Review: Rocco (Reed Security #21) by Giulia Lagomarsino

Title: Rocco

Series: Reed Security #21

Author: Giulia Lagomarsino

Release Date: March 16, 2020

Published By: Independent

Category: Contemporary – Romance – Suspense – Action – Military

Type: Digital – Paperback

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Giulia Lagomarsino Website

Rating:

Heat: 

Blurb: 

Rocco is number twenty-one in the Reed Security series, and it is suggested they be read in order.


Rocco has his world all wrapped up in a neat package. He has a job that he loves and his daughter, the best thing that's ever happened to him. And he has his rules. These rules keep the order and balance in his life and the women where they should be. But he never counted on Brooke, and she's about to turn his world upside down.
Brooke never had the typical love life. She tried to have it all, but there was always something that held her back from committing. Until Gary. Gary was...not really important. But being with him led her to Rocco in the most unusual way, and now she's about to find out all about his rulebook.

 By reading any further, you are stating that you are at least 18 years of age.

If you are under the age of 18, please exit this site.

Favorite Lines:

Rules for Sexual Encounters:

“You were serious? You actually have a rulebook?”  ~  Brooke

“Whatever you decide, I’m all in. I could never walk away from you and be happy. You’re it for me.”  ~  Rocco

Excerpt:

          I caught movement out of the corner of my eye and discreetly pulled my weapon, keeping it out of sight from anyone else. Glancing over my shoulder into my truck, I saw a figure sitting in there, as if he fucking belonged. Ever so casually, I opened the door and slid in, pointing my weapon directly at- Holy fucking shit. He was a she. I faltered, not able to speak as I stared at the woman before me. Talk about a knock out. She had long, dark brown hair that hung in waves around her shoulder. Waves, yeah, that’s right, fucking waves. And I was noticing. Normally, I couldn’t give two shits what a woman’s hair looked like, let alone her face. As long as she had a nice body and was willing, that was all I really required. 
          But this woman, damn. She was a man-eater, that was for sure. I could see the way she was glaring at me, as if I had done something to offend her in my own fucking truck. Those deep blue eyes seemed to impale my chest, making it difficult to breathe, let alone think. And she had this cute button nose that was slightly upturned. I wanted to reach out and push on it, just to see her wrinkle her nose at me. 
          Jesus Fucking Christ, what the fuck are you talking about? Button nose and eyes impaling my chest? Get it together, dickhead. She is the enemy. She snuck into your truck and now she’s holding a fucking bat on you. Something you now just realized because you were too busy being fucking mesmerized by her! 
          I cleared my throat and tightened my grip on my gun that seemed to go lax in my hands over the last few seconds. “You want to tell my why you’re sitting in my fucking truck with a bat?”
          “I need to get out of here, and you’re going to take me wherever I need to go.”
          I quirked an eyebrow and would have started laughing if not for the evil-as-shit look on her face. “And why would I do that?”
          I could see the flicker in her eyes. She was going to try and take my weapon. I’m not sure why I did it, or what possessed me to be such a fucking idiot, but I fucking let her take it from me. Call it curiosity or maybe it was just the general burning in the area of my dick that had me allowing that shit to happen. Because I wanted this woman right now, and I was willing to see how far she would go, and what I could get out of it. 
          In a flash, she knocked my gun to the side. I almost rolled my eyes at myself as I let my fingers slip from the gun. I had to do most of the work for her. Her hit packed a lot of punch, but was in no way hard enough to actually knock the gun from my hand. I pretended to fumble, and even pretended I was slow enough to allow her to get to my gun before me. Shit, my acting was bad, but for some reason, she ate it up, grinning at me like she had just won first prize at the county fair. 
          “Wow,” she exclaimed. “I can’t believe that worked.”She flipped the gun around on me, pointing it at me with just a little too much ease. She obviously had at least a little training with a gun. At least she wouldn’t fucking shoot me, I hoped. 
          “Yeah, you really got me.”
          “Drive.”
          “And where are we going?”
          I heard sirens in the distance and her gaze flicked outside, scanning the area. “Just fucking drive!”
          “Alright, alright. Although, if you don’t want someone to call the police, I would recommend lowering the gun.”
          She snorted. “Yeah, so you can try and get it away from me? I don’t think so.”
          I sighed and put the truck in drive, pulling out slowly into traffic. Stopping at the next stop light, I looked over to see the man next to me, eyes wide and fumbling with his phone. 
          “Sweets, you might want to lower the gun. The natives are getting fucking scared.”
          She looked out the window and quickly lowered her weapon, finger-waving at the man next to us. He looked at us in confusion and I gave a little two finger wave of my own from where my wrist was resting on the steering wheel. He peeled out as soon as the light turned green and I sighed. Well, I suppose that could have gone better. 
          “Take the highway,” she said, pointing the gun at the road that would lead out of town. 
          “And where exactly are we taking this road?”
          “Anywhere,” she said quietly. “I just need to get out of here.”
          “And why is that?”
          She glared at me, leveling the gun at me once again. I bristled in irritation. Why the fuck I had let her take my gun, I had no fucking clue. Not that I couldn’t get it back in an instant, but it pissed me off that I had handed over control to this woman. 
          “You just shut up and drive.”
          So, I did. I’m not sure why. I didn’t seem to be sure of a whole hell of a lot right now. All I knew was that my dick liked her, and maybe there was a blowjob at the end of this very strange, fucked up rainbow. A man could dream. 
          We drove for the better part of an hour with her muttering in the other seat about stupid men and their beards. I couldn’t believe that all this was over some fucking idiot with a beard. This woman had gone psycho. She had ‘kidnapped’me and was using me as her hostage, to take her wherever she wanted to go. And I willingly went along for the ride, all so I could get my dick wet. 
          “So,” I said casually, hoping to get her to open up just a little. “What’s your name?”
          She hesitated for just a moment, like she was trying to think up a good name to use. “Bethany.”
          “Bethany,” I repeated unbelievably. “Right. I would have pegged you for a Skye or something.”
          “Skye? How the hell do I look like a Skye?” she snapped. 
          “Shit, I don’t know. You don’t have to bite my head off.”
          “Whatever. What’s your name? I’m sure it’s something really cliché like Butch or Grinder.”She snorted and I looked over at her in confusion. 
          “Why would you think my name is Butch or Grinder?”
          “Because, you look like the quintessential biker, besides the cut. What’s wrong? Lost your biker gang?”
          “I’m not in an MC. In fact, I’ve never been on a motorcycle.”
          “Yeah, right,” she snorted. “And I’m a virgin.”
          Now it was my turn to snort, which only earned me a glare. “Why would you think I’m a biker?”
          “Because you have all those tattoos and you’re all muscley, and you just look like someone I wouldn’t want to meet in a dark alley.”
          “Right, because only bikers are men that you wouldn’t want to meet in a dark alley. Do you actually know any bikers?”
          “Just one,” she said irritatedly. “But he doesn’t really look like a biker. But he is someone that I wouldn’t want to meet in a dark alley.”
          “Know a lot of those men, do you?”
          “Whatever. I’m probably totally misreading you. You probably spend all your time in the gym, but you’re one of those guys that can’t actually throw a punch. I mean, I should have known. I did take your gun from you.”
          I nodded solemnly. “Yeah, you’re right. That’s me. Just a gym rat that can’t throw a punch. Maybe you could show me the next time we stop for gas.”
          “So, now that we’ve cleared that up, what’s your name?”
          “Sam,” I said without a second thought.

