Every once in a while, you need to get away from it all.I was a woman on the edge, shaken and shattered after a breakup that felt like it tore my entire world apart.My best friend, sick of watching me drown in misery and melancholy, harassed me until I agreed to go with her on a week-long wilderness retreat. She promised days spent bonding and getting in touch with our inner badasses. It was … touch with our inner badasses. It was supposed to be all about the two of us roughing it and making do with the bare minimum. She assured me we were going to be pushed to our limits in ways that were unimaginable. Neither one of us could have ever guessed just how right she was.
Nowhere in the glossy brochure did it say anything about the fact I was going to have to battle the insufferable but deliciously rugged and sexy trail guide instead of the elements. The brochure also forgot to mention the part that warned when you left civilization behind, there was no place to pack your inhibitions and fears.
I was told that I would be facing a week where the only thing I should expect was the unexpected. However, no one mentioned that I was going to have to fight for my life…and my heart as soon as I ventured into the unknown.
I was a pro at hiding from my feelings but when it came time to face a real threat, one that could change everything, I learned I was more of a no surrender, no retreat kind of girl.
Retreat is a standalone novel, the first in the Getaway series which centers on the hardheaded and brokenhearted Warner brothers and the women that dare to love them.
These boys are very good at putting the wild in wilderness.
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The story line was way different than I thought but it was really good. I like the not quite a cowboy.
“Sometimes we get more than we asked for because we’ve settled for less for so long. When you pay your dues, you’re bound to be rewarded, eventually.”
“Destroyed, Sunshine. This is what it feels like to be destroyed.”
“I didn’t want the moments that mattered to get lost in the noise.”
So I actually read this one back in 2017, and I don’t have a lot of memories of it to share. I remember it had some very steamy sex scenes in it based on comments I wrote as I did my reading status updates on Goodreads, including a shower scene. I know I liked it, I gave it 4 stars. But I wish I remembered more to give a better review. I never got around to reading the rest of the series. I think that was partly because maybe I was late getting this read and posting anything about it? I also think 2017 was when I was getting really busy with blogging and also finally starting to get things in order.
Je me suis régalée avec ce premier tome que j’avais dans ma PAL depuis longtemps et que je n’avais pas encore découvert . Je n’avais lu pour le moment que le 4ème tome de cette saga en VO et je suis ravie de l’avoir enfin sortie de ma PAL personnelle. Une fois de plus Jay Crownover nous régaler avec une romance qu’on va adorer, qui se déroule dans un univers qui va nous happer et le caractère spécifique de notre héros ne pourra que nous donner envie de le connaître.
Cette saga va donc nous permettre de découvrir les frères Warner et nous commençons de manière assez logique par le plus âgé de tous, Cyrus. Il est à la tête des affaires familiales et a pris la relève de Boyd leur père quand ce dernier est tombé gravement malade. Cy est un homme assez insaisissable au premier abord. Il semble bourru, obtus et borné mais il nous envie de creuser et de découvrir ce qu’il nous cache. Il porte le poids de grandes responsabilités sur ses épaules mais on voit que c’est quelque chose qu’il aime faire tout comme faire tourner le ranch . Ce qu’il aime moins gérer est le côté arrivée de touristes très citadins qui viennent prendre un bol d’air dans la nature mais qui ne supportent pas d’être coupés de la civilisation. Il sourit peu et nous allons comprendre pourquoi quand nous découvrirons son passé. Il n’y a rien de simple et il ne veut plus s’ouvrir comme il l’a fait dans le passé. Passer un bon moment dans les bras et dans les draps d’une touriste de passage , ça il sait faire. Dès le début les tensions seront palpables avec notre héroïne et on va aussi vite comprendre pourquoi.
Il est évident qu’elle ne le laisse pas indifférent et il ne va pas prendre de gant pour s’adresser à elle. Les propos seront très durs aussi car elle va faire une remarque qui ne va pas lui plaire et lui fera penser qu’elle n’est qu’une citadine comme les autres. Or nous allons très vite comprendre et Cyrus aussi que Leo n’est pas comme les autres femmes. Elle a du répondant et elle ne va pas hésiter à pousser notre héros dans ses retranchements. Elle va lui prouver qu’elle sait surmonter ses peurs et qu’elle n’est pas en sucre. Au final, ils partagent de nombreux points communs ensemble ce qui pourrait les rapprocher mais il ne faut pas oublier que cette parenthèse dorée ne durera qu’une seule semaine. Au fil des pages, nous allons comprendre que Cy est bien le chef de famille, qu’il a à coeur de protéger ses frères ( Sutton et Lane que nous découvrirons dans les prochains tomes) , qu’il est fidèle , loyal et protecteur. Quand ces “vacances” vont prendre un virage à 360 degré , nous verrons aussi qu’il saura affronter avec sang froid les situations inattendues , explosives et dangereuses.
