One night brings them together. Another night tears them apart.Grace Miles misses her easy friendship with Asher, but growing up means growing apart. And really, how could he fall for her when they spent their childhood getting muddy in the creek and splitting sticks of gum?But this summer, something feels different. If Grace didn’t know better, she’d think Asher was flirting with her. Those dark … flirting with her. Those dark eyes, hard body, and wicked smile make her insides swirl and her heart dare to hope for things she’s convinced herself she’ll never have.
Falling for your best friend shouldn’t be complicated, but for Asher Bailey, loving Grace is anything but simple. The road to romance isn’t smooth thanks to his pack of wild brothers who are protective of the girl next door, a take-no-sass grandmother, a small town where gossip is a spectator sport, and a feud that spans generations.
But Asher realizes his feelings are too big to ignore. Loving her isn’t the risk. Losing her would be.
And one night, one kiss, changes everything.
Finally admitting their feelings is the beginning of their happily ever after. Until their fairy tale love story is tragically interrupted, and neither of them will ever be the same.
Author’s note: Lifelong soulmates, ridiculous pranks, brother shenanigans, and a feuding town. Protecting You is the Bailey Brothers series origin story. Be there when it begins and fall in love with this wild band of unruly brothers.
The Bailey Brothers is meant to be read in order, and Grace and Asher’s story concludes in book two, Fighting for Us.
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I love small town series with all the family feels. Claire Kingsley gives me just that in a steamy read with all the feels! (Mild cliffhanger – book 2 coming very soon)
Whenever I get a new book by Claire Kingsley, I immediately put aside whatever I am reading to dive in and start reading. This author is one of my absolute favorites in this genre. That’s because she brings it for her readers every time. Her stories take you on a journey that begins on the very first page and she wraps you in the story of this family or these friends or this couple. Protecting You is the first book in her new Bailey Brother’s series, and Claire introduces her readers to a brand new family that we are going to adore. This is the story of how Grace and Asher began. It is a wonderful friends to lovers story that is going to have a lot of bumps in the road. Asher and Grace have been best friends since childhood, but have secretly loved each other since high school. Just when everything is going right, a tragedy occurs ripping Asher and Grace away from each other. Grace and Asher are surrounded by his four brothers, his grandmother, and later the Miles Family. This couple is going to have a tough road ahead and Ms. Kinglesy is certain to play with our hearts as these two find their way back to each other. But for this book, I loved watching Asher and Grace find each other and begin the fragile bonds of love that I hope will ultimately heal them. And if that doesn’t work – well perhaps we will need some of Cooper emotional jumper cable type hugs.
I can’t wait to see what Ms. Kingsley has in store in the next book and I am waiting impatiently to see how Grace and Asher get their happily ever after.
I voluntarily read a digital advanced reader copy provided to me by the author. The opinions expressed are my own.
Ahhh! This first book in Claire Kingsley’s new small-town family series is quite the ride! I love stories centered around families, and this one is heartfelt, steamy and has lots of big feels!
This is the first book in a series you never knew you wanted. We met Grace in the Miles family, so we already knew a little about her. But this book is even before all that we already know. You will learn where the love between Grace and Asher began, how it came to be that he’s in jail, and why she’s waiting for him. If you’ve read the Miles family, then you were probably already in love with Grace’s character. But you may have been skeptical of Asher, because of him being incarcerated, but you should just read a book by it’s cover ;)! Asher is kind, and caring, always looking out for not only his brothers and grandmother, but Grace and her family as well. This book is so good, I can’t wait to get my hands on the next book to find out more of what happens with Grace and Asher.
I received and ARC in exchange for my honest review
Wow! Way to start a series off with a bang! This origin story is wonderful and makes me excited for what’s to come. Those Bailey boys are a handful and then some. I love that because Grace is a Miles we get so revisit the awesome Miles family.
In 2 words, this book is Bittersweet and heartbreaking.
Growing up Asher and Grace were closer than two peas in a pod, but like most childhood friendships, adolescence had them drifting apart.
