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Monday, February 19, 2018

Give Me Books Presents: One Wild Ride by Elizabeth Lynx; #ReleaseBlitz, #NowAvailable, #OutNow, #Live, #Review, #Giveaway


Title: One Wild Ride
A Cake Love Series Novel
Author: Elizabeth Lynx
Genre: Romantic Comedy/Romantic Suspense
Release Date: February 19, 2018
Rating:  4 Stars
Told in the first person.  Alternating persons.

Disclosure of Material Connection:  I received this book for review from Give Me Books and the author.  I was not compensated nor was I required to write a positive review.  The opinions I have expressed are my own.  I am posting this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255:  "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising".


Blurb:


It was one little illegal entry into a billionaire's home. What could possibly go wrong?

Aria Dixon is an artistic free-spirit who likes to have fun with men -- in the bedroom. Once she’s had her fun she moves
on -- until she tries to sneak into one man's apartment only to discover he knows more about her than she thinks. Sure, this guy is rich and gorgeous, but is he worth hanging around for?

Alexander Hawthorne is your average wealthy recluse, with a wicked mother hell-bent on controlling every aspect of his life. When he falls in love -- with a painting -- and discovers the artist is even more breathtaking than her work, he is determined to escape his golden prison to be with her.


Purchase Links:

AMAZON US / UK / CA / AU
B&N / KOBO / iBOOKS


ADD TO GOODREADS

My Thoughts:

This book is a good example of why you don’t give up on an author just because you didn’t like the first two books in a series.  If we deserve a second chance shouldn’t an author get the same?

Aria Dixon just wants to thank someone.  Alexander “Alex” Hawthorne got an interesting dressing down.  These two characters show that you can be total opposites but still find a way to like each other.  Alex is a man who has not been able to live like he wants to and Aria came into his life at the perfect time.

One interesting scene was watching Alex dig himself into a hole and it gets better when watching him try to get himself out.  But then you get that light bulb moment and you start to feel sorry for him.  This was what I was hoping for in Rules of Payne.  But what’s good for you is that if you haven’t read it yet, you can come right here because this is most definitely a standalone.  This was a story that grabbed my attention and if I had to put it down I looked forward to the time when I could pick it up again. 

Just don’t expect a lot of steam.  It’s more of a slow burn – nothing wrong with that.  But our author has given us some complex characters here and it’s interesting to watch as the layers peel away so that we can see what’s underneath.  I wanted to get to know them and what makes them tick.  We also get a character that’s very easy to hate.  But you have to like her too because she helps to move the scenes along.  It’s a quirky story too because you just never know what these two are going to do or say.  I was more than satisfied when I got to the end.



Excerpt:

Aria wrinkled her nose causing my smile to widen. “Do you
own the building?”  
She formed a circle with her hands and moved them up and down like she was giving a hand job to an abnormally large penis, “You know, phallic-shaped buildings. Ohh, yeah, I do love me some building. That’s it,
baby, work my building.”
I grabbed her wrists stopping her and glanced around to make sure her friend, Evaleen, the one who let us use Mimir’s lawyer and conference room, didn’t walk in.
“Jesus, Aria. What are you, a teenager?”
“No, I’m twenty-nine but in my heart, I’m a horny eighteen-year-old.” She winked at me.
My cock went hard instantly. The way she was so casual and
free with sex and her artistic talent . . . she made me want to do things to her body I only fantasized about. Things that she might not like.
I cleared my throat, dropping her wrists. “Yes, I own the
building.”
She jumped up from the chair and threw her arms open. “That’s wonderful, Alex! Now you can do whatever changes you want.”
Aria stood there, her arms still wide and I knew she wanted
to give me a hug. I wanted to do that too, but something stopped me. The same thing that stopped me from going up to her in that gallery when I first noticed her years ago.
I nodded. “Yes, I can pick one of your drawings now. Maybe
even tear down the wall and make the room bigger.”
My mind raced with ideas. I felt like a child let loose in an amusement park with no one there. Any ride free to enjoy but which to pick first? My gaze fell to her breasts.
“So, no hug then?” Aria’s lips ticked up.
“We should keep this professional. How we started off
meeting wasn’t right. I want to keep things on track,” I said as I focused on gathering the paperwork.  
I was such a liar. Of course, I wanted to hug her. I wanted to do lots of things to her, but if she ever found out the truth about me I know I would lose her forever. I’d rather have Aria for a short time in my life than not at all.
“Fair enough. Let’s at least shake on it.”
Aria pushed her hand out. Setting the papers down, I turned
in my seat but didn’t stand. Staring at her fingers my imagination went wild.  Thoughts of those digits pressing into me, pulling and using me for their pleasure.
Just shaking her hand was a summit to climb but I had to do
it. She already thought I was odd being a recluse. I didn’t want to add to it by being too afraid to touch her.
“Of course.” I slid my fingers across her palm. Her skin as
smooth and warm as I remembered.
Maybe even softer than before. I wondered if I firmed my
grip, would she give?  
“There, now was that so hard?” I noticed her eyes dip to where I was hard.  She knew. Aria wasn’t stupid, she could tell I wanted her. That would mean one thing. She was going to try. Aria was going to give. Give
me what she knew I wanted.

Also Available:


AMAZON US / UK / CA / AU

Rating:  3 Stars
Told in the first person.  Alternating persons.

My Thoughts:

Morgana Drake is having a really bad day.  Henrik Payne seems to like certain parts of his job and other parts not so much.  In reading the first few chapters after our main characters meet, I started to wonder how the MeToo movement would change how people enjoy office romances.

It’s certainly not the story I was expecting.  There were some points in the story where I felt as if I was supposed to laugh.  Maybe it was just me but I didn’t find it funny.  In getting ready for this book I found another book titled The Payne In The Blog that should almost be read side by side with this one.  Maybe then I’d have a better understanding of our author’s characters and what was going on with this one.

Even though The Payne In The Blog is listed as the fifth book of this series, I thought it might be a better way to understand the beginning of this story that I had a hard time getting through.  It fills in some of the gaps that left me baffled.  It also gave me a different impression of a secondary character named Edgar Mimir.  The sad part is you almost have to guess when to switch back and forth to get at the true story.

Even though it’s said to be a standalone, I didn’t feel that was true as you can tell by my review.  I’m just sorry that I didn’t enjoy it more and I really had high hopes – not even reading the two books back and forth helped with that.  I don’t usually say this but I was glad when the book was over.  I usually sit back and relax as I read but it was very tough to do that here.  Not the best way to discover a new author but maybe my next experience will be better.


AMAZON US / UK / CA / AU
B&N / KOBO / iBOOKS
Giveaway:
a Rafflecopter giveaway


Author Bio:

Elizabeth Lynx writes romantic comedy with steam. She's a recovering comedian. Wife and mother of the male species. Believer in love & laughter. Her life consists of preventing small catastrophes and wondering if a day will exist when she doesn't have to fold laundry.

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1 comment:

  1. Thank you for not giving up on me! I love your review and that you took another chance on my books. I hope in the future that I continue not to disappoint.

    ReplyDelete

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