Leora Connor est une jeune femme qui doit réapprendre à vivre et à faire confiance. Elle a été trahie comme jamais elle ne l’a été et Chris aura laissé une trace indélébile dans sa vie. Après avoir tenté d’écarter tous ses proches de sa vie, elle a accepté de partir une semaine avec sa meilleure amie Emrys dans un ranch pour vivre une semaine hors du temps. A contre coeur , elle accepte mais cette semaine va effectivement bouleverser sa vie comme jamais. Elle va découvrir une nature sauvage mais aussi un homme qu’elle aura du mal à cerner. Ses compagnons d’aventure ont eux aussi une problématique différente de la sienne mais pas si éloignée que cela. Elle saura se “voir” en Meghan et elles saura aussi parler à coeur ouvert à Evan , une jeune adolescente en manque de reconnaissance. Il faut dire que son enfance n’a pas été douce car sa mère l’a très vite abandonné et c’est donc cet écho qui va résonner en elle quand Chris va la trahir. Elle n’a plus confiance en elle et la meilleure défense est effectivement l’attaque. Les premiers temps seront donc conflictuels avec Cy mais sous les étincelles se cachent une intensité autre que de la haine.
Au fil des jours, elle va affronter ses peurs, apprendre à surmonter ses difficultés et reprendre confiance en elle. Cette déconnexion sera bénéfique mais elle va révéler aussi d’autres aspects de sa vie. Elle va sans doute apprendre à lâcher prise et à profiter du bonheur aussi court soit il. La relation entre elle et Cy est une évidence mais pourra t-elle résister au temps. Cet homme semble être droit dans ses bottes de cowboy , il a les épaules assez solides pour affronter ce qu’ils vont devoir affronter mais qu’en sera t-il quand elle devra rentrer à la maison et retrouver une civilisation parfois étouffante. J’ai adoré la relation qu’elle a avec sa meilleure amie Emrys car cette dernière saura lui donner des coups de pieds aux fesses quand elle en aura besoin. Elle sera bienveillante à son égard et elle a clairement souffert de cette mise à l’écart inconsciente. Quand elles devront faire face à une épreuve aussi inattendue que tragique, l’amitié et l’amour seront mis à l’épreuve.
Bref, j’ai passé un excellent moment de lecture avec ce premier tome de la saga Getaway. Les bases sont posées , les personnages principaux sont présentés et nous avons hâte de découvrir l’histoire des autres frères Warner car ils nous promettent de vivre de nouvelles aventures et de faire palpiter nos coeurs. Jay Crownover nous emmène dans un nouvel univers et c’est un vrai régal.
4.5 stars! Amazing story! The depth, emotion, and passion blew me away. I loved the world the Jay Crownover created in her new Getaway series and am looking forward to reading more.
I really enjoyed Cyrus and Leo as a couple. Watching Leo go from scared city girl to a woman who’s not going to leave her friend and her man behind was awesome!
Cyrus is SO sexy as the not quite cowboy who’s been hurt so much he’s locked his heart away. The adventure and fast-paced nature of this book made it one of my favourites by Jay Crownover, and I definitely can’t wait to see what happens next.
Jay never disappoints
So I waited a long to time to read this book and I’m not entirely sure why since Ms. Crownover is a favorite of mine. Let me say she didn’t disappoint in this book. I loved Leo right off the bat absolutely loved her. Cy was actually harder for me but obviously turned himself around so that I loved him in the end too. Definitely a must read.
A broken heart can be a dangerous thing for a woman. It leads to all kinds of self doubt and retrospect that definitely should be avoided. For Leo – the reality that her boyfriend heaped upon her doorstep was far worse that she could have imagined. After all – it isn’t every day that one discovers that the man they are intimate with is actually married to someone else.
In an attempt to get Leo’s mind out of the dark places that it was lurking, Emrys books the pair on a weeklong excursion at a ranch. Wyoming was the backdrop to a girl’s week that should have provided Leo with the relief needed to forget all her troubles. The duo quickly discovered the owners of the ranch were far more captivating than any travel brochure. In fact – the Warner brothers were an unexpected treat to the eyes in more ways than one.
