Layla’s pattern is long established -she vows, she craves, she gives in. But like any good addict, she always swears this is the last time. Layla tries , her therapist has given her some “management  tools” to get her through the hard times. But that too has become part of her ritual. Layla had lost her fiance John two weeks before her wedding. She held him as he died as he was murdered and she was also attacked. But Layla suffered with guilt and felt it was her fault. When the craving got to bad  she went to an underground sex club that John had taken her to the first time she went there and had meaningless ex so she didn’t have to feel. She had been doing this for the last year and a half. Layla made a set of rules that she made for her protection. Then she meets Michael and he isn’t the type to follow rules so he is dangerous to Layla  he is a Homicide Detective but he can give Layla what she needs. Layla and Michael do feel a connection- more than usual for Layla as she usually just has one night stands. Michael wants Layla more than he has ever wanted anyone else. Michael goes right through Layla’s walls, defenses, and rules that she had made to protect herself.

I did enjoy reading this book. It did confuse me for awhile it did drag for me at times. I felt so very bad for Layla and what she had went through. I loved Layla and Michael together. I liked the plots and there was hot sex scenes in this book. I enjoyed the twists in this story. I felt like I was there with Layla. I loved seeing Layla heal and get herself back together with Michael help. I loved the characters and the twists and ins and outs of this book and I recommend this. Layla’s pattern is long established -she vows, she craves, she gives in. But like any good addict, she always swears this is the last time. Layla tries , her therapist has given her some “management  tools” to get her through the hard times. But that too has become part of her ritual. Layla had lost her fiance John two weeks before her wedding. She held him as he died as he was murdered and she was also attacked. But Layla suffered with guilt and felt it was her fault. When the craving got to bad she went to an underground sex club that John had taken her to the first time she went there and had meaningless ex so she didn’t have to feel. She had been doing this for the last year and a half. Layla made a set of rules that she made for her protection. Then she meets Michael and he isn’t the type to follow rules so he is dangerous to Layla he is a Homicide Detective but he can give Layla what she needs. Layla and Michael do feel a connection- more than usual for Layla as  she usually just has one night stands. Michael wants Layla more than he has ever wanted anyone else. Michael goes right through Layla’s walls, defenses, and rules that she had made to protect herself.

I did enjoy reading this book. It did confuse me for awhile it did drag for me at times. I felt so very bad for Layla and what she had went through. I loved Layla and Michael together. I liked the plots and there was hot sex scenes in this book. I enjoyed the twists in this story. I felt like I was there with Layla. I loved seeing Layla heal and get herself back together with Michael help. I loved the characters and the twists and ins and outs of this book and I recommend this. Layla’s pattern is long established -she vows, she craves, she gives in. But like any good addict, she always swears this is the last time. Layla tries , her therapist has given her some “management  tools” to get her through the hard times. But that too has become part of her ritual. Layla had lost her fiance John two weeks before her wedding. She held him as he died as he was murdered and she was also attacked. But Layla suffered with guilt and felt it was her fault. When the craving got to bad she went to an underground sex club that John had taken her to the first time she went there and had meaningless ex so she didn’t have to feel. She had been doing this for the last year and a half. Layla made a set of rules that she made for her protection. Then she meets Michael and he isn’t the type to follow rules so he is dangerous to Layla he is a Homicide Detective but he can give Layla what she needs. Layla and Michael do feel a connection- more than usual for Layla as  she usually just has one night stands. Michael wants Layla more than he has ever wanted anyone else. Michael goes right through Layla’s walls, defenses, and rules that she had made to protect herself.

I did enjoy reading this book. It did confuse me for awhile it did drag for me at times. I felt so very bad for Layla and what she had went through. I loved Layla and Michael together. I liked the plots and there was hot sex scenes in this book. I enjoyed the twists in this story. I felt like I was there with Layla. I loved seeing Layla heal and get herself back together with Michael help. I loved the characters and the twists and ins and outs of this book and I recommend this. Layla’s pattern is long established -she vows, she craves, she gives in. But like any good addict, she always swears this is the last time. Layla tries , her therapist has given her some “management  tools” to get her through the hard times. But that too has become part of her ritual. Layla had lost her fiance John two weeks before her wedding. She held him as he died as he was murdered and she was also attacked. But Layla suffered with guilt and felt it was her fault. When the craving got to bad she went to an underground sex club that John had taken her to the first time she went there and had meaningless ex so she didn’t have to feel. She had been doing this for the last year and a half. Layla made a set of rules that she made for her protection. Then she meets Michael and he isn’t the type to follow rules so he is dangerous to Layla he is a Homicide Detective but he can give Layla what she needs. Layla and Michael do feel a connection- more than usual for Layla as  she usually just has one night stands. Michael wants Layla more than he has ever wanted anyone else. Michael goes right through Layla’s walls, defenses, and rules that she had made to protect herself.

