Title: Darker Water (Once and Forever, #1)
Author: Lauren Stewart
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Lauren Stewart is an author I had yet to read. I had no expectations of this book, but a friend I trust recommended it to me so I jumped in. Once I started reading, I didn’t want to stop. I fell in love with both of the characters and their story. Such a funny, sexy and emotional read. There is no better feeling than taking a chance on an unknown (to you) and getting a 5 star read in return!
I was done lying to myself. Princes didn’t exist, happy endings never happened, love was all make-believe.
After spending a few months alone, no relationships, Laney is happy with herself. She has a job she loves, a roommate/best friend and thats all she needs. One day in a coffee shop, she meets a man who is tattooed and gorgeous. He makes it clear he only wants one thing from Laney, and it’s not love or a relationship.
Carson Bennett is outspoken, cocky, sexy and funny as hell. He can be an asshole and he knows it. He embraces it. Laney can’t go without sex forever, so she thinks why not... Carson has made it clear the type of man he is so Laney is in no danger of getting hurt.
Laney might not be quite as ready for casual sex as she thinks, so she and Carson become friends. She needs to make sure she has absolutely no feelings for him before she’ll let herself get intimate. Their banter and talks of their feelings cracked me up!
“Was that the first time?”
“That I felt girlie about you? I think so.”
“Good. I like you, Lane. But that needs to be the first and last time you get girlie on me, because that would fuck everything up. Know what I mean?”
I nodded.
“Do you ever think us spending time with each other is one big, drawn out lapse of good judgement?”
“All the fucking time,” he muttered, his lips grazing my forehead before he walked away.
“By the way, you’re in charge of making your own coffee from now on. Evidently it touches on some weird emotional erogenous zone for you.”
Carson is the best type of hero. He made me laugh out loud so many times... I mean, really, who says stuff like this?
“You know whats worse than a than a woman giving you a hand job because she feels obligated to?”
“What?”
“Her not giving you a hand job at all.”
The first half of this story was funny, light and full of the best kind of sexual tension. The last half was a little different. We got to see more of Carson’s past. It was much more emotional and way more steamy.
Can two people who have come to care about one another, who have become best friends really have a relationship where no feelings are involved? And once those lines are crossed, is there any coming back from that?
What’s worse than falling in love when you don’t want to? Falling in love with someone who can’t love you back.
After reading Darker Water, I can say with absolute certainty that Lauren Stewart has a fan in me. I’m so excited to read the rest of the series. Don’t worry- this is a stand alone with no cliffhanger- the next book will be about Carson’s older brooding brother Hayden. The writing was fluid and fast paced. This author was able to master writing a laugh out loud funny book without it being over the top, to write a sexy and steamy book without it being smutty, and write an emotional story without it being depressing. There was just the right amount of angst, not overly dramatic.
Darker Water is a wonderful contemporary romance full of fun, steam, humor, friendship and love. It’s one I highly recommend.
Synopsis
After another painful breakup, Laney Temple finally understands that love is a fairytale and sex rarely comes with a happy ending. She’s too busy for it right now anyway—she has a business to run, art to create, and candy to crush. Eventually she’ll be ready to switch from her plastic-or-silicon lover to a flesh-and-blood one. But before that happens, she needs to be sure she won’t feel any of those annoying emotions that make her heart do things it wasn’t meant to do...
Like break
Carson Bennett is completely upfront about what he wants, and it has nothing to do with Laney’s heart. Her lips? Hell yeah. Other parts of her body? You better f*cking believe it. But her heart? Nope, not even a little. Until it does…a lot. But having feelings for someone isn’t allowed. It’s the kind of thing you’re supposed to push down deep and cover up with one-night stands, sarcasm, and booze...
Like secrets
Two people want the same thing—a commitment to nothing more than great sex in a bunch of different positions. Simple. Enjoyable. A win-win. Problem is, those two people have families and fears and pain that spill into every moment of their lives, control what they do and who they are. And if either Carson or Laney can’t free themselves from the past, they’ll both be pulled under by it.
**DARKER WATER is a standalone contemporary romance (no cliffhanger)**
✷ Buy Darker Water ✷
✷ About Lauren ✷
Lauren Stewart lives in Northern California with two of the most amazing children that the world has ever seen. She reads almost every genre so, naturally, her writing reflects that. With every book, every story, you'll find elements of other genres--fantasy, mystery, romance, paranormal, suspense, YA, women's literature, all with a touch of humor because what doesn't kill us should make us laugh.
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I love you, Christy! :-) Such a great review and graphics and blogger. Thanks so much for everything!
ReplyDelete– Lauren
You're very welcome, Lauren! I LOVE the book <3
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