What would you do if the love of your life were closer to making your dreams come true?
Riding high in her relationship with her sportscaster/local daredevil boyfriend, Finn Wilder, Hadley Beckett makes plans concerning her future with Finn. Big plans.
Spending time with Finn at his parents’ house for Easter, Hadley can’t wait to share some of her ideas with him, hoping he will go along. She knows she has an uphill climb ahead of her, but she’s optimistic that after what they recently went through, Finn will be receptive to what she has to say.
Infamously anti-marriage, Finn promised Hadley he’d consider taking her to the altar if she gives him more time. Diving headfirst and with encouragement from her best friend Morgan, Hadley devises a backup plan if Finn can’t make a decision soon. However, her other close friend, Rod, disagrees with Morgan’s advice, partly to just oppose her in spite, but also having actual valid points of his own. Feeling conflicted, Hadley takes both of their suggestions and blends them together, formulating her own way to handle Finn.
On the other hand, unbeknownst to Hadley, Finn has plans of his own as well.
Hadley is determined to succeed, yet is she unwittingly destined to fail?
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Daring the wild sparks
ren alexander
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Excerpt
He buries his lips against my neck and purrs, “I’m sorry, baby. How can I make it up to you?”
“I don’t know. I’ll think of something.”
“I can think of something.”
“No way. I get to decide, not you.”
He drags his lips up and down my skin, and closing my eyes, I swallow when he asks, “Are you going to tease me all day?”
I squeak, “I might.” He lifts his head from me and tries to turn me around, but I grab onto the fence, preventing him from doing so.
“Is this how you’re going to be?” I hear the ambiguous grin in his voice, causing me to smile more.
“Maybe.”
I eye him from over my shoulder, his lips dangerously close to mine as he asks, “What am I going to have to do to get my kiss?” His eyes are marginally pleading and he rolls his lower lip under his teeth, surely tempting me. Gripping the fence tighter, I viciously resist those full, glistening lips of his, and kissing him with wild unrestraint.
Wickedly smirking at him, I whisper, “Work for it, Wilder.”
Turning, I walk along the fence and around the corner, finding another sign to distract me. Stopping, I glance at Finn through the white metal as a few women walk past him, furtively checking him out and giggling as they walk by. Unless they watch him online, I doubt they’re Finnatics since we’re far from Richmond. No, they were staring at my boyfriend because of how scrumptious he is.
It’s positively the mood-ring hair.
Wait. On second thought, it has to be his scorchingly carnal, dark-chocolate eyes that melt your soul with just one look.
Still in the same spot I left him, Finn transiently angles his head to see where the laughter is coming from. Not being able to help himself, he gives the women a polite nod accompanied by a crooked, shameless grin. Instantly, their mouths drop and they stop blinking as they bump into each other, caught in his magical allure. He must be recruiting new Finnatics.
It’s definitely his sexy smile.
I should be pissed at his flirting, like I was at the race, but I’m used to seeing him flash that smile on TV to his Finnatics, making them hot and bothered. I trust him. I’m okay with him innocently acknowledging other women—it’s part of his public persona. However, when they’re all over him, touching him in places that only I should be, that’s when I can’t take it.
Finn Wilder is mine.
Finished with his apparent networking, he looks back at me and I give him a flirty smile, obviously gawking at him myself. He rolls his eyes and looks away from me. Is he chagrined that I caught him checking out other women or is he proud of himself checking out other women in front of me? Putting his hands on his hips, he laughs and shakes his head.
Finn embarrassed? Never.
He languidly starts walking to me, looking thoughtfully around him, as if he’s formulating a plan. I watch him approaching as he passes by the metal rails, the view of him alternatingly obscured by the vertical bars. He turns the corner and I shift my stare to the sign in front of me. Every molecule of my being is on high alert, eagerly anticipating his closeness.
With the hair on the back of my neck on end, he’s once again behind me, and for a second time, he puts his arms around my waist and his lips against my neck. My body is singing for his touch. He discreetly flicks his tongue as his lips close over my skin, doing this up to my ear. He then nips at my earlobe, causing me to harshly inhale. He repeats biting my ear several times, driving me crazy. As I continue to stare at the sign in front of me, I strive to not be too affected, since we’re openly in public. Unexpectedly, he tersely breathes into my ear, huffing in short bursts, simulating his panting during sex. I gasp and reach up to hold onto the fence.
Grasping the fence on either side of me, his lips graze my ear as he brusquely whispers, “Do you want to kiss me now, Becks?”
I swallow and wheeze, “Nope.” Be strong.
I feel his smile against me. Finn Wilder lives for one thing in life: a challenge he refuses to lose.
He pants and groans into my ear. “Oh, Hadley, baby, you’re so sexy. I want you. I don’t care who watches. I’m going to come so hard inside you.” My knees nearly buckle. I quietly whimper and close my eyes.
I’m supposed to be showing him other ways than sex to be close to me. My plan is backfiring, big time. Damn it!
He whispers, “What about now?”
I nod and hoarsely say, “Yes.”
He whispers, “Good.” He slides his teeth over my ear. “Because two can play at this game.”
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Review
Finn really starts opening up in this sequel to "Chasing Wild Sparks." Well I should say that he starts to share his "dirty little secret" with the world, and introduces Hadley to his coworkers and confesses to his viewing audience that he is in love! As for opening up to Hadley, they still both have work to do in that department in the beginning.
I really grew to love Finn even more in this story. I love the friendship he and Ricky have, and enjoyed getting to know his friend more as well. Finn really tries to show Hadley how much he loves her, but he is so broken and irrational at times that he just doesn't know how. When he is finally warming up to the idea of proposing, his mom throws a whammy at him that she is getting her third divorce! That is all I can say at this time about his marriage/baby issues and what happens! At least now I can see that he does love her, because in the last book I wasn't sure if he had another dirty secret that involved someone else.
Hadley is still insecure in this book, as I would be too if I was in her shoes. However, she didn't repeat that as much as the last book and therefore she was less annoying to me. Overall I enjoyed this story even more than the first and give it 4.5 stars! I am really looking forward to read what Ren comes up with next!
I really grew to love Finn even more in this story. I love the friendship he and Ricky have, and enjoyed getting to know his friend more as well. Finn really tries to show Hadley how much he loves her, but he is so broken and irrational at times that he just doesn't know how. When he is finally warming up to the idea of proposing, his mom throws a whammy at him that she is getting her third divorce! That is all I can say at this time about his marriage/baby issues and what happens! At least now I can see that he does love her, because in the last book I wasn't sure if he had another dirty secret that involved someone else.
Hadley is still insecure in this book, as I would be too if I was in her shoes. However, she didn't repeat that as much as the last book and therefore she was less annoying to me. Overall I enjoyed this story even more than the first and give it 4.5 stars! I am really looking forward to read what Ren comes up with next!
Chasing the wild sparks
Book #1
What would you do if the love of your life doesn’t want the same life you do?
Hadley Beckett has failed in not only her career, but as a daughter, friend, and girlfriend.
Hadley’s longtime boyfriend, Finn Wilder, who is Richmond, Virginia’s local daredevil and favorite sportscaster, isn’t afraid of anything…except for LASIK surgery, dancing, marriage, and kids—the last two being what Hadley desperately wants with him. Finn leads a very public life; however, he leaves Hadley in the dark about most of it. Despite his public persona, Finn is viciously protective of his private life. Excluding their families, his best friend and Hadley’s friends, nobody knows he has been dating her for three years. Finn loves Hadley and he knows she wants to get married. Nevertheless, he has his own reasons for not wanting to marry her.
Fearing at 33 that she will soon be too old to have kids, Hadley wants Finn to change his mind and marry her, yet her insecurities about his seemingly charismatic personality and his constant rebuffs have her questioning her aspirations. With conflicting advice from her friends, Hadley concludes she should take things into her own hands.
Would he change his mind then?
Finn pressures Hadley into moving in with him, but being traditional, she wants to be married first and she wants to stick to her beliefs, just as he clings to his own. Finn has tolerated Hadley’s stubbornness long enough and he’s reaching his breaking point.
Finn Wilder has his own story to tell.
Hadley Beckett has failed in not only her career, but as a daughter, friend, and girlfriend.
Hadley’s longtime boyfriend, Finn Wilder, who is Richmond, Virginia’s local daredevil and favorite sportscaster, isn’t afraid of anything…except for LASIK surgery, dancing, marriage, and kids—the last two being what Hadley desperately wants with him. Finn leads a very public life; however, he leaves Hadley in the dark about most of it. Despite his public persona, Finn is viciously protective of his private life. Excluding their families, his best friend and Hadley’s friends, nobody knows he has been dating her for three years. Finn loves Hadley and he knows she wants to get married. Nevertheless, he has his own reasons for not wanting to marry her.
