Review: The Return of the Rebel by Jennifer Faye

Series: Standalone

Genre: Contemp Romance

Publisher: Harlequin Presents

Publication Date: 7/1/14

Format: eARC

Pages: 256

Source: Author

Rating: 3.5 stars

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The guy from the wrong side of the tracks...

Being promoted should be a dream come true, only it means working closely with Cleo's childhood crush, Jax Monroe. Jax may no longer be the rebel she remembers, but he still gets her heart racing like no other.

Jax cares too much about Cleo to let her get too close--but keeping his distance is proving impossible! As Jax reveals the extent of what he's been through, will Cleo show him that some things are too precious to put off until tomorrow?

My Review

The Return of the Rebel is the third book of Jennifer Faye's that I've read, and I have to say it's my favorite. We have our heroine Cleo, who fell in love with town bad boy Jax Monroe, as a young teen. With him being five years older and her brother's best friend, that was obviously a no-go. Jax's family issues prompted him to leave town as soon as he could, to make a better life in a new place. Cleo moved on, but never forgot her first crush. When fate lands the two together again, Cleo soon learns that Jax never forgot her or her brother either. But Jax has trouble on his hands, with him being the key witness in a big case that has him laying low in Las Vegas. Jax also has a secret, a big secret that has him convinced that he can never lead a full life and give Cleo the life she deserves. It's up to Cleo to stop Jax from walking away from her again.

There was so much to like about The Return of the Rebel. It was a sweet romance, focused on the emotional rather than the physical. When things do become heated, it's of the closed-door variety, which I knew to expect. My favorite aspect, though, was the longing between the characters. Cleo has loved Jax since she was a girl, and when they reconnect, those feelings spark right back up. Now that Jax sees Cleo as a woman, he can't deny his attraction either. An old promise to Cleo's brother has him hesitant to act, as do his issues with being considered the town bad boy. What really gripped me was Jax's health crisis, one that has him questioning whether he does or will ever have a life to offer Cleo. Good stuff.

If you're looking for a sweet heartwarming story that's a really fast read, I do recommend The Return of the Rebel.

Favorite Quotes

  "If you were mine, I'd never look at another woman as long as I lived."

  Her gaze met his. Her heart once again went thump-thump. "Seriously? You'd really only have eyes for me?"

  "You're the most beautiful woman in the world." His thumb stroked her cheek, followed her jawline and rubbed over her bottom lip. His gaze never left hers.

About Jennifer Faye

In another life, Jennifer Faye was a statistician. She still has a love for numbers, formulas and spreadsheets, but when she was presented with the opportunity to follow her lifelong passion to spend her days writing and pursuing her dream of becoming a Harlequin author, she couldn't pass it up. These days when she's not writing, Jennifer enjoys reading, fine needlework, quilting, tweeting and cheering on the Pittsburgh Penguins. She lives in Pennsylvania with her amazingly patient husband, two remarkably talented daughters and their two very spoiled furbabies otherwise known as cats, but shh...don't tell them they're not human.

Jennifer loves to hear from readers—you can contact her via her

Website  |  Twitter  |  Facebook  |  Tumblr  |  GoodReads

REVIEW: SAFE IN THE TYCOON'S ARMS by JENNIFER FAYE

Genre: Contemporary Romance
Publisher: Harlequin
Publication Date: 3/4/14
Format: eARC
Pages: 256
Source: Author
Rating: 3.5 stars

The man behind the headlines...

When billionaire Lucas Carrington returns to his New York mansion, he never expects to find beautiful stranger Kate Whitley making herself at home. Invited by his aunt to stay, he soon discovers she's a woman in need. She's raising funds for her sick daughter, so he agrees to let her stay--temporarily!

Kate may not belong in Lucas's high-society world, but she sees there is more to this tycoon than the headlines suggest. Yet with so much at stake, can she trust herself and her heart with New York's most sought-after bachelor?

Safe in the Tycoon's Arms. What a title, huh? I kind of love it, it reminds me of some of my favorite reads when I was younger. Books I borrowed from my aunts. This was a good story, a bit like a made-for-television movie, in fact.

With the caretaker's permission, Kate is shacking up in an all but abandoned mansion in NYC. She's in the city seeking treatment for her daughter's brain tumor. The hospital is requiring payment up-front, and after many unsuccessful tries, Kate is out of money. When the owner shows up unexpectedly, the two have an awkward confrontation, followed by an understanding. The tycoon in question, Lucas Carrington, is understandably upset a stranger is in his home. But when he learns her story, he begins to thaw, and wants to help Kate raise the money for her daughter's treatment. Of course, the two begin to develop feelings over time.

Kate is a character most readers will like and empathize with. Having a gravely ill child is a sure way to earn sympathy, but she was also a smart, resourceful person. She has abandonment issues, stemming from an absentee father and no-good ex. Her abandonment fears come into play with her newly-developing relationship with Lucas. Lucas was an interesting character. He has issues of his own, going back to manipulative parents and an ex who's pushed him to his limits. He was grumpy and broody, seemed a bit repressed, in fact, and reminded me a bit of the morose men in the gothic novels I've always loved.

