Bite & Release

Bite & Release #1

by Cory Cyr

Ryan Chase left Fairbanks, Alaska, when she was 21 years old to pursue her dream of becoming an actress. Somewhere along the way her dreams of stardom crashed and burned, along with her life. Thirteen years later she is forced to return to Fairbanks because her unforgiving and emotionally-distant father has suddenly died. Ryan seizes the opportunity to not only escape her abusive husband but to be able to attend her best friend's wedding. What could go wrong? It's only Fairbanks, Alaska... While wishing she was anywhere but her father's funeral and wake, Ryan is struck senseless by a stunning, drop-dead gorgeous man. Her thoughts turn carnal and she desperately wants to know him in every way and position possible. There's only one problem... He's the devil's spawn. He's the one who marked her for life. He's the kid she used to baby-sit. And he's hotter than hell! Shea Michaels has loved Ryan Chase for most of his life. After surviving an unspeakable childhood, he became a man of whom she could be proud of...if she ever came back. Now that she's returned, Shea pursues her with a vengeance, undaunted by the thirteen year age difference that Ryan uses as the shield between them. Confusion, guilt and lust bombard Ryan as she battles the memories of the little boy she used to know while still being drawn to the heart-stopping man he has become.

Genres: Romance, Contemporary Romance, Contemporary, Abuse, Erotica, New Adult, Ebooks

270 pages, Paperback

First published May 28, 2014

Reviews

[Baba · Rating 1 out of 5]

1 star. DNF @40%. Review posted July 6, 2015




Fuck, fucking, fucking, fucking, fucking, FUCK, fucking, fucking, fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck, fucked, Fuck, fuck, fucking, fucking, fucked, fuck, Fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck, fucked, Fuckable, Fuckable, fucking, Fuckable, FUCK, Fuck, FUCK, fucking, Fuckable, fucking, FUCK, fucking, fucking, Fuck, Fuck, Fuckable, fuck, fucking, fucking, fuck, fuck, fucking, Fuck, fucked, Fuck, fucked, fuck, fucking, fucking, Fuck, fucking, Fuck, fucking, fucking, fucking, fucking, fucking, fucking, fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck, fucking, fuck, fuck, fucking, fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck, fucked, fucking, fucked, fucking, Fuck, Fuck, fuck, fuck, fucked, fucked, fucked, fucking, Fuckable, fucking, fuck, fuck, fucking, fucking, fucking, fucking, fucking, Fuck, Fuck, fuck, fucked, fuck, fuck, fuck, motherfucker, fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck, Fuck, fucking, fucking, fucking, Fuck, Fuck, fucking, fuck, fucking, fucking, fuck, Fuck, fuck, fucked, fuck, fuck, fuck, fucking, fuck, fuck, fuck, fucking, fucked, fuck, fucking, fuck, Fucking, fucked, Fuck, fucking, Fucking, fucking, fucking, fucking, fuck, fucking, fuck, Fuck, fuck, fuck, Fuck, Fuck, fucking, fuck, fuck, Fuck, fucking, fuck, motherfucker, fuck, fucking, fuck, fucking, fucking, fucking, fucking, fuck, Fuck, fucking fuck, Fuck, fucking, fuck, fucking, fuck, fucking fucking, fuck, fucking, fucking, fucking, fucking, fuck, fucking, fucked, motherfucker, fucking fucking, Fuck.

Do I really need to elaborate?

Word count says...

190 x fuck, fucking, fuckable etc.

Only 7% in and I was effin' tired of those F-bombs. Worse, it was first and foremost the heroine who dropped them all the time. Fuck.Me.








Fuck #8

*Baba looks sheepishly left and right* She couldn't find another great fuck gif. *inserts mental image of "Fuck, reading is a fucking pleasure and so fucking educative"*

Oops. I did fib a little bit. Here are more gifs…




Dear me. I think I need to stop now. Imagine, 190 gifs? That's…wow…just unthinkable. We should call the gif fuck police. Now.



After having spent thirteen years in New York as a rather unsuccessful actress, Ryan's father passes away and she seizes the chance to escape her abusive husband. Her hopefully soon-to-be ex knows that she hated her hometown, so she believes that staying in Fairbanks for a while shouldn't be a problem. Also, she will be attending her friend Trina's wedding and at her father's wake she's spotting a tall, dark and fuckable man. To her utter surprise it's Shea, Trina's little brother, who she used to babysit when he was a boy. That boy, now a big twenty-one-year-old man, has always been in love with her, of course without her knowledge. It goes without saying that the age gap of thirteen years will be an issue.

