Saints of Denver (3), Riveted,  Crownover, Jay

Review from Jeannie Zelos book reviews

Genre:  romance,

I’ve read quite a few of Jay’s novels now, some I love, some are still good but not quite such a hit with me. Riveted falls into that category, and its really difficult to pinpoint why.

I love the characters, the settings, the realism of it all. There is irrational bigotry around, those who see skin colour and not the person, and when that happens to Dash and his brother  it felt so very genuine. I’m naturally fairly dark-skinned/tanned looking, though English through and through, and used to get bullied at school back in the sixties for my appearance, so I understand that affects people though I only had a small taster.
Its sad but a fact of life, people that are in any way different get picked on by ignorant bullies.

Poor Dash, what a tragic background and I kind of understood why he joined the Army as a teen, and how the awful things he’s seen since affected him. I still wasn’t quite convinced though of his reasons for a) not going home and b) feeling he wasn’t good enough for Dixie, that something would happen to her. Thank goodness that girl has some real sticking power!

Dixie – well, we need more like her in the world. she’s everyone’s friend, works hard, always has something nice to say, and always there ready to help.
She’s like a Pollyanna type but without the cringing sweetness, there’s something real about Dixie, something that makes her beautiful in spirit without feeling sickly sweet.

The sexual tension between those two – off the wall, and wow when Dixie finally wore him down – or maybe it was just that he stopped telling himself he wasn’t good enough, sparks flew.
They’re perfect together, but that HEA has a few barriers on the way.

There's some terrific secondary characters here too, who really caught my eye. Its a lovely story, a beautiful romance, with genuine feeling people and places. I could feel the sunshine, and here on a murky February morning in the UK just remembering that feel cheers me up.
Given all that why haven't I gone for five stars? Well, its hard to say, I did enjoy it but...sometimes I found myself drifting, not concentrating on the story, and other times I just had to put it aside for a while, and that doesn’t happen with five star reads. I just can’t work out exactly why though.
It’s clear its a five star read for many and that’s great to see. I just wish it had been that for me, but it fell marginally short.

Stars: Four and a half, just short of the magic five, maybe if I’d read all the former stories it would have hit that? Who knows?  

ARC supplied for review purposes by Netgalley and Publishers

Finally the story of Church and Dixie, was dying of anxiety through the history of these two from the book of the Asa .Then I could hardly contain myself when I put hands on this story. And let me tell you: it's so great. Once again Jay Crownover can enchant with your writing and way to write a story with complex characters and adorable.

In this book Dixie e Church Have an undeniable attraction between them, but Church keeps Dixie at arm's length, not allowing anything to happen between them.But what happens when it comes time to Church leave Denver behind and go home ?

Denver has always been just a stop on Church life and when it comes time for him to face all people who long ago left behind, he asks for Dixie accompany him on this trip, as your friend , since he convinced his family that he couldn’t return home because of a girl, he can’t show up without her. Then Church asks for Dixie to accompany him on this trip, she agrees, maybe that is your last chance to spend time with him.

Church and Dixie are complex characters and opposites.Dixie is a good girl who always tries to have a look of positive life a friend that's always there for people who care.She wants to find someone who loves and can start a family, and her heart believes that person's is Church. Church is a retired military officer who's been through a lot, let your family behind for a long time and keep your distance because you think that they are better off without him.He is lonely, sad and not let anyone near him and although he has feelings for Dixie he doesn't allow anything else exists between them because he thinks Dixie deserves better and that person isn't him.But this trip forces them to face the feelings that so far has been repressed and see if they have any chance to have a happy ending.

I liked their dynamics, and although Church annoyed me at times I couldn't understand where it was coming from. And I think we both were a good balance to each other. Together they found the balance that both both needed. With Dixie, church has learned to be a little more free and let the guilt go. And with Church, Dixie learned that sometimes it's okay to put herself first.And the feelings have always been there, so it was great to see throughout the book how it developed. It was natural and nice to read.

The secondary characters are also great, and review wing and Rome even briefly was a nice surprise.In addition we have the presence even if short of Rome and wing, and a premise for the next and last book in this series.

The only fact that I did not give 5 stars to this book was because I found the ending a little run and would like to seen more of Church and Dixie at the end.

