Review: Hot military guy meets flighty brunette with green eyes AND explosive chemistry? Yes please!
Rating: 4 out of 5
Date: 04 2, 2013
There is something about a soldier that  really does it for me. I don't know if it's the uniform, the hair cut or the overall manly persona but military hero's are hot as sin! Ian Walser is no different. He has just returned home from a tour over seas with the army and has been dragged to a welcome home party thrown by his sister. He doesn't want to be there, all he wants is to go home and be alone for a while. In the middle of a full scale panic attack brought on by all the people shoved into the club that holds the party, Ian runs out to find some fresh air but runs directly into Roxanne Stokes. The instant he touches her he feels a peace he hasn't felt since he joined the military and has to get to to know her. The result of him knocking her down left a cut on her leg he insisted on taking care of so Roxanne suggests they go to the quiet top part of the club. The attraction between them from the first moment leads to a hot encounter in a darkened booth and ultimately leads them to a hotel nearby.After a hot night of passion Ian wakes up to a note and money on the dresser left by Roxanne, making him feel cheap and angry. He decides he won't let her get away with just one night and he pursues her relentlessly. Roxanne doesn't do relationships after watching all the men she has tried to care about leave her high and dry. Her mother isn't a great example either with her many failed attempts it's no wonder Roxanne can't commit. Ian is finally able to get Roxanne to take things one day at a time and slowly starts to show her things with him aren't like her past experiences. Things between them seem to be going great and they even manage to get closer than either of them ever have until a disastrous dinner with his family threatens to tear them apart.I really liked this book, add another score in the win column for Brazen! It was a quick, humorous and steamy! I knew I was going to enjoy it when I had barely gotten through chapter 3 and Roxanne had already jumped Ian while he was driving them to a hotel! This was a couple that I instantly liked from the start. Ian being military was one reason but him being damaged from the war in Iraq and being vulnerable was a major turn on. You get to watch him change from beginning to end with him at first not wanting to even be touched. Loud noises startled him and crowds are not his best friend. Guess he doesn't want to be up in Walmart at the first of the month huh? Ian was funny and sexy and charming in the way he dealt with Roxanne and her relationships issues.Roxanne was the perfect relationship-phobe especially when she turned the tables and left Ian high and dry with cab fare. That was hilarious watching him discover what she'd done. She has her own set of quirks about Love and watching her slowly trust Ian was like watching a baby bird learn to fly. I can understand where she was coming from, even though she frustrated me at times. Having a guy tell you he loves you then freaking ditch you shortly after is NOT fun. Trust me! Needless to say I connected with Roxanne because we both went through similar things with men. She didn't cut Ian any slack and actually stuck to her guns until he showed her he could be trusted. Eventually she couldn't resist the call of his "Slim Jim" and gave into the hot sex he provided.These two had some amazing chemistry to go along with the heat. Between mirror sex and hot car sex while driving it's amazing that I didn't combust in my kitchen chair while reading! Beyond all that yummy goodness though this couple had really sweet moments between them that ultimately solidified them as a unit despite the troubles that came their way later in the story. Ian proved he could be trusted and broke down her defenses and Roxanne helped him deal with his anxiety and familial obligations. They were just a really great couple to read about and everything wrapped up the way I was hoping it would. While it didn't knock my socks totally off I still enjoyed it and recommend it. The people at Brazen really know how to deliver a sweet and hot story to turn your frown upside down!