Ryan and Baba didn't get off to a good start, that's for sure. She seemed to have a tendency to booze it up too easily. She was even drunk at her father's wake. It's one thing to say she didn't talk to her father for several years, yet she mentioned that she loved him but did disrespect him by getting intoxicated at his wake. Show some respect, please. To make matters worse, she eye-fucked Shea at said wake. That chat right there made me want to gag. All the salaciousness, lechery and smugness felt completely uncalled-for, given the fact they were attending her father's wake. It left a very bad taste in my mouth, to say the least.

Also, there was an incident when Ryan met Trina's future husband which didn't help to endear her to me at all.

"Hello Ryan. I'm sorry we have to meet under such sad circumstances," Quinn said solemnly. I shook his hand quickly. I sent Trina the look that meant she chose well and that he was a keeper. Trina smiled. They appeared to be very much in love, and it made me want to gag. Loudly.

It was so needless and stupid. Right then and there I decided that we wouldn't get along and I was right. By the way, that happened before she eye-fucked Shea at her father's wake.

Shea is taking night courses at a veterinary college and is apprenticing at Protected Paws. I would have liked to see him actually working with animals. Though when I gave up at 40% I was really past caring because I was so irritated.


Quotes for your perusal

Just the thought of him answering the phone sans clothes set my nipples on high alert. Seriously, as soon as I get food, I needed to go to a bar, pick up some random hot guy and have wild meaningless sex. Then I could stop looking at Shea as Mr. Tall, Dark and Fuckable.

I also added a pint of Jack Daniels, because God knows I needed it right now.
My nerves were frayed, and I swear my underwear felt damp. I was just horny, right now, for anyone…hell, I could probably get this obese, bearded counter guy to get me off. Now I am losing my mind, because I'm staring at the obese-bearded-counter-guy, and using my peripheral vision to watch Shea through the store window. Obese-bearded-counter-guy blatantly checked me out as he bagged my groceries, as if I were his future happy meal. I couldn't decide which was more distasteful--the thought of this guy making me come, or seducing the eight-year-old I used to babysit. Arg! I tossed the bags into the cart and rolled it out to Shea's car.


My pulse spiked at seeing his lips wrapped around the rim of the bottle. He handed it back and I took another sip, closing my eyes. I swear I could taste him on the bottle. I swear I moaned.

You can swear all you want I don't give a flying F. That inner monologue got on my last effin' nerve.


Just having his hand there ignited a burning deep within me. My nipples pebbled, and my core began to beat like a drum.

"Hold it right there…I told you we can't have sex. Jesus, Shea, we shouldn't even be doing this. I'm too old for you and you're just a kid."


This is part of her inner monologue:

I used to babysit him!

Again.And.Again.And.Again.

Heck, get over it already! I got so tired of hearing that all the time.


It was as if all the oxygen had been sucked out of the room and I felt my pulse spike. My emotions splintered for a moment, and I wanted to go straight into his arms so badly--this terrible hunger in me needed gratification, and only Shea would do.


"Just deal with it," Trina replied, turning her head. I was not able to see through her veil that way, but I was positive that bitch was smirking.
"Quit trying to set me up with your fucking baby brother," I spit out.

Baba: Shut up, you twat!


Any logic I knew I had was being pushed out my carnal wants.

The incredibly close contact with his warm body had me trembling as he held me, and my panties dampened with wanton need as his granite-hard cock--a formidable bulge that threatened to split his pants wide open--pressed into my belly. He bent his head, and the moment his plush lips met mine, sealing our hunger, my arms reached around him, my hands busily stroking, caressing, every inch of his muscled back and shoulders.


(…) but I sucked in my breath when I glimpsed the girth of his staff.


"No, it's fine. Don't stop," I panted, my body quickly adjusting to his thrumming staff.

It's new to me that we call a cock staff, or thrumming staff at that.


"Oh, you do love to tease, Ryan. I was so hard for you at your Dad's wake, and I thought I'd rip out of my pants when I saw my bite marks on your arm. You just about undid me," he murmured into my ear.

Word count says…

37 x wet etc.

wetness, wet, wet, wet, wetness, wet, wet, wet, wet, wet, wet, wetter, wetter, wet, wet, wet, wet, wet, wet, wet, wet, wet, wet, wet, wetness, wetness, wet, wet, wetness, wetness, wet, wet, wet, wet, wetness, wetness, wet

I was fairly sure I could wring out my panties because they had become so wet.

We need a bottle of water stat. She seems to be dehydrated.

This story made me so wet. Not.


