Luca St. Kelly was a perfectly timed distraction.A temptation that quickly morphed into addiction.He’s closed off, and volatile. A self-proclaimed jerk… yet, I can’t seem to get enough.Hey… heartbreak… ‘sup old friend…..Francesca Walker is certifiable.That’s one thing I’m sure of. That, and certain parts of my body really seem to like her.Yeah… I know that too.She strutted into my life, … too.
She strutted into my life, a complication I didn’t need but definitely wanted.
I convinced myself I could handle her, problem is that measly organ beating in my chest, yeah, I didn’t quite factor him into the equation.
Hey… heartbreak… f*ck you!!
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“Maybe one day I’ll open my heart enough to tell him that he saved me.”
Don’t ever let anyone tell you that a book cover isn’t powerful. I freely confess that it was #CoverLust that caught my attention. I had never heard of these authors before. Then, when I saw that it was book four in a series I decided to start at the beginning. And let me tell you, Asher wrecked me, and there was no turning back. I have been through hell and back with this amazing group of friends in the Leaves of a Maple series. I have laughed and cried, giggled and gasped, loved and hated. There are heroes and villains, friends and lovers, joy and sorrow. These incredible authors have earned autoclick status with me, if they write it, I’ll read it.
Luca has been around for a while and I’ve been excited to read his story. I melted every time he called Annabelle, Sweetness, and I couldn’t wait to meet the woman that would tame him. Having the cover image of Luca in my head while reading his story adds another dimension to this tale. I’m sure we all visualize when we read, right? But it took my already active imagination deeper, especially when he earned the nickname Thor and his ‘hammer’ was referenced.
I recently met Francesca (aka Frankie), who is Darci’s sister. They are total opposites. Darci is shy and timid and Frankie is a spitfire. I adore them both. Once it clicked in my head who she was and I realized that’s who was mentioned in the synopsis for Luca I became even more excited than I already was. IKR? Hard to imagine, but true.
“He looked as broken down as me in that bar. Big, beautiful and well beyond the pale of possibility. But sad, adrift in a world that he struggled to find reason in. Then our eyes connected, and the world seemed to shift.”
I can’t give you details, there’s so much going on that needs to be discovered and unveiled gradually to fully appreciate the process. I can tell you that Luca and Frankie are both broken before they ever lay eyes on each other. They are both anti-relationship, but they don’t question the existence of true love. Witnessing their closest friends find their soulmates attest to it being possible, but they’ve decided it’s not for them. However, “I now know, with complete certainty, that unicorns do exist.”
I was worried that Luca was the last installment in the series, but I’m beyond giddy to report that it’s not over. The line forms here…
Ahhh Luca and Frankie’s story was just what it needed to be. Fun and sexy with real heart that Haley Jenner writes so, SO well. Jaded views from past pain and a heartbreak that still hurts give these two a run for their money, but as always with these authors, the characters and story pull you in tight. And of course I freaking LOVED reading about some of my forever favorite characters again. Luca and Frankie are the perfect addition to the Leaves of a Maple world. 5 viking stars for Luca!
Always love when l pick up one of Haley & Jenner’s books they never disappoint, and Luca was amazing! Do you believe in fate? I do! The sexy Viking Luca and crazy girl Frankie were destine to be together! Loved their banter, the chemistry was amazing, both having their demons to overcome and did! Loved catching up with the gang, so glad all worked out with Annabelle! Bring on Trey’s story! Leaves of a Maple series is a must read!
Somehow, I missed the notification that this book was out until I saw the release of the boxset. I have NO idea how I missed it because I have been waiting for Luca’s story for what feels like forever. It wasn’t but considering the moment that I discovered this writing duo and this series I binge read them faster than just about anything else that I have ever read. It is THAT good. Now, I digress, This book was even better than I had been expecting. How is that even possible?
Luca, sweet Lawd, this man. His mouth, his broken damaged parts, and his instant combustible smoldering connection with Frankie. And speaking of Frankie, this girl was crazy but in all the right ways, not in the sleep upside down batcrap sort of way. She was sweet, she, too, was broken, but holy hell was she a dynamic force. These two truly were the epitome of serendipitous. And steam? sweet holy hell. This is one time that I would have been happy to have even MORE of it. The story was perfectly balanced with appearances of the previous characters that I have come to love so much.
I cannot speak highly enough of this amazing writing duo. I cannot tell where one leaves off and the other starts. I just know that they are magic. So many amazing quotes in this story, (and no, even though I am dirty birdy, they all were not sexual) that touched on my soul. This is a story that showcases the reason that love is so powerful. Even though it can hurt, it’s healing powers are even stronger but ONLY if someone is willing to take the risk.
