We're ending the week on a steamy note with Surrender to Love by J.C. Valentine. Keep reading to get a glimpse of this book through my impressions of it and by visiting the other blogs hosting this tour. Make sure to fill out the form for your chance to win a $10 bookstore GC, a book, and swag!
Jonathon Bradshaw, destroyed by a past that has haunted his every waking moment for the last five years, isn’t looking for a serious relationship, until he meets Patricia. Sweet, saucy and as hot as the summer is long, Jon can’t deny the draw he has toward her. For the first time, he has hope. Determined to shake the ghosts of his past, Jon focuses on forging a future with Patti, but he’s always been a master at standing in his own way.
When Jon’s past refuses to be forgotten, will Patti be able to live with the truth about the man who’s stolen her heart?
EXCERPT:
“Sorry, sorry,” she said as she stumbled into the living room. She had on one very high, black heel and was hopping around on it while trying to pull on the other. “I know I took longer than I said I would, but beauty takes time.” Finally managing to loop her shoe over her heel, she stood up tall and presented him with a dazzling smile. “Ready?”
Jon stared. He couldn’t take his eyes off of her even if he wanted to. Dressed in a token little black dress that left her shoulders bare and cupped her breasts with loving hands and ended at mid-thigh, exposing her lean, toned legs, he was sure he had died and gone to heaven.
Noticing the look on his face, Patti’s steps faltered. “Everything okay?” She frowned down at herself, smoothing her hands over the formfitting dress. “I just realized, I didn’t bother to ask where we were going tonight. Should I change into something else?”
Realizing what an ass he was making of himself, Jon shook his head and stood. With his eyes glued to hers, he crossed the room to stand in front of her. “You look incredible. Don’t change a thing.” Unable to resist the allure of her curvaceous body, he reached out his hand and let his fingers skim lightly across the slinky material clinging to her taut stomach like a second skin. He felt the muscles tighten beneath his touch, and took it as his cue to get even closer.
“Should we be going?” he asked, gliding his palm down her arm and enfolding her hand in his.
She smiled shyly, dropping her gaze. That single moment of vulnerability set in stone Jon’s determination to get to know her beyond the purely physical. She wasn’t just the hard ass, tough as nails woman he’d met before. She had softness to buffer her rough edges, and he found that quality beyond sexy. “Sure, let me just grab my purse.”
After she locked up, Jon led her to his truck.
“I see you got a new car.”
“It’s a truck, actually,” he said with a teasing smile.
Patricia smacked him in the side playfully with the back of her hand, surprising him. “I can see it’s a truck.” She smirked. “I just figured you for the luxury sedan type.”
“I’m whatever fancies me at the moment type,” Jon told her honestly.
BUY AT AMAZON here.
MY IMPRESSIONS OF THIS BOOK:
Those wanting a nice mix of romance and angst will get exactly that in Surrender to Love. It's an intensely emotional journey as two people let their pasts control their future. Through life altering events they realize the importance of moving on in a HEA that is full of tears and misunderstandings. All through the story though are numerous hot encounters amidst one or two cliched moments that left me frustrated along with a hero that's far from perfect.
Jon is still reeling from a devastating event in his past that has led to him closing parts of himself off. He's living his life for someone else as his personal form of punishment, not allowing any long-term happiness. He flits from one woman to another never letting himself get close which led me to see him in an unsavory light at first. He was a true player before he met Patricia and love definitely had him becoming more supportive and less guilt-ridden.
Patricia too is living her life for someone else after the death of her father has her embracing fast cars. She continues to be the daughter her father always wanted while alienating her mother. She's reckless which makes for a rocky road to happiness as Jon frowns upon that kind of behavior. I like that Patricia is strong-willed and doesn't let a man walk all over her. She sticks up for herself and isn't afraid to go toe to toe with Jon in an argument. An event happens late in the story though that greatly annoyed me in its soap opera nature and had me thinking that Patricia should've acted less like a flighty teenager and more like a modern woman.
Though I had a few issues with the protagonists they ultimately won me over as the healing power of love helped heal them and pointed them towards the future. The secondary characters, the friends to our main couple, were fun and very vocal in speaking their minds. They were supportive, playful in their banter, and easy to relate to. From start to finish this was an emotional story with lots of sexual encounters that felt like a soap opera at times but kept me fully invested in the outcome.
My rating for this is a B-
*I received this book from the author for review in exchange for my honest opinion.
J.C. Valentine is the alter-ego of Brandi Salazar, whose enjoyment of erotic tales of romance spurred her to branch out and create her own.
Brandi Salazar lives in the Northwest with her husband, their wild children, and far too many pets. As a university student, she studies literature, which goes well with her dream to become an editor. Brandi entertains a number of hobbies including reading and photography, but her first love is writing fiction-in all its forms.
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Wow!! That is one hot cover. I usually look at the cover of a book first to help me decide if I even want to take the time to look at the first page or the back cover. This is at the top of my list.
ReplyDeleteThank you for hosting today!
ReplyDeleteI absolutely love the cover. I love the pose...very intimate!
ReplyDeleteThe cover, one word--sizzling!
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