Bite & Release was a hard one to sell to me at any given moment because I neither liked the hero nor the heroine. Considering their backgrounds, I know I should have empathized with them but, quite frankly, I hardly felt anything except of annoyance. Everything came off as too stilted, melodramatic, cheesy and gimmicky. Once again there was plenty of OTT body appreciation on both sides which made me roll my eyes one too many times. The heroine's trivial and stupid inner monologue was total overkill. Thus I was so bored that I moved at snail's pace. And the sex left me with the usual impression of I-could-not-have-cared-less.

Bottom line
It would have been nice to have gotten a bit of substance to balance out the various (190) f@cks. Although the unlikable heroine killed this story for me. Well, the cock has been released and the book has bitten the dust. Fact is, the high average rating of Bite & Release is a total mystery to me because it's one of those books that are once read and easily forgotten.

Again, I do love that trope of younger hero, older heroine very much. However, Bite & Release doesn't hold a candle to my favorite Liberating Lacey. Cuff me, Officer! "I'll sacrifice a little skin to watch you come under me, beautiful."


Movin' on…

[✿kawehi.reviews · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'll admit, I'm a closet pervert. I've always had a fascination with taboo romances and this one proved to be quite thoroughly although is wasn't actually.

Take a 34 year old woman and a 21-year old male. Both are legal to get romantically and sexually involved according to U.S. regulations, right? Okay.

But now, take into account that despite their 13 year difference:
*the girl used to babysit the guy while she was a teenager and the guy was not even in the two digit age line.
*the guy has been in love with her since he was a child
+and even told her dad when he was eight years old that he was going to marry her. Heh, quite a statement, young man!

I could divulge a lot more to this plot but I'll keep it brief. Basically the just of it was just Ryan (the girl) coming to grips to her attraction with Shea (the guy) and to see him as the grown man that he is today and not the little boy she last saw him as.

Now add in: add in a jealous flame, an abusive ex-husband, Shea's meddling sister (not in a bad way that is), some parental objection, and a game changing revelation... and you got yourself a story!

My Thoughts: An over all, steamy story that, well, I greatly enjoyed. But then again, it could just be my 'pervy' side that's doing the talking for me! lol. Ryan is one lucky cougar to have such a stud panting and holding a torch for you after all of these years! And not to mention, he's a veterinarian! Gah, looks, brains, and loyal to a fault! Score!! What a jealous, jealous woman I am!

So why not a 5-star rating?: Don't get me wrong, this story was good and all but the last minute twist of the story #when it was revealed that Shea could have been possibly Ryan's brother and that Trina (Shea's older sister) was the one actually related to Ryan# I just flipped my lid. It was random, unneeded, and unnecessary drama. Just pointless. Hence, the deduction.

That all said, happy reading guys!

[Melissa ♥ Dog/Wolf Lover ♥ Martin · Rating 4 out of 5]

www.melissa413readsalot.blogspot.com

This is definitely an erotic romance book, although.. I'm not sure there was too much romance! Just so you know and not go letting young people read it. They can admire the gorgeous guy on the front like the rest of us :)

There are things I loved about this book and things that annoyed me. **SPOILERS**

You have Ryan Chase who was born in Fairbanks, Alaska and lived their with her father until she was old enough to quit college and head off to New York to try to become an actress. Uh.. that didn't work out. Anyhoo.. Ryan's mom died in childbirth so her father was the only one to raise her. They got along great until she got into the crazy teens and left. Things didn't work out for Ryan in New York, she didn't become an actress and she married a man who beat her. She didn't speak to her dad for 5 years because she didn't want to hear him say "I told you so." Ryan had a best friend named Trina that lived next door to her dads house and she used to babysit Trina's little brother named Andrew, but Ryan called him Shea. Shea used to spend a lot of time with Ryan's father because his own father would beat him and his mother. He never touched Trina in any way though. Shea told Ryan's father at 8-years-old that he was going to marry Ryan some day.

13 Years Later:

Ryan is coming home for her father's funeral. She didn't even know he was sick. She was upset that Trina didn't tell her. She never got to say anything to her father before he died :( So Ryan comes back for her father's funeral, for Trina's wedding, to get the house in order to sell, and basically running away from her husband and file for divorce.

Ryan sees Shea at the funeral and wonders who the hot man is.. she says something more but I'm not putting that in my review :) When she finds out he is little Shea, she about craps herself. Now, here comes the annoying part! Throughout most of the book Ryan keeps saying I can't think this about Shea, I can't be with Shea, I was his baby sitter when he was a kid. OKAY, we know that so shut-up and get over it! She is 34 and he is 21, live it up!

Shea is working at a veterinary office and going to school to become a vet. He's a good guy for the most part, but he has a lot of issues. I think he handles them all very well. I loved that he helped animals and cared about them.

