Lauren Grahame is looking to reinvent herself. After leaving her cheating husband, Lauren moves to Carnal, Colorado, and gets a job as a waitress in a biker bar called Bubba's. It's a nothing job in a nowhere joint . . . until Tatum Jackson walks in. Lauren has never seen a man with such good looks, muscles, and attitude. But when he insults her, Lauren doesn't want anything to do with him. Too bad for Lauren he's also the bar's part owner and bartender.
When the rough-around-the-edges Tate meets the high-class Lauren, he thinks she won't fit in at Bubba's. Yet there's more to Lauren than meets the eye, and Tate soon sets his mind on claiming her as his own. Before long, the desire burning between them is heating up the cold mountain air. But when violence strikes the town, Tate must reveal a dark secret to Lauren-one that may put an end to their sweet dreams.
ebook, 400 pages
Published December 11th 2012 by Forever
Source: Purchased
I imagine that when coming up with a title for a novel sometimes it can be a challenge and sometimes it's just there..ready to be used...no thought required. I'm not sure whether it was a struggle for Kristen Ashley to select the name for this novel, but it couldn't be more perfect. True that, sista.
So, Courtney warned me that I wouldn't like Tate at first...um..understatement of the week! He pissed me right the fuck off after his first interaction with Lauren. RIGHT THA FUCK OFF. Omigah, no joke. Yikes. And, like Lauren, it took me a while to let my grudge wear off. I was loving how she didn't let him off the hook for his assholery. So the 4-1-1 on these two--she's been searching for a home, herself, her everything since divorcing her douche ex-husband. She ends up in Carnal working in Tate's bar. Tate is...well a lot of things that will be revealed as the novel progresses but the one thing you already know (if you know Kristen Ashley's novels) is that he's a badass alpha male. Lauren is spunky and sweet in equal parts. She's like many of us--hypercritical of herself, can't see the good parts of herself, and undersells herself constantly. Tate, as it turns out, is actually a great guy..with a quick temper and a lack of a filter for his mouth...can be good or frustrating.
Tate....what can I say about Tate. He is definitely an alpha male, but like Shelley it took me a ridiculous amount of time to get on board with him. It was definitely wild and a dose of reality what he said...and hit me hard. Because that is the worst feeling ever to hear this crazy hot guy insulting you. Ugh. Awful. Awful. Awful. I would die. I would probably have ran away, and never went back. But I do need to be a little bit more like Lauren because she is a spectacular character. I liked her a lot.
While the dynamic between Lauren and Tate is obvious reason we are turning the pages and staying up until 2 or 3 AM to see what happens next, the supporting cast of characters is equally interesting and dynamic. From friends and regulars at the bar, the friends Lauren makes in town, her family and his, to the bikers and the bad guys (and girls) this novel is full of memorable moments. You honestly feel like Lauren and Tate's friends are your friends too (or you want them to be). With the interesting ways that all of the friends and their stories are interwoven, to the threat of a serial killer in their midst, this novel was impossible to put down and required that I tether myself to an electrical outlet to charge my Kindle twice--because I absolutely wasn't going to stop reading!
I want to be friends with people like these. The men take care of their families...and have extreme attitude, but I kinda like it..obvs. I thought KA took this series up a big freaking notch, because well...with the serial killer aspect you never knew who was going to pop up dead next. It was pretty intense between Lauren and Tate.
I know it gets old, but I won't stop saying it. I love immersing myself in Kristen Ashley land--wish I could live there permanently. This novel just continues to solidify that desire. Yep. Or just move to Colorado and find our own band of Mountain Men. I am down with that too!
Shelley: 5 Stars
Courtney: 5 Stars
About the Author---
Kristen Ashley grew up in Brownsburg, Indiana, and has lived in Denver, Colorado, and the West Country of England. Thus she has been blessed to have friends and family around the globe. Her posse is loopy (to say the least) but loopy is good when you want to write.
Kristen was raised in a house with a large and multigenerational family. They lived on a very small farm in a small town in the heartland, and Kristen grew up listening to the strains of Glenn Miller, The Everly Brothers, REO Speedwagon, and Whitesnake.
Needless to say, growing up in a house full of music and love was a good way to grow up.
And as she keeps growing up, it keeps getting better.
Kristen was raised in a house with a large and multigenerational family. They lived on a very small farm in a small town in the heartland, and Kristen grew up listening to the strains of Glenn Miller, The Everly Brothers, REO Speedwagon, and Whitesnake.
Needless to say, growing up in a house full of music and love was a good way to grow up.
And as she keeps growing up, it keeps getting better.
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Sweet Dreams --and Tate-- are in my KA Top Five. And I hated him too, at first!
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