But when Grace comes home from college for the summer, Asher can’t keep denying his feelings and the reason that had them growing distant. Their second chance is a whirlwind romance that can only stem from years of friendship and love.
No one expected the other shoe to drop.
In such a short story Claire managed to run me through the entire spectrum of human emotions. From the ultimate high to a devastating low ending with a glimmer of hope. This is how an origin story should be.
But Asher and Grace’s story isn’t over. You know what they say – third time’s the charm.
5 stars and a piece of gum.
Protecting You is book one in the brand new series, Bailey Brothers, by Claire Kingsley. This series is a spin off from her much loved Miles Family series.
We first met Grace Miles in the Miles Family series. She was the sister the Miles Family never knew they had. Grace was raised by a her single mom, her dad would pop in and out of her life but was for the most part, absent. She grew up next door to Gram and her five grandsons, the Bailey brothers.
Asher Bailey is the oldest of his five brothers. They lost their parents when they were young and were raised by their grandparents, now just their Gram.
Asher and Grace have been best friends practically from the start. While Grace was close with the whole family, her relationship with Asher was always different, closer. But they never took the next step. Even though those unknown feelings were always there for both of them, those strange feelings in their stomach when they were together. While Grace went away to college, Asher went to a college at home.
When Asher is twenty one and Grace is twenty, she’s home for the summer, and Asher finally recognizes his feelings for what they are, love. After all this time, he is finally going to claim the woman he has always been meant to be with, the woman who has always had his heart.
Asher and Grace have a summer filled with dreams and plans for the future. Their lives are planned out, their love is secure. But in the blink of an eye, everything changes, and nothing will ever be the same.
Since I have read the Miles Family series, I knew Grace had a story, and wow is it a doozey. I couldn’t help but to fall in love with these two, as well as with all of the Bailey crew. This is a pretty short book, more of an introduction to the Bailey family. Asher and Grace’s story will be continued in book two, Fighting For Us. I can’t wait!
Asher and Grace’s prequel story Protecting You was absolutely amazing!
I mean we all know what happens to Asher but we didn’t know how he ended up there and I am just lost for words. There love is an everything love everyone knows they should be together it just took them a little bit longer and they they were cruelly ripped apart.
The Asher that left will not be the same Asher that returns but Grace showed that she will fight for her Asher and those Bailey brothers will fight for their brother. Asher will come back to them.
I need book 2 now!
This prequel was everything! Learning Grace and Asher’s backstory, meeting all the brothers and Gram and ALL OF THE FEELINGS you feel through this I feel like this was the perfect way to start the series. I cannot wait for the next book so I can know the rest of Grace and Asher’s story. The way Claire wrote this was so real it amazes me! I’m so happy I don’t have to wait long for the next book! I need it now!
I was completely blown away with this book. Claire’s writing style just leaves me breathless! Her attention to every little detail is amazing. She makes you have all the feels for the characters . This book was sexy and fun, while at the same time a real page turner that kept you on the edge of your seat just salivating for the next book in the series.
5*
Grace & Asher have been best friends since childhood always together.
Life had different plans as they got older but reconnecting on her visit home from college has them both questioning their feelings.
This is the book I have anxiously been waiting for since finishing the fabulous miles family and I have just got to say as with all of Claire’s books it didn’t disappoint.
You most definitely need to read it asap!
I can’t wait for more in the series
#freeasherbailey
This is a prequel story of Grace Miles who is first introduced to readers in the Miles Family series (of which I highly recommend) where the reader gets a little glimpse into her life but not too much. Protecting You is the introductory story of her and Asher Bailey and I honestly don’t think it could have been written any better. The evolving story of Grace and Asher will have you feeling every single emotion possible…angst, love, happy, sad and angry.
Asher has loved Grace almost his entire life and when he finally realizes it he goes all in to get his girl totally oblivious to the fact she has felt the same way about him. He is so very tender and situations arise showing his fierceness. He thinks the only way he can protect Grace is to let her go. Grace has a fierceness all her own and she will not give up on her and Asher. She has loved him as long as he has loved her and she will wait for him…as long as she has to…she will wait.
