FUSE - The Standalone (Love Always Wins)

I literally started reading Deborah Bladon six days ago and have read my way through the entire series, including the free novellas I could access. I am in love with her writing! While I did not take the time to review the previous series/standalones, let me assure you that you need to start from the beginning and just enjoy....from this affirmation I will say that "Fuse" is my absolute, by far, favorite story. I was not impressed with Beck in the Obsessed series. Really, I did not see his appeal, at all! I believe the author decides to build characterizations based on her hero/heroine and allows the reader to perceive the secondary characters as they will. Smart...because we see many of the secondary characters in the books to come. However, this practice is risky because a reader tends to make assumptions and, therefore, judges a character based on slim information. Certainly, I misunderstood Beck from his appeal/appearance, to his personality, to his charismatic talent in the very first installment "obsessed." I never understood Beck's presence! In Fuse, we see a thoroughly grown up man. Honestly, of all Bladon's spectacular alphas, Beck is the most appealing. I believe his honesty and FOUND integrity elevate him above the entire character list. Again, I NEVER thought I would see this revelation. Zoe...Zoe...all I can say is that she is wonderful. Please, please give me another standalone with Beck navigating her through the sh@$st$&m that is her past! Her story must be revealed and their love deserves more attention!!! Good grief, my family hates me as I have gorged on this library of characters and stories. I apologize that I did not review each series ( I DO NOT REVIEW INSTALLMENTS AS I HATE SERIALS. THIS IS NOT THE 1800's people! Write books! ). But, I was enthralled...true story...and could not stop reading. I did not enjoy each series equally. I have a love in descending order list, but really the entire library should be read, somewhat in order, to appreciate the growth of characters and relationships. I will add that "Fuse"does not have the level of (gosh I can't say bedroom because the sex rarely occurs in a bedroom) ACTION as we experience in the previous series. While I enjoy quality erotica, the story should drive the plot. I appreciate and understand why we waited for Beck and Zoe to connect, to truly find one another both emotionally and physically! Well done!! This book is perfect, except it ended!

This was a perfect read.... short... but perfect.Having met Beck, the famous artist in Vain, I really didn't care for him "AT ALL". So I was looking forward to reading his story hoping he would redeem himself.In Vain, he was the arrogant cheating artist. While in Paris taking care of his girlfriend Liz following her car accident, he started a love affair with Alexa, later breaking her heart. Liz soon after dumped his a$$ cause she couldn't get over the guy who died in the accident and who she was cheating on Beck with. That prompted Beck to come back to the US chasing after Alexa with promises of love months after, even though they had been without contact. By which time Alexa had moved on with another relationship, which coincidentally happened to be with his friend Noah.Which is when Beck story begins on this book... heartbroken and crying the blues to Zoe at a bar cause Alexa married Noah..... karma is a biatch!As I read, I liked how he came across now and liked th man he,was in the end. Being lonely left him open to accept a friend in Zoe instead of doing his usual pick up & leave them routine. Beck was open and ready to meet the girl to fall in love. He acknowledged how he used Alexa to get over his hurt feelings, his jealousy for Liz loving someone else while with him. Zoe's was smart, giving and kind. She had the perfect attributes to bring out the best in Beck. I was heartbroken to learn of Zoe's past hurt, but I was amazed at how strong Zoe was. No-one is perfect and accepting the good with the bad in anyone makes you special, and she was. Happy Beck and Zoe found each other, got a second chance at love and their happy ending.Great read!!!Looking forward to reading Clives (Becks cousin) story in Gone and Kayla's story with Ben (Noah's brother) in Ruin.... or should that be the other way around? You see Deborah Blandon stories are independent, but characters are entwined as friends, family, past relationships... making them all that much more enticing to read.Sadie & Hunter(Exposed)Jax & Ivy(Obsessed)Jessica & Nathan (Pulse)Garret & Vanessa (Trace)Alexa & Noah( Vain)Kayla & Ben(Ruin)Clive & Lilly (Gone)Alex & Libby (Solo)Yeap, a nice maze of characters indeed!

