Temptation
by J.D. Hawkins
A Contemporary Romance – Released 29 August 2018
99¢ and FREE in Kindle Unlimited!!
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Blurb
What happens when the boy you’ve wanted your whole life finally wants you back?
I’m used to taking what I want, being the best at what I do. During the day, I make big bucks as New York’s premiere consultant. At night, I can get any girl I lay my eyes on. I thought this life was what I wanted: working hard and playing harder–with penthouse apartments, luxury cars and bottle service every weekend. After six years in the city, I know I’ve been living like a monster for too long. I need to get my act together. I need to find something real. I need to come home.
LA means family and a fresh start. My parents and my friends who are close enough to be siblings.
And Melina.
Melina is nerdy smart, with a challenging sense of humor and legs for miles. It’s so hard to describe her…enigmatically beautiful. I’m sure there’s a word for it in French. But I know there’s a naughty girl hiding behind that shy smile that I’m dying to drag out.
There was always something between us. I never forgot her laugh, never could get her off my mind. Nobody ever seemed to notice how my body would react when I was near Melina, how much more focused I became—maybe not even Melina herself. But this time it’s different.
The more time we spend together, the more I wonder if there was something there all along. After so long in the fast lane, I don’t know if I can handle settling down. But seeing Melina’s passion, I’m tempted beyond belief.
I have to admit it: temptation is hard to resist.
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Review
4 stars!
In New York, Wyatt has a great job, a fast car, and a line of women to choose from but when he moves back home to California for a new job, surrounded by the people he grew up with, he realizes his life is empty.
Melina has had a crush on Wyatt since she was little but they’ve only ever been friends. She thought her feelings we long gone but when he comes back to California she realizes they are very much alive. Wyatt is we sister’s ex and now her new boss so she isn’t expecting anything to happen; however, as they spend more time together, things heat up, and everything gets more complicated than she could have imagined.
I really enjoyed Temptation. This sweet and steamy friends-to-lovers story is a fast paced, entertaining read that will make you laugh, swoon, and fall in love.
Melina is shy, introverted, and unassuming. A quiet beauty that was impossible for Wyatt to miss. She is a breath of fresh air and different than the women he’s been with in the past. She makes him feel things he thought he didn’t want and I love that she makes him step out of his norm to see what he was missing.
Wyatt and Melina are great together and I could tell from the time they were younger that they had a unique connection that grew into a solid friendship.
One-on-one, if she trusted you, you could manage to get her to open up, to bloom in front of you – but only for a second. Those big doe eyes would light up, and she’d show you a glimpse of all the color and vibrancy she’d been holding inside, but only a glimpse.
Years later, they still get each other. They believe in each other and are quick to build the other up with support and love. I loved the emotions they evoked in each other both as friends and as more. The pent up sexual tension is off the charts and the desire is tangible. The sexy time is smokin’ hot and when the lust hazy wears off and they are hit with the truth of what they just did, the emotion is believable. The reservations about starting something with a friend and how everyone would take the news is very realistic. Somewhat of a forbidden romance, hiding their relationship adds some excitement and the humor lightens some of the more serious moments.
I really enjoyed their relationship and thought the progression was well paced. I loved how they didn’t play games and were honest about their feelings. There are a few frustrating instances that could have been avoided but overall, they didn’t drag on and I liked how things resolved. It was an entertaining story and I can’t wait for more from this author.
A little side note: I enjoy when authors include cameos of previous characters. Lovers of Love & Ink and Cocky Chef will be delighted to hear about Teo & Ash and Willow & Cole.
*ARC generously provided by the author in exchange for an honest review*
Excerpt
I go dizzy, feeling so faint I need to close my eyes for a minute before I can do anything but bask. Wyatt strokes my hair slowly, the rough-but-cool touch of his hands bringing me back to life, and when I open my eyes I see him lying there beside me.
Suddenly the haze clears and I feel my stomach sink like a stone. The full magnitude of what just happened forming like a beast on the horizon.
“Oh god…I can’t believe we just…” I mumble.
“Yeah…” Wyatt replies with a lazy grin. “We did.”
The anxiety comes fast, flooding into that empty space left by orgasm.
Wyatt. My childhood crush. A friend I share with our families, our entire group. My new, albeit temporary, boss. As amazing as it felt in the moment, the myriad ways in which this was a horrible idea come out from wherever they were hiding an hour ago.
How could I be so reckless?
And how the hell are we going to keep this a secret?
About the Author
JD Hawkins writes erotic romance with modern-classic alpha males and strong, independent women. He currently lives with his wife in Austin, TX. He loves to travel and has lived in many places, including LA, New York City, India and Thailand. When he isn’t writing, JD enjoys surfing, training in Mixed Martial Arts, reading and taking naps. He once dreamed of becoming a ballerina. He’s always loved making up stories, especially ones inspired by real life.
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