REVIEW: Taking the Leap by Kristen Ashley

He was made for her, all she had to do was take the leap…

Taking the Leap, the all-new beautiful and emotional contemporary romance from New York Times bestselling author Kristen Ashley, is available now!
Read on for a peek inside this incredible love story.

Alexandra Sharp has been crushing on her co-worker, John “Rix” Hendrix for years. He’s her perfect man, she knows it.

She’s just not his perfect woman, and she knows that too.

Then Rix gives Alex a hint that maybe there’s a spark between them that, if she takes the leap, she might be able to fan into a flame This leads to a crash and burn, and that’s all shy Alex needs to catch the hint never to take the risk again.

However, with undeniable timing, Rix’s ex, who broke his heart, and Alex’s family, who spent her lifetime breaking hers, rear their heads, gearing up to offer more drama. With the help of some matchmaking friends, Rix and Alex decide to face the onslaught together…

As a fake couple.

OUR REVIEW:

Taking the Leap is next novel in the River Rain series and it's one I've been very interested in reading. The sneak peek at the end of Chasing Serenity was enough to grab my attention and I'd been wondering how Rix and Alex would end up together after such a rough start. They were already having awkward exchanges in the small glimpses we saw in Chloe's book but dang the awkward was amped up even more so at the beginning of this one. 

After the opening scene, we begin to learn more about both Alex and Rix and their stories were interesting--she's basically royalty and he's a former firefighter who is living a full life as a double amputee. Based on what you come to learn about her background, it's a minor miracle that she is so down to earth and it's absolutely no wonder her demeanor is what it is. As the novel progresses, though, what seemed like a lot of shy introvertedness shows itself to be more of a quiet calm and confidence. I could only wish to react as smoothly and controlled as she does in many a harrowing situation. She might be one of my new favorite KA characters (though I probably say about many of her heroines). Meanwhile, Rix is alpha --not too extremely alpha but he's definitely trying to prove a point at various times in this novel and...point received. He's not an obnoxious alpha (usually) and he definitely means well when he acts and reacts the ways that he does. But honestly, if alpha males offend you, I'm not sure why you're reading Kristen Ashley novels. 

As per usual, I finished reading this novel in record time--is there any other way with a KA novel?! And I have lots of thoughts on who could possibly be the focus of our next book (and because there are many options, I hope this means many more novels to come.

Taking the Leap was exactly what I hoped it would be ....and more and I am eagerly awaiting what Kristen Ashley puts out next.  

Fall in love with Rix and Alex!
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Excerpt

.

What kind of coffee drink do you like?

I could have lied, and when I saw him at the office, said I was driving when I got the text and that was why I didn’t answer.

But there was a part of me that was so excited to get my very first text from Rix, and that part was strong.

So strong, that thought didn’t even occur to me before I texted back with oodles of curiosity, Why?

Because I’m buying you a coffee, babe.

Another babe.

That was three.

Highly inappropriate, even infantilizing.

I said not one word about the “babe.”

Instead, I texted, Iced Chai.

Once I sent that, I texted, Mocha latte, iced or hot.

And on its heels, I sent, For just hot, flat white. 

Then I got nervous that I might be sounding like a goof.

So nervous my thumbs couldn’t seem to stop tapping letters, and I therefore texted, I assume you want to know what I want right now, rather than all that I like. So just to say, I tend to be a coffee explorer, since I like coffee. And caffeine on the whole. That means the list is kinda long. But if you’re asking for right now, which you are, because it’s chilly this morning, flat white.

After I sent that, I realized that I was absolutely sounding like a dork in sending it, all of it, including the three before. As such, I watched in agony as Rix’s three dots cycled and cycled and then they did it some more.

Until I got, How much coffee have you already had?

This would have been funny if it wasn’t so mortifying.

Just one, I responded miserably.

Try to cycle down cuz you’ll have another when you get to work. Later.

I decided I’d texted enough, so I let that lie.

It didn’t lie for long.

Rix showed at my desk at River Rain (which wasn’t going to be my desk at River Rain for very long, it’d be my desk at Trail Blazer since we were moving the next day, Judge’s office furniture, mine, and some unused stuff they had sitting around was all going to the new offices for temporary use because the telephones and Internet were being hooked up that day and it was time to occupy Trail Blazer).

Rix set my flat white down while I valiantly attempted not to blush, he made no attempt whatsoever to hide he totally did not miss I failed at this endeavor, smiled a smile that I wanted to think was friendly, but instead it seemed sexy, this thought being exacerbated when he muttered under his breath so I almost couldn’t hear it, “Only you could make a rambling coffee order adorable.”

I sat frozen.

Rix winked at me and said in his normal voice, “Bottoms up, Alex.”

With that, seeing as he was in his chair that day, he wheeled away.

Since there was a lot going on with packing for the move and tech hookups and such, I only had to deal with Rix in passing for the rest of Monday.

However, Tuesday morning, I was shoving stuff into my bag at home, preparing to head down the mountain to dig into the move, when my phone chimed.

OK, I have ten minutes, explain today’s coffee order.

Yes.

Another text from Rix.

A startled laugh escaped from me because he was being funny.

I then texted back, You don’t have to buy me coffee.

To which he texted, I know I don’t.

Then I sent, I’m just saying, we’re good. We had a blip last week. But now we’re great.

We’re great?

Damn.

Why did reading those two words texted by him make my breasts swell?

Good. Great. I mean, things are fine. You don’t have to butter me up with coffee.

So coffee is a way to butter you up?

Oh God.

What was that?

Was it flirty?

Or was it just being funny and friendly?

Or was it just a kind of getting-to-know-you, valued co-worker, but in a jokey fashion?

Tell him what you want and stop texting, Alex! I admonished myself.

I did not stop texting.

Well, yeah. Kinda. Like I said, I like coffee.

You did say that, so maybe you’ll tell me what kind you want this morning.

Time to get beyond this.

Iced Chai.

That’s tea.

Oh my God!

Flirty?

Or jokey?

I’m feeling tea today, I replied.

Right. And then he sent, That only took five minutes. I’d fill the other five by asking you what kind of donuts you like, but we got a lot to get accomplished today. I’m sure I’ll enjoy your dissertation on that, but I’d prefer to sort out my office so I can start doing the shit I’m getting paid to do.

He one hundred percent did not need my views on donuts then.

Therefore, I noted, Good call. 

He sent a smirk emoji, which shared the impossible.

Rix could even make emojis sexy.

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About Kristen Ashley
Kristen Ashley is the New York Times bestselling author of over sixty romance novels including the Rock Chick, Colorado Mountain, Dream Man, Chaos, Unfinished Hero, The ’Burg, Magdalene, Fantasyland, The Three, Ghost and Reincarnation, Moonlight and Motor Oil and Honey series along with several standalone novels. She’s a hybrid author, publishing titles both independently and traditionally, her books have been translated in fourteen languages and she’s sold over three million books.
Kristen’s novel, Law Man, won the RT Book Reviews Reviewer’s Choice Award for best Romantic Suspense. Her independently published title Hold On was nominated for RT Book Reviews best Independent Contemporary Romance and her traditionally published title Breathe was nominated for best Contemporary Romance. Kristen’s titles Motorcycle Man, The Will, Ride Steady (which won the Reader’s Choice award from Romance Reviews) and The Hookup all made the final rounds for Goodreads Choice Awards in the Romance category.

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