Brighton is a well known artist, his paintings are expensive and because of it a lot of money. Zoe is a waitress at a bar while she’s waiting to go to law school. They meet one night at the bar. He is drunk and obnoxious, but when Zoe comes to take his order, clueless to who he is, he notices her in a way he hadn’t experienced before. They become friends, until friends is not enough.I really liked this book, but it should have been longer. I would love to know more about her fiancé, her family and how she changed because of it. And also more about the time between the end and the epilogue. It couldn’t have been easy for Zoe to get engaged again, or going to law school while being pregnant. But it is still a good it just had the potential to be a great book.Oh I wished I had read the other books about Jax, Alexa etc before this one. I know Fuse is supposed to be a stand alone book and it is, unless you want to know the history of the other people in Brighton past. I really don’t like series about the same couple, so I skipped those. Might go back to them later because I really love this author.

If there is one thing I love about Bladon's books it's her uncanny ability to come up with incredible plotlines that take me completely by surprise and Beck and Zoe's story was no different. Brighton Beck is a character we've met before and he's not always been a character we've liked. He's a world famous watercolour artist. He's rich and he's hot. Beautiful face. Green eyes (which is always my favourite). He's a bit of a player but he's lonely. He's been in love twice and lost it both times. One woman married someone else (Kayla - there's another character we already know) and the other one didn't really love him at all (a character I've hated right from the very first book I read by Bladon - that's right it's the two faced bitch Liz best friend of Ivy). Previously he was a character to be hated but the things that made us hate him are the same things that make us love him now. It's always good when the villain becomes the good guy.Then he meets Zoe. Zoe Cameron has moved to NY from Philly to get away from her own past. She works as a server and just so happens to meet Beck at work. They get to know each other but they have no idea how the other feels so they keep their feelings to themselves and agree to just be friends. ""Have you ever thought about kissing me?" Zoe asks Beck. "Did you ever think of me as more than just a friend?" she asks. Considering how they met, Beck sat drunk in a pub as his ex girlfriend got married across the street, it's amazing that they managed to make something of their relationship other than a rebound, perhaps it was their friendship that saved the day.

I'll be honest, I wasn't excited to read this Novella. Getting a glimpse of Beck 's character in a few of Deborah's previous series, I couldn't stand the guy. I thought he was a total creep. I bought it anyway because after all, his story ties in to all the others and I'm sure will also tie in to future series as well. It only made sense to read it. Well, I'm glad I did. Turns out he's not as big of a douche bag as I had pegged him to be. I won't give anything away, but I will say this: This book is true Deborah Bladon fashion. Her happy endings never disappoint.P.S. Calling this a stand alone novella is a bit of an oversight. There are quite a few characters from previous books in this one. I think a reader would be a bit lost if they haven't read some of the author's others series.

Another excellent read from this author. What an ending thought. I do hope we get to find out more in the next novel.... Beck is such a character and has played the villain in all the other tales in the different series connecting all the characters. I like that hes now found peace... Long may it continue. As for Zoe, well, what lays a head in her future remains to be seen..... Does she manage to juggle everything to achieve her goals? I am trying not to give too much away here, as it would spoil it for you all that want to read this lovely touching story.

I am definitely a fan of this author. It was happy happenstance when I came upon the recommendation from Amazon about this author. I have been a little bit of a sponge since. I love her strong moody alpha males who always seem to find younger and seemingly fragile women who break down their hard exteriors. Men who are on a pedestal in the boardroom but are brought to their knees in the bedroom by women who's strength lies in their ability to love unconditionally . These men are humbled in their quite temerity and it's wonderful t read

I have just finished reading the whole set of Deborah Bladon Books in order this time, and eagerly await Torn the next one. I am addicted to this ladies books I really can't get enough of them and when Torn comes out this may just be my excuse to read them all again in order. All the characters lives are interwoven in some way in the city's of Boston and New York, this is an amazing set of stories that leaves you craving more and more.