What would you sacrifice for love? Leaving his Navy career and his assignment at the Department of Defense behind, Mac Whittaker is ready to join his family on Capitol Hill. He’s just missing one thing―a woman he loves at his side. He wants the American fairy tale.Georgie Astrella has put her life’s goals on hold for way too long. She’s finally putting away her cutting shears and curling iron to … put her life’s goals on hold for way too long. She’s finally putting away her cutting shears and curling iron to bury herself in justice and the law.
She certainly isn’t looking for love.
Fate has other ideas… throwing them together until neither of them can walk away from the attraction that thunders across their souls… from the truth of how their hills and valleys fit perfectly together.
But her family’s past would make his future an impossibility.
Will Mac give everything up for her? And more importantly, will Georgie let him?
From award-winning author, LJ Evans, comes a story of family and sacrifice inspired by Lewis Capaldi’s “Bruises.” You won’t want to miss this inspirational, military romance.
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Forged by Sacrifice by L.J. Evans is a slow burn, contemporary, forced proximity, military/political romance told in first person, dual POV. It is the second book in the Anchor series, a series of interconnected standalones. It’s not necessary to read Guarded Dreams first, although doing so will only serve to enhance the experience when characters reappear.
Mac comes from a powerful political family and has always idealistically dreamed of becoming a politician to change the world. Having just left the Navy and his job with the Department of Defense, he’s about to start work with a senator – the first step in pursuit of his political aspirations.
Georgie was raised by her grandmother. Her Ponzi-scheming father is in prison, and her mother, a Russian model banned from entering the U.S., lives in Russia with her husband, a Russian oligarch with questionable business dealings. After putting her dream of becoming a lawyer on hold for several years, Georgie will soon be moving to D.C. and will finally be going back to law school.
When Mac and Georgie first met two years ago, they had an instant spark, but she didn’t give him the time of day. Even so, they both thought about each other over the years. When they meet again at their friends’ beach house, the electricity between them is still there. Irresistibly drawn to each other, they share an earth-moving kiss.
But when Mac learns about Georgie’s family, he knows a relationship would not be good for his political career. He leaves early to avoid Georgie and their mutual attraction and heads home to D.C. where he shares an apartment with his sister and a roommate that will soon move in. As fate would have it, Mac and Georgie are both shocked to learn that they are now roommates. Will they be able to stay away from each other? Read the book to see what happens.
I loved Mac and Georgie’s love story! They were wonderful characters that I easily connected with and rooted for. The story explored themes of identity, family, the pursuit of dreams, and that true love is worth fighting for. Beautifully written, emotional, sexy, and full of depth with exciting twists and turns. I highly recommend it!
*** I voluntarily read and reviewed an ARC. ***
**Read as part of the Anchor Novels box set**
“What if…”
Whenever I read a book by LJ Evans, I always think I’ve experienced something. If you’ve read my reviews of her other books, I think that’s easily noticeable. And it always feels heavy, which is not a bad thing. It makes me feel like I’ve lived through the story.
‘What ifs’, and our fear of them while longing for them at the same time, is what this story’s about for me.
“‘We aren’t a romance novel, Mac.”
“Maybe we should be.”
This is the story of Mac and Georgie. Georgie was briefly introduced in the first book, and it was easy to see Mac was interested in her. They seemed so different, the military guy and the hairdresser who wears different colored contact lenses because she likes to. And yet, not so different after all.
“But all I know is that when I kissed you, I felt forever. Forever in one kiss.”
Mac is in the military. In fact, this box set is about three friends who are in the military, so that’s the recurring theme. He comes from a family that has deep roots in politics and in DC. So, he’s leaving the military to pursue his political aspirations, so maybe he can be part of making the world a better place. I think Mac’s the sweetest thing. I loved his family. I loved his friends. I loved his heart.
“You’re light and dark and hopes and fears all wrapped together.”
Georgie comes from a Russian family. Her dad’s in jail, and her mom’s remarried to yet another Russian criminal. She’s used to fending for herself in life, and after years of running her late grandma’s hair salon, she wants to go back to Law school. She’s chasing her dreams, and taking nothing for granted.
She’s is in many ways the Yin to Mac’s Yang. Because they complete each other and fit together, even if they don’t see it.
“I told you that you have all the beautiful words when you speak from your heart.”
