Charged (Saints of Denver, #2)

by Jay Crownover

The next book in the smoking hot SAINTS OF DENVER series from NYT bestselling author of the MARKED MEN series, Jay Crownover

Avett Walker and Quaid Jackson's worlds have no reason to collide. Quaid is a high powered criminal attorney as slick as he is handsome, and Avett is a pink-haired troublemaker with a bad attitude and a history of picking the wrong men.

When Avett lands in hot water because of one terrible mistake, the only person who can get her out of it is this insanely sexy lawyer. The last thing she wants to do is rely on someone who thinks of her as nothing more than a nuisance, yet there is something about him that makes her want to convince him to loosen his tie and have a little fun...

They have to figure out a way to get along and keep their hands off each other - because the chemistry between them is beyond charged.

• ISBN10: 0062385976
• ISBN13: 9780062385970
• Publish Date: 28 June 2023 (first published 24 May 2016)
• Publish Status: Active
• Publish Country: US
• Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers
• Imprint: Collins
• Format: Paperback (US Trade)
• Pages: 384
• Language: English

Reviews

[Linda]

This review was originally posted on (un)Conventional Bookviews

Charged had a lot of suspense and heartache mixed in with the scorching hot sexytimes! Crownover really does know how to bring on the hotness!

Charged had a deeper sense of danger, but also some more fun than Built included. I really enjoyed getting to know Avett better, as I had thought she was simply a spoiled princess, but she was so much more. And she completely brought out the humanity Quaid had tried to get rid of by becoming the most successful defence lawyer in Denver.

Because it started with Avett in prison, because she was charged with having done a hold-up she had no idea was going to happen, the tension between her and Quaid was palpable from the beginning. At first, it was more irritation than chemistry, but that changed rather quickly. Both Quaid and Avett needed someone who could show them that a different way of living might be much more satisfying than what they had been doing up until that point.

The suspense was really well done, and I enjoyed how smart Avett was in Charged - she showed that she was a grown-up who was capable of making tough decisions and sticking with them. Written in dual point of view as the rest of the Saints of Denver series, I loved the banter between Avett and Quaid, as they had strong personalities and both wanted to be right.

[Sam@WLABB]

bad decisions make for good stories, Sprite.

Avett has been making bad decisions for most of her life. This last one landed her in jail, but it was more than just a bad decision. It was a wakeup call, and it brought Quaid into her life.

Recklessness, thy name was Avett Walker

Crownover always creates these great strong female heroines, and she did it once again with Avett. This girl had been through the ringer, yet, she was still standing. She appeared as a punk princess, but inside was a tender heart, that was brimming with love for all those who mattered to her.

I'd forgotten that the girl I was falling for was equal parts whirlwind and martyr.

Avett was lucky that she had Papa Brite in her life, but she was still beating herself up about something from her past. She was so hard on herself, believing that she did not deserve any happiness. Thank goodness there were people in her life to help her realize she could have, and deserved to have, happiness.

I'd forgotten that the girl I was falling for was equal parts whirlwind and martyr.

Another thing Crownover does well, is write incredible heroes. Quaid was the slick, high priced lawyer, who we sort of met in the last book. He was all shiny and expensive, the anti-Avett. He spent his life running away from his upbringing; trying to be anything but what his parents wanted him to be. He was nursing a world of hurt; hurt by his parents, his brother, his ex-wife. He was this lone wolf sought validation through his career and material wealth, but once Avett entered his life, he realized that was not the answer.

It's not what you have that matters here, and it's not what I have that matters. All that matters is what we have together.

These two together was quite a storm. There was angst and denial and eventually, the love bloomed. Jay always brings you on a roller coaster ride, but it's also always a great trip. There was sweet romance, raw lust, danger, suspense, and humor too. All those elements together translated into a great reading experience.

You're the best bad decision I ever made, and you are, by far, my favorite story to tell

Now, I must talk about all the other characters. All the Marked fans will be happy that some of our favorite Marked Men are back (Rome, Asa, Rule - sorta), and it was rather brilliant the way Jay integrated them into this new series. I have to say, I am really excited with the direction Crownover is taking this series. It was not apparent in Built, but now it is clear. This series is going to be about "Brite's Boys", and I could not be happier. It's no secret that Rome is my favorite Marked book, and Brite definitely contributed to that love. He is just that character that you cannot help but love, and I am really excited that he is getting more page-time.

but after you survived a hurricane your perspective on the things that mattered most in life changed

Overall: to quote Quaid, wild and sweet. I cannot wait for more Saints.

[Cocktails and Books]

4.5 Cocktails

I haven't read a Jay Crownover book since Rome, but I have to say I'll be going back to read all the ones I missed in between Rome and Charged.

I loved Avett, despite her making some of the worst choices possible and jumping right into other. She was misguided in her attempts to pay back the wrongs she'd done, but I couldn't help but want her to figure out the right way to get her life back on track.

Full review to come.

[thebookdisciple]

4.5 Stars
I didn't expect to love Avett and Quaid as much as I do. Well done Jay Crownover! Full review will be on The Book Disciple