Charged: A Saints of Denver Novel

There is a reason why Jay Crownover is one of my all time, always go to, favorite authors. The woman can write a book that leaves me with a book hangover for days. Her unique cast of characters, their imperfect lives, and life changing experiences always pack an emotional punch. In the latest release in The Saints of Denver series, Jay Crownover proved what a phenomenal writer she really is. She took two very unlikable characters from her previous books and changed the readers perspective about these two people. She showcased their vulnerabilities, their tribulations, and insecurities but at the same time shined a light on their positive attributes that readers have not had a chance to see. She also put two unlikely people together and made the impossible work. She built a touching relationship between two lost people. It was a very touching story of love and acceptance. Redemption was possible because they believed in each other as well as themselves. Avett Walker has been nothing but trouble. She has stolen from the bar, stolen from her father, and has betrayed the trust of everyone she comes in contact with, including her junkie boyfriend. Her last bout of trouble was a reality check that made her aware of all the anguish and grief she has caused the ones she loved. She is facing real jail time and a very dismal future. Her only hope is her hotshot criminal lawyer, Quaid Jackson, to work his magic in the courtroom. It's going to take her father's retirement money and a…

4.5 stars for Charged! "Some of us are born into the storm and some of us are born to chase it." To me, this quote sums up the whole book, characters and all. In Charged, you have Avett, Brite's daughter (the previous owner of Rome's bar that helped me get on his feet) and Quaid, the lawyer we met in Asa's book as well as in Zeb's book, Built. Both are minor characters from the Marked Men series so I wasn't really expecting them to get a book...and definitely not together, yet such is the genius of Jay Crownover. I love the idea of the pink haired bad (mostly understood) girl and the sophisticated buttoned up attorney. As the quote says, some are born apart of the storm and some chase it. In my mind, Avett is definitely the storm and Quaid, the storm chaser. By the way, don't you love Jay Crownover's character's names? From the beginning of her writing career with Rule, all of her character's names are awesome. Ok, so back to Charged. Avett is once again part of some messed up dealings, but in this case, it's more of an issue of her not stepping up to the lowlife boyfriend she was with than the fact that she was complicit in his crimes. That coupled with the fact of her wanting to take full responsibility for her actions lets me know there is way more to this girl than is shown on the surface. Quaid is immediately entranced with her and because it seems like he is a sophisticated, well-educated and untouchable, it seemed like just a case of opposites attracting. I have…

4.5 Star review I loved this book more than I expected I would. The first book I ever read by Jay Crownover was Zeb's story, "Built," and, while I liked this book, it was really the writing style of the author that tempted me to pick up the second book in this spin-off series. It was certainly a good decision! The story is told in a circular plot structure by opening with the saying of Avett's father, "Don't worry, Sprite, bad decisions always make for good stories," and this story certainly begins with Avett make a life-changing bad decision. This, of course, leads to her involvement with Quaid, her legal-eagle, and begins their journey together. The ending to story is tied back to the opening chapter when Avett says, "Every mistake was a piece of me, a part of my story, without each of them there was no way I would be starting my own happy-ever-after..." Throughout this whole book, the idea of making bad decisions leads to good stories was prevalent, and it drove home the idea that mistakes and bad decisions are part of who we are and forms the story of our lives, which we shouldn't be ashamed of. Another aspect of the book that I enjoyed was the complex characters; each of them had multiple layers to who they are. Avett, on the surface, seems like a complete wreck, a person who consistently makes bad choice after bad choice. However, underneath, she is hurting over a choice to do nothing that cost one of her friends from the past dearly. Her behavior, while it seems…

"I know better. I really did, even if there was a boatload of evidence contradicting that fact." I'm going to start this review by saying to the author that I'm sorry. As a long time Jay Crownover fan, I should have known better. This is the hard part, the admission that I went into this book reluctantly. I'll even go as far as to admit that I was not at all a fan of the heroine. In fact, I'll go a bit further and say that not only was I not a fan of her, but I wasn't sure I wanted her with Quaid, and, since I'm being honest and laying it all out, I'll go the final step and admit that I wasn't sure I even wanted to read her story. See? I was an idiot. "I knew... how addictive it was to get swept up in the storm that is Hurricane Avett." But, this is Jay Crownover, so of course I went in, and for the first quarter of the book, I wasn't happy. Nope, I wasn't digging it, I still didn't like her and I wasn't sure I could see her and Quinn together. But then the magic of Crownover's words took root, and I cooled my jets enough to absorb them. It was at that point that I became lost in the story, so completely wrapped up in the heroine's story and the almost unbelievable yet perfectly matched pairing of Quaid and Avett. And if that right there isn't a testament to the talent that is Jay Crownover, well then folks, I don't know what is. "Some of us are born into the storm, and some of us are born to chase after it..." This book totally really took me by surprise. As I said, my…

I must first off say I Love Jay and have read every one of her amazing books. Never been disappointed either, that is until now. And it's not that Charged wasn't readable or engaging. It was just a bit unbelievable and I can't believe I am saying this, but there was just too much sex in it. Quaid and Avett are polar opposites... she the pink haired problem child caught up in legal troubles because of her thuggy druggy boyfriend, he the hot shot lawyer hired to represent her case (by a family friend). Going into this book, you of course know they're going to get together. And as usual, Jay does a great job explaining their less than ideal back stories and youthful struggles ... his leaving a less than perfect past behind him and basically reinventing himself, her feeling responsible for the tragic loss of a friend, etc. which of course helps you understand why Quaid can't help but be drawn to her, but also why Avett questions how he ever could be. The supporting characters are strong. The storyline holds your interest well enough, but where I struggled to keep going was when he whisked her off to his deep in the woods childhood mountain home and not long after she decides to throw caution to the wind (seemingly for the hell of it) and jumps from a cliff into frigid waters. What ensues I hate to say was borderline ridiculous, though I marched on determined to finish it. I got to the last two pages, virtually skimming through much of the ending that was basically them having…