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She was my nightmare. Every time I closed my eyes, I watched her fall into that inferno. Over and over, I failed to save her.
I hadn’t been able to reach her, and the guilt only burned hotter over time. Four years later, I was the unreachable one.
Heroes aren’t always saints. Sometimes, we’re nothing more than jaded sinners driven by sleepless nights and hearts full of darkness.
And then I met her. She was a dreamer who managed to soothe my scars and heal my wounds.
But, as the flames closed in around us, I feared I wasn’t the right man to save her. That is until I realized she was the one woman I’d burn the world down to protect.
I hadn’t been able to reach her, and the guilt only burned hotter over time. Four years later, I was the unreachable one.
Heroes aren’t always saints. Sometimes, we’re nothing more than jaded sinners driven by sleepless nights and hearts full of darkness.
And then I met her. She was a dreamer who managed to soothe my scars and heal my wounds.
But, as the flames closed in around us, I feared I wasn’t the right man to save her. That is until I realized she was the one woman I’d burn the world down to protect.
338 pages, Paperback
First published February 2, 2017
About the author
Aly Martinez
53 books7,818 followersOriginally from Savannah, Georgia, USA Today bestselling author Aly Martinez now lives in South Carolina with her four young children.
Never one to take herself too seriously, she enjoys cheap wine, charcuterie boards, and her mildly neurotic golden retriever. It should be known, however, that she hates pizza and ice cream, almost as much as writing her bio in the third person.
She passes what little free time she has reading anything and everything she can get her hands on, preferably with a super-sized tumbler of wine by her side.
Never one to take herself too seriously, she enjoys cheap wine, charcuterie boards, and her mildly neurotic golden retriever. It should be known, however, that she hates pizza and ice cream, almost as much as writing her bio in the third person.
She passes what little free time she has reading anything and everything she can get her hands on, preferably with a super-sized tumbler of wine by her side.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 714 reviews
July 24, 2017
2.5 Stars
Before I get started, I apologize for the...sparseness of this review. Edison is doing some "maintenance" in our area and I have no power AKA no internet connection on my laptop. Thus, I had to painstakingly tap this shit out on my phone - AFTER 3 glasses of wine.
I know. Fucking #skills
Anybullshit.
This book.
I ADORE Aly Martinez and I LOVE her writing...and so it pains me to say this...
But this book just did not resonate with me.
I don't know if I just wasn't in the right mind frame right now...if it's the distraction of my overwhelming personal life at the moment...or the fact that I have PMDD and it's a week before THAT time of the month...but I just couldn't get into this and, quite frankly, a lot of things about it irritated me.
The nickname used in the book - "Butterfly" - kept making me think of a Kristen Ashley book which used the same moniker - which is no fault of the author and ENTIRELY on me - but, again, it just took me out of the story every time it was used.
Which was a lot.
Also, Rhion's job as a romance author, the constant discussion of plot lines, author references (such as Penelope Ward and JR Ward), and Rhion's rhetoric on how the thought of bad reviews made her feel awful...it just kept taking me out of the story.
And, yes, I realize that this is an unpopular opinion to have - and I know that these are petty and completely personal reasons to dislike something - I am blatantly SAYING I know they are petty and personal reasons.
But reasons constitute opinions and this is mine.
That said, PLEASE take this review with a grain of salt. Aly Martinez is ridiculously talented, this book is very well written, and it has many moments that most people will adore.
I just couldn't connect with it; however, I am as always excited for the next book by Aly. And I'm bummed I didn't love this. Super bummed.
Maybe after my bitch uterus gets off her broom I will attempt a re-read. But then again, that bitch is me. So perhaps the results will be the same lol
Oh well.
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
Soooooo excited for this.
Before I get started, I apologize for the...sparseness of this review. Edison is doing some "maintenance" in our area and I have no power AKA no internet connection on my laptop. Thus, I had to painstakingly tap this shit out on my phone - AFTER 3 glasses of wine.
I know. Fucking #skills
Anybullshit.
This book.
I ADORE Aly Martinez and I LOVE her writing...and so it pains me to say this...
But this book just did not resonate with me.
I don't know if I just wasn't in the right mind frame right now...if it's the distraction of my overwhelming personal life at the moment...or the fact that I have PMDD and it's a week before THAT time of the month...but I just couldn't get into this and, quite frankly, a lot of things about it irritated me.
The nickname used in the book - "Butterfly" - kept making me think of a Kristen Ashley book which used the same moniker - which is no fault of the author and ENTIRELY on me - but, again, it just took me out of the story every time it was used.
Which was a lot.
Also, Rhion's job as a romance author, the constant discussion of plot lines, author references (such as Penelope Ward and JR Ward), and Rhion's rhetoric on how the thought of bad reviews made her feel awful...it just kept taking me out of the story.
And, yes, I realize that this is an unpopular opinion to have - and I know that these are petty and completely personal reasons to dislike something - I am blatantly SAYING I know they are petty and personal reasons.
But reasons constitute opinions and this is mine.
That said, PLEASE take this review with a grain of salt. Aly Martinez is ridiculously talented, this book is very well written, and it has many moments that most people will adore.
I just couldn't connect with it; however, I am as always excited for the next book by Aly. And I'm bummed I didn't love this. Super bummed.
Maybe after my bitch uterus gets off her broom I will attempt a re-read. But then again, that bitch is me. So perhaps the results will be the same lol
Oh well.
XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX
Soooooo excited for this.
February 12, 2017
5 stars!
Aly Martinez is one of those authors that always delivers. I’ve not read one book by her that I haven’t loved. Singe is the first book in her new Guardian Protection series, but ties in a bit to the Wrecked and Ruined series. Trust me when I say after reading this book, you’re going to want books for ALL the guys from Guardian Protection! The first is about someone new to the gang, Jude.
Jude used to be a cop. One night, his entire life was shaken up. He took a call after hours to a fire. And that call changed his path. Several years later, he’s back to the city he left working a new security job. Jude still has nightmares of his past, but he meets someone that can help them…
Rhion has also been through something traumatic that has shaped the person she is. One night, her entire life was shaken up. Rhion doesn’t have a lot of people in her life, but the guys of Guardian are like family to her. When she meets Jude, everything changes. Jude and Rhion have a strong connection. It took me a while to connect all the dots of their relationship and all the other factors, but when everything clicked into place, it was beautiful.
Aly does the best job of writing strong, protective, alpha men. Jude was all of those things. He was also damaged and broken (my favorite) and a fantastic step-dad. It seriously melts your heart. Rhion was a fantastic character. She has a lot of heart. For all she had been through, she has so much strength. I loved seeing these two connect and I loved watching their relationship grow. Both of them had issues, but things were easier and better when they were together.
If you’re looking for a passion filed romance that’s sexy, swoony, full of alpha goodness and will give you the feels, Singe is one you need to check out. I loved Jude and Rhion’s story and I’m so excited to read more about the rest of this gang!
Aly Martinez is one of those authors that always delivers. I’ve not read one book by her that I haven’t loved. Singe is the first book in her new Guardian Protection series, but ties in a bit to the Wrecked and Ruined series. Trust me when I say after reading this book, you’re going to want books for ALL the guys from Guardian Protection! The first is about someone new to the gang, Jude.
Jude used to be a cop. One night, his entire life was shaken up. He took a call after hours to a fire. And that call changed his path. Several years later, he’s back to the city he left working a new security job. Jude still has nightmares of his past, but he meets someone that can help them…
Rhion has also been through something traumatic that has shaped the person she is. One night, her entire life was shaken up. Rhion doesn’t have a lot of people in her life, but the guys of Guardian are like family to her. When she meets Jude, everything changes. Jude and Rhion have a strong connection. It took me a while to connect all the dots of their relationship and all the other factors, but when everything clicked into place, it was beautiful.
“I’ve always been real, Butterfly. Even when I didn’t want to be.”
Aly does the best job of writing strong, protective, alpha men. Jude was all of those things. He was also damaged and broken (my favorite) and a fantastic step-dad. It seriously melts your heart. Rhion was a fantastic character. She has a lot of heart. For all she had been through, she has so much strength. I loved seeing these two connect and I loved watching their relationship grow. Both of them had issues, but things were easier and better when they were together.
“We can be beautifully flawed together.”
If you’re looking for a passion filed romance that’s sexy, swoony, full of alpha goodness and will give you the feels, Singe is one you need to check out. I loved Jude and Rhion’s story and I’m so excited to read more about the rest of this gang!
February 6, 2017
*****FOUR STARS*****
{ARC Generously Provided by Author}
I lived in his nightmares. He lived in my dreams.
SINGE is the first in a series of standalone novels surrounding each of the hotter than hell alpha males who work for the Guardian Protection Agency. There are a few series out there that have a similar flavor but Aly Martinez manages to give it her own flair--I wouldn’t expect anything less from Ms. Martinez! I do have to mention that I found some of the drama to be a bit tiring and if some of it were cut out of the storyline then I feel it wouldn’t have dragged on for me at times. More often than not, I love the Hero and the Heroine usually tends to grate on my nerves, but in SINGE it is the Hero that I wanted to slap around. No amount of hotness on his part helped me to overlook his childish behavior. But we get a bevy of sexy alpha males and an endearing Heroine who loves and writes romance novels, so overall the story won me over!
Rhion and Jude are bound to each other through a tragic event that will haunt them in different ways, years after it occurred. Rhion was stuck out on the ledge of the second floor of her burning house and Jude ends up being the only police office within the vicinity who gets called while off duty and asked to investigate the situation. He had been off for a couple hours and had a few drinks at a local bar. He probably shouldn’t have gone to the scene but no other officers were in the area and the dispatch operator convinces him to go and investigate the situation. When he sees Rhion surrounded by flames in an impossible situation he is crippled by his inability to save her. He does stay at the scene and tries to get her to climb to the roof, which is normally the one thing you should never do, but soon there is no choice but for Rhion to jump and then we are left wondering what happened to the both of them.
The story fast-forwards to about five years into the future. Rhion is living in a beautiful loft apartment which is one floor above the Guardian Protection Agency. She is one of their top clients and the guys have become more like family to her than employees. The agency is about to get a new employee—Jude Levitt, the cop who tried to save her from the flames that ended up scarring the both of them physically and mentally. As soon as they come face to face there is an instant spark of attraction between them. Jude has been living in Rhion’s fantasies since that fateful night, but it hasn’t been the same for Jude. He’s been haunted by the beautiful butterfly who ended up getting burned by the flames. His guilt over being intoxicated and not doing more to help her has been eating away at him for all this time.
He ends up being given the assignment of becoming her protector as it becomes apparent that he is like a soothing balm to Rhion and also helps her to ease out of her agoraphobic tendencies. Their romance is definitely what you might consider “insta-love” but I didn’t mind it too much since the schmexy was out of this world HOT!! What bothered me was Jude’s reaction to some of Rhion’s secrets. When they are revealed his reaction seemed childish and even idiotic. I was starting to lose interest but luckily there’s a reveal towards the last twenty-five percent of the story and added dose of suspense that had me on pins and needles, wondering how it was all going to end.
SINGE is currently available! Aly Martinez fans will not be disappointed!
