Sex, Love & Stiletto #4
Lauren Layne
Ebook, 237 pages
3rd March 2015 by Random House
Contemporary Romance
Goodreads Ratings : 4.34/5
My Rating : 5/5
As Lauren Layne’s salacious Sex, Love & Stiletto series returns, a jaded columnist discovers a steamy way to get over an old flame: falling for him all over again.
As Stiletto magazine’s authority on all things breakup-and-heartache, Emma Sinclair writes from personal experience. Five years ago, Emma was Charlotte, North Carolina’s darling debutante and a blushing bride-to-be. Now she’s the ice queen of the Manhattan dating scene. Emma left her sultry Southern drawl behind, but not even her closest friends know that with it she left her heart. Now Emma’s latest article forces her to face her demons—namely, the devilishly sexy guy who ditched her at the altar.
After giving up everything for a pro-soccer career, Alex Cassidy watches his dreams crumble as a knee injury sidelines him for good. Now he’s hanging up his cleats and giving journalism a shot. It’s just a coincidence that he happens to pick a job in the same field, and the same city, as his former fiancée . . . right? But when Emma moves in next door, it’s no accident. It’s research. And Alex can’t help wondering what might have been. Unlike the innocent girl he remembers, this Emma is chic, sophisticated, and assertive—and she wants absolutely nothing to do with him. The trouble is, Alex has never wanted her more.
From Goodreads
Actually, I am taking a break from reading this month. I've been through 5-6 books I think this past week and I DNF-ed all of them. Every single one. I thought maybe I got tired from all these reading activities so I decided to take a break. Plus, I have final semester exam coming in less than a month so a break sounds good because I need to get my head in the game. You know.
Things were going great until I got a notification saying that a book is gonna be released on the 3rd March and of all books, its this one particular book which I actually have been waiting for months. So yep, ladies and gentlemen, its just the fourth day and I already broke my reading hiatus. I EVEN FINISHED IT IN ONE DAY. I JUST COULDNT WAIT OKAY. The best part is, the torturous waiting and the broken mission IS REALLY REALLY WORTH IT. THE TROUBLE WITH LOVE IS JUST SO DAMN GOOD !!!11
Ever since book two (Just One Night) happened where I was introduced to Emma-Cassidy, I was riled up. All I ever knew were Emma Sinclair and Alex Cassidy were once engaged, and Cassidy left her at the altar. like whaaaaaaaaaat ?! THATS NOT ENOUGH EXPLANATION OKAY I NEED MORE. GIVE ME ALL THE JUICY DETAILS NOW. Well, until this book happened, that is. And when it did, I was blown away. all. across. Antartic. because. of. the. feels. THE. FEELS.
It's funny, intense, hot, sexy, sad, sweet and heart warming all at once. But then again, Lauren Layne has always managed to make me feel that way with her books. So it is safe to say that this book is not a disappointment, at all. If anything, it reminds me of how much love I have for her books.
So Emma Sinclair and Alex Cassidy were engaged. But the wedding was canceled. Just what actually happened, right ? This whole plot development went pretty slow actually as more insight were given, hidden feelings were exposed and the old painful memories comes back. But it works pretty well for me as finally, I got the big picture. BUT BUT BUT OH MY GOD, the reason why it happened made my heart aches along with Emma and Cassidy. I mean, Emma was bitter and closed off since then. And I'm cool with that. Heartbreak and bad break ups can do nasty thing to people sometimes. Not everyone can be as bubbly as Julie is or as outspoken as Riley is by the way. But if those misunderstanding (for the lack of better word) didnt happen, they wouldnt have to experience all those 7 years of misery and torture.
ALEX CASSIDY. Just his name alone could bring out the girl in me. I really love how guy-ish he is. I mean, just read this :
Cole leaned forward and reached out a hand. "Lemme see the orgasm bit."
Alex ignored him, pulling a sheet of paper from the top and shaking it. "This one is two thousand words about push-up bras. About the brands, and the way they should fit, and listen to this: 'The trick with the appeal of push-up bras is to know what kind of guy you're dealing with. Is he visual? If so, he's not going to mind that you had a little help to achieve that fantastic cleavage. But if he's more tactile, you might want to consider skipping all that padding...He wants to feel the real you.'"
Alex let the paper flutter to the desk in horror. "I just...I can't even."
and and and
Alex clicked his pen and fought for calm. She was right, of course. He should be responding to her as editor-in-chief. Not as personal anything.
But with every day that passed, Alex seemed to grow more aware of their history. More conscious of their unfinished business.
More aware of Emma.
As a woman.
As his woman.
Well. Former.
Damn it.
SEEEEE ??1?!!?!!?
/swoon/
But theres one thing missing about this book, I mean, this book is all about second chance romance. Which literally means they already had the 'romance' thing the first time around. I actually have been waiting for a peek at their good old memories, you know, the happiness they went through before the incident happened. Lauren basically went on and on and on about the 'incident' and the heartaches and pain that not much 'young and in love Emma and Cassidy' was pictured.
But who am I kidding ? I still love this book - this series - with my heart and soul. I love how relax, alive, funny and charming all the characters are. I love this whole Julie-Mitchell, Jake-Grace, Sam-Riley and Emma-Cassidy gang/group. I love their friendship. I love how supportive they are to each other. I love their careers. I love their banters :
"I brought desert," Riley said, holding up a box of cupcakes.
"I told you I made dessert!" Julie said.
"Right you did. I totally forgot," Riley said, exchanging a glance with Mitchell.
Julie caught it and spun around to glare at her fiance. "What did you tell her?"
"I told her nothing," Mitchell said. "No words were exchanged."
Julie's eyes narrowed as Mitchell took a sip of wine. "I may have sent her apicture of your, um, cake."
"I baked," Julie announced to everyone else with a happy nod.
"That's great, honey!" Grace replied. Then she turned her head toward Riley and spoke out of the corner of her mouth. "Good call on the cupcakes."
Julie pointed a finger. "Just for that, you have to try the first bite of my cake."
Basically just everything. By the end of the book, I was all like, "No, this is not enough. I need more. Moreeeeeee." But I supposed its a good thing, right ? Wanting more ?
I dont want to let go of this series just yet. I hope theres another one coming up soon. A book on Cole Sharpe, perhaps ? /wriggling eyebrows/
I know Lauren's going to release Crushed this year (which is awesome btw), but if there is ever news on book 5 of the Stiletto series, or book 3 of The Best Mistake series, I'd be over the moon, Lauren. Seriously.
"He was the bad guy. He got that.
Preferred it, even. Because being cast as the villain was a hell of a lot better than everyone knowing that you'd spent you wedding day half-drunk, feeling like there was a crater where your heart should have been." - Alex Cassidy, The Trouble with Love
