Zander & Ella: Love Me

Love The Way #3

by W. Winters, Amelia Wilde

From USA Today best-selling authors W Winters and Amelia Wilde comes a sinful romance with a touch of dark and angst that will keep you gripping the edge of your seat … and begging for more.

He was mine. My protector, my lover.
My second start at life.
The man who promised me there was more than this.
He gave me hope
Until my world fell apart again.
It was bound to happen. It’s all life has given me.

Maybe he won't break his promises.
Maybe my heart won’t shatter.
All I want ... is for love to be enough.

This is book 3 of the Love the Way You... series. Kiss Me and Hold Me must be read first.

Genres: Dark Romance, Romance, BDSM, Audiobook, Erotica, Contemporary, Dark

222 pages, Paperback

First published December 1, 2021

About the author

Willow Winters is so happy to be a USA Today, Wall Street Journal and #1 Contemporary Best Selling Author!

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All the other details you need to know: https://linktr.ee/willowwintersauthor

Willow started writing after having her little girl, Evie, December 2015. All during her pregnancy with Evie she continued to read and she only wanted to read romance. She was reading a book a day — sometimes two.

In January 2016 Willow was staying up late with Evie and just thinking of all these stories. They came to her constantly so she finally sat down and just started writing. She always wanted to do it so she figured, why not? Today Willow cannot be happier for making that decision!


Merciless World

A Kiss to Tell

Possessive
Seductive

Merciless
Heartless
Breathless
Endless

All He’ll Ever Be

A Kiss To Keep

A Single Glance
A Single Kiss
A Single Touch

Hard to Love
Desperate to Touch
Tempted to Kiss
Easy to Fall

Merciless World Spin Off

It’s Our Secret

Standalone Novels:
Broken
Forget Me Not

Sins and Secrets Duets:
Imperfect (Imperfect Duet book 1)
Unforgiven (Imperfect Duet book 2)

Damaged (Damaged Duet book 1)
Scarred (Damaged Duet book 2)


Standalone Novels:
All I Want is a Kiss
Tell Me To Stay
Second Chance
Knocking Boots
Promise Me
Burned Promises
Forsaken, cowritten with B. B. Hamel

Collections
Don’t Let Go
Deepen The Kiss
Kisses and Wishes

Valetti Crime Family Series:
Dirty Dom
His Hostage
Rough Touch
Cuffed Kiss
Bad Boy 

Highest Bidder Series,
cowritten with Lauren Landish:
Bought
Sold 
Owned 
Given

Bad Boy Standalones,
cowritten with Lauren Landish:
Inked
Tempted
Mr. CEO

Happy reading and best wishes,
Willow xx

Reviews

[Willow Winters]

EEEP! It's release day! Love Me, the third and final book in the Love The Way Trilogy is here!

This trilogy is sexy, dark and filled with secrets in an elite circle. The hero is a bodyguard sucked into this world and uncovering things he shouldn’t be to help our heroine. I FREAKING LOVE IT.
It’s everything I wanted it to be - especially the ending. You are not ready!

❤️ Forbidden Romance
❤️ Bingeable trilogy
❤️ sexy, intense, B D S M 
❤️ hot chemistry 

You can start with book 1 today, it’s freeeeeeee: https://geni.us/U6BS4zW
Snag the finale, Love Me here: https://geni.us/pfaBej

[TMR · Rating 5 out of 5]

Note: I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Trigger Warnings: domestic violence, child abuse, BDSM, death, grief, emotional trauma, suicide, kinks, alcoholism, flashback triggers, murder, extortion.

Note 2: Kiss Me is the first book. Followed by Hold Me. Love Me is the third and final book in the trilogy. Please read in order to understand the entire story.

Ah welcome back to Ella and Zander's world. In this book, we're finally getting closer to a conclusion to Ella's past, and Zander's past as well. As well as a possible HEA between the two.

I cannot reveal much aside from the fact that it is steamy, full of mystery, suspense, action, trauma, emotion, romance, friendships, and much more.

I loved it from the first book to this last one. Plus the writing was smooth, fast and able to draw me in to the story well. The characters took their sweet time to develop, with obstacles as well, and well fate trying to scheme against them. The romance was shorter than I liked, with more focus on their physical relationship, pasts, and friendships. The friendships were shrouded in mystery at times, but I enjoyed them. The pasts are explored in more detail, so it was fun combing through them the entire time.