The backbone of the ranch quickly captured Leo’s attention. Cy was everything that Leo didn’t know she needed. The rugged cowboy has battled with the future than he never quite planned for himself. Throwing himself into making the ranch productive, Cy is determined to provide his brothers with a life that will support them well into the future. What Cy didn’t count on was a fiery red-haired beauty to come into his life in the most unexpected of ways.
No one on the ranch knew that this excursion would supply them with much more than they bargained for, a trip that no one would forget for the rest of their lives. With the Warner brothers working this trail, Leo and Emrys will quickly discover that this girls weekend would alter everything they believed about life.
What an great story!! I have to admit, I was slow on the draw when it came to reading a Jay Crownover book. Don’t get me wrong…..several of her stories have been holding up residence on my reader, and I just never seemed to have the time to dive into a ‘new to me’ author. Thank goodness that cover for Retreat kept calling my name because this is what enjoying a ‘journey’ is all about!!
The plot to this romance is a bit unconventional, and I think that is why I love it so much. Finding love is never ‘easy’ and that path that you lead to find ‘the one’ can be riddled with road blocks. Leo and Cy’s story is full of anticipation, heartache, and insanely intense chemistry. In fact – I found myself soaking up every single nuance that would lead these two on their road to redemption. With danger lurking beyond the mountains, no one will find themselves safe from the aftermath. The only thing that will hold the duo together is their trust and faith in the other. Retreat is one romance you don’t want to miss!!
Oh boy, so you ever kick yourself for waiting to start a series? Especially when it’s by one of your fave authors? Cy and Leo shouldn’t work. She’s only there for a short getaway and he’s grumpy and hot and not quite a cowboy….where was i going with this? Okay and they are both super blunt with honesty, super hot together. Leo must have a fantastic looking booty, as three different men comment on it hahaha. This has adventure, suspense, and a bit of heartbreak. It does have a happy ending, at least for these two.
“Everything that is precious and valuable is usually kept behind glass. It takes someone unafraid of the shards and the edges to break through that so that they can get to the treasure inside”
This right here is a testament to why I read. Wait….Let me back up….Retreat is my first foray into Ms. Crownover’s world and what a world to enter!!!
When you experience two complex characters such as Leora and Cyrus you know the author is going to take us on a journey of self discovery and if we are lucky, love. The author did just that; with the supporting characters: Lane, Sutton, Brynn and Emrys, Retreat was full of angst, heartbreak, suspense and most of all…..love.
I’ll leave you with this:
“It was time to be the Phoenix that rose from the ashes as something fierce and ferocious. It was time to fly because I was done sinking”
Read this book!
Reviewed by: Dana D.
I can’t say enough good things about this book. It’s a stand alone but I loved all three, I hope you continue with this series.
This was my first Jay Crownover book and I am happy to say I have found another author to read regularly. Leo is in a funk after a bad breakup and her best friend talks her into going on a wildness retreat with her. Em and Leo meet the cowboys who own the ranch and Leo promptly puts her foot in her mouth claiming they are not quite cowboys. Cy the oldest Warner brother is insulted so they are off to a rough start. What starts out as a simple week of camping and roughing it in the wild west turns into a fight for their lives.
Loved the characters and the author does a great job of working their back story into the book. This book has it all from suspense to romance. I finished Retreat and promptly jumped into book 2.
Wasn’t what I expected. I enjoy a well written ‘clean’ read. Didn’t make it through the first chapter.
I loved this book so much and re read it several times after my first read. This was a departure from Jay’s other series. This book was amazing I loved all the characters in this story, it’s suspenseful, I was on edge reading it and loved every word. Who knew that I would fall in love with the wilderness ( The Getaway series) Leo is so awesome heroine, she is flawled but recognizes it. Swoon for Cy (Cyrus) and his brothers too. This is an awesome start to a great series. I am a huge fan of Jay Crownover so I have read all her books. You will not regret reading this book.
Loved it !!!
The sparks really flew! These way Cy and Leo argue and banter is the best foreplay.
The journey to the ranch and week spent horseback in Wyoming was to be a week of bonding with her BFF, Emrys, and a time of healing her heart and self-confidence. Instead, she finds herself attracted to their fearless leader/guide. And the attraction is not one-sided.
Danger erupts and sends the Warmer brothers and their guests. Someone is sending a message. But things escalate and decisions are made that put them in even more danger. Lives are at stake. Hearts are falling.
