GET THE 20TH ANNIVERSARY EDITION WITH A GREATLY EXPANDED BOOK, EXTRA CHAPTERS, AND SURPRISES FOR EVERY HARMLESS ADDICT TO LOVE. She's come to Hawaii to heal.
Once a celebrated pastry chef, Jocelyn Dupree is rebuilding her life. A horrific work experience has left her battered but not broken. She arrives in Hawaii ready to rebuild her life and career. Romance...that's just not that important right now.
He's sworn off love.
Kai Aiona has always been the guy who helps mend broken hearts. Unfortunately, the last heart that was broken was his, and he's just not ready to risk that pain again. That is, until he meets Jocelyn. Her sad eyes draw him in, but it's her determination to succeed that makes her impossible to ignore. At least for a little while.
A friendly date that turns into more.
After that first date, Jocelyn finds it impossible to resist Kai. He's gorgeous and funny, and he doesn't look at her like she's something to fix. Their chemistry is off the charts, but even so, Jocelyn still finds it hard to trust. When Kai finds out that she hasn't been truthful with him, Jocelyn realizes she has to either trust or heart, or let the one man she has ever loved go.
Warning, this title contains the Scenes from Hawaii, nosey friends and family, two people who are right for each other but too stupid to realize it, a tattooed and pierced hero, a sassy Southern heroine, one drunken night, and love scenes that will curl your toes, warm your heart and leave you panting for more. Remember, Harmless stories are not for the weak.
LOVED it!!!! Kai is such a sweetie, an Alpha, but not overly so...very believable male character. I loved seeing all the characters from the previous books, and LOVE Chris' predicament =) It is very refreshing to see an author mix up what her series is about...all the books are smoking hot when it comes to sex, but this book was about two people recovering from bad relationships and falling in love, no BDSM like in the previous 3 Harmless books, don't get me wrong I loved the previous three, but it was nice to have an erotic love story thrown in the mix with no menage, no anal and no BDSM...
Jocelynn is a New Orleans girl who has moved to Hawaii to get her life back together. Her brother Chris lives there and she needs some place new to recover from an attempted rape. It's been months since her attack, and she is just starting to move forward. In fact, for the first time since it happened, she feels attracted to a man.
Dealing with his own past, Kai isn't looking for a relationship, but he feels an immediate pull towards Jocelynn. And despite her brother's concerns, they start spending more and more time together. Kai has a general idea of what happened to Jocelynn, so he tries to take it slow. His heart is in the right place, but every time the spark lights between them, he pushes her away. She gets embarrassed and lashes out. They make up and do it all over again. I know they are both getting over broken hearts, but these two are their own worst enemies in the beginning.
Eventually, though, they begin to move past their fears and allow themselves to work toward a relationship. It's not an easy road, but one that is gratifying in the end.
This is the fifth book in Melissa Schroeder's Harmless series and it's apparent that these stories are all woven together. Characters from the previous books are peppered throughout and as a new reader, I wasn't sure how much of the backstory had been told before and how much was new. It wasn't really hard to follow, but it was obvious I had missed alot with the secondary characters. I also understand that the other books in the series feature BDSM, but this one does not. It just focuses on these two wounded people who are trying to find the courage to love again.
My biggest complaint was that both these characters blow things out of proportion. At first, it's Jocelynn's over-the-top lashing out over Kai's efforts to take things slowly. And later, it's Kai's reaction to Jocelynn holding something back about her attacker. I can see being disappointed or a little hurt, but let's remember who the victim is here. To say he overreacted would be too kind.
Overall, the book was a little harmless afternoon diversion. 3 stars.
You will fall in love with the sweetness of Kai & Jocelyn
Unlike the previous books in the series, there is no BDSM added to this story. and this can truly be read as a standalone (but it always works best within the series.) This is definitely one of my favorite stories in the series. Jocelyn Dupree comes to Hawaii after having some bad events happen in her life. She has gone from independent & in charge to just trying to survive. This worries everyone in her family and they immediately want to take care of her! Hawaii is the best option for her because she only has one brother to deal with there (even though he is completely overbearing.) Kai Aiona is always the fall back guy! Being the responsible big brother, he is use to taking care of people. So when he gets his heart broken by a woman who wasn't really over her ex, he swore off damaged women. That is until his meddling sister forces him in the path of Jocelyn.
Kai & Jocelyn are thrown together and while she isn't sure what to make of this sexy man on her doorstep, she is still able to be nice & send him on his way. But it doesn't stop their interactions and it doesn't help that they are both stubborn. They can both feel the attraction, but they were not sure if it was "healthy" for them to move forward.
