J. Lynn

Stay with Me

"At 21, Calla hasn't done a lot of things. She's never been kissed, never seen the ocean, never gone to an amusement park. But growing up, she witnessed some things no child ever should.  She still carries the physical and emotional scars of living with a strung-out mother, Mona--secrets she keeps from everyone, including her close circle of college friends. But the safe cocoon Calla has carefully built is shattered when she discovers her mom has stolen her college money and run up a huge credit card debt in her name. Now, Calla has to go back to the small town she thought shed left behind and clean up her mom's mess again. Of course, when she arrives at her mother's bar, Mona is nowhere to be found. Instead, six feet of hotness named Jackson James is pouring drinks and keeping the place humming. Sexy and intense, Jax is in Calla's business from they moment they meet, giving her a job and helping her search for Mona. And the way he looks at her makes it clear he wants to get horizontal. and maybe something more. Before Calla can let him get close, though, she's got to deal with the pain of the past--and some very bad guys out to mess her up if she doesn't give them her mom"--

Stay with me

Lover of Romance 

This review was originally posted on Addicted To Romance
  

 
  
    Summary 
  
 
Calla has never really had the chance to live a life she has wanted to, but she has a "bucket list" of items she desperately desires to do. Calla has been working hard to forget her life previously to coming to college and the painful memories it brings. She is focusing on her nursing education and spending time with her friends. Friends that she tells no real truths about herself with. But when her past comes back to bite her in the behind, she is forced to return home and face up to real facts. Her mother is on the run, messed up with some dangerous people, took everything Calla had financially, and now Calla is in debt and has little money. She ends up returning to the bar her mother, Mona owns a place she tried long and hard to forget. Then she meets the man who runs it, Jax. Jax is sex on a stick....sexy, drop dead gorgeous and built with lean muscle and with the most gorgeous lips and brows that Calla can't get enough of. He knows how desperate her situation is, and he knows her more than he lets on. But when Calla's life is threatened because of the bad people Mona is messed up with, Calla has no choice but to lean on the one man who can protect her. Will Calla find a love she never dreamed of finding and getting a happy ever after she deserves or will her past ruin any chance of a future with Jax?
 
  
    The Hero 
  
 
Jaxon James is a man who has seen some horrors in his life. He grew up in a mining town and enlisted in the military, never wanting a part of that small town life. Jaxon discovered true horrors once he enlisted into the marines and went on tours. He saw horrific things happens and lost close friends and managed to save the life of his closest buddy Reece. But Jaxon is still haunted at times by his time in the military. Now he works a bar, has rebuilt it from the druggy's that worked there into a reputable business. But Jaxon is holding back from Calla, a woman he wants more than life itself. He knows that this is not the place for her, its not safe. He understands the dealing that Mona has had for years, but Jaxon is determined to keep the woman he loves safe at all cost. Now Jaxon was a hero you would want to marry----swoon worthy, but honorable, kind and so nice. He can be a bit alpha at times, but I felt like it was not overkill and really balanced him out. In the past he has been a bit of a man whore at times, but when you understand why, it becomes understandable in the end and I admired his strength and protective instincts and loved the way he was with Calla.

  
    “I gotta tell you that I love you, Calla,” he said, and I was surprised the heart monitor didn’t catch the fact it felt like my heart had stopped for a moment. “No bullshit. I do. I love the way you think, even if it’s annoying as fuck at times and even then it’s still cute. I love that there’s a shit ton of things you’ve never gotten to experience and that you’re going to get to experience them with me. That I have that honor. I love your strength and everything you’ve survived. I love your courage and I love that you make shit drinks, but no one cares, because you’re so damn nice.
  

 
  
    The Heroine 
  
 
Calla is twenty one years old, and in her mind hasn't really lived much of a life. Never been kissed, never had alcohol, never eaten apple pie, or gone on a roller coaster.

  
    “I've never had apple pie," I blurted out.
  
  

  
    …
  
  

  
    "You've never had apple pie?"
  
  

  
    "No."
  
  

  
    His brows rose. "Why?"
  
  

  
    "I don't know. Just never tried it."
  
  

  
    "That's so…so un-American," he said, and I rolled my eyes. "Are you a terrorist?” 
  

Her life hasn't been one where she could do those things. She has spent her whole life fixing up her mothers messes. When Calla was just a girl, her two brothers were killed in a fire and she was scarred, scars she tries desperately to cover up with the best line of makeup available. Calla's life changed after the fire. Her father deserted the family, because he couldn't deal. Her mother became a druggie and alcoholic. But when she came to college, she thought her life would change for the better and she had a plan for the future. But when that future is ruined she has no choice but to return home and try to fix her mother's problems. Calla is a heroine I instantly connected with. She has gone through a horrible childhood and teen years. I admired her inner strength and courage she has. She is very resilient, we also see some character growth in her where she truly realizes the importance of Living life instead of just existing.
 