When it all comes to an explosive ending, no one is the same. But Cy cannot imaginative a life without Leo. And Leo is dreaming of a quieter life in Wyoming, no longer her busy life in the Bay Area. Responsibility. Healing. Family. Friend. It weighs heavily on them both until…
I enjoyed this intense and danger-laden story! I can’t wait to get my hands on Shelter!!
When I first read that Jay Crownover had written a romantic suspense story set in the wilderness of Wyoming with a cowboy as her hero, I was excited to see how she utilized the western setting to create her kind of alpha male and the type of heroine it would take to knock him on his ass since dealing with complex terrains and tenacious animals is all in a day’s work for a cowboy. And even though the Warner brothers don’t have to deal with the types of problems found in Jay’s other stories, the situations that occur in Retreat prove that regardless of the location, Jay’s heroes know how to protect and claim who and what they consider theirs.
It’s amazing to me that Cy and Leo’s story only exists in a 7 day timeframe…that, that’s all it takes for all hell to break loose in the wilds of Sheridan, Wyoming, and for Cy and Leo to recognize that despite their not so stellar first impressions, the chemistry and desire that exists between them is not something they can deny, even though neither of them are looking for a relationship due to the heartbreak they’ve already felt at the hands of that thing called love.
Cyrus Warner is a complex man who is honest to a fault even though he’s a man of few words. He may not dress the part of a traditional cowboy but he sure knows how to fill out a pair of Levis. He’s definitely prickly when he meets Leo, and he tends to be hot/cold with just about everyone, but as the story progresses and Leo puts her snark in check, she as well as readers get to understand the type of man Cy is and the reasons behind his guardedness.
I have to admit that I would have loved to have some of the story told from Cy’s perspective, but I completely understand why it’s solely told from Leo’s point of view. She’s the one stepping outside of her comfort zone on this wilderness adventure with her best friend, and she’s the one who needs to learn to trust herself again and rebuild her confidence after it was destroyed by a man who turned out to be nothing like the man he seemed to be. It did take me awhile to warm up to Leo, but I think that was deliberate on Jay’s part. Jay wanted readers to understand just how off balance and damaged her ex left her in order to truly see the transformation Leo goes through when she learns to trust herself again and works to prove to herself and her best friend that she’s actually a fighter and worthy of being treated with respect and love.
Another aspect of Retreat that I loved was the secondary storylines that dealt with Cy’s brothers, Sutton and Lane. Jay Crownover does a great job of weaving their backgrounds and personalities into the main plot line, which makes readers eager to learn more about them, especially with what went down with Leo’s best friend, Emrys, and Sutton at the end of the story, leading into their story being told in book 2.
I adore the fact that Jay Crownover took a risk and wrote the kind of story her characters wanted her to tell because at the core of Retreat are the characteristics that readers have come to expect from her writing and even though there’s a different setting with a new kind of hero, the Warner brothers are still rough and rowdy and they definitely rule their piece of Sheridan, Wyoming.
4.5 Poison Apples
I don’t think there will ever be a book written by Jay Crownover that I won’t want to read and won’t enjoy… She has a way with words that pull you so deep into whatever story she made up in her mind, and make you enjoy it like you enjoy the first ray of sun after a long winter… her words melted me, this book enchanted me and pulled me in a world I never thought I’d enjoy, but one that I loved!
I loved the story of Leo and Cy, it’s a romantic suspense – there is danger and some really intense scenes, following by some heartbreaking ones, but there are some really hot, and then really romantic, soft, heartwarming scenes, as well. The two main characters are the doubtful ones: the past experiences taught them that love can hurt more than anything, and they wear protection around their hearts and walls that start crumbling down as the danger chases them. Leo is Cy’s sunshine, and he’s her raging fire that doesn’t burn her, but warms her heart.
It’s the perfect love story that is born in the harsh nature of Wild West, in the middle of the danger that you never dreamed of, and definitely is unexpected… and a little bit unwelcome. But heart doesn’t choose… not place, not time, and definitely not the person it falls in love with to be the right one and the easiest to win over. Jay Crownover wrote another epic and unforgettable love story. One of my favorite books of romantic suspense!
I never knew how Hot not quite cowboys were until now! Cy and Leo are intense. I love all the side characters too, and I can’t wait to dive into Sutton and Em’s book. Those two are breaking my heart.
I loved the wilderness portion of the book. It was a very enjoyable book.
Excellent! Love this author. Great characters. Can’t wait to read the next books about these brothers!