Rex Gunner. As bitter as he is beautiful. The owner of the largest construction company in Gingham Lakes has been burned one too many times. His wife leaving him to raise their daughter was the last blow this single dad could take. The only woman he’ll let into his heart is his little girl. Rynna Dayne. As vulnerable as she is tempting. She ran from Gingham Lakes when she was seventeen. She swore … she was seventeen. She swore to herself she would never return. Then her grandmother passed away and left her the deed to the diner that she once loved.
When Rex meets his new neighbor, he knows he’s in trouble.
Will he hide behind his walls or will he take the chance . . .
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Show Me the Way (Fight for Me #1) by A.L. Jackson is an emotional contemporary romance told in first person, dual POV. It is the first in a series of interconnected standalones.
Eleven years ago, traumatic events had Rynna packing her bags and running from her hometown with plans never to return. When her grandmother passes, leaving her the deed to her diner, Rynna decides it’s time to finally come home. She’s determined to start over and refuses to allow the demons from her past to scare her away anymore.
When Rex meets his new neighbor, Rynna, he makes no attempt to conceal his irritation. She’s beautiful, friendly, and despite the attraction he feels, he wants nothing to do with her. He’s done with women. The only female he has room for in his life is his daughter, Frankie. He’s completely devoted to his little girl. But he’s having a hard time ignoring Rynna and the chemistry they share.
I enjoyed Rex and Rynna’s story. Overall, I liked them both as characters although I had some difficulty understanding why Rex omitted the truth about his situation. It was a bit shady on his part, and his motivations did not ring true. Even so, the push and pull between Rex and Rynna, and the mysterious undertones weaved throughout the story made this a very enjoyable read. It was sexy, suspenseful, sweet, and entertaining.
I’m a bit (okay, more than a bit) obsessed with Show Me The Way Rex and Rynna are among a favourite of mine. From the first time I read this book, I just fell in love with this amazing single dad story. SMTW has the perfect blend of angst, sorrow, vulnerability, suspense, steam, romance and drama. You just can’t resist how adorable Frankie Leigh is, how Rex is with his sweat pea Frankie Leigh, the undeniable chemistry between Rex and Rynna including the push and pull between them, and how Rynna and Frankie bonded with each other.
“You make me feel again, Rynna. You make me feel like every chance is one worth taking. Like you’re leading me out of the darkness that’s ruled my life. When I close my eyes, who I see is you. Show me the way, Rynna. Show me the way out of it. Fuck. Please, show me the way.”
A.L. Jackson creates such soul-crushing, gut-wrenching, heart-breaking backstories for her characters and interweaves the most emotional and tender love story peppered with hope, friendship, humor, love, sensual romance, and moments filled with magic, along with shocking surprises and twists you won’t see coming! You will instantly fall for Rex, Rynna, and cutie pie Sweat Pea Frankie Leigh. Show Me the Way is OUTSTANDING!
“You changed everything, Rynna. Where I found an end, you saw a beginning. You saved me. Called me from the shadows. You changed everything the day you walked into my life. You are my heart’s second chance.”
A.L. Jackson is my top MUST READ author and she has outdone herself with Show Me the Way. I cannot wait for the rest of the Fight for Me series: Follow Me Back and Lead Me Home.
Audio Review from Feb 2019
This story was so powerful and filled with ups and downs.
It’s interestingly connected also. AL Jackson out their two people through the ringer to find their forever.
I very much enjoyed this story!
I also loved how well written the a$$holes were! You just wanted to reach through your device and slap the crap out of them!!
Very well performed too!! The little girl stole my heart because she was brought to life so well by these talented performers ( Zachary Webber, Andi Arndt)
I was completely enamored with Show Me the Way by A.L. Jackson! It’s a second chance story with all the feels and a veil of suspense. Rex Gunner is a single dad with an energetic and adorable daughter. He has sworn off women after his heart was broken, first after losing his high school sweetheart and later when his wife walked out on him and their daughter.
Eleven years ago, Rynna Dayn ran away from Gingham Lakes after being humiliated and bullied. Now she is back to honor her grandmother’s wishes and to run Pepper’s Pie. She is not anymore the seventeen-year-old girl that left. Rynna is sweet, patient and falls in love with Rex’s daughter the minute she steps out from the grandma’s house.
At first, Rex is broody and harsh. Yet, he has the biggest heart. But the pull is there. And it was mesmerizing to see, amid the angst, how right they are for each other. They will have to face their past, in order to move forward. Fate will work and appear in mysterious ways.
One of the aspects I liked the most about Show Me the Way was the way A.L. Jackson interweaved the present and the past, building up the story until the end. Also, the way she introduced secondary characters was brilliant! And Rex’s daughter Frankie Leigh was simply cute.
Last, but not least, Zachary Webber as a narrator of the audiobook was pure perfection. And dreamy!
This is a wonderful story and I really Loved it.
