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Uncross Your Heart

by Taryn Elliott (Goodreads Author)

4.38 of 5 stars 4.38 · rating details · 34 ratings · 20 reviews

Sometimes starting over means facing your greatest fears…

Miranda Lyons is adept at pretending to be someone else, someone without a past. She’s able to forget for chunks of time that she comes from a very wealthy, notorious family. She’s given up most of the party-girl vices from her old life, including sex. Until Nathan Cross barges into her life…

To all appearances, Natha...more

ebook, 183 pages

Published March 23rd 2012 by Ellora's Cave

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Mar 30, 2012 Guilty Pleasures added it

Shelves: authorreviews, publishersent, guiltypleasures-rhayne

This review posted on Guilty Pleasures

5 Stars

Recommended Read

Uncross Your Heart is the debut novel by Taryn Elliott. Let me just say that she has come out with a BANG!!

I absolutely loved this book. The flow of the story was perfect. The characters were so easy to connect with. The plot line was unique and intriguing. It really just had everything that I look for in a great book.

Miranda has a dark past. She made some mistakes that she is not happy about, but knows you can’t change what’s been do...more This review posted on Guilty Pleasures

5 Stars

Recommended Read

Uncross Your Heart is the debut novel by Taryn Elliott. Let me just say that she has come out with a BANG!!

I absolutely loved this book. The flow of the story was perfect. The characters were so easy to connect with. The plot line was unique and intriguing. It really just had everything that I look for in a great book.

Miranda has a dark past. She made some mistakes that she is not happy about, but knows you can’t change what’s been done. She has moved to a new city and has changed her appearance and even her name in an attempt to leave the past buried deep. She consumes herself with her business and a few friends and co-workers. She is not looking for any kind of relationship.

Nate has had an infatuation with Miranda for years. She is too focused on work to give him or any guy the time of day. After they share a sizzling sexy dance at a bar, Nate is not about to let her get away without putting up a fight.

I loved the bond that these two have with one another. He has a way to make her feel safe and loved. Nate is a character that you fall in love with from the very beginning of this book and end up being sad on the last page, because you just want more of him. Ms. Elliott did an amazing job in creating the cast for this book. Not only is it so easy to love him, but his family as well. I really hope we get to read some future books about his brothers. She dropped some facts about their lives that are very intriguing.

This is a book about overcoming your past mistakes. It’s a love story about trust and having faith in the one you give your heart to. It has passion, chemistry and an amazing conclusion. This book is packed with lots of steamy sexy scenes and a hot couple that is simply irresistible.

Taryn has an amazing talent for writing in a way that draws you in from the very beginning and holds you tight until the very last word. I am certainly going to follow her career and snag every book she writes. I can’t wait for more.

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1 like · like · see review

Mar 26, 2012 Cari Quinn rated it 5 of 5 stars

Full disclosure: Taryn's my CP and I got to read this book from its inception through the stages since. I fully intend to reread it again in its final form, but I've already read it several times as a work-in-progress and loved each step Taryn took to make it the book it is today. Nate is one of my favorite heroes - sweet, smart, resourceful and oh yeah, did I mention hot? He also comes equipped with several equally delicious brothers that we'll be meeting in subsequent books (which I can't wait...more

2 likes · like · see review

Jul 01, 2012 Phuong rated it 5 of 5 stars

It's hard to believe this is Taryn Elliott's first novel. It was a well-written story with great character development, depth and emotions that captured my attention from the beginning. I adored Nate Cross who was sexy, romantic and would do anything for Miranda Woods, the woman he lusted after and was falling in love with. He showed that it wasn't just sex he wanted from her, he wanted the whole package which included knowing more about her family and past. I loved his interaction with his fami...more

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May 18, 2012 Judy & Marianne from Long and Short Reviews rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: erotic, contemporary, m-f

Originally posted at: http://whippedcream2.blogspot.com/201...

Nate was moments away from giving up when the woman who occupied his thoughts for the last three years finally took notice. Besides her physical appeal, her hidden depths and mysterious lifestyle fascinated him. After so much observation, Nate wanted to get to know her better, but she kept herself tightly closed off to anything profoundly personal. Sparks ignite and rage out of control physically, but breaking down the barriers surrou...more Originally posted at: http://whippedcream2.blogspot.com/201...

Nate was moments away from giving up when the woman who occupied his thoughts for the last three years finally took notice. Besides her physical appeal, her hidden depths and mysterious lifestyle fascinated him. After so much observation, Nate wanted to get to know her better, but she kept herself tightly closed off to anything profoundly personal. Sparks ignite and rage out of control physically, but breaking down the barriers surrounding her heart is another matter entirely. He resolves his determination to get to know the real Miranda, but what he ultimately discovers crushes him. Now he wonders if any of it was ever real.

