When it comes to compelling storytelling with unforgettable characters not easy to define I look to the incomparable Jay Crownover and each of her book series that I recommend to readers looking for romances with substance. Today readers get an early taste of the first installment in a gritty and sensually-charged new series that will have them counting down the days until its October 18th release. Keep reading to get a tempting taste of Honor by Jay Crownover, along with my impressions of it, then start the countdown! In honor of this first installment in The Breaking Point series make sure to fill out the form below for one winner to have the chance to win signed copies of the books in The Point series too!
New York Times and USA Today Bestselling Author Jay Crownover returns with her most complicated hero yet, in the first book in the romantic suspense series The Breaking Point.
Don’t be fooled.
Don’t make excuses for me.
I am not a good man.
I’ve seen things no one should, done things no one should talk about. Honor and conscience have no place in my life. But I’ve fought and I’ve survived. I’ve had to.
The first time I saw her dancing on that seedy stage in that second rate club, I felt my heart pulse for the first time. Keelyn Foster was too young, too vibrant for this place, and I knew in an instant that I would make her mine. But first I had to climb my way to the top. I had to have something more to offer her.
I’m here now, money is no object and I have no equal. Except for her. She's disappeared. But don’t worry, I will find her and claim her. She will be mine.
Like I said, don’t be fooled. I am not the devil in disguise... I’m the one standing front and center.
EXCERPT:
“What do you think of the club?"
Her soft gray eyes widened and then narrowed. “It’s big and fancy. You can’t miss it as soon as you drive into the city.” There was a pause and her breath hitched. “You named it after me."
I grinned at her. She was the key to everything that mattered in my world and in this city. Of course I named it after her.
“All the members got a lock or a key when they joined and paid their membership dues. The men all have a lock, one that is either open or one that is closed. If the lock is open, it means the gentleman is attached, married, has a partner, but is still up for anything and everything. The closed lock signifies that the particular man is off-limits and must engage with another member on his or her own terms."
She lifted an eyebrow at me. “And the keys?"
I shrugged. “The women have the keys, to the locks and to the men’s hearts. Don’t they always?"
She moved a little closer and our knees brushed together, and I felt it in my balls. I sucked in a quick breath as the mere touch made my dick throb.
“So the women can just go around unlocking and locking men up all night long? They have no rules?"
“Women make all the rules when it comes to sex, Key. You should know this better than anyone.” I wanted to reach out and pull her off the edge of the desk so that she was sitting in my lap. “They have the key but they don’t have to use it, and if a member with a closed lock doesn’t want them to set them free, then that’s it. There is no pressure. There is no persuasion. It should all be mutual and it is all facilitated by men and women that want to be here. I’m pay9ing a small fortune for the people that know this industry inside and out. I built a grown-up amusement park where nothing is off-limits. People love their kink. People love their sex."
“What about you? Do you love your sex and kink, Nassir?"
I smirked at her. “Sex is a part of life; it’s necessary and here in the Point it is currency. Kink I can give or take depending on the person on the other end of it. I’ve seen too much torture and degradation in my lifetime for the extreme and dark to be appealing."
I saw the questions my quietly spoken words fired to life in her eyes, but instead of asking them, she was the one that decided to change the subject.
“Tell me about this business proposition you had in mind when you came to Denver. You want me to dress in latex and spank people? You want me to get on my back and spread my legs while people watch? What’s your game plan?"
I frowned at her and couldn’t stop myself from moving closer to her as she spit the harsh words out at me.
“You think I want to watch you have sex with other people. Key? You think it’s been fun for me to watch you burn your way through every available and not-so-available boy in the Point because you weren’t ready for me? I narrowed my eyes at her. “Now, which one of us needs to have some accountability?"
She flushed pink and leaned closer to me. She might be scared of me and the way I wanted her, but she never backed down, and that made my desire for her burn in a way that would never be extinguished.
“What did you have in mind, Nassir?”
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***If you pre-order HONOR you will receive a super sweet bonus scene that features both Rule and Bax...as well as their leading ladies. The scene will NOT be shared anywhere else. It will be exclusive to those who preorder HONOR and fill out this FORM.
MY IMPRESSIONS OF THIS BOOK:
With each character and each story Jay Crownover has quickly become a favorite of mine for her compelling storytelling and heroes and villains whose motives are never quite clear. She creates worlds of greys that you can't help immersing yourself in and with each new release I find myself even more captivated than the last. With the Point Ms. Crownover has crafted a community full of grittiness and desolation, a town always on the verge of combusting, with war never far away as a group of men skirts the law making themselves rich while trying to save their city. The one man who's been there from the start, manipulating things behind the scenes, finally takes center stage in this series starter that was well worth the wait!
