Title:   The Thrill of It  (No Regrets Book #1)

Author:   Lauren Blakely

Genre:   New Adult, Contemporary Romance

Release Date:   November 21, 2013

A new adult story of Love. Sex. Addiction. Blackmail. And Power…

Some say love can be an addiction. Others say it’s the thing that makes life worth living. Let me tell you everything I know about love…Love isn’t patient, love isn’t kind. Love is a game, a chase. A thrill. Love is wild and war-like, and every man and woman must fight for themselves. At least that’s how it was for me. A high-priced virgin call girl by the time I started college, I was addicted to love and to sex. Even though I’ve never had either. I controlled love, played it, and held the world in the palm of my hands. Then I fell down from those highs, and I’m being blackmailed for all my mistakes, forced to keep secrets from everyone, except the only guy I don’t regret.

Trey…

With all the other women, I knew what they were. They were temporary.  They were pills, they were bottles, they took away all the pain, and numbed the awful memories that wore down my ragged, wasted heart.  Until I met Harley. She’s the only girl I ever missed when she walked away. But now she’s back in my life, every day, and there are no guarantees for us, especially since I don’t know how to tell her my secrets. What happened to my family. All I know is she’s the closest I’ve ever come to something real, and I want to feel every second of it.

How can you love with no regrets when regret is all you know?

Make sure you check out the FREE prequel novella to The Thrill of It…you can read it before or after (I recommend after) and hear all about that one night that started it all!

Title:   The Start of Us (No Regrets Book #0.5)

Author:   Lauren Blakely

Genre:   New Adult, Contemporary Romance

Release Date:   November 25, 2013

A new adult story of First Times. Last Times. Connections. And No Regrets…

I only wanted a tattoo. A mark on my body to remind me of who I used to be. Something to hold onto when I started my penance for all the things I’d done wrong, the bad choices I’d made by the time I turned nineteen. Instead, I found a night of possibility, of truth, of hope for the future. And the most intense physical connection I’ve ever had.

The only one I’ve ever had, and one I will never forget.

Trey…

When she walked into my tattoo shop, I knew she was like me. Harley had secrets. She had a messed-up past, and things she wanted to run from, or forget ever happened. I couldn’t let her go. So we agreed on one night – to spend it together wandering around the city, getting to know each other, the clock ticking because we knew tomorrow would bring an end to the possibility of an us.

Unless tonight was only the start.

How can one night be the start of something when tomorrow it has to end?

Check out what happened when I sat down with Harley and Trey.

Any excuse to get back to New York is a good excuse in my book, and meeting with Harley and Trey is one of the best excuses ever.  I fell hard for these two.  They’re flawed, beautiful, emotionally captivating people that are just so easy to love.  I’m so excited to just sit down and chat with them and find out what makes them tick.  I arrive at the coffee shop we scheduled to meet at and step into the dimly lit space.  There, towards the back in a booth sit my lovely couple.  Harley is tucked in tight to Trey’s side and he must be telling her something fantastic because the look of joy and happiness radiates from her.  She busts out laughing at whatever he says last, just as I arrive at the booth.  They both bounce up to greet me and I play catch up with them.  There’s so much I want to know, but can’t ask…so I’ll behave (for once!).

Lisa:       “I can’t thank you both enough for doing this interview.”

Trey:       “It’s no trouble.”

Harley:   “We love doing interviews – they’re fun!”

Lisa:       “Alright, well I still appreciate it very much.  So I won’t tie you up for too long.  Harley, I always do ladies first – you ready?”

Harley: “Yup!”

Lisa:       “Well…let’s get the not so fun questions out of the way first…have you seen or talked to your mom since you last saw her?  Do you think there is any hope for a relationship with her?”

Harley: “She’s been calling and texting me all the time. But I don’t have anything to say to her.  As for the future, I would never discount the possibility because I like to think I’m living proof that people can change, but she’d have to change significantly. Maybe get a personality transplant even.”

Lisa:       “That’s actually not a half bad idea.  So, you seem to enjoy your newly revamped tattoo – plans to get any more?  Especially what happened after Trey was done! 😉  Just sayin’…”

A bright smile curves her lips.

Harley: “I love my new ink! I can’t stop looking at it. And I love it when Trey inks me so yes, I definitely have a few more in mind.”

Lisa:       “Nice!  Good to hear.  Summarize Trey in one sentence.”

Harley: “He is my best friend, my love, my rock, my hope.”

Lisa:       “Aww…very good sentence.  Alright…now, just go with me on this one – while…a little twisted and unusual…do you think your relationship with Cam was the closest thing to having a father/daughter relationship that you’ve had?”

Harley: “Yeah, pretty weird, huh? He certainly treated me better than my real dad. Considering I NEVER hear from him. Or his parents for that matter, which is pretty strange too since they promised they’d stay in touch with me. But Cam was there for me in a way no one else ever was.”

