CALL ON ME

The new Loving on the Edge novel by the New York Times bestselling author of Nothing Between Us and Need You Tonight…

Oakley Easton wants two things: to be a good mom to her daughter and to ditch her less than ideal night job. Hooking up with bad boy drummer Pike Ryland? Not on the agenda. She needs a promotion. Not sex, tattoos and rock ’n’ roll.

Pike isn’t about to let Ms. Prim and Proper shut him down so easily, especially when he stumbles upon Oakley’s sexy night job. She’s only playing a role on those late night calls with strangers, but when he gets her on the line, all bets are off. He won’t stop until that sultry voice is calling his name for real.

But as they move from anonymous fantasies in the dark to the flesh-on-hot-flesh reality of the bedroom, the risk of falling in love becomes all too high. And the safe, quiet world that Oakley’s worked so hard to create is about to be exposed to the one person who could ruin it all.

Loving on the Edge series #8

Release Date: July 7, 2015

Review copy purchased

Nikki’s Review:

This series is one of my favourites! I know, I know, I have so many favourites! Call me a junkie, I guess. The moment I finished reading book one, I was hooked. I knew this author was special and that each book would just get better and better. Eight books in and I'm convinced that this one is her absolute best, hands down the best! It takes a lot to turn me inside out with sexual tension, but Roni Loren managed just that!

Oakley Easton is a kick ass heroine. She's so incredibly capable. She's a fierce mama bear when it comes to her equally kick ass daughter. Oakley left behind a promising singing career to have a baby at the tender age of 17. She's built an incredible bond with her daughter, Reagan, who has some special needs. I could immediately relate to Oakley. She put aside everything for her child. It was easy to see myself in her shoes. There isn't anything or anyone more important than my kids. Their happiness and safety always at the forefront of everything. In order to give Reagan the advantages she needs to cope in school, Oakley takes a second job at night. As a phone sex operator. What good mom wouldn't put aside their own pride if it meant that their baby would have what they needed to do well in life? Night after night she listens to men sling obscenities at her, pretends to be into the sexual conversations that are taking place. All the while reminding herself of why she's doing it. She’s convinced herself that she is sexually numb. Immune to wanting real pleasure. She doesn't have time for that anyways. All those crazy thoughts come to a screeching halt when Pike Ryland, drummer god, comes into her life.

Lawd, I love Pike! He is an absolute menace to women everywhere. Hot, tatted up, sexy smirk, all male deliciousness! Seriously, I swooned...over a damn fictional character! Right from the get go, he wants Oakley. He wants her with an intensity that is startling to him. He's use to easy women, he's a freakin' rockstar after all! And the fact that Oakley isn't dropping to her knees and begging for his attention, or to have a peek at a certain appendage, is new for this cocky guy. Like any alpha male, he knows he's going to have her.

When the two are thrusted together to work on a children's charity project, they soon find themselves creating more than music. Normally, sexual tension leaves me feeling impatient. While it's a nice build up, I'm always waiting for the good stuff, you know? But in this book, it was a welcome thing! Pike knows about Oakley's second job, and he thinks it's sexy as hell when they have their own phone sex sessions. Holy filthy dirty mouth! The words that come from Pike are seriously drool worthy, panty melting actually. I loved every second of their conversations. And when they did get to good stuff...woo wee! It was off the charts! Pike is a "I'll try anything once" kinda guy. Totally open and comfortable with his pleasure. I ummm, might have swallowed my tongue a time or ten. Oakley was no wilting flower in the sack either. This woman gave as good as she got! Ms. Loren wrote such incredible sex scenes that it sometimes left me breathless. That doesn't happen all that often.

Neither of these characters was looking for love but of course those pesky emotions came into play. I loved how sweet Pike was with Oakley. I adored the way he was her daughter, Reagan. He wasn't being sweet to the young girl to get into Oakley's pants. He genuinely thought the kid was pretty cool and awesome. Pike comes from a pretty shitty childhood. He doesn't trust easy and he's reluctant to let anyone into his heart. He's not willing to let anyone gain any ammunition to hurt him. It was a privilege to watch him slowly open up. I loved seeing the surprise he felt each time he let Oakley and her daughter nudge their way further into his heart and mind. Oakley has her own set of hesitancies. She's been burned before. So understandably, it takes time for her head to catch up to her heart. It broke my heart to watch her struggle with her emotions. She wanted Pike, but didn't know if she could afford to take a risk on him.

When their fragile relationship is challenged, things start to crumble. I wanted to shake them both and tell them to just freakin' talk about it already! So many of the misunderstandings could have been avoided if they'd been more open and honest with each other. But if that happened, then we wouldn't have been able to join them on their beautiful journey.

There are so many perfect elements to this book. The well-written characters, the delicious sexual tension, and the surrender. Watching Pike and Oakley slowly, but oh so surely surrender to the inevitable, to what's been nipping at their feet all along...love. Roni Loren has written two completely honest, flawed, raw, and beautiful characters. This story is one of learning to live outside your comfort zone, to break down the walls of things that scare you. And most importantly, letting yourself embrace the happiness that is standing right in front of you. It was an absolute privilege to go on this journey, to walk this path with Pike and Oakley. Thank you, Ms. Loren for allowing us to inside these two souls who didn't believe that they'd ever find their happily ever after.