Amazon US: http://amzn.to/2kfNgXh
Amazon UK: http://amzn.to/2kfyRdL
Kobo: http://bit.ly/2kC4kru
{ARC Generously Provided by Author}
I lived in his nightmares. He lived in my dreams.
SINGE is the first in a series of standalone novels surrounding each of the hotter than hell alpha males who work for the Guardian Protection Agency. There are a few series out there that have a similar flavor but Aly Martinez manages to give it her own flair--I wouldn’t expect anything less from Ms. Martinez! I do have to mention that I found some of the drama to be a bit tiring and if some of it were cut out of the storyline then I feel it wouldn’t have dragged on for me at times. More often than not, I love the Hero and the Heroine usually tends to grate on my nerves, but in SINGE it is the Hero that I wanted to slap around. No amount of hotness on his part helped me to overlook his childish behavior. But we get a bevy of sexy alpha males and an endearing Heroine who loves and writes romance novels, so overall the story won me over!
Rhion and Jude are bound to each other through a tragic event that will haunt them in different ways, years after it occurred. Rhion was stuck out on the ledge of the second floor of her burning house and Jude ends up being the only police office within the vicinity who gets called while off duty and asked to investigate the situation. He had been off for a couple hours and had a few drinks at a local bar. He probably shouldn’t have gone to the scene but no other officers were in the area and the dispatch operator convinces him to go and investigate the situation. When he sees Rhion surrounded by flames in an impossible situation he is crippled by his inability to save her. He does stay at the scene and tries to get her to climb to the roof, which is normally the one thing you should never do, but soon there is no choice but for Rhion to jump and then we are left wondering what happened to the both of them.
The story fast-forwards to about five years into the future. Rhion is living in a beautiful loft apartment which is one floor above the Guardian Protection Agency. She is one of their top clients and the guys have become more like family to her than employees. The agency is about to get a new employee—Jude Levitt, the cop who tried to save her from the flames that ended up scarring the both of them physically and mentally. As soon as they come face to face there is an instant spark of attraction between them. Jude has been living in Rhion’s fantasies since that fateful night, but it hasn’t been the same for Jude. He’s been haunted by the beautiful butterfly who ended up getting burned by the flames. His guilt over being intoxicated and not doing more to help her has been eating away at him for all this time.
He ends up being given the assignment of becoming her protector as it becomes apparent that he is like a soothing balm to Rhion and also helps her to ease out of her agoraphobic tendencies. Their romance is definitely what you might consider “insta-love” but I didn’t mind it too much since the schmexy was out of this world HOT!! What bothered me was Jude’s reaction to some of Rhion’s secrets. When they are revealed his reaction seemed childish and even idiotic. I was starting to lose interest but luckily there’s a reveal towards the last twenty-five percent of the story and added dose of suspense that had me on pins and needles, wondering how it was all going to end.
SINGE is currently available! Aly Martinez fans will not be disappointed!
Amazon US: http://amzn.to/2kfNgXh
Amazon UK: http://amzn.to/2kfyRdL
Kobo: http://bit.ly/2kC4kru
February 7, 2017
“No one in the entire world understands what it was like for me that night except you. I’ve never been ashamed of my scars, but our first night together, you traced over them and told me they were yours. You made me feel like they were something beautiful.”
Alpha male romance fans, you're going to want to check this book out! I’ve enjoyed many of Aly Martinez's books over the last few years and true to her distinctive style, SINGE had a wonderful balance between sexy hotness, humor, strong feels, heartfelt romance, thrilling suspense, and even a surprising twist! If you love PROTECTIVE, POSSESSIVE, and BROKEN HEROES who fall completely in LOVE with their women, then don't miss this book!
She was my nightmare. Every time I closed my eyes, I watched her fall into that inferno. Over and over, I failed to save her.
I hadn’t been able to reach her, and the guilt only burned hotter over time. Four years later, I was the unreachable one.
Heroes aren’t always saints. Sometimes, we’re nothing more than jaded sinners driven by sleepless nights and hearts full of darkness.
And then I met her. She was a dreamer who managed to soothe my scars and heal my wounds.
But, as the flames closed in around us, I feared I wasn’t the right man to save her. That is until I realized she was the one woman I’d burn the world down to protect.
Our hero in this book is a cop who was haunted by one life-changing event years ago when he tried to save a woman from a blazing building. Her falling had haunted him, his dreams, and his conscience ever since.
Years later, he's divorced yet devoted to being the best step-father he could for his ex-wife's daughter. When he takes a new job with Guardian Protection as a body guard, it brings him back to the one woman he never though he'd see again. Suddenly she was everywhere. There. In his life. And every feeling that had been haunting for years came rushing back to the forefront of his life. Desire. Regret. Remorse. Guilt. Longing. It all came back along with her...
While I guess you could possibly consider this a type of second chance romance (more in terms of the type of feels it evokes), I'd more consider it a romance about two people who shared an intense, traumatic, but deeply bonding experience being brought together and given an unexpected chance to rewrite their history with something new.
“I wanted her. And not just with my hands and my mouth — though I couldn’t deny that was part of it. My body came alive for that woman. But, with her, I wanted more. I wanted to know what she’d been up to for the last four years. Was she happy? What was she doing in Chicago? What did she actually do for a living? Why was she so private? Did that night haunt her dreams too? And, most of all, had she thought about me even a fraction of how often I had her over the years?”
At its heart this is a story about a delightfully crazy girl and a broken Alpha hero reunited after years of pain and given a chance to reach for the happiness, healing, and love they both deserve.
They had such an intense, passionate connection but it was tempered by the fact that, as her new bodyguard, he was determined not to mix business with pleasure and I have to admit that it was damn sexy to see him ride that line between professional protection and personal desire. Seriously. IT. WAS. HOT!!!
“My job is to protect people. Those people expect me to put my own life in the line of danger in order to keep them safe. And I absolutely would. Those are people who pay me. People I don’t give a damn about.” His fingers swept down my neck and traced over my collarbone before traveling to the subtle line of exposed cleavage, sending a shiver down my spine and a spark to my core. “And, Butterfly, I don’t think I have to point out that those people are not you. There are no limitations to the lengths I will go to make sure you are safe. I lost you to the flames once. It won’t happen again… You’re safe with me. It’s a truth. A fact. And a promise.”
Aly Martinez is one of the few authors who I recommend as "what to read after Kristen Ashley". You can always count on her books to have deliciously swoony Alpha heroes, seriously steamy heat, deep emotional feels, and a suspenseful element that'll keep your heart racing. Each time I read one of her books, I'm impressed with her ability to balance all of these qualities in a way that truly delivers a romantic, sexy, and thrilling read!
I read this book in one sitting and generally really enjoyed it! My only small complaint is that, at times, the story felt a little disjoined and there were so many side characters that I sometimes felt a little overwhelmed and had to re-read bits to keep things straight. But it wasn't a big deal. I still totally loved the story!
Ooooh and I have to mention that this book has some awesome 'inside jokes' directed at the reader world -- with special shout outs to Penelope Ward, Ella Frank, JR Ward and more -- that are sure to give a well-read romance reader a few extra chuckles!
“Chaos broke out as the four women started laughing and talking in some kind of code that I was positive no person with a dick would ever be able to decipher. Something about cliffs, triangles, and HEA. None of us dated interrupt them.”
As the book hurtled towards the finish line, its suspenseful elements really ramped up even surprising me with a twist I didn't see coming -- one that made me quite hopeful that a 'certain' character gets their own book soon!
This can be read as a standalone, but it is also the first standalone in a series of standalones about the Alpha bodyguards of Guardian Protection. There are slight connections to this author's previous books within the side characters but you don't have to read any other book first in order to enjoy this one. Aly Martinez's standalone series are always very well structured in that you could read any of them alone if you wanted, but you'll always get a special kick out of the story if you've read all her books. So really, you're good no matter how you approach it.
Bottom line, if you're a fan of Alpha male romances that have a great balance of heat, humor, feels, and suspense, then this is a book you don't want to miss!
Rating: 4 - 4.5 stars. Can standalone. Adult Romance.
Buy SINGE (Kindle)
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February 7, 2017
This woman blows my mind every single time with her incredible talent. Singe was totally different from any of her previous books and it was beyond anything I ever expected. Raw, emotional, and downright sizzling (no pun intended), and filled with twists and turns that will blow your mind; I loved every single page of it.
If this book isn't on your TBRs, it NEEDS to be. Seriously.
Beta read
Find me on:
If this book isn't on your TBRs, it NEEDS to be. Seriously.
Beta read
Find me on:
February 10, 2017
4 Nightmares and Dreams Stars
* * * * Spoiler Free
Aly Martinez took the idea of personal perception and shot it with steroids...There was a heightened intensity of what was real, what was dreamt and what was in between. We are taken on a journey that has many twists and turns... with all of them including a group of men known as the Guardian Protection Agency. This Agency will anchor the series.
This first entry has a complex love story about two people who crossed paths in a way no one should. Rhion was a woman caught in a burning inferno and Jude was an off duty police officer told to go to the site for assistance. He wasn't in regulation shape; he had been at a bar relaxing... but he was the only person able to report.
He did the best he could to save her, looking for a way for her to escape the flames...and some how they both survived...But not without scars...
Scars which would mark them ....the kind you can see and the ones which live deep in the recesses of the mind long after the skin has healed. Both of these people moved forward in their own way... but it was the perception of what actually took place that night which is the key to this tale.
These two people are reunited 5 years after the accident.
Rhion has managed to rise from the ashes through all of the difficult operations, skin grafts and pain. She has covered her arms and body with tattoos and her scars are like silk threads. Her own personal therapy was writing. She had created a life where she was doing fine...but then her father died cutting out siblings and an ex wife, leaving everything to her. The inheritance has caused Rhion to be at odds with her brother. He has been threatening and this has caused Rhion to withdraw from the outside world. She has closed ranks.
Jude's life was not what he had dreamed of... all he ever wanted was to be a police man... the hero who helped others. He was stripped from the force and found a position with a security agency. They handled serious needs and he felt at least he was doing something worthy. But every night he was visited with the reoccurring nightmare of Rhion on the ledge, engulfed in flames... and his inability to make her safe. It was a constant in his mind and something he could never escape... like the thick scars on the back of his neck and skull.
The owner of Jude's company retires and closes the agency leaving him looking for work. Somehow Jude is referred to The Guardian Protection Agency and is hired.
This agency is run by a man who takes things personally... cares about his charges...This isn't just a security agency...This is the top, elite level....Lawmakers, Royalty, Celebrities etc.. are their clients and Non Disclosure Agreements are their middle names.
Rhion has been under their care for years and even lives in the same building as their offices. This has worked to provide Rhion with a surrogate family...with a rag tag group of Alpha men and a few woman who are partnered with them. They really are her life line and provide a sense of love and caring besides security.
It is when Rhion and Jude collide at a group get together where this tale takes off...and from that moment, perception of everything is key.
This is a love story where questions of trust, understanding, communication and just straight talking are the focus. These two have all the necessary chemistry to light a few blazes of their own...and Aly Martinez shows how it can be done... and done well.
She also has done a tremendous job in fleshing out all of the the other Guardian Guys... she didn't just give a few sentences to each... and then be done with it. She made all of the fellows real with each having their own quirks and issues. The groundwork has been laid for us to want to know more about each and every one of them.
This was my first Aly Marinez read but won't be my last.
~~~~~ Before Reading ~~~~~
I know this may be a shock...
But this is my first Aly Martinez read...
For the past years, I have seen my friends rave about these books...
So I am excited to dive in...
Singe - February 6th 2017
A gifted copy was provided by author/publisher for an honest review.
For more Reviews, Free E-books and Giveaways
* * * * Spoiler Free
Aly Martinez took the idea of personal perception and shot it with steroids...There was a heightened intensity of what was real, what was dreamt and what was in between. We are taken on a journey that has many twists and turns... with all of them including a group of men known as the Guardian Protection Agency. This Agency will anchor the series.
This first entry has a complex love story about two people who crossed paths in a way no one should. Rhion was a woman caught in a burning inferno and Jude was an off duty police officer told to go to the site for assistance. He wasn't in regulation shape; he had been at a bar relaxing... but he was the only person able to report.
He did the best he could to save her, looking for a way for her to escape the flames...and some how they both survived...But not without scars...
Scars which would mark them ....the kind you can see and the ones which live deep in the recesses of the mind long after the skin has healed. Both of these people moved forward in their own way... but it was the perception of what actually took place that night which is the key to this tale.
These two people are reunited 5 years after the accident.
Rhion has managed to rise from the ashes through all of the difficult operations, skin grafts and pain. She has covered her arms and body with tattoos and her scars are like silk threads. Her own personal therapy was writing. She had created a life where she was doing fine...but then her father died cutting out siblings and an ex wife, leaving everything to her. The inheritance has caused Rhion to be at odds with her brother. He has been threatening and this has caused Rhion to withdraw from the outside world. She has closed ranks.
Jude's life was not what he had dreamed of... all he ever wanted was to be a police man... the hero who helped others. He was stripped from the force and found a position with a security agency. They handled serious needs and he felt at least he was doing something worthy. But every night he was visited with the reoccurring nightmare of Rhion on the ledge, engulfed in flames... and his inability to make her safe. It was a constant in his mind and something he could never escape... like the thick scars on the back of his neck and skull.
The owner of Jude's company retires and closes the agency leaving him looking for work. Somehow Jude is referred to The Guardian Protection Agency and is hired.
This agency is run by a man who takes things personally... cares about his charges...This isn't just a security agency...This is the top, elite level....Lawmakers, Royalty, Celebrities etc.. are their clients and Non Disclosure Agreements are their middle names.
Rhion has been under their care for years and even lives in the same building as their offices. This has worked to provide Rhion with a surrogate family...with a rag tag group of Alpha men and a few woman who are partnered with them. They really are her life line and provide a sense of love and caring besides security.
It is when Rhion and Jude collide at a group get together where this tale takes off...and from that moment, perception of everything is key.
This is a love story where questions of trust, understanding, communication and just straight talking are the focus. These two have all the necessary chemistry to light a few blazes of their own...and Aly Martinez shows how it can be done... and done well.
She also has done a tremendous job in fleshing out all of the the other Guardian Guys... she didn't just give a few sentences to each... and then be done with it. She made all of the fellows real with each having their own quirks and issues. The groundwork has been laid for us to want to know more about each and every one of them.
This was my first Aly Marinez read but won't be my last.
~~~~~ Before Reading ~~~~~
I know this may be a shock...
But this is my first Aly Martinez read...
For the past years, I have seen my friends rave about these books...
So I am excited to dive in...
Singe - February 6th 2017
A gifted copy was provided by author/publisher for an honest review.
For more Reviews, Free E-books and Giveaways
March 3, 2018
This is one of the sweetest books I have read. I loved it!
Solid 4,5 stars
With a bit more emotional epilogue, it could have been a 5-star read, but still highly recommended...
It had a bit of everything - awesome mix!
It has romance and steam.
It has humor and fun.
It has its own crazy.
It has its own life lessons.
It has a bit of mystery, suspense & action.
The plot is decent. The writing is splendid. (dual point of view, except for one surprise chapter written by the villain/hero)
The main characters are awesome. The side characters are wonderful.
I am looking forward to the following books in the series. This one is a stand-alone and the next books will be about different characters.
I really had such a good time reading this book and I highly recommend it whenever you need a smile on your face 😊...
***********************************************
Surprises
The book has little surprises all along. Not big shocks, small ones but still they feel good and the writing becomes more captivating because of them.
I mean you think something happened this way, and then a few chapters later, it turns out that it happened in another way.
The writer likes to play with the readers’ mind a bit in this book. But as I said, it is not a mind-f*ck - nothing major, just little changes to the story that you think you know… but you don't know...
I liked it every time I said, “Ahhh… really?”
This is the story of Rhion & Jude. They are both two tormented souls and this is their unique story of love, pain, suffering, hope, surviving, forgiving and healing.
I don’t want to say much about their story because I don’t want to spoil the writer’s little surprises, so what I recommend is that you go in blind and read it.
By all means, it is worth reading.
WARNING: Please do not read spoilers anywhere, OK 😊?
***********************************************
Characters
The heroine, Rhion, reminded me Lucy in The Hating Game. She is crazy sweet.. a very different and interesting character. Someone impossible not to love! I would die for a friend like her because I love my crazy! She is smart, kind and has her own kind of crazy, which I loved!
The hero, Jude, is not a man-whore or a billionaire. (Huh, weird, right?) And as if this is not enough, he is not an as*hole. Wow... such an ordinary dude! Yeap... But he has sandy blond hair and green eyes as a compensation, he is gorgeous :))))
As I said, Jude is by no means a perfect hero. He has his own flaws and weaknesses. Do not expect a man who always does the right thing and saves the day and the heroine!
Jude is just human, who sometimes makes mistakes, then regrets and tortures himself. If he can, he always tries to right his wrongs, though.
I loved both the heroine and the hero – but the heroine Rhion is super-awesome, she is something else so I cannot compare my love for her with my love for the hero...
SAFETY: Don’t worry, no cheating, no sharing, no menage, no love triangle…
Further details about safety:
***********************************************
Quotations
Let me leave you a bit confused with some random but awesome quotes and then, hopefully, you’ll go and pick up this book.
And please let me know if you read it and love it. Let me know what you think about its crazy :)
I’d been dreaming of Butterfly for over four years. She always flew directly into the flames, screaming as I stood helpless to save her.
***
“You dreamed about me?”
“A lot,” I found myself admitting.
“Jesus… Why?”
I shrugged. “You’re Jude.”
“I’m not going anywhere. You two have nothing to talk about,” I announced.
“Babe,” Johnson answered at the same time Jude said, Sweetheart.”
“Don’t alpha pet-name me!” I exclaimed. “You two have nothing to talk about. Actually, as of right this second, Jude, I forbid you from ever talking to Johnson.”
“Never,” I confirmed just to make sure he understood the seriousness of this situation.
“You forbid me?” he said slowly.
“Prohibit. Ban. Outlaw. I also forbid you from listening to him. If he starts talking, you run. Got it?”
“Run?” he asked, incredulous.
“Sprint. Race. Dash.”
Johnson piped up. “Babe, he works for me. He can’t run every time he sees me.”
After I grabbed my phone from my nightstand, I settled on my bed and typed out a text to my best friend.
Me: What about a stepbrother romance?
Brianna: Are you Penelope Ward?
Me: Well, no.
Brianna: Then no.
I groaned and stared up at the ceiling. I’d been brainstorming my newest book for what felt like forever, but writer’s block was a real bitch.
Me: I hate you.
Brianna: You love me. What about a male/male? You’ve never done one of those.
Me: Yeah, well. I’m not Ella Frank, either. So, ya know.
***
The world stood still like it had the first time I saw her… In that moment, nothing else existed.
***
He was going to kiss me. I was sure of it. He didn’t. But what he did do was whisper in my ear, “It was me.”
“What?” I breathed, swaying toward him.
His hand caught the back of my neck. “The third guy. That was me.”
***
He shifted closer and whispered, “Baby, why didn’t you tell me last night that you don’t like to leave your apartment?”
“Um, because it’s crazy. And I really don’t want you to think I’m crazy,” I confessed.
He smirked. “You told me you’re an aquatic veterinarian to the stars, you have an ocean room, and you full-ass Thanksgiving. I already know you’re a little crazy, Rhion.”
“Okay, let me amend my statement: I don’t want you to think I’m a lot crazy.”
***
“Yeah, baby. I remember. Not all of it. But enough to know something happened—something huge and something I remember enjoying a fuckuvalot. And something I’d fucking kill to have happen again. But I still don’t know what started that something. So I’m gonna need you to open that sexy little mouth of yours and fill me in.”
“You’d kill to have it happen again?”
Fuck. I would have. If being with her was even half as good as my drunken memories, I’d wage wars with innocent men to get her back there.
***
“That has got to be the worst ‘I love you’ in the history of romance.”
“This isn’t romance, Rhion. This is real life.”
“The two things are not mutually exclusive. Take it back and I’ll give you a do-over later.”
“I’m not taking shit back. I love you.”
“No, you don’t.”
“Yeah, I fucking do.”
“Well, I don’t accept. You weren’t even smiling.”
All at once, he knifed up off the bed. His upper body crushed me as he landed on top of me. He dipped low so his face was close with mine. “Love rarely makes a man smile. Especially if said man is me and he has to deal with a crazy woman like you . That doesn’t mean I wouldn’t burn the world down for you. Extinguish an entire species. And then place their ashes at your feet if it meant you’d smile. But I probably won’t be grinning while I do it.”
Solid 4,5 stars
With a bit more emotional epilogue, it could have been a 5-star read, but still highly recommended...
It had a bit of everything - awesome mix!
It has romance and steam.
It has humor and fun.
It has its own crazy.
It has its own life lessons.
It has a bit of mystery, suspense & action.
The plot is decent. The writing is splendid. (dual point of view, except for one surprise chapter written by the villain/hero)
The main characters are awesome. The side characters are wonderful.
I am looking forward to the following books in the series. This one is a stand-alone and the next books will be about different characters.
I really had such a good time reading this book and I highly recommend it whenever you need a smile on your face 😊...
***********************************************
Surprises
The book has little surprises all along. Not big shocks, small ones but still they feel good and the writing becomes more captivating because of them.
I mean you think something happened this way, and then a few chapters later, it turns out that it happened in another way.
The writer likes to play with the readers’ mind a bit in this book. But as I said, it is not a mind-f*ck - nothing major, just little changes to the story that you think you know… but you don't know...
I liked it every time I said, “Ahhh… really?”
This is the story of Rhion & Jude. They are both two tormented souls and this is their unique story of love, pain, suffering, hope, surviving, forgiving and healing.
I don’t want to say much about their story because I don’t want to spoil the writer’s little surprises, so what I recommend is that you go in blind and read it.
By all means, it is worth reading.
WARNING: Please do not read spoilers anywhere, OK 😊?
***********************************************
Characters
The heroine, Rhion, reminded me Lucy in The Hating Game. She is crazy sweet.. a very different and interesting character. Someone impossible not to love! I would die for a friend like her because I love my crazy! She is smart, kind and has her own kind of crazy, which I loved!
