Exposed is now live, and it’s a fave for 2021!
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Blurb
Brenna
There are some people in life who know exactly how to push your buttons. For me, it’s Rye Peterson. We can’t spend more than ten minutes together before we’re at each other’s throats, which makes working together that much harder. Rye is the bassist for Kill John, the biggest rock band in the world, and I am his publicist. It doesn’t help that the man is gorgeous, funny, talented, and…never takes anything seriously. Avoidance is key.
But everything changes when he overhears something he shouldn’t: a confession made in a moment of weakness. Now the man I’ve tried so hard to ignore is offering me the greatest temptation of all—him.
Rye
Brenna James is the one. The one I can’t have. The one I can’t get out of my mind. Believe me, I’ve tried; the woman loathes me. I managed well enough—until I heard her say she’s as lonely as I am. That she needed to be touched, held, satisfied. And I could no longer deny the truth: I wanted to be the one to give her what she craved.
I convinced her that it would just be sex, mutual satisfaction with nothing deeper. But the moment I have her, she becomes my world. I’ve never given her a good reason to trust me before. Now, I’ve got to show Brenna that we’re so much better together than we ever were apart.
Things are going to get messy. But getting messy with Brenna is what I do best.
Review
5 stars and a fave for 2021!
Wow, what an amazing read! An intense, emotional and passionate frenemies-to-lovers story that absolutely captured my heart. I was glued to my kindle from start to finish and struggled to put this book down. It’s a beautiful story with all the feels, and I loved it!
This is the fourth book of the VIP series, and is the story of Kill John bassist, Rye, and PR Manager, Brenna. I feel like I’ve been waiting forever for Rye and Brenna’s story! They were hinted at way back in book #1, and over the last three books we’ve watched their fiery dynamic as they bicker and banter, their love/hate relationship dating right back to the beginning of the group when they were teenagers, and seeing all of those years of pent-up sexual chemistry explode was everything that I was hoping for.
The book begins with Brenna feeling lonely and lamenting the fact that she’s never experienced mind-blowing sex. Of course she has no idea that Rye is secretly eavesdropping on her conversation, and he is stunned by what he learns. He’s also been lonely lately, no longer interested in the groupies and fangirls that flock around the band, and he knows that he’s just the man to rock Brenna’s world.
Every man has a weakness. Every dog has its day. Those two truths collided in spectacular fashion the second I learned that Brenna James – my one true weakness – is in desperate need of great sex.
It’s such a fun set-up, and as Rye pleads his case to Brenna, it very quickly becomes obvious that there is so much more to these two than the snarky front they have put on for years, and the depth of feeling between them is there from the very beginning.
“I’m good, Bren. I’ll do whatever you want, for as long as you want. I’ll make certain you’re taken care of, and I won’t tell a soul.”
Jesus, I can’t breathe.
“So selfless,” I murmur. “And what to you get out of all of this?”
“You … I get you.”
The build-up and sense of anticipation is sensational! They don’t just leap into it, there is great development to their relationship, and I lapped up every moment of it. The chemistry is insane, and even before they get naked they both realise that whatever is between them could never be ‘just sex’, but watching them figure it all out, set rules, and navigate their feelings and mad lust, while hiding everything from the other people in their lives, is so entertaining.
“I have to act the way I always do with you. Because otherwise they’ll see.” He flings his arm in the direction of the dining room, color rising over his cheeks. “They’ll all know how much I want you. That I’m fucking aching to touch you.”
My breath leaves in a whoosh, and his comes out in a pant.
“They’ll see right through me,” he whispers hotly. “I couldn’t let them know that, Bren. Not if we want to keep us a secret.”
“There is no us.”
His eyes flash. “Bullshit.”
And when they finally get down to it… holy freaking damn. The sex is hot, steamy and super passionate, adorably playful at times, but most important, it is Full. Of. Feels. I could feel the intensity just burning between these two. Their connection is unreal, and their scenes together had me fanning myself at the depth of passion that they shared.
I know how to fuck. I excel at fucking. This isn’t fucking. I’m not sure what to call it. But it’s definitely more.
It’s almost too much, this connection. Sex is supposed to be fun, a release. Instead I’m aching, so hot I can’t breathe properly.
It’s primal and inescapable. That I’m experiencing this with Rye does funny things to my head, makes the room around me blur. All I can feel is him. He’s all I can see.
The unleashing of feelings is inevitable, but they never agreed to a relationship, and they have no idea how they would even manage one. There is a lot of soul-searching as they both figure out what they want and what they need, and it’s a beautifully written journey for them both.
She’s finally let me in. And I’m going to take the chance, for however brief it might be. Even if I crash and burn and don’t survive the wreck. Because I can’t do anything less and still comfortably breathe.
Rye completely owned my heart in this book. He’s been portrayed so far as the fun-loving clown of the group, so getting to know him and to see his many depths was such a special part of the book. He’s just such a sweetheart – kind, caring and understanding, but he’s also a beast in the bedroom, with a wicked sense of humor, and I just adored him. He knows that Brenna is the one that got away, but he’s spent so many years burying that fact, that it takes him a while to come to terms with his overwhelming feelings. At the same time, he’s dealing with some personal issues, and the possibility of a huge change in his future. He’s got a lot going on, and watching him work through it all was gorgeous.
“You’re the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen,” he says, almost lightly, like he’s not slicing into my heart. I’ve spent my entire adult life either wanting you or wanting to forget you.”
And Brenna is fabulous. Sassy and confident, she is a woman who has made her mark in what is traditionally a man’s world, and she is proud of her success. She’s career driven, but she always makes time for her family and her friends, and Rye has been a big part of that. She’s crushed on him since she was a teenager, but they’ve been through a lot, and watching her navigate her changing relationship with Rye is a big part of her story, and I thought it was written really well.
Of course the rest of the Kill John crew are along for the ride, and they are absolutely fabulous. Brenna has always been ‘one of the guys’, and the boys all feel a little protective of her. But at the same time, they all know that there is more to Rye and Brenna’s snark-fest than either of them have ever admitted. Watching them tease and joke, but also take both of their backs without question, is fantastic. I especially loved seeing Rye and Whip’s relationship. They are the two members of the band who have been in the background of the previous books, so I loved getting to see so much of them. And because this is such a tight-knit group, I thought the balance of privacy of something special versus leaning on your friends for support, was really well done.
“I don’t want or need their commentary. This is ours.”
There is some drama, and a bit of angst, but true to Callihan’s writing, it doesn’t last long, and it’s resolved beautifully and meaningfully, and I loved seeing these two get their happy ending.
“I want to be yours. I want you to be mine. Wherever I land, whatever I’m doing. Because I…I adore you.”
I devoured this book. Rye and Brenna’s story is so special, and the writing is just amazing (evidenced by my totally quote-whorey review, and my inability to cut any of these quotes out!). This has been a series of all-5-star-reads for me, and with the small hints dropped in this book, I am so excited for what I can only hope is Whip’s book up next.
A fave for 2021, and a huge 5 stars!
An Advanced Reader Copy of this book was provided by the author in exchange for an honest review.
VIP
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Meet Kristen
Kristen Callihan is an author because there’s nothing else she’d rather be. She has written New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and USA Today bestsellers. Her novels have garnered starred reviews from Publishers Weekly and Library Journal. Her debut book, Firelight, received RT Magazine’s Seal of Excellence and was named a best book of the year by Library Journal, Best Book of Spring 2012 by Publishers Weekly, and Best Romance Book of 2012 by ALA RUSA. When she’s not writing, she’s reading.
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