![\"\"](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.escapistbookblog.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/12\/Cruel-North-Blog-Tour-Banner.jpg?resize=640%2C236&ssl=1\")
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A gorgeously emotional second-chance-romance for the villain of the North Brothers series, this books is fun and feisty, with all the feels!<\/strong><\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n Cruel North is an angsty second-chance, enemies to lovers romance where the most hated man in the North Brothers world finally gets brought to his knees.<\/p>\n A teenage girl with my eyes and a familiar glare, strolls into my life and she\u2019s calling me Dad.<\/p>\n Vanessa was my high school girlfriend and the smartest person I knew. She had a plan, a future, and she swore nothing would get in the way. Until she became pregnant. I thought we agreed on our plan. I sent her the money. Then she disappeared.<\/p>\n Her parents told me she was in South America for a year. They told me she needed space. I never heard from her again.<\/p>\n Seventeen years later and she\u2019s back. I\u2019m staring into those green eyes that used to tempt and taunt me. But it\u2019s not just about us anymore. We have a daughter.<\/p>\n Wanting to get to know her, I convince them to move in with me for one month. I\u2019m so angry with Vanessa and she seems to be equally upset. Every insult from her smart mouth invites me to engage. The brutal chemistry between us ignites old embers. I wish I could hate her. Instead, I want her.<\/p>\n But too much time has passed, and I fear some hurts run too deep to heal.<\/p>\n At the end of thirty days, I\u2019ll have to let them go.<\/p>\n Unless I figure out a way to keep them.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Add to Goodreads<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n <\/p>\n 5 stars!<\/b><\/p>\n The fourth and final book in the North Brothers<\/i> series, J.B. Salsbury has delivered a wonderous feat\u2026 she made me fall in love with the bad guy! Snarky, misunderstood Hayes finally meets his match (actually, two of them), when his previously unknown 17-year-old daughter comes barging into his world, bringing with her a blast from his past. This is a gorgeously emotional second-chance-romance that is fun and feisty, with all the feels, and I loved it!<\/p>\n You don\u2019t have to have read the earlier books in the series to enjoy this one, but I would recommend it, because the build-up has been fantastic. The earlier books in this series left me hating Hayes so much, but it\u2019s been a while since I read them, which means I had forgotten a lot of the specifics of his heinous behaviour before starting this one. Generally, the man is an a-hole. But seeing him here, in such a vulnerable position, learning more about him and watching him interact with Vanessa and Haven\u2026 bravo J.B. Salsbury, she made his snark almost endearing.<\/p>\n Hayes is a corporate lawyer whose work is his life. But his perfectly ordered world is thrown upside down with the arrival of a sassy 17 year old declaring that she is his daughter. Being a millionaire, he\u2019s understandably sceptical, but when he learns that Haven\u2019s mother is none other than his childhood sweetheart and first and only love, Vanessa, suddenly everything changes.<\/p>\n Vanessa is a fiercely proud single mother who bought Haven up all on her own after she and Hayes broke up and her family disowned her. She\u2019s super protective and has put up huge walls to protect herself and her daughter, and when she learns that Haven has run off to New York City to meet her father, she immediately follows, bringing her face to face with the man that she feels let her down so long ago.<\/p>\n Hayes and Vanessa\u2019s beginning was fun and sweetly romantic, but it ended in a heartbreaking mess. As teenagers, she was the only one that stood up to his arrogance, and he loved it. They had a feisty, argumentative dynamic, and they loved each other fiercely, passionately and intensely, and were completely devoted to each other and planning for a future. Their break up was a caused by a series of misunderstanding for which they were both at fault, and seeing each other again brings all of those feelings rushing back to the surface. And from the intensity between them, you know it\u2019s going to be an epic ride, especially when Hayes convinces the girls to stay with him for a month so that he can get to know Haven better, and they move into his apartment.<\/p>\n Second-chance-romances are my favourite, and this book is an example of why. The attraction, the anger, the grief, the love, the pain, it\u2019s all there, and I was feeling it right along with Hayes and Vanessa as they are confronted with the past, finally discover the truth of all that happened between them to tear them apart, and then are faced with the prospect of coming together again as adults, still with so much emotion between them. It\u2019s epic!<\/p>\n Given the complexity of their circumstances, there is SO much hurt and anger there, and I completely understood what they were feeling. But underneath it all, their attraction is still very much alive, and they initially hate that they want each other so much, but as they start to spend time together and talk about the past, old emotion resurfaces, and they are able to start dealing with it and move forward.