Hudson Wheeler is a nice guy. Everyone knows it, including his fiancée who left him with a canceled wedding and a baby on the way. He’s tired of finishing last and is ready to start living in the moment with nights soaked in whiskey, fast cars, and even faster girls. He’s set to start living on the edge, but when he meets Poppy Cruz, her sad eyes in the most gorgeous face he’s ever seen hook him in right away. Wheeler can see Poppy’s pain and all he wants to do is take care of her and make her smile, whatever it takes.
Poppy can’t remember a time when she didn’t see strangers as the enemy. After a lifetime of being hurt from the men who swore to protect her, Poppy’s determined to keep herself safe by keeping everyone else at arm’s length. Wheeler’s sexy grin and rough hands from hours restoring classic cars shouldn’t captivate her, but every time she’s with him, she can’t help being pulled closer to him. Though she’s terrified to trust again, Poppy soon realizes it might hurt even more to shut Wheeler out—and the intense feelings pulsing through her are making it near impossible to resist him.
The only thing Poppy is sure of is that her heart is in need of some serious repair, and the more time she spends with Wheeler, the more she’s convinced he’s the only man with the tools to fix it.
I don’t normally read the author’s introductions right away, most times I’m so eager for the story that I don’t read it until after I’ve finished the book; but for some reason I read this one. This was how Jay started her introduction…
“When I introduced Poppy in Rowdy and Salem’s book, I had no idea she was going to become the character who readers asked me about the most. Every day someone asked me if she was going to get a book, asked when her story was coming, but more than that, they really really wanted her to get a happy-ever-after. They demanded that she love and be loved better than any of my other characters. She’d been through hell and back, and without a doubt, my readers felt she deserved someone who would treat her right and be good to her.”
Now, picture the blank stare emoji…that was me blinking around my living room for about five minutes after I read that first paragraph. Was she crazy?! What was she thinking?! OMG, from the moment I was introduced to Poppy and Wheeler I was interested! Then as time went on and they popped up in other books I couldn’t wait, then when I realized they were going to be together….well I was as happy as a pig in you-know-what! With that being said…..Eeeek, Wheeler and Poppy have a book!!!!!
Hudson Wheeler is something of, for lack of a better term, a walking contradiction. He’s tattooed, he looks badass and hardcore; but while he is all of those things, this guy is about as sweet as they come. You would never know by looking at him that this is a man that had a high school sweetheart. Had, being the operative word. Yes, Wheeler’s had his heartbroken and ripped out by the girl he fell in love with in high school. She repeated cheated on him and finally he decided the best thing for both of them was to break things off. He such a sweetheart that he even takes the wrap from his ex’s parents for breaking off the wedding weeks before it’s supposed to happen. Although it’s their daughter with the secrets, he takes the fall as the bad guy until she’s ready to come clean to her parents. But there's a really really sticky part to all of this...
His breakup with Kallie has left him a little bitter but once he noticed Poppy Cruz, well falling in love again might not be as far off as he once thought. He just has to be patient as Poppy works through her own issues.
Men are scary creatures to Poppy Cruz. Most of the men she’s encountered have been abusive, from her father’s emotional abuse to her college boyfriend’s and then her husband’s physical abuse. To say she’s skittish around them is an understatement; but she’s been slowly but surely working through her issues. She’s living on her own, she has a job she loves and she’s finding herself more and more attracted to tattooed hottie Hudson Wheeler. For the first time in years Poppy is interested in a man. Wheeler comes with his own set of issues but before long they seem to be helping each other work through them.
Hudson Wheeler and Poppy Cruz, the word compatible doesn’t begin to describe these two. These two work so well together it’s hard to belief that there was never a storyline intended for them. This wasn’t your typical rollercoaster up and down, back and forth relationship, from the beginning they both admitted their attraction to each other. While Poppy was a little hesitant, Wheeler was all in. I loved how patient he was with her and how comforting Poppy was with him. There was a third character in this relationship that made it work too….Happy, the dog. The two of them sharing custody of Happy was just too adorable. Happy kind of provided that buffer the two needed to help them become more comfortable with each other, understand each other and solidify their relationship.