The relationship that Kai & Jocelyn build is built on them finding themselves & learning to support each other in a healthy way. Kai doesn't want to push Jocelyn, but the closer they get, he is determined to protect her. But he doesn't see his mistakes until he almost loses it all.
This book will teach you about love... Relationships... And the true meaning of family! It will have you mad at the characters & happy when they see the light! And you will get a glimpse of the Harmless family of characters meddling at every turn! But that is what family is about.
Loved Loved Loved this Book, This Series is one of my Fave's!! I just love going back this world where i feel like the characters are all real!! A Little Harmless Addiction is what it is an Addiction! I couldn't put it down till i finished and when i finished i wanted more!! Melissa i can not wait till the next book! *squee* this was AWESOME i love your writing and you done so well with this one :)
I'm not sure if less happened in this book than the others, or if the ones I've read since have just had lots happening in them.
It seemed shorter and there seemed to be little for them to get over etc. I was all ready, expecting one of the guys from the past to turn up and harass. In fact, it was definately shorter. The only thing they had to deal with was their 'inability' to share. Not as good as the others. Shame.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
The irritating, interfering family aside, I had fun reading this novel as it has all the fun and frolics of an erotic romance novel. It is nicely paced, and descriptive, but can be slow in places where I hoped it would be a bit faster. Well, you can't always get what you want - yet it is a good read and deserves a three star rating on here for the sex scenes alone.
I was excited to read Kai’s story but I was a little disappointed because he wasn’t part of the Rough ‘n’ Ready BDSM scene. In fact, Kai wasn’t a Dom at all. Which may be why it took him so long to make a move on Jocelyn. Okay, so there were other reasons too, not least of which was the baggage both of them had to deal with before they could really go beyond being friends. Jocelyn had come to the island to recover from a traumatic experience and while it was nice to have her brother close, I could empathize with her frustration at his overprotectiveness. That’s probably why Kai was like a breath of fresh air. He didn’t smother her and just treated her as if she wasn’t broken. It made her feel normal in a way she hadn’t felt for months. Meanwhile, Kai struggled with his attraction to Jocelyn, refusing to be another rebound, which seemed to be his particular M.O. When they finally get together, she’s the one that opens up about her past, while Kai remains strangely silent, despite how deeply he was hurt by what had transpired. So, when he blows up about something Jocelyn has kept from him, his overreaction is a surprise, but luckily there are plenty of friends close by to help him smooth things over. I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
This is book five in The Original Harmless 5 series and it is Jocelyn and Kai’s story. Jocelyn is a celebrated pastry chef which was a job that she loved but after a horrific attack that left her scared she decided to go to Hawaii to try and move forward and rebuild her life and career after everything that she had been through and how it left her emotionally. Kai always liked to help people and was so kind and caring and he always wanted to find his forever woman and then he had his heart broken leaving him not interested in anything remotely related to love. When Jocelyn and Kai meet and go on a date because they’re attraction and chemistry is off the charts she still finds it hard to trust even though she knows that Kai is a nice and caring man but he doesn’t know what Jocelyn has been through but the more time that they spend together the harder they fall for each other so now Jocelyn will have to make a big decision and talk to Kai and trust him or else she could end up losing the one man that she had ever been in love with because of her insecurities. This was a really great read with characters that you can relate to and it had you turning the pages to see what the outcome would be for Jocelyn and Kai after everything that had happened. I recommend that you read this book and series and you will not be disappointed.
He is guarding his heart after his girlfriend trampled all over it. She is guarding her heart after surviving an unthinkable situation. When their worlds collide, they can't stay away from each other but are they willing to open their hearts and take a chance on love?
Kai has been a part of the Harmless world from the beginning. In fact, the whole Aiona family has been there. It was nice to see Kai finally get a happily ever after. He was so sweet and loving but he was also a butthead. I'm glad the author gave him a chance to really mess up and redeem himself because it allowed other characters to be front and center for a minute. Jocelyn comes to Hawaii after her life implodes. Her brother is thrilled to have her on the island with him but he suffocates her while trying to protect her. I am not going to say how her life imploded because that is slowly rolled out throughout the story. No spoilers here. I will say that Jocelyn's journey is huge and involves a lot of emotional trauma. I think the author did a good job showing Jocelyn making decisions that would be good for her long term. In the end, I thought Kai and Jocelyn were an excellent couple.