“It’s because you are my heart. All of it.”
The first meeting between them in the first book was hinting at something. When they meet in this book, surrounded by friends who are family, there’s no denying the chemistry between them. It’s attraction, and lust, and so much more that is pulling them together, even though they probably shouldn’t be.
But then, what if?
And when they realize they will be living together in DC, along with Mac’s sister, it does seem like fate’s giving them a hand, a little nudge in the right direction. If only they embrace it, that is.
“Love… It doesn’t come often. Sometimes, it only comes once in your life.”
In the middle of the whirlwind of emotions they have for each other, there’s the other bits of the story that make this a wild ride. His family, and how wonderful they are. Her family, and the trouble they can cause. DC, its politics, and its politicians, and a very tasteful approach to the issue of sexual harassment – this was done right, in my opinion. And loss, the kind of loss that makes you question which life you want to live: the one you settle for, or the one where all the ‘what ifs’ can actually be a reality.
“The only future I gave a damn about was the one with her at my side.”
This is a slow-burn romance. I sometimes wanted to scream at both of them. It seemed to be taking a lifetime, but it wasn’t. They came together just at the right time, because LJ is a master storyteller and that’s what she does.
““You love me?”
And I couldn’t believe that she doubted it. That she hadn’t taken every moment of the forevers I’d spoken, every moment my lips had been on her body, every moment my soul had sat next to hers, and just knew, but she didn’t.”
There was a constant pushing and pulling, which became more and more heated when they were living together. There was a constant longing between them, and a back and forth between what they thought they could only dream of, and what they can really have. It was heartbreaking at times, but so endearing.
“And I knew that I’d do whatever it took to keep her laughing for the next hundred years, and I wished on all the stars that shone out the window that we would have that long and more.”
Bottom line, both of them needed to see that living with ‘what ifs’ can kill you. It can stifle the life you want to live and leave you with a life you’re just OK with. Mac and Georgie are two lost souls who found each other, and forged a life together in which reality trumps dreams and ‘what ifs’ every day.
What a ride!
This story was captivating from the first chapter. Family . Baggage . A new chapter in life . Falling in love . Dreams . Bringing those dreams to life…still a work in progress. LJ Evans wrote a dynamic story about a new beginning following career changes. Closing that door & opening another is not easy at all, but Georgie & Mac manage to do just that. This book is soooooo good & will tug at your heartstrings. It will make you laugh, cry, think, hold your breath, cringe in parts, and swoon.
I loved Mac and Georgie’s story so much! It’s another beautiful book from LJ Evans full of love and laughter, family, sacrifice and more of her fantastic characters. She hooks you from the very first page so you don’t want to put it down for anything until you finish the entire book.
What are the chances that your newest roommate would also be the same woman you were running away from? There was an instant connection, a magnetic pull between Georgie and Mac. Something that made both of them spill their deepest secrets to each other. Every. Single. LJ book brings tears to my eyes. This one was no different. But just as much as it made me cry tears of sadness, this book also had me crying tears of joy. There was heartache and hearts entwined. And there was music, music that prefaced every chapter and set the mood for the words I was about to read. I may have just found LJ’s books in 2020, but it sure will be tough to let go of these characters and their stories long after I’ve turned the last page of the book.
I received an advance copy of this book at my request and voluntarily left this review.
LJ Evan’s Forged By Sacrifice is DEFINITELY one of my top 10 of 2020! If I could give this book 10 stars I absolutely would!! It has everything I like, military men, a little political side show, the BEST slow burn I’ve read this year, and the best cast of side characters I’ve read in YEARS!!
Georgia is the female main character who is headed back to college after several years away because of family commitments. She is funny, hot, snarky, but she comes with some serious baggage. That baggage being her family — her mother is Russian, remarried to a Russian Oligarch known for running guns and her father is in prison for stealing millions from investors in a Ponzi-like scheme.
Mac-Macauley is former Navy, just recently. He wasn’t a SEAL, but he did help run their highly classified missions and made decisions as to which missions were accepted. He’s now moving into politics, his real passion, and what he’s been planning for his whole life — to the detriment of every other relationship. He’s never in any pictures that might hurt his future political career, no women that he hasn’t investigated prior, no tasks within the military that might have been seen unfavorably later on, just straight laced all the way across.
