Holt
She likes it quick and dirty.
I like orders and rules.
She hates small talk.
I hate to share.
She’s an open book.
I’m a closed dresser drawer.
She rides a Harley.
And that drives me f’ing nuts.
Annalyse and I have both lived in our own personal hells for half a decade. She’s learned to love the warmth, and I’m still consumed. But my new neighbor is stoking more than my libido these days. We agreed on only pleasure. But she changed the rules.
And now I’m not even sure what they are.
Maybe there’s a reason she found me that night, maybe there’s a reason I can’t stop thinking about her, maybe there’s a reason for the pain. Maybe not.
We all look for reasons in life. Reasons for death, love, pain. Why one thing happens and not another? It’s human nature. We’ve been looking for the meaning of life since the beginning of time. But maybe the reason for all of it — life, love, loss, heartache — is the curvy brunette living next door.
Annalyse
“You should have on a life jacket.”
“When I kayak or when I ride my motorcycle?” I ask.
He tries not to smile, but he does. “Pissed, huh?”
“Observant, aren’t you?”
“Motorcyclists are twenty-five percent more likely to die and five times more likely to be injured than a passenger in a car,” he says.
“You looked that up just to lecture me, didn’t you?”
“Not the point,” he says. “No more motorcycle.”
Did he really think he could go all alpha male on me? Usually, it would be hot as all-get-out to see a man in control, dominant, but right now alpha equals asshole! Note to self — I should do a blog post on that. Where have all the good alphas gone? “Who do you think you are?” I say, walking away. “You’re not my husband or my father. Come to think of it, I wouldn’t let my father or husband order me around like this.”
His fingers lightly touch my elbow. It isn’t a grab. I barely feel it, and as quickly as he touched me, it’s over. “I’m a doctor. I’ve seen what . . .”
“You’re a gynecologist! You’ve seen what a motorcycle can do to a vagina?”
Oh God, I’m in trouble. He’s got the dirtiest look in his eye. “I’d imagine the vibration would feel pretty damn good.”
I can’t help it and bust out laughing. “You are impossible.”
“And it’s the law to carry a life vest for every person in a kayak,” he says.
“You should have on a life jacket.”
“When I kayak or when I ride my motorcycle?” I ask.
He tries not to smile, but he does. “Pissed, huh?”
“Observant, aren’t you?”
“Motorcyclists are twenty-five percent more likely to die and five times more likely to be injured than a passenger in a car,” he says.
“You looked that up just to lecture me, didn’t you?”
“Not the point,” he says. “No more motorcycle.”
Did he really think he could go all alpha male on me? Usually, it would be hot as all-get-out to see a man in control, dominant, but right now alpha equals asshole! Note to self — I should do a blog post on that. Where have all the good alphas gone? “Who do you think you are?” I say, walking away. “You’re not my husband or my father. Come to think of it, I wouldn’t let my father or husband order me around like this.”
His fingers lightly touch my elbow. It isn’t a grab. I barely feel it, and as quickly as he touched me, it’s over. “I’m a doctor. I’ve seen what . . .”
“You’re a gynecologist! You’ve seen what a motorcycle can do to a vagina?”
Oh God, I’m in trouble. He’s got the dirtiest look in his eye. “I’d imagine the vibration would feel pretty damn good.”
I can’t help it and bust out laughing. “You are impossible.”
“And it’s the law to carry a life vest for every person in a kayak,” he says.
I roll my eyes. “You like rules.”
“I like order.”
“Ordering people around,” I say.
“Only certain people,” he says.
Don’t ask me why, but the thought of him “ordering” me around made my legs clench together, or maybe it was the mention of vibrations. Either way, the idea of him taking control of my body didn’t sound bad to me at all. It would be nice to not think so damn much all the time and just feel something good for a change.
“I like order.”
“Ordering people around,” I say.
“Only certain people,” he says.
Don’t ask me why, but the thought of him “ordering” me around made my legs clench together, or maybe it was the mention of vibrations. Either way, the idea of him taking control of my body didn’t sound bad to me at all. It would be nice to not think so damn much all the time and just feel something good for a change.
$50 Amazon Gift Card
Prescott Lane is the Amazon best-selling author of Stripped Raw. She's got five other books under her belt including: First Position, Perfectly Broken, Quiet Angel, and Wrapped in Lace, and her new release, Layers of Her. She is originally from Little Rock, Arkansas, and holds a degree in sociology and a MSW from Tulane University. She married her college sweetheart, and they currently live in New Orleans with their two children and two crazy dogs. Prescott started writing at the age of five, and sold her first story about a talking turtle to her father for a quarter. She later turned to writing romance novels because there aren't enough happily ever afters in real life.
Author links
Source: eARC for Honest Review Courtesy of Author and Ardent PR
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Standalone
My The Reason for Me Review . . .
By far, this is Prescott Lane's best work to date. The Reason for Me was tragically beautiful, honest, raw and poignant. I loved it!
