ClairePeople say I’m the female version of a player: a boyslayer, if you’re fluent in urban dictionary speak.I hate long-term relationships. I’ll never commit to sticking around long enough to get attached to the notion of love, marriage, or the proverbial two point five kids.No sirree. Not this girl.There’s no way I’ll let myself get hurt by losing someone I love ever again. Been there, felt … again. Been there, felt that.
Consider me damaged goods if you will, but I’m happy.
Or so I thought, until my path crossed his again…
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I swear each book just keeps getting better!! So many emotions while reading this story… You can’t help but feel for Claire losing her parents at such a vunerable age she put a wall up around her heart and would not let anyone in… Until him… Matty the drop dead gorgeous, panty melting Matty!! So scared she ran away fast from love, herself and him.. Only to return two years later to find the passion still burning although could she see past her hurt to give ‘One Last Shot’ to the one person she needed most…her Dorethy… Her Matty!! Wow thank you Gillian Jones for giving us the emotional conclusion to the fiesty beauty that is Claire Knox who we first got introduced to in My Minds Eye, this story will stay with me for a long time!!
This book was so good. I loved Matt and Claire.
There’s wasn’t an easy journey by any stretch because Claire has issues after a childhood tragedy. She pushes people away before they can hurt and leave her, it’s like a default setting.
Even though she loves Matt she pushes him away because of this fear she’s had since being a teenager. It’s easier for her to end it than allow herself to be hurt.
Matt has never getting over Claire leaving him. He’s tried other relationships but no one is his girl.
A friend’s wedding brings Claire back into his life and Matt needs to prove to his girl that they belong together.
I loved this story anyone can see that these two belong together. I just adored Matt he’s such a sweet guy, I really wanted to scream at Claire for letting him go.
Another great book in this Amazing series, it’s hot and funny and just addictive reading.
I love this series so much and I’m hoping for more in the future.
One Last Shot is book 3 in the Pub Fiction series and Matt and Claire’s story. Matt and Claire we meet in Kat and Ryker’s story as they are their best friends. Claire comes off as this happy go lucky girl, not give a damn girl, yet deep down she is terrified of being hurt again, that she’s built walls that even the ones who loves her can’t get through. She know she won’t survive the pain again. When Matt and her started dating in college, she thought it was just fun however she realized he was getting to close, so what does she do she runs and for the last two years he’s been waiting for her to come back to him. Matty is the sweetest, funniest guy who loves Claire still, he’s tried to move on over the years but Claire is never far from his thoughts. He’s mad that she left him with no explanations and he still wants her back. Matt is the one person who knows when to give Claire that extra push and when to pull back but most of all he will do anything he can to prove to her that he’s not going anywhere
So, up until this point, I’ve pretty much come to a couple conclusions. The first is Gillian Jones is the bomb dot com. Obviously. And secondly, she is the queen of slow burn. And I’m not just saying that. I legit think she’s the queen. Like I want to send her a crown with lots of glittery cubic zirconia’s in it (because clearly she deserves something nicer than rhinestones), but then I realized I’m in the states and she’s in Canada and as much as I love her, I can’t afford the postage,so instead I will just sing her praises in my blog and facebook page and her facebook page and instagram and you see where I’m going with this
But back to the slow burn. Yeah, you’re not going to get that here. Don’t get me wrong, there’s angst (p.s., I hate that word, but my Monday brain can’t come up with a better word to use for it). The first two books in the Pub Fiction series set my heart on fire in the slowest, most delicious way possible. So, me being the reasonable human being I am, set myself up for another slow burn. And then Gillian ripped the rug out from under me and said “Gotcha!” Oh right, probably should start my review, huh?
Story Line: Claire and Matt have history. Dirty, naughty, amazing history. But that was two years ago. Now, Claire’s back from running herself out of town. And it’s game – the – f*ck – on. There’s no way for these two to avoid each other since they are both in a wedding together (characters from book 1 are getting hitched – yay!) But Matt can’t wait until the wedding to see his woman. They meet accidentally on purpose – all the electric sparks go haywire and boom! There goes the slow burn you were expecting. Oh right, minor spoiler alert. Oops. Don’t hate me.
