Limecello’s review of Circle of Friends: Steve’s Story by Jess Dee
Contemporary romance published by Samhain Publishing on 28 Apr 2009

I waited for what felt like a long time and was very excited for Circle of Friends: Steve’s Story… but am very sorry to say I was disappointed. I absolutely adored Tyler’s story, and was eager to see the circle of friendship be completed. I expected an emotionally loaded story, one with humor and fun, but, for some reason, it just didn’t come together for me.

In the interest of honesty and full disclosure… I have to say after getting through about three-sevenths of this book, I reverted to giving it the “grad school read.” There is a *lot* of sex and heat in this book, and that’s hot, but… it doesn’t really make up for the rest of the book. (Also, that’s not why I read romances or erotic romances, so it wouldn’t have worked for me anyway.)

I hate to say it, but the heroine, Pen (Penelope), is something of a bitch, and an idiot. I think it’s because she annoyed me so much that Steve’s nickname of “Sunshine” for her didn’t really work – and actually started reminding me of what she wasn’t. Pen is not bright light and happiness. She’s a mess of tears and seems to bring everyone around her down.

Yes, I felt horrible that she had the gene for Huntington’s Disease. Maybe it’s because I don’t know enough about it that I didn’t feel bad enough for her. Because after reading through nearly half the book, I was fed up, and had to put this book down for a number of months. [Yes, I did feel badly for her. But I'd been feeling badly for her since Tyler's story. Everyone around her was willing to accept her and love her as she is- but she just had to make everyone miserable for hundreds of pages.]

Steve Sommers is a great guy, and incredibly determined. So determined that it almost passes admirable, and reading the book is rather like watching him beat his head against a brick wall. You’d admire it, if you didn’t wonder why he didn’t just *stop.* Apparently I’m not that much of a romantic, because the happy ending didn’t excuse it. Or maybe I expected more of Pen.

Steve is great though – he’s willing to do anything and everything to get Pen, and he withholds his personal gratification in hopes that it’ll force Pen to acknowledge they have something good and the should be in a relationship.

I can understand Pen’s perspective – that she doesn’t want to put anyone though having to care for her once she begins deteriorating. And even more the pride aspect – where she doesn’t want those she loves and admires to see her in that way. I get that. But I didn’t need to be beaten over the head with it for however many pages this book was. The emotional problems, issues, and hang ups were made clear in the previous book – after the first few chapters of Steve’s story, this was just too much.

Also, their “catch phrase” of “fire it up” began to creep me out. It didn’t seem that Steve and Pen really ever had any emotional connection. It was all sex- and whenever Steve tried for something more, Pen would make it all about sex. I felt that Steve and Kate had a better emotional break through and connection than Steve and Pen, almost. And not because Steve and Kate had previously been engaged. More because they realize they still can be and are friends – and love each other as friends.

I might re-read this in the future, to see if I feel differently… but it won’t be something on the top of my to do list.
Grade: D

When love is threatened by truth, every moment counts…

Steve Sommers is having a gut-wrenching week. His fiancée has left him, the woman who broke his heart is back in town—and they’re all gathered at the bedside of his best friend, who’s in a coma. The emotional ties between them are strained to the breaking point. Like it or not, it’s up to Steve to find the strength and compassion to support the four of them through the toughest ordeal of their lives.

In the midst of the turmoil and trauma, passion unexpectedly flares anew between Steve and the woman he loves. Suddenly the future he’d believed lost lies within his reach. But she still carries the secret that once tore them apart, and determined to protect Steve from the truth, she fights their rekindled relationship every step of the way.

Now the fragile bond they’ve developed hangs in the balance, threatened by a reality that love may not be strong enough to overcome…

Read an excerpt here.

Reader Blogger Marg, you can find her at Reading Adventures and Historical Tapestry, was nice enough to agree to share with us her adventure at the Australian Romance Readers Convention this past weekend.

If we get lucky we can talk her into sharing some more photos and stories.

Ever since I have been blogging, each year when everyone started talking about going to either RWA or other major romance conferences, I have sat here in my chair in suburban Melbourne, Australia turning various shades of green. Whether people were posting about meeting their favourite authors, or the goodies rooms, or the signings, I read all the posts thinking about how it was all kinds of awesome that they were getting to do such fun things. The thing was, no matter how envious I became, the simple fact was that at this point in my life there is no way that I would be able to go to the US to attend such an event.

