Blog Tour, Excerpt & (ARC) Book Review (460): The Closer You Come (The Original Heartbreakers #1) - Gena Showalter

The Closer You Come (The Original Heartbreakers #1)

by Gena Showalter

Publication: 31st March 2015

Publisher: HQN Books

Pages: 400

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Age Appropriate: Adult

Buy It: Amazon + Barnes & Noble + iTunes/iBooks

New York Times bestselling author Gena Showalter introduces the Original Heartbreakers, where three not-quite-reformed bad boys are about to meet the women who will bring them to their knees.

Just released from prison, Jase Hollister has a dark and twisted past. And now, he has only one goal: stay out of trouble. Strawberry Valley, Oklahoma, sounds like the perfect place for him and his two brothers-by-circumstance to settle down and live a nice, simple life. But model citizen isn’t exactly this rugged bachelor’s default setting—especially when it comes to a certain hot-blooded Southern beauty…

Brook Lynn Dillon has always been responsible. Not that it’s done her much good. The down-on-her-luck waitress is broke, single and fun-deprived. Until Jase comes along. He is dangerous, stunningly protective, breathtakingly sexy and as tempting as sin, and the passion sizzling between them is undeniable. But can it melt her resistance? After all, the right kind of trouble might be just what they both need.

My Thoughts.

I have long been a fan of Gena's and her writing, of course we all know how fantastic her paranormal romance novels are, I adore her Lords Of The Underworld series, so when I got the chance to join up to the blog tour for The Closer You Come to read and write a review I jumped at the chance. I was extremely intrigued to see how well she could pull of writing a contemporary romance and let me just say she aced it!

I made sure to read the prequel novella first The One You Want which helped to familiarise myself with the couple Kenna and Dane who appeared in this book a few times, Kenna was Brooke Lynn's best-friend and I really enjoyed their story, Jase also appeared towards the end of the novella so I had already been introduced to his character and because of this I was really interested to discover why he'd spent the last nine years in prison.

I picked up The Closer You Come with a sense of excitement and anticipation for the story, characters and the wonder that is Gena's writing, I knew I was going to enjoy this, she has a way of writing in any genre it seems and just nailing it, the story of Brooke Lynn and Jase's romance made for an intense and thrilling read, the devastating history of Jase's childhood and incarceration was so sad and heartbreaking, knowing that because of all he'd been through he thought that he wasn't worthy of anything good in his life, not even the chance to find happiness and someone to love and have them love him in return, believing that no one would ever be able to see beyond the fact that he was an ex-con, that was before Brooke Lynn entered his life, as much as he tried to fight it Jace found himself falling for her hard, and she for him.

But of course their way to a happily ever after was never going to be smooth sailing, with misunderstandings, disagreements and self preservation aplenty throughout, Jace and Brooke Lynn sure do have their work cut out for them, add in a cast of fun and interesting supporting characters and you have yourself a delightfully, entertaining read that will leave you wanting more.

I'm anxiously awaiting the next couple of books which will focus on Jase's two best-friends West and Brent and also Brooke Lynn's sister Jessie Kay, I'm pretty sure their stories will be as captivating as this one was.

I would recommend this book to everyone who likes their contemporary romances hot and steamy, hard to put down and with a plot that will be sure to keep you on your toes.

I give this 5/5 stars.

EXCERPT ONE:

“Pay attention, honey,” Jase said to Brook Lynn. “This isn’t a lesson you’ll want to learn twice. You throw a tantrum in my room, you get wet.” Jase tossed the little wildcat into the deep end, hoping to calm her down.

Jessie Kay beat at his arm, screeching, “Idiot! Her implants aren’t supposed to be waterlogged. She’s supposed to cover them with a special adhesive.”

Please. “Implants are always better wet.” He should know. He’d handled his fair share.

“They aren’t in her boobs, you moron. They’re in her ears!”

Well, hell. I’m on silent, she’d said, the words suddenly making sense. “Way to bury the lead,” he muttered.

Brook Lynn came up sputtering. She swam to the edge of the pool and climbed out with her sister’s help, then arranged her hair over her ears before glaring up at him, reminding him of an avenging angel.

He’d hoped the impromptu dunk would lessen her appeal.

He’d hoped in vain.

Water droplets trickled down flawless skin the color of melted honey. The plain white button-up and black slacks she wore clung to her body, revealing a breathtakingly erotic frame, legs that were somehow a mile long, breasts that were a perfect handful…and nipples that were hard.

Those traits, in themselves, would have been dangerous for any man’s peace of mind. But when you paired that miracle body with that angel face—huge baby blues and heart-shaped lips no emissary from heaven should ever be allowed to have—it was almost overkill.

Damn, I picked the wrong sister.

Well, what was done was done. Another piece of broken glass in his conscience. Another memory to leave a sticky film on his soul, like a spider determined to catch flies.

“I’m sorry about your hearing aids, or whatever they are,” he said, “but catfights aren’t allowed in my room. You should save all disputes for the next JELL-O Fight Night.”

She watched his lips. Her eyes narrowed, an indication she’d understood him.

Without looking away from him, she said, “Jessie Kay, get in the car. If I have to start counting again, you’ll regret it.”

For the first time that evening, her sister heeded her command and took off as though her feet were on fire.

West and Beck arrived a second later and scoped out the scene: a gorgeous woman who was soaking wet, probably chilled, stood as still as a statue, her hands fisted at her sides, while Jase couldn’t seem to look away from her.

“What the hell happened?” Beck demanded, running a hand through his hair.

“This is between him and me.” Brook Lynn pointed to Jase. “You guys go inside.”

“Your hand is bleeding.” West frowned and reached for her.

“I’m not your concern.” She stepped away, avoiding contact, and would have toppled back into the pool if Jase hadn’t caught her arm.

With her sex kitten curves, he was surprised by the slenderness of her bones. Even more shocked by the soft silk of her skin, the warmer than melted honey temperature. She wasn’t chilled, after all, and the longer he held on, the more electric the contact proved to be, somehow cracking through the armor he’d spent years erecting around his emotions, until he practically vibrated with the desire to touch all of her…to hold her…

To devour.

What the hell?

He released her with a jolt and widened the distance between them. His inner armor wasn’t something he maintained just for grins and giggles. It was for survival. As a boy abandoned by his parents and sometimes mistreated by fosters, he’d learned emotions were a weakness that could be used against him. To feel something for a person or object meant he’d placed value on it—whether for good or ill.

Feel nothing. Want nothing. Need nothing. For the most part, the motto had served him well. There had been times the armor vanished, the darkest of emotions consuming him…pushing him to do things he shouldn’t. Trouble had always followed.

About Author

Gena Showalter is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of over thirty books in paranormal and contemporary romances, as well as young adult novels. Her series include White Rabbit Chronicles, Angels of the Dark, Otherworld Assassins, Lords of the Underworld, Alien Huntress and Intertwined.

Her novels have appeared in Cosmopolitan Magazine, and Seventeen Magazine, and have been translated all over the world. The critics have called her books "sizzling page-turners" and "utterly spellbinding stories", while Showalter herself has been called “a star on the rise”.

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