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THE GIRL IN THE MIST (MISTED PINES #1) by KRISTEN ASHLEY

January 3, 2022

 

About the Book:

 

Renowned author Delphine Larue needs a haven.

A crazed fan has gone over the deep end, and she’s not safe. Her security team has suggested a house by a lake. Secluded. Private. Far away. In a beautiful area of the Northwest close to the sleepy town of Misted Pines. It’s perfect. So perfect, Delphine has just moved in, and she’s thinking she’ll stay there forever.

Until she sees the girl in the mist.

After that, everything changes.

Delphine quickly learns that Misted Pines isn’t so sleepy. A little girl has gone missing, and the town is in the grips of terror and tragedy. The local sheriff isn’t up for the job. The citizens are up in arms. And as the case unfolds, the seedy underbelly of a quiet community is exposed, layer by layer.

But most importantly, girls are dying.

There seems to be only one man they trust to find out what’s happening.

The mysterious Cade Bohannan.

 

My Review:

 

This new book in the Misted Pines series will absolutely thrill Kristen Ashley fans!

Right away, the story is written in classic KA style. You have two main characters who are older, with adult children, and who both know what they want in a romantic partner. The hero Cade Bohannon is a strong, protective alpha and the heroine Delphine Larue is a smart, witty, successful writer. There are lots of other small details that are trademarks of this author’s writing style, and all of that overall was fun and entertaining to read.

This is definitely a suspense novel to get lost in. The romantic banter and the steam level are both very, very adult, and the characters are all strongly imagined and very realistic in the obstacles and situations they are faced with. There are blended families, careers, and past relationships that all have to be dealt with. It is very difficult to write a detailed review of this book without giving the plot away, because this is definitely a very twisty mystery with a very surprising conclusion.

 

This is a standalone book but fans of Kristen Ashley’s previous books will love the mentions of some of her most beloved characters. Although this book is being promoted as a new genre for Ms. Ashley, in my opinion it is very similar to the ‘Burg Series. Also be aware that this book is on the darkish side, and is also very explicit with both the romance and the crime aspects so make sure you are a fan of both genres before jumping in. Ms. Ashley does NOT hold back in either department!

I loved the characters of Delphine and Cade, and loved that Delphine is 53 years young. Leave it to Kristen Ashley to write a very sexy, smart and successful heroine who is in her early fifties. If you are a fan of Kristen Ashley, you will not be disappointed by this new contemporary romantic suspense. novel

(Thanks to the author for providing an advanced reading copy via Social Butterfly PR in exchange for an honest review.)

Categories : 3.5 Stars, Contemporary Romance, Reviews, Romantic Suspense Tagged : Kristen Ashley, Misted Pines, The Girl in the Mist

NEW REVIEW – AFTER THE CLIMB (A RIVER RAIN NOVEL #1) by KRISTEN ASHLEY

October 20, 2021

 

 

About the Book:

 

NEW, EXTENDED VERSION!

With many new chapters, and introducing a new series character, this re-released Special Edition version of After the Climb is the book you have, but it’s also so much more!

They were the Three Amigos: Duncan Holloway, Imogen Swan and Corey Szabo. Two young boys with difficult lives at home banding together with a cool girl who didn’t mind mucking through the mud on their hikes.

They grew up to be Duncan Holloway, activist, CEO and face of the popular River Rain outdoor stores, Imogen Swan, award-winning actress and America’s sweetheart, and Corey Szabo, ruthless tech billionaire.

Rich and very famous, they would learn the devastating knowledge of how the selfish acts of one would affect all their lives.

And the lives of those they loved.

Start the River Rain series with After the Climb, the story of Duncan and Imogen navigating their way back to each other, decades after a fierce betrayal. And introduce yourself to their families, who will have their stories told when River Rain continues.

 

 

My Review:

It has been a minute since I’ve read a Kristen Ashley book after bingeing on almost all of them a few years ago. A work friend actually recommended this one to me and I have to say I loved it!

The story and the prose are classic KA and the main characters, while a little over the top, are perfect together. I know there is a free version of this story somewhere but I bought the Kindle version and it had lots of fun extras at the end.

If you liked ‘The Will’, then you will love this book. Genny and Bowie are older main characters, with former spouses and grown children between them. The two of them thought they’d spend their lives together, until a horrible misunderstanding broke them apart. Now, years later, they find themselves together again, mourning the loss of their best friend Corey.

Genny and Bowie’s kids are all loving, funny, smart – they were the perfect foil for their parents. This book was just a fun, sexy, fast read and I enjoyed the tension and the emotions between the main characters. I am also a bg fan of the flashback narrative, and it works well here.

The setting was gorgeous and I had forgotten how well KA describes her locations. She really knows the Arizona locales and it shows. This is not an angsty book, and there is a beautiful ending which was just what I was in the mood for at this point. The two families really merge together beautifully for all the heartwarming “feels” that KA is known for.

I am a fan of mature, second chance romance. I loved all of the supporting characters in this book and I can’t wait to see where their stories lead. If you haven’t read KA in a while, or are a new reader, definitely read ‘After the Climb’. It has all the trademark KA feels!

“With age, honey, you learn a lot of shit. One of the things you learn is that, in this world, there is absolutely nothing you can control, except your own actions and reactions.”

Categories : 4 Stars, Contemporary Romance, Reviews, Romance, Second Chance Romance Tagged : After the Climb, Kristen Ashley, River Rain

FAST LANE by KRISTEN ASHLEY

October 14, 2019

 

Synopsis:

 

“Once he met her, it was and always would be Lyla.”

They were the gentlemen bad boys of rock. Forming in a garage in a small town in Indiana. Taking their licks on the road. Going balls to the wall until they made their big break.

And then Preacher McCade and the Roadmasters redefined rock and roll.

Guided by their tortured lead singer and songwriter, the Roadmasters changed the face of music in the 80s and 90s. And on their journey to becoming one of the most enduring bands in history—dogged by rumors and myth and fueled by drugs and booze—the Roadmasters had one touchstone.

Lyla.

Preacher’s muse, the love of his life, and the band’s moral compass, from the beginning, Lyla is along for the ride.

But with fame and acclaim in their grasp, they’ve entered the fast lane.

And they didn’t know it, but they were headed for a crash.

 

My Review:

 

“There are women who just have… [Pause] Something. Lyla had that.”

Well I am sure that this story was a long time coming, knowing what a huge fan Kristen Ashley is of rock & roll! And ‘Fast Lane’ is certainly a bit outside her normal comfort zone, much like a passion project or a story that she absolutely HAD to tell.

This book tells the story of a famous band’s path to stardom and the often-rocky road to the top. Told in an interview style much like Taylor Jenkins-Reid’s ‘Daisy Jones & the Six’, ‘Fast Lane’ (LOVE the title, by the way!) also has at it’s center the love story between Lyla and Preacher, the lead of the band.

Preacher McCade and the Roadmasters lived a hard life, exactly as you would expect a rock band from the 80’s and 90’s. This is a book filled with nostalgia from those decades, written by an author who is obviously a true fan of rock & roll and the bands that created the memories of our youth. Kristen Ashley’s biography states that she grew up with the sounds of Glenn Miller, The Everly Brothers, REO Speedwagon and Whitesnake so you just know that she has probably been DYING to write a story like this for years!