Lisa:       “Well, you may not have had the healthiest relationship but at least you had someone.  What’s the hardest lesson you’ve learned so far?”

Harley purses her lips, I might have stumped her with this one.

Harley: “All of them??? Or really this one – keeping secrets from everybody never works.”

Lisa:       “Oooh…I wasn’t expecting that one!  I’m impressed.  Alright Trey, are you ready to impress me?”

Trey gives me a devious grin and a wink.

Trey:       “Sure, why not.”

Lisa:       “Fabulous – did Kristen ever thank you?” 🙂

Trey:       “Yeah, she baked me cookies, and let me tell you, that girl can bake! She also doesn’t hassle me anymore when I take her beer, so yeah, that’s cool.”

Lisa:       “Wow…never would have expected that from her.  What’s your favorite thing about tattooing? Favorite tattoo you have on your body?  And I’ll ask you the same thing I asked Harley…any plans for more?”

Trey:       “What I like best is that tattoos usually matter to people. They get them because they’re important to them; they represent something. As for me, my favorite tats on me are the birds on my chest. And hell yeah – I’m getting more! I don’t ever see stopping.”

Lisa:       “Awesome.  Summarize Harley in one sentence.”

Trey:       “Harley is the first, the last, the only.”

Excuse me while I swoon.

Lisa:       “Have you seen or heard from your parents since you last went to their apartment?”

Trey:       “Yeah, I still see them every week. They’re good at pretending that night never happened. Whatever. They want to meet Harley though.”

Lisa:       “Hmm…well the pretending, not so good – but I’m glad they want to meet Harley.  Okay…I know you like Harley in her t-shirts, jeans and converse – but does she ever bust out the Mary Jane’s and skirts for you?”  😉

Trey:       “Hell no! She knows better than to do that for me! But she has other looks I like; and those are just for me.”

Whoops…touchy subject.  Need to learn what I can and cannot joke about with Trey.

Lisa:       “Now comes the fun stuff – together questions!  What are your favorite five things about each other? (physical, non-physical, whatever!)”

Harley gazes over at Trey.

Harley: “His heart, his love, his passion, his kisses, his tattoos and what they mean.”

Trey:       “She’s brave, strong, hot, sweet and mine.”

His last favorite thing earns him a kiss from Harley.

Lisa:       “Deepest regret?

Harley:                   “Nothing. Gotta live with no regrets

Trey:       “What she said.

Lisa:       “Good way of thinking.  Favorite memory together?”

Harley: “All of them! Especially the ones yet to come. But if I had to choose, I’d say then night he fixed my tattoo.”

Lisa:       “Worst flaw?”

Trey:       “I’m impulsive, especially when insecure.”

Harley: “I shut down when I feel unloved.”

Lisa:       “Most annoying pet peeve?”

Harley: “When people cut their nails in public places.”

Harley scrunches her noise up – umm…yeah, totally agree with her – that’s nasty!

Lisa:       “Gross!  Biggest fear?”

Trey:       “Losing someone I love.”

Harley squeeze Trey’s hand.

Lisa:       “Very understandable.  Where do you see yourselves in five years?”

Harley: “Together.”

Trey:       “Always.”

Harley: “Anywhere.”

They are just so swoon-tastic…I can’t get enough.

Lisa:       “Let’s play a little game of either/or…Chocolate or Vanilla?”

Both:      “Chocolate!”

Lisa:       “Hard or Soft?”

Harley: “Soft, but hard works too” 🙂

She gives Trey a saucy little smile and he pulls her close to whisper in her ear until she blushes.  Nice!

Lisa:       “Go out or Stay in?”

Harley: “Both.”

Lisa:       “Drawing or Writing?” 😛

Trey:       “Drawing, of course!”

Surprise, Surprise!

Lisa:       “Books or Movies?”

Harley: “Need both like air or water!”

Lisa:       “Alright…I can accept that answer, I guess.  Kristen or Jordan?”

Trey:       “No fair! We both need them both.”

Lisa:       “Fast or Slow?”

Trey:       “How about just all night long?”

Lisa:       “That’ll work too…”

Except now I’m singing the song in my head and I have a strong case of déjà vu.

Lisa:       “Soda or Tea?”

Trey:       “Neither. Beer is good.”

Harley: “As long as it’s caffeinated I’ll take it.”

Lisa:       “Loud or Quiet?”

Harley: “I’m learning to like loud, but quiet is my natural setting.”

Lisa:       “Okay, last set of questions – rapid fire!  Tell me the first thing that comes to mind…Addiction?”

Harley: “Ruled my life.”

Lisa:       “Parents?”

Trey:       “Plastic.”

Lisa:       “Tattoo’s?”

Trey:       “Truth.”

Lisa:       “Slut?”

Harley: “It’s a bad word.”

Lisa:       “Forgiveness?”

Both:      “All the time.”

