What is "Playing Catch Up" you ask? I'll tell you about it here!
Genre: Adult (Contemporary Romance)
Date Published: May 16, 2011
Publisher: Simon Pulse
Sadie White's summer job isn't going to be on the beach life-guarding or working at rental booths like most kids her age. With her single mother's increasing pregnancy and refusal to work, Sadie has to take over her mother's job as a domestic servant for one of the wealthy summer families on a nearby island.
When the family arrives at their summer getaway, Sadie is surprised to learn that the owner of the house is Jax Stone, one of the hottest teen rockers in the world. If Sadie hadn't spent her life raising her mother and taking care of the house she might have been normal enough to be excited about working for a rock star.
Even though Sadie isn't impressed by Jax's fame, he is drawn to her. Everything about Sadie fascinates Jax but he fights his attraction. Relationships never work in his world and as badly as he wants Sadie, he believes she deserves more. By the end of the summer, Jax discovers he can't breathe without Sadie.
Breathe is the first book in the Sea Breeze series by Abbi Glines. Like I said above, I've been wanting to read this series for a while, so I've finally started. I love stories like this that just sweep you away into another life. That's how I felt during this book. I didn't hear or see the outside world. It was just Jax and Sadie. I know! They fell for each other pretty fast, but hey! Sometimes, it happens. Their love certainly wasn't easy with his fame and her having the total opposite lifestyle. Plus, both characters were so easy to love. In fact, many of the characters were easy to love. I'm hoping Marcus, for one, gets his own story within this series. What a punkin' he is!
Sadie is someone all girls can relate to. If you're not like her in some way, you know someone who is. She's all American. I loved her. I loved, loved, loved this story!
While it Lasts (Sea Breeze #3) by Abbi Glines
Sadie is someone all girls can relate to. If you're not like her in some way, you know someone who is. She's all American. I loved her. I loved, loved, loved this story!
Once back in the kitchen, Marcus sat down his tray. “Okay, this is sticky. You’re supposed to take him his plate, and since his mother has left, I have no reason to return. I could go in your place, which would be the best idea, but I am afraid it will anger him. He has noticed you, which I knew would be pretty unavoidable, but I’d hoped since he is famous, he wouldn’t pay attention to another pretty face.” Marcus sighed and leaned his hip against the table and crossed his long legs. “I am leaving this up to you.”
“Me?”
“What do you want to do, Sadie? It isn’t about your job; it is about mine. If you don’t go back, I could lose mine for taking your spot. I think he has already picked up on my protecting you. If you go or not, your job is secure…for now.”
I sighed and reached for the tray holding the dessert. I wouldn’t jeopardize someone else’s job to help myself out. “I’ll do it.”
Without another word, I headed back down the hall all by myself.
Once I entered, steel blue eyes met mine and he smiled. “Ah, so he did let you come alone. I wondered if I would be seeing him instead.”
I didn’t want to smile at his comment but I did. I sat his dessert down in front of him and took my place.
“Do you speak?” he asked.
“Yes.” Marcus had spoken for me all night.
“We don’t normally have young female employees. How did you get through Mary?”
“I am mature for my age.”
He only nodded and took a bite of some sort of chocolate cake with more chocolate oozing out of the inside. After he chewed and swallowed, he looked back at me. I turned to stare out the window at the waves crashing against the shore.
“How old are you?”
“Seventeen.” I hoped my simple reply would end his interrogation.
“How did you know I lived here?”
His question caught me off guard and I met his gaze. “It is hard to miss the photos of you as I dust and mop.”
He frowned. “You applied for this job not knowing I lived here?”
I realized he assumed a fan squeezed through the cracks of his security and he wanted to know how I did it.
“My mother has been cleaning here for two months. However, her pregnancy has progressed and she sent me in her place. I proved my worth, and Ms. Mary kept me. My being here has nothing to do with you, sir, but has everything to do with the fact I want to eat and pay the rent.” I knew I sounded annoyed, but I was annoyed, and I couldn’t help it.
He nodded and stood up. “I am sorry. When I saw you, and you were young and well…attractive, I thought the only reason someone like you would be working here would be to get close to me. I deal with females quite a bit, and my assuming you were working here to get near me wasn’t fair. Please forgive me.”
I swallowed the lump in my throat. I felt this job slipping out of my hands, but I would not cry. “I understand,” I managed to get out.
A boyish smile tugged at his lips, and he nodded his head toward the door. “I guess I should have figured you were taken by the possessiveness of the other server tonight. I stared at you more than I should have, but I kept waiting for you to ask for my autograph or slip your number to me on a napkin.”
I raised my eyebrows in surprise.
He shrugged. “Those things are a way of life for me. I just expect it.”
I smiled back at him this time. He wasn’t as bad as I’d made him out to be.
He wasn’t about to fire me.
“I am here to do my job, sir, and nothing more.”
“Do me a favor and don’t call me ‘sir.’ I am just two years older than you.”
I took the plate, careful not to touch his hands, and stepped back. “Okay,” I replied, hoping I could leave.
“So, is he your boyfriend?”
He caught me off guard with his question, and I halted in my tracks.