This story unfolds as the interviews with band members develop and for me, the best parts focused on Preacher’s muse, Lyla. Of course her arrival changed many things about the band and their relationships. I loved the interview-style narrative and as always, Kristen Ashley created another unforgettable main character in Preacher McCade.

“And the only thing I’m sure of in all of that, the only thing that’s solid, is Preacher.”

Although this book is different from most of Kristen Ashey’s other books, the interview style works well. I wasn’t always feeling the pull of the music or the nostalgia for the time period but I enjoyed the story nonetheless. Definitely pick this one up if you are a fan of rockstar romances and the emotional pull of Kristen Ashley’s books. You won’t be disappointed!

“We should all follow our stars.”

(ARC was provided by the author in exchange for an honest review.)

 

Excerpt:

 

Preach was an equal opportunity, benevolent almost-rock god.
I remember seeing him with his jeans bunched up to his knees, sitting on the side of the pool, his feet and calves in the water, her friends barely clothed in the water, wet and hanging off his legs and his every word, and he’d glance over at her.
When he was in the mood to spread his love, everyone was invited.
We all were nailing serious tail, but I don’t think anybody but Dave had had a threesome.
But that was not unusual for Preach.
Or more, you know?
That night, I had one girl, he had two, three were in with Tim and Dave, tripping, and Tommy was fucking another one in what we would find out later was one of the girls’ dad’s waterbed.
And looking back, I knew Preacher was more into her than the two he had.
I also got why.
Kind of.

Now, again, it was the eighties. We’re talkin’ Jane Fonda workout videos and Jamie Lee Curtis in that movie Perfect and one-pieces making a comeback because the legs were cut so far up the hips, a girl had to shave.
And Lyla was not…
[Pause]
That.
I mean, there was a reason anorexia became prevalent during that decade and didn’t let go. It wasn’t right, it wasn’t good, but it was the way it was.
But Lyla was not that way.
Tits and ass.
A lot.
Of both.
And, from what I could tell that night, bad attitude.
But fuck, the longer the night wore on, Preacher couldn’t keep his eyes off her.
She’d do a lap to clean up ashtrays or beer bottles or whatever the fuck, and honest to Christ, he didn’t miss a step.
Not that first step.
She had what they now politically correctly, but also, it’s gotta be said, just plain correctly call curves.
Freddie Mercury called them fat-bottomed girls.
But man, she was pretty.
Lotsa hair.
Perfect skin.
You know, and a way about her.
It was part that attitude.
Part the mystery.
You know, tell a man, “don’t touch, you’ll get burned,” he’ll become obsessed with the fire. It’s just how it is.
She screamed don’t touch.
And Preacher, man…
Preacher could be obsessive.
In a big way.

But it was the eyes.
I gotta believe, and this would prove true, in a way, if it wasn’t Preach, it would be somebody. Another rock star. A photographer. A painter. Someone would fall in the muse of Lyla’s eyes.
But as you know, it was Preacher.

Categories : 3.5 Stars, Reviews, Rock Star, Rocker, Romance Tagged : Excerpt, Fast Lane, Kristen Ashley

FREE (CHAOS SERIES BOOK 7) by KRISTEN ASHLEY: Excerpt + Giveaway

January 30, 2019

 

ABOUT THE BOOK:

 

Through good times, bad times and times of war, Cole “Rush” Allen grew up in the Chaos Motorcycle Club. Along this journey, he watched his father, Tack, and his MC brothers fight, sweat, bleed and die to steer the Club to legitimacy.

And they’ve got one more battle on their hands.

A battle they have to win.

But when Rush meets the woman who put herself right in the thick of it, he knows he has to stop at nothing to get her out.

Rebel Stapleton has lost someone she loves to murder and she’s the kind of woman who’s going to do something about it. She puts her career on the line, and her life, to bring the man who did it to justice.

That is, she does this until Rush Allen intervenes.

Chaos is at war and they’re about to face the ultimate showdown. They’ll have to negotiate skeletons from the past, enemies becoming allies, and loved ones in the line of fire on their ride to be…

Free.

 

EXCERPT:

 

In this manner, they guided me onto 6th Avenue and all the way down that long, heavily trafficked, three-lane bastard into the foothills. I lost my side bikes on the small mountain town roads that led to back country roads, the guy to the left going forward to lead the pack, the guy to the right falling back.
It did not make me feel cozy and happy when we hit a gravel road, in the middle of nowhere, that was winding and ended at a remote cabin that did not look like it was set up to play its role as a vacation relaxation station.
More like where Jason might show with an ax.
The bikes stopped.
I stopped, cut the ignition to my Subaru, tossed open my door, hauled myself out, slammed my door and advanced fast on who I was guessing was the leader of the pack.
The guy who’d rode to my left.
He was off his bike when I got there.
He was also taller than I’d have guessed.
He definitely rocked that leather jacket.
And he had a great head of thick, dark hair that was overlong. So long one side of the front was tucked behind his ear and it was flippy messy in the back in a way that practically begged a woman to grab hold.
I did not grab hold.
I got up to the toes of my boots and shouted in his face, “You could have killed yourself, asshole!”
“Calm down,” he growled.
Oh yeah.
Growled.
His voice was deep and gravelly, rumbling up his chest and out his mouth in a way I could almost trace that shit.
I ignored this additional nugget of awesomeness that made this biker and yelled, “Calm down? Calm down? Are you insane?” I took a step back and threw out both arms. “I’m in the middle of nowhere at Jason’s Lodge o’ Ax Murdering Fun with a pack of bikers when I should right now be home, meditating or some shit.”
His head tipped to the side. “You meditate?”
I didn’t answer that.
I said, “Newsflash. When a bunch of dudes on bikes wearing leather jackets with patches surrounds a woman’s car, she’s not gonna go Thelma and Louise on their asses on the exit ramp off Speer Boulevard to I-25, which is right in the heart of the city, which means right in the heart of Denver traffic. She might hurt them. More, she might hurt herself. But most, she might hurt some unsuspecting single mom on her way home from work to feed her kids and later, lament her choice of their deadbeat dad who’s off banging his secretary.”
“It gonna sink in we’re here safe, so you can be done yelling at me?” he asked.
“Am I safe?” I asked back.
“You gotta ask that, you don’t know Chaos,” he retorted.
“Well, another newsflash, stud, I don’t know Chaos,” I shot back.
He leaned into me.
I smelled leather, fresh air, and the remnants of some sharp, tangy aftershave that I kid you not, actually tightened my clit.
Damn.
“Well, you’re about to know Chaos, so let’s get on to that,” he rumbled at me. “Get inside.”
“I want your promise right here you’re not gonna ax murder me when I go inside that cabin,” I snapped.
He sighed.
From around us, I heard a deep chuckle, actually a few of them.
“We’re not gonna ax murder you.” He sounded beleaguered.
He sounded beleaguered.
Right.

 

MY REVIEW:

 

“I wanna take you out,” he whispered.

