Publisher: William Morrow
Publication Date: October 21st, 2014
Pages: 400
Series: Marked Men #5
Source: Purchased
Rating: 4.5/5
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The New York Times and USA Today bestselling Marked Men series continues with this sizzling, sexy story of love, heartbreak, fate, and second chances.
After the only girl he ever loved told him that he would never be enough, Rowdy St. James knocked the Texas dust off his boots and set out to live up to his nickname. A good ol’ boy looking for good times and good friends, Rowdy refuses to take anything too seriously, especially when it comes to the opposite sex. Burned by love once, he isn't going to let himself trust a woman again. But that’s before his new co-worker arrives, a ghost from the past who’s suddenly making him question every lesson he ever learned.
Salem Cruz grew up in house with too many rules and too little fun—a world of unhappiness she couldn't wait to forget. But one nice thing from childhood has stayed with her; the memory of the sweet, blue-eyed boy next door who’d been head over heels in love with her little sister.
Now, fate and an old friend have brought her and Rowdy together, and Salem is determined to show him that once upon a time he picked the wrong sister. A mission that is working perfectly—until the one person that ties them together appears, threatening to tear them apart for good.
By now my love and obsession for Jay and her Marked Men series should come as no surprise. Right before the fourth novel, Nash was released I discovered the series. I also devoured every single book and than try to not pull all my hair out waiting on, Rowdy. I knew Rowdy would be different. Before each guy gets their own book, you kind of get a sense of that guy through his friends. You know Rowdy is this mysterious ladies man with a very distinct look. Call me intrigued.
I love how Jay is able to seamlessly set up the next Marked Men book in each epilogue. At the end of, Nash we saw, Rowdy coming face to face with his past. She goes by the name of, Salem. They have some history together. Just a tiny bit. The past saw, Salem leaving a fifteen year old, Rowdy heartbroken and in her dust. He's understandably not very excited to see her standing in his shop. And even less enthused to find out she'll be working with him.
The thing is, Salem took the job at the new shop only when she realized, Rowdy worked there. It's been ten years since she last saw him, but that doesn't mean she's stopped thinking about him. He was her best friend. And by her landing in his life again, she's hoping to make it more.
Rowdy follows a different formula than the other Marked Men books. There isn't some big fallout between the lovers that they need to overcome. Rowdy and Salem need to understand their past before they can move forward together. Rowdy was brought up in the system after his mother was murdered, but when he found himself neighbours to, Salem and her sister, Poppy things got better. Until the sisters ended up leaving him, too. Rowdy comes across as the big guy. He's covered in ink and piercings. And ladies never get a second go with him. He doesn't see the point, he lost his first love, as far as he's concerned that was it. Salem showing up beings to change all that for him. Not only is she this beautiful 50's pin-up looking women, she's sassy, smart, strong and caring. The past may be hard to bring up and get out in the open, but once it is they find a home in each other. Rowdy also realizes it's not about firsts, it's about lasts. That's what's most important.
I loved Rowdy and Salem together. I loved how they were brought together again. And I loved how they dealt with their pasts finally really being out in the open. They dealt with it together as a strong partnership, but they also dealt with it individually with the support of the other. Score one for a strong relationship with communication and hot sex.
I love watching these intense, scary yet beautiful looking guys find love. They all have these big hearts and once they find their lady that can match them and their intensity it's game over. It's quite enduring and heartwarming. Jay also may have given me unrealistic thoughts about the type of guys I'd find in a tattoo parlor around here. I'm sure these guys exist somewhere else. I just know that if I walked into a shop around here all I'd come out with would be herpes not a Rowdy. Brittany sad.
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WHEN I PUT THE key he had given me in the door to his apartment it felt like the end of a long journey. Really it was only a little over twelve hours and I had stopped to nap once along the way, but it still felt like too long since I had seen his face or been able to touch all that toned and tattooed skin. Jimbo greeted me at the door when I pushed it open. His tongue lolled out of his mouth and he jumped up and put his paws on my legs. He was going to be huge when he finally grew into his fuzzy body and I was overwhelmed at how happy I was to see him. I dropped to my knees and rubbed my face in his neck as he licked me all over my face. I was obviously missed and I had to say it was just one more reason I knew I was finally where I was supposed to be. It was late, so the apartment was dark.