Lisa:       “Trust?”

Harley: “What we have”

Trey:       “One of the best parts of us.”

Lisa:       “Love?”

Harley: “The Ugly Beautiful.”

Lisa:       “OMG you guys, thank you so much for taking time out of your day to meet with me, I really appreciate it.”

Harley: “Of course!”

Trey:       “Anytime.”

I give them both quick hugs and we say our goodbyes, they have a dinner to get to with Kristen and Jordan and I’ve got a flight to catch!

The Thrill of It by Lauren Blakely

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

*ARC Given to Blog for Honest Review*

4.5 ‘red ribbon’ ‘the arrow’ ‘The ugly beautiful.’ Kisses

Wow…Lauren Blakely just went a little…different on me. And I liked it! A lot. Lauren has absolutely mastered the funny, sweet, hot romances – The Thrill of It is not that kind of book. While it has funny, sweet and hot moments…it’s a relatively deep and intense book, more than normal. It’s a very good and welcome change for me, I’m excited to see this side of Lauren’s writing and I was completely sucked into everything that was Harley and Trey.

Harley Coleman…or is it Layla? It’s hard to see the real Harley behind the mask, the flawless persona that she presents at all times. She’s gorgeous…blond hair, brown eyes, killer body…perfection, always. That’s the way she was raised, the way she was groomed…by her mother who acts more like her sister than a parent. But don’t worry…I’ll talk about her later. Harley is…a mess. Deep down, she is not a bad girl at all, she may not have the straightest of moral compasses, but…that goes back to her mother IMO. She does have a good heart…you just can’t really see it for all the lies and deceit. She plays different roles to so many people, it’s hard to find the real Harley! She’s a completely different person with Barb (her mom), Kristen (her childhood friend), Cam (her pimp)…but one boy does. In one night, he’s able to see through everything and truly gets Harley. And for the first time ever, she wants it.

‘Love isn’t a quilt. Love isn’t patient, love isn’t kind. Love is a game, a chase, a thrill. Love is wild and war-like, and ever man and woman for himself.
I can play the game.
I can control it.
I need to feel in control. I need to hold the world in the palm of my hands, my world, my life, and be the one who sets it in motion. The only one. I’m not controlled. I control.’

Trey Westin…oh my poor fragile Trey. He is the big, bad, intimidating force that has a huge heart and doesn’t know what to do with the feelings he’s been forced to keep tied up tight for years. Forced to ignore and forget. His past is sad, heartbreaking…and only made more difficult by the way his parents handle it. So what does Trey do…replace the negative feelings with good ones – is there any better way to do that then with sex? Now…that’s kind of where it gets sticky, and he’s got a scar on his right cheek as a permanent reminder of his mistakes and the penance for his actions. But honestly…that scar only makes him sexier, the imperfections that make him so perfect…and Trey is pretty damn sexy to begin with (I just hate how/why he got it). Trey is cautious and guarded, which similar to Harley, is partially due to his parents. He’s never been able to open himself up and feel accepted, so the results shouldn’t be surprising, but it’s definitely painful…because the potential is there, especially when a beautiful blonde girl sees all that he has to offer and brings out the best in him.

‘I gasp quietly as his fingertips reach my bare skin.
“But there’s this other girl and I remember everything about her,” he says, and in an instant, all I see, all I feel are his words. They have their own heartbeat and pulse, a living being, surrounding me.
He traces lazy fingers across my stomach, and I want this feeling to last forever because it’s so out-of-this-world intense. I swear my body is sliding into another plane of existence, some realm of pleasure I’ve never allowed before, as feelings spill over – want, desire, fear all wrapped up in a messy package, without a bow.’

Oh I am such a sucker for the broken souls in this world. And oh boy…Harley and Trey are some fabulously broken souls – I know that sounds weird, but work with me on this. I cannot tell you how perfect they are for each other…both addicts to love in different forms. She’s the virgin call girl and he’s the guy who sleeps with married women. She’s going to SLAA (Sex & Love Addicts Anonymous) because she’s being blackmailed…he’s going because…well, he has to do something to change his life. He does her red ribbon tattoo, the permanent mark to remind Harley why she is making this change…and he can’t stay away from the beautiful blonde that only makes him want to know more – I just can’t explain it but their story captured me. Their connection, their chance meeting – that happened twice, their friendship and bond that they formed and developed…their longing, their desire, their battles. They had so much to deal with personally and so much that they shared together. Harley was so open with Trey and I loved that. I loved that he was the only one she has ever opened up to completely. No one else. Just him. It did frustrate me that Trey didn’t completely return the favor…but I’m glad he got there eventually.