  
    Plot and Story Line 
  
 
Stay With Me is the third installment in the series but the first book I have picked up from this author. When I saw the audiobook avaiable through my library....I snatched it up instantly. I was hoping that it wouldn't be too much to pick up a book in the middle of the series and one thing I liked was even though I found myself intrigued by the two previous couples, I didn't feel like I had to read the previous books to read this one, it was pretty easy to catch on. Now Stay With Me was a book I was instantly drawn into. I was intrigued by the blurb, and just wanted to know more of this pair. Both Calla and Jax make such a great couple, but I just love it when an author introduces trauma into a character. It seems to add more depth to a story and boy did J.Lynn AKA Jennifer L. Armentrout really create a beautiful and heart wrenching romance story that had me listening to this audiobook as much as possible.

  
    “Each time I saw you, I felt like . . . I felt like I knew you a little bit better. I never talked to you but seeing you always smiling or laughing . . . or being peaceful . . .” He shook his head, and my heart spasmed. “There’s something about that . . . it drew me in, Calla. Fuck. I fell for you before you even knew my name.” 
  

In fact I stayed up late yesterday finishing it up, because I couldn't take my ear buds out. The story just got better with each chapter and this pair is so perfect for each other. They both learn certain lessons that are needed for a healthy relationship. Neither of them have had a full on serious romantic relationship, so they both make mistakes but they also learn how to be better partners for each other along the way as they stumble and fall but they get right back up and keep working at it. This aspect is what I loved most, neither Jax or Calla gave up on the love they discovered for each other. They keep fighting for it even if they make stupid mistakes. But we also get a "dangerous" aspect added to the story line that really added to the story and didn't detract from it. I love a good mystery and suspense and boy did I enjoy this portion of the story so much!!! The humor was fantastic and I had so many bursts of laughter from the dry humor that was put in the story that really lightened up some more serious tones of it. This was quite a remarkable romance to read and I can't wait to pick up the rest of the series!!
 
  
    The Cover 
  
 
WOW!! I really love this cover, because that pose....man I LOVE it!! Its so *sigh* fantastic and it makes you give a double take when you look at it. Very compelling.
 
  
    Overall View 
  
 
Stay With Me is a compelling and heart wrenching romance that will leave you spellbound from the first pages. A love story that shows the strength of love, and showing its readers that the right love is worth fighting for.  A PROFOUND ROMANCE!!


  


[foogallery id="21418"]

Annabella

Noelia Abreu

I would give this one 3.5 stars, Stay with me was better than Be with me, at least for me, but it didn't reach the level of greatness that was Wait for you. It started really well and I was really enjoying it (I even got teary eyed in some moments) but then I started to get bored and I found it a bit repetitive. I loved seeing Cam and Avery again, but what I really really loved was seeing Brit and Ollie and hearing how their relationship was going.

Camila 

Un poco melodramática pero siempre es una entretención leer a Jennifer L Armentrout.

Estefany 

Le doy un 4.5
Considero que hay más acción y drama que los anteriores, por lo que me gustó un pelin más.

Find this review and more at 
  kimberlyfaye reads
.

If I'm being perfectly honest, I'm not convinced Jen can write a bad book. Ever. She's one of my favorite authors and I've loved every single book she's written, in one way or another. Her characters are wonderful and I can't help but fall in love with them. Whether she's writing as J. Lynn or JLA, young adult or new adult, contemporary or paranormal, I can almost guarantee I'm going to fall in love. I had high expectations for Stay With Me and she exceeded every one of them. 

Stay With Me is Calla's story. Calla hasn't had an easy life. Her mom is an addict. She was the victim of a fire that left her with a lot of scars and a lack of self-esteem. She's got great friends (most of whom we've met earlier in this series) and is enjoying college. Her life is turned upside down when she learns her mom has wiped her accounts clean and she no longer has the money to continue on in school. Hell bent on getting her life back on track, she heads home to confront her mom and get her money back. It's there she meets Jax, a bartender at her mom's bar, and this heroine starts to star in her own story, instead of continuing on in a supporting role in the story of others. 

I loved the dynamic between Calla and Jax from the beginning. It was obvious he saw her as more than the girl with the scars. He was worried about her getting mixed up in all the things her mom was into. She, of course, wasn't interested in his concern. She was a girl on a mission. But, as more and more of her mom's secrets, associations and debts came to light, things got real REAL quick and Jax helped Calla deal with all of it. He was a great source of support for her, and more importantly, he helped her see the woman underneath the scars. With Jax's help and attention, she realized she was worthy of the affection she'd been craving while watching her friends and their relationships. 

