The theme of opposites attracting is an appealing one that leads to delicious sexual tension in this tale of a young woman bent on self-destruction and the man running from his past but drawn to her chaos. Keep reading to get a tempting taste of Charged by Jay Crownover and its steamy and suspenseful journey to HEA, along with my impressions of it, and then add it to your bookshelf when it releases on May 24th. In honor of this second installment in the Saints of Denver series make sure to fill out the form for the chance to win a $25 bookstore GC and a copy of the first book in this series too!
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.
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.
EXCERPT:
Quaid
I narrowed my eyes at her, shifted my weight from foot to foot as her proximity and the charge of her pushing and me pulling thickened both my blood and my cock. I was an attorney for a reason. I never met an argument I didn’t like or that I didn’t feel compelled to win. The way Avett always seemed to challenge me was as much of a turn-on as her curvy little body was.
“Where is your father?” I lifted my eyes from her penetrating gaze in search of the big biker. I didn’t need to try and explain a black eye or a broken arm to Orsen on top of why I suddenly had no interest in searching out a pretty piece of ass to spend time with.
“He’s waiting at the truck. I told him I had some questions I needed to ask you about what happens next."
“Do you?"
“Do I what?” She was getting increasingly annoyed and I wanted to groan at the way it made her cheeks flush and her breathing hitch. I bet she looked the same way when she was about to come.
Shit. That was not the direction I needed my thoughts to go, but now that they were there I didn’t have a chance in hell of wrangling them back into the safe zone.
“Do you have questions about what happens next?” My voice didn’t sound like my own and I knew there was no hiding the wayward direction of my thoughts as they played out in my gaze as I watched her carefully.
Slowly, her head shook back and forth, dislodging the bun at the back of her head. Pink strands of hair floated around her face, curling over her shoulders, and my fingertips itched to reach out and push it off her face.
“I know what happens next, Quaid…do you?” Her tone had dropped to a husky whisper that hit me right in the dick. My entire body tensed up and I almost, very nearly, leaned down and met her as she lifted up on her tiptoes towards me. I wanted to kiss her. I wanted her to kiss me. But over the top of her head, as she moved towards me, I caught sight of a familiar face. The heady, little bubble of seduction and intoxicating risk that Avetthad created around me popped, dropping me hard, back into reality.
I turned my head as her lips grazed my cheek, and even though it was as innocent as any kiss had ever been, it felt more erotic, more forbidden, and more illicit than any of the actual sex I had ever had. This little slip of a woman could demolish me, waste me, annihilate me, and if I allowed her to do it, I knew it would feel better than anything had in a very long time.
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MY IMPRESSIONS OF THIS BOOK:
I love it when an author can wholeheartedly redeem a character that you forget why you disliked them so much in the first place. Ms. Crownover has done exactly that, and in magnificent style, in her latest release that has apparent opposites attracting in a sensual journey of self-discovery full of steamy encounters. Throw in a bit of suspense courtesy of a sleazy ex-boyfriend and a dangerous drug lord and you end up with a compelling and pulse-pounding read that keeps you on the edge of your seat from the first page to the last.
When readers first met Avett Walker they saw a petulant girl covered in bruises and weighed down by demons that had her making one mistake after another. Years of poor decisions finally caught up with her though after her boyfriend tried to rob from those she once called friends which culminated in her going to jail and her future left in shambles. With her newfound white knight lawyer by her side she just might start making the right decisions if she can just forgive herself over a heartbreaking act committed long ago that has left her punishing herself in memory of a friend. Avett's at rock bottom at the start of this story, knowing what she's done wrong and ready to accept her punishment. It's a sad sight to see and one that had me feeling very sympathetic for her, as she's normally so full of life, and which ultimately makes her transformation all the more inspiring. With others supporting her despite all she's done Avett slowly re-makes herself throughout the story and in so doing became a heroine I admired and won't soon forget. Avett never sugar-coated the things she'd done, she owned up to them which was admirable. What you saw with Avett was what you got...a strong-willed woman who looks before she leaps but who cares deeply about people. She full of spirit, life, and is a force to be reckoned with when push came to shove. She became stronger as the story progressed, realizing her true worth and potential through the love of a man who at first seems far above her but who in reality is her perfect match.
From the outside Quaid Jackson looks to be a man of wealth, coolly composed and controlled, but on the inside he's full of self-doubts after his marriage combusted because of lies. Coming from an unconventional childhood of poverty he now surrounds himself with the trappings of wealth. His self-esteem is based on the persona he projects and what he can do for others, but he's starting to realize how hollow his life has become. When he meets Avett he finds himself drawn to her honesty and lack of artifice, all her color brightens his drab life, and he'll do whatever necessary to save her when her life is threatened. Theirs isn't an easy journey to HEA as he too has demons from his past to slay, realizations about what's really important, that will have these two strong-willed people waging a sensual battle of wills. Quaid's a delicious hero who lives up to the definition as he stands by Avett through everything, accepting and embracing her wild side, to let her stand on her own two feet. He's there when she needs him but he never pushes her, he merely points out the obvious when it comes to her self-destructive ways. He gives her the room to grow up and in turn he finds the one woman to see the man behind the facade, a man to be loved just for himself.