Riveted It's a great story for anyone who was expecting this couple will not be disappointed. Drama, mystery, complex characters and of course romance are elements that abound here.Another great story in the universe of these characters.

Sometimes the things that happen to those that we love are out of our control. The only thing you can make sure of is that you’re not the person or the reason she gets hurt. That you can control completely. If you hurt her, that pain falls squarely on you, Dash, and you don’t get the luxury of blaming God or piss-poor luck.”

This book feels like coming home and checking in on people you miss. Things are changing, and you see some people in a different way, and there's mention here or there of others you remember.

Coming home isn't easy. Letting someone love you and leaving your heart open for hurt isn't easy. Pushing forward and trying anyways is HARD, but worth it.

I love how the sunshine burst of happiness falls for the gruff and grumbly guy. They always end up having the truest of hearts. There is also some action and adventure in this one, some more bad guys, and some tough situations. I was on an emotional rollercoaster, but I knew what I signed up for. I loved it, and I just can't wait for Poppy and Wheeler's story.

Dixie and Church have been working together now for some time and she hasn't heard him speak hardly anything and she never sees him smile. The former soldier is resistant to their efforts to make him feel welcome and part of the family and she cannot figure out why. That doesn't stop her from being nice though.

Dixie also is looking for the one and contrary to the pattern of her family, she has not met that person yet. She is tired of waiting and has decided she is going to actively pursue finding her one. This includes dating online. Or she will accept that it just isn't in the cards for her. She is the person always ready with a smile, a hug, an ear to bend, or a shoulder to lean on, but no ones seems to see that she needs the same sometimes. That is until one night when some drunk customers are being a little too loud and Church comes and asks her if she's good. That is the moment she found the one. Only problem is, he isn't at all interested, it seems and life continues on as it is.

Church is going to have to face up to the music soon enough about lying to his family about the reasons he couldn't come home as soon as he was discharged, but he keeps putting it off. That is until his father calls to let him know the one woman he loves so much he has spent since he was eighteen trying to make sure she and the rest of his family is safe, has fallen and been badly hurt now he has to go home. And since one of those lies was because he had met a girl his father asks him to bring her too. The one person he knows will say yes is Dixie. She just can't help helping her friends out. So now he must ask her to go home with him. He just isn't prepared for her response.

This trip is enlightening in many ways to both of them and it is full of action and angst and grief. It's also the opportunity for Dixie to be with Church. But will she want him after she finds out his secrets? Is he strong enough to be able to stand up for the people who love him? Can he keep the bad away?

This is a great book! I have loved everything that I have read by this author. While I need to catch up on some of the reviews (books I read before I found Goodreads), this book is a winner in every way.

I received this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

RIVETED felt more like a Marked Men book than the previous Saints of Denver to me. The type of story and Church as a character, in particular, felt like Marked Men crew. I'm not complaining, it worked and fitted in well.

Church was a closed-off character, self-restrained and close to no-one. He was so elusive in the initial part of the book, it was a guessing game as to who he was and why he was this way. Dixie was the opposite, an open page, bright and genuine. They say opposites attract and this was the pull between these two. I felt they needed one another for balance.

The story engaged me immediately, but didn't always consistently keep me reading. I liked the side characters, in particular, all of Church's family enhanced the read. Yet, I found this a difficult one to rate because for me, the book had ebb and flow. I lost a bit of interest at times but felt totally engaged at others. I've set on 4 stars from an enjoyment overall kind of perspective.

I think I know where the next book is going and that set up really intrigues me. Jay Crownover always keeps me coming back for more.

A copy of this book was provided by the publisher through netgalley in return for an honest review.

Reviewed for Jo&IsaLoveBooks Blog.

