Sparks ignite and tempers flare when a sexy, optimistic wedding planner moves his business in across the hall from a jilted, divorce lawyer’s practice.“Look smart ass. This is the last time I’m going to remind you about breaking sections of the lease. If there’s a next time, I won’t stop until you and your frilly, white wedding shit is thrown out of here. Do you got it?!”Wylde looked in Jacob’s … it?!”
Wylde looked in Jacob’s pained eyes and answered in his deep voice. “Yeah, counselor. I got it.”
From high school, up until he became a successful attorney Jacob Snowden was convinced that love had it out for him. “Everyone left,” were the words he lived by. His mother, his high school sweetheart, his father, and his fiancé, all left Jacob just when he felt it was safe to let down his guard. Not any longer. Jacob was a determined man, set at keeping people at a distance. If his six foot one, military-made body didn’t scare people off, his permanent scowl surely did. At almost forty, Jacob’s social life was non-existent, but he told himself his work fulfilled him. He helped people get out of their loveless marriages. Jacob Snowden was one of the best divorce lawyers on the east coast and was damn proud of it. So, imagine his disdain when a wedding planner moves into the suite directly adjacent to his… an insanely masculine, male wedding planner.
Wylde Sterling had made quite a name for himself in his hometown of Roanoke, Virginia, working for a wedding planner that catered to the elite. He was known for his charm and impeccable taste. Yep, he was incredible at giving couples the wedding of their dreams. But he wanted nothing more than to plan his own. After striking out in love more times than he cared to admit, Wylde decided to start his own business in a new city, hoping Richmond would give him a fresh start. Things started out wonderfully – until he started to piss off the angry divorce attorney next door.
Wylde could see past Jacob’s mean scowl, knowing there was a reason for it. It was the man’s defense mechanism, his means of keeping people away. Everything in Wylde told him to stay away, but he believed Jacob just needed to meet a man who had been hurt as badly as he had.
This title is a standalone that ends in an HEA
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This was a super sweet contemporary romance novel and I loved Wylde and Jacob! Their two different personalities kept things interesting and I just love when a grumpy man finds his love match. This book was funny, sweet, emotional, and sexy. I want more of these two!
This book was a favorite of the month. A wedding planner and a divorce lawyer in business offices across from each other ended up being so much more than I expected. Jacob and Wylde could not have been more perfect for one another. Jacob’s grumpy side covered so much pain and disappointment and Wylde’s cheerful nature but strong sense of self destroyed every defense he had built. Just wonderful!
This was such a wonderful story, and it spanned the whole spectrum of emotions. I really liked Jacob, and seeing so much of him. How he comes alive, and why he was so closed off. It’s probably been said many times, but I can’t help myself. I’m wild about Wylde.
4 Star Review The Secrets In My Scowl by A E Via
AUDIO REVIEW:
A E Via is a new author to me although I have listened to a number of books by narrator Tor Thom before. This was an entertaining book to listen to and had me smiling throughout. There were equal amounts of witty banter, love and romance between Jacob Snowden, a divorce attorney and Wylde Sterling, a wedding planner. I have to say when I read the blurb for this one it grabbed my attention and I was not disappointed.
Jacob and Wylde are total opposites and on paper should not work but in reality they complement each other. You cannot help but become invested in their story and the performance by Tor Thom certainly did justice to the characters.
The Secrets in My Scowl
By: A.E. Via
Narrated by: Tor Thom
Broody and a loner, Jacob has created his own monster. He was burned before and refuses to let himself feel. Top it off with being the best divorce attorney in the state, and he finds himself jaded when it comes to relationships. Wild has move his wedding planning boutique into the same building across of Jacob’s office. And when these two first meet, there is no way anything would ever develop between them. Until Wild sees Jacob. Really sees the man. This is a beautiful love story of hurt, deceit, and hopelessness that has the chance to be turned to love, trust and a bright future. I absolutely love the story line, the characters and the reasons for the scowl. A E Via brings out the emotional turmoil of young love and how it shapes our lives. This story is realistic and compassionate. Wild is unpredictable and funny, protective and loving, the total opposite of Jacob and it makes the story show just how love is found in the most unlikely places.
Tor Thom voices this one from his heart. Both characters are emotionally charged and he pulls out the feelings for each. He creates each one with a voice that fits the character, from the broody Jacob to the creative Wild. It’s heartfelt and sensitive, brought to life in a fantastic performance.
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**********Contains Spoilers**********
I really enjoyed this book. Jacob has had so much rejection and heartbreak that he pushes everyone away, apart from his friends with benefit Patrick who they have an arrangement that they meet, play a game of chess and have s*x and Patrick goes on his way until the next time Jacob has an itch that needs scratching. He’s fine until he doesn’t hear from Patrick straight away and he keeps on getting his voice mail, Patrick then shows up at his office so Jacob assumes that he’s there for their arrangement until Patrick tells him that he can’t do this anymore as he’s met someone and fallen in love but still wants to be friends. Jacob doesn’t take it well and is completely horrible to Patrick and only sees his own side in it and thinks that Patrick is just like everyone else and leaves him as well so they get into a fight and Patrick leaves. Jacob knows that he’s in the wrong and may have lost the only person who cares about him and he ends up getting completely drunk since he doesn’t drink and Wlyde ends up finding him standing by his car. Wlyde ends up taking Jacob home and Jacob blurts out in his drunk state that he thinks Wlyde smells really good.
Jacob is a really good divorce attorney, which doesn’t help with his stance of love and in trying to keep everyone at a distance and he’s basically a complete a*sehole to everyone, even if they don’t deserve it. It’s complete irony that Jacob’s new neighbour owns a wedding planning business, and Wylde pushes all the Jacob’s buttons right from their first encounter. Wlyde is exactly who Jacob needs as he isn’t put off by Jacob’s attitude and behaviour and he’s sees that he’s been hurt and is actually in need of love and doesn’t despise it as much as he says he does. It’s his defence mechanism as if no one is close to him, they don’t have a chance to hurt him.
I loved how Wlyde helps Jacob see that it’s not too late to apologise to Patrick and to get his friend back. I loved how even after hearing the news about his dad dying and knowing that he could really use Wlyde’s support to go home for the first time in over 20 years, he knows that Wlyde has the massive wedding that he’s been Planning which is an amazing opportunity for his new his business so he doesn’t tell him since he fully supports Wlyde’s dreams, he’s no longer selfish so it just goes to show how much Jacob has grown throughout this book. Wlyde knows that something is up with Jacob since he’s been a bit distant so decides to ring Jane, Jacob’s Receptionist and finds out that Jacob isn’t at work because his dad died so he had to go back home and Jacob could really use his love and support but didn’t want him to know due to the massive business opportunity of the Wedding he’s at so she’s really happy to give him all the information so he can go to the funeral and be a support system for him he’ll definitely need. I’d recommend this book and author to everyone.
I loved The Secrets in my Scowl. I love AE Via’s books and this is no exception. I really enjoyed the slow build of the story, really getting to know Jacob and Wylde. Their romance was so sweet, sexy, loving and adorable. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and definitely recommend it.
I love
A.E. Via nailed it again with a very heartwarming and emotional story of learning to trust and find love again.
Be prepared to pull an all-nighter, because they will pull you in and leaves you with no hope of sleep, but this book is so worth losing your sleep over.