This first part of Asher and Grace’s story will leave you feeling like you were just on an emotional roller coaster for sure. I cannot even call this the classic boy falls in love with the girl next door type story because it is so much more than that. The times you see Grace in the Miles Family series she proves she is a resilient one and that is exactly what Asher is going to need when he is able to get back home. There is no doubt he will come home a changed man and I am sure we will see more of how much of a fighter Grace really is.
Asher Bailey and Grace Miles have grown up next door to each other. As children they were inseparable. As with most children they drift apart in their teens and it takes time away at college for them both to realize the extent of their feelings. When Asher and Grace reconnect everything just falls in place and everything feels right. However when someone attacks your one true love what lengths will you go to for them? Can true love really withstand everything?
Protecting You ends in a cliffhanger. Be sure to have Fighting For Us queued up, so you can read the rest of Asher and Graces story!!
Claire Kingsley just launched her new small town family series! The Bailey Brothers kicks off with origin story Protecting You, a new adult, friends-to-lovers story! Grace and Asher’s love story concludes in Book 2, Fighting for You!
I read an ARC copy of this prequel, and I must say that I really loved it. Ms. Kingsley always does a great job of giving readers something they can truly sink their teeth into. I can’t wait for the continuation of Asher and Grace’s story.
Great start to a new series! This ended with a real bang that makes you want to dive into Book #2 immediately. I enjoyed getting to know all the Bailey boys in this prequel and I look forward to reading the other books in this series. I have a feeling the continuation of Asher & Grace’s story in Fighting for Us will keep me turning the pages and up all night! Excellent read and would highly recommend.
When I first met Grace in this Miles Family series, I *needed* her story. This origin story didn’t disappoint.
The introduction to all of the Bailey brothers and learning about Grace before she met the rest of the Miles family filled so many blanks.
This series is going to be amazing. I’m feeling heartbroken and hopeful and everything in between. I can’t wait for the continuation of Grace and Asher’s story!!
This is is allll the feels. Friends to lovers. Sweetness and sadness (not too much CK never lets us down!!!) Asher is everything a hero should be. Grace is a strong heroine you can’t wait to see how she grows! Add in 4 other wild Bailey Brothers, and awesome Gram, & small town quirky ness!!!
Loved it times a thousand and back!
#freeasherbailey
Protecting You is a fantastic origin story to the Bailey Brothers series. Asher and Grace’s backstory is endearing, sweet, beautiful and absolutely heartbreaking.
Grace and Asher grew up together as best friends. When Grace comes home from college for the summer, they reconnect and realize that there is more to their story than being best friends. Just when they are on the brink of having everything they have ever wanted, tragedy strikes.
I already knew I loved Grace from the Miles brothers series, but now I’ve fallen completely in love with Asher and all of the Bailey brothers as well. This story will have you smiling from ear to ear one moment and then your heart will be on the floor in pieces the next. Thank goodness I don’t have to wait too long to find out what happens with Grace and Asher. I can’t wait for the continuation of their story and for each one of the Bailey brothers.
This origins story for new Bailey’s Brothers series is EVERYTHING! Protecting you sets the foundation for new series and is the story of young love that will have to overcome a heartbreaking adversity. We have met Grace previously in the Miles family series when she found her half siblings; and while it is not necessary to start with the Miles family, I would certainly recommend those amazing books.
In Protecting You we get a glimpse into Grace’s and Asher’s younger years and see the evolution of their childhood friendship into young love.
We get introductions to the five Bailey brothers, their Gram and learn about their upbringing; as well as their and Grace’s families dynamics and circumstances.
Claire Kingsley has an extraordinary gift for story telling; and Protecting You is an exciting promise for what’s to come. I can’t wait to see Grace’s and Asher’s love story to continue and look forward to visiting with old friends from Salishan Cellars; as well as getting to know a new cast of characters in the Bailey Brothers series.
#FreeAsherBailey