“You. Are. Brave.”
I scoff, then sneer for good measure. “How does that make me brave?”
She grips harder. “You are brave to tell me. You are brave to let me in. You are brave and crazy and you are stupid to think you can handle that all yourself,” she says, laying a gentle hand on my cheek, her smooth skin on my rough stubbled jaw.
“So I’m stupid. Like that’s news.”
“You are stupid brave. And stupid courageous. And stupid amazing. And I won’t let you go through any more of this alone,” she says fiercely, eyes blazing with an intensity I’ve never seen before.’

Okay…let’s address the elephant in the room. The god awful parents that these two people got stuck with. Yes…I am all for saying that as humans, we need to be accountable for our choices in life…but I do think how we are raised and the people who raise us have an incredible impact on those choices. Poor Harley’s dad ran off, so she never had a father figure growing up and her mother…is a train wreck. She treated Harley like a roommate/best friend/sister more than a daughter. There are just certain lines that should never ever…ever be crossed between a parent and a child and I’m pretty sure Barb crossed every single one she could. It makes me cringe and it explains so much of Harley’s behavior. It’s also very telling that Harley’s mom is the reason why she got into her career…that’s right folks, Barb introduced Harley to her pimp! Cam…the pimp with a heart of gold (don’t laugh – he might be slimy but he’s very likeable) and sadly…he’s the closest thing to a father this girl has ever seen. Sad, twisted, but true. Then you have poor Trey, whose parents just closed him off. I know guys aren’t supposed to be emotionally and blah blah blah but seriously…when tough shit, bad shit, hard shit, sad shit happens…as humans – we need to express those feelings and emotions, get them out, deal with them. Closing up and pretending like the bad stuff never existed…not such a great way to handle life…especially for a 15 year old boy. I know they were dealing in their own way but seriously…if they only knew the damage they had done to their son. It’s very selfish. Both Harley and Trey deserve so much better from their parents…but then again, their pasts led them to each other.

‘“I am so fucking in love with you,” he says hungrily, and he loops his arms around my neck, tucks his face in my hair, and breathes me in as if I’m his oxygen. I’ve never known what it’s like to be cherished, but I’m starting to get a sense, and it’s a heady feeling. I’m no longer a prize, but a treasure. His treasure.’

I said before that I was happy with this change in Lauren’s style…but even though the subject matter and the story may be a little detour from her usual, the key elements of her writing were 100% there. The connection between the couple, the banter, the ability to still insert humor in a few places so it’s not complete angst and drama 24/7. The sexual chemistry that just sets the pages on fire…holy bejesus…Harley and Trey are combustible – and I’m not even talking about sex here people! (Hello…she’s a virgin and they’re both in SLAA!)…but somehow, leave it to Lauren to create this mind blowing hotness. Honestly though, Trey and Harley made me swoon just by holding hands. *sigh* But I digress! The way TTOI was built was so complete…it was logical and flowed so well, the characters were amazing (even though some were more likeable than others – I still have to say the unlikeable ones were still very well developed), the pace was perfect and the intrigued totally kept me hooked from page one until the end.

‘Now I know. Now I get it. I understand. This is love. It’s not a game. It’s not a razor’s edge. It’s not a transaction.
The poets are right. The dreamers are right. The lovers are right. This isn’t nothing. This is everything.’

Oh and speaking of the end…so, I knew TTOI was a series – SQUEEE…love my series books…but damn! Talk about a little bit of a cliff! I was all happy because things were going good…everyone was in a good place and then BAM! So…be prepared. It’s not a major dooms-day cliff, but we are definitely left hanging. I’m excited to see where the story goes from here because the plot has definitely thickened and Harley and Trey have an interesting road ahead…I am anxiously awaiting Every Second With You.

View all my reviews

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Lauren Blakely writes sexy contemporary romance novels with heat, heart, and humor, and her books have appeared on the New York Times, USA Today, Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and iBooks bestseller lists. Like the heroine in FAR TOO TEMPTING, she thinks life should be filled with family, laughter, and the kind of love that love songs promise. Lauren lives in California with her husband, children, and dogs. Her novels include Caught Up In Us, Pretending He’s Mine, Playing With Her Heart, and Trophy Husband. She also writes for young adults under the name Daisy Whitney.

When you’re acting the role of a lifetime, how can you know if love is real—or all just a part of the show?

Twenty-three year old rising theatre star Jill McCormick has built a life out of pretending. Pretending she’s happy, pretending her long-distance crushes add up to something real, pretending she’s not haunted by the dark secret that shattered her world six years ago. Cast in her first Broadway show, she desperately needs to keep her façade intact, but that’s before she comes face to face with her devastating new boss…

Hot-shot director Davis Milo knows the first rule of directing: never fall for your leading lady. Captivated by Jill’s raw talent, he fights his feelings, but watching Jill on-stage with another man is more than his jealous streak can take. Keeping things professional isn’t an option. He wants all of her.

Soon the ingénue and her director are staying late in the empty theatre, their private rehearsals spiraling into new, forbidden territory. Caught up between fiction and reality, Jill struggles to find the truth in all their staged kisses. But how can she be sure that what she feels is real, and not a part of the play? And when two people spend their lives pretending, what happens after the final curtain falls?

