Audiobook Review: Riveted by Jay Crownover

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Riveted
Saints of Denver #3
Author: Jay Crownover
Narrator: Stephanie Wyles and Sean Bassett
Reading Level: New Adult
Genre: Romance
Released: February 14th 2017
Review Source: HarperAudio

Everyone else in Dixie Carmichael's life has made falling in love look easy, and now she is ready for her own chance at some of that happily ever after. Which means she’s done pining for the moody, silent former soldier who works with her at the bar that's become her home away from home. Nope. No more chasing the hot as heck thundercloud of a man and no more waiting for Mr. Right to find her; she's going hunting for him...even if she knows her heart is stuck on its stupid infatuation with Dash Churchill.

Denver has always been just a pit stop for Church on his way back to rural Mississippi. It was supposed to be simple, uneventful, but nothing could have prepared him for the bubbly, bouncy redhead with doe eyes and endless curves. Now he knows it's time to get out of Denver, fast. For a man used to living in the shadows, the idea of spending his days in the sun is nothing short of terrifying.

When Dixie and Church find themselves caught up in a homecoming overshadowed with lies and danger, Dixie realizes that while falling in love is easy, loving takes a whole lot more work…especially when Mr. Right thinks he's all wrong for you.

Since I have started working overnights audiobooks have become my saving grace. Last year I binged all of Jay Crownover;s books and couldn’t wait to get my hands or ears on Riveted. We are finally getting Dixie and Church's story! Dixie, a glass is always half full type of gal, and then Church a brooding soldier, but something drew Dixie to him and she knows he’s the one, but will he ever realize it or just get better at running?

Denver isn’t home for Church, he’s been avoiding something back home but when his father calls with some news Church knows it’s time to come home. Church may or may not have used the excuse of a girl keeping him in Denver, so he must bring the “lucky girl” home. He knows how much Dixie loves to help, so he shows up at her doorstep at way too early o’clock, and begs for a favor. Dixie of course can’t say no to helping him and hops on the back of his bike for a road trip to Mississippi.

Now let me also comment on Church’s narrator because holy shi*t he was amazing. They found the perfect slow sexy southern drawl. It made the audiobook. Now I don’t know if I got real attached to Church and his drawl during this book or what, but his story definitely had me shedding tears every so often. This sexy drawl telling you his sad story just breaks you in a million pieces.

Obviously, I love Jay Crownover’s books, I also absolutely love them in audiobook form and nothing is different with Riveted. While Crownover can turn up the steam and swoon,  and she can also give you a character's back story that breaks you and builds you back up. Her characters and real and authentic and so goddamn swoonworthy.

Cover Reveal: Riveted by Jay Crownover

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RIVETED

Saints of Denver #3
Author: Jay Crownover
Reading Level: New adult
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Release Date: February 14, 2017

Jay Crownover’s RIVETED (Saints of Denver #3) is coming February 14, 2017! Check out the amazing cover and preorder your copy today! #YallNeedChurch #LoveIsStrongerThanFear #Riveted

From the New York Times bestselling author of the Marked Men books comes the next installment in the Saints of Denver series.

Everyone else in Dixie Carmichael’s life has made falling in love look easy, and now she is ready for her own chance at some of that happily ever after. Which means she’s done pining for the moody, silent former soldier who works with her at the bar that’s become her home away from home. Nope. No more chasing the hot as heck thundercloud of a man and no more waiting for Mr. Right to find her; she’s going hunting for him...even if she knows her heart is stuck on its stupid infatuation with Dash Churchill.

Denver has always been just a pit stop for Church on his way back to rural Mississippi. It was supposed to be simple, uneventful, but nothing could have prepared him for the bubbly, bouncy redhead with doe eyes and endless curves. Now he knows it’s time to get out of Denver, fast. For a man used to living in the shadows, the idea of spending his days in the sun is nothing short of terrifying.

When Dixie and Church find themselves caught up in a homecoming overshadowed with lies and danger, Dixie realizes that while falling in love is easy, loving takes a whole lot more work…especially when Mr. Right thinks he’s all wrong for you.

