Synopsis
Purple-haired, sharp-tongued Reese MacKay knows all about making the wrong choice; she’s made plenty of them in her twenty-odd-years. So when her impulsive, short-lived marriage ends in heartbreak, she decides it’s time for a change. She moves to Miami with the intention of hitting reset on her irresponsible life, and she does quite well…aside from an epically humiliating one-night stand in Cancun with a hot blond bouncer named Ben. Thank God she can get on a plane and leave that mistake behind her.
Football scholarship and frat parties with hot chicks? Part of charmer Ben Morris’s plan. Blown knee that kills any hope of a professional football career? So not part of the plan. Luckily Ben has brains to go with his knockout looks and magnetism. After three long years of balancing law school with his job as a bouncer at Penny’s Palace, he’s ready to lead a more mature life—until his first day of work, when he finds himself in the office of that crazy, hot chick he met in Cancun. The one he hasn’t stopped thinking about.
If Ben truly were a smart guy, he’d stay clear of Reese. She’s the boss’s stepdaughter and it’s been made very clear that office romances are grounds for dismissal. Plus, rumor has it she’s trouble. The only problem is, he likes trouble, especially when it’s so good-looking…
Review
4.5 out of 5 stars
Five Ways to Fall completely took me by surprise in how much I truly enjoyed the book. Want to hear a small confession...I haven't read all the books in this series, just the first one, Ten Tiny Breaths, so I didn't even remember Ben as the bouncer from the first story! Obviously this one could be read as a stand-alone.
Speaking of Ben, he is this cocky, funny, good looking, sensitive...just an all around complete package package, recent law school graduate. Looking to celebrate before joining the real world he and his buddies head south to Mexico. Your first impression of him is that of a frat boy just looking to score with as many women as he can, which also unbeknownst to him includes his future boss' step-daughter. The thing with Ben though is once you dig a little deeper, once he starts opening himself up, you see his life isn't picture perfect and honestly you aren't going to be able to help falling in love. His past hasn't been easy and its set him up for a very lonely future, the question is whether or not he will find the desire, find the will to fight for true happiness.
Reese, the step-daughter who wears the pain of her past for all to see. She lives life recklessly, she desperately wants to be fully and completely shown love, even acceptance. Rejection is tough and it's taken in toll on Reese. However, despite her past at her core she is headstrong and loves living life to its fullest, taking every chance and opportunity to push boundaries. She often acts before thinking, but what I love is that she does it without any regrets. She gets herself in a bit of a pickle and her former step-father offers a life-line she know she cannot refuse. Will it provide the motivation she needs to move on from her past and embrace her future?
I truly enjoyed watching these two character's work through the shock of having their lives intertwined. I could tell even from their first meeting they would make good friends, while still hoping they would find "more." Together, they know how to push one another's buttons, how to make each other laugh, but they also never hesitate to help one another out. Quickly Ben and Reese realize they can truly rely on each other. Yes, they've got plenty of sexual chemistry and they never dance around the issue, but they also don't rush into sleeping together either. It's a slow, burning build, and this perfect pace allowed me the opportunity to appreciate each of them as individuals, and savor the moment they each let their guards down. What I also appreciated about this book was in was written in a way which portrayed these damaged individuals who still had good, full, open hearts. Yes their past tormented their present but they didn't allow it to beat them down, they still found a way to live, to have fun.
Throughout the story I found myself smiling and laughing and even now, days after I've finished reading I still have that coveted book high from finding a story I couldn't help but treasure. Give this book and K.A. Tucker a chance. To be honest, I enjoyed it so much I will be going back and reading the books I previously missed!
I received an copy for review from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
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