Noah, Cory, Benji, Buzzy and Otis are Jagged Ivory, the hottest rock band on the planet. But they’re also a family who takes care of one another through thick and thin, blood and sibling rivalry be damned. Sexy, fun and irresistible, these guys rock hard, party hard, and love even harder! Come meet the boys of Jagged Ivory, and the women who love them, and let them rock your world!
Join Jagged Ivory on their summer world tour and get all five books in this rock star series - Jagged Hearts, Jagged Dreams, Jagged Addiction, Jagged Secrets and Jagged Surrender - The Essential Jagged Ivory.
JAGGED HEARTS:
Mercy Holland is sure of two things. One - that Noah Ivory is sex on legs. And two - that he doesn't remember her or the night of passion they spent together four years ago before his band, Jagged Ivory, signed their record deal. But when her father, who just happens to be the band's manager, gives her the opportunity to travel with them on tour, Mercy can't help but hope that she and the sexy lead guitarist can reignite an old, smoldering flame.
Playing lead guitar for one of the hottest rock bands in the world has its perks, and Noah Ivory has no trouble taking full advantage of it. He has his pick of the many gorgeous young girls that fall at his feet night after night. But when Jagged Ivory's manager brings his beautiful and sassy daughter along on the European leg of their world tour, the guitar god is suddenly thrown for a loop as the memories of their steamy one-night stand come crashing back to him.
Now, all sorts of questions are running through his head. Like how can he apologize for the way he treated her back then? How can he tell her that she hasn't been far from his thoughts since that night? How can he pursue her with her father watching his every move? And most importantly, how can he keep her from falling for his brother?
EXCERPT:
The energy in the stadium was electric and palpable, and Mercy could feel it even from her position just off the stage in the wings. She had stood there the entire show, watching in awe as Jagged Ivory brought the entire arena to its feet. The crowd was so pumped, and she could easily see that the guys were feeding off their energy. It was the most amazing experience, watching from this vantage point. And now that she was sort of friends with them, it made it all the more surreal for her. She had seen them perform live countless times, both before they had made it big and since. But this felt somehow different. This was more exciting.
The house lights dimmed once again and the full-to-capacity stadium roared with adulation as the guys said goodnight and left the stage for the final time. It had been an incredible show and they had certainly given the audience their money's worth, performing for two solid hours. And Mercy had never felt more star-struck than she did at that moment. When the guys came off the stage, one by one, she watched them walk past her feeling like a breathless teenager.
She followed them and Mike as they made their way back down to the dressing room. Once there, Noah grabbed a clean towel from the stage hand offering them, and took a moment to bury his face in it, wiping away the pound of sweat gathered there before proceeding down his bare chest. As usual during a show, he had long discarded his t-shirt under the heat of the lights and the exertion of the performance. It was customary for him to remove it onstage and toss it out to the crowd about halfway through a show.
Mercy stood timidly in a corner of the room, frozen to the spot as everyone bustled around her, and she watched him. To her, it felt as if he were the only other person in the room. The towel he held in his hands glided slowly over the medieval dragon tattoo that snaked its way from the right side of his back around to the right side of his chest and abdomen. God, he was perfection, and Mercy could feel herself drooling. He had been magnificent onstage. Wolfish and sexy. His every movement had excited her like foreplay. She wanted him. God help her, she still wanted him. Even with the memories of his rejection still fresh in her mind. What was her problem? Was she simply a glutton for punishment? She had to get a grip on herself.
She was snapped out of her lowly self-assessment when her dad suddenly called out, “Hey, Noah, your little friend from the restaurant is waiting in the Green Room!”
Noah grabbed a fresh t-shirt, and Mercy watched as he quickly slipped it on and rounded the guys up to go greet their guest. She was astounded as she watched him play host to that little girl and her parents. He was so genuine and animated, and he looked as though he were really enjoying himself. He made sure all the guys signed her tour program, and he insisted they take a picture together. He did everything he could to put young Mindy Peters on cloud nine, and Mercy was amazed.
She was staring at the scene in fascination when he suddenly looked right at her. “Hey, Mercy! Would you mind?” he said, holding the kid's camera out to her.
“Oh, sure,” she said anxiously, stepping forward to take the camera from him. She felt an internal shock when their fingers lightly brushed one another's, and she looked up slightly startled, only to find his eyes boring into hers. She could feel her face flush slightly as she looked away and took a step back to take the picture. She took one shot of Mindy and her parents with the entire group, and one shot of just Mindy and Noah. And she smiled at the girl when she handed her camera back to her.
“You're so lucky to be his girlfriend,” the girl gushed as she thanked her and walked away. And Mercy and Noah stood staring at each other with wide, shocked eyes, wondering how she had gotten such a wrong idea.
The boys of Jagged Ivory are back, and this time the band's touring America!
