watching her bring Zander to his knees made this one incredibly sexy story. This is the kind of storyline I can't get enough of. It is a slow burn that comes on strong and hot and then pulls back just enough to keep the heat going and then comes back again hotter and stronger than ever. I loved it so much! Zander and Rachel made my heart so happy and I loved watching them together and really loved the fact Zander had to win her back. Awesome stuff!

First Touch gets a DELIROUSLY GOOD FIVE SPECTACULAR STARS!

[Lauren]

First things first; I love the cover of this book!
First touch is book two in the ‘’firsts’’ series. This story is short, fast paced and an enjoyable read. I read this book in one sitting and was satisfied throughout. I found the writing style easy to follow, the characters likeable and the storyline enjoyable. Having escaped an abusive relationship Rachel seeks refuge with her estranged stepbrother. Zander is attracted to Rachel but he is angry about it. Instead of acting on his feelings he tries to chase her away.
The chemistry between Zander and Rachel is clear to see and I liked them together. I did think Zander was a jerk that needed to pull his head from his a**. That being said, the attraction between him and Rachel was clear to see.
I found everyone’s reaction to Ernie hilarious.
I really liked the ending and the epilogue for this story.
The storyline for this book is easy to follow and it is an enjoyable read. I cannot wait for more books from this series.

[Deborah Myers]

Uh..not my favirite

Sorry but the H was far far too big of an a-hole. I am glad the h made him work for it and didnt cave in 2 seconds. That definately helped but he was awful and his reasoning for his behavior was ridiculous.

I love Loni's Silver Spoon MC books that she partnered on with Nichole Rose. I love all her male characters in those. They dont act like jerks. But I have read some of her individual books and there are some H's in them that are either manhoes, (which I am not fond of in romance books) or they are just too jerky.

I hope she writes more male characters like in the Silverspoon MC series. I would read every one. Ones like this, I will try and avoid. It kind of ruins it for me. I guess I am not as forgiving as some of her h's. LOL. Oh well. Ree is a really good writer and def wirth checking out.

[Pang Lor]

3.5 Stars. After reading First Sight I had to find out what would happen between Rachel and Zander. Rachel comes looking for her stepbrother who she hasn't seen or kept in touch with for years. She's in trouble and needs Slater help. As she comes back into her only living family life she also comes into Zander's life. At the first meeting the both feel a connection unlike anything else. Rachel feels like she can't trust her judgment when it comes to men and Zander had a childhood memory that had shape the way he sees women. I felt like I knew most of their story from First Sight just not the whole detail. Most of the book I wanted to knock some sense into Zander give him a hard kick. Overall a good book and I can't wait until the next book comes out.

[Leslee]

There is a shortage of groveling books in the world. Every time a hero behaves really, really badly I hope and pray for a good grovel to redeem him. This is not that book. Zander is a huge, ginormous jerk when he meets Rachel and he just holds onto that attitude for months. Rachel is a quiet girl, a beaten down, abused woman which makes his behavior even worse, in my opinion. When he does apologize, its okay but it could have been awesome. The writing is good, Ms Ree manages to pack a lot of story into a small space but again, she could have given us more of him showing Rachel how much he cares for her, to prove his feelings. If you can easily forgive, this book is for you but for me, 3.5 stars.

[Mulan Book Princess]

A great read that really kept you on your toes wondering when Rachel and Zander will get together and what is the catalyst that will finally make them a couple. The storyline moves fairly fast, yet you get enough information so you know what is happening. There were some silly moments that really put a smile on my face while reading, and made me really like the characters. Note there is a lot of swearing in the story and not just during the steamy parts. That being said, the swearing does fit perfectly with the type of men Zander, Slater and Brock are and the type of work that they do. You want to read this book - I had to do it all in one sitting!

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Vinessa]

Rachel we me met in First Sight, we know she was on the run from her very abusive and connected ex Dooley.
Zander we also met in Fist Sight he is jaded but loyal.
Here we get to read the behind the scenes of their explosive meeting.
Turns out fighting feelings may just of cost Zander the love and acceptance he has longed for.
Rachel fell for Zander hard but his abuse may not be physical damage but her heart can't handle the pain.
With the help from his friends Zander realized he better give up his rules about relationships or give up Rachel. But just picturing her with someone else drives him looney. But Rachel is making him work for forgiveness.

[Kristine L.]

Poor Zander, burned by fa woman so he's never going to trust another. Then he finds Rachel and spend one night with her and decides that he's got to push her out of his life. She's just like all the other women. He doesn't know her but he will paint her with the same brush. Rachel just escaped one jerk to spend the night with another jerk. Rachel decides to fix her life and with the help of her family leave the jerks behind. Wow, Zander has a lot to learn. Will he learn it in time to get another chance with Rachel? Now he has to work smarter instead of harder to win Rachel's heart. Great story.. I received a copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Charity Esparza]

Fast and fun, but with a lot of relationship drama. Rachel and Zander each have their baggage, and it causes misunderstanding after misunderstanding. Rachel brings along some additional trouble in the form of an abusive ex, one who is unwilling to let her go. Zander is fighting his feelings tooth and nail, and then must make up for every hurtful thing he says. Danger, personal growth, family bonds, close friendships, love masquerading as hate, this story has it all! Very much looking forward to seeing the final owner of TBD Auto find his match!

