Last updated on 08/26/2025
Noa
The man I’d grown to know over the past ten years through our texting was much different from the possessive, secretive, and dangerous one I was slowly unraveling. The different personalities he seemed to have were giving me whiplash. When he was with me, it was perfect, I didn’t question anything.
It was when he was gone that the insecurities crept in, and soon enough, those fears became reality. Like so many before me, I became one of Ransom Carver’s cast offs. Not only going completely silent, shutting me out, but he had broken me in ways not even my mother had been able to do.
Ransom
When called out, I had admitted to my mistake. But the price for it was too high. Never had I disobeyed an order, but I had never been told I couldn’t have the one person I depended on for peace. Being born into the southern mafia left you without a choice. It was simply a life you grew up in. You didn’t leave it. You lived it.
Staying away from Noa was asking too much of me. I’d tried, but my will was breaking along with my weak grip on my sanity. I was crossing lines that could get me killed, but even if she couldn’t see me, I had to protect her. Keep her safe. Do unsavory things to those who got too close or wanted what belonged to me.
Without her in my life, then the rest no longer mattered.
This is the continuation and conclusion of Noa and Ransom’s story that began in ALL JACKED UP.
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Review:
Buckle up, because *here’s* the more drama-filled story that we were missing from the first book ( All Jacked Up –this is definitely not a standalone, read them in order. Honestly, they really should have just been combined into a single volume, IMO). Whereas that one tended to meander around between the past and the present with Ransom and Noa *finally* getting together right at the end, this one throws everyone into the deep end right from the start.
Noa and Ransom? Doing it like bunnies. Until Ransom’s actions behind the scenes in book 1 blow up in his face and he’s forced to ghost her for a good chunk of the book and we alternately watch him watching her (without her knowledge, of course) and doing some OTT things for her behind her back (ditto) while she gets increasingly sad and depressed due to the ghosting. And then she’s angry at him. And then sad. And depressed…
…until the last 25% or so, when everything goes straight to heck. By that point it’s next to impossible to put the book down until you get to the end, because OMG what a ride…I really liked how Ms Glines managed to get us to the HEA, because I honestly wasn’t sure it was going to be possible for a while there.
Never underestimate the power of love. And of a pre-release signed author copy… 😉
(There was at least one loose end here, though–who was making those threatening phone calls? Are we supposed to assume it was the former fiancé’s mother/family? I do wish we’d gotten an explanation for that, but at least they stopped at some point…)
Rating: 4 stars / B+
I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy of this book.