Personally, I’m an avid reader of all books Jay Crownover because I’m never failed to be amazed by her heroes & heroines. Riveted is the third book in the spin-off Saints of Denver series, so if you’ve read either the Marked Men or Saints of Denver series than you may have met Church or Dixie already. Church is the definition of the strong and silent type. His past is as mysterious are he is. Dixie knew from the moment the big broody man entered her orbit that he is her happily ever after. Only problem is Church didn’t get the memo or at least refuses to acknowledge it. Not one to hold out for a man that obviously doesn’t want her the same way, she makes a go of the dating scene in the hopes of finding Mr. Right. It is finally time for Church to face the past and to do so he asked Dixie to go with him back home. Dixie is always there for a friend in need so if Church is asking for help, she is more than willing to be there in his time of need. Up close and personal with each other causes a whole lot of complications especially because the chemistry is nuclear between these two. Church feels like he attracts all things bad in the world and really doesn’t want his bad luck to extend to kind hearted Dixie. I loved Church and Dixie’s HEA because it was intense and it was nice to finally learn the mystery of both main characters. Next up is Wheeler and Poppy’s HEA and with the little snips from Riveted I can’t wait for their HEA! Riveted is another mind-blowing novel with heart-warming characters! 5 stars!

***4 “They Just Knew” Stars***

The description had me thinking up all kinds of scenarios as what could happen between Church and Dixie, but none of them came even close to any of it, and thank f*ck for that because it was so much better! It went in a direction that I found sweet, smexy and heartfelt with a dash of suspense thrown in there to keep things interesting as Church and Dixie navigated their way to what could be the love of a lifetime.

Church is all kinds of smexy, silent, broody male who has closed off his heart and refuses to let anyone in. He’s done his best to keep people at arm’s length and continues to punish himself over things that he had no control of and would prefer to wallow in the darkness than live in the light. I really liked Church, he’s an upstanding guy, protective and loyal and when he allows it, sweet, considerate and sexy as hell. His reason for why he’s shut himself off from love isn’t necessarily logical or rational, but I got why he thought it was and I loved watching as he finally worked through it all, with a few well aimed kicks in the ass and gut punches from those who cared about him.

Dixie is that person that looks for the sweet in life. She takes a bad situation and does all she can to help fix it and make it better. Sometimes it requires kidd gloves, other times tough love. Regardless, she’ll be first to step up even if she should just let things work itself out on it’s own. But she isn’t pushy, nor is she a doormat. She just does and will tell it like it is when necessary. I loved her sass and determination along with her honesty and genuinely compassionate heart.

I must admit that I thought there would be quite a bit of angsty-ness going as Church and Dixie navigated their way to their HEA, but there wasn’t. There was some drama, but on the whole it was much more sweet and sexy as they went from co-workers to friends to lovers and truly took the time to get to know each other. While Church grows the most thanks to Dixie’s persistence, and boy is she and I love how she take the bull by the horns, Dixie also has a few epiphanies thanks to Church showing her that putting herself first isn’t a bad thing, nor is letting someone put her first. They fit well together and I love how everything worked out for them in the end.
Riveted was a pleasant and enjoyable story about letting go of the fear, owning up to your mistakes and accepting that love can conquer all if you just let it. It had all the feels and a good balance of sweet, humor and drama to keep things interesting. I loved the dual first person POV’s and thoroughly enjoyed the cast of characters that were apart of the story. I’m definitely interested in Wheeler and Poppy’s story, though I’m not sure if it has to do with seeing them get their HEA or seeing Kallie get her just desserts, because the girl is on my list. Either way all I can say is bring on Salvaged!

This was a slow burn romance but once the embers were stirred, the passion blazed hot and fierce.

“She lived in the light and I was far more comfortable hiding in the dark.”

Dixie Carmichael is the nicest girl you could ever meet. With her crazy, red hair and her soulful brown eyes, she’s sweet, sunny, and thoughtful. She puts other people first. It’s only in the quiet moments that she lets herself feel her own disappointment at not getting her own little bit of happy – she yearns for the moment when she meets her one true love, who she would fall hard and fast for, and live happily ever after.

“The only thing I’d wanted since I fell for him was to be in his hands and for him to find a place for me inside of his heart.”

Her one true love turns out to be someone she’s been working with for a while. It was one throwaway moment of care from Dash ‘Church’ Churchill that has her tumbling. However, she might know that he’s the one for her, but he doesn’t seem to think that she’s the one for him.

