Written With Regret, the first in an all-new emotional duet from USA Today bestselling author Aly Martinez, is available now!
Amazon | Paperback
Blurb
Every little girl dreams of the fairytale. The one where the white knight rushes in to save her from the clutches of evil. They fall in love, have babies, and live happily ever after.
By that definition, my life should have been a fairytale too.
When I was eight years old, Caven Hunt saved me from the worst kind of evil to walk the Earth. It didn’t matter that I was a kid. I fell in love with him all the same.
But that was where my fairytale ended.
Years later, a one-night stand during the darkest time imaginable gave us a little girl. It was nothing compared to the pitch black that consumed me when I was forced to leave her with Caven for good.
At the end of every fairytale, the happily-ever-after is the one thing that remains consistent. It wasn’t going to be mine, but there hadn’t been a night that passed where I hadn’t prayed that it would be hers.
I owed Caven my life.
However, I owed that innocent child more.
And that included ripping the heart from my chest and facing her father again.
Review
5 stars and ALL THE FEELS!
Oh my God, Aly Martinez! What an absolutely stunning read! Emotionally intense from beginning to end, this book completely captivated me and I could not put it down! An emotional and enthralling read that is dramatic, sweet, funny, heartbreaking, sexy and romantic, this book had me feeling everything and I loved every freaking moment of it!
Caven Hunt is on top of the world having just sold his tech business for hundreds of millions of dollars. He is the ultimate playboy, and is loving his life of no strings, no drama… until a baby is left on his doorstep declaring him the father after a one night stand. Overnight his whole world changes, with everything focussing on his new baby girl, and four years later he has become a doting, adoring single father to adorably precocious little Rosie. Once again his life is perfect, but once again his whole world changes when his baby mama suddenly reappears.
Hadley Banks has lost everything. She has endured tragedy after tragedy and almost lost herself in the process. The only thing she has left to live for is the little girl who is her only remaining family and the reason she has pulled herself out of the depths of depression and darkness.
Guilt slashed through me as I imagined her growing up without a mother. Regardless of how deeply it gutted me, I knew with my whole heart that it was the best thing that had ever happened to her.
Her sudden reappearance in little Rosie’s life is the last thing that Caven wanted, and he goes all out to protect his baby girl from the woman who abandoned her as a newborn. But Hadley makes it clear that she’s here to stay, begging for a chance to get to know Rosie. As much as he hates it, Caven knows he has no choice but to allow Hadley into their lives, and it’s then, once again, that everything begins to change.
“If you break her heart, I will ruin you.”
… “We were both ruined a long time ago, Caven. Maybe it’s time for us to clear the wreckage and rebuild. Starting with her.”
I was so nervous about this book. After reading the blurb I wasn’t sure I was going to be able to warm to the heroine, but I trusted in Aly and I didn’t just warm to her, I ached for her. I could feel her heartache, her grief and her utter despair. I could understand why she made the decision that she did, and I thought the way she handled her return was absolutely perfect! Strong, yet respectful of Caven and little Rosie, I admired the way she behaved and how she went about it, and I really felt for her.
Not everything was black and white. It was often in the gray areas where the hardest decisions are made.
And Caven… just damn. The man has been through hell in his life, and the fact that she’s managed to rise above and become such a well-adjusted guy, let alone a wild success, is indicative of his strength. And then along comes this baby that he is completely clueless about and once again he embraces the challenge and allows his life to be turned completely upside down. The love he has for little Rosie is just amazing. He is loving, supportive, fun and so damn protective. He is the Daddy that every little girl deserves and I absolutely love him!
The first time she’d babbled dada, I’d known I was in trouble.
The first time she’d called me daddy, I’d nearly hit my knees.
And the first time she’d said “I love you, Daddy,” I’d frozen, my chest so tight that I thought there was a solid chance I was having a heart attack. Once I’d felt comfortable that I didn’t need to call an ambulance, I’d immediately gone to the bathroom, gotten in the shower, and fought back manly fucking tears in private.
Well, until she had come looking for me, thrown the shower curtain back, and asked why she didn’t have a penis.
And as a romantic hero, he is amazing. Given the history between him and Hadley, there is SO much emotion between the two of them, and we feel it all right along with them. From hate to fear, confusion, understanding and an irresistible attraction, there’s a lot for them to work through, and they do it slowly and realistically, and I was glued to my kindle through every moment of it.
I didn’t know what it was about this woman, but in the span of one conversation, I’d gone from wanting to have her thrown under the jail to having the most ridiculous desire to promise her that it was going to be okay. But it wasn’t okay.
It would probably never be okay. For either of us.
It’s emotional and dramatic, but there is also a lot of fun and funny moments. Of course, little Rosie is a complete scene stealer, funny, sweet, and so freaking cute, and you can’t help but adore her. And Caven and Hadley are both smart, witty and sarcastic, and the banter between them as they begin to open up and warm to each other is just fantastic. The sexual tension builds beautifully, intensified by the emotion of their situation and their history together, and I could not get enough!
The story moves at a great pace, giving us lots of details and really allowing us to get to know these characters, while keeping the story moving. There’s a lot to take in and the book has a lot of surprises, and my heart was pounding through the rollercoaster ride of emotions that this book took me on.
And then bam, that ending! It’s one hell of a cliffy! My mind and my heart are both racing, and I cannot wait to continue on with this story.
5 huge stars!
An Advanced Reader Copy was generously provided by the author in exchange for an honest review.
The Regret Duet
About Aly Martinez
Originally from Savannah, Georgia, USA Today bestselling author Aly Martinez now lives in South Carolina with her husband and four young children.
Never one to take herself too seriously, she enjoys cheap wine, mystery leggings, and baked feta. It should be known, however, that she hates pizza and ice cream, almost as much as writing her bio in the third person.
She passes what little free time she has reading anything and everything she can get her hands on, preferably with a super-sized tumbler of wine by her side.
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