Nassir's made an appearance in many of the books set in the Point. He's a player, a man manipulating things to his advantage, and until now he's been a man of mystery. With this book we learn what makes this deliciously complex devil tick, see where he came from and where he's going, all while dealing with an unseen enemy bent on ruining his new business and the burgeoning relationship he's been waiting to claim for years. His past is a heartbreaking one where he was nothing but a pawn to many different people. He was born in blood, raised to kill as it was his only worth, but a childhood of meting out retribution led to very little joy. The moment he met Honor (Keelyn) though he knew he'd found his joy, something truly worth fighting for after a lifetime of fighting meaningless wars. She made him feel clean and kept him from totally losing himself in a rage well-honed through the years. He knew he could never control her so theirs was a relationship from afar, with him watching over her like a Guardian Angel, until she could accept him and his tarnished soul. As the story progresses, and with danger coming ever closer along with a HEA within reach, he'll have to atone for the choices he's made in a war that becomes all too personal. Readers will find Nassir a man worth rooting for despite all the blood he's shed. He's an honorable man who lives by his own code, protecting those he claims as his own. Money and power is his goal, but saving the city Keelyn loves has become part of his plan too and it's slowly leading to friendships he never thought himself capable of before. Nassir might've seemed aloof before but here, with Keelyn by his side, we see a softer side. Despite knowing how dangerous he can be I saw him as a true romantic, treating Keelyn like a queen, with joy radiating off him whenever she's close by. He's earned his HEA after a lifetime of being used by others one heartbreaking moment after another and I was rooting for him from the first page to the last.
Keelyn's youth was one that had her growing up very quickly. Like other women of the Point she learned early on the value of sex and uses it as a commodity to get what she wants. It's a jaded notion but it helped her crawl to the top of the heap and made her someone that others looked up to. Meeting Nassir changed her life irrevocably, gave her someone to watch over her while tempting her at every turn. She thought she could live without him, make a new life far away from the city that made her the strong-willed woman she became, but it's clear they're destined to be together. They make each other whole, balancing out their good and bad sides, to make them a formidable couple that I cheered for every step of the way. Keelyn started off naive but time and circumstance hardened her and made her the strong-willed woman who ends up by Nassir's side. She's a woman who sees the good in him and wants to do good for all those other young women left with few choices. With her complex savior by her side she seeks to save the people of the Point in a tale that will change the future of this community forever if they can survive a danger that hits close to home.
This romance captivated me from the very first page. Nassir's past is one of heartbreak as his childhood was stolen from him in the name of revenge. He was a pawn who lost himself as he was passed from one dangerous moment to the next, doing what he needed to survive. He's made a place for himself in the Point, finding friendship in the name of trying to save the community, and these connections are softening him a bit and endeared him to me as his story unfolded. Keelyn's a strong-willed woman who held herself back from making connections out of fear of losing herself. Though she wanted Nassir she didn't want to be controlled after a childhood of feeling used. Being with Nassir though brings out a more confident side, a more commanding one where he let her lead. Together they seek to change the future of the Point and it has me greatly anticipating the next installment in this series. Along with these two larger than life characters are glimpses of previous heroes and heroines who've bled for their city. They're an intriguing group who are slowly becoming a family over their plans for the Point's future. Compelling new characters are also introduced here, a ragtag group who've spent time on the streets and have the scars to prove it. From a vulnerable yet tough young hacker to the tatted and muscled computer geek, a compelling team is being assembled in a war to take back the Point from those seeking to make it bleed and it has me on the edge of my seat. Along with the edge of your seat suspense that comes with war there's a steamy romance full of erotic encounters and sweet words of love. It's an immensely satisfying romance between Nassir and Keelyn that was beautifully balanced with suspense and danger and fully immersed me in their HEA as others tried to take it away from them. This is a powerful story on many levels that I wholeheartedly recommend. From unforgettable background stories to the promise of an uplifting future, this series has started off strong and I'm waiting with bated breath to see where it goes in another gem from Ms. Crownover!
With each character and each story Jay Crownover has quickly become a favorite of mine for her compelling storytelling and heroes and villains whose motives are never quite clear. She creates worlds of greys that you can't help immersing yourself in and with each new release I find myself even more captivated than the last. With the Point Ms. Crownover has crafted a community full of grittiness and desolation, a town always on the verge of combusting, with war never far away as a group of men skirts the law making themselves rich while trying to save their city. The one man who's been there from the start, manipulating things behind the scenes, finally takes center stage in this series starter that was well worth the wait!
