Sandy M’s review of Razed (Barnes Brothers, Book 2) by Shiloh Walker
Contemporary Romance published by Berkley 2 Dec 14
In this series it’s definitely the Barnes brothers who keep me coming back. That, and the emotion these men pull out of me. I enjoy the family aspect, the brothers having each others’ backs, knowing they were raised to do the right thing, to be chivalrous, and they definitely live up to the high standards of their parents. Zane has loved Keelie for a while now, has watched her as she pined away for his younger brother. It’s finally his time to make a move and he’s not about to waste any time.
Keelie has finally figured out her feelings for Zach, her boss at his tatoo shop and Zane’s brother, aren’t what she’s thought all along. She stole a kiss and it was like smooching a sibling. When Zane begins to show some interest in her, Keelie likes the attention from this sexy man, but she’s decided living her life her way is the best thing. She’s got a lot of demons in her past, and having a man around isn’t something she really needs. Or so she thinks. Their encounter at Zach’s and Abby’s wedding has Keelie exploding and flying every which way.
Having decided Keelie is what he wants, Zane quits his job, sells his house, and moves back to Tuscan. Even when Keelie tries to keep distance between them, you have to love Zane’s persistence. He had to watch Keelie moon over Zach, so he’s not about to lose this opportunity that’s presented itself. Zane knows he has to go slow with Keelie, or she’ll be gone. He also knows something happened in her past to make her so skittish, and he hopes one day she’ll share that with him. In the meantime, he does his best to win her over subtly and completely.
Of course, Zane has his secrets too. Secrets even his brothers and his parents don’t know. I really like how Zane realizes he has to share his life just as he wants Kellie to share hers; how he lets her face her past herself, even when he wants to be there to protect her, because when the reveal of that past comes, it is a huge one. I’m always wary when the big, bad secret is alluded to throughout a book and it never seems to be as live up to the build-up. But in this case, Keelie’s secret is one of the worst, and she’s determined to put a stop to her villain and those who support him.
It’s Zane who makes this book for me. His quiet strength pulls the reader in and they fall for him before they know it. It takes a bit of time to warm up to Keelie, especially when you remember her in Wrecked, and for me she takes a bit too long to embrace the coming change in her life and acknowledge it all. That’s become a bit of a nitpick for me, since we see it quite a bit in romance anymore. I am, though, intrigued by the Barnes twins, Trey and Travis. More secrets and more heartache, both of which Shiloh Walker knows how to write perfectly. I like the backdrop of Zach’s tattoo business in these first two books and hope we visit there in coming stories.
Hopefully, you’re into the Barnes brothers too. If not, get with it! These boys will have you reading night and day and then dreaming about the next book the second you’ve finished the current one.
Grade: B+
Summary:
Tattoo artist Keelie Jessup can handle that someone else has claimed the man of her dreams. She’s just not pleased with her remaining options…
Keelie doesn’t believe in the “perfect man.” But the men who are worth the trouble are usually taken—like her business partner Zach Barnes. After a string of bad luck and the lost chance with Zach, Keelie decides that maybe flying solo—and living with suppressed desires—is the key to happiness.
As a photographer, Zane Barnes has an eye for the human form, and his eyes can’t get enough of Keelie’s curves. Unfortunately, Keelie is like most women—always fawning over his little brother, Zach. Zane is about ready to give up, but then a few stolen moments at his brother’s wedding have him thinking maybe there’s a chance there after all. Now he just has to prove that the perfect man does exist…for her.
Read an excerpt.
Other books in this series:
