Title: Kissing Madeline (Dearest, #3)
Author: Lex Martin
Release Date: April 27, 2015
Genre: New Adult Contemporary Romance
Cover Design by: Krista Ritchie
Author: Lex Martin
Release Date: April 27, 2015
Genre: New Adult Contemporary Romance
Cover Design by: Krista Ritchie
Kissing Madeline by Lex Martin is the third book in the Dearest Series. I was excited to read about Daren's story, since his character intrigued me since he was a secondary character and a serious part of Clemtine's story in Dearest Clementine. The story of NFL superstar Daren Sloan wasn't anything what I anticipated it to be, but it was so much more. To see things from his perspective, to be brought into his head and his heart in regards to the events of his past and his present put things from Clemtine's story into perspective but also allowed the reader to see that he was so much more than the cheating boyfriend that he was portrayed as. This book was a 3.5 star read for me and I would highly recommend this series to others. It will pull at your heartstrings and have you rooting for a happy ending for the characters because after hearing their stories of triumphs and failures, they deserve a happiness that can give them a contentment in their lives.
Madeline McDermott had her dream job as a reporter. Emersing herself in her work and go above and beyond what was expected of her was the only way that she was able to deal with the turmoil in her life. After walking in on her MMA fighter boyfriend having sex with another woman days before she was set to move in with him, Maddie's life was turned upside down. With nowhere to go, she moves in with her friend Sheri and throws herself into her job working well over 70 hours a week so that she doesn't have time to think about how or why everything went wrong. Not wanting to make herself vulnerable to a man again, she doesn't even entertain the thought of dating, that is until she runs into Daren Sloan, literally, outside of her apartment and feelings she hasn't had for a guy ever bubble to the surface.
Daren Sloan is the up and coming superstar of the NFL, but his life isn't what he expected it to be. His longtime girlfriend left him high and dry during the NFL draft, the most important day of his life, and it changes his attitude toward women. Having met Maddie a year before through his ex-girlfriend Clementine and her twin brother Jax, Daren remembers the sexy reporter with a fondness that he doesn't expect. Not being able to get her out of his mind is another unexpected twist for him. After weeks of trying to worry only about football and not about his new sexy neighbor, they are thrown together when Maddie is ordered to leave the comfort of the news and forced to cover the new football segment that the station is running. The flirty banter that they have with each other only makes Daren want Maddie more and he struggles with wrapping his head around these feelings.
It's only when Daren and Maddie agree to have a relationship of friends with benefits without getting feelings involved or actually dating in public do things begin to get sticky for the couple. Maddie's feelings become more than she expected or even wanted and she doesn't know what to do about it; especially after her last encounter with a professional athlete didn't turn out the way she had hoped or wanted. Daren becomes extremely protective of Maddie, even though they agreed that their arrangement was nothing more then friends who have amazing sex and he doesn't know what to do about it. It is when they decide that they start dating for real but in secret that all bets are off and everything seems to become more complicated.
DEAREST CLEMENTINE (Dearest, #1 - Clementine & Gavin)
Twenty-year-old Clementine Avery doesn't mind being called bitchy and closed off. It's safe, and after being burned by her high school sweetheart and stalked by a professor her freshman year of college, safe sounds pretty damn good.
Her number one rule for survival? No dating. That is until she accidentally signs up for a romance writing class and needs material for her latest assignment. Sexy RA Gavin Murphy is more than happy to play the part of book boyfriend to help Clem find some inspiration, even if that means making out...in the name of research, of course.
As Gavin and Clem grow closer, they get entangled in the mystery surrounding a missing Boston University student, and Clem unwittingly becomes a possible target. Gavin tries to show Clem she can handle falling in love again, but she knows she has to be careful because her heart’s at stake…and maybe even her life.
FINDING DANDELION (#2 - Jax and Dani)
When soccer all-star Jax Avery collides with Dani Hart on his twenty-first birthday, their connection is instantaneous and explosive. For the first time in years, Jax isn’t interested in his usual hit-it and quit-it approach.
But Dani knows better. Allowing herself a night to be carefree and feel the intensity of their attraction won’t change anything when it comes to dealing with a player. So when Jax doesn’t recognize Dani the next time he sees her, it shouldn’t be a total shock. The fact that he’s her new roommate’s brother? That’s a shock.
Dani doesn’t regret that night with Jax, just the need to lie about it. Since her roommate has made it clear what she thinks about her brother’s “type” of girl, the last thing Dani wants is to admit what happened.
Jax knows he’s walking a fine line on the soccer team. One more misstep and he’s off the roster, his plans to go pro be damned. Except he can’t seem to care. About anything… except for the one girl who keeps invading his dreams.
Despite Jax’s fuzzy memory of his hot hookup with his sister’s friend, he can’t stay away from her, even if that means breaking his own rules. But there are bigger forces at work–realities that can end Dani’s college career and lies that can tear them apart. Jax realizes what he’s losing if Dani walks away, but will he sacrifice his future to be with her? And will she let him if he does?
Lex Martin writes new adult novels, the sexy kind with lotsa angst, a whole lotta kissing, and the hot happily ever afters. When she's not writing, she lives a parallel life as an English teacher. She loves printing black and white photos, listening to music on vinyl, and getting lost in a great book. Bitten by wanderlust, she's lived all over the country but currently resides in the City of Angels with her husband and twin daughters.