So when I just happened to read something about an Australian Romance Readers Convention back in December 2007, I was over the moon! And then when it was announced that it was in Melbourne, I was again really excited. And then, in what seems like no time at all, the inaugural ARRC is over, all the delegates have gone home and I am sure that the organising committee members are all collapsed in a heap in exhaustion.

It is difficult to give just the highlights so that this guest post isn’t as long as the weekend itself, so instead I will try to just give a taste of the flavour of the weekend. The most obvious place to start is with the keynote speakers – those who were invited to travel half way around the world to come to visit their Aussie fans, and I can tell you those fans were very appreciative! Mary Janice Davidson, Susan Grant, Liz Maverick, Sherrilyn Kenyon (with special guest Dianna Love), and not forgetting Stephanie Laurens (who didn’t come half way around the world, but we still appreciate her nonetheless). We laughed until we cried, we were inspired, we were challenged and above all we were entertained!

One of the things that I often say on my own blog is that I don’t read enough Aussie authors, and I have to say that I learnt something that kind of surprised me this weekend! There are a LOT of Aussie authors out there. They write in various different subgenres, from Mills and Boon (Harlequin), to the big NY publishing houses, to e-books and other publishers like Samhain. I have come home determined that I am definitely going to read more Aussies – Keri Arthur, Denise Rossetti and others, I am talking about your books! An Aussie author that I already read is Anna Campbell and it was great to see her latest book, Tempt the Devil, officially launched in Australia by Stephanie Laurens on Saturday afternoon.

At Saturday night’s dinner, I was lucky enough to be sitting with the gorgeous Kat O from Book Thingo, plus her librarian (yes, librarian and borrower attended together – how great is that!) with some other girls, including two Samhain authors and we had an absolutely fantastic time, so much so that I forgot to take pictures of some of the award winners and of the people sitting at the table. Kat, Vassiliki, Jess Dee and Lexxie Couper, thanks ladies. And don’t worry, what happened at dinner and what we talked about at dinner, stays at dinner. Have to say though – those mini cakes were to die for!

One of the things that the conference coincided with was the National Day of Mourning on Sunday for the bushfire victims from the terrible fires that started in early February with such devastating loss of life and property. As I write this on Monday night, we have been reminded that the fire crisis is not over with existing firest still burning and new fires starting on the outskirt of Melbourne this afternoon with more loss of homes. My point in mentioning this is that one of the initiatives of the organisers was a silent auction with the proceeds being donated to the Red Cross Australian Bushfires Appeal. There were many, many generous authors and organisations that donated great items, and there was over $7000 raised through the auction, plus an impeccably observed minute of silence on Sunday morning at 11am.

There’s so much more that I could mention, but I have to save something for my own blog (*grin*), but I haven’t mentioned the panelists, the books, the signings. So much to talk about!

In closing I want to say to the organizers of ARRC – thank you, thank you, thank you.

You did an amazing job. I don’t think that I can pay any higher compliment to you than to say my friends and I started to make plans on Saturday night to attend the next ARRC – whenever it is and wherever it is held – with at least two more of our friends. I know that I overheard other delegates making their own plans too!

Marg

Limecello’s review of Only Tyler (Circle of Friends, Book 1) by Jess Dee
Erotic romance eBook released by Samhain on 20 Jan 09

This is the first book to Jess Dee’s new two part series “Circle of Friends”. Only Tyler is the second book I’ve read by Jess Dee, and I enjoyed it immensely. I knew that I wanted to read more of her books after I read Photo Opportunity, and jumped at the chance when I saw her name – and also the premise of this book.

I’ve always been passionately fond of a good love triangle (likely carry over from adoring Cyrano De Bergerac), so that combined with a new Jess Dee book was irresistible. I absolutely adored the opening to this book. There’s a real warmth to all the characters – and yet the story has a lighthearted and humorous vibe. It all works very well – and fits the setting of Down Under.

The heroine Kate is a well written character. She’s smart, kind, and generally has her head on straight. Unfortunately, there were [about] two chapters where I wanted to smack her. I’d just finished another book with a similar problem, so my tolerance level was low. Luckily, the beginning and end soothed my irritated soul.

