Also in this series: Creed
Series: Unfinished Hero #1
Published by Kristen Ashley on April 7th 2012
Genres: Contemporary Romance, Erotica, BDSM
Pages: 285
Format: eBook
Source: Self Purchased
Anya Gage has learned that to get anything good in life, you have to work for it. She has no expectations, no dreams.
Then she finds herself at a party where she doesn’t want to be and she meets Knight.
Knight Sebring knows who he is, what he wants and what he likes. And he gets it. But he never expected something as sweet as Anya Gage to wander into his bedroom during a party he did not expect to be having to borrow his phone.
Knight tries to leave Anya to the life she deserves of white picket fences and a man who watches football on Sundays – good, normal and clean. But when Anya comes to his nightclub and finds herself in a situation, he knows someone has to look after her, he can’t fight it anymore and he decides that man will be him.
Knight teaches Anya that, just as with the bad, in life you should also expect the good. And he teaches her this by giving it to her.
But Knight has a dark past and just as he desires Anya for exactly who she is, he fears when she finds out exactly the man he has become and always intends to be, she’ll leave him for good, normal and clean.
Summary
Anya Gage has had to work for everything in her life. Her two best friends are everything for her. But one of them is a party gal. Anya is more sit in the corner and observe. But while at a house party, her friend deserts her for Nick Sebring. Thinking she can convince him to be with her even though he scores countless of women. Anya decides that its time to head on home. But when her phone dies she goes into the bedroom where her coat has been placed and sees a stranger’s phone. A working phone so she can call a cab. But the moment she picks it up she seals her fate when she catches the attention of the owner….dark and dangerous Knight Sebring. Anya has no idea that Knight has been charmed by their first moments. She soon realizes that Knight is not a man to be messed with and even though she knows it is crazy, she sees something more in him and even though he is controlling, dominating he is also tender and thoughtful and sees the real her.
The Hero
Knight Sebring has his own dark past and he had to see his mother when he was just a boy being forced as a prostitute. His life did change for the better when his mother married a good man who was a true father to him. But Knight was forever changed since those early moments in his life seeking to protect his mother and couldn’t.
My mother named me Knight because she needed one. It’s what she raised me to be. It’s all I know, Anya. Protection. I was born then I was raised to be a shield.
He has made himself rich and powerful and No ONE crosses him or they pay the consequences. Knight is one of those heroes that you hold your breath for and gives you all the tingles down the spine. Man he is sexy and hot as sin and irresistable. He is different than your typical alpha hero even. But Kristen does a tremendous job writing him. In fact I loved him to the core.
And I wake up happy, baby, because I possess beauty and I own that beauty in all the forms it can take and the least important of those are physical.
The Heroine
Anya Gage, hasn’t had the easiest time of it. She has had to work her but off just to get to college. She is almost to accomplishing her dreams. She wants her own salon, to be able to make other women feel and look beautiful and confident. And she is good at it. But its slow going and while going to school and working she wonders how long it will take. Anya is independent, strong willed and hard working. She likes to be self sufficient and doesn’t take hand outs from anyone. I really admired her spirit and her strength. I also liked that she takes Knight as he is and doesn’t try to change him. She just accepts him in every way and I so loved that.
Plot and Story Line
Knight is a fantastically written romance that I fell head over heels for and there is no going back!! My goodness and I thought Kristen Ashley couldn’t get better but this erotic romance won me over pretty quickly. This is not your every day erotic romance either. It felt more like an in between of a contemporary and an erotic. So I feel like most romance readers would really get a kick out of this one. Now it does have some BDSM elements but not huge or anything, more lighter feel. Our hero is a lover of control. So that is the big line in this book and the relationship he has with Anya. And Anya is more than okay giving up certain things so he has that feel of control in their relationship. She realizes how important it is for him and it doesn’t take anything away from her personally.
“Toasted almond pancakes. Sweet soft ‘okays’. Makin’ me laugh more in a few weeks than I have in decades. ‘Yes, Daddys’ I feel in my dick. The first voicemail you left me, babe. I saved it and I listen to it once a day. If I lose focus, I see you on your back, knees high, legs wide, offering your sweet, wet pussy to me. You smile at me in bed every time you wander outta my bedroom in my shirts, my tees, or your work clothes and honest to Christ, it sets me up for the day. And no matter what shit goes down, I get through it knowin’ whichever bed I climb into at night, you’re in it ready to snuggle into me or give me what I wanna take. Your girl, a headache. You, never. And in a life that’s been full of headaches, babe, having that, there is no price tag. You gotta get it and do it fuckin’ now that there’s a lotta different kinds of give and take. And you give as good as you get, baby, trust me.”
She is willing to take a chance even if he keeps giving her stuff. Yeah that is where she really really struggles. Its not his issues of control at all. Its the way he tries to give and give. She never accepts it from anyone because she wants to do it herself. But she takes her own journey here where she learns that its okay to accept a gift from a man that loves her.
“You’re perfect, baby.”
I blinked. Then I whispered, “Knight – “
“No, Anya, no fucked up shit outta that sweet mouth. I’m not gonna listen to it and I’ll work my balls off, I don’t care if it takes decades, to make you stop even thinkin’ it. Instead, you gotta know that every second I spend with you it becomes more and more clear that you were made for me. A gift I don’t deserve, didn’t earn but I’m not giving it back.
They go through some rough spots though. Its not all candles and light music for them. Misunderstandings and some drama happen but they are very realistically done. What made it feel real is seeing these two learn to communicate with each other and that it just doesn’t happen easily with a flick of a finger. It takes work for the both of them. What was really wonderful about this book was seeing the way they work and grow together.
“You cool with this shit?” “It’s a shock, I will admit. But you told me if I hear shit, I should come to you and you’d explain. You explained and you did it thoroughly. But bottom line, I’m the woman for you, Knight. I was made for you, just as I am. What you don’t get is, you’re the man for me just as you are. I get that, honey. And I got it a while ago.”
Its not your normal relationship but it just works for them in so many ways. And even though the ending isn’t conventional at all its sweet and romantic and perfect.
The Cover
There isn’t anything spectacular to this cover at really, but I like the black—-it really fits our hero.
Overall View
Knight is a tale that will warm you, excite you, give you thrills, entice and endear you forever!! SIMPLY A JEWEL
He accepted then declared, “I drive. You ride. Not a rule, that’s a law. Get me?”
“What if you’ve had a freak accident and you’ve broken your arm and ankle?” I asked for specifics.
“If that shit happens, I hope to God you’re smart enough to pick up a phone and call an ambulance rather than draggin’ my ass to my car, which would be agony, shoving it in, which would be more agony, and taking me to the hospital”
Books N Tunes
Pick #5: Any Way You Want It by Journey
This song just fits this couple so well. Because they may have different lives but they end up fitting so well for each other.
Whoa boy, this does sound like a powerhouse read. I have it on my list for eventually. I’m working through her Colorado Mountain and Fantasy series first.
They both sound fantastic and I just love her pushy alpha heroes. And Journey!!! Great match
Nice review and tune pick! (I’m a Journey fan) You’ve gotta love Kristen’s writing voice. I haven’t got to this series quite yet but I’m gonna go add them to the TBR now. LOL! Love her sexy alphas & feisty heroines and that they feel so *real*. It’s not always pretty, what they have to go through. But so worth it.
You know I have wanted to try this author…this sounds like the perfect book to do that!
Hmmm. I’ve read a Kristen Ashley book before. I think it was called Breathe. I enjoyed parts of it, but it didn’t win me over, either. However, I’m so glad that you loved this. Knight seems pretty interesting.