Overall I had a lot of blast with this dark emotional, romantic and steamy trilogy.

And hope that Willow continues to write more.

Until the next read,

-TMR

[K. Ramjohn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love Me is the 3rd book in the Love The Way Trilogyand the conclusion to Ella and Zander's forbidden story.

The story starts where book 2 left off and is filled with unexpected twists and turns, raw emotions and had me rooting for these two throughout as their relationship continues to grow and develop.

Their HEA is not straightforward as there are obstacles thrown in their path to test the strength of their love. However the chemistry between them is undeniable and their hot steamy scenes were explosive.

This well-written addictive tale was told in dual POV, had developed characters, was evenly paced and flowed smoothly. It was fantastic and gave us a satisfying conclusion to Ella and Zander's story. I loved it and would highly recommend it.

[Gladys · Rating 5 out of 5]

The conclusion to Zander & Ella’s was wicked good. This couple really takes you on one dark, twisty and utterly luscious ride. I found myself completely consumed as this forbidden romance continued to unfold. I love a read that can stretch my nerves to their breaking point, send my temperature soaring, play vicious games with my heart and still manage to leave me swooning and this book/series does just that! This is book three of three, so be sure to start at book one because you don't want to miss one single juicy second of this tempting romance. I am independently posting an impartial review.

[Wobilba · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars

[Ashlee » libraryinthecountry · Rating 3 out of 5]

as with every willow winters series that follows the same couple the entire series … this should have been one book.

[Veronica Ticker · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm disappointed in the end. I felt like there was a disconnection between the previous books and this one. Like it wasn't even the same story.

A new subplot appears--Ella is being blackmailed--and it was so poorly done that I had absolutely no interest in it, and I couldn't see what was at stakes.

Ella and Zander's relationship doesn't evolve a lot, and nothing really threatens it. They deserve their happy ending, but I think the story should have focused on how Zander enters Ella's world, the struggles and their consequences.

The couple of twists and revelations renewed my interest, but between them, the story drags a bit, even though it's quite short. We also get more of Ella's past, but nothing explicit. You have to read between the lines, so you're never sure about what happened exactly.

I'm still confused about how this series ended, and I'm not sure it's worth the while--even for the ever sexy bits.

Quickie

- Series: Love the way #3 (end of the trilogy)
- Hashtags: #dark romance #forbidden romance #D/s relationship
- Triggers: past abuse, past traumas
- Main couple: Eleanor Bordeu & Zander Thompson
- Hotness: 4/5
- Romance: 4/5
- + we finally learn more about Ella's past traumas...
- – ...but not enough and a lot is just suggested

[Julie's Reviews · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved how things between Zander and Ella's story was wrapped up. It was dark, but so good. Start this trilogy today cause you won't regret it.

[Christine · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5 stars

Love Me is the conclusion of Zander and Ella's story.......and while I did think it was a mostly satisfying conclusion to the trilogy, I kinda feel the same way I did about book 2. I just was left feeling a bit underwhelmed, and maybe it's because there was such a long time in between books 2 & 3. It took me a few chapters to even remember what was going on. And it finally did click, but I still feel like I forgot a lot of details about events in the two previous books. Had the stories been released closer together, I probably would be feeling a lot differently. I think these stories should be read all together, to get the full effect.

[Jennifer Pierson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm going to start out by saying (in case you didn't get the memo) that Love Me is the third book in the Love The Way trilogy so you have to read them in order otherwise you won't get the full scope of this journey that did my heart & emotions in. Zander & Ella's journey was one for the ages, especially since Ella has gone through so much in her life. They had a journey on the forbidden side which always makes me anxious as I wait for whatever the other shoe is involved to drop so I stay on the edge of my seat. It was sexy, painful/emotional, chaotic, and everything in between so I'll be rereading it again all in order right after the other. I'm doing my utmost to be vague, and since it's super hard to be, I'm going to keep this review short & sweet because this dream team (who meshed perfectly together by the way) doesn't need anyone to give spoilers about this epic experience so just experience it for yourselves by hitting those one click buttons! HIGHLY HIGHLY HIGHLY RECOMMEND!

