Frisk Me

New York's Finest #1

by Lauren Layne

Officer Luc Moretti had no idea that his dive into the East River would have him drowning in a media frenzy. No matter how many times he tells reporters he was just doing his job, they're determined to make him into NYC's newest hero. Coming from a long line of NYPD's finest, Luc knows that being a cop has nothing to do with headlines and viral videos, and he's more than ready to get back to life away from the cameras—until he meets the gorgeous but jaded journalist assigned to film a TV special on him.

Ava Sims may be the only woman in NYC who isn't in love with Officer Moretti. That's why she's going after the real story—to find out about the man behind the badge. Ava's determined to keep things strictly professional, but the more time she spends around Luc, even she has to admit there's something about a man in uniform . . . and she can't wait to get him out of his.

Genres: Romance, Contemporary Romance, Contemporary, Adult, Chick Lit, Fiction, New Adult

384 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published July 28, 2015

About the author

Lauren Layne is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of more than two dozen novels, including Hot Asset, Hard Sell, and Huge Deal in her 21 Wall Street series, as well as her Central Park Pact series. Her books have sold more than a million copies in nine languages. Lauren’s work has been featured in Publishers Weekly, Glamour, the Wall Street Journal, and Inside Edition. She is based in New York City.

Reviews

[• Lisa • · Rating 5 out of 5]

FIVE OFFICER MORETTI STARS.

"I'd give up being everyone else's hero, if you'll just let me be yours.



For those that don't already know, (and I'm well aware that I'm not alone in this) I have a huge thing for an officer in uniform. Yes, I admit I'm one of 'those' women who will melt at the sight of handcuffs and those 'boys in blue'. Put together Romance, my above obsession and Lauren Layne (my favourite author of all) and I'm provided with the perfect opportunity to fall in love with a book that quite honestly had me wrapped up for four hours worth of perfect reading time. Officer Moretti was what romance dreams are made of, slightly aloof with a heart of gold (underneath his stab vest *sigh*) it doesn't get much better than this type of hero. And as for the slow burn chemistry and gorgeous story development well I can only admit that I was strung up on these characters and finding their perfect happily ever after. I won't ever complain about reading a Lauren Layne novel in fact I'm always left wanting more.

What's it all about?
Officer Luc Moretti is a man of the law who takes both his job and his ability to uphold the rules very seriously. With no room for any serious relationships, an overbearing but loveable Italian family and some unwanted heart break in his career the last thing this dark haired, brooding character needs or wants is the annoying but overly attractive Ava Sims meddling into his life. Ava comes on board to further her career when it becomes a hot topic to report his recent heroic acts on the job. But as this twosome begin to thaw towards each other and fireworks spark they have to walk that fine line between self ambition and giving over to the inevitable attraction between them. Follow the story of officer Luc Moretti and his stiletto wearing nemesis and find out who will win out in the end.



What did I love?
There was nothing that I didn't love about this novel. Heartfelt, utterly addictive and and wildly fantastic I could not get enough of Officer Moretti and his snarky reporter. This novel had a slow burn, adult feel to it with plenty of descriptive dialogue and comprehensive narration. I love how Lauren Layne pieces her novels together and this story was a fantastic example of just how a contemporary romance should play out. I loved the build up of relationship, and I also adored how the story line added a bit of everything to keep its audience interested. There was certainly enough romance, heart tugging moments and comedy to keep it all interesting and I also appreciated that there was just the right amount of angst and drama to give the story just the right amount of intensity. From Luc's interfering Italian family to the tear inducing scenes towards the end I could not have wanted more from this book and as for the couple in question I was fully sold on their story and once again I find myself applauding an author who quite frankly in my eyes can do zero wrong.



Final thoughts ...
I thought I had Lauren Layne all figured out. This authors writing style suits me to a tee and as I settled down to start this book I thought that I had this book cracked down and knew what was coming. How wrong was I? This author just continues to blow me away and with each book that Layne creates I fall more and more in love. With adult themes and a fullness to the story telling I could not have been happier to read and review yet another book by this author. What an amazing start to the 'New York's finest' series and I'm absolutely chomping at the bit to get the next book in the series that features officer Anthony Moretti. But what I really, really want (and I know I'm going to have to be extremely patient for it) is the book that focuses on Officer Vincent Moretti because I can already tell he's going to be the elusive hero that I'll be falling hard for. Until then I'll be happily re reading all my favourite parts about my darling Luc Moretti and making sure that I don't miss my Italian family too much. Don't forget to add this contemporary diamond to your 'to be read' shelves. Enjoy ... Kisses.

*ARC generously provided by forever publishing to read and review as a guest reviewer for 'Reading is sexy book blog'.*

[Geri Reads · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5 stars

If not for Luc and the whole Moretti family, this book would probably get less than three stars. So despite the aggravation I felt towards the heroine, Ava, I still enjoyed this because of Luc and his boisterous Italian family. It saddens me when a character succeeds in ruining a book. Ava was a difficult heroine to relate to and as much as I love this author and enjoyed her previous works, I just didn't fully enjoy Frisk Me as much as I'd like to.

The moment Luc and Ava met three years ago, there had been animosity between them due to Luc giving Ava a parking ticket, which she deserved but Ava, bless her heart, doesn't see this. She is one of those annoyingly belligerent female characters who had no cause to act like one despite what she says. I get the feeling throughout the book that she thinks her ambition, her feelings are more important than Luc's and it made me hate her character. I'm sorry but she acted like a sanctimonious bitch throughout the book. She keeps belittling and making fun of Luc's job as a lowly junior officer and it rubbed me wrong. I spent the first part of the book getting annoyed and angry on Luc's behalf.

My Ava issues aside, this book was a bit on the slow side. Normally, slow wouldn't bother me but in this case, it didn't work because I didn't feel the chemistry between the two and I just didn't like Ava. I wasn't convinced of Ava's growing feelings for Luc and Luc's fascination with her didn't thrill me either. So yeah, when you spend the first half of the book annoyed, I doubt there's anything that could change your perception. And that's exactly what happened to me.

I did understand her issues—or at least tried to understand Ava's issues and sympathize with her. Her family was a bunch of horrible overachievers and she grew up thinking she wasn't good enough. Luc also grew up feeling inferior to his siblings who were all police officers who achieved more than Luc had. But when one of Luc's heroics was caught on camera, he's suddenly became the poster boy for the police department, which brought Ava again to his life.

Aside from Ava's wrong assumptions about Luc, there are also things in Luc's past that he wants hidden. But Ava is determined to prove that Luc isn't the hero people pegged him to be. She's determined to prove her theories despite the lack of evidence and despite Luc clearly showing how good of a man he is. And this also added to my ever growing list of grievances against Ava. And just when I thought she was about to prove me wrong, she did something totally horrible that I actually wish this book didn't end on an HEA between Luc and Ava. I would have been happy had Luc moved on and find himself another deserving girl.

Thankfully, Luc and his brother s saved this book for me. Don't let this review scare ya though. I know not everyone will feel the same I way I did about Ava. It's a matter of personal taste when it comes to my heroines. Overall, still enjoyable despite my problems with the heroine.

Note: I rated this 3 stars at first. But after thinking about it and weighing on my feelings about Ava, I couldn't really give it a 3 since 3 stars for me means I enjoyed it and the positives outweighed the negatives. Here, the negative outweighed a lot of the positives, which is why I changed my rating to 2.5 stars.

ARC provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

[Sandy ღCoffee Addict Booksღ · Rating 4 out of 5]

***4 Moretti stars***

Before I begin I want to clear two things

#1- With Lauren Layne’s book one cannot expect a heart-shattering, jaw-dropping story but simply put together a delightful enjoyable story. Being a critical reader that I am, LL’s books are my guilty pleasure, her writing is something which throws my “bitch mode” button outside the window and let me for once love the story without judging it.

#2-Who in the world is responsible for designing this cover??!! It’s such a turn off!! Luc is black-haired, blue-eyed deliciously hot, NYPD cop not Fabio!!!

So this is a huge case of “don’t judge the book by it’s cover”

Anyway moving on...

Luca Moretti is youngest in a family of cops, having far more successful siblings in that field and son to ex-commissioner he was never on the spotlight that is, until he saved a little girl from drowning which was being filmed by a tourist and soon becomes viral on youtube. Overnight Luc became an American hero, he couldn’t walk on a road without being acknowledged for his heroic act. When he should have been happy to acquire this fame, deep down Luc knows he doesn’t deserve to be called an American hero while he holds himself responsible for death of two people on his watch, whose guilt has burdened his heart for almost two years now.

Ava Sims moved to New York six years ago to pursue her dream or rather her family’s to become a national anchor-woman, while she is still struggling to reach there, she is very much ambitious and won’t miss any opportunity which leads her to path of success. When she was offered to run a three hour prime time on the American hero she knew this would be her big ticket to become a TV anchor and for once wanted her family to be proud of her.

Luc is not thrilled to be part of this show, least of all he wants a journalist following him everywhere while he is on duty. Ava has not seen anyone who doesn’t wants a media attention or publicity like Luc, for a matter of fact she knows he isn’t camera shy and she’s hell bent on finding out why? or if he deserves the tile of an hero?

Coming from family of cops Luc is under pressure of carrying the family legacy, fortunately the case which was his only failure never made it to media but he knows better not to give any reason for a nosy reporter to go digging his past and wants to keep things between them very professional. However it’s been very difficult for him to draw a line, when both of them are at each other’s throat at one minute and having a strong sexual pull the next!

Frisk Me is my fifth book from Lauren Layne and this woman never ceases to amaze me with her comprehensive writing. Her story might be simple and light but she adds her own elements making it one entertaining story. Just like all her other books (atleast the one's I've read) this is also an enemies to lover’s plot, which will bring you a lot of bickering, banters, witty remarks, snarky comebacks and one hell of sexual tension! Of course the best thing is the characters, not just the MC’s but the secondary characters are endearing and damn funny too!

“I'd always heard that the whole man-in-uniform thing was supposed to be a turn-on.
Guess it's an acquired taste.”
“See, here I am having a similar revelation. Always thought you TV people were supposed to be likable.
Guess that's subjective too.”