Highlight:

          Knight left a few minutes later after giving me a hard glare, and Rocco and I made our way back inside. 
          “He really doesn’t like me.”
          “He doesn’t like anyone,”Rocco said, pulling a bottle of water out of his fridge. 
          “Yeah, but he really doesn’t like me.”
          “Not true. If he really didn’t like you, he’d just shoot you. And since you’re still standing, I’m guessing that it’s something you could overcome eventually.”
          “Whew,” I mocked, pretending to be really concerned. “Because I was really worried about him actually shooting me.”
          Rocco walked away, leaving me alone in the kitchen. I had the feeling that all of these guys had that side to them, where they could just walk away and not give a shit what you thought. There were no social niceties that I could see, and maybe they preferred it that way. They seemed to be a close-knit family that didn’t invite others into their realm. Well, they had sort of invited me, but it was a very limited invitation and only because of Reese. 
          Rocco returned a few minutes later and handed me a stack of papers that could only be one thing. His rule book. He handed it over with a raised eyebrow, as he expected me to challenge him. It wasn’t like I really could. I was living at his mercy right now. And while I didn’t think he would actually go to the judge and have me kicked out of his house, I wasn’t really willing to test that theory out right now. That is, until I read the damn document. 
          Snatching the papers out of his hands, I started to read. 
          “Rule One…”
          I paused and looked up at him. “You know, you’re very original with your rulebooks.” He didn’t say anything, so I continued. 
          “You will not go near my daughter at any time.”
          I arched an eyebrow at him. “Not that this is a problem for me, you know I don’t like kids, but seriously? I can’t go by her at any time?”
          “Not without me present, and only with my permission.”
          “What are you going to do when she goes off to school and has to interact with other people?”
          “She’s not going to school. We have our own school here. She’ll never come in contact with someone I don’t approve of.”
          “So, what you’re saying is that you’re going to pick out her boyfriends and decide who she can sleep with. Are you going to take them for a test run to make sure they’re good in bed too?”
          His jaw clenched, but he didn’t say anything, so I continued. 
          “Rule Two: You will at no time enter my bedroom unless you have a strict invitation from me. If I do invite you, refer back to the first rule book for further instruction.”
          “Wow, such a charmer. I already feel like there’s something magical brewing between us.”
          “There is nothing between us and there never will be. I’m doing you a favor because my boss is making me. Don’t go making shit up in your head.”
          “Like what?”I asked as innocently as possible. 
          “Like that I’ve come to the rescue and I’m here to save you.”
          I tilted my head to the side and gave a small smile, dying inside at the fact that I was about to freak him the fuck out. “But you already did save me. If you hadn’t offered up your home to me, I would be in prison right now. You’re literally my savior.”
          I saw him swallow hard as I approached. He backed up a step and shoved the papers back in my face. “Just finish reading the damn rules.”
          I laughed a little before finding the next rule on the sheet. 
          “Rule Three: All girly shit will be stored in bins under the sink. Only toothbrushes are allowed on the counter.”
          “But we don’t even use the same bathroom.”
          “I don’t care. This is my house and I don’t want to see it out. First it’s the countertops and then it’s shit laying around in my living room. It’s best if we just get this shit straight now.”
          “Sure. I can do that. I can keep my…girly shit…out of your way.”
          Although I was already thinking of how I could leave drying bras and panties hanging around for him to find. 
          “Rule Four: You must use your own bathroom at all times.”
          “Rule Five: If it’s that time of the month, I will NOT be making any midnight runs for chocolate or tampons. If you run out, you’ll just have to sit on the fucking toilet.”
          “I hope that you don’t get like this for your daughter. You do realize that at some point she’s going to need tampons too. And you’re going to have to be the one to buy them.”
          “There are other women here for that.”
          “Right, and you’re going to allow them to have the talk with your daughter? You’ll allow someone else to tell her all about sex and what to do? Because women can be very…graphic.”
          He snatched the papers out of my hands and grabbed a pen off the counter, scribbling in something else. When he handed it back, I almost burst out laughing. 
          “No sex talks with Evie. Um…I’m pretty sure that she won’t be old enough for that kind of talk before I leave.”
          “Doesn’t hurt to be prepared.”
          I threw the papers down on the table and walked away. 
          “Where are you going?” he shouted after me. 
          I spun around to face him. “Look, while I’m sure you put a lot of effort into making your damn rulebook, it’s a little too much for one sitting. Go do your man thing, and I’ll stay out of your way.”
          I walked into my room and slammed the door. Men could be such asses.

