Give Me a Reason: A Single Dad, Enemies-to-Lovers Romance (Redemption Hills) Paperback – August 26, 2021

So I actually loved this book. Again not on line with the overall rating. Is this normal for me? Absolutely. Now I know I rate books high. Im really here for the vibes, and the story. Im here to get lost in a book, and I did. Dont get me wrong there are PLENTY of books I sit here, and know I absolutely will not finish the series of books. This actually isnt one of them, I will be heading straight onto book two. I am waiting on the release of book 3 & 4 with the pretty edging. I will read those when they release. But honestly, I loved the classic good boy vs. good girl. This one has feel good vibes, but with the dark mixed in. Its not a dark romance. Just some dark influences due to some of the biker club lifestyles. The twist shocked me. I did kind of did see it creeping up, and was like oh please no!! This is going to change everything!! The spice is spicen when it takes off. But there is definitely tons of tension for the majority of the book IMO, very angsty. But even with the spice spicen the book isn’t overly spicy. This really is a good book for someone who wants something with a little dark, but doesnt want a dark romance. As well as someone who wants something pretty spicy but not like pure spice. I absolutely loved Trent, even though his tortured soul had me wanting to climb into the book, and shake him. FFS he really is stubborn AF. I mean he has legitimate reasons, but it doesnt mean I didnt want to scream. Eden was good, pure, innocent in a way, but not. I actually liked her, because she is realistic. She wasnt put up on a pedestal (even though he worshipped her). I did laugh at some of the banter as well between Trent, his son, and brothers. It really was a great read for me.This is Contemporary Romance is book 1 in the Redemption Hills series. The romance in this book is a forbidden romance. The book is spicy. The spice in the book is descriptive. The book moves at a steady pace following Eden, and Trent as she shows up at his club looking for a job. Trent can see that she doesn’t belong in a place like his, but she won’t take no for an answer. There is an instant attraction that runs between them that they instantly have to ignore when Trent picks up his son Gage from school the next day holding the hand of his teacher, Eden. Working together at his club, and seeing her at his sons school is becoming too much. They want each other. Hes darkness, and he will destroy her light. He cant lose focus of his one reason, because you can’t always outrun your past. This book is emotional, steamy, and suspenseful.

AL, my friend, you have an edge to you! And I like it.So apparently I've starting reading this all wrong - somehow I read book #2 (Jud's book) first, and a while ago at that, and I just now was able to circle back and start at the beginning with Trent and Eden's book - and what a beginning it is. Talk about opposites - the good and the bad. At least that's how AL wants us to think if we believe Trent. But Trent isn't a bad guy... OK maybe he's done some bad things, but at his core he's not a bad person - kind of... sort of... but not really. Regardless, we REALLY like him! What's not to like? The guy is a little alpha (mmm), smart, capable, devoted, family man, sexy, and can we take a minute to compare and contrast the written description while we ogle the cover model? Cut me off a piece of that!... But back on point, Trent believes himself a bad man, undeserving. And in walks Eden, the definition of all that is good. Oh sweet Eden, so pure and honest and good. His angel. She's beautiful, smart and fierce - and everything that he never knew he needed.This is an opposites attract, forbidden love, workplace romance - it's hitting up those good tropes. The angst is really good here, too. Mmhmm, the buildup. Oh yeah... the heat, the steam, the attraction - just pure fire. For me that pure fire mixed with the devotion to family that is portrayed in this book is what I loved the most. Getting to know this group of characters and the love that is there was quite beautiful. It just goes to show what family will do.Now, it's hard to dive too much into this story without giving it away, because AL throws us some surprises, some loops, and some "gotcha's" that were quite enjoyable. The writing is good, her style is a little different from the norm - but that helps to create this edge that she's got to her writing. There's a gritty nature to the story and characters, and her writing style helps to enhance that. The story is good, but the character development is one of my favorite parts and the banter between characters - the moments of humor are wonderful! The one scene in the kitchen between Eden, Gage and Trent's youngest brother - OMG pure humorous gold! Loved it.So one might then ask, if I loved all of these things about the book so much, why not give it a perfect score? Well, this platform won't allow me to rate with points, because I'd rate this somewhere between a 4 and a 5, so I feel that a score of 4 isn't quite right - it's more like a 4.5 out of 5. And my not-totally-perfect-score is due to it took me a minute to get used to the writing style, it's totally a me thing - an adjustment that I had to make. But about a third way in, I felt that the battle Trent was having within himself became slightly repetitive - sure it was a theme carried throughout the book and an important point of contention - and it is the demon he carried with him and battled - I get that! I totally get that. But at a few points I just felt that it was slightly repetitive and about a third though it took a little bit away for me - but AL was quick to turn it around after that. But I just feel I wouldn't be 100% honest if I didn't explain that - again, it's totally a me thing. But AL ends this thing with a bang and a few surprises. What an ending! Phewww. I needed a minute to catch my breath after that! But reading this, it made me want to re-read Jud's story now that I had the whole background and was introduced to Jud here!