Review: On the rocks (Last Call #1) by Sawyer Bennett

"ebook"

Genre: New Adult contemporary romance

Publication date: February 2014

Publisher: Big Dog Books, LLC

Read: August 2014

Rating: ★★★★☆

Summary

He left to travel the world for fame and glory, but only after spurning Gabby Ward and crushing her young heart. Now Hunter Markham has come back home to the sand and salty breeze of the North Carolina Outer Banks so he can open up Last Call, a beach bar nestled among the dunes of the Atlantic. 

Gabby Ward is not happy that Hunter has returned. Bitter over his rebuff years before, she’s content to stay far away from him and his dangerously charming ways. 
Gabby’s well-schemed plans to ignore Hunter go up in flames when he presents an offer to her that she simply can’t refuse, throwing them together in a common quest to each reach their goals. Working together day in and day out proves to be problematic for Gabby, who soon realizes that the feelings she had for him are still very much alive. Hunter struggles to reach through to Gabby’s cold heart, all while starting a new career away from his life as a top ranked, professional surfer.
What starts out as a mutual business arrangement soon turns into a passion that neither of them can continue to deny. 
Hard choices lay ahead for both of them when Hunter is offered a once in a lifetime opportunity to return to the pro surfing tour.
Choices that could destroy what they have built or take them further than they ever had dared to hope.

My thoughts

I've been reading a lot of free New Adult Romance ebooks lately and I read the summary of this one and it caught my interest. Though, I didn't know if I was going to like this ebook or not. I don't like books where the "sex" scenes are really, I mean really really detailed, where the man is very controlling and the woman is very weak. But I figured I should give it a chance. It turns out to be a very good story. I noticed some writing errors but it's fine, we all make mistakes even if we edit the text for the thousandth time. Nobody is perfect right? I thought I was going to hate Hunter after I read the prologue but when the real story started, I changed my opinion on him. I didn't know if Gabby is a brave woman at the beginning but I really hoped she was because I HATE weak female characters, especially on this specific genre. The beginning was a lot of fun, I loved reading how Hunter & Gabby argued. I liked how he flirts with her and she tried her best to look annoyed. I admire the fact that Gabby didn't tell Hunter her real feelings about him because she had doubts on whether their relationship is just about sex and nothing more and while reading her thoughts I really understood her situation. I was having doubts on their relationship and Hunter also because of what happened five years ago. The moment I read how Brody acted around Alyssa, I knew the second book was going to be about them and I couldn't wait to read it even if I haven't finish this first book. I love how supportive Casey, Alyssa and Savannah are about Hunter and Gabby's relationship, It's really important that your close friends approve on who you're dating otherwise it will suck. I loved John, he's such a good friend and I don't know if he's going to have a book in this series but I hope he does because I love him. I didn't hate Sasha's character. I think she had to be part of this to make this story a bit more interesting. I really recommend this ebook, it's free so if you don't like it at least you wouldn't waste your money.

Next book of the series

"Make it a double"

Brody Markham has endured a nightmare, spending the last five years in prison and losing everything that was dear to him. Now he’s back home, trying to survive in a world he doesn’t recognize anymore. While his family and friends desperately try to reach through to him, he shelters himself further and further away from their love.

Alyssa Myers has worked her entire life to distance herself from the luxurious and privileged lifestyle in which she was raised. Running her non-profit agency, The Haven, she is content to spend her days helping abused animals find sanctuary, which fulfills her in a way that money just can’t buy.

Maybe it’s that she recognizes in Brody some of the same characteristics she sees in her homeless wards, but Alyssa is powerless to stop her personal quest to make Brody whole again.

While Brody struggles to surface from the darkness, Alyssa tries to protect her heart in case he’s not willing to accept the light that she offers him.