Zane Larson has done everything he set out to do: conquered past demons, saved lives through his music, and toured the world as the frontman for one of the most popular rock bands in the world. This life—and an escape through music—was supposed to be everything he’s ever wanted, but after meeting Rowan, Zane’s no longer sure…

Soon after her husband’s death, Rowan Dugas learned she was pregnant. With grief and uncertainty her only companions, Rowan was only able to find an escape through music; specifically Zane Larson’s hypnotic voice. But after meeting the sexy lead singer of her favorite band, Rowan can hardly believe he’s interested in her. But Zane also has a painful connection to her unborn child - Zane's brother is responsible for her husband's death.

Torn between the only family she has left, and a life with Zane unlike anything she’s dared to dream about, Rowan’s decision will change her fate forever.

We met Rowan Dugas and Zane Larson in Raw Deal. Rowan is a young, pregnant widow and Zane is lead singer of her favorite band who also happens to be the younger brother of the man that accidentally killed her husband during a MMA fight. They were introduced at a concert in an attempt to do something nice for Rowan as she struggled to cope, but Rowan and Zane made their own connection. Zane is charismatic, sexy, talented, and was her fantasy crush. And something about Rowan calls to him.

They start as long distance friends, but it soon grows to like and more attraction. But it is really bad timing and Rowan is not exactly in a good place for any relationship, much less one with a rock star. But they have a hard time getting the other off their minds. They are both guarded due to the tragic circumstances they have lived through. But they keep cracking the others' veneer and building their connection.

Zane keeps getting deeper and deeper, but says he is willing to wait. He is patient, protective, generous, and actually listens to her. Rowan has fears, insecurities, and guilt. She is not really living for herself and needs to find her own purpose and anchor.  He's an active rock star traveling around and his base is in Houston. She is pregnant and still reeling from loss and lives in New Orleans near her deceased husband's family. They live complicated lives from two different worlds. There is also external resistance from various sources putting pressure on them and causing issues.

Rowan needs to reclaim herself before she can give enough to someone else. But she has been stuck in limbo, hurt, angry, and frustrated. Zane makes her happy and gives her hope, but also scares her and makes her worry. Everyone wants to make decisions for her and her life is out of control. Zane knows he cannot save her until she is ready to make a stand and save herself. But he has such a big heart and is affected by her choices. There is quite a bit of push and pull, fear, guilt, and angst. I totally loved Zane. I got a bit frustrated with Rowan, but given the situation, it was understandable. It all happened pretty fast considering she was a new widow and dealing with pregnancy alone.

This had a unique premise and it was sweet, sexy, and emotional. A rock star with a heart of gold who has had his own share of struggles and a woman whose life was ripped away from her and left her facing an uncertain future with a big responsibility. It is about compromise, priorities, hope, healing, new beginnings, and shifting futures. It is told in dual points of view. It brings back his brothers Mike and Damien, her sister-in-law Savannah and her family, and Zane's bodyguard Jase. Savannah and her family made me want to pull my hair out at times during this one. But the characters are well developed and they have complex histories and motivations. I am looking forward to Damien's book, Raw Heat.

I was gifted a copy in exchange for an honest review. 

Rowan Dugas imagined she would be married to Tommy forever, but now he is gone and she has to figure out how to continue on for the baby she is carrying. Her sister-in-law introduced her to Zane Larson, her favorite front man, as a way to cheer her up. Unexpectedly, Rowan and Zane strike up a long distance friendship as Zane tours with his band and Rowan continues to deal with Tommy’s death.

Zane Larson has everything he thought he wanted: his career is booming, he is traveling constantly, and has fame and fortune. But as he builds a friendship with Rowan, he begins to wonder if there is something he didn’t know was missing.

These two strike up an unlikely friendship that builds into something deeper though neither intends it.

Zane is such a gentleman. He has his own baggage, but has done most of the unpacking already. Addiction and his past have taught him many lessons already. He is drawn to Rowan, but willing to move at her pace as she deals with her own troubles. He knows he cannot solve her problems for her, but is willing to wait until she finds her own way through them.

Rowan has a lot to deal with on her own and a lot of learning about herself to do after Tommy’s death. She has help and suggestions from everyone around her and at times has a hard time making herself heard over the opinions and demands of everyone else in her life. I loved that Zane quickly became a judgement free zone for Rowan to vent and just be herself.