“There’s something about you, something about those eyes and the soft way that you speak, that makes me want to tell you all my secrets. Secrets that sting…”
I loved this about Wheeler! He was so in touch with his emotions and feelings, and he wasn’t afraid to show them. He really was just a nice guy. What I like about Poppy was she had a personality. Even though she suffered that emotional abuse from her father, she was a regular girl before she was “broken down” and she recognized this and wanted to get back to that person.
This was sort of a whirlwind romance type of storyline that gives you just enough drama and a whole lot of healing and romance. It gives the story that two people who really deserve happiness the story they deserve. Sometimes you just need “that couple”; you know that couple where you know it’s going to work for them, you know they are going to hit some bumps but they are just….easy. Wheeler and Poppy were that couple for me.
Once again Jay Crownover has made me go through my list of Marked Men and Saints of Denver and change the order of my favorite guy!!!! Hudson Wheeler has definitely cracked my top 5 and I think he and Poppy are definitely in my top 3 as favorite couple.
“I don’t know that I have the time to take on a puppy right
now, Poppy.” He lifted a hand and rubbed it across the back of his neck. His
mahogany-colored eyebrows pulled into a vee over the top of his nose and the
corners of his mouth pulled down in a frown that was too harsh for his pretty
face. I liked it much better when he smiled and his twin dimples cut deeply
into his cheeks.
I bit my bottom lip to keep the distressed noise that I
could feel climbing up the back of my throat at bay. I knew he might say no but
I couldn’t hide the fact that I was disappointed by his decision. I honestly
felt like he and the puppy would be good for one another, that they could bring
a little joy into each other’s life. It broke my heart a little that Wheeler
wasn’t ready to open his heart up again, even when it was to something that was
so obviously eager to love him unconditionally and irrevocably, unlike his ex.
“It’s okay, Wheeler. Like I said, I’ll take him home until I
can find a place for him. I’m sure Dolly could use a friend.” I crouched down
and wiggled my fingers to get the dog’s attention, and grinned when he bounded
over, tripping over his front legs as he scrambled in my direction. “I can take
him to work with me and hold on to him until I figure something out. One of the
boys at the shop will step up if Dixie doesn’t want another dog.”
I heard him sigh and looked up to see him watching me
intently. He opened his mouth like he was going to say something, then let it
snap shut with his teeth audibly clicking together. I didn’t know much about
Wheeler, but what I did know I liked. He was nice. He was polite. He was
thoughtful and he was kind. But more than any of those things, he went out of
his way to hold himself in a way that wasn’t threatening or intimidating
because he was aware without me saying a word how jumpy I was around people,
men in particular. I hated that they were bigger than me. I hated that I knew
firsthand how badly they could hurt me if they had a mind to. I hated that I
wilted and cowered under their attention, even if it was innocent and friendly.
The fact that he took care not to spook me spoke volumes and made me feel awful
for putting him in such an awkward position.
“Poppy…” He sounded regretful and I had no interest in
dragging the torture out any longer for either of us. I scooped up the dog and
buried my nose in the top of his head.
“Seriously it’s no big deal. I love him and I’m happy to
wait until I can find him a proper home. It was stupid of me not to consider
how busy you are with everything you have going on in your life right now. A
puppy is a big commitment and that’s not something you can put on someone else
without discussing it with them first.” The dog swiped his tongue across my
face, no doubt feeling my distress and rising panic. I wanted to tuck his warm
little body to my chest and run away like I was trying to score a touchdown in
the other team’s end zone. “I should have known better.”
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ADD SALVAGED TO YOUR GOODREADS
Jay Crownover continues her Saints of Denver series with SALVAGED, available June 20, 2017
Preorder and fill out the form here: https://a.pgtb.me/MdHvvG
Enter your name, email address, and the order number from your pre-order receipt on the form to receive an advance excerpt of DIGNITY and a Saints of Denver Doodle download to print at home.
Entries must be received by midnight PST on June 19th to be eligible.
The print-at-home Doodle and Dignity excerpt will be emailed the week of June 20th.
