4 1/2 STARS!
Shattered from years of abuse, a young woman sets out to find peace for her daughter … and lucks into finding a gentle, kind soul who won’t let them live in fear anymore! Easy to like characters who bring a realness to the story make you have a vested interest in seeing them through to a happy ending.
On the run from her abusive ex-husband for years, Anna Thompson just wants a real home and consistent life for her young daughter. She thought she was getting settled, and then he found her again. Now she’s hit an all time low with no job, no money and no place to stay when she lands in Angel Bay, Washington. She hears of a possible job opening, and sets out to try to get it.
When Nic Rossi sees the women and child in his restaurant, he can tell they are in dire straights. He can tell someone has hurt them before and they need a gentle hand to help them. He gives her a job and sets her up with a safe place to stay and shows them kindness. They all relax into this safe place they have forged until danger gets near again.
When her ex finds her again, will she find the strength to stay and fight for the life she’s made here, or will her fear of endangering Nic and his young daughter make her flee and start over again?
ARC received via Tasty Book Tours
NIC
Rossi Brothers #2
By: JM Stewart
Releasing November 14, 2016
Crimson Romance
BLURB:
Single father Nic Rossi’s only desire is to raise his little girl with the same love and security his grandparents gave him and his siblings. That is, until Anna Thompson and her frightened daughter walk into his family restaurant, looking for employment, and turn his carefully ordered world upside down.
On the run from her abusive ex, Anna wants one thing: a quiet place like Angel Bay to raise her daughter. But she needs a job to pay for that dream, even if her new boss is a man whose sheer size makes her tremble. Yet Nic’s capacity for kindness leaves her feeling safe for the first time in years, and the gentle giant slowly awakens her long-dormant passion.
Then her ex-husband turns up like a bad penny, threatening not only Anna’s safe haven but Nic’s daughter in the bargain, forcing them to choose between love and family.
Link to Follow Tour: http://tastybooktours.com/tours-master/2016/08/nic-rossi-brothers-2-by-jm-stewarthtml
Goodreads Link: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/31484477-nic
Buy Links: Amazon | B&N | iTunes | Kobo | Google
Amazon: https://amzn.com/B01M2YIY44
B&N: http://bit.ly/2e0VTBf
iTunes: http://apple.co/2etp2o5
Kobo: https://store.kobobooks.com/en-us/ebook/nic
Google: http://bit.ly/2dzNqpp
EXCERPT:
She blew out her held breath, pushed her plate away, and offered him a smile. “Thanks for the meal. I will repay you. I need to get her to bed. What time would you like me to be here tomorrow?”
She scooted out of the booth, but his hand caught her arm before she could turn to pick up Lacey. Blood whooshed in her ears, and breathing became impossible as panic clawed its way through her chest. Tony’s face lodged itself in her mind. Eyes narrowed and staring her down. The way he looked right before his fist came down on her …
He’s not Tony. He’s not Tony. She repeated the long-held mantra over and over and drew slow, deep breaths in an effort to put a lid back on the panic. Still the room around her spun as the past closed in on her.
“The meal’s on me, remember? You can pay me back by letting me help you.”
Nic’s voice jerked her back to the present. She lifted her head to find him watching her, gentle concern in his searching eyes. Was he really this nice? Or was this just a ruse, the way it had been for Tony? She didn’t know, but she had no desire to find out. She didn’t need his help. She just needed a job.
She glared at Nic. “What is it with you? Do you have a thing for taking in strays or something, Mr. Rossi?”
“My name is Nic, and yes, actually I do. My nonna used to roll her eyes every time I brought home a stray cat or dog.” Amusement laced his tone, his eyes crinkling at the corners.
God, did nothing faze the man?
His expression sobered. “Let me help. Because I can.”
She blew out a defeated breath. “Why do you even care?”
“Why do I scare you so much?”
Touché.
Nic released her arm and folded his hands on the table instead. “You want the God’s honest truth? That’s why I give a damn. Because I terrify the both of you, and I hate it. Every time I look at your daughter, I see my own.”
She wrapped her arms around herself. The man left her feeling open and exposed. He offered her something she didn’t know if she could ever repay: human decency. “I can’t ask you to do that for me.”
“Then do it for her.” He nodded in Lacey’s direction.
AUTHOR INFO:
J.M. Stewart is a coffee and chocolate addict who lives in the Pacific Northwest with her husband, two sons and two very spoiled dogs. She’s a hopeless romantic who believes everybody should have their happily ever after and has been devouring romance novels for as long as she can remember. Writing them has become her obsession.
Author Links: Website /Twitter /Facebook / Goodreads
Website: http://authorjmstewart.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/authorjmstewart
Twitter: https://twitter.com/JMStewartWriter
GoodReads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/3159044.J_M_Stewart
Newsletter: http://eepurl.com/0RIa9
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