“Do bikers date?” she whispered back.

Free is the end of the beloved ‘Chaos’ series by Kristen Ashley and features a wide cast of characters from many of her favorite series. This is definitely not a standalone book as the story is written from many different POV’s. While Rebel and Rush are the central couple in the book, this was not their story alone. I absolutely loved when the story focused on this couple, though, as Rebel is one of THE most memorable heroines that Kristen Ashley has created.

“A woman who can love that deep, who’s got that kinda steel in her spine, the man who gets it, it’ll feel good to earn that love, keep it and have it. But he’ll have to understand what makes her and that he’ll have a lifetime of puttin’ out fires, dealin’ with emotional fallout, and proppin’ her up when the loads she takes on get too heavy.”

Now THAT’S why I read and love Kristen Ashley! Cole “Rush” Allen is very much like his dad, Tack, and Rush has his eye on Rebel. She’s gorgeous, spirited, smart and loyal. She is in an extremely dangerous situation with Benito Valenzuela and the story follows the Chaos MC as they try and take down the vicious criminal Valenzuela.

As with all of Ms. Ashley’s books, family plays a big part in ‘Free.’ Rush’s father Tack is featured in this story as are the bothers of Chaos and other favorite characters form other books. The multiple POV’s did take me a little out of the story but I appreciated the appearance of so many of my favorite bossy, overprotective alpha heroes.

“He’d learned a lot from his dad. One of those things was, you find a redhead who did it for you, even if it was early in your relationship, if you knew in your gut that it was right, you didn’t let go. So yeah. He’d made his decision. He was keeping her.”

There is a ton of action, humor, sweetness and tons and tons of hotness in ‘Free.’ Although I am sad to say goodbye to the Chaos series, I appreciate how the author wrapped up many of the loose ends from this series. I hope that some of these characters will appear in later books, and felt this was a fitting tribute to one of my favorite MC romance series.

“I want it all, Dad. I want what you got, but I want it my way and I want it to be all mine.”

 

GIVEAWAY:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Categories : 4 Stars, Biker, Giveaway, MC Romance, Reviews, Romantic Suspense Tagged : Chaos, Excerpt, Free, Kristen Ashley

Excerpt, Review + Giveaway: WILD LIKE THE WIND (CHAOS #6) by KRISTEN ASHLEY

July 26, 2018

I’m thrilled to be part of the blog tour for WILD LIKE THE WIND releasing July 31st! WILD LIKE THE WIND is the 6th book in the Chaos Series. It features the story of Keely Black and Shepard “Hound” Ironside as they find their way to true love, amongst the chaos of motorcycle clubs, crime lords and heartbreaking loss. I lOVED this book!! Scroll down for an exclusive excerpt plus an AMAZING Rafflecopter giveaway!!

Synopsis:

 

The brother known as Hound has a reputation. He’s all about cracking heads, having a good time, and when the Chaos Motorcycle Club needs someone to do the tough job, they call on him.

But Hound has a secret. He fell in love with a woman years ago. She’s untouchable. Unattainable. And even when her status changes, for Hound, it remains the same.

Keely Black had it all early and lost it all not long after. Thrown into an abyss of loss and grief, she’s faced a life of raising two sons alone and battling the rage at all that had been ripped from them.

And why.

Words spoken in anger open Hound’s and Keely’s eyes. For Hound, he sees he’s wasted his life loving the wrong woman. Keely sees she’s wasting her life not opening herself to the love of a good man.

Excerpt:

 

She whirled on him, planted her hands on her slim hips and announced, “So you’re alive.”
He felt his mouth get tight and threw the door shut, but that was all he got in before she came at him, both hands up, and shoved him so hard at his chest, his entire torso rocked back.
That was when he felt his whole face get hard.
She didn’t hesitate to get up in that face and fuck him, fuck him, he felt her tits brush his chest, she was that close.
“You big jerk!” she shouted. “You scared the shit out of me.”
“Stand down, woman,” he growled.
“You haven’t dropped my check in two months, Hound.”
He couldn’t stop it.
He blinked at her and did it slow.
“You might miss a month but you never miss two,” she informed him of something he knew but thought she had not ever noticed.
“As you can see, I’m still standing,” he told her.
“I can see that. What I hear is that Chaos has got whatever trouble they’ve got with whoever took Millie and now they’re rubbing up against Bounty.”
Bounty was another MC in Denver.
They’d never had any problem with Bounty.
Now they did.
“Think you made it clear last time I saw you that you’re outta it with Chaos, so not sure how that’s your issue,” he stated.
“Uh, were you not there when the boys voted in Dutch as a recruit a month ago?”
Actually, he was on maneuvers so he had not been.
Though, since he sponsored Dutch, along with every man who’d had his patch when Black died, his official vote wasn’t really necessary.
He decided not to answer.
“I thought something had happened to you,” she said it like it was an accusation.
He put both arms up at his sides, which he thought pretty much said it all.
It did, but she was clearly not happy about the way he did it and he knew that with the way her face screwed up, all pissed.
“You drop my checks,” she declared heatedly.
“Gonna leave that duty to another man,” he told her.
“Why?” she rapped out.
“’Cause I got other shit I need to be doin’,” he replied, not the entire truth, not a full lie either.
“It’s because I was a bitch to you,” she said it, straight out.
“You didn’t say anything that wasn’t true,” he returned, and that wasn’t a lie at all.
What he left unsaid was that her saying what she’d said sucked dick.
“I was upset,” she explained herself.
“That didn’t go unnoticed,” he shared.
“Don’t be an asshole, Hound,” she snapped, and his brows went up as his temper caught.
“How’s that bein’ an asshole?” he asked.
“You’re bein’ flippant,” she told him.
He leaned toward her. “Woman, I don’t even know what ‘flippant’ means.”
“Then you need to spend more time reading books and less time doing Chaos’s wet work,” she shot back.
He leaned away and slowly drew a very long breath into his nose.
She glared at him.
When he had no verbal reaction to her remark, she looked around then back at him.
“For God’s sake, Hound, you live in a sty,” she declared.
“Got no woman to keep the place nice for, baby,” he drawled. “As you pointed out. And men don’t mind they live in a sty. It’s only women who give a fuck about that shit.”
Her eyes got squinty. “Why don’t you have a woman?”
He was not discussing this with her.
“That’s none of your fuckin’ business,” he returned.
She threw up an arm in front of her to indicate him. “You’re hot.”
He did another slow blink.
He was?
“It’s a waste,” she decreed.
She’d know about waste, all of what was her going without a man for seventeen years.
“You’re worried I don’t get my wick wet enough, Keely, you can mark that off your list of things you shouldn’t stick your nose into in the first place. I get what I need. I just don’t keep it.”
“Why not?” she asked.
“You obviously won’t feel this way, but you don’t know me so I’ll educate you that for a guy like me, you give it enough time to get time in, snatch becomes a drag and no man needs anything draggin’ on him.”
“You did not just say that to me,” she bit out.
“Jesus, woman,” he boomed, looked side to side and back to her. “You’re the one stormed in here, gettin’ up in my face and my space, puttin’ your hands on me, stickin’ your nose in shit that’s not yours to have. What’s your problem?”
“You bring me my checks,” she declared.
“Not anymore,” he fired back.
“You bring me my checks,” she demanded.
He leaned again toward her.
“Not anymore,” he snarled.
And then, Jesus, fuck…
She was on him.
She was all over him.
Plastered down his front, hands clenched hard in his hair yanking his head down to hers, she had her mouth to his and her tongue in his mouth.
God, nectar.
Fuck, heaven.
He ripped his mouth from hers, planted a hand in her chest and shoved her back a lot harder than he’d ever touch any woman (or any woman who had not done Chaos wrong) so she reeled away five paces.
He couldn’t apologize.
He needed to draw a line.
For her.
For him.
For her boys.
For Chaos.