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Mandy D]

Zander and Rachel’s story is full on angst. I really struggled with Zander being a big A-hole for most of the story, but he’s one of those characters you just love to hate. They clearly loved each other and just didn’t know what to do about it. I expected more groveling when Zander finally does turn it all around, especially given Rachel’s past. This is definitely not a read to fall asleep story, as there is all kinds of drama and torture of “will he ever get his sh*t together” wonderings.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Kayla Pocernich]

This book had so many different emotions that you don't know weather to be angry, sad, hopeful, upset and yet you feel a sense of forgiveness and envy. Rachel is running from her ex and wants a fresh start on life. Zander on the other hand has his own issues that he needs to deal with. Can Rachel and Zander but the past behind them and move forward to achieve the fresh start that they both deserve to have. Great read.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Mina Kalidas]

This was an angsty, entertaining read about Zander and Rachel. One look and Zander knew Rachel was the one for him but because of his past, he fought his feelings and ended up hurting Rachel in the process. Rachel was a sweet beautiful soul. She has been abused in the past and she thought coming to a new place she could start fresh. Zander and Rachel had great chemistry but he kept being a jerk. This was a thrilling, edge of your seat wonderful love story. This was a great addition to an awesome series and I can't wait to read more by Loni Ree.

[Wendy T]

I really enjoyed Zander and Rachel’s strangers ti lovers story. Rachel was on the run from her abusive boyfriend and sought out her stepbrother who she has had no contact for years. She arrived at his auto shop only to be confronted with an over bearing Zander. Their relationship is formed through angry and harsh words because they are attracted to each other. They finally realize they can’t work together and once Rachel leaves Zander realizes he could loose her. So their story turns to him winning her back and even though the ending is predictable I really enjoyed their story.

[Syd Springer]

This was a very fast-paced book. Zander and Rachel fell in love with each other the moment they saw each other. However, Zander had is view of love tainted at a very young age and Rachel is the on the run of an ex and is tried of falling for jerks. These two have to overcome a lot in order to get their HEA. I would recommend this book.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Mari (Mystics & Metaphysics Book Blog)]

I enjoyed this story between Zander and Rachel. He feels protective over her but doesn’t understand his feelings and just keeps pushing her away. At one point I felt like the story just dragged on, especially with Zander making mistake after mistake. He really just got on my nerves until he finally manned up. Towards the end, it moves in the proper direction and I learned to love him.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Ashley Marie]

I loved this book. Rachel is running from her abusive ex and goes to see her former stepbrother and ends up meeting Zander. Zander is taken by the beautiful blonde but has a horrible way of showing it. After some ups and downs they finally get together! The only thing I didn’t like about this story was Zander kept pushing Rachel away. I can’t wait to read Brock’s story. Definitely recommend this book.

[Debra]

This book two in the Firsts series will take you on an emotional roller coaster. It is LOL funny, heartwarming, witty, sweet, steamy, and well written. The characters are perfect together; their chemistry is explosive. I had so much fun reading this book and I can hardly wait for the next one. Definitely recommended!

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Rmqbookqueen]

This book will take you on A RIDE. Zander and Rachel are two headstrong, stubborn, and one another’s true match. They really brought the angst to the story, and it even had me frustrated reading it because I wanted them to figure their problems out and run into the sunset. This is an HEA, of course, but these characters really had a journey to find their happiness and vulnerability to be with each other.

[Carly Jean]

Sander and Rachel... Love at first read...second part

I loved this second story in the Firsts collection. I truly cannot wait for Brock's story!

This story was more of a guy trying to win the girl over then an insta-love story. There was more chase then Loni Ree's usual insta-love romances. I loved it. Something different but still had insta-love vibes. Its hard to explain. You'll just have to read it and see. Hope you enjoy as much as I did!!!!

[Georgia Mouzouros]

This book had a lot of ups and downs for me, ZANDER is a grade A jerk throughout most of the book, it is not your regular Love story although it does end with a HEA. Zander has commitment issues and decides to never commit, in the mean time jerking Rachel around, Rachel is running form an abusive relationship and needs to keep herself focused to fix her life but still falls for Zander. Zander runs hot and cold throughout the book until he realizes that he is in love with Rachel, then it’s 100% get Rachel to forgive me and give me a second chance mode...I really wish that she would have made him grovel and beg at her feet a lot more as she forgave him all toooo fast, he did redeem himself in the end with a happy epilogue.