The hero, Jude, is not a man-whore or a billionaire. (Huh, weird, right?) And as if this is not enough, he is not an as*hole. Wow... such an ordinary dude! Yeap... But he has sandy blond hair and green eyes as a compensation, he is gorgeous :))))
As I said, Jude is by no means a perfect hero. He has his own flaws and weaknesses. Do not expect a man who always does the right thing and saves the day and the heroine!
Jude is just human, who sometimes makes mistakes, then regrets and tortures himself. If he can, he always tries to right his wrongs, though.
I loved both the heroine and the hero – but the heroine Rhion is super-awesome, she is something else so I cannot compare my love for her with my love for the hero...
SAFETY: Don’t worry, no cheating, no sharing, no menage, no love triangle…
Further details about safety:
***********************************************
Quotations
Let me leave you a bit confused with some random but awesome quotes and then, hopefully, you’ll go and pick up this book.
And please let me know if you read it and love it. Let me know what you think about its crazy :)
I’d been dreaming of Butterfly for over four years. She always flew directly into the flames, screaming as I stood helpless to save her.
***
“You dreamed about me?”
“A lot,” I found myself admitting.
“Jesus… Why?”
I shrugged. “You’re Jude.”
“I’m not going anywhere. You two have nothing to talk about,” I announced.
“Babe,” Johnson answered at the same time Jude said, Sweetheart.”
“Don’t alpha pet-name me!” I exclaimed. “You two have nothing to talk about. Actually, as of right this second, Jude, I forbid you from ever talking to Johnson.”
“Never,” I confirmed just to make sure he understood the seriousness of this situation.
“You forbid me?” he said slowly.
“Prohibit. Ban. Outlaw. I also forbid you from listening to him. If he starts talking, you run. Got it?”
“Run?” he asked, incredulous.
“Sprint. Race. Dash.”
Johnson piped up. “Babe, he works for me. He can’t run every time he sees me.”
After I grabbed my phone from my nightstand, I settled on my bed and typed out a text to my best friend.
Me: What about a stepbrother romance?
Brianna: Are you Penelope Ward?
Me: Well, no.
Brianna: Then no.
I groaned and stared up at the ceiling. I’d been brainstorming my newest book for what felt like forever, but writer’s block was a real bitch.
Me: I hate you.
Brianna: You love me. What about a male/male? You’ve never done one of those.
Me: Yeah, well. I’m not Ella Frank, either. So, ya know.
***
The world stood still like it had the first time I saw her… In that moment, nothing else existed.
***
He was going to kiss me. I was sure of it. He didn’t. But what he did do was whisper in my ear, “It was me.”
“What?” I breathed, swaying toward him.
His hand caught the back of my neck. “The third guy. That was me.”
***
He shifted closer and whispered, “Baby, why didn’t you tell me last night that you don’t like to leave your apartment?”
“Um, because it’s crazy. And I really don’t want you to think I’m crazy,” I confessed.
He smirked. “You told me you’re an aquatic veterinarian to the stars, you have an ocean room, and you full-ass Thanksgiving. I already know you’re a little crazy, Rhion.”
“Okay, let me amend my statement: I don’t want you to think I’m a lot crazy.”
***
“Yeah, baby. I remember. Not all of it. But enough to know something happened—something huge and something I remember enjoying a fuckuvalot. And something I’d fucking kill to have happen again. But I still don’t know what started that something. So I’m gonna need you to open that sexy little mouth of yours and fill me in.”
“You’d kill to have it happen again?”
Fuck. I would have. If being with her was even half as good as my drunken memories, I’d wage wars with innocent men to get her back there.
***
“That has got to be the worst ‘I love you’ in the history of romance.”
“This isn’t romance, Rhion. This is real life.”
“The two things are not mutually exclusive. Take it back and I’ll give you a do-over later.”
“I’m not taking shit back. I love you.”
“No, you don’t.”
“Yeah, I fucking do.”
“Well, I don’t accept. You weren’t even smiling.”
All at once, he knifed up off the bed. His upper body crushed me as he landed on top of me. He dipped low so his face was close with mine. “Love rarely makes a man smile. Especially if said man is me and he has to deal with a crazy woman like you . That doesn’t mean I wouldn’t burn the world down for you. Extinguish an entire species. And then place their ashes at your feet if it meant you’d smile. But I probably won’t be grinning while I do it.”
February 14, 2017
"Heal me, Jude."
Singe is the first in the Guardian Protection Series. Aly Martinez makes her mark once again with this intense contemporary romance. With a heady blend of action, Singe offers a complex plot full of multiple twists and turn and smoking hot passion at its best.
"Our bodies rolled together, a fluid rhythm the likes of waves joining in the sea. My every push, she met with a pull. And, each time I'd slide out, she'd welcome me back in."Jude is a hardworking police officer who takes a call one night that will change his life forever. With the physical and emotional scars branding his body, he has never forgotten the girl who now haunts his dreams. Despite his best efforts to start his life over and attempt to forget her, fate has other plans.
"The last few weeks with her had been an awakening, and not just from the years after the fire. But in my entire life. Consuming me positively and negatively, physically and mentally."Rhion never forgot the man who saved her life. With plenty of money, friends, and a successful profession, she has managed to create a safe place for herself. When Jude is thrust back into her life again, she takes the opportunity to thank him and shower him with love. While he is like her dream, she reminds him of a nightmare. When love and passion collide, Jude and his beautiful broken butterfly must find a way to overcome the demons of their past and find happiness and joy in their future.
"Love rarely makes a man smile. Especially if said man is me and he has to deal with a crazy woman like you. That doesn't mean I wouldn't burn the world down for you. Extinguish and entire species. And then place their ashes at your feet if it meant you'd smile."Told in dual POV, Singe is a unique read with a very intricate plot. The circumstances are extreme, and the characters are forced into intense situations which warrant extreme responses. Rhion is by far the stand-out character for me in this read. I found her exuberance for life to be addictive, and her character exudes radiance. When considering the heartbreak she has faced, she is an absolute inspiration. Jude is a good match for Rhion, and although he wasn't my favorite hero, there were certainly moments that he commanded that took my breath away. In real Martinez style, the writing is absolute perfection. With smooth dialogue, and concrete character relationships the stakes are high for these characters to find their way. The action was intense, and although I found certain elements to be slightly over the top, everything was so well developed with 100 percent commitment that I believed in the love between Jude and Rhion and desperately wanted them to find their HEA. What is most exciting about this first installment is the introduction of the entire Guardian Protection family. With so many colorful characters, I have no doubt there will be many more amazing stories of this hot bunch to come!
I highly recommend Singe to Contemporary Romance fans who appreciate a second chance romance, a story of overcoming, action, suspense, and plenty of steam. If Aly Martinez is writing, I am ready to read. When it comes to the characters of Guardian Protection, sign me up. I am ready for my bodyguard to report to duty!
*ARC graciously provided in exchange for an honest review!
For more reviews/reveals/giveaways visit:
February 10, 2017
★★★ 3.5 Stars ★★★
This is going to be a short review, but I just wanted to share my opinions on this book because Aly Martinez is one of my faves. I really liked this story and thought it was a great opener to a new series, but alas it wasn't as loved as other books I've read by this author.
The Guardian Protection is a bodyguard agency run by Leo James (who we know from Broken Course, but don't worry it's a spin off so you don't need to read that first). I loved meeting all the guys, and as usual with Martinez heroes, they are all sexy and swoon worthy.
I guess the thing missing here for me was the angst that I have come to expect from Martinez, it was definitely lacking the usual pizazz, but other than that it was a decent story and I enjoyed it for the most part.
Singe is the first in a new series of standalone contemporary romance novels. Told from dual POV's
ARC gratefully received
This is going to be a short review, but I just wanted to share my opinions on this book because Aly Martinez is one of my faves. I really liked this story and thought it was a great opener to a new series, but alas it wasn't as loved as other books I've read by this author.
The Guardian Protection is a bodyguard agency run by Leo James (who we know from Broken Course, but don't worry it's a spin off so you don't need to read that first). I loved meeting all the guys, and as usual with Martinez heroes, they are all sexy and swoon worthy.
I guess the thing missing here for me was the angst that I have come to expect from Martinez, it was definitely lacking the usual pizazz, but other than that it was a decent story and I enjoyed it for the most part.
Singe is the first in a new series of standalone contemporary romance novels. Told from dual POV's
ARC gratefully received
February 10, 2017
3.75 Stars
February 6, 2017
I loved this book, I couldn't put it down once I started it. Aly Martinez does an amazing job at keeping you reeled in with her characters. From the very first word, this book dripped with emotion – it was filled with hope, love and trust. This story was sad and suspenseful but ended on an optimistic note.
Rhion’s story was devastating and I rooted for her from the start, hoping she'd find happiness. I just wanted to hug her and tell her that everything would be ok. No-one knew the depth of pain Jude went through each day or the past that still haunted him that he'd love nothing more than to forget. He was slowly falling into a deep depression.
Jude and Rhion were two tortured souls with a difficult past. But, they had undeniable attraction and chemistry that could not be ignored. It was beautiful. Their relationship was so much more than sex, love or the strong friendship they held. It was so much more. It was a connection like no other and while you’re reading and falling in love with them both, their connection is what takes hold of you.
This is a beautiful love story full of pain and hurt, love and passion. About letting go of the past and learning how to survive. It's about living, breathing and healing and I highly recommend it.
In short:
Hero 5/5 | Heroine 5/5 | Plot (Point, Originality) 4/5 | Writing Style 4/5 | Steam 4/5 | Romance 4/5 | Angst-Suspense 4/5 | Darkness 2/5 | Humor 3/5 | Secondary Characters 4/5 | Drama-Conflict 5/5 | Mystery 2/5 | Twists 4/5 | Pacing Steady | Action 4/5
Rhion’s story was devastating and I rooted for her from the start, hoping she'd find happiness. I just wanted to hug her and tell her that everything would be ok. No-one knew the depth of pain Jude went through each day or the past that still haunted him that he'd love nothing more than to forget. He was slowly falling into a deep depression.
Jude and Rhion were two tortured souls with a difficult past. But, they had undeniable attraction and chemistry that could not be ignored. It was beautiful. Their relationship was so much more than sex, love or the strong friendship they held. It was so much more. It was a connection like no other and while you’re reading and falling in love with them both, their connection is what takes hold of you.
This is a beautiful love story full of pain and hurt, love and passion. About letting go of the past and learning how to survive. It's about living, breathing and healing and I highly recommend it.
In short:
Hero 5/5 | Heroine 5/5 | Plot (Point, Originality) 4/5 | Writing Style 4/5 | Steam 4/5 | Romance 4/5 | Angst-Suspense 4/5 | Darkness 2/5 | Humor 3/5 | Secondary Characters 4/5 | Drama-Conflict 5/5 | Mystery 2/5 | Twists 4/5 | Pacing Steady | Action 4/5
February 10, 2017
I was so thrilled to see Leo and Sarah again. I surprisingly fell in love with them in Broken Course from the Wrecked and Ruined series, a series famous for linking broken and flawed people and helping them find redemption. This was a theme that also ran throughout SINGE and applied to its main characters, Jude and Rhion.
Jude was once a cop in Chicago when one fateful night drastically changed his life forever. He got a call regarding a routine house alarm, but he ended up being the first responder to what turned out to be a raging inferno. His actions that night and the woman who was rescued from that fire continued to haunt him for the next four years.
