~ What's It About? ~
When trust is challenged and desire takes control, is love enough to conquer fear?
When geeky book nerd Autumn Blakewood falls for the cocky, confident fighter Hunter Bane she knows she’s in for life. Their undeniable connection, fueled by the desire to protect, grows stronger every passing second. However, the need to feel cherished threatens her college graduation, family bonds, and future, tearing her apart, but she won’t give up on Hunter so easily …
After he was abandoned by his family, Hunter Bane struggles to cope with daily life. Having a learning disability turns every task into a challenge. With his brother now free, Hunter feels the pressure to succeed and take care of the people he loves, forcing him to choose between college and a job. Hunter’s devotion to Autumn keeps him on the right path. His infatuation with her turns lust into passion, drawing out his alpha tendencies. But with affection comes admission, putting a strain on their relationship as secrets are exposed and unforeseen circumstances spiral out of control.
Being complete opposites, their love is flaming hot, but it burns away all inhibitions, unveiling the fears that were locked deep inside. As past and present collide, difficult choices must be made. Can Autumn and Hunter’s love survive this ultimate test?
~ My Thoughts ~
So once I was able to finish this story I was craving more I loved the hole college, fights, and love. Oh I can't forget all the hott sex and make up sex. This story was amazing it started right were book 1 left off at so I really didn't have to give my mind a review it was ready to go :) Holy mother of more hottness of the Banes brother and Jaret OMG. This story gave you the inside to some past and current it was actually an amazingly written I loved every minute of it. The story blew my mind away with all the ups and downs that the main characters had went through hell even the emotional parts had my grabbing my Kleenex box. The author really did do a wonderful job with the writing of this story. I'm in a way hoping that somewhere down the road their will be more to this series as it was really great the MMA fights and the Bad Boy persona had smiles on my face, along with my smiles was tons of laughter from the banter of the main characters which is also great when the main characters are that deeply in love with each other you can understand who they are and where they come from for the way they joke around.
The ending of this story was just mind blowing about the last 3-4 chapters where totally and completely mind blowing in every way.
This is a MUST READ, have to read this one 2nd as it is not a stand alone novel.
~ My Rating ~
~ Excerpt ~
“How did you like my little love bites?”
I roll my eyes and chuckle a little. “You really are a devil, you know that?”
Grinning, he lifts my face and softly presses his lips on mine, the arousal still lingering in the air between us. “I know you like it.”
“Hmm … Maybe.”
“Maybe my ass. You don’t just like it, you love it. Don’t deny it. I have proof.”
I giggle. “Oh really? What proof?”
He raises one eyebrow and signals to my ass. “Your naked ass straddling my cock on the couch says enough.”
I gape at him, suppressing a laugh that I swallow back. “Oh my god, you did not just say that.”
“What? It’s the truth.”
“Hunter!” I prod him with my finger again.
“Hey, you’re the one who offered herself to me willingly. You’re an amazing seductress, you know that? Got me all riled up there.”I blush. “I just … wanted to make you happy.”
He frowns, wrapping his fingers around my arms, pushing me forward to gaze at me. “You just did that to alleviate my stress?”
“Yes and no.”
He sighs. “Leafy … I don’t want a pity fuck, and I don’t want you to use your body as means to make me feel better. That’s not what I want from you, you know that.”
“I know, but I want to make you feel better about yourself, and I know for a fact this relaxes you.”
He looks down at the tiny space between us, avoiding my eyes. I can tell this is difficult for him. “Now it feels like I used you.”
“You didn’t. I wanted this. I wanted to do this for you … but also for myself.”
His radiant, grey eyes creep back up to my level again, curious and enchanting. He squints. “Are you admitting you wanted to fuck me?”
I smash my lips together, trying to keep a giggle from coming out. He’s right, but it feels so bad to admit it. “I guess.”
A slow, half smile curves his lips. “You’re starting to love it, you little vixen.”
“Hey, I’m not that bad,” I say.
“I wish you’d be. I fucking love it,” he says, pressing a kiss to my chin. “So you fucked me to pleasure yourself and to make me feel better? I can live with that. Seems like you really want to please me.”
“You’re such a smart ass sometimes. If you don’t watch it, I’ll tell you to suck it.”
He nuzzles my boobs, burying his head between them. “Hmmm … Please do. I’ll suck you any day.”
“God, stop it! You and your sexual innuendos.” I shove him further into the couch, laughing.He growls, biting his lip seductively. “Oh, I like it when you play rough.” He lunges forward and wraps his arms around me, dragging me to his chest. Trapping me between his muscular arms, he says, “Gotya.”
I chuckle against his neck, placing soft kisses on his skin. I could poke him all day, and sometimes I just want to smother him with hugs. I kind of love that man of mine.
He places a kiss on top of my head, running the tips of his fingers up and down my spine. “I love you more than anything,” he murmurs.
“Hmm … I love you too. So much more than I can show you.”
He takes a long, deep breath. “Thank you for being here. I can’t tell you how much it means to me that you’re here when I’m …” he chokes on his own words.
“I’ll always be here to catch you if you fall. I don’t want to see you get hurt,” I say.
“That’s why I love you. You’re always there for me, even when I hurt everyone around me. With the shit that I put you and my brother through, I’m thankful you guys haven’t left me yet.”
~ Excerpt ~
6 years ago
I’m walking home from school, wandering across the streets as I stare at the beautiful houses. Peeking into their living rooms, I can clearly see the candle flames dancing, flickering through the window like a warm, inviting light. People walking in the rooms are oblivious of me, which gives me all the more reason to keep looking. Their happy faces make me smile, if only for a second. Catching a glimpse of a normal life lets me escape from reality.