What happens when Jagged Ivory's rhythm guitarist, Cory Dutton, finally marries his long-time girlfriend, actress Donna Devlin? The pair have enjoyed two solid years of love and companionship packed with excitement, laughter and a sizzling-hot sex life.
But saying 'I Do' often has a way of changing things for a couple. Especially when both parties have busy high-profile careers, and dreams of their own. Can Cory and Donna figure out how to pursue their dreams together and make their marriage a priority in their lives? Or will they end up being just another Hollywood brief-marriage statistic?
But saying 'I Do' often has a way of changing things for a couple. Especially when both parties have busy high-profile careers, and dreams of their own. Can Cory and Donna figure out how to pursue their dreams together and make their marriage a priority in their lives? Or will they end up being just another Hollywood brief-marriage statistic?
EXCERPT:
“He is so happy you're here.” Donna turned to see Mercy standing next to her, camera in hand, as she watched the action on the stage. She smiled at her words and looked back at Cory doing his thing as the band rocked out to “Surrender.” It was one of Donna's favorite songs.
“I'm so happy I'm here,” she said with a smile.
“Can I get a shot of you for the tour journal?” Mercy asked.
“Of course!” Donna smiled as Mercy took a couple of poses of her watching the band.
They stood watching the guys in silence for a while, both enjoying the music as they watched the men in their lives entertain a stadium full of screaming fans.
“He's been a mess, you know.” Mercy said, turning to look at her, and Donna was startled at her frankness. Mercy looked at her apologetically and continued. “I know it's none of my business, but with the scandal and being apart from you … he's been a mess. He tries to hide it.”
Donna wasn't sure what to say. She knew that Cory often confided in Noah about a lot of things, but hearing Noah's girlfriend tell her about her husband's state of mind made her feel guilty somehow. Like Cory being a mess was all her fault. She knew that's not what Mercy was implying, but she couldn't help but feel guilty just the same.
“I know. And I wish there were something I could do to make that whole stupid kiss thing go away but … I can't. It's out there, through no fault of my own.”
“Oh, I think he knows that,” Mercy offered.
“Does he?” Donna asked, looking at her. “Because sometimes I get the feeling that … he's not so sure. Like maybe he thinks I really did sleep with that jerk.”
“Donna, you can't be serious.”
“Not all the time,” Donna replied. “But every so often, something in his voice will falter, and I just think … that there's something on his mind that he's not saying. Something he wants to ask but he's afraid to.”
She looked very sad all of a sudden, and Mercy was puzzled by the expression in her eyes. Taking a deep breath, she asked, “He doesn't have any reason to be afraid of asking questions, does he?”
“No. Of course not,” Donna answered.
“Then why not confront him?” Mercy shrugged. “Ask him to tell you what's on his mind.”
Donna looked thoughtful for a moment as she considered Mercy's words. “Because maybe I'm the one who has reason to fear questions.”
“What do you mean?”
Donna said nothing as she heard Radcliffe's voice taunting her, implying that Cory hadn't been faithful to her. She gave her a sad smile. “We date rock stars, Mercy. Sometimes we even marry them. But there are a million girls out there,” she said, motioning to the crowd. “All of them ready, willing and able to be here when you can't. You've never had this worry because you've been traveling with Noah since your romance began. You know, I don't know if you've worked it out yet but, your daddy was really looking out for your relationship when he gave you this job, giving you the opportunity to stay by Noah's side at all times. Mike knew what he was doing; you should thank him for it. But for the rest of us … well, we don't have that luxury. And sometimes the wondering gets the best of you.”
When Jagged Ivory’s bassist, Benji Staffon, almost died of an overdose in the middle of their European tour, he knew that he had finally hit bottom. An outsider almost from the moment he was born, drugs had long been his way of coping with the loneliness and the fear. But he knows that he has to get clean now, because his Jagged Ivory bandmates are the only real family he’s ever had, and disappointing them again is simply not an option.
Fae Miller is an orphan. Her father died when she was young, and she watched her mother kill herself slowly because of the grief. Music is the only thing that kept her sane through it all. And her crush on Jagged Ivory’s bassist led her to pick up the instrument herself. Now, working the backline for one of the biggest rock groups on the planet, she suddenly finds herself thrust into Benji Staffon’s orbit and into his tortured life.
Can these two lost souls make a real and genuine connection, or will his addiction tear them both apart?
Can these two lost souls make a real and genuine connection, or will his addiction tear them both apart?