The relationship between Kate and Lucas has a one step forward-two steps back feel to it, with past and current events coming between them. Of course, we have frustrations and misunderstandings along the way, with Kate dealing with her daughter's illness and Lucas's stubborn ways, and Lucas working to become a better man. A man who deserves Kate's love. The story had a great, heartwarming conclusion. I really enjoyed Safe in the Tycoon's Arms.                                                                                                                                                                            

Safe in the Tycoon's Arms is not my typical read, as of late. That is a good thing. As a teen, I devoured the category romances put out by Harlequin. There's a certain comfort in opening a story and having a fairly sure expectation of what I will get. This was the book I needed, exactly when I needed it.


Favorite Quote:

  With every bit of her willpower, she lifted her chin and looked at him. Wondering. Hoping.
  His Adam's apple bobbed. Their gazes met. And the air around them seemed to crackle with awareness.
  "Kissing you is all I thought about." His voice was deep and thick, sending goose bumps of excitement down her spine. "My only regret is that it ended far too soon."

Purchase Links

Amazon  |  Barnes & Noble  |  iBooks

 

About the author

In another life, Jennifer Faye was a statistician. She still has a love for numbers, formulas and spreadsheets, but when she was presented with the opportunity to follow her lifelong passion to spend her days writing and pursuing her dream of becoming a Harlequin author, she couldn't pass it up. These days when she's not writing, Jennifer enjoys reading, fine needlework, quilting, tweeting and cheering on the Pittsburgh Penguins. She lives in Pennsylvania with her amazingly patient husband, two remarkably talented daughters and their two very spoiled furbabies otherwise known as cats, but shh...don't tell them they're not human.

Jennifer loves to hear from readers—you can contact her via her

Website  |  Twitter  |  Facebook  |  Tumblr  |  GoodReads

 

 

 

REVIEW: SNOWBOUND WITH THE SOLDIER by JENNIFER FAYE

Genre: Contemporary Romance
Publisher: Harlequin
Publication Date: 10/1/13
Format: eARC
Pages: 256
Source: Received from author for review
Rating:  3 stars

Maybe this Christmas...?

It has been seven long years since Kara Jameson last saw Jason Greene. Returning home as a wounded war hero, Jason looks a shell of the man she once knew. Yet her heart still skips a beat as if it was yesterday.

Stepping back into civilian life, Jason looks to Kara for help. But there's too much water under the bridge; not to mention too much lingering attraction.

But it seems that the mountain weather has other ideas, and when Kara and Jason end up snowbound together they are forced to confront the ghosts of Christmas past.

Snowbound with the Soldier is my first winter holiday read for this year, and now I find myself longing for snow and Christmas decorations! This was a bittersweet story about a returned soldier, reconnecting with his former love, forgiveness and forgiving. 

I honestly thought Snowbound would be a bit different. I assumed that the story was about a former couple, snowbound, and rediscovering their love for one another. Yes, Kara and Jason are snowbound, but that is only for a short amount of the story. The story spans a few months, and deals with more than Kara and Jason. It also focuses on Jason's relationship with his estranged father, and what happened with Kara after Jason left. These aspects provided for some difficult emotions for the characters, and gave the story more depth.

I liked Snowbound with the Soldier. A lot of that comes from my being a fan of reconnected love stories, and those in which characters are stranded together. I think I might have found this to have more impact if Jason and Kara had been snowbound longer, and truly forced to face their heavy issues in an powerful way. I would also like to point out that this is a romance that is heavier on the sweet instead of the spice. Perfect if you're looking for a story that is light on the physical.

If you're looking for a holiday read story that also has a lot of emotion, you might enjoy Snowbound with the Soldier.

Favorite Quote;


  Her weight shifted fully against him. Warmth filled his chest. After all those long, lonely nights in different towns and countries, Jason felt as if he'd finally found his way home. He never wanted to let her go.   ~eARC, 11%

 

 

 

Purchase Snowbound with the Soldier

Amazon  |  Barnes & Noble  |  Book Depository

About the author:

In another life, Jennifer Faye was a statistician. She still has a love for numbers, formulas and spreadsheets, but when she was presented with the opportunity to follow her lifelong passion to spend her days writing and pursuing her dream of becoming a Harlequin author, she couldn't pass it up. These days when she's not writing, Jennifer enjoys reading, fine needlework, quilting, tweeting and cheering on the Pittsburgh Penguins. She lives in Pennsylvania with her amazingly patient husband, two remarkably talented daughters and their two very spoiled furbabies otherwise known as cats, but shh...don't tell them they're not human.

Jennifer loves to hear from readers—you can contact her via her

Website  |  Twitter  |  Facebook  |  Tumblr  |  GoodReads