Links:

Amazon: http://amzn.to/2da9hlV

iBooks: http://apple.co/2d76qOu

Barnes & Noble: http://bit.ly/2dDic1L

Kobo: http://bit.ly/2drRVAe

Google: tinyurl.com/hd2jzvf

ADD RIVETED TO YOUR GOODREADS: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/29992024-riveted

About Jay Crownover:

Jay Crownover is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of the Marked Men, The Point, and the Saints of Denver series. Like her characters, she is a big fan of tattoos. She loves music and wishes she could be a rock star, but since she has no aptitude for singing or instrument playing, she'll settle for writing stories with interesting characters that make the reader feel something. She lives in Colorado with her three dogs.

Website: http://www.jaycrownover.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AuthorJayCrownover
Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/JayCrownover
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/Crownover

Book Review: Charged by Jay Crownover

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Charged
Saints of Denver #2
Author: Jay Crownover
Reading Level: Adult
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Released: May 24th 2016
Review Source: William Morrow Paperbacks

From the New York Times bestselling author of the Marked Men books comes the second installment in the Saints of Denver series featuring a bad girl and a by the book attorney who could be her salvation...or her ruin.

Avett Walker and Quaid Jackson’s worlds have no reason to collide. Ever. Quaid is a high powered criminal attorney as slick as he is handsome. Avett is a pink-haired troublemaker with a bad attitude and a history of picking the wrong men.

When Avett lands in a sea of hot water because of one terrible mistake, the only person who can get her out of it is the insanely sexy lawyer. The last thing on earth she wants to do is rely on the no-nonsense attorney who thinks of her as nothing more than a nuisance. He literally has her fate in his hands. Yet there is something about him that makes her want to convince him to loosen his tie and have a little fun…with her.

Quaid never takes on clients like the impulsive young woman with a Technicolor dye job. She could stand to learn a hard lesson or two, but something about her guileless hazel eyes intrigues him. Still, he’s determined to keep their relationship strictly business. But doing so is becoming more impossible with each day he spends with her.

As they work side-by-side, they’ll have to figure out a way to get along and keep their hands off each other—because the chemistry between them is beyond charged.

This is an Adult novel recommended for ages 18+ due to mature subject matter.

This is the first book I've read in the Saint of Denver series. Being as this is book two, I was able to read it without any issues of not reading book one.  

This story grabbed my attention from the very first page. Starting out with the heroine, Avett Walker, being incarcerated for being an accessory to her boyfriend's armed robbery.  Avett has always been a trouble maker, ever since she was little. The older she got, the more self destructive.  However, all those bad decisions and actions never landed her in jail, until now. Avett felt she had finally pushed her dad to his limits and didn't want to ask him or anyone else for help.  

In comes Quaid Jackson, the incredibly sexy man hired to be Avett's lawyer and ends up being so much more. The unlikely pair gave me all the feels.  Quaid was the focused, determined, suit wearing man - while Avett was the crazy, trouble making, pink haired woman.  Even though they seemed completely opposite, their chemistry was OFF THE CHARTS!!  

Avett's dad had always been her biggest supporter and ally. He always told her, "Don't worry, Sprite, bad decisions make for good stories." -  This is now one of my all time favorite lines in any book. -  I loved her dads character. I feel Jay wrote him so well!  The perfect protector and supporter. The definition of a father that unconditionally loves his daughter.  He comes to Avetts rescue once again and bails her out of jail.

At this point Avett wakes up and decides that all her decisions and self destruction is really hurting those closest to her. She vows to do better from then on. 

I loved this book, I feel like Jay did an amazing job developing both main characters throughout the book.  The self worth struggles of the heroine are very relatable to many people. The reader is taken on a journey of real growth and personal development. I cheered on the heroine from the beginning wanting so much for her to be successful and realize her self worth.  I love Jay's writing and the dialogue between characters.  The story flowed really well and I could not put the book down.  My only complaint was that there was a lot of internal dialogues throughout the book, that I could have done without. Also, I'm not a huge fan of insta-love and I feel there was a bit of that going on. 

Bottom line, this was another great book by Jay that I loved!