“Who? Marcus?”
A crooked grin appeared on his face. He was hard not to stare at. “If Marcus is the guy who seemed quite determined to make sure you made no mistakes tonight, then yes.”
“No, he is…he is a friend.” It was strange saying those words. I’d never called anyone a friend in my life.
Jax smiled and leaned down to whisper close to my ear. “I hope someday soon you will consider me a friend as well. I don’t have very many of those.”
My face grew hot, and my skin tingled at his nearness. His warm breath on my skin made it hard to form words. I swallowed hard, trying to focus on his comment and not swooning at his feet like some crazy lunatic. “I only have one,” I blurted out like an idiot.
Jax frowned. “I find that hard to believe”
I shrugged. “I don’t have time for friends.”
Jax stepped forward, opened the door for me, and smiled. “Well, I hope we can find some time in your busy schedule because I happen to be in need of a friend myself…. Someone who doesn’t care who I am…. Someone who doesn’t laugh at my jokes when they’re not funny. If I’m not mistaken, you could care less about the fact I am on the cover of Rolling Stone magazine this month, and on the bedroom walls of every teenage girl in America.”
His comment seemed to ease my momentary lapse of common sense from his nearness, and I shook my head. “Not every teenage girl in America. You have never been on my walls. So, I guess you’re right, I don’t care.” I walked away, leaving him standing behind me.
“Me?”
“What do you want to do, Sadie? It isn’t about your job; it is about mine. If you don’t go back, I could lose mine for taking your spot. I think he has already picked up on my protecting you. If you go or not, your job is secure…for now.”
I sighed and reached for the tray holding the dessert. I wouldn’t jeopardize someone else’s job to help myself out. “I’ll do it.”
Without another word, I headed back down the hall all by myself.
Once I entered, steel blue eyes met mine and he smiled. “Ah, so he did let you come alone. I wondered if I would be seeing him instead.”
I didn’t want to smile at his comment but I did. I sat his dessert down in front of him and took my place.
“Do you speak?” he asked.
“Yes.” Marcus had spoken for me all night.
“We don’t normally have young female employees. How did you get through Mary?”
“I am mature for my age.”
He only nodded and took a bite of some sort of chocolate cake with more chocolate oozing out of the inside. After he chewed and swallowed, he looked back at me. I turned to stare out the window at the waves crashing against the shore.
“How old are you?”
“Seventeen.” I hoped my simple reply would end his interrogation.
“How did you know I lived here?”
His question caught me off guard and I met his gaze. “It is hard to miss the photos of you as I dust and mop.”
He frowned. “You applied for this job not knowing I lived here?”
I realized he assumed a fan squeezed through the cracks of his security and he wanted to know how I did it.
“My mother has been cleaning here for two months. However, her pregnancy has progressed and she sent me in her place. I proved my worth, and Ms. Mary kept me. My being here has nothing to do with you, sir, but has everything to do with the fact I want to eat and pay the rent.” I knew I sounded annoyed, but I was annoyed, and I couldn’t help it.
He nodded and stood up. “I am sorry. When I saw you, and you were young and well…attractive, I thought the only reason someone like you would be working here would be to get close to me. I deal with females quite a bit, and my assuming you were working here to get near me wasn’t fair. Please forgive me.”
I swallowed the lump in my throat. I felt this job slipping out of my hands, but I would not cry. “I understand,” I managed to get out.
A boyish smile tugged at his lips, and he nodded his head toward the door. “I guess I should have figured you were taken by the possessiveness of the other server tonight. I stared at you more than I should have, but I kept waiting for you to ask for my autograph or slip your number to me on a napkin.”
I raised my eyebrows in surprise.
He shrugged. “Those things are a way of life for me. I just expect it.”
I smiled back at him this time. He wasn’t as bad as I’d made him out to be.
He wasn’t about to fire me.
“I am here to do my job, sir, and nothing more.”
“Do me a favor and don’t call me ‘sir.’ I am just two years older than you.”
I took the plate, careful not to touch his hands, and stepped back. “Okay,” I replied, hoping I could leave.
“So, is he your boyfriend?”
He caught me off guard with his question, and I halted in my tracks.
“Who? Marcus?”
A crooked grin appeared on his face. He was hard not to stare at. “If Marcus is the guy who seemed quite determined to make sure you made no mistakes tonight, then yes.”
“No, he is…he is a friend.” It was strange saying those words. I’d never called anyone a friend in my life.
Jax smiled and leaned down to whisper close to my ear. “I hope someday soon you will consider me a friend as well. I don’t have very many of those.”
My face grew hot, and my skin tingled at his nearness. His warm breath on my skin made it hard to form words. I swallowed hard, trying to focus on his comment and not swooning at his feet like some crazy lunatic. “I only have one,” I blurted out like an idiot.
Jax frowned. “I find that hard to believe”
I shrugged. “I don’t have time for friends.”
Jax stepped forward, opened the door for me, and smiled. “Well, I hope we can find some time in your busy schedule because I happen to be in need of a friend myself…. Someone who doesn’t care who I am…. Someone who doesn’t laugh at my jokes when they’re not funny. If I’m not mistaken, you could care less about the fact I am on the cover of Rolling Stone magazine this month, and on the bedroom walls of every teenage girl in America.”
