TAKING WHAT’S HIS By DIANNE ALBERTS
A Shillings Agency Novel
Some lines are meant to be crossed…
One explosive device was all it took to turn Holt Cunningham from ass-kicking Marine to IT technician. Hell, he’s still not over it. So when the cute little strawberry blonde at the bar asks him to kiss her, Holt can’t resist the temptation of a sexy distraction. Before he knows it, she’s blown his mind…and then skipped out the next morning.
Lydia Thomas never expected things with Holt to go quitethat far, but oh, it was worth it. After being far too good for way too long, she was ready to be bad. Except that there’s that tiny detail that Lydia kept to herself—Holt just spent the night doing naughty things…with his best friend’s little sister.
One night isn’t nearly enough. But with his friendship on the line, how far will Holt go in order to claim what’s his?
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On the surface, he looked like a nerdy, hot dude in glasses and a checkered shirt. Like he was more at home sitting on his couch playing his Xbox One, than sitting in a bar. She’d bet too many women wrote him off that way, too. But she’d been surrounded by two geek brothers and all their friends her whole life. And one thing she learned by eavesdropping—as younger sisters do—outside their doors? Geeks were the dirtiest, freakiest, sexiest men of them all. Hands down. And this guy might be the king of them all.
“Fine. I’m Lydia.”
EXCERPT: He stared at her with an amusing mixture of surprise and desire. It was even more perfectly clear that when he’d made that invitation, he hadn’t expected her to accept. But there was something about this guy that demanded submission. That demanded she go home with him, have the time of her life, and leave with a limp and a smile on her face in the morning. This guy could give her both those things.
On the surface, he looked like a nerdy, hot dude in glasses and a checkered shirt. Like he was more at home sitting on his couch playing his Xbox One, than sitting in a bar. She’d bet too many women wrote him off that way, too. But she’d been surrounded by two geek brothers and all their friends her whole life. And one thing she learned by eavesdropping—as younger sisters do—outside their doors? Geeks were the dirtiest, freakiest, sexiest men of them all. Hands down. And this guy might be the king of them all.
He stood up, towering over her, and dragged a hand through his hair. It spiked naturally as an aftereffect. “My ride’s out front.”
As he rummaged in his wallet, she studied him from underneath her lashes. He was six-foot-three, easily, and he had dark auburn hair and even darker blue eyes. He seemed to be the type of guy that was persistently just a little bit scruffy, and it suited him. Just like those khakis that hugged his butt.
He reeked of dark, stormy, addictive sex, and she was ready to collect.
Tossing a twenty on the bar, he turned back to her with a penetrating stare—as if he saw why she was going home with him, and understood better than she herself did. Which, of course, made no sense at all. His long, lean body wasn’t overly muscular, but she could tell that he was stronger than he appeared. She could see it in the hardness of his arms, and the way he carried himself. He was a man accustomed to physical activity.
“Ready?” he asked.
Nope. “Oh yeah.” She started for the door, but he rushed past her and opened it before she could do it for herself. So. He was a gentleman, too. This guy was an enigma she longed to unwrap...one article of clothing at a time. “Thank you, Mister...?”
He cocked a brow at her. “If you’re going home with me, I think you can use my first name.”
“Fine. I’m Lydia.”
“I’m Holt.”
And just like that, she knew why she recognized him. He was her older brother Steven’s friend. They worked at the same private security agency, and Steven had posted a few pictures of them together on Facebook. Every time she’d seen him, she’d been unable to glance away. There was just something that had caught her attention on the screen, so it was no wonder he’d caught her attention in real life, too.
“Oh my God. I know—” She cut herself off in the nick of time.
MY REVIEW: Holt Cunningham is a Marine turned IT technician after an IED left him with lasting effects from the injury he suffered to his head. Suffering from migraines and having difficulty forming words and thoughts, Holt tries to push those away who try and come close to him. Suffering in silence with a bottle of whiskey, pills to dull the pain, and one night stands, Holt never expected Lydia to crash into his life and hook him with just one kiss.