Can I adopt the Moretti’s?! I’m loving this big fat cute Italian family who obviously are close knitted and overbearing but have a tendency to interfere in each other’s life. Oh, how can I forget Nonna?! This eighty something crazy Moretti had me LMAO everytime she was present at the scene, she just stole the show.

“I need her uterus for grandbabies.”

And my favorite Nonna scene is

“What color lipstick do you think I should wear?
Classic red or shocking orange? I'm thinking orange.
Also, have either of you seen my push-up bra?
I'm worried I left it at Ned's house.”
Neither brother responded, and Anthony very slowly turned his head to look at Luc.
“She belongs in a home. One with bars on the window.”

Isn't she a treat??

I’m so glad every Moretti’s are getting their own book! Can’t wait to read their stories.

ARC kindly provided by Forever (Grand Central Publishing) via NetGalley, for an honest review.

[~♡AB♡~ · Rating 3 out of 5]

★★★ 3.5 Stars ★★★

Now LIVE!
US - http://amzn.to/1DK29BI
UK - http://amzn.to/1OxexdK



Ava Sims is a broadcast journalist who first met Officer Luc Moretti a few years back when he gave her a parking ticket. When the opportunity arises for her to host her own TV spot featuring the sexy cop she grabs it with both hands. If she can become anchorwoman for CBC then her parents will finally be proud of her and this gig is sure to make her dreams come true.

Luc is horrified when he discovers that he is to become the subject of a 3 hour TV special, ever since he was caught on camera diving into the hudson river to save a little girl from drowning, he has become a local hero. But Luc is harbouring a severe case of guilt. He doesn't feel like he deserves the attention and when he realises that he will have to spend the next 2 months with the feisty brunette who likes to give him grief at every turn, he goes from easy going and charming to cranky and sexually frustrated in record time.

Spending a considerable amount of time together they clash often and the sexual tension builds, but it soon becomes clear that in order for Ava to get her much sought after promotion, she may have to betray the secrets that Luc has been holding onto.
_ _ _ _

Whilst I enjoy a slow burn romance, this was maybe a bit slow for my liking, it took a long time for anything to develop between Ava and Luc. Luc was suffering from survivors guilt and was extremely guarded.

What I loved about it though was the Moretti family. Luc is the youngest of 4, he has 3 brothers who are also cops and a sister who is a defence attorney. Their father was the police commissioner so they are known as NYPD royalty. Like any true Italian family, they are all very close and the whole clan, including their crazy Nonna, were all very interesting characters. I'm very much looking forward to reading each of their stories in future books.

This is a standalone novel, told in dual POV.

ARC gratefully received from the publisher in exchange for an honest review

[Amanda · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 'the cop and the reporter' stars.

Let me just get this off my chest first. There is seriously something wrong with the cover model. The hero is supposed to be an Italian stud in standard-issue uniform. Instead, we got a surfer dude in plain clothes. That's just wrong. Did Lauren see this?

So I provided myself with a better visual for Luca Moretti.


Luca Moretti is from a family of cop that dub as the NYPD royalty. He is the youngest in the tight-nit Italian family and being a roommate with his Nonna. When Luca embarrassingly gotten famous for his recent heroinc save of a little girl, he turned into a media sensation and now the national TV wants to feature him on a prime time slot much to his dismay.

Ava Sims is a woman hungry for the post of anchorwoman. She is from a family of broadcasting royalty. The pressure from the family is making her got out at all cost to dig into Luca's hidden story.

There two together is like fire and water. They just plainly pissed each other off due to their on-going conflict in the assignment whereby Ava is to shadow Luca for weeks.

"I'd always heard that the whole man-in-uniform thing was supposed to be a turn-on. Guess it's an acquired taste."
"See, here I am having a similar revelation. Always thought you TV people were supposed to be likable. Guess that's subjective too."

There is nothing I don't like in the story, but I can't give it a higher rating because the romance didn't make my juice flowing and it lack a certain kind of intensity. I was intrigued with Luca's guilt from a past case that had been tormenting him. But even that conflict is not anything major.

The best of the book is the Moretti family, especially Nonna. That old lady is a hoot!

"A good lay with a pretty brunette will make you less irritable."

"Take the girl to dinner, Luca. I need her uterus for grandbabies."

"It doesn't even matter that's she's not Italian. She has dark hair and dark eyes so we'll just lie. We can change her last name. I know someone."

I find myself loving this Moretti family and I can't wait for Anthony and Vincent book. It seems like Vincent is having some kind of hate/lust relationship with his partner and Anthony is such a douchey captain. I'm looking forward to their story. I'm hoping the sequel will be a goodie. I still have faith in Lauren.

[Ⓐlleskelle - That ranting lady ッ · Rating 5 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 5 STARS⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️


I completely fell in love with this new story by Lauren Layne!

Contemporary Romance novels are my happy place. But there are so many of them that it’s not uncommon to pick ones that are only passable, some of them good, but only a few will be GREAT.
Obviously, the later happened with “Frisk Me” book 1 in the New York Finest series by Lauren Layne.

When Ava Sims’ chance to finally be an anchorman at CBC network presents itself she seizes the opportunity and is more than ever determined to make it work. Her idea to make a 3 hours show following the life of New York Police Officer Luca “Luc” Moretti, most eligible bachelor and the city golden hero, should grant her the position she’s dreaming of.
Luca Moretti’s approval be damned.

Everyone Liked a hero. Especially a good-looking one. As far as poster boys went, it didn’t get more perfect than Luc Moretti in all his tall, dark, good-guy handsomeness. No hot-blooded straight woman could look at that guy and not fantasize about what he looked like under that uniform. Ava included.
Officer Moretti is a hero. As much as he tries to convince the world he isn’t, as remote and cold he’s trying to be, he just can’t hide what is he made of. He’s an all together good guy with a heart of gold.

Videos of him saving a child from drowning in the Hudson river and offering an homeless guy his coat has made him New York new sensation. Everyone wants to know WHO is Luc Moretti.



Luca “Luc” Moretti is the youngest of a blue blood family. His father was once New York’s commissioner—himself the son of police officer—, his two eldest brothers are high ranked in the force and his sister is a lawyer.

He comes from a legit cuckoo for kaka Italian family. And if I had to choose what was my favorite thing in this book, I would definitely answer : THE FAMILY.

– “Did I mention that Miss Sims and I have a history?”
Nonna’s gray eyebrows lifted. “Did you fornicate?”
Luc choked on his beer. “Jesus, no. And there should be a ban against that word.”
“Don’t be prudish, Luca. So if you didn’t fornicate with this girl, how did you know her? Did she fornicate with one of your brothers? Anthony get around.”

As expected, Luc isn’t thrilled at all to have a journalist following his every moves and certainly not Ava Sims. They both met a few years back over a still unsolved case of parking ticket… The past sexual tension seems to still linger between them as well as their animosity toward each other…

Enemies to lovers plot anyone? YES!



Ava Sims was truly an heroine I could identify myself to, she was driven, smart and would give any alpha man a run for their money. She had this insolent vibe going on that I truly loved.

The story builds around Ava trying to reveal Luc’ secrets, sexual tension building around their daily collaboration, bringing the angst of their refuted attraction to a peak.

They both delivered quality banter, sarcasm, dirty jokes and made their possible to annoy and get each other mad. It was hilarious to watch them fight and pretend they didn’t want each other. All the while waiting for each other to cave in and submit.

The steam was without a fail matching their attraction and incessant bickering, Lauren Layne delivering some truly hot between the sheets scenes!

Much as I love the sexy librarian look, things are going to get a little rough.

Ava is going to get much more than she expected to, falling for the hero and having the difficult choice to do everything for the job she fought years to have, even if it means betraying Luc’ secrets…



I truly enjoyed the slow build between them, as I was everlastingly entertained by their bantering joust and the intrusion of Luc’s overbearing family. All the secondary characters just made this story all the more interesting and I can’t wait to read about Anthony and Vincent in the next installments.

One character most definitely stole the show, and that was Nonna, Luc’s grandmother, she was a hoot. You know that family member that has no filter whatsoever, can embarrass you like no one else but get away with everything because she’s so damn lovable? That’s Nonna to you.
A matchmaker, a friend, a teenager, a meddler, the cement of the family.

– “What color of lipstick do you think I should wear? Classic red or shocking orange. I’m thinking orange. Also, have either of you seen my push up bra? I’m worried I left it at Ned’s house.”
Neither brother responded, and Anthony very slowly turned his head to look at Luc.
“She belongs in a home. One with bars on the window.”
“I’m beginning to think the Manhattan zip code isn’t worth this,” Luc mutteredd.
“Nothing is worth this;” Anthony said, watching in horror as Nonna made a puckering motion in the mirror and applied coral lipstick before trying to plump her non-existent cleavage.

Frisk Me offered heartfelt romance and bona fide hilarious moments that will make you wish to be a Moretti.


Arc offered in exchange for an honest review

More reviews and book talk at :

[Wendy'sThoughts · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 Two Different Paths * * * *

Family desires...they can be encouraging, thoughtful, help the children to believe in themselves and produce strong capable people. That is when they are shown with love and support; with the clear understanding of the children and what the family is demonstrating.

On the flip side... these desires or ambitions can be foisted on children to fulfill lost dreams of the parents... to live vicariously through them. This can create hostility, self doubt, esteem issues and even more destructive feelings... for if the child in question does not wish to be whatever the parent is pushing... then to say out loud they do not want it... risks them losing the parental love in there little minds...

So we have two ways of nurturing children into adults... and Frisk Me by Lauren Layne shows the good and bad of it all. Of course, there is a snappy love story too...It's Lauren Layne, after all... but what I experienced was this distinct illustration and how it impacted these characters.

From the positive corner, we have our delicious, smart, humble baby of a police dynasty, Officer Luc Moretti. He is part of a Italian family with generations on the Force. His father recently retired from Police Commissioner, his brothers are all on fast tracks to move up the ranks on their different paths of the job and he is the last of the bunch. He is "only a police officer- or street cop" and feels sometimes like he isn't living up to his family's level. The only one not playing cop in this family is his sister...she took the legal road and rebelled a bit...she is a defense attorney.

