Synopsis.
Raphael Cruz doesn't do it. He just doesn't. Cruz doesn't fall in love. He's a "get in and get out" kind of guy. Ladies love him and fall all over him for his swoon worthy good looks and overwhelming sex appeal. He knows how to talk to them and tells them exactly what they want to hear. When he's done making them scream his name, he shows them straight to the door. The meaning of the word love doesn't exist in his world. But that could all change with a wink of a girl's eye... And one hot-as-hell romp in a bar bathroom.
Harlow Hannum is your typical girl-next-door. She has the brains, the beauty, and the money. What she doesn't have is the luxury of being someone's first choice in the game of love. She always comes in a distant second place, leaving her guarded with her feelings. Lies, betrayal, and secrets of her past follow her wherever she goes, no matter how hard she tries to hide them. That is until she's reunited with the one guy who can ignite the spark in her heart that's been extinguished for so long.
With sunny days, heated nights, and love lingering in the air in the beach town of Sandy Cove anything can happen. Especially when fate steps in for Harlow and Cruz. Will their blossoming friendship turn into unexpected love or will the collision of their opposing worlds be the end of what could have been?
SJ's Review.
Aww I frisking loved Giving In!! I cried like a bloody baby, I laughed like a crazy women and my heart broke. Cruz & Harlow are a match made in hell... Well so they thought.
Harlow is broken, just a shell of a girl haunted by 'the hunter'.
Cruz is a man-whore but one girl he will never forget it the one from last summer... His life gets a little better when the summer fuck from last year shows up in town and just happens to be staying in the house next door in him. Coincidence?
When Harlow finds out Cruz is Rapheal, the bathroom guy from last summer she is less than happy to know he was out to humiliate her when he pulled her over on her way into town. He was an escape for Harlow, her way to forget what 'he' did to her.
Harlow and Cruz clash. Majorly! Probably the worse people to be living within close proximity to each other but when they call a truce only things can get better right?
Harlow and Cruz come from two completely different lifestyles and backgrounds, but can they make it work as a couple?
I like Harlow she was witty but you could tell she was broken, she was very guarded and seemed to use her wit and intelligence to push people away!
I loved Cruz, Cruz was sexy, confident and cocky. Admittedly he was a man whore but can Harlow change his man whore ways?
Will a long distance relationship work with these guys?
When times get tough who will run first?
Is there too much bad history for these guys to make anything work?
What will it take for Cruz to figure out his true feelings for Harlow?
Firstly these guys become friend, then great friends, then best friends. Who will crack first and tell the other they have feeling for each other? Will it be too late?
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Please DO NOT read past this point if you have not read Giving In. The following review will contain spoilers!!!
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Synopsis.
My name is Raphael Cruz. I was once a man made up of only flesh and bone. Never feeling, just existing. I indulged in the pleasures that others gave to me, and those I gave to them. That's all it was—pleasure. Physical pleasure. No emotions, no attachments. I didn't need all those feelings, didn't want them. There was no longing for love, no longing to let anyone in. Until I found her. And I gave in.
Harlow Hannum showed me what love was all about. I savored it and held it close, not even knowing I really wanted it in my life. She made me feel loved. She made me accept love. She taught me how to love in return. My heart was open to it all. My heart was hers. It belonged to her. But, she never knew. And then lies, deceit and betrayal forced me to lose the one thing that made me more than a man who just existed.
I should have told her I loved her when I had the chance. I should have told her I gave in to all the powers that love possess.
Will I ever have the chance to tell her? Will my past mistakes never give me that chance?
I need her to know.
I want her to know...
I'm in...
Always.
SJ's Review.
So the end of Giving In saw Harlow in a the hospital bed, in a coma with Cruz sitting by her side only just telling her he loves her and he made a massive mistake. A little too late I think!
In the beginning of Always In Harlow is awake and out of hospital, a little bit bruised, and broken but she okay. Cruz on the other hand is NOT okay. Harlow doesn't know anything of the relationship they shared, she has lost part of her memory and the missing part seems to be between the time of them becoming friends to the present day.