“She made me want to smile and that alone was enough to have my feet itching to hit the road before I did something stupid, like fall in love”

Church is tall, dark, and gorgeous, with his golden skin and broody air. Ex-military, he’s killing time in Denver and it’s way past time that he went home to see the family he left behind, ten years previously. Church desires Dixie like no other but his fear keeps him moving forward with her. However, when he asks her to go home with him, the dynamics in their relationship start to change, and Church starts to realise that surviving without love is a “hollow, empty existence”, and letting someone into your heart is a far more gratifying and fulfilling way to live.

“This thing that lived between us was hungry and tired of being ignored. It buzzed around us, electric and hot, refusing to be cooled by the chill in the night air that surrounded us.”

This story was chock-full of yearning and pent-up desire. Church is such a tortured soul, keeping himself remote from life, love and friendship. He’s the complete opposite to Dixie, who is a ray of sunshine on the darkest of days. Their attraction is mutual but Church knows that one taste of Dixie will have all his walls crumbling down, so he keeps her at arm’s length. However, travelling and sleeping in close quarters has his tight control at breaking point, and all the simmering passion and feelings explode into something hot and beautiful between them.

I’ll admit that, initially, I found it slow-going getting into this book, but once I was in, it was a beautifully-written story, with a ton of emotion, a bit of humour, a touch of danger, and a real message about acceptance, living life and loving hard because life is too short for the negative emotions.

The latest Saints of Denver book actually leaves Denver! Good chemistry as always plus interesting back stories.

excellent read

I received an ARC, via NetGalley, in exchange for an honest review. I willingly read and reviewed this book.

I have read every book by Jay, and this book is one of my favorites of all time. The angst, desperation, sadness and overall hope in this book is overwhelming, but I wouldn't trade it for the world.

Church is a tortured soul. He is hiding from his hometown because of all the sadness and heartbreak he has suffered. He ran away, into the army, when he didn't know how to deal with the heartbreak of losing someone important in his life. After getting out of the army, he ran to a friend (Rome Archer from the Marked Men Series), who was in the army with him. He doesn't want to go home, the reason why will break your heart. When he first met Dixie, he wanted her, but stayed away because he was afraid that he would bring heartache and hurtful things to her life.
Dixie is a ray of sunshine in everyone's life. She always wears a smile and helps her friends. She is loyal and is always expecting to find her "one" person to complete her. Church is that man. It doesn't hurt that he is sinfully sexy and protective. She realizes that they will never be more than what they are: she just isn't sure what they are to each other.
Church gets that call that a woman that he cares for deeply fell, is in the hospital and that he needs to come home. The only problem is that he told his family he wasn't coming home because he met a girl. Enter Dixie. He asks her to accompany him on the trip home and she accepts. They leave that day.
The tortured soul of Church wants to let Dixie in but doesn't want to hurt her at the same time. He keeps pushing her away until he realizes that she has deeper feelings than he realized when they left town.
Although they are together, he keeps telling her nothing can happen, but when one scary thing after another happens, he feels they are being targeted and he fears it's because they are together (he is biracial, so they are a biracial couple).
Once he makes it to his hometown, his dad accepts him back with open arms: the conversation they have late in the book mended my heart and opened Church's eyes to his feelings), his younger brother loves him but doesn't trust him, and the lady that fell is extremely happy to have him home and also very protective of him. Dixie is welcomed by the dad, but the lady makes her prove that she is in this for the long haul.
With more threats once they reach his hometown, he promises to protect her and his walls start to come down. Just when he decides to be all in, something life-changing happens and how he deals with it will determine his future. Can he follow his heart or will he continue to follow his head? Will he open his eyes enough to realize that Dixie has always been there for him and will support him in his life? Will Dixie guard her heart or will she fall? These are just some of the questions that arise while reading Riveted. This book gave me all of the feels that a great book is supposed to. I can't wait for the next Jay Crownover masterpiece.

RIveted is another great book in the saints of Denver series.
Dixie is a barmaid with a sparkling friendly happy disposition who sees the good in everyone. Also working in the Bar is Church an ex soldier who is gruff and taciturn. Dixie has fallen hard for him, Church has no idea but he can't help having feelings for Dixie as her outlook on life and making the best out of bad situations is his complete opposite. Due to great loss in his private life and active military service he blocks out emotion and won't allow himself to become close to anyone so he won't have to deal with the grief if something happens to them.
When a family situation calls Church home he asks Dixie to go with him for support, and here begins a journey of discovery for them both, and it's a wonderfully told journey, well written and emotional, will Church realise that taking a chance on love is worth more than living a cold emotionless life.....well read the book, believe me you won't be disappointed, so well told you'll be cheering them both on!
Thanks to net galley and publisher for opportunity to review this book

I'm stuck between rating this a 3.5 or a 4. Loved the characters and the honesty with their feelings. But I just didn't buy the "who done it". I would have thought there would have been more build up for the reason behind it. Also, what happened with Elma?????