However, even with the personal doubts Luc may have regarding his place in this Dynasty, there is one thing he knows for sure...

He is Loved.

He is loved by his parents, brothers and sis... there is core of strength which these adult children have and it is through the firm but loving way they were raised. There was never a time when these kids did not know they had support from the family. That is not to say everything was all easy and lovely dovey- no- they had to work and earn their place at the table. But when push came to shove...all would stand together.

On the other end of the family unit is Ava Sims. This young woman was raised by the type of parents you wouldn't wish on your worst enemy. These parents were on the fast track to be Newscaster superstars...at least in their mind's eye. Each had been involved in someway in the broadcast business and once married became a team of talking heads for local stations. The "hiccup" on their road to network stardom was Ava's presence. With her mother becoming pregnant, it became the excuse of things not to go forward in her career. Ava heard over and over again how she was the reason both of them never made it to the networks.

As she grew up, it was a given that all of the children, her brother and sister, would be in the television industry. There was no other career path worthy. Everything else was demeaned, put down or dismissed. Her sister became a talk show personality and brother, an "expert" really in nothing but somehow became the go to guy overseas for opinions. Ava, though, was the parents' main focus... she was their link to the dream they wanted... Ava would become what they didn't...

The Network Anchor Newscaster- the glorified talking head.

This was what she was working towards...doing all of the crappy stories, wearing the perfect restrictive clothes and painful high heels... day in and day out...The goal to get that one story which would catapult her to Anchor Desk. She had worked hard over the years... squeezed her feet into terribly uncomfortable shoes, slapped on the make-up mask and smiled pretty into the camera telling whatever story they gave her.

She did sometimes veer off script, though... she had the investigation bug...could get like a bulldog and refuse to be placated, search out leads and bring the truth forward...even when it wasn't part of the initial story. Those times made her heart beat...made her feel like she was making a difference...

These two people have a chance meeting years ago over a parking ticket. Luc saw the news truck clearly violating all of the parking signs and blocking the street. As he was writing the ticket, Ava came out with her hair askew and talking a mile a minute... she argued freedom of the press or some such nonsense... Luc wrote the ticket, gave it to her and in the back of his mind thought her interesting. Ava was incensed yet sort of intrigued by this handsome officer...

Fast forward to 3 years later and both are about to cross paths again. Much has happened with Luc. He has been an excellent officer but he experienced what every cop fears... losing his partner while he is there at the scene with him. Circumstances made clear what the actions were for these men... rules and regulations were in place. Luc was a believer in following exactly what he was supposed to... not out of laziness or fear... but because he believed this was right. But by not being his brother 's "act now, ask for forgiveness later" type...Luc now is haunted by his actions. He didn't follow his gut and just act on it. He and his partner waited for the approval to approach a scene where a kidnapper was thought to have a missing child. Once receiving the ok to approach the house, the door opened and the perp shot his partner. It was later learned the little girl was killed as well.

This trauma haunts Luc. He has to deal with his thoughts on this every day. He is able to perform his job but by watching his partner's wife handle the man's death... he vowed he was not going to saddle any woman with that type of life.

Because of the advent of camera phones and social media, Luc becomes a super hero... Luc was just being who he was...an excellent cop when a little girl fell into the riverr...Luc thought nothing of diving in and saving her...he performed CPR on her lifeless body and she came to....Unfortunately for Luc, someone captured it on their cell phone and posted it all over the web. Now he the "Hero Cop". People and women will not leave him alone...He didn't feel like any hero... he knows he let his partner die.

Ava is given the story of American Hero- Luc Moretti. Ava remembers very clearly who this cop is and her ticket from him... in fact, she still has it and never paid. The city is under fire for some recent negative actions and needs to get the public behind them again. Ava thinks this 3 hour special is just the right vehicle to put her front and center for the news anchor position opening up. This is her break.

Luc is called into the office and sees Ava there....right away the sparks fly... she is giving him putdowns and attitude...he just wants to get out of doing this. As he looks at her, he notices how she has changed...and not necessarily for the best. Oh, she still is beautiful and has that killer figure... but she isn't that fresh open girl he remembers. He tries to get out of doing this but the orders come from the top. She will be with him for the next 2 months. Now he will just have to make sure she doesn't dig too deep and see what a non hero he really is.

At first, both these two seem like water and oil... not a moment of mixing...but like any Layne romance...she works it so soon these two cannot keep their hands off each other.

This had all the elements of a strong read and mostly it was. I had some issues from the beginning with Ava and her situation. It was hard for me to connect with her as a person but once I was into the times when she and Luc actually started bonding...things took off. The other thing which bugged me was the cover... it did not match the description of Luc as a dark haired handsome Italian.

The background of Cop family, strong parents with the siblings and the romance of the main characters worked well. Even though the reader can see the writing on the wall early as to what is going to happen in all phases of the story... I was fine because I had developed affection for them. The life lessons imparted felt authentic and you rooted for them to come together.


There was enough details to be interested in the next installments to this series because of the way this story was given to us. We want to know more.


