One Reckless Summer

Destiny #1

by Toni Blake

It's tough to play it cool on a sultry summer night...

The perfect daughter. The perfect prom queen. The perfect wife. Jenny Tolliver's been the good girl all her life, and it's gotten her nowhere. Now that her marriage has been busted up by her cheating ex, she's decided it's time to regroup and rediscover herself. This summer she's headed back to her hometown of Destiny, Ohio, to the very lakeshore cottage where she grew up, to figure out what life holds in store for her next.

She never dreamed the answer would be Mick Brody, Destiny's #1 hellraiser. He comes from the wrong side of the tracks (or in his case, the lake), and he's landed in hot water more times than he can count. He's exactly the kind of guy Jenny's always kept her distance from . . . but soon the good girl and the bad boy are caught in a raw heat that's out of control. Too bad Mick's got a secret that threatens to tear them apart and ruin Jenny's perfectly, passionately reckless summer . . .

Genres: Romance, Contemporary Romance, Contemporary, Chick Lit, Adult, Erotica, Erotic Romance

370 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published May 26, 2009

About the author

Toni Blake's love of writing began when she won an essay contest in the fifth grade. Soon after, she penned her first novel, nineteen notebook-pages long, and announced to her mother over breakfast one day that she was going to be a writer when she grew up. Since then, Toni has become the author of more than a dozen contemporary romance novels. Her work has been excerpted in Cosmo, she's been a recipient of the Kentucky Women Writers Fellowship and a nominee for the prestigious Pushcart Prize, and she's also had more than forty short stories and articles published. Toni lives in the Midwest and enjoys traveling, genealogy, crafts, and snow skiing.

Toni has also written under the name Toni Blair.

Photo: Cassandra Stella

Reviews

[UniquelyMoi ~ BlithelyBookish · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is yet another “first read of an author new to me” and I really wasn’t entirely sure what to expect from this story, but having read some great reviews I knew to look forward to, at the very least, an entertaining read. Well, I got that for sure, and much, much more. There are so many things to love about One Reckless Summer, I'm just not sure I can list them all. It’s a story about unconditional love, about not judging people until you’ve gotten to know them and given them a chance to prove what kind of person they really are, and about not allowing other people’s opinions of you to affect you so much that you change the person you are.

Jenny Tolliver was Destiny Ohio’s “good girl,” a nick name she had never resented until her husband had an affair because Jenny was too “good” for the kind of sex he wanted, so “good” in fact that he couldn’t even bring himself to tell her about the kind of sex he wanted. He called her a modern day June Cleaver, and from that point on, Jenny couldn’t stand being thought of as a “good girl” anymore because being a “good girl” had destroyed her marriage – at least that’s how she saw it. And yes, I'm overusing the term “good girl” because that’s what the people of Destiny did, too. She was never just Jenny; in fact, they used the term “good girl” so much that Jenny and I both wanted to scream.

Mick Brody was the opposite of Jenny Tolliver – he was Destiny’s “bad boy.” His parents were alcoholics who fought all the time and his brother was rotten to the core, so… it just stood to reason that Mick was the apple that didn’t fall far from the tree, right? So who could blame the fine folk of Destiny for not trusting him, for thinking so poorly of him? Trouble, that’s what he was. What they didn’t know was that yes, he was a boy who was headed down the wrong path, but when he saw which direction said wrong path was taking him, he took control of his future, left Destiny where he knew he’d never be given the chance to amount to anything in the eyes of its residents, turned his life around and became a good, hard working man.

It was quite by accident that Mick and Jenny bumped into each other one night and it was lust at first sight—or maybe they sensed something of themselves in one another, that connection that only someone else grieving, someone with a shattered heart would recognize in another person. Their relationship immediately became purely sexual, or so they kept telling themselves and each other. Normally, this kind of “no strings attached” sexual relationship doesn’t do anything for me, but in this case it was so painfully clear to me that they needed each in such a primitive way, needed that physical connection of one human being to another, someone to help them through the loneliness and the sorrow they were both feeling, that I couldn’t fault them for the way they found it.

There were many instances where I cried for the heartache Mick had to endure watching his brother slowly, painfully die, but this one scene, after Wayne had passed and the pain of waiting for him to die was over, had me sobbing.

As he looked at his brother’s limp, lifeless body, he wondered who would remember Wayne—who would remember that he could be funny, that’d he’d been good at math, that he’d liked horses as a kid but had never ridden one. It would be like Wayne had never existed—and due to the circumstances of his death, Mick couldn’t even give him a decent gravestone to mark his passing.

Despite the fact that Wayne couldn’t hear him anymore, he heard himself say, “I’ll remember you,” just before the tears flowed down his face.

Several years ago was diagnosed with a deadly form a cancer and had begun wondering if I would be remembered when I’m gone. Would I be missed? So reading Mick’s thoughts, and his words, brought all that back and made Wayne’s death personal – truly heartbreaking, not just for his physical and emotional struggle with dying, but for Mick who had to watch, unable to do anything more for the brother he so loved than try and ease his passing.

This was such an amazing story, and I’ll be honest, loaded with very passionate sex. The thing is, this is one of those books where the story itself was so, so good that it didn’t need the sex to keep it emotionally charged because it was the people, Jenny and Mick, who made this book so poignant. Through their understanding, compassion and the need to love and be loved for who they truly are, they captured a place in my heart and made me laugh, cry, and yes, I did a lot of fanning myself.

I’m definitely reading the next book in this series, Sugar Creek.

[Auntee · Rating 5 out of 5]

W-o-n-d-e-r-f-u-l book! Be warned it starts out a little slow (except for the first encounter between the H/H--hot), but that's largely because it's the first book of a series and some time is spent just setting it up. But after about the first 100 pages the book takes off, and you'll be hard pressed to put it down. And when I finally did put it down, tears were rolling down my cheeks and I was breathing a huge sigh of relief. What a wonderful, thought provoking, sexy romance!

Jenny Tolliver--teacher, astronomer, perfect daughter, pretty, all around "good girl", and recent divorcee, is back in her small hometown of Destiny, Ohio for the summer. Since her marriage crumbled due to a cheating ex who claims she's "too sweet", "too good" and too "June Cleaver-like" to give him the kind of sex he needs, Jenny figures it's time to come home to her family's lakeside cottage and regroup, visit with her good friends from home, and maybe do something about that good girl image. So what does she want to do with the rest of her life? What does life have in store for her?

How about local bad boy Mick Brody? Mick is a guy from the wrong side of the tracks (or lake), growing up with a lousy family life, parents who don't give a damn, and an older brother who's a bad example. After years of being away from Destiny, suddenly he's back in town, but doesn't want anyone to know. Mick's worked hard to turn his life around, and finds himself unable to turn down a request made to him by someone he cares about. But fulfilling this request could get him in big trouble. One night when Jenny rows across the lake (telescope in hand) with the intention of getting a better look at the stars from the Brody property high on a hill, she unexpectedly bumps into the sexy, scary, bad boy who she hasn't seen in 15 years. And my, oh my, he's looking better than ever-- 6'2", dark hair, sexy stubble, deep voice and muscular body, and he calls her...pussycat. Mick wants her off his property. Jenny can't understand why. What can it hurt if she's just there to look at the stars? Mick is insistent, Jenny is stubborn. Sparks fly, and soon they're getting busy in the woods! Score one for Jenny's inner bad girl and mark this as the start of her reckless summer.