Review: 

Brooke is a passionate being. She’s also quite understanding. So when she walks in on her boyfriend in the middle of a BDSM scene with another man in their home that she literally JUST moved into with him, she doesn’t immediately freak out. But when he confesses to using her as a cover, the passion ignites and she does some damage with a baseball bat. Fearing jail, she runs and ends up taking a hostage and his vehicle to get away. What she doesn’t realize is that the sinfully sexy guy she absconds with is Rocco of Reed Security. Neither provides their real identity so she also can’t tell him her connection to the security company. When they end up in custody, Brooke is forced to live under house arrest with Rocco for a full year. The guy that rocked her world. The guy that has rules for everything – including hookups. The guy that has a toddler. And consequently a new set of rules concerning the little tyke as well. But Rocco is better than jail and Brooke decides she’s going to have an enormous amount of fun both enforcing and breaking every…single…one…of…the…rules.

Rocco is completely perplexed by Brooke. She’s never acting as he expects, constantly throwing him off guard. He’s a carefully planned man and has rules for everything. It keeps things simple and straightforward. With a young daughter to think about and a highly dangerous job, he can’t afford distractions. But Brooke is a level of crazy he never knew he would crave like a drug. She stands for the complete opposite of everything he holds sacred. She doesn’t like kids, she has no stable employment, no retirement or insurance, and holds a devastating secret that could mean the end of any shot they might have at happiness together. But Rocco’s ways aren’t necessarily the right path either and while his carefully constructed life may have seemed like the way to go, once he and Brooke realize they have more than just fantastic sex together, he also eventually sees that he's got to bend as well. But will he bend in time to save their delicate relationship, or will the dangers of his profession bring everything to a screeching halt before they have a chance to see where this love could lead?

Good Lord! I have never read any of the Reed Security series before. Given that this is the 21^st book in the series – You heard me right. Twenty-first! I have no idea how I have not stumbled across these books before. I may have started at 21, but dang, am I happy with it! I can only imagine how great the other books in the series are. Thinking about reading twenty of them to get caught up is a bit daunting, but also thrilling. I mean, how often do you come across a book that you not only enjoy, but find out has so much more to offer with so many other books before it? And that’s not even counting the next two books I am aware of that take place after ROCCO. Good grief! All of these mouth-watering special ops guys who now work for an elite security firm? Yes, please! I was able to obtain a copy of this book when I hosted a tour for it on my blog. I have to admit that the blurb hooked me immediately. I mean a hot man with all of Rocco’s talents and skill, with a daughter, and a rule book for sex? I had to find out more and I was not disappointed. It was hilarious to see this man thrust these rules that make his life uncomplicated toward a woman who is nothing but complication. And her way of testing him at every turn and challenging those rules? Priceless. But Rocco wasn’t the only one thrown for a loop. Brooke, self-proclaimed anti mother material ends up making a huge turn around where Evie is concerned as well. And while the little darling is only a portion of Brooke’s transformation, and definitely a scene-stealer (mostly because of how great Rocco interacts with her), Brooke ends up “domesticated” as Knight would put it. Overall this is a story of give and take, push and pull; making allowances when you love someone, no matter how far outside of your comfort zone it might throw you. And if you are lucky, you’ll find true happiness in a place you never could have thought it would ever exist. Initially, the book started out with a whole lot of crazy and a side of hot mess, but eventually, things began to even out a bit and make sense as you get to know and understand the characters more. Admittedly, these guys would all have to have just a bit of crazy to carry out the jobs they do, so it all works.