And more is coming soon...Steal Me, Anthony's story, will be released in November 2015.

~~~ Before Reading ~~~
What to read when I want some fun....

Strong, Italian New York Cop- Check
Ambitious, pain in the ass love interest- Check
New York City-Check
And brought to you by Lauren Lane... Absolutely

A gifted copy was provided by author/publisher for an honest review.

For more Reviews, Free E-books and Giveaways

[Lana ❇✾DG Romance❇✾ · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 Stars

Whatever they had, it wasn't typical sexual attraction.
It was something deeper.
Darker.

Whenever I see a new series come out by Lauren Layne, I don't even bother reading the synopsis before adding. I don't need to because I already know that the chances are 99.9% that I'll love it. But I was an extra shot of excited when I read the blurb for this book because...HOT COPS! What? Like you didn't? Don't judge me! Although admittedly, I could have done with a different cover *cringes*. I know, I know, don't judge a book by the cover and all that, and this was certainly a huge case of that. My inner cover cover whore just shut her eyes and dove in hoping against hope that the hero looks nothing like what the cover implied...and he didn't! (thank jebus)

If you cooperate....just the tiniest bit, I'll buy you a drink after."
"You're bribing an officer of the law? Or just really desperate to spend time with me, Sims?"
"Two questions, Moretti. What EXACTLY is up your ass? And how the hell do we remove it?"
He ran a hand through his hair, answering honestly, because honey was what Morettis did best. "Sexual frustration. As far as how to fix it..."

The hate-to-love trope. *dreamy sigh* Can it ever get old? And when you put Luc and Ava in a room together, sparks certainly fly. These two had instant chemistry from the very first time they traded insults. Three years ago they first met when officer Luc wrote Ava a ticket for illegally parking her news van and it's been on ever since...the unfinished business between them, that is. Now Ava is back (shoving the ticket from 3 years ago right at his chest and everything), only this time it's business. After his heroic actions saved a little girl has garnered national attention and followed up with a good samaritan video of him giving his coat to a homeless man sealed the deal, everyone wants a piece of Luc, Ava included. But what she wants him for is an exclusive and it goes against everything Luc stands for to put his life on display. He's no one's hero, and the last thing he wants is more attention when he's still struggling with survivor's guilt after a job got wrong got his friend and partner killed. Thus begins the hate lust relationship that will make your ovaries so blue, you'll think you'll die if these two finally don't admit to each other what they want and give into the inevitable.

Anthony can be irritable; try not to piss him off," he said out of the corner of his mouth.
"Sure, I'll just tape my mouth shut," she snapped...
For a second, he looked hopeful. "That's an option?"

Luc was a hero that I fell for right away. He's just the right amount of tortured but with a dry wit about him that I loved. Coming from a long line of NYPD's finest, he's the lowest on the tandem pole it seems. His brothers are detectives and his father is the previous police commissioner. Luc is still suffering survivor's guilt about the failed rescue that cost his partner his life. His biggest fear is the exclusive that his new boss is forcing him to go along with will allow Ava to dig further than he wants.

My favorite thing about this book was Luc's relationship with him family and then the icing on the cake was Nonna. This woman quite honestly stole the show.

What color lipstick do you think I should wear? Classic red or shocking orange? I'm thinking orange. Also, have either of you seen my push-up bra? I'm worried I left it at Ned's house."
Neither brother responded, and Anthony very slowly turned his head to look at Luc. "She belongs in a home. One with bars on the window."

I found myself giggling like a loon at every single scene with her. Everything that came out of her mouth was just absolute gold, I swear.

It doesn't even matter that she's not Italian," Nonna said in a hushed voice. "She has dark hair and dark eyes so we'll just lie. We can change her last name. I know someone."
Luc tipped his head back and looked at the ceiling.
"Try to talk her into it tonight, Luca. Oh, and find out if she's Catholic, would you? I suppose we can lie about that too, although I don't know how Jesus would feel about that..."

Ava was a character that try as I might I never quite warmed up to. Considering her intentions throughout the entire book and then finally her actions at the end, it's no wonder why I felt that way. I'm still not sure how I feel about her, but probably just a step away from tolerating her.

That being said, I did love her and Luc together. Their chemistry was practically crackling with electricity. But don't let that fool you because there's no insta-anything in this book. It was a very slow burn that at times left me so frustrated, I didn't know whether to scream at the ceiling for them to finally do it, or to ice my ovaries. While I can't say that the story itself was slow paced or dragging, the romance was certainly....worth the wait.

I've been thinking on my rating for a few days now. While I disliked some of the decisions Ava made, I still enjoyed this book. I loved the family dynamic and all the secondary characters. I'm absolutely dying for Vincent's book because oh man, that set up? Delicious sounding. But I'll certainly make do with the grumpy and broody Anthony in the meantime and without any complaints. I do love me a broody man. Lauren Layne definitely has herself another winner with this series and I can't wait for more.

I'd give up being everybody else's hero, if you'll just let me be yours."

ARC courtesy of publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review

For more reviews visit

[Catarina · Rating 3 out of 5]

3,5 Sweet Stars.

Ava is a journalist hoping to get her big break… and her break comes in a form a hot Italian officer, Luc Moretti, who is known known as a national hero after what he believes being just doing his job. Having to do a documentary about him, they have to spend a lot of time together and that eventually leads to knowing each other more… and wanting each other. It was supposed to be just a job, neither of them was supposed to fall in love. But life happens when you least expect it and they will have to decide if they are things they want more than their jobs.



Lauren Layne is one of my favorite romance authors. She always write these slow-burn romances that always hook me from the first page. This book was one of those romances, with some drama and a romance involved in a media circus. Let me be honest: I liked this book, it was a nice reading and I’m always one to read romance stories where the couple don’t really want each other. But despite this being a nice book (with for some reason a really awful cover)… it wasn’t a memorable one. The drama was a little bit too much and too forced, the characters didn’t blow me away and even the storyline didn’t completely hooked and there was times I found myself losing interest in the story. However, if you want a sweet romance, with some drama and a little hotness to it, this book is a good choice.



Rating: 3,5 Stars.
Characters Development: Luc Moretti was a sweet and overall good guy with some sexy streaks. To be honest he was one of the better parts of the book. Ava wasn’t bad, but her fixation with succeeding and her stubbornness made a little hard for me to completely like her. Both of them together were a cute couple but to be honest they lacked a little “sparkle”.
Steam: Some hot moments.
Sensible Subjects: No.
Love Triangle: No.
Cheating: No.
HEA: Yes.

[Alba and Her Secrets..♥ · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 "Parking Ticket" Stars!



After recieving the ARC for the second book of this series, I obviously had to start with this one! Some of you may remember my 'Lauren Layne marathon' when I fell in love with her Stiletto series (I seriously could not stop reading!) and obviosly, this got me excited about the New York's Finest series as well!

Frisk Me is the first installment in the series and it introduces the Moretti family, which I am sure the other stories will continue to be about the other brothers.. But first, this one is the novel about the youngest of the family, Luca "Luc" Moretti (a smokin' hot officer that currently is so famous because he saved a girl from dying and now everyone wants a piece of him haha -let's not lie, myself included ;)-) and Ava Sims (a journalist who wants more and now has a particular assignment: shoot a 3-hour documentary about the new American hero).

“You know…” her voice was considering, her finger tapping idly against her lips. “I’d always heard that the whole man-in-uniform thing was supposed to be a turn-on. Guess it’s an acquired taste.”
Luc’s eyes narrowed just slightly. “See, here I am having a similar revelation. Always thought you TV people were supposed to be likable. Guess that’s subjective too.”

As you can see, these two do not like each other a lot at the beginning LOL There is story there: a few years ago, Luc put a parking ticket on her and they still remember it (the argument and also the sparks between them!). Luc is not excited about this documentary and Ava just wants to do her job. They start seeing each other everyday and, of course, things change. They are very atracted to each other and it's difficult to forget about it!

“Let the questions commence,” she said, taking a sip of her wine. “And keep it clean, Moretti.”
“All right,” he said, clearing his throat. “Let’s start with the basics. How long are we going to pretend that we don’t want to be in bed right now? Or against the wall? Or on a kitchen counter?”

See what I mean? Their chemistry, as always with Layne's couples, is off-the-charts!! I loved these two together, seriously. Lauren Layne is amazing at creating complex and fabulous characters. And that's why, I also fell in love with the Moretti family. I mean, they are so sweet and.. OMG so funny! Luc lives with his older brother Anthony and his grandmother Nonna, and let me tell you, there are many scenes which I found myself laughing out loud, especially with Nonna! She is freaking awesome!! LOL

“Did I mention that Miss Sims and I have a history?” he said, knowing it would be exactly the kind of topic change that she would latch on to.
Nonna’s gray eyebrows lifted. “Did you fornicate?”
Luc choked on his beer.

“Told ya,” he heard Nonna stage-whisper to Anthony.
“I’m appalled to admit it, but I think you’re right.” Anthony’s voice was thoughtful.
“Do I even want to know what you’re talking about?”
“Just that I can’t wait to be an uncle,” Anthony said.
“It doesn’t even matter that she’s not Italian,” Nonna said in a hushed voice. “She has dark hair and dark eyes so we’ll just lie. We can change her last name. I know someone.”

“There is no family dinner, is there?”
“Everyone else was busy.”
“Oh, so if I text Vincent and Mom and Dad and Elena, they’ll all confirm they knew about this?” Luc asked innocently, pulling his cell phone out of his back pocket.
Nonna snatched the phone away. “Take the girl to dinner, Luca. I need her uterus for grandbabies.”

I mean.. I could not stop laughing! That's why you have quote overload (Sorry! NOT SORRY! LOL). I really enjoy good family chemistry and Lauren Layne does not fail with that. Also, in this story, there is some misterious and dark-ish parts (all related to Luc) that will also make you feel bad for him and want to hug/kiss him so badly!

However, at aproximately 80% of the reading, Ava takes a decision that for me, changes a lot of things. I liked her and her amazing chemistry with Luc but.. Come on, Ava! Seriously?! I don't want to spoil anything but I do not agree with her decision about her job, even though Luc practically makes her do it (NONONO Baaaaaaaaad Luc). I think that's why I have a lower rating on this one. I believed that was a little bit too much for me.

Still, I loved Luc and Ava as a couple. Loved the Moretti family: I am so exicted to read more about the other brothers (Anthony, Vincent and Marco) and also their parents and, let's not forget the amazing Nonna!

Her eyes watered, and he pressed on, his other hand moving up so he was cradling her head in his hands. “I love being a cop, but I love you more. I’d give up being everybody else’s hero, if you’ll just let me be yours. Please, Sims.”

So, my final rating is 4 STARS because I really enjoyed Frisk Me, the introduction of the characters and the love story. I cannot wait for the next novels! Still, I missed having an epilogue and what I said about Ava's decision. But, if you are a Lauren Layne fan or you want to read about this amazing family, give this one a try!! :)

CHECK OUT MY BLOG HERE:

[Chelsea ✨Arielle’s Nebular Ally and Team Acrux✨ · Rating 5 out of 5]

RELEASED TODAY!!!! Buy HERE -You need to meet Luc!



"I love being a cop, but I love you more. I'd give up being everybody else's hero, if you'll just let me be yours."