Mick's got a big secret he's trying to keep, and being around Jenny (whose widowed father happens to be the police chief) is a dangerous thing, but he can't seem to make himself stay away. Mick's pretty much a loner, but he's never craved a woman like he craves Jenny. Jenny's tired of her "good girl" image, and wouldn't mind having a summer fling while she 'finds herself'. She figures if she keeps it only about sex without letting her feelings get involved, she can handle it. Pretty soon she finds out the secret Mick is keeping, and it's a shocker. If she tells anyone about it, Mick could be in big trouble. Jenny vows not to tell anyone, even though what Mick is doing is technically illegal, but Jenny thinks it's morally right. But can she keep something like this from her policeman father?

Mick and Jenny spend more and more time together, and soon what was just about the sex turns into a need that neither anticipated. Jenny is Mick's lifeline while he has to deal with the worst time of his life, and she wants to do all that she can to help him. Mick can't believe that a sweet, kind hearted person like Jenny would want to be with a guy like him. Soon Mick and Jenny find themselves way past the point of a sex only relationship, as their feelings for each other intensify. But no sooner do they admit to themselves, and to each other, that they are in love, that something happens that destroys Mick's trust in Jenny. Will Mick have the courage to fight for their love, or will he find it easier to walk away?

Oh wow, oh wow, did I love Mick and Jenny! Hottttt couple! I felt so bad for Mick, since he didn't have the greatest upbringing. And the secret he was trying to keep while he was fulfilling his promise? How incredibly stressful--my heart ached for him. There was a scene where he came to Jenny after it (fulfilling the promise) was all over, where she took care of him--it was so pitiful, so sweet, the love she showed him...it brought tears to my eyes. Actually, there were many such moments where I just found tears rolling down my cheeks, and it wasn't just scenes with Jenny and Mick. There were quite a few emotional scenes between Mick and the person he was trying to help, Jenny and her father, and even Jenny's father and his new lady friend who helped open his eyes about the possibility of Mick being a changed person.

Of course the sex scenes in this book were plentiful and super hot too (in the woods, against a tree, outside in the rain), and included one steamy encounter in the kitchen involving some ice and making use of an open refrigerator and the kitchen counter--yikes! But not only were they intense, but I thought they were romantic too. I liked how Mick listened to and encouraged Jenny's hopes and dreams, and I loved how Jenny was able to share her passion for astronomy with Mick and how he truly seemed to appreciate her. Mick was one of those heroes who just needed to be loved so much that he just soaked it up like a sponge. It was obvious that no one in his life ever gave him the affection he deserved, and Jenny certainly tried to rectify that. They may have been opposites, but they brought out the best in each other, and I thought they were perfect together. When Mick almost gave up on their love at the end I was panic stricken!

I also enjoyed Jenny's inner dialogue as she battled with what her heart wanted and what her head told her to do--some funny moments there. I enjoyed it when she gave up caring 'what people would think', and learned to please herself. I also enjoyed her relationship with her best friend Sue Ann and her other girlfriends from Destiny. Some interesting characters (male and female) were introduced, and I'm wondering who will be matched up as the series progresses.

"One Reckless Summer" is a wonderful story about trust, judging people, and showing what's right and wrong is not always black and white--sometimes there are shades of gray. It's an emotional, sexy and romantic read, that's a lot deeper than your typical romance. I encourage anyone who's not only looking for a hot romance, but a story that will make you think, to give it a try. I loved it, and can't wait for the next in the series. 4 1/2 stars!

[Shawna · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 stars – Contemporary Romance

One Reckless Summer is a very touching, sweet, and steamy contemporary romance that’s a perfect escapist read for a hot, lazy summer day, but it also has emotional depth and makes you think and feel.

Jenny Tolliver returns to her small hometown of Destiny, Ohio to spend a summer in the lakeshore cottage where she grew up to heal and regroup from a painful divorce that’s left her self-esteem and soul bruised and battered. Her ex-husband had an affair with Jenny’s 21-year-old teaching assistant at the school where they both worked as teachers, resulting in a crumbled marriage and her leaving the job she’s comfortable with. Her cheating “rat bastard” ex blames his affair with a “chippie” on the fact that Jenny’s too much of a good girl and just too nice to meet his needs in the bedroom. He even compares her to June Cleaver...yikes!

While staying the summer in Destiny, Jenny hopes to rediscover and reinvent herself while catching up with her childhood girlfriends. She’s tired of being the perfect, good girl and wants to prove, especially to herself, that there’s much more to her than that. She gave up her dream of being an astronomer to teach because her husband convinced her that it was foolish. Jenny’s nursing a broken heart and spirit, and she never expected to find everything she ever wanted and needed in town bad boy Mick Brody.

Mick Brody and his older brother come from the wrong side of the tracks, or lake in this particular town, and were Destiny’s notorious hellraisers. Mick and Jenny were in total opposite worlds as teenagers, but they shared a memorable moment of attraction that both were too scared to act on because of Jenny’s innocence and good girl reputation and Mick’s bad boy ways. Mick left Destiny to avoid following in his brother’s criminal footsteps and to turn his life around. Now he’s come home in secret to fulfill a promise to his brother that could cause a lot of trouble if discovered.

When Jenny crosses paths with Mick while trespassing on his family’s property across the lake to use their hill for stargazing, Mick makes her swear to keep his presence and secret from everyone in town, including her sheriff father. Of course, they experience an explosive attraction that ignites a wild, passionate, reckless affair that’s sure to complicate matters, and neither is prepared for it to evolve into a serious, deep relationship.

This is a very pleasant contemporary romance with lots of steamy sex scenes, and although there’s nothing too overtly erotic, it’s definitely hot! What’s really surprising, at least it was for me, is how heartwarming, moving, and thought provoking the story is. Jenny is a lovable heroine, and anyone who’s been hurt and left to pick up the pieces after a devastating break-up or divorce can relate to her. Mick comes from a poor, abusive background and has always been an outsider looking in, longing to be a part of Jenny’s world and to be accepted by the town. Anyone who’s ever been judged, teased, ridiculed, looked down on by the rich, popular crowd, and/or had to overcome abuse or hardships can relate to his struggles. I had tears in my eyes a few times, especially reading the scenes involving Mick and his brother. Jenny and Mick make a great couple, both trying to shed unfair stereotypes, her always feeling judged as the good girl and him never quite feeling good enough.

It’s an emotionally moving, tender, and steamy romance with great characters and a terrific story about looking beyond misconceptions, past mistakes, labels, and appearances, that things aren’t always black and white, and the healing power of forgiveness and love, even for yourself. It’s a delightful contemporary romance and a great summer read. I’m looking forward to the next book in this terrific new series. 5 stars!

[KarenH · Rating 5 out of 5]

Once again I'm blown away by a great book written by Toni Blake.

One Reckless Summer is the story of Jenny Tolliver, a self-described "goody two-shoes" who is moving back to the house she grew up in, in Destiny, Ohio, for the summer... to rethink her future after her recent (and totally unexpected) divorce. Seems her "rat bastard" of a husband (a fitting term bestowed upon the man by her best friend) enjoyed sex with Jenny's teacher's aide more than he did with her. His reason? Jenny was just too "June Cleaver" for him - even in the sack.

