Author: Ahren Sanders
Release Date: August 29, 2016
Synopsis:
I don’t remember a time I didn’t love Crenshaw Bennett.
I tried to deny it, but my feelings grew deeper.
I thought he could never love me the way I love him.
I was wrong—outrageously, deliriously, and beautifully wrong.
One innocent kiss changes my life forever.
Suddenly, Shaw is mine.
Loyal, devoted, and the most loving man on this Earth.
Together, we create an explosion of fiery passion, devotion, and chemistry I never knew was possible.
All of my dreams are within reach, but I should have known it was too good to be true.
The past always catches up to you, and I’m left staring at my worst nightmare.
Faced with the unthinkable, I am forced to choose between the man I love and a past I cannot change.
Shaw’s fighting like hell to prove we can have it all, but can I find the strength to be the woman he needs?
Goodreads Link: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/31277586-hotsho
5 Stars!
Review by Lisa Kane
Sometimes you think a book will be about one thing and then bam...it completely turns on you. At first glance I thought this would be a friends turned to lovers romance. That would be like saying a tsunami has a few strong waves. This one is so much more and the angst is enough to make me reach for my Tums. Repeatedly.
Lizbeth "Bizzy" Hastings first met Crenshaw "Shaw" Bennett when he was at the same chemo session as she was to support his 14 year old little brother Nicky, who was getting treatments. Lizzy was battling cancer herself but in spite of being sick, she literally lights up the room with her personality. She isn't the least bit intimated by this older (he's a junior in college) gorgeous guy. She had an instant rapport with Nicky and once they recognized they are both in the same school, with so much in common, things just clicked. Lizzy brings out Nicky's protective nature. But she looks at him like a brother, now the way she looks at Shaw...
"My friends and family call me Ren."
She squints her eyes and shakes her head. "Nah, I think I like Shaw better. It doesn't remind me of a little shaved Chihuahua."
"Shaw?"
"It's sexy too. So there you go. New nickname."
Lizzy's born the brunt of a group of mean girls led by one particular bitch for the last few years. Because the other girl's ex asked her out to a dance, that was cause enough to make her life hell. Her cancer has changed her appearance, she's lost her hair and the steroids make her face blow up. Lots of material for this girl to humiliate her in front of everyone else. Nick vows he's going to change all of that. He may be missing out on most of his freshman year, but he's always been popular and once he gets back to school he's going to make sure that no one messes with her.
Shaw may think he has his future all planned out, but it's Lizzy who actually sets Shaw on the road to his future.
"You should do the fancy law school thing, but afterwards come out and be a sports agent with the legal knowledge. You can manage Nicky's career when he goes pro after college."
Shaw comes up with Lizzy's nickname.
Without a beat, it comes to me "Bizzy. You'll be Bizzy."
She nods and closer her eyes. Nick gives a small smile. "I like Bizzy. She'll be our Bizzy, forever.
Fast forward ten years-Bizzy is a pediatric oncology nurse, Shaw is a hotshot sports agent, Nick is one of the top quarterbacks in the league. Nicky, Shaw and their brother Mathis are more than a little protective of Bizzy. She is Nick's best friend and the three of them check out each and every one of her dates. She's never gotten over her feelings for Shaw but she knows he thinks of her as a little sister.
Shaw's life is great. He earns more than he could ever spend, he is close to his family and he has a dream job representing the best players in the county. But where women are concerned, he hasn't always made the right decisions.
I should have been more aware, knowing she was a bad idea, but I let my liquor and my dick make my decisions. Now, I have to live with them.
He spends a lot of time with Bizzy and suddenly realizes that his feelings for her have changed from thinking of her as family to wanting a lot more with her. Does she feel the same way? Yeah she does and Finally...these two get together.
I've always loved her in some way, but those feelings exploded into a new raw need the second her lips touched mine. Suddenly, I was seeing the sweet, little Bizzy as more.
Smooth sailing right? WRONG. Enter both of their pasts. Little did they know that they have a common denominator in their life. Once that evil comes roaring their way their lives will never be the same. I started this book shortly before midnight. I thought I would get halfway through and pick it up the next door. Nope, not going to happen. I said just one more chapter, but then my heart would break for Bizzy and I couldn't leave her raw and hurting.
The gravity of the situation starts to hit.
I break out in a cold sweat, imagining the look on Bizzy's face and the devastation in her eyes.
Just one more chapter. But then Shaw was so tormented I couldn't leave him in that much pain. Just one more chapter. I keep reading; the love that Shaw has for Bizzy is solid and swoon worthy and so beautiful. He will do anything to keep her in his life.
"A better man would let you go, keep you away from the drama and heartache, but I'm not that man."
If I had been Bizzy could I have stood by Shaw? I'm not so sure I wouldn't have cut and run. But Shaw's love is worth staying for-until about 75% into the book. I wanted to run Shaw Bennett's ass over with my car, back it up and run him over again. I had such a sick feeling in my stomach that I wanted to shut off my Kindle and make him go away. Just one more chapter....
There's a part of me that hopes I showered her with enough love and devotion to get us through this. I never expected this to happen, to find myself in the position of destroying the relationship with the best thing that's ever happened to me.
Life is messy, sometimes story lines don't go the way you want them to, sometimes the words just hurt your heart. So many hurts in this book. But keep reading, because in the end Shaw will win you back (although I'm not sure I have forgiven Everything) and through all the hell, he and Bizzy will get that HEA. They just have to fight like hell to get it.
"I wouldn't have let you go. If I had to spend every day on this earth proving to you how much I love you, I'd gladly do it."
About the Author:
Ahren spent her formative years living in an active volcano. There her family made collectible lava art. She studied rock collecting at the Sorbonne in France. There she met the love of her life-her pet pig Sybil. She returned to the states and started writing. She is happily married to a guy who used to live under a bridge and she met while pole-dancing. They have one amazing daughter.
Now, meet the real me. I grew up in the south and consider myself a true “Southerner”. Most of the special locations mentioned in my books are reflections of my favorite places. Living on the Florida coast, my family spends a lot time at the beach which is where I usually can be found with a book in my hand. I started writing my Surrender Series, in the spring of 2013 and have received incredible support from the Indie community. Throughout this year, I have been privileged to meet some amazing people that I am thankful to have in my life.
Connect with Ahren:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/authorahrensanders/
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