| Title | : | The Sapphire Affair (Jewel #1) |
| Author | : | |
| Rating | : | |
| ISBN | : | 1503935477 |
| ISBN-10 | : | 9781503935471 |
| Language | : | English |
| Format Type | : | Paperback |
| Number of Pages | : | 220 |
| Publication | : | First published July 12, 2016 |
Steph Anderson is visiting the Caymans for a rock climbing and dive trip—or so she tells Jake. She’s really trying to find out whether or not her stepfather embezzled money from his company. The last thing Steph needs is the distraction of a sexy, charming man whose kisses drive her wild.
Soon, the pair discover they’re after the same target—and millions in jewels. While Jake can’t be certain Steph isn’t working for her stepfather, and Steph can’t be certain Jake isn’t after the diamonds for himself, they can agree the heat between them is intense, and neither can deny the passion for long.
But the morning after, Steph discovers that she just might have slept with the enemy, and now she’ll have to outwit him to get everything she needs.…
The Sapphire Affair (Jewel #1) Reviews
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Where do I start with this one?
Lauren Blakely is like fine art. She knows what she is doing. And she's doing it better than ever with this series. Everything that you are looking for in a book is here.
Bounty hunter Jake Harlowe knows how to track a criminal. So when a group of swindled shareholders hires him to trail their former CEO, Jake expects a quick trip to the Cayman Islands to close another case.
He's not just another ordinary bounty hunter, he is ex-miltary and you know what that means right? Me + Military = True Love..
I mean it isn't going to be easy. And he isn't one to veer off his path or away from the job. He learned that mistake once it isn't going to happen again. Till
Until a devastatingly beautiful woman gets in the way.
Steph Anderson is visiting the Caymans for a rock climbing and dive trip—or so she tells Jake. She’s really trying to find out whether or not her stepfather embezzled money from his company.
Look at this, it's as if the stars have aligned themselves and fate stepped in to intervene. You are sitting there, giggling like a school girl waiting to see what happens next. You know that it's going to be good. You know it's going to blow your mind and you also know that your panties are going to go out the window..Well because, Jake!
So Steph is busy looking for her step dad Eli to try and get some many back for her mom and Jake is looking for 10,000,000.
The last thing Steph needs is the distraction of a sexy, charming man whose kisses drive her wild.
It should be easy but it isn't their cat and mouse game is so good. You sit there almost like you want to point fingers at the and say
Soon, the pair discover they’re after the same target—and millions in jewels. While Jake can’t be certain Steph isn’t working for her stepfather, and Steph can’t be certain Jake isn’t after the diamonds for himself, they can agree the heat between them is intense, and neither can deny the passion for long.
You can't look away, you don't want to look away. The way Lauren writes this you feel like you are there with them. Going through all the hops and clues that is issued. You literally feel that you can go treasure hunting, that's how amazing it is.
In the end, they need each other. In the end they finally have to put their trust in each other. Both are threading lightly, both are scared to fully give in to the other, but both don't stand a chance.
I for one can't wait to see how this turns out, but one thing is for sure Lauren isn't going to let me down! -
Suspense, intrigue and so much sexual tension to overflow a boat...
The Sapphire Affair takes you on a thrilling and hilarious ride in the Caymans! Jake and Steph's unique relationship throughout the entire story was very entertaining, I couldn't get enough of those two. Even though they were brought together by a common goal, I felt like they were destined to find each other! Their chemistry sizzled from the very beginning, and just continued to get hotter the more they learned about one another, and the time spent together.
But underneath it all remains the mystery of the missing $10 million. With each piece of info discovered, it only leads to more questions. Along side Jake and Steph, I was completely invested into the adventure of finding out everything I could. (Reading those Nancy Drew books are coming in handy right now!) But just when I thought I knew what was going to happen next, BAM!...betrayal.
Or WAS it?...
The story leads perfectly into The Sapphire Heist. And I cannot wait to finally uncover not only the secret behind the diamonds, but also what happens between Jake and Steph! They're absolutely perfect together, even though they haven't realized it yet!
A hot and sexy bounty hunter, missing money, undeniable attraction, and jewel-encrusted dildos...The Sapphire Affair is a steamy and stealthy love story with an exciting and mysterious twist!
A definite 5-Star MUST READ!
*received ARC in exchange for an honest review.* ~Kelly -
I've been looking for the perfect summer romance. A story that sizzles and is set in the sand. A fun and flirty fling. A book that takes me away, body and soul, to a far away place. A Sapphire Affair is THAT STORY.
Here is my little checklist of why The Sapphire Affair is THE book affair you need to have this summer:
1) The BEACH! This book is set at the beach, The Caymans. YES please!!!
2) ROMANCE! This read is a romance between two beautiful people with chemistry that burns like the sun. A slow burn of passion.
3) SUSPENSE! This story is swathed in suspense and sprinkled with clues that you, the reader, get to solve. How fun is that?!?
4) THRILLS! This tale of thrills rivals a James Bond movie.
The Sapphire Affair by Lauren Blakely is THE perfect summer read---a steamy and spellbinding story wrapped in suspense. Oh did I love every mysterious and mesmerizing minute. Adventurous and alluring, The Sapphire Affair is an adrenaline rush of a romance, an affair of words to remember.
From the very first page, The Sapphire Affair captivated me where I was captive to the sapphire sea, floating in fixation. I tasted the salty air, felt the waves, and listened to the ocean. I was in The Cayman Islands solving this page-turner of a tornado of suspense where I was spinning. Like Nancy Drew, I was trying to solve the $10 million dollar mystery that wove its way from the pages to my head, and it was a heady feeling that I thoroughly enjoyed!!! I was bound to The Sapphire Affair like the tide of the sea as it pulled me under, page by powerful page.
Bounty Hunter, Jake Harlowe, is a hot knight in panty-melting armor that heated me from head to toe. Dark hair, green eyes, tall, and a muscular body to be climbed like Mount Everest. Jake captures stolen goods and returns them to their rightful owners, serving justice, thief by thief.