<\/p>\n \u201cIs that what you remember about us? Pain?\u201d Amidst all of the emotion, there\u2019s lots of light and fun moments. Firstly from Haven, who is a perfect blend of both of her argumentative parents, and Hayes finds himself in the position of having two women in his life snarking back at him.<\/p>\n I shoot her a look and recoil when I come face to face with an even fiercer glare. Good god, I should\u2019ve known Ness and I would make a fierce-as-fuck kid.<\/i><\/p><\/blockquote>\n And then we get to see the playful side of Hayes come out when he and Vanessa fall into the familiar rhythm that was all theirs, and I loved seeing him tease and flirt!<\/p>\n \u201cYou\u2019re wearing sweatpants.\u201d Despite their murky past, there\u2019s so much chemistry between these two, and the sexual tension is fantastic! Their reunion quickly turns steamy, and with all of that passion, they find themselves falling for each other all over again\u2026 not that they never really stopped. It\u2019s hot and steamy and full of emotion, and so much beautiful swoon!<\/p>\n I rest my forehead against hers. \u201cVanessa \u2026 I have always loved you \u2026 I will always love you.\u201d<\/i><\/p><\/blockquote>\n But their lives could not be more different. And with Vanessa and Haven in town for only one month, there\u2019s a lot for the newly-formed family to figure out when it comes to their future.<\/p>\n I loved this book. It\u2019s beautifully emotional and wonderfully romantic, with lots of light and funny moments that keep it all really entertaining. Hayes\u2019 brothers and their girls are all a big part of the story, and I loved seeing all of their interactions. But the highlight of this book of me is seeing Hayes so easily brought to his knees by the women in his life. His growth as a character is really well written, and even though I may not have thought so earlier in the series, I loved seeing him get his HEA.<\/p>\n There is a wonderful epilogue that finishes off the series beautifully, but there is an opportunity there for more books, and I\u2019d definitely love to read more. But I was completely satisfied with how this one ended, and loved this book, and the series, so much.<\/p>\n 5 stars!<\/p>\n An Advanced Review Copy was generously provided by the author in exchange for an honest review.<\/i><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Wild North (#1)<\/strong> Rebel North (#2)<\/strong> True North (#3)<\/strong> Cruel North (#4) <\/p>\n Hayes<\/strong><\/p>\n \u201cLet\u2019s go.\u201d I open the passenger side door to my car, and when Haven climbs in, I give Hudson a chin lift, thanking him for having my back.<\/p>\n He nods back with a look that says I better be nice.<\/p>\n Fuck me. My own twin acts like I\u2019m the enemy here. Like I\u2019d hurt my own daughter?<\/p>\n I climb behind the wheel and fire up the engine, grateful for the steady hum of the supercharged V8 that cuts through an uncomfortable silence.<\/p>\n \u201cNice ride,\u201d Haven says and touches all the buttons and knobs. \u201cIs this real leather?\u201d She runs her hands along the seats, and I notice that she has long elegant fingers that are exactly like Vanessa\u2019s.<\/p>\n \u201cYes.\u201d I force my eyes to the road, feeling oddly uncomfortable with such precious cargo.<\/p>\n \u201cI have a Jeep,\u201d she says. \u201cIt\u2019s a piece of shit.\u201d<\/p>\n I\u2019m not great at conversation on a good day, so I grunt like a fucking caveman.<\/p>\n \u201cSo what\u2019s it like?\u201d<\/p>\n I see out of my peripheral that she\u2019s facing me. \u201cWhat\u2019s what like?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cBeing a millionaire.\u201d<\/p>\n I lose the battle with my eyeballs, and they dart toward her before I wrangle them back to the road. Vanessa\u2019s family has a net worth equal to mine. I can\u2019t imagine Haven grew up without.<\/p>\n I clear the discomfort from my throat. \u201cI hear you\u2019re a pretty good athlete.\u201d My tone sounds like I\u2019m accusing her of something, and I don\u2019t know why. Maybe I should\u2019ve just let Hudson take her home. I suck at this.<\/p>\n \u201cI am. I\u2019m good at a lot of things.\u201d<\/p>\n Confident, like her mom. Good. \u201cOh yeah?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cMm-hm.\u201d She doesn\u2019t elaborate.<\/p>\n I take the bait. \u201cLike what?\u201d<\/p>\n She shrugs and looks casually out the front window. \u201cYou want the condensed version of my life so that you don\u2019t have to actually invest?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cNo,\u201d I say dryly and grip the steering wheel tighter.<\/p>\n The uncomfortable silence is back and goes on for so long that I start to sweat. I flip on the AC and aim the vent right at my face.<\/p>\n \u201cListen, uh\u2026 Haven\u2026 I\u2026\u201d I sound like an idiot who can\u2019t string two words together. \u201cI\u2019ve been thinking\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cAbout how you wanted my mom to abort me?