When Mac and Georgie meet for the 3rd time through mutual friends they’re both immediately attracted. but for whatever reason both know this is probably a bad plan so the steer clear, until that fateful day Mac asks Georgie to take a trip out on his boat, and it is wonderful, serene even — until they finally kiss, and then Mac commits the ultimate sin of shutting down entirely. Georgie doesn’t know why, she just knows he’s gone cold.
When Mac leaves to head back for Washington, Georgie has no real reason to stay and heads to her new apartment in Georgetown to get a head start on her case studies before law school picks up. When her new roommates brother (who her roommate has called “Robbie”) shows up several days later, it’s Mac and the world is turned upside down again for both of them!
The sacrifices both of them are intent on making to keep each other safe, and try to keep each other in their lives on some level are so emotional, I could just feel my heart breaking with each page. The strength Georgie exhibits, while also sometimes being a bit hard headed, is off the charts, I just absolutely love her! A super special, incredibly HOT slow burn, if you love slow burn then LJ Evans is THE author for you!! The twists and turns, and heart breaking sorrow toward the end are just gut wrenching, and I cannot WAIT to see what is in store in Damaged Desires!! A gorgeous 5 stars for Forged By Sacrifice, I can’t wait to start digging through Evan’s back stock!
This is my first book by this clearly gifted writer, and it won’t be my last. It drew me in, devastated my heart and then knit it back together, and I’m pretty sure Evans has a new fan for life.
Mac and Georgie meet through mutual friends, Ava and Eli, and get to know each other more when they both visit the couple in Texas. There’s no question that the attraction is mutual, but neither is looking for a relationship, especially the long term kind.
When Georgia gets to DC to begin law school, she discovers the brother her new roommate has told her about, and the third resident of the apartment where Georgie will be living, is none other than Mac. This might be fine under normal circumstances, but Georgie’s sullied family dynamics aren’t a good mix with Mac’s political aspirations, so any lingering attraction they previously walked away from might make the living situation challenging.
Admittedly, I’m not a big fan of political romance, but L.J. won me over with her lyrical style, poetic prose and deep, complex, relatable characters. And oh my heart, I adore Mac and Georgie! They’re both intelligent, strong and driven with hearts of gold.
This story is my favorite kind, one without manufactured angst but external conflict that elicits the reader’s empathy, giving her no choice but to devour all the words to find out how these characters who have absconded with her heart will find their forever. Evans does this spectacularly, creating delicious tension and infusing the words with so much emotion it spills off the pages.
If you’re looking for a read that sweeps you away, look no further. It will take you on the very best of emotional rollercoasters and Mac and Georgie will own your heart in no time at all. Music lovers will appreciate the song references, but all readers will adore these authentic, loveable characters, so don’t wait to start reading this phenomenal, heartfelt story!
This story was full off heartbreak and love. I loved the way the relationship between Mac and Georgie developed. Even though they couldn’t come from more different backgrounds, they simply fitted together.
The story was filled with laughter, tears and left me feeling light at the end of it. LJ Evans knows how to put a story together that you can not simply put down until you read the words THE END.
***Review copy requested and reviewed on behalf of OMGReads Blog***
A wonderful story of love, family and sacrifice. Brilliant writing. Swoon-worthy hero. Absolutely love this book!!
Mac and Georgie. I just adored them! I knew after reading Guarded Dreams that I would undoubtedly enjoy Forged by Sacrifice. It’s a fantastic sequel that draws you into the story and doesn’t let you go. It has heart and conscience, and I love that in the books I read. I cannot wait for the next in this series. Well done, Ms. Evans!
I loved the dynamic trio of Eli and Mac Truck, and was intrigued by the idea of Mac’s story. Politics are so not my thing, but it always interests me to read political romance stories. Now Georgie was a surprise. She had a whole other side I was not expecting. I love that their relationship was complicated. I love that they both had love and loyalty when it came to family, country, and their professions. I also loved that their being together may cause a political explosion. It helped Mac & Georgie really do the work to find out where their values lie. Looking forward to Dani & Truck’s stories next.
This is the 1st book I’ve read written by LJ Evans; she has done a great job at writing a good book; I can’t wait to read more of her books.
The story line caught my attention at the very beginning and kept me interested throughout the entire book.
I loved the chemistry between the characters.
I received a free copy of this book via booksprout and I’m voluntarily leaving a review.
