Kiki Michaelson wants one wild night to forget her starving-artist worries. Simple.
Only instead of Darren Cole becoming her one-night stand, he taunts her with a challenge. Then while she’s trying to best him at his own game, he turns out to be the last thing she’s prepared for: someone she wants to keep.
Which means all he can ever be…is a friend.
Darren Cole never allows a girl to get … friend.
Darren Cole never allows a girl to get close—not close enough to matter.
Then storms in Kiki Michaelson, a beautiful, fearless temptation that rocks his world off-balance. But he fights their attraction, unwilling to gamble something physical with their close ties. Until the passionate sculptor exposes her heart and breaks his wide open.
In that moment it becomes clear: she could never be just a friend.
Sometimes what you run from…is exactly what you need.
*** HEARTBREAKER is a standalone, full-length new adult romance told in dual POV. Due to mature themes and adult language, this book is for those 18 and older. ***
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Read: 12/31/19
Heartbreaker was the first book in the Unbreakable series by Kat and Stone Bastion. This was my first book by the authors.
The beginning was confusing but I wanted to know more. The more I read, the less I knew. The less I understood. I was only three chapters in and I had no more knowledge than the first chapter. I had a hard time following but at the same time, it was hooking me and I knew it would be worth it in the end. And a little spoiler, it was.
Kiki Michaelson. Artist, energizer bunny energy level. I loved Kiki’s energy and her interactions with her family. It was a great set up for stories for her family – hopefully we’ll see more.
Darren Cole. Drummer, student, DJ. Darren was a mystery. The authors kept us guessing with all the possibilities as they continued to develop the story and the relationship between Kiki and Darren.
I loved both Kiki and Darren and as the story progressed, I loved them more. The authors had multiple storylines unravelling: the relationship development, Darren’s mysterious personal situation, Darren’s ambitions as a drummer, Kiki’s girl’s nights and Kiki’s secrets. They unfolded individually but ultimately merged into one. I loved it all and couldn’t quit reading until the end.
All in all, it was well written with only a few editing errors. It was also well developed, intriguing, suspenseful and totally entertaining. It may have been my first by the authors, but it definitely won’t be my last.
I so loved this book. Now i want to read more.
Deals with a heartbreaking subject. Doesn’t just skip through it. Also doesn’t wallow in it. I really couldn’t put this down for long.
Loved the story and all the characters.
Very enjoyable read!
Reading a book by Kat and Stone Bastion is like eating one of the best meals of your life. It has the perfect flow from its appetizing beginning, its emotionally hearty entrées, to its deliciously sweet end.
“All I’m saying is, don’t fight it. Don’t be afraid of us. If we are meant to happen…just let it.”
Once burned by love, the only flame artist Kiki Michaelson allows close is the one she uses to forge her sculptures with. She keeps guys at a safe distance by only allowing one night stands until Darren Cole refuses her proposal and instead offers to be just friends. But while trying to outmaneuver him she lets down her guard and him inside, completely changing the game. Can she be brave enough to risk her heart or will she try to keep him in the friend zone?
“He wanted to be bossy? He wanted to pound the point of being “just friends” home? I would be the best friend he’d ever had. Of course, while I demonstrated my stellar friendliness, no harm in highlighting my best qualities: flirtatiousness, adorableness—sexiness.”
Often mistaken for the quintessential Heartbreaker, Darren Cole loves music and wants nothing more than to make it big as a drummer, it would make his life so much easier. His life is too complicated though, and bringing a woman into it is simply not an option until the lure of sassy, sweet Kiki Michaelson becomes impossible to ignore. Unwilling to reveal his secrets and lose the tenuous control he has over his life but also reluctant to let her go, he gives into a cautious friendship and the pretense of training her. But the more time he spends with her on and off running trails, the more he realizes she’s exactly what he needs. Can he convince her to take a chance on them?
“Kiki didn’t know it yet, but if she wanted to run from me? I would chase.”
After reading the author’s note and now knowing the dynamic writing duo have a musical background, I wonder what a song by them would sound like. Just like describing their books, words like delicious, enthralling, captivating, powerful and emotional come to mind. Even the titles for each chapter in Heartbreaker are both great and telling and could easily be song titles. Heck, some of them are! But until Kat & Stone announce they’ve branched out into music, I’ll plug the awesome Drag Rhythm Songs they’ve provided as a soundtrack and focus on their current book release.
As with their previous books, Heartbreaker has an alluring pace with its lyrical narrative, vivid depictions and sensuality that highlights the touching plotline about two reluctant kindred spirits that didn’t realize they were missing from each other’s lives and even fought against it.
“With the supercharged air—that wasn’t really the air—a spark ignited. White hot and glowing. Even if neither of us could see it, in spite of the fact that we didn’t want to admit it, we both felt it.
Every single character in the story was endearing. I loved having Cade and Hannah (from the No Wedding series) back and continuing their happy life together. Also, the rest of Kiki’s siblings and extended family who are incredibly loving and supportive add a great layer to the story, and even more so Logan who’s plight is sad, touching and real and made my heart ache.
“The best gift we can give those we love is ourselves—whole and happy. We have to let them breathe, let them live and make mistakes. And we need to live too. We owe it to ourselves and to them.”
Of course, the main plot centers on Kiki and Darren. I really liked Kiki with her strong independent, yet sweet vulnerable core. I loved how understanding and giving she was, how she wouldn’t take no for an answer when it came to Darren. And Darren doesn’t just have sex-on-a-stick good looks, he’s equally wonderful on the inside, putting with passion his family’s wellbeing first.
“Darren? Definitely delicious—delectable…decadent. Darren got all the best D words.”
The slow burn buildup between Darren and Kiki was enjoyably tempting and sultry while gradually revealing bits of each other. It was so fun to see Darren and Kiki try but fail miserably at being friends. Even if they could have ignored the snap, crackle and pop attraction, the bond between them only kept getting stronger with each text, run and interaction that peeled away a layer at a time until there was nothing else to do but take a leap of faith together and revel in the delicious rightness of their relationship.
“Something seemed to be happening between us, this thick unnamable thing growing more intimate with every heartbeat.”
Kat and Stone Bastion are wonderful story tellers, giving us a gripping romance with skillfully knit in drama and emotional depth. Heartbreaker is a standalone full length contemporary romance told from alternating points of view with a happy ending.
Tragic!! Tragically dragged too much. A lot of immaturity and second guessing. I got to 70% before I could not read anymore.
By chapter 8 I still was not investested in the characters and the plot was boring. I didn’t bother to finish it.