My heart broke on MANY occasions in this book, I was seen sobbing
uncontrollably a few times. My heart just hurt for Cruz. It actually got to a point in the book I was angry with Harlow and I couldn't read on. I emailed the author and told her so, I got a reply back and after reading what she said I looked at Harlow's point of the view in a completely different light. I found it easier to look at it this way.
Harlow starts to regain her memory very slowly, memories of Cruz come back in dreams to begin with and at the most inappropriate times.
Harlow meets someone, this upsets me. Daniel is a teacher at the school Harlow works with and he is sexy and has an ACCENT.... yes an accent. We all know how Harlow feels about accents. As Harlow & Daniel grow closer the more memories of Cruz resurface.
Cruz is distraught to find out Harlow is dating. Hes never given his heart to anyone before and thinking about her being with someone else, someone looking at her the way he does makes his heart shatter.
When Harlow's full memory comes back she has a BIG decision to make.
Daniel with his instant family?
Or
Cruz?
Cruz puts a fair fight but in the end he has no fight left in him.
Who will Harlow end up with?
Will Daniel make Harlow as happy as she was with Cruz?
Will Cruz get his Turnip back?
Will Harlow actually end up with either or them?
Will they both play second best?
Ahhhh I just want to tell you what the hell happens but you will just have to purchase the book to find out yourself. I can't say much more without giving away too much of what happens.
Always In was a little slower in the middle but that didn't bother me. I was waiting too see who the hell Harlow chooses. Always In gets the fulll five star party from me!!
Review by Lisa
Where to begin, where to begin?!?!!!
First off the ending of Giving In gutted me! Then the beginning of Always In threatened to rip my heart out. Yes! You read the correctly! I felt like my heart was being ripped out!
When Harlow wakes up, she has NO MEMORY of Cruz. No matter how hard Cruz tries to get her to remember, she just can't.
Everyone tells Cruz to give her space and to not push her and to let her memory return naturally.
Let me tell you, I was not thinking nice things towards Harlow's friends. I use to call them Cruz's friends too, but not at that moment!!!
So, Cruz gives her space and in the process another man steps in.
YES!!! You read that correctly AGAIN!!! I SCREAMED and YELLED and CURSED our lovely M.R. Joseph over that! I was NOT a happy reader!!
So in steps Daniel. The hot, new, British teacher. He makes Har feel things she thinks she has never felt before.
Cruz, not knowing what is happening with Mr. Hot-British-Guy, decides to pack up and move to be closer to Har. He's determined to win her back.
Har starts seeing Cruz everywhere and as a result, she starts having dreams and memories and emotions start coming back to her!
I know what some of you are thinking, "Hell yeah! Cruz and Har together again!" Not exactly.
She's scared! So, she becomes standoffish, doesn't tell Cruz about it and continues her relationship with Daniel, while figuring out what to do about her and Cruz.
Yeah, I was pissed too!
I know you want to know what happens, but I can't tell you. You have to read to find out. I will say that you go through one hell of a rollercoaster of emotions. One minute you will be happy, then you will be sad, then pissed off. For me, I felt like my heart was being ripped out most of the time. I felt so bad for Cruz.
So prepare yourself for the ride of your life with this one.
I give M.R. Joseph a huge 5 stars for writing a book that creates such strong emotions while keeping the me engrossed from beginning to end!
About the Author.
I'm a book nerd turned writer who loves the 'Happily Ever After' mixed with a bit of suspense, drama, and the occasional cliffhanger! My love of books has brought me on my writing journey. I began writing my first book in July 2012 and since that time I have created 2 series. The first series 'The Reunion Series' debuted in November 2012 and two books followed. My new series 'The Sandy Cove Series' will release in March 2014. The first book is entitled 'Giving In'. I'm still an avid reader and huge Indie Author supporter!
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