My Review:

 

“He was a badass biker who lived life wild, took it by the throat, and shoved aside anything he didn’t want in it.”

YES!!!! HOUND!!! ‘Wild Like the Wind’ is a gritty and VERY sexy trip back to the world of Chaos. Loved it!!!

The Chaos books do something for me and I can’t quite put my finger on it. The men and women of Chaos have all suffered, lived full lives and love with all their hearts. There are no false moments or easy paths here. In fact, Kelly and Hound take YEARS to get together and even when they do, they must pay dearly.

“It was great, babe. Fantastic. Fucking spectacular. But it’s a one-time thing. I’ll bring you your checks. You got me. You’ll never lose me. Your boys are so deep in my heart I’d take a bullet for them. But this, what we did, is done. You with me?”

Keely lost her husband years before and the Club has always taken care of her. But there is one cardinal rule of the brotherhood: never, ever be with another brother’s wife. Hound is a loyal member and he absolutely will not go against his brothers. This tension makes for lots of heartbreak and emotion and forms the backbone of this book.

“Fuck me, that was a huge fuckup,” he muttered into his palms. This was true. It was also the best four hours of his life. Bar none.

Nothing happens quickly in the world of Kristen Ashley which is one of the reasons why I love her writing so much. Each page, each chapter of her books is meant to be savored and enjoyed. And ‘Wild Like the Wind’ is a a satisfying, rich and very sexy story that encompasses tons of emotion and has tons of action.

This book is filled with some surprises which even for a seasoned Kristen Ashley reader will be totally enjoyable. All of the characters that I love from Chaos are here plus some new ones. And I loved the way Keely’s sons are also made a central part of the story. Hound’s relationship with them is just beautiful. I am not sure there is a more loyal or loving man than Hound. Does he screw up? Yes. But I cried when reading his scenes with Keely, Jean, Keely’s boys and even the Chaos brothers.

I did think the Valenzuela storyline could be wrapped up a little more quickly but that is just my opinion. This story captured my heart. Hound so deserved to be happy. And of course in true Kristen Ashley style, these characters are not 20-somethings. They are adults who have lived life, suffered, and love hard.

The scenes between Keely and Hound literally burn up the page and the brutal world of MC life is not glossed over here. Chaos remains one of my favorite series and I LOVED this story. Don’t miss it!!

“We’re gonna ride wild and burn bright, baby. We’re gonna tear this life up.”

Giveaway!!!

 

1) Grand Prize winner will receive a $100 Gift Card to the winner’s favorite bookseller.
2) First prize winner will receive ALL the books in The Chaos Series signed by Kristen plus tons of KA swag.
3) Second prize winner will receive a signed copy of WILD LIKE THE WIND plus tons of KA swag.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Categories : 4.5 Stars, Blog Tour, Contemporary Romance, Giveaway, MC Romance Tagged : Chaos, Excerpt, Kristen Ashley, Wild Like the Wind

THE GREATEST RISK (The Honey Series) by KRISTEN ASHLEY

May 2, 2018

 

Synopsis:

 

A woman unable to connect, struggling to hide another part of her. A man burning to learn her truth, and make her whole. Through explosive passion and deep exploration, they are about to take the greatest risk of all. But will they be able to take that leap, and come out on the other side together?

In this next passionate novel in the Honey series, New York Times bestselling author Kristen Ashley delivers a stunningly romantic and intensely sexy novel that will stay with you long after you turn the final page.

 

My Review:

 

WELL. This was one hot-as-hell, erotic, steamy and down-and-dirty story. If you are into BDSM books, then you will find yourself very surprised at the places that Kristen Ashley takes you in Stellan and Sixx’s story.

This is one hefty book and is a thoroughly enjoyable ride into the world of BDSM clubs where there are no judgments and everything is kept safe and sane. This book can be read as a standalone – I did not read the second book in this series and yet I never felt lost reading this story. Sixx is a Domme at The Honey and has long been attracted to the very aloof and very handsome Stellan, another Dom at the club. He has never made a move on Sixx nor has he ever shown any interest in her. It turns out that he was actually biding his time and planning to make his move, in a very big way.

Sixx had a hard life and has always felt like she didn’t really fit in with the others at the club. But she doesn’t see how beautiful and sexy she really is. And Stellan has his own defenses up.

“You haven’t cornered the market on demons, Sixx. Stellan’s got his own, just like you. And he might also want someone in his life to help him beat them back.”

Sixx is convinced to give Stellan a chance. But this is not a conventional romance. After all, we are talking heavy-duty BDSM here. Stella goes all out to win over Sixx (Simone) and their “first date” is one of THE hottest scenes I’ve ever read.

“So this is just an infatuation?”

“We’ve known each other for years, but Tuesday evening was our first date.”

Both her brows stretched high. “And you gave her a person . . . on your first date?”

“I like to make an impression.”

There’s nothing quite like a Kristen Ashley Alpha and Stellan is unforgettable. From his devotion to Simone, to his dominant ways and his gorgeous Phoenix mansion, he’s got it all. But will it be enough to convince Simone to let him love her?

“He’ll go all in for you.” Aryas throwing that out there got her attention again, and she twisted toward him. He kept at her. “Stellan finds the one that’s worth it, he’ll break his back, sell his soul, work his fingers to the bone to win her and keep her.”

There is a nice dose of suspense thrown in here due to Simone’s line of work. And there are appearances by some old favorites from past KA books. But what I loved most about this book were the absolutely explosive BDSM scenes. This story is very provocative and won’t be everyone’s cup of tea. But if you are in the mood for a very adult and very sexy story, then you will LOVE ‘The Greatest Risk’.

“Just trust me, Simone,” he urged gently. “And if you do, I swear to fuck I’ll make you happy that you did.”

(ARC provided by the publisher in return for an honest review.)

 

The Honey Series:

 

Categories : 4 Stars, Adult, Alpha male, BDSM, Contemporary Romance, Erotic Romance, Reviews Tagged : Kristen Ashley, The Greatest Risk, The Honey Series

Surprise New Release: ROCK CHICK REBORN (ROCK CHICK #9) by KRISTEN ASHLEY

April 3, 2018

SURPRISE!!!! I’m thrilled to be a part of Kristen Ashley’s 50th birthday extravaganza!! To mark this momentum occasion, she has released a brand-new story in the ROCK CHICK series, ROCK CHICK REBORN, AND the series has brand-new covers!!! Happy reading and ROCK ON!!

