Some demons can’t be shaken off.
Some wounds won’t heal.
Until a pair of hazel eyes knocks you on your ass, and you realize it’s time to stop running.
A STAND-ALONE, ONE TO HOLD NOVEL. Adult Contemporary Romance: Due to strong language and sexual content, this book is not intended for readers under the age of 18.
Stuart Knight had locked his heart up tight, but I was determined to break in and steal it.
Let me start by saying that even though the synopsis says it this book can be read as a standalone, and technically it can be, I wouldn’t recommend it. Although each book focuses on a different couple throughout this series, there’s still a whole lot of character and story development that continues through each book that would be lost on you if you read it on it’s own. I started this series with One to Love, and think I did the author a big disservice because there were certain elements in that book that were very much lost on me, until I read this book. And then I got it. I got what Tia is trying to do with this series and these characters and it just made me connect to it and like it that much more.
Stuart Knight. Just his name alone sounds delicious. Oh how I love me those broody and wounded warriors. And Stuart was definitely broody and damaged. As the older brother of Patrick Knight, we don’t know much about ‘Captain Asshat’, aside from the fact that he’s a Marine and that’s been his whole life…until the one day where that dream was brutally ripped away from him and left him broken, alone, and angry.
When an injury during deployment leaves him unable to continue active duty, Stuart is lost. He’s lost to the pain, to the memories, to the nightmares, and to his own demons.
When he realizes just how bad his opiate addiction is, he decides to leave everything for a chance to fix himself in the seclusion of his uncle’s cabin in Montana. But before that, he pays one last visit to the gym where he knows his nephew’s mother works. This is where Mariska first meets him.
Mariska is a free spirit, a gypsy at heart. When the one simply unassuming but intense meeting with Stuart leaves her with vivid nightmares that she’s unable to explain but knows they’re inexplicably tied to the mysterious man, she makes a spur of the moment decision. Learning that Patrick and his girlfriend will be following Stuart to Montana, she lies about being his friend to follow them there. She doesn’t know why she does this, but all she knows is that she has to. She wants to fix him, to help him heal. Stuart, of course, wants nothing to do with the sweet and innocent Mariska. He thinks that his darkness will only taint her.
Thus begins the intricate push and pull dance of Mariska trying to get closer to him and Stuart pushing her away while at the same time unable to fight his connection to her.
“If he doesn’t come back, hunt him down and kill him.”
I have to say that the man really was intense, particularly inside the bedroom. Mariska, though slightly naive and innocent, was still a fantastic heroine. I’m not sure exactly why, but there was just something about her that just worked for me when usually it wouldn’t. Maybe it was her determination to heal Stuart?
While the book focuses on the developing relationship between Stuart and Mariska, it does also have a number of other POVS. This is the part that would definitely be lost on the reader that’s just going into this book without reading the others. There’s a lot of continuing story development that takes place here, and reading the series in order would help you connect to that more. Though I have to say that I really didn’t understand the inclusion of Nikki’s POV in the very beginning. Considering that I wanted to punch her in the throat toward the end, it really didn’t help. but perhaps the author has a grander plan for her.
I enjoyed this book much more than One to Love. It was emotional, at times steamy and at times sweet. A fantastic combination. But there was just a little something missing for me for it to be that perfect 5 star read. That’s not to say it wasn’t a solid 4 star, because it truly was. The epilogue was wonderful and I love how Tia gives you a satisfactory HEA while still giving you just enough of a tease to leave you begging for the next book.
“You weren’t broken. You only needed a safe place to run free.”
Definitely looking forward to the next installment and to see exactly what this big secret that Derek is hiding that could cost him everything.
I love this review–especially those meme/picture teasers! Thank you so much! <3 Tia