Nassir's made an appearance in many of the books set in the Point. He's a player, a man manipulating things to his advantage, and until now he's been a man of mystery. With this book we learn what makes this deliciously complex devil tick, see where he came from and where he's going, all while dealing with an unseen enemy bent on ruining his new business and the burgeoning relationship he's been waiting to claim for years. His past is a heartbreaking one where he was nothing but a pawn to many different people. He was born in blood, raised to kill as it was his only worth, but a childhood of meting out retribution led to very little joy. The moment he met Honor (Keelyn) though he knew he'd found his joy, something truly worth fighting for after a lifetime of fighting meaningless wars. She made him feel clean and kept him from totally losing himself in a rage well-honed through the years. He knew he could never control her so theirs was a relationship from afar, with him watching over her like a Guardian Angel, until she could accept him and his tarnished soul. As the story progresses, and with danger coming ever closer along with a HEA within reach, he'll have to atone for the choices he's made in a war that becomes all too personal. Readers will find Nassir a man worth rooting for despite all the blood he's shed. He's an honorable man who lives by his own code, protecting those he claims as his own. Money and power is his goal, but saving the city Keelyn loves has become part of his plan too and it's slowly leading to friendships he never thought himself capable of before. Nassir might've seemed aloof before but here, with Keelyn by his side, we see a softer side. Despite knowing how dangerous he can be I saw him as a true romantic, treating Keelyn like a queen, with joy radiating off him whenever she's close by. He's earned his HEA after a lifetime of being used by others one heartbreaking moment after another and I was rooting for him from the first page to the last.
Keelyn's youth was one that had her growing up very quickly. Like other women of the Point she learned early on the value of sex and uses it as a commodity to get what she wants. It's a jaded notion but it helped her crawl to the top of the heap and made her someone that others looked up to. Meeting Nassir changed her life irrevocably, gave her someone to watch over her while tempting her at every turn. She thought she could live without him, make a new life far away from the city that made her the strong-willed woman she became, but it's clear they're destined to be together. They make each other whole, balancing out their good and bad sides, to make them a formidable couple that I cheered for every step of the way. Keelyn started off naive but time and circumstance hardened her and made her the strong-willed woman who ends up by Nassir's side. She's a woman who sees the good in him and wants to do good for all those other young women left with few choices. With her complex savior by her side she seeks to save the people of the Point in a tale that will change the future of this community forever if they can survive a danger that hits close to home.
This romance captivated me from the very first page. Nassir's past is one of heartbreak as his childhood was stolen from him in the name of revenge. He was a pawn who lost himself as he was passed from one dangerous moment to the next, doing what he needed to survive. He's made a place for himself in the Point, finding friendship in the name of trying to save the community, and these connections are softening him a bit and endeared him to me as his story unfolded. Keelyn's a strong-willed woman who held herself back from making connections out of fear of losing herself. Though she wanted Nassir she didn't want to be controlled after a childhood of feeling used. Being with Nassir though brings out a more confident side, a more commanding one where he let her lead. Together they seek to change the future of the Point and it has me greatly anticipating the next installment in this series. Along with these two larger than life characters are glimpses of previous heroes and heroines who've bled for their city. They're an intriguing group who are slowly becoming a family over their plans for the Point's future. Compelling new characters are also introduced here, a ragtag group who've spent time on the streets and have the scars to prove it. From a vulnerable yet tough young hacker to the tatted and muscled computer geek, a compelling team is being assembled in a war to take back the Point from those seeking to make it bleed and it has me on the edge of my seat. Along with the edge of your seat suspense that comes with war there's a steamy romance full of erotic encounters and sweet words of love. It's an immensely satisfying romance between Nassir and Keelyn that was beautifully balanced with suspense and danger and fully immersed me in their HEA as others tried to take it away from them. This is a powerful story on many levels that I wholeheartedly recommend. From unforgettable background stories to the promise of an uplifting future, this series has started off strong and I'm waiting with bated breath to see where it goes in another gem from Ms. Crownover!
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.
WEBSITE: http://www.jaycrownover.com
TWITTER: https://twitter.com/
GOODREADS AUTHOR PAGE: https://www.goodreads.com/
**********GIVEAWAY**********
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Thank you so much! ~Jessica, InkSlinger PR
ReplyDeleteThanks for the chance
ReplyDeleteIts kinda hard to say... there's not much of a description of "The Point" .. I mean don't get me wrong its a great excerpt n synopsis , I definitely want to read it. But I don't know what the Point is :|
ReplyDeleteHI Lilah,
DeleteReaders who've read any of the books in Ms. Crownover's last few series have been introduced to the Point and it's a gritty place, a place that's lost its hope for the future. It's a place full of crime where many people use any means to get ahead. There are a few people though who are banding together to clean up their community and get rid of crime. I touched on the climate of the Point in my review and hope that I expressed these images there as well. I hope this helps to give you a better feel of what this series offers.
The Scarf Princess
Thanks for the chance. I love Jay
ReplyDelete