Carolina Hurricane

By Gwendolyn Grace

Synopsis

I was standing in the middle of nowhere with no real destination in mind. There was only the dire need to disappear from Charleston. With my head tilted up to the gray sky and my eyes closed, I let the light droplets of rain fall onto my face. I’d reached a crossroads in my life and was trying to find a reason to keep going. I had no idea a hurricane was coming and fate would choose that moment for our paths to cross.

“Hey! You okay?” A voice called out to me in a deep southern drawl, pulling me out of my fog. “Can I give you a ride somewhere?”

I opened my eyes and found a pair of intense blue eyes staring back at me. His name was Fox. He had an irresistibly sexy grin, and judging by his fast car, a need for speed. His timing couldn’t have been more perfect. I was looking to start a little trouble, since it was what I did best and he seemed like a good target. After sharing an incredible night together, I quickly learned that Fox was more than he appeared and full of delicious surprises. He gifted my body with unbelievable pleasures and unlocked emotions that I’d wanted to keep hidden. When I pushed him away, he left claiming a piece of my soul.

I never imagined that getting into his car that day would start a transformation within me and forever change the course of my life. Fox challenged every rule I’d ever made by tearing down the carefully constructed barriers around my heart. I never intended to fall in love with him but how could I resist a man who was so different than I’d expected and more than I ever deserved? The grayness in my life caused by loss and betrayal was waging a storm within me; Fox was the anchor I needed to stop the inner turmoil and bring me back into the light.

Review

Harley has a massive chip on her shoulder and seems to wear it with pride. She believes she’s not worthy of having anyone or anything good in her life, so she has no friends, no family, no job and a boyfriend who cheats on her. She believes that if she doesn’t let anyone close, they can’t hurt her, so she keeps everybody at a distance by not being very nice. Finally fed up with her life, she heads back to the only place that holds good memories, Sea Whisper Island, South Carolina. But when her plans to get there are thwarted, she’s left alone in the rain. Until Fox rides in on his many horses.

Harley: As much as I didn’t want his kindness right now, I knew it was what I needed. It had been a long time since anyone cared enough to do anything for me.

Fox is a sensitive soul who is deeply devoted to his family and loves fast cars. Thinking that Fox will be an easy target to have some fun with, she uses her assets to make him as uncomfortable as possible. But he sees right through her bullshit and isn’t afraid to call her on it.

Fox: “The tough girl with a smart mouth act doesn’t do it for me but the girl underneath who hums in the shower, likes the feel of rain on her face and cares about other people’s feelings, now she makes my dick hard.”

Despite admitting to Fox that she doesn’t enjoy being a bitch all the time and that she’ll work on it, when she tries to be honest with him about her thoughts and feelings, he takes it badly and spends the next several weeks ignoring her or being flat our rude to her when he has to speak to her. Throughout that time, she’s tried to be nice, tried to apologise and tried to speak to him. When she finally gives up, he decides that’s when he wants to speak to her and won’t take no for an answer. I’m not sure how old Fox is, but Harley is 25 and I found this to be a little immature for his age. Honestly, that’s probably the only part of the story I had an issue with.

Carolina Hurricane is Gwendolyn’s third book and I thought it was really well written. Despite the relationship drama mentioned above, other parts of the story kept me reading. It sort of ends in a cliffhanger, and I’m not sure if book 2 (Carolina King) will be about Fox and Harley again, or focus on other characters such as Fox’s brother, Harley’s ex or the loan shark.

Fox: “I guess I’m worried that you’ll decide to just run off at any moment and it’s driving me insane. Like the hurricane wind that brought you into my life might one day come back and carry you away and I’m just left here grasping at the air trying to keep you.”

My Rating: