The Cornerstone

Kate Canterbary — 2015

A tough-as-nails businesswoman. An arrogant Navy SEAL. A power struggle with no end in sight. Some people hook-up at weddings. Others break a hotel room bed (and a table, and a desk, and some complimentary bathrobe belts) and discover they've been surviving on bargain basement orgasms their entire lives. The last one? Yeah. That's all me. She's driven and demanding... I wasn't always a bitch. There's a dirty little trick to succeeding in business: the sweet and innocent rarely survive. I fought my way up from nothing, and I don't bend for anyone. Until Will Halsted ties me to a headboard and makes me his...for now. One wild, filthy night turns into another, and then...we can't stop. Each time we're together is more addictive than the last, but it's nothing more than a sexy escape from reality. Or is it? He's never walked away from a challenge... I wasn't always a warrior but now it's in my bones and blood. That's what years spent in the Special Forces does to a man. My entire life is classified: where I've been, what I've seen, what I've done, and there's no mission too dangerous. Until I realize that falling for Shannon Walsh is like trying to swim against a riptide. She's going to tear me up and toss me to the shore, and I'll love every minute of it. Every time I'm down range, I want her counting the hours until I'm back. Waiting for me. She's done it before; she'll do it again. Or will she? They're wrong for each other in every possible way... Or are they?

Reviews

b.andherbooks@bandherbooks

Oct 9, 2021

Holy wow this book. My lord, my heart, and my loins. Content warnings behind spoiler (view spoiler)[Shannon's horrid father repeatedly raped her throughout her childhood/teen years (only alluded to, never discussed in detail). Will picks Shannon's apartment door lock and is in her apartment without her permission once. Shannon's brother attempts suicide by binge drinking while also diabetic. Shannon has sex with a different man (not on page, described as meh) while she and Will are kind of broken up. He handles in the most mature way I've ever read in any romance novel - no chest beating her besides "get rid of him" (hide spoiler)] Shannon Walsh, known to me as the kickass now take names later go-getter who takes care of her family while running the family architecture business with an iron fist is my forever favorite. Type-A and brilliant and bowled over in the best way by Will Halsted, Navy SEAL, heart of gold, and book boyfriend of my dreams. And when I say Shannon is bowled over, she is bowled over in the most Shannon of ways in that it takes her years to realize it, and Will is with her the whole way. Despite being an extreme alpha, Will is also the most patient and gentle (but not in bed) with the woman who was horribly hurt as a child, the woman who he knows is IT for him, despite having to work as hard as he's ever worked for anything. Canterbary knows how to build the best emotional tension, and chooses to give you the hot sex immediately than make you want MORE of it so bad, especially as Shannon and Will spend a significant amount of time apart due to his covert missions. I adored that there was never a huge "break" moment in this romance, but a gradual ebb and flow of issues most couples facing the secrets and distance these two had would also experience. This is competence porn at its finest as Shannon is a pro at her job, maybe too much so, and Will never questions her career, her choices, or whether he would be willing to sacrifice for her. This series is rapidly becoming one of my favorite family romances, and I love how each book builds upon the next. I skipped Sam's book because I am not super in the mood for how angsty his romance with Tiel seems. I can't wait to read Erin's book as she's obviously with Dr. Nick and I must know what that is about. I am also not quite sure what exactly went down between Erin and Shannon and why they still haven't spoken in nine years, but I'm hoping we'll soon find out!