She woke a part of me I thought long dead…“She pretty?”“F###, yeah.”“Single?”“Uh-huh.”“She into you?”“Think so.”“So, what’s the problem?”“I kissed her.”I specifically told the agency I wanted a male dog walker. She’s way too leggy. That’s the problem. And young. And naïve. I got no business letting her stay in my guesthouse, especially the way my blood runs south whenever she’s near. In another … naïve. I got no business letting her stay in my guesthouse, especially the way my blood runs south whenever she’s near. In another lifetime, I might’ve pursued her but I suck at relationships.
Unfortunately, my dog found a clue to a murder and she’s involved. If I don’t protect her, who will?
Lilac
There’s something about Mr. Sexy and that over-the-top kiss. I’ve never felt anything so consuming, so mind-blowing. Then, he apologized. Now, he’s pissed. What the h3ll? How had my heart become so invested in so short a time?
Note: Steaming hot scenes, two wounded souls, and a slobbery puppy. HEA guaranteed.
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I totally enjoyed this one. The two main characters had great chemistry and who can resist a cute dog. Slate aka just-Slate and Alexander Slate, is a bodyguard for a billionaire. He took a bullet for his boss and is recovering. He recently found a dog (he calls Dog) shot. He sewed him up and hired a dog walker. He had specified he wanted a male but a beautiful woman showed up. Slate has sworn off any relationships due to a cheating wife who ended up get his 3 year old son killed when she was driving under the influence. Lilac aka Lilac-with-a-c, is taking a course she needs in order to start her residency. She was gang raped at a frat house and the police didn’t believe her. Her family thought she was on drugs and disowned her and she lost her scholarship. She needs this dog walking job because it provides her room and board. Slate is attracted to Lilac but doesn’t want to be an acts like a total jerk. The dog is sweet until he drops a severed hand on Lilac’s welcome mat and then runs off and buries it. Then she and Dog are in danger. Slate get all protective and the two begin to get all hot and steamy. Is it a summer fling? Will Lilac even survive the summer…
Poor Slate after learning what he went through. Ugh. Disgusting. Then poor Lilac. Ugh. I just wish there would have been more explained as to what Slate accomplished about the civil suit and the investigation against those a-holes who hurt her and the school sho tried to cover it up. But they do make a good team in their investigation. I like how things got tied up at the end.
I received a free copy of this book. Lilac, Slate and a puppy named Dog are the characters in this story. Lilac and Slate both had issues in their past and neither is interested in a relationship. Of course their mutual chemistry pulls them together. Dog gets them involved with a hired killer and Slate uses his security background to keep Lilac safe. They are a steamy couple but there is a story there. Mystery, romance and comedy wrapped into one.
Slate’s story started off quickly, right from the get go, with Lilac showing up at his house and the way they met the first time. The story then entangled with so many subplots and events. It was good, but the story could have been spread out more, with less interactions behind the scenes maybe?
Slate and Lilac come together as the most unlikely couple, and find each other amidst the chaos of their own lives.
Lilac is a struggling med student who just landed a job as a dog walker which also happens to come with room and board. This is a blessing until she meets the owner of the home and the puppy she is to care for. Slate, is recovering from a job related incident and just wants to be left alone in peace in quiet. Imagine him coming home to find he has a new sexy tenant and employee. And things just keep getting more interesting the longer he keeps her around.
Firstly, I am voluntarily leaving a honest review of this book. I thought this book was really well written. The chemistry between the two main characters were really off the charts HOT. I did have an issue with the audio recording. Mind you, it may just be how I perceived the recording but there seems to be an echo/resonance which was kind of distracting to me. Once it got going my hearing adjusted to it and I could tune it out but if I had to take a break, I had to readjust to it again when I continued. Another issue, Lilac’s accent. I felt the narrator would not always used the accent when Lilac had dialogue. It wasn’t always consistent. Lastly, the picture of the Slate’s son, I remembered he showed her earlier in the book but then he did so again. the two scene were like mirrors to each other and didn’t make much sense other than to fill in time.
Overall, I still enjoyed it very much as I felt it was a good start to the series.
A fantastic well written suspense that is full of danger, tension, comedy, action, chemistry, romance, shared secrets, murder, kidnapping, dog napping, mystery, and hot hot steamy sex. Its a slow acting attraction because they both have pasts that they both need to overcome. Lilac has been hired as his dog walker that also gives her a place to stay and Slate surprises her naked holding a gun. Slate is recovering from a bullet wound he sustained while protecting his billionaire boss. Intense as you are on the edge of your seat if the danger and suspense lurks because Slate’s job as a security specialist or Lilac have an enemy of her own that they don’t know about? An amazing romantic story. I voluntarily reviewed this ARC.