What bothered me about Kate was that she could be a bit melodramatic — as well as wishy-washy. I wish her character would have been just a tiny bit stronger, and that she had been more honest with herself. The fact that Kate continued to perpetuate the farce of her relationship with Steve after she and Tyler essentially got back together was a bit much for me. But still, and aside, Kate is quite likable. It was nice that Kate could be independent, and had her own life outside her emotional ruin with Tyler. It’s also not too difficult to forgive her emotional confusion between the two men she loves. (In entirely different ways.)

Tyler was a great character. Well written, well meaning, and a great match for Kate. He was human, and reasonable. Willing to give his all to win back the woman he loves, yet not abrasive about it. I respected the Tyler who made a decision and decided to go for it. (His reasons for leaving while potentially understandable, were a bit weak.) Tyler also has personality and depth. He’s smart, driven, pragmatic, and… yes – extremely sexy. (Come on, that is a major positive!) He’s sweet, and caring, and I loved his emotional depth. Ms. Dee did a wonderful job of portraying Tyler’s dilemma between wanting to build a life with the woman of his dreams, and not destroying the precious relationship he has with his best friend. And you know what? Tyler’s just fun – and it’s always good to read a story with a hero like that.

One thing I didn’t like in the book was all the intrigue and secrets-  pertaining to Tyler and Pen. I can understand it, but when detached from the story itself — or reflecting back on it after having read the story, it seems like its main purpose is to draw the reader to getting the second book — which I think is unnecessary. I want to read Circle of Friends: Steve’s Story regardless of that – and possibly despite the lures. And as I said before, the drawn out misunderstanding between the characters. It was slightly reminiscent of those comedic sequences on a sitcom in the not so wonderful sense. Then there were the issues that could have been resolved with five words, but instead were ignored and then turned into major productions.

Okay, and normally I don’t say anything about them — and be objective here — especially not about eBook covers, but I really liked the cover for this book! Kudos to Scott Carpenter! And also, another thing I generally don’t mention — the dedication. In these times, I think it will resonate with a lot of readers/people.

Anyway, this was an extremely cute, feel good read – with well developed characters, as well as an extremely well written story line. I found Only Tyler hard to put down and am eager for the next book. (Yes, I went and read the excerpt for Steve’s Story!) A good love triangle is one of my favorite story lines, and I think they’re all too rare these days. (Notice I wrote good.) I found the relationships between all three believable, and I definitely recommend this book to any fan of Ms. Dee’s writing, as well as anyone else looking for a great contemporary romance.

Grade: B+

Summary:

Love…or friendship? Does she really have to choose?

Katelyn Rosewood is facing a moral dilemma, one that’s six-foot-two, sexy as sin—and her fiancé’s best friend. Katie spent a lot of time getting over Tyler Bonnard, but now that he’s back in Sydney, he’s turning her carefully reconstructed world upside down.

Her relationship with Steve Sommers may be short on heat and desire, but after Tyler left her two years before, she’ll take security and solid friendship over wild passion any day. Except Tyler seems to have a good—if outrageous—explanation for why he’s returned.

After a tragic family secret tore him out of Katie’s life, Tyler is glad to be back with his two best friends. But one thing is out of place: Katie’s in the wrong man’s arms. And if her reaction to his return is any indication, she’s not quite over him. Which could mean hope for Tyler, heartbreak for Steve…

And another devastating loss for Katie, who must choose between the man to whom she’s committed her future, and the man who still holds her heart.

Warning: Keep a tissue or two handy while reading this book. While it does contain a few steamy love scenes, the rest of the story might just make you cry. 

Read an excerpt here.

Other books in the series:

I liked C2′s idea of a Best of 2008 list.  Then Liv got into the action, so thought I’d give it a try too.  (Of course, mine are the best of the bunch.)  I was never one to keep track of my reads, and 2008 was the first time I’ve done that; therefore, this list, though difficult to choose just a few in the long run, was easy for me since I didn’t have to rely on a twelve-month memory.

So here’s my Best of 2008, in no particular order.

Blue-Eyed Devil by Lisa Kleypas
Contemporary Romance Audiobook released by Brilliance Audio 25 Mar 08

Actually, I drooled over Hardy Cates while listening to him with the audiobook of Blue-Eyed Devil. My first foray (including Sugar Daddy) into Kleypas books and I loved every darned minute of it!