Catch Up with the entire Caught Up In Us Series

Caught Up in Him – Book #0.5

Free on Barnes and Noble!

Caught Up In Us – Book #1

Pretending He’s Mine – Book #2

Trophy Husband (not part of the series, but about Jill’s brother Chris)

I was lucky enough to be able to sit down with Jill and Davis *swoon* – these two are AAAAAmazing!  Such an awesome couple and had a such a great time interviewing them.  Check it out!

I’ve only been to New York twice but I’m especially giddy this time for where I am headed.  Where might that be?  Oh…just a little theatre.  The St. James Theatre.  SQUEEEE!!!!!  Not only do I get to meet the deliciously dreamy Jill and Davis but I also get to interview them on the stage where they met.  Where they kissed….and other stuff.  Alright, I need to calm down or else this interview is going to be over before it starts.

I walk up and try the handle on the door.  Of course it’s locked, blondie!  The theatre isn’t open today!  That’s how I was lucky enough to land this interview – it’s their day off.  Woo!   I knock and within a few minutes I’m greeted by a wide-eyed looking assistant.  She’s very polite and quickly brings me in to take me to Jill and Davis.  As we walk into the theatre, it’s absolutely gorgeous but I can’t take my eyes off the two people sitting on the stage.  They’re even more beautiful in real life.  Can I keep them?  Alright…let’s put the creeper back in the closet and be professional.  Yeah right!

I guess one of the perks about meeting at the theatre, you have lots of props!  There is a very comfy looking love seat that Davis and Jill are snuggled up on while an equally comfy looking arm chair is situated next to it.  Hmm…I’m in NYC…interviewing Jill and Davis…in a fabulous theatre…on the stage where they met…pinch me now!?!  They rise to greet me and my knees wobble a little bit.  Davis politely shakes my hand, the warmth from his grip practically seeps into my body and I think I just got a contact high.  Jill brings me in and we do the ‘air-kisses-on-each-cheek’ thing and I just fell even more in love with her.  They are exactly like I thought they would be and the thought of kidnapping them and keeping them all to myself is sounding more and more appealing.

Lisa:                “Thank you both so much for taking time out of your busy schedule to meet with me today.”

Davis gives a small smile and polite nod while Jill’s grin lights up her face.

Jill:                   “Of course, we’re only too happy to.”

Lisa:                “Well, I guess I’ll jump right in.  Davis, you’re up first – think you can handle my questions?”

His small smile turns into a coy one.

Davis:              “I think I can manage.”

Oh…just you wait sweetie.

Lisa:                “What do you think your parents would have to say about Jill?”

Davis blinks, I think I startled the Director on my first question.  Sweet!

Davis:             “Wow. No one has asked me that before in an interview. I’m sure my father would have wanted to dispense some sort of wisdom to me — he was always doing that, being a professor — but he was a man of the arts and he wore his heart on his sleeve. So I think they both, having fallen in love working together on a show, would have completely been supportive. And they’d of course have loved her.”

Lisa:                “Awww…well of course, it’s hard to not love Jill.  Can you imagine doing anything other than directing?”

Davis:              “No. Directing and me — we were a done deal long ago. There was no other path for me. Fortunately, this one worked out.”

Lisa:                “It is pretty fortunate, isn’t it? 😉  ‘She becomes his, and that changes her.’  Very deep…profound…beautiful…a whole bunch of things (as well as hot…just sayin’)…and also very applicable for both the play….and for you and Jill.  So what inspired you to say it, Paolo and Ava or you and Jill?”

Davis:              “Both. Originally, I gave her that direction because it applies so deeply to Ava and her emotional journey in the play. I suppose now, in retrospect, it fits Jill as well. Which makes me a very lucky man.”

Lisa:                “I would have to agree with that.  So, it took a lot of guts to go to Jill’s apartment after she ran, what made you finally decide it was worth the risk?”

Davis:              “Chinese takeout has a way of doing that to a person, don’t you think?”

He gives me a charming smile and I’m pretty sure I’d risk just about anything for him.

Davis:              “But seriously — she was always worth the risk. Every day, every time. But more than that, I knew what was happening between us was real and true and right, and that if she was running, it meant she needed to be found.””

And I’m swooning.  And possibly drooling.  I look over and Jill looks like she wants tackle him and drag him off to a dark corner (or the piano on the stage).  I don’t blame her one bit.  I decide I better capture her attention before she goes through with any plans to…pause our interview.

Lisa:                “Well Jill, it’s your turn – are you ready for me?”

Jill sits up a little straighter and slowly pulls her eyes away from Davis.

Jill:                   “Ready and willing.”

Ha…I doubt the willing, but Davis reaches an arm around her shoulder and gives her a squeeze.  A light smile plays on her lips.  Aaaaand I’m swooning again.  *sigh*

Lisa:                “After 6 years of holding onto a lot of guilt and pressure, how does it feel to finally be free of that?”

