The Slow Burn by Kristen Ashley Also in this series: The Hookup
Series: Moonlight and Motor Oil #2
Published by Self Published By Author on April 30, 2019
Genres: Contemporary Romance
Pages: 376
Format: eBook
Source: Self Purchased
Tobias Gamble knew from a young age precisely the kind of woman he was going to make his. She was not going to be like his mother. She was going to be like the mother he claimed.
In other words, she was going to be just right.
And when Toby returns to his hometown of Matlock, Kentucky and claps eyes on Adeline Forrester, he knows she’s the one.
The problem is, his brother Johnny has a new girlfriend. And Addie is her sister. Last, Toby would do nothing to hurt Johnny’s chance at happiness.
Toby hangs around town to get to know the woman Johnny fell in love with. He also hangs around to get to know Addie.
But he’s fallen hard, and he knows the best thing for him—and Addie—is for him to leave.
Addie Forrester is thrilled her sister Eliza found a good, solid man. Johnny Gamble is the salt of the earth. The best guy in the world.
The best except for his brother, Toby.
Toby doesn’t know it, but Addie’s fallen hard too. He’s perfect, except for the fact that he’s hands off and it’s torture, being friends with Toby when she wants so much more.
Addie also has a lot on her mind. She’s got bills to pay, her young son needs food, Christmas is coming and her job at the grocery store just isn’t cutting it.
Toby is steering clear of Addie. Addie is steering clear of Toby. But everyone around them knows this is the slow burn.
Because just like Eliza and Johnny, Addie and Toby were made for each other.
The Slow Burn is the second book in the duo series “Moonlight and Motor Oil” I am not sure if Kristen Ashley is planning on doing more books, I have a feeling its just a duo series since it features two brothers and two sisters. I will say that reading this one took much longer than I had originally planned on, there were many mixed reviews on Goodreads but when I saw this on sale a few days ago for 0.99 Cents on Amazon I just knew that I needed to read this one and since Kristen Ashley hasn’t disappointed me I knew I had to pick this one up and WHEW this book was grand. I just couldn’t put this one down.
The Slow Burn is highly connected to the first book “The Hookup” so I would recommend reading that one first because there is a connection that is built between Toby and Addie. Addie is a single mother, her sister has just become happily engaged with Toby’s brother. Toby is determined not to take hold of Addie, she is everything he has ever dreamed of but if it didn’t work out the complex family dynamics would make things even more difficult and he would never want to put them both in that difficult position. But it becomes evident that he can’t seem to let go of her and before Toby realizes it he is claiming her for his own but there is some answers to the past that both Addie and Toby will need to face up to before embracing the bright future ahead of them.
I wasn’t in love with him. But I knew if he gave me even the barest hint he’d even think of going there with me, I’d take that fall. And when I did, if it didn’t work, I also knew it would annihilate me.
The Slow Burn was FANTASTIC in every way. The first chapter does start out a bit slow, so stick with it for a few chapters and you will become HOOKED, honestly, the bantering and the fights between these two in the beginning is simply to die for. I honestly couldn’t stop laughing because well…Toby is your typical KA alpha male and Addie is passionate and prideful so yeah there is some conflict between them. But love seeing them make up and the sex in this book is on point and just as steamy as you come to expect from a KA novel.
I wanted to taste his mouth and other parts of him. I wanted to feel his skin and see what his body looked like under those tees and jeans. I wanted to fuck him. I wanted that to be wild and intense and so enthralling,
I really enjoyed seeing these two get together so quickly in the story and see the “On The Rocks” trope which is a trope that KA normally features in her books (one of my favorite kinds of tropes since its so relatable to real life) Its so refreshing to see this couple fight for each other and the life they want to build for each other. I appreciated seeing Addie learn to let go of her pride and let those that surround her love her and support her the way she needs it. She is such a devoted mother to her son and is such a fighter for him.
Life wasn’t about disappointment. Life was a journey. The journey of finding what I’d seen on my sister’s face the night before. Finding your place. Finding your people. And settling in so when those cold winds blew, you had warmth to see you through. Toby was going to understand that. I knew it. No. I vowed it. Because I was going to teach him.
There is plenty of fun drama and emotion that just drives this book and I am not going to lie the ending was really emotional and not a big fan of what happens there (and those who have read it will know what I am talking about) but there is a HEA …..but a conflict with a supporting character. I was really intrigued to see how she implemented all of these elements and made it work out in the end for both of them. I wouldn’t mind seeing KA write the son’s book because there was a hint of it at the end. Who knows? Maybe KA will grant my wish in this 🙂
It was about being reminded about the magnificence of the universe, and how you were an integral part of it, and you should not waste a moment, you should find time to savor its beauty while you had your time amongst its majesty.
Overall I found The Slow Burn to be a fantastic book here, its a story of acceptance, fighting for the one you love and embracing the gifts that come your way…..TRULY MAGNIFICENT!
About Kristen Ashley
Kristen Ashley was born in Gary, Indiana, USA. She nearly killed her mother and herself making it into the world, seeing as she had the umbilical cord wrapped around her neck (already attempting to accessorise and she hadn't taken her first breath!).
Kristen grew up in Brownsburg, Indiana but has lived in Denver, Colorado and the West Country of England. Thus she has been blessed to have friends and family around the globe. Her posse is loopy (to say the least) but loopy is good when you want to write.
Kristen was raised in a house with a large and multi-generational family. They lived on a very small farm in a small town in the heartland and existed amongst the strains of Glenn Miller, The Everly Brothers, REO Speedwagon and Whitesnake (and the wardrobes that matched).
Needless to say, growing up in a house full of music, clothes and love was a good way to grow up.
And as she keeps growing up, it keeps getting better.
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