Rhion was the survivor and she wore her scars like badges of honor. It was impossible not to be impressed or to admire her character. Her true grit. She felt bonded with Jude and recognized that they could heal the souls that were fractured on that horrific night. The love that grew between them was wonderful to watch.
There were elements of suspense and the chemistry between Jude and Rhion made this one heck of an entertaining read and a brilliant introduction to this new series. With a full cast of amazing supportive characters, I can't wait to see what's in store for them ;)
Release Date: February 6, 2017
Genre: Contemporary Romance
POV: Dual - 1st person
Steam: 4 out of 5
Book Type: Standalone (Book One of the Guardian Protection series)
Jude was once a cop in Chicago when one fateful night drastically changed his life forever. He got a call regarding a routine house alarm, but he ended up being the first responder to what turned out to be a raging inferno. His actions that night and the woman who was rescued from that fire continued to haunt him for the next four years.
Rhion was the survivor and she wore her scars like badges of honor. It was impossible not to be impressed or to admire her character. Her true grit. She felt bonded with Jude and recognized that they could heal the souls that were fractured on that horrific night. The love that grew between them was wonderful to watch.
There were elements of suspense and the chemistry between Jude and Rhion made this one heck of an entertaining read and a brilliant introduction to this new series. With a full cast of amazing supportive characters, I can't wait to see what's in store for them ;)
Release Date: February 6, 2017
Genre: Contemporary Romance
POV: Dual - 1st person
Steam: 4 out of 5
Book Type: Standalone (Book One of the Guardian Protection series)
February 16, 2017
4,5 stars! Aly Martinez wrote another winner for me. It's a fantastic story, emotional, exciting and burning hot, obviously. Also thrilling beginning for the new standalone series.
About the plot: Nearly four years ago Jude as a cop got a call that changed his whole life. Since that time he can't cope with what happened that night. Now he returns to Chicago to start a new job as a bodyguard in the Guardian Protection agency. He never would have expected where it leads him.
Rhion Park, although on the outside she looks like a cool chick with tattoos and wicked humor, inside has a lot of problems. There are not many people in her life, but the guys from Guardian Protection are her family. When she meets a new guy, a lot of things changes.
Final thoughts: It's a kind of second chance romance. Our heroes, although never officially met, have their own complicated history. And I totally bought it and love it. Jude is a damaged alpha hero who can sweep you off your feet. He is caring, sweet and savage in bed. Is there a better combination? I also really liked our heroine. She is a bit crazy and a lot of fun. I love her interaction with the guys from the agency. These are funny scenes.
It's fantastically written and has great suspension of actions that incredibly turn up emotions. I have to admit that I read it with bated breath. Expectation for the moment when they get to know each other, develop their relationship and suspenseful action really draws me in.
It definitely has lot of great supporting characters. The whole team is amazing and I can not wait for the next parts of this series. There are some connections with the previous series, but nothing that will disturb your reading if it is your first book.
I definitely can recommend all of Aly Martinez books. Singe will be good for you if you like staemy and emotional stories with tension and a cool group of friends.
***
ARC kindly provided for an honest review. Thank you!
About the plot: Nearly four years ago Jude as a cop got a call that changed his whole life. Since that time he can't cope with what happened that night. Now he returns to Chicago to start a new job as a bodyguard in the Guardian Protection agency. He never would have expected where it leads him.
Rhion Park, although on the outside she looks like a cool chick with tattoos and wicked humor, inside has a lot of problems. There are not many people in her life, but the guys from Guardian Protection are her family. When she meets a new guy, a lot of things changes.
“When something feels that right, it’s bound to make you question all the things you thought you knew. Don’t try to explain it. Or understand it. You just have to feel it.”
Final thoughts: It's a kind of second chance romance. Our heroes, although never officially met, have their own complicated history. And I totally bought it and love it. Jude is a damaged alpha hero who can sweep you off your feet. He is caring, sweet and savage in bed. Is there a better combination? I also really liked our heroine. She is a bit crazy and a lot of fun. I love her interaction with the guys from the agency. These are funny scenes.
It's fantastically written and has great suspension of actions that incredibly turn up emotions. I have to admit that I read it with bated breath. Expectation for the moment when they get to know each other, develop their relationship and suspenseful action really draws me in.
“The two of us shared a multitude of regrets. But kissing him. Touching him. Being with him would never be one of those. At least not for me.”
It definitely has lot of great supporting characters. The whole team is amazing and I can not wait for the next parts of this series. There are some connections with the previous series, but nothing that will disturb your reading if it is your first book.
“Because of him, I didn’t have to live in a fairytale to know that heroes were real.”
I definitely can recommend all of Aly Martinez books. Singe will be good for you if you like staemy and emotional stories with tension and a cool group of friends.
***
ARC kindly provided for an honest review. Thank you!
February 13, 2017
I'm totally hooked, addicted, and obsessed with this new series. It was so good. I need more of these fellows immediately!
The breakdown: Jude is a former Policeman who shares a traumatic past with our heroine Rhion. One awful night changed both their lives significantly. Jude responded to an emergency call while off duty. What he witnessed during that call has haunted him for years. He lost his job and suffers nightmares. Picking up the pieces of his lost career, he transitions to security. After signing on to a new firm in Chicago, he comes face to face with the face that haunts his dream. Singe is the story of two lost souls finding peace and love in the midst of the most tragic circumstances. It’s at times, haunting and shocking. However, the overall story as not to be missed.
Here’s what I absolutely loved: The unconventional story and heroine. Even her name is unconventional. Rhion has some major issues stemming from the trauma of the fire that changed her life. Not all scars are physical. She also has emotional traumas to overcome. I love that she makes it her mission to be better. She doesn’t want the fire and her scars to impair her. She uses them to empower herself. I really got a kick out of her. He ramblings were the stuff of legends.
I really wanted to love Jude, but the truth he reveals about the night of the fire really was a slap in the face for me. So, I had to settle for just liking him a bit.
The plot twists and witty secondary characters are fantastic. I’m on pins and needles waiting for the remaining stories to be written.
Overall, this is a very engaging and entertaining read. It’s smoking hot with an exciting plot and is flawlessly executed. This was my first Aly Martinez read. I’m kicking myself for that oversight now. I’ll definitely be reading more of works very soon!
I rate it 4.25 Stars!
The breakdown: Jude is a former Policeman who shares a traumatic past with our heroine Rhion. One awful night changed both their lives significantly. Jude responded to an emergency call while off duty. What he witnessed during that call has haunted him for years. He lost his job and suffers nightmares. Picking up the pieces of his lost career, he transitions to security. After signing on to a new firm in Chicago, he comes face to face with the face that haunts his dream. Singe is the story of two lost souls finding peace and love in the midst of the most tragic circumstances. It’s at times, haunting and shocking. However, the overall story as not to be missed.
Here’s what I absolutely loved: The unconventional story and heroine. Even her name is unconventional. Rhion has some major issues stemming from the trauma of the fire that changed her life. Not all scars are physical. She also has emotional traumas to overcome. I love that she makes it her mission to be better. She doesn’t want the fire and her scars to impair her. She uses them to empower herself. I really got a kick out of her. He ramblings were the stuff of legends.
I really wanted to love Jude, but the truth he reveals about the night of the fire really was a slap in the face for me. So, I had to settle for just liking him a bit.
The plot twists and witty secondary characters are fantastic. I’m on pins and needles waiting for the remaining stories to be written.
Overall, this is a very engaging and entertaining read. It’s smoking hot with an exciting plot and is flawlessly executed. This was my first Aly Martinez read. I’m kicking myself for that oversight now. I’ll definitely be reading more of works very soon!
I rate it 4.25 Stars!
February 7, 2017
4.25 Butterfly Stars
"I might have carried the majority of the scars of that night, but it was clear he was hurting-worse than ever had. While the flames had long since been extinguished for me, they still burned hotter than ever inside his conscience, and it shattered me."
Oh God, Aly Martinez, you did it again! I love your writing! I loved every minutes of this story. I like her special style to express feelings such as happiness, sadness, heartache, anger, guilt…
He is a cop. one of his duty is to save her but he failed and she fell. After that he has nightmares about her burning. Four years later, he meets her. Now they both have their own demons. He wants to help her but this time he can't fail her and meanwhile, she heals him.
Both H and h had their own flaws but at the same time they were perfect and their relationship was really beautiful and romantic. I liked her bubbling and her paragraphs and I liked he’s being alpha. Characters, all of them, were perfect. I liked all of them specially Johnson and I am impatiently waiting for him to tell his story!
"I might have carried the majority of the scars of that night, but it was clear he was hurting-worse than ever had. While the flames had long since been extinguished for me, they still burned hotter than ever inside his conscience, and it shattered me."
Oh God, Aly Martinez, you did it again! I love your writing! I loved every minutes of this story. I like her special style to express feelings such as happiness, sadness, heartache, anger, guilt…
He is a cop. one of his duty is to save her but he failed and she fell. After that he has nightmares about her burning. Four years later, he meets her. Now they both have their own demons. He wants to help her but this time he can't fail her and meanwhile, she heals him.
Both H and h had their own flaws but at the same time they were perfect and their relationship was really beautiful and romantic. I liked her bubbling and her paragraphs and I liked he’s being alpha. Characters, all of them, were perfect. I liked all of them specially Johnson and I am impatiently waiting for him to tell his story!
October 13, 2018
READ MY REVIEW ON THE BLOG
Years after Jude's life was upended by a fire that left him with scars, inside and out, he goes back to Chicago, the place where the tragedy happened. He is the new guy at Guardian Protection.
The world stood still like it had the first time I saw her… In that moment, nothing else existed.
For Rhion the guys from the security company located in her house are family. While she is is private to an extreme one guy one person there knows that she's actually a writer which started after her tragedy when she tried to come to terms with being a part of Jude's spiral down after he saved her from the fire. In her mind Jude is the hero and she wouldn't be alive without him.
Even though it seems impossible with their background Jude actually has the more devastating scars on his soul than Rhion and they never healed completely. He is still tortured by nightmares. When he meets his butterfly again, he doesn't know if it's curse or blessing. But hell, despite the guilt that is wrecking him from the inside he can't stay away from her.
Because of him, I didn’t have to live in a fairytale to know that heroes were real.
Jude is the kind of alpha type male you can only love. He's sweet with an edge, protective and I loved that he never hid his feelings from anyone. He was all in, although he also always expected the other shoe to drop and for Rhion to find out what a fraud he was. Which of course didn't happen because Jude was awesome.
Rhion was a wonderfully adorable, a little quirky young woman who did everything to turn everything into something positive. I loved her optimism despite the things she had been through and was still dealing with. Jude and Rhion's connection was palpable and I just couldn't see them fail.
"Love rarely makes a man smile. Especially if said man is me and he has to deal with a crazy woman like you. That doesn't mean I wouldn't burn the world down for you. Extinguish and entire species. And then place their ashes at your feet if it meant you'd smile."
Ever since I heard The Fall Up and The Spiral Down I wanted to go back and read more books written by Aly Martinez and she didn't let me down. Aly Martinez creates memorable stories with heart. Singe landed a sucker punch right in the feels but it wasn't super angsty. It's one of those stories that you just can't put down, it's utterly riveting with its twists, romantic love story and absolutely lovable characters (Johnson doesn't count - he is an ass but I'm sure I'll come to love him in his own book - and BOY I CAN'T WAIT).