His comment seemed to ease my momentary lapse of common sense from his nearness, and I shook my head. “Not every teenage girl in America. You have never been on my walls. So, I guess you’re right, I don’t care.” I walked away, leaving him standing behind me.
Because of Low (Sea Breeze #2) by Abbi Glines
Genre: Adult (Contemporary Romance)
Date Published: February 7, 2012
Publisher: Simon Pulse
In my debut novel, Breathe, Sadie may have fallen in love with the teen rock star, Jax Stone, but readers fell head over heels for Marcus Hardy. This is his story…
Marcus Hardy had hoped to enjoy a year away at college while he put the summer he’d rather forget behind him. But instead, he’s jerked right back to the coastal town of Sea Breeze, Alabama due to a family crisis. His dear ol' dad found himself a girlfriend only a few years older than Marcus. So now his sister needs help dealing with their mother who is mentally falling apart. The only bright spot to returning is the fascinating red head who sleeps over several times a week. The problem is she's sleeping in bed with his new roommate, Cage York.
Willow “Low” Foster needs a place to live. Running to Cage’s apartment every time her sister kicks her out isn’t exactly a long term solution. Juggling her courses at the local community college and a part time job doesn’t produce excess income. But Cage has a new roommate and suddenly sleeping over at her best friend’s apartment isn’t such a bad thing. Not when she gets to see those sexy green eyes of Marcus Hardy’s twinkle when he smiles at her like he wants her there.
Even though Cage seems a little territorial where Low is concerned, Marcus finds time to spend with Low without upsetting his roommate. Cage may use his small college baseball star persona to sleep with every hot female in his path but he’s still under the disillusion that when he’s through sowing his wild oats, he’s going to marry Low. Marcus intends to change that assumption for both Cage and Low. Until his carefully laid plans come crashing down with a revelation he never expected. He’ll have to choose between Low or his family. Because once the truth comes out.... there’s no other choice.
Because of Low is the second book in the Sea Breeze Series by Abbi Glines, This was Marcus's story! Yay! I'm so glad, because he was my favorite in Breathe. Marcus fell hard for Sadie, so when Low walked into his life all teary eyed, I was surprised she monopolized his thoughts so fast. He's got some unresolved issued going on with his family life as well. I wasn't sure about Low at first. She has family issues of her own too. She's very much the damsel in distress who goes running to Cage every time she's upset. Cage is ready, willing, and able to be her savior. He cares about her a lot, but he has so much growing up to do it's crazy. I think as kids, they needed each other, but now this dependency is a touch unhealthy. She needs to learn to stand on her own two feet a little better. So, needless to say.. the situation is a mess. Like the last book, I got completely hooked on these characters. For me, they have the perfect romance/naughtiness ratio. It's just enough of the naughtiness to keep you in full anticipation mode. I can't read these books fast enough.
Genre: Adult (Contemporary Romance)
Date Published: April 25, 2012
Publisher: Simon Pulse
Cage brings his playboy prowess to the countryside as the Sea Breeze hookups continue, from self-published phenomenon Abbi Glines.
Low broke Cage’s heart by getting with Marcus in Because of Low. Cage went into a tailspin that ended in a DUI. In order to salvage his baseball scholarship—the one thing he truly valued besides Low—Cage must take a summer job. At a farm. Away from Sea Breeze. With lots of cows, but no hot girls. Maybe that’s what Cage needs to get back on track.
But wait—there’s that hostile daughter of the farm boss. She’s pretty and occasionally sweet, and there seems to be a lot of sadness and mystery behind her anger. Cage is dying to strip her down—physically and mentally—in the back of the barn. But is he prepared for what will happen afterward?
While it Lasts is the third book in the Sea Breeze series by Abbi Glines. This book had me in tears in the beginning. Holy cow! I almost couldn't handle it! In the end, this book had me in tears again. All kinds of feels going on here!
Carrying over from Because of Low, I was proud of how Cage handled his emotions for Low. He seems pretty well adjusted. I was expecting more of a fuss from him, but no, he acted like a grown up, which is a lot for Cage. He made up for it a time or two with how he handled his feeling for Eva though.
Eva is a mess, and rightly so. Cage, being Cage, is drawn to the distressed damsels which worried me when he was so attracted to Eva. I thought Cage might be stuck always being the protector. Like some hot and mighty dark prince. But, it seems Eva might need something more than a permanent savior of sorts.
Though Marcus is still my favorite of the guys so far, I think I enjoyed Cage's story the most at this point. And it looks like they might make his story into a movie. What?! I know! I can't wait either! I hope it happens.
If you like a little naughty with your nice, this is the series for you! I can't wait until next Sunday to share more reviews from this series!
Check out my reviews of the other books in the series!
Check out my reviews of the other books in the series!
You can connect with Abbi online in several different ways. She uses social media to procrastinate.
To learn more about Abbi Glines and her books, visit her website.You can also find her on Goodreads, Facebook, and Twitter.
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