From New York Times bestselling author Cassia Leo comes a heartrending tale of all-consuming love, deadly family secrets, and overcoming unbearable loss.Jack and I had everything. Then in one brutal instant, the universe tilted on its side, discarding us into black nothingness.Now Jack is obsessed with revenge, and I’m desperate to leave the night of our anniversary behind me. When we’re not … anniversary behind me. When we’re not fighting, the only way we communicate is in the bedroom.
With nothing left to lose, I write a goodbye letter and head for my mother’s empty house, three hours away from Jack, where I quickly meet a neighbor who helps me find a job.
My new neighbor—handsome ex-soldier Isaac Evans—is complicated. Nevertheless, we form a fast friendship, bonding over a mutual desire to create something beautiful from the wreckage of our lives.
But despite the distance between us, Jack and I are still trying to make things work—fighting and playing dirtier than ever. And he doesn’t appreciate my new friendship with Isaac. Not one damn bit.
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I loved the loving relation between the couple. Even though they had such turmoil in their lives they still loved each other and got back together
Good sexy drama sad
I didn’t like that it didn’t have an ending, but I would have to buy 2 more books to find the end of Laurel and Jack’s story.
This book is not a stand alone book. The ending really left me disappointed
Enjoyable read
Absolutely disgusting! Couldn’t read it. Filth!
Cliff hanger!
I couldn’t put it down…… ordered both sequels
GREAT READ!!!!!
First of all I really love Casia Leo’s books. I got Dirt as a free book and downloaded the next two after I finished it. Couldn’t put it down
This book has everything I love. Deep feelings, life’s up and downs. Characters you can sink your teeth into.
Great characters, something I’ve come to expect from Cassia Leo! One of those books you keep reading until you can’t stay awake any longer and then pick up first thing in the morning. Can’t wait to complete the next two and see what happens!!!
Absolutely loved this book! Read it in a day as I couldn’t stop. Characters are so thoughtfully written and found Laurel refreshing. Really need to read book 2 to see where this all goes.
“Every flower must grow through dirt”
Dirt is book one in the Evergreen series. I was blown away! The blurb tells a little about the story but it is so much deeper. Love & loss are hand in hand. Chapter one was so moving. I was emotionally drained! The story took me in and would not let go!
Jack and Laurel are fighting to survive a life altering event. They are both coping in different ways. Theirs is a journey of survival. Emotional connections, loss, revenge are all sowed throughout the story.
“We weren’t just lovers. We weren’t husband and wife. We weren’t just best friends. We weren’t just occasional enemies. We were survivors, bound to each other by the kind of excruciating torture no human should ever have to endure.”
Jack is such a strong character and very well written. His strength, tenacity, boldness are combined with absolute loyalty and alpha hotness! However, Jack cannot let go of the past. This is what needs to be done in order to heal and be present.
Jack and Laurel have a strong marriage, but even the strongest marriages can only take so much. Laurel in many ways was Jack’s equal, fierce and intelligent. Laurel is drowning. She has transitioned from an easy going, loving wife to a grief ridden shell of herself. She is a work in progress. Although she was absolutely shattered she is slowly healing and finding her way.
The story has other layers and characters as well, people associated with Jack and Laurel. It was not made clear what their connection really is. There are things going on in the background that are left unanswered.
I wondered about the title “Dirt” and then realized that as every flower must grow through dirt, Jack and Laurel’s story too is growing and blooming. But will the flowers blossom or wilt away?
I was surprised when the story ended on a cliff. All I have to say is I.Need.More.
Waiting (not so patiently) for Seed…….
“The ones we love are the ones with the power to hurt us most.”
5 stars
I loved this book and the whole series! This story was particularly sweet but unpredictable but everything Ms. Leo does is incredible!
When Dirt starts, you have this feeling like something terrible is going to happen. And my intuition is correct. It’s one of my worst fears. I do want to write this review without giving anything away. So I will not be going into detail.
Jack and Laurel are married and have gone through the ringer. They both are lost in their own way. They’re married, but it’s like they lead two separate lives. Jack is intimidating and has no filter, it seems. Though I know he loves her, it was overwhelming.
The journey these two have to embark on is a difficult and emotional one. I loved the secondary characters in this story. I wanted to get to know some of them better. Dirt is a well-written story, it draws you in and keeps you reading. The only thing is I didn’t emotionally connect with the characters. Jack is a little too alpha for me. But that ending? Oh, my. I really can’t wait to find out what happens next.
Overall, Four Boundless Stars
Wow! I did not expect that ending!
Dirt sucked me in from the very beginning and I had a hard time putting it down.
Jack has two sides, before and after. His anger and secrets seem to be growing.
Laurel seems lost. And returning home to her moms and gardening, making friends and getting a job all seem to be infusing her with a bit of life again.
Their marriage seems to be filled with passion, but it actually seems like manipulation.
But that ending?! Now I’m going to dive into Seed!!
