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Review

4.5 stars!

Built is the first book in the Saints of Denver series written by Jay Crownover and tells a tale of two unlikely characters falling hard for each other.

Sayer Cole is a lawyer who is stunning, classy, and sophisticated. She grew up in a home that lacked emotion though. Her father disapproved of everything she did and taught her that showing emotion and having feelings had no part in their lives, thus leaving her cold and unwilling to truly love. Sayer locks herself behind walls that can’t be penetrated by the men she thinks she deserved.

Zeb Fuller is a general contractor with a past but is upfront about everything from the beginning.

I had made a mistake, a huge one, one that I was forever going to have to carry around with me, but I had learned from it, was still learning from it.

He is rough and wild and the complete opposite of every man Sayer has ever been with. When Zeb meets Sayer for the first time, he knows he wants her.

In that split second that I laid my eyes on her I wanted to be the reason she stayed.

Sayer contracts Zeb to fix up her house and though they have feelings for each other, with each advance Zeb tries to make, Sayer responds by icing him out during the 6 months of renovations. Then Zeb needs professional help from Sayer, and while spending so much time with each other, they eventually give in to their desires. However, even though she lets him in physically, she is reluctant to let him into her heart. She honestly thinks he deserves more than her.

We were on two different levels when it came to our personalities and I knew there was no way someone as passionate and expressive as he was would ever be interested in someone as reserved and closed off as I was. Where I was the frozen tundra when it came to emotional availability, he was the blazing heat of the desert.

Throughout the story, Zeb continued to pursue Sayer even when she pushed him away. He never gave up on her.

A little wear and tear, even when it was on someone’s heart and soul, wasn’t worth walking away from what I knew could be the most important restoration project of my life.

Sayer had pushed her feelings aside for so long that it proved to be a very difficult habit to break. It was extremely hard for her to let go of the control her father still had over her.

“Let the way those boys love you and the way you love them be what defines you, Sayer. Be that woman, not the one your dad wanted you to be.”

I loved how Sayer slowly changed over time. She struggled with her feelings and what to do about them. Though it took a while, she finally decided what she wanted.

I wanted to be the girl who I was when I was with Zeb all the time. She was who I was choosing, and even with that decision made, I wasn’t exactly sure what steps I needed to take to keep her around forever.

I loved Zeb. He was such a great guy and was so sweet. I loved how honest and straightforward he was with Sayer. When Zeb loves, he loves completely. We see his love and commitment not only to Sayer but also to Hyde.

I liked Sayer but thought she pushed Zeb away a bit too much. I did like that once she made her decision about what she wanted she went with it wholeheartedly.

I thoroughly enjoyed Built and am looking forward to reading the next books in the series!

The Saints of Denver series