Appeal to You: Beyond the Cove Book 3, Jaclyn Quinn

I have wanted to read Avery and Ryder's story as soon as their snipe-and-snark routine showed up in book one.  Their story did NOT disappoint.  From the very start we get all that intrigued us when we met them and then we saw under their skins while they got under one another's.  With plenty of their banter for continuity, this story deepened all of their interactions, gave meaning, showed change, and gave us all the feels.  There were a couple things that bothered me, but overall I'd be hard-pressed to let any of that decrease my rating.  These men just grabbed hold and didn't let go, so who am I to do any differently?

Avery was more interesting than I initially thought he'd be.  He wasn't nearly as uptight and stodgy as he came across when we met him.  In fact, there were a few moments that I wasn't even sure I was reading about the same character.  Not that we were seeing a completely different side of him, but more like they were pieces of different people that I had a hard time reconciling.  It all came together in the end though and I loved that he had his own "big gesture" moment.  Sometimes it's up to only one character to bust out the big guns to fix things, but in this case, each man needed to break free and pull out all the stops in their own way.

Ryder's big moment seemed to happen over and over.  His past was darker, more painful than anyone could have known and it's through a lost boy that he finds all kinds of triggers that force him to face it all.  Without those heartbreaking moments he would never realize just how much he needed what Avery could offer.  Finding the courage to take what's being offered though, that's the rub.  Their sexual chemistry is super hot, but even Ryder realizes that that's just not enough when hearts could become involved.

We always knew something went down between Avery and Ryder, but it isn't until maybe the halfway point that we find out exactly what happened.  And then when we find out why the situation rankled Avery so badly, it's way more complicated than expected.  That's pretty much the story of this story though, that emotional complexity is king.  Nothing is as simple or as straightforward as either man would have us believe; even they don't fully realize the depth of all that they're experiencing and reacting to.  Watching them sift through the mess, find a way to come together because of and in spite of it all, and discover their worth and their place...it's beautiful.  I loved this ride and am really looking forward to the next story that's sure to pack an angst-filled punch.

*$3.99 on Amazon!

Will the demons of the past ruin any hope for the future?

If there’s anyone who knows how to have a good time—be it with a man or a woman—it’s Ryder Pearce. Master of the nail-it-and-bail-it theory, he lives his life for one person and one person only: himself. When a man enters Ryder’s life who challenges him on every flirtation, every sexual innuendo he can come up with, Ryder’s thrown off his game in a big way. Because there’s one thing the man has made perfectly clear—they’ve played this game before, and Ryder doesn’t remember the outcome.

Avery Hamilton has seen all of Ryder’s moves and has witnessed his sex appeal. He knows all too well about his cocky sense of humor and his penchant for one-night stands. There was a time in his life when he’d taken the bait, but this time around, he wants more. He’s seen Ryder’s act; what he hasn’t seen is Ryder—the real Ryder he hides from the world.

When both men come together to help a young boy, Ryder’s forced to face things from his past he’s blocked out. Things he never wanted anyone to know. Now, Ryder has one fear… Will revealing that side of himself be real enough for Avery? Or will it be the reason Avery walks away?