I wanted more about Jocelyn's trauma and recovery and felt like the author glossed over parts of it. I went into the story knowing it was short so I wouldn't be getting a lot of details but the story itself is pretty compelling and it left me wanting details. I don't know if that's a complaint or a complement.
This is a contemporary romance set in Hawaii. It is part of the Harmless series. You can read this as a standalone but I think it would lose some of it's impact if you don't know the history of the various characters. I will read more from this author in the future.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
This was an ok read. I'm not sure what I was expecting, but this felt kind if anticlimactic to me, especially the epilogue.
Jocelyn and Kai were each battling their own issues. Both were broken and trying to heal. I didn't feel any connection or chemistry between the two of them. I felt like this was more about Chris and Cynthia's pregnancy and morning sickness. Evan and Chris' antics were more entertaining than Jocelyn and Kai. I also liked Kai's father.
I kept waiting for Greg to show up thinking he would have to come face to fave with Kai or Jocelyn would be confronted with her nightmare.
I don't want to call it a sweet romance because it didn't make me feel that way. It was a nice romance. Not much heat. Just nice. I usually love an epilogue. This one didn't give me much. I would recommend you read it and judge for yourself.
I voluntarily read and reviewed this book received via Booksprout.
Jocelyn needs some time and space to recover from a brutal attack and find herself again. Kai is nursing a broken heart and the last thing he wants is another relationship. Two people less likely to want to become involved, but fate is a fickle mistress. The heart wants what the heart wants was never truer than in this story. However, when you have two people who aren’t looking for love and who are sure it’s the last thing they want, it makes for quite a roller coaster ride, but even with the emotional ups and downs, it’s a ride worth taking.
This is another wonderful love story to add to this amazing series. Kai and Jocelyn’s chemistry practically leaps off the page, making for a very engaging tale. And having the previous characters integrated into each story just makes the entertainment value that much more enjoyable. I highly recommend this very appealing story and series!
A Little Harmless Addiction is the 5th and final book in the Original Harmless Five series. I loved the previous two books and was eagerly anticipating another steamy, emotional journey for Jocelyn and Kai. Unfortunately, their story is pretty bland as there's no kink, no real build-up and only self-made challenges to overcome. While all the other books could be easily read as standalones, this book reads almost like an epilogue to Chris and Cynthia's story, with them sharing and at times stealing the spotlight away from Jocelyn and Kai. While I'm usually a big fan of an epilogue giving glimpses of the main characters' HEA, the new one written specifically for this anniversary edition left me rather sad and with unanswered questions.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Jocelyn Depree came to Hawaii after she was attacked by her business partner at a restaurant in Atlanta...she had broken up with her boyfriend after attack, gotten into counseling and decided needed a change, coming to Hawaii to rest, recover and get back to living...she was Chris Dupree's sister, and met the infamous player Kai Aiona, who was May's older brother. He offered to take her around the island to show her where the locals went...they were attracted to each other but faced problems since both had been hurt by previous relationships...along with a lot of teasing since Chris developed "sympathy" morning sickness since Carolyn was pregnant...with Jocelyn deciding to bake cakes for Carolyn's, does that mean she's going to stay and make Kai a happy man??? I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
It's been a few years since I've read this book, as I own the entire series. The story of Kai and Jocelyn seemed to strike a different feeling this time. The internal fear Jocelyn fights daily, frustration that she isn't the strong independent person she saw herself once being, yet Kai sees so much. Not having known The Jocelyn before coming to the island, he sees strength, determination, maybe not who she was before but better with a different perspective on how she interacts with the world.
Kai is sweet decent and patient, not many like him out there. He just may be setting himself up for heartache as Jocelyn let's insecurities interfere with her heart.
I love this series and with the anniversary books coming out with added material it even more exciting to read again.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Jocelyn fled Atlanta to Hawaii following a hospital stay after a stalking ended in assault. Not sure whether being under the watchful eye of her oldest brother, Chris and his fiancee Cynthia is a good or bad thing. First evening in her new house and she meets Kai. He is a sight for sore eyes and the first man she has felt anything for since she was attacked.
Kai has been nursing a broken heart since Kaisha left him and has not had so much as a flicker of interest in any woman until he sets eyes on Jocelyn.
This to and fro romance between two likeable but damaged individuals is delightful. Their attraction is instantaneous and fierce and just made more intense by holding back because of their issues. Fantastic end to the series.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
A Little Harmless Addiction is the fifth book in The Original Harmless series. This is a 20th anniversary edition of the book and it has been updated and expanded. As with the other books in this series I had not read them when they were originally released. But I have read a number of books by this author so I wanted to read this series as the books are becoming available. This story is about Jocelyn Dupree and Kai Aiona. They are both broken in a way and looking to rebuild their lives and hearts. But that does not include being romantically involved again. When they go on a date things make a turn as they find a sparking chemistry that is hard to ignore. Actually it sparks a lot between them that includes healing, love and more.