I did enjoy reading this book. It did confuse me for awhile it did drag for me at times. I felt so very bad for Layla and what she had went through. I loved Layla and Michael together. I liked the plots and there was hot sex scenes in this book. I enjoyed the twists in this story. I felt like I was there with Layla. I loved seeing Layla heal and get herself back together with Michael help. I loved the characters and the twists and ins and outs of this book and I recommend this.

This reader's personal opinion, ©2018, all rights reserved, not to be quoted, clipped or used in any way by goodreads, Google Play, amazon.com or other commercial booksellers* 

Well, this stayed unexpectedly action-packed start to finish so was fun (particularly when turning to the James Bond international espionage drawing in MI-6, CIA, FBI, NSA...).

I enjoyed the read.

Not sure it's what I'd consider Young Adult.  Lots of romantic possibilities with yummy men (not what I'd consider a love triangle, thank goodness -- but definitely a PG or less explicitness so maybe that accounts for the "YA"?  Lexi is an independent adult with degree, steady job, own home, not a teenager, not a 18-24 college student or new adult, not in any academy type of setting -- pretty much not seeing where this is YA.

Which is a good thing; YA is a love/hate for me with many great books but far more angst-y, clueless, high school-ish, and loveg ringlets.

Read for the booklikes' YA Book Club; I think it may have been just me unless someone has yet to join in or post.

*©2018.  All rights reserved except permission is granted to author or publisher (except Penumbra Publishing) to reprint/quote in whole or in part. I may also have cross-posted on The Reading Room, Libib, LibraryThing, and other sites including retailers like kobo and Barnes and Noble. Posting on any site does not grant that site permission to share with any third parties or indicate release of copyright.  

Ratings scale used in absence of a booklikes suggested rating scale:

★★★★★ = All Time Favorite 
★★★★½ = Extraordinary Book. Really Loved It.
★★★★☆ = Loved It.
★★★½☆ = Really Liked.
★★★☆☆ = Liked.
★★½☆☆ = Liked parts; parts only okay. Would read more by author.
★★☆☆☆ = Average.   Okay. 
★½☆☆☆ = Disliked or meh? but kept reading in hopes would improve.
★☆☆☆☆ = Loathed It. Possibly DNF and a torturous read.
½☆☆☆☆ = So vile was a DNF or should have been. Cannot imagine anyone liking.  (Might also be just an "uploaded" word spew or collection that should not be dignified by calling itself a "published book." If author is going batshit crazy in the blogosphere over reviews -- I now know why they are getting bad reviews.  Or maybe author should take remedial classes for language written in until basic concepts like using sentences sink in. Is author even old enough to sign a publishing contract or do they need a legal guardian to sign for them?)

Hmmm…nothing seems to faze her.Not sure I like that (I mean you are held at gun point several times, your home is broken into several times including when you are home, stuff tossed about ... and you go to bed without even changing sheets?).

On the other hand, I wouldn't want to be reading endless whining about it.

I certainly don't like that a co-worker she is definitely not interested in (and has told him so) only gives her a safe ride after she promises a tongue kiss ... WTF?  

Lots of potential romantic interests have been tossed in (not a love triangle or anything yet).  

I want the more collected chick from the beginning of book back.  Not this unfazed one potentially letting the dudes walk all over her; one confident in her own skills instead of self-deprecating them in comparison with all the new guys that have shown up in the story.

Reading for a booklikes book club -- YA Book Club. 

Enjoying this; probably because so far I like Lexi.  

Getting a Romancing the Stone vibe.  Well, not a jewel or a romance yet; just something about the atmosphere with everyone after the "papers" BF supposedly sent her.  

I really, really hope this isn't headed to an ending where it was all a setup by BF to get her to have adventure and romance instead of living life in the cube farm.  I'm deliberately avoiding reviews until after I finish book to avoid spoilers.

Reading for a booklikes book club -- YA Book Club. 

So far — in a good way — this is not coming across as YA.  Possibly because Lexi is turning 25, has college degree, a not- new job, and a roommate-less apartment.

Reading for a booklikes book club -- YA Book Club. 

I can relate to the "shoulder surfing" comment.  It's always irritating when uninvited, but at least she's civil service at a time where government offices are non-smoking (*bad flashbacks* to tiny offices and cubicles with already poor ventilation where the shoulder surfers chain-smoked and often made snickering comments about needing a brain straw to get in my head ...)