Rynna and Rex’s romance is an emotional and tormented one,they both have their secrets in their past and they are both guarded.But Rex has more walls put up then Rynna as a single dad he has more than his heart he needs to protect,he has his daughter’s heart to protect also.
So no relationships were in his future until Rynna moves into the house across the street,and their attraction is instant but unwanted by Rex.
Rynna moves back to her hometown after leaving before her graduation after something horrible happened to her that she couldn’t bare to stay in that town,so left her grandma the only person she loved.Until her death brings her back to the Town that had so many haunting memories for her.
I could not put this story down page after page it held me captive as this story unfolded,it was so Amazing…and I could not get enough of A.L.Jackson’s words,they always grab me by the heart.
Show Me The Way is an irresistable read that I highly recommend it.
5 Stars
Small town second chance
I really love this authors work ! I love the emotive and descriptive style she uses to Write her stories !
Rynner has returned to her old home town after her grandma passed away and left her the house and pie restaurant. When she returns her Neighbour Rex steals her attention being a gorgeous single dad .
They both have pasta they are running from a d terrified of re living and their secrets can’t stay hidden.
While I enjoyed a lot of elements of this book there were times of the push and pull between rynner and Rex dragged on a little , and I kind of skipped ahead at times and then I found the climax of the story went so fast ! ….
There was some great chemistry between the main characters and some interesting side character in the town , so overall a good read and worth trying if
Your a fan of small town romances 🙂
I really enjoyed the buildup of the characters, the chemistry, the constant running into each other between Rex Gunner and Rynna Dayne.
Rex is a grumpy, bitter single father with his own set of secrets and doesn’t let anyone close to him except his best friends Ollie and Kyle.
Rynna returns home to the diner and home she inherited from her grandmother upon her death. Rynna has secrets and bad memories of her time living in town, but she has come home to make a new life.
Until Rynna runs into her HS nemesis, who also plays a huge role in Rex’s life.
There’s a lot of drama, danger, and sex. There’s a cute little girl named Frankie Leigh who steals Rynna’s heart, but also puts Rynna in danger. And just when you think things have settled down, the drama, deception and anxiety kicks back up.
Just open your eyes. Sammy, is ready to get into a relationship. He thinks the problem is him, he’s not enough or handsome enough. He is ready to actively take responsibility for his loneliness and change his status. Ron, was tending bar when Sammy walked in. They got to talking and the seeds of a friendship were started. Ron, becomes a relationship guide, a mentor a friend. Their walk down friendship relationship lane is fun. Will their friendship morph into anything deeper? Will Sammy get his first physical relationship? Will Ron speak up? Nice read. Ron and Sammy are really well developed and nice. Good story. Well done! I received an ARC and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I love everything about this book. The plot, the conversations from the beginning till the last word on the last page. Show Me the Way is a book that I’ll remember and I’ll recommend it to my reader friends. AL Jackson is another author that I just add to my list of one clicked authors. I love her writing style, her stories are uplifting, they feel real and they put me in a good mood. Phenomenal story.
A.L. Jackson surely knows how to write beautiful, captivating stories that make your heart race.
Show Me the Way was no different. I was hooked from the first page. The story follows Rex, a single dad to amazing little girl named Frankie Leigh, and Rynna, a girl who came back to town when her grandma passed away (you’ll have to read the book to find out what has happened to make her leave town).
Both Rex and Rynna have been hurt in the past and it’s amazing to see how the story evolves, to watch these two characters slowly fall in love, no matter how much Rex was trying to resists. That Rynna is a persisting one, and slowly breaks down his wall brick by brick.
This book is intense, touching and emotional, a journey of two people who are given a second chance to find love and happiness.
I thought the narration for this audiobook was great. Initially I was caught up in the story. The pain and embarrassment Rynna endured as a teenager was cringe worthy. I knew it was bad, but it wasn’t detailed at the beginning of the book. When it finally was, I hurt for her.
I liked Rex and his daughter was sweet. I understood Rex’s lack of trust for women, but rudeness just plain irritates me. One of the secrets Rex held on to didn’t make much sense to me as to why he had to be so rude. I have to admire Ryanna’s strength and persistence for dealing with Rex until some of his walls started to come down.
I was surprised that as traumatic as that experience was for Ryanna, that she didn’t seek counseling. Maybe she did and I missed it. But for her to be that traumatized by seeing these people ten years later, says a lot.
A couple of things bothered me about this book. Both Rex and Ryanna had pertinent information that they held on to and didn’t share with each other. I mean, if you are baring your soul to someone, the information that was held back by both of them seemed to be kind of insignificant.
It was a good read. It took me on a rollercoaster ride of emotions. I liked both characters. I liked the way they interacted with Rex’s daughter. At some points in the book, I was completely irritated with both of them. After Rex’s surprise showed up at the door, I was so done with both Rex and Ryanna, I wanted to toss my phone across the room. I could only think they were both idiots, allowing themselves to be manipulated AGAIN.