EXCERPT:
Her eyes opened slowly and she frowned at the unfamiliar surroundings. She wasn't in her apartment. Then she took a deep breath as she remembered that she was in a hotel room in Los Angeles because the tour had resumed last night. That's right. The first of three shows in L.A. before getting back into the smelly, crowded van with the four smelly, boneheads who were her fellow backline technicians. She loved working the backline. Especially when it was for a band that she adored, like Jagged Ivory. But there were parts of her job that she truly despised, and being on the van for hours – sometimes days at a time – was one of those parts. It wasn't so bad when she was part of a crew that had a couple of other females, because they could travel together. And women always made much nicer travel companions on the road. But she didn't have that luxury on this tour. She was the only female on the crew, so she had no choice but to travel with the smelly boys.
Pushing those annoying thoughts of the bus out of her mind, Fae inhaled deeply as she stretched a little. And as she did, her senses were suddenly flooded with the most tantalizing, masculine scent, and it startled her.
Benji!
She was in Benji Staffon's hotel suite. In his bed! Quickly looking down to check out her clothing situation, she relaxed when she realized that she was still fully clothed. It all came back to her then – talking to him before Jagged Ivory went onstage and how freaked out he'd been about what to do after the show. And she remembered volunteering to be his sidekick. And then their dinner. She smiled to herself as she thought about the previous night's events. He had been so completely adorable, the entire evening. Charming and funny and warm. And so open. Not at all what she had expected when she first got this gig. She thought he'd have more of an ego and be a little prima dona. He was Benji Staffonafter all. But he was nothing like what she had first imagined. Instead he was so incredibly humble and unassuming. And so positive considering all that he had gone through in his life. He certainly had not had an easy time of it, that's for sure. Not that her past had been a bed of roses either, but Fae felt a wave of sadness as she thought about all she had learned about his life last night. And she marveled at how he had been able to survive it and to overcome it all. He was so amazing!
She frowned as she suddenly wondered where he was, and she glanced at the clock to see that it was nearing 7am. She needed to get up or she was going to be late. And as that thought rattled around in her brain, she heard a door abruptly open across the room and she watched asBenji stepped out of the bathroom with a towel wrapped around his waist. Oh, my God! Her mouth watered as he moved slowly around the large bedroom area. He was beautiful. He had that classic rocker look to him, tall and slender and sexy as hell with that lean, muscular frame. His naturally wavy locks cascaded in damp ringlets down to his shoulders, and the towel riding low on his waist highlighted the enticing V at his hips. Fae could see droplets of water dripping from his hair as they ran slowly down over the large Jagged Ivory logo tattooed on his upper right arm.
He moved slowly, as if he were purposely trying not to make too much noise, and Fae realized that he must believe she was still sleeping. She kept very still as she watched him pulling clothing out of his bag. She was mesmerized, like a voyeur. And when he pulled out a pair of briefs and the towel around his waist suddenly hit the floor, she felt her breath catch in her throat. Oh, shit! She watched him hungrily, and she knew that she was drooling. She could literally feel the moisture trickle from the side of her mouth as he pulled on the underwear, and she moved quickly to wipe her lips and chin.
What happens when the love of your life, who walked out on you eight years ago, suddenly resurfaces? Well, Buzzy West, drummer for rock group Jagged Ivory, is about to find out! Buzzy has always been ‘the life of the party.’ Very charismatic and fun-loving, he was the boy next door who rocked! With his all-American good looks and his sparkling personality, he’s the type of guy who’s never hurting for female companionship. He’s never lonely, but he also never gets involved. At a glance, he seems like the true love ‘em and leave ‘em kind of guy. But that’s all an illusion, because the truth is that he just never got over the woman who broke his heart.
Janie Kim is a shy, quiet bookworm. She spent her high school days with her nose stuck in a book, just trying to keep her head down and blend into the background so that she didn't draw any undue attention to herself, going through life as your basic friendless social misfit. That is … until Robby (Buzzy) West came to town. Their innocent friendship quickly turned sexual. She was the prettiest thing he had ever seen, and his raging hormones would not let him forget it. He fell so completely in love with her, he would have done anything to keep her by his side forever. But Janie had other ideas, and when she broke up with him shortly after graduation he was devastated.
After weeks trying to get her to change her mind, he had to accept her decision. So he picked up his drumsticks and left town, heading for LA to chase his dream. But when Janie suddenly appears backstage one night after a Jagged Ivory concert, Buz can't get her or their romance out of his head. He needs answers to the questions he's been asking himself all these years. He needs closure. But when he goes looking for it, he finds that Janie's been keeping secrets.
EXCERPT:
After weeks trying to get her to change her mind, he had to accept her decision. So he picked up his drumsticks and left town, heading for LA to chase his dream. But when Janie suddenly appears backstage one night after a Jagged Ivory concert, Buz can't get her or their romance out of his head. He needs answers to the questions he's been asking himself all these years. He needs closure. But when he goes looking for it, he finds that Janie's been keeping secrets.
EXCERPT:
“Hi, Robby.”