[Sara Reads Romance · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received an eARC in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I feel like I’ve been waiting for the ending of this book for forever and it was totally worth the wait. This was such a great conclusion to Z and Ella's story. This book had me absolutely consumed from beginning to end and was such an easy book to get into! Love Me starts off right where book two ends. It’s a spicy, dark, forbidden and twisty book from beginning to end, but was so worth every second of anxiousness that I felt throughout the book. Also, have I mentioned that this book is spicy? Because hello Z, this man has an insatiable appetite. I absolutely love the ending of this series and really thought it was great. Though, I hope that we get more, especially since I really loved the side characters in this book and I’d love to see this world expanded even further!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

[Vanessa · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received this arc for my honest review. This book picks up where the 2nd book ends. Zander and Ella have become more than just Dom/sub. They not only need each other but want each other. Things have been brought to light and their HEA is so beautifully written. Zander learns how strong his feelings for Ella have gotten and how far he’s willing to go to keep her safe. Ella realizes how strong her feelings for Zander have grown and how much she needs/wants him. The growth in Ella’s character is beyond amazing, especially in this book. There’s a shocking twist but as it is revealed it makes sense to another event that occurred. The steamy scenes leave you fanning yourself and are definitely on point. Overall, I enjoyed this book and their story from beginning to end. Hands down a great read and definitely recommend.

[Kari Hansen · Rating 5 out of 5]

The love story of Ella and Zander continues, and it doesn’t disappoint. Although they may have started under difficult circumstances they have overcome so much to get to this point but their fight is far from over.

Zander is determined to show Ella that she can trust him with her secrets and with the support of Zander Ella has evolved into the woman that she was destined to be rather than the woman we met in the first book.

The chemistry between burns hotter and the love between them stronger as they realize that as long as they are together they can overcome anything that life throws at them.

[Shelley C · Rating 4 out of 5]

Love Me❣️

Love Me is the conclusion to Ella and Zander’s tale. It picks up right where book two finishes. I don’t want to reveal anything I shouldn’t so I will say I enjoyed this story a bit more than the first two books but probably because there is slightly more light than dark in it and because I feel I know the characters, it flew by😍

Not to be missed story…can’t wait to see if we have another story coming set in this world😳 I received an advanced copy and willingly leave my honest review❤️

[Kayle MacDowell · Rating 4 out of 5]

A bodyguard gets brought into a deadly inner circle when he unintentionally falls for one of the women at the helm… this is the third in a trilogy!

As always with Willow Winters the story flowed, was fast paced and incredibly easy to read - and of course it was HEA.

This was a dom/sub, dual pov with lots of fabulous spice 🌶

Please check TWs!!!!! 🚨

**thank you to the WW team for sending me this arc in exchange or an honest review**

[TheSassyNerdBlog · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love Me, book 3 picks up where book 2 left off and is the conclusion of Ella and Zander's story and holy crap it was intense, emotional and hot as hell! The authors did not miss a beat. They brought all the feels, all the steam and all the drama. This has been one hell of a trilogy and one I will go back and re-read again for sure

5 Stars!

[Mari (Mystics & Metaphysics Book Blog) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ella and Zander's conclusion is just what I needed. Their journey has not been easy and the authors do a good job of keeping you enthralled from the very beginning. I couldn't put it down.

[Veronica LaRoche · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was an amazing ending too Elle & Zander’s story. I was completely captivated from the start. Once you start reading you will not want too stop.

[Yashoda Jaikaran · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.25⭐️

[Karin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ella and Zander's story picks up right where it left off and it broke me into pieces and put me back together again. I adored these two completely and devoured this!

[Daniela · Rating 4 out of 5]

Love Me is the third book in the Love The Way series, and it was a great conclusion.

The dark and forbidden journey between Zander & Ella was such a rollercoaster of emotions, and I thoroughly enjoyed it.

Zander & Ella have gone through many turns throughout their story in the trilogy, but with this book, all unanswered questions were answered, and I like how much things have progressed between them from how things started in the first book. The emotions between them, their chemistry, everything was beautifully written.

[Teeyah · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5

[Theresa · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the third and final book of Willow’s Love Me trilogy.

Zander and his team have been protecting Ella from outside threats. In the process they’ve become very, very, close.

Can she live in his world, or will he live there in hers, or will they strike out together for a new life and love?

This was a satisfying ending to their story.

[Mia · Rating 1 out of 5]

I hate seeing these people happy

[ღ JuJu Reads ღ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Whew, this book did things to me. Dirty, dirty things.