Growing up an heiress and socialite and then hitting rock bottom, Miranda managed to get away from the ugly side of fame and temptation, by making a new name for herself and starting her own business. Keeping a low profile so no one would figure out her ruse was easy, but keeping the old “MJ” from rearing her ugly head when Nate finally made his move, is a different story. She doesn’t know if she can give him the “more” he’s looking for and when her skeletons start coming out of the closet, he may not want her anyway. But is her past worth more than a future with Nate?

Uncross Your Heart is an emotional roller-coaster of a story with a unique situation that threatens the developing relationship. I appreciated how Nate took a leading role in the story and was upfront with his feelings and patiently fights to establish a deeper connection with Miranda. Disappointingly, Miranda dodges him at every turn with weak excuses. At times she's not a very likable character, but she has several redeeming qualities like her inner geek, business savvy independence, fashion choices, and even her dog Stella. While many readers may not be able to relate to Miranda and Nate's predicament personally, their story is still unique and clever. It's also extremely steamy and very enjoyable.

Complex and dynamic characters with great scene imagery and drama makes for a fantastic debut by this author that contemporary romance readers should check out!(less)

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May 17, 2012 cosmogirl7481 rated it 1 of 5 stars

Shelves: worst-books-ever

This is my first one star review.

Ever.

I even gave Beautiful Disaster 2 stars because I managed to read the entire thing. Even though – up until now – I thought it was the worst book ever and it made me want to stab my eyes out.

This is also the first book I’ve ever quit before the halfway point. I mean, I even made it to 75% of a book with a man who had a decorative dildo collection that he displayed in his office…at work.

And let me tell you why.

There is building UST (which I happen to be a big f...more

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Apr 25, 2012 Evie rated it 5 of 5 stars

Taryn Elliott gives it all in her debut. Oh my, and how she does it!

Has there ever been a guy you never pay attention to? You never give him the time of day, even a second to look at, not even a thought, yet he's into you? Yes? This is the case with Nate (swoon) and Miranda.

Nathan Cross is the kind of hero I hadn't read in a very long time. How I missed it? Beats me. Let me just say he IS the real thing.

Nate is the all-American boy next door (in my view). He's funny, caring, loving, smart, look...more

2 likes · like · see review

Mar 26, 2012 Stevie Kisner rated it 5 of 5 stars

Welcome a new shining star to the world of Modern Romantica (and modern romance, as well)! And a hot couple of characters that will live in my memories like old friends.

I don't want to give away too much of the story (besides that I hate those reviews that are a synopsis in disguise... tell me why I wanna read it, don't give me an outline of the story!), but I have to say, Nate is sexy, brilliant and not your average houseplant (you'll understand when you read it). Miranda is gorgeous, even when...more

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Mar 26, 2012 Maldivianbookreviewer rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: taryn-ellliot, against-the-wall-smexing, angsty-read, brooding-hero, brooding-heroine, charming-hero, commitment-phobic-heroine, contemporary-romance, controlled-heroine, office-romance, in-the-carriage-smexing, in-the-car-smexing, kitchen-smexing, tattoed-hero, tattoed-heroine, emotional-wrangler, endearing-hero, explosive-passion, favorite-alpha-heroes, favorite-endings, favorite-heroes, haunted-by-the-past-heroine, hot-as-sin-hero, hottest-first-kiss, hottest-sex-scenes-ever, independent-heroine, inside-the-car-smexing, intense-connection-between-hh, outdoor-smexing, larger-than-life-hero, not-your-average-heroine, heiress-heroine, opposites-attract, possessive-hero, possessive-heroine, protective-hero, review-requests, scarred-heroine, scorching-sex-scenes, sizzling-sexual-tension, sweet-heroes, tortured-heroine, unforgettable-hero, well-off-heroine, part-of-a-series

Yep. That’s right people. If you haven’t already heard, I have officially updated my version of the English dictionary to equate the meaning of the word “Temptation” to “Nathan Cross”. And I tell you, I am not kidding!