There were only two people in the world who called him that. And the sweet, familiar lilt definitely did not belong to his mother. But it grabbed his attention with perfect ease, and it made him relive an entire fourteen months in a few split seconds. He felt his breath catch in his throat and his hands instantly began to sweat as he slowly turned around to get a glimpse of her. Timid, soft brown eyes met his, and his heart took off like it was running a drag strip. Was he imagining this? Was this real?
“Janie,” Buz whispered, disbelieving. Was she really here or was his heart simply playing mind games with him because he was here in Ohio? She smiled at him, and his racing heart went into overdrive.
“Janie Kim,” he said in wonder as he stepped forward and enveloped her into a tight bear hug. “Oh, God,” he whispered as he closed his eyes and savored the feel of her in his arms.
How long had he wanted to do this? How long had it been? He knew exactly how long. He had been counting the days ever since she had left him. It had been eight years. Eight long, lonely years since he had last laid eyes on her. But you wouldn't know that by looking at her. She was still every bit as pretty as he remembered. Thin and petite. Warm almond-shaped eyes, long black hair and creamy golden skin. She still looked just as she always did in his dreams. His imagination had done her perfect justice all these years.
He held on to her for the longest time, and Janie felt as though she were drowning in him. She could feel the dampness of his t-shirt against her cheek as the masculine, musky scent of his sweat combined with the memories of their time together. It was a potent, heady combination and she relished every second of it. Even as she feared it. She felt completely overwhelmed by him, as usual. Maybe this wasn't such a good idea and she shouldn't have come.
“It is so good to see you,” he said as he reluctantly pulled away, holding her at arm's length. “What are you doing here?”
“The same thing everyone else is doing,” she smiled. “Watching Jagged Ivory do what they do best. The show was incredible, Robby.”
“Thanks,” he said softly as he stared down at her. He couldn't believe she was really standing here in front of him. Close enough to touch. Close enough to kiss.
“I always knew that you would be a big star someday,” she beamed at him, and he laughed.
“Oh, I don't know about that. Just depends on who you talk to, I guess,” Buz smiled, searching her eyes. “So, how are you? You know, every time we play Cleveland I always wonder about you, hoping you'll show up backstage sometime. You have no idea how often I have had that daydream. And now finally, here you are!” His eyes were still glued to hers as he asked, “You're still in the area?”
She nodded with a smirk. “Yep. Still in the exact same place. You remember Mom's house?”
“Yeah, I remember,” he said as he smiled at her. Then he grew serious as he remembered something else. “Oh. I um … I was real sorry to hear about your mom. I got a random phone call from my mother last year, asking didn't I know a Sandra Kim. I guess she came across the name in the obituaries and it rang a bell. Weird since my mother doesn't even live in Cleveland anymore. But I know that she still subscribes to the Cleveland Plain Dealer,” he said, referring to the local newspaper.
“Yeah, your mom was always very sweet to me.” Janie said.
“Well, that's because she liked you better than she liked me,” he joked, and Janie laughed.
“That's not true,” she smiled. “The way I remember it, your mom was always very proud of all three of her sons. Even the black sheep.”
Buzzy chuckled at her comment because it was so true. Coming from a long line of military men, he was easily the black sheep of the family for not enlisting like his two older brothers had. His Air Force Major father had been furious. Especially when he asked Buzzy what he planned to do with his life and Buz answered that he wanted to be a rock and roll drummer. Yeah, that had gone over really well.
“She sent flowers in your name,” Janie said, referring to his mother.
Buz smiled as he nodded. Glad to know that she had received the flowers he asked his mom to send. They stared into one another's eyes in silence for a long time, each of them running the memories through their minds like a highlight reel.
“Well, I should get going,” Janie said with a wistful smile, suddenly feeling in way over her head. She definitely should not have come. Or at the very least, she should have simply left after the concert was over and not made her way backstage. Why was she putting herself through this? What had she been thinking?
“No! Don't rush off,” Buz replied. “Look, some of the guys and I are going out to a club. Why don't you come with me. I would love to catch up with you!”
She stared at him with those big, pretty, almond-shaped eyes, and for a moment Buz was hopeful that she would accept. But she frowned slightly and looked down at the floor. Then she shook her head as she looked at him and apologized.
“I'm sorry, I can't. I really do need to be going.”
“Well, we could skip the club! You and me, we'll just … we'll go somewhere and have a cup of coffee,” Buz said, looking at her imploringly as he took her by the hand. “We'll just sit and talk. Please?”
“No, Robby. I'm sorry,” she said with a sad smile. “I really can't stay. I just wanted to come say hi. And to let you know that an old friend was in the crowd tonight and that she was thoroughly impressed with the show. You are a real rock star, Robby West! And it could not have happened to a nicer guy.”