On her first night back in Destiny, Jenny, an avid stargazer, decides to row over on the lake running behind her house to the old Brody property, where she will have an unobstructed view of the sky. Upon docking, she is rudely confronted by a man she remembers as Mick Brody - the classic "bad boy" from the wrong side of the tracks (or in this case - the wrong side of the lake) when they were in high school. Jenny had heard about Mick and his brother Wayne's criminal activities over the past 12 years (her father being Chief of Police in Destiny), but nobody had told her what a breathtakingly handsome man Mick had become! Oh, and hadn't she heard the property had been abandoned by the Brody's years before? Then what was Mick doing here? She wasn't going to find out now because Mick was shoving her back to her boat...telling her to forget she ever saw him. A little angry, a lot aroused and quite thoroughly sick of being pushed around, Jenny fights back. Push turns to shove and soon Jenny is up against a tree - her arms twined around Mick's neck kissing him passionately. Before she has time to really think about it, Mick has her (or does she have him?) lying on the ground. She knows she should stop him now...and she's going to...soon. But soon only sees her straddling Mick as he thrusts up into her. Uh oh...looks like June Cleaver has left the building...

So there you have it in the first 25 pages...an unorthodox beginning to an unusual romance between two people "most likely not to..." As the story develops, we see Jenny shed her "squeaky-clean" image (along with her clothes AND her inhibitions - take THAT rat bastard!) while Mick slowly warms to the unfamiliar feeling that someone finally cares about him. The sexual encounters are frequent but each situation is unique. Those of you that "skim" the sex scenes after the initial encounter should rethink that (bad) habit when reading this book because TB gets creative with these two. Aside from their first encounter in the woods, they do it on the linoleum in the kitchen with the freezer door open (it was hot outside!), on the grass during a torrential downpour, on a swing, against a tree and on the couch...all before they finally do it in a (ho-hum) bed. But somewhere along the way, "having sex" becomes "making love"; and both Jenny and Mick, while able to acknowledge and accept what they feel for each other is love, are more than a little uncertain about their future together. Can Jenny ignore Mick's criminal past, as well as the illegal activity he is currently involved in, for the sake of love? Can she live with the gossip her "coming out" with Mick will surely stir? And Mick...will he ever feel he is the right man for Jenny? Is he worthy enough to live in her world?

As in the other books I've read by Toni Blake, the protagonists in ORS are so thoroughly fleshed out they became "real". Less than halfway through the book, I really started caring about Jenny & Mick as though they were friends. Being so completely invested in their relationship, there were a few tears plopping onto the book during some of the sadder, touching scenes. However, those were replaced with happy tears when the new "I-am-woman-hear-me-roar" Jenny went after her man...suddenly oblivious to what people would think or how it might look. This, of course, led to a wonderful HEA and epilogue

Toni Blake is now my undisputed favorite contemporary author. How could she not be? Letters to a Secret Lover, Tempt Me Tonite and now One Reckless Summer are all 5-star keepers in my top 20 all-time favorites. I "love" her heroines and I am "in love" with her heroes. Or "in lust", I should say. But how can I help it when they are so damn hot they scorch the pages? I have a perfect image of Mick Brody in my mind. He is described as having olive skin so I have decided he's Italian...and, as most of you know, I'm obsessively honed in on one particular Italian, so VOILA! Mick Brody in my avatar!

I would recommend this book to anyone who likes a story with the "opposites attract" premise, who isn't adverse to explicit sex & much of it (between the H/h only) and who doesn't mind getting a little involved with, and perhaps a little emotional over, two fictitious characters from a fictitious little town called Destiny. Virgin River lovers - are you listening?

[Miss Kim · Rating 5 out of 5]

Jenny returns to her small hometown for the summer, following a painful divorce. She caught her husband cheating on her, and he basically says it’s her fault because she is too much like ‘June Cleaver’. Oh—and also she is boring in bed. She is totally shocked because she thinks things are great between them. He is the only man she’s been with, so why didn’t he say she was doing something wrong, or needed something different? In the end, she finds she really doesn’t seem to mind his leaving. He’d controlled her most of the marriage and it takes her some time figure that out.

She stays in her father’s cabin on the lake, and ends up running into the local bad boy, Mick, whom she has not seen in 15 years. His family was from the wrong side of the tracks—or lake in this case. He had abusive, alcoholic parents, and brother that turned into a criminal.

I was surprised how their first meeting turned out. They begin a ‘reckless’ affair for the summer. I loved both characters immediately, and felt their pain through the whole story. Mick is carrying around major baggage and a large secret. Jenny is ‘the good girl’ and can’t help herself falling for the bad boy. The town is full of small town characters that add a lot to the story. I loved this book! I got irritated when I had to put it down to sleep or go back to work. I highly recommend it!

[Quinn · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5 stars

I’m confused. This is a book with a very high average rating, and one that the vast majority of my GR friends have rated 5 stars, inspiring sincere, passionate and heartfelt reviews. And though of course I’m happy that they found a book they loved, I just don’t get it. I really don’t. I’m trying hard to see the appeal, but I just can’t. It’s not that it was bad, it just wasn’t particularly good, either.

Jenny Tolliver has returned to her home town following a devastating divorce from her college sweetheart. Destiny, Ohio, is the fairly typical and clichéd depiction of a small town, populated with perfect, home-baking, dress-wearing housewives, bring-a-plate gatherings, upstanding morals, tut-tutting gossip and hyphenated names.

Jenny, prom-queen and all-round good girl, needs some time to get her life back together, after her first-love-turned-husband cheated on her with a much younger girl because Jenny’s ‘too good’ (otherwise known as boring in bed). So it’s back home she goes to regroup and decide what to do with her life.

An astronomer, Jenny decides to venture over the other side of the lake (read: wrong side of the tracks) to where the ‘bad’ Brody family used to live. Luckily, there are no more Brody’s left in town, so Jenny figures she should be safe to stargaze with her telescope from the top of the hill where she will have a clear view and privacy.

Imagine Jenny’s surprise when she is stopped, rather forcefully, by a man who, although she can’t see him clearly, turns out to be none other than Mick Brody. Jenny might have had some kind of teenage fascination from afar for bad-boy Mick, but it was also tempered by fear. The Brody’s were bad-boys in deeds, not just in name.

Mick is hiding a secret and wants Jenny off his land. Immediately. And he’s willing to scare and bully her to be rid of her. I guess they were both surprised when something altogether different, and far more intimate (and, admittedly, pretty hot), happened in the dark woods that night. No one knows that Mick is back in town, and he needs to keep it that way, so he visits Jenny every couple of days to remind her to keep quiet, and it seems these two just can’t keep their hands off each other.

There just wasn’t enough plot in this book to keep me captivated. There was Mick knocking on Jenny’s back door every few nights (followed by some hot sex), then a whole lot of internal pondering and debating by the characters in between. The most interesting element of the book, Mick’s secret, was underutilised - a basis to justify Mick and Jenny’s interaction, and I felt it was an incredible waste of opportunity to not have made more of the only storyline with any depth or emotion.

Jenny, in particular, would have to have been one of the most immature, naïve, wishy-washy 31 year-olds I have come across. The basis of her character was that she was sick of being ‘a good girl’, yet she showed no ability or inclination to actually take control of her life or make a decision – any decision – without more pondering and internal debate. Save me from all this pondering! Talk about all tell and no show…

There was constant reference to the fact that she hated lying and was really bad at it, yet she was able to continually and intentionally break every promise she made to the hero, lie to him by omission without skipping a beat, and share every intimate detail of their encounters with her best friend behind his back.

Mick was a fairly stereotypical bad boy with the sad upbringing, trying to turn his life around but being dragged down by circumstances beyond his control. He was given more depth than Jenny courtesy of the ‘secret’ he was hiding, but other than that, really didn’t bring anything unique to the table.

The secondary romance, which I usually don’t have any problems with, I found distracting in this book. It was a fairly half-arsed inclusion that served a purpose, but with no depth or charm of its own. The writing itself was also fairly elementary and didn’t add anything extra to the story.

