Book-A-Holic Anon

What do you get when you have two damaged souls that have amazing chemistry? You get the story of Judith and Caleb with all the pain that goes along with opening your heart up when you really don't want to trust it to anyone at all.Judith is over Caleb. No, really she is... I mean sure they had one amazing night together when she gave him everything she was and then dealt with the fact that he basically threw it back in her face days later. Yeah there is no reason that seeing him should be difficult and you know that pesky little thing called her hormones should be immune to Mr. "Abs of Steele" cause they just should be dammit. She's needs to be in charge so badly in order to protect herself from ever being let down again that she's basically living in a shell and doesn't realize that she's missing out on anything until her brother finds his HEA. While she wants this for herself she doesn't believe that it will ever happen for her as everyone important to her leaves her. It isn't that her brother isn't there for her but he has his own issues with life and dad was always busy working so she couldn't rely on him but the one person she could rely on until that horrible night was Caleb. He's the only person she ever truly let in and look how that turned out. I liked her even when she was pushing him away out of a need for self-preservation. She's a very sensitive person behind the facade and his abandonment truly cut her to the core. When their chemistry boils over she is always waiting for the other shoe to fall and when it does she doesn't know if she can let anyone in again. I liked her strength and ability to really see him even when he shut her out. I think that is what made it more painful.. She really does know him even if he doesn't know himself.Caleb has prided himself on living his life without any attachments as his past has shown him you don't always get what you want and you just need to not let people become something you care about. He has always had a soft spot for Judith but in his gut knows he can never give her what she deserves. He has to have her talents for a charity calendar he is doing but he's shocked by how hot their chemistry still is. As he spends more time around her he struggles with what he wants to have with her and what he believes is all he can give. He makes many mistakes along the way but you do get the feeling that it is because he's trying so hard to avoid admitting what is happening every time they are together is happening. I enjoyed his need to just make her happy even when he wasn't sure exactly what he did wrong. He cares deeply even though he doesn't want to admit it and seeing him open up with her to be the real person hidden behind the playboy was at times heartbreaking. I never really disliked him even when he was being an ass but hey I have a soft spot for a hero who hides his heart because of his past. He's just a big softie. :-)Thanks to Entangled Publishing for the chance to read this in exchange for my honest review. I truly enjoyed this latest installment from Jackie and can't wait for more.