Four years ago, Scotty was the center of every one of my fantasies. He was funny, kind, and eleven years older than me–a protector. But one ill-timed confession and he vanished from my life without so much as a goodbye.
Now I am called to testify against the men who kidnapped me and the gorgeous, infuriating man I tried so hard to forget is assigned to protect me. I want answers and he refuses to give them.
But as much as he claims to hate me too, I see the way his eyes linger on my skin. How his hands itch to reach out. He understands me in a way I’ve never let another man get close enough to know. My scars, physical and emotional, are a constant reminder of the girl I used to be.
A girl I try to forget.
As we travel across the country, the tension and simmering heat becomes unbearable. He’s pushing me outside my comfort zone while I’m desperately searching for control––until I realize Scott is more than willing to give it to me.
Once this is over, I know he’ll disappear again. But for now, he’s surrendering his control, and I'm going to take it.
***5 Stars***
I don’t typically pick up a book in the middle of a series, even if it is a standalone, much less one by an author I’ve never read before, but the blurb drew me in and I gotta say that I freakin’ loved it! It gave me all the things that make my book loving heart happy and has me wanting to not only keep an eye out for the next in the series, but go back and read the previous books in the series.
I adored Gemma and Scotty. Gemma has gone through hell, but she is determined to put those events behind her and is working on what she wants her future to look like. She’s feisty, stubborn and sweet and I loved watching her grow more comfortable into her own skin. Scotty is all kinds of protective alpha male. Sometimes stern and grumpy, he does tend to have tunnel vision at times, but that tunnel vision comes from a very genuine place.
Their journey to their HEA was a lot of fun to experience. I liked that, while there was tension between them, it wasn’t over the top, nor was it drawn out. They both showed their…maturity, for lack of a better word, about the situation they were in and decided to make the best of it, and boy did they make the best of it. I really enjoyed watching as they addressed their shared past while realizing that they’d both changed and that who they are now was even better and that the feelings were real.
As I said at the start, this is my first read by the author, but it won’t be the last. I enjoyed the writing style and the pacing of the story was done well. There are some triggers, but they are necessary for character growth. As for the supporting cast of characters, I don’t have a fav, though Ma is awesome, I just liked getting to hang out with all of them and cannot wait to get back to Redemption Ranch & Tipp and learn more about them all.
~ Copy provided by WFMS & voluntarily reviewed ~
Lena Hendrix is a contemporary romance author living in the Midwest. Her love for romance stared with sneaking racy Harlequin paperbacks and now she writes her own hot-as-sin small town romance novels. Lena has a soft spot for strong alphas with marshmallow insides, heroines who clap back, and sizzling tension. Her novels pack in small town heart with a whole lotta heat.
When she’s not writing or devouring new novels, you can find her hiking, camping, fishing, and sipping a spicy margarita!
Want to hang out? Find Lena on Tiktok or IG!
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