Jagged
Colorado Mountain #5
By: Kristen Ashley
Published: Sept. 30, 2014
Publisher: Forever Romance
Source: Publisher
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GR's Summary:
An old flame rekindled...
Zara Cinders always knew Ham Reece was the one, but he wasn't interested in settling down. When she found someone who was, Ham walked out of her life. Three years later, Zara's lost her business, her marriage, and she's barely getting by in a tiny apartment on the wrong side of the tracks. As soon as Ham hears about Zara's plight, he's on her doorstep offering her a lifeline. Now, it will take every ounce of will power she possesses to resist all that he offers.
Ham was always a traveling man, never one to settle down in one town, with one woman, for more time than absolutely necessary. But Ham's faced his own demons, and he's learned a lot. About himself, and about the life he knows he's meant to live. So when he hears that Zara's having a rough time, he wants to be the one to help. In fact, he wants to do more than that for Zara. A lot more. But first, he must prove to Zara that he's a changed man.
Colorado Mountain #5
By: Kristen Ashley
Published: Sept. 30, 2014
Publisher: Forever Romance
Source: Publisher
Add to Goodreads
GR's Summary:
An old flame rekindled...
Zara Cinders always knew Ham Reece was the one, but he wasn't interested in settling down. When she found someone who was, Ham walked out of her life. Three years later, Zara's lost her business, her marriage, and she's barely getting by in a tiny apartment on the wrong side of the tracks. As soon as Ham hears about Zara's plight, he's on her doorstep offering her a lifeline. Now, it will take every ounce of will power she possesses to resist all that he offers.
Ham was always a traveling man, never one to settle down in one town, with one woman, for more time than absolutely necessary. But Ham's faced his own demons, and he's learned a lot. About himself, and about the life he knows he's meant to live. So when he hears that Zara's having a rough time, he wants to be the one to help. In fact, he wants to do more than that for Zara. A lot more. But first, he must prove to Zara that he's a changed man.
My Thoughts:
I LOVE the Colorado Mountain Series by Kristen Ashley! Every time I receive one of these books, I get absolutely giddy with excitement. If you are going through a reading slump, please do yourself a favor and read this series. There isn't one bad book in the bunch. Each of these stories have completely pulled me in and hooked me! Amazing characters, fascinating plots, steamy and sexy love scenes, are all part of what make this series exceptional!
In Jagged, we return to the small Colorado Mountain Town of Gnaw Bone. Zara has been madly in love with Graham "Ham" Reese for five years. He's a tall, muscular, bear of a man, who is many years older than her. Unfortunately, Zara is ready to settle down, get married, and create a family, and Ham isn't one for staying in one place, and laying down roots with one woman. Zara ends her relationship with Ham and ends up getting married to Greg, a really sweet man, but he isn't the love of her life.
Three years later, Zara divorces Greg, and is in financial straits, When she see's on the news that Ham nearly got killed by an axe murderer, she calls him. When he finds out that Zara's divorced, he moves to Gnaw Bone, and is determined to win Zara over, and never let her go again. He gets a job as a manager at the local bar, moves in to a nice apartment, and inserts himself back in to Zara's life. He learned from the first time, that letting Zara go was a huge mistake, and he's not about to let her walk away from him again. However, he needs to earn her trust again, because how can she be sure, he won't up and leave town, like he use to?
Zara was a great character. She was very strong, independent, and courageous. She had been abused by her father, and not protected by her mother. Yet, she built a life for herself, and learned to stand up and not let others bully her. Ham was a great character as well. He had been thoroughly messed over by a woman, to the point where he lost hope and trust in the possibility of finding real love. Zara made him believe again, and when he realized what he had, he became the most loyal, caring, doting, and loving partner towards her.
I enjoyed being reunited with many of the secondary characters that I have gotten to know from previous books, such as Max, Nina, Cotton, Becca, Mindy, Arlene, and I'm sure I'm missing a few. I also loved getting to know Maybelline, Wanda, Nona, and Zander.
Another thing I must mention is that I love the way Kristen Ashley ends her books! She always write's a happily ever after, ending with a lot of details. She always gives us a glimpse or more in to the couple's future, and how life is for them down the road! I wish more authors did that!!!
My Rating:
I give, Jagged, by Kristen Ashley 4.5 Sexy Bear of a man, showing versus telling, New Beginning, "Happily Ever After" filled Stars! Jagged was a wonderful addition to an already amazing series!!! I highly recommend Jagged, as well as the rest of this series!
Excerpt:
I moved to his bed. He was on his side, facing me. He had the blinds open and a hand shoved under his pillow. The covers were to his waist and he had nothing on up top. Not unusual. If it was cold, Ham would put on pajama bottoms but mostly he slept nude.
Even in the dark, he was hot.
I sat on the side of his bed and he jerked awake, sitting up, his hand flashing out and curling, hard and tight, around the back of my neck as I gasped.
He came fully awake. His hand didn’t leave me but it relaxed and he growled sleepily, “Jesus, fuck, you scared the fuckin’ shit outta me.”
And I would. I hadn’t thought about it but the last time someone snuck into his room while he was sleeping, they’d been wielding an ax.
“God, Ham, I’m sorry. I didn’t think,” I whispered, lifting a hand and putting it on his chest, feeling the crisp hair there, wanting to slide my fingers through so badly, my mouth watered with the need.
His hand slid to the side of my neck.
“You okay?” he asked.
“No,” I answered.
“You sick?” he asked.
“No,” I answered.
“What’s up, baby?”
Before I lost my courage, I blew on the dice and let fly.
In other words, I leaned into him, aiming fortunately accurately, and my mouth hit his.
His body stilled.
I touched my tongue to his lips.
His mouth opened.
My tongue slid inside.
Then I was on my back in his bed, his arms around me.
Even in the dark, he was hot.
I sat on the side of his bed and he jerked awake, sitting up, his hand flashing out and curling, hard and tight, around the back of my neck as I gasped.
He came fully awake. His hand didn’t leave me but it relaxed and he growled sleepily, “Jesus, fuck, you scared the fuckin’ shit outta me.”
And I would. I hadn’t thought about it but the last time someone snuck into his room while he was sleeping, they’d been wielding an ax.
“God, Ham, I’m sorry. I didn’t think,” I whispered, lifting a hand and putting it on his chest, feeling the crisp hair there, wanting to slide my fingers through so badly, my mouth watered with the need.
His hand slid to the side of my neck.
“You okay?” he asked.
“No,” I answered.
“You sick?” he asked.
“No,” I answered.
“What’s up, baby?”
Before I lost my courage, I blew on the dice and let fly.
In other words, I leaned into him, aiming fortunately accurately, and my mouth hit his.
His body stilled.
I touched my tongue to his lips.
His mouth opened.
My tongue slid inside.
Then I was on my back in his bed, his arms around me.
About Kristen Ashley:
Kristen Ashley grew up in Brownsburg, Indiana, and has lived in Denver, Colorado, and the West Country of England. Thus she has been blessed to have friends and family around the globe. Her posse is loopy (to say the least) but loopy is good when you want to write. Kristen was raised in a house with a large and multigenerational family. They lived on a very small farm in a small town in the heartland, and Kristen grew up listening to the strains of Glenn Miller, The Everly Brothers, REO Speedwagon, and Whitesnake. Needless to say, growing up in a house full of music and love was a good way to grow up. And as she keeps growing up, it keeps getting better.
