Ex-Army Ranger, Brand Killien, has always been good.
A good friend, a good soldier, a good everything. .
The problem is, good hasn’t gotten him anything but a crushed heart.
So after licking his wounds, he decides to move on. And moving on doesn’t include being good anymore.
Bad sounds so much better.
Jaded and detached, Brand is determined to never open himself up to anyone again. It’s not worth the pain. Instead, he becomes closed, hardened, aloof.
But then he’s called back home for a family emergency… a family that he is estranged from. A family that he put out of his mind a long time ago for very good reasons…reasons that involve secrets and pain. Reasons he tried hard to forget.
But home is where the heart is, and it just might be where Brand finds his again.
Why? Because home is where Nora Greene is. A fiery, red-headed spitfire, Nora is a thing from his past. A beautiful, feisty thing. When Brand left, she was away at boarding school.
But she’s back now.
And she wants Brand, scars and all.
5 Star Review by Jen Skewes
Until We Fly is the fourth installment in the Beautifully
Broken series by Courtney Cole. I have
waited so long for Brand’s story. We
first met him in If You Leave and his presence continued in Before We Fall. He is Gabe’s best friend and business
partner. We saw how in love he was with
Jacey and how his heart broke when she married another man. He had always been there for Jacey to help
pick up the pieces, which is just the type of man that Brand is. Always looking out for everyone else and
trying to be their protector. It was
time for Brand to finally find the woman who will love him the way he deserved
to be loved and to get his HEA. And I
for one could not have been more excited.
Brand hasn’t seen his mother in years. His past issues with his parents had caused a
separation between them. But he now
finds himself back home due to circumstances out of his control. While back in his home town there an accident turned explosion of
sorts and Brand, being the amazing person he is tried to rescue a young woman
only to find himself in the hospital. He
is now finding that his time back home is going to last a lot longer than he
wanted it too. But at the same time a
young woman comes into his life that will forever change it and him.
Nora Greene is considered royalty in their small town. She is taking the summer off and then is to go
work for her father’s law firm once the fall starts. She has always done what her father has asked
of her. Playing the role of the perfect
daughter who follows her father’s rules no matter what it costs or how it
affects her. Nora is to start working
for her father. Even if she had other
dreams or aspirations, none of that matters.
She has no choice or say in the matter.
Nora has had a crush on Brand since she was a young teenager
and he was working at her father’s country club. She admired him from afar and he never knew
of her true feelings. He saved her on
the day of the accident and now she feels like she needs to repay him for his
kindness but this is also her way of finally getting the chance to be with
Brand. He is staying at his friend
Gabe’s cabin but he cannot really take care of himself right now due to his
injuries. So Nora agrees to stay with
him and help him out.
Nora wants Brand, there is no denying it and she has made
her intentions knows to Brand. But Brand
knows that his time here is limited and that nothing good can come out of them
being together. He has put his heart on
the line before and it ended up being shattered in the process. So he has no intention of being with
Nora. But Nora does not give up easily,
constantly taunting him sexually. And at
some point Brand just breaks down and gives in.
They know that they are on limited time but are willing to take what
they can get. Nothing but casual sex
with the intention of moving on once the summer is over. But what happens when they both start to
develop feelings. Will it be so easy for
them to move on?
Both Nora and Brand have secrets from their past that
continue to haunt them. Brand has been
through so much since he was a child.
And Nora slowly breaks hiswalls down and gets him to open up to
her. We find out why he hasn’t spoken
to his parents, we see his fears and the pain that he has been through. But Nora has her own demons. And it is those demons as well as her loyalty
to her father and their family name that cause even more hurt and pain for
Nora. I cannot begin to even describe
the feelings that I felt towards what Nora has gone through. I felt so much pain for this girl. She was such an amazing and caring person and
loyal to her family, I think out of fear.
I loved Nora and Brand and loved going through the emotions with them. Feeling the hurt that they went through, the
tears and heartache.
Courtney Cole has this amazing way of making you feel what her characters are feeling. I have been a huge fan of this series since day one. If any one knows how to write a damaged hero who you will completely fall for, it is Ms. Cole. Each one of her hero’s was damaged in their own way. Each of their stories unique. You know they are damaged but you sit and wait on pins and needles trying to figure out their past and what has caused this person to be so broken. And when it is finally revealed it hits you like a ton of bricks and you never saw it coming. And then all of the emotions start and you just feel for these characters. You hurt for them. And Until We Fly is no different.
