Thrust (The Alpha Escort Series Book 1)

No plot spoilersNo potential triggersThere are a few errors but nothing to get irritated about.The characterisation is good, with individual personalities that are more than enough to form a connection with the characters and ensure you keep turning the pages.The plotline is sweet and fairly simple, even taking into account his way of making money.There are some sex scenes, some of them explicit and not only in the sexual sense. There are a few scenes where the emotional content is explained that actually allows a far deeper insight into the motivators behind the clients reason for hiring him. I wasn't expecting that.Or his arrogance.There is loads of swearing including the so called worst, so if you are offended by the 'C' word at least you are aware.The book is gritty, and I would have liked more about Jesse, I felt that part was barely touched, there was nothing from his POV and the conclusion felt a bit forced to me.I have had the books for years and have no idea why I have not left feedback before now, I must have re-read them at least six times and I have no problem recommending the series to new readers.

I read Rough during it’s blog tour a few months ago and am on the blog tour for Grind next month so wanted to go back and read the first book in this series as soon as possible so that I was fully up to date with the series. Boy am I glad I did. Alex is a stonking leading man and everything you love to hate in a man, OK everything I love to hate in a man!He’s rude, abnoxious, arrogant, an escort, and he doesn’t do relationships of any kind. It took about 30 seconds of reading for me to absolutely adore him. The way he is so sure of himself while he does his job is very attractive. Then when he spots Olivia and makes a beeline for her thinking it will be purely for one moment then quickly falling like Alice down the rabbit hole was beautiful showing that even the roughest and toughest of men have hearts that can be cracked.Olivia is trying to launch a new charity to help veterans with PTSD, having lost her brother to PTSD she wants to do everything she can to save other families the heartbreak she experiences. She is a gentle soul with a heart of gold. She’s spent most of her adult life in love with the same man, but he’s never looked twice at her. Alex infuriates her but he wakes up parts of her body she’s never realised could be woken up, she feels things she’s never felt before.This is a highly charged sexual novel, Sybil Bartel writes in a beautiful way that is enticing and riveting all at once. I can’t wait to get my hooks into Grind and see what is in store next.

Wow, oh wow. Vegas is a horn dog but was ready to give it all up for the woman he fell in love with. Olivia was a mess but with Alex's strength they fought their way forward. I loved them as a couple and found myself hoping they'd make it from the get go.The only issue I had was with Jesse,I think there needed to be a little more sustenance to that part of the storyline. He gave one liners then walked out and there was never any explaining or reason given. He gave her what we were led to believe were sleeping pills but again that part of the story was dropped. His friends seemed to think he was a hero but we saw another side to him. This is why I gave four stars instead of 5. I do hope Jesse gets a story of his own and a chance to redeem himself.This is the first book I've read by Sybil Bartel and it certainly won't be the last!

I was frustrated with Alex at times but loved Olivia and the pair certainly made me laugh, on to the next book.

I didn't like Alex at first, he was such an arrogant and conceited person. Once he met Olivia things changed. The reasons behind him becoming a male escort were explained. Olivia was the first woman to appeal to him on an emotional level. Except Olivia recognised the player he was and she was not impressed. Olivia's best friend suddenly decided he wanted her but never showed an ounce of the care she got from Alex. Until Olivia found out how Alex earned his money and she struggled to deal with it.I enjoyed the story but some things were left unclear like how Alex would maintain his lifestyle - were his investments that good?

This book is hot! Prose which leaves you breathless, with goosebumps hot, but it's also incredibly sweet and explores the vulnerabilities and insecurities we all deal with......even if you happen to be a scorching hot, domineering ex Marine!Alex and Olivia's story has great dialogue, depth and supporting characters whom I'm dying to get to know better. I loved Alex's initial brashness - oh boy this guy is cocky - but Sybil paints a picture of a man who is so much more than his ten inches of real estate. Olivia is "sweetness" and her love of dogs, commitment to her brothers memory enable her inner strength to be explored without her character coming across as a ball breaking bitch.This was a short read for me because I didn't want to put it down. I laughed and thoroughly enjoyed this book and I'll be checking out Talon and Neil's stories soon too.

This was the first book that I've read by this author, and I really enjoyed it. Let me start by saying at the beginning I thought I'd hate Alex. He was everything I'd hate in a character, but that was not the character he was. As the story I folded we got to see a different aid did him, why he was the way he was, and what he wanted out of life. It was a really good story. I look forward to reading more from this series.

Alex always keeps his escort business in the bedroom until one of his clients asks him to escort her to a fundraiser. He sees Olivia almost as soon as he enters and makes a bee line for her and she isn't interested at first but disaster strikes and Alex ends up having her against the bar. She's the first woman he has been interested in since leaving the Marines and he's not letting go. She finds out what he does and flees with Alex in pursuit. Enjoyed