From New York Times bestselling author Gena Showalter comes another scorching Original Heartbreakers tale featuring an aloof bad boy and the rowdy Southern belle who rocks his world… no more than two months. No exceptions. When he gave up the big city for a small town, he hoped to escape the worst of his memories—until a brash beauty dredges up long-buried emotions.
A reformed party girl, Jessie Kay Dillon is determined to walk the straight and narrow. But her love-hate sizzle with West is just too irresistible. They can’t be near each other without tearing off their clothes, but the last thing she needs is to be his next two-month dump. Will she become the one exception? Because as any former girl-gone-wild knows: rules are made to be broken.
“Emotional, heart-tugging, kept me turning the pages!” —Carly Phillips, New York Times Bestselling Author
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When I first started this series I wasn’t sure what to expect. I’d only read Showalter’s paranormal romances up until this point. But I stumbled across her contemporary romance series and I was thrilled that I did. I love the sweet, small town feel of these romances. Being someone from the area she writes about certainly doesn’t hurt with the whole relatable characters thing either. I loved Lincoln and Jessie the first time they strolled onto the page and finally getting the chance to see them resolve their issues was a delight. I laughed. I cried. I cheered for the former mean girl to get her HEA. The Harder You Fall is a fun, quick, steamy read that I’d recommend to any of my romance loving friends.
The Harder You Fall is book three in The Original Heartbreakers series by Gena Showalter.
I’m just adoring this series and devouring the books one by one. I just love the hometown feel, the characters and what they go through, and last narrator Savannah Richards captures me from the moment I start listening to the very end.
In The Harder You Fall we have Jessie Kay Dillon and Lincoln West. Jessi Kay is Brook Lynn’s sister. We’ve gotten to know her as a party girl and Brook Lynn is constantly saving her. We also see that their is some type of hostility or is it chemistry; between Jessie and West. Lincoln West, the millionaire video-game creator. He moved to Strawberry Vale to help his friend out. He’s got some major issues; a dark past that’s filled with drug addiction, foster homes, and more. He’s never forgiven himself on what his best friend went through and what happened to his teenage girlfriend, so now he is punishing himself.
We finally get a better understand of Jessie Kay’s actions and why she did the things she did and we also get to understand West and his issues. We see that Jessie Kay is turning her life around and starting to value herself. She’s proving to her sister and herself that she can turn her life around and be good. She’s spontaneous, crazy, funny, and cares about her family and friends. I felt for her. As for West, well I’ve liked him since book one and couldn’t wait to see someone come along and help him out of his funk and get him to enjoy life. He needs a little life back in his life.
These two together where amazing. I loved their relationship and how it progressed. Jessie Kay just seemed to know how to help West get over his issues. They were made for each other and brought out the best in each other.
Audio: Savannah Richards is a wonderful narrator for this series. She brings out the heartfelt moments and channels the characters to perfection. I have no complaint’s. I’ve come to adore the audio’s and can’t see myself enjoying them in another way. I’m pulled in from the start to end.
The Harder You Fall is sexy, sweet, and tender in all the right places. I feel in love with this couple at the start and had a fun ride seeing them work through things and find happiness. Each book can be read as a stand alone, but I highly recommend in order, if not you will miss out on the character connections and how they all come together to have these amazing relationships.
Rated: 4 Stars
Jessie Kay’s story was the one I was most interested in reading her after meeting her in book 1 of the series. She’s got grit and attitude and her sassy personality is so over the top at time, but I can’t help but love her. Lincoln was the more quiet workaholic of the group so he was a mystery I couldn’t wait to unwrap. Gena Showalter did their story justice. It was humourous at times, yet passionate and emotional. I can’t get enough of Strawberry Valley!
This is the third book in the Original Heartbreakers series and you finally get to see Lincoln West and Jessie Kay Dillon deal with their issues. This book just had my emotions all over the place and I absolutely fell even more in love with these characters and finally getting an even deeper understanding of these characters was a truly beautiful experience. Gena Showalter just has a way with words and I can’t wait to read the next book in the series.
I normally really enjoy Gena Showalter’s books. I think because it was contemporary romance, I wasn’t all that into the bad boy, haunted by past mistakes theme and bad girl haunted by her past too. Maybe I can only handle one person having to grow up? Story writing was good.
Heart warming and all around great characters. It is the sign of a good author who can make you root for the former mean girl and make you believe that she really has learned the error of her ways.
Formulaic
Jessie Kay has been a wild child all her life. Always being the one night stand and never the girl that the guy stuck around for. She has finally decided to be the best sister ever for her sister Brook Lynn. To make up for all the trouble she caused and to make up for their parents dying, which she put the blame on herself.
West is a computer genius, recovering drug addict, schedule crazy, and OCD who has been his own judge, jury and executioner, because of his girlfriend dying and his best friend spending ten years in jail. He dates one woman two months out of the year. Then stays single the other ten months. He has done this for ten years and he tacked on five extra years for Tessa’s death.
Jessie Kay and West are attracted to each other but West will not break his own prison. West offers her the two months a year for five years but Jessie Kay wants forever. Can she break through his walls to the man she knows he can be?
I FREAKING LOVED THIS STORY!!! I love Jessie Kay! I laughed and wanted to cry for West and Jessie. Neither knew how great they were. Plenty of sexual tension. A crazy ex girlfriend. And best friends who stand by them. I believe this is my favorite one.