Monday 8 July 2013

Reviews: Surrender Your Love & Conquer Your Love by J.C. Reed


Surrender Your Love (Surrender Your Love, #1)Surrender Your Love

Author: J.C. Reed
Series: Surrender Your Love
Pages: 324
Genre: Adult Contemporary Romance
Publisher: Self

Synopsis. (Goodreads)

Meeting Jett was like lightning. Dangerous. Better left untouched. And better forgotten. But lightning always strikes twice.

Brooke Stewart, a realtor in New York, doesn’t do relationships. When she’s sent to a remote estate to finalize a real estate deal, she discovers her new boss is no other than the guy she left naked in bed.

Sexy, dangerously handsome, and arrogant Jett Mayfield attracts trouble, and women, like a lightning rod. But the night he meets Brooke he gets more than he bargained for. The green-eyed millionaire playboy isn’t used to taking no for an answer, and he isn’t about to start now.

When he proposes two months of no strings sex, Brooke is intrigued and accepts his proposal. Little does she know Jett’s determined to claim the one woman he can’t have, pulling her deeper into his dangerous world.

A man who doesn't take 'no' for an answer.
A woman afraid to surrender to love.
Two lives that are about to cross...and secrets laid bare.

Review: 3 out of 5 stars

This book is Adult Contemporary Romance - Please be advised that this book is NOT YAfriendly, not even in a New Adult category.

I have been curious about this book since I first glimpsed the smexy cover and read the intriguing synopsis and despite having a few small issues, I found myself riveted by it.

The story follows twenty-three year old Brooke Stewart, a realtor in New York who is given an unbelievable offer to work for high profile property millionaire Jett Mayfield, travel to Italy, research a property he wants to acquire and explore their mutual chemistry.

Brooke was a likeable heroine with a sad backstory and was hesitant when it came to relationships; Jett was a dominant, smexy hero who was a bit of a mystery, I was a little cautious about him and his intentions because the initial interactions between them were really odd and hasty and boy was I right! The chemistry between them was off the charts but I felt some of their dialogue came across as corny and there is a lot we still don’t know about Jett, his history and his purpose.

The plot - I felt it was far-fetched but it was enjoyable none the less watching Brooke and Jett come to an understanding both professionally and sexually but my gosh was the twist we are given a big one and we are left with an amazing cliff-hanger ending.

The writing is simplistic and entertaining and despite the dialogue feeling cheesy I did like the overall story. I am interested to see in which direction the author will choose to take us, I think this series has a lot of promise and is a great debut novel.

Quotes:

“He was dazzlingly gorgeous. Forget gorgeous. He was beautiful. Utterly, totally, mind-blowingly stunning. On a scale from one to ten, he was a hundred.” 

“The guy was a piece of sin. If he were the devil holding a contract, this would be the moment I might just give in to temptation and sign over my soul.” 

  

Conquer Your Love (Surrender Your Love, #2)Conquer Your Love

Author: J.C. Reed
Series: Surrender Your Love
Pages: 350
Genre: Adult Contemporary Romance
Publisher: Self

Synopsis. (Goodreads)

Meeting Jett was like bad luck. Dangerous. Unpredictable. And better avoided. In his game, the stakes are high. But are they worth the risk?

Brooke Stewart, a realtor in New York, finds forgetting is hard, but forgiving is harder. When the man she trusted, betrayed her, the only way to forget is to move on. Brooke is determined to start a new life, until she meets him again: the green-eyed, sexy as sin, six foot two sex god. The man who played dirty. The man who played her.

Sexy, rich, and arrogant Jett Mayfield knows he has made mistakes. He could have any other woman, and yet it’s Brooke he wants. When second chances collide with secrets and Brooke is threatened by the past, Jett is determined to protect her. She accepts his help unwillingly because she needs him but she wants to play his game on her own terms. And she has no intention to forgive or let him back into her bed.