It doesn't take much for a book to make me happy these days-I'm much pickier and have fifty times the rules I used to. But, in doing so, I've found what works. It's not enough to have a cute boy and a lonely girl and some raunchy love scenes-I need essence. I need a beating heart between each and every page and I want that pulse to continue all the way through the end....Okay, maybe it does take a lot for me to be happy.


But the point in all of this is simple: I am much pickier-therefore, I find more books I enjoy because I sift past the bullshit that used to please me. My tastes have evolved and I have learned what makes a true author. Again, it's not about making lovable characters, though that is tantamount to the essence of a great plot, but making them come alive-making you live and breathe with them, become them, feel each heart break and quarrel as if you are right there living it with them. Just as I mentioned above-the author has to be able to give the characters a pulse-and Lauren Layne is the QUEEN of all these things.


Luc's eyebrows lifted. "Old? You're what, twenty-five?"
"Twenty-eight. And don't start in on me about how I'm a spring chicken with my whole life ahead of me, because time and age work differently in TV."
"If I look like the type of guy that would use the phrase 'spring chicken,' I need to do some serious reevaluating of my manliness."


I had mentioned earlier that I skip over tons of books these days, but not once have I thought to evade a Layne novel. It's not often you find a favorite author who, despite the odds, never disappoints you. Many times you wait and wait and wait for that third book in a trilogy, only to be disappointed when your high expectations are crushed after such a long journey. I'm not going to lie-I have a 'phobia' (I say this loosely) of third books in my fantasy/dystopian/sci-fi series-I am so picky and they almost never hold up to my standards and I walk away with a heavy heart. But my favorite author here, she never lets me down. I don't sit and stew about whether it will work, won't work, will disappoint me...I just wait.



I sit and wait for netgalley, or whomever, to release the request for a LL novel and I immediately click that beautiful green 'request' button. Haven't read the blurb yet? Who cares. I know, without a doubt, she could write about towelie and the return of Mr. Hankey, the Christmas Poo, and I wouldn't bat an eyelash before I requested/read it (though, that would certainly create a lot of trademark problems, I would imagine).


"Not really," Sawyer said, giving her an apologetic pat on the hand. "So. Who wants to tell me? Are we talking accidental boob brush?"
Ava gave him a glare.
Sawyer's eyebrow lifted. "Full on cop-a-feel? Duuude." He reached over to fist-bump Luc, who batted his hand out of the way.
Luc's partner grinned and drained his beer. "This is nice. Me, Superman, Lois Lane, and unfilled lust."


I always fangirl over Ms. Layne, but until she gives me a reason not to, I won't stop. I was skeptical, I'll admit, about this story. It might be the cover (sorry sorrryyyy!!!! (hides face)), seeing as I am a cover whore, but I dunno, I just always wonder how she will tackle a new story line. In this new series we have Luc Moretti, officer in NYC, and Ava Sims, reporter (AKA his worst nightmare).


But hey, bright side...at least now she knew what an ID was in cop-speak: Indecent exposure.
It also explained why Luc Moretti had changed his mind about letting her tag along. He thought she'd be scared off.
Please. It would take a hell of a lot more than a flaccid penis on a disorderly drunk to scare her off the story.


As the blurb touts, Luc isn't a cop for the fame, the viral videos, the glory...he just wants to help others-to save and protect them at any cost. But one day his need to be anonymous is obliterated when a video of him risking his life to save a little girl goes viral and CBC sends a reporter to do an 'American Hero' story on him.


"Nope." He moved closer, shifting so that his upper body leaned into hers. "We start with interrogations."
"And then?" Her voice was flirty and light, but her eyes were pure heat.
His gaze dropped to his hand, which had found its way to her knee somehow.
"Depends. If the cop's skilled at interrogation, things generally progress to handcuffs...and other things. If the cop's unsuccessful..."
Luc broke off and shrugged.
Ava looked at him over the top of her wineglass. "Which one are you? The skilled interrogator or the other?"
"Depends."
"On."
He leaned in and pressed his lips to her ear. "Whether or not you like handcuffs."




The animosity that ensues when sexy reporter Ava Sims steps on the scene is palpable, even as officer Luc Moretti pleads to his boss not to let this happen. But, more than that, not only does Luc and Ava's hateful banter ring somewhat false, there are sparks, there is heat, there is chemistry, there is....recognition?


He would do his duty. He always did his duty. With pride.


Luc was absolute perfection (see my profile, section 3, BBF list, seventh down), but aren't her male leads ALWAYS? His inner turmoil and broken torment are hid beneath a thin veil of sarcastic remarks and well-placed smirks that keep people content and distracted from what's really there. His mind and soul aren't at peace and his heart is heavy-there are darker sides to being a cop, but he is still the sweetest and kindest of his brothers-always the peace maker, always the one people want to talk to....Enter Ava.


"Sims, we've spent every day of the past week together. You're practically my second partner on the job, even if you're in the way more often than not."
"Hey!"
He held up a hand to stop the protest. "No. You are, and you know it."
She huffed. "I just wanted to turn on the siren once. Just to try it."
"Uh huh. You're telling me it had nothing to do with the fact that it was rush hour and you had to pee?"


Ava Sims gets on every last one of Luc's nerves-history has them bickering constantly and snarky towards one another every chance they get. But then we get to see little bits and pieces of Ava that the world doesn't get to see-her slightly skewed, too large glasses, her yoga pants, her damp ponytail and general lack of productiveness on the weekends-and that's when I started to warm up to her. There was never anything wrong with her per se, but I also didn't connect with her much at first. Then we began to see this sloppy Ava who, for all of the above reasons, reminds me of my little sister-slop extraordinaire. I swear to god, that is my sister down to a tee, and I LOVED THAT about Ava. I felt this tiny little connection that made me smile as I imagined my sister like this every Friday night after a long work week of dressing up and playing a part.


"Did I mention Miss Sims and I have a history?" he said, knowing it would be exactly the kind of topic change that she would latch on to.
Nonna's gray eyebrows lifted. "Did you fornicate?"
Luc choked on his beer. "Jesus, no. And there should be a ban against that word."
"Don't be prudish, Luca."


So, yeah, this isn't my favorite LL novel (I think Blurred Lines might be (maybe?) There are too many-maybe After the Kiss or Broken or The Trouble with Love), but that doesn't mean I didn't reach my happy place-because I did. And with a Grandma like Nonna-Oh my GAHD did I laugh out loud with this woman when she and Luc had their hilarious conversations-how could you not laugh and smile constantly? I swear, even if you aren't prone to laughing out loud like myself, you will-It's an inevitability because....yoga. Anyway, I can only hope that everyone finds as much happiness out of this book as I did. The tears were falling and my heart was soaring-I was in heaven.





**ARC provided by Publisher in exchange for an honest review**





For more of my reviews, please visit:






*****************************

"I love being a cop, but I love you more. I'd give up being everybody else's hero, if you'll just let me be yours."


I mean...how could I not give it 5 stars? Come on.


Review to come


ARC provided by Netgalley in exchange for an honest review :D :D

[Dali · Rating 4 out of 5]

A funny, sweet and sexy story laced with a witty love-hate banter and topped with a heartwarming relationship between a sharp Lois Lane type reporter and a good-doer Superman cop.

Luc Moretti is royalty of a different kind. He’s the kind of royalty that comes from being the youngest in a long line of police officers where his father is the ex-police commissioner and his three older brothers are all in law enforcement. But none have received the over-enthusiastic attention Luc’s gotten over doing what he thought should be his unsung job while getting caught on a video that went viral.

“You’re America’s Hero not because of your acts, but because of your heart.”

Nursing an acute case of misplaced guilt, the last thing he wants is his life on display. He wants his life to get back normal, but being forced into doing a national TV special is just the opposite. Can the two month interaction with the beautiful reporter who’s been assigned to him remain professional or will she be the one he breaks his no serious relationships rule for?

“I think the woman behind the reporter is pulled to me. Just like the man behind the cop is drawn to you.”

Ava Sims is an up and coming TV reporter. All she needs is a break to get her the anchorwoman spot her parents have always wanted for her. Even though she’s probably the only woman who’s met officer Moretti and hasn’t thrown herself at him, she’s still interested in him… as a story, to reveal the man behind the uniform. Will she use and betray Luc to help her further a career she’s been compelled to follow or will the time with him help her find out what she really wants to do with her life?

“Luc Moretti the officer was the cover of the story, but Luc Moretti the man was the heart of it.”

Picking up a Lauren Layne book has become a natural thing when it comes to contemporary romance for me. She has a talent to create relatable characters you want to know. I couldn’t flip the pages fast enough with all the spark provoking banter infused with a bit of hostility between Ava and Luc. The story made me smile and laugh constantly. From the beginning I knew I would thoroughly enjoy this book.

“I don’t know quite whether to kiss you or strangle you.”

I loved Luc and Ava’s chemistry. It was great that they had briefly met some years back while he was writing her a parking ticket, the memory of which served to stoke the fireworks between them. Their angry back and forth banter was funny, cute and sexy. The more they got a rise out of each other, the more they wanted to get under each other’s skin and deeper.

“Guess you shouldn’t have flirted with a cop then, lady. No such thing as an interview in my line of work…” He moved in closer, shifting so that his upper body leaned into hers. “We start with interrogations.”

It was wonderful how they both gave each other what they needed and I’m not just talking about incredibly racy moments. I’m referring to how Luc understood and supported her and ultimately put her above himself, and conversely how Ava saw beyond the badge.

“I’d give up being everybody else’s hero, if you’ll just let me be yours.”

Both main characters were equally endearing. Ava with all her sass, self-assured ambition, determination and smarts was charmingly flawed because she was also a bit lost, a lot unloved, vulnerable, but still funny and sweet underneath.

All the grumpiness in the world couldn’t completely cover up the gooeyness within Luc. Who wouldn’t appreciate a truly good man that dedicates himself to protect and proudly wears his uniform? But it’s a job that required him to face death and sometimes even make life or death decisions. One of which still haunted him and tugged my heart.

“A hero cop who was long on charm, short on pretense, with a hidden sweet side.”

I can’t not mention Luc’s overbearing, in your face, incredibly loveable Italian family, especially his quirky and mouthy grandma, Honky Tonky, Ava’s aloof cat and her bridezilla best friend Beth which rounded out this wonderfully entertaining story, with the right mix between slow burn sexiness, comedy, angst, and heartfelt, tear jerking moments.

Frisk Me is the first book in the New York's Finest series by Lauren Layne. It is a standalone, full-length, contemporary romance full of fun, sexy bits and swoon worthy moments. Told from both points of view, with a happy ending.

4.5 super cop stars.

Amazon US -> http://amzn.to/1IX9NhY

* I was given an ARC of this book courtesy of the author via NetGalley. The excerpts are from that copy. *

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[♥Rachel♥ · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 Stars

Luc Moretti is NYPD’s darling cop made famous by his heroic deeds blasted all over YouTube, something that makes him completely uncomfortable and the target of unwanted attention. Even worse his actions have captured the attention of Ava Sims, a reporter that wants to use him for a feel good news piece in order to further her career. Unfortunately, the NYPD is fully on board, thinking the positive coverage will help their reputation after some recent negative events. Luc dreads the story knowing if Ava digs deep she’ll discover another case where the outcome wasn’t nearly as heartwarming. Ava could potentially shine a light on dark events Luc would desperately like to forget.