All of that said, there were some things I did like about this book. While I felt it deserved more attention, Mick’s ‘secret’ was sensitively and movingly portrayed. I also liked the flashback to Mick and Jenny’s first meeting as teenagers, although the fact that it resulted in Mick calling Jenny ‘Pussycat’ throughout the book is almost cause for a mark against it, and I enjoyed Jenny’s interaction with her best friend Sue Ann. The sex scenes (can’t call them love scenes) were pretty well done, too.

Thankfully, the book did end on a more positive note, even though a blind man could have seen the conflict coming, and even though Mick decided to attempt martyrdom. Jenny finally grew a backbone and made a decision or two, the ‘secret’ had a fitting conclusion, and the relationship between Jenny and Mick gained a basis in something other than the physical.

[KristenReviews · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 1/2 stars.

I enjoyed this book for the most part. I loved the chemistry between the two main characters, Mick and Jenny. When they were together the pages came alive. The dialogue was witty and engaging, and their sexual chemistry was scorching HOT! Unfortunately, I found the opposite to be true when they were apart. More so with Jenny, her frienships bored me, than with Mick.

Mick Brody is fabulous character. I completely fell in love with him. He's the prototypal "bad boy" with a tender heart and soul. There were many times during the story I wished I could have reached though the pages and given him a hug. I was so happy he finally got his "dream come true" HEA. Melts my heart just thinking about it.

As for Jenny, I felt she was somewhat of a monotonous character. I spent much of the book indifferent to her, and bored with the secondary characters. The only time Jenny felt truly vibrant was when she was with Mick. I loved who she became when she was with him. I couldn't get enough when these two were together.

One Recklass Summer is a heart-warning, sexy, quick summer read. I'm not sure I'd read it again, but I'd definitely recommend it.

[Juliana Philippa · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 stars
My thanks to Dhestiny for recommending this book. Had I found it on my own, despite the high rating average, I'm almost positive I would have skipped it. If I'm wanting a romance—and not just something to make my temperature rise—then almost as a rule I hate ones that are lust-based and start around a one-night stand situation.

Jenny and Mick's relationship definitely did start as a purely sexual one, but it developed so beautifully and they fit together so well. I loved it! I'm still somewhat shocked; part of me is still saying, "Well, they should have at least some more conversations or outings in the bright light of daytime", or "Their relationship could have used a little more intellectual and emotional development at the beginning, instead of purely sexual", but you know what: whatever! I'm taking a page from Jenny's book, letting myself be free, not caring what I maybe should or would normally say, and going to give this book 4.5 stars and say that I loved it and thought it was fantastic. Such a joy to read. So there :-P.

[jenjn79 · Rating 4 out of 5]

I only decided to pick this book up because I read one of my GR friends reviews of it, then checked out my other friends reviews. It sounded good so I figured I'd give it a try. And it was worth reading. I really liked it a lot...though it didn't quite make it to five-star level like it did for a lot of my friends.

Summary:
Jenny Toliver was always the good girl growing up and even as an adult. She thought she had a great marriage but then she finds her husband in a compromising position with her own teaching aide. When the divorce papers are final, she decides to return to her hometown of Destiny, Ohio in order to take a little break and regroup. She moves into her family's cottage on the lake and tries to figure out where her life went wrong. She keeps coming back to the fact that all she hears is how "good" she is, and she's tired of it. So when she runs into town bad boy Mick Brody, she lets her inner bad girl out and she starts a steaming affair with him.

The two try to tell themselves it's only sex, a way to forget their problems, but both are kidding themselves. Unfortunately, Mick is hiding a big secret that comes between them and puts Jenny in a bad position. She's forced to rethink her beliefs in right and wrong, black and white, and see the gray areas in life. And through it all, she finds herself falling for Mick. Only problem is, how can there ever be a future for the town's good girl, and the boy everyone thought was trash?

Review:
There are a lot of Good Girl/Bad Boy romance books out there on the market, and some of them come off pretty basic and typical, but this book, though it uses a popular story hook, really draws you in to the characters, the situation, and the difficulties they face. Author Toni Blake takes a oft-used base storyline, and makes it engaging to read and tells a very emotional story.

For anyone who has ever always been expected to be the Good Girl in life, you can really related to the character of Jenny. Everyone wants her to be so perfect and to always do what they want, and after a tough divorce, Jenny is discovering that maybe she's never really been quite who she really is inside. So she takes a walk on the wild side, thinking it's just a short trip, but instead finds her future. It's a sweet, romantic...and somewhat spicy tale that gives you warm fuzzies.

And poor Mick. One can't help but sympathize with him. He's the bad boy who has tried to turn his life around but now finds himself in a situation that could land him in jail. Even if he is only trying to do the right thing. I felt so bad for him in this book. It's really hard not to love him and it's easy to see how Jenny could fall for him. And that scene where she takes care of him after....something happens...that was just so sweet!

There's a surprising amount of sex scenes in this book. I wasn't really expecting that! But there is definitely a moderately high sensuality level. The scenes aren't really erotic in any way, but they are fairly hot. If I had one criticism in this area of the book, it was some of the wording used in sexual scenes. I completely understand authors that want to keep their books more R by not using blatant sex language (especially mainstream, big publisher books), but I did find it a little annoying how certain things are talked around. All the sort of vague references to certain body parts, semi-flowery terminology, etc. When it's a book with just a few sex scenes, that kind of thing doesn't bother me. But with a book like this that has a fair amount of sex, all that vague talk gets annoying. But it was a fairly minor thing.

In general, though, this was a great contemporary romance to read. There's a lot of really nice character development that makes the story feel very real. And there's lots of emotion...something I love in romance books. There was a time or two I got teary-eyed about things going.

Just a really solid book, and one I'm glad I got a chance to read. I will definitely be looking to read the next book in the series, Sugar Creek.

[♥ Sam ♥ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Check out my awesome review @

http://shamelessromancereviews.blogsp...

[Annie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Posted on Under the Covers

7 reasons why I loved ONE RECKLESS SUMMER

1. Well, for one, there’s hot wild woods sex. Yeah, figured that would catch your attention. If you know Toni Blake, then you know that she always writes under the penname of Lacey Alexander, so it’s really no wonder that some of that sexy writing would translate into her contemporary romances. ONE RECKLESS SUMMER is on the slightly sexier side where the sex scenes are abundant and absolutely scorching. At first, I thought their first romp was slightly unbelievable, but at the same time the book is called ONE RECKLESS SUMMER and the heroine is doing things that she never thought she was capable of doing.

2. I loved Jenny. The heroine of this book is at a tough spot in her life. She goes to Destiny, Ohio to escape her past. A recent divorce has her swallowing a bitter pill, especially when her ex-husband reveals that he cheated on her because their sex was boring. That hurts. I love stories that show great character development. Blake presented readers with a great heroine who has some serious growing to do, yet the leaps and bounds Jenny makes in this book doesn’t seem forced. I loved that by that the end of the book, you feel as if a lot was accomplished yet it seemed believable.

3. The hero, Mick Brody is interesting because he isn’t your typical tortured hero. He has a secret, yes, and that really pulls the readers in but though this book has some dark times, it does not feel too heavy on the heart. Mick’s secret that is later revealed in the book broke my heart completely. I loved that Blake was able to create different layers to Mick’s character while not making him simply the brooding prototype we often see in romance. It was refreshing to have Mick become burdened with life’s problems, but not have him too dark where readers only sympathize with him instead of loving him for him.