Having never immersed myself within the world of Reed Security before, I was a bit overwhelmed by all of the other team members. There were a crap ton of them. But after some time, they began to take shape and before too long, the camaraderie within this tight fold of skilled warriors had effectively drawn me in and left me thoroughly entertained. The heavy banter from one member to another was a joy to experience and even in the face of some horrific situations, they still maintained some levity – their love, loyalty, and trust for one another never in question. Once they discover Rocco seems to have willingly put himself in a predicament so far out of character and with a woman to boot, they all knew there was something special about Brooke. And the ribbing began. The married men provided advice. It was worthless crap but given in good intentions. The single men saluted to the end of an era and the Captain somehow always had a hand in every little detail that seemed to occur. Knight, also, was a trip. I couldn’t figure him out initially and wondered at his motivation. But it wasn’t long before his intentions were made clear and that my preliminary hesitation toward him was completely unnecessary. I can’t say I have many complaints with this book. Sure, Rocco going along with Brooke from the beginning was a bit far-fetched, but he did a good enough job of explaining his curiosity that I bought into it. So no big deal. But I was a tiny bit disappointed in their sexual chemistry. The times at the motel were hard and hot. But after they moved in together each time was almost anti-climactic. We were led to believe that it was just as explosive as the first time but the descriptions waned quite a bit afterward. Considering that both claimed to want to keep things down and dirty and avoid that “love making shit”, I was surprised at the lack of detail. There was one scene that really tugged when Brooke and Rocco are talking about a future and Brooke’s plans after house arrest is over. It’s glaringly clear on just how differently they think about things and at one point Brooke says, “Well maybe I don’t fit. Did you ever think of that?” I had the worst tingles when she said that - like it was the beginning of the end for them. With Brooke running through life pretty much care-free and Rocco having the career plan, they looked as if they’d found an impassable blockade. But, true to form, Brooke surprises him again and tries to see things his way and he eventually understands her point after a bit of an ass-kicking from his team. Given the constantly changing POV switch between Brooke and Rocco, and the reasons for their specific outlooks on life, this aspect of the book was a nice addition. I liked that there was a depth provided to each of them by allowing a picking of their thought process as events unfolded.

Make no mistake, these are a bunch of rough around the edges, hardcore guys with passion and language to match. If you gravitate towards sweet romance, this isn’t the book (and probably not the series) for you. And don’t get me started on Knight and his mad IT skills. Killer robots in Evie’s room? Check. Laser beams, tear gas, and floor shocks? Check. There is just so much to this book and I can’t wait to sink my teeth into the rest of this series. I am assuming it would be best to start at the beginning. With all of the secondary characters introduced to me in this book alone, I would agree that it probably would be a good decision to start with the first book in the series. However, I also enjoyed my time immensely, so if you want to check his book out to check for compatibility, I don’t think you would have any issues reading ROCCO first. Although, you might also be left with a worse problem … having twenty other books to read when you discover how fantastic this book is. LOL But then you would also have the chance to read ROCCO all over again when you work your way back around to it. That’s a bonus. No matter if you decide to start with the first book, or this book, Ms. Lagomarsino and the Reed Security series is not to be missed.

Kindle version provided by Xpresso Book Tours/Author in exchange for an honest review.

Cover Reveal: Hasty (Do-Over Series #4) by Julia Kent

**Hasty by Julia Kent**

Good Morning, Everyone! So thrilled to see you all today! A while back ago I featured this talented author and a different release for this same series. I have read Feisty, the 3^rd book in the series and really enjouyed it. I will be getting to Fluffy, the 1^st book in the series soon. Today this author is back to tell us all about a new book in the series which will be available soon. Please allow me to once again feature on the blog Julia Kent and her upcoming release, HASTY … Plus a cover reveal! 😊

**JULIA KENT**

**BIO**

New York Times and USA Today Bestselling Author Julia Kent writes romantic comedy with an edge. From billionaires to BBWs to new adult rock stars, Julia finds a sensual, goofy joy in every contemporary romance she writes. Unlike Shannon from Shopping for a Billionaire, she did not meet her husband after dropping her phone in a men's room toilet (and he isn't a billionaire). She lives in New England with her husband and three sons in a household where the toilet seat is never, ever, down.

 To find out more about Ms. Kent, please visit:

         

         

**HASTY**

Release Date: July 28^th, 2020

Series: Do-Over Series #4
Genres: Adult, Romance, Comedy

**BLURB**

AN ALL-NEW STANDALONE FROM NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLING AUTHOR JULIA KENT

I never thought my perp walk would lead to true love.

Then again, I never thought I’d be arrested on RICO charges and hauled away in zip ties on camera for the world to see, minutes after closing the most amazing deal of my career.

And all of it in front of my biggest viral, billionaire wunderkind Ian McRory.

I am broke.

I am disgraced.

I am alone.

I am a sucker.

But the worst part? I have to go back to my hometown and live in my bedroom filled with relics from my childhood.

Lisa Frank never made me so mad before.

Just when I needed a rescue, I got one — in the form of help from my biggest rival.

He can’t bring back my money.

He certainly can’t bring back my reputation or my pride.

But there’s one thing he can bring back to me.

A sense of hope.

Maybe even love.

Ian sees something in me no one else does, and he’s relentless about making me see it, too. As we grow closer, I’m starting to see that while my entire life used to be a lie, the truth is staring me in the present — and it’s a truth I like very, very much, hot eyes and gorgeous smile and all.

But I have to be careful.

I can’t be too —

That’s right.

Hasty.

The final book in the USA Today bestselling Do-Over Series (Fluffy, Perky, Feisty), as Mallory’s sister, Hastings “Hasty” Monahan gets her turn at a happily ever after that starts off with an arrest.

Hers.

Pre-Order Links

      

   

**COVER REVEAL**

So what do you all think? I’d love to read your thoughts!

Thanks so much for joining us today!

HAPPY READING!!!

Review: The Plan (Creek Water Series #3) by Whitney Dineen

Title: The Plan

Series: Creek Water Series #3

Author: Whitney Dineen

Release Date: March 10, 2020

Published By: Author

Category: Contemporary – Romance – Rock Star – Sweet

Type: Digital – Paperback

Click Here To Buy Now!

Whitney Dineen Website

Rating:

Heat:

Blurb: 

Bead shop owner Amelia Frothingham has been keeping a secret from everyone she knows.

She pretends to be the ultimate care-free bohemian chick, but the truth is, she’s the world’s biggest control freak. Much to the delight of her Southern family, Amelia’s life appears to be smooth sailing. That is, until bad boy rockstar Huck Wiley mysteriously blows into town like a spring tornado.