Wow! I have so many feels about this book. It wrecked me from the beginning and the journey of Jack and Laurel is taking me one hell of a ride. I really like this book, but there where times that I thought about giving up because I felt Jack and Laurel’s characters had some juvenile ways of handling their problems. I stuck with it and so glad that I did even though it ends with a cliffhanger. Now, I’m left wondering when I can get my hands on the next book just so that I can find out how this all ends.
Happy Reading Everyone!!
After a tragic event, Laurel and Jack’s marriage suffered the aftereffects. Jack wanted revenge and justice. Laurel wanted to let it go and move on.
The two couldn’t find the balance they previously had, so Laurel moved to her mother’s house in Portland during the separation.
As she started to fix up her mother’s home and garden, she developed a relationship with her sexy neighbor. A relationship that didn’t involve sex or money.
Isaac is patient, attentive, and kind. Although at times I was hoping for the marriage to work, I also really enjoyed the relationship between Laurel and Isaac. If you asked me which man is better, I wouldn’t be able to answer you because I liked them both. I loved Jack’s dominating personality and desire to protect, and I loved Isaac’s patience and kindness.
If you’re not into books about cheating (even emotionally), then this one is probably not going to be enjoyable for you. But if you like steamy romances with crossroads, pick this up. Cassia Leo’s writing is absolutely addicting.
OMG… How can this story end like that? I need more! I need answers… Need to know what becomes of Laurel and Jack.
This story had me from the beginning- 3 chapters in and your heart will break for this couple. From there it will be a whirlwind that will test the love of Jack and Laurel. They had everything one minute and was dealt a heart-wrenching tragedy that puts their connection, their lives and their marriage to the test.
Obsessed with the need for revenge Jack dives into the an obsession for answers that causes a strain with Laurel.
Not wanting to relive the night that changed her life- Laurel never wants to really discuss it.
Cassia Leo is an amazing author who pulls you in and doesn’t let go- leaves you gasping and screaming why? No!! and what happens next?
You will not regret picking up this amazing well-written romance –
I received a copy of this book from the author.
It’s been a while since I’ve read a book by Cassia Leo. So when I received an email about this series I decided to give it a try. There’s a lot going on in this book. I mean a tremendous amount of stuff. Sometimes I just wanted to shake the two main characters – Jack & Laurel.
I’m sure there’s probably some married couples like this one who respond to their troubles with sex instead of talking it out. While there might not be a resolution to the issue I suppose it does help with the stress relief. These two are like bunnies. LOL Seriously. I just wished Jack would have taken Laurel’s opinions to heart.
Not that she’s perfect either. She’s definitely flawed. I think if these two would have had a decent conversation about their biggest issue then this book would have been drastically different.
Initially I had a hard time getting into this story. I mentioned all the sex and it seemed, to me, that’s all that was going to happen in Dirt. There’s a bit more to the book than that, of course. It just drove me crazy in the beginning. In the end though these two seemingly have their act together until they don’t. So of course you’ll have to be ready for Seed. There’s a rocky mountain of life for these two to work out or not. We shall see.
I’m kind of speechless after reading Dirt. Cassia Leo has delivered, in my opinion, her best book yet! It’s a top 2018 and All-Time favorite read for me!!! To say, this is an emotional read would be a mild understatement. Laurel and Jack had a life and marriage people dream about. Then, in an instant, their world was turned upside down, and their lives would never be the same. The two of them would also change as individuals. Grief has a way of doing that to a person.
“We weren’t just lovers. We weren’t just husband and wife. We weren’t just best friends. We weren’t just occasional enemies. We were survivors, bound to each other by the kind of excruciating torture no human should ever have to endure.”
This isn’t just a story about a couple who have lost it all; it’s a story of grief and how people deal with it differently. Laurel and Jack live together, but they couldn’t be further apart emotionally. Laurel feels like she has also lost Jack who locks himself in his office searching for the person who took everything from them and plotting his vengeance. Laurel is left with her feelings of guilt and pain. The only way the two communicate is through screaming matches and then angry sex. She has had enough and decides she has to leave to save herself and maybe her marriage.
She and Jack are definitely not done. Jack makes that abundantly clear. As she starts to heal and begins finding herself again, she develops a friendship with her handsome as h$$$ neighbor which Jack definitely doesn’t like. Yeah, things are going to get more complicated.
I know I have been somewhat vague about the plot in my review, but I don’t want to spoil a thing for readers. At times, this is a very difficult book to read. It involves a loss no one should ever have to endure, especially the time in which it happens. Something that should be celebrated between a couple is now tainted with pain and loss. My heart bled for both Jack and Laurel. Leo made me feel their pain and Laurel’s anger at Jack. He could only focus on his anger, but as I said, people deal with grief very differently.
What make this book so incredibly gripping and emotional is that Leo gives us a look into this couple’s past. It is very clear that there is a deep love between these two, and there has been for a very long time. I just found myself hoping they could find their way back to one another.
As if the book couldn’t get any better, Leo gave me an ending I won’t soon forget!!!! She definitely has me waiting on pins and needles for the next book!!!! WOW!!! Cassia Leo was one of the very first indie writers I read. I fell in love with her then, and as the years have passed, she has only gotten better. If you read one book in 2018, this one is it!!!!