I loved most of the book, but let me tell you, every other page is about explicit sex. Looking at the gorgeous guy on the cover helped with the mental picture! LOL ...but at some point I was like.. can we move on to something else. And I wanted to smack Ryan several times for keeping her marriage a secret from Shea until it comes out when it shouldn't and all this stuff goes down.

Later on they find out that Ryan's dad left her a lot of money and a secret comes out. What could it be? It's a good one and not the one I was worrying about. Some bad stuff happens at the end, but it eventually worked out just right. I loved it. I thought the ending was so sweet.

I'm definitely reading the next book!

[Kirsten · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 Let's call Jerry Springer stars!



Bite and Release is a book filled with drama.

Thirty four year-old, Ryan (heroine), is heading back home to Fairbanks, Alaska from New York to attend her fathers funeral. Although she doesn't like the fact that she is returning home after being gone for 13 years, she's taking the opportunity to run and hide from her abusive husband. At least while she is home she will be able to see her long time best friend, Trina, who was also her neighbor. Ryan used to babysit Trina's brother, Andrew, who she always called Shea (short for his middle name, Seamus).

Twenty one year-old Andrew "Shea" Michaels has loved Ryan ever since he can remember. Having an very abusive father at home, he was always touched by the beautiful and kind-hearted next door neighbor, Ryan. Ever since she left Alaska, when he was eight, he has pined for her. Now she is back. Though the circumstances are not the best, he is glad that Ryan is back in town. Maybe he can convince her to finally be his.

At her fathers funeral, Ryan notices a "Mr. Tall, Dark, and Fuckable". Imagine her horror when she finds out the hot guy is Shea.

"I should not be wet dreaming about the kid I used to babysit"


Despite her inner battles with her attraction to the now grown-up Shea, she does succumb to her desires. But there is so much more drama afoot. This is only the tip of what everyone will learn. Besides the age difference, can the two overcome other hurdles dealing with the past? Secrets and lies will come out about both families that will leave you stunned.



I would say this was an okay read. Of course my perverted ass was a little interested in how the whole relationship would go down. The subject matter was just taboo enough for me not to pass up.

Let's start with the positives. The initial story obviously sucked me in, but I was very surprised by some of the secrets the two neighbors had. I think the author was giving subtle hints as to what was coming, so it wasn't a huge shock. But then...more and more secrets and revelations were made. By the time those were all revealed, the whole babysitting thing was the least of their issues. Holy shit!

There was a lot of...



...and...



...and even more...



So yeah, I guess that was pretty exciting and interesting. The other positive was Shea. It was pretty sweet how smitten he was with Ryan, and how much he loved and thought about her in her absence.

However I was not a fan of the heroine (selfish, annoying, etc...) some of the repetitiveness (no, I don't need to read AGAIN how wet you are, how he's always hard, and how his juices are running down your thighs, I think I get it-you're hot for each other), and just some extra OTT drama and suspension of disbelief. I also thought the ending was very rushed. Honestly if it wasn't for the twists, this may have been a 2 star, or possibly a DNF. Since I am a fan of being stunned speechless, I'll give 3.

I would recommend if you'd like a story with drama and twists, a lot of sex, and a beta-type hero. I guess the love story was okay too.

[Glass]

DNF at 35%

Book summary was so promising, but unfortunately, Bite & Release didn't work out for me.
At all.

[Malene · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was so good. The story - about a man who falls in love with a 13 years older woman. The man Shea was everything. Holy crap what a man he'd turn into, when you consider the horrific childhood he had. I loved him and swooned every time he spoke or did something for his woman. The woman Ryan was strong but insecure. I liked the way she grew and became more sure of herself. I went into this book with no expectations and It paid off.

[Kimme · Rating 1 out of 5]

Oh my god, was this book written by a 15 year old? The main character, who repeatedly had to point out her age, was one of the most immature brats ever. Cory Cyr is now on my "Don't Waste Your Time Or Money On This Author List". It's bad enough that the silly woman is fixated on the age difference but then to throw in the unreasonable possible sibling with her lover aspect and then coat it with an attempted murder by her psycho ex.....spare me!
I have no idea how this book got so many multi star reviews. I'm disappointed in my fellow readers for their horrible reviews. I can't believe I spent money on this book because I believed the false reviews.

[Vixster · Rating 4 out of 5]

I didn't have a prob with the age dif between the H/h in this book, my prob was I bloody loved the H. I have sons older than him. I had to keep imagining him a wee bit older cuz I sometimes felt a bit of a perv!
Good book, the plot was ok, the h did my head in a bit but Shea was delish.......defo worth reading book buds :-)

[Vieira · Rating 5 out of 5]

Awesome story very sexy with lots of twists!

