Alexa Holland's father was her hero - until her shocking discovery that she and her mother weren't his only family. Ever since, Alexa has worked to turn her life in a different direction and forge her own identity outside of his terrible secrets. But when she meets a man who's as damaged by her father's mistakes as she is, Alexa must help him.
Caine Carraway wants nothing to do with Alexa's efforts at redemption, but it's not so easy to push her away. Determined to make her hate him, he brings her to the edge of her patience and waits for her to walk away. But his actions only draw them together and, despite the odds, they begin an intense and explosive affair.
Only Caine knows he can never be the white knight that Alexa has always longed for. And when they're on the precipice of danger, he finds he'll do anything to protect either one of them from being hurt again...
OMG! This book. The feels.
I became a fan of Samantha Young whilst reading her On Dublin Street and Into the Deep series.
So I was super stoked to learn that I had won an ARC copy! I literally squealed and began devouring this awesome book. Samantha Young is an awesome author; but this book is perfection and ensures a place for Samantha Young on my fave kick-ass Authors!
So, Alexa Holland's dad used to be a spoilt, pretentious prick - and because of his need for his elitist family's toxic money, he left Caine Carraway's mother for dead after a drug overdose. Caine's father then killed himself, leaving Caine to be put in the system at 12 years old. Since then he went to college and started up his own Financial Holdings business.
Alexa Holland was the PA for photographer Benito. She's not been coping well with her mother's recent passing and after returning from a short break away, she's arrived straight to Benito's next job: photographing Caine Carraway. Only recently finding out the boy's name whose life her father ruined, Alexa is overcome with guilt and tries to apologise to Caine. Can I just say how sweet Caine was at the beginning - when trying to give Alexa coffee.
Caine raised an eyebrow and pushed the coffee toward me.
I took it, completely unable to keep the bafflement off my face.
"A peace offering," he said, and I shivered again at the sound of his deep, cultured voice. "It would seem I scare you for some absurd reason."
Our eyes locked, and my pulse was racing for an entirely different reason now.
"What are they saying about me these days?"
For a moment I forgot everything, but what it was like to be lost in his beautiful eyes. "Lots," I answered softly. "They are saying lots of things about you these days."
He grinned, proving me wrong - he did not need a gymnast and her twin to put a smile on his face.
Caine however, disgusted at the sight of a Holland, fires Alexa's boss Benito - who fires her.
Let without a job, Alexa is desperate and goes to the Carraway office to ask for Caine's help in getting her rehired by her boss. However, her boss is a stubborn ass and Caine ends up hiring Alexa as his PA. He's decided to make her life a living hell due to her being a Holland.
I absolutely loved, loved I say, when Alexa began working as Caine's PA. Her smart-assery, the banter and sexual tension was just delicious! It was smouldering - I especially liked the introduction of Caine's best friend Henry. He was simply charming. And Caine's possessiveness of Alexa, and his jealousy over Henry, was absolutely adorable and sizzingly. Henry's little match-matching was hilarious, and I hope we get his and Nadia's story: how she managed to catch the uncatchable.
My gaze moved to Caine, who stopped at the sight of me and scowled. "I'll be out for lunch. If there's anything urgent have it forwarded to my cell."
Why was he telling me something I already knew?
"I know how to do my job, sir," I said, smiling through clenched teeth.
"Did I say you didn't?"
I saw Henry's eyebrows draw together as he watched our interaction.
"Well, when you instruct me to do something I already know how to do, you're implying I don't know my job." I shrugged, crossing my arms over my chest.
"Are you going to be this sensitive for the next two weeks? Because I'd like to prepare myself."
"Oh, why don't you - "
"Children, children." Henry stepped in between us, "What is going on here? I thought after Saturday - "
"You thought whaT?" Caine and I snapped in unison, and then glowered at each other.
Caine is the epitome of an alpha-male. He was an asshole, no doubt about it, but he was also sweet, loving, and gentle: specially with Effie. Caine Carraway is imperfectly perfect - he was beautiful inside and out. And his secret was nothing to be ashamed about; it was in the past and he couldn't do anything about it now. When he began thawing towards Alexa, and started hanging out with her it was simply adorable.
"Favourite band?"
"You didn't tell me what your favourite movie was."
"That's easy. Gone with the Wind. Although I could slap Scarlett silly for most of the movie. I mean, who would ever choose Ashley over Rhett?"
Sensing I wanted an actual answer, Caine shrugged. "I'm not sure."
"No one, that's who. Ashley is this Byronic limp noodle and Rhett is dark and challenging and all man. There's no competition. Scarlett was a nincompoop."
Caine's lips twitched. "A nincompoop?"
"Yes! It would be like me choosing to have Dean in this bed instead of you."
His amusement fled. "Who's Dean?"
That twist near the end. Colour me shocked - I was not expecting that. Alexa being hurt was completely out of left field: I literally sat there for a few minutes thinking "What?" I loved the introduction of the Body Guards (is there a story between the nurse and one of the body guards?) and that Caine wanted to look after Alexa.
"I love you," I choked out against his warm chest.
In answer, Caine gently pulled me away, just far enough so he could look into my face. I was tearstained, swollen-faced, and exhausted. I was a mess. But he stared at me as if I were the only person in the room, and as if I was the most beautiful thing he'd ever seen. His voice was gruff as he confessed, "I love you too."
This book was kick-ass! It was emotionally heart-felt, full of angst, romance and sexual chemistry. GUYS GET READING!
ARC provided in exchange for an honest review.
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