Published July 28, 2014
Publisher: self-published
Format: e-ARC, obtained from AToMR Tours and the author
Genre: adult contemporary romance
To Buy: Amazon * Barnes & Noble
Rating: 4.5 STARS
(From Goodreads) He’s utterly alone…
Tortured and existing in a dark spiral of despair, bestselling British author, Gavin Cooke, has come to the Outer Banks of North Carolina to escape the seedy lifestyle he had been living in London and in a desperate attempt to regain his writing focus. He’s twisted, bitter and angry at the world. He’s a loner… needing not a single thing other than his Scotch and a laptop upon which he can bang out his next erotic, dark thriller.
She’s running in place and getting nowhere…
Savannah Shepherd’s life is falling apart. Her dream of being a wildlife photographer seems a distant memory and she’s barely able to make ends meet. Driving herself forward with no clear goals apparent, she’s about ready to pack up her bags and head home with her tail between her legs.
Two unlikely lovers…
He’s raw, forceful and a dirty talker. She’s a flowers and romance type of girl. Yet within each other, they find a mutual craving that can only be satisfied by giving in to their desires for one another.
Lust turns into something more… something they were not looking for but tentatively accept. Will it be enough to push them past the obstacles of Gavin’s bitter past?
Every book in this series gets better and better. I've been waiting for Savannah's story - the sweet, quiet girl who runs herself ragged. All work and no play make Savannah a dull girl. Turns out, Savannah's anything but dull, and it took cranky Brit Gavin to draw her out.
Gavin moves to North Carolina to finish writing his latest book. He had to get away from England - away from all the memories that have haunted him, driving him to drink, which doesn't really make for a brilliant book. Needless to say, he's not a happy guy. But, now he's holed up in this huge beach house, and he needs some help keeping it clean. He hires Savannah to do just that, but she eventually becomes a bigger distraction from his grief, his drinking and his book.
I love stories about bitter, tortured souls who are brought into the light by the most unexpected person. I loved this story. Gavin was as bitter and tortured as they come. He has experienced the worst kind of loss a person can experience, and it totally turned him inside out. He's sad and angry and it seems like no one can crack his rough exterior. He's pretty much given up on everything.
Then, along comes Savannah. He hired her as a cleaning lady. It was supposed to be simple. Yet, she confounds him. She seems timid and shy one second, and then, feisty and fiery the next. She's beautiful all the time, though, and she turns out to be just what he needs to forget his pain. Their time together was explosive and hot and so, so sexy. I loved how Gavin called Savannah "Sweet" and she called him "Filthy." Their pet names for each other were very apropos.
Savannah was a wonderful heroine. She works several jobs just to earn her own keep. At one job, she puts up with seriously icky treatment from her boss just because it pays well and is something she enjoys doing. She's a completely stand-up person - someone you can always count on, and someone who never allows herself to have much fun. No time.
She might bring out the best in Gavin, but believe it or not, he brings out the best in her too. He encourages her to go for what she really wants and to give up what she doesn't. He asks her to go outside of her comfort zone, and it turns out it's a fun place for her to be. And, when the going gets tough and Gavin gets going, Savannah learns that Gavin also taught her to be resilient and strong even when you don't think you can go on.
I haven't met a Sawyer Bennett book I didn't like. The previous two books in the Last Call series, as well as her new adult series, the Off Series, are some of my favorites. If you haven't tried her out yet, you really should. The writing is fantastic, the characters are interesting and the story lines will make the book really hard to put down. Even though Sugar on the Edge is the third in this series, you can start here if you want. I know a few friends, actually who did just that. They read Sugar on the Edge first, and then immediately purchased the first two books in the Last Call series because it was That. Good. Maybe you should do the same.
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ReplyDeleteYour review of "Sugar on the Edge" is as refreshing as taking my dog for a walk on a crisp morning! The dynamic between Gavin and Savannah sounds electric. Bennett's ability to craft such compelling characters keeps me hooked. I'm eager to dive into this series. Thanks for the insightful review!