4. This reason is probably one of the major reasons why I loved this book. It’s the conflict that arises that causes Jenny and Mick to test their relationship. Oftentimes, I find that creating conflict in contemporary romances is harder because there’s no external forces like murders or big explosions to create conflict that is so easy in other genres. It’s really about putting the hero and heroine together to make things work. What Blake does is very interesting. She manages to create a conflict between the hero and heroine that really pertains to their characters. When Jenny finds out about Mick’s big secret, she is at a crossroads. She can either tell someone else about it or she can keep her lips shut. This plays in very nicely with Jenny’s sense of right and wrong, which is played up nicely throughout the book. As I read, I was very curious to see what Jenny would do and how Blake would solve this mess she created. In the end, I loved Jenny’s decision and Blake really turned this unique conflict into something I’ll remember because I haven’t seen this contemporary romance for some time.

5. Blake weaves in romantic notions all throughout this book that it had me swooning so many places. My favorite one is the emphasis on astrology and Jenny’s love for the stars. I loved the way Blake was able to connect Jenny’s passion for astrology into the book. The notion of looking up at the stars and then seeing the vast universe makes you feel small and in turn, makes your big problems seem miniscule in comparison. When Jenny shared her passion with Mick, I felt a break-through. The fact that Mick embraced it was even more swoon-worthy. Despite dealing with the problems they are facing, Blake creates very precious moments between the two that are just as memorable as the conflict.

6. This book made me cry. I will admit it. It made me cry a lot. The stuff Mick goes through is hard and it touches your heart when you read it. I loved that Blake was able to incorporate so much heart into her books. It just seems to add more to an already great story.

7. Last but certainly not least is the fact that Blake put a bookstore in this book called Under the Covers. How could I have not known about this earlier?! I may be totally biased, but I like the name and it only makes me smile whenever I see it mentioned in the books :)

ONE RECKLESS SUMMER both broke my heart and delighted me. I am very much looking forward to reading the rest of the summer. I loved this book, and if you give it a shot, maybe you will too.

[Kristiej · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm so very glad I reread this book. I really loved it the first time and if possible loved it even more this time. Can't think of anything else to add. It's definitely a 5 star read still.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~~*

One of my favourite story lines has always been heroine/hero knew each other years ago and heroine is a 'good' girl and hero is a 'bad' boy from the wrong side of the tracks - or in this case - the wrong side of the lake. And this one only underscores that storyline love.

Jenny Tolliver was always a 'good' girl. She was the daughter of the widowed chief of police of Destiny Ohio, Walter Tolliver and never put as much as a toe out of place. But she is tired of her good girl self when she catches her husband cheating on her with her very own teaching assistant. So she ditches her husband, ditches her job in the 'big' city and heads back to the small town she grew up in. She's still a 'good' girl but things are about to change when she runs into the hero Mick Brody, one of the 'no good' Brody boys. She didn't know him very well, but does vividly remember an encounter she had with him when she was 16.

Things heat up between them Very Fast when she visits his side of the lake to better star gaze and unexpectedly runs into him and he demands she leave. He threatens her with his very self, but instead of leaving, she answers his challenge and thus follows the first of many steamy encounters between the two of them.

What starts off as raw lust though, slowly develops into love as each fills a need in the other. Jenny has been left feeling lacking as a sexy woman after her husbands cheating and her own 'good' girl upbringing. Mick is going through a very difficult and dark time and Jenny is his oasis.

I really enjoyed everything about this book, the small town feel, the friendship between Jenny and her best friend Sue Ann, the father/daughter relationship and ESPECIALLY the relationship between Jenny and Mick. I thought Jenny was a great heroine - someone I'd love to call friend.

And then there is Mick. Wow!! He just broke my heart. Without giving spoilers, I so identified with what he was going through and I totally 'got' why he was so drawn to Jenny. He had made a lot of mistakes in his life, but was trying to change his ways when he is called back into a very gray time. And man, is he sex on a stick!! I raced through this book and I know it's going to be one I read and reread again. This one I have no qualms about recommending - at all! It's funny in places and sad in others and came oh so close to making me cry. It has a poignancy to it and I always love a book that has that.

[KatLynne · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really liked this book. I loved loved hot Mick Brody and those steamy hot sex scenes and there were a lot of them. I liked Jenny, and rooted for her when she stood up for what she wanted, regardless of others opinions. This book sizzled and I liked how their love for each other developed.

I was completely drawn to Mick’s plight, both present and past. I get that Mick was a “bad boy” and in his teens and early youth, had made some bad choices, while Jenny, her friends and family lived on the other side of the lake and were “good”. Mick knew he was headed down the wrong road and left this town to make something good in his life. And now he is back facing one of life's most difficult task. There are parts to this story that is very emotional and heart wrenching.

This is a small-town series and I didn’t really like the “town”. Even as children Mick and his brother Wayne felt they were not “good” enough to be accepted by those that lived on the other side of the lake. And they both yearned to be accepted and have the kind of parents who would nurture and love them. Being raised by alcoholic parents who were always fighting and neglecting their children certainly contributed to some of the bad decisions Mick and his brother made.

But… saying that, I still really liked this book and I found myself wrapped up in the story. The writing was very good and the emotions of the characters very strong. This is one of those books that when finished, you will remember for days later. And while this is a hot, sizzling romance, it is a heart-wrencher and you will need those tissues.

Quote:
---“What was your dream, Mick? Back when we were young”. “To live on your side of the lake..and to fit in there”.

---“Always,” he added. “No matter where I am or what I’m doing, I’m wanting more of you.”

[Crista · Rating 5 out of 5]

Boy did I ever love this book!

This was an all night read for me. I value my sleep and don't give it up for just anything. This one was worth every lost moment in dreamland. I loved it!

Mick and Jenny knew each other as teenagers, but that is where their commonality ended. He came from poverty and abuse, she came from affluence and security. When they meet again as adults, the passion that simmered as teens boils over into something so hot that I felt like the pages were going to burst into flames. Seriously, their first encounter is a good enough reason to read this book ASAP!

This book did all the things that great books do. It was captivating, steamy, heart breaking, redeeming, and transforming. I looked how both Jenny and Mick became better people throughout the book. More tolerating, accepting, and willing to compromise and change to be together. The tension between these two is awesome, and I wanted them to get their happily ever after. This is great stuff. The only issue I have is that this is the second Toni Blake book that I've read where the hero nickname's the heroine"Cat" or "Kitty" or some other weird feline name. Maybe she's got a thing for cats, but it got really old and tiresome. Other than that...no complaints on this one. Loved it!

[Arzu · Rating 2 out of 5]

Beğenmedim malesef ki... Okurken içim daraldı resmen tamam bazı yerler iyi hoş da ben çift arasında elektriği alamadım sırf beraber olsunlar diye saçma bir şehvet örtüsü falan çok garipti yav sevemedim. Jenny desen ayrı bir olay ona bir şeyi söyleme diyorsun herkese söylüyor bu iyi Jenny mottosu bence salaklığı yani Micky'cim seni sevdim kendi halinde yaralı r adamsın da bu kız seni yer yani Allah kolaylık versin. Vallahi çok beklenti ile okudum ama malesef... Bizimle değilsin👎👎👎

[MBR · Rating 5 out of 5]

5++ Stars - Contemporary Romance

I have heard so many great things about the Destiny series by Toni Blake. When the latest book in the series was released this month and I saw the rave reviews the book received, I was determined that I would start on the Destiny series sometime soon and indulge. And indulge is what I did in this sultry and sinful summer romance that Ms. Blake brings to life with her vivid characterization and so very hot and tastefully done love scenes that a girl can’t help but salivate over from the very beginning. Set in the small town of Destiny, Ohio, One Reckless Summer is a romance that exactly lives up to its title.

