T.K. Leigh

This book has been on my TBR list for a couple of years now and I wish I had read it earlier!

Set in bustling New York City, this truly romantic and heartfelt story pairs a captivating woman who has a fondness for words and a mysterious man with a magnetic persona.

Guinevere Fitzgerald aka Evie's hope to get a marriage proposal from her boyfriend of 12 years fails miserably as he dumps her instead... on her birthday. Surely that calls for a drunken pity fest with her best friends as she show more regales the whole bar with her life story including her humiliation on her thirtieth birthday. She tells the story with laughter and animation as only Evie knows, but she's dying inside with heartbreak and loss. Something only a stranger like billionaire Julian Gage can see. He's a man with his own heartbreak and sadness and that night in the bar is his turning point as he offers to help her either win back her boyfriend or at least find her confidence again. Reluctantly Evie accepts Julian's offer of a fake relationship with no kissing and no fooling around, but at what cost? And what does he get out of it?

I love Evie and Julian's story! I love that Julian calls her Guinevere when she asks him to call her Evie and I love that they both like the movie Breakfast at Tiffany's. Evie is so witty and focused. She has planned everything in her life, from her career to the man she will fall in love with. But life doesn't always go according to plan. She thought she had it all until her world comes crashing down and the man she thought she knew and loved crushed her dreams by dissing her job as a dating columnist and claiming she's not good enough for him. Being the determined woman Evie is, she decides that she would change and win him back. Ugh! Not her best moment. In walks the gorgeous and sexy Julian as he offers to help her get her ex back by making him jealous. But who is this guy? He's aloof one minute and charming the next. He seems to deprive himself of love and happiness, but he's so giving to others. Evie is his salvation as she makes him laugh again and shows him happiness in her down-to-earth and quirky ways. Julian is so appealing and certainly knows how to treat a woman. He doesn't hide his growing attraction to her, but he vows he cannot give her love. It's so frustrating as my heart breaks for both of them. Just when I couldn't take the sexual tension anymore and he's walking away I'm rewarded with a very hot and steamy union. Yummy!!! But he hasn't told her everything yet and will it be the end of them. Wait for the grand gesture, folks. It's worth waiting for!

What a fantastic start to a series! The characters are loveable, funny, and tragic which is certainly an intriguing combination. Julian teaches her how to live. Evie teaches him how to love. I couldn't put this book down finishing it late into the night. I can't wait to read more by this amazing author. show less

Wow! There's nothing quite like a good revenge story. The sense of justice being served after a long period of suffering and injustice is a satisfying feeling. And when it's loosely based on a classic like The Count of Monte Cristo, it's even better.

Told from Gideon and Imogene's points of view, the story slowly unfolds as Gideon seeks vengeance against those who left him for dead.

Gideon's story is a tragic one. After narrowly escaping death five years ago, he's forced to make a choice show more between love and revenge. His face has been reconstructed, and he's no longer the man he once was, both physically and emotionally. As he stalks his enemies, there's a sense of unease that permeates the story. But Imogene is not afraid of him - she feels a deep connection with him that she can't explain.

One of the strengths of this book is the complexity of the characters. Gideon is an anti-hero. He's a flawed, damaged man who's consumed by living in the past. Imogene, on the other hand, is a strong, independent woman who is ready to move on from the past. My heart bleeds for the shitshow Imogene is about to uncover and, of course, the interesting cliffhanger in this trilogy has me eager to find out what other retributions Gideon has up his sleeve.

If you enjoy romantic suspense with complex characters and a gripping plot, this book is definitely worth a read. Book 2 here I come!

Thank you to Ms. Leigh for giving me the opportunity to read this book with no expectation of a positive review. show less

This was a really good read. It could have been a great read, but I had to knock a star off because of Evie. I didn't like her for pretty much the whole book. When her boyfriend of 12 years dumps her on her birthday, instead of being furious for him being a complete douchebag, she thinks "Hey! I'll just stay right here, doing everything for him, and he'll see that he made a mistake, and take me back!" Uhh, what?! Now, you're thinking that her feelings might change after she sees him 2 weeks show more later with another girl, but nope. She still wants the jerk back. Enter Julian and their plan. I really liked Julian, he was a good guy, and he had good intentions for doing the things that he does. He does lie to Evie, and I felt like he should have told her the truth sooner. I felt like Evie was very harsh in the way she dealt with it. She was willing to take Trevor back after wasting 12 years with him, but wasn't even willing to let Julian explain. Now she eventually gets her head out of her butt, but I won't even start on what it takes to do that. Just that I wanted to smack her upside the head. Now, the ending was very sweet, and I liked seeing them get their HEA, mainly because Evie made Julian feel loved. I liked the secondary characters. Chloe and Nora were great friends to Evie, and I thought Sadie made a great new friend. Although I didn't like this heroine that much, the writing itself was great, and I will be looking for more from this author.
I voluntarily reviewed an advanced readers copy of this book. show less

I don't even know where to start with this book. I am just going to tell you many reasons why you don't want to wait to read this book:
1. It's written by T.K. Leigh ('nough said there).
2. You get the younger Cam.
3. You will get a more clear picture on Cam, which will give you more insight to him from Heart of Light.
4. Marley is a kick-ass character.
5. You WILL ugly cry---if you don't, you're an athiest (well, not really, but I would think there is something wrong with you).
6. The connection show more between Marley and Cam is undeniably strong and emotional---you can't help but to love them both.
7. This book is written by T.K. Leigh. (Wait, did I say that already? Oh well.)

Seriously, I couldn't get enough of this story. It is heart-breaking, gut-wrenching, and overwhelming (in the best way possible)! We kind of know how the book will end from reading Heart of Light and the Beautiful Mess series, but that doesn't change the shock and awe of it. The brutality and realness of it will bring you to your knees.

Yet, another, MUST read from T.K.. I just can't get enough of her writing!!!! show less