Laura’s Review of Free Me (The Found Duet, #1) by Laurelin Paige

Synopsis

Her story started long before she started working at The Sky Launch...

Screw fairytales. The only reward Gwen Anders got from her rough childhood was a thick skin and hard heart. She’s content with her daily grind managing a top NYC nightclub—Eighty-Eighth Floor. So hers isn’t a happily ever after. She doesn’t believe in those anyway.

Then she meets J.C.

The rich, smooth talking playboy is the sexiest thing that Gwen has ever encountered, but she’s not interested in a night-in-shining latex. But when a family tragedy pushes her to the brink, it’s J.C. who’s there to teach her a new method of survival, one based on following primal urges and desires. His no-strings-attached lessons require her to abandon her constant need for control. Her carefully built walls are obliterated.

Gwen discovers there’s a beautiful world outside her prison. Freedom is exhilarating—and terrifying. When she starts to feel something for J.C., she fears for her heart. Especially as she realizes that he has secrets of his own. Secrets that don't want to set him free.

This series can be read alone or with the Fixed Trilogy. 

What I Loved

          Wow Laurelin Paige has once again hypnotized me and put me under her spell because I absolutely LOVED this book.  Free Me is sort of a spin-off of The Fixed series, involving Gwen who eventually becomes friends with Alayna and whose sister works closely with Hudson.  You do get to see a little bit of them in this book which was awesome because I miss Alayna and Hudson so much.  But don’t you worry there is enough going in Free Me that you won’t be missing them for long.  Gwen made it easy for me to fall in love with her, support her and want to become her best friend.  She’s definitely a down to earth relatable character and because of that I was instantly engrossed in this story.

          JC instantly intrigued me as well, and I couldn’t wait for Gwen to see him again after the first time they met.  I had a giddy smile on my face anytime he was around and when he wasn’t I wanted more of him.  The mystery that is JC does slowly unfold as the story goes on, but there is still more to learn about him and I cannot wait for that.  He is one hot sexy man who Gwen falls for head over heels and I don’t blame her one bit!

          Every part of this story was awesome, I loved how it was written and how it all unfolded.  The storyline at many points took some twists and turns which kept me on my toes and not able to put this book down.  I love not knowing where a plot is going or what is coming next, it keeps me engrossed and wanting more.  My heart broke at certain times while other times I was fanning myself a little from the hot and steamy sex scenes.  Such a wonderful and well written story!

Not So Much

          There were certain points in the story that I felt like Gwen’s personality went a little out of character for her.  When she’s at work Gwen is very much a straight shooter knowing her shit and doing her job right every single day.  When she was with JC though, she kind of becomes a bumbling mess.  I got it in the beginning but as she gets more used to being around JC I wish she stood up for herself more.  He would push her out of her comfort zone and I would’ve liked to have seen her push him right back.  Towards the end of the story she totally does and I love the decisions she made but there was a couple times earlier in the story I wanted to yell at her and be like, COME ON! But I get it, she’s a girl falling for a boy and we all act like idiots in front of people we crush over and it was cute watching her fall in love JC. 

To Sum It All Up!

I need, NEED to get my hands on Find Me! I am salivating for the next book in this series, I loved Free Me so much and I just want more JC and Gwen so freaking badly.  The Fixed series made me fall in love with Laurelin Paige, but this series has me completely addicted to her.  It’s so great to discover new stories written so beautifully, you can get completely engrossed in and crave more after it’s done.  Free Me left me severely hung over and the only thing that cure it is, Find Me!  The foundation for the series was well written, the character development was awesome, and the details were spot on.  Gwen is seriously one smoking woman that unleashed her wild side as the story unfolded and it was all thanks to the incredible man that is JC and his mad skills.  There were some pretty hot scenes that involved a lot of nakedness countered with some pretty suspenseful ones while others gripped my heart.  I really loved this book and cannot wait to get my hands on the next one!