 

SYNOPSIS:

 

As a Rock Chick, Shirleen Jackson lived through all the kidnappings and explosions. Along the way, she also watched the dramatic love stories that came with those rides unfold.

But long ago, Shirleen made her choice. It affected who she was and would always be. She decided to settle for what she had and not want more. She had good friends. She was raising two fine young men who weren’t hers, but she loved them anyway.

She was good.

And then Moses Richardson crashed into her life, literally…and deliberately.

Moses has different ideas about Shirleen. He’s more interested in the Shirleen of now, mostly because she’s interesting. And funny. And loyal. Smart. Beautiful.

But Moses has a big challenge on his hands.

He has to convince Shirleen of all that.

And then convince her she deserves to have more.

 

MY REVIEW:

 

“We gotta be in our nows, … Not in the future, which we don’t know what’s gonna happen and we got no control over it anyway. The now. Right now. Where it’s good.”

YAY! Shirleen Jackson finally gets her own story. AND a HEA, too!!

Fans of the Rock Chick series know that Shirleen shows up early on, actually as a criminal boss but as someone who really bonds with the other women and has a heart of gold. She and Darius later gave up their criminal operations, and Shirleen goes to work for Lee as his receptionist.

I LOVED reading about this gorgeous middle-aged black woman who was described in the earlier books as having “beautiful mocha skin and the biggest afro I’d ever seen, but it suited her perfectly. She had magnificent eyes.”

I think it is more than fitting that on the occasion of Ms. Kristen Ashley’s 50th birthday, that she wrote a story about a 53-year-old woman!! Shirleen had a terrible marriage (to Leon) and is COMPLETELY taken by surprise by the handsome and KIND Moses Richardson. Who of course, since this is a Rock Chick book after all, gets the full investigation by the Hot Bunch before Shirleen even goes on one date!

Shirleen and Moses “meet cute” and it is all beauty from that point forward.

“I’d lived through hell. And there I was, near tears in the bakery section of King Soopers. Because I wanted a badass. I wanted to be adored, beloved, worshipped by a good man who saw nothing but good in me. I’d wanted that for as long as I could remember. And it wasn’t going to happen. Not for me. Never for me. Because life was unfair. But the worst of it was… I’d made it that way.”

Expect another fast-paced, funny, heart-warming and sexy story and enjoy this gift from Kristen Ashley to her devoted fans. Happy ever-after guaranteed.

“I love my now.”

The whole series is now on SALE!!

Categories : 4 Stars, Cover Reveal, Release Blitz, Reviews, Romance Tagged : Kristen Ashley, Rock Chick Reborn

THE HOOKUP (MIDNIGHT & MOTOR OIL #1) by KRISTEN ASHLEY

December 16, 2017

 

 

From New York Times bestselling author Kristen Ashley, comes the first standalone in the exciting new Moonlight and Motor Oil series—THE HOOKUP—releasing December 19, 2017!

 

 

About THE HOOKUP (Moonlight and Motor Oil Series #1):

When the new girl in town, Eliza “Izzy” Forrester decides to hit the local drinking hole, she’s not ready to meet the town’s good, solid guy. She’s definitely not prepared to engage in her very first hookup with him.

Then Izzy wakes up the next morning in Johnny Gamble’s bed and good girl Izzy finds she likes being bad for Johnny.

Even so, Izzy feels Johnny holding her at arm’s length. But Johnny makes it clear he wants more and Izzy already knows she wants as much of hot-in-bed, sweet-out-of-it Johnny Gamble.

Floating on air thinking this is going somewhere, Izzy quickly learns why Johnny holds distant.

He’s in love with someone else. Someone who left him and did it leaving him broken. Whoever was up next would be runner up, second best. Knowing the stakes, Izzy will take what she can get from the gentleman that’s Johnny Gamble. And even knowing his heart might never mend, Johnny can’t seem to stay away from Izzy.

Until out of nowhere, his lost love comes back to town. He’s not going back, but Johnny still knows the right thing to do is let Izzy go.

And Izzy knew the stakes, so she makes it easy and slips though his fingers.

But that’s before Johnny realizes Eliza moved to town to escape danger that’s been swirling around her.

And that’s why Johnny decides to wade in.

That and the fact Eliza Forrester makes breakfast with a canary singing on her shoulder and fills out tight dresses in a way Johnny Gamble cannot get out of his head.

 

 

Order your copy of THE HOOKUP today!

 

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Add to your Goodreads

 

 

 

MY REVIEW:

 

I am the first to admit that I will read everything Kristen Ashley writes. No, I will DEVOUR everything Kristen Ashley writes! And ‘The Hookup’ will please her hardcore fans with Johnny and Izzy and their super-HOT and yes sweet romance.

I LOVE when the protagonists sleep together right at the beginning and THEN get to know each other. In classic Kristen Ashley fashion, Eliza Forrester goes home with Johnny Gamble after a few drinks. And yes, Johnny knocks her socks off but Izzy has never had a one-night stand! What should she do? How should she act? She is the quintessential “good girl” so this is just not something that she EVER does. And oh boy are things ever awkward!

“Babe, why’d you put on your panties?” I blinked up at him. His fingers slid inside the waistband to lightly cup one cheek of my behind. My lips parted. “Sweet, shy Eliza,” he muttered like he was referencing me to someone else even if he was gazing right into my eyes. “Gonna have to break you of that.” Yes. Oh God, please let it be yes.

One of the things I adore about KA is her heroines are not 19 years old. They are WOMEN with full lives, loyal friends and yes, maybe some baggage. Izzy had a tragic childhood but through sheer will and determination, created a beautiful life for herself. She is well-educated and has a wonderful job. Was she warned to stay away from Johnny? Of course! But how could she possibly resist this electric and uber-sexy man?

“I only know him in passing too, but I still know he’s that guy. The kind you can’t help but like. He’s solid. Dependable. From good people. His brother took off before Charlie and I got to town and I heard he’s a bit of a wild one. But I knew the man, and Johnny Gamble’s dad was like that too. Those men are men who fix your car even if you can’t afford it and let you make payments that won’t bite too deep. ”

Johnny has distanced himself from relationships and women ever since his heart was smashed into bits by his girlfriend. He was completely wrecked. He is a hard worker and a good businessman. He, too, has built a wonderful life for himself. But the heartbreaking drama with his ex is all everyone talks about and it’s why Izzy just knows that Johnny will never truly care for her. What they have is just sex, right? But Johnny actually likes Izzy which of course makes for some truly heart stopping moments.

Johnny makes some very stupid decisions which are really the basis for most of the drama in this book. I think the blurb might throw off some readers into thinking this book is about a love triangle but that’s definitely NOT what this romance is about! At all. Johnny realizes he better get his act together and that Izzy is not like his ex-girlfriend. She is loyal and smart and the real deal. Thank God Izzy has her sister Addie to rely on to help get her though the impending heartbreak.

My heart ached for Izzy as she realized she was falling for Johnny. Despite all the hot and dirty sex they were having, Johnny still kept her at arm’s length. There was plenty of sex but zero intimacy. Izzy gave her heart to Johnny because that’s all she knew how to do and he handed it back to her on a platter.