Luc was a total sweetheart! He could’ve capitalized on his fame by taking advantage of all the female attention thrown at him left and right, but Luc didn’t want a woman who liked him in such a superficial way. I’m tired of the whole commitment-phobe angle, I-don’t-do-serious-relationships, it’s a troupe used over and over in romances, but I could understand why Luc wouldn’t want to subject a women to a cop’s life, especially in view of his past. Still, he was different with Ava and the kindnesses Luc showed to her in spite of the situation won me completely over.

I liked Ava a lot and felt bad that she felt the pressure to live up to her parent’s career goals instead of pursuing her own. Her family was awful, constantly belittling Ava’s accomplishments. Her mother and sister were pros at the backhanded compliment. Ugh! Ava did frustrate me with her hot and cold behavior toward Luc, but when they finally got together it was smoking hot!

The Moretti’s are NYPD royalty, Luc’s father was the Police Commissioner and all three brothers are cops, too, and I loved this big, loving Italian family. Luc’s eighty-five year old grandmother, Nonna was the star of the family, and her antics had me laughing more than a few times. She’s one frisky grandma, whether doing hot yoga or leaving her push-up bra at a beau’s house, Nonna stole the show.

Frisk Me was signature Lauren Layne: clever, fun, and flirty. Luc and Ava have an antagonistic relationship from the start, one filled with sexual tension, and while I enjoy a good hate to love romance, there was a little too much pushing on Ava’s part and secrets between them to make this one a complete win for me. Luc and Ava had amazing sexual chemistry, and so I still did enjoy the ride.

I look forward to the coming installments featuring a romance for each of the brothers. I hope Elena, Luc’s sister, gets a book, too. Steal Me, which is slated to release in November, focuses on Anthony, and I can’t wait!

A copy was kindly provided by Forever via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

[shush]

dnf @ 10%

not cuz i found anything wrong w/ this book. that time when i read this i just binged almost every LL’s books, and i think i just needed a break

[Carole (Carole's Random Life) · Rating 4 out of 5]

This review can also be found at Carole's Random Life.

Overall, I thought that this was a solid romance novel and I really enjoyed reading it. I had a chance to read one of Lauren Layne's earlier novels just a couple of months ago and I absolutely loved it so I jumped at the chance to read this first book in her new series. I found this book a bit difficult to get into but once the story grabbed me I couldn't get enough.

I just loved Luc and his family of police officers. Luc was just a good guy who happened to be caught on video doing a couple of good deeds. Because of these videos, Luc finds himself becoming the center of attention everywhere he goes. He is anything but happy when he is told that he is about to become an even bigger celebrity because of a national television special about him. Luc suddenly finds himself being shadowed by a reporter, Ava.

While it was really easy to love Luc and his family, I had trouble warming up to Ava. Ava is pursuing goals that will make her family happy and spends a lot of time trying to live up to a certain image. During parts of the book, I found that I liked Ava a little but her character just never connected with me. Luc was definitely the star of this story in my opinion.

I did like the parts of the book where Luc and Ava were together quite a bit. When it was just Luc and Ava, her character seemed a lot more authentic and I really felt that they had chemistry. The sexy times between the pair were smokin' hot and Lauren Layne has proven without a doubt to me that she can write some awesome love scenes.

I really wish that Ava would have been easier to like. Just as I was starting to like her a little she would do something that would make me doubt her again. I really disliked some of her actions during the story and felt that she seemed to always choose her job over Luc at every turn. There was nothing that was a deal breaker for me but there were definitely a few things in the book that I could have liked a lot better.

I would definitely recommend this book to fans of contemporary romance. This is a great book to start with since it is the beginning of a new series and I think it will appeal to most romance readers. I plan to continue with this series. Luc has a lot of interesting bothers who are also police officers and I can't wait to read their stories.

I received an advance reader edition of this book from Forever Grand Central Publishing via NetGalley for the purpose of providing an honest review.

[Angela (Reading Frenzy Book Blog) · Rating 3 out of 5]

Lauren Layne has become an author that I can count on to deliver an enjoyable light contemporary romance. Factor in a story about a humble man in uniform and I was sure I would fall in love with this book. Well, that is, once I got over my disdain for the cover. I’m a terrible cover snob. But seriously, NYPD Officer Luc Moretti is dark-haired, stubborn, and second generation Italian so naturally he looks like Owen Wilson posing on the cover?



Luc is the youngest of five in a family devoted to law enforcement. His father is the retired police commissioner of NYC, his three brothers are fellow officers of the law, and his sister is a defense attorney. His life revolves around two things: family and his job. When his rescue of a drowning girl unknowingly gets captured on video by an onlooker, the video goes viral. He’s quickly hailed “America’s Hero” by the press but he is uncomfortable in the spotlight. Luc knows he was just doing his job and he is nobody’s hero. He has been plagued by memories of a job gone wrong and his resulting sense of guilt. All he wants now is for his life to go back to normal. However, with public opinion of the NYPD at an all-time low, the department decides to cash in on some positive publicity.

Ava Sims is an ambitious TV reporter assigned to do a three-hour national TV special on Luc’s life. The pair instantly bump heads but there’s no denying the mutual attraction. Ava will be shadowing Luc for two months to learn more about the man behind the badge. He’s unhappy about having his privacy invaded and mortified that a simple act in the line of duty will become overblown on a national platform. Ava senses there’s more to Luc’s story and if she can uncover the secrets he’s hiding it may be the key to getting the anchorwoman position she’s been after.

I usually appreciate a slow-burn romance, particularly when used in an enemies-to-lovers trope. In this instance, however, the fire almost burned out by the time Ava and Luc finally got together. Their chemistry is wonderful though and the bedroom scenes hit the perfect balance between tender and sexy.

It’s the characters more than the storyline that are the saving grace of this book. Ms. Layne has created a wonderful cast of characters within Luc’s tight-knit Italian family. I loved each of them but especially Luc’s eccentric, meddling Nonna. While I never quite warmed to Ava, Luc makes a very appealing hero.

The premise of this novel is good; however, the plot is rather predictable and was insufficient to keep me interested throughout. Overall, the book isn’t terrible. It’s just not up to the level of excellence I’ve come to expect from Lauren Layne.

** ARC provided in exchange for an honest review. **

[Marla Mei · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lauren Layne has always been one of my go-to authors but I haven't been liking any of her latest books (Blurred Lines!!! yep just want to insert my review there LOL) so I'm RATING THIS 4 STARS NOW BEFORE I OVERTHINK THINGS AND START READING NEGATIVE REVIEWS when all I really want to say and all that I should say is that I LOVE THIS BOOK.

Forget the annoying characters, the drama and angst (where in Lauren Layne's books are nil to nothing anyway), I've never swooned so hard like this before that I had to force myself to rein in all the giggles that's bursting to come out of me at 3 am in the morning for fear that I'd wake up my sibling who's sleeping beside me. Yep. It's that good.

Plus, this is the hottest and steamiest Lauren Layne book to date!!! I think that alone is enough to get you to read this book. Am I right or am I right? ;)

[Danielle (Love at First Page) · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was expecting to fall head over heels in love with Frisk Me, but then, I was expecting a much different type of book. In almost all of Lauren Layne's adult romances, there's a push-pull, slightly antagonistic undercurrent between her characters. So it didn't surprise me that the same could be said of Luc and Ava, a charming but straight-laced cop and an ambitious, stubborn reporter. I was hoping, though, for more of a romantic suspense story, that the relationship drama would be kept to a minimum due to a more pressing story line. Unfortunately, Frisk Me is very much in the drama category, and the back and forth romance had my head spinning.

In the city that never sleeps, Ava is about to get her first big break to becoming a national anchorwoman in the form of one sexy cop. She'll tell the story of his recent heroic deeds and the bravery of the NYPD, and from there she'll catapult herself to success. The only problem? Luc has absolutely no desire to be in the spotlight. With their lifestyles at war, these two do nothing but butt heads, fighting each other at every turn... even as the sexual attraction heats up. If and when they decide to take their relationship to the next level, neither are looking for long term commitment, and the secrets and distrust between them keep piling up. Inside the bedroom things may be hot and heavy, but outside of it Luc and Ava have a winding road to their happy ending.

These characters, even as I was rooting for them to get it together, are incredibly frustrating. I've already mentioned that the ups and downs of their romance was too much for me, and there were times when I was downright tired of their attitudes. If they had just done a better job of communicating, so much heartache could have been avoided. It was at times painstaking the way they were so closed off and barely admitted to themselves their true feelings. I guess this has turned into a more personal qualm, because I've grown wary of romance couples that won't pull their heads out of their asses. It made for a long book, too; there were stretches when I was almost bored, wishing that the relationship had more forward momentum.

But then, when this book was good, it was really good. The chemistry and tension between Luc and Ava was hot, hot, hot. Their first kiss I felt from my heart to my stomach to my toes because the build up was so delicious. I enjoyed their verbal sparring and especially the scenes when they would open up to one another, bit by bit. I like that Luc brought out Ava's soft side and helped her come to terms with what she really wanted out of life, and that Ava's presence eased some of the burden of guilt Luc has been carrying around for years. I just wish more of that had been the focus, rather than the doubt between them and the betrayal I could see coming a mile away.

One last thing - Luc's family is a riot. I can't wait to know more about his brothers and get their full stories. But hands down the highlight of the book is his grandmother, Nonna. She had me laughing out loud more than any other character in recent memory. Her dialogue is the absolute best. I hope to see much more of her in the future!

Though Frisk Me isn't my favorite Lauren Layne book, there was still enough to love and to get me excited about the next book. As always she knows how to write a couple who are evenly matched and have more than enough chemistry between them. My only wish is that Luc and Ava wouldn't have been so much in the way of their own love story!

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for approving my request in exchange for an honest review.

This review can also be found at Love at First Page.

[Bj · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 "America's Hero" Stars! Being a little late to the Lauren Layne fan club, I only just discovered her writing this year with her release of Crushed (Redemption 2), a title which made my top favorites list. Needless to say, after that first impression, I just knew I had to read her next book, so when I was presented with a review opportunity for Frisk Me, I jumped on it.

Frisk Me, the debut novel in Ms. Layne's New York's Finest Series, contains many of the same attributes that I fell in love with in Crushed: it's funny, witty and touching. The only reason I'm giving this one a four, rather than a five, rating is that whereas I absolutely adored both the hero and heroine in Crushed; I didn't agree with all of the actions of the heroine in Frisk Me. Nonetheless, character flaws and all, Frisk Me is a compelling and entertaining romance which I am happy I had a chance to experience.

