Just like the first book in the series, this has a completely unexpected storyline that keeps you on your toes while reading – making the reading experience that much more immersive and unique. I was a little skeptical of a plot that revolves around a fashion-obsessed, Harry Styles-like hero who pretends that he’s gay in order to hang out with the girl he’s crushing on, but it actually worked pretty well. These two are able to develop a friendship and a true emotional connection… despite the fact that our hero is hiding a few important details. I loved the chemistry between them, and the forbidden element added an extra something special. The whole book was interesting and sexy with an emotional edge, though it didn’t quite stick the landing. The lackluster ending cemented my decision to go with a 4-star rating, but I seriously enjoyed this overall.
The story follows Kingston, a former playboy who comes from a wealthy, powerful family, but has never fit in. He suspects that he’s dyslexic, so design and fashion have always spoken to him more than numbers and money. Kingston is used to people assuming that he’s gay because of his style, but it wasn’t until he met Gabriella that he used that to his advantage. When Gabriella believes that Kingston is gay and hasn’t come out to his family yet, she offers to be his plus-one at events. Insecure about the scars on her face, Gabriella finds it easier to believe that Kingston is an off-limits flirt than to believe that he’s genuinely interested in her. But as the two spend more time together, they develop a friendship that feels like more – and it’s only a matter of time before Gabriella learns Kingston’s secrets.
There’s a level of unpredictability that kept me hooked the whole way through – the reader is clearly missing some information at the start, and I was curious to see where that was going. Plus, there’s the fact that Kingston flirts with Gabriella from start to finish, but she’s so insecure about her appearance that she just doesn’t see it. I liked Kingston a whole lot more than I expected to; Harry Styles has never been a crush of mine, and Kingston really does spend a lot of time talking about fashion, lol. But it was easy to see how much he was growing to care for Gabriella, and something about seeing him out of his element was very endearing. These two are great together, and it’s their imperfections that bring them closer. I loved the focus on the emotional connection, but there was definitely plenty of spice by the end as well. Really, the only thing I didn’t enjoy was the ending. Not that I hated it, but it did feel both drawn out and rushed at the same time. With a stronger ending, I think it’s very likely that I would’ve bumped up my rating. Still – this was quite good.
Amazon: https://amzn.to/3zlkRED
Blurb:
In a city where image is everything, Gabriella turns heads for all the wrong reasons.
The marks that slash across her neck and face turn people away. But I see the beauty that lies beneath, feel a kinship to her pain.
I regret the way she found me—mugged and left for dead. I should walk away, follow the rules, but I can’t. I want to see her again. There’s only one problem.
My brother convinced her I’m gay.
I use that lie to my advantage, persuade her to be my pretend girlfriend, to help protect my fake-sexual identity from my judgmental family. But what starts as a shameless excuse to be near her leads to crossed lines and midnight confessions.
I’m not who I led her to believe. I’m sin wrapped in silk. Betrayal masked by beauty.
And she’s not the only one with scars…
Amazon: https://amzn.to/3zlkRED
Start the series today!
From New York Times bestselling author, JB Salsbury, comes an angsty new romance with a bossy hero and woman who was born to survive.
To me, he was Grizzly.
To the world, I would learn, he’s someone else completely.
I should have died on that mountain.
But he rescued me.
More animal than man, he’s cold, distant, and fiercely territorial. He seems to hate me for simply breathing, and yet, he brought me back to life.
After my return to the city, I can’t stop thinking about him. His rough hands, intense glare, and the way he cared for me as if I meant something to him.
He tells me he’s dangerous. That I’m not safe around him. I would eventually understand why he warned me away. But by then it’s too late. My heart is his.
Read the audiobook review here
Amazon: https://amzn.to/3FqoDOH
Continue the series with True North!
The North name is a heavy burden. Two things I learned young—the best way to keep my head on is to keep my head down, and… never fall in love.
But I’m a sucker for a damsel in distress.
Lillian came into my life swinging. Mistaking me for my abusive twin brother, she greets me with a swift kick to the balls and a busted lip. Then she really shakes up my world.
She needs her job, but she needs a break just as much. And nothing silences my demons as efficiently as playing the hero.
To protect her from my jerk twin—her boss—I take her on a business trip and quickly learn that she’s different. Blunt. Honest. Intriguingly strange. I’m transfixed, so when she unknowingly sinks a multimillion-dollar deal, I don’t speak up. Something my family won’t forgive.
Now, I have a choice to make. I can go against my own blood and burn the North legacy to the ground, or play it safe, commit to my self-imposed rules and predestined future. Choosing her would ruin my life as I know it, but I’m starting to wonder if a life without her is worth living.
Read the review here
Amazon: https://amzn.to/3xyFPQB
About the Author:
JB Salsbury, New York Times Best Selling author of The Fighting Series, lives in Phoenix, Arizona, with her husband and two kids. She spends the majority of her day lost in a world of battling alphas, budding romance, and impossible obstacles as stories claw away at her subconscious, begging to be released to the page.
Her love of good storytelling led her to earn a degree in Media Communications. With her journalistic background, writing has always been at the forefront, and her love of romance prompted her to write her first novel.
Since 2013 she has published six bestselling novels in The Fighting Series and won a RONE Award.
Connect with JB:
Facebook: https://bit.ly/3stLCRV
Amazon: https://amzn.to/3mZRQaR
Goodreads: https://bit.ly/3stsCms
Twitter: https://bit.ly/3dtpF0X
Instagram: https://bit.ly/3x7WCbh
Website: http://jbsalsbury.com/
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