Jill’s smile gets a little brighter.

Jill:                   “Fantastic! Though, it’s not as if you just shuck it off like a coat and it’s gone. But I do feel that I’ve made peace with the past and the guilt and that’s a tremendously freeing feeling.”

Lisa:                “Wonderful!  I’m so glad you were able to accept it and move past it.  Can you imagine doing anything other than acting?”

Jill:                   “I could see myself as a dog trainer. Maybe work with Reeve and Sutton’s dog on circus tricks. But that’s about it, so I’d have to say it’s good the acting thing is working out for now.”

Lisa:                “I’d have to agree with you on that one.”

I say giggling a little bit.  Sorry, this girl was made for the stage, seeing her as doing anything else is a little funny.

Lisa:                “What made you finally give up on what you thought you could have for Patrick versus keeping what you had with Davis?”

Jill:                   “Sometimes you just have to get out of your own way, right? I was so used to seeing the world one way, that things had to be ONE WAY. But then Davis came along and threw everything I thought I knew into a tailspin. But a good kind of tailspin, an epic kind, the kind that made me feel as if I were finally having for real – inside of my heart – all those emotions that I’d only pretended to have when I was on stage. I couldn’t get him out of my head, or my heart, and when I finally realized he was the one I was thinking of, the one I was wanting, then I knew I had to let go of Patrick.”

Lisa:                “Oh I definitely think it was a great tailspin!  Do you regret running at the Broadway Cares event?”

Jill:                   “Yes. But at the same time, I don’t know that I would have ever had the guts to let go of the past if I hadn’t, and he hadn’t come looking. So in a roundabout way, I suppose running was part of what we both needed to come back to each other.”

Lisa:                “True…and God bless him for coming after you.  Alright…my favorite part…both of you together!”

They give me an indulgent smile.

Lisa:                “Five favorite characteristics about the other – physical and/or non physical”  😉

Jill:                   “No fair! Everything.”

She pauses and looks at me, big hopeful smile on her face.  I tsk-tsk and shake my head.

Lisa:                “Nope…gotta play by the rules…I need specifics!”

Jill:                   “Fine – hair, eyes, face, body, brains, heart, passion, classiness, dirty, filthy mouth, and absolutely epic fucking skills in bed. I don’t care if that’s more than five.”

I roll my eyes…but she’s cute and I like all her choices, so I smile back at her even bigger grin now.  She won.  I turn to Davis, raising an eye brow and he takes his cue.

Davis:              “Starting with the physical – hair. As if that surprises anyone. Legs, breasts, neck, gorgeous face I could kiss and touch my whole life. And then her sense of humor, the way she’s playful, her bright-eyed love of theater, her feisty spirit, and the fact that she wants to be touched as much as I want to touch her.”

Damn these two are good…

Lisa:                “You two have some interesting…*cough cough*…encounters…various locations, etc. 😉  Got any faves?”  😀

What happens next floors me and excites me in so many ways.  They turn to each other, a gleam in both their eyes…

Jill:                   “Town car…”

Davis:              “Restaurant…”

Jill:                   “Piano…”

Davis:              “Plaza…”

Jill:                   “Kitchen Counter…”

Davis:              “Elevator…

Both:               “All of them.”

There was never a pause between any of their answers, it was like a well choreographed dance.  If I didn’t think these two were perfect for each other before that, there is absolutely no question in my mind.  By the time they are done their eyes are practically on fire and I think they might add “In the middle of an interview” to the list.  (Hey…I’m a voyeur – it’s all good! 😛  )  My jaw is on the floor and I think I’m panting.  And drooling again. Damn it!  These two are just…too much for words!  They lean into each other and share a very passionate and promising kiss, and now I know I’m panting, but who cares.  They are H.O.T. and I love them.  After a moment, they compose themselves and turn to me, as if the whole encounter never happened.  Moving On!

Lisa:                “So…can I get the scoop on any wedding plans? 😉  I can keep secrets, I promise!”

Jill leans over to get closer to me and whispers in my ear…

Jill:                   “By the fountains at Lincoln Center. Shhh…”

I giggle and clap, cause I’m a girl like that.

Lisa:                “Your secret is safe with me!  Well, you both worked very well on ‘Crash the Moon’, do you plan on working together again in the future?”

Davis:              “This hasn’t been announced yet, so keep it quiet for now. But we have a film in the works.”

And I’m giggling and clapping again.  I can’t help it!  I’m a girl – I get excited.  Don’t judge me.

Lisa:                “That’s awesome!  So with that development, where do you see yourselves in 5 years?”

Davis looks at Jill, a delicious smile on his face.

Davis:              “Ridiculously happy.”

Swooning…again!  Lord help me.  Jill shoots him a sexy smile.