What could be more traditional than American apple pie? Why, of course, an honest to goodness American hero in uniform! Ava Sim's news network hopes to capitalize on this popular theme to boost its national ratings by producing a prime time 3-hour special on a NYPD Officer, Luc Moretti. Luc recently gained local notoriety for being captured on film while rescuing a girl from drowning in the East River and shortly thereafter giving a homeless man the jacket off his own back to protect him from inclement weather. Ava is determined to capitalize ratings dream by taking this local story national, and hopefully earn her anchor position in the process. Luc, however, is equally determined to avoid any further publicity, instead reasoning that he was just doing his job.

When it becomes clear, that the mandate for the TV special is coming all the way from the top NYPD brass, who hope to use the story to combat recent negative publicity, Luc is left with no choice but to allow Ava to follow him around for weeks in order to produce footage for the story. Forced to play nice and spend a large amount of time together, the two can't help but feel their mutual chemistry. Ava, however, never being one to be complacent, also can't help but to let her innate talent at investigative journalism shine through. But can two such mutually opposed starting points ever find a way to meet at a HEA in the middle?

All in all, Frisk Me kept me engaged throughout, both with its budding romance as well as the well thought out interactions between Luc and Ava and their respective family members, all of whom seem to have their own agendas. This interconnected interplay will keep you on your toes and rooting for love to win in the end.

Source: Review copy provided in exchange for an honest review.

[Lyndy Ann ♫ · Rating 3 out of 5]

Frisk Me is the first book in the new New York’s Finest series by Lauren Layne.

We have the sexy Italian Moretti family, four brothers three are cops for NYPD. We start off with the bambino of the family Officer Luc Moretti who was caught on camera being a hero and now is a internet phenomenon, he hates all the media attention he is getting and he just wants to be left alone to do his job and have a private life.

Enter Ava Sims who is a journalist going to be shadowing Luc around for a three hour tv special on the American Hero. There is an instant dislike between them as they have had a run in before. Ava invades Luc’s life professional and personal Luc does not make it easy for Ava but soon things between them get steamy.

How far is Ava willing to go for her promotion? Will she bring to light Luc’s darkest time in his career? Will they have a future?

I did enjoy this but I was going through some personal things in my life while reading and I could not concentrate on the story so I did not feel a connection as I usually devour a LL book, I should have waited to read it until I felt better but I am looking forward to Steal Me, I might do a re-read in the future so I can appreciate the story more.

[Jen ♥Star-Crossed Book Blog♥ · Rating 5 out of 5]

I fell madly in love with this story!  Frisk Me was a dynamic blend of laughter, sarcasm, sexiness and characters that found their way into my heart.  But in all honestly, I was nervous to start this book.  I struggled with the idea that a police story could be fun and sexy.  BUT the first page alone proved me SO wrong because I was already smiling.  Never again will I second guess or question the storyline or type of characters in a Lauren Layne book!  Because the stories and characters she creates are always amazing!  They make me laugh, smile, cry and fall hopelessly in love with them.  Her stories are the kind that stick with you for a long time to come and that you want all of your friends to read!  You must meet Luc and Ava!

Luc Moretti, sigh.  He is from an Italian family whose blood runs in the force.  His three brothers are also cops and his father just retired as a police commissioner in the NYPD.  He is courageous but not a big fan of being pegged as a hero in the public eye.  A little girl fell off of a bridge and without a second thought, Luc jumped in, swam her to shore and did mouth to mouth to bring her back to life.  The problem was it was captured on someone’s phone and everyone knows about his heroic act.  While he wants his life back to normal since he was just doing his job (love his modesty), enter Ava Sims.  She's a correspondent from CBC and wants to run a three-hour national special on him and the NYPD.  And Luc has no option but to oblige.

I loved Luc!  He has such a sweet heart.  The thoughtful gestures he would do for Ava melted me into a smiling puddle of goo.  And on top of that he was also humble, charismatic, wounded, funny, sexy and such a good guy!  But you know what the icing on the cake was?  He had a way of twisting his words or a situation into something sexier than it should have been.  It lit up my face every single time he did it!  So yeah, Luc is definitely getting added to my list of book boyfriends.  I never once thought I'd have a cop on there!  But now I do lol!

Like many of her other books, we also get to see Ava's side of the story.  Ava is definitely a multi-faceted person, and while I loved her personal side, sometimes I didn't always see eye to eye with her business side.  You see, there is the calculated, driven women that she portrays to the majority of the world, but when she kicks off her high heels and changes into her flip-flops then the real Ava is in full effect.  She is unsure, funny, a smart ass and very perceptive.  She was extremely easy to like and connect with.  But of course my favorites parts of her was when she was interacting with Luc.  Because the sarcasm between the two of them created the perfect amount of sexual tension and made me laugh so hard at their antics.  They were characters that I understood inside out and I couldn’t get enough of them!

Another thing I couldn’t get enough of was Luc’s family!  They interfered in the best of ways and oh my gosh they were hilarious, loving and looked out for one another.  Their weekly get togethers always made me laugh and feel all warm and cozy in my heart.  It was wonderful to see such a strong family unit that felt real in a book!  But you want to know who my favorite family member was...well besides Luc?  Nona, his Grandma.  She is a hoot, and then some!  Just try reading her scenes without laughing hysterically, I dare you!

So yeah, I loved this book!  I laughed and cried hysterically, and I am so excited that I get to read more about these characters!  Because the next book in this series is about Luc’s brother, Anthony.  He’s grumpy hmmm or maybe more guarded then Luc, but he is intriguing and has the Moretti charm so I can’t wait to see what’s in store for him!  Until then, I have to go read another book written by this author.  Lauren Layne's writing and characters are that addicting!

*ARC kindly provided by Forever Publishing via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review*

For more of my reviews, please visit:

[Tamara · Rating 2 out of 5]

Things I liked:
The whole Moretti family and their relationship with each other.

Things I didnt like:
Everything else.

Things I learned from this book:
- If you are a reporter you dont have to pay a parking ticket because you are above the law.

-New Yorkers are really selfish people (according to the book) since even a small act of kindness or just doing your job or being a decent person can get you either too much media buzz or shitty people like Ava will question your motives (even though you saved a life and any decent person would have done the same thing.)

- I dont like fictional reporters. No offense to real ones.

The story goes like this: Officer Luc Moretti gets caught on video a couple of times helping people; giving his jacket to a homeless person because he was cold and saving a girl's from drowning. No big deal according to me, he was just doing his job and being a good, kind guy but the media makes a circus out of it and eventually a reporter called Ava Simms is given a assignment of creating a three-hour feature about our beloved America Hero. Ava is judgy and selfish and acts like a bitch thinking Luc likes the situation he is in (he doesnt) and she thinks he created all the buzz by posing for the cameras when he did his good deeds. Her purpose is to use to this interview to advance her career, but when the sparks begin to fly between them everything suddenly gets...complicated. NOT. Cause you know, Ava is a fucking selfish bitch.


Here are (some of) the problems I had with this book:

1-) This isnt the first time they met. Luc gave a parking ticket to her like 3 years ago but the bitch never paid it and never even plans to. Why? Because she thinks she is a fucking majesty and above the law, that's why!!



WHAT.THE.HELL? I WANNA BURN DIS BITCH. Being a reporter and following a story doesn’t put you above the traffic laws!! She never payed for that ticket and she still refuses to pay it? Who the hell she thinks she is?!

2-) Excuse me but why the fuck a man needs a reason to save a child's life? WTF? What kind of a life this Ava is living? What kind of a place is this NY is? What the fuck is going on with this world?!

“Why’d you do it?” she asked, turning her head to find him watching her.
“Do what?”
“Jump in the river after that little girl…give your coat to a homeless guy.”

Hmmm. I wonder why? Probably because that's what any decent person would have done?!!

And guys, for most of the book, even after they got together Ava thinks Luc was pretending to be a hero. That's fucked up, ok? Which brings me to reason 3.

3-) I'm so not buying their 'romance'. Where is the bonding? Why am I not seeing it? Who holds on to a parking ticket of a man/woman they met 3 years ago anyway? NO WAY I'M BUYING THAT.

4-) She fucks him up by using him and the memory of innocent people to make a name for herself and then she throws him to the wolves and he just forgives her? HAHAHAHA NO. Fuck this shit. She's not even sorry. She's so brain-damaged she cant understand why Luc feels hurt.



5-) This is the first time I found the banter between the characters really painfull to read.

6-) Luc's pity party took too much time to go away and when it did, it felt too sudden. Ava must have magical vagina.

7-) Just another 'main female character realizes she needs to change her life-style and job thanks to her love interest' cliche. WHERE THE FUCK IS ALL THE GIRL POWER? Why all these stupid fictional female characters need a male character to realize they are not happy with their job?

8-) The Preview of Steal Me: I've read the expert and I thought the heroine was weak and Anthony was an asshole. So I'm not even bothering.


OVERALL: I'M DONE WITH LAUREN LAYNE BOOKS FOR A WHILE.

[Ksenia · Rating 4 out of 5]

Can you proclaim yourself a fan of an author if you’ve only read a couple of books written by him/her? No? I’ve read only two books by Lauren Layne: Isn't She Lovely and Broken yet I dare to say that she is one of my favorite authors. I can’t quite explain this, but every time I open a book written by this author, I have very pleasant feelings, it’s like tasting your favorite chocolate after a long break: anticipation and when you finally put a bit into your mouth, you are lost to sensations.

So unsurprisingly I loved Frisk Me. It was Lauren Layne’s trademark mix of likeable characters, swoon worthy romance and humor with a big dose of family. The plot was engaging and I was glued to the pages.

Luc Moretti is a NY cop, who’s unwillingly become famous. A tourist filmed how he saved a drowning little girl. Now there will be a TV show about him. Meet Ava Sims, a journalist who will be following Luc every day to write a story. Only Luc doesn’t think he is the hero, he’s struggling with guilt over the case that went wrong several years ago. And it looks like this sexy, sassy journalist would dig out all his secrets.

I loved the romance in this book. It was a perfect “from hate to love” type. It developed slowly at realistic pace with delicious anticipation and sexual tension. The author skillfully uses sex scenes to make a point. Nowadays there are millions adult and NA novels with a lot of meaningless sex. But in Lauren Layne’s books it actually adds something to the story.

As usual family plays a big role in latest Layne’s novel. I fell in love with Moretti family. The author said in her acknowledgments that her husband is Italian, and she consulted with her in-laws about ins and outs of Italian family. And the result is very authentic, at least for me. I love this bustling, nosy and very loving mob.

And of course humor. Lauren Layne always manages to put a smile on my face. Luc’s grandmother Nonna made me laugh out loud.

Despite overall light mood of the story Lauren Layne raises several serious topics here. The aspect than resonated with me the most was family pressure on the child in choosing his\her profession. Both Luc and Ava feel this pressure, since Luc is from cop family and everyone in Ava’s family works on TV. Luc’s ambitions are the same that the expectations of his family, Ava is not so sure. Her straggles and doubts resonated with me on a personal level. I chose the same professional field as my parents, and there were points at my life when I asked myself if it was my decision of it was pressure of my family.

All in all Frisk Me is an engaging story, full of swoon and fun. I enjoyed it immensely and highly recommend it. I’m looking forward to read Anthony and Vincent stories.

PS. This cover. Ugh… Does this model look anything like Italian Luc Moretti? And I’m not happy with the covers for the next books.

You can find my reviews:

[Valerie · Rating 2 out of 5]

Much to do about nothing - that’s how I felt about this book


I’m a very character driven reader. When I really and passionately don’t like a character, I’m not going to like the book. Such was the case with Frisk Me.


Ava Simms is a reporter who’s been given the assignment of creating a three-hour feature about the America Hero in the NYPD who has been caught on video a couple of times helping people… also known as doing his job. Anyway, Ava first met Luc when he was writing her media van a parking ticket a few months back. She yelled at him about freedom of the press and some such nonsense. And that was her first strike. Really? I don’t care for pushy reporters. My first major in college was journalism and I know a thing or two about the field. Getting the story doesn’t put you above the traffic laws. And yelling at a cob for doing his job is all kinds of wrong. I probably could have got over that.


When they meet again, she’s in her killer heels uniform to his cop uniform in his captains office. She get to shadow him for a month. He has no choice. Oh, and she threw the unpaid parking ticket back at him as she left the office. Strike two. As it turns out, there is a collection of parking tickets in the backseat pocket of the media van. This begs the questions, how does her van not get booted, towed, or the like for all the unpaid tickets? Why does she think she’s better than the rest of us who actually follow the rules? Yeah, I didn’t like her. And this was all within the first couple of chapters.


Ava comes from a family of journalists and feels like the only way to win their love and respect is to make it in the field. They want her to become an anchorwoman. It’s not really her dream. She doesn’t just want to report the news, but dig it up, hunt it down. So she doesn’t want to do this fluffy American hero piece that may get her that anchorwoman job. She doesn’t believe he’s a hero. There must be something he’s hiding and she just the women to find it. Last strike.


So why didn’t I stop reading when I was only 3 chapter in and Ava had 3 strikes? Luc of course. He’s a good cop from a family of cops. Not wanting any of this stupid attention, he just wants to do his job. The memories of a call that ended badly have Luc feeling like he’s far from a hero. Let me say though, that he followed orders by the book. Things went badly that day because a jerk that is currently rotting in jail because Luc put him there is the only one to blame. But as good men sometimes do, Luc plays the what if game. And blames himself for the deaths that day. Because I respected Luc, I read the rest of the story.


And Ava continued to get strikes. And she did just what I thought she would. But seriously peeps, there just wasn’t that much dirt for her to find. Nothing Luc had done wrong that was for sure. There was a betrayal yet it all just felt like a bunch of nothing. Much to do about nothing. And the whole thing had me wishing Luc wouldn’t forgive her and this happy would be with a different girl in his arms. One that deserved a great guy like Luc.


Who does that? Who hopes they don’t get together in the end? I had thought through most of the book that I could give this 3 stars and just be grumpy about it. But no, I can’t recommend it at all.

[A_Ryan · Rating 2 out of 5]

12% and I'm giving up.

First thing's first: This has a Truly Terrible cover design.
The guy is described as "gorgeously dark haired" annd yet the cover would have you believe he's a blonde dancer in a cheap music video from the 80's.

It's slow... but also not. Maybe not soo much slow as uninteresting. I was tempted to start skimming by chapter two.

The characters didn't really mesh for me.
A lot of the focus was on the families, even though it was just the beginning of the first book of the series. This left little time for me to become fully invested in the main characters before my interest was hijacked by the supporting characters.

Weird, unrelatable heroine.
I'm not sure why Ava disliked Luc so much? Her reasons seem almost infantile. Yes, he gave her a parking ticket. But she was parked illegally in front of a fire hydrant! She didn't seem to care though and two years later she was still pissed!

I love Lauren Layne's Stiletto and Oxford Series, but this one is a miss for me.

2 "meh" stars.

[Jane Stewart · Rating 2 out of 5]

DNF. I just couldn’t get interested. Nothing pulled me in.

Luc and his family are very likeable, but that doesn’t mean the book will be good. There was no chemistry for me. Normally a DNF is 1 star for me, but I don’t want to hurt the authors stats too much for something that might be more about personal preference, so I upped it to 2. This might work better for other readers. I read the first 87 pages and the last 2 chapters.

Ava is a TV reporter doing a story on Luc a NY cop. She has permission to ride along with him on the job for three weeks. He doesn’t want her there, and he doesn’t want to be the focus of a story, but his boss demanded it. I was hoping there would be some witty banter but I wasn’t feeling it.

DATA:
Narrative mode: 3rd person. Story length: 354 pages. Swearing language: strong including religious swear words. Sexual content: don’t know. Setting: current day New York. Copyright: 2015. Genre: contemporary romance.

[Lady Vigilante (Feifei)]

ARC provided by Forever (Grand Central Publishing) via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

[nick (the infinite limits of love) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lauren Layne is easily one of my favorite contemporary romance authors. She writes really fun romantic comedies and she has yet to disappoint me with her books. When I saw that she was releasing a new series with cops at the center, I was ecstatic. Now, I'm not a reader who actively seeks out books about men in blue, but I knew that Lauren Layne would be able to make me fall for them and boy was I right!

Frisk Me might actually be my favorite book by the author. Lauren Layne excels at writing relateable characters who you fall for quite easily. The characters in Frisk Me were no different. I loved Luc Morretti from the very beginning. He was this gruffy, tough and intriguing cop who hated being in the limelight after videos of him doing heroic deeds while on duty are uploaded on YouTube. Luc was also dealing with the guilt of a case having gone wrong where he also lost his partner. I felt for Luc and wanted to give him a hug (a little bit for selfish reasons because YUM!). He came across as very cold and stoic at first, but over the course of the book, we get to watch him open up. When he did finally let us see who really was behind that hard exterior, it was glorious. Luc could be one heck of a swoony guy and he certainly managed to charm the pants off of me (and his heroine Ava!). He was flirty and a total ladies' man. I really did love the more easy-going side to his character. Ava was also a character I enjoyed for the most part. I loved how strong and determined she was. I have a lot of respect for female characters that chase after their own dreams and work hard to achieve them and Ava was that kind of character for me. She was headstrong, fierce and did not mince her words. I'll admit that towards the end, I did end up being slightly disappointed with Ava for something that she does to Luc. I was so angry at her and I hated how she hurt him for selfish reasons. Still, overall I did like Ava a lot and I was eventually able to get past what she did.

The romance in Frisk Me was a lot of fun. Luc and Ava had a bit of an antagonistic relationship going on at the beginning because he is forced to work on a TV program on which Ava is the leading journalist. This slowly morphed into delightful banter that had me grinning like a fool, and it was all very delicious. I loved how playful they were together and their chemistry was really hot too. When they finally got together, it was so worth the build up. The romance in Frisk Me just solidified why I love slow burn romances so much. Every romance novel has that big misunderstanding that temporarily separates the couple at about 75% and Frisk Me had it too. It's what that made me lose a little bit of respect for Ava and I honestly could have done without it. Thankfully, Lauren Layne did not drag their separation for too much of the book. I did wish that we could have seen a bit more groveling on Ava's part, but Luc was too much of a sweetheart to make her suffer for long, which made me fall harder for him. Family was also a main theme in Frisk Me and I loved him. The Morretti's were an entertaining bunch and I loved them all so much. Nonna, Luc's grandmother, was especially a meddling spitfire of an old lady. She brought about so many hilarious (and exhausting for Luc) scenes that had me laughing. Seriously, this lady needs her own book! The rest of his family were also quite lovely and I loved how tight-knit they were as opposed to Ava's family. I can't wait for some of the other Morretti siblings to have their own books.

Lauren Layne is a natural at writing and Frisk Me proved just that. If you enjoy light-hearted romances with fabulous characters and big families, this is the book for you. Frisk Me was a strong start to what will, it seems, be a romantic and engaging series. I, for one, want to devour more!

[Ami · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.75 stars rounded up

This is my fourth Lauren Layne's book and I really enjoyed it despite issues that I had. In the beginning, I definitely felt the sparks between Luc and Ava. Their arguments felt lively and delicious to follow. But yes, the further I went, the more I discovered things that didn't sit well with me, and I ended up writing notes about it. Let me try to get away with them first, so I could close this review with a more positive sentence, considering that yes, I did rounded my rating up to 4*

I admit that stories about reporter and his/her object in romance usually makes me a little bit anxious. Probably because there's that line that usually becomes an obstacle -- would the reporter tells it as it is to gain audience? In this book, one of my issues was that even when Luc and Ava were connecting outside the job setting (meaning when Ava was no following Luc's on the job basis), they still talked / discussed / referred to the job. Luc sees Ava as the journalist wanting to uncover his DARK secret, and Ava sees Luc as her story, a stepstone for her to get the anchor position. I wish that they do things not related to their job, so they can see each other not as reporter and police officer.

I also wasn't so sure about Luc's dark secret. Why must this hero have a dark secret anyway? Maybe Luc's secret was there to give 'baggage' since he came from very loving and tight knit family (unlike Ava's family who was pretty much dysfunctional and competitive ones). But I felt that it was something a bit too common. Like, of course the hero must have a 'dark' past. Why can't he just be, well, annoyed with being called an American Hero? Although, after I chewed on it, it did make for a good conflict. That emotional struggle between 'should I report this' or 'should I keep it secret because I love him' in Ava.

Talk about Ava, I was a little bit disappointed that the mighty, snappy, Ava in the beginning turned into someone who seems to be weary and insecure as the book progressed because of her parents expectations. Although again I realized at the same time, it did make her a more rounded character. I guess people can look tough but still feel insecure inside.

Despite all that, for the most part, I thought it was really good. The ending deserved a thumbs up for me. It was emotional, and it made me choked up a little bit. Not exactly a GRAND gesture but felt totally right. And I LOVED Luc's outspoken family members -- each and everyone of them, although Luc's nonna probably deserved the MVP status. I couldn't wait to read the story about the oldest brother next.

[Keertana · Rating 3 out of 5]

What I've come to really love and expect from Lauren Layne are fresh, modern characters--especially women--who are ambitious, driven, and practical in their approach towards life. I've become accustomed to cracking open one of her novels and not only swooning, but also finding rich female friendships and a deeper understanding of what it means to be a working woman than I do in other books in this genre. That being said, Frisk Me read much more like a classic romance novel--which isn't a bad thing at all. It just means that my expectations needed to be adjusted (which they weren't, prior to reading this novel) and is probably why I wasn't as huge a fan of this as usual. I'll definitely be continuing with the series but her debut series had my attention much more steadfastly with the core group of independent females rather than a family of hot Italian men. Nevertheless, Layne writes complex characters and slow-burn romances that linger so if either of those seem even remotely interesting to you, Frisk Me and the rest of her backlog will be exactly up your alley.