Livy notices him the moment he walks into the coffee shop. He's heart-stoppingly stunning, with a blue-eyed gaze so piercing she's almost too distracted to take his order. When he walks out the door, she thinks she'll never see him again. Then she finds the note he left on his napkin . . . signed M.
All he wants is one night to worship her. No feelings, no commitment - nothing but pleasure. Every defense mechanism Livy has adopted during her solitary life is at risk of being obliterated by this confounding man. He's obnoxious but well-mannered. He's a gentleman but aloof. He's passionate but emotionless. Yet the fascination is so powerful, Livy can't deny him...or herself.
M awakens something in Livy, something deep and addicting that she never knew existed-and that she fears only he can satisfy. But she senses that behind the fast cars, fancy suits, and posh apartment, he's aching inside.
To have him, body and soul, she'll have to brave his dark secrets. Delving into his world and breaking down his defenses becomes her obsession - an obsession that could shatter her heart beyond repair...
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My thoughts; I bought One Night Promised the day it released back in July. It has sat on my kindle up until now, I can't really explain why other than simply.... Jesse Ward.
I picked up This Man (book one This Man Trilogy) in November of 2012, it was just a few months prior to the release of book two and I was insanely glad I found the series a little later. My wait for book two was not so long, but still, I could not stop obsessing.
My point? Well, I have this deep seated love for Jesse Ward, he trampled his way to the top of my Book Boyfriend list, and he has held the position quite strongly. Oh, there are contenders, believe me, but still he can not be budged. An that leads me directly into my point...
Having fallen so hard for This Man, I was scared to read One Night. Any true bookie will understand this. You read something that leaves you reeling and begging for more but when the author writes something new you are terrified it will not stand up to the book(s) that made you fall in love with their writing to begin with. And lets face it, if we are honest, it happens.... a lot. So, there I was, on release day, 1-Clicking the book and then staring at it on my kindle. Terrified to read it.
A few nights ago I was looking through my unread books and said to myself "Suck it up!". I generally listen when I talk to myself so I decided to go for it, book two is days away and I figure I might as well not break the tradition of reading a JEM book just prior to the sequel release.
It did begin slowly for me, the lead up and meeting the characters etc. But then M strolls in and I began to see the storyline pick up. At one point I wanted to tell Livy to hold her knickers because it almost felt TOO fast. You just met him, you aren't in love yet. And I was right, I could see it was just an infatuation and I began to settle into the story.
I became quite infatuated myself, Miller is hard to take in the beginning, he is cold and distant and almost rude. If I am honest I didn't like him at all. But, as his character starts to reveal itself and we get little tidbits along the way I really began to love him. It was at that point that my frustrations turn to Livy. It was almost like a role reversal, he became the one I was championing while I was giving her the side-eye.
I really like her character and she seems strong, until she isn't. She seems understanding, until she isn't. She seems loving and warm, until she just isn't. She crosses a line for me and I wanted to yell obscenities at her. And, had my husband not been lying beside me sleeping as I read, I would have.
Livy's hypocrite level hit defcon 5 and I was pissed. I know in the end she was lashing out her own insecurities onto him. Projecting a bit of self hate, maybe. She felt betrayed and I understand that, but the way she handles things are just unacceptable. I had an inner monologue just yelling every chastising thing I could think of, but in the end the only thing I wanted to say was, "You march yourself back in there and apologize.... a LOT. And dammit give him his thing!" But what I got was the end of the book instead.
It was at that moment that I realized that JEM had done it to me again. I am totally smitten with this story and I can not wait until book two One Night Denied releases November 11. I don't know what I was so worried about (^_^).
~S