Like every other woman under eighty with a pulse, Amelia’s intrigued. So when Huck starts showing up in her shop with flirtation in mind, she finds herself getting sucked into the rock god vortex. But her previous attempts at long-distance love have always ended on a sour note, so Amelia has vowed never to repeat the experience.

What Amelia doesn’t know is that Huck has a secret of his own, and he has no intention of returning to Los Angeles before he’s good and ready.

Will Huck stay in town, scattering the beads Amelia has finally gotten sorted? Or will he head back to his glamorous life and take her last chance at spontaneity and love along with him?

Find out in this deliciously funny romcom about love and life in Creek Water, Missouri!

 By reading any further, you are stating that you are at least 18 years of age.

If you are under the age of 18, please exit this site.

Favorite Lines:

Huck stares at me like I’m a witch, like I have the answer to the questions he didn’t even know how to ask. Unfortunately, I’m not magical. I’m human. The only reason I know what I know is because I’ve had to find my own map out of hell, and it wasn’t an easy process. It still isn’t.  ~  Amelia

“It’s not what you have to lose that matters, Amelia. It’s what you have to gain.”  ~  Huck

“We mourn to the same degree to which we’ve been blessed. I’m grateful that I hurt so much because it reminds me of how very much I’ve been loved.”  ~  Mrs. Peabody

Oh, my stars, this man pulls me in, then pushes me away, only to grab ahold and yank me back. It’s making me seasick.  ~  Amelia

Huck smiles. “I got one.” He starts playing on his own for a short time before the drummer picks up a driving beat that makes my feet start to tap along. Huck leans into his microphone and says, “I’m dedicating this one to a beading instructor I have the pleasure of knowing.” He winks at me before the whole band kicks in and I recognize the song. It’s an old Van Halen song my daddy plays when he’s reminiscing his glory days, “Hot for Teacher.”

Vocabulary Word:

Turret

 noun

tur·​ret | \ ˈtər-ət  , ˈtə-rət, ˈtu̇r-ət  \

Definition of turret

1: a little tower specifically : an ornamental structure at an angle of a larger structure

2a(1): a revolving armored structure on a warship that protects one or more guns mounted within it

(2): a similar upper structure usually for one gun on a tank

(3): a gunner's fixed or movable enclosure in an airplane

b: a tall building usually moved on wheels and formerly used for carrying soldiers and equipment for breaching or scaling a wall

3a: a pivoted and revolvable holder in a machine tool

b: a device (as on a microscope or a television camera) holding several lenses

Excerpt:

          I lock the front door of the shop at five and have just enough time to run upstairs to my apartment for a quick shower and wardrobe change before meeting my cousin Emmie and my brother’s girlfriend Lexi, at Lexi’s house. Emmie has something she wants to tell us, but she’s not giving any hints. 
          After washing and drying my hair, I slip into a violet-colored, floral-patterned wrap dress and then some orange kitten-pumps, before grabbing a bottle of wine off the counter and running down the back stairs to the alley behind the building where my car is parked. 
          I’ve lived in this building since I moved out of my parents’house when I was twenty-two and came into a decent-sized inheritance from my mama’s parents. They died when I was in high school, leaving each of us three kids enough money to buy some real estate. I bought my building before the revitalization of downtown Creek Water, which my daddy and uncle Jesse are responsible for. Hence, it’s worth a load more than I paid for it. This has given me the financial security necessary to open my shop. Beads aren’t exactly a lucrative business, but I make and sell jewelry as well. While I’m not rolling in it, I’m doing something that I love, which is more than most folks can say. 
          As soon as I put my key into the ignition, the speakers blare out the haunting melody of Huck Wiley’s latest hit, “Untethered.”That man’s voice is enough to make me understand the alarming custom of throwing one’s unmentionables on the stage at a rock concert. 
          Initially, Huck’s voice is rough and gravelly like Eddie Vedder’s from Pearl Jam. Then the velvety undertones crawl in and wham! it’s panties-on-the-stage time. The combined effect leaves me hot and bothered in a way that no real man ever has. Not that Huck Wiley isn’t real, but to me, he’s as elusive as Prince Charming in a fairy tale. Too bad because that’s a man I’d like to try my hand at taming. 
          I run the risk of being late, something I abhor, but I don’t let potential tardiness deter me from leaning back and closing my eyes as Huck’s voice rolls over me like warm molasses on a tall stack of flapjacks. 
          Tethered to the past by phantom chains of longing. 
          Tethered to a place by illusions of belonging. 
          Tethered to a girl who left without a glance. 
          Tethered to a life that never had a chance. 
          Not for the first time, I wonder what woman could have ever left a man like Huck. I don’t know much about him, but I do know he’s breathtakingly gorgeous and enormously talented. Combine that with the depth of emotion he expresses in his music, and I’d say he’s definitely a man worth sticking around for. 
          Last month, I bought a copy of Rolling Stone magazine at the market because he was on the cover in all of his bad-boy rocker glory—wildly willful brown hair, a touch too long like it had been swept up in a wind storm; a jaw so sharp you cut bread with it; and green eyes that pierced my calm like nothing else. The tattooed arms bursting out of a too-snug t-shirt advertising his Untethered tour showcased his physical perfection—the cherry on the sundae that is Huck Wiley. 
          I’d flipped through the magazine in hot pursuit of finding out which super model left him so broken up that he was driven to write such an achingly tender ballad in her honor. But the article didn’t say. Huck claimed that if he wanted the world to know who the song was about, he’d tell them. In the meantime, we shouldn’t hold our breath. 
          I did find out that he had a ten-year-old daughter that he was raising as a single parent. When asked about the girl’s mother, he answered, “I’m not going to talk about her.”Nothing else was mentioned on the topic. From the little I could tell from the article, the rock star can be a bit brusque when the conversation veers toward a topic he deems personal. 
          I sit still for a full minute after the song ends, basking in its afterglow. I am not what anyone would call talented. Yes, I make pretty jewelry, but it’s not going to alter the course of life as we know it. People with musical abilities, whether instrumental or vocal, painters and sculptors …that’s the kind of talent I’ll never have. I don’t honestly know whether I could deal with living under a microscope that some of their jobs entail, but I’m still a bit envious. I will never stand on stage and open my mouth to render the masses awestruck by my ability to make them feel. I will never paint a masterpiece so captivating that crowds line up for hours just so they can get a glimpse of it. What must it be like to harbor such innate ability? 
          I lower the volume on the music slightly while I contemplate my deficiencies as I start my journey down Main Street. I decide to take solace in the fact that I’m a functioning adult and most of the anxieties of my early life are nothing more than a distant memory. Yes, I still need to count and have a bias for odd numbers, but I can step on a multitude of cracks without fear that my mama will wind up in traction. I even occasionally fall asleep without saying my prayers and don’t wake in a blind panic in the middle of the night sure that my negligence will be responsible for the death of a loved one. So that’s good, right? 
          Ever since the day my family visited Atlanta, when I was nine, my life shifted. I became aware of an all-consuming agitation that made daily tasks a real struggle. I became compelled to count my steps all the way to school. If at any point I lost track, I had to run back home and start all over again. Luckily, I didn’t have to lick a light switch or anything like that when I got there, so don’t go thinking I was that freaky. 
          I couldn’t go to bed at night until I’d checked to make sure all the doors to the outside were locked. Sometimes I did this several times. I had to make sure the oven and stove were off, too. Both obsessions had a way of cutting into my quality sleep time. 
          The real reason I can never leave Creek Water is that after years of struggle, I function here. I have my routine. I have structure. There are few surprises living in a small town and for me that kind of mundanity equals calm. 
          After all, the devil you know …

