Title: Defending
Hayden
Series: A Second
Chances Novel
Author: LP Dover
Genre: Romantic
Suspense
Release Date: June
28, 2016 Publisher: Random House
Cover Design by: Mae I Design
and Photography
Photo Taken by: Regina Wamba
No one’s tougher than
Carolina Cougars linebacker Derek McLaughlin. But when a fatal car accident
claims the life of his girlfriend, Derek finds himself caught in a destructive
spiral of drugs, alcohol, and meaningless sex. But not even a string of one-night
stands can ease the hurt. Football is all he has left. Then fate leads him back
to the scene of the crash, and into the arms of a kind, gorgeous woman who sees
past his façade to the man he once was . . . and can be again.
When a chance
roadside encounter brings Derek into her life, veterinarian Hayden Hunter isn’t
fooled by his bad attitude: All bark and no bite, he’s hiding a wounded heart
beneath that gruff demeanor. And Hayden wants to be the one to kiss it all
better. Soon they both find that a dose of passion is potent medicine. But when
a hidden enemy lashes out at Hayden, Derek steps up to do what he does best:
put his body on the line in the name of love.
Title: Defending Hayden
Author: L.P Dover
Genre: Contemporary Romance, Sports - Football
Series or Standalone: Standalone Series (Second Chances #7)
Rating: ★★★★★
Reviewer: Diane
Reviewer: Diane
Reading one of L.P.
Dover's stories is just such a wonderful experience. Author's just like this
one, fuels my passion for reading. This highly addictive story deserves no less
than 5 stars.
ARC of Defending
Hayden by L.P. Dover provided in exchange for an honest spoiler free review.
This story is about
Derek a football player who has been through an altering life changing event, a
trauma. He's been on a spiral down with countless hook ups with substance abuse
to numb the pain he's experiencing. After a few absent months, he's back with a
new perspective on life. A chance encounter with Hayden, a veterinarian, brings
him back to where he can be happy again. Now their future is threatened because
someone is trying to sabotage Hayden's career as a vet. Her life could also be
in danger.
I just love L.P.'s
written stories, this one's got it all. It's got some romance, it's sexy,
sweet, and it also has some suspense with a bit of action. What this story has
above all is HEART, compassion, and selflessness. It's not only about 2 people
being in love but a group of friends, teammates that are always at the
forefront to help each other. Although this is a light, feel me good kind of
read, it's also sad at times with heartbreaking moments. Losing a loved one can
be devastating.
What makes this story
AWSOME are the perfectly created characters. Derek the swoon worthy,
protective, smart, sweet, that loves with all his heart. Hayden the strong,
smart, down to hearth, focused that loves profoundly. It's their love for
animals that sets them apart.
This intriguing,
addicting, endearing read was basically read none stop. The author has great
ability to tell stories that sucks me right in, keep me there until the very
end. She knows how to keep my undivided attention for hours. When I think her
last book was the best well it gets topped off yet again. Bottom line, I adored
this story.
This is book 7 in the
Second Chances series. It could easily be read as a standalone because the
author gives just enough insight from the other characters to easily get us up
to date without missing out on any important information. Story told in a dual
POV with an HEA. I can't wait to read more from this author. All her other
books are worth a look at.
“Sexy and emotional with characters you will root for, Defending Hayden is a great addition to the Second Chances series!”—Elisabeth Barrett, author of the Return to Briarwood series
“Defending Hayden is a smart and heartwarming story that is impossible to put down. Throw in a sexy football player and some lovable animals and you’re all set.”—Stina Lindenblatt, author of This One Moment
Guilt plagued me and
I felt sick. Getting out of bed, I paced the room, running my hands angrily
through my hair. I didn’t want to hurt Hayden. Keeping her away would protect
her from my life. She was bound to leave me anyway. I’d fuck up somehow and it
would ruin her. What the hell was I talking about? I’d already fucked her up.
“Derek?” Her voice
was like honey, silky and sweet. I’d imagined what it would be like to hear
that voice screaming my name as I fucked her over and over. Last night had been
the best night of my life, but it had scared the shit out of me. I couldn’t
shake it. “Derek, are you okay?” she asked. Stopping midstep, I turned to face
her, and her eyes widenened when she got a glimpse of my face. I could only
imagine what she saw. So many emotions battled inside me. She held the blanket
to her chest, and her lips trembled. “Please tell me this wasn’t just a game to
you,” she whispered.
Swallowing hard, I
sat down on the edge of the bed and reached for her. She recoiled from my
touch. “None of this was a game, Hayden. Last night was fucking amazing.”
Her eyes glistened,
but her jaw was firm. “Then why are you looking at me like that? Like you
regret what we did.”
I wanted to touch
her, but last night had been my only chance. She’d never let me close to her
again. “I don’t regret it, but eventually you will. You’re not the only one
who’s lost someone they cared about. I can’t go through it again. It’s best to
stop this before it goes any further.”
“Any further?” she
scoffed. She waved her arm around the room, her anger so thick I could cut it
with a knife. “If you didn’t want it to go any further, then why did you bring
me here? Why would you do that to me?”
“Because I care about
you,” I said, knowing it made no sense to her.
“Then why are you
pushing me away?” she cried.
Standing, I got up
and walked over to the window. “You wouldn’t understand.”
New York Times and
USA Today bestselling author L. P. Dover is a southern belle living in North
Carolina with her husband and two beautiful girls. Before she began her
literary journey she worked in periodontics, enjoying the wonderment of dental
surgeries.
She loves to write,
but she also loves to play tennis, go on mountain hikes and white water
rafting, and has a passion for singing. Her two youngest fans expect a concert
each and every night before bedtime, usually Christmas carols.
Dover has written
countless novels, including her Forever Fae series, the Second Chances series,
the Gloves Off series, the Armed & Dangerous series, the Royal Shifters
series, the Society X series, and her standalone novel Love, Lies, and
Deception. Her favorite genre to read and write is romantic suspense, but if
she got to choose a setting in which to live, it would be with her faeries in
the Land of the Fae.
L.P. Dover is
represented by Marisa Corvisiero of Corvisiero Literary Agency and Italia
Gandolfo of Gandolfo Helin & Fountain Literary Management for dramatic
rights.
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