REVIEW: ROWDY by Jay Crownover

ROWDY by Jay Crownover (Marked Men #5)
Publisher: William Morrow Paperbacks
Publication Date: October 21, 2014
Source: Edelweiss
Rating: 5/5 stars
Get it: Amazon | B&N

After the only girl he ever loved told him that he would never be enough, Rowdy St. James knocked the Texas dust off his boots and set out to live up to his nickname. A good ol’ boy looking for good times and good friends, Rowdy refuses to take anything too seriously, especially when it comes to the opposite sex. Burned by love once, he isn’t going to let himself trust a woman again. But that’s before his new co-worker arrives, a ghost from the past who’s suddenly making him question every lesson he ever learned.

Salem Cruz grew up in house with too many rules and too little fun—a world of unhappiness she couldn’t wait to forget. But one nice thing from childhood has stayed with her; the memory of the sweet, blue-eyed boy next door who’d been head over heels in love with her little sister.

Now, fate and an old friend have brought her and Rowdy together, and Salem is determined to show him that once upon a time he picked the wrong sister. A mission that is working perfectly—until the one person that ties them together appears, threatening to tear them apart for good.

My Review

Oh Rowdy! I never thought the day would ever come that I finally got to read your book and get to know all about you and your Anchor tattoo and pompadour styled hair. You absolutely, positively, indefinitely, slay me. You really really do. You were everything I hoped you would be, book and character and so much more. So much more. What can I say, I was a big fan from book one til now and wowza, I seriously could not get enough of you!

I already knew there was something special and unique about Rowdy, as was for the Marked Men. But Rowdy had that eat your heart out, play boy, will never ever settle vibe going on and then and then...I get a glimpse of the broken hearted, I let the one pass me by side that had me wishing I could cuddle him to my side forever. His story and past became a mystery I wanted to uncover. Each bit I did unravel while reading this book had me irrevocably attached. I was hit by Rowdy’s compassion, his loyalty, his desire to loved and wanted and cherished. There was just more depth to his personality, to who he was as a person and as a man. He had some major vulnerabilities and insecurities that you wouldn’t have thought was there, but this just made him more human, more reachable as a fictional character. 

When it came to Rowdy’s romance with Salem, this was where he showed that broken side of him and the fear he harbored. Watching these two fall in love was beautiful. They weren’t perfect, both had issues to contend with whether it was from the past or the unknown future ahead of them. I liked that Rowdy and Salem had history. They had room to learn from their mistakes and grow to be independent people who can love one another. Salem was a great match for Rowdy. She was his perfect girl with her flirtatious nature and come right at you attitude. She was bossy, and witty, and caring all wrapped in her tattooed pin-up girl look that totally rocked. They worked even though they felt like it wasn’t going to and lets be honest, they were hot as hell together. They had the best chemistry and sexual tension that just built up nicely and exploded epically. Rowdy and Salem were just amazing together.

Jay Crownover continues to floor me with each and every book she delivers brilliantly in the Marked Men series. I always end up devouring the current book and aching for the next. It’s an addiction I refuse to shake off. Every book keeps giving glimpses of characters that I have fallen so deeply in love with and when it comes time for their turn to be front and center, it’s inevitable that my love for that character expands and extends and gives me all kinds of ooey gooey feels. And boooooy was I feeling them feels with Rowdy 100 percent of the way! 

ROWDY was exceptional and I cannot wait for more!

Release Day Launch: ROWDY by Jay Crownover

 

We are over the moon excited to bring you the Release Day Launch for ROWDY by Jay Crownover!! ROWDY is the fifth novel in her Marked Men Series published by William Morrow, and imprint of HarperCollins and you do NOT want to miss it!

ROWDY by Jay Crownover (Marked Men #5)

After the only girl he ever loved told him that he would never be enough, Rowdy St. James knocked the Texas dust off his boots and set out to live up to his nickname. A good ol’ boy looking for good times and good friends, Rowdy refuses to take anything too seriously, especially when it comes to the opposite sex. Burned by love once, he isn’t going to let himself trust a woman again. But that’s before his new co-worker arrives, a ghost from the past who’s suddenly making him question every lesson he ever learned.

Salem Cruz grew up in house with too many rules and too little fun—a world of unhappiness she couldn’t wait to forget. But one nice thing from childhood has stayed with her; the memory of the sweet, blue-eyed boy next door who’d been head over heels in love with her little sister.

Now, fate and an old friend have brought her and Rowdy together, and Salem is determined to show him that once upon a time he picked the wrong sister. A mission that is working perfectly—until the one person that ties them together appears, threatening to tear them apart for good.

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EXCERPT-

WHEN I PUT THE key he had given me in the door to his apartment it felt like the end of a long journey. Really it was only a little over twelve hours and I had stopped to nap once along the way, but it still felt like too long since I had seen his face or been able to touch all that toned and tattooed skin. Jimbo greeted me at the door when I pushed it open. His tongue lolled out of his mouth and he jumped up and put his paws on my legs. He was going to be huge when he finally grew into his fuzzy body and I was overwhelmed at how happy I was to see him. I dropped to my knees and rubbed my face in his neck as he licked me all over my face. I was obviously missed and I had to say it was just one more reason I knew I was finally where I was supposed to be. It was late, so the apartment was dark.

I checked the dog’s food and water, trying to be quiet in case Rowdy was already asleep. I was winding my way toward his bedroom when a haphazardly discarded sketch pad lying on the couch caught my eye in the dim light. I paused for a minute to pick it up and felt my heart stop and then start to race as I flipped through the first few pages. There were a couple of drawings that were obviously for clients, tattoos that hadn’t made it from paper to skin yet, but most of the pristine white pages were covered with images wearing my face. There was mermaid me, and naughty- sailor- girl me. There was sassy Indian girl me with long Pocahontas braids and there was sexy devil me standing next to angelic me. There were dozens of them all in different shapes and sizes, but every single image was undoubtedly modeled after my distinct look. I wasn’t sure if he had drawn them all over this last week while I had been gone or over the months we had been chasing each other in circles.

Either way it made my heart swell and the full certainty that I was it for him settle deep inside my bones. I set the pad down and tiptoed through the hall. Jimbo took one look at where I was going and huffed out a disgusted- sounding snort. The poor guy had learned early on that he wanted no part of what happened between his humans when they were together in the bedroom. The light was off and Rowdy was sprawled on his stomach across the covers. His blond hair was sticking up every- where and he hand one arm bent up under his head. The only thing that could have made the sight better would have been if he hadn’t bothered with the black boxers before crashing out.

Even with them obscuring the view, I couldn’t complain. I let out a breathless sigh and crept closer so that I could lean over and touch my lips to that anchor on the side of his neck. I felt his pulse leap and tasted the salt on his skin as he murmured sleepily and rolled over onto his back. Those infinitely blue eyes glowed at me in the dark as a grin pulled up the corner of his mouth.

“Hey.”

About Jay Crownover

Jay Crownover is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of the Marked Men series. She will also be introducing the dark and sexy world of The Point in a new series this summer starting with ROWDY. Like her characters, she is a big fan of tattoos. She loves music and wishes she could be a rock star, but since she has no aptitude for singing or instrument playing, she'll settle for writing stories with interesting characters that make the reader feel something. She lives in Colorado with her three dogs.       

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