Nathan Patrick Cross is a tinkerer whose one invention keeps him afloat enough to pursue his day job as a FedEx delivery guy while he tries to come up with a new innovative gadget whose design keeps eluding his best attempts. The one woman he meets along his delivery route, who ma...more

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Jul 01, 2012 Kendra rated it 4 of 5 stars

For full review including excerpt and dialogue highlight please visit Reader's Edyn at :
http://bit.ly/NbZzdR

Review:

Well, let’s just say that I now know why Cari Quinn and Taryn Elliott are critique partners. I don’t think it is possible to like one without liking the other. *nods* Luckily for me, my review of Ms. Quinn’s book, turned into an opportunity to review Ms. Elliott’s book. I can honestly say to the readers out there that if you find one of these authors enjoyable and have yet to read t...more For full review including excerpt and dialogue highlight please visit Reader's Edyn at :
http://bit.ly/NbZzdR

Review:

Well, let’s just say that I now know why Cari Quinn and Taryn Elliott are critique partners. I don’t think it is possible to like one without liking the other. *nods* Luckily for me, my review of Ms. Quinn’s book, turned into an opportunity to review Ms. Elliott’s book. I can honestly say to the readers out there that if you find one of these authors enjoyable and have yet to read the other, you are pretty much guaranteed an enjoyable read. That said, let’s get on with the review.

Miranda is basically Paris Hilton … or she was. She lived dangerously and partied harder all for the attention she was missing out on from her less than ideal family life. But eventually she gets a wake up call and goes to ground as another person altogether. Having lived the crazy life, she turns her back on everything related to fun that could potentially tempt her wild side and dives deep into her work, creating a web design business on the verge of success. The only problem with ignoring life around you is that you do eventually miss out and Miranda has failed to notice her hawt FedEx delivery guy for the last three years. Oh yeah ~ I said THREE years!

Nate has been lusting after Miranda forEVAH and goes so far as to rearrange his delivery schedule so that he ends his day with her. So when she unexpectedly shows up at a club he is at and dances with him, he damn near looses his mind ~ so much so that she walks away from him without him being able to form a coherent sentence. And when her friends tip him off to her whereabouts a few days later, he pounces on the chance to see her again. But Miranda’s past has caused her to erect shields of protection in places even she doesn’t realize exist and it is up to Nathan to show her that having a life doesn’t mean that she will revert back to her darker days. Their attraction is instantaneous and Nathan’s ability to get to Miranda scares the crap out of her. As her craving for him grows, she does the only thing she knows how to do … retreat into herself and close off from Nate. But at some point being shut down and shut out can only be taken so many times and Nathan may be at the end of his limit after realizing that everything he thought they shared together may well have been based entirely on lies.

I think that the best way to describe this story is to say that it is the most uncomplicated, complex story I have ever read. Now that makes sense to me, but I am not sure that it will to all of you. Basically what I mean is that the story is easily understandable and the plot is relatively simple, but the characters are complex. Miranda more so than Nathan. The story could easily have been cut into a quick novella, but instead, Ms. Elliott thought out the characters and executed a terrific story. What I enjoyed the most is that Miranda and Nate switch roles from the traditional girl goes swoon over guy and guy struggles with forever. Nate knows what he wants and has to convince Miranda that they have hope for a future. Not to mention the HEA wasn’t spoon-fed. I always enjoy the characters having to work for their happiness a bit before attaining it.

I thought I saw that this story was the first in a series of four. But I haven’t been able to locate the site where it said such. I can only hope that it is true because the secondary characters can sure use stories of their own. Leo for one I am crazy curious about; especially after his little bomb drop about everyone having secrets. I know that Nathan’s brother, Noah, definitely needs his own story. And Macy seems to have a lot to say which could easily morph into her own story. It will be interesting to see if I am right. Until then, I highly recommend this story. The character interaction is fresh and witty, not just with the main characters, but with the secondary characters who enhance the story tremendously. And the electricity between Nate and Miranda practically crackles off of the pages. For an enjoyable read that you will not regret passing time with and characters that quickly draw you in, tossed liberally with exciting intimacy, UNCROSS YOUR HEART is a must read.

(EBook copy provided by author for review.)(less)

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Jul 01, 2012 Amelia rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: hot-romance, yummy, favorites

5 stars because it made me smile, laugh, weep and sigh.

First, I've got to get this out of the way - I LOVE NATHAN! Taryn describes him as her `boyscout with a dirty side'. OMG! So true. Miranda was drawn to him because of his forearms...I so get that, I'm a forearms gal myself (if there weren't any other body part obviously showing i.e. the `V'). One of the most endearing characters I've read so far - smart (hello, patented inventor), ripped (hello, broad shoulders), loves the simple things in...more

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Sep 04, 2012 Rhayne rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: erotic, reviewed-for-guilty-pleasures

5 STARS

This is a book about overcoming your past mistakes. It’s a love story about trust and having faith in the one you give your heart to. It has passion, chemistry and an amazing conclusion. This book is packed with lots of steamy sexy scenes and a hot couple that is simply irresistible. Complete review posted here: http://www.guiltypleasuresbookreviews...