If you want a story you can escape from real lifefor a bit of time, then this is it. The author has done a wonderful job writing the story to where it pulls the reader in and captivates them from the beginning. So grab your copy today, tell your husband it’s his night to make dinner and take care of the kids so you can have some time for yourself. Enjoy!
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Another great book from LJ Evans!
The connection between Mac and Georgie builds gradually. Georgie’s family history is, let’s say, complicated. And Mac has been preparing for a career in politics for his entire life. So it doesn’t make sense for them to be together. But they can’t fight the attraction that pulls them close.
It all seems to blow up at once, pushing them apart. But love finds a way to overcome the obstacles.
One thing I particularly loved about this book is the portrayal of Mac’s family. They could have been portrayed in a stereotypical manner: rich and snooty. But instead were shown as caring and accepting.
This story was a charmingly sweet read! A little bit political but not the focus of the story. This follows the evolution of Georgie and Mac’s love story. Georgie and Mac have meet before but their paths just keep seeming to cross, as Mac pursues his interest in Georgie her family ties might just jeopardize his changes of running for office. Mac has only ever wanted to service his country first in the military and next has a political but meeting Georgie make him realize that having her might mean more than he expected. A sweet, fun, chemistry filled love story between two people that want only the best for each other (even at the expense of their own happiness). Well written, rich with fun side characters and steamy, this read is worth every page. A must add to your TBR list.
Forged by Sacrifice is a compelling military romance about two people who love each other but sacrifice so that the other will not be hurt in any way. The characters are well developed and very realistic. The storyline is well written, gripping, complex, and full of hope, sacrifice, and love.
This is the first book I have read by this author but will not be the last.
I read and reviewed this book with no obligation.
Mac and Georgie’s story was just as powerful as Eli and Ava’s. LJ continues to infuse music throughout the entire story. There are moments that will melt your heart, intrigue you to continue flipping the pages and made you smile especially as your watching them fall in love. Asking yourself what would you sacrifice for love and happiness? I’m once again patiently waiting for the next book. I received an ARC of this and volunteered to review it.
Forged by Sacrifice: a contemporary, political romance that blends music into every piece of the narrative.Told in first person, dual pov, second novel in the Anchor series which are interconnected standalones. Character’s are first seen in Guarded Dreams, and other characters pop into this novel as supporting character’s.
A character driven, inspirational romance that is beautifully arranged with twists swirling through the pages. The writing style is exhilarating and captures your heart and soul. Melded with music, love, passion and laughter.
Character’s are compelling with engaging characteristics. Supporting character’s bring their own flare & draw you into their tribe.
I absolutely love the political aspect and how it came about as Mac Whittaker transitioning from a military career to a political one. I also loved how Georgie Astrella decided to put her cutting shears away and seek a career in justice and the law.
It appears fate has intervened and brought these two characters back together as true love happens once in a lifetime.
I absolutely adored the text messages between the characters and felt it added a fun way to interact.
Overall, this novel is eloquently scripted and integrated with a topple of sentiments.
Looking forward to reading the next novel in this cutting edge series.
Forged by Sacrifice is a fantastic story! This well written story has a conflict about the struggles of sacrificing one thing for another. I didn’t want to put this book down! This is the second book in the series, the first one being Guarded Dreams, where we first got a little dip into Mac and Georgie.
A military man, determined to bury himself into politics, with the ambition to change the world.
A woman with Russian history, trying to move on from her family’s shameful past, with her sights set on becoming a lawyer.
I loved how author LJ Evans so wonderfully wrote this story. I felt the heartbreak and desires. The flow of the storyline is perfect and the characters are people you can relate to and fall in love with! I cannot wait until the next book is released! I fully recommend this with 5 stars!!!
It’s rare for a sequel to not only be just as good as the first book but maybe even better. The characters had such depth to them. Mountains to overcome and choices to make. These two music infused have been some of the best books I’ve ever read and I’m over the moon learning that there will be four more!
Second read updates:
“I felt forever. Forever in one kiss.” Swoon!!
The colored contacts is such a fun part of Georgie’s personality.
These characters and the crazy challenge to even the idea of being together. Ah.
Life is messy and hard and filled with bumps and chasms and bruises. Reality seeps into the dream and you’re left with choices. Stay or go. Love? What happens when running seems to be the way to say “I love you.”