“Janie, please! Look … I will be in the area for almost two weeks. Okay, we play Cleveland again on Saturday, then Toledo, Columbus and Cincinnati. I will make time to see you. Please! Here,” he said, grabbing the tour program from her hands. Then he quickly found a pen and scribbled something on the back of it. He handed it back to her saying, “This is my cell number. Please use it! I would love to catch up with you. Even if we can't find the time to get together while I'm here, I would love to talk to you. Please call me sometime, alright? Text me! Anything.”
She stepped toward him and stood on her tiptoes, gently kissing him on the cheek and stunning his senses for a moment. Then she turned and quickly moved away from him, picking her way through the crowd and heading for the door.
“Janie, wait! Janie!”
But she was gone. Disappearing into thin air just as quickly as she had appeared. And Buz felt that familiar, crushing pain seize him. She had just broken his heart all over again.
“Janie Kim,” he said in wonder as he stepped forward and enveloped her into a tight bear hug. “Oh, God,” he whispered as he closed his eyes and savored the feel of her in his arms.
How long had he wanted to do this? How long had it been? He knew exactly how long. He had been counting the days ever since she had left him. It had been eight years. Eight long, lonely years since he had last laid eyes on her. But you wouldn't know that by looking at her. She was still every bit as pretty as he remembered. Thin and petite. Warm almond-shaped eyes, long black hair and creamy golden skin. She still looked just as she always did in his dreams. His imagination had done her perfect justice all these years.
He held on to her for the longest time, and Janie felt as though she were drowning in him. She could feel the dampness of his t-shirt against her cheek as the masculine, musky scent of his sweat combined with the memories of their time together. It was a potent, heady combination and she relished every second of it. Even as she feared it. She felt completely overwhelmed by him, as usual. Maybe this wasn't such a good idea and she shouldn't have come.
“It is so good to see you,” he said as he reluctantly pulled away, holding her at arm's length. “What are you doing here?”
“The same thing everyone else is doing,” she smiled. “Watching Jagged Ivory do what they do best. The show was incredible, Robby.”
“Thanks,” he said softly as he stared down at her. He couldn't believe she was really standing here in front of him. Close enough to touch. Close enough to kiss.
“I always knew that you would be a big star someday,” she beamed at him, and he laughed.
“Oh, I don't know about that. Just depends on who you talk to, I guess,” Buz smiled, searching her eyes. “So, how are you? You know, every time we play Cleveland I always wonder about you, hoping you'll show up backstage sometime. You have no idea how often I have had that daydream. And now finally, here you are!” His eyes were still glued to hers as he asked, “You're still in the area?”
She nodded with a smirk. “Yep. Still in the exact same place. You remember Mom's house?”
“Yeah, I remember,” he said as he smiled at her. Then he grew serious as he remembered something else. “Oh. I um … I was real sorry to hear about your mom. I got a random phone call from my mother last year, asking didn't I know a Sandra Kim. I guess she came across the name in the obituaries and it rang a bell. Weird since my mother doesn't even live in Cleveland anymore. But I know that she still subscribes to the Cleveland Plain Dealer,” he said, referring to the local newspaper.
“Yeah, your mom was always very sweet to me.” Janie said.
“Well, that's because she liked you better than she liked me,” he joked, and Janie laughed.
“That's not true,” she smiled. “The way I remember it, your mom was always very proud of all three of her sons. Even the black sheep.”
Buzzy chuckled at her comment because it was so true. Coming from a long line of military men, he was easily the black sheep of the family for not enlisting like his two older brothers had. His Air Force Major father had been furious. Especially when he asked Buzzy what he planned to do with his life and Buz answered that he wanted to be a rock and roll drummer. Yeah, that had gone over really well.
“She sent flowers in your name,” Janie said, referring to his mother.
Buz smiled as he nodded. Glad to know that she had received the flowers he asked his mom to send. They stared into one another's eyes in silence for a long time, each of them running the memories through their minds like a highlight reel.
“Well, I should get going,” Janie said with a wistful smile, suddenly feeling in way over her head. She definitely should not have come. Or at the very least, she should have simply left after the concert was over and not made her way backstage. Why was she putting herself through this? What had she been thinking?
“No! Don't rush off,” Buz replied. “Look, some of the guys and I are going out to a club. Why don't you come with me. I would love to catch up with you!”
She stared at him with those big, pretty, almond-shaped eyes, and for a moment Buz was hopeful that she would accept. But she frowned slightly and looked down at the floor. Then she shook her head as she looked at him and apologized.
“I'm sorry, I can't. I really do need to be going.”
“Well, we could skip the club! You and me, we'll just … we'll go somewhere and have a cup of coffee,” Buz said, looking at her imploringly as he took her by the hand. “We'll just sit and talk. Please?”
“No, Robby. I'm sorry,” she said with a sad smile. “I really can't stay. I just wanted to come say hi. And to let you know that an old friend was in the crowd tonight and that she was thoroughly impressed with the show. You are a real rock star, Robby West! And it could not have happened to a nicer guy.”