I also loved the one liners! "....a pretty coat for his pet hamster" that was hilarious!!!!!

And Wheeler!! His poor character. I can't wait for him to move on! And has Kallie been completely honest... hummm, I really don't know. But can't wait to see how that plays out.

Jules..... does anyone else think that man is Sexy?!?!? I'd like him to get his HEA.

DNF @17%

You what? Fuck it. I'm not going to try and push through a book I am already finding exasperating just because the author is(was?) a favourite.
I had a lot of problems with Charged, but the point is that one random chapter from Church's POV in it told me something, I probably wasn't going to like nor connect with Church. And here we are now, having got a few chapters from Church's POV and yup, I don't like the guy. And Dixie is nothing special either. In fact, this is a typical Jay story just with different MC's. They're busy pining after each other. Church says he doesn't deserve Dixie and Dixie is loving this broken man. Obviously, they will fix each other. And I care nothing to stick around for what will be the exact story I've read 10 times from Jay. Even more so because I don't like either of these two.
The descriptions of other characters are still weird and not "different" anymore. The way these characters talk and think like they are all super experienced world-renowned therapists. Honestly, nope nope nope.

It's really sad to see how Jay went from an instant favourite when I first came across Rule years ago. I loved The Marked Men series. I love the start of this series; Built is amazing. But everything after has been a trudge to get through. I feel like a long break is in order. Don't want to be hasty with a full-blown breakup. But I don't think a bit of break could hurt.

Jay's books are amazing and very well written. This books is no exception A Must Read. This book is a series or can be read as a stand alone. I first read about (Church) Dash Churchill in Rome: The Marked Men series.
He comes to Denver straight out of the service Rome gives him a job at the bar where he meets Dixie. She is a ray of sunshine to his dark brooding persona trying to be everyone's friend. She believes in love and Church believes everything he loves dies so he pushes everyone away including his own family. When a family member gets hurt and he is forced to go home to Mississippi he asks Dixie to go with him and she does because she loves him. Can Dixie ever get Church to love her back or is she just setting herself up for a broken heart? Can Church ever let love in or will he always be stuck in the dark?
To read this book or any of her books:
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Jay-Crownover/e/B00AVA6S8C/ref=dp_byline_cont_ebooks_1
Barnes & Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/s/%22Jay%20Crownover%22?

This book was so good! It has to be my favorite book by Jay Crownover. I think I highlighted 75% of the book because the writing was amazing. This book is a road trip story and a homecoming story rolled into one.

Dixie is an always-smiling, sweet and happy waitress in Rome's bar. She is always the first person to offer help or kind words to anyone else, but rarely does anyone give the same to her. Church has worked in the bar for 6 months after returning from being stationed overseas in the military. Dixie has been interested in Church since she met him. She knew he was the one for her when, one night after some customers got handsy and sassy with her, he was the only person to ever ask her if she was okay. Dixie has always believed in true love and there being only one person out there for every person, based on her parents and sister's relationships. But she doesn't think Church likes her. He has never returned her advances, treating her life a friend, because of his past and not feeling like he has anything to give in a relationship. But he is called back home when an elderly family friend gets hurt. He finally must return to Mississippi to face his past and the family he left behind after being gone for ten years. He asks Dixie to come with him for support. Over the course of their trip, Church and Dixie get to know each other better and realize how much they fit together. Their love story is sweet, sexy and emotional.