Highlight:

          I get out of the car and hightail it up the stairs to Lexi’s before I lose my nerve. 

          Shortly after ringing her bell, the front door opens. I’m expecting it to be Lexi, but much to my surprise, it isn’t. It’s the rock star. “Miss Frothingham, what a surprise,”he says, looking a bit alarmed. “What are you doing here?”He looks behind me to see if I’m alone. Maybe’s he’s worried I’ve brought a bunch of adoring fans with me or something. 

          “I’m, um …I’m …what are you doing here?”I pretend to be surprised. Playing dumb seems like my best option. 

          “I’m staying here,” he says. “I thought maybe your brother told you.”

          “My brother?” Crap, has he talked to Beau in the last ten minutes since I left the factory? If so, I’m sunk. 

          “How do you know Davis?”I deflect, knowing full well he probably doesn’t even realize I have another brother. I should take my dumb blonde act on the road. I’m that good. 

          “Davis, who? I was talking about Beau.”

          “How do you know Beau?”I ask. 

          “He hooked me up with Lexi. Maggie and I are going to be staying here,” he repeats. 

          “I didn’t even know Lexi was taking in lodgers yet. I thought she was still knee-deep in renovations. Goes to show how in the loop I am.”I scoot past him into the entryway. “Is she around?”

          Huck shakes his head. “She’s not. She went out to get some groceries for dinner.”

          “Why does she need dinner? She and Beau are having dinner with us at the club tonight.”

          He arches that eyebrow again and a crazy urge overcomes me to bite it. Not in a vicious sort of way, more like a nibble. He seems to realize I’m having questionable thoughts and takes a step backwards. “Because she needs food? I didn’t ask. But one presumes that’s why one goes grocery shopping,” he suggests. 

          “Hmm.”I don’t say anything else; I just stand there and stare. Huck Wiley is stealing the breath right out of my body. I could look at him for hours and hours and not get bored. 

          “I can tell her you stopped by if you want,” he says while moving back toward the door as though encouraging me to leave. 

          “That won’t be necessary. I’m going to see her shortly anyway. I can tell her myself.”

          “If you’re going to be seeing her, why are you here?” he wonders. 

          “I was, um …I was …”Pull yourself together, Amelia, or this man is going to think you’re deficient. “Emmie left her sweater here last night and she asked me to pick it up.”

          “Who’s Emmie?” he asks. 

          “My cousin. Lexi’s best friend. Emmie owns a kitchenware shop downtown.”I hurry to add, “She and Lexi worked together in New York City. Lexi came here on vacation after Emmie moved back home. Emmie was up for an award and lost it and then wound up getting loaded on tequila which led to her getting pregnant with Armie Hammer’s baby, and then, well, you know, she came home to raise Faye.”Inside my head, I’m screaming at myself, “ Stop! You’ve developed diarrhea of the mouth.”

          The rock star looks like he’s about to bust out laughing. “Armie Hammer’s baby? That’s quite something.”

          “It would be if it really was his, but it isn’t.”His expression has me explaining, “Zach, that’s her fiancé, he looks like Armie Hammer, or rather he did …to Emmie …because of well, the tequila. She was pretty drunk.”

          “Uh-huh. Okay then.”He gestures vaguely toward the interior of the house. “I assume you know where the sweater is.”

