Thursday, September 26, 2013

Breathless (Jesse #1) by Eve Carter

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The young, hot professional Motocross rider, Jesse Morrison, knows how to leave an impression. Except lately, it has been bad impressions. Frustrated and wounded, he surrounds himself with women, booze and drugs, until one day, he finds himself in a world of trouble. Kicked out by his brother, he relocates to California for the summer to help his uncle open Rookies, a local sports bar.

In Santa Monica, Jesse meets the one woman who can lead him back on the right path, the beautiful 22 year old, Niki Milani. Only problem, she is not interested. Niki has her own demons to fight. A past that left her emotional abandoned by her own blood, her father. She keeps her heart guarded and finds it difficult to trust a man again. Especially not a bad boy player who is even more messed up than her. However, Jesse never backs down from a challenge. Blinded by a sizzling attraction, he is determined to prove to Niki that there is more to him than what appears on the surface. That he is the one who can heal her heart.


Jesse who had a promising career has turned into a major asshat. He ends up in Santa Monica with no intention of letting up. It’s once he meets Niki that he’s motivated to clean up his act.

What worked for me …

I really liked how Carter described the instant Jesse sees Niki. It’s written really well and you can easily picture that moment when you first notice someone and they leave an impression on you. I also liked how his new friends and family are important aspects of the whole story. And there’s a nice bit of surprise in the storyline that veers off from the initial plot.

What I was unsure about …

Can too much dialog be a problem? That’s what I felt whenever Jesse and Niki engaged in conversation. I bought their attraction to each other but once they started talking I wasn’t buying it any more. I just wasn’t convinced that Jesse could so easily drop his philandering lifestyle. And then there was Niki who was drawn to his unpredictable personality and wanted to take more risks herself, who expected him to completely change overnight. It was an impossible expectation to impose on him considering all of their issues combined. I guess I just didn't quite take to her personality.

In the end, Breathless was good especially for a quick read or as we've started calling them “palate cleansers”. You know a fun book to read when you’re in between books. And if you like your bad boy extra troubled, then Jesse fits the bill!

~ Bel




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