I liked:

1- Mick Brody. Oh my God! The guy just oozes sexuality with his mere presence and heats things up to unbearable levels with Jenny. His character is such an oddly endearing mix; a man who wants to scare Jenny off with his bad and wolfish nature but unbearably drawn towards all the good qualities in Jenny as a moth towards flame. I loved me some Mick and he has a tendency to creep into my thoughts at the oddest moments and incite a shiver of the illicit kind a time or two. The best kind of yummy hero Mick really is! ^_^

2- Jenny Tolliver. She is such an endearing and a heartwarming heroine. A woman who gave up her dreams to be with the man she got married to, Jenny doesn’t let her heartbreak and betrayal by her ex-husband color her feelings for Mick who is so very different from Terrence. And I just absolutely loved how Jenny found herself in the story, how she slowly changed into a woman who was aware of her lethal brand of charm and just adored how she took care of Mick when he needed it the most. Jenny is the kind of heroine who regardless of all the obstacles that stands in her way of true love nevertheless has the strength and courage to take the leap which makes her one of the most likable heroines.

3- I loved how the small town life of Destiny didn’t interfere with the fiery passion and heartwarming romance of this novel. Sometimes it happens that when an author starts off a series with small town life involved in it, they tend to spend so much time developing the characters of the town that romance and the connection between the hero and heroine take a backseat till they are done. I loved how from the very beginning Jenny and Mick set the pages afire and continued to do so throughout the book. And Ms. Blake kept up the small town life at just the right level for a romance such as this one!

4- This story played with all my emotions in such a good way. My heart went thud, thud, thud each and every single time Mick came into the picture. And it just broke my heart to read about Wayne and what Mick and Wayne both go through during the last moments of Wayne’s life. Though those moments were heartbreaking, the thing that drew me in was the fact that there was a light at the end of the tunnel, joy to be found later and a happily ever after that just left me breathless at the very end.

5- I just loved the side characters in this story as it unfolded. Sue Ann with her wonderfully quirky nature makes for one of the best characters in this book. I laughed out loud many a time reading the conversations that takes place between Sue Ann and Jenny which brings to mind how much fun I used to have with my best friend before she took off to work in a foreign country. And Jenny’s conversations with Miss Ellie; definitely a highlight of the novel.

6- And oh good Lord! The love scenes – some of the hottest I have come across in a contemporary romance. And so realistically and vividly done that they tend to creep into my thoughts now and then. Toni Blake surely knows her stuff! ^_^

7- Toni Blake’s writing style! I just flat-out love it!

Dislikes: Absolutely NONE!

Memorable scenes/quotes from the story:

Again she wrestled, trying to get free even though she knew she couldn’t – and that was the dark temptation of the fight. It made everything okay as long as she tried to resist right? As long as she let both of them know she wasn’t the sort of girl who just have in to a stranger in the woods without a struggle.
A little struggle, anyway.
Because when he spun her around, still holding tight to her, she ended up with her back pressed to his chest, her bottom plastered to his erection, her breath coming heated and labored, she lost the will to struggle anymore. He just felt too good. Too hard. Too everything. She let him hold her there, let him make her feel . . . captured, hot, ready.

Recommended for:

1- Fans of sinfully hot and good contemporary romances. You won’t be disappointed to read this one.
2- Fans of Toni Blake who haven’t read the Destiny series yet. This book promises the start of a very good contemporary romance series which I am 100% convinced wouldn’t steer me wrong.

Full review: http://bit.ly/f6tqoP

[Kathrynn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fabulous! This was "just" a contemporary--hot--romance that featured two terrific characters, Jenny Tolliver and Mick Brody, included lively secondary characters, and dealt with love, trust and being with someone from the "wrong side of the tracks."

Nicely written! Some of the dialogue between Sue Ann and Jenny had me laughing out loud. Enjoyed how this was a "getting back on your feet" kinda book. Jenny was recently divorced and moved back home for the summer until she licked her wounds and figured out what she was going to do next when she stumbled across Mick Brody on "his" side of the lake. Mick and Jenny had been attracted to each other in school, but they came from different backgrounds and Mick was too much of a "bad" boy for Jenny. Then.

How these two character's grew was nice to read about. What started out as really hot sex morphed into soul deep love. Mick had a secret and a reason for being at his family home for the summer. I saw it as two people meant to be together and life gave them another shot--with a slingshot this time.

Jenny's father, Walter--the Chief of Police, was a nice secondary character and I hope to read more about his continuing relationship with Anita in future books.

This story left me feeling warm and tingling, with a smile. I laughed, cried and got irritated, but loved it.

Another favorite from This Reader. :-)

[Pamela(AllHoney) · Rating 4 out of 5]

The first book in the Destiny series by Toni Blake. I have mixed feelings about this one. I did enjoy it but felt at times it was more in the erotica genre and not romance. Still I liked the characters and the story did eventually get to a romantic theme. It had some heart-wrenching moments that actually had me almost tear up. (I very rarely cry while reading). The secondary characters were likable too. There is a small second romance involving Jenny's father that was nice. I think I would have liked to see a little more of them in the story.

[Brianna (The Book Vixen) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Why I Read this Book: I had just put down a book that I couldn’t get through. Before that I had read a book that was just okay. I needed something really good to read to get me out of the reading slump I was in and luckily One Reckless Summer hit the spot. I enjoy reading contemporary romance and when I read the blurb for One Reckless Summer, it sounded like it would be a great good girl falls in love with a bad boy romance. And that, it was.

What I Liked: One Reckless Summer is the first book in the Destiny series. Told in 3rd person narrative, it doesn’t feel overly personal but you do get insight on the characters' thoughts. I enjoyed reading about Jenny and Mick, plus there were some secondary characters that I would like to read more about.

There is a strong attraction, more than just sex, between Jenny and Mick. Jenny’s been labeled a good girl all her life, a label she wants to shed. She runs into Mick (literally), the town’s bad boy, and he is just the guy who can help her get rid of that good girl image. He is the forbidden bad boy; everything about him screams bad. He isn’t suppose to be in town, yet here he is, and he’s keeping one helluva secret. A secret that will have severe consequences should anyone, particularly Jenny’s father, the Chief of Police, finds out.

The love scenes were well-written and there were lots of them! And boy, were they were sizzling! The scene in the woods was intense and risqué (in more ways than one). I gasped and found myself holding my breathe at times when I read that scene. Then I re-read that scene (and re-read it again for a third time). The passion between Jenny and Mick is there right from the start. The hottest scene in this book was the first encounter between the hero and heroine since Jenny has returned to Destiny. Jenny canoes across the lake just outside her house to get a good spot for star gazing and literally runs into someone, unbeknownst to her at the time that it was Mick, who informs her that she’s on private property and tells her to leave. Tired of being the good girl, Jenny stands her ground and puts up a fight.

He bent down, his breath warm on her ear. “Listen, sweetheart,” he said, voice low and menacing, “you don’t want to mess with me, okay? Now turn your pretty little ass around and get back to your side of the lake while you still can.”

She sucked in her breath, raided her gaze – frightened but bold. “Or what?” she whispered, the words coming out far softer than planned. She remained in his grasp, their faces but an inch apart.

Mick didn’t answer – or maybe his answer was what he did next.

