Book Review: Love and Always (A Pound of Flesh #1.5) by Sophie Jackson

Love and Always
A Pound of Flesh #1.5

By:
Sophie Jackson

Published:
August 3, 2015

Publisher:
Pocket Star

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Goodreads

Source:
eARC from publisher in exchange for a honest review

GR's Summary:

Orange Is the New Black meets Jennifer Probst’s New York Times bestselling Marriage to a Billionaire trilogy, in this e-novella of love and redemption in the sensational A Pound of Flesh series. 

When prison tutor Kat Lane met arrogant inmate Wesley Carter in A Pound of Flesh, it was hate at first sight. Carter’s quick wit and reputation for being as dangerous as he was handsome kept her at a distance. But as they grew to know each other as teacher and student in the New York prison, Kat found there was much more to Carter than she thought. 

In Love and Always, Kat and Carter’s story continues as they share the news of their engagement—which doesn’t go over well with Kat’s mother. On top of it all, Carter has a new role as CEO of WCS Communications, which adds more pressure to his new life outside prison. Trying to juggle family, a billion dollar business, and Carter’s best friend Max’s rehab stint doesn’t leave much time for the happy couple to enjoy each other. How will Kat and Carter handle the pressures of marriage, family, and work—and keep the passion alive through it all?

A Pound of Flesh Series:

My Review of A Pound of Flesh Here

 *Add this Series to Goodreads Here

My Thoughts:

Love and Always was a super short and faced-paced novella.  It picks up right where we left off at in, A Pound of Flesh.  It's not necessary to read this novella.  However, if you are like me, and enjoy learning about two characters after they get their happily ever after, you might want to pick this one up!

Kat and Carter are still madly and passionately in love with one another.  They are in a monogamous serious relationship, and are living together in Carter's beautiful beach house.  Now that real life is setting in, Carter is adjusting to being a CEO for WCS Communications, learning how to get along with Kat's mother, Eva, (who isn't his biggest fan,) and helping hold down the fort as his best friend Max attends rehab for drug addiction.  Max has a very painful backstory, and I can't wait for this poor guy to find some peace and happiness in his life.  Max's story is next story in the series, and it is called, An Ounce of Hope.  I am really looking forward to it.

Love and Always wasn't very detailed, due to it's short length.  Nonetheless, I enjoyed reading about the passionate love and romance between Kat and Carter, and was thrilled to get more Nana Boo (Kat's grandmother).  She is one of my favorite characters.  Imagine a strong, independent, nurturing, loving, "tell it like it is" woman, and you can imagine Nana Boo. Love and Always had some happy moments, some really sweet and touching moments, as well as a sad moment.  It was a pleasure to read, and has me anticipating, An Ounce of Hope even more now!  

My Rating:

I give, Love and Always, by Sophie Jackson, 3.5 Ardent Love, Going the Distance, New Beginnings Filled stars!  If you enjoyed A Pound of Flesh, and don't want to say goodbye to Kat and Carter's story, I suggest you read Love and Always.

Book Teasers:

Purchase At:

Amazon | Barnes and Noble | Kobo

About Sophie Jackson:

Sophie is an English teacher from Chorley in North West England. As a child she read and wrote furiously, and continued to scratch that creative itch as an adult when, in 2008, she began contributing to the web’s leading fan fiction site after reading the Twilight series. Sophie wrote and posted a number of stories, chapter by chapter, and built up an impressive following. Now, after 4.5 million reads online, A Pound of Flesh is available in print for the first time.

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Book Review: A Pound of Flesh (A Pound of Flesh #1) by Sophie Jackson

A Pound of Flesh

A Pound of Flesh #1

By:
Sophie Jackson

Release Date:
June 9, 2015

Publisher:
Gallery Books

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Source:
eARC from publisher for a honest review

GR's Summary:

Lose your heart to your new bad boy book boyfriend. Wes Carter - sexy, edgy, behind bars, with emotional scars as permanent as the ink on his skin, just waiting to be healed by love... 

Fans of Samantha Young, Jodi Ellen Malpas, Jamie McGuire, Katy Evans and Prison Break will find this powerful love story utterly addictive and unforgettable. 

Their love is forbidden. But won't be denied... Can true love heal the deepest scars? 

For Kat Lane, teaching inmates at a New York prison is her way of upholding the legacy of her beloved father, murdered fifteen years ago. But when new student Wes Carter walks into her classroom, she's shaken by the strength of her attraction to him. Carter is as handsome as he is dangerous, as mysterious as he is quick-witted - and he ensures people keep their distance. Yet vibrant Kat bypasses his defences and challenges him to reveal the real man behind the intimidating reputation. As their emotional barriers crumble, their inescapable but forbidden feelings cannot be ignored. But will Kat's discovery of Carter's role on the night her father died force them apart...or bind their hearts for ever? 

A Pound of Flesh is a tale of loyalty, redemption and all-consuming love against the odds, introducing an irresistible bad boy hero...

A Pound of Flesh Series:

Add this Series to Goodreads Here

My Thoughts:

A Pound of Flesh was an intriguing and compelling read.  The first thing I noticed about this story was the title.  Right away, I wondered if, A Pound of Flesh, had a connection to the plot in, The Merchant of Venice by William Shakespeare.  Sure enough, paying one's debt was an important theme that held weight in this story.  There were a lot of references made to various pieces of literature throughout the story, that I enjoyed learning about.  This was a story with substance and depth.  

Ms. Jackson hooked me with the suspenseful and dark beginning of the story.  We learn of a traumatic experience that occurred and the way it connects to the present time.  Kat Lane lost her father at a young age, and she made a promise to him before he died; she would give back to the community.  Therefore, Kate has taken a job teaching Literature at the Arthur Kill Correctional Facility.  

While teaching, Kat meets Wes "Carter," an inmate and one of her new students.  At first, Kat and Carter don't get along and have a tense and antagonistic relationship.  However, Kat wins Carter over with her beauty, intelligence, fiery passion, and huge heat.  Kat is attracted to Carter's masculinity, wit, and learning that there is a hidden depth to him.  Feelings of attraction, sizzling chemistry, and genuine caring grow between Kat and Carter.  However, there is a strict non-fraternization policy in Kat's teaching contract, and entering a relationship could cost Kat her career.  

I love stories about forbidden romance, and this one completely pulled me in.  Kat and Carter were fleshed out characters full of depth, many layers, and secrets.  The plot was suspenseful, romantic, heartwarming, and passionate.  My only critique of the story would be that it was a bit too long.  I thought it was excellent, but by the end, I was ready for it to end, because it dragged on.  

Fans of Hard Time by Cara McKenna, should check out this story.  They both have similar themes, are fantastic, yet very different stories.  The second story in the series, Love and Always, is the continuation of Kat and Carter's story.  I'm looking forward to seeing how everything plays out between these two characters!     

My Rating:

I give, A Pound of Flesh, by Sophie Jackson, 4 Gripping, Suspenseful, Tender, Romantic, Feverish-Passion Filled Stars!  

Book Teaser:

Purchase At:

Amazon | B&N | iBooks | IndieBound 

About Sophie Jackson:

Sophie is an English teacher from Chorley in North West England. As a child she read and wrote furiously, and continued to scratch that creative itch as an adult when, in 2008, she began contributing to the web’s leading fan fiction site after reading the Twilight series. Sophie wrote and posted a number of stories, chapter by chapter, and built up an impressive following. Now, after 4.5 million reads online, A Pound of Flesh is available in print for the first time.

Website | Goodreads | Facebook | Twitter

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