MY REVIEW: Holt Cunningham is a Marine turned IT technician after an IED left him with lasting effects from the injury he suffered to his head. Suffering from migraines and having difficulty forming words and thoughts, Holt tries to push those away who try and come close to him. Suffering in silence with a bottle of whiskey, pills to dull the pain, and one night stands, Holt never expected Lydia to crash into his life and hook him with just one kiss.
The problem? Lydia is his best friend's baby sister.
When Lydia Thomas sits down at a bar one night and intends to make her cheating ex jealous, she never expects the night to end in Holt's bed, but once she does she begins to realize that if she isn't careful she could fall in love with Holt.
With the obstacles between them, will Holt and Lydia be able to make things work? And will the two of them ever give into more than a friends with benefits situation?
As a big fan of Entangled Publishing, Taking What's His was just up my alley. After reading the blurb, I knew I needed to read this book. Best decision ever!
The talented Diane Alberts is at it again with the latest installment in The Schllings Agency series. Written as a stand alone, you do not need to read the prior books ahead of time, but once you read Taking What's His you will be so hooked, you will want to read the previous three books in this series.. Trust me!
Taking What's His is the first book I have read that had a) A best friend's little sister as the love interest and b) had a geeky, yet HOT alpha male. This has taught me two things: I love the best friend's sister love interest and will be reading more books like that AND I am totally attracted to geeky alphas. Seriously, Holt can sometimes be an idiot, but he's a hot one. He's sweet, he's intelligent, he likes Dr. Who (HUGE selling point), former military, a computer nerd and he sets fire to the sheets (Yes, sir!). I want Holt. I am putting my claim on him as my book boyfriend! As I've stated on my blog before, I am NOT usually the type to collect book boyfriends. As a male lead, you need to be unique to capture my attention and Holt was. I loved everything about this character and would love to read more about him. Holt totally made me SWOON!
As for Lydia, I really enjoyed her character. She's not afraid to go after what she wants, she has a good relationship with her brother (except when it comes to sneaking around with his best friend), she's compassionate, and beautiful.
This unlikely, off-limits pairing leaves the reader rooting for them through the obstacles they face all while wondering what will happen when Steve, the brother and best friend, finds out about Holt and Lydia.
From the very beginning of this book you find yourself drawn in to the story, which is not only a sexy read, but a book that will tug on your heart strings as it tackles the emotional and physical impacts on a wounded solider. Holt's struggles had me feeling for his pain and hoping that things would work out between him and Lydia because he truly deserves happiness after everything he has been through. On a side note, I loved vulnerable Holt. He's so sexy as his alpha self, but when he drops the layers and shows his vulnerabilities it really brings that sexiness out.
Taking What's His is an absolute SWOONWORTHY book that will have you wishing for more of Holt and more of his and Lydia's story. I loved the interactions between Lydia and Holt and the sexy times, but one of my favorite parts is in the beginning and the misconceptions Lydia has about Holt - from his car to his house.
As I end this, I leave you with one of my favorite quotes from the book:
"Geeks were the dirtiest, freakiest,
sexiest men of them all.
Hands down.
And this guy might be
the king of them all."
★★★★★
About the Author:
Diane Alberts is a multi-published, bestselling contemporary romance author with Entangled Publishing. She also writes New York Times and USA Today bestselling new adult books under the name Jen McLaughlin. She's hit the Top 100 lists on Amazon and Barnes and Noble numerous times with numerous titles. Diane is represented by Louise Fury at The Bent Agency. Her goal is to write so many fantastic stories that even a non-romance reader will know her name. Diane has always been a dreamer with a vivid imagination, but it wasn't until 2011 that she put her pen where her brain was, and became a published author. Since receiving her first contract offer, she has yet to stop writing. Though she lives in the mountains, she really wishes she was surrounded by a hot, sunny beach with crystal clear water. She lives in Northeast Pennsylvania with her four kids, a husband, a schnauzer mutt, and three cats.
Find Diane Here:
Sexy cover! Can't wait to read it! :)
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