[Sarah Darlington · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars! I've had this one sitting, waiting to be read, in my kindle forever, and I finally got to read it!! It delivered all the synopsis promised. Hot younger guy. Lots of sex. Roller coaster ride of emotions. Did I mention lots of sex with a hot younger guy in Alaska?!?

Only a few things I wish could have been different.
1. It was a little too long.
2. Some of the language used during those hot-steamy multiple sex scenes was too much for me. Juices. And I kept imaging Shea with a penis so big that it didn't seem sexy--it only seemed massive and painful.
3. The brother/sister scare. Not my thing. Not needed.

Besides those 2 things, this book was perfect and it delivered! So yay! I recommend it, especially at the price of 99c it currently is at.

[Unrulyreadr Reviews · Rating 5 out of 5]

OH Shea , Shea, Shea… What I would do with you! This book was just plain amazing to me! It had its up and down and even a little OH NO THEY DIDN’T moments! Ryan left home , to become an actress but all she got was an abusive husband who rather try to beat her and try to get her into porn than love her and cherish her. So when her father dies she run, and runs fast back to the one place she doesn’t want to go. But the one place she knows he will never find her Alaska! But what she doesn’t expect is to find the 8yr old next door neighbor boy all grown up and all tall, dark and do-able. Can she look past the age difference? Can Shea show her how much she means to him? And what happens when the past comes back to haunt them all? Confessions of a Booklovinjunkie

[Crazy for Books (Stephanie) · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5 STARS

Ryan Chase left her home of Fairbanks, Alaska when she turned 21 for the big city lights of New York. When she left, she broke the heart of 8-year old Andrew "Shea" Michaels, who was in love with her. 13 years later, Ryan has returned to Fairbanks, in her eyes a failure, to bury her father and escape an abusive husband when she runs into "Mr. Tall, Dark and Fuckable",Shea Michaels, also known as Satan's child, the kid she used to babysit, but who is now a 21-year old sexy tattooed man. What's a girl to do?..

Satan's child had bitten me when he was eight. I mean he actually bit me, sunk his teeth into me, wouldn't let go, and drew blood. The day he found out I was leaving, he freaked, the little psycho, and after he bit me, I returned the favor. I bit him back, hard, until he howled like a wounded animal.

This was really cute and hilarious in some places. Crazy sexy hot in others...

"That was just a prelim...wait until my cock is buried inside you."

~ Shea

"I better fuck you right now, because I'd rather come inside you than ouside."

~ Shea
But then was ruined by the repitition of where they were, what they ate, what they wore. Now don't get me wrong, many authors do it and it's fine when there's a reason I need to know where they are, what they are eating and what they are wearing. But in this case, it just made the book lag. At one point, I just didn't care what the new fireplace looked like or what color the walls or carpet were redecorated to be. It wasn't relavent to the story other than taking up time. I started to skim and that's the kiss of death for me. I am someone who reads every freaking word. I just couldn't anymore. I wanted to get to where the story was going.

But you have to take my skimming to wanting to now what happened, Or I would DNF... and I didn't, i kept going.

This could have been fabulously hot and funny. Would have been signigicantly shorter, or the author could have brought some of the smaller characters up and made their impact more significant, like both of their exes. I think more conflict there would have improved the story. Giving them more context, background and therefore more impact would have helpd. But thats just my humble opinion.

I don't know if I would read this author again. It would have to come with a great recommendation from one of my trusted GR buddies.

[J · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars. This book was really hard for me to rate. Some parts I really loved, but some parts were kind of overdramatic and seem to be drawn out for a plot point when the H/h could have just communicated with each other.

What I love is that the H is 21 and the h is 34. She used to babysit him and even though he had told her he loved her when he was 8 years old, she was taken by surprise with her feelings for him when she returned home years later as she was fleeing an abusive marriage. One thing I didn't like was that she was still married for most of the book, not even pursuing a divorce for awhile and cohabitating with our hunky H (yes, the cover definitely does our H justice).

We have the usual self esteem issues with the older woman/younger man situation, the worries that when the h has "grown up" he won't want her anymore and me shouting at her to "okay, just tell him!" multiple times. But this was an okay read.

[Lisa Cullinan · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Must Read!

I can't believe I let this book sit in my Kindle for so long ~ what was I thinking? Well let me tell you, I'll never leave another Cory Cyr book hang again! As a matter of fact, after I submit this review, you can bet I'll already be deeply engrossed in Reviving Haven ... This book had so many layers to it ~ romance, steamy sex, friendship, twists and turns (jeez, I didn't see a couple a things comin'!) along with every single character who became equally important in making this story complete. Ryan and Shea were perfect for each other ~ after a while, the age difference became irrelevant. The sex was smokin HOT! Shea is one of the sexiest, confident, endearing, strong, smart, oh, sexiest (yes, I mentioned this twice!) Cory's writing style was descriptive, with just enough attention to the details that mattered. One chapter flowed into the next flawlessly ~ I just loved this book so much ~ outstanding job by a brilliant author.