There was also a nice amount of suspense in this book. Overall, I would give it a 4, for Rex’s daughter, a good deal of the story, and the narration. I also liked the secondary characters in the book. It lost a point for me because of some of Rex’s and Ryanna’s behavior, which was just idiotic. I plan on reading or listening to book 2.
Hot, emotional and awesome pretty much sums up this book. I loved Rex and Rynna. Just wow!
What a great story. I loved the characters, both having their secrets and past. How their past is so connected and comes to a happy every after. The story was well written, some steamy passages and passion.
I could not put this book down —–EXCELLENT!!!
Audio Review:
Show Me the Way (Fight for Me, Book 1) is a beautiful lovestory with compelling characters that exuberate complex personalities. I loved the writing style arrangement. Rynna Dayne’s talks with her grandmother were some of my favourite moments in this book. In amidst the romance is angst, drama, heartbreak, and turmoil trickling through the pages. A dual pov story that is entertaining with unexpected twists swirling around the pages.
Narrators Zachary Webber, Andi Arndt duet narration was seamless and smooth. I felt all the right emotions and angst. Zachary Webber is one of my favourite narators and his performance was highly addictive.
I loved this book. The story and the characters. Rex was a major jerk at the start of the story and I certainly felt like giving him a good punch. But you could also see what a good father he was and a generally good person. He was wrecked by his past and that’s what made him that way. Rynna was great. She had her own issues but she kept her grammas advice close and chose to fight for Rex and Frankie. This was an over all cute book, author didn’t give us all the backstory right away we got bits and pieces throughout the book until we got to the big picture. There was a bit of angst but not over the top. All in all a great read and will definitely read more by this author.
This single dad romance is such a heartbreaking, touching story that I absolutely loved. I love the twists that A.L. Jackson throws into her books, and needless to say, this one totally threw me through a loop. Highly recommended 🙂
I had the pleasure of listening audible version of Show Me The Way. It was a beautiful story with characters you can’t help but fall in love with.
Rex has been lost for a long time, always feeling that it is his fault for everyone leaving but he does have one bright light in his life, his daughter, Frankie Leigh. She is a three year old sweet young girl full of energy. She gives his life purpose and keeps his protective side always on alert, because he is always fearful of something happening to her too.
After her grandmother’s death, Rynna has returned to the place she grew up, her grandmother’s home and the restaurant she loved. She loved her grandmother but stayed away for years because of how she was treated by the mean girl and her possy. Now, she is returning to so many heartwarming memories that revolved around her grandmother but she also has so memories that she would rather forget.
Fate has put Rex and Rynna in each other’s lives for a reason. They both need the other to heal from the pain of the past. Is it an easy road, no, but so worth it in the end.
Before I even begin this review, I need to start by saying: going through a dry patch in books is R-O-U-G-H. Before this one, I was reading another book that I couldn’t even finish. I was so thrown off by it the I didn’t even write a review because it was so difficult to read. Before that one was my previous review, and that book was also a big disappointment. It seemed like no matter where I went, I couldn’t find a good, decent story. Until I met Rynna and Rex. Holy CRAAAAP ladies. If you don’t fall for Rex in the first thirty seconds you meet him, maybe you need to get checked out? He’s a total babe. The chemistry in this novel is unreal; it’s fate, it’s love at first sight, it’s meant-to-be. It’s everything.
“You are more beautiful than the sun breaking the day. Believe me. This morning, I had the privilege of watching them both, and I didn’t want to stop. Little Thief, what am I going to do with you?”
I’m not lying when I say Rex is a dream!! If that line didn’t make you swoon, something is up. Anyway, this novel is a wild ride. Both our leads have past issues, baggage, that they have been carrying for years. It’s only when they meet each other and fall in love, that they realize they can share the burden and it doesn’t have to weigh so heavily on their shoulders. Our leading man, Rex, lost his first love (which you find out about halfway through the novel), then his wife left him, and now he thinks anything he loves, leaves. Makes sense, right? I mean, Payton thought the same thing in One Tree Hill. When you’ve experienced enough trauma, anything seems possible. The thing is…Rynna loves him. From the moment she sees him. And she never leaves. Even when his lies come back and almost cause her death, she still loves him beyond reproach. And OH MAN, is it beautiful.
Rynna has a looooot of issues. She was bullied and abused in high school, and the experience left her with some serious scars. She leaves her hometown only to return eleven years later in the wake of her grandmothers death. Her grandmother raised her, so it’s a very upsetting time for Rynna. She moves into her old house and, as it turns out, a very handsome man and his darling little girl live next door. So our love story begins!
Give this story a chance, my friends. The sex is HOT and the romance is passionate. Everything a sweet, wistful adventure should be!
“You are my heart’s second chance.”