Top Ten Tuesday: 10 Of My Most Recent 5 Star Reads

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Top Ten Tuesday is an original feature/weekly meme created at The Broke and the Bookish.

   10 Of My Most Recent 5 Star Reads

1. Built by Jay Crownover - You can read my review HERE.

2.  Walk The Edge by Katie McGarry - You can read my review HERE.

3. The Way I Used To Be by Amber Smith - You can read my review HERE.

 4. Bully by Penelope Douglas - You can read Shannon's review HERE. 

5.  The Serpent King by Jeff Zentner - You can read Leydy's review HERE.

 6. Lady Midnight by Cassandra Clare - You can read Shannon's review HERE.

 7. Beautiful Boss by Christina Lauren - You can read Shannon's review HERE.

 8. Rebel of the Sands by Alwyn Hamilton - You can read Bri's review HERE.

 9. Blackhearts by Nicole Castroman - You can read Bri's review HERE. 

 10. We Are The Ants by Shaun David Hutcinson - You can read Bri's review HERE.

Book Review: Built by Jay Crownover

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Built
Saints of Denver #1
Author: Jay Crownover
Reading Level: New Adult
Genre: Romance
Release Date: January 5th 2016
Review Source: William Morrow Paperbacks

The first in the new SAINTS OF DENVER series from NYT bestselling author of the MARKED MEN series, Jay Crownover

Sometimes you have to tear everything down to build something new…

Sayer Cole is frozen inside. At least, that’s what it’s felt like for as long as she can remember. She’s yet to let anyone past her icy exterior – and the one guy she thinks might melt her heart couldn’t possibly be interested in someone so uptight.

Rough, hard and hot-as-hell, Zeb Fuller has rebuilt his life and his construction business since protecting his family sent him to jail all those years ago. His elegant client, Sayer, makes him feel like a Neanderthal in denim, but despite the many hints that he’s been dropping to get to know her better, she seems oblivious to his charms.

Just as things finally start to heat up, Zeb’s past comes back to haunt him and he needs Sayer’s professional help to right a wrong and to save more than himself. As these opposites dig in for the fight of their lives, fire and ice collide in an unstoppable explosion of steam…

It should be known that this is my very first Jay Crownover book. *Hides* Please let me explain: I’ve heard nothing, but amazing things from Jay, but I went through a phase where I was literally only reading New Adult books. As you can guess, I burnt myself out. I didn’t want to jump into another NA series until I was sure it wouldn’t just blend into something else I had just read. I’m happy to report that not only does Built stand out among the rest, but it brought my love for New Adult back.

I’ve missed getting to dive into the lives of characters that aren’t always perfect, but somehow always manage to tug on your heart. Sayer has a history; she’s cold as ice and hardly ever let’s anyone in. That is until she finds out she has a long lost brother. She packs up leaves for Denver without a second glance back. Enter Zed, his past always seems to linger, but there isn’t much you can do. You just have to move forward and built up your life again. Fire and ice aren’t an idle mix, but when you want something you have to go after it right?

Getting caught up in Sayer & Zeb story was so much fun. Fighting temptation is always a hard thing, but when you add Zeb to the mix I think it’s almost impossible! I loved these characters so much and I’m hoping they pop up in as the series moves along. I’m keeping things a bit vague, but it’s honestly only for your benefit. Pick up Built and join the me in following what I’m expecting to be an epic series.

Release Week Blitz: Built by Jay Crownover | Excerpt | Giveaway

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Built
Author: Jay Crownover
Reading Level: New Adult
Genre: Romance
Released: January 5th 2016
Publisher: William Morrow Paperbacks

  

From the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of the Marked Men books comes an electrifying new spin-off series,Saints of Denver, featuring all the characters fans have been dying to read about.

Sayer Cole and Zeb Fuller couldn’t be more different. She’s country club and fine-dining, he’s cell-block and sawdust. Sayer spends her days in litigation, while Zeb spends his working with his hands. She’s French silk, he’s all denim and flannel.

