Forsaken Trail, the fourth book in the Runaway series by Devney Perry, is live!

 

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Blurb

Aria Saint-James has planned the perfect getaway: sweatpants, takeout and two weeks alone with her sister and nephew. Nowhere on that list is wearing a low-cut dress and uncomfortable heels to attend a wedding where she knows neither the bride nor the groom. Toss in her nemesis, Brody Carmichael, and her road trip to Arizona is officially a bust.

But at least there is champagne.

She blames the bubbly for falling into bed with Brody that night. Enemy or no, the billionaire is irresistible in a tux. But after their one-night tryst, Aria has no choice but to cut her vacation short, returning home to escape his devilish smile, vowing never to see Brody again.

Except Aria gets a surprise a few weeks later—she’s pregnant. When he learns that she’s carrying his child, Brody offers Aria the chance of a lifetime. The catch? She has to live under his roof until the baby is born.

Either they’ll kill each other in nine months. Or discover love buried beneath their hate.

 

 

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Review

5 stars

OMG, what a gorgeous read! An enemies-to-lovers story with a surprise baby element, it’s romance trope crack, and a beautiful story with a fun, functional and chemistry-filled love story that had me captivated from start to finish. I loved it so much!

This is the fourth book in the Runaway series, and Aria is the fourth of six former teen runaways to take a road trip in an old Cadillac, passing it from one to the next, as the car makes its way from Boston to California. We met Aria in the last book, when the car was passed on to her, and she’s making the trip from her home in Oregon to her twin sister in Arizona, to pass the car on to the next part of its journey.

Aria and her sister, Clara, are as close as they can possibly be. She’s thrilled to be visiting her sister and nephew, and can’t wait to spend two weeks with them. Of course that means she also has to deal with Clara’s boss, billionaire Broderick Carmichael – a man that she hates with a passion.

Clara lives in a house on Brody’s property, and as his personal assistant, they are a big part of each other’s lives. She’s even going as his platonic date to an awkward family wedding. But when Clara falls ill, Aria steps in to help, and she and Brody are forced into close proximity as they fake a relationship at an exclusive, formal family event. The evening brings some revelations as Aria and Brody proceed to get drunk together – they laugh and banter, and learn that the other isn’t as bad as they once thought, and they end up caving to the mad attraction they’ve always had to each other for one glorious night. Things don’t go so well after that, and they go their separate ways until a few weeks later when Aria learns that she’s pregnant from their night together.

I love books with pregnancy and babies in them, watching how people respond to such a massive change in their life circumstances, and that is where this book shined. Brody immediately steps up, there for Aria in every way that he can be, offering her the chance to change her life, asking only to be a part of it – including moving her into his home for the next 12 months.

She shouldn’t worry. She shouldn’t have fears. Aria deserved an easy life. I’d make sure of it, if she’d just let me.

It’s a delicious set-up that is everything I was hoping it would be as Aria and Brody bicker, banter and tease, and have these increasing moments of connection that had me bouncing around in excited anticipation just watching them grow closer. And the chemistry just sizzles! Brody and Aria have always been attracted to each other, and now that they’ve broken the seal (so to speak) it’s harder than ever to hold back, and the sexual tension is fantastic!

“I told myself I wasn’t going to make this a habit. That I couldn’t let you kiss me again.” Her hand snaked up my stomach, her palm rising to where my heart was beating out of my chest. “But what if we did?”
A pained grown escaped my throat. “I want you. I fucking crave you, Aria.”
She flipped open a button on my shirt. “Then you’d better kiss me again.”

It’s hot and sweet, with some gorgeously tender moments and a touch of drama. Their situation isn’t perfect, and they both have compromises to make, and it’s functional and realistic as they work through it all and figure out what their future will look like.

I know that for the rest of my life, I’d hold on to her. Above all else, Aria was the endgame.

I love these characters. Aria is smart, sensible, funny and feisty. She’s come such a long way from her difficult childhood, and she’s become this powerhouse of confidence who still has some vulnerable moments, and I just loved her. And Brody completely stole my heart. Though his childhood was completely different from Aria’s, he has suffered as well and it’s left his mark. He is a smart and sophisticated businessman but he’s clueless when it comes to love and relationship and he has so much to learn, but he opens himself up beautifully, and I loved how fully he embraced it all.

“I won’t let you fall.”
“You say that and it’s sweet. But you don’t get it.”
“Get what?”
“I need to do this on my own.”
“Understandable. Think of me as a safety net.”
“I’ve never had a safety net.”
“You do now.”

They are just beautiful together, and I loved watching them fall so completely. There’s a sweet and satisfying ending, which left me with a big grin on my face, and the series is set up for the final book which will be Clara’s, as she makes the final journey to California to face the past (and the boy/man) that she left behind.

I loved this one so much – 5 stars!

An Advanced Review Copy was generously provided by the author in exchange for an honest review.

 

Runaway

 

 

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Excerpt

The whirl of tires and the hum of an engine filled the air before she could answer. A shiny black Jaguar came down the driveway and my heart dropped.

No. That son of a bitch Brody Carmichael was going to ruin my vacation.

“He’s supposed to be gone.” If he dared encroach on my time with Clara, I’d sneak poison ivy into his bed.

“It’s not his fault.” Clara sighed, quick to defend her boss.

“Did his private plane not have enough spiced cashews for his liking? Surely he can afford jet fuel.”

The second-best part of this week, besides Clara and Gus, was Brody’s scheduled absence. Clara knew there was no love lost between me and her boss, so she’d suggested travel dates that coincided with his vacation.

Yet here he was, parking a car that likely cost more than all of my worldly possessions combined.

Brody parked behind the Cadillac and stepped out of his car, sliding the sunglasses off his face. He wore a navy suit tailored to perfection around his broad shoulders and long legs. In the years I’d known him, I’d never seen him in anything but a suit. Did he not own jeans?

“Brody!” August raced over, holding up a hand for a high five. “Aunt Aria is here. We’re gonna open my presents.”

“I see that.” Brody’s lips turned up in a smile. Barely.

If the man ever learned how to deliver one properly, actually show some teeth, he’d be devastating. Especially with the dark, trimmed beard he’d grown a few years ago. It gave him a sexy edge. Or it would have, if his perpetually sour mood wasn’t such a major turnoff.

He definitely, definitely didn’t turn me on. Oh no.

Broderick Carmichael was enemy number one.

 

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About the Author

Devney is the USA Today bestselling author of the Jamison Valley series. She lives in Montana with her husband and two children. After working in the technology industry for nearly a decade, she abandoned conference calls and project schedules to enjoy a slower pace at home with her kids. She loves reading and, after consuming hundreds of books, decided to share her own stories. Devney loves hearing from readers!  Connect with her on social media.

 

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