[Nadia · Rating 2 out of 5]

1.5 stars.

everything happened so quickly, for example Ryan (the heroine) was like "no, I can't sleep with Shea I used to babysit him!" but I'll make-out with him, and he can diddle me. The big drama didn't feel necessary/authentic, it was more used for plot devices.

I skimmed through a lot of the book because I didn't feel the emotional connection from the H/h, sure they acted like they loved each other, but it wasn't felt from me as a reader.

this book had the potential to be so much better.

[Heather · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a very sexy little book! After being in New York for 13 years Ryan goes back home to Alaska. There she sees the hottest guy she's ever seen. She realizes "Mr. F#@kable" is actually Shea, the boy she used to babysit. But she doesn't know that he's always been in love with her.

There's a sequel with Shea's POV which I can't wait to read. He was such a good guy and adorable that you can't help falling in love with him.

[вιвℓισρнιℓια {кιηgѕℓєу & ѕøяєη ƒσяєνєя} · Rating 3 out of 5]

 ....

I was meant to save him now, and somehow, he had saved me too.

Kinda predictable. Kinda hot. Just kinda, ok.

[HeatherTX · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a great read! Bite & Release is a hot sexy story with plenty of angst. It will spike your heart rate and give you anxiety like no tomorrow just wanting to know the outcome for Ryan and Shea.

[Rebecca Woodward · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book. This is a new Author for me. The characters were so breath taking.

[Three Chicks · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 Star Review by Jennifer Hagen

I loved this book! I was initially captivated by the cover and the blurb…title not so much, but when I read the story I completely understand how the title means so much to the story. Andrew “Shea” has loved Ryan since he was 8 years old. Ryan moved away to New York City when she was 21 years old to pursue her dreams of acting. Those dreams didn’t pan out the way she thought they would and she now finds herself back in Fairbanks, Alaska. When Shea was 8 years old he had an issue with biting. When he learned that Ryan was leaving, he bit her and in return she bit him. They both have the scars to show they are bonded for life.

Thirteen years have now passed and Ryan is 34 years old. She is returning to her hometown to bury her father and finding an escape. This was the perfect time to run from her abusive husband, to whom she has been married to for 5 years. She and her father did not have a close relationship since she left home and for the past 5 years had not spoken to one another. Her father was still aware of her life due to the fact that Ryan’s best friend and her mother were keeping him in the loop.

Shea is no longer the bratty 8-year-old boy that Ryan once babysat. He is now 21 years old and is studying to be a veterinarian. He has done well with his life considering the abuse he had to endure as a child from his father. He almost didn’t survive the last attack. Shea went through a dark phase in order to cope with the abuse. He used alcohol, drugs, and sex as an escape. Shea has been having sex since he was 13 years old.

When Ryan sees a tall, dark and handsome man at the funeral she has no idea who he is but is soon rendered speechless when she finds out who he is…”I had just been eye-f*cking the kid I used to babysit.”

Shea has been holding onto hope that one day Ryan would return home and see him not as the boy she used to babysit, but as a man who is worthy of being loved. Shea’s attempts at having Ryan see him as this man are unsuccessful.

“I’m laying down the torch I’ve carried for thirteen years. I actually dreamed about this moment for years, and I honestly thought that if you saw what I had become you might want me, but I can’t force you. I can’t make this happen, regardless of how much I want it to.”

Shea’s heart has been shattered by Ryan not once, but now twice in his life. He is utterly defeated. My heart hurt for him. Ryan wants Shea, but she cannot get past the huge age gap between them, that she used to babysit him, and the fact that she is still married.

Ryan’s best friend, Trina, also happens to be Shea’s older sister. Trina is the catalyst of their eventual union and after one night together there is no going back. Shea is finally living his dream with Ryan in his bed and he in her heart. Although initially Ryan was reluctant to admit her feelings, she realizes that she does love Shea. Shea has always been completely honest with Ryan.

“I love you so much, I feel like my heart can’t hold it all,” he pledged.

Ryan is not honest with Shea. She continues to keep her marriage a secret from Shea knowing that he will be completely distraught with the realization that Ryan once loved a man enough to want to be with him forever. Soon the secret of her marriage becomes the least of her worries. At 67% my stomach plummeted and even though I had an inclination this could be a possibility, I didn’t want to face the facts just as much as they didn’t want to.