When the man she is supposed to hate is the one she should trust, will he conquer her…or lose her forever?

A woman who can’t forgive.
A man who has made mistakes.
Two lives that are about to cross again and more secrets laid bare.

Review: 3 ½ out of 5 stars

This book is Adult Contemporary Romance - Please be advised that this book is NOT YAfriendly, not even in a New Adult category.

After the cliff-hanger we are left with at the end of Surrender Your Love, I was relieved to have Conquer Your Love ready and waiting to read.

Brooke was left hurt and deceived by Jett at the end of Surrender Your Love and is now in Italy with her best friend Sylvie sorting through some legal issues, what he did was unforgiveable but in this installment it appears she easily forgives and we find out the true reasoning behind Jett’s actions although he wasn’t so forthcoming with information initially which did grate on my nerves.

We learn a lot more about Jett in Conquer Your Love which I appreciated because the first book was more or less about Brooke’s past and insecurities, we also get more insight about his deception and the questions that surround Luccazone estate and see there are a few more key players in this story; Just as you think the mystery of it all is revealed you begin to realise that things are not as they seem, the constant questions really kept me engrossed and I love how Ms. Reed has woven everything together.  

The relationship between Jett and Brooke is emotional and complex but at the same time smexy and filled with quite a few romantic moments. He really needed to win back her feelings and trust and show he can be the person she needs him to be.

I still found the cheesiness to be apparent in this book and the dialogue at times was a bit strange; one moment they could be having (or trying to have) a serious conversation about what had happened and he would start talking about going on dates rather than giving answers which I found odd when you are trying to win back someone’s affections rather than explain your betrayal.

We do get some character progression, Brooke was a little more confident and self-assured, Jett showed a softer side and the secondary characters were each interesting; I am not a fan of Sylvie though! Her recklessness and immaturity doesn’t endear me to her at all.

The overall story, the romance, mystery and cryptic inheritance all moves the plotline forward but there are still a lot of questions unanswered that I am curious to unravel in the final instalment, Treasure Your Love.

Quotes:

“I'd do anything for you. You know that?" he whispered into my ear. "If you fell, I'd hold you. If you were afraid, I'd wrap my arms around you and take away your fears. I'd die to keep you safe but more than anything I'd do whatever it takes to keep you by my side. For you I'd conquer anything, everything, anytime.” 

“I Don't want someone who's perfect because I'm not perfect. I want someone who's real; someone who complements me rather than completes me.” 

 

About the author: J.C. Reed is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of SURRENDER YOUR LOVE. She writes steamy contemporary fiction with a touch of mystery. When she's not typing away on her keyboard, forgetting the world around her, she dreams of returning to the beautiful mountains of Wyoming. You can also find her chatting on Facebook with her readers or spending time with her two children.

To find out about Jessica's work, future releases, competitions and great giveaways visit her blog or Facebook page

10 comments:

  1. The author contacted me to review this book, but I was too full. I'm very curious as to what Jett does to the MC that leaves her heart-broken. Sounds pretty intense.
    I honestly don't think these books are for me though. Cheesy dialogues are such a turn off for me.
    Still, I'm happy you enjoyed this, Sharon!
    Lovely reviews!

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    1. Thanks Nick! :) I enjoyed the overall story and the mystery of it all but the cheesy dialogue & Jett's actions did make me cringe.

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  2. Great reviews. I have the first book and have been wanting to get to it. I am glad now that I waited so I will have the second one right after.

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    1. Ooh yeah, you'll need the second book on hand after the cliff-hanger ending in SyL. Looking forward to seeing what you think Ellen :)

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  3. I have book one and am curious, these are lighter then I expected and I am glad book two show character growth.

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  4. In this book and in the other there were too many times that Brooke could have said something and didn't. It was annoying.

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  5. Thanks for sharing...It is a good reviews.

    Oil Portrait

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  6. Thank you so much for the fantastic post and review. Love, Jessica ♥

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