Weddings Can Be Murder by Christie Craig
Contemporary Romance released by Love Spell 27 May 08

I never thought I would fall in love with a hero who’s a sympathy puker.  Don’t wrinkle your nose!  Read the book, it’s hilarious! Christie Craig is making a huge name for herself and her wonderful humor.
Double Enchantment by Kathryne Kennedy
Historical Paranormal Romance released by Love Spell 26 Aug 08

A breath of fresh air with a new take on the English social castes.  Fun, intriguing, and very romantic. And loads of magic along with shapeshifting, both of which give readers a different look at old favorites.

Superb and Sexy by Jill Shalvis
Contemporary Romance released by Brava 1 Jun 08

Really, you can interchange any one of the three Sexy books in here. Just love those Sky High Men! Ms. Shalvis has a way with humor, romance, mystery, and fun.

Killer Charms by Marianne Stillings
Contemporary Romance released by Avon 26 Aug 08

I enjoyed all three books about the Darling family, but it’s the hero of this one that gave it top honors for me in 2008. I’ll definitely be reading more of Ms. Stillings.

King of Sword and Sky (Tairen Soul, Book 3) by C.L. Wilson
Paranormal Fantasy Romance released by Leisure Books 30 Sep 08

With just one more book to go, this series is now my favorite of all time. Ms. Wilson has created a world that is just absolutely fantastic and she’s giving us a love story like no other.

Hostage to Pleasure by Nalini Singh
Release by Berkley 2 Sep 08

I’ve loved every book in this series.  They’re all incredible.  But Dorian has always been my favorite from the very first book and I’d anticipated his story for so long.  Ms. Singh did not disappoint!

Scandalous by Night by Barbara Pierce
Historical Romance released by St. Martin’s Paperbacks 29 Jul 08

Barbara Pierce has become an all-time favorite historical author for me.  This book she gave readers a darker side of her writing and Everod is her best hero yet.

With Every Breath by Lynn Kurland
Time Travel Romance released by Jove 27 May 08

Beautiful writing, sweeping Scottish vistas, love and romance that crosses time boundaries, and characters you’ll love forever. What’s not to love?

The Missing by Shiloh Walker
Contemporary Paranormal Romance released by Berkley Trade 4 Nov 08

As I said in my review of this book, Ms. Walker has outdone herself with this one.  Absolutely mesmerizing.  If you haven’t read it, you should.  You’re missing out, big time.

Honorable mentions:

Ask Adam by Jess Dee
Contemporary Romance released by Samhain 29 Jul 08

Ms. Dee is a first-time author for me and I enjoyed her writing and storytelling immensely.  I have a feeling she’s really going to go places!

The Hot Line by Cathryn Fox
Contemporary Romance released by NAL 4 Mar 08

Another first-time author for me. Had to love the idea of the Hot Line, firefighters just waiting to help a lady out. And those boys know what they’re doing!

Sandy M’s review of A Question of Trust (Menage and More Anthology) by Jess Dee
Contemporary Erotic Novella eBook published by Samhain 9 Sep 08

I discovered Jess Dee a few months ago when I read and reviewed her Ask Adam, which I thoroughly enjoyed.  So when this book came up for review, I jumped at the opportunity.  While I liked this one, it just doesn’t compare with Ask Adam.  I’m going to assume maybe that’s because Ask Adam is a full length novel and A Question of Trust is a novella, just less pages to work with. I still enjoyed it, I just wanted a little more time with the characters to flesh out their emotions and the ideas behind this storyline more.

I know the old saying is true, you can’t choose who you fall in love with.  Your heart just zings when you meet “the one” and you’re on your way.  I say that only because Gabe, who is the one Maddie is dating at the beginning of the story, is the type of guy she normally goes for.  Big guy, muscle bound, brawny, and, of course, handsome and great in bed.  The kind of guy I go for too.  She’s enjoyed their time together, especially their lovemaking because plump Maddie isn’t always first choice for the men she meets.  Then Gabe introduces her to Connor, his best friend.

Connor is nothing like Gabe, slim, athletic, definitely handsome, but not the kind of guy she’s usually attracted to.  But he is charming, funny, and she can tell he has a wicked streak.  He’s teasing her to leave Gabe because he thinks she’s the girl of his dreams.  Maddie, of course, doesn’t take him seriously.  They hit it off, but Maddie is quite happy with Gabe for the moment.