But these two do not hook up and then decide they are back together. No, orgasms haven’t even finished yet and Claire’s running for the hills. Damn her. This happens over and over before our sweet girl faces her demons. I promise not to go into too much detail, but the pain she carries on her heart is deep. Deeper than I can even fathom. And it takes a great deal of heartbreak for Claire to finally take the first step in healing. And leave it to Gillian to take a painful topic and somehow make it achingly beautiful. I can’t even type the words saying what Claire needs to heal from without tearing up. But I will say this – the scene with Mary coming to the “rescue” because Kat called her, made me cry deep within my soul. Because a) this was a huge step for her and b) because I hope I never endure this sort of hurt in my lifetime. After all of this, Matt and Claire eventually get their HEA. Thank you lord Jesus!
Interaction: What did we learn from Matt and Claire’s relationship, class? That avoidance is absolutely not the answer. Right? Right. Don’t get me wrong, it makes for an amazing story. I felt their frustration with one another. And not just “OMG pull your head out of your ass” frustration. No, I felt their sexual frustration too. I felt the ache in Claire’s heart and Matt’s yearning for the love of his life. It’s was beautiful and made my heart throb for them.
Laundry: So yeahhhh…. let’s just jump straight into the good stuff. I have NEVER read a hotter tickle his pickle scene in all of my life. My husband will be thanking you. TMI? Whoops. Sorry. Matt has a dirty mouth – maybe not as raunchy as Levi, but damn near close. And since these two already know each other intimately, they have zero problems giving each other orders of what they want in bed. So. Damn. Good.
Depth: Claire’s past gives this book a lot of dimension. But it’s also how she handles the tragedy that forms her into the person she is at the beginning of the book. She goes through an entire transformation before our eyes which I adored reading through. And I think Matt’s character gives this story a wonderful anchor. He’s her sounding board. He understands her more than she understands herself. And in the face of all the demons and drama that Claire brings to the table, there’s Matt with his hands out, ready to catch her. Because he’s her Dorothy. (This was adorable, btw)
The only remaining sadness I feel now is knowing the Pub Fiction series is over. I loved every single book in this 3 book series. Each was phenomenal in their own right. The characters, the setting (which is Canada for those of us who clearly do not pay attention to detail – cough cough me), the plot lines. I cannot say one negative thing about these books. Go pick them up FOR FREE WITH KU on Amazon NOW!
I think I’ve stated before that Gillian Jones is the queen of slow burn, and she is! The tension she creates makes you want to scream and fan yourself at the same time. And when her characters finally get together you want to jump around yelling “YES!” She manages to give you a book that makes you anticipate the hero and heroine getting together more than the characters are ready for, and also want to cry because her characters have gone through some serious pain and you just want to hug them so bad.
Do you know what I was not expecting when reading One Last Shot? I wasn’t expecting Matty and Claire to burn up the pages in CHAPTER. TWO. Yes, you read that right. I mean yeah, this is a second chance romance. Claire and Matty were together in college (around the time Kat and Ryker got together). But some stuff went down in My Mind’s Eye (trying not to give spoilers!) she runs away from Matty and all the possibilities of what they could be if she wasn’t so freaking stubborn… and scared.
And Matty, GOD I love Matty! He knows exactly what’s going on in Claire’s head, and is determined to make her see that they belong together. And I thought funny Matty was hot, but pissed off Matty is even hotter! The push and pull between Claire and Matty made me alternately want to pull my hair out of my head, then shake Claire, but then hug both of them. You want to talk about a perfect Book Boyfriend? Matty is it. Hands down.
Now back to the fact that this wasn’t a slow burn. In fact, these two fall into bed, sorta, with each other faster than you can blink. Now, after I read My Mind’s Eye and On the Rocks, I was convinced Gillian Jones needs Jesus. I mean, Ryker and Levi are like the king of dirty talk. BUT HOLY HELL, One Last Shot made me want to go to church. And drag her with me. Claire may be able to lie to herself about her feelings for most of this book, but she can’t deny the chemistry. Or the fact that Matty is the SWEETEST PERSON EVER.
In case you missed it- I love Matty. Like, a lot. I’d love to have Ryker, Levi and Matty all to myself. Yup, that sounds nice. (Gillian is corrupting my sweet, innocent brain!)
One of my favorite things about this whole series, besides the hot guys, is that there’s a lesson to be learned in all three books. Each couple goes through their own self discovery, they learn about themselves as individuals, and they end up wanting to be better people. Not just for the loved ones they have surrounding them, but also for themselves. Basically, this whole series was awesome and amazing and you should totally go read it now. It’s free on Kindle Unlimited, but totally one-click worthy!