The prologue served its purpose by setting up the tone for our main characters. It takes the reader back 15 years, to the one interaction that occurred between Jenny and Mick during their teenage years. There was also an epilogue, which I need in most romance stories. I love finding out how our main characters are doing further on down the line. Knowing that the characters still have their HEA later on down the road gives me the closure I need. The author also included quotes at the beginning of each chapter, which tied in well with each corresponding chapter. Here are two of my favorites:

Three things cannot be long hidden: the sun, the moon, and the truth.

-Buddha

---

Captain, I do not believe you realize the gravity of your situation.

-Mr. Spock

What I Didn’t Like: I only wish I had read One Reckless Summer sooner. It sat on my bookshelf for almost a year before I decided to pick it up and read it. I hadn’t read anything by Toni Blake before and I feel like I’ve been missing out! I’ve already read the 2nd book in this series, Sugar Creek (review to come), and I’m anxious to get my hands on the 3rd book, Whisper Falls, which just released last month.

Overall Impression: Full of passion, acceptance, succumbing to inner desires and secrets you’re dying to discover, One Reckless Summer is a quick, fun read. It’s an exciting romance story that will have you swooning once you get to the end (I know I did). If you love small town romance stories, this series is for you. And if you enjoy a good good girl/bad boy romance, this book is definitely for you.

[Fani *loves angst* · Rating 4 out of 5]

Reread Dec 2021
Didn't enjoy this so much the second time :( The first half was good, interesting and hot, but then it was nothing more than a series of sex scenes that lead to mutual I love you's that came out of the blue. There simply wasn't enough interraction between them to justify these feelings. I was more invested in Jenny's father story, there was more depth and connection there than between Jenny and Mick IMO. That said, it was fun and easy to read and the sex scenes were very sensual.
Leaving the original rating for now.

Original review
4.5 stars
Almost perfect. Two people from opposite tracks, the good, proper girl that also happens to be the police officer's daughter, and the bad boy who used to take part in unlawful activities. But has he cut free from his past? And if so, what's the secret he's hiding? Will he ever be good enough for Jenny to love instead of just seeing him as a sex object? And even if she does, will the people of Destiny accept he's cleaned up?

Sweet, sexy, hot, tender and full of summertime magic. The feel-good romance is hard to get any better than One Reckless Summer.

[*The Angry Reader* · Rating 1 out of 5]

I used to have a lot of reading rules. I’d say “I won’t read this storyline” or “I can’t handle cheating books.” The amazing readers I’ve met on here have shown me that I will read nearly anything that’s well-done. So I’m not going to say “I won’t read any books where the heroine’s nipples and a near stranger are hanging out at less than 10% of the book,” but I’m awfully close to making that a hard and fast rules. Yeck.

[Cheryl · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent story about a "good girl" and a "bad boy", what happens when their worlds collide and how you shouldn't judge by appearances and that people really can change!

This is a very sweet and romantic story and plenty hot enough for my friends with lusty appetites! ;)

Thanks, Dhestiny, for recommending this one! I look forward to the rest of the Destiny series!

[(NurseLisa) Square Granny from Ohio · Rating 5 out of 5]

more like 4.5-4.75 stars....i really did enjoy this book & was actually able to relate to the female "lead" & feel the anxiety, happiness, sadness, etc. as i read it! that is pretty darned impressive, IMHO.

inexpensive, set here in our buckeye state, easy read...there is really no reason to not give this series a chance!

enjoy" :o)

nurselisainohio (goodreads, instagram, twitter, pintrest)

[Shabby Girl ~ aka Lady Victoria · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely loved this book. Two really lovely people that I just couldn't get enough of. Made me blub a couple of times. Sweet!

[Romance Novel TV · Rating 4 out of 5]

Reviewed by Stacy Ahlgren
Publisher: Avon
41/2 stars


The perfect daughter. The perfect prom queen. The perfect wife. Jenny Tolliver’s been the good girl all her life, and it’s gotten her nowhere. Now that her marriage has been busted up by her cheating ex, she’s decided it’s time to regroup and rediscover herself. This summer she’s headed back to her hometown of Destiny, Ohio, to the very lakeshore cottage where she grew up, to figure out what life holds in store for her next.

She never dreamed the answer would be Mick Brody, Destiny’s #1 hellraiser. He comes from the wrong side of the tracks (or in his case, the lake), and he’s landed in hot water more times than he can count. He’s exactly the kind of guy Jenny’s always kept her distance from … but soon the good girl and the bad boy are caught in a raw heat that’s out of control. Too bad Mick’s got a secret that threatens to tear them apart and ruin Jenny’s perfectly, passionately reckless summer …

——————————————————————————————————————————————-


This is book #1 in a new series by Toni Blake, and fans are sure to be pleased in her latest release, “One Reckless Summer”. Toni excels at telling stories about everyday women who decide to break out of their protective little shells and take a chance on passion, and ultimately, love.


When Jenny Tolliver discovers her husband is cheating on her, she begins to question the way she’s been living her life. Always the good girl, doing what’s expected, Jenny realizes that even the safest path can still lead to heartache. Taking the summer to re-evaluate her options, Jenny decides to leave the city and go home to Destiny, where she has family and friends. She’s grateful to have her father and her best friend, Sue Ann, who are there when she needs a shoulder to lean on and to provide unconditional love. But even the comfort of small-town living can be a little stifling. The one thing she can turn to when she needs to be alone is her love of the stars. Magnificent, vast and awe-inspiring, Jenny’s love of the night sky is her passion, and Destiny, with its grand skyline and lack of city lights, is the perfect place to indulge. Oh, but the view would be oh, so much better across the lake…


…where the old Brody cabin sits. Years ago, Jenny had been out tanning on her side of the lake when she encountered Mike Brody and his questionable companions out on their boat, and while she knows he’s dangerous, she can’t curb the little thrill his nearness gives her. But that doesn’t mean she’s ready to live on the edge. Even now, years later, the thought of Mick Brody can still make her nervous, and not just in a good way. But he’s been long gone, so it couldn’t hurt to row over to his side of the lake and get a better view of the stars, could it? After all, no one will know what she’s up to, right?


But of course who happens to be there but Mick Brody himself, and he’s not too pleased to find someone snooping over on his land, even if it is that pretty, good girl he was never able to forget. Mick has something to hide however, and he can’t take the chance on anyone finding out what it is. Yet the sparks between him and Jenny are potent and won’t be ignored, and with one touch, they both go up in flames. And what starts out as a scorching affair turns into something neither one of them can walk away from.


I thoroughly enjoyed ”One Reckless Summer”. It made me think of going barefoot, enjoying the feel of the sun on my face, and the blistering humidity that can make one feel a little, well, reckless. Jenny was someone who’d always taken the safe path, the right path, and when it ends badly, she suffers a huge blow to her self-esteem. Even being the prom queen and marrying the right guy doesn’t mean your life is going to turn out perfect. Her marriage lacked passion. With Mick, she not only finds passion, but someone who cares for her just as she is. She can talk about her dreams, and the pain of losing her mother, and what it’s like when everyone expects her to be good all the time. She can be cranky and sexy and funny with Mick and it’s totally okay. He doesn’t mind one bit.


In fact Mick thinks he must have done something right somewhere to end up with someone as amazing as Jenny. If it weren’t for this one secret that threatens to tear them apart, he could maybe let himself imagine them having a future together. He never knew what that was like before, to have someone to come home to, but now realizes he wants to find out. But there might just be one too many obstacles and too much pain to get past.