Fearing at 33 that she will soon be too old to have kids, Hadley wants Finn to change his mind and marry her, yet her insecurities about his seemingly charismatic personality and his constant rebuffs have her questioning her aspirations. With conflicting advice from her friends, Hadley concludes she should take things into her own hands.
Would he change his mind then?
Finn pressures Hadley into moving in with him, but being traditional, she wants to be married first and she wants to stick to her beliefs, just as he clings to his own. Finn has tolerated Hadley’s stubbornness long enough and he’s reaching his breaking point.
Finn Wilder has his own story to tell.
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Review
I have to admit that I personally felt Hadley and Finn's story started off slow for me. I felt it was a lot of complaining and repetitiveness on Hadley's part. I completely understood why she was so insecure in her relationship with Finn, but I just wanted her to get on with their story already or break up with him if she was that upset. However, as it went on and I got a feel for Finn's feelings towards her, I started getting into their story and really enjoyed it.
Finn is very secretive when it comes to his personal life, and in turn Hadley feels like his dirty little secret. He never takes her to any work events, and never introduces her to anyone outside of his fmily and best friend. He is a successful newscaster with a huge fan base, and Hadley has to sit from the sidelines and watch all the "finnatics" claw at her man while they have no idea he has a woman in his life. Hadley is insecure and has no idea where she stands in his life at times. Besides their weekend sexcapades she rarely sees him, and she doesn't feel secure in their relationship at all.
Finn is 100% committed and in love with Hadley! However, he doesn't ever want to get married or have kids with her or anyone else for that matter. After seeing every marriage that his parents have been in fail, he believe marriage ruins relationships and does not want anything to ever ruin his love for Hadley. There is only one issue with this....Hadley wants to be married and not just live with her boyfriend for the rest of their lives. She wants a family with the man that she is in love with. Will Hadley be able to accept the fact that Finn wants to be with her forever, but without the legal papers to prove it? Can she go through life without having his kids and be happy just having him? Does Finn love Hadley enough to give her what she wants, or will his unwillingness to bend on the issue be enough for her to walk away?
Once I got into this book, I could not put it down. I will not lie, it did take some time for me to get into it, but once I did I was hooked and started "Daring Sparks" right away! I really hope they get their HEA ending, but something tells me that their stubbornness will make this a LONG journey for sure!
Finn is very secretive when it comes to his personal life, and in turn Hadley feels like his dirty little secret. He never takes her to any work events, and never introduces her to anyone outside of his fmily and best friend. He is a successful newscaster with a huge fan base, and Hadley has to sit from the sidelines and watch all the "finnatics" claw at her man while they have no idea he has a woman in his life. Hadley is insecure and has no idea where she stands in his life at times. Besides their weekend sexcapades she rarely sees him, and she doesn't feel secure in their relationship at all.
Finn is 100% committed and in love with Hadley! However, he doesn't ever want to get married or have kids with her or anyone else for that matter. After seeing every marriage that his parents have been in fail, he believe marriage ruins relationships and does not want anything to ever ruin his love for Hadley. There is only one issue with this....Hadley wants to be married and not just live with her boyfriend for the rest of their lives. She wants a family with the man that she is in love with. Will Hadley be able to accept the fact that Finn wants to be with her forever, but without the legal papers to prove it? Can she go through life without having his kids and be happy just having him? Does Finn love Hadley enough to give her what she wants, or will his unwillingness to bend on the issue be enough for her to walk away?
Once I got into this book, I could not put it down. I will not lie, it did take some time for me to get into it, but once I did I was hooked and started "Daring Sparks" right away! I really hope they get their HEA ending, but something tells me that their stubbornness will make this a LONG journey for sure!
about the author
Ren Alexander was born in Wheeling, West Virginia, but grew up in a nearby tiny, historical, college town in the Northern Panhandle of the state. She graduated from West Liberty University, where she received a B.S. in criminal justice. Although interested in that field, her true passion was reading and writing.
She currently lives in Detroit, Michigan with her husband, two daughters and two cats.
"Chasing the Wild Sparks" is Ren's first novel.
She currently lives in Detroit, Michigan with her husband, two daughters and two cats.
"Chasing the Wild Sparks" is Ren's first novel.
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Hi!! thanks for posting and I loved the reviews!! ;)
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