Then the innuendos start.  The guys talk about sharing her and all her thoughts then center around a Maddie sandwich, something that makes her shiver with delight but it’s also something she’s sure they’re just joking about.  Until Gabe brings it up, asking her straight out if she’d like to have Connor share their bed.  What would it be like, having two men loving her?  At the same time?

She’s only given a little time to think it over before she realizes that’s exactly what she’d like, and soon she’s in a sexual daze, well sated, and suddenly in love.  Not with Gabe.  Every time Connor touches it feels like home to her, like they were meant to be.  But how can she come between two friends, especially when she finds out they have an agreement about their menages and Connor won’t betray his friend and she can’t ask him to.

The dilemma Maddie finds herself in is an interesting one and that’s why I wish this book had been longer so that idea could have been explored more fully, but Ms. Dee does give a good enough solution to satisfy you by the end of the story.  It’s also an interesting idea of having a woman falling in love with the type of man she normally doesn’t care for.

I personally really liked Gabe, not just because of his looks but for his honesty and sensitivity.  Of course, Connor has the same types of qualities for Maddie to fall for him.  And I wish we’d gotten more of what happens with Gabe. I checked the author’s website but didn’t see anything to tell me whether or not we’ll get another Gabe story.  I sure hope so because even though we’re told what’s he going to do in this book, it’s a little unsatisfying not getting more closure with him.  And he’s worth reading about again just to have him in bed one more time.

Grade: B

Summary:

How do you choose between love and honor?

Madeline Jones is having the time of her life with Gabriel Carter, a man who fulfills every one of her sexual fantasies. She’s sure it can’t get any better than this…until Gabe introduces her to his best friend.

When Connor Regan enters the mix, sparks fly. Suddenly Maddie wants more than just Gabe, she wants Connor, too. The two men seem happy to oblige.

But threesomes have a way of getting complicated. Hearts can be broken. Although Gabe and Connor play by a strict set of rules designed to minimize the damage, true love does not always adhere to the guidelines.

Sometimes, to fulfill the dream of having the love of a lifetime, even the most comprehensive codes of honor have to be challenged.

Read an excerpt.

Limecello’s review of Photo Opportunity by Jess Dee
Contemporary romance published by Samhain 2 May 08.

I believe this is the first book I’ve read by Jess Dee, and I’m definitely intrigued. I really enjoy the “friends to lovers” story line. Not only that, but after I’d read a few excerpts for it I knew I wanted to read the story.

The opening of the Photo Opportunity is extremely well written. The scene is hot, and incredibly sexy, yet it’s emotional and warm. There’s a definite connection between the hero and heroine. I knew, reading it, however, that what I was reading wasn’t “reality” – and I was right. It was a dream sequence. Unfortunately, the rest of the book did not read like a dream.

I really wanted to like Daniel and Amy, the hero and heroine, but at times they made it extremely difficult. I appreciated the fact that Daniel knew he loved Amy, and made the decision to go after her. I love when a hero does that- and Daniel goes about it in a very creative and complex way, setting up faux admirers, and recruiting his sister’s help. However, some of the scenes weren’t very believable, and all put together, at times the plot didn’t flow.

Amy, as a romance heroine, fell into a lot of clichés. She’d been hurt before, and completely walled off her emotions to prevent future heartbreak. I was even ok with that, but Amy’s reactions and logic (or perhaps lack thereof) irritated me. She convinced herself her numerous emotionally (and sexually) charged situations with Adam were all in her head. While I understand this can be possible when a person is running away from a difficult truth, even in that situation, Amy’s response in Photo Opportunity was borderline ludicrous.

I also felt that the author didn’t really stand by what she wrote. Many of those situations I found so hard to believe, were later “explained” away, as being machinations Daniel created in his pursuit of Amy. However, I didn’t find the explanations plausible. What saves the book are the extremely sexy scenes, and great emotional connection Amy and Daniel have when they aren’t being stupid. Too many questions and conflicts could have been resolved with a simple conversation, that would have occurred but for the sake of prolonging the story. Still, some of the scenes were extremely well written, and the emotions were there, and strong.

I think that Jess Dee’s writing shows promise, and I look forward to reading more of her books. The story was fun and creative, the characteristics of Daniel and Amy admirable, but put together, all the aspects of this story didn’t really work for me. Still, some of the scenes read extremely well, and I hope to see more like them.