His fame is a lot to deal with though, and even seeing a tour first hand doesn’t take away the fear of the unknown. And is tour life really the place to raise her future child?

I wasn’t a fan of Rowan or her mother-in-law in Raw Deal. I have a hard time with the family dynamics in this series. It felt like Rowan and Savannah switched places between these two books and everything Rowan said or did regarding Savannah and Mike, was said by Savannah here. I know they are all dealing with a lot of high emotions, but some of the family interactions frustrated me to no end.

This was a sweet, emotional read as Rowan deals with her grief, her pregnancy, and her unexpected feelings for Zane. I loved getting both points of view, and felt like the balance kept the story moving along nicely.

I was gifted a copy in exchange for an honest review.

Zane took her hand and helped her from the car after opening her door. He’d done that all night, and while she hadn’t needed it, she found she loved it. He didn’t let her go even as they strolled up the walkway to her front door, pausing on her front porch. She missed the warmth of his hand immediately when she had to dig her keys from her purse.

Except for hugs from family and friends, it had been a while since anyone touched her. Until tonight.

It had been much longer since anyone had awoken the kind of feelings she was experiencing right now, the zinging along her nerve endings, the weakness in the fronts of her thighs that she suspected had nothing to do with emotion and everything to do with him.

It’s okay, she thought, desperate to keep her eyes down on her task of digging in her purse though her keys were right there in sight, glinting under her porch light. He’s my fucking celebrity crush, of course I’m going to respond. It doesn’t mean anything.

“I want to kiss you,” he said, and she sucked in a breath and looked up at him in astonishment, keys forgotten. He was so close, so beautiful, something that could have formed from the surrounding shadows to steal her heart away. “But I won’t.” Even as reason coupled with disappointment flooded her, her involuntary reaction was to wet her lips. She could swear he noticed the response; his eyes darkened. “Unless you want me to.”

She did. God help her, she did. But . . . “It can’t mean anything,” she whispered.

“It doesn’t have to.”

She could do that, right? Just a kiss. A onetime, once-in-a-lifetime kiss. Maybe she was wrong and the chemistry wouldn’t be there. She would know it once and for all, no wondering “what if” after he went back home, no staying up nights imagining what he tasted like, knowing she’d had her chance to find out and refused it. “Okay,” she said, but since she figured he could barely hear her trembling voice, she nodded as well.

He stepped in. Rowan nearly jumped when the tips of his fingers tilted her chin up to receive him; he touched her nowhere else. At least not until he leaned forward, nestling his nose next to hers as his lips caught hers gently, sweetly. A shiver worked along her spine, raising the hair at her nape.

So much for no chemistry.

She wanted to open, to invite him deeper, but even as his fingertips slid toward her ear until he cupped her jaw in his palm, he only teased at her lips with his own. A touch, a brush. The sweetness of their shared dessert a ghost on his breath, he didn’t quest for any sort of entry, so careful not to do so that something broke in her weakly thudding heart, flooding her with heat.

Oh, fuck.

“His other hand grasped the doorframe beside her head; his beard tickled her delicate skin. Rowan’s hands ached to crawl up his body, but she clenched them tightly at her sides against the need, her nails biting crescent moons into her palms. This, just this. It was all she had to give right now.

Zane pulled away only slightly, his warm breath soft against her tingling lips. He’d barely touched her, barely even given her that taste of him. She wanted more, longed to drag him to her and take it, but when he stepped back, she had to let him. The tip of his thumb traced the line of her jaw all the way to her chin as he drew his hand away.

Savannah's brother was killed in a cage fight with Mike "Red Reaper" Larson after a savage punch to the head. 

When Mike shows up at the funeral, he’s nothing like Savannah expected. Gone is the fierce, brutal beast she’s seen in the cage. In his place is a beautiful man torn with guilt, seeking forgiveness, and willing to do anything to ease her pain.

Her family doesn’t approve, but her heart doesn’t stand a chance. Irresistibly drawn together, neither of them can deny the intoxicating desire unleashed between them, turning their pain into the most exquisite pleasure. 

But every time Mike steps into the cage, Savannah knows she could lose him too. She can’t go through that again, but how can she let go of the one man who sets her body and soul on fire?