This book was about two people who've been through hell but get a second chance of happiness and love.
The book starts with Annalyse, where we start to to see her beauty through her brokenness. We get bits and pieces of her past, which we know the full history is going to be so much more then we are first given. And what a past it was. So tragic and sad.
Annalyse is instantly drawn to her new neighbor, Holt. I think its a bit like liking like for these two Where they see the brokenness within each other. Because of what Annalyse has gone through she refuses to fake life or waste time. Instead she's a straight talker and big on being present. At first Holt and Annalyse realize they need each other but what will it cost them if they let each other in emotionally?
Holt is so conflicted but something about Annalyse makes him want to live instead of exist. However, his guilt is a powerful anchor and it causes him to be a bit of an ass time to time.
The further we get into the story the more we learn what happened with Annalyse and see the beauty and strength that evolved from her past.
Annalyse faces death in the face and tries to make the best of everything that is now, but to do this she has to be real and doesn't have time for bullshit. She's also a girl who calls things as she sees it, which is such a refreshing change for a heroine to a story.
The more Annalyse's beauty shines, the more I got hooked waiting for Holt's demons to surface or for his past to come forth. However, the more the book kept going the more I got anxious with what could be holding him back. Sometimes in books the longer a secret get dragged out the more expectations are made for the secret and then huge disappointment when the expectations aren't made. This was so NOT the case in this book. I was so shocked to find out what Holt had to go through and for what it takes him to pull from that past and guilt.
It's not easy to share your past and let people in. It's a complete act of trust and complete vulnerability. Once the trust is give, one can either help or destroy with their reactions. Will it be support and reciprocation, or will they close up and run to protect themselves?
Gah! I loved these two together. I loved the realness of the story. I loved the journey they had to go through in order for them to have any ounce of happiness. Their banter was amazing. The story was beautiful. Tragic but beautiful.
4 . 5 Tragically beautiful, honest, raw and poignant thumbs up!
"Promises made in tears are the strongest,"
This book was about two people who've been through hell but get a second chance of happiness and love.
The book starts with Annalyse, where we start to to see her beauty through her brokenness. We get bits and pieces of her past, which we know the full history is going to be so much more then we are first given. And what a past it was. So tragic and sad.
"It's the scars you can't see that are the hardest to heal."
Annalyse is instantly drawn to her new neighbor, Holt. I think its a bit like liking like for these two Where they see the brokenness within each other. Because of what Annalyse has gone through she refuses to fake life or waste time. Instead she's a straight talker and big on being present. At first Holt and Annalyse realize they need each other but what will it cost them if they let each other in emotionally?
"Rachel saw you leaving my house this morning. You made a big deal in front of Doug yesterday. Everyone already knows. So don't be a fucking jerk."
"For such a bookworm, you sure do curse a lot."
Holt is so conflicted but something about Annalyse makes him want to live instead of exist. However, his guilt is a powerful anchor and it causes him to be a bit of an ass time to time.
"You think you can just be all brooding and sexy, and I'm just going to forget what an asshole you were?"
The further we get into the story the more we learn what happened with Annalyse and see the beauty and strength that evolved from her past.
"You're a very strong woman, Annalyse. Your scars are just a sign of that."
Annalyse faces death in the face and tries to make the best of everything that is now, but to do this she has to be real and doesn't have time for bullshit. She's also a girl who calls things as she sees it, which is such a refreshing change for a heroine to a story.
"Annalyse, will you stop busting my balls long enough to take a nap. I said I'm sorry,"
"I want to kiss you so bad right now."
"Not as bad as I want to pee."
"Holt! I'm giving my fellatio confession here."
The more Annalyse's beauty shines, the more I got hooked waiting for Holt's demons to surface or for his past to come forth. However, the more the book kept going the more I got anxious with what could be holding him back. Sometimes in books the longer a secret get dragged out the more expectations are made for the secret and then huge disappointment when the expectations aren't made. This was so NOT the case in this book. I was so shocked to find out what Holt had to go through and for what it takes him to pull from that past and guilt.
I know she's got her own demons. But she somehow makes broken look beautiful.
It's not easy to share your past and let people in. It's a complete act of trust and complete vulnerability. Once the trust is give, one can either help or destroy with their reactions. Will it be support and reciprocation, or will they close up and run to protect themselves?
"Right, but I shared my pain with you. And the moment I let you see that, trusted you with that, I fell in love with you."
Gah! I loved these two together. I loved the realness of the story. I loved the journey they had to go through in order for them to have any ounce of happiness. Their banter was amazing. The story was beautiful. Tragic but beautiful.
Just once could she bullshit me? Throw me a little small talk? No! Everything with this woman is no bullshit.This booked hooked me in from the first minute and kept me emotionally reeling for days after. Loved it!
"I'm not going to give up," I call out. "I won't give up."
"Then you better learn to open up because I deserve better than this shit,"
4 . 5 Tragically beautiful, honest, raw and poignant thumbs up!
. 5
Lauren