Just when socialite Ella is starting to make headway in her healing process, a new wrench has been thrown into the works. A traumatic video is being used as blackmail against Ella, and Zander and the team not only have to solve the problem, but they also have to continue providing Ella with the support she needs to accept her emotions and move forward. This book is all about how giving up control through sexual and intimate relationships can be a form of healing and strength.

First of all, Zander is such a perfect Dom and I love how Willow Winters captured their 24/7 relationship. He's there to protect and provide for her in every way, and the agreed upon power exchange felt very genuine. The addition of the playroom was so delicious and I really wish we could have seen more of that. Hopefully Willow Winters has a plan for a short about these two sometime soon... Just everything that comes from Ella's submission is so hot and sordid, an utter delight to read.

I gave this book 4 stars for the spice and the relationship, but the plot deserved less compared to the rest of the series. The blackmail felt a bit hollow to me, and a few pieces weren't wrapped up to where I wanted them to be. Without spoilers, Ella doesn't share all of her secrets with Zander in scenes we see, which was a bit disappointing. Plus, Ella had lied to Zander previously about the trauma she faced from her family, yet that didn't surface at all. The way Zander's relationship with the Firm was so easily smoothed over felt rushed and unrealistic. And finally, one of my biggest qualms that might be minor to others but was a key piece of Ella's character in my opinion, was in a previous book Ella had stated multiple times how she wanted to share her struggles via social media and help others. Yet that never happened. She never fought for phone privileges or asked to share her story with others again, at least in scenes we were privy to.

Regardless, I love these two, and I'm glad they were able to have their happily ever after. And how spicy of a happily ever after it is. Yum.

*I received a free eArc from the author in exchange for an honest review*

[Renee · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received a copy of this book from the publisher/author to review for Stephanie's Book Reports.

He was mine. My protector, my lover. My second start at life. The man who promised me there was more than this. He gave me hope. Until my world fell apart again. It was bound to happen. It's all life has given me. Maybe he won't break my his promises. Maybe my heart won't shatter. All I want...is for love to be enough.

This is the third book in the Love The Way You Series. You have to read Kiss Me and Hold Me or you will not have a clue what is going on in this book. This book has some darkish things in it but I don't know that I would fully call it a dark romance. But if you have read Willow Winters and Amelia Wilde before I can tell you that you have read darker things from both of them so don't let that scare you off. It is just enough to keep you hooked but not so dark that your pushing your morals reading the book. But that is always something that I love to do. However I loved this series so much.
Ella and Zander's story picks up right where we left off in Hold Me and your right back into the world of theirs that is super addictive and just something you can't stop reading. This book has some really intense and raw emotions pouring out of it but it was just perfection in every sense of the word. Just when you think that you and Ella and Zander have made it to the perfect moment then something is going to happen that has your head spinning and you wondering how in the world this could have happened and what will happen next. See what I mean. Super addictive because you can't put it down and I loved me some Ella and Zander. You will root for them with your entire being and the journey with them through all of it is just pure perfections even if at times you might want to pull your hair out and find your mouth hanging wide open. I really loved this series and am so grateful that I got to read it.

[Nicola · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book makes me really wish at this moment I had my own Z. To be able to give up control and have someone else take care of you and basically make your decisions for you. Yes please. I need this now. I really see the appeal of these relationships. And that’s outside of all the spice. And holy is there spice. Willow does not disappoint with Z and Ella in book three. I was reading this at work on my lunch break and got to a certain dinner date scene. Let’s just say it’s a good thing we wear masks at my day to day office job otherwise people may have been wondering what my facial expressions was all about. Can I reiterate for a second please….sign me up! But seriously this trilogy is amazing, everything about these two is just straight chemistry and fire. They both come from a dark place of sadness that is their past but together they are able to work through everything. They are exactly what each other needed. This trilogy has everything I could want in a spicy dark romance. Spice spice spice. Murder. Blackmail. Trauma. Therapy. A possessive bodyguard. A forbidden romance. More murder. There is so much that willow is able to pack into these three books. They are so easy to read and there is no waiting until 60% in for the spice to hit. It hits early and it hits hard. This is EXACTLY what I needed after some slow burn books I had to read before this. This is so refreshing I can’t wait for what she comes out with next. As always an amazing read by willow winters!

Ps. I found this book to leave off on a subtle cliff. I’m guessing there will be more to this world afterwards. Maybe more books from some other men of the firm. I’m hoping so at least because I still have questions.