This was a fast-paced story that quickly immersed me in its perfect balance of romance and suspense. The main characters were immensely likable, larger than life, and their interactions crackled from the moment they met. They may at first have looked like opposites attracting but deep down they were both lost souls, living lives that weren't fulfilling anymore. They balanced each other out and their connection was clearly evident in their scorching sexual encounters that were both emotionally intense as well as playful. Along with these compelling main characters was a large cast of secondary characters first seen in Ms. Crownover's previous books and seamlessly incorporated here to emphasize the importance of family. These men and women are an eclectic group whose bonds are unbreakable and they made this story even more powerful. There were two new characters to step into the spotlight who have me intrigued and hoping their stories will soon be told. From hardened warrior Church and his fear of loving and dulling the sunny personality of barmaid Dixie to the loyal, loving, and boyishly handsome Hudson Wheeler there's plenty of heartache ahead. From start to finish this was an engaging journey to self-acceptance that had me rooting for the main characters every step of the way. Their banter was witty with interactions teeming with sexual tension that led to unforgettable encounters that left me flushed. Ms. Crownover's talent was on full display here as she made Avett someone you rooted for, someone you could relate to, someone whose faults were forgivable and whose growth you cheered. I was once again caught up in the sensual haze Ms. Crownover's so good at creating and I look forward to where she'll take us next!
When readers first met Avett Walker they saw a petulant girl covered in bruises and weighed down by demons that had her making one mistake after another. Years of poor decisions finally caught up with her though after her boyfriend tried to rob from those she once called friends which culminated in her going to jail and her future left in shambles. With her newfound white knight lawyer by her side she just might start making the right decisions if she can just forgive herself over a heartbreaking act committed long ago that has left her punishing herself in memory of a friend. Avett's at rock bottom at the start of this story, knowing what she's done wrong and ready to accept her punishment. It's a sad sight to see and one that had me feeling very sympathetic for her, as she's normally so full of life, and which ultimately makes her transformation all the more inspiring. With others supporting her despite all she's done Avett slowly re-makes herself throughout the story and in so doing became a heroine I admired and won't soon forget. Avett never sugar-coated the things she'd done, she owned up to them which was admirable. What you saw with Avett was what you got...a strong-willed woman who looks before she leaps but who cares deeply about people. She full of spirit, life, and is a force to be reckoned with when push came to shove. She became stronger as the story progressed, realizing her true worth and potential through the love of a man who at first seems far above her but who in reality is her perfect match.
From the outside Quaid Jackson looks to be a man of wealth, coolly composed and controlled, but on the inside he's full of self-doubts after his marriage combusted because of lies. Coming from an unconventional childhood of poverty he now surrounds himself with the trappings of wealth. His self-esteem is based on the persona he projects and what he can do for others, but he's starting to realize how hollow his life has become. When he meets Avett he finds himself drawn to her honesty and lack of artifice, all her color brightens his drab life, and he'll do whatever necessary to save her when her life is threatened. Theirs isn't an easy journey to HEA as he too has demons from his past to slay, realizations about what's really important, that will have these two strong-willed people waging a sensual battle of wills. Quaid's a delicious hero who lives up to the definition as he stands by Avett through everything, accepting and embracing her wild side, to let her stand on her own two feet. He's there when she needs him but he never pushes her, he merely points out the obvious when it comes to her self-destructive ways. He gives her the room to grow up and in turn he finds the one woman to see the man behind the facade, a man to be loved just for himself.
This was a fast-paced story that quickly immersed me in its perfect balance of romance and suspense. The main characters were immensely likable, larger than life, and their interactions crackled from the moment they met. They may at first have looked like opposites attracting but deep down they were both lost souls, living lives that weren't fulfilling anymore. They balanced each other out and their connection was clearly evident in their scorching sexual encounters that were both emotionally intense as well as playful. Along with these compelling main characters was a large cast of secondary characters first seen in Ms. Crownover's previous books and seamlessly incorporated here to emphasize the importance of family. These men and women are an eclectic group whose bonds are unbreakable and they made this story even more powerful. There were two new characters to step into the spotlight who have me intrigued and hoping their stories will soon be told. From hardened warrior Church and his fear of loving and dulling the sunny personality of barmaid Dixie to the loyal, loving, and boyishly handsome Hudson Wheeler there's plenty of heartache ahead. From start to finish this was an engaging journey to self-acceptance that had me rooting for the main characters every step of the way. Their banter was witty with interactions teeming with sexual tension that led to unforgettable encounters that left me flushed. Ms. Crownover's talent was on full display here as she made Avett someone you rooted for, someone you could relate to, someone whose faults were forgivable and whose growth you cheered. I was once again caught up in the sensual haze Ms. Crownover's so good at creating and I look forward to where she'll take us next!
My rating for this is an A.
*I got this book from Edelweiss for review in exchange for my honest opinion.
AUTHOR INFO:
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.
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