BREAKING BENNETT
Author: Anne Jolin
Series: Rock Falls Series, #3
Genre: Romance/Erotica
Genre: Romance/Erotica
~ SYNOPSIS ~
Beth Rhodes has always had a game plan. Go to college. Get the perfect job. Get the perfect guy. Get the happily ever after she's always wanted. It is just her luck that everything falls into its precise place in her life. At least it seems that way until her blueprints go up in smoke. She loses the job she loves and her price charming is turning out to be the villain of her fairytale instead. With failures and mistakes piling up on her doorstep, she knows something has to give—or she could very well end up paying for those mistakes with her life.Braxton Bennett is lethal, both in the courtroom and in the ring. Two sides of him constantly wage war against one another, and to keep the internal bloodshed at bay, he allows himself to indulge in his violent vice. Suit by day and brawler by night aren’t easy dual lives to manage for a man of his status. The only way to do so is by following a strict set of rules—rules he won’t break for anyone. But what if he already has?
On a summer night in the depths of the city, a chance encounter will turn both of their perfectly constructed worlds upside down.
Will they battle together against all odds to break Bennett’s rules? Or will Rhodes tap out to save herself before the fight is over?
~ PURCHASE ~
~ REVIEW~
[Patti]
Amazon/Goodreads rating: 4/5
In Patti's Imagination rating: 9/10
Before I read this book, I caught up with the series and read books 1 & 2. I'm mentioning that because I realized that I should post my reviews for Chasing Rhodes and Choosing Henley over at Goodreads so that I can reference them here. Check them out if you'd like. The reason being is because, while I fully enjoyed Breaking Bennett, I didn't love it as much as Choosing Henley. I did, however, think it was even better than Chasing Rhodes (though, on the 5-star scale, it gets the same rating). I didn't review those books here, and the tour isn't for them, but I still wanted to be able to compare, because I think that can be useful.
Let's start with what I didn't like about Chasing Rhodes that I think improved in Breaking Bennett. For one, I think I'm just not in love with Charlie Hunnam like everyone who wanted him as Christian Grey (frankly, the recast made me decide to see a movie for which I've never read the book when his casting did not). That distracted me when I was picturing Greyson. Here, no such diversion. Braxton was just himself and that was okay with me. I guess if you're a huge fan of Charlie Hunnam, you won't care about that part of Chasing Rhodes, but I was glad not to have that obstacle in Breaking Bennett. Read my review, and you'll understand even better what I mean, but it comes down to the actual referencing throughout the story.
Also distracting? Breaking the 4th wall. I don't like it in movies or TV either, so it's not just a book thing, but it's worse for me in the written form. As a reader, I prefer to be immersed in a story AS the character - first person is not required (I actually prefer 3rd), but I don't want to be 'told' a story. I want to be IN the story. Breaking that fourth wall takes me OUT of the story. There was also less of that in Breaking Bennett. But, Chasing Rhodes was Anne Jolin's first book, so I give mad props for kicking butt on it, and I tend to round up in those cases if I like the characters and setting.
If those things are not there, why the same rating? Well, for one, there is the 'first book bump' from me. I'd maybe rate Chasing Rhodes lower, but I'm impressed that it's her first book and I thoroughly enjoyed it. The other reason is, on a 5-point rating scale at Amazon, I can't give half-ratings and I either have to round up or down. So, while Chasing Rhodes was a 3.5 rounded up to a 4, Breaking Bennett was more a 4.25-4.5 rounded down. I didn't love it nearly as much as I did Choosing Henley, which is more a 4.75 rounded to a 5 for me.
Why the difference? Less breaking of the fourth wall in Choosing Henley. No 'celebrity I'm not in love with' reference. Automatically a bump from the previous book there. But while I adored Jami, just loved him, and I really rooted for Lennon in Choosing Henley, I didn't feel as much love for Beth and Braxton in Breaking Bennett, or Hannah and Greyson in Chasing Rhodes. I wanted them all to have HEA's, but there was something about Jamison and his Beatle that just grabbed me in a way the other two couples did not.
Which brings me to what I really loved about Breaking Bennett. I should NOT love Braxton. He's violent, demanding, arrogant and bossy. Yet, Anne Jolin made me root for him, even before we learned - along with Beth - what made him tick and why he was the way he was. As for Beth, I should have hated that she let Braxton control her when she'd just escaped her evil ex, Kyle. But I didn't, because, despite all that, it was never about the control. It was about Beth helping Braxton by giving him what he needed. Despite the fact that this was not a BDSM novel and, therefore, not a D/s story, it could have been. The relationship dynamic was the same, and in that construct, I could see how these two people would work well together and make each other happy. Kyle was the bad D/s relationship from which Beth escaped by the skin of her teeth (with Braxton's help). Beth is the light that Braxton always needed to help him through his darkness.
