Stay
By Hilary Wynne
(Alexa Reed #1)
Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance
Synopsis
Set against the
steamy and sultry world of South Beach, Florida, a modern romance unfolds in
Stay.
Alexa is
beautiful, independent and hard to resist for serially unattached Julian.
Neither one is looking for a relationship, but their palpable chemistry and
instant emotional connection is too strong to ignore. For the first time in
years, Julian is interested in more than just sex. He wants a relationship with
intoxicating Alexa, but it’s not that simple. Not only are Julian and Alexa
struggling with the intensity of this new relationship, but they also have to
contend with Luke, Alexa’s best friend, whose own love for her leaves him
willing to do anything to convince her that Julian is not the man for her.
Luke’s determination and Alexa’s secret past threaten to tear Julian and Alexa
apart as she struggles to open her heart to love. Julian and Alexa embark upon
a roller-coaster ride of emotional and physical passion that both pulls them
apart and holds them together. Despite their affinity for each other, Alexa
fears that Julian will leave when he learns about her past and Julian is unsure
he can love a woman who in so many ways remains a mystery, a woman who keeps
threatening to run, a woman who can’t decide if she is going to STAY.
My Thoughts
“You know now that this is really going to happen, right, Alexa?”
He points to himself and then to me.
“And it’s going to be amazing.”
“Not just amazing,
Julian. It’s going to be epic.”
Yep, that quote sums up this book perfectly……amazing
and epic!!
Alexa Reed has basically stopped living life to
the fullest after the death of her boyfriend, Brady, 11 months ago. Unable to have her heart broke in two again;
she really does not care if she ever has a boyfriend again. When her friends finally convince Lexie to go
out with them one night, Lexie is finally enjoying herself and having a blast! Not paying attention to where she is going,
she bumps right into the bar owner – no other than the gorgeous Julian Bauer –
spilling her drink on him. She had
wanted to run into this sexy man, but this was not what she had in mind. But, as they touch, there is something there
- something electric, and Lexie wants to know more about this sexy man. Noticing the obvious flirting between Lexie
and Julian during the course of the night, Luke, Lexie’s best friend, warns her
that Julian is not a man she needs to be involved with. But does Luke have Lexie’s best interests in
mind, or does he love her more than a friend?
Lexie is beautiful, feisty, smart and witty…and
very emotionally complicated. I really
liked her, but at times, I just wanted to reach into the pages and slap some
sense into her. For someone so smart, at
times she just did not have a clue, especially when it came to Luke.
Julian Bauer is every woman’s dream man. He is the owner of Hotel Del Marco and he is
not only rich, he’s sexy, smart and sweet.
Of course, Lexie does not listen to Luke’s warning and falls into an
intense relationship with Julian. The
two of them are so good together. The
sexual chemistry is amazing and they just ‘click’ so perfectly. But, Lexie is scared of trusting anyone after
what happened with her ex, Brady. This
girl is an emotional wreck. She has so
many demons she is fighting, and Julian is right there with her giving her all
the support she needs. But, she keeps
pushing him away….it was so frustrating at times! It’s obvious that Julian has fallen hard for
Lexie, and he has the patience of a saint.
With Lexie’s issues, I don’t know of many men that would put up with
such craziness. But Julian does, and gosh I love him for it.
“Julian, with you,
everything is…amplified. My emotions, my
desires, they’re stronger than they should be.
All of my senses are heightened when you’re around.”
This book was such an emotional roller coaster
for me. It had everything I love to read
in a romance novel – hot steamy sex, intrigue, humor and realistic characters that
you become emotionally invested in. From page one, I was captivated and read
the entire story like my life depended on it.
I had to know the outcome and I desperately needed Lexie to open up and
give her heart to Julian. This intense story was so well-written and the plot
flowed so effortlessly I felt as though I was right there in the story with the
characters. I totally loved this epic story and can’t wait to start the second
book of this amazing series.
Purchase Links
About the Author
Have you ever
woken up one day and said, “Today’s the day I’m going to do (insert thing
here)?”
Well, I did,
and the result is my first novel, Stay.
I always thought of myself as a decent writer, and then a trip down
memory lane through my ninth grade book of poetry confirmed it. I realize that I have always had a romantic
side and a way with words. With support from my husband and kids (and an
unspoken agreement to leave me alone for a few hours every night), I embarked
on this incredible writing journey.
I’m originally
from sunny Southern California and spent my summers in South Florida. I
attended college at FSU and received my Masters in New Mexico. I finally
settled in the Washington, DC area. My happy place has always been anywhere
near the water.
When I’m not
writing, I help run a business with my husband, watch an inordinate amount of
sports (my kids play something 365 days a year), indulge my competitive spirit
on the tennis court, and spend time with my awesome family and friends.
I am an avid
reader, but find my characters feel neglected when I hang out with other
author’s characters for too long. When I do read, historical fiction is my
favorite genre. I love traveling and experiencing different cultures, places,
and times.
I feel so
blessed that my love of books inspired me to finally do something that I forgot
I had always dreamed about doing.
Wow this sounds like an awesome romance and I have been having no luck with paranormal books lately so sticking with this genre is what I'll do! ;)
ReplyDeleteIt was totally AWESOME and I am so happy I had the opportunity to review it!
DeleteStay is very emotional but beautiful book by Hilary Wynne. You will fall-in-love with Alexa and Julian :-) Winning a paperback is the sweetest prize to win :-)
ReplyDeleteThere isn't enough words too describe how reading the book Stay by Hilary Wynne made me feel. There were times that I wanted to crawl into the book and grab a hold of Alexis and shake some sense into her, at other times my heart broke for her. Meeting a man like Julian is everyone woman's dream. He is simply amazing. This book will make you cry, laugh and you will root for this couple to Stay together! They are officially one of my favorite book couples. I'm team Julian. Well done Hilary, this is a must read and a book to buy!
ReplyDelete