1 like · like · see review

Apr 25, 2012 Dahlia (yadkny) added it Recommends it for: Contemp Romance Lovers

Review posted @ The Long and Short Reviews

1 like · like · see review

Mar 25, 2012 Jennifer rated it 5 of 5 stars

Loved. It.

**** SPOILER ALERT ****

Nate is the perfect MMC -- gorgeous and charming and funny and human. I love the insecurity of Mr. Ficus, the way Miranda has been under his skin for years yet he does nothing about it.

Miranda and MJ -- what can you say about two sides of the same coin? I love the idea of the bad girl trying to be good, but still being a little bad and beating herself over it. And keeping it from Nate. Bad Miranda.

Taryn makes you want to smack Miranda more than once, and leaves...more

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Apr 06, 2012 Melissa Maxwell rated it 5 of 5 stars

I really enjoyed the book and Miranda and Nate's relationship. Nate's character was more relate-able to me as a reader but that does not mean I did not connect with Miranda. I am not not familiar with her background so I could only sympathies with her and not empathize like I could with Nate. The story development was great even if I did not get an epilogue I so love.

1 like · like · see review

Apr 27, 2012 Erin Nicholas rated it 5 of 5 stars

Impossible to tell this was a debut! Taryn does a fantastic job of developing these characters, making you root for them and believing--and *wanting* the way their relationship grows. Nate is just... yummy! He's truly got it all! Uncross Your Heart is a keeper and I can't wait to see more from Taryn!!

1 like · like · see review

May 27, 2012 Varin rated it 5 of 5 stars

I don't usually read romance as a genre, but I really loved this book. I liked the characterization and development of both the primary and secondary characters. I'd definitely read another book by her.

3 likes · like · see review

Apr 01, 2012 Alice rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2012, romance

My full review is on my blog.

Sizzling sexual tension, a worthy male lead, and maybe some bias (the author is in my writing group) make this a worthy read, and have me rethinking my statement that I don't like romance novels.

Sometimes, it's nice to be wrong.

My ratings scale is also on my blog, which I'm linking to only because I know I'll get the side-eye from all the five-stars up already. Something has to be damn near perfect to get five stars. Even my favorite author didn't get five stars on h...more

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Apr 14, 2012 MaggieReadsRom rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: contemporary, requests, erotic-romance, e-books

4.5 stars!
Review coming shortly!

1 like · like · see review

May 17, 2012 Mei rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: contemporary

Very good! I loved Miranda even if she was a little bit too much afraid, but I can immagine that being stalked by paparazzi and having a familiy as her was, could be very bad. Nathan was such a dear - I loved him!!!

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Mar 31, 2012 Cheryl rated it 5 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Everyone

Recommended to Cheryl by: Taryn Elliott

I loved this book. Equal parts sexy and fun with enough drama to keep me coming back for more. In the end I want more Nate & Miranda. I really want to see her tell off the reporters, make up with Macy and put her no good family to shame, all with Nate by her side.

2 likes · like · see review

Apr 26, 2013 Paula marked it as fav-authors

Apr 22, 2013 Janice rated it 5 of 5 stars

Apr 20, 2013 Rosamalia marked it as to-read

Apr 17, 2013 Jetta marked it as to-read

Apr 12, 2013 Lisa rated it 4 of 5 stars

Apr 07, 2013 Ally Miller marked it as to-read

Mar 30, 2013 Kyle Yasinski rated it 4 of 5 stars

Mar 22, 2013 Bk123 marked it as to-read

Mar 05, 2013 Vidalia marked it as to-read

Shelves: erotica, maybe, short

Feb 20, 2013 Jenn marked it as to-read

Shelves: to-read-top-of-the-list, steamy, contemporary-romance

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About Taryn Elliott

I'm from the great state of New York--upstate NY, thank you very much. My family consists of a brother who takes care of keeping the snarky side of me alive and a dog that is more spoiled child than mutt. My writer-friends are the glue that keeps my crazy ideas more in the sane category, and my non-writerly friends are the reason I'm not a complete hermit. I can't go a day without laughing and I t...more

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Quotes from Uncross Your Heart

“He was her worst nightmare and fondest wish all wrapped up in a damn Boy Scout.” — 3 people liked it

“He stilled at her laughter. It was rich and sexy, dark and playful. Something he’d never heard out of her mouth. His vision blurred for a second when she dragged his shirt up enough for their skin to touch. Then she gave up on getting the shirt off and latched on to his mouth again. He groaned as the heat of her skin blazed against his.” — 1 person liked it

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