About That Kiss (Heartbreaker Bay #5) by Jill Shalvis
When love drives you crazy . . .When sexy Joe Malone never calls after their explosive kiss, Kylie shoves him out of her mind. Until she needs a favor, and it’s a doozy. Something precious to her has been stolen and there’s only one person with unique finder-and-fixer skills that can help—Joe. It means swallowing her pride and somehow trying to avoid the temptation to throttle him—or seduce him.
the best thing to do . . .
No, Joe didn’t call after the kiss. He’s the fun time guy, not the forever guy. And Kylie, after all she’s been through, deserves a good man who will stay. But everything about Kylie makes it damned hard to focus, and though his brain knows what he has to do, his heart isn’t getting the memo.
… is enjoy the ride.
As Kylie and Joe go on the scavenger hunt of their lives, they discover surprising things about each other. Now, the best way for them to get over “that kiss” might just be to replace it with a hundred more.
Joe studied her. “I asked you once before, but now I’m going to ask you again. Is there something going on between you two?”
She tossed up her hands. “Why do you both keep asking me that about each other?”
His eyes narrowed. “I thought nothing was going on.”
“And before today, I could’ve passed a lie detector test on that,” she said.
“What happened today?”
She paused. Not because she had anything to be ashamed of, but because she wasn’t quite sure what
had happened.
“Kylie.”
She sighed. “It’s nothing.”
“Try again,” Joe said and gave her the very male universal go on gesture.
She rolled her eyes. “Fine. He . . . finally made a move on me.”
Joe didn’t budge. Not a blink, not a muscle twitch, nothing, but she could’ve popped corn off the electric tension coming off him.
“Describe ‘made a move,’ ” he finally said.
She crossed her arms. “And again, how is this relevant to my case?”
He just gave her that careful stare again and she thought wow, those eyes of his should be registered as a lethal weapon, because she found herself opening her mouth and spilling her guts. “He kissed me.”
“He kissed you.”
“Yeah,” she said. “Do you know that you often repeat what I say?”
“What kind of a kiss?” he asked.
She was momentarily bewildered. “I don’t know. It was a kiss. A normal kiss. A nice kiss.” She cocked her head at him. “How many kinds of kisses are there?”
He just looked at her for a long moment before coming toward her. He backed her to the wall and pressed his big hands on either side of her head.
“There are many kinds of kisses,” he said.
Her breath had backed up in her throat, where her heart had lodged, pounding wildly. “S-s-such as?”
“Such as this one.” And then he leaned in and covered her mouth with his.
At the touch of Joe’s mouth, Kylie’s brain stopped being capable of rational thought. His tongue gave a knee-weakening stroke against hers and she let out a shockingly needy moan as she clutched at him, fisting her hands in the material of his shirt at his chest. Only when he’d thoroughly plundered and pillaged and left her boneless did he lift his head and
look into her eyes.
“Wow,” she whispered, fully aware she was still holding on to him like he was a lifeline, but the bones in her legs had liquefied. “I mean . . .” She shook her head. “Wow.”
He nodded. “Yeah. So to be clear, that wasn’t ‘a normal kiss’ or even ‘a nice kiss.’ It was a ‘wow’ kiss. Any questions?”
“Just one,” she said softly. “Can I have another?”
Joe didn’t have to be asked twice. His mouth immediately descended again, his fingers sliding into her hair to change the angle of the kiss to suit him. It was a controlled, alpha thing to do, but she had only one thought—nothing about the usually carefully, purposely leashed Joe was in control at the moment.
And she liked it.
She had no idea how long they went at it because she was in absolute heaven. Who knew that the man could use his preferred silent mode to communicate in a way that she finally approved of?
Only when she was completely breathless and about to strip him down to his birthday suit did she manage to pull back.
“Any more questions?” he asked, also a little bit breathless, which was more than slightly gratifying. Dumbly, she shook her head. His eyes softened and he gently he stroked his thumb over her bottom lip. “And FYI? Gib’s an idiot.”
New York Times bestselling author Jill Shalvis lives in a small town in the Sierras full of quirky characters. Any resemblance to the quirky characters in her books is, um, mostly coincidental. Look for Jill’s bestselling, award-winning books wherever romances are sold and visit her website, www.jillshalvis.com, for a complete book list and daily blog detailing her city-girl-living-in-the-mountains adventures.
Title: About That Kiss: A Heartbreaker Bay Novel
Classification: Adult Fiction
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Series: Heartbreaker Bay
Fomat: Paperback: 384 pages
Publisher: Avon (January 23, 2018)
ISBN-10: 0062741772
ISBN-13: 978-0062741776
Author's Website:
Notes: I received an eARC loan from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
Once upon a time a girl and a guy fell in love, but it took a while. He didn't think he was the relationship type. She was a quiet introvert who didn't open up all that easily. Then a family heirloom goes missing and the two team up to find it. So after trying to deny it, and attempting to avoid it, they finally give in and fall and it all started with a kiss. A heat scorching, heat pounding, bone-melting, world rocking kiss.