I checked the dog’s food and water, trying to be quiet in case Rowdy was already asleep. I was winding my way toward his bedroom when a haphazardly discarded sketch pad lying on the couch caught my eye in the dim light. I paused for a minute to pick it up and felt my heart stop and then start to race as I flipped through the first few pages. There were a couple of drawings that were obviously for clients, tattoos that hadn’t made it from paper to skin yet, but most of the pristine white pages were covered with images wearing my face. There was mermaid me, and naughty- sailor- girl me. There was sassy Indian girl me with long Pocahontas braids and there was sexy devil me standing next to angelic me. There were dozens of them all in different shapes and sizes, but every single image was undoubtedly modeled after my distinct look. I wasn’t sure if he had drawn them all over this last week while I had been gone or over the months we had been chasing each other in circles.
Either way it made my heart swell and the full certainty that I was it for him settle deep inside my bones. I set the pad down and tiptoed through the hall. Jimbo took one look at where I was going and huffed out a disgusted- sounding snort. The poor guy had learned early on that he wanted no part of what happened between his humans when they were together in the bedroom. The light was off and Rowdy was sprawled on his stomach across the covers. His blond hair was sticking up every- where and he hand one arm bent up under his head. The only thing that could have made the sight better would have been if he hadn’t bothered with the black boxers before crashing out.
Even with them obscuring the view, I couldn’t complain. I let out a breathless sigh and crept closer so that I could lean over and touch my lips to that anchor on the side of his neck. I felt his pulse leap and tasted the salt on his skin as he murmured sleepily and rolled over onto his back. Those infinitely blue eyes glowed at me in the dark as a grin pulled up the corner of his mouth.
“Hey.”
EXCERPT:
WHEN I PUT THE key he had given me in the door to his apartment it felt like the end of a long journey. Really it was only a little over twelve hours and I had stopped to nap once along the way, but it still felt like too long since I had seen his face or been able to touch all that toned and tattooed skin. Jimbo greeted me at the door when I pushed it open. His tongue lolled out of his mouth and he jumped up and put his paws on my legs. He was going to be huge when he finally grew into his fuzzy body and I was overwhelmed at how happy I was to see him. I dropped to my knees and rubbed my face in his neck as he licked me all over my face. I was obviously missed and I had to say it was just one more reason I knew I was finally where I was supposed to be. It was late, so the apartment was dark.
I checked the dog’s food and water, trying to be quiet in case Rowdy was already asleep. I was winding my way toward his bedroom when a haphazardly discarded sketch pad lying on the couch caught my eye in the dim light. I paused for a minute to pick it up and felt my heart stop and then start to race as I flipped through the first few pages. There were a couple of drawings that were obviously for clients, tattoos that hadn’t made it from paper to skin yet, but most of the pristine white pages were covered with images wearing my face. There was mermaid me, and naughty- sailor- girl me. There was sassy Indian girl me with long Pocahontas braids and there was sexy devil me standing next to angelic me. There were dozens of them all in different shapes and sizes, but every single image was undoubtedly modeled after my distinct look. I wasn’t sure if he had drawn them all over this last week while I had been gone or over the months we had been chasing each other in circles.
Either way it made my heart swell and the full certainty that I was it for him settle deep inside my bones. I set the pad down and tiptoed through the hall. Jimbo took one look at where I was going and huffed out a disgusted- sounding snort. The poor guy had learned early on that he wanted no part of what happened between his humans when they were together in the bedroom. The light was off and Rowdy was sprawled on his stomach across the covers. His blond hair was sticking up every- where and he hand one arm bent up under his head. The only thing that could have made the sight better would have been if he hadn’t bothered with the black boxers before crashing out.
Even with them obscuring the view, I couldn’t complain. I let out a breathless sigh and crept closer so that I could lean over and touch my lips to that anchor on the side of his neck. I felt his pulse leap and tasted the salt on his skin as he murmured sleepily and rolled over onto his back. Those infinitely blue eyes glowed at me in the dark as a grin pulled up the corner of his mouth.
“Hey.”
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Happy reading!
Brittany
Brittany
No I don't have one, but I love Myka Jelina's tattoos. If I'd ever get one it will be one of hers.
ReplyDeleteLove me so tattoos!
ReplyDeleteMissie @ A Flurry of Ponderings