          “I actually don’t. Maybe you can ask Lexi to bring it with her tonight. She and Beau are meeting up with my family later.”

          “You couldn’t have called her and asked her to bring it?”

          Son of a dog, that would have made sense. “I didn’t think of it. I mean, I guess I should have, but to be honest, it didn’t occur to me.”

          “I can see that,” he says. 

          He can? “Well, thank goodness. I was afraid I was coming off as a real fruit loop.”Why did I say that? 

          He smiles slightly, like he’s talking to a mentally unstable person and hasn’t decided whether or not I’m dangerous yet. It seems he deems me harmless, because he offers, “I like Fruit Loops. They’re delicious and sweet. The very thought of them on my tongue makes my mouth water.”

          I grab hold of the back of the sofa before my knees give out at such a comparison. Is he flirting with me? Please let that be the case. 

          Completely unaware of my distress, he adds, “They were my favorite cereal as kid. I rarely got them though because they were so full of sugar.”

          “Then how could they have been your favorite if you never had them?” I squeak with the image of his mouth on me still in the forefront of my mind. 

          “My friend, Billy Espinoza’s mom, bought them. I’d eat them over there at sleepovers or whenever we hung out at his house.”

          “My mama never let me have caffeine in my soda pop. She was afraid it would make me anxious. So, Emmie used to smuggle me a bottle once and awhile.”

          “And? Did it?”

          “Did it what?” I ask. 

          “Make you anxious.”

          I let out a loud sigh knowing full well I’ve gone and made myself sound like a total loon. Might as well keep on telling him the truth. “Life made me anxious. I don’t think it had anything to do with caffeine.”

          “Really?” he sounds genuinely curious. “Were you ever able to control the anxiety?”

          “I jumped rope and ran track to try to burn it off. When that didn’t work, I counted.”There’s not a fart’s chance in France Huck Wiley is ever going to see me as anything but really odd now. Why do I feel compelled to be so darn honest in front of him? You’d think I’d try to act calm, cool, and collected in order to make a good impression. I mean, how many times does a girl actually get to meet her celebrity crush? And here I am epically blowing my opportunity to appear normal. 

          “Count how? You mean to a hundred or something?”

          “Never to a hundred,” I assure him. “If I had to count that high, I’d stop at ninety-nine or go on to a hundred and one.”

          “Because …”

          “I only count the odd numbers.”I look down at my feet because I can’t bear to see the look in his eyes. 

          “Does it work?” he asks. 

          I blurt out, “Usually.”I did not expect him to ask that. 

          “Why do you think that is?”He seems genuinely interested. 

          I shrug my shoulders. “I don’t know. I guess everybody finds different ways to cope.”

          “But you have some idea why that worked for you, don’t you?” he pushes. 

          “Yes.” I really could just cry right now. Most everyone I know thinks I’m a perfectly sane, albeit eccentric, woman. Why couldn’t I have kept up the ruse with Huck? I inhale deeply and explain, “When you have anxiety, you don’t feel like a normal person. You feel like an oddball, like a freak. Like you’re the only one who isn’t right in the head.”He nods which spurs me on. “Take the number three, for instance. It looks like half of the number eight. Eight is perfect and round and complete; three looks like half of it, so the number three is a freak.”

          “Go on,” he says. 

          “The number five is sort of a backward version of three, so it’s a backward freak, which is freakier than a freak.”

          “What about the number seven?”

          “Seven looks like an upside-down number one when it has a foot at the base. Upside down is as bad as backwards.”

          “And the number nine?” he wants to know. 

          “Upside-down six.”

          “Why can’t the number six be an upside-down nine?”

          “Because six comes first, so nine has to be an upside-down six,” I explain. 

          “And you find comfort in these numbers because they’re imperfect?”

          “I can relate to them.”Then I drop the bomb of my reasoning, “Odd numbers are just as important as even numbers, they just aren’t perfect.”

          “Like odd people are just as important as perfect people, huh?”

          “Just like that.”

          “I’m mighty glad you stopped by, Amelia,” he says, sounding like he really means it. 

          “You are? Why?” I wonder if he wants to cancel his daughter’s beading lessons or something? 

          “I think Maggie is going to like you, a lot. I think you might just be the perfect friend for her.”

          For the first time since meeting this man at my shop, I keep my mouth closed and don’t come right out and say what’s on my mind. Which is of course, is Huck Wiley being so sweet with me because his daughter suffers from anxiety, too? Dear God, let it be for another reason.

Review: 

Amelia is finally in a good place with her life … well, as good as it is going to get for her anyway. The victim of a harrowing experience in childhood – though she is unaware of that little detail – she suffers from extreme anxiety. It’s been a long and debilitating road to get to some form of normalcy, but she’s done it. She may have to make sacrifices along the way and she might seem a bit odd to some, but she’s found happiness. Until her dream come true walks through the door of her bead store and sends every aspect of her life scattering about recklessly. So what if he’s a famous rock star? He’d never be interested in a small town nothing like her. He’s only around for a short amount of time. Plus, his daughter needs a level of companionship that only Amelia can provide. So what if he makes her shudder with desire every time he’s near? So what if he seems to have set his sights on breaching her carefully constructed walls of protection? So what if he’s everything she ever wanted for herself and everything she never dreamed of wanting? So what if she feels like she knows him after more than a decade of connecting to every word of his music? So what if he says he wants her? He’s only temporary and temporary can never work in her perfectly ordered, perfectly quiet, perfectly planned life.