“I’ve never been in love,” I shared quietly. “Avoid it,” he advised resolutely. “It sucks.” And again… There we were.

I cried a little during ‘The Hookup’ as I do during most of KA’s books! I also adored the small-town setting and the all of the locals. And Johnny Gamble might be one of THE most Alpha of Alphas. Over-the-top possessive, sexy, masculine but kind and strong, he is everything I want in a Kristen Ashley hero. There’s plenty of suspense and action and a wonderfully warm cast of supporting characters, too. Fans of Kristen Ashley will eat this one up. It’s a classic!

Favorite quote:

“You have a chandelier in your bedroom?”

I grinned, the nerves beginning to glide away.

I also shrugged.

“Am I gonna walk outta your house tomorrow morning coated in glitter dust?” he asked.

My heart sang and the nerves took flight.

He was spending the night.

“I don’t think so,” I answered.

“Best get to fucking you before I turn into a unicorn or something,” he muttered.

 

 

EXCERPT:

“Izzy?” she answered.
“Hey, I’m home,” I told her.
“Okay, well…how are you?”
How was I?
Johnny’s behavior explained by the sad fact it was the anniversary of his father’s death, but still explained, and he was coming over for dinner the next night, not to mention, after not being affectionate (at all, unless you counted sitting me on the countertop, which I kind of did) after the last time we’d had sex, he made out with me at the door of my car for a good, long, happy while—I was great.
“I’m great,” I told her, opening Serengeti’s stall and moving in, lifting a hand to pat her jaw while she moved her nose to snuffle my neck and blow at my hair.
“Damn,” Deanna muttered.
My hand arrested on Serengeti and I focused on Deanna.
“What?” I asked.
“Damn,” she repeated.
“Damn what?” I asked.
“Well, just to say Johnny Gamble is Johnny Gamble.”
A specific area in my chest squeezed at the way she imparted that obvious but still confusing information.
“What’s that mean?” I asked.
“He’s Johnny Gamble of Gamble Garages. Did he tell you that?”
No he didn’t tell me that.
And suddenly I was embarrassed about something that I hadn’t liked all along.
But it was worse since Deanna knew more about a man I’d slept with than I did.
Serengeti was getting fidgety, so I used my hand on her to lead her out of her stall, and once in the corridor, she trotted out the open bay at the back, directly into her pasture.
I moved to Amaretto as I shared with Deanna, “No, he didn’t tell me that. I mean, we talked but we were also doing other things.” I let that lie. It did, weighty between us on the phone, before I went on, “I don’t know what that means.”
Even though it seemed like I did. Something seemed familiar about that.
“You haven’t lived here long enough,” she murmured while I opened Amaretto’s stall and moved in for some quick pats before I let him loose. Louder, Deanna said, “You know the gas station in town?”
Oh yes.
That was where I’d seen it.
“He owns that?”
“That and seven more of them across three counties. None in the city, just in the counties. Some of them are like mini-mart stores. All of them sell gas and do work on cars.”
Wow.
That was impressive.

 

 

About Kristen Ashley:

Kristen Ashley was born in Gary, Indiana, USA and nearly killed her mother and herself making it into the world, seeing as she had the umbilical cord wrapped around her neck (already attempting to accessorize and she hadn’t taken her first breath!). Her mother said they took Kristen away, put her Mom back in her room, her mother looked out the window, and Gary was on fire (Dr. King had been assassinated four days before). Kristen’s Mom remembered thinking it was the end of the world. Quite the dramatic beginning.

Nothing’s changed.

Kristen grew up in Brownsburg, Indiana and has lived in Denver, Colorado and the West Country of England. Thus, she’s blessed to have friends and family around the globe. Her family was (is) loopy (to say the least) but loopy is good when you want to write. They all lived together on a very small farm in a small farm town in the heartland. She grew up with Glenn Miller, The Everly Brothers, REO Speedwagon and Whitesnake (and the wardrobes that matched).

Needless to say, growing up in a house full of music, clothes and love was a good way to grow up.

And as she keeps growing, it keeps getting better.

 

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Categories : 4 Stars, Alpha male, Contemporary Romance, Giveaway, Reviews Tagged : Excerpt, Kristen Ashley, Moonlight & Motor Oil Series, The Hookup

COMPLICATED by KRISTEN ASHLEY

November 14, 2017

 

SYNOPSIS:

 

When small-town Nebraska sheriff Hixon Drake meets Greta Dare, the connection couldn’t be stronger, but the timing couldn’t be worse.

Dealing with the fallout of a divorce he never wanted and setting up a new home for his kids, Hix becomes that guy, that one he never wanted to be, and puts a stop to things before they can even start. Protecting his kids and himself is his only priority.

Greta, on the other hand, has found the place for her and the brother she adores that’s perfect for them – a sleepy little town in Nebraska. She’s learned from life that there are no hopes and dreams. The only thing to look forward to is peace. And that’s what she works hard to build for herself and her brother. Right up until Hix walks into her life.

Hix can’t fight the pull and stay away from Greta for long. And Greta’s finding it hard not to hope for something more with all the promise that is Hix.

But when the first murder that’s happened in over five decades rocks his small, sleepy county, Hix has got to learn to trust again, convince Greta to take a shot with him, and at the same time catch a killer.

In other words, things are definitely…Complicated.

 

 

 

MY REVIEW:

 

“I’d been charmed by a handsome man who made me forget I was supposed to have hardened my heart against men who might look at their wives like she was the first female created and God had outdone himself (and that was how Hixon had looked at Hope), but me, he’d treat like dirt.”

Strong characters and a murder mystery made this an enthralling and sexxxy and deliciously heartwarming story. Written in trademark KA fashion, there’s a slow build romance and several broken hearts along the way. Loved that the main characters are older with teenage kids and ex-spouses. Sheriff Hixon Drake is one helluva sexy and sweet Alpha. Hix, you can mow my lawn any day.

This is a lengthy book and it satisfied my craving for some old-time Kristen Ashley. Which is to say, there are lots of descriptions about home decor, outfits, make-up and cooking. I loved it!! And the story was very reminiscent of the ‘Burg series which is one of my all-time favorites.

Sheriff Hixon Drake is one hell of an Alpha, even by Kristen Ashley standards. He was recently divorced from Hope, a divorce that completely blindsided him but with which he is moving on from. He has three children who he is absolutely devoted to. But wait..his ex-wife Hope realizes that she made a colossal mistake and is desperate to make things right again. But Hix won’t have any of it.

“You didn’t even share with me what you thought was broke so I could try to fix it. You just took all that from me. And it hurt like fuck. So I am not gonna be your friend or the man you call when the toilet gets backed up. This time, you pushed for what you wanted, it’s you that lives with the consequences. You don’t push even more to make it the way you now want it to be.”

As with many of the books that I love by Ms. Ashley, the hero and heroine get together almost immediately. And it is spectacular. But then they must actually decide if they like each other. And they must decide if they can make each other’s VERY complicated lives work together.