This book while short was still pretty good. It is worth reading
A murder mystery thriller with romance. Alexander Slate aka Slate, former Air Force Special OPs, now a bodyguard, is intelligent, intuitive, strong, caring, loyal and loving. Found a puppy who had been shot and took it in. Needing a dog walker, Lilac Starbird, was hired and told it was a live in job. Slate wanted a male dog walker so he would not have to deal with his emotions. But he got Lilac instead. Lilac was down on her luck. She was living out of her car trying to get through med school till she could earn a salary as a resident and improve her situation. Lilac had been through h3ll. She was drugged by a frat student and he did the unthinkable to her. When she awoke she could not remember much but her body told a different story. She lost her scholarship because of the repercussions of that night and how it affected her. Her parents thought she was on drugs and nothing she said would change their minds. They turned their backs to her and cut off all financial aid. Suffering emotionally and financially she was grateful for the live in dog walking job. Lilac is an emotionally strong person, intelligent, caring and loving. Slate is attracted to Lilac and she to him. The dog leads them to a murder. When the police arrive Slate is not around and Lilac explains what happened. She is not taken seriously. Then someone shoots at them and the case is elevated in Slate’s mind. He does some digging and the pieces start to fall in place. Then Lilac’s life is in danger and she is almost murdered. Slate takes action and saves her but the perpetrator is killed. The case is solved so no one else will get hurt. A very exciting plotline with many twists and turns. The characters were well developed and written with strength, bravery and love. I really enjoyed reading this. I was hooked from page one till the end. I highly recommend this book. I received an Advanced Readers Copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.
5 stars
Another great read from stella m alden. This book carries on from the ceos redemption slate Ferguson’s bodyguard is resting up after their ordeal in the Bahamas and finds a beautiful woman breaking in to his estate, not knowing lilac is the dog walker he requested. Both having issues with their pasts find it hard to let the other in but when a murder is thrown in the mix they are drawn together. A great story and can’t wait to see if this storyline continues with this group of friends
I met Slate’s character in a previous book (CEO’s Redemption – also a great read, but not necessary to enjoy this book!), and so it was interesting to read his story. This is a book that is a murder mystery and a romance woven together with a large dose of humor whilst being set around dog walking! This all makes for an interesting story-line that makes the reader want to continue reading and flipping page after page. Both main characters – Slate and Lilac – have emotional baggage that they are carrying with them and needs to be thrown away if they can learn to trust each other and act on the chemistry between them. This is a standalone novel and a great one at that!
This book completely lives up to expectations, super hot and steamy, humorous, thrilling page turning, Kindle melter that you will be hard pressed to put down. If you have anything productive to do, do it first, then find a good spot where you won’t be disturbed and dive in to this well written, attention grabbing story that will have you fanning yourself while you read! A fun read with total chemistry between the characters, There are of course issues that everyone needs to overcome, both together and individually which does nothing less than add the drama that is requisite in a hot, romantic tome! Although it would be helpful to read the CEOs Redemption (to get familiar with the characters), this book works completely as a stand alone and you won’t be lost at all. If this is your first Stella book, you wont be sorry, and once you’re done, it will have you clicking feverishly to look for more books by this author! One Click NOW!
A good read. Characters from two previous books by Ms. Alden show up in this novel. I like this inter- connectedness between stories. This is a lovely romance between a woman who has suffered from past abuse and a disconnect from her family and the gentleman, who as well, has suffered past trauma. They manage to work their way past these issues and pursue a hot and heavy (steamy) romance. Along with the romance there is also a mystery, maybe a murder, drama that all ends up into a happy ever after. Good stuff!
I received an advance review copy of this novel and I am leaving an honest review.
This was a book that promised a bit of a mystery, it promised two somewhat broken souls meeting. But it was all overshadowed by the unrealistic sexual relationship between the two main characters. I’m a sucker for book involving a dog and expected something different.
I was provided an ARC of this book and this is my honest review……
I really enjoy these interconnected books by Stella Marie Alden!! Although each can be read as a stand-alone, they are connected by characters, situations, etc. Slate, hot bodyguard from the CEO series, and Lilac, she’s connected to that series as well, are well written, really interesting characters. I love the quirkiness of these two, the story is well paced, has some great twists, overall a great overall read. Can’t wait to see what’s next!!
Yes, the book blurb should have warned me how HOT this book was going to be. Even so, I was a bit unprepared for just how in my face it was going happen at the very beginning. Almost immediately there was a lot of mental sexual foreplay. Wow, I don’t think I’ve ever put a phrase like that together before. Oh yes and there were some surprises and nakedness too. It was a dramatic start to the book. It even had me wonder at first if there was going to be any kind of plot but take a breath, there is.
But I’m not downplaying the main characters who have some pretty painful things in their past. I’m not going to tell you what their pain is, as you read the story it all begins to unfold. They are very interesting indeed.
Slate was so endearing when you got to know him. He was SO over his head when it came to women. And he wasn’t afraid to admit it. Well, he admitted it to a close man friend at least. His boss and friend was the first one he called trying to figure out what he was doing wrong getting to know Lilac. Because of that he bounced between being this grouchy, alpha type guy and then being sweet to Lilac. No wonder she was confused at times.
Lilac. Boy, she did have her share of grief just over her name alone. I liked the name and I liked her. She was a fighter even when it was hard to get people to believe her. At times, it seems that Lilac just has some unsettling things happen to her. And this latest caper with Dog, is going to innocently throw her right into the middle of danger. But at least Slate is on her side.
There was humor in the story that made me smile a time or two. After they catch two low IQ thugs breaking into his house, that whole conversation between Lilac and Slater made me grin.
So final words. There will be attraction, a prickly friendship, then sex. Secrets shared, walking the dog and sex. Tenderness, protectiveness, and sex. Danger, mysteries and once again sex. All working their way to that H.E.A that was promised and is delivered.
I have not read The CEO’s Redemption, so I was not familiar with any of the people from that book. But this was an easy to read book all on it’s own. I will say that I took a look at the other book and it sounded pretty interesting too.
I voluntarily reviewed an advance reader copy of this book.