“Janie, please! Look … I will be in the area for almost two weeks. Okay, we play Cleveland again on Saturday, then Toledo, Columbus and Cincinnati. I will make time to see you. Please! Here,” he said, grabbing the tour program from her hands. Then he quickly found a pen and scribbled something on the back of it. He handed it back to her saying, “This is my cell number. Please use it! I would love to catch up with you. Even if we can't find the time to get together while I'm here, I would love to talk to you. Please call me sometime, alright? Text me! Anything.”
She stepped toward him and stood on her tiptoes, gently kissing him on the cheek and stunning his senses for a moment. Then she turned and quickly moved away from him, picking her way through the crowd and heading for the door.
“Janie, wait! Janie!”
But she was gone. Disappearing into thin air just as quickly as she had appeared. And Buz felt that familiar, crushing pain seize him. She had just broken his heart all over again.
Jagged Ivory frontman, Otis Ivory, is a player. Devilishly sexy and notorious for his womanizing ways, Otis is a confirmed bachelor who sees nothing wrong with his rock and roll lifestyle. But when a sex scandal suddenly rocks his world, Otis finds himself questioning his behavior with women. And when the sexiest woman he's ever laid eyes on crashes into his life out of nowhere, Otis is left wondering what just hit him.
Brooke McKenna is a woman who leads two lives. Ballerina by day, exotic dancer by night. Her two worlds don't fit together. But when fate and circumstance collide, bringing her face to face with one of the bad boys of rock, both her worlds get turned upside down. Can she tame the infamous Otis Ivory and make a respectable man out of him? Or will she be the one to surrender?
EXCERPT:
EXCERPT:
“I think you’re attracted to him. I think you’re even a little flattered that he asked you out.”
“I am not attracted to that arrogant pig!” Her voice was haughty as she glared at her sister.
“Mmm hmm,” Shelly replied as the corners of her mouth turned up.
“You do realize that he basically bribed me for this date, right? He didn’t ask me out like a normal person. I mean, what kind of man does that?”
“The kind who are rock stars?” Shelly offered with a smile.
“Whose side are you on?”
“I am always on your side, Brooke,” Shelly sighed, rolling her eyes. “Stop being so dramatic. You know, if you’d relax and stop concentrating on hating him so much, you might just enjoy yourself tonight. I mean, I know we live in L.A., but how many times have you been out on a date with a real celebrity?”
“Never,” Brooke practically shouted. “And I never aspired to!”
Shelly opened her mouth to argue, but her eyes grew wide with excitement as they both saw the lights of a car pulling up into their driveway.
“Oh, my God! He’s here,” Shelly squealed, actually jumping around like a little girl and peeking out the curtains covering the window.
“Why are you so excited about this?” Brooke asked as she watched her sister have a small meltdown.
“I’m a fan, okay? So, sue me!” She rushed to the door of Brooke’s bedroom, turning back to say, “I’ll answer the door; you brush your hair!”
When she dashed out of the room, Brooke rolled her eyes. She had never seen Shelly act this ridiculously before. And over some rock star, no less.
Otis climbed out of his Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren feeling only slightly nervous. For a brief moment on his drive over, he wondered if perhaps Brooke had given him a fake address. He knew very well that she could have sent him on a wild goose chase tonight without ever having the slightest intention of keeping their date. And as he walked to the front door of the house, he knew that was still possible. It could be anyone behind this door he was about to knock on, and he was suddenly grateful that he had thought to bring Clyde along. The bodyguard was now parked in front of the house in a separate vehicle, and he would be shadowing them all evening.
He took a deep breath as he reached out to knock. And he was surprised at the level of anxiety he felt as he waited. When the door swung open, he was greeted by the bright smile of a very attractive young woman. She looked a lot like Brooke, only with much shorter hair that was cut into a sexy bob that framed her face, and she had pretty, hazel eyes.
“Oh, my God,” she smiled, and Otis felt immediate relief. This was obviously the right place and Brooke hadn’t tried to ditch him. “Please, come in!”
He stepped inside and looked around at the modest living room as the girl continued to gush. “It is so nice to meet you, Mr. Ivory! I can’t believe you’re really standing in my living room. I just about died when Brooke told me the story of what happened. And I’m so sorry about your car! And I know that she is too, but this is just so exciting!”
Her words were coming out in an exhilarated rush, and Otis couldn’t help but smile at her. She hadn’t let him get a single word in, but he knew immediately that he liked her.
“You’ll have to excuse my sister,” Brooke said as she descended the stairs and entered the living room. “She’s a little star-struck at the moment. Apparently she’s a fan of … whatever it is that you do.”
Otis took note of the snide comment about Jagged Ivory, but he didn’t acknowledge it. Partly because he didn’t want to give her the satisfaction. But mostly because he was rendered speechless at the sight of her. She was dressed in a form-fitting, black cocktail dress and heels, and she looked amazing.