And the Link:http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/9172c1a0374/?
Jay Crownover’s SALVAGED – Review & Excerpt Tour Schedule:
June 12th
Aurora B's Book Blog – Excerpt
Book Angel Booktopia – Review & Excerpt
Ceres Books World – Review
Grownupfangirl – Review & Excerpt
Krista's Dust Jacket – Review & Excerpt
Panda & Boodle – Excerpt
June 13th
Booknerd1107 – Review
Foxy Blogs – Excerpt
Happily Ever After Book Reviews – Review & Excerpt
Mustreadbooksordie – Review
NallaReads – Review & Excerpt
The Book Disciple – Review & Excerpt
June 14th
Books to Breathe – Review & Excerpt
Prisoners of Print – Review & Excerpt
Tales of the Ravenous Reader – Review & Excerpt
The Book Maven – Review
Two Girls with Books – Review
June 15th
Cocktails and Books – Review & Excerpt
Ficwishes – Review
Night Owl Reader – Review & Excerpt
Read more sleep less – Review
Reading Between the Wines Book Club – Excerpt
Vagabonda Reads – Review & Excerpt
June 16th
A Literary Perusal – Review & Excerpt
Book Sojourner – Review & Excerpt
Literary Gossip – Excerpt
Novel Addiction – Review & Excerpt
Reviews from the Heart – Review & Excerpt
Three chicks and their books – Review & Excerpt
June 17th
Adventures in Writing – Excerpt
BJ's Book Blog – Review & Excerpt
NotasLiterárias – Review & Excerpt
RentasticReads – Review
Reflections Of A Book Geek – Review & Excerpt
June 18th
I Heart Books – Review & Excerpt
Naughty and nice book blog – Review & Excerpt
Nose Stuck in a Book – Review & Excerpt
Red Hot + Blue Reads – Review & Excerpt
The Escapist Book Blog – Review
Zili in the Sky – Review & Excerpt
June 19th
From the TBR Pile – Review
Books, Coffee & Passion – Excerpt
BookWorm221 – Review & Excerpt
Fictional Rendezvous Book Blog – Excerpt
Smut Book Junkie Reviews – Review & Excerpt
The Readdicts – Review & Excerpt
June 20th
Bookalicious Babes Blog – Review & Excerpt
Crazii Bitches Book Blog – Review & Excerpt
Red Cheeks Reads – Review & Excerpt
Reviews by Tammy and Kim (Rachel and Jay) – Review & Excerpt
TjLovesToRead – Excerpt
Wickedcoolflight – Review & Excerpt
June 21st
Jack of All Trades, Master of None – Review & Excerpt
Movies, Shows, & Books – Excerpt
My Girlfriend's Couch – Review & Excerpt
Rachel Reads Ravenously – Review & Excerpt
She Hearts Books – Review & Excerpt
Two Book Pushers – Review & Excerpt
June 22nd
A Leisure Moment – Review
Brittany's Book Blog – Excerpt
Caroline Jane Reads – Excerpt
KeeperShelf – Review
Live Read and Breathe – Review & Excerpt
Musings of the Modern Belle – Review & Excerpt
Queenzany – Review & Excerpt
June 23rd
BFD Book Blog – Review & Excerpt
Dog-Eared Daydreams – Review & Excerpt
Krissy's Book Nook – Review & Excerpt
Obsessive Book Nerd – Review
The Readdicts – Review & Excerpt
Vera is Reading – Excerpt
June 24th
Blushing babes are up all night – Review
G & T's Indie Café – Excerpt
Love Drug Book Blog – Review & Excerpt
Renee Entress's Blog – Review & Excerpt
We stole your book boyfriend – Review & Excerpt
Words of Wisdom from The Scarf Princess – Review & Excerpt
About Jay Crownover:
Jay Crownover is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of the Marked Men, The Point, and the Saints of Denver series. Like her characters, she is a big fan of tattoos. She loves music and wishes she could be a rock star, but since she has no aptitude for singing or instrument playing, she'll settle for writing stories with interesting characters that make the reader feel something. She lives in Colorado with her dogs.
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