Zeb’s wanted the stunning blonde since the moment he laid eyes on her. It doesn't matter how many smooth moves he makes, the reserved lawyer seems determinedly oblivious to his interest—either that or she doesn't return it. Sayer is certain the rough, hard, hot-as-hell Zeb could never want someone as closed off and restrained as she is, which is a shame because something tells her he might be the guy to finally melt her icy exterior.

But just as things start to heat up, Zeb is blindsided by a life altering moment from his past. He needs Sayer’s professional help to right a wrong and to save more than himself. He can’t risk what’s at stake just because his attraction to Sayer feels all consuming. But as these opposites dig in for the fight of their lives, battling together to save a family, the steam created when fire and ice collide can no longer be ignored.Sayer Cole and Zeb Fuller are as different as two people can be. She’s country club and fine-dining, he’s cell-block and kill it and grill it. Sayer spends her days in litigation, while Zeb spends his working with his hands. She’s French silk while he’s denim and flannel.

The differences between the two of them don’t stop Zeb from dropping every hint he can think of that he would like to get to know her on a more personal level, but Sayer seems oblivious to his interest or is just too nice to tell him to take a hike. To Sayer, a guy like Zeb could never be interested in someone as reserved and boring as she is. She’s never been with anyone that was hot enough to melt the icy exterior she’s had wrapped around hera since her awful childhood. But what if Zeb is the one who might finally thaw her out…?

Excerpt

He took a step closer to me and put his finger under my chin so that I had no choice but to look at that darkening green gaze. “You know what is a big deal?”
Without thinking I put my wet hand on the center of his chest and watched as my handprint covered the place where his heart was thudding heavy and strong. He felt so vital and real, like everything I had had my hands on before him was just make-believe. 
“What?” My voice came out more of a whisper than anything else. 
“We hung out, I bought you dinner, we talked about our families and shit. We shared. This was a date, Sayer. Maybe not the best first date ever but it was still a date, so you know what that means.”
I did? I was still trying to get my head around the fact that it really had been kind of a date when his head lowered toward mine and my lips tickled as his beard got close enough to brush against them. 
“It means we went on a date, so now you should absolutely put your hands on my dick…a lot. My gentlemanly tendencies only reach so far and with you they have about reached the end of the line.”
I gulped a little. “Oh.” That sounded like so many different kinds of dangerous and delicious. I had never asked him to be a gentleman, and frankly one of the reasons I was so attracted to him was because he seemed so rugged and untamed by the conventions I was used to and bored to death by. 
“Yeah, oh…which I fully intend to make you say over and over again while I’m as deep inside of you as I can get.”
When his mouth settled over mine, it was an entirely different mess I was suddenly worried about. There was going to be no cleaning up the wreckage that was going to be left of my heart and body when this man was done with me and that felt entirely like a great big deal even though I was helpless to stop it. It was one mess I intended to embrace and not apologize for even if that went against everything I had ingrained deep down within the very core of me.

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Jay Crownover is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of the Marked Men and The Point series. Like her characters, she is a big fan of tattoos. She loves music and wishes she could be a rock star, but since she has no aptitude for singing or instrument playing, she'll settle for writing stories with interesting characters that make the reader feel something. She lives in Colorado with her three dogs.

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Cover Reveal: Built by Jay Crownover

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We are absolutely thrilled to bring you the Cover Reveal and Prologue for BUILT by Jay Crownover! BUILT is the first novel in her upcoming Saints of Denver Series, a spinoff of her Marked Men Series, published by William Morrow, an imprint of HarperCollins. BUILT is releasing on January 5, 2016! This is a definite one click, friends!

Check out the cover of BUILT!