[Dora Harvey · Rating 5 out of 5]

LOVE ME is the 3rd book and conclusion of the Love The Way trilogy. This is a story about forgiveness and healing. This is a story about secrets and lies. This is a story about forbidden love that was captivating, entertaining, and intriguing from start to finish throughout this addictive page-turner. It’s these types of books which I chase—the unexpected, unputdownable, where the outside world ceases to exist, and I’m utterly in love with this book! I wasn’t expecting the turn this story took. Ella and Zander are full of surprises—I was flabbergasted with the unexpected revelations that happened, but it is jaw-dropping good! When you find out that the truth isn’t always what it seems, what do you do about it? Well, find out what happens when all the secrets unfold, the masks that they hold in place slip off and everything is revealed. The road to Ella and Zander’s happiness seems wrought with threats, heartache, secrets, lies, danger, and drama. The angst is intense. But, despite their differences, their chemistry is intense and off-the-chart HOT!! Lines will be crossed, secrets will be revealed. They push and pull through the whole story, and they will fascinate you and frustrate you at the same time. Will Ella and Zander’s unconventional relationship last? What happens next? Well, read this sexy, dark, and intriguing story. Willow Winters and Amelia Wilde took me through several emotional gamuts and pushed all my buttons. I was enthralled from start to finish. There are several twists and turns within the story that will tempt the characters in ways they could have never envisioned. I HIGHLY RECOMMEND this book. I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy of this book.

[Ana Rita · Rating 5 out of 5]

And let's roll. I was so freaking anxious to read this book that you can't believe me.
It's these two authors' fault.
The previous books from this series were superb and I couldn't stop thinking about them.
WWinters and Amelia Wilde are the girls to blame.
Their writing is raw and wild, intense, dark and hot.
They will hook you up... Trust me.
Love Me is their latest release and it's the third book from the Love The Way series.
And what a series this has been.
But guys, this book is not a standalone therefore you must read Kiss Me, Hold Me and only then Love Me.
This book keeps exploring the lives of Ella and Zander.
Their lives have been bumpy, hard around the edges, and tumultuous.
They started as client and protector, but then, the professional line was crossed and then they got involved.
But then...
I knew that this book was going to be intense, and oh boy, it was so much more.
Stellar plot, well written, super engaging and intense.
I've said that in my previous reviews from this trilogy, that reading this entire series got me on edge.
The level of darkness, of suffering, of doubt, was so high that I had trouble being calm.
The characters worked perfectly with each other and it was amazing to watch the way they healed together.
You can't give up, you need to fight and when a special someone gets in the way, you grab them tight and don't let go.
It was amazing to watch the evolution of these characters through the entire trilogy.
Their suffering was real and I could feel it deeply.
And the hot stuff is there as well... Oh boy...
When I thought that everything was going to be okay, these two authors opened another can of worms...
Seriously girls...
What are you doing? When can I get Damon's book?

[Heather Blesener · Rating 4 out of 5]

"I am here for you, Ella. My very existence is for you. You have me. You will lean on me tonight and in every way I tell you to."

When I tell you that I have been WAITING on the edge of my seat for this book to drop into my Kindle, I am not even remotely joking. Book 2 of this series ends on an epic cliffy that left me wondering how the series would end, and I WAS NOT DISAPPOINTED.

This book picks up immediately where book 3 left off with Ella and Zander. While Ella and Zander's relationship continues to grow and develop, hidden forces are at play that are attempting to destroy Ella. Zander handles learning about Ella's past much better than I anticipated he would. The Ella that we saw in the first book is nearly non-existent by the end of this book, and her other relationships continue to flourish throughout this book. In fact, there isn't a major miscommunication in this book between Ella and Zander to threaten their relationship, and I loved that they just communicated with each other through any issues.

The sexy scenes in this book were on point, and really helped to develop the relationship of Ella and Zander, showing their Dom/Sub roles perfectly. Ella really blossomed with Zander's control, and it was apparent that what Ella needed was for someone else to be in control. I especially loved the inclusion of the epilogue -- I always love seeing how relationships have changed after the "big event".

Overall, I love love LOVE this series. I cannot rave about it enough, and I will recommend it to anyone that is looking for a D/s relationship-type book with a happily ever after. I cannot wait to read more from Willow Winters and Amelia Wilde! 😁