I loved Dixie and Church! I loved Dixie's sunny attitude. She was a breath of fresh air. She didn't have a perfect life, but you would never know from meeting her. She was strong and sweet. I admired and identified with her so much. She didn't know much about Church at first, but as she got to know him more, she saw the hurt and pain in him and wanted to help heal him. Church was the strong silent type. He had been through so much, from losing his mother and stepmother, to trauma and strife when in the military, to his childhood where he never felt like he fit in because he was biracial. He deserved the sunshine that Dixie brought into his life, but it took him awhile to see it. They were really perfect together. Church knew how special Dixie was and he had to be brave enough to take the risk of getting close enough to her, even though he had lost two women he loved already (in his mother and stepmother) and was afraid to lose another. But he realized he already loved Dixie and there was no way he could let her go. I very much enjoyed watching them fall in love and seeing the growth they both went through together.

Their chemistry was amazing. The sex scenes were hot and different! The scene outside amazing. And there is a sexy and inventive scene involving a weight bench that was scorching too. The connection, physically and emotionally, was very strong.

I loved the road trip aspect and the coming-home-to-Church's-small-hometown aspect. I loved the side characters, especially his brother and stepfather. I can't think of anything I disliked about this book. It was that good. And that's rare for me because I'm a picky reader.

My favorite quotes:

<b>"I was used to guarding my heart but somehow she had slipped under those ironclad defenses and embedded some of her optimism and unshakable belief in the territory inside of me I thought was toxic and contaminated. Everything needed sunlight and care to flourish and grow. Dixie had both in spades and was relentless in her quest to turn my insides from something barren and lifeless into something that flourished and thrived with light and color." </b>

***

<b>"Fair warning before we fall into that bed together, if you put your hands and your mouth on me, Church, I'm going to want more. My stupid heart is going to spin big dreams that lock you and me together forever even though my head knows better. You gave me the little bit you just did and I can already feel every single piece of me wanting to gobble it up and demand more. I'm happy right now, but if you take me to bed and make me feel special I won't be happy when I realize that isn't true. I'd rather stay happy and if I had to guess I would bet you want to stay happy, too." Her lips twitched and she leaned into me, "Well, as happy as a big, broody soldier and prodigal son can get." </b>

***

<b>"Fear can make a smart man do very hurtful things, but eventually the heart wins out because fear is fleeting and love lasts forever."</b>

***

<b>"There was one fall he couldn't prevent or help me up from. That was the fall that had started when I walked into the bar and felt the warmth of the sun after what felt like a lifetime spent in the frigid cold. Slipping, sliding, skidding, tripping, tumbling, flailing... falling in love with Dixie Carmichael. "</b>

***

I have to admit that I had overlooked this book prior to reading it, because after having read the other books in the series, I was really looking forward to book 4, Poppy and Wheeler's book. I am so happy that I got to read this book. Dixie and Church's story was so sweet and heart-warming that I will be thinking about it for a long time. It is the best book I have read in quite a while. I very much look forward to more from the Saints of Denver and more from Ms. Crownover!

*arc provided by Netgalley in exchange for an honest review *

“Dixie Carmichael was the nicest girl I had ever met. She didn’t have a mean bone in her perfectly curvy and petite body. She was always smiling, always laughing, and there wasn’t a moment spent in her company where it didn’t feel like the sun was shining directly on you. She embodied warmth and care. Someone behind a computer monitor would never understand that. They would never feel the way her innate ability to make everything seem like it would be okay made the world seem like it was worth saving. There was a lot of bad shoved at us all on a day-to-day basis but somehow Dixie was a filter for it, and when you were around her it seemed like the only thing you could focus on was the good she let through.”

Losing two very important women early in his life taught Dashel “Church” Churchill that nothing good ever lasted and that anything he valued would be cruelly taken away from him, so to protect his heart he keeps his distance from his family and doesn’t even entertain the idea of love. Having been estranged from him family for ten years the threat of losing another important person in his life has him heading back to Mississippi but he can’t make the trip alone. Since he convinced his family that he couldn’t return home right after he left the service because of a very special girl, he can’t very well show up without this girl.

Dixie Carmichael is a good girl, the positive thinker the “I’ll find the silver lining in every dark cloud you give me” type of girl. Everyone likes her and she tries to like everyone. She loves her friends and family and tends to put their needs before hers. But there’s something missing from her life, that one of a kind love, that fairytale romance that her parents have. She’s found the one person that she thinks can be her fairytale and even though he’s attracted to her, he’s determined to keep her in that “friend” category. So when Church approaches her about taking a road-trip home with him, she agrees knowing that this might be the only chance to be front and center in Church’s life and show him just how good they can be together.

