Review: Riding the Wave (Pacific Blue #1) by Lorelei Brown

Series: Pacific Blue #1

Series: Pacific Blue #1

Series: Pacific Blue #1
Genre: Contemp/Sports Romance

Publisher: Signet

Publication Date: 7/1/14

Format: ARC

Pages: 336

Source: Publisher

Rating: 4 stars

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The gray-green swells of San Sebastian haven’t changed in ten years, but Tanner Wright has. The last thing he expects to find back on his home turf is the love of his life.... 

With a make-or-break world championship on the line, professional surfer Tanner Wright has come back to the coastal California hometown he left a decade ago, carrying only his board and the painful knowledge of his father’s infidelity. Now that Hank Wright is dead, Tanner intends to keep the secret buried to spare his mother and sister the burden.

The last time Avalon Knox saw her best friend’s brother, she was fourteen and he was a twenty-year-old surfer god. She’s never understood or respected the way Tanner distanced himself from the family that has embraced her. But now she has the professional chance of a lifetime: to photograph Tanner for the competition—if he’ll agree.

Out on the waves, they find in each other passion that’s impossible to resist. And Tanner’s not the only one trying to move forward from his past. As the competition heats up, secrets get spilled, and lust takes over. How close can Avalon get to this brooding surfer…without getting burned?

My Review

 

I love the ocean and beach, in theory. No, I actually do love it. It's really the last great mystery on earth, so beautiful and wild. I respect those who set out to explore it, and those who set out to conquer its waves. What I don't like about the ocean is swallowing so much salt water that I get sick, though it's good for clearing the head. And I don't like getting sand all up in my bits, especially since I'm responsible for cleaning my two little kidlets. That is one of the reasons why I so love books with an ocean-side setting. I get the chance to experience the beach without the messiness. In Riding the Wave, I became the surfer, the photographer.

  

Riding the Wave made me all sorts of happy. Along with the gorgeous setting, we get the coming home story, a personal favorite of mine. We get the "falling for little sister's best friend" trope. And with our pro-surfer hero Tanner, we get a great sports romance. My reading friends, this makes Riding the Wave a triple threat in Andrea's World.

 

After a heated, secretive falling-out with his father ten years prior, Tanner Wright left his family behind. When it became clear he wasn't backing down, dear old dad pretty much wiped out his existence in the family's home. His mother and younger sister stayed in touch, but because of Tanner's fear of hurting them with the truth, he remained emotionally distant. He's an angry man. So angry at his father, who's secrets and lies drove him away, in an effort to protect his mother and sister. Angry he's missed so much time, his home. And angry that he must be the one to end the secrets. After his father's death, Tanner finally comes home to compete in his last world championship. Years of surfing have left his body older than its years, and he wants to go out on top. While he's home, Tanner begins to reconnect with his mom and sister, and family friend Avalon. But his father's secret has followed him home, and now Tanner will finally be forced to break their hearts.

 

But guys, there's a bright side here! Riding the Wave is a romance, after all. And that bright side is Avalon Knox, up-and-coming photographer, supportive best friend, and world-class ball buster when it comes to Tanner Wright. Of course this means that I adored her. Avalon essentially raised herself until the Wright family took her in and loved her as their own. Considering the Wrights as the perfect family anyone would be lucky to be part of, Avalon repaid their love by always protecting them, no matter the cost. When Tanner comes home and the drama unfolds, Avalon struggles with a way to spare them pain, even if it causes her own. But she's also protecting Tanner, and falling in love with the broody, elusive man, at the same time.

 

The relationship between Tanner and Avalon was pretty delicious. The chemistry between the two was at a constant smolder, with flare-ups that had me grinning and swooning and fanning myself the entire time. There was a latent sexuality to Tanner.  It was barely beneath the surface, suggestive, an invitation. He was a raw, wild man. It was in the way he looked at Avalon, the way he thought of her, the way he moved. It wasn't overwhelming or overdone, but always present.  

 Brown's writing was pretty amazing. As  with the relationship and chemistry between and Avalon, her portrayal of their emotions was spot-on. All the little details, especially the non-verbal cues she places into the narrative, gave me a clear description of every moment, upping my emotional investment. I wanted these two to truly connect, to work out the issues that might hold them apart, and to find a great ending together. I love when an author can truly make me connect with the story and has me thinking about their story weeks after I've turned the last page.

 

I adored Riding the Wave, and am excited to continue the Pacific Blue series. I was hoping Ahead in the Heat would be about Tanner's sister Sage and rival Jack, but it looks like I'm out of luck this round. I'm still excited to see what comes next.

Favorite Quotes

 

 

  The way she kissed went straight to his head. She took and took, as if every motion was worship. Every taste a gift she gave him. He knew without saying a word that she'd ask for exactly what she needed from him. No guessing. No secrets.

  God, that sounded good.

 

 

  She was overwhelmed by him. She was overwhelmed by who she was with him. Everything else dropped away, until there was only their miniscule corner of the world. The way he moved in her, made her feel.

  Her eyes drifted shut, better to run from the crackling-fire rush. She wanted to close her arms around it, hold the blitz close. Hide away.

  But she felt his grip across the back of her neck.A thumb stroked hard over her jaw. "Here.Look at me."

 

 

The Pacific Blue Series

 

 

 

(covers lead to GoodReads page)

 

 

 

 

About Lorelei Brown

 

After a semi-nomadic childhood throughout California, Lorelie Brown spent high school in Orange County before joining the US Army. After traveling the world from South Korea to Italy, she’s settled north of Chicago. Because going from California warmth to northern snow seemed like the proper order of events...

Lorelie has three active sons and a tiny shih-tzu who thinks he’s son number three—not four, he’s too important to be the baby. Writing romance helps her escape a house full of testosterone.

In her immense free time (hah!) Lorelie co-writes contemporary erotic romance under the name Katie Porter. You can find out more about the “Vegas Top Guns” and “Club Devant” series at www.KatiePorterBooks.com or at @MsKatiePorter. You can also contact Lorelie on Twitter @LorelieBrown.

 

 

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