Preorder BUILT Today!
Amazon US ** iBooks ** Barnes & Noble ** Kobo

About BUILT: From the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of the Marked Men books comes an electrifying new spin-off series,Saints of Denver, featuring all the characters fans have been dying to read about. Sayer Cole and Zeb Fuller couldn’t be more different. She’s country club and fine-dining, he’s cell-block and sawdust. Sayer spends her days in litigation, while Zeb spends his working with his hands. She’s French silk, he’s all denim and flannel. Zeb’s wanted the stunning blonde since the moment he laid eyes on her. It doesn't matter how many smooth moves he makes, the reserved lawyer seems determinedly oblivious to his interest—either that or she doesn't return it. Sayer is certain the rough, hard, hot-as-hell Zeb could never want someone as closed off and restrained as she is, which is a shame because something tells her he might be the guy to finally melt her icy exterior. But just as things start to heat up, Zeb is blindsided by a life altering moment from his past. He needs Sayer’s professional help to right a wrong and to save more than himself. He can’t risk what’s at stake just because his attraction to Sayer feels all consuming. But as these opposites dig in for the fight of their lives, battling together to save a family, the steam created when fire and ice collide can no longer be ignored.

And don’t miss this sneak peek of BUILT! Check out the prologue here!

Prologue

I met her at a bar. She had a beer bottle in her hand even though she looked like she should be sipping champagne out of an expensive flute, and that inexplicably turned me on. She was pretty and looked completely out of place in the no-name bar sitting across from one of my longtime friends who also happened to be her long-lost brother. He was the reason she was here. In that split second that I laid my eyes on her I wanted to be the reason she stayed. I knew it was rude and that the two of them needed some time together, some time to figure out what they were to each other now that she had blasted into his life unannounced. If I was a better friend I would have left them alone. As it was, I made my way over to the tiny table and sat down. I was covered in sawdust and had drywall mud caked in the hair on my head and on my face, but she didn’t flinch or bat an eyelash when I purposely broke up their party of two and placed myself as close to her as I could without actually touching her. My buddy Rowdy St. James lifted his eyebrows at me as I stared at her while he introduced us. Sayer Cole. Even her name was elegant and sophisticated sounding. She was an enigma, this pretty woman that seemed like she should be in any place but this bar with the two of us. She’d showed up out of the blue a couple of months ago claiming to be Rowdy’s half sister, claiming that they shared a father, claiming that all she wanted was to be in his life and have some kind of family of her own. She looked too delicate to be that brave. Came across as way too proper to have said “fuck it all” and picked up her life to move it someplace unknown without being sure of her welcome. She looked like silk, but if my guess was right about her, it was silk wrapped around steel. Luckily Rowdy was a good guy. After the shock of discovering he wasn’t alone in the world, and once he realized he had someone tied to him by blood forever and ever, he had warmed up to the idea of having a sister and appreciated that the sister was Sayer. I liked Rowdy a lot. He was a stand-up guy and a good friend, but I had a feeling I was going to like his newly found big sister even more. In my usual tactless way I asked him without looking directly at the knockout blonde, “So you have a sister? A hot, classy sister?” A sister that was also a lawyer, so beautiful and smart. I expected a giggle from her or an eye roll at the outlandish compliment, but what I got was a wide-eyed stare of disbelief as eyes bluer than anything I had ever seen on earth danced between me and her brother like she wasn’t sure what to do with herself or with my overt interest in her. I thought that I had gone too far, pushed the beautiful stranger too far out of her comfort zone. I was a big guy and knew I looked far wilder and rougher than I actually was. I figured it might be too much for a woman already obviously out of her element and depth to take. Instead, Sayer surprised me and I could see by the way he stiffened that she surprised Rowdy, too. While she wasn’t exactly overflowing with welcome and warmth, she did ask me about the current project I was working on after Rowdy explained I was a general contractor and had rebuilt the new tattoo shop he worked in. She seemed genuinely interested, and when I told her that my specialty was rehabbing old houses and giving them new life, her eyes practically glowed at me. I wanted to touch her to see if she felt as smooth and polished as she looked. I wanted to leave streaks of dirt on her perfect face to mark the fact that I had touched her, that she had let me touch her. It was a primal and visceral reaction that I couldn’t explain and I liked the way it felt. Liked the weight and heft of it in my blood even if I knew the feeling wasn’t likely to be returned. She told me all about a fantastic but crumbling Victorian she had purchased that was falling down around her. She asked me for a business card and I saw Rowdy