NOT ALL SCARS HEAL
For Donovan Pate, the lake town of Evergreen Cove is a minefield of tough memories—including the day he had to let go of Sofie Martin. Years later, he still can’t forget the taste of her lips and the feel of her killer curves. He knows he’s too damaged, that he should stay away for her own good. But what the head says and the heart wants are two very different things…
Seven years ago, Donovan broke Sofie’s heart. Now her career depends on playing nice in order to pull off the charity fundraiser of the decade. She vows to keep things professional…yet working by his side every day doesn’t make it easy to fight temptation, and it isn’t long before she finds herself falling for this bad boy all over again. But loving Donovan means helping him face his past–so they can fight for a future together.
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Excerpt:
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Her soft touch landed on Donovan’s arm, and the anger shuddering inside him shifted into an ache. She stepped closer, the warmth between them radiating enough heat to set him on fire. But like the fireplaces he built, he could handle it. He could handle the heat from her, not because he was impervious, but because he was strong enough to soak her in and not burn to ash.
She turned his arm where paint was drying. She swiped at it with her sleeve. “I made a mess.”
He’d forgotten about the paint. “Don’t… I can… There is a shower in the…” He lost his train of thought when she turned those emerald green eyes up to him. He watched her delicate throat work as she swallowed. His eyes traveled up her neck and landed on her mouth. Needing her mouth, he lowered his face, watched her eyes grow dark and wide, watched her lift her chin to meet him.
Heat. He wanted more. If only to test his own strength.
He moved his lips gently against hers, but resisted holding her to him. She held onto him though, grasping his forearms with both hands, her fingers wrapped around his elbows. Pressing her body against his, pressing her tits against his ribs.
Hell, sounded like an invitation to him. Deepening their connection, he thrust his tongue into her mouth, reached around, and grabbed her ass with both palms. When he squeezed, she sucked in a breath.
“Told you,” he rumbled.
“Told me?”
“Not a complaint, Scampi.” He squeezed again. “Perfect.”
A choked laugh left her throat. “Big.”
Still moving his hands over her backside, he said, “First thing I noticed about you at the Wharf.” He’d been plating up a chicken scaloppini when the manager walked in to show around a few new servers. Two he couldn’t remember, and Sofie. Bent over the plate, he’d peeked between the metal shelves framing that perfect ass . He’d stood to get a better look, and she’d pegged him with those moss-greens.
“Second thing I noticed was your eyes.”
Her lips parted slightly. “And the third thing?”
He kissed her. She tasted incredible. “The first time you talked to me.”
She rolled her eyes. “And what did I say?”
She didn’t think he remembered. She was wrong. “‘Can I get a side of cock?’”
Laughing, she shook her head.
He smiled back at her, unable to help himself. “Then you cleared your throat and said, ‘cocktail sauce’.”
Shaking her head, she said, “Worst abbreviation ever.”
“Kitchen guys are immature.”
She blinked up at him, studying him, like she was trying to piece him together. He didn't want her to. Once she pieced him together and had the whole picture, she wouldn’t like what she saw.
He kissed her again, keeping his hands on her body.
“Are you testing my boundaries?” she asked, her tone teasing. He recognized that comment from the night he rescued her from Torsett.
“Mine,” he corrected.
Sofie bit her lip. “I don’t date much.”
“Me either.” At all, actually.
She shook her head, more in thought than in argument. “I don’t think I have any boundaries with you.”
He was beginning to think he had none with her, either.
She turned his arm where paint was drying. She swiped at it with her sleeve. “I made a mess.”
He’d forgotten about the paint. “Don’t… I can… There is a shower in the…” He lost his train of thought when she turned those emerald green eyes up to him. He watched her delicate throat work as she swallowed. His eyes traveled up her neck and landed on her mouth. Needing her mouth, he lowered his face, watched her eyes grow dark and wide, watched her lift her chin to meet him.
Heat. He wanted more. If only to test his own strength.
He moved his lips gently against hers, but resisted holding her to him. She held onto him though, grasping his forearms with both hands, her fingers wrapped around his elbows. Pressing her body against his, pressing her tits against his ribs.
Hell, sounded like an invitation to him. Deepening their connection, he thrust his tongue into her mouth, reached around, and grabbed her ass with both palms. When he squeezed, she sucked in a breath.
“Told you,” he rumbled.
“Told me?”
“Not a complaint, Scampi.” He squeezed again. “Perfect.”
A choked laugh left her throat. “Big.”
Still moving his hands over her backside, he said, “First thing I noticed about you at the Wharf.” He’d been plating up a chicken scaloppini when the manager walked in to show around a few new servers. Two he couldn’t remember, and Sofie. Bent over the plate, he’d peeked between the metal shelves framing that perfect ass . He’d stood to get a better look, and she’d pegged him with those moss-greens.
“Second thing I noticed was your eyes.”
Her lips parted slightly. “And the third thing?”
He kissed her. She tasted incredible. “The first time you talked to me.”
She rolled her eyes. “And what did I say?”
She didn’t think he remembered. She was wrong. “‘Can I get a side of cock?’”
Laughing, she shook her head.
He smiled back at her, unable to help himself. “Then you cleared your throat and said, ‘cocktail sauce’.”
Shaking her head, she said, “Worst abbreviation ever.”
“Kitchen guys are immature.”