Envy unfurls in my stomach, and a bad taste enters my mouth as I spit on the ground and walk further. Up to the next house. Up to the next short moment of carelessness.
Reaching my house is the last thing I want, but I know it’ll happen eventually. I’ll have to go home. I always have to. There’s nowhere else I can go, and my brother needs me. Not as much as I need him, though. I probably wouldn’t even be alive without him.
No one at my age should be going through this. No one should be picking up their mom from the grass every morning. No kid should have to drag his mom to bed. No kid should have to raise himself.
My home is a broken one. When I spot it, a heavy feeling overcomes me. Each step I take leads to another day in hell.
The garden is littered with used needles, empty bottles of liquor, and old condoms. Me and my brother never have time to clean it all up. We’re too busy trying to keep the house clean enough to live in.
As I enter the house a familiar, but disgusting stench causes me to cough. All the windows are closed, smoke wafts through the air, bottles are scattered on the table, and an empty bag of white powder is in my mother’s hand as she hangs like a wet rag in her seat. Ash grey hair sticks to her face, masking her eyes. Her head is on the table, and she’s snoring loudly. The only thing keeping her in place is her bony ass stuck to that chair she only leaves to get some more. More of whatever she needs to satisfy her addictions.
“Hey, bro,” Jessie says. He’s unwinding the vacuum plug, turning it on at the same time.“Hey …” I say.
“Sorry, thought I’d have it cleaned up by now, but it was too much of a mess.”
“Don’t apologize,” I say. “It’s not your fault.”
He smiles briefly. “I know. I just don’t want you to see it.”
A moment of silence passes between us, the air thick with unspoken words. I owe my brother so much. He’s the only one taking care of both of us right now. I wonder how long we’ll last if she keeps this up.
I start unpacking my things, shoving my mother aside from the table so I have enough room to check what I need to do. My notebook is filled to the brim with short texts of things I need to remember. My memory always fails me, especially when it comes to short term things like homework or names. It’s been like this for as long as I can remember. My brother thinks it’s because of my mother. We don’t know her any other way than she is now. Drunk. Addicted. Full on drugs.
Just thinking about it makes my skin crawl. Sometimes I really hate her, but she’s my mother too. I owe her for keeping us alive, for trying to do her best to give us a home. Somewhere along the way she failed. I can’t not resent her for that. At times I wonder if she ever intended on having us or if we were accidents she regrets.
It doesn’t change anything about our situation. It doesn’t change anything about the fact that it’s her fault I have a learning disability and my brother has ADD.
One of the notes slips from my book, and it lands on her arm. The paper immediately stains with blood. Sighing, I pick up the piece of paper and notice the puncture marks on her skin. She looks more like an orange than a human sometimes, that’s how many holes she shot into herself. So many it doesn’t stop bleeding. Still, it doesn’t make her quit.
Suddenly, she grabs my hand, and I’m startled by her movement. I jolt up and pull my hand back as her head shoots up from the table. Her eyes are bloodshot, staring back at me with a crazy look like she doesn’t know who I am. It takes her a few seconds to register that it’s me, and then a smile slowly creeps onto her face, exposing her black, broken teeth and smelly breath.
Her hand drops off the table, the bag of powder tumbling to the floor. The sound immediately catches her attention, as if it’s food for a starving woman. Bending to pick it up, her fingers tremble as she reaches for the bag.
“Shit. It’s empty again.”
“You used too much again,” I add.
“No, no, no, this can’t happen,” she mumbles, clearly still under the influence.
“Mom. Calm down. You can go without it for a few hours. You won’t die.”
“No, I can’t!” she gets up from her seat, barely able to stand as her legs are two thin sticks ready to snap.
“I’m going to get more,” she stammers, grabbing me by the coat.
“Let go of me,” I say.
“You can’t stay here alone with your brother.”
“Why not?”
“Because …” she sniffs. “I need you. I can’t do this without you.” She wipes away the tears filling her eyes. She, most of us all, is unable to face the monster she’s become.
“No, mom. I’m not coming with you. I’m not going to be your busboy again. Not anymore.”
“What? You don’t mean that. You know I need you. Please don’t let me go through this alone.” She tightens her grip on my arm, dragging me to the door. Resisting is what I should be doing, but I don’t want to hurt her. She’s been hurt enough in her life.
“Stop,” Jessie shouts. He stops vacuuming, turning it off. His fists are balled, his nostrils flaring, and his stance is aggressive, as if he’s about to attack my mother. I know he would if it was necessary.
“Let. Him. Go.” His teeth barely separate as he speaks the words. His furrowed brows even scare me.
Her fingers untangle themselves from my arm, and I shake myself loose from her grip. I turn away from her, slanting to the side because I’m scared she might grab me again and make a run for it. My brother is and always will be the only thing keeping her from ruining not only herself but me, too.
“Fine, but I’m going,” she says, and after making a horrible face she walks out the door. The slam that follows force the tears to spring from my eyes.
~ Playlist ~
~ Meet The Author ~
Do you want the Author Bio and Author Pic to be included in the Media Kit that is forwarded to the blogs/bloggers for posting? If so, please copy and paste here and forward a picture when you return this form.Clarissa Wild is the Amazon Bestselling Romance author of FIERCE, a top 200 and top 15 New Adult Romance novel. She is also a writer of erotic romance such as the Blissful Series, The Billionaire's Bet series, the Doing It Series and the Enflamed Series. She is an avid reader and writer of sexy stories about hot men and feisty women. Her other loves include her furry cat friend and learning about different cultures. In her free time she enjoys watching all sorts of movies, reading tons of books and cooking her favorite meals.
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~ Giveaway ~
***I received this story for free in exchange for an honest review***
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