Huck Wiley is a rock star God! But with fame comes sacrifice. He’s away from his daughter more than he gets to see her and everyone wants something he can provide because of who he is. It never has anything to do with who he really is after all the rock star persona is left on the stage. When he immediately senses something different about Amelia, he knows he has to get to know her. But he’s used to getting what he wants where women are concerned and Amelia continually rebuffs his advances. Nothing left to do but dig in and prove to her that he really wants a relationship with her. And given his past and the secrets he’s carefully guarding, that’s no small admission. He also knows, given Amelia’s insecurities and fear of change given her severe anxiety, that he has a lot of work to do. But when you know you’ve found the person that was made for you alone, you have to take the good with the bad. Funny thing though … rather than see Amelia’s handicap as a hindrance, he sees her as the most fascinating woman he’s ever come across. He’s determined to break through her defenses and prove that they could be something wonderful together. He’s got to get Amelia out of her own head so that she can take a chance and listen to her heart instead of all of the reasons she keeps trying to stall him with. And little by little, he does exactly that.

I have to say first that I have not read the previous books in the series. I feel that this was a huge mistake for one reason only. Initially, there were so many dang people introduced that I was overwhelmed. I looked into the series and because a lot of the characters that are mentioned in the previous books are once again brought to life within this book, I feel that my confusion would have been non-existent had I started the series from the beginning. Honestly, that is my only complaint and more than likely one I created myself. Other than that, once I started to get a handle on the characters and this wonderful family, I thoroughly enjoyed this book!

Initially, I thought the premise sounded fun, but internally, I expected much of the same kind of storyline. Small town girl falls for a crazy famous rock star, he whisks her away and sweeps her off her feet, they get down and dirty and all of a sudden rock star has a new wife and no more groupies. I mean that’s the gist, yes? I was so wrong. This book was nothing like that! Not even a little. For starters, Amelia suffers from severe anxiety. The anxiety was brought on by a rather terrifying event that occurred when she was a child, yet no one thought to enlighten her. They just went along like nothing happened. Recipe for anxiety. That might be a bit of a spoiler, but I left quite a lot out surrounding the reveal. Suffice it to say that once the anxiety set in, it just became worse until Amelia had to create her own coping mechanisms so that she could lead a relatively normal life. One of her mechanisms involves Huck’s music. Another involves counting specific numbers. Another means no traveling far from home. Much of this is explained in detail within the book, but that gives a bit of an idea as to how impacted Amelia’s life has been as a result of the anxiety. But the best thing about Amelia’s anxiety is that it never magically disappeared when she fell for Huck. Through it all, she still continued to cope and while it did lessen in some cases, the anxiety remains. This is great because it kept the characters true to who she was created to be. Amelia is who she was because of this aspect of her life and magically curing it or finding a way to stop it would have cheapened her value and lessened her impact in connecting with the reader. I also enjoyed the added twist of Huck’s daughter having severe anxiety as well. She has different triggers and different mechanisms for coping than Amelia, but together they help each other shatter their own glass ceilings and take huge steps they would never have been brave enough to conquer individually. I was completely touched by their ability to challenge one another as well as learn from each other. Through it all, Huck is this perfectly gentle, patient man who happens to be a huge success. I was thrown by the path this book took and completely enchanted by the time I finished it.

Not only is it tons of fun getting to know Huck and Amelia, but all of the secondary characters were nearly as lovable. The family dynamic is fantastic and a hoot in many cases. Maggie, Huck’s daughter, very nearly steals the whole book. Between the Southern charm peppered throughout the story and Maggie’s charm alone, I was completely engaged. She may be a child, but she speaks with wisdom – an old soul – while maintaining some level of innocence despite her unconventional life and the struggles she has endured for one so young. Besides being one heck of a romance, this book is also a story of strength in overcoming personal challenges and always pushing toward that next step; demonstrating that having the right support system in place can help motivate anyone to break out of the confines of their comfort zone and take a risk on the possibility of gaining over losing. Additionally quite a bit of back story was provided, allowing the reader a glimpse into the premise of the previous stories in the series. It wasn’t over much, but it helped to fill in some blanks while simultaneously piquing my interest in the rest of the series. More than likely I will be starting at the beginning at some point and when I get to this book, I will gladly read it all over again. For those of you who tend to enjoy a tamer version of romance, this is the perfect book for you! Absolutely no sex occurs within these pages. But do not let that detail fool you into thinking there was no passion to enjoy. Both Huck and Amelia exude attraction to the point that you could almost envision it as a tangible thing. This romance is all about sweet and clean. I do not even recall a single cuss word. If there was, there may have been one, but I have forgotten it.

Overall, this book was adorable and took me completely by surprise. There is a ton of humor to offset the seriousness of the toll anxiety has taken within the lives of Amelia and Maggie. When Gizzy, Huck’s rocker friend appears the sparks fly with a family member. I expect to see a book for them appear in the future. I can only imagine what fun that could shape up to be. There were a ton of scenes that had me snickering or completely laughing out loud. Too many scenes to list, in fact. I wish I could, but you’ll have to experience the humor for yourself. For those of you looking for a sexy, clean romance, this is the place to be. And for those who gravitate toward the grittier side of the sexual spectrum, who cares? This book is fantastic enough on its own that is doesn’t need all of that graphic sex to punch up the passion factor. It doesn’t hurt that it’s a series either. Those of you who enjoy it, like myself, will take comfort knowing there is more both before and after this installment. A story about how love and trust with the right person can overcome anything and that when you love someone, you love all of them whether part of the plan or not.

Kindle version provided by Xpresso Book Tours/Author in exchange for an honest review.