Book Tour, Review, and Giveaway: The Lover's Secret: J.C. Reed
When a sexy encounter comes like a dream and leaves like a nightmare…
Brooke Stewart thinks she’s finally safe. After witnessing the crime of a killer, she can move on from her past. But after one night at the Trio Hotel and meeting the sexy stranger with the green eyes that can steal one’s soul, her life is changed forever. Passions run deep. The fun is supposed to be for one night with no strings attached.
What she doesn’t know is that the sexy stranger has an agenda of his own. Brooke Stewart has something he desperately wants, something he can't admit to the woman he tries to get to surrender. A secret so deep it would upend her life if she found out too soon. He’s almost reached his goal, and then she gets a letter she was not meant to read. Suddenly, secrets get a completely new meaning.
Is the past really ever the past?
Genre: Mature New Adult/ Adult Contemporary Romance
Recommended for ages 18 and up.
300 pp Full Length Novel
One of the most interesting things in life was the certainty that nothing would ever remain dull for too long; sooner or later, the unpredictable happened. The trick was standing aside long enough, watching how a set of things and people came together in random patterns that weren't really so random at all, and witnessing how that collision resulted in a burst of new experiences for everyone involved. Good or bad, those experiences brought failure or winning a new meaning. Jett is sexy, commanding, wealthy, confidant, and likes control. He is pure alpha. He wants what he wants when he wants it. But underneath his tough facade, he is also vulnerable especially when it comes to Brooke. He tries to keep assuring Brooke that they have a future. But he is also a man not used to answering to anyone and also very protective. So he is still a bit of an enigma and his mysterious nature still lurks.
"....you're the risk I'll always take."
Brooke is less confidant. She is still suffering the scars of her past, worries, and still has trust issues. The thought of being betrayed or hurt again practically paralyzes her at times. She is still closed off at times and puts up barriers. She contradicts herself about wanting to plan a future, but also terrified to trust in it. And her deep seated fears cause her not to fully trust Jett still. And she has always had a tendency to be what I call a runner or at least avoid things that might feel too difficult.
As perfect as he had seemed at first glance--sweet in words, gentle in actions, and sexy as hell--I shouldn't and wouldn't forget the fact that I had always sensed something dark lurking inside him. It was a side I had always been afraid to confront or face.
These two can be fun, flirty, sexy, passionate, and sweet. But they also both still have baggage weighing them down. Their pasts affect them and at times place shadows of doubt.
"I'm overcautious, and he's overprotective. What a perfect combination."
When small inconsistencies and strange things begin to occur and mysteries deepen, trust is tested. Will Brooke be able to ignore her insecurities and let herself be happy with Jett? And is Jett worthy of trust and a man that can truly be counted on for the long haul?
I have to say I was not where JC Reed was going to take Jett and Brooke after the end of the Surrender Your Love Trilogy. But she has thrown them into situations that are primed for pain, betrayal, misunderstandings, and manipulation. There is a sense of foreshadowing through it that kept me on edge. Secrets and possible lies can be destructive just by their assumed presence. Things aren't always what they seem...well at least I hope not. I found myself frustrated with Brooke's insecurities and fears, but then also annoyed with Jett's mysterious behavior as well. I wanted to toss my kindle or grab the two of them and lock them in a room at times. It had me all tied up in knots. They are heading into some dicey territory and neither is showing all of their cards. There is also an element of intrigue, mystery and suspense lurking along with those past demons that just won't die.
Even though this can technically be read as a stand alone series, I feel like you have a much better feel for the characters and all they have gone through if you read it after the Surrender Your Love trilogy. I know it made me much more invested in them from the start and made the issues more significant because I know what had transpired with them before and what was at stake.
By the time it ended, I was completely enthralled and not ready for it to be over. And now I am totally intrigued and eagerly awaiting part two: The Lover's Game. Can't wait to see where this is going!
I was gifted a copy in exchange for an honest review.
Even though the No Exceptions series can be read as a stand alone, if you want to learn more about Jett and Brooke's beginnings, check out the Surrender Your Love Trilogy!
Surrender Your Love (Book 1)
See Kim's 4.5 star review
A man who doesn't take 'no' for an answer.
A woman afraid to surrender to love.
Two lives that are about to cross...and secrets laid bare.
Conquer Your Love (Book 2)
Meeting Jett was like lightning. Dangerous. Better left untouched. And better forgotten. But lightning always strikes twice.
Brooke Stewart, a realtor in New York, doesn’t do relationships. When she’s sent to a remote estate to finalize a real estate deal, she discovers her new boss is no other than the guy she left naked in bed.
Sexy, dangerously handsome, and arrogant Jett Mayfield attracts trouble, and women, like a lightning rod. But the night he meets Brooke he gets more than he bargained for. The green-eyed millionaire playboy isn’t used to taking no for an answer, and he isn’t about to start now.
When he proposes two months of no strings sex, Brooke is intrigued and accepts his proposal. Little does she know Jett’s determined to claim the one woman he can’t have, pulling her deeper into his dangerous world.
A man who doesn't take 'no' for an answer.
A woman afraid to surrender to love.
Two lives that are about to cross...and secrets laid bare.
Conquer Your Love (Book 2)
Meeting Jett was like bad luck. Dangerous. Unpredictable. And better avoided. In his game, the stakes are high. But are they worth the risk?
Brooke Stewart, a realtor in New York, finds forgetting is hard, but forgiving is harder. When the man she trusted, betrayed her, the only way to forget is to move on. Brooke is determined to start a new life, until she meets him again: the green-eyed, sexy as sin, six foot two sex god. The man who played dirty. The man who played her.
Sexy, handsome, and arrogant Jett Mayfield knows he has made mistakes. He could have any other woman, and yet it’s Brooke he wants. When second chances collide with secrets and Brooke is threatened by the past, Jett is determined to protect her. She accepts his help unwillingly because she needs him but she wants to play his game on her own terms. And she has no intention to forgive or let him back into her bed.
When the man she is supposed to hate is the one she should trust, will he conquer her…or lose her forever?
A woman who can’t forgive.
A man who has made mistakes.
Two lives that are about to cross again and more secrets laid bare.
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See Kim's 5 star review
Meeting Jett was like a drug. Dangerous. Addictive. And better forbidden. In his game, there’s a high price to be paid. But how much is too much?
Brooke Stewart, a realtor in New York, was never in love until she met the green-eyed, sexy-as-sin, six-foot-two sex god, Jett. The man to whom she surrendered. The man who hurt her once only to conquer her heart again.
Sexy, handsome, and arrogant Jett Mayfield knows he has found his match. Brooke is like no other woman he’s ever met and he has every intention of keeping her in his bed.
Their future seems full of promise...until the past is catching up with them and dark secrets threaten to destroy their lives. Soon they realize that to love means to lose, and some choices are harder than others.
When everything comes crashing down, can mistakes be amended…or will he lose her forever?
A woman who surrendered to love.
A man who would do anything to protect her.
Two lives that are about to be tested…and the last secrets laid bare.
J.C. Reed is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of SURRENDER YOUR LOVE series. She writes steamy contemporary fiction with a touch of mystery. When she's not typing away on her keyboard, forgetting the world around her, she dreams of returning to the beautiful mountains of Wyoming. You can also find her chatting on Facebook with her readers or spending time with her two children.
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1 comments
Thank you so much for the fantastic post. I loved it and can't thank you enough! Love, Jessica ♥
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