I’m the businessman everyone wants to be and the man every woman wants to tie down. They say I reek of old money and I’m sexy as sin.I’m not looking for love but when Hadlea Lloyd books me to renovate her new place, all I can think about is becoming a sinner.She’s hotter than hell and tough as nails. And isn’t interested in anything I have to offer. She’s guarded and has every reason to be, … reason to be, making me want so much more.
Until, my past comes back to haunt me.
Thinking I’ve found the truth, I soon find out, it’s anything but.
Fate always has a way of creeping in, making us choose what’s worth fighting for.
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Wow this book is going to take your emotions for quite a ride! You will laugh, be brought to tears and have your heartbroken but I promise Leaona will make it all right in the end. Loved the mystery/suspense that is woven throughout this beautiful love story. One’s family is amazing and he needs them on the regular as he and Lea struggle through their relationship. I haven’t read a lot of Leaona Luxx but with stories like this she has made a fan for life.
Born in SC with relatives in Cherry Grove and Myrtle Beach the title & blurb caught my attention. Hadlea and Malone go through so much to get their HEA. They were so real and made me go through so many emotions but their love, may we all be so lucky to find our own true love! Now to the next book in Carolina Summer.
I rated this book 4 stars for one main reason. This author made me have a love hate reaction to her characters. The fact that I was so personally wrapped up in the story that I really didn’t like Mr tall dark and demanding. He starts of kinda creepy peeping tom and quickly progressed to being stupid in love. Then there is Lea who a real written and developed character with deep self esteem issues and many secrets that you just want to choke sometimes and gag her but then love how sassy and real she is. So you see my issue here because I really enjoyed the writing and there are some things that may be triggers for some but were well written. Overall awesome read! I look forward to watching this author sour.
I have so many mixed emotions over this story. But maybe that’s what was intended. To pull you into the heartbreak and confusion of an extremely abused woman and watch the man who loves her try to help her heal in the only way he knew how? Were they perfect? No not even close. Did they make mistakes? Yes repeatedly. But they ultimately realized what mattered most.
This book has a lot of twists and turns and some truly unbalanced bad guys that kept things in turmoil for both One and Lea.
I’m not going to lie, I was beginning to think these two were never going to catch a break. I became frustrated with both of them for allowing others so much emotional control over their lives and emotions. I kept thinking if you would just talk to each other…share some info. Maybe double check the facts instead of going on emotional assumptions you would have saved yourself so much time and pain. But then these are the thoughts of someone who’s on the outside looking in and has never had the level of lifetime abuse Hadlea suffered. And let’s face it, Malone was winging it trying everything he could to break through. I also felt they could have benefited from a counselor to help sort through the feelings of abuse and lack of self esteem. She was obviously suffering from PTSD. I was surprised no one tried to get her professional help for it.
This is my third book by Miss Leaona Luxx. My first being “Ink and Whiskey” and then “Luci’s Lullaby” both of which I loved. But in reading these first stories I also felt I knew something of the characters and relationship between One and Lea. In both the previous books I saw them as strong solid united force. So to see them walk through the fires they did to get to where they are was not only a shock but made them more human.
I loved reading this one too but I will admit at times it was very hard on the heart. But I think that’s what a good story is supposed to do isn’t it…pull you in so you feel what the characters feel? I do know I love this author and I’m anxious for the next book.
Firstly let me start by saying this is one hell of a debut book and is a truly amazing emotional rollercoaster story filled with twist and turns, love & hate.
The two main characters in this book is Lea & One but you can’t help but fall in love with the other people in this book & take an instant dislike to a few too.
Lea (Hadlea) Lloyd has to restart her life leaving the comfort of her home in the mountains and moving to a cove by the beach. She decides to walk on the beach in the middle of a thunderstorm. She’s having a pity party for herself thinking of all the bad things that have happened to her throughout her life when she’s encountered by a 6ft 4 blue eyed adonis of a sex god. She wants him but doesn’t feel worthy of him. The sex they have is off the charts and he shows her love but she thinks she’s not worthy. She’s head strong and doesn’t like being bossed around he is very possessive and a bit of a caveman. She fights his feelings for her at every turn. He won’t give up on her though. People from the past will do everything they can to destroy her and bring on self-doubt.