It's so captivating and full of love ! It has emotional turmoil, unresolved feelings, some steam, great descriptions and a few meddling but loving family members ;)
This story if so well written ( as all miss Schroeder's books are). The strong characters have an instant connection, like a click, and that slowly becomes this undeniable chemistry ... phew !!
Highly recommended book and series ! Will certainly read it again :).
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
A fated romance made to break down walls and hearts! I feel for Jocelyn as she starts to rebuild her life after her career and ex-boyfriend imploded no thanks to her ex-boss with a very overprotective brother who tries to wrap her in cotton to keep her safe. Enter Kai, the kind of guy who liked to fix problems in women, but since getting burned in his last relationship, he is trying to put a wall up to protect himself. But the electricity sparking between the two, hints that these two will be meeting their match between the sheets. Will they both be able to leave their pasts and secrets behind to have a happily ever after? You have to read to find out!
Kai had been burned by a previous relationship and now only did hookups, until he meets Jocelyn, the sister of his sister's boss. She has come to the island, recuperating from an attack by her former boss and renowned chef. There are issues between the two..one being their protective and interfering relations. This is a refreshing storyline in thec series, because neither of them are drawn to BDSM, so truly focuses on the individuals and concerns, rather than the sexual orientation of their behaviours and interests.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Rebound boyfriend 5 stars. - Jocelyn deserves a good man but she wants Kai to be bad and give in to her. Kai is trying to be good and that is frustrating Jocelyn. But Kai knows Jocelyn’s background and he doesn’t want to be the rebound boyfriend anymore. The author wrote a story that’s respectful to the trauma that Jocelyn suffered. She wrote a character in Kai that most women would appreciate. The family and friends that surround Kai and Jocelyn add to the wholeness of the story. Romance doesn’t happen in a vacuum so it was good to read about their families. But don’t get me wrong, the book is steamy. I received an advanced copy and voluntarily chose to review it.
A Little Harmless Addiction: A Harmless World Novel (Book 5 of The Original Harmless Five) by Melissa Schroeder. Jocelyn is rebuilding her life when she meets Kai, both have trust issues yet feel a connection and chemistry to each other. Giving in to these feelings is a big step in the right direction- IMO. I enjoyed this story and the author’s writing style and would recommend this story, series, and author to others. I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Jocelyn has lost some faith in men, after a bad experience has left her confidence a bit bruised. Luckily her brother Chris, has a place to help her pick up the pieces of her life. Kai is heistant to have a relationship again, because of the last woman he was with, but Jocelyn is tempting him to change his mind. I loved this romance with it's healing, women with strength and how easy both Jocelyn and Kai were to love (Kai is such a loving guy).
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I really enjoyed reading this book.Kai and Jocelyn are one of my favorite couples in this series. They are both vulnerable and don’t believe they want a relationship at this time.They are attracted to each other and are reluctant to start something. Things heat up but a misunderstanding and communication issues might derail their HEA. This book has humor, family interference, sexy scenes, romance and love. I would definitely recommend reading this book.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Jocelyn is in Hawaii now after her fiance left her and her boss who was obsessed with her and tried killing her. Kai grew up working the docks and now works doing charters. He had his heart broken when the woman he was with left him for her abusive ex. Once Kai met Joselyn, he was lost. He wanted her to be his. Joselyn really likes Kai and he has awaken something in her that she thought was lost forever. Will they be able to let their pasts go and move forward together?
I really loved the vulnerability of both the main characters! Him more so than her, and that was refreshing. Immediate attraction, which was slightly inconvenient; taking the time to get to know each other, and being overly cautious; stumbling into a relationship without communication, not the brightest. I just really liked them both, and how they were self-aware. I also really liked the comic relief Chris and Evan brought at just the right moments 😊
Melissa Schroeder has written a fantastic series guaranteed to leave you breathless and begging for more. A Little Harmless Addiction is book 5 and its Kai & Jocelyn's story. Jocelyn is Chris's sister and she comes to Hawaii after a traumatic event. She is hoping to get her life back. Kai was easy to fall for and the chemistry between them was off the charts hot! But will they allow the past to see them apart? Absolutely loved their story. Definitely recommend!