stiffen across the table. I sighed and rubbed a hand over my already messy hair. I watched her eyes follow the light cloud of dust that escaped the strands. I was great at my job, loved what I did, but I couldn’t do anything with her or for her without laying everything on the line. Especially not with Rowdy giving me the death glare from just a few feet away. I dug the card out of my wallet, and when I handed it over our fingers touched. I saw her eyes widen and her lips part, just barely. She looked a little dazed when I grinned at her. “You take that card, but understand that the man giving it to you has a past.” She blinked at me and cleared her throat. “What kind of past?” It wasn’t something I liked to tell a beautiful woman when I first met her. It was something I liked to work up to, liked to prove it was behind me, but with this one it seemed like I wouldn’t get that chance. “I tell everyone that I do any kind of work for or that considers hiring me on for a project that I have a criminal history. I spent time locked up for a few years, and while I’m not proud of it I can’t deny it happened. I was a hotheaded kid and it got me in trouble, but I’m the best at what I do, so I hope that doesn’t discourage you from giving me a call.” Hopefully for more than some construction. Usually I got a concerned frown followed by a hundred questions about what had led me to serving time. I got none of that from the stunning blonde. She tilted her head to the side and considered me silently for a long moment before reaching down and slipping my card in her purse. If anything, I could have sworn she was wearing a look of sympathy when she told me softly, “I see it every day from the inside. Sometimes the system simply gets it wrong.” A slight grin turned her mouth up at the corners, and I wanted to lean over and kiss it. “People make mistakes. Hopefully they learn from them.” I don’t know that “wrong” was accurate in my case so much as misguided, but the complete lack of judgment or censure coming from her made me want to pull her into my arms and hold on to her even more. I had made a mistake, a huge one, one that I was forever going to have to carry around with me, but I had learned from it, was still learning from it. That kind of understanding from a total stranger was so rare, especially coming from someone in the legal field. I wasn’t accustomed to someone looking at me and seeing me, just me, not an ex-con loser after I explained where I had been. It was wildly refreshing and attractive. I couldn’t quite get a handle on what made the woman tick, but I would welcome any opportunity she gave me to figure it out. I found her outwardly flawless and pristine demeanor tempting to taint with my dirty hands and ways, and there was something about the way she watched me, the way she turned toward me like she was drawn to me, that made me think maybe I wasn’t alone in the inexplicable pull department. Rowdy left and she stayed. We had a couple more beers and talked some more about her house and what she wanted done with it. She already hired one contractor but felt like the guy was ripping her off. It happened a lot in the industry, so I wouldn’t be surprised if the guy was taking her for a ride. Spending time with her was easy. She was fun to talk to and really fun to look at. I really wanted to get my hands on her house and of course on her, and I felt like she was maybe, kind of, slightly leaning in the same direction when I made the mistake of asking her about her past. I asked about where she had been before she found out about Rowdy and decided to move to Denver so that she could get to know him. I was curious what kind of life she had where she could leave everything behind and not be missed. Really I wanted to know if she had a boyfriend or husband stashed somewhere, but the simple inquiry must have touched a nerve. The next thing I knew she had paid out the tab for both of us and disappeared into the night. She went from glowing and bright to frigid and untouchable in the span of a heartbeat. I figured I blew my shot by being too blunt, as always. I assumed she probably did have someone else in the picture and had been friendly and polite only because I was good friends with her brother. I thought I would never hear from her again and was baffled why the thought of that made my chest ache and my heart feel like it weighed two tons. Imagine my surprise when she called me and hired me to renovate her house a week later without a bid, without a contract, without even knowing if I was half as good as I claimed to be. Of course I accepted, but I knew once I was inside I would need to knock down and rearrange more than just the walls of the house, in order to get at something beautiful and lasting.

 

About Jay Crownover: Jay Crownover is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of the Marked Men and The Point series. Like her characters, she is a big fan of tattoos. She loves music and wishes she could be a rock star, but since she has no aptitude for singing or instrument playing, she'll settle for writing stories with interesting characters that make the reader feel something. She lives in Colorado with her three dogs.
Website ** Blog ** Facebook ** Twitter  ** BUILT Goodreads ** Jay Crownover Goodreads

Blog Tour: Asa by Jay Crownover + Giveaway

Welcome to our stop on the ASA blog tour stop. The Marked Men series is written by Jay Crownover. 