One (Malone) Woods goes for a run on the beach when he hears someone crying and it hits him straight in the heart. He is drawn to the woman crying like a magnet and she is the most beautiful woman he has ever laid his eyes on. There is a spark between then like he’s never felt with any woman. He has trust issues due to his Ex and honesty is essential to him. He knows that she has had a really bad past but she holds things back from him and withdraws from his love for her. Things finally look like they are on track with her excepting his love, but fate knocks them back time and time again.
Will the bad from past continue to mess with them until there is nothing left for them?
Can they get the HEA they both deserve by letting a once in a life time love run it’s course?
Before I start my review, a little note about the content of the book. There is some sensitive content that may not be suitable to some. So keep that in mind!
Hadlea (Lea) is an amazing character on her own from the get go. She exudes strength, intelligence, wit and love. She also is very guarded and doesn’t look to open up to anyone. I can’t say I’d blame her at all. It’s easier to close off and push others away than to be hurt over and over. It’s worked for her for so many years, so why not now? As she goes through the process of getting her business affairs taken care of and her new home, someone pops into her life and spins it around. A chance meeting on the beach, a conversation that sends over kind vibes but then some insulting ones too have her convinced that it’s better to walk back in her house and shut the door on the man and the feelings he evoked in her. She’s convinced she doesn’t deserve love. But doesn’t she? Hasn’t she faced her demons long enough and accomplished enough to evade them?
Malone (One) is in his own right pretty remarkable. His equally intense likability, bravado, wit and humor are swoon worthy on their own. But then you throw in the fact he faces his own demons and it makes him even more attractive. Like Hadlea, life hasn’t been exactly kind to him. He has been focused on work for so long and his family he hasn’t opened himself up to love again. His ex wife has been a burden on him for the last few years. He married her with what he thought was love only to have it blown to pieces with her crazy actions. She burned him and cracked his heart enough that he has closed off the door to love. If he opens that door again, can he heal? His meeting with Lea has sneaking thoughts of what if’s in his mind. What if he made a move on her? What if this could be love again? What if I can’t overcome my own demons?
That’s what the two of them have to figure out then conquer. Their secrets come out one by one and it’s both shocking and intriguing at moments. My heart literally ached for Lea and her confessions about the abuse in her life. Being hurt by someone she loved and then coming to the point of believing what she was a dirty girl like she was a breaking point. She used what she knew as a band aid for the lack of love in her life. It’s really heart wrenching at moments and understandable on many levels. She has her three boys to help her through life and has given her a reason to to live and to keep them safe. They’ve helped her to have a reason to fight.
Lea isn’t alone in her misery of her past. One too has to deal with his own secrets. Secrets that involve his ex wife, and she will do whatever it takes to make life miserable for him. But why now, why is she suddenly popping up wherever and whenever? This is more than she used to at it pains One as it seems she’s constantly verbally going after Lea. She doesn’t count on Lea fighting back. An evil man from Lea’s past shows up and adds to the storm. He threatens to hurt more than just Lea. One is determined to battle both people in order to protect Lea and the boys. It’s crazy the extent that some people go through in order to cause havoc! The two negative people aren’t the only ones who are attacking their carefully crafted cage of love! It’s crazy!
Creative adoration (positives): Leaona really pushed abuse into the spotlight. Which is fantastic, especially to the extent she did. Lea didn’t just go through a short time of abuse or one type. She went through a whole slough of mess that can break anybody. It’s something that needs to be talked about more. When it comes to abuse, too many are silent. There needs to be more awareness. It’s part of the reason why I continued to read it. I needed to more about Lea and her past. I felt that connection to the two main characters as well. It’s hard not to when they (character and author) bring out such intense emotions in you.
Creative indifference (negatives): The lack of warning at the beginning or even on the sites was a frustration for me. I felt like there should be something that at least gives a head up to readers. Some have said it takes away from the book then if it’s done. For myself and many others, it’s a small thing that can help us to guard the triggers and not be in shock. It’s the only thing I really think was a frustration. It didn’t take away from the story but it could have added something more. I know that probably doesn’t make sense to some.
Creative appraisal (overall): In the end, they have to struggle a lot. So much so that it’s unimaginable that they should ever truly find love. Regardless of how they feel about deserving each other or their love, they have to forgive themselves for their shortcomings and heal. Lea has to stop pushing One away and accept him. Every time something gets to be too much you can’t push away the one who loves you the most. Do they succeed in this? Either by themselves or together? You’ll have to read it to find out!
This book has potential but does not flow smoothly. Too choppy. Seems as though no one proof read this book.