Blog Tour Review: Getting Rowdy by Lori Foster

From the Back Cover:

Charismatic bar owner Rowdy Yates isn’t the kind of man women say no to. So when he approaches waitress Avery Mullins, he fully expects to get her number. However, the elusive beauty has her reasons for keeping her distance—including a past that might come back to haunt them both.

Avery spends her nights working for tips . . . and trying to forget the secret Rowdy is determined to unearth. But when history threatens to repeat itself, Avery grows to rely on Rowdy’s protective presence. As the sparks between them ignite, she will be forced to choose between the security she’s finally found . . . and the passion she’s always wanted . . .

My Thoughts:

First off, isn't this cover smokin' hot? I think this is my favorite of all Foster's covers. I mean, holy cow, who wouldn't want to read about him? And his name is Rowdy? And he owns a bar? You just know this is gonna be good! And it is. Turns out it's also one of my favorite stories of hers. I don't read many contemporaries, but I make an exception for Lori Foster. I've read the first four in her Men Who Walk the Edge of Honor series, which I very much enjoyed, but I haven't had a chance to catch up on this series, Love Under Cover. So I was a bit disappointed when the story opened and I realized Rowdy and Avery had been making eyes at each other for two books before I met them. But I got over it. Quickly. I literally could not put this book down from start to finish. Okay, there were a couple of times when I HAD to put it down, but I wasn't happy about it!

Rowdy Yates has had a tough life, but he's putting it behind him. After years of drifting, he's managed to save up enough money to turn a run-down dive into his dream bar and make the first real home for himself. Women have always been a pleasurable way to stave off his demons and keep the darkness at bay, but he's yet to meet a woman he wants outside of bed . . . until he hires bartender Avery Mullins. Sweet, honest, hardworking, doesn't-realize-she's-sexy-as-hell Avery turns Rowdy's world upside down when she declines his invitation for some fun between the sheets. Rowdy was already hot for the petite redhead, but now his curiosity is piqued even more. But the more he's determined to find out what's going on with her, the more she's determined to put up a wall between them. And Avery has her reasons. Rowdy is everything a woman could want in a man: handsome, strong, smart, compassionate, and fiercely protective of those he loves. Avery could get used to his attentions, but she knows Rowdy doesn't do relationships, and she can't bear to be just another woman he walks away from once he's gotten what he wants. Rowdy has become someone she can trust and depend on in a world of people who have let her down, and she's not about to give that up for a night of pleasure. She's careful and cautious--she has to be, she has her own demons she's trying to put behind her, only hers are the human kind, and she's always got one eye looking over her shoulder, waiting for the day when her past will catch up with her and she'll have to flee again.

When Rowdy is injured defending Avery in a bar fight, Avery takes on his recovery as her responsibility. As they spend more time alone together, they both find themselves in unfamiliar territory. Avery is touched by Rowdy's love and devotion to his sister and to a traumatized young boy he's taken under his wing. But if she gives in to her desire, will she be able to handle it when Rowdy walks away, as he inevitably will? And what will Rowdy do if he finds out where she came from and what she's running for? Rowdy has never let a woman into the private sanctuary of his apartment before, but now that Avery is there, he doesn't want her to leave. He's finally found a woman he can't walk away from. But can he convince Avery of that? And will Avery be able to handle the baggage he carries with him? It's a battle of wills as these two dance around each other, and since Avery refuses to be just another notch on his belt, the sexual tension is HOT and carries on and builds up until it reaches epic proportions! But just as everything is about to fall into place for the lovebirds, Avery's past comes calling with dangerous intent and deadly consequences.

So let me get out of the way the things that kept me from calling it perfect so I can tell you what I loved about it: The final twist gets big thumbs up for catching me completely by surprise, but that's tempered by the fact that I thought it was over-the-top and rather unbelievable. And the parts with the kid dragged on too long and overflowed with sappy goodness. Now here's what's awesome about it: Rowdy and Avery. Rowdy is the wounded bad boy, the protective big brother, the guy with a chip on his shoulder that he uses to take down bad guys. Watching him fall for a woman and reach for the happiness and security he was denied as a child was a real treat. Avery surprised me. Yeah, she's hiding, but she has a lot of strength and a strong sense of self. I loved that she made Rowdy work for it, and I loved that she was unafraid to lay it all on the line, and unafraid to stand up to Rowdy and call him out when necessary. Together, they make a great couple. Perfect complements for each other. And that penultimate scene between them--absolutely adorable. Great characters, a fun setting, excitement, danger, and true love . . . it's another sexy and oh-so-satisfying romance from Lori Foster!

My Rating:  4 Stars out of 5

GIVEAWAY!

Wanna win your own copy of Rowdy?

Simply leave a comment with your email address and you're entered!

This giveaway is open to residents of the US and Canada and ends at 11:59pm Thursday, November 7, 2013. Winner will be selected at random. Thanks, and good luck!

This giveaway is closed and the winner has been selected. Check my sidebar for more great giveaways!

Getting Rowdy is on a blog tour!

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