“Andrew will not survive this. He’s gone through so much, and you were the one bright spot for him, the one thing he always wished for and finally got. This will be too much.”

I have to admit that I rarely am able to read a book cover to cover without taking a peek at the end. For some reason I decided I was not going to peek and I was going to ride the wave of angst. Hours after I finished this book I was still feeling my stomach hurting. Shea and Ryan’s story touched a part of my heart and soul and it continued to remain. So what did I do?...I went back to re-read the story! They are stuck in my mind!

I can’t say enough good things about this book. The hotness factor alone is 5 stars! The love that Shea carried for Ryan all those years is unfathomable. Shea is an enigma, and one that deserves to be discovered. He hurts, he loves, and he holds strong when the walls are crashing down around them. There is no wrong age when it comes to love even at the age of 8 years old.

[Malinda · Rating 3 out of 5]

Bite & Release

3-3.5 stars

This was a good story. I liked Ryan and Shea and their story was interesting with lots of drama to keep things going. This is the first book I've read by this author and based on this I'd be willing to consider trying more of her work in the future.

Ryan left her home in Alaska at the age of 21 to move to New York City to become an actress. Her mother died during childbirth and Ryan's father wasn't too keen on his daughter quitting college to run off to NYC. The more he showed his disapproval, the further he pushed Ryan away until eventually they didn't talk at all. Ryan got involved with the wrong man and married him. He was abusive and put Ryan in the hospital several times when she tried to leave him. When she found out her father was seriously ill she decided to flee NYC and go home but her father died before she made it.

Shea grew up with an abusive father and a mother that was also abused and couldn't protect him. He has a sister too but she luckily wasn't abused by their father. Shea's father was a rich lawyer with a lot of connections so they weren't able to get help from the authorities. Growing up in that hell matured Shea fast and after some troubled times, Shea buckled down to work and school, working on becoming a vet.

When Shea was 8 and Ryan was 21 she had been babysitting him for a while. She was the only person that treated Shea special and she made him feel loved, something that he cherished. He decided then that one day he'd marry her and would wait for her to come back from NYC. Ryan didn't know this and leaves to find a dream that doesn't end up happening. 13 years later, Trina (Shea's sister and Ryan's BFF) is picking Ryan up from the airport as she finally made it home...just in time for her father's funeral. She's not happy to be back in Alaska and is sure that everyone condemns her for leaving in the first place and not coming back sooner (not that she knew there was an issue). She goes to the funeral and sees a very sexy man (Shea) and is very attracted. She wants to divorce her husband (she managed to stay separated from him for 6 months before escaping NY) and isn't looking for a relationship but thinks it might be a good opportunity for a one night stand. That idea quickly gets squelched when she finds out that the sexy man is Shea, all grown up and looking super yummy.

Shea makes it clear he's interested in Ryan but she's too caught up in the boy he used to be and isn't willing to take their attraction anywhere, Shea pursues Ryan to a point but to be honest, I thought he wasn't forceful enough with his pursuit. I mean come on, he's loved her and wanted her for 13 years and no other woman has made him feel the way he feels about her but he didn't seem to make a big effort and he let her push him away too easily. Regardless of this they do get together (with some well timed interference by a well intentioned BFF) and they fall in to something serious very quickly. Ryan has qualms but does get past them and then just worries that Shea might get tired of her. Shea tries to make sure she doesn't think that and moves things along between them as quickly as Ryan will allow. Unfortunately, they have lots to get through while trying to build their relationship. I almost felt like the drama was overdone at times because just when they get past one issue, something else comes up and then the drama I expected from the start didn't come until the very end. Shea and Ryan have a lot to deal with but they come through things and end the story starting their HEA together.

I enjoyed this story and liked Shea and Ryan. The story was interesting and had me rooting for Ryan and Shea to end up together but I will say that the ending disappointed me a bit. For Shea being so convinced that he and Ryan were meant to be together I just don't understand how he acted the way he did at the end (and let it go on for so long). And once he realized his mistake he should have had to grovel...big time. Overall the story was good and the ending was nice but my disappointment did take the enjoyment down enough that it dropped from 4 to 3 stars.

[Jackie's Book Review · Rating 5 out of 5]

First, I would like to congratulate Cory on a wonderful first book-loved it! If you think that the guy on the cover (Shea) is hot wait my friends until you read about him. Your panties will definitely be in a twist.

Second I want to say that this story has so much in it that at times the two characters Ryan Chase (yes her name is Ryan) and Andrew Seamus Michael would actually drain me emotionally. This is how good the book is.