February 10, 2017
Oh My God I need more, because seriously I don’t think there could ever be enough. Enough of this series. Enough of these characters. Enough of this epic writing. It just doesn’t feel possible.
I am stalker obsessed a huge fan of Aly Martinez so as soon as the option became available I signed up for this ARC, no need to look at the blurb or anything but the authors name. But then I did look at the blurb and I decided this book was going to be angsty and devastating and I probably wasn’t in the right mood to read it but it was the book I needed to read next. So I had a few glasses of wine and sat down and lost myself in the beautiful story of Rhion and Jude.
First I have to say this book isn’t what I would consider angsty, it is emotional but not in an ugly crying can’t function kind of way. It had me smiling and happy a lot more than the few tears that I did shed, and most of those were happy tears not sad ones. It wasn’t at all what I expected because it was busy being so much better than anything I could have imagined. In fact, this is going straight on my 2017 favourites list.
Rhion was such a mystery. She was this beautiful, scared, kind, broken, fearless, forgiving, amazing character that I thought I should feel pity for but never did because she didn’t need it. So many horrible things had happened to her but she just accepted it and continued on with life. I honestly had such a crush on her from the beginning and at that point I didn’t even know half of her.
Jude was book boyfriend perfection. Honestly there was maybe one or two moments when I wondered maybe he needed to pull his head out of his arse and get over himself but then as more of his story unfolded I completely understood where he was coming from. He had such a perfect amount of alpha badass that I actually had to consider changing my panties a few times. He actually perfectly balanced the jealous, possessive, alpha guy with the sweet, caring, soft guy to such epic perfection.
This book was just amazing. Aly had all these awesome romance fan girl references in there that gave me serious warm fuzzies and I loved the fact that Rhion was a writer who crafted everyone their own story of who she was. This felt very reminiscent of an early Kristen Ashley book and characters but I feel like saying that is doing Aly and this book an injustice because it was very much its own story but I do love Kristen Ashley. I don’t think I could ever stop raving about this book. I read it in one sitting and I know I will be re-reading it before the year is out. But for now I have to go stalk Aly to see if there is any indication of when the next book will be out and who it will feature.
Check out my reviews here
I am stalker obsessed a huge fan of Aly Martinez so as soon as the option became available I signed up for this ARC, no need to look at the blurb or anything but the authors name. But then I did look at the blurb and I decided this book was going to be angsty and devastating and I probably wasn’t in the right mood to read it but it was the book I needed to read next. So I had a few glasses of wine and sat down and lost myself in the beautiful story of Rhion and Jude.
First I have to say this book isn’t what I would consider angsty, it is emotional but not in an ugly crying can’t function kind of way. It had me smiling and happy a lot more than the few tears that I did shed, and most of those were happy tears not sad ones. It wasn’t at all what I expected because it was busy being so much better than anything I could have imagined. In fact, this is going straight on my 2017 favourites list.
Rhion was such a mystery. She was this beautiful, scared, kind, broken, fearless, forgiving, amazing character that I thought I should feel pity for but never did because she didn’t need it. So many horrible things had happened to her but she just accepted it and continued on with life. I honestly had such a crush on her from the beginning and at that point I didn’t even know half of her.
Jude was book boyfriend perfection. Honestly there was maybe one or two moments when I wondered maybe he needed to pull his head out of his arse and get over himself but then as more of his story unfolded I completely understood where he was coming from. He had such a perfect amount of alpha badass that I actually had to consider changing my panties a few times. He actually perfectly balanced the jealous, possessive, alpha guy with the sweet, caring, soft guy to such epic perfection.
This book was just amazing. Aly had all these awesome romance fan girl references in there that gave me serious warm fuzzies and I loved the fact that Rhion was a writer who crafted everyone their own story of who she was. This felt very reminiscent of an early Kristen Ashley book and characters but I feel like saying that is doing Aly and this book an injustice because it was very much its own story but I do love Kristen Ashley. I don’t think I could ever stop raving about this book. I read it in one sitting and I know I will be re-reading it before the year is out. But for now I have to go stalk Aly to see if there is any indication of when the next book will be out and who it will feature.
Check out my reviews here
February 14, 2017
Singe is the first book in Martinez's new Guardian Protection series. This first installment introduced a lot of new characters and as I was telling my bestie I already can’t wait for their books! Aly is easily one of my favorite authors!
We first meet and Jude and within the first few pages I was in love. Jude is a police officer who is asked to respond to a call off duty. His willingness to go above and beyond changes in his life forever. A guy who was on his way to the top loses it all when placed in a no win situation. Now it’s four years later and he has rebuilt his life. Jude has accepted a new job back in Chicago, the city that still haunts him, but this is a once in a lifetime job.
Rhion’s life hasn’t been rainbows and sunshine either. However, when you first meet her you can feel this bright light that just radiates from her. Even while reading it it was hard to imagine Rhion had any hold ups or issues. She is sassy, loyal, and giving. Everyone gravitates toward her because she appears to be fun and carefree. Her and Jude meet due to her involvement in Guardian Protection.
What we quickly learn is the things aren’t always as they seem. Jude and Rhion both have so many demons they are battling, but it’s better to fight together than alone. First, their connection was off the chains hot, which is always nice when reading but I like to feel. The feels is something Aly has never failed to deliver for me. My heart broke for Rhion and Jude, it broke for their past and their current struggles. It broke while watched them try to navigate a relationship amongst the chaos.
Aly’s words completely came alive for me and I felt so much for Rhion and Jude. I also loved all the other characters and how they played a role in helping these two work through their issues. This story had me so excited to turn the page and like I said I am already anticipating the next books in the series.
ARC kindly provided in exchange for an honest review.
We first meet and Jude and within the first few pages I was in love. Jude is a police officer who is asked to respond to a call off duty. His willingness to go above and beyond changes in his life forever. A guy who was on his way to the top loses it all when placed in a no win situation. Now it’s four years later and he has rebuilt his life. Jude has accepted a new job back in Chicago, the city that still haunts him, but this is a once in a lifetime job.
Rhion’s life hasn’t been rainbows and sunshine either. However, when you first meet her you can feel this bright light that just radiates from her. Even while reading it it was hard to imagine Rhion had any hold ups or issues. She is sassy, loyal, and giving. Everyone gravitates toward her because she appears to be fun and carefree. Her and Jude meet due to her involvement in Guardian Protection.
What we quickly learn is the things aren’t always as they seem. Jude and Rhion both have so many demons they are battling, but it’s better to fight together than alone. First, their connection was off the chains hot, which is always nice when reading but I like to feel. The feels is something Aly has never failed to deliver for me. My heart broke for Rhion and Jude, it broke for their past and their current struggles. It broke while watched them try to navigate a relationship amongst the chaos.
Aly’s words completely came alive for me and I felt so much for Rhion and Jude. I also loved all the other characters and how they played a role in helping these two work through their issues. This story had me so excited to turn the page and like I said I am already anticipating the next books in the series.
ARC kindly provided in exchange for an honest review.
February 16, 2017
3 Stars
This is one of those times where I really, really liked the authors writing! This is my first Aly Martinez book and I want to dig up her previous books and start reading! This one started off 5 stars for me. I really liked the heroine. She was so cute and likeable! My heart hurt for the hero, so I figured this is gonna be a goodie.
But as I kept reading I noticed the author took a lot of time to introduce the other characters. Characters who I know will have their own books in this series. I tend to really frown upon this.
Then came the nickname: Butterfly. I wouldn't have minded so much if it was used sporadically but it wasn't. These nicknames...smh.
After about 30% I had a really hard time connecting with the characters and the storyline. I felt like the plot was all over the place and it wasn't solid enough to keep me focused. Maybe this wasn't the perfect time in my life to read this story or maybe this is just one that works for everyone but doesn't work for me.
With that said, I believe many are going to enjoy this book. I feel like this book one was a bit of a warm up cause I am still very interested in the other books to come in this series.
This is one of those times where I really, really liked the authors writing! This is my first Aly Martinez book and I want to dig up her previous books and start reading! This one started off 5 stars for me. I really liked the heroine. She was so cute and likeable! My heart hurt for the hero, so I figured this is gonna be a goodie.
But as I kept reading I noticed the author took a lot of time to introduce the other characters. Characters who I know will have their own books in this series. I tend to really frown upon this.
Then came the nickname: Butterfly. I wouldn't have minded so much if it was used sporadically but it wasn't. These nicknames...smh.
After about 30% I had a really hard time connecting with the characters and the storyline. I felt like the plot was all over the place and it wasn't solid enough to keep me focused. Maybe this wasn't the perfect time in my life to read this story or maybe this is just one that works for everyone but doesn't work for me.
With that said, I believe many are going to enjoy this book. I feel like this book one was a bit of a warm up cause I am still very interested in the other books to come in this series.
March 22, 2017
When a book rocks your world
I wrote a review last night for Singe and as I lay in bed afterwards, I thought about it. I knew it was dodgy but waking up to the babble I wrote was quite embarrassing. So, I'm doing a re-do and sticking to my feelings on this one. I kept the babble in the spoiler below. Who bloody cares about my scars? I'm sorry for the readers who had the misfortune to read it.
For the first time since I returned to work, I contemplated a sickie. Well, I didn't really, but I did a thorough self-examination for coughs, colds and headaches just to make sure I was fit enough to go to work. I wanted to stay in bed with Jude...and Rhion.
Rhion...that bloody name threw me every time. I had to keep thinking of the line where they joke about Rhion rhyming with lyin. Anyways, I loved her character. Even with a very real and strong fear of stepping out of her front door, she is still one of the strongest characters I've ever met. She wears her scars with honour and copes with her accident by putting pen to paper...or fingers to keyboard. Her family are the men who protect her and her best friend Brianna. There are other people in her life that she calls family, but for me, The Guardians and Brianna are the real ones.
Jude was a bit of a mixed up character to me. The repercussions of one night changed his life forever. His dreams and ambitions were ruined with one phone call. I find it interesting that the one phone call that ruined his life is never mentioned again. For me, I wish it had been discussed and acknowledged that protocol had been breached and a career ended because he was guilted into a call out when he was off-duty. It probably stuck in my head more because I just finished a great story about an Emergency Call Centre. Anyways...
So, two people affected by one night and left with scars to show they survived. One stepped up and opened her wings, the other stayed in his cocoon stuck in the nightmare. Both hoping to one day be in the others company. One to share her dreams and the other to apologise for the nightmare.
There was times reading Singe that I felt like I was reading my story. Rhion has scars and lives in the book world...yep, that's me. Luckily, I don't have millions of dollars that people feel like they need to murder, bribe or suck up to me (I could handle a little sucking up, but I'd prefer to leave the murder and bribery to Rhion). When Rhion mentions authors that I consider my authors, I couldn't help but love her more. Her chats about books are what the romance book world is for me.
The one thing that I struggled with (for the characters) were their dastardly family relations. All of them made me want to throw things and wish for more for them. One, in particular, I wanted to pack her up and ship her out of the hell she lived. Luckily, her mum could be bought off and by the end of the story, there were improvements.
