Still the One by Jill Shalvis – Review, Spotlight & Giveaway
Still the One
Animal Magnetism series – Book #6
by Jill Shalvis
Release Date: April 7, 2014
Amazon / Barnes & Noble / Kobo / The Book Depository / BAM / iBooks
Description:
Darcy Stone is game for anything — except sexy Navy veteran and physical therapist A.J. Colten, the guy who’d rejected her when she’d needed him most. Now the shoe is on the other foot and he needs her to play nice and help him secure grants for his patients. Unfortunately, Darcy can’t refuse. She needs the money to fund her passion project: rescuing S&R dogs and placing them with emotionally wounded soldiers.
A.J. admits it — Darcy is irresistible. But he’s already been battle-scarred by a strong-willed, vivacious, adventurous woman like Darcy, and he’s not making the same mistake twice—until he and Darcy are forced to fake a relationship. Growing closer than they’d ever imagined possible, Darcy and AJ have to ask themselves: how much between them is pretend? What’s the real thing? And where does it go from here?
Review:
Darcy Stone has always been a bit of a free spirit. She and her siblings were raised by a set of globetrotting diplomat parents who didn’t have much time for their children and that affected Darcy in ways that she’s still trying to come to terms with. After a horrible accident that left her gravely injured, she only had her brother and sister to fall back on, and she didn’t make it easy on any of them. Including herself.
Still the One begins with Darcy trying to raise money to rescue yet another S&R dog. Since her accident, she’s no longer able to travel the world for National Geographic, so she has a couple of part time jobs that don’t pay quite enough for her to rescue and place the dogs. One of her part time jobs is at A.J.’s physical therapy clinic, and he knows that she’s struggling with the way that her life is playing out. He’s the one who put her through the wringer in therapy in order for her to be able to walk again and he needs someone just like her, a physical therapy success story, to travel with him to meet a philanthropist who is interested in funding the pro-bono work that A.J. does. The problem? Darcy and A.J. tend to not get along too well, and she definitely has a problem holding her tongue. But, when A.J. tells Darcy that he needs her help, and sweetens the pot with the promise to pay her for her time in order for her to rescue more dogs, she accepts. After all, she needs the money. And the fact that she’s been mooning over A.J. has nothing to do with her decision. At all……… And, what do ya know? Seems A.J. has been pining away over Darcy as well.
Once they leave for their trip, neither is sure this was such a good idea. They meet with the philanthropist and his wife, and things go very well……very, very well…..up to a point. And, once they get back home, things really get rolling between the two of them, until a partial conversation is overheard and changes everything……………
I love this series. The back and forth between the main characters, as well as the secondary characters, is wonderfully written. I’ve been waiting on Darcy’s story, and I knew it would not disappoint. She had always been so independent, and then the accident forced her to depend on others. She has a huge heart, but had a very hard time giving it over to anyone. A.J. was perfect for her. He’s hot as hell, but also has a huge heart and moves heaven and earth to try and make a difference in people’s lives. Still the One is ultimately a story about letting down one’s defenses in order to see that letting those that love and care for you just might, in fact, be a good thing. Well done, Jill Shalvis! Very well done!
Reviewed by Vickie
Copy provided by Publisher
“Thanks,” she said, brushing up against his arm and shoulder as she stepped into the elevator.
His free hand came out to stabilize her, a purely instinctual move. He didn’t give a thought to the fact that she hated to be helped because he couldn’t give a thought to anything.
Holy. Shit. Hotness.
Her little black dress—emphasis on little—just about killed him.. The bodice was short, snug, and, at first glance, modest.
Second glance, not so much.
She bent over and fiddled with her heels, which had a strap around her ankle and screamed SEX. So did the way the hem of her dress rose up on her thighs, high enough that his eyes nearly popped right out of his head. “What are you doing?” he managed.
“Nothing.” Still bent at the waist, she shifted to her other heel, during which time he pressed his fingers into his eye sockets to keep his eyes in his head.
She was all leg and silken skin and crazy gorgeous hair, and he attempted to steel himself against her but he failed. He’d been wrong, oh so very wrong when he said he’d be able to handle her. He couldn’t, not in her yoga pants, not in a sexy little black dress, not at work, not in his truck, not in an elevator, not in anything anywhere—he couldn’t do it, Sam I Am.
She straightened and sent him a searching look. She’d piled all that long curly hair on top of her head but several silky strands had escaped, brushing her temples and shoulders, giving her a just-got-laid look. Her lips were siren red and he knew it made him a pig, but all he could think about was her mouth and how her lips would looked stretched around his—
“We’re on time still, right?” she asked.
He had to clear his throat to answer. “Yeah.” Jesus.
The door slid shut and silence filled the elevator while they stared at each other. To keep his hands to himself, he backed to the wall.
“So,” she said, looking like she was mentally cracking her knuckles. “What are the rules here? Kiss ass? Sit, shake, and roll over on command? Tell everyone how you saved my life? Obey your every order?”
Her sarcasm helped him roll his tongue back into his mouth. “I will ask you to kiss someone’s ass never,” he said. “Same for sit and shake and roll over. And you know damn well I didn’t save your life. But as for the obeying me? That. Lots of that would be great.”
”
Jill Shalvis is a New York Times and USA Today bestseller. She has written more than four dozen romance novels and lives in Nevada with her family.
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