ACE

by Faye Byrd

ACE is the second stand-alone book in the Men of Rapture series. Ace Carmichael owns a custom repair shop that’s been in his family for years. His business life is good. He’s at the point where he can pick and choose his clients based on which creations inspire him, but that’s where his inspiration ends. Riding into his thirties, he’s gotten tired of one-night stands and meaningless hookups. If his troubled friend Rush can settle down with a girl, finding the right one must not be as hard as it seems—except it is. One day, a blast from his past makes a sudden appearance, reigniting an old flame and making him think he can have it all. Rowan Shaw is the beautiful adult version of the shy, sweet girl he spent a summer with fifteen years ago. She’s talented and focused and moving back to town after leaving him just before the start of the school year. Things kick off with a bang, and Ace can’t wait to see her again with visions of a future already dancing in his mind. Things aren’t always as they seem, though, and the secret she’s hiding will destroy him—them. Can he move past his anger and forgive her, or will it be too much to overcome?

Genres: Second Chance

263 pages, Paperback

Published June 26, 2019

Reviews

[Gemma · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved Rush, and was a little hesitant to read Ace. Second books can so often be a let down.
Well I had no reason to worry!
Ace is a fab book with a great storyline and wonderfully written.

I loved the new characters Introduced in this book and loved the update on the ones from the previous book.

The topic covered here are current and thought provoking.

I found it steamy, gripping and funny .

The sexual tension built up through the book so intensely! And i found the friction between Niko and Elle funny and i'm really look forward to Nikos story.

I voluntarily read and reviewed this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

[Karen Roma · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’ve actually decided after reading ACE that Ms Byrd likes to torture not only her characters, but her readers too! Ace is a man that has an easy, unpretentious presence, and I liked him immediately when he was first introduced in book 1 – RUSH. A supportive friend, conscientious businessman, and a loyal and protective son, everything about him said “nice, stable guy”. So when a blast from the past walks into Rapture and Ace is catapulted back in time to a place and a girl he never forgot, it’s understandable the emotions run high, and their undeniable physical attraction has certainly not been diminished by time or distance. But secrets and deception have a way of coming back to haunt you, and while Rowan may start out with the best of intentions, her reasons for keeping a 14 year secret and her motives for reappearing in Ace’s life are questionable.

Here is where I explain my comment about the author’s tendency to torture her readers. In book 1 we needed to be open-minded enough to push past the reprehensible behaviour of Rush to discover the man beneath the sordid life and emotional pain, while in Ace’s story readers are asked to understand the reasoning behind Rowan’s decade plus deception and her selfish and self-serving actions. I for one could not. I disliked Rowan once the lies were revealed and my feelings for this unreasonable woman never changed. I found her reasons for the not seeking out Ace during the first 8 years, somewhat acceptable, but after this point in time, her continued excuse of being scared felt hollow and fake.

I love Ace as a character and Carmen was a sweetheart and totally believable in her role; Rowan however was a shallow character who I felt absolutely no empathy towards and found her willingness to use sex to get what she wanted, both deplorable and manipulative. Ace deserved better and I wish he had of kicked her to the curb. The storyline for ACE was heartfelt and his emotional struggle was well-documented throughout; so he definitely didn’t make his decisions lightly. A good story overall, I just disliked Rowan with a passion, so my 4 Stars are all for Ace and Carmen. I’m now addicted to the Men od Rapture and certainly excited to read Niko and Elle’s story next!

[MarylineD · Rating 5 out of 5]

I LOVED IT SO MUCH!!!

This is Ace and Rowan's story... They were together one summer, 15 years ago, then she left, now they meet again...

This is a wonderful hot and steamy romance full of emotions! Not just sex like some books you find out there... A real story with well developed and likable characters... with secrets...

And I loved that we get to see where Rush and Alyssa are in life.

Also really love that the story starts right away and not after 100+ pages

Captivating, sweet, sexy and beautiful, you don't want to put it down! I couldn't turn the pages fast enough!

Like Rush, the cover is beautiful!

I loved RUSH, now I think I might love ACE even more! I can't wait to read NIKO!

Faye Byrd is an amazing author. Her way with words, the storyline, the descriptions and details... you feel like you are into the story with the characters.

ARC kindly provided by the author for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

[Judi · Rating 5 out of 5]

This story Ace by Faye Byrd is addictive and heartwarming! It’s a story of believing what your heart and soul is telling you and not settling for anything other than your HEA. The romance was intense, sweet and steamy. There's plenty of laughter and fireworks to make this a much-loved story. In the end, I feel as much as part of the story as the characters. The author knows how to pull you in and make you feel at home.

[Donnajo · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ace by Faye Byrd. A great addition to the Men of Rapture series (book 2). A spicy romance with great character development and dialogue. A possible second chance at romance storyline.

[Tiffany Oiney_Reads_Another · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 rounded up
I really enjoyed the change up here. Usually, in books of the romance variety, it’s the man who’s wronged the woman, and he tries to win her back. Here, Ace is essentially betrayed by Rowan, and what follows is his attempt to come to terms, and move forward, if that’s even possible. I found some of the inner dialogue repetitive, and likely unnecessary for the most part. I loved Aces character, and his deep love for his mom. I found him quite refreshing, in that he already has his life together, and when Rowan walks back into it, he feels like she’s the cherry on top he needs. He has respect, an excellent work ethic, and enough of a hold on his masculinity to ask for help and apologize when he needs to.
Having Rush and the crowd from Rapture pop up throughout this story was an excellent idea. I was so attached to those characters, and was really glad to have a little bit more from them.
All in all, I really enjoyed this story, but I found there to be a lot of repetitive inner dialogues, and that did take a bit away from the story. I definitely look forward to getting a hold of Nikos story!!

[Rebecca · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ok, I have to add men in coveralls to my list of Sexy Men in Uniform!!!
The cover to this book is sexy as hell!!
With that being said, the story is beautiful and breathtaking.
Emotionally draining... but worth it.


***I received a free copy in exchange for an honest review.***

[Ceara Therrien · Rating 5 out of 5]

The writer will draw you with her story about Ace and Rowan's second change at love. I don't want to give too much away, but their road doesn't go smoothly as it is filled with bumps along the way. However, the story still contains plenty of hot and steam scenes to keep you satisfied to the end.

[Pamela · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ace and Rowan were together for a short time about fifteen years ago. Years later they meet again and the sparks are still there. Rowan has a secret that will change everything. Can the two make things work this time around? A steamy sexy read about a second chance for two lonely people.

I received a copy of this book and am leaving a review.