She blinked up at him, studying him, like she was trying to piece him together. He didn't want her to. Once she pieced him together and had the whole picture, she wouldn’t like what she saw.
He kissed her again, keeping his hands on her body.
“Are you testing my boundaries?” she asked, her tone teasing. He recognized that comment from the night he rescued her from Torsett.
“Mine,” he corrected.
Sofie bit her lip. “I don’t date much.”
“Me either.” At all, actually.
She shook her head, more in thought than in argument. “I don’t think I have any boundaries with you.”
He was beginning to think he had none with her, either.
About the Author:
A former job-hopper, Jessica Lemmon resides in Ohio with her husband and rescue dog. She holds a degree in graphic design currently gathering dust in an impressive frame. When she's not writing super-sexy heroes, she can be found cooking, drawing, drinking coffee (okay, wine), and eating potato chips. She firmly believes God gifts us with talents for a purpose, and with His help, you can create the life you want.
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Review by Yvette:
The Second Chance series by Jessica Lemmon is one that, once it gets its hooks into you, it refuses to let you go. The first book in the series, Bringing Home the Bad Boy, was a solid 4 Star read that I had a few minor issues with (mainly that I wished the titular bad boy was more deserving of the moniker) but what made me anxious to read the follow-up novel, Rescuing the Bad Boy, was a need to discover if the romances that had been teased between various supporting characters would come to fruition. The romance between protagonists Donovan Pate and Sofie Martin was one I was particularly intrigued by and Rescuing the Bad Boy did not disappoint. Within just a few pages, my stomach was erupting in a swarm of angry bees and my eyes burned with unshed tears. I figured if just the introduction to the two main characters could evoke such a powerful reaction from me, then the rest of the book would be just as heartbreaking, if not more so… and I was right.
I wanted a bad boy and I got my wish and then some with Donovan, to the point where my initial reaction was to despise his character. Donovan's mind was a dark and twisted space to inhabit but the more I got to know his character, the more I understood where he was coming from. This book tackled a sensitive subject – one that shaped Donovan's character, not excusing his bad decisions and standoffish behavior, but providing insight into his thoughts and actions regarding Sofie. Second Chance is a perfect title for this series because this book is about giving Donovan and Sofie a second chance at realizing the magnitude of their connection.
Like its predecessor, Rescuing the Bad Boy is a character-driven narrative, with the romance between Donovan and Sofie at the heart of the story. The author forges such an intense connection between these characters, dragging their feelings so close to the surface that I keenly felt the impact of their emotionally-charged exchanges, from the anger and resentment stirred up within Sofie upon Donovan’s return to the pulse-pounding excitement of them finally giving in to their mutual attraction, and to the gut-churning fear of history repeating itself. The two have a palpable chemistry that results in several sizzling encounters, but it’s their emotional connection that tugged at my heartstrings and fighting back the improbable combination of angry, sad, and happy tears.
As much as I enjoyed Bringing Home the Bad Boy, it was missing that indefinable spark that makes you want to devour a book in one sitting because you can't go another minute without knowing what happens next. With Rescuing the Bad Boy, my eyes were glued to my Kindle screen as I followed the progression of Donovan and Sofie’s tumultuous relationship. The prologue, the epilogue, and everything in between were nothing short of amazing – beautifully written, emotionally-gripping and thought-provoking. The intensity of my reaction to Rescuing the Bad Boy took me completely by surprise, but I enjoyed every minute of this emotional roller coaster of a book.
*complimentary copy provided by publisher in exchange for an honest review
Rating: 5 Stars
I wanted a bad boy and I got my wish and then some with Donovan, to the point where my initial reaction was to despise his character. Donovan's mind was a dark and twisted space to inhabit but the more I got to know his character, the more I understood where he was coming from. This book tackled a sensitive subject – one that shaped Donovan's character, not excusing his bad decisions and standoffish behavior, but providing insight into his thoughts and actions regarding Sofie. Second Chance is a perfect title for this series because this book is about giving Donovan and Sofie a second chance at realizing the magnitude of their connection.
Like its predecessor, Rescuing the Bad Boy is a character-driven narrative, with the romance between Donovan and Sofie at the heart of the story. The author forges such an intense connection between these characters, dragging their feelings so close to the surface that I keenly felt the impact of their emotionally-charged exchanges, from the anger and resentment stirred up within Sofie upon Donovan’s return to the pulse-pounding excitement of them finally giving in to their mutual attraction, and to the gut-churning fear of history repeating itself. The two have a palpable chemistry that results in several sizzling encounters, but it’s their emotional connection that tugged at my heartstrings and fighting back the improbable combination of angry, sad, and happy tears.
As much as I enjoyed Bringing Home the Bad Boy, it was missing that indefinable spark that makes you want to devour a book in one sitting because you can't go another minute without knowing what happens next. With Rescuing the Bad Boy, my eyes were glued to my Kindle screen as I followed the progression of Donovan and Sofie’s tumultuous relationship. The prologue, the epilogue, and everything in between were nothing short of amazing – beautifully written, emotionally-gripping and thought-provoking. The intensity of my reaction to Rescuing the Bad Boy took me completely by surprise, but I enjoyed every minute of this emotional roller coaster of a book.
*complimentary copy provided by publisher in exchange for an honest review
Rating: 5 Stars
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