Singe made my little heart sing. I loved it from start to finish. I never felt like throwing my kindle, if anything, I was like a little child with my kindle wanting it in touching distance like it was a new toy. I love new toys and this story and author (new to me), was like receiving a new toy and finding out that there were more just like it waiting at the shop when I was ready.
Thank you, Aly Martinez, you have a new freaky fan (I promise not to stalk you too much).
********
I’m an Aussie chick who loves to read and review romance, drink coffee, be a Style Setter and stalk David Gandy. To see more of my reviews, fashion, food and pervathons -
February 8, 2017
4.0 "BEAUTIFUL BUTTERFLY" STARS!!!
Holy Guacamole!!! We're in for a treat with this first book of Aly Martinez' brand new series!! It was addictive, engrossing, captivating, hot and sexy with twists and turns that had my heart pounding and mind racing rolled into one and a lot more!!!
Singe had me the moment I read the blurb. I was actually like stuck into it and was so anxious to read it the moment it hit my reader. Once again Aly Martinez did not disappoint. Her work screamed "FLAWED YET BEAUTIFUL"even with few chapters on and I love every moment I had with it. It's like reading something so alive and real and you do not have any other choice but to finish reading it in just one sitting afraid it will vanish or you'll gonna miss something especially emotion while reading the book once you put it down even in a matter of seconds. Because in reality, when you start divin' in with Singe you'll hardly put it down. You will be mesmerized with Aly's writing skills and her ability to put her readers into a "reading bubble coma" with Jude and Rhion. But more than that, you will be amazed with the emotions this book will leave you. Because their journey? It was one of those perfectly imperfect ride coupled with roller coaster of emotions.
True, Jude and Rhion's story had me gripping on my reader. That Prologue did me good as I was really looking forward where it's gonna lead me. But oh boy, I was in for a delish treat. I feel like I was eating a rocky road ice cream, so sweet, so delish, but then you cannot deny the bumps in the road that made it even more addicting. Their relationship was one I never saw coming. I love how the angst and the mysteriousness was kept alive in the story from start to finish and I love how these characters are portrayed. Perfectly imperfect as I said.
Jude..holy hell!! His possessiveness is like no other. Alpha male perfection in a flawed manner. But man, he is sexy as hell and sweet to death!! My ovaries just exploded!!! Scarred with a tragic past, I was enthralled with this man. I was so rooting for him and even with few pages on, I was cheering for his HEA. But to whom? yeah of course to his Butterfly .. a woman, who despite of insecurities is someone I adore so much. I love a tough, sassy and fierce woman, but Rhion is an exception of that. Her flawed character had me going in the story. I love how quirky and crazy she is and despite everything, there goes my realization that she's a strong woman after all. She's that heroine that you'll love and adore the moment you met her. Her craziness is making me crazy too and had me laughing like I'm on crack. With shared past, these two are just stunning in their own ways. Their chemistry is perfect and their hot sizzling scenes is driving me insane. I love how broken and scarred they are but more than that, even with all the pushing with Jude, I love how they healed together. It wasn't an easy journey for both of them but what sight to behold when they finally found in their heart to heal each other.
To sum up, the book really, is good. It's everything I never thought it would be. I get to cry, feel their pain, laugh with them so loud and of course fall in love with them. I have been broken too but in the end, I healed with them.
And oh, that twist and turn of the story, I never saw it coming! It was perfect and I love it. This book just blew me away!!! Now, I can't wait to read what's in store for us in the next book. But judging with the characters I get to meet, it's all lots of fun and excitement because the rest of the gang? Yum!
“We live in two totally different worlds, Rhion.”
“Maybe. But, in yours, you’re living in the dungeons of what you could have done differently ... In my world, you saved me, you’re falling in love with me, and I’m refusing to let go.”
Holy Guacamole!!! We're in for a treat with this first book of Aly Martinez' brand new series!! It was addictive, engrossing, captivating, hot and sexy with twists and turns that had my heart pounding and mind racing rolled into one and a lot more!!!
Singe had me the moment I read the blurb. I was actually like stuck into it and was so anxious to read it the moment it hit my reader. Once again Aly Martinez did not disappoint. Her work screamed "FLAWED YET BEAUTIFUL"even with few chapters on and I love every moment I had with it. It's like reading something so alive and real and you do not have any other choice but to finish reading it in just one sitting afraid it will vanish or you'll gonna miss something especially emotion while reading the book once you put it down even in a matter of seconds. Because in reality, when you start divin' in with Singe you'll hardly put it down. You will be mesmerized with Aly's writing skills and her ability to put her readers into a "reading bubble coma" with Jude and Rhion. But more than that, you will be amazed with the emotions this book will leave you. Because their journey? It was one of those perfectly imperfect ride coupled with roller coaster of emotions.
True, Jude and Rhion's story had me gripping on my reader. That Prologue did me good as I was really looking forward where it's gonna lead me. But oh boy, I was in for a delish treat. I feel like I was eating a rocky road ice cream, so sweet, so delish, but then you cannot deny the bumps in the road that made it even more addicting. Their relationship was one I never saw coming. I love how the angst and the mysteriousness was kept alive in the story from start to finish and I love how these characters are portrayed. Perfectly imperfect as I said.
Jude..holy hell!! His possessiveness is like no other. Alpha male perfection in a flawed manner. But man, he is sexy as hell and sweet to death!! My ovaries just exploded!!! Scarred with a tragic past, I was enthralled with this man. I was so rooting for him and even with few pages on, I was cheering for his HEA. But to whom? yeah of course to his Butterfly .. a woman, who despite of insecurities is someone I adore so much. I love a tough, sassy and fierce woman, but Rhion is an exception of that. Her flawed character had me going in the story. I love how quirky and crazy she is and despite everything, there goes my realization that she's a strong woman after all. She's that heroine that you'll love and adore the moment you met her. Her craziness is making me crazy too and had me laughing like I'm on crack. With shared past, these two are just stunning in their own ways. Their chemistry is perfect and their hot sizzling scenes is driving me insane. I love how broken and scarred they are but more than that, even with all the pushing with Jude, I love how they healed together. It wasn't an easy journey for both of them but what sight to behold when they finally found in their heart to heal each other.
“We can be beautifully flawed together.”
To sum up, the book really, is good. It's everything I never thought it would be. I get to cry, feel their pain, laugh with them so loud and of course fall in love with them. I have been broken too but in the end, I healed with them.
“Love rarely makes a man smile. Especially if said man is me and he has to deal with a crazy woman like you. That doesn’t mean I wouldn’t burn the world down for you. Extinguish an entire species. And then place their ashes at your feet if it meant you’d smile. But I probably won’t be grinning while I do it.”
And oh, that twist and turn of the story, I never saw it coming! It was perfect and I love it. This book just blew me away!!! Now, I can't wait to read what's in store for us in the next book. But judging with the characters I get to meet, it's all lots of fun and excitement because the rest of the gang? Yum!
February 7, 2017
3 "you are real" stars
oh fuck, this is gonna be unpopular review I think BUT considering that i have devoured Aly's Fighting silence books and loved them so much, it pains me to say that this book was just meh...ok, I guess *shrugs*
And it's me not the book!
It was generally speaking, a beautiful love story of two broken people who were scarred by an accident and were healed back together!!!
The pacing was so slow that it slowed me down literaly, I liked the characters up to a degree where i just took it as it is and didnt dwell upon it no longer BUT i didnt love them.
At times the events happening in the story were so unnecessary i thought they were just a filling in nuisance.
And the much wanted "action" happened too late in the book almost nearing 95% and the sequence itself was so rushed it felt like a speed trick or illusion and then in the next instant we are back to the slow flow.
I am interested to see which character will get his own story in the next book of this series, even though book 1 didn't knock me off my feet.
I'm still in awe of Ms. Martinez's writing of emotionaly charged moments and situations, it's just that in this story smth failed to charge it for me.
BR with my SIRENS!!!
February 9, 2017
4 solid stars!!
Awesome start to a new series centered around the Guardian protection team.
This was Rhion and Jude's story and while it wasn't original, earth shattering or filled with dramatic twists; it sure was filled with plenty of swoony moments, funny blabbering, endearing main characters and an interesting secondary cast.
Rhion grew on me, cos I honestly found her blabbering mildly annoying at first, but I pretty quickly grew to love her. She definitely has her flaws but she was also very likable. Jude was a bit cliche in his way of thinking, which was the typical "how can she love me when she deserves so much better!" way of thinking. Okay so you think you screwed up?! Make yourself better and fight for what you want. In other words, grow a pair! But I will say that he is plenty alpha, brooding, hawt and everything us gals look for in book boyfriends.
The story itself was, as I said earlier, good but nothing exceptional. I did have a bit of a problem with the quick resolution of the Apollo conflict, but I'm expecting his book to be next, cos what happened and how it was resolved was not alright.
I'm very excited to follow this series and I can't wait for Apollo's, Johnson's and Devon's stories.
1st person dual POV (one paragraph from a third POV which was crucial imo). HFN ending.
Awesome start to a new series centered around the Guardian protection team.
This was Rhion and Jude's story and while it wasn't original, earth shattering or filled with dramatic twists; it sure was filled with plenty of swoony moments, funny blabbering, endearing main characters and an interesting secondary cast.
Rhion grew on me, cos I honestly found her blabbering mildly annoying at first, but I pretty quickly grew to love her. She definitely has her flaws but she was also very likable. Jude was a bit cliche in his way of thinking, which was the typical "how can she love me when she deserves so much better!" way of thinking. Okay so you think you screwed up?! Make yourself better and fight for what you want. In other words, grow a pair! But I will say that he is plenty alpha, brooding, hawt and everything us gals look for in book boyfriends.
The story itself was, as I said earlier, good but nothing exceptional. I did have a bit of a problem with the quick resolution of the Apollo conflict, but I'm expecting his book to be next, cos what happened and how it was resolved was not alright.
I'm very excited to follow this series and I can't wait for Apollo's, Johnson's and Devon's stories.
1st person dual POV (one paragraph from a third POV which was crucial imo). HFN ending.
Read
March 6, 2017good stuff going on here.
February 10, 2017
5 I love you Butterfly Stars*****
Aly just knows how to write the best Alpha, protective and caring men. So when she says she's writing a series's for Bodyguards I'm 'of course' going to pick that bad boy up.. these boys are Alpha men, caring men and SEXY men and they do their job well.
Jude has always wanted to be a police officer from a child. He's idolised his father whom was an officer himself and wanted to protect his loved ones and his community. But one night a blazing fire, a tragedy had a different effect on two different people. And four years later both Jude and Rhio n are dealing with the demons in different ways. Jude looses his one love of the force and forced into working as a guard. But fate as it were brings them back together and that is where they truly find out what the others like but also deals with the issues and barriers that they need to cross to be healed and feel like they can live again.
What can I tell you, I ADORE Flawed characters, that feel they can't be loved and have nothing to give yet have sooo much love to offer. Jude is just that, he takes on Rhions scars and his own but realises that Rhion wants his too..
This read was emotional, loving and soooo sexy, it ticks all my boxes for sure.
And then there's Rhion who was so much fun to read, she had her scars obviously but she loves all the things I love well one thing SHOES a girl after my own heart. She's an author too writing her romance stories and so she was in her own head mostly but super enjoyable to get to know, kind of quirky and an individual that stood her ground especially when it came to Jude.
I'd say though what I loved about this book was the family unit the boys offered to Rhion, the protection and then welcoming Jude into the mix and my heart melted for them all..
I'm also super excited for more books from this series, there's so much opportunity and stories here.. ahhh I'm excited!
Aly is a go to author for me, but if you've never tried her then this is surely a series to start. Please please read it!!
That Is All..
ARC generously gifted in exchange for a honest review
For more reviews and blog posts
Aly just knows how to write the best Alpha, protective and caring men. So when she says she's writing a series's for Bodyguards I'm 'of course' going to pick that bad boy up.. these boys are Alpha men, caring men and SEXY men and they do their job well.
Jude has always wanted to be a police officer from a child. He's idolised his father whom was an officer himself and wanted to protect his loved ones and his community. But one night a blazing fire, a tragedy had a different effect on two different people. And four years later both Jude and Rhio n are dealing with the demons in different ways. Jude looses his one love of the force and forced into working as a guard. But fate as it were brings them back together and that is where they truly find out what the others like but also deals with the issues and barriers that they need to cross to be healed and feel like they can live again.
What can I tell you, I ADORE Flawed characters, that feel they can't be loved and have nothing to give yet have sooo much love to offer. Jude is just that, he takes on Rhions scars and his own but realises that Rhion wants his too..
This read was emotional, loving and soooo sexy, it ticks all my boxes for sure.
And then there's Rhion who was so much fun to read, she had her scars obviously but she loves all the things I love well one thing SHOES a girl after my own heart. She's an author too writing her romance stories and so she was in her own head mostly but super enjoyable to get to know, kind of quirky and an individual that stood her ground especially when it came to Jude.
I'd say though what I loved about this book was the family unit the boys offered to Rhion, the protection and then welcoming Jude into the mix and my heart melted for them all..
I'm also super excited for more books from this series, there's so much opportunity and stories here.. ahhh I'm excited!
Aly is a go to author for me, but if you've never tried her then this is surely a series to start. Please please read it!!
That Is All..
ARC generously gifted in exchange for a honest review
For more reviews and blog posts
March 6, 2018
4 stars.
New author for me but I have been wanting to read a book by Aly Martinez for a while.
I had a slightly difficult time following the story and it's characters at first but the deeper I got into the book the more I loved the storyline and the more smitten I was with Rhion and Jude.
Rhion is a survivor and Jude needs forgiveness. They are each broken in their own unique way but together they have the power to heal each other.
Poignant, sexy,funny,mildly suspenseful romance that I really enjoyed. 💋
New author for me but I have been wanting to read a book by Aly Martinez for a while.
I had a slightly difficult time following the story and it's characters at first but the deeper I got into the book the more I loved the storyline and the more smitten I was with Rhion and Jude.
Rhion is a survivor and Jude needs forgiveness. They are each broken in their own unique way but together they have the power to heal each other.
Poignant, sexy,funny,mildly suspenseful romance that I really enjoyed. 💋
April 16, 2017
3.75 stars
Great plot twist and original story line. However, at around the 25% mark i thought i was reading a Kristen Ashley book. The alpha-ness of the hero, the one word answers, the grunts, the 'helplessness' of the heroine, the different personalities, the absolute gorgeous-ness of every character and camaraderie of the Guardian men...gave me some serious deja-vu!(think Rock Chick series)
I liked it enough, however felt there was not much connection between the main characters. They were only linked after a tragic event and their feelings were mainly about guilt. There were SO MANY characters in this book(understandably, since it's a series) it was hard to keep up.
Overall, well written and a great twist- will definitely read the other books in this series.
Great plot twist and original story line. However, at around the 25% mark i thought i was reading a Kristen Ashley book. The alpha-ness of the hero, the one word answers, the grunts, the 'helplessness' of the heroine, the different personalities, the absolute gorgeous-ness of every character and camaraderie of the Guardian men...gave me some serious deja-vu!(think Rock Chick series)
I liked it enough, however felt there was not much connection between the main characters. They were only linked after a tragic event and their feelings were mainly about guilt. There were SO MANY characters in this book(understandably, since it's a series) it was hard to keep up.
Overall, well written and a great twist- will definitely read the other books in this series.
February 15, 2017
♥ ♥ ♥ 3.75 STARS ♥ ♥ ♥
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'Rhion Park had ignited my life in unimaginable ways.'
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Jude and Rhion were both in a very unfortunate event. Rhion was stuck in her house with the fire quickly surrounding her. Jude was supposed to be off the clock but at the last minute received a call from dispatch to go check the situation out at the Park Estate. He never thought he would find a woman screaming for help, with no safe route to escape the fire. Rhion didn't think she would survive, but somehow thanks to Jude she did, even though she is covered in scars.
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"You're real," she breathed.
"I've always been real, Butterfly. Even when I didn't want to be."
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Years later, Jude is no longer a cop and works at the Guardian Protection Agency. He is still haunted by the night he feels he failed Rhion in the fire. What he never expected when he moved back to Chicago was that he would see Rhion once again. Neither did Rhion but she is genuinely happy to see him, however, due to the many events in her life, they have left her with a lot of issues. Being in a relationship is hard when both of them are haunted by their past and troubles. Rhion knows what she wants, although she wants Jude and is willing to overcome them in order to be with him. She just has to convince Jude to let go of the guilt and regret and to give in to his feelings as well.
I really enjoyed the story between these two characters. I don't want to give much of the story away. I liked Rhion, even after experiencing such a horrible ordeal, she was quite strong. She went after what she wanted and didn't shy away from her scars. I liked that about her. Jude was also a great character. It was hard to see how much guilt he was feeling that he didn't think he deserved Rhion. I loved how protective he was of her and of course, he was all sorts of alpha. The chemistry between was wonderful. However, I did find that in some parts of the story that their relationship developed too quickly. Regardless, I really enjoyed getting those snippets of their past and being able to see how everything truly occurred.
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'I called her Butterfly because she was mine. Her scars. Her pain. Her smiles. Her laughs. Her heart. Her body. I owned them all.'
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Overall, I really enjoyed this book. I enjoyed the characters and the romantic relationship between them. I would have liked the angsty suspenseful part to have been longer and maybe throughout the book rather than just at the very end, but that's just me. I really liked all of the secondary characters as well, but I will admit it was a bit hard to keep track of who everyone was. Still, I was very glad to see that Rhion had such a great support group in the men of the Guardian Protection Agency. I am really hoping Johnson gets a book because I just loved him!
February 8, 2017
5 it's real butterfly stars
Oh man, yes! This book was the in-your-face reminder of why I freaking love Martinez. Let’s just say a part of my heart lives with the Page brothers. I’d take Quarry any time of the day. And really, every single one of Martinez’s heroes are it!
So angsty, so possessive and so so alpha! Oh yes please. Give me more.
She does not disappoint with Singe either.
This is the first book in the Guardian Protection series (Guardian Protection meaning Leo from Broken Course‘s company. You remember him? No? Well, he was my favorite character in that series.) So I was positively giddy when I saw the new title, and OH MY GOD, I wanted more of Johnson, because he was a mystery in Leo’s book.
OK rant over. (I think.)
This book stars Jude and Rhion, a pair who had been bonded by a tragic event four years earlier, and that changed the course of both their lives.
For Jude, it becomes the nightmare he just can’t forget, and for Rhion, it was the incidence that made her believe in heroes.
Four years later when both of them are trying to move on from each other, they clash again, and this time the fire burning under their skin brings them together instead of separating them. The chemistry between the two were so obvious, and so palpable. I was rooting hard for them.
Jude was perfect- he was tortured but didn’t let it stop him from giving everything a try, and he was so obsessed over protecting Rhion. (I feel like this was a romanticized version of Erica and Leo, if those two ever fell in love in another alternate universe, but that’s just me.)
I absolutely adored Rhion. She was quirky, lovable and so effing cute! And her sense of humor was a definite winner. She made this book into a 5 star for me. Even if she did have her moments- because let’s face it, no character is ever perfect, and we don’t want perfect characters either. I really found myself liking how easily she forgave Jude for something that was completely beyond him. Kudos chica! Kudos!
But there were a lot of unresolved mysteries from the accident 4 years ago, and as everything comes to light in slow succession, I couldn’t help but go all “bloody hell yes!” on the book.
I kind of had an inkling that something of that sort was about to happen, but when it did happen, it took me by surprise. I’m not going to say what it was because you need to have the holy-shit-what moment, but I’ll just say this- I love Apollo. I really hope to see a book about him in the future.
The side characters were so good- completely adorable and totally swoon-worthy alpha males. Ahh man I can’t wait for the next book.
Once again Aly Martinez has sucked you in her web of painfully beautiful love stories, and I for one can’t wait to fall further.
[ARC provided by the author in exchange for an honest review]
Read the first chapter here.
Oh man, yes! This book was the in-your-face reminder of why I freaking love Martinez. Let’s just say a part of my heart lives with the Page brothers. I’d take Quarry any time of the day. And really, every single one of Martinez’s heroes are it!
So angsty, so possessive and so so alpha! Oh yes please. Give me more.
She does not disappoint with Singe either.
This is the first book in the Guardian Protection series (Guardian Protection meaning Leo from Broken Course‘s company. You remember him? No? Well, he was my favorite character in that series.) So I was positively giddy when I saw the new title, and OH MY GOD, I wanted more of Johnson, because he was a mystery in Leo’s book.
OK rant over. (I think.)
This book stars Jude and Rhion, a pair who had been bonded by a tragic event four years earlier, and that changed the course of both their lives.
For Jude, it becomes the nightmare he just can’t forget, and for Rhion, it was the incidence that made her believe in heroes.
Four years later when both of them are trying to move on from each other, they clash again, and this time the fire burning under their skin brings them together instead of separating them. The chemistry between the two were so obvious, and so palpable. I was rooting hard for them.
Jude was perfect- he was tortured but didn’t let it stop him from giving everything a try, and he was so obsessed over protecting Rhion. (I feel like this was a romanticized version of Erica and Leo, if those two ever fell in love in another alternate universe, but that’s just me.)
I absolutely adored Rhion. She was quirky, lovable and so effing cute! And her sense of humor was a definite winner. She made this book into a 5 star for me. Even if she did have her moments- because let’s face it, no character is ever perfect, and we don’t want perfect characters either. I really found myself liking how easily she forgave Jude for something that was completely beyond him. Kudos chica! Kudos!
But there were a lot of unresolved mysteries from the accident 4 years ago, and as everything comes to light in slow succession, I couldn’t help but go all “bloody hell yes!” on the book.
I kind of had an inkling that something of that sort was about to happen, but when it did happen, it took me by surprise. I’m not going to say what it was because you need to have the holy-shit-what moment, but I’ll just say this- I love Apollo. I really hope to see a book about him in the future.
The side characters were so good- completely adorable and totally swoon-worthy alpha males. Ahh man I can’t wait for the next book.
Once again Aly Martinez has sucked you in her web of painfully beautiful love stories, and I for one can’t wait to fall further.
[ARC provided by the author in exchange for an honest review]
Read the first chapter here.
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