I LOVED Greta! Gorgeous and talented and loving and passionate, she has been dealt a very rough hand. And she knows almost immediately that Hix is out of her league.

But he caught Greta’s eyes, tipped his head to the side, his lips up, and then without looking back, he walked out the front door. And he did it not having that first clue that, with a tip of his head and a small curl to his lips, he shifted the axis of Glossop, Nebraska in a way anyone who knew either of them, which was most, started to believe dreams could come true.

*Le sigh.* Sadly, the timing is not right for these two, seeing as the ink was barely dry on Hix’s divorce papers and the fact that his kids were still hoping for their parents to get back together. But Hix can’t stay away from the beautiful Greta.

“He knew Greta intimately. He knew she was funny and honest. And he knew there was a vulnerability to her the cause of which it wasn’t his right to have. That was all he knew. Except for the fact that he knew without doubt she didn’t need to be like his apartment. The in-between while he was sorting out his life. She deserved more.

Although Hix was really good man, and a wonderful father, I was frustrated at the way he treated Greta at the beginning. But Greta allowed it, I think because she really didn’t believe she deserved any better in her life. I did love how Hix slowly realized that Great was truly beautiful inside and out. And I adored the children’s points of view! It added something different to this story. And they were not one-dimensional characters, they added a depth and realism to this story that I loved. Even when Hix danced around his feelings with Greta, she was always ready to accept him on his own terms. She was always herself and that goodness shone through.

If Hixon Drake wanted to be friends and that friendship turned out it came with benefits, I was not going to say no. He was easy to be around. I felt like crowing at the top of my lungs any time I made him burst out into that gorgeous, deep laughter. He was spectacular in bed. And he looked out for me, me, not a citizen of McCook County, but me. So no. Hell no.

‘Complicated’ was a very sexy, small-town romance with a great cast of characters and an unforgettable hero and heroine. Highly recommend for all fans of Kristen Ashley and all romance lovers!!

“Greta, sometimes to carve some good in your life, you gotta work for it and even fight for it.”

 

About Kristen Ashley:

Kristen Ashley was born in Gary, Indiana, USA and nearly killed her mother and herself making it into the world, seeing as she had the umbilical cord wrapped around her neck (already attempting to accessorize and she hadn’t taken her first breath!). Her mother said they took Kristen away, put her Mom back in her room, her mother looked out the window, and Gary was on fire (Dr. King had been assassinated four days before). Kristen’s Mom remembered thinking it was the end of the world. Quite the dramatic beginning.

Nothing’s changed.

Kristen grew up in Brownsburg, Indiana and has lived in Denver, Colorado and the West Country of England. Thus, she’s blessed to have friends and family around the globe. Her family was (is) loopy (to say the least) but loopy is good when you want to write. They all lived together on a very small farm in a small farm town in the heartland. She grew up with Glenn Miller, The Everly Brothers, REO Speedwagon and Whitesnake (and the wardrobes that matched).

Needless to say, growing up in a house full of music, clothes and love was a good way to grow up.

And as she keeps growing, it keeps getting better.

 

WEBSITE * FACEBOOK * TWITTER * NEWSLETTER * GOODREADS * PINTEREST * INSTAGRAM

 

 

Categories : 4.5 Stars, Adult Suspense, Alpha male, Alpha- hero, Contemporary Romance, Reviews, Small-town Romance Tagged : Complicated, Kristen Ashley

New Review + Excerpt & Giveaway: THE TIME IN BETWEEN (MAGDALENE SERIES #3) by KRISTEN ASHLEY

August 30, 2017


“She was the one then and nothing changed in the time in between.” 

 

✮✮✮A story of past decisions gone awry, secrets that change directions, and emotional second chances, this gripping love story is what happens when two paths again collide. The final standalone title in New York Times bestselling author Kristen Ashley’s Magdalene Series, THE TIME IN BETWEEN is a rich, heartfelt love story available now! ✮✮✮

 

Explore THE TIME IN BETWEEN and grab your copy today!

 

About THE TIME IN BETWEEN (Magdalene Series #3):

After a painful loss, Cady Moreland is coming to Magdalene to start the next chapter of her life. A chapter that began eighteen years ago but had a heartbreaking ending. The time in between was full of family and friendship, but Cady could never get the man she fell in love with all those years ago out of her heart.

Coert Yeager has learned to live without the girl who entered his life right when she shouldn’t and exited delivering a crippling blow he never would have suspected. The time in between was full of failing to find what he was missing…and life-altering betrayal.

But when that girl shows up in Magdalene and buys the town’s beloved lighthouse, even if Coert wants to avoid her, he can’t. A fire in town sparks a different kind of flame that won’t be ignored.

As Cady and Coert question the actions of the two young adults they once were thrown into earth-shattering circumstances, can they learn from what came in between and find each other again?

 

 

Grab your copy of THE TIME IN BETWEEN today!

 

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo | iBooks | GooglePlay

 

Add to your Goodreads

 

5% of the proceeds from the first week of sales of THE TIME IN BETWEEN release will be given to HALO Animal Rescue in Phoenix, a no-kill shelter. HALO stands for “helping animals live on” and is a shelter started by a mother/daughter team of committed animal advocates who have done a huge duty for animals in this area, and continue to do so with unwavering love, support and energy.For more information on HALO or to donate to the work they do, go to www.halorescue.org.

 

 

 

My Review:

 

“Together we flew and together we drifted down to earth, to his bed, his room, this world, this life. Ending still with Coert and me. Yes, it was glorious.”

I don’t know how she does it but Kristen Ashley has written yet another sparkling gem of a story. Emotional, heart-warming, sexy and heart-breaking, this book has EVERYTHING I love. There’s a tough-talking, over-protective Alpha, a sweet and steely but damaged heroine and lots and lots of family goodness. There is nothing like a good, old-fashioned second-chance romance as only KA can do it!!

The ‘Magadalene’ series is one of my favorites and while this book can be read as a standalone, I HIGHLY recommend reading the other books in the series!! They are GOLDEN. Set in a beautiful Maine town, I thoroughly enjoyed the detailed descriptions of architecture, seasons, local food (of course) and the tight-knit bond of the local townspeople. This book launches right into the reasons why Cady has moved to town: she purchased the crumbling lighthouse because not only does her estranged brother live nearby, but the love of her life, Coert, is the sheriff. She is determined to make amends with both of them. But Coert makes it VERY clear right from the beginning that she is to stay away from him at all costs. What happened between them all those years ago to make him so bitter? And exactly how and why has Cady changed so much from the young rebellious girl she once was?

Cady and Coert’s epic love began many years before in Colorado. Cady ran with a wild crowd and her family did not approve of her choices or her lifestyle. But Cady was always self-sufficient and independent and worked long hours at a dead-end job just to make ends meet. She wanted a better life for herself. She doesn’t meet Coert under the best of circumstances but their love was real. A terrible turn of events tears them apart and just like that, the only beautiful thing Cady had was gone.

Cady and Coert then spend many years apart. When they meet again in Magdalene, they both have huge misconceptions about each other. But they are both older and wiser and hopefully won’t make the same mistakes again. I absolutely LOVED how Kristen Ashley brought these two together again and I was literally sobbing reading much of this book. The story is long, it is weighty and it is hugely satisfying.