“Oh, my Gosh, she’s right! I am such a fan; I love your music, and it is such an honor to meet you! I’m Michelle, by the way. But you can call me Shelly.”
Otis tore his gaze away from Brooke and turned his attention back to her sister. “It’s very nice to meet you, Shelly. I’m Otis,” he said, taking her hand.
The girl giggled as he shook her hand, and Otis loved the way her eyes sparkled when she did. She was adorable in her own way, and if circumstances were different, he might be trying his best to work both sisters into his bed. Together. But he had a new agenda here, thanks to Noah’s challenge. Besides, the sister was cute, but she couldn’t hold a candle to the bombshell standing next to them. He turned and met her gaze, holding it for a moment before he said, “Shall we?”
“Yep,” Brooke replied. “Let’s get this over with.”
Otis couldn’t help smiling at her attitude, and he knew this was going to be an interesting evening.
“Otis, please don’t let my sister scare you away,” Shelly said, smiling at him as they moved toward the door. “Underneath that hard exterior, is a truly incrediblewoman.”
“Oh, I can see that,” Otis said with a quiet smile as he looked into Brooke’s eyes.
“I am not attracted to that arrogant pig!” Her voice was haughty as she glared at her sister.
“Mmm hmm,” Shelly replied as the corners of her mouth turned up.
“You do realize that he basically bribed me for this date, right? He didn’t ask me out like a normal person. I mean, what kind of man does that?”
“The kind who are rock stars?” Shelly offered with a smile.
“Whose side are you on?”
“I am always on your side, Brooke,” Shelly sighed, rolling her eyes. “Stop being so dramatic. You know, if you’d relax and stop concentrating on hating him so much, you might just enjoy yourself tonight. I mean, I know we live in L.A., but how many times have you been out on a date with a real celebrity?”
“Never,” Brooke practically shouted. “And I never aspired to!”
Shelly opened her mouth to argue, but her eyes grew wide with excitement as they both saw the lights of a car pulling up into their driveway.
“Oh, my God! He’s here,” Shelly squealed, actually jumping around like a little girl and peeking out the curtains covering the window.
“Why are you so excited about this?” Brooke asked as she watched her sister have a small meltdown.
“I’m a fan, okay? So, sue me!” She rushed to the door of Brooke’s bedroom, turning back to say, “I’ll answer the door; you brush your hair!”
When she dashed out of the room, Brooke rolled her eyes. She had never seen Shelly act this ridiculously before. And over some rock star, no less.
Otis climbed out of his Mercedes-Benz SLR McLaren feeling only slightly nervous. For a brief moment on his drive over, he wondered if perhaps Brooke had given him a fake address. He knew very well that she could have sent him on a wild goose chase tonight without ever having the slightest intention of keeping their date. And as he walked to the front door of the house, he knew that was still possible. It could be anyone behind this door he was about to knock on, and he was suddenly grateful that he had thought to bring Clyde along. The bodyguard was now parked in front of the house in a separate vehicle, and he would be shadowing them all evening.
He took a deep breath as he reached out to knock. And he was surprised at the level of anxiety he felt as he waited. When the door swung open, he was greeted by the bright smile of a very attractive young woman. She looked a lot like Brooke, only with much shorter hair that was cut into a sexy bob that framed her face, and she had pretty, hazel eyes.
“Oh, my God,” she smiled, and Otis felt immediate relief. This was obviously the right place and Brooke hadn’t tried to ditch him. “Please, come in!”
He stepped inside and looked around at the modest living room as the girl continued to gush. “It is so nice to meet you, Mr. Ivory! I can’t believe you’re really standing in my living room. I just about died when Brooke told me the story of what happened. And I’m so sorry about your car! And I know that she is too, but this is just so exciting!”
Her words were coming out in an exhilarated rush, and Otis couldn’t help but smile at her. She hadn’t let him get a single word in, but he knew immediately that he liked her.
“You’ll have to excuse my sister,” Brooke said as she descended the stairs and entered the living room. “She’s a little star-struck at the moment. Apparently she’s a fan of … whatever it is that you do.”
Otis took note of the snide comment about Jagged Ivory, but he didn’t acknowledge it. Partly because he didn’t want to give her the satisfaction. But mostly because he was rendered speechless at the sight of her. She was dressed in a form-fitting, black cocktail dress and heels, and she looked amazing.
“Oh, my Gosh, she’s right! I am such a fan; I love your music, and it is such an honor to meet you! I’m Michelle, by the way. But you can call me Shelly.”
Otis tore his gaze away from Brooke and turned his attention back to her sister. “It’s very nice to meet you, Shelly. I’m Otis,” he said, taking her hand.
