Josh McKenzie may come off as intimidating with his solid build and cold stare, but when trouble calls, Marla quickly learns there is more to the sexy tatted man with the British accent. And if she’s not careful, she can easily lose herself in his gentle touch and soft voice.A feisty redhead with a mouth that won’t quit, Marla Sullivan knows how to push all of Josh’s buttons, making him want her in the worst way. His biggest hurdle is breaking through her stubborn walls and proving he’s here to stay.
When Marla’s faced with an unknown danger, Josh is forced to reveal his buried past. Promises made and surfaced truths may be the catalyst that brings them together...or pushes them further apart.
The characters of Josh and Marla did captivate me. Josh was definitely an alpha male, but an alpha male who believed in love even though he’d had bad luck previously in the romance department. He made me sigh and chuckle at times. I appreciated Marla’s independent streak, her drive to prove she didn’t HAVE to be in a relationship to be whole even though she did want love.
This book explores the baggage two adults bring in to a relationship and how they choose to work through it. There was also a religious aspect to the book-not too much, but it’s not a common topic in most of the books I read. So that made it different for me. The dialog here was witty and fun for the most part, but serious topics were handled very gracefully.
I enjoyed this book-and look forward to going back and seeing how these characters got their start as supporting roles. This was a quick read for me and one I would recommend.
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The knock on the door stirred me out of my thoughts and my mind reeled over who could be keeping me from my dinner. The doorbell then chimed. Not once, not twice, but three annoying times in a row, followed by a series of fervent knocks.
I inaudibly walked toward the door, careful to not give myself away, in case it was someone selling me a subscription to the newspaper or converting me to their religion. I peered into the peephole and scrunched my face in aversion as my mouth emitted an aggravated sigh. I swiftly opened the door as his hand stopped midair.
My hip jutted out as my irritation level climbed. “What are you doing here?”
Josh’s cool exterior, the tight forest green shirt, the peekaboo tattoos, his dark jeans were all too much to take in. Good God, this man was delicious. It was enough to make me go nuts, but instead I kept myself calm. “Did you forget? Lessons.”
“Are you serious?” He nodded as his blazing eyes trailed down to my chest. I followed, remembering I had opened my blouse. I shrugged, closing the satin around my body. “What? You haven’t seen a great pair of breasts before?”
“Not those,” he smirked. “At least not yet.”
“Want me to shut this door in your face?” I flung it and walked away, but heard as his hand caught it from closing completely. I could feel his presence as he walked in and shut the door, locking it behind him.
“Thanks for inviting me in,” he said softly, as I glanced back, buttoning my blouse up. His eyes scanned my living room, and I ignored the idea of him seeing my untidy home. My shoes were set in an accumulating pile near the corner of the entrance, my sweaters and jackets hung over one another on hooks near the door, and magazines were scatted across my coffee table.
I turned and glared at him as he set his hands in his pockets, his eyes on my pretty heaps of high heels. “What?”
The grin playing over his lips stayed small, as if he knew to be careful with me. At the same time there was a hint of mischief behind those glassy light blue eyes. “Nothing,” he said, shaking his head slightly. “Nice shoes.”
“Fine. You can borrow a pair, but only if you promise to return them.”
I inaudibly walked toward the door, careful to not give myself away, in case it was someone selling me a subscription to the newspaper or converting me to their religion. I peered into the peephole and scrunched my face in aversion as my mouth emitted an aggravated sigh. I swiftly opened the door as his hand stopped midair.
My hip jutted out as my irritation level climbed. “What are you doing here?”
Josh’s cool exterior, the tight forest green shirt, the peekaboo tattoos, his dark jeans were all too much to take in. Good God, this man was delicious. It was enough to make me go nuts, but instead I kept myself calm. “Did you forget? Lessons.”
“Are you serious?” He nodded as his blazing eyes trailed down to my chest. I followed, remembering I had opened my blouse. I shrugged, closing the satin around my body. “What? You haven’t seen a great pair of breasts before?”
“Not those,” he smirked. “At least not yet.”
“Want me to shut this door in your face?” I flung it and walked away, but heard as his hand caught it from closing completely. I could feel his presence as he walked in and shut the door, locking it behind him.
“Thanks for inviting me in,” he said softly, as I glanced back, buttoning my blouse up. His eyes scanned my living room, and I ignored the idea of him seeing my untidy home. My shoes were set in an accumulating pile near the corner of the entrance, my sweaters and jackets hung over one another on hooks near the door, and magazines were scatted across my coffee table.
I turned and glared at him as he set his hands in his pockets, his eyes on my pretty heaps of high heels. “What?”
The grin playing over his lips stayed small, as if he knew to be careful with me. At the same time there was a hint of mischief behind those glassy light blue eyes. “Nothing,” he said, shaking his head slightly. “Nice shoes.”
“Fine. You can borrow a pair, but only if you promise to return them.”
A very rare smile spread over his lips. It was one that made his eyes twinkle, his teeth show, and a laugh emit from his throat. I shockingly found myself grinning back, a twirl in my stomach reminding me of what it felt like being on a rollercoaster right at the drop. Satisfaction built inside me knowing I had earned that moment of sincerity from him. It was one he hardly let others see. Wait. Why should I care that he smiled? Pull yourself together, Sullivan. “What are you doing here, Josh?”
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Author Bio
Anissa Garcia resides in Austin, Texas and earned her Bachelor’s Degree in Speech Communications and English. She held an array of jobs including Public Relations Manager for Barnes and Noble. Wanting a change of pace, she moved to Los Angeles where she attended The American Academy of Dramatic Arts, and trained full-time in theatre. After working in Hollywood, she returned to Texas where she has written articles for Cosmopolitan and Lady Couture. When not writing stories, watching movies, or drinking a latte, she loves to daydream about romantic fictional men.
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