Courtney Cole has this amazing way of making you feel what her characters are feeling. I have been a huge fan of this series since day one. If any one knows how to write a damaged hero who you will completely fall for, it is Ms. Cole. Each one of her hero’s was damaged in their own way. Each of their stories unique. You know they are damaged but you sit and wait on pins and needles trying to figure out their past and what has caused this person to be so broken. And when it is finally revealed it hits you like a ton of bricks and you never saw it coming. And then all of the emotions start and you just feel for these characters. You hurt for them. And Until We Fly is no different.
Brand is damaged but so is Nora. While we know a bit about Nora's secret there is more to it. When it all came out I found myself with my
hand covering my mouth, which was wide open in shock might I add, shaking my
head with tears in my eyes. It was that
emotional and I found myself reading as fast as I could to see what happens next. Ms. Cole gets me every time!
This is definitely a series that needs to be read by
all. If You Stay is book one where we
meet Pax and Mia. With each book this
series just keeps getting better and better.
Pax had been my absolute favorite up until now. Because I think that Brand just moved up to the number 1 slot. That being said I love every one of these
books and the characters that they are about.
They are filled with drama, suspense, real emotions, and a beautiful
love story. The road to happiness is by
no means an easy road for any of the characters but that’s what makes them so amazing. Courtney Cole, once again you blew me
away!!! Amazing!!
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“Being brave doesn’t mean not being
afraid, Nora,” Brand tells me, lifting his ocean blue eyes to meet mine. “It
means being afraid and doing it anyway.”
“Doing it?” I ask.
Brand shrugs. “It
can be anything. Whatever it is that
you’re doing, whatever it is that you’re afraid of.”
I’m doing this. Right now.
Because I want him. I want him this summer and he’s not getting
it. He’s not making any moves even
though I’m here and I’m available, and I want him. There’s only one way to make him see… I have
to be as blunt as a man.
I can do this.
Because I’m brave.
I’m brave.
I’m brave.
I’m fucking brave.
I re-wet my cloth and without a
word of warning, I pull the corner of his towel back, then pull it entirely
off.
Brand’s eyes fly open, then fix on
my face. He doesn’t say a word, but I
can see him holding his breath. His flat
abdomen isn’t moving.
I dip the cloth down his side, over
the rippled muscle. I can feel him
through the cloth, his warmth soaking into my fingers.
I pass his hip, his delicious, sexy
hip. In my head, I envision it flexing
as he straddles me. I flush, and
gulp.
I’m brave.
I’m
fucking brave.
I take a breath, and my fingers
keep moving. Another breath and the
cloth glides downward.
Then Brand’s hand covers my own,
stopping me.
“I think I can get that part.”
I look down at him, and he’s
staring at me in apprehension….because he doesn’t know what I’m doing… or what
I want. I don’t know either. All I know is….I’m doing it now. Before it’s too late and he’s out of my life
and I never have another chance.
“Brand, I have a proposition to
make.”
My words cut the slice through the
tension.
He levels a gaze at me, his eyes so
fucking blue. “I’m listening.”
His hand is still covering
mine. It’s warm and strong and I can
hear the pulse rushing through my ears in a roar.
“I’ve wanted you since I was twelve
years old. You’re here for the summer
and so am I. I don’t know if I’ll ever
see you again and I don’t want to look up from my desk at Greene Corp when I’m
seventy and have regrets because I didn’t do this.”
I pause and Brand doesn’t say
anything.
He simply waits.
The silence between us is charged
and I rush my next words…I let them tumble from my mouth before I lose the
nerve.
“I want you. Without any strings at
all. At the end of the summer, we’ll probably never see each other again…but I
want this summer. With you.”
I have to know what’s its
like.
I
stand on a wall and protect what is mine.
I need to know, even if it’s just
an illusion, what it’s like to be his.
To be safe.
To be good.
Please.
Brand stares at me, stunned.
I’m stunned too.
I did it.
I did it.
I’m
fucking brave.
I watch his lips slowly part as he
breathes out in a rush.
I watch his tongue dart out and
lick his lower lip.
I feel the heat from his hand as he
slightly moves it.
Then I watch the word form on his
mouth…right before he says it.
“No.”
Courtney Cole is a novelist who would eat mythology for breakfast if she could. She has a degree in Business, but has since discovered that corporate America is not nearly as fun to live in as fictional worlds. She loves chocolate and roller coasters and hates waiting and rude people.
Courtney lives in quiet suburbia, close to Lake Michigan, with her real-life Prince Charming, her ornery kids (there is a small chance that they get their orneriness from their mother) and a small domestic zoo.
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I love books with second chances! :)
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