Out of Love by Jewel E. Ann Series: Jack & Jill #5
Published by Self-Published on September 27, 2020
Pages: 279
Format: ARC
Genres: New Adult, Romance
Amazon
Conspiracies. Corruption. Serial killers.
You name it—I'm fascinated by it. My mom always blamed my overly curious and highly suspicious mind on my dad.
My incredibly overbearing dad.
Mr. No One Is Good Enough For My Daughter has been terrifying my dates since I turned fifteen.
College is my chance to be free from his control and date any guy I want.
I'm absolutely certain he would hate Slade Wylder—almost as certain as I am that I do too.
Since when have I shied away from trouble?
Slade fascinates me. He lives in a house I'm certain is haunted. His dog is trained as well as any guard I've ever seen. Rumor on campus is that he deals drugs. It would explain a lot.
But it doesn't explain why he saves me from my darkest moment.
It doesn't explain why I can't stop thinking about him.
And the explanation I finally discover is far more dangerous than any rumor.
Jewel E. Ann’s Jack & Jill trilogy remains one of my all-time favorites. It’s unique, suspenseful, funny, tragic, and romantic. While I hated saying goodbye to the characters I’d grown to adore, the ending was so satisfying that I didn’t dare ask for more. When I found out Jewel was writing Out of Love as a spinoff, my first thought was, “Don’t f*ck it up!” And she didn’t.
Out of Love, like most books by Jewel E. Ann, is predictable only in its ability to wring every last ounce of emotion from me. The author gravitates towards messy characters. Their decisions can be controversial and unpopular, which makes them infinitely more interesting. The same is true here. You’ve got to embrace the mess if you’re going to enjoy the ride.
Livy Knight is the free-spirited daughter of Jackson and Ryn Knight. Jackson is the ultimate overprotective dad that you do not want to cross. While enjoying her senior year of college freedom, she encounters Slade Wylder, a mysterious bad boy who instantly intrigues her. Despite Slade’s air of intimidation and his attempts to ignore her, it doesn’t take long for her to get underneath his skin. This is a love story with a slow and dangerous burn.
It’s true that you can enjoy this as a standalone, but it does contain some spoilers from the series. Personally, I think the story was more fulfilling because I already had a deep connection to some of the characters and their history. Even if you choose to read this book first, I highly recommend that you go back and read the original series.
For those who have read the series, you’ll find that there are echoes from the past. Livy is the best possible combination of Jackson, her aunt Jessica, and her mother Ryn. Livy’s response to Slade is very similar to the way her mother was drawn to her father. Even Slade’s German Shepherd, Jericho, reminded me of Ryn’s faithful guard dog. Of course, I expected Jackson to appear in the story, but I was beyond thrilled that Jessica is featured so prominently as well. Aunt Jessica is still a badass with a heart of gold. I only wish we had more insight into Jessica’s current life.
There are parts of the book that had me laughing and others that were dead sexy. Moments when I was furious and times when I was heartbroken. I’ve got several bones to pick with Jewel over the ending. Just when I thought the story was almost wrapped up, I found myself thrown into a tailspin of emotions for nine more chapters! I must have gone through all the stages of grief — except acceptance. I’m still working on that one.
Recommended for fans of:
Enemies to lovers
Bad boys
Protective fathers
German Shepherds
Mint tea
** I received an early copy of this book to voluntarily read. **
Excerpt from Out of Love
Until …
My boy Jerry stopped abruptly and turned like he caught whiff of my scent. All the warm fuzzies filled my chest. A dog gave me more feels than any man had given me in a long time. Maybe ever.
Jericho liked me. Hell, maybe he loved me.
He protected me.
He smiled when he saw me—tongue out, tail in a low wag. I continued my way up the sidewalk, feigning surprise when he trotted toward me in spite of Slade barking his own command.
“Hey, Jerry.” I squatted down to give him double the love Miss Sophisticated gave him … and I had a treat in my pocket because part of me anticipated—hoped for—a chance encounter. “Oh, buddy … I love you too.” I closed my eyes and turned my face side to side while he showered me with kisses.
Slade cleared his throat.
I opened my eyes—noticing his friend must have gone inside. “Sorry.” I stood, sliding a treat into Jericho’s mouth along the way. “I know it’s hard for you to know he likes me more.” On a shrug, I bit my lips together to keep my shit-eating grin under control.
“Inside,” he said to Jericho while looking at me.
Jericho turned and headed to the back door.
“If you have a job to do … Jerry can hang with me tonight. I’m alone this evening.”
“Jericho. And he doesn’t need a babysitter.”
“Maybe I do.”
His brow tensed a fraction, contemplation settling into a slight frown for a few seconds, before he whistled and Jericho came running. “Send him home when your friends get back.”
Why was the only word that sat on the tip of my idle tongue? Why protect me?
“What are you going to do?” Okay, apparently “why” wasn’t the only word on the tip of my tongue after all. Six other words were in line first.
“Does it matter?”
Letting my gaze settle over his shoulder to the firehouse and images of Miss Sophisticated waiting for him, I lifted a single shoulder. “No. Just curious. Is she your girlfriend?”
“Does it matter?”
“I hate you.” I rolled my eyes. “Worst communication skills ever.”
“Good. Hate me. I prefer it.”
I recoiled. I didn’t really hate anyone. It wasn’t my personality to be hateful, vengeful, or hold grudges. Why did Slade Wylder want me to hate him? It was a joke. I hated his lack of sharing information.
“If you’re selling her some shit that will ruin her life, may I suggest you rethink that? Not cool, Wylder.”
“Noted.”
Tipping my chin up, I gave him several tiny nods. “Okay then. I’ll take Jerry to my house and spoil him. Maybe he comes back to you … maybe he doesn’t.”
Slade let his gaze slide down my body, a slow and easy trip. He didn’t do that when we met. Somewhere along the way, he decided it was okay. I wasn’t sure what reaction he desired from me.
Maybe nothing.
Maybe he did it out of pure selfish desire.
“I’m only allowing this because I love Jerry.”
Curious eyes met mine, slightly squinted.
I smirked. “Stripping me with those eyes of yours.”
Moments …
I collected moments in my mind, my heart, my soul, like Aubrey collected rare coins—my mom dying, my dad spending a few years thoroughly drunk. Mostly bad moments—permanent scars.
That moment I tucked into my memory forever as one of the first truly great moments.
Wylder …
The corners of his mouth quirked into pure sin. If Satan was hot as fuck, his name would have been Slade Wylder, and I would have been in a whole helluva lot of trouble.
About Jewel E. Ann
Jewel is a Wall Street Journal & USA Today best selling author with a quirky sense of humor. When she’s not saving the planet one tree at a time, you can find her role modeling questionable behavior to her three boys, binge-watching Netflix with her husband, and writing mind-bending romance.
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It sounds like I really need to read that first series because this one sounds good. I have read some of hers but not those. Great review!