About that kiss...
This past year Jill Shalvis was given the Centennial Award by RWA for the publication of her 100th novel. With each book she seems to up her game, and this one is something special. It's another fun loving, sweet-hearted, sexy as all get out romance with a little mystery thrown into to the mix and a whole lot of depth. It seems like Jill is spreading her wings and tackling some harder subjects. I wouldn't be surprised if this one gets nominated for a RITA. In my humble opinion, it was that good. This is the fifth book of the Heartbreaker Bay series and it can definitely be read as a standalone. Be forewarned, however, it's hard to stop with just one of her novels. They tend to be very addictive.
Kylie reminded me of a cross between Lucille Ball in I Love Lucy and Stephanie Plum from Janet Evanovich's series by the same name. As you read about all her attempts to disguise herself, you can't help but get an amused look on your face. Her attempts had me chuckling and shaking my head in equal measure. I'm thinking she watched one too many humorous detective shows (somehow Scooby-Doo comes to the forefront) and thought detective work was much easier than it is. She's actually very talented and artistic when it come to woodworking, which kind of runs in the family. She should definitely stick with that.
Joe reminded me a bit of Ranger of the Stephanie Plum series. He's gorgeous, has a dangerous air about him, and is all alpha male. He works for a private investigation service and Kylie makes him laugh which is something no one else seems capable of doing. To her he seems to be one big contradiction from head to toe. Badass and ready to save the world one minute, deceptively playful the next. He's got a lot of emotional baggage and his dad isn't exactly the kind of person you want to bring your friends home to. His dad suffers from PTSD and isn't the easiest person to deal with. His dad has a tendency to answer the door with a gun in his hand, and you are never quite sure whether or not he'll use it. Joe's dad's illness led to him and his sister growing up fast and hard after their mother died. At the tender age of ten he'd assumed the parental role of the family.
At first glance, Kylie and Joe seem like complete opposites, but they actually do share something in common. Each is haunted by something in their past. This is where the depth in the story comes from. Each needs to work through their feelings of guilt in order to move on, and together they do just that.
I couldn't help but give this one 5 out of 5 roses. It was a fun, witty, heart warming and emotionally moving romance. I loved watching these two fall for one another, and their chemistry was so hot I thought my e-reader would spontaneously combust. This one had a little sugar and spice and a whole lot of hot and steamy nights cause that's what good romances are made of. On the Lisarenee Romance Rating Scale, this one earned a STEAM rating--too hot for a fan, but you still have a handle on things. You should use extreme caution when reading a book with this rating in public. People may inquire as to why you looked flustered and flushed. I simply adored it.
(One Snowy Night and Holiday Wishes are Novellas)
a Rafflecopter giveaway
As Kylie and Joe go on the scavenger hunt of their lives, they discover surprising things about each other. Now, the best way for them to get over “that kiss” might just be to replace it with a hundred more.
Joe studied her. “I asked you once before, but now I’m going to ask you again. Is there something going on between you two?”
She tossed up her hands. “Why do you both keep asking me that about each other?”
His eyes narrowed. “I thought nothing was going on.”
“And before today, I could’ve passed a lie detector test on that,” she said.
“What happened today?”
She paused. Not because she had anything to be ashamed of, but because she wasn’t quite sure what
had happened.
“Kylie.”
She sighed. “It’s nothing.”
“Try again,” Joe said and gave her the very male universal go on gesture.
She rolled her eyes. “Fine. He . . . finally made a move on me.”
Joe didn’t budge. Not a blink, not a muscle twitch, nothing, but she could’ve popped corn off the electric tension coming off him.
“Describe ‘made a move,’ ” he finally said.
She crossed her arms. “And again, how is this relevant to my case?”
He just gave her that careful stare again and she thought wow, those eyes of his should be registered as a lethal weapon, because she found herself opening her mouth and spilling her guts. “He kissed me.”
“He kissed you.”
“Yeah,” she said. “Do you know that you often repeat what I say?”
“What kind of a kiss?” he asked.
She was momentarily bewildered. “I don’t know. It was a kiss. A normal kiss. A nice kiss.” She cocked her head at him. “How many kinds of kisses are there?”
He just looked at her for a long moment before coming toward her. He backed her to the wall and pressed his big hands on either side of her head.
“There are many kinds of kisses,” he said.
Her breath had backed up in her throat, where her heart had lodged, pounding wildly. “S-s-such as?”
“Such as this one.” And then he leaned in and covered her mouth with his.
At the touch of Joe’s mouth, Kylie’s brain stopped being capable of rational thought. His tongue gave a knee-weakening stroke against hers and she let out a shockingly needy moan as she clutched at him, fisting her hands in the material of his shirt at his chest. Only when he’d thoroughly plundered and pillaged and left her boneless did he lift his head and
look into her eyes.