The other thing I loved about this book was how frickin' hot the story ran, despite the fact that they really didn't have sex anywhere near as much as in the first two books. The chemistry between these two characters was that smokin'.
After writing all that, I really WANT to give this book more than 4 stars, but I can't. I didn't fly through it the way I did book 2, and that is the reason I'm holding back my 'I loved it' vs 'I liked it' (and the equivalent on Goodreads, which I think is better - 'I really liked it' vs 'It was amazing'). It's still getting a 9/10 for the blog's rating, it's just not being rounded up from 4.5 to a 5.
Will I read more of her work? Hell, yes! I'll gladly read and review for her again. I love finding new authors. Anne Jolin is definitely going on my TBR list. Now, who's next in Rock Falls? Right! Keeping King, which is Jayden and Peyton's story. Can't wait for that! And I see Saving Steele is #5. I think that's Jackson's last name...maybe? And I want him to get his HEA!
~ TEASERS ~
~ The Rock Falls Series ~
Author: Anne Jolin
Series: Rock Falls Series, #1
Genre: Romance | Erotica
~ SYNOPSIS ~
Her last relationship took her out like an emotional freight train, and she’s trying to piece back the stability her life once had.
Greyson Holt’s biggest fear in life is to end up like his father, like the man who left him as a child, and broke his mother’s heart. He vowed to never be responsible for that kind of carnage. Men could be cruel and that kind of brutality was in his blood. He never allows himself to get too close to anyone, until he meets Hannah.
Something about her makes him want to try, but a man can’t change overnight.
Will Holt be able to catch Rhodes every time he lets her go? Or will their chase end in heartbreak?
CHOOSING HENLEY
Author: Anne Jolin
Series: Rock Falls Series, #2
Genre: Romance | Erotica
~ SYNOPSIS ~
Lennon Montgomery is scared. Absolutely scared shitless of love.
When the floor fell out from underneath her perfect childhood, it shattered her ability to trust. The one man in her life who was genetically programmed to love her left her. Since then, she’s allowed men into her bed and even into her life, but never into her heart.
Until him.
Jamison Henley has never wanted a woman for longer than it takes him to make a guitar. He’s content living his life and loving only three things: making guitars, cooking great food, and Martha, his black pit bull. He never chases women, and he’s never had to.
Until her.
One night together changes everything. There’s no going back to the way it was before.
She doesn’t want to want him, but she does.
He knows he wants her, but he can’t have her.
Will Montgomery take the leap of faith in choosing Henley? Or will her fear cripple their chance at a happily ever after?
~ PURCHASE ~
~ ABOUT THE AUTHOR ~
Anne Jolin
I’m twenty four years old. I was born and raised in Ladner, a small farm town just outside of Vancouver, Canada. I grew up riding horses, shooting guns and riding in trucks. I’ve been married to my handsome redneck husband for a year and we are parents to our chocolate fur baby, Bear. No kiddo’s yet! I am completely and utterly obsessed with country music, you will constantly find me stalking iTunes. If you don’t find me on iTunes, you’ll find me on Netflix because I am a self proclaimed movie junkie. Yes, that means that I quote them constantly in daily conversation and my characters do too! You couldn’t keep me away from a good action movie if you tried. I’m also a planning nut. I love to plan parties, events, trips – you name it! I don’t know if that’s considered a real hobby, but it is for me.
We were fortunate enough to travel a lot as a family growing up, and I think that helped spark my love of reading. I’m half Viking, my mom is Danish, and her entire side of the family still lives in Denmark. We’d visit them almost once a year, every year and it’s a nine hour flight. That’s a lot of uninterrupted time to read (or in my parent’s case, entertain four children – Yikes!). Somewhere along the way my love of reading, became a love of writing. I wrote short stories when I was younger, and although I majored in Business Management at college, I took as many English electives I could get my hands on.
During the day I work at my family construction company wearing a variety of different hats and at night, I write! I had never thought about writing books before, but after a few suggestions that I should try, I decided to give it a go. I loved it instantly! Having always been a creative person, it felt amazing to harness all that energy and use it to tell a story. Now, quite frankly it’s all I can think about, and I wouldn’t have it any other way. I’m grateful to have developed my love of reading into a passion for writing. You’ll be seeing many more books from me in the future!
Xo.
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