New York Times bestselling author Gena Showalter shines in this Original Heartbreakers tale, featuring a man haunted by memories and the vulnerable girl he will do anything to protect.
Tortured by a violent past, ex-con Jase Hollister is looking to start over in a small town. The rugged bachelor suffering from PTSD longs for peace and quiet, always keeping his women at a distance—and his heart … at a distance—and his heart encased in stone.
Brook Lynn Dillon is a down on her luck waitress determined to avoid the man every woman in town wants—including her sister. The last thing she needs is his kind of trouble. But his every glance makes her burn…and her resistance is melting fast.
The two agree to a one-time fling, not expecting to be forever branded. Now, no matter how hard they try, they can’t keep their hands off each other. But when a secret from Jase’s past comes to light, they’ll have to face a cold, hard truth: it’s more than Jase’s freedom on the line, it’s their hearts.
“Showalter writes fun, sexy characters you fall in love with!” —Lori Foster, New York Times bestselling author
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Gena Showalter is well know for her paranormal romances. I love her Lords of the Underworld series, but I’m also glad I picked up her contemporary romance to try. I feel in love with Strawberry Valley and it’s characters.
Jase Hollister has been out of prison for six months and is now trying to make a life for himself. His two best friends or bothers, have all come to Strawberry Valley to start fresh. All Jase wants is peace, quiet, and solitude. He bears some major scars from his time in prison and his past; before prison. He dons’t show this on the outside, but inside you see he’s scared and scarred.
Brook Lynn Dillon has lived in Strawberry Valley her entire life. Brook Lynn and her sister, Jessie Kay, have struggled to survive. Their past was wonderful until tragidy struck their family. Brook Lynn has and is working herself hard to support herself and her sister ,who is a loose party girl and besides all that she was treated unkind as a kid for her hearing ads.
To say Jase and Brook Lynn don’t have a good first meeting is an understatement and to make it worse he’s bedded her sister. As time moves on and they get to know each other, the chemistry between them sizzles. They both have issues and Jase doesn’t make it easy for anyone to get close.
These two where a lot of fun. The slow build in their romance was enduring and the sexual tension was off the charts. When these two finally get together, oh my, do the sparks fly. They had to work through their issues and fight for each other. Jase and Brook Lynn have some good exchanges which where funny and enjoyable to hear and that “to do” list was a great addition to the story. I had a taste of this “to do” list concept in the novella and loved it so much, I was hopping it would show up in the other books and it did.
I really like the small town feel of Strawberry Valley and the characters were so reminiscent of what people go through in life. All the different trials, issues, and tribulations. Life is not easy. It has it’s good moments and it’s bad. We must learn to deal, move on, and fight for those we love.
Audio Narration: Savannah Richards was wonderful. Her narration was enjoyable and she brought out each character, handling the different voices and genders splendidly. She also brought the slow burning romance alive and the emotional issues to life.
I’m hooked! I had a lot of fun with The Closer You Come. It’s sweet, emotional, fun, and sexy with a little bit of suspense. I plan on picking up the next book in audiobook for this series.
Rated: 4 Stars
Who said a bad boy had to stay bad and never could change his stripes? Well not me. This was one bad boy that turned on his head by a sweet little spitfire that made him see that the one could make it all worth it.
Jase Hollister served time for his crime. But was it really a crime or just plain justice. Brook Lynn Dillon was the responsible one. She took care of everything and everyone. Dragging her sister out of trouble yet again was not what she wanted to do yet again but being dumped in a pool was not on her list either. See how this all turns out good for both Jase and Brook Lynn.
This book was addictive and I couldn’t put it down. There were just too many good things about it to list, but I literally laughed out loud in parts and teared up in others. Jase was a very complex man with a complicated past. He came off hard and cold while his actions were thoughtful and kind. Brook Lynn was my favorite character. The way she would happily cook and clean for Jase and the boys while also not hesitating to speak her mind was the perfect balance. No one was going to walk all over her and yet she had a nativity that I found charming. I listened on audio and the narrator did a superb job.
A fantastic beginning to a new series.
This one tugged at my heart and made me laugh and cry, sometimes at pretty much the same time. I love how Brook Lynn and start counting and people jump to do what she wants or to stop acting badly. She’s gutsy, yet innocent at the same time.
I couldn’t put this book down. I can’t wait to read the next book in the series.
This is the second book in the Original Heartbreakers series and you get to see more of the characters that you fell in love with in The One You Want. This series has just got me hooked. I absolutely love these characters they just make you feel for them so much and what life has thrown at them it just breaks your heart. In this book you get to learn more about Jase Hollister and Brook Lynn Dillon and what I learned just made me fall more in love with them. I can’t wait to see the next set of characters that I love find their true love.
Exciting to read