“Wow,” she whispered, fully aware she was still holding on to him like he was a lifeline, but the bones in her legs had liquefied. “I mean . . .” She shook her head. “Wow.”
He nodded. “Yeah. So to be clear, that wasn’t ‘a normal kiss’ or even ‘a nice kiss.’ It was a ‘wow’ kiss. Any questions?”
“Just one,” she said softly. “Can I have another?”
Joe didn’t have to be asked twice. His mouth immediately descended again, his fingers sliding into her hair to change the angle of the kiss to suit him. It was a controlled, alpha thing to do, but she had only one thought—nothing about the usually carefully, purposely leashed Joe was in control at the moment.
And she liked it.
She had no idea how long they went at it because she was in absolute heaven. Who knew that the man could use his preferred silent mode to communicate in a way that she finally approved of?
Only when she was completely breathless and about to strip him down to his birthday suit did she manage to pull back.
“Any more questions?” he asked, also a little bit breathless, which was more than slightly gratifying. Dumbly, she shook her head. His eyes softened and he gently he stroked his thumb over her bottom lip. “And FYI? Gib’s an idiot.”
Jill Shalvis
Connect with her on:
Her Website: http://jillshalvis.com/
Facebook: @JillShalvis
Twitter: @JillShalvis
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jillshalvis/
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/jillshalvis/
Tumblr: http://jillshalvis.tumblr.com/
Classification: Adult Fiction
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Series: Heartbreaker Bay
Fomat: Paperback: 384 pages
Publisher: Avon (January 23, 2018)
ISBN-10: 0062741772
ISBN-13: 978-0062741776
Author's Website:
Notes: I received an eARC loan from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
Once upon a time a girl and a guy fell in love, but it took a while. He didn't think he was the relationship type. She was a quiet introvert who didn't open up all that easily. Then a family heirloom goes missing and the two team up to find it. So after trying to deny it, and attempting to avoid it, they finally give in and fall and it all started with a kiss. A heat scorching, heat pounding, bone-melting, world rocking kiss.
About that kiss...
Kylie reminded me of a cross between Lucille Ball in I Love Lucy and Stephanie Plum from Janet Evanovich's series by the same name. As you read about all her attempts to disguise herself, you can't help but get an amused look on your face. Her attempts had me chuckling and shaking my head in equal measure. I'm thinking she watched one too many humorous detective shows (somehow Scooby-Doo comes to the forefront) and thought detective work was much easier than it is. She's actually very talented and artistic when it come to woodworking, which kind of runs in the family. She should definitely stick with that.
Joe reminded me a bit of Ranger of the Stephanie Plum series. He's gorgeous, has a dangerous air about him, and is all alpha male. He works for a private investigation service and Kylie makes him laugh which is something no one else seems capable of doing. To her he seems to be one big contradiction from head to toe. Badass and ready to save the world one minute, deceptively playful the next. He's got a lot of emotional baggage and his dad isn't exactly the kind of person you want to bring your friends home to. His dad suffers from PTSD and isn't the easiest person to deal with. His dad has a tendency to answer the door with a gun in his hand, and you are never quite sure whether or not he'll use it. Joe's dad's illness led to him and his sister growing up fast and hard after their mother died. At the tender age of ten he'd assumed the parental role of the family.
At first glance, Kylie and Joe seem like complete opposites, but they actually do share something in common. Each is haunted by something in their past. This is where the depth in the story comes from. Each needs to work through their feelings of guilt in order to move on, and together they do just that.
I couldn't help but give this one 5 out of 5 roses. It was a fun, witty, heart warming and emotionally moving romance. I loved watching these two fall for one another, and their chemistry was so hot I thought my e-reader would spontaneously combust. This one had a little sugar and spice and a whole lot of hot and steamy nights cause that's what good romances are made of. On the Lisarenee Romance Rating Scale, this one earned a STEAM rating--too hot for a fan, but you still have a handle on things. You should use extreme caution when reading a book with this rating in public. People may inquire as to why you looked flustered and flushed. I simply adored it.
Order of the Hearbreaker Bay series:
(One Snowy Night and Holiday Wishes are Novellas)
Win a copy of About That Kiss by Jill Shalvis
(US and Canada ONLY)
Order your copy at:
Amazon: http://amzn.to/2DlmmZs
IndieBound: http://bit.ly/2DHAnxo
Barnes & Noble: http://bit.ly/2mGIuC8
Books-A-Million: http://bit.ly/2ETb4Id
iBooks: https://apple.co/2Dhxp1F
GooglePlay: http://bit.ly/2EsNr99
Love the series. Jill Shalvis's books are awesome especially with her humor she adds to the stories.
ReplyDeleteMy favorite romance genre is Historical Scottish Romance.
Carol Luciano
Lucky4750 at aol dot com
My favorite type of romance is friends to lovers!
ReplyDeleteI finally read Jill's Lucky Harbor series last year - loved that series!
ReplyDeletesallans d at yahoo dot com