These are two very likable characters who are drawn to each other by a strong attraction but discover that maybe there’s more between them than just incredibly hot sex. Jenny is basically a nice person, a little too concerned with pleasing others, especially her father, yet she cannot deny her feelings for the bad boy of her fantasies. And Mick was exactly that, going down a path of bad choices that could have landed him in jail if he hadn’t realized early that he was getting nowhere fast. And because of his past, he didn’t let people get close to him. Jenny is the first person who Mick actually trusts enough to let in, someone he wants to get to know better. She soothes him, and makes him feel like someone actually cares about what happens to him. And what starts out as a scorching fling turns out to be so much more for both of them. It’s unexpected and scary, but no less real.


“One Reckess Summer” celebrates the good girl that lives in most of us, who never really goes away but does let herself be just a little bad from time to time. And in doing so, sometimes she ends up finding real love.

[Pj Ausdenmore · Rating 5 out of 5]

Jenny Tolliver had always thought her life was perfect until the fateful day when she caught her cheating husband in the arms of her 21 year old student teacher. Divorced, emotionally adrift and struggling with the fact that her ex-husband left her because he thought she was boring in bed, Jenny returns home to spend the summer at her family’s lake cottage sifting through the emotional debris of her failed marriage and figuring out what to do with the rest of her life.

Mick Brody grew up dreaming of a life in one of the pretty cottages across the lake where parents didn’t spend the entire day, and night, screaming at each other, where children were secure, safe and accepted by the people of Destiny - a life where someone like Mick would be worthy of pretty, sweet Jenny Tolliver. But dreams aren’t reality and after his parents died and his older brother went to prison Mick left Destiny, vowing never to return. He kept that vow for more than ten years but now he’s back, living in his family’s old shack on the lake, keeping a dangerous secret and determined that no one discover his presence.

Always the good girl, Jenny has never done anything reckless in her life…until she paddles her canoe across the lake for some stargazing and comes face to face with the sexy, gorgeous bad boy of her youth, Mick Brody. An angry and abrupt Mick orders her off his property but Jenny has had it with being the “sweet, good girl of Destiny” and refuses to go. Tempers flare, sexual energy ignites and an attraction that perhaps has been simmering, unacknowledged, for fifteen years explodes in white-hot passion. Morning after regrets are abundant, for both Jenny and Mick, but the sexual flame that burns between them is too intense to ignore and a secret, reckless affair begins that gradually, over the course of the summer, becomes much more than a walk on the wild side. Will Jenny and Mick be able to bridge the gap between her side of the lake and his to find their happy ending or will Mick’s secret, Jenny’s police-chief father and a perceived betrayal tear them apart forever?

One Reckless Summer is the sensuous, steamy and emotionally heartwarming story of a woman who has always been good and a man who has never believed he was good enough. It’s about stereotypes and misconceptions, living life to the fullest and having the courage to step out of your comfort zone, about complicated family relationships, doing what you believe in your heart is right even when everyone else says it’s wrong and about looking beyond the packaging, to the goodness and love inside a person who is the opposite of everything you thought you wanted but is exactly what you need.

Dive into the delights of hot, summer nights with Toni Blake’s terrific new contemporary, One Reckless Summer.

[Pamela · Rating 1 out of 5]

What a horrible, craptastic book. I can't believe I actually finished it. Truth be told, I started skimming half-way thru. It felt as though I was reading a book about stupid, immature teenagers and their crushes. I don't know how a person like Mick could even like Jenny. Everytime they had sex, she'd run to her best friend and gossip about it. Mick tells her his secrets and asks her not to tell anyone, which she promises, only to turn around and blab to her friend each and every time. Way to keep a secret. Sex, blab, sex, blab, sex, blab. You get the picture. Even the sex scenes between the two is pathetic. Not only was it repetitive, the same moves over and over, so were the lines between the two: "Aw, God Jenny -- I'm coming in you." "I can't sleep with you Mick." "That's so good Mick." Nothing original. Yet, this is the wildest sex Jenny has had. Really? Since when is the missionary position wild? Give me a break! Total yawn-fest. The entire town -- and people -- are boring. I mean seriously, Mah-jongg parties? Bonco parties? Bonco - WTF?? I say skip this book altogether.

[I ♥ Bookie Nookie (bookienookiereviews.blogspot.com) · Rating 5 out of 5]

I had to add this to my favorites shelf. The story was great. The characters were awesome and the romance and sex was hot! The story was a bit of the bad boy and the good girl and a little bit of a lesson pertaining to judging a book by it's cover and why you shouldn't.

✳✳ Reviewed on I ♥ Bookie Nookie Reviews

___________________________________________________
If you like this type of book, you might enjoy one of these groups. Check us out!

Menage Readers

Erotic Enchants

Bookie Nookie's Erotic Lending Group

[Seyma · Rating 2 out of 5]

Tanışmaları,ilişkilerinin başlaması o kadar saçmaydı ki of yani tabi buna rağmen devam ettim çünkü neden etmeyeyim hem aldığım duyumlara göre serinin devamı daha güzelmiş o yüzden devam edeceğim.

[Alex · Rating 3 out of 5]

Okay, this one had me a little on this side and a little on that, so let's see if I can explain my hesitant liking of this one.

First off, Mick? The male lead? Yum. He hits the right notes. For a reformed bad boy I thought he was almost peppered with a bit originality. This is a guy that chased his bad-to-the-bone older brother around and even held up a liquor store. After his brother ended up in prison he cleaned up his ways. Did he turn it around by becoming a super rich businessman? Nope. Does he own a huge bank account? No. Does he aspire to be some hero? Not even. This man after all was said and done worked for a heating and air company and is now a bricklayer. A BRICKLAYER. Ah, god, I see it and I believe it and I love it. He lives in a small apartment, has a truck and is getting by and that's enough for him and he didn't make himself all shiny and perfect just because he turned his liquor store holding up ways around. I understand that and I love that. Mick is battling the burden of why he came back to Destiny and it is HEARTBREAKING. It's soooo good. I was so impressed with the way Toni Blake wrote Mick and his journey. I ached for this guy, and I believed him. Especially the moments he was...let's just say...digging. Yeah, when that was happening I just felt the sweat and pain of it and I was signed up for wherever that man wanted or needed to take me.

That being said, the whole Mick and the reason he comes back to Destiny is the best part of this book. Okay, except the sex. This was some rockin', inventive sex. Written in a top-notch, oh-my-chest-just-got-tight kind of way. And let me tell you, there is a LOT of sex. Way more than I expected from a light, small-town romance book. I love them usually because they're fun, and always squeeze a warm laugh out of me. And while some may not fade to black and will give up the goods like a girl on prom night after just enough wine coolers, this one was that girl that didn't go to prom but invited you to hang out with her and Jack Daniels. I was a little taken aback by the amount of sex happening between Jenny and Mick. Like, whoa. You guys are busy, huh.

But still...this book was missing something for me. I got bored after awhile with Mick just showing up at her back door. And for a good long while it just felt like nothing was happening. Plot-wise I didn't feel myself getting attached to these two, other than what Mick was going through. Jenny was a bit...dry? I don't know. The good girl who was tired of being good. Okay, I got that. But enough didn't happen to make it work for me. Her banter with her best friend was the most personality I got from her, and I loved her in those moments, but then she just sort of faded every other time (unless she was having sex. Seeing a theme?) You know what makes small-town books work? The neurotic, funny townspeople. You get to go there in these kind of books, so do that. Use that. We enjoy it. Destiny was so damn perfect it was almost exhausting in its perfection. Destiny was a lot like Jenny in that way. A town a little more interesting, a little more like Mick, might have hit this one out of the park for me.