“I was in love with Coert Yeager in a way that it just simply would never die.”

This glorious story features cameo appearances by characters from the ‘Rock Chick’ series (yay!) and it is filled with light and love and hope and smoking hot romance. Grab a bottle of wine, settle in and enjoy the ride!! Thanks again to Ms. Ashley for another unforgettable second-chance romance.

“This is life. And in all that’s happened in mine, the one thing I’ve learned is, as ugly as it gets, as bad as you mess up, if you keep going, it’ll get good again.”

(ARC provided in return for an honest review.)

 

Excerpt:

 

Present day…
He looked me up and down, turned his gaze through the expanse then gave his serious expression back to me.
“Been doing this job a long time. I can see when a buyer is interested and I can see when they’re interested in something that they know is gonna be a heck of a project, but that doesn’t matter to them because they’ve fallen in love. And I see that last is happening with you. So I gave you full disclosure, now I’ll give you full honesty.”
“That would…” I hesitated because I wasn’t sure my last wasn’t a lie, “be appreciated.”
He didn’t hesitate.
“See, this is a lot of work and you got it in you to restore it, great. But there are buildings, land. Take an entire day even with a riding mower, probably, just to mow the lawn. And the townsfolk’d lose their minds, you mow over the tulips that coat the place come full-on spring. No one knows how those tulips got here, but Google ‘Magdalene Lighthouse’ and that’s pretty much all the pictures you’ll see.”
God, I couldn’t wait to see that and I was going to Google it the minute I got back to the inn.
“But you’re a slip of a thing, apparently on your own, and this is gonna be a lot for you.”
He lifted his hand and shook it at me even as he shook his head and kept speaking.
“I’m not being sexist. Like I said, I’m being honest. But more, it seems close to town, and it is, ish, you go the direct coastal path into town, which is just over two miles of walking. But by the roads, since it goes inland then eastward, it’s over five miles to get out here and there isn’t anything built within the first two, primarily because of that light and the horn I told you about. But also because Magdalene likes this view unencumbered, so a lot of that is parkland so it’d stay just that way. That means this is a lot more secluded than it looks from town.”
This was not a deterrent.
This could be, in future, if things went awry (and they were probably going to go awry), a boon.
I’d need to be secluded, separate, reclusive.
But regardless, I was one of those people who could be good on my own. I hadn’t had a lot of that in recent years, what with Patrick and his family, but when I had it, I could enjoy it.
And if I had this lighthouse all to myself, I had a feeling I could learn to love it.
“So, just to say, you should consider all that when you consider buying this,” he advised. “But I’ll also say I know you’re from Denver. And I know New Englanders are considered unfriendly by folks out west. We’re not. We’re just different. We like what we know and who we know. We depend on tourists but, being honest, they can sometimes be a pain in the backside. But you move here, you’ll be one of us. Simple as that. And to prove that’s true, if you don’t have someone who’s coming here with you to help you take this on, then I’ll be the first to share I’m happy to look after the old girl when you’re away. You just call on me. And if I can’t, I’ll help you find someone who can. We in Magdalene been looking out for this lighthouse for years. But if she comes with you, we’ll look out for you too.”
I stood there, immobile, and stared at him.
And I did this suddenly needing to cry.
He didn’t know me. He didn’t know my past. He didn’t know how stupid I’d been.
So unbelievably stupid.
He didn’t know.
So he couldn’t judge.
Maybe this could be a new chapter.
Maybe Patrick knew exactly what he was doing in a variety of ways.
I fought back the tears as he concluded, “And that’s not a gambit to get you to buy. You can’t know I’m telling you the truth until you put me to the test. But just to say, feel free to do that. You’ll learn soon enough.”
I tore my eyes from him and blinked at the landscape, taking in a deep breath through my nose, recalling his name.
Robert.
Robert Colley.
“You wanna see the outbuildings now or you wanna go up and look at the lens?” he asked.
I wanted to look at the lens.
Then I wanted to go look at the outbuildings.
But I didn’t say either.
I looked again to him.
“I’ll be needing the name of a good contractor.”
His eyes lit as he studied me and one side of his lips quirked.
“You’ll need to be looking at the outbuildings, gal,” he advised gently.
“Yes, you’re right,” I told him. “But I’ll also be needing the name of a good contractor.”
He continued to study me and he did this until I smiled at him.
And when I did, the half lip quirk disappeared and Robert Colley smiled back.

 

 

And don’t miss the first titles in the Magdalene Series!

THE WILL
SOARING

 

 

 

 

THE TIME IN BETWEEN Tour Schedule

August 25th
Vilma’s Book Blog – Review & Excerpt

August 26th
Books N Junk – Review & Excerpt

August 27th
Cantu Sisters – Review & Excerpt

August 28th
Ana’s Attic – Review & Interview

August 29th
Three Chicks and Their Books – Review & Excerpt
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August 30th
KT’s Book Reviews – Review & Excerpt
The Book Bellas – Review & Excerpt

August 31st
Brittany’s Book Blog – Review & Excerpt
Agents of Romance – Review & Excerpt

September 1st
Sizzling Pages – Review & Excerpt
Bambi Unbridled – Review & Excerpt

September 2nd
Read More Sleep Less – Review & Excerpt
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September 3rd
Scandalicious Book Reviews – Review & Excerpt

September 4th
Rachel Reads Ravenously – Review & Excerpt
Alleskelle – Review & Interview

September 5th
Jezabell Girl and Friends – Review & Excerpt

September 6th
Books to Breathe – Review & Excerpt

September 7th
Garden of REden – Review & Excerpt

September 8th
Feeding My Addiction – Review & Excerpt
Confessions of 2 Book Lovers – Review & Excerpt

 

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About Kristen Ashley:

Kristen Ashley was born in Gary, Indiana, USA and nearly killed her mother and herself making it into the world, seeing as she had the umbilical cord wrapped around her neck (already attempting to accessorize and she hadn’t taken her first breath!). Her mother said they took Kristen away, put her Mom back in her room, her mother looked out the window, and Gary was on fire (Dr. King had been assassinated four days before). Kristen’s Mom remembered thinking it was the end of the world. Quite the dramatic beginning.

Nothing’s changed.

Kristen grew up in Brownsburg, Indiana and has lived in Denver, Colorado and the West Country of England. Thus, she’s blessed to have friends and family around the globe. Her family was (is) loopy (to say the least) but loopy is good when you want to write. They all lived together on a very small farm in a small farm town in the heartland. She grew up with Glenn Miller, The Everly Brothers, REO Speedwagon and Whitesnake (and the wardrobes that matched).

Needless to say, growing up in a house full of music, clothes and love was a good way to grow up.

And as she keeps growing, it keeps getting better.

 

WEBSITE * FACEBOOK * TWITTER * NEWSLETTER * GOODREADS * PINTEREST * INSTAGRAM

 

 

Categories : 5 Stars, Contemporary Romance, Giveaway, Reviews Tagged : Excerpt, Kristen Ashley, Magdalene Series, The Time in Between

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