Their Instant-Love Romance Is A Mature Story About Two Career-Minded Singles Finding Love When Least Expected.
This series is a spin-off from Billionaire Unbound, book eight in The Billionaire’s Obsession series, which is Chloe Colter and Gabe Walker’s story. Here Gabe’s billionaire cousins get a series all their own. Like Gabe, his cousins Trace, Sebastian, and Dane hale from Texas. They faced tragedy six years ago when their newly remarried father died along with Karen, their new stepmother, in a plane crash. Dane, the youngest brother and recent high school graduate, had been on the plane as well. He survived, but barely. His body is marred in scars, a reminder of that day that changed young Dane’s life forever. It changed them all. Trace and Sebastian had been in college and had not been on the plane. They had survivor’s guilt. Dane turned to seclusion and immersed himself in art. Sebastian gave up on ambition and lived life in the fast lane without a care in the world. And at age twenty-one Trace, the eldest, had been forced to tone back his aspirations and instead take over running the family business. He had just graduated from college and was planning on earning his MBA.
Release!, book one, is Trace Walker and Eva Morales’s story. Trace, twenty-seven, has been head of the Walker family for six years now. His life took a turn for the serious side after the accident took his father’s life. Trace’s life is rigid and controlled – everything is about control. He runs the family business, which includes Walker Escapes, a string of luxury resorts with locations around the world. Like his cousin Gabe, Trace chose to move to Colorado, and his corporate headquarters were eventually relocated to Denver.
In Player!, Book Two:
Sebastian Walker, twenty-seven, is a new man. It was nearly one year ago when his brother Trace had fallen for Eva and the three brothers had celebrated the holidays together. After a long overdue heart to heart, Trace and Sebastian had come to a new understanding. While Trace had needed to step up and take charge after their father passed, Sebastian had felt aimless for years. Without assigning blame, they agreed that Sebastian would repurchase his share of Walker Enterprises and put his party days behind him. Sebastian had grown weary of the playboy lifestyle. He wanted to do something meaningful that contributes to society. As an engineer, he has tinkered with renewable energy and now hopes to make Walker Enterprises a global leader in solar and wind energy, bringing the U.S. into the forefront of the field. He has given up drinking, women, and other vices and instead devoted himself to his career, working side by side with Trace. Still, his reputation is so notorious that it is hard to live it down. Hardly anyone would guess that he leads a boring life now and loves it. The late nights in the office are the result of his passion for his work. He is now working on a deal that will allow him to go forward with the New Mexico project he has planned.
Paige Rutledge, twenty-six, is starting her first day at Walker Enterprises. The Harvard Law graduate was thrilled to land the coveted job, even if it means leaving the East Coast and her best friend Mackenzie behind. While corporate law isn’t her first choice, she does have loans to consider and like everything, she has a plan. She aspires to eventually become Chief Counsel. With her work ethic, it isn’t an unreasonable goal. She worked throughout law school and has no social life. She had tried dating a couple men in law school, but had since given up on the idea. She isn’t relationship material – in fact she is uncomfortable in most social situations. She purposely dresses to avoid attracting attention to herself. It hadn’t always been that way – she was once happy and more carefree. That all changed one day five years ago, and although she misses her parents, she still carries a lot of hurt.
When Sebastian steps into the crowded elevator and spies Paige on her first day, he finds himself wanting a woman for the first time in over a year. She turns him down for dinner – a first for him. But he cannot just walk away and it quickly becomes an obsession. Never has he wanted just one woman, but everything about Paige is different. She hides herself like she is running from something, a feeling he can relate to. When Paige spies Sebastian Walker looking at her, she feels horribly uncomfortable, but there is something about that Texas drawl that has her melting on the inside. She knows it is wrong to accept a date with her boss and that it can only lead to trouble. But there are only so many times she can say no before being coaxed into taking a risk. The couple eventually earns a happy ending. Dane’s story gets a kickstart here as Trace and Sebastian get and idea and begin to plot.
Sebastian and Paige’s story sizzles. Their instant-love romance is a mature story about two career-minded singles finding love when least expected. Sebastian and Paige both have past trauma that they have overcome, but Paige is still held hostage by her past. In typical Walker fashion, Sebastian will stop at nothing to love and protect Paige. Their journey isn’t always smooth sailing, but Sebastian’s alpha ways and obsessive tendencies prove to be the perfect tonic to help soothe Paige’s troubled soul. Their story is deals with serious issues, and those with triggers are warned. Dane’s story follows next, which wraps up the series. The story is well-written and plot-driven. The characters are nicely developed. It is written in first person. The POV alternates between Sebastian and Paige. I rate this book 4.5 stars.
As for the Audio: it is well-performed and consistent with the book.
I received a copy of this audiobook and am voluntarily leaving a review.