His hands were getting harder to keep off of her, when she noticed him across the bar watching her. She used him as a decoy and a distraction to get out of her head. A very memorable hookup in a seedy bar, no names exchanged with everything left up to serendipity. Imagine his surprise returning home after burying his mum to find her in his unit, wearing his shirt and not much more. Luca is not looking for anything serious he’s been there done that. Francesca is a free spirit who has come home to heal her broken heart and forget her past. They agree to at least be friends for the sake of their family and other friends.
This instalment of The Leaves of a Maple revisits all of the fabulous characters we’ve come to love and hate depending on the circumstance. Once again we have lots of angst, plenty of heat and Archer eating humble pie. I absolutely adore this series and want to go back in time a few years and live with the folk of Carnation. One thing is for certain they always have your back.
I have loved Luca since meeting him in Archer, book 1. He’s a big, handsome Viking who hides his good, but heavy, heart behind his wit and humor, and the booze and women. But once he sets his eyes on Crazy Girl Frankie, his world shifts on its axis. But can they weather the storms of their lives? I was so excited to get his story, and as much as he denied what he was feeling, it was apparent that those emotions ran deep. Witty, mercurial, and so highly engaging!
Luca St. Kelly had the most incredible sex of his life a year ago with a mysterious girl in a bar but he never got her name or number and then had to leave for Arizona and his sick mother.
Frankie Walker is trying to heal from her past and a broken relationship with her ex-fiancé, Brandon. Now she is back in her hometown of Carnation with her sister, Darci, and surrounded by her friends and family. She is working 3 jobs but knows it is best to keep herself busy in order to move on and heal her heart.
When Luca returns to Carnation he discovers unexpectedly that his best friend Jake has sublet his apartment and now there is a girl in his shirt climbing into his bed. Yet it is not just any girl.
Both Luca and Frankie are healing from heartbreak but from the ashes can the two form a strong bond or are they destined to crash and burn?
This is such a good series and every book just keeps getting stronger and draws you in more and more to the lives of these characters!
Luca was such a mystery and you only knew bits and pieces of his life but you knew something big must have happened for him to have such a cynical view on love. I was curious to see what happened and it took awhile and it was a shock with everything else that had happened but it definitely explained a few things and words that were said.
Frankie was such a great character! She had such spunk and I loved learning more about her. I was shocked when everything was revealed about her past and I understood why she was so hesitant to believe in relationships and love again.
There were so many tense moments and huge blow ups between Luca and Frankie that I was never 100% sure what was going to happen. When a few key moments happened with both the pasts of Luca and Frankie I was totally freaking out as I didn’t see things coming!
The end totally starting improving until almost the very end when things got really freaky and I was super nervous!!
Loved how everything turned out!!
Can’t wait for more!- By Rebecca
I want to move to Carnation. I want to spend my days in Darci’s Coffee House and my nights at The Shallow. This is how invested you get when you read one of Haley Jenner’s Maple Men Series books.
Luca is a beautiful story of overcoming demoralizing past loves. Leaving broken souls desperate to never endure the pain again. Not looking for someone, who can show them a tomorrow. Shear magnetism introduced them (and you will understand why when you get to know the dirty talking Viking) and good old fate forced them together.
“Opening my eyes, I give in to my need to see him. To check the open thoughts painted across his beautiful face. His emotions mirror mine. He’s caught between his desires and his conscience. Torn apart by the dilemma of his head and heart.”
The very gorgeous Frankie was the perfect heroine. I loved her attitude to everything that was thrown her way. She handled herself extremely well; I loved her crazy nature. So many funny scenes in this book had me laughing out loud. There are some real characters in this book; they are like old friends, family even. Luca feels the same he wants to be part of this family, the family you choose.
The cost of having such strong friendships comes the devastation when things go desperately wrong and then tears were falling hard, hoping and praying for the perfect outcome.
“I pray.
I plead.
I beg.
And when I’ve exhausted every prayer I can think of, When I’m lost on what else to hope for, I offer my life for hers.”
Luca is the most sensational read. I adored every page. The sisterhood of the girls and the Maple Men are the reason we all need Group Therapy, such a fabulous author duo. A must read for everyone.
Oh Luca, Luca, Luca. What a read, soooo good. Words cannot describe how much I loved this book. Luca and Frankie’s story is epic. This series has to be my favourite series!!
How Haley Jenner keeps giving us remarkable romances blows my mind. Luca was amazing from start to finish and I could hardly put it down.
Luca St. Kelly meets Francesca Walker in a bar where the sexual tension burns out of control. After a hot and fast sexual encounter she leaves him without even giving her name. Fast forward a few months and fate intervenes making sure their paths entwine yet again. This time however, there is no quick exit available (not that either of them want that).
The push and pull in this book is something that you do not want to miss. I highly, highly, highly recommend this book and if you haven’t started the Leaves of Maple series, you need to now!!