Jax just might be my new favorite of the guys in J. Lynn's Wait for You series. A former Marine, he was smoking hot, super protective of those he cared about, smart and sexy as sin. He was a bit naughty and completely drool-worthy. He's a perfect addition to the "hot guy brigade." 

Jen has done it again. The romance was wonderful. The sexy times were hot. There was a healthy dose of drama and some moments that had me on the edge of my seat. As I expected, there were plenty of feels, too. I loved the glimpse we got into the lives of Cam and Avery and Jase and Teresa. I love these couples so much. It was great to catch up with them and watch as their happily ever afters continue. This is new adult at its very best and if you're not reading this series, you're definitely missing out.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher, via Edelweiss, in exchange for an honest review.

Lacey

Originally posted at Booklovers For Life

JLA is one of those authors that you can trust–when I pick up a JLA book, I know that I won’t be disappointed, and her latest release, Stay with Me, is no exception. I am sooo in love with this series. Each book in the Wait for You series manages to be a captivating, sexy, fun read, and I highly enjoyed Calla and Jax’s story.

We first met Calla as Teresa’s college friend in Be with Me. We didn’t really know much about her, except for the scar she has running down her face, but it turns out there’s a LOT to this girl. First, she’s incredibly self-conscious about her scars–the one on her face and the ones on her body–so much so that she hasn’t really… well, done anything. She’s never been kissed, let alone had sex, never gotten drunk, never done anything fun during her 21 years. Her main focus has been getting through nursing school. Second, Calla has many secrets, secrets that shame her enough that she hides her past from her friends.

So when her drug addict of a mother steals all of Calla’s money that she needs to pay for school, Calla can’t keep hiding her secrets and ignoring/running away from her past anymore. The summer after her school year is over, Calla reluctantly packs up and moves back to her hometown, a place she never wanted to return to, to try to track down her mother to get her money back. But she never expected to get involved in dangerous schemes, and she definitely never expected Jax.

“… When I want something, I go for it. Life is way too damn short to live any other way. And I want to get to know you better.” Those lashes lowered one more time, his gaze tracking to my lips like they were some kind of mecca. “Yeah, I definitely want to get to know you better.”

Jax is the ex-marine bartender who works at the bar owned by Calla’s mother, and he is smokin’. He’s sexy, honest, blunt, and a very straightforward guy. And while I really, really liked Jax (and his naughty, naughty ways) I didn’t LOVE him like I wanted to. It took a while for me to warm up to him. Jax just seemed a bit too shallow at first, so I was reserved when he was first introduced, but over time, I gradually became fonder of him. He’s hot, but what I liked most about Jax was how sweet he is to Calla. He shows her just how beautiful she truly is, despite, and even because of, her scars.

“You like me.”
His lips twitched. “Not a new flash, honey. I like you, knowing that the scars are a part of you.”
“But how?” It wasn’t the first time I asked him this.
“I’ve already told you how.” Both hands were back on my waist again, and my breath caught. “I think it’s past time for me to just show you.”

I couldn’t really connect with Calla in the beginning, although like with Jax, I ended up enjoying her character as the book went on. I understood how her scars made her feel self-conscious and my heart went out to her, but I wanted her to stand up for herself more, to believe in herself more. But as Calla spends more time back in her hometown, working alongside Jax at the bar to make some money, she does gain more strength within herself. I really liked reading about her character growth–she learns not to hide her scars or hide away from those who care for her.

Calla and Jax together equals hotness!! I will say that Jax is definitely one of the hotter JLA boys, even though he’s not my favorite of her male characters. Jax gets to be Calla’s first for a lot of things, and I adored the two of them together. They do have bumps along the way, so it’s not an easy relationship between them. I liked that they had bumps, even though I wanted to strangle the two of them sometimes, because they two of them made a really great couple.

There’s also some action and suspense in Stay with Me, which I wasn’t expecting, or at least expecting that much of. Because of Calla’s drug addict mother, Calla and Jax are thrust into some dangerous stuff–some of which include threats, guns, drugs, drug dealers, the whole shebang. Some of the it was intense, some of it was predictable, but overall, I really enjoyed this suspenseful aspect of the book.

Stay with Me was another great addition to the Wait for You series. It definitely has a different feel than the other books, but it worked well with the story and characters. Calla and Jax’s story was so much fun to read–it’s not my favorite of the series, but I still really enjoyed it! It’s a fairly long book, but in between the hot chemistry between Jax and Calla, and the action and suspense, the pages flew by for me. Fans of the series won’t be disappointed with this next installment.

Quotes are taken from the ARC and are subject to change in the final version.

Thanks to the publisher for generously providing me an ARC to review.

Amazon Ebook: http://amzn.to/1Bz1juK
Amazon Paperback: http://amzn.to/1vol85Q

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