My heart is overflowing after reading RELEASE: A Walker Brothers novel! No one writes big, brawny, big-hearted billionaires like the magnificent J.S. Scott and she has proven her grandeur yet again with this surprise book!
Twenty-seven-year old billionaire tycoon Trace Walker needs to hire a fake fiancée for the holidays, but the hungry, penniless woman who comes into his office, begging for employment, isn’t exactly the ideal candidate for the job. Nevertheless, there is just something about this dark-haired Latino beauty, cloaked in ripped jeans and an air of desperation, that rouses his Alpha caveman instincts! Before long, he feeds the hungry young woman a long overdue meal, lays out the terms of their mutually beneficial business arrangement, and seals the deal with a hot, smoldering kiss! Despite coming from two very different worlds, their temporary arrangement soon begins to feel all-too-real, but as their feelings of lust for one another blossoms into full blown love, can these two unlikely lovers release the ghosts of the past and embrace their very own Christmas miracle?
I was blown away by the depth of emotion and complexity in this Walker Brothers tale, book one of a trilogy about three Billionaire brothers whose lives were torn asunder by an unspeakable tragedy. I found it to be so deeply moving and utterly intoxicating it left my breathless! What I treasure about J.S. Scott’s books is that she draws you so intricately into the hearts and souls of her characters that you fall instantly, irrevocably, in love with them! But the road to HEA for Trace and Eva is bumpy indeed! Both are grappling with dark, agonizing emotional obstacles that they must overcome. For starters, Trace was thrust into the position as head of the Walker family—a role he never wanted to take on--after his father and brand new stepmother died in tragic plane crash three days after their wedding. His youngest brother, Dane, who was also a passenger on the plane, was the only survivor, but he was horribly injured and clung to life for days. For a while there they didn’t even know if he would survive.
Now, six years later, Trace is shouldering the burdens of his younger siblings’ well being all on his own and it’s taken a toll. My heart just bled for poor Trace! Ever since that horrific tragedy, he has poured his entire life into taking on the reins of the family empire and trying to keep his wayward brothers in line. But they are not exactly appreciative of him trying to manage their lives. His relationship with Sebastian and Dane is terribly fractured, and he doesn’t know if they’ll ever be able to bond as a real family again. So even though on the surface, the filthy rich, formidable billionaire seems to have the world at this feet, appearances are very deceiving. In truth, Trace is achingly lonely and holds his emotions close to his vest. His existence is all work and not much play, but then one day in walks this beautiful Latino spitfire who makes him FEEL again, gives him a real sense purpose, and shines a beautiful beacon of light into his dark, desolate world.
As for Eva Morales, I just loved her to pieces! The impoverished, orphaned daughter of a poor farmer’s daughter and a gold digging vixen is such a wonderful, sympathetic, endearing heroine, the perfect match for our grouchy, growly hero! I adored her gentle, compassionate nature, fiery spirit, and her gutsy survival instincts. She has had a very difficult time of it over the years, especially after having to endure a terrible ordeal that shattered her life. But when the agonizing truth comes out, in typical J.S. Scott fashion, its Caveman Trace to the rescue! A fixer by nature, he makes it his mission to right the wrongs of Eva’s past, even if it means throwing his weight around and rousing her temper as she rebels against his overbearing, bossy ways! But the one thing in his well ordered world that he CANNOT control is his raw, untamed desire for Eva….the only woman who has ever been able to break down the iron clad barriers around his heart.
And the woman of Trace’s erotic dreams struggles with her feelings for her “fake” fiancé as well. She had been deprived of feeling anything except fear and devastation for so long and is afraid to embrace the kind of all consuming passion and joy that Trace, her reluctant Prince Charming, is offering. But resisting her feelings for the gruffly charming Alpha billionaire is pure torture! Although they’d had two drastically different upbringings, they soon discover they have much more in common than either thought possible, and are true kindred spirits. Compatible in the bedroom—and out. Speaking of the bedroom….this couple has a scintillating chemistry and their sexual encounters are blazing hot and teeming with heartfelt emotion and exquisite tenderness!
I loved every single moment of this enchanting rags to riches Cinderella story. It has everything you want in a J.S. Scott romance: Brooding billionaire! Sweet yet feisty heroine! Epic love against all odds! Angst! Unbridled Passion! Family Dysfunction/Drama! And while this emotion-fraught tale definitely has its tearjerker moments, it has a gorgeously swoony storybook ending fit for a princess. Only downside? Now, I must wait with baited breath for the “release” of Sebastian and Dane’s books! I think the Walker brothers have officially become my new billionaire obsession!!!