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ASA

Marked Men Series #6
Author: Jay Crownover
Reading Level: New Adult
Genre: Romance | Contemporary
Released: April 21, 2015
Review Source: Harper Collins | William Morrow

Jay Crownover’s New York Times and USA Today bestselling Marked Men series continues with the much anticipated story of southern charmer and certified criminal Asa Cross. Starting over in Denver with a whole new circle of friends and family, Asa Cross struggles with being the man he knows everyone wants him to be and the man he knows he really is. A leopard doesn’t it change its spots and Asa has always been a predator. He doesn’t want to hurt those who love and rely on him, especially one luscious arresting cop who suddenly seems to be interested in him for far more than his penchant for breaking the law. But letting go of old habits is hard, and it’s easy to hit bottom when it’s the place you know best. Royal Hastings is quickly learning what the bottom looks like after a tragic situation at work threatens not only her career but her partner’s life. As a woman who has only ever had a few real friends she’s trying to muddle through her confusion and devastation all alone. Except she can’t stop thinking about the sexy southern bartender she locked up. Crushing on Asa is the last thing she needs but his allure is too strong to resist. His long criminal record can only hurt her already shaky career and chasing after a guy who has no respect for the law or himself can only end in heartbreak. A longtime criminal and a cop together just seems so wrong . . . but for Asa and Royal, being wrong together is the only right choice to make.

Sometimes a great thing has to come to an end.  But as I was quickly reminded, it's just another beginning of something else, just as great.  Reading comes in all different categories.  For school.  For work.  For pleasure and even at times when you have to push through when it really isn't "that read" for you.  You know, the read that you can never take your eyes off of.  The one that you find yourself reading instead of eating during your lunch break.  The one that when 2:00 AM rolls around, you do everything you can to keep your eyes open for just 5 more minutes.  It's the one you can't wait to hashtag the title and the author on all social media platforms to get the word out.  It's the book that leaves you, in some cases, in a big ball of watery emotions when it ends.  Maybe that picture isn't strong enough.  For Asa, I was a huge sloppy mess when "Book Completed" appeared on my Kindle.  

The final book in the series is Asa's story.  Following the series since book 1, I knew it was coming.  I just wasn't prepared for the way Jay Crownover would craft his story.  Asa and Royal have the chemistry.  However, acting on that chemistry is the element of concern.  They both come with issues that are like heavy stones weighing them down everyday.  Asa's story is about growth and the leading lady that assists him in embracing it.  Asa and Royal truly needed each other, they just didn't know how to fully make it happen.  

As an only child, there were times growing up when I wished I had that sibling that I could bounce ideas, thoughts and feelings off of.  Thankgoodness for those close friends that filled in.  It's kind of how I think of the The Marked Men Series.  There is one word to describe it, connection.  Connection of family and friends.  Once you are in, you are in for life.  No matter the challenges, past or the here in now.  There was always someone in Crownover's world ready to step in and get it done.  It was the kind of world that you wished truly existed up the street.  A world that you're hoping one of the members just invites you in to hang out for awhile.  As Jay Crownover's fans truly love her Marked Men and the ladies by their side.  

It was the carefully crafted details of every single life story that kept me wanting more.  It's more than a romantic tale of lives broken and fixed.  It's a series of how relationships stand during the storm.  It's the notion of how you are never in it alone.  It's about the commitment that her characters have for one another.  Lastly, Jay Crownover writes with such a realistic and inner soul style of written expression, that the tone of her novels whispers: embrace individuality, embrace indifferences, embrace those that love you and above all, embrace self.  As I stated before this end, is simply another beginning as Jay has more life stories to tell. 

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Jay Crownover is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of the Marked Men series. She also introduced the dark and sexy world of The Point in a new series this last summer starting with BETTER WHEN HE's BAD. Like her characters, she is a big fan of tattoos. She loves music and wishes she could be a rock star, but since she has no aptitude for singing or instrument playing, she'll settle for writing stories with interesting characters that make the reader feel something. She lives in Colorado with her three dogs.

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