Review: Great start to the series! :D
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 04 13, 2014
4.5-5 starsThis was a great story! I loved both Tina and Nik and was completely drawn in by their story. This is the first book I've read by this author but it wont be the last. :)Tina is a very kind and rather quirky lady. Tina seems really put together but she has tragedy in her past that's left her with emotional baggage. She used to live in CA but moved to NY to get away from reminders of her past. Tina has made a good life for herself now. She owns a clothing store and has two good friends working for her. Her BFF. Nat, is moving to NY soon after the book begins and Tina is looking forward to that.Nik is a good man that's been through a lot in his past. He's risen above it, along with his brothers (his actual brother, Max and his adopted brother, Asher aka Ghost). They all used to be in the Russian gang but got out and are now in the night club business. Nik is the owner of a club called the White Rabbit which just happens to be across the street from Tina's clothing store.As the story begins, we're introduced to Tina and her life. Her BFF, Nat is moving to NY in a week and Tina is getting prepared for that. Around this time she get a visit from an unpleasant customer and this draws her attention to a handsome man outside who walks in to the club across the street. She sees the handsome man a number of times over the next few weeks (from her store window) and never sees him smile. She sends him an anonymous gift to try to get him to smile and ends up with an unexpected introduction to Nik. The stumble in to a friendship out of their first meeting and when Tina does some stuff that helps Nik out he takes it upon himself to reciprocate. As they continue to interact it brings their friends in play and the whole group becomes very close. Tina and Nik both treasure their friendship with each other and don't want to do anything to mess it up. They soon find that their days are brighter just looking forward to seeing each other that day. They both are convinced that the other sees them only as a friend so they stew in the friend-zone for a while because they're so gone on each other they want any contact they can get. To be honest, I loved seeing them together...they're so sweet and have wonderful chemistry. I actually think it worked out best that they started out as friends because it gave Nik time to see just how great of a person Tina is and how worthy she is of being snatched up by the right guy.An Nik and Tina are stewing in the friend-zone, there is some trouble that rears it's head from Nik's past. Omar (who mistakenly thinks Nik killed his brother) is out to hurt Nik and sees Tina as a way to do it. Omar is kind of psycho so he doesn't exactly listen when he's told to back off. As the story progresses, Tina and Nik finally break the friendship boundary and realize that they're both solidly in favor of moving their relationship in to couples territory. I loved seeing them together, they're a wonderful couple. After starting things out with a friendship, their relationship fell in to place pretty easily and they worked well together. Not all is perfect though, even once they finally come together. There's a vindictive ex bed-buddy of Nik's who tried to make trouble for the couple and almost does. They manage to recover from that but there's more trouble with Omar that causes problems, culminating in some danger and high risks for Tina and Nik. They pull through them together though and the book ends with Nik and Tina solidly starting their very well deserved HEA.I completely enjoyed this book. I loved both Tina and Nik...and all the secondary characters (they really added to the story). The story was interesting from beginning to end and I was fully engaged throughout. I intend to read the read of the series because I just have to see what happens for the rest of the friends. I'd recommend this book. 2 thumbs up! :D