Lisa Desrochers

The first in an edgy new contemporary romance series that follows a family on the run, from the author of the USA Today bestselling A Little Too Far series... As the oldest son of a Chicago crime lord, Robert Delgado always knew how dangerous life could be. With his mother dead and his father in prison, he’s taking charge of his family’s safety—putting himself and his siblings in witness protection to hide out in a backwater Florida town. Fourth grade teacher Adri Wilson is worried about the new boy in her class. Sherm is quiet and evasive, especially when he’s around his even cagier older brother. Adri can’t help her attraction to Rob, or the urge to help them both in whatever way she can. But the Delgados have enemies on two sides of the mob—their father’s former crew and the rival family he helped take down. It’s only a matter of time before someone finds them. And if Rob isn’t careful, Adri could end up in the crossfire... Includes an exclusive preview of the next On the Run novel, Over the Line.

Outside the Lines

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I was a big fan of Lisa's first new adult series – A Little Too Far – so I couldn't wait to see what she would give us next. I was excited to learn about the On the Run series and, after reading the first book, I have to say I'm definitely looking forward to continuing on with the remaining books in the series. 

If I'm honest, it did take me a bit of time to get into Outside the Lines. I think it was because there were so many characters thrown at me at once and I wasn't really sure what was going on. But, after a couple chapters, the book hit its stride and I was in for the long haul. I didn't love Robert right off the bat, but I respected the sacrifices he was willing to make for his family and how protecting them was at the top of his mind all the time. He was a bit brusque and closed off, but it made sense. I did warm up to him sooner or later though. Adri, however, I liked from the start. I loved how she worried for and looked after those she met. Of course, this would prove to be a problem with Rob's little brother in her class and her wanting to find out what was going on that had him so quiet and withdrawn. The Delgado, or Davidson, family have a lot to hide and the stakes are high. 

The romance was a bit of a slow burn, for obvious reasons, but there's no denying the amount of chemistry Adri and Rob had from the very start. I wasn't crazy about some of the things that happened as Rob was trying to fight his attraction to her, but I have high expectations of the characters in the books I read. While I was annoyed, I wasn't ever tempted to stop reading. Despite the danger that could potentially come from their pairing, I wanted to see them together. I needed Rob to reveal his secrets and realize Adri really was worth the risk. I wasn't disappointed. 

Despite a bit of a slow start, I thought Outside the Lines was an entertaining and sexy read with an edge of suspense. There's not a true cliffhanger, but I definitely need more of the story and can't wait to see what happens and find out more about Lee and Oliver's history in Over the Line. I'll be waiting with total grabby hands for its release. 

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

FAVORITE QUOTES:
“You, Adri Wilson, are going to be my downfall. There have to be a million reasons why I can’t let that happen, but right at this instant, I can’t think of a single goddamn one of them.”
I might have been going at the speed of light, but it’s only because every time he touches me my whole body lights up. It’s like he’s electricity and I’m the bulb.

Lisa ✩ @lifeinlit

I first fell in love with Lisa Desrochers’ A Little Too Far series. It was steamy, sexy, and a lot of fun. So when I saw she was coming out with a new series I jumped on it. Thinking of her steamy reads mixed with a mafia/crime family seemed like a perfect book for me!

Rob Delgado and his 4 siblings are forced to relocate and go into the Witness Protection Program after their father got into trouble and found himself in jail. They changed their name to Davidson and moved to Florida to hide out until it was safe to return home again. Rob, the eldest sibling and legal guardian to the youngest, Sherm, is anything about agreeable. He’s filled with anger and wants to kill the guys who are endangering his family. What he doesn’t expect is to have feelings for Sherm’s fourth grade teacher, Adri.

“She’s like the sun, bright and hot with her own gravitational field.”

The romance between Adri and Rob is the slow-burn type of romance that I love so much. The fact that they weren’t allowed to date and both fought their attraction as long as they could made their romance even hotter. I loved their off-the-charts chemistry and steaminess. Lisa knows how to write steamy books, that’s for sure!

“Love makes you vulnerable,” he said without looking back. “Never forget that.”

The Delgado siblings were such a unique group of characters. Sherm totally melted my heart. He was such a sweet boy, yet so troubled and completely terrified with things he witnessed at such a young age. I really enjoyed Lee too, the eldest sister who took on the mothering role for Sherm. The twins were probably my least favorite, though I’m definitely eager to learn more about them as well.

I really enjoyed this story overall. My only issue was the beginning did drag a bit. It also didn’t have the danger and suspense I was hoping for with a mafia family book. However, I think it was a perfect beginning to a series I’m really excited for. I’m ready for more of the Delgado siblings!

(Thanks to Lisa Desrochers for the review copy!)

Find this review and others like it at Lost in Literature!

Lacey

Originally posted at Booklovers For Life

3.5 STARS

I was a huge fan of Lisa Desrochers’ A Little Too Far series, so when I heard she was writing a new series, I couldn’t wait to read it! Outside the Lines is the first book in the On the Run series, and even though I didn’t fully love it, it’s an entertaining read with lots of potential for the series to get better. After the slow beginning, I found myself liking the book much better once the story picked up and I became invested in Rob and Adri’s romance. If you like your romances sweet but slow, with a little mafia thrown in, then Outside the Lines is for you.

Rob Delgado and his four younger siblings are on the run. With their father, a Chicago crime lord, locked up in prison, and enemies out to get them, Rob had to get his family away from Chicago. Under the Witness Protection program, they’ve moved to Port St. Mary, Florida and are now known as the Davidsons. It’s a small town for them to lie low in, at least until Rob can get back to Chicago and destroy his enemies. What he doesn’t expect is to fall for his youngest brother’s fourth grade teacher, Adri, who is sweet, pure, innocent… and has no idea who he really is.

“You are so fucking beautiful in every way, and all I can do is ruin you,” he finally says, his voice a raw wound. “I will ruin you, Adri, and then I’ll leave. You deserve so much better than that.”

Adri Wilson is concerned about her new student and grows to care for him… and his older brother. She finds herself captivated by the enigma that is Rob Davidson. But when things don’t add up about their family, Adri is determined to find out what the Davidsons are hiding. Along the way, she finds herself falling for Rob, even when he pushes her away. There’s a bit of back and forth between them, but the chemistry between them is hot, so even though it took a while for their relationship to move forward, I was invested in their romance.

“I don’t deserve your love, but I’m going to do everything in my power to earn it every single day for the rest of my life.”

I liked this book. It’s well-written, the characters were interesting and likable… but the beginning dragged. It took a while to become fully immersed in the story, so that took a little away from my enjoyment. But by the halfway mark I was more than invested in the story and the heart-warming romance. This book is a promising start to the On the Run series, and I’m definitely looking forward to the rest of the Delgado siblings’ stories.

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

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

Amazon Ebook: http://amzn.to/1JzP8fq

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Outside the Lines

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