The story is about Ryan who as a young girl left her hometown of Fairbanks Alaska to pursue her dream of acting by going to New York. Ryan left her father and Fairbanks without ever looking back, not even into the sad and crying eyes of eight year old Andrew Michaels who Ryan used to babysit. Shea who Ryan was the only person to every call him by that name then decided that he when he grew up he was going to marry Ryan and they would be happy forever...

Now thirteen years later Ryan must return back to Fairbanks for her father's funeral. Ryan's dream of becoming an actress never really came true and she ending up in an abusive marriage to her estranged husband Garrison that she is running from.

While at her father's funeral with her best friend Trina she looks across the graveyard and sees a man standing there with sunglasses on looking right through her. Ryan is both intrigued and scared of not knowing who this man is that is giving her both hot and cold vibes of course you know who that man is... The now very grown up hot and sexy Shea. Shea has never given up hope that his Ryan would return to him one day. Of course the circumstances where not what Shea wanted but she was back and Shea was determined..By the way just for the record Shea and Ryan's friend Trina are brother and sister. (just a little side note there)

Ok, that's it for me telling or writing anymore of the story itself because if I tell you anymore I am going to have to start to read the dam book all over again. I just finished it and now I have a book hangover from it for God's sake!

Yes if you do the math Ryan is thirteen years older then Shea but that is what makes this story so different from all the rest. It is the love that Shea has held in his heart for this woman for all those years and nothing is going to stop Shea now from claiming his Ryan. It is a May/December romance but that is what is so great about this book age is only a number and Ryan like Shea learns to become blind to the difference. His love for her is fierce, strong, sexy, romantic and most importantly, devoted.

There is also a part of the book that will blow you away regarding a secret past that hits home to Shea, Ryan and Trina and the suspense of Ryan's estranged husband finding her. And also there is heartbreak and tears and just a great story that will keep your interest if not your heart from start to finish.

[Tamara Larson · Rating 2 out of 5]

So, this was promising but I found it really dragged. A lot of re-hashing of why she couldn't be with him. None of her reasons really felt all that relevant to me. Plus, this book contained one of the most unpleasant heroines I've ever read. Seriously, she's nasty. Not only is she torturing this gorgeous young man who loves her to distraction, she's also mean to her best friend on her wedding day. (How DARE she ask her to be her maid of honour! Seriously. The nerve!)

Awkward dialogue and 80's soap opera-type revelations certainly didn't help. So, why two stars? Well, Shea was very hot. Just look at that cover. I love it. And this book is set in Alaska. I was expecting some interesting insight into living in such an unforgiving climate and all I got was, "boy, is it cold" type revelations. We couldn't miss out on that fact because they mention the temperature every FIVE SECONDS. I'm sure there's more to Fairbanks than just frost-bite but you would never know it from this book.

[Ambrosia · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked this book, Shea and Ryan's love story was sweet and cute and the chemistry off the charts. But I found myself being disappointed toward the end. I'm so tired of heroine saying that they found their true love, they can't live without him etc...And yet when there is an obstacle they never fight for the man they love!
Ryan disappointed me, she was ready to give up on shea without fighting,
when they thought they were related he fought for her no matter what, but when he discovered she was married she wasn't able to do the same, why? It was really frustating.
Her husband coming back was predictibable and it was an easy way to make Shea forgiving her without her seeking for his forgiveness.

[Anna Erishkigal · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book and I have the bags under my eyes to prove it :-) This story grabbed me from the tatooed man on the front cover and kept me reading until the book was finished.

Was it perfect? At some point the plot twists got a little implausible (in a sensationalistic kind of way), but that part was thankfully brief. The heroine was -too- bitchy at the beginning, but after a while she toned down and I started to like her.

And as for Shea? Oh, Shea... :-)

4 Brazen Bite Marks!

[Ana · Rating 1 out of 5]

I really don't understand all the 5 stars reviews. Honestly the only good thing about this book was Shea , but I never could figure out why he stayed inlove with such a despicable human being. I really did give this book a chance , but I couldn't get over the horrible characters.

[Chris- Bookaddict · Rating 4 out of 5]

I need to sit on this one for a bit before I put my review together right now I am rating it 3.5 stars

[Julie · Rating 5 out of 5]

WOW!! I LOVED THIS!!!!! amazing read, hell with the 13 yr age difference, this book rocked, and I loved every single minute of it! ANDREW, I LOVE YOU!

[Jessica Florence · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really liked this book, The chemistry between the two was off the charts. I knew from the first little chapter I was going to love it. I did :)

[Noel · Rating 4 out of 5]

I actually liked this book. I wasn't sure at first, but Shea is such an endearing young man I couldn't help but root for him to find his HEA.