My Review: This is the first thing I've read by Lauren Blakely, but I can see why she's a well-liked author. This book had me hooked from the very beginning, and not just because I'm a sucker for heist novels, which this very much is. Blakely's writing just sucks you in, the story is stellar, and the characters really steal the show. Jake cares about his family, and he has a good sense of humor - both things that really stick out about him right from the beginning, and continue to show throughout the novel. Steph has a good heart, and a strong drive to make her business work, and to get her life back on track. But what really stuck out to me was how genuine her feelings are when it comes to her stepfather. There is a very good chance he has stolen a lot of money from people who can't afford it, but it's obviously hard for her to see him as a bad guy while also seeing him as the man who raised her. You can really feel her struggle with it, and I'm glad the author didn't just glaze over this, but truly made it part of Steph's dilemma.
I know this is mostly my own fault, since I didn't look too deeply into the series, but I didn't realize this was a cliffhanger. I was getting more and more nervous as the story progressed, thinking there was no way the author could wrap everything up with only ten percent of the book left. And while the cliffhanger made me instantly desperate for the next book, I appreciated that she didn't just try to throw everything together at the end. I'd rather this spread over several books, so everything progresses naturally, than to have it wrapped up willy-nilly, and not-so-neatly.
I will definitely be reading the next book, and I can't wait to check out more by this author. This was a one-sitting read for me because I just couldn't put it down. It had everything I needed - a good story, amazing characters, a believable (and hot!) romance, and plot twists that had me drooling for more.
Cover Lovin': Oh my, yes.
Recommendation: This is the beginning of a new series, so no prior knowledge necessary. Also: Cliffhanger alert! So prepare yourself.
Final Rating: FOUR AND A HALF out of FIVE stars! (4.5/5). Loved this, couldn't put it down. It was a one-sitting read, and I even stayed up super late to finish it, because I simply had to know what was going to happen next.
Disclaimer: I received a free copy in exchange for a fair and honest review.
EXCERPT:
“Let’s make it a double,” he said, and after they chatted
more about fish and the sea and the Islands, he pointed to the dartboard.
“Since you have that dart certification and all, any chance you can give me a
few pointers?” he asked, standing up to grab a dart from the board. He returned
and held it out to her. She rose and moved closer, and when she reached for the
end, he wrapped a hand around her wrist and tugged her in close.
Just like that. The gauntlet was thrown. The move was made.
She was in his arms. Poised. For something more. For this moment to unspool
into something else. A ribbon of heat raced through her body as she catalogued
everything. His gaze held her hostage. His green eyes blazed darkly as he
stared at her like he wanted to eat her up. That fierce look made her shudder.
She was so close she could breathe him in, and his skin smelled so damn good.
Like sunshine and showers. And he was hard everywhere. Not just there, because
she wasn’t exactly in that spot, but his arms, and his abs, and his legs.
His fingers curled around her waist, gripping her as Jack
Johnson sang about banana pancakes and pretending it’s the weekend all the
time.
“Three things,” he whispered, his voice all rough and hot,
turning her on before he even uttered another word. “One, I want to kiss you.
Two, I’m going to kiss you. Three, if you don’t want me to, say no now.
Otherwise . . .”
He inched closer. She parted her lips, and a small sigh
escaped. “Yes.”
She closed her eyes and waited. In that second before his
lips met hers, the wondrous thrill of anticipation weaved through her body. The
hope that kissing a stranger named Jake in a bar would be worth it. That he
wouldn’t kiss like a slobbery Saint Bernard, all tongue and exuberance. Nor
like a schoolboy, hell-bent on vacuuming up her lips. Call her greedy, call her
needy, or just call her a woman who hadn’t been kissed well in a long while.
But she wanted that kiss.
The kind that made your knees weak.
That sent your heart fluttering.
That spread warmth on a sweet, shivery path through your
chest.
✮✮✮ THE SAPPHIRE AFFAIR is here! From New York Times bestselling author Lauren Blakely’s new contemporary romance Jewel Novel series, this enemies-to-lovers series is filled with sex, wit, glamour, and high stakes, with a rugged, ex-military, dirty-talking alpha hero! Don’t miss this explosive and passionate series! ✮✮✮
Lauren Blakely’s THE SAPPHIRE AFFAIR – Review & Excerpt Tour Schedule:
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Ripe For Reader – Review & Excerpt
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** THE SAPPHIRE AFFAIR & THE SAPPHIRE HEIST are being released by Montlake, which is an Amazon publishing company, and will only be available for sale at Amazon. You can download a free Kindle reading app for any smartphone or tablet here: http://amzn.to/1MIyrHi
ABOUT THE SAPPHIRE AFFAIR (Jewel Novel #1):
Bounty hunter Jake Harlowe knows how to track a criminal. So when a group of swindled shareholders hires him to trail their former CEO, Jake expects a quick trip to the Cayman Islands to close another case. Until a devastatingly beautiful woman gets in the way.
Steph Anderson is visiting the Caymans for a rock climbing and dive trip—or so she tells Jake. She’s really trying to find out whether or not her stepfather embezzled money from his company. The last thing Steph needs is the distraction of a sexy, charming man whose kisses drive her wild.
Soon, the pair discover they’re after the same target—and millions in jewels. While Jake can’t be certain Steph isn’t working for her stepfather, and Steph can’t be certain Jake isn’t after the diamonds for himself, they can agree the heat between them is intense, and neither can deny the passion for long.
But the morning after, Steph discovers that she just might have slept with the enemy, and now she’ll have to outwit him to get everything she needs…
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✦ Amazon US ✦ Amazon UK ✦ Amazon Paperback ✦ Amazon AU ✦ Amazon CA
✦ Audiobook (narrated by Sebastian York)
THE SAPPHIRE AFFAIR can be read from free in Kindle Unlimited!
And Don’t Miss the Second Book, THE SAPPHIRE HEIST, releasing August 16th! Preorder your copy today!
✦ Amazon US ✦ Amazon UK ✦ Amazon Paperback ✦ Amazon AU ✦ Amazon CA
✦ Audiobook (narrated by Sebastian York)
✮✮✮ Enter to win a $25 Amazon Gift Card and signed set of the THE SAPPHIRE AFFAIR and THE SAPPHIRE HEIST! ✮✮✮
About Lauren Blakely:
Since self-publishing her debut romance novel CAUGHT UP IN US three years ago, Lauren Blakely has sold more than 1 million books. She is known for her sexy contemporary romance style that’s full of heat, heart and humor. A devout fan of cake and canines, Lauren has plotted entire novels while walking her four-legged friends. She lives in California with her family. With ten New York Times bestsellers, her titles have appeared on the New York Times, USA Today, and Wall Street Journal Bestseller Lists more than fifty times. Her bestselling series include Sinful Nights, Seductive Nights, No Regrets, Caught Up in Love, and Fighting Fire as well as standalone romantic comedies like BIG ROCK and MISTER O, which were both instant New York Times Bestsellers. In the fall she’ll release WELL HUNG, another romantic comedy. To receive an email when Lauren releases a new book, sign up for her newsletter:laurenblakely.com/newsletter.
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1 comment:
Thank you so much! ~Jessica, InkSlinger PR
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