Grade: D+

Can friends become lovers…can lovers remain friends?

A prequel to Ask Adam.

Daniel Tanner’s through with being loved like the proverbial brother. He intends to make his best friend, Amy Morgan, blaze with the same desire he feels for her. The plan? Initiate a series of escapades that will have Amy falling into his arms—and into his bed.

When her trusted buddy suddenly turns up the heat, Amy finds it impossible to resist his sexy advances. But as his best friend, she knows a thing or two about Daniel. While he may be charming and gorgeous, he’s also commitment phobic.

If she trusts her heart to him, she’s sure he’ll leave it—and their friendship—shattered in a million pieces.

Read an excerpt here.

Sandy M’s review of Ask Adam by Jess Dee
Contemporary Romance published by Samhain 18 Sep 07

I admit it, sometimes I buy a book because the cover grabs my attention and won’t let go. I do read the blurb for it and if it sounds even okay, I’m a sucker, I plunk down my money. The icing on the cake, however, is when you read the book and it turns out to be a great read and you’ve found a new author to check out. Ask Adam is my most recent cover buy and I have to say, I done good!

Lexie is trying to get the jump on her meeting with the one man who can make her new program for children at the hospital where she works a reality. She needs his donation to get it up and running. They are both staying at the same Melbourne hotel, but she seems to always miss him by minutes, no matter how hard she tries to catch him. Instead she literally falls into the arms of the handsomest man she’s ever seen and they end up sharing one hot, sweaty night together, a night that Lexie will never forget. She never does meet Mr. Riley, so she tries to move on, stay in the moment with her program, but the man who gave her so much pleasure won’t stay out of her brain. Day and night she thinks of him. Imagine her surprise, her incredulity when she arrives for her appointment with AJ Riley back in Sydney and finds her fantastic one night stand sitting behind the desk.

He’s been aware of Lexie for a while. The woman turns him on just by being in the same room with him and now that AJ has had her in his bed, he can’t think of anything else. He even told her to call him Adam, for heaven’s sake. That’s something he’s never done. He likes the distance his nickname, among other things, gives him from the hurt and anguish he suffered ten years ago. Now Lexie has brought feeling back into his life and that scares him senseless. Making her walk away from him and what they could have together is the best thing he can do for both of them. Isn’t it?

These two characters are something else. They’ve both gone through hell when tragedy strikes a loved one, but the outcomes they suffered were so very different and brought them to very different places in life so many years later. Adam has totally cut himself off from feeling, vowing never to love again. He even stays away from his family so he won’t have to feel. Lexie finally gets under his skin enough that he shares his heartbreak with her. And your heart will break right along with hers when he tells all. There’s a number of scenes that will tear at you when Adam opens up and lets the emotion he’s held at bay for so long flow through him. I love a story more when the hero isn’t afraid of letting his feelings show and Adam runs the gamut of every feeling there is during his return to living. Even when he lashes out at Lexie you feel for him, you know why he’s doing it and you have to love him that much more because of it. Lexie gives him comfort with her heart and her heart does get trampled, but she doesn’t let her love go for this man who needs her. They are simply a wonderful hero and heroine.

I really like Ms. Dee’s writing style, especially the way she has with emotionality. Her characters are very well developed; she’s not afraid to have them act out harshly when situations call for it. They’re that much more human for it. Her new book, Photo Opportunity, was released last month and I’m looking forward to reading it. It’s got one of those covers that sucks me in, so I’m doomed either way.

Grade: A

Summary:

Can one wild night of passion turn into the romance of a lifetime?

Lexi Tanner’s got a major problem: AJ Riley, the man she’s about to approach for a hefty donation, turns out to be the stranger she shared a night of steamy sex with less than a week past. She’ll do anything to raise money for a children’s charity—anything except sell herself. Now how can she ask AJ for money without it seeming like he’s paying for sexual favors?

If there’s one thing the past has taught Adam “AJ” Riley, it’s that loving someone can only lead to pain. He knows he shouldn’t feel so attracted to Lexi, and he definitely shouldn’t trust a woman who’d sleep with a man one week and approach him for money the next. Yet somehow Lexi breaks through all his barriers. His instincts tell him to run but his heart wants to give Lexi—and love—a second chance. How can he let go of his tragic past and still protect his battered heart?

Read an excerpt here.

Other books in this series: