Hidden Barriers is book two in the Barriers Series and is considered a stand-alone and doesn't contain a cliffhanger. Some scenes do overlap with Frozen Barriers. It's suggested to read Frozen Barriers first, simply to understand the characters history more.
Josh & Sam's Story
Love has been hiding for too long. What happens when it reveals itself?
Josh Page, a Massachusetts State Trooper, wants nothing more than to put his first love behind him. His career is all he’s ever known for the last ten years. Seeing her is a constant reminder of what he could have had if he had not put his career first years ago.
Relationships and dating women have never been part of his lifestyle. He continues to have meaningless sex with women as an attempt to distance himself from his past. That is until he opens the door and a sassy roller derby girl stares back up at him.
*****
Samantha Daley’s past haunts her. After college, she spends years building a new life with new friends, roller derby, and a bustling business under her feet. Her past suddenly comes rushing back after just one phone call.
Afraid to love, she never imagines a life where one man can turn her world inside out and make her reevaluate what she wants in her future. Almost instantly, she’s attracted to the man in front of her. He pushes her trust to a new level and is willing to take a chance with her.
Will Sam be able to handle the reminders of her troubled past enough for her to be with Josh, or will it be Josh’s secrets that threaten to tear them apart in the end?
**For mature audiences. 18+. This book contains sexual and abusive situations, and strong language.**
JOSH
The feeling of sleeping in your own bed is comforting in and of itself. When you fall asleep in the arms of a beautiful woman, that’s peace. The moment you wake up next to the woman who’s quickly taking your heart in her hands, comfort and peace cease to exist. This is absolute euphoria.
I’ve been lying here watching her sleep for a while now. The sun has been slowly creeping its way into the room through her windows, illuminating the glass chandelier over her bed. Rainbow prisms dance against her walls as I gently push aside a stray hair, so I can just watch her sleep.
I already knew I was quickly falling for her, but after last night, I knew she was it for me. Yeah, true, we’ve only known each other for a short time, but when you know, you know. There is still so much about her that’s a mystery, but I could spend the rest of my days willing to find out.
Lying here, facing her, I push that pesky stray hair from her face again and wonder how it was that any man, let alone her ex-boyfriend, could ever want to hurt her. The heinous things he did sickens me. What could have run through his head to want to take her life? She’s the most angelic creature, and I have to wonder what could have been.
Where would I be now if Stone actually succeeded in killing her that night? My body tenses immediately at the idea of her not being here with me. Even now, I don’t have any power to help keep that asshole behind bars, but I’m definitely going to find out everything I can about the fucker, and I will protect Sam the best I can. If that means giving my life for her, then I’ll do it. If I already took an oath to serve and protect strangers, I will gladly put my life on the line for her.
SAM
I move away from Josh who continues to talk on his phone with my brother. I scuffle my heavy legs through the room over to the kitchen cabinet I need. Josh watches me with concern written all over his face, but I know there isn’t anything I can say to make him leave. If I thought not having space before this was bad, unless by some miracle they find Stone soon, there won’t be any way I can handle Josh’s overprotective nature for another week.
I pull open the cabinet and grab the bottle of Jack, foregoing the shot glass. I shut the cabinet door and twist the top off the squared bottle. As I bring the bottle to my mouth, the stinging smell hits me first before I tilt my head back and chug until I can’t take the burn anymore. I straighten my head, coughing as the burn wears off in my throat until I feel the warmth coat its way into my system. Only this isn’t what I need right now.
I stare at the bottle in my hand and start laughing hysterically before screaming at the top of my lungs. As I continue to scream and laugh, tears well in my eyes, but not before I catch sight of the girls rounding the corner to see what’s going on. Josh stands there, silently watching me mentally break down. Nick storms through the front door, most likely thinking the worst has happened, considering his hand is already on his holster ready to draw his gun. All of them think I’m losing my shit and quite possibly I am.
For three years I was safe and happy with my new life and friends. I had just found love and a future with a man who was willing to deal with all my bullshit, and in less than a few weeks, I’m back to where I was three years ago. Everything I worked so hard to overcome is disappearing in a flash.
Hidden Barriers is the second book in the Barriers series, and it was a phenomenal love story! I would give it 5 stars! This can be read as a stand alone but I wouldn't recommend it as Frozen Barriers the first book was just as amazing. You will meet Josh in the first book because he is Jeremy's brother and although he doesn't play a huge roll in first book it will still give a good insight into his life in the past and some of the struggles that make him the man he is today. The sex scenes are off the charts. You get mystery and angst and true love in this story. This story is told in dual POV's of Sam and Josh.
Sam had a great life growing up but she had poor judgement in her last relationship which branded her heart for any other men. Her ex tried to kill her and she still gets the nightmares from what he did to her. She moved away from her family and tried to leave her past where it should be in the past.... but upcoming events will make her live the nightmare over again. When she literally runs into a mysterious sexy cop Josh at the hospital she is put through emotions and feelings she never thought she would experience again. But she has put up barriers for a reason and no one could even break them down. She uses roller derby as an outlet for all her anger towards her past and lives by her own mantra.
One foot in front of the other. Prove to the world you belong here. Make a difference and always remember... you area a jammer. You fight to win.-- SAM
She finds that Josh isn't going to hurt her and finally starts letting him in... but Josh has barriers of his own can they help each other through them? When she finds that Josh is helping her break down her barriers and possibly love again she thinks nothing can bring her down again. Circumstances will bring her back to the dark and the barriers will go back up..but will Josh be there in the end or will he walk away?
Chuckling softly, I think how crazy a story that will be to tell our grandkids someday. Shit. I just went there, didn't I? Well, I've now officially crossed over to that side. This whole being in love thing is clearly starting to play tricks on my mind as well as my heart-- SAM
Josh is a police officer and he had a love of his life once but he let her go because of his job. He didn't want to have her worry about what could happen to him, but when he sees she has moved on with her life and is happy and pregnant things start to change in Josh. It doesn't help that his brother Jeremy is getting married and starting his life.. and he is just in limbo with his past decision creeping in his mind. He doesn't think he can love again like that or even let his love go for his ex.. his barriers run deep too.
Someday. Maybe someday I'll find someone who makes my mind do cartwheels and allows me to mentally challenge myself.-- JOSH
He has his here and there hook ups but nothing that means anything to him... he wants to real love .. it just took him time to realize it. When he meets Sam she will change his world and definitely give him the cartwheel feeling in his heart. But he has to break down her barriers as well as his own. Love to him doesn't come easily but with Sam it just comes to him so easily.
"What is it about you that makes me want to fall to my fuckin' knees and hand you the world? I don't deserve you, but I will do whatever it takes to make you happy, and if that means fucking you until your heart's content, then your wish is my command."-- JOSH
With each others barriers and past will these two be able to come out in the end and live happily ever after.. or will tragedy strike when they least expect it and tear them away from each other?
Everyone needs to one-click this series and thank goodness there is 2 more books in the series Burning Barriers Lucy and Jake's story and Broken Barriers Drew's story! I can't wait for more thanks for a great ride so far Sara Shirley!
5 SWEET STARS
This book can be enjoyed as a standalone or can be read after Frozen Barriers. Sara Shirley has carved a niche for her playful yet sexy and intense stories that hold your interest and have you begging for more. She grabbed mine and held it from start to finish in Hidden Barriers.
Her series so far centers on the Page brothers. It highlights their strengths, weaknesses, ambitions and inhibitions. They play hard, love hard and fall hard! Meet them -get smitten!
Josh and Sam are both living their lives the best they can. He's longing for what everyone else has found, but him. He's looking for his other half. She's living in crippling fear of a past that she can't shake. A past that left her shaken.
Josh Page is a cop that comes from a large family that truly cares about him. They are always there for him. While showing support for a family member Josh's world collides with a sassy chick. It's when he sees her again he recognizes that she may be broken but also may need someone to piece her back together.
Sam Daley ran from her past to escape the harsh abuse from a former lover. She now avoids relationships for the most part. Until one day a man decided to push through her defenses and show her what she was missing and how he could make her feel.
This book took me on a journey filled with understanding, passion, and suspense. My heart broke for Sam who clearly had trouble letting Josh get closer and Josh who was ready for more. I liked seeing how Josh matured and evolved in book 2. Life changes and finding what the heart desires has that effect on people. It definitely suited him well but it wasn't an easy road.
Will they let their pasts define them? Will Sam become addicted to more than just her favorite sugary treats? Is her heart and body safe? Can Josh heal her demons? Find out!
"The beauty behind her injuries mesmerized me. My gaze drops from her face, and I slowly take all of her in."
"...for being the one to bring your smile back to life. It's good to see you, just be you for once."
"After my last relationship, I vowed I'd never be that victim again."
"Clearly, I have an aching to be arrested or handcuffed."
Sarah Shirley has scored again incorporating a playful tone along with serious content. Her characters are flawed and get under our skin. She's a talented writer and I just can't wait for more in the Barrier series. I've been given a peak at Burning Barriers and I'm hooked.
JOSH
SAM
"Live your Dreams, Follow your Heart"
Emily Cameron is America's newest figure skating star looking for her own personal identity. Her high profile life was never her dream, it was her parents.
Jeremy Page is a minor league hockey player who always imagined himself playing for the NHL.
A chance encounter has them crossing paths after several years apart. Which way will his heart lead him? Will Emily embrace his charm?
Just when things finally fall into place, an unexpected event occurs leaving Emily reevaluating everything in her life.
Can Emily escape from under her parent's intrusive ways and take a chance on love? Will Jeremy be able to break down the barriers that have held her back for so long?
Book 1 of the Barriers Series. This story does not have a cliffhanger. **Mature Subject matter. 18+ due to strong language and sexual situations**
A romance novel addict finds herself staying up well past her bedtime to see how the next story is going to end. Sara spends her days living on a vineyard in wine country with her husband and cat. Her family hailed from Italy where her ancestors lived in the mountains of Rocca di Cambio. A former Broadway star and champion skier whose career was cut short because of her passion for being a wine sommelier. It was on her way west where she met her husband, the President of a very influential MC in California. You can find her riding off through the vineyards on the back of a Harley almost every night.
Her passion for books has been viewed as borderline obsessive. But, when all you have is time and a bottle of wine awaiting you as the sun sets off the veranda writing became second nature.
In Vino Veritas