Jill:                   “Yes. That. In every way.”

Lisa:                “Well I think you’ll easily cover that.  Rapid fire time!  This is where it gets fun!  It’s really simple, either/or – you have to pick one.  Hard or Soft?”

Both:               “Hard.”

They give each other that promising look again.  Damn it!  I’m going to melt into a puddle if it gets any hotter in here!

Lisa:                “Chocolate or Vanilla?”

Jill:                   “Chocolate.”

Davis:              “Chocolate.”

Lisa:               “Fast or Slow?”

Davis:              “Depends on the day, the mood, the moment.”

Jill:                   “Running = fast. Other things – it totally depends.”

Lisa:                “Acting or Directing?”

Davis:              “Directing. Only directing.”

Jill:                   “Acting. And, being directed”  🙂

She and I share a knowing smile.  Mmmmhmmm…yes please.  Davis can direct me anytime.

Lisa:                “Books or movies?”

Jill:                   “Books.”

Davis:              “Movies.”

Typical…Director!

Lisa:                “Running or Boxing?”

Jill:                   “Running”

Davis:              “Boxing”

Lisa:                “Hot or Cold?”

Both:               “Hot!”

Lisa:                “Back of a car or up against a wall?”  😛

Davis:              “First the car, then up against the wall.”

Oh my…

Jill:                   “Sure, that works for me. Can we do that now?”

Yup…puddle.  Gone.  No hope.  I may have self-combusted.  Holy shit these two cannot get any hotter, right???  I’m about to start fanning myself.

Lisa:                “Go out or stay in?”

Jill:                   “Stay in. All. Night. Long.”

I love the promise of what she’s saying, but now I’m singing Lionel Richie’s song in my head.  I can’t help it…I’m a dork and music lover.  ‘All Night Long…allll night’

Davis:              “Whatever she wants she gets.”

Oh…he’s good.  Very Good.

Lisa:                “City or country?”

Both:               “City.”

Yeah…I can’t believe I just asked New Yorkers that question.  Shoulda known.

Davis:              “But fucking on a quiet back deck of a country home would be nice.”

Oh shit…now I have self-combusted.  Scratch that, I’m pretty sure I’m just on fire.

Jill:                   “Can you book that country home visit now?”

Am I panting again???  Fuck!  They’ve got that super hot look in their eyes…I shake my head, my voice wavering just a tad – but I need to finish this up before they devour each other in front of my eyes…or I could stay and watch that too….

Lisa:                “Okay, last part – word association.  Just tell me the first thing that comes to mind…Theatre?”

Jill:                   “Love.”

Davis:              “Passion.”

Lisa:                “Alexis?”

Jill rolls her eyes and huff’s out a breath.  I think I got my answer!

Davis:              “Plead the fifth.”

I giggle.  What?!  I can’t help it!

Lisa:                “Crash the Moon?”

Davis:              “Best Show Ever.”

Jill:                   “Where I fell in love.”

Awww…swoon number 84!

Lisa:                “Patrick?”

Davis:              “Superstar talent.”

Spoken like a well season director…

Jill:                   “Brilliant co-star.”

And a fabulous actress.

Lisa:                “She becomes his, and that changes her.”

Davis:              “Best direction I ever gave.”

So true…

Jill:                   “The truth.”

I knew I liked her…we think the same.

Lisa:                “Love?”

Gazing at each other, they answer at the same time.

Jill:                   “Him.”

Davis:              “Her.”

Someone is going to have scrape me off the stage.  I’m just a heap of love, and swoon, and drool and lust.  These two have taken me all over the board.  Again!  Jeez.

Jill:                   “Lisa, we’re headed over to Sardi’s for a drink, would you like to join us?”

Well of all the silly questions to come out of her mouth…I think she’s barely finished her sentence before I am jumping out of my chair – practically vibrating with glee…

Lisa:                “I’d love to!”

After a wonderful evening of drinks…and more drinks…dinner, conversation, glorious stories and juicy details, we finally say our good byes.  I hug both of them, possibly lingering on Davis.  He’s very snuggly and I have alcohol in me – be glad I limited my touches to just a hug!  It took a lot of strength to not let my hands wonder…and fondle.  😉   I finally pour myself back into a cab and head back to my hotel.  #BestNightinNYCEver

Playing With Her Heart by Lauren Blakely

My rating: 5 of 5 stars

*ARC Given to Blog for Honest Review*

4.5 “She becomes his, and that changes her.” Kisses

Lauren Blakely is a goddess of weaving emotional and hot as sin love stories that completely melt my heart into a puddle. How does she do it? I have no idea…but I’m hypnotized and left clutching my kindle to my chest with my patented goofy grin, all giddy with love and mushy feelings and of course…because I’m a Dirty Book Whore, some dirtier feelings as well 😉

Jill McCormick…twenty-three years old, dark blonde hair, sky blue eyes and a fabulous actress. After having to act so much in her personal life, it’s become second nature. For 6 years she’s lived half a life…denying herself so much because of the guilt she feels. That’s not to say she’s not happy…but the only real happiness she holds in her heart is the love for the man that made her smile during a time when she thought she never would again. Patrick Carlson. But Patrick is an ideal, an untouchable dream that no one can compare to. Until Jill stops living in the land of dreams and ideals and starts experiencing what real passion is. And all because one man saw something in her.

‘She’s going to bring down the house. She’s going to make the audience cry and cheer. She’s going to make them want her.
And it sure as hell doesn’t hurt that she’s absolutely fucking beautiful.’

Davis Milo…barely 30 and one of the most sought after directors. He’s been given an amazing opportunity to direct a play that he’s insanely passionate about. Nothing will stop him from making this play a success…except a young actress that he can’t get his mind off of. But it doesn’t matter, because what are the rules of directing? ‘The first rule of directing is you do not fall for an actress. The second rule of directing is you do not fall for an actress.’ Not that it matters, Davis was burned once and burned hard, he’ll never date an actress again. But Jill gives him feelings, emotions he’s not felt in a while, things he can’t deny.

‘It hits me what’s happening.
Because he’s doing it to me again.
He’s fucking me with his words, and I am turned on beyond belief.’

Davis and Jill are hot, hot, H.O.T. Like hotter than hot, set fire to the stage (ha…yeah there are some scenes on the stage!) hot. And it’s not just the sexual chemistry, it’s their banter and connection. They have a very interesting back and forth, they can switch from actor/director, friendly/playful/flirty and of course hot/steamy/seductive. It’s really interesting to watch and just makes you fall more in love with them as a couple. And of course the force that brings the two of them together, they shouldn’t want each other/can’t want each other, he doesn’t date actresses, she is hooked on another man, all of that just drives you to crave them more and more together until you are bursting at the seems.

‘He nods, then presses his lips lightly to my forehead. “You are my sin.” He brushes them gently against my earlobe. “And my heaven.” Then the barest of kisses on my lips. “And everything in between.”’

Lauren Blakely has this innate ability to make me go absolutely insanely crazy for her couples. Insane because I couldn’t love them more if I tried. She immerses you in the characters so you feel like you know them, like they’re your best friend, so you feel their pain, their happiness, their sadness, and wonderfully enough…their passion and their love. BUT…while she does all that, and her comes the craziness, she teases the ever-living shit out of you! Okay…maybe not you, but I definitely feel it. She gives you a taste…then she pulls back…then more of a taste…and she pulls back again…then even more, and you get the picture. Each time she pulls back and you’re like wait…no…please don’t stop! But it’s worth it! I don’t know how to explain it but it’s all part of what draws you more in – it might be insanely frustrating at times, but it’s all for a very good purpose. And of course there is logic behind it, I’m sure she’s not sitting back typing away taking sheer joy in the fact that she could possibly be teasing her readers into a slow agonizing death…but she might be! 😛

‘I wonder if he knows I’ve shared more with him than with anyone else. That I give him more glimpses than anyone before. Maybe it’s because he’s asked. Maybe it’s because sometimes I feel as it he can see inside me, as if he sense things about me, as if he knows that there’s more than what I let on.’

So…confession time….Playing with Her Heart was not my first L.B. book….but it is the first book I’ve read in the Caught Up In Us series. (Please don’t throw stones at me!) That being said…reading them out of order did not spoil anything for me. I still want to read the other books, probably more so now then I did before and even though I didn’t know all of the supporting characters, I still loved them. Especially Chris, and very briefly McKenna, but that’s because I have a soft spot in my heart for the two of them 🙂 *side note, if you haven’t read Trophy Husband….you NEED to…badly!* I was not expecting to see either one of them in this book, had no idea that Chris and Jill were brother and sister – and of course I SQUEEEEEE’D during a very specific scene in the theatre.

‘I sigh heavily, then amanage to get the words out. “Because I don’t want anyone else to have you. Just like how you feel about me.”
He lowers his voice more, his words only for me. “Nobody else has me. Nobody else will. Nobody else can.”’

Oh my sweet HEA’s did I love that ending. If I thought I was hooked on Lauren before, I’m a lifer now. I cannot wait to read the first books in the Caught Up In Us series so I can play a little catch up, but these characters demand to be read. I love her blend of angst and passion mixed with just enough whit and comedy to make you laugh and the super steamy sexiness that I love so much. The writing style is addictive and consider my devotion pledged! 🙂

View all my reviews

Click here to enter the Rafflecopter giveaway

Lauren Blakely is an unabashed fan of clever jokes, toast, and good guys in novels. Like the heroine in CAUGHT UP IN US, she thinks life should be filled with movie kisses and coffee drinks. Lauren lives in California with her husband and children, and spends her days writing both true stories and make-believe ones.