The girl giggled as he shook her hand, and Otis loved the way her eyes sparkled when she did. She was adorable in her own way, and if circumstances were different, he might be trying his best to work both sisters into his bed. Together. But he had a new agenda here, thanks to Noah’s challenge. Besides, the sister was cute, but she couldn’t hold a candle to the bombshell standing next to them. He turned and met her gaze, holding it for a moment before he said, “Shall we?”
“Yep,” Brooke replied. “Let’s get this over with.”
Otis couldn’t help smiling at her attitude, and he knew this was going to be an interesting evening.
“Otis, please don’t let my sister scare you away,” Shelly said, smiling at him as they moved toward the door. “Underneath that hard exterior, is a truly incrediblewoman.”
“Oh, I can see that,” Otis said with a quiet smile as he looked into Brooke’s eyes.
Brooke could feel herself blushing and she looked away, unable to hold his gaze as she opened the door and stepped outside.
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MY IMPRESSIONS OF THESE BOOKS:
As a fan of rock star stories I found this series a delightful addition to the genre. With its vivid depiction of the stresses and depravities in the music world and the excesses while on tour it was easy to get caught up in the hedonistic lifestyle that was a cover for insecurities and addictions. Each of the bandmates is unique with their own vices and ways of coping. They're far from perfect and at times they left me frustrated but they're all strong-willed and super sexy and despite their arrogance I fell for each of them. The heroines by comparison didn't leave me as enamored, especially Mercy from Jagged Hearts who was a bit spoiled and used her parent's divorce to manipulate her father. She displayed lots of immaturity and I never warmed up to her. The other heroines though were stronger and acted with more maturity and independence.
These are gritty tales and there's no glossing over of all the sex and drugs amongst the rock and roll tempting each bandmate. These scenes are vividly depicted and intense and adds to the band's mystique as it's ultimately these bad boys of rock who kept me engrossed in their tales of decadent delights. They're men with a tough exterior but with hidden pain and doubts that are slowly unraveling them. Their struggles are heartbreaking and it's only with the support of a good woman that they can save themselves. Those looking for another set of rock stars to drool over will find the men of Jagged Ivory the perfect prescription for what ails them!
My rating for this is a B+
*I received these books from the author for review in exchange for my honest opinion.
AND NOW THAT YOU'VE MET THE BOYS OF JAGGED IVORY, HERE'S A GLIMPSE OF THE NEXT STOP ON THEIR TOUR......LONDON, ENGLAND!
Lashell Collins spent the last twenty years of her life working in Veterinary Hospitals and Garden Centers. But whether she was surrounded by the adorable puppies and kittens she helped care for, or by the beautiful flowers, trees and shrubs, she constantly pursued her favorite pastime – reading romance novels and imagining herself as the heroine in each and every one of them. She began writing as a way to work through her grief after the loss of a few people who were special to her, and she found it to be cathartic, so she kept at it. She self-published her first novel in 2013. Since then, Lashell has self-published ten titles across two series – the Pierced Trilogy (romantic suspense), and the Jagged Ivory Series (contemporary romance) – and is hard at work on another two series for this year. All of Lashell’s stories are full of heart and romance, with smart dialogue and spicy sex scenes.
When she’s not writing, Lashell enjoys reading, shopping, eating Chinese food, and riding on the back of her husband’s Harley-Davidson. She loves watching General Hospital and Grimm. She is a huge music fan and is completely obsessed with Slash. Lashell is a member of the Romance Writers of America. Drop her a line; she loves to hear from readers.
WEBSITE: http://lashellcollins.com
TWITTER: https://twitter.com/
FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/
PINTEREST: http://www.pinterest.com/
GOODREADS: https://www.goodreads.com/
AMAZON AUTHOR PAGE: http://www.amazon.com/
When she’s not writing, Lashell enjoys reading, shopping, eating Chinese food, and riding on the back of her husband’s Harley-Davidson. She loves watching General Hospital and Grimm. She is a huge music fan and is completely obsessed with Slash. Lashell is a member of the Romance Writers of America. Drop her a line; she loves to hear from readers.
WEBSITE: http://lashellcollins.com
TWITTER: https://twitter.com/
FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/
PINTEREST: http://www.pinterest.com/
GOODREADS: https://www.goodreads.com/
AMAZON AUTHOR PAGE: http://www.amazon.com/
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Thanks so much for featuring The Essential Jagged Ivory today. And for the wonderful review!
ReplyDeleteThank YOU and the boys for being here! I enjoyed learning about their lives behind all the gloss!
DeleteThe Scarf Princess
Thanks for hosting Lashell today! The post looks awesome!!
ReplyDeleteThanks for giving me the opportunity to host! And yes, I'm happy with how it turned out after tweaking with things for over an hour trying to get everything to line up....that's my type-A personality coming through! LOL!
DeleteThe Scarf Princess