"I'm a modern-day Robin Hood."
Robin Hood meets his Maid Marian in a bar night, steaming up the place with a passionate kiss. Beautiful blonde, blue-eyed, and buxom beach gal, Steph Anderson, caught Jake's and, like a mermaid, Jake wants to capture this beauty with brains. Steph Anderson is smart, sassy, and savvy and I love her!
He almost caught his beautiful beach goddess until he discovered that they both want to bust the same thief. The alleged thief being Steph's stepfather. The 10 million dollar heist now has two detectives on the case. Jake vows not to mix business with pleasure. However, the chemistry that explodes like fireworks is too powerful to stop.
"You deserve someone who craves the taste of your lips. The feel of your body...I would make sure you come three times before I even do once."
Yes...yes...yes! Jake is one delicious dirty talker whose words morphed into involuntary thigh clenches. I sweated and swooned in a sea of lust. Jake melted me from the inside out.
One hot night results in passion that permeates from the pages while a fire blazes between this couple. Though the after effects are ashes, remains of what could have been as Steph loses trust in her Robin Hood, wondering if Jake used her to get to her stepfather.
"You've lied to me so far, and now you're here clearly trying to get closer to me because you think I know something...don't you see how this looks?"
The Sapphire Affair is sheer brilliance from beginning to end. I loved the intrigue of this sexy suspense that intoxicated me. Lauren Blakely's words are vivid like paint to a canvas where I experienced EVERYTHING. The angst. The attraction. The action. I wore The Sapphire Affair like a jewel that was a part of me: stunning and spectacular.
I felt the surge of adrenaline that poured from the pages to my body. I lived and breathed this book. I felt ALIVE. I was ALL IN. The Sapphire Affair was an affair of my book lovin' heart, a romance where I was so lost that I did not want to be found. The only cure is to dive more of this gem of a series, The Sapphire Heist.
5 spellbinding and spectacular jewels -
Well, Lauren does it again! With just the right amount of angst, friendly banter, and sexual chemistry; The Sapphire Affair holds true to its name.
What happens when the man you know as your step-father (Eli), turns out to be a cold hearted man leaving your mother and his business partner high and dry?... You turn into Nancy Drew to find out what exactly is going on!
Well… You hope to find out what's going on; That is until you meet a gorgeously rugged man in a local bar, who starts to take center stage in your brain. The chemistry between these two is incredibly palpable.
Jake Harlowe is after the same thing Steph is after (although not knowing it yet); hired by Andrew- Eli's business partner to find out what's happened to ten million dollars. Knowing that girls are a weakness and this one is as Sexy as sin, Jake tries to stay clear of Steph. This is a big job for Jake and he cannot risk his mind being clouded with poor judgment. That is, until he finds out that Steph may not be who she says she is…
Who's who in this suspenseful romance and where has the missing money gone? This book will have you searching for clues like Inspector Gadget while fanning yourself from the fire between these two! I absolutely loved it!
5 Stars!!
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What can I say about this book? Well, it was great. I loved it. It was like an adventure and mystery and romance tied into one. Lauren Blakely is like a really good glass of wine from a really great winery. She knows what she is doing and what she does is ON POINT.
Let me warn you that this DOES have a cliffhanger. I hate it when I'm not 100% sure and I go in not knowing that. I'm not one to go into a series unless all the books have been to be released OR unless the release dates are close together. BUT! You're in luck! Because they TOTALLY ARE!
So, in this story, we have all around badass, scuba goddess Steph Anderson. She owns a dive tour business that runs out of the islands and recently has suffered some blows in her personal life. Her most recent ex tried to demolish her company and her mother and her stepfather recently got a very nasty divorce. Jake Harlowe is in the recovery business-he obtains items that have been stolen. That can vary in meaning, but most recently he has taken the job of investigating Steph's stepfather to see if he is up to any nefarious dealings with his new fiance. Steph's mother actually wants her to do the same thing. A chance encounter in a bar has them crossing paths and sparks fly!
Because it's called The Sapphire Affair, it can't NOT involve jewels, right? It totally does. What a way to a girls heart. I can just picture these gorgeous jewels. I LOVED these characters. They are both fiesty and have depth in their own way. I love that they are both after the same cause: the truth. I also like how it isn't instalove. Instalust? Sure, but they put that aside for the common goal for a time.
I would give this book 4.75 stars. It was really entertaining. The added elements of the mystery and adventure really added to the budding romance and I cannot start book 2: The Sapphire Heist. I cannot wait to see what is in store for these characters! -
I loved this book, the story is full of romance and some glamour moments. I loved the plot and the characters. the author has a fab way of describing what you see so you think your there. this book has a cliff hanger ending, so be warned. another fab read from this author
highly recommended
https://www.obsessedbookreviews.com/ -
Sex, humor, and suspense is the name of the game in the first installment of the new Jewel Series by Lauren Blakely!
When I found out that Lauren was releasing a new series this summer, I was overwhelmed with joy. She has a trademark style of romance that always makes me giddy in anticipation every time I'm about to start one of her books. A romance penned by Lauren Blakely NEVER disappoints!
The Sapphire Affair got my motor running from the very beginning. I was enticed and entertained the whole way through. Jake and Steph's journey have just begun and I am a complete goner for this series. It more than satisfied the suspenseful romance junkie in me and made my heart race from beginning to end.
If you are looking for something FUN and SEXY this Summer, THIS is the romance for you! It DOES end in a cliffhanger, but The Sapphire Heist releases only a month after The Sapphire Affair, so that should lessen the sting a bit.
*Gifted copy provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review* -
It’s not often that I sit and read an entire book in one sitting but, from the moment I started The Sapphire Affair by Lauren Blakely, I refused to put down the book until I finished. Not only does this book have a smoking hot romance (as per usual with Lauren Blakely), but the narrative is an action-packed thrill ride, guaranteed to get your adrenaline pumping. There's danger. There's mystery. There's suspense. Did I mention the smoking hot romance? The Sapphire Affair is a high-stakes, adventure-filled romance that starts with a bang and keeps you on your toes until the very last sentence.
With a bounty hunter for a hero and an adventurer for a heroine (seriously, that’s her job), it’s not surprising that The Sapphire Affair is Lauren Blakely’s most exhilarating story to date. We first meet protagonist, Jake Harlowe, in the midst of his job as a recovery specialist – a job that requires careful planning, a bit of luck, and lot of ingenuity. Juggling his hazardous job with acting as a substitute parent for his younger siblings doesn’t leave Jake much time to form romantic connections, yet his one rule is to keep his professional and romantic lives separate. It’s therefore fortuitous that he has no idea that the woman who catches his eye on his latest job happens to be the stepdaughter of his target. When Jake meets Steph Anderson, she’s simply a gorgeous woman in a bar with whom he shares flirtatious banter and incredibly potent chemistry.
When Steph inevitably becomes entangled in Jake’s investigation, professional and personal lines are blurred, and the sexual tension between them escalates to uncontrollable proportions. Their romance is a temptation, a teasing push-and-pull that’s as riveting as the case they’re attempting to unravel. As this novel can attest, no one writes a love scene quite like Lauren Blakely. It's not just sex between her characters (or foreplay, as it may be), it's a physical and emotional intimacy – one that's the result of all-consuming kisses, a worshipping of bodies, and a desire for the characters to memorize each other through taste, touch, and feel. Jake and Steph’s romance may be a slow burn, but the buildup is just as satisfying as the payoff.
As part one of a two-part series, The Sapphire Affair is designed to whet your appetite and entice you to return for more. While I feel as though I've been thoroughly acquainted with Jake and Steph, this book only scratches the surface of their budding romance and of their ongoing investigation. By the end of the book, I was left with an impatient need to fill in the missing pieces of the puzzle, which is admittedly part of the fun. After finishing The Sapphire Affair, I can guarantee you'll be dying to delve right into The Sapphire Heist.
*complimentary copy provided by author in exchange for an honest review -
I won a contest on FB for the CD version of this book and I loved it!! I can honestly say that everything I've read from Lauren is hot and this book will not disappoint. This book is sexy with Jake and Steph having amazing chemistry and it's in a fabulous location. The innuendo shared between the two is there in spades. Sebastian York is the narrator and he does a great job. His voice is perfect for Jake. I love the little touches in this book like the ratio and lifeguard stand. I'm looking forward to part 2 and just happy we don't have to wait long for it's release (it's a month after this release). Great job to Lauren!!!
I'm adding this to the end of the review for the audio CD, as I've just read the book. Even though Sebastian wasn't narrating, the book was exciting. I just love Jake and Steph! I love the premise about them working together (although not really trusting each other all the time) to solve a mystery. Characters are not what they seem and each chapter leaves you guessing. -
***Live on July 12 - Full Review***
5 JEWELED CROWNS
Three things about Lauren Blakely:
1. Lauren Blakely has an amazing talent of infusing her romance with suspense. The Sinful Night series is the perfect example of hot romance and the love stories of the Sloane siblings integrated with the epic mystery of their father’s death. The Sapphire Affair is another great example of her ability to integrate the two.
2. She can write an epic sex scene. Her men are always wonderful dirty talkers, which in the romance genre, is a must for most readers. Jake does not disappoint!
3. Lauren Blakely’s plots are always complex, especially in the suspense-romance genre. There are many sub-plots to her main romantic plot. Her ability to weave these plots together seamlessly and among multiple books speaks to her ability to create engaging stories that draw readers in to the mystery being solved as well as the romance.
Three things about her characters:
1. Jake is the best kind of hero. He cares for his family, rights wrongs perpetrated by criminals, and knows how to take care of a woman with a 3:1 ratio (this is very important). He is a giver, and what is better than that?
2. Steph is a heroine that the reader can respect, and this is incredibly important to me as a female reader. She is not only fighting to build her business back up after her ex-boyfriend destroys it, but she is also trying to rectify a wrong that has been committed against her mother by her step-father, who is no longer with her mother. Her ability to claw her way back to success makes her an admirable heroine in my book.
3. Their chemistry together is palpable. The banter between Jake and Steph creates great sexual tension, and, when they finally get to act on their desires, it explodes off of the page.
Three things about the plot:
1. As I have said before, I love a good suspense-romance, and this plot offers that very genre. A majority of the story focuses on where the gems are located, how is the crime being committed, and how do they collect the gems or the evidence. The answers to these questions will, I’m sure, be answered in the second book of the series, as this book ends with a cliff-hanger.
2. The pacing of the plot is great. Never once did I feel as though I was re-reading information or questioning why I was being told something. All parts of the plot are pieces to the puzzle that become important in this story or will become important, I’m sure.
3. The prologue immediately draws the reader into the story, and the plot ends at the perfect part. The reader feels as though the relationship has been established and settled between Steph and Jake, but then Steph makes a discovery that destroys it all. It makes the reader very anxious to see how this discovery is not only going to affect their relationship but also the newly established partnership to solve the mystery of the gems.
This author is one of my go-to romance/suspense writers, and The Sapphire Affair is another fantastic, sexy romance by Laruen Blakely. I look forward to getting the resolution of Steph and Jake’s story in The Sapphire Heist.
------------------------------
ARC received from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
For more reviews and book information, please check out my blog, Musings of the Modern Belle, at
www.modernbellebooks.com or follow me on various social media sites.
Amazon -->
https://amzn.com/B019FEA1G4
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Short Review:
Three things about "The Sapphire Affair":
1. Lauren Blakely’s plots are always complex, especially in the suspense-romance genre. There are many sub-plots to her main romantic plot. Her ability to weave these plots together seamlessly and among multiple books speaks to her ability to create engaging stories that draw readers in to the mystery being solved as well as the romance.
2. Jake is the best kind of hero. He cares for his family, rights wrongs perpetrated by criminals, and knows how to take care of a woman with a 3:1 ratio. He is a giver, and what is better than that?
3. The prologue immediately draws the reader into the story, and the plot ends at the perfect point in the plot. The reader feels as though the relationship has been established and settled between Steph and Jake, but then Steph makes a discovery that destroys it all. It makes the reader very anxious to see how this discovery is not only going to affect their relationship but also the newly established partnership to solve the mystery of the gems.
I can't wait for "The Sapphire Heist" in order to get the resolution to Steph and Jake's story!
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The full review will be posted closer to the release date, July 12.
ARC received from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review
-----------------------------------------
For more reviews and other book news, please check out my blog. -->
www.modernbellebooks.com -
Brilliant masterpiece of wit, erotic romance, and thrilling caper! All the elements needed for a nail biting, swooning and sensual book are wrapped in this series.
Adorable ex-military intelligence agent turned bounty hunter Jake gets the job he was made to solve. He has a family to feed and educate and this job will provide the needed funds. Now, don't be discouraged. He is not married! He is just taking care of his siblings after they lost their parents to a drunk driver. Now all he has to do is find out what a retired hedge fund manager (Eli) did with $10,000,000 of hedge fund missing money.
Steph is Eli's stepdaughter. Well, more accurately ex-stepdaughter. See, Eli absconded to the Cayman Islands after a messy divorce from Steph's mom, with all the money he could take from her too. Now Steph is trying to get Eli to return the seed money her mother gave him to start his business. Mission Impossible?
Jake and Steph are two colliding forces of lusty nature. Not realizing who they each are, they fall in lust immediately and so begins the game to solve the Eli problem from two very different perspectives.
This is a SMART plotline full of clues and twists. I love that it is an intelligent plot which will keep you at the edge of your seats. As a bonus, we get the banter, lusty sensual love scenes that are Lauren Blakely's trademark. What more could you want in a book? Part Two picks up the pace even more.
In the end, TRUST is the recurring theme. Can we trust Jake? Eli? Steph? Who is really innocent?
With $10,000,000 in sight, who will betray the other?
By the way, I will never look at a Rolex watch again without laughing and remembering the saying " a woman scorned..." -
***ARC Provided by the Publisher and NetGalley***
Full disclosure, Lauren Blakely is amazing and she is a one-click author for me. I would probably give 3 stars to her grocery list. More than one of her books lives on my “all-time favorites” shelf and I recommend them to everyone, including my mom.
All that said, not only do I have high hopes going in to one of her stories, I also have high expectations of excellence.
There is nothing better than when the high hopes and expectations are met. Nothing. Better. The Sapphire Affair meets, and really it exceeds, all of those. In fact, it blew them out of the water. Plot? Amazing. Characters? Wonderful and engaging. Balance of the suspense story and the romantic story? Perfect, and that is so tough to get right.
Jake Harlowe. Family oriented, physically beautiful, funny. He’s perfect. And, the reader meets him in the middle of one of his recovery missions, so you immediately get an idea of who he is, how he thinks and what he values.
Steph Anderson is probably a little more complex than Jake, mainly because she seems to be struggling a little bit with who she is and what she values. As the character herself isn’t entirely sure on this, the reader is also unsure. In her recent past, there have been the kind of betrayals that leave a mark, the kinds that change you when you experience them, and she is in the process of picking up the pieces and figuring out who she is once the dust has fully settled.
Jake and Steph meet in a bar in the Cayman Islands, because, really, that is where you meet a bounty hunter. Is this possibly a bit of a cliché? Yes, but that is what makes it so fun…a little bit of the unexpected, as neither of them are looking for the other, in a place that is so traditionally the location of the “first meeting”. The chemistry and attraction is mutual and instantaneous. And, it is believable, because the characters both acknowledge that their attraction is quick and neither of them, at that point, are looking at the other as something long-term or permanent.
And then, the reason they can’t be together, no matter how attracted they are to one another. They are looking into the recent actions of the same person, Steph’s stepfather. This is in the blurb, so it is not a spoiler, and knowing what they don’t about who they each are adds a delicious amount of tension for the reader as we wait for them to figure it out. Steph is smart, maybe even smarter than Jake originally gives her credit for, and the scene where they put it together is so well written and perfectly paced, it feels real. I was on the edge of my seat and there was nothing that could have gotten me to put my Kindle down through this part. Nothing.
Insert a heck of a lot of sexual tension, mutual attraction that is off the charts, a lot of conversations about why they can’t have a physical relationship, a lot of “almost” crossing the line and stopping, and a REALLY, REALLY hot scene in a parking garage and you end up with 2 characters who have an attraction that is so strong, I had to put a fire extinguisher next to my Kindle.
Lauren Blakely’s writing is wonderful as always and she has a great talent for characters and settings, which leaves the reader feeling like they are in the story and getting to know the characters. And, for fans, there are a couple of fun references to some previous stories and characters in this that won’t take anything away if you don’t catch them, but made me smile.
I will never believe that Jake is capable of disappointing me, or for that matter Steph, which, darn it, is why I will never believe what it looks like happened at the end of part 1 actually happened. Again, not a spoiler as it is in the blurb, but there is no way Steph slept with the enemy. There is no way Jake is the enemy…at least not her enemy.
I hope.
But because it is a cliffhanger, I don’t know for sure, which I hate.
When you get to the end, trust me, you will be hitting the page advance button hoping for more story to magically appear. FYI- it doesn’t…even if you hit that button more than once. Or twice. -
I wrote this book! It's full of romance, sexy times, wit, glamour and high-stakes! Also...banter! And a rugged, ex-military, dirty-talking hero!
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The Sapphire Affair by Lauren Blakely
This book was a breath of fresh, intriguing, steamy good fun! Knives are wielded, walls are scaled, and locks are picked in this exciting new book from Lauren Blakely! I wasn't entirely sure what the book was about when I requested an arc, but given that it's a Blakely book, I was happy to go in pretty blind and knew I'd be far from disappointed.
On one hand we have the super-delicious, dirty talking, ex-military turned bounty-hunter, Jake whose latest job involves recovering millions of dollars from retired hedge-fund manager, Eli. He loves his family and loves getting the bad guys. On the other hand we have smart, feisty, adventurous Steph who runs her own island adventure company and who has traveled to the Cayman Islands to appeal to her (ex) stepfathers sense of decency to return the money her mother had given to help start up his new business. His name, I hear you ask, is Eli.
Sparks fly when the two meet and it's insta-lust at its finest. However, once they realize who's who and doing what, they decide to keep things strictly work-related which unfortunately doesn't last as long as either would've liked.
I really enjoyed this book! The characters were fun and flirtatious, the banter between them hilarious. The plot was sexy, fast-paced - yes I held my breath at one point - and engaging. Add in Blakely's signature witticisms and I was sold.
Yes, it ends on cliffy, but more of a gasp kind of cliffy rather than a throw your ereader across the room cliffy. I can live with that!
Great book, amazing author. Can't wait to get into The Sapphire Heist!
*copy received courtesy of NetGalley in exchange for honest review.
**Reviewed by Melinda for Jo&IsaLoveBooks Blog. -
Well thank God Netgalley for finally approving my request to read this. Now I've got that off my chest I can continue with my review.
4.5 'Truth & Dare' Stars.
From the first word to the last word I was hooked.
“Fine, I knew you were a pain in the ass,” he added. “Gee, thanks.” “I knew you were going to drive me crazy.” “You drive me crazy, too.” She countered, parking her hands on her hips. “Sounds like we’re just about even then.”
This is an engaging, entertaining, exciting and excellent read. The story and the characters sucked me in with a fun and original plot a perfect book for reading at the beach.
Steph Anderson is finally getting her business back on track after her ex nearly ruined her just out of spite nothing more nothing less. Steph's next trip is to the Caymans.
Side note if there is one place I've always wanted to go then it would be the Caymans. I'd go for the weather, 364 days of sun and let's not forget the lack of taxes
Steph is trying to find out what happened to the money her stepdad never gave back to her mother after the divorce. He just so happens to live on the Caymans so she travels a couple of days earlier to start her search with the contacts she has.
Jake Harlowe is a retrieval expert. He has retrieved a lot of priceless items for very influential people. After acquiring the violin back his next job is to find out what happened to the money of a hedge fund. It leads him to the Caymans and in the Pink Pelican, the happy turtle meets the Tommy Barharma. His number one rule? Don’t mix business and pleasure as that got him in hot water a long time ago. He finds out who Steph is and well he thinks that she is playing him.
In the end they decide to work together.
They are good together I loved their interaction the whole book was foreplay for the last scene of the book for both of them. He is a dream.
“You deserve someone who craves the taste of your lips. The feel of your body. Most of all, a woman like you deserves a man who understands the three-to-one ratio.”
“What’s that?” He brushed her blond strands away from her ear, cupped a hand over it, and whispered, “I would make you come three time before I even do once.”
My one complaint is that maybe it could have been one book instead of two I really hope I get the next one you hear me Netgalley? More specifically Montlake Publishing? Pretty please? With Jake Harlowe on top?
I hang my head in shame this is my first Lauren Blakely book. Why haven't I read any others? Well to date none of those interested me. But then this beauty came and well I might have to back track and read some of her other books.
I'm not happy about that cliffhanger ending.
Review can also be found @
http://jerisbookattic-reviewblog.blog...
Book received from Montlake Romance via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. -
★✩★✩★✩NOT A STANDALONE★✩★✩★✩
➦This is a first part of the Jewel series, a two book installment by Lauren Blakely. It's a fun, fast-paced and sexy read that will transport you into a tropical paradise. There is enough suspense in this novel that will keep you interested throughout the book.
➦Jake and Steph, our tho main characters, meet under interesting circumstances and team up in order to solve a case of missing money. There are re-con missions, stake outs, safe cracking and lock picking.
➦This is definitely a case of insta-lust because Jake and Steph are all over each other the minute they meet. They do, however, decide to remain professional and strictly platonic while on the job and the sexual tension is palpable while they try so hard to keep their hands to themselves. They do end up growing to know each other better and getting one step closer to trusting. But trust is not easy to come with these two.
❤I enjoyed the plot but naturally I wanted more naughty times. The hero is former Armer Intelligence and I expected him to be more of a dirty talker, I guess. I also wish he shared more about himself to the heroine, it seemed like he didn't open up much at all. It was kind of hard to fall for him. But there's a second book coming and I'm confident that Lauren Blakely will make me fall head over heels for Jake.
➦I liked the book, I just didn't love it. It needed either more steam or more angst or more James Bond stuff. lol I'm eager to find out what happens next (there was a cliffy at the end) and looking forward to the second book in the series.
Release date: July 12, 2016
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Went through a few things with this one. By 20% I was bored and considering a DNF. The MCs hadn't even met yet. Boooo. Then around 25ish% they meet and BAM! I'm charmed. They are witty and have this cat and mouse thing going that works. Then they find out they're after the same goal and decide the attraction will take a back seat **scoff** I love it when they think their willpower is stronger than the pull ;) Anyhow, little by little they start gleaning bits of information through one source or another all pointing to Steph's stepdad. Of course the MCs can't resist each other and I, for one, am mighty glad because hot damn "three-for-one Jake" is pretty darn awesome. So, sadly this ends in a cliffy. Even more sad: The Montlake Publishing Goddesses decided to tempt this mere mortal with approval for only part one and a vile decline of part two so that I might experience what is referred to as "book blue balls by a book tease". Also: I may or may or may not be under the influence of muscle relaxers and pain meds after an injury while writing this. Also, also: This book made me want chocolate. Safety: No OW/OM/Sharing. They aren't Vs. They use condoms. No rape or abuse.
Warning: May make you want chocolate or ice cream or cherry Popsicles.
ARC received in exchange for an honest review. -
I sure do love an adventure and The Sapphire Affair took me on one. I have read all of Lauren's books and this is definitely has a different feel to it. Yes. It is sexy. Yes. It is witty. Yes. There is a dirty talker. But, there is more mystery. More adventure. It may not have pearls but it has diamonds!
Jake is a ex-military man that is now in the business of recovering stolen items and finding people that don't want to be found. But, most importantly, he is a family man. His loves his job but he takes the risks because he wants his younger siblings to go to college, and achieve their goals. And, that is why he is in the Cayman Islands. To recover money that was embezzled. That is it. In and out without any distractions. That was the plan anyway until he got a darts lesson by the most beautiful woman he has ever seen. A woman that would make this adventure even more exciting, hotter, and frustrating all at the same time. Can you believe her name is Ariel? Yeah...he didn't either.
Steph wanted to get back what her mother deserved. The money that her ex-stepfather Eli used to start his business. When she found out there might be more to his story, she was headed to the Cayman Islands a little early. She was going there anyway to lead a diving tour. She loved the water and she worked hard to get her business, Ariel's Island Eco-Adventure Tours back on tract after her ex try to ruin her and her business. She lost all trust in men after that fiasco along with what her ex-stepfather did to her family. All she wanted was what her mother deserved but there is more to it than she ever thought of. The only father she had ever known had not only turned into a cheating douche but maybe now even an embezzling asshole.
Jake and Steph made a connection one night in a bar. He liked her feistiness and she liked his playful humor. And after they find out who each other really are, it gets complicated. Trust is questioned. Partnership formed. Willpower is tested. He wanted her. Bad. And she wanted him just as much but distractions can ruin everything. He knows pleasure and business doesn't mix. He has the scars. But he can't stop thinking about what she would feel like underneath him. Could they have an island tryst while playing Robin Hood and Batman? Can they even work together without a fight? Can they learn to trust each other?
I was intrigued and hooked in from the very first page. It all started with a little game of truth or dare. You can really learn a lot from a risky game like that. I knew from the start that I would love Jake and Steph. How could I not? Playful humor. Hot chemistry. Flirty banter. And they are both determined to help their families. Also, who wouldn't love a man that loved his ice cream? And he sure does love his sweets -
4.5 Stars
The Sapphire Affair is the first book I have read by this author and I thoroughly enjoyed every minute of it. Both Steph and Jake have their own stories and agendas but they want same thing ‘The Truth’. Jake will need to convince Steph that she can trust him and that they can achieve more together than apart before she is in too deep. But as things start to heat up both in and out of the bedroom will the trust be the one thing to drive them apart. I look forward the next book in this series to see what Ms Blakely has in store for us next.
Book generously provided by NetGalley & Montlake Romance in exchange for an honest review -
ARC provided by author/publisher in exchange for an honest review
A sexy suspenseful read that shines bright like a diamond in the rough!!! Lauren Blakely never fails to deliver a romance that was fresh, addictive, and wildly entertaining!!
“Her heart raced. Her blood pumped. She craved him fiercely. ”
The Sapphire Affair introduces readers to bounty hunter Jake Harlowe, who has no problem getting the job done in a timely manner that is until he heads to the Cayman Islands and meets a sexy woman that knocks him off his game. Steph Anderson heads to the Cayman Islands to get to the bottom if her stepfather stole money from her mother and is embezzling from his company. So there should be no problem if two single attractive people hook up? Right? Nothing at all that is until those two people are after the same thing- million dollars worth of jewels.
“They had no history. They had no past. There was no damage or pain between them. He hadn’t hurt her, he hadn’t lied to her, and he hadn’t tried to fling her business into the trash. No, he had one agenda, it seemed. The same one she had.”
In this heated and sexual chemistry driven romance, readers are in for a special treat as Lauren Blakely holds us hostage in this sexy action packed romance. I absolutely adored the palpable chemistry brewing between Jake and Steph. Lauren didn’t hold back as she poured gasoline on our hearts as she writes a couple that was tactfully executed to lit a fiery and sizzling romance. With Lauren’s seductive prose, she carefully executes a story that was smart, funny, and vivid. This book was like watching a modern version of The Italian Job and Ocean’s Eleven but with a smaller cast of characters. In Jake Harlowe’s line of profession, one key of success is always being on top and outwitting the other person. And so what happens when Steph discovers that she has been played? Can she handle the truth or will she take up to the challenge that Jake has set?
“She kissed with such passion , such vulnerability, as if his kisses were the only ones she wanted, the only ones that would ever make her feel this way. She held nothing back as she melted into his arms and pressed her body to his in a full-body kiss— lips, tongue, hands, hips. Every part of her aligned with every part of him.”
So if you are looking for a story that was packed with so much heat, sexual chemistry and intensity then look no further than The Sapphire Affair by Lauren Blakely. Though this book ends with a cliffhanger, Blakely did an amazing job laying out the groundwork and introducing her characters. She has definitely staged a story weaved steam, passion, and suspense in such an alluring manner that you can’t help but eagerly await for the next book.
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Lauren Blakely -
Sexy, flirty, easy read. Great for a sunny weekend!
“Three things… One, I want to kiss you. Two, I’m going to kiss you. Three, if you don’t want me to, say so now. Otherwise…”
Jake Harlowe has two rules when it comes to his job. Always get his man and never mix business with pleasure. Breaking the cardinal one has never been so fun and risky as he teams up with a gorgeous, smart and too good to be true woman while tracking an embezzler in the Cayman Islands, especially when that woman was his target’s stepdaughter.“His body should come with a warning. Gaze upon said hotness and arousal will be yours.”
Using her diving expedition as a cover, Steph Anderson goes to the Caymans to find out the truth about her stepfather. The man who practically raised couldn’t have her left her mother with nothing, much less take other people’s money, could he? Can she trust the sexy bounty hunter who only sees her stepfather as a criminal?
Three things are certain. One, they’re both after the same man. Two, the attraction between them if off the charts. Three, they’ll both try and fail miserably ignoring it.
Lauren Blakely knows how to write sizzling, fun and engaging stories and the Sapphire Affair is no exception. It’s fast paced, engaging and exciting from start to finish.
Even though Jake and Steph don’t meet until almost 25% into the story, as we get their individual backstories at the beginning, they’re meeting is amusing, charming and brought an instant smile to my face.
Their push-pull is wonderful, as they are instantly attracted to one another but quickly discover that they’re working an angle to find out about the same man and decide to try and keep things platonic. “Try” being the operative word as they work together, they also get to know one another a bit, which in turn builds up the tension between them.“What is it about you that I can’t resist? Your kisses are my kryptonite.”
They still have a long way to go in terms of full disclosure with one another and trust, and solving the case of the stolen money, but I’m sure Lauren will delight us with this and much more in The Sapphire Heist.
The Sapphire Affair is book #1 in the Jewel duet by Lauren Blakely. It is a fun, sexy entertaining romance. Told from both points of view that ends with a shocking cliffhanger. Steph and Jake’s story will conclude with The Sapphire Heist.
* I was given an ARC of this book courtesy of the author via NetGalley. The excerpts are from that copy. *
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Jake is a recovery man. He's hired to track down stolen goods when the owners do not want to involve the authorities. He's an ex-army man with good moral values. His parents died when he was 17, leaving him and his three siblings alone. Jake and his older sister are the caretakers now and helping to support the younger two brother and sister in college.
Stephanie is an island Eco-adventure tour guide. Steph is recovering from her mom and step-dads nasty divorce and also from a bad break-up herself. Her ex sabotaged her business with fake online reviews. She had to start all over with a new business name to recover from the damage he caused.
Jake and Steph meet when both are lulled to the Caymans to investigate Stephs step-dad Eli's new found wealth. Steph is angry that her step-dad left her mom with nothing in the divorce. Jake is hired by Eli's business partners. An investment tanking and Eli's sudden retirement seems suspicious.
This is my first Lauren Blakely novel and I very much enjoyed it! Jake and Stephanie were fun to read. Very likeable characters, great chemistry, mature writing and a fun plot. This is book one and did end on a cliffhanger. Book two is looking like things are going to start spicing up! -
DNF @ 47%
"My job’s woefully dull."
Unfortunately it's not just the hero's job. Everything about this sounded great, right up my street, but when you get to the half way point, are finding it a slog and have zero feeling towards any of the characters, then it's time to move on and call it a day. I'm sure it's building up to something, I just haven't the will to find out what.
Copy received courtesy of NetGalley for an honest and unbiased opinion. -
Jake works as a PI, Bounty Hunter, whatever you want to call it. You lost something, he'll find it.
He's working real hard because he has to feed his whole family. Pay school fees for his two younger siblings, et cetera.
He's just back from a stolen violin job in Paris when he gets a new job offer:
Fly to the Caymans to get back the 10 million dollars this Eli guy stole from investors.
Also flying to the Caymans is Steph. She's going there for a job as a hiking and diving guide. BUT, her mom asked her to look into things with her ex husband Eli. The only father Steph ever knew.
Mom says he's stolen lots of money from her and other investors. And since Eli always loved Steph, she thinks it will be easy to find out about the money.
Fast forward to a bar on the island.... Steph meets Jake.
Instant attraction. Instant lust.
But also instant lies. Because both can't really say what they're doing on the island.
And both have no idea that they're actually working towards the same goal.
What will happen with Jake & Steph?
Will the lies destroy everything?
Or will they work together to find out what happened to the money?
Will there be a horrible Cliffhanger?
I'm not telling you that of course ☺
ok - maybe a tiny little cliffy, but book #2 will be out real soon!
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Pretty good story!
I've always been a huge fan of anything in the romantic suspense genre. Sexy mysteries. Erotic thrillers et cetera.
And this was a bit of everything.
Sexy people doing sexy and mysterious and suspensy things in very exotic places.
I really enjoyed it. Some of it at least. ☺
BUT - I think the two books in this series should've been put into one book.
A lot of things in this first book could've been edited out. There was so much redundant stuff that I just didn't want to hear about. Description, feelings, thoughts. I often kind of fast-forwarded to where they were talking to each other. The other stuff bored me a lot of the time.
I think as one book Jake & Steph's story would've been much better. More interesting to the reader.
Jake and Steph don't even meet until the 20% mark of the book. That was way too late for me. Almost everything that happened in the first 20% could've been cut. Or at least shortened to half the words.
But when you look past the too many words the story was pretty good. Nothing new or too exciting, but it was definitely a great, quick, summer read.
We have very sexy moments ( even though the sexy moments come way late in the story!)
...and funny and adorable moments.
Suspensy and frustrating moments.
Great start to this 2-book series! I will definitely read the second one.
Maybe I was just in a weird mood today. Normally this would totally be my kind of book. But I just couldn't connect with any of it; not the characters (especially the way they talked to each other, those 'funny' comments, that had to be explained every time???), not the story, ... sorry. :(
But please don't let me stop you from enjoying this book!!!
Jake is a really hot guy ☺ I wouldn't mind seeing this story on tv. I think I would love to stare at a hot bounty/treasure hunter working a new exotic/historic location every week ☺
THE SAPPHIRE AFFAIR was a pretty good start to a 2-book series. Can't wait to see how Jake & Steph will find out what happened to the money and how/if they will fight for their HEA in the second book!
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What a perfect read for the beach! It is that time of year and if you want to get lost in a good book while listening to the waves, this is simply perfection! Sitting in my living room I could practically smell the sunscreen. Action, intrigue, sexy banter, and a buildup that is SO worth the wait. Short enough that you can finish while on vacation, and just enough suspense that you’ll have something to look forward to once you’re back home (book two, The Sapphire Heist, comes out August 16th)
Light easy sexy read. Perfect for the beach!
*ARC Netgalley -
Short and interesting but I feel like because there are two books the story is still getting a bit dragged on. I am not so sure I actually like the main characters but they are interesting to observe. They have the chemistry but they are both too stubborn and too similar to each other so I'm not sure how they're going to function and if they are going to function at all.
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Bounty Hunter Jake Harlowe is down in the Cayman Islands searching for $10 million dollars that was stolen from a hedge-fund by the company's ex-CEO. It is believed that the ex-CEO smuggled the money out of the country by buying up expensive art, then transporting it to the islands. Jake thinks is going to be a simple job: find the art, bring the ex-CEO down, and bring the money back to the swindled hedge-fund. What he doesn't expect, and the last thing he needs, is to meet a beautiful woman in a bar.
Steph Anderson went down to the Cayman Islands for two reasons. One, to build back her adventure tour business after her ex-boyfriend tried to ruin her reputation, and to see if her ex-stepfather stole money from his old company. What she doesn't expect is to meet a sexy man in a bar.
Once Jake and Steph learn about their shared goal to find the missing money, they decide to work together. They also agree to ignore their sizzling hot chemistry. But working so close to someone that you want to get naked can get a little complicated (... and hot)!!
The Sapphire Affair has everything you could look for in a Lauren Blakely story. Sexy, ex-military bounty hunter, a strong, beautiful woman, missing money, sexy-hot chemistry, and possible betrayal. This is a great summer read and a great start to the Jewel series. I can't wait to read the rest of their story in The Sapphire Heist (available Aug. 16).
Continue reading for an excerpt of The Sapphire Affair by Lauren Blakely.
RATING: 4.5 out of 5
**I received an ARC through Netgalley and InkSlinger PR in exchange for a honest review.**
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The premise of this book sounded fun and I was looking forward to reading it. I wasn’t prepared to freaking LOVE it! This book is full of humor, mystery, adventure, and sexy chemistry. I didn’t expect to find myself laughing out loud so often. It was just a really fabulous read.
Jake is a sexy, panty-melting alpha with sarcastic wit and deliciously dirty mouth. He’s a…ahem, retrieval specialist… A nice way of saying thief. Except, Jake is basically a modern day Robin Hood, he goes after stolen items and returns them to their owners. He’s a family man, dedicated to caring for his three siblings and it fuels his workaholic mindset. He doesn’t have time for relationships, or the hassle that accompanies them. Meeting Steph is throws a wrench in his path, an irresistible, funny, beautiful wrench. But, she’s not only a threat to his personal life, she is connected to his current job. Now he has to decide if he wants to use her to further his career and if he does, how is he going to stay out of her bed? The indecision, makes him more human, but also, it breaks out facets of his personality that I don’t think the reader would have seen otherwise.
Steph is loveable from the moment we meet her. She’s practically a mermaid, which is fitting considering her business includes the name Ariel. After a bad split with an ex, she is rebuilding her sea tour business and it takes her to the Cayman’s where she decides to also investigate allegations against her former step-father. Her initial run-in with Jake is simply coincidence, but when it comes to light that they are after the same prize, she has to decide whether she can trust him. Working together seems the logical choice, but fighting their sizzling attraction is practically a pipe dream the longer they are together.
These two are a blast together, their banter is sharp-tongued and funny. The chemistry is off the charts and Jake will have you melting at his feet right along with Steph. Beware the cliff-hanger! And yet, it was totally worth it. This book definitely ranks up high on my reread list and I can’t wait to finish the rest of Steph and Jake’s story! -
3.5 truth-or-dare stars
Ends in a cliffy, but book is out. I loooved Jake’s three-to-one ratio… all men should apply that ratio DAILY… sign me up Jake!!!
Jake’s a bounty hunter. He’s a shrew man who has enough life experience plus he was former army intelligence who runs a recovery business now. He gets hired to go after a man that’s skimming money for years… and has some priceless jewels hidden somewhere. So off to find him he goes.
Steph’s (28) runs a tour business in the Caribbeans and is fed up with the fact that her stepfather Eli hasn’t given her mom any of the money she gave him to start off his business many years before. They’ve been divorced, but he took off with her money and didn’t look back. He was a great father but an ishy husband. So she’s going to pay him a visit. Little does she know she’ll also be meeting Jake.
Coincidentally, they meet. They’re not completely honest with each other, but the Cayman Islands aren’t big, so they end up finding out their true reasons for being there… and they decide to team up. Except, they can’t help but he attracted to each other 👀.
There’s only one full 🔥 time at the END of the book. I would’ve liked some more 🤷🏻♀️. Jake adopts a three-to-one O ratio during his intimate moments. Three for the woman, one for him. I love that 😉😈💁🏻♀️. He sure tries to deliver 💦🔥. She gets more than him, that’s for sure 😉. We do get lots of tension. And the dancing scene when he gets jealous that OM is near her was 🤤. Jeeezus. Give me more of these please. I’m not the biggest fan of slow burn 😂. But I like this dirty mouth 👀🔥and with Sebastian York’s voice 🤤💦.
I didn’t realize it was a duet. I think it’s the first time I read a book by LB that ends on a cliffy. Good thing book 2 is out.
I wish it was longer and it wasn’t so slow burn. It’s also the first time I read one of her books that’s in 3rd person 😬. I listened to the audiobook and I wasn’t a fan of only having Sebastian York as the narrator for horn POVs, especially considering it’s third person POV. Sigh. Beggars can’t be choosers 😂. His voice definitely fits Jake though 😉
Overall, I enjoyed it.
⚠️safety squad⚠️
-no cheating/sharing/owd really
-the h gets jealous when she sees OW flirting and talking to the H. They’re not an item though
-there’s OM trying to dance with the h; the H gets jealous and goes to claim her in front of him so he can take a hike
-condom (only one need for jr
-the h hasn’t had sex in years. No info in the H’s sex life