Jay Crownover stalker here…when I see her books I right away want to read them and I find myself trolling the internet for any clues of future books to come. I haven’t given all of her books five star reviews, but I have enjoyed every single one of them I feel the need to purchase the actual hard/paper back versions.

Dixie has been hanging around in the peripheral for quite some time now, so much so that every time she was ever mentioned I’ve always wondered “hmmm, wonder what her story is?” and during the last book I more than curious about Church and even wondered if it would be his story or Wheeler’s that would be next. Getting to read about these two made me quite giddy. While this may not be my favorite storyline from the Denver crew, it’s definitely one of the most interesting; primarily because the majority of this book took place outside of Denver which is totally different from the other storylines. I wasn’t sure how I was going to like reading about them but not having the usual suspects front and center. Even though Ayden and Jet moved to Texas, there story didn’t take place there. Towards the end I realized that these two weren’t meant to be in Denver, their story wasn’t a Denver story.

The storyline for these two was nothing like I expected. What was most different about these two was the fact that it was stated from the beginning that they were head over heels for each other; even if one half of this duo wasn’t willing to admit it. While Dixie made no point of hiding the fact that she was into Church and wanted him more than anything, Church on the other hand did his best to fight it or so he thought. These were two very strong characters who knew exactly what they wanted but where one didn’t quite know how to go about getting it, the other was afraid to actually go after it. What I also liked about this book was that it touched on the social issues of interracial dating and racism without making it the sole message in the storyline, (I have to admit, the description of Jules didn’t do much for me…I’m not a Shemar Moore fan). I also loved how Church came into his own with his emotions when it came to not only Dixie, but his dad, younger brother and Miss Elma. Once he let his feelings start to flow, there was no stopping this guy. I think one of the sweetest and sexiest lines from Church…

“I told you that you deserved to come first, so I’ll be wherever you want to be. You want to stay here then we’ll stay. You want to go back to Denver then we’ll go. You want to move to Austin and be Jet and Ayden’s neighbors then we’ll go there. I want you to be happy Dixie.”

If that didn’t just turn me into a puddle of mush!
Another hit from Jay!

Advanced Readers Copy Courtesy of Netgalley...:)

I am a huge fan of this author!!! I remember when she fist released Rule and even though it was her first book, I just knew she was something special......and like a fine wine, she just gets better and better as time goes on.....:)

This is the 3rd book in this series and I can honestly say I was ecstatic it was going to be Church's book. He has intrigued me since his character was first introduced and I wanted to get to know more about the quite handsome bouncer...

Dixie is a waitress at the "Bar" and she enjoys what she does. She has had a crush on Church since the moment she laid eyes in him. She has been waiting her whole life for her HEA and she believes that he is the one who is going to give it to her. After a year of pining for him and not getting anywhere she decides to try some online dating....Her dates end up being disastrous and when Church comes to her and asks her to do him a favor and come home with him to the place that he left 10 years ago, she agrees even though she knows he will probably end up breaking her heart.

Church left home 10 years ago when he enlisted in the Army. Her left to get away from the demons that tormented him there. Someone who means the world to him, is in the hospital and he now needs to go home and face all that he left behind.

This is a great read from start to finish and Church is one sexy beast of a man. The hotness factor was simply divine and I loved both characters in this book heaps.... Dixie is sassy, smart and one feisty little redhead. Church is all manly, growly and a huge big teddy bear at heart

Another great book from this fine author and I cant wait to read Wheelers book next!!!

Let me honest here, I went into this book having very high expectations because I've read Jay Crownover's previous books and loved them all, and this one did not disappoint. I loved the characters and their journey to falling in love with each other.

It's not easy to listen to your heart, when your head is sending you mixed signals. Her head is telling her, he's bad news. Her heart is drawn to his tormented soul. His head is telling him to stay away. His heart is begging for him to take a chance. Church and Dixie are wrapped up in a ball of confusion. From mutual attraction to dangerous secrets and heartbreaking betrayals this duo is hard to keep up with. Riveted is the first novel that I have read and it is electrifying to the senses how fast paced it is. Like a mini movie with a large impact.