\u201d<\/p>\n Fuckin\u2019 hell. \u201cNo.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cAbout how you abandoned her and left her to have a baby alone at\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cJesus, no.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cAbout how you\u2019re a rich selfish asshole who couldn\u2019t even be bothered to look for the woman who carried your unwanted child to see if maybe she needed anything like money for food or clothes or a safe place to live or\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cHaven, stop.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201c\u2014or money so that kid could play sports and afford equipment so she wouldn\u2019t let made fun of for wearing the wrong shoes or sweatpants to games.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWhat are you talking about? Your mom\u2019s family is wealthy.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYeah, well, thanks to you and your mighty sperm, they disowned her.\u201d She tilts her head, just like her mother does before she delivers a brutal tongue lashing. \u201cOhh, you didn\u2019t know that, did you?\u201d She makes a tsking sound. \u201cYou would\u2019ve if you looked for us. Ever heard of Google, asshole?<\/p>\n \u201cThat\u2019s enough.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cHey, you\u2019re the one who wanted me to ride with you\u2014\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI get it. You want to hurt me. I\u2019d do the same in your shoes.\u201d<\/p>\n She slams her mouth closed without response. She faces forward and crosses her arms at her chest. \u201cWhatever.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWe need to\u2026 get to know each other. The three of us have a lot to talk about.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI have nothing to say to you.\u201d<\/p>\n I cough out a laugh. \u201cCould\u2019ve fooled me.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cAre we almost to Uncle Hudson\u2019s house?\u201d<\/p>\n He gets to be Uncle Hudson, and I\u2019m Asshole? My jaw ticks. \u201cYes.\u201d<\/p>\n I use the rest of the time in the car to breathe in and out and try to calm my temper. Vanessa\u2019s parents disowned her. I shouldn\u2019t be surprised, and yet, I am. She\u2019s their only child, for fuck\u2019s sake.<\/p>\n I have a million questions and worry I won\u2019t get the chance to ask Vanessa if we can\u2019t even be in the same room without fighting. Time feels like it\u2019s slipping away, and I don\u2019t know how to grab onto it. But I know I have to try.<\/p>\n I pull up to Hudson\u2019s building. Haven makes a reach for her seatbelt. \u201cI have a proposition for you.\u201d<\/p>\n Her hand freezes on the buckle, and her eyes narrow.<\/p>\n My God, it\u2019s like looking in a mirror. \u201cOne month in New York. Rent free, all expenses paid, you and your mom.\u201d<\/p>\n She eyes me cautiously. \u201cWhat\u2019s the catch?\u201d<\/p>\n Here\u2019s where I might lose her. \u201cYou live with me.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYeah, right.\u201d She snorts. \u201cMom will never agree to that. I\u2019m pretty sure she hates you.\u201d<\/p>\n She\u2019s not exactly my favorite person right now either. \u201cLeave the convincing to me.\u201d<\/p>\n Her smile is a little wicked. \u201cYou\u2019re either really brave or really stupid.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m not stupid.\u201d<\/p>\n Her brows pop high on her forehead. \u201cYou clearly don\u2019t know my mom.\u201d<\/p>\n I don\u2019t respond because she\u2019s right. But she\u2019s also wrong. I got the fiery Vanessa Osbourne to care for me once. A month in New York shouldn\u2019t be too hard.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Her love of good storytelling led her to earn a degree in Media Communications. With her journalistic background, writing has always been at the forefront, and her\u00a0 love of romance prompted her to write her first novel.\u00a0\u00a0She has since won a RONE Award.<\/p>\n Connect with JB:<\/p>\n Facebook\u00a0<\/a> |\u00a0 Amazon\u00a0<\/a> |\u00a0 Goodreads\u00a0<\/a> |\u00a0 Twitter\u00a0<\/a> |\u00a0 Instagram<\/a>\u00a0 |\u00a0 Website<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" He let her go once. This time he wants to keep her. Cruel North, an all-new surprise pregnancy, forced proximity contemporary romance with sizzling chemistry from New York Times bestselling author J.B. Salsbury […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":66539,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"nf_dc_page":"","yasr_overall_rating":5,"yasr_post_is_review":"","yasr_auto_insert_disabled":"","yasr_review_type":"","_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[52,49,9,24,1036,29],"tags":[59,648,1265,48],"class_list":["post-67344","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-drama","category-feeeeeeels","category-romance","category-second-chance-romance","category-single-parent","category-steamy","tag-arc","tag-j-b-salsbury","tag-north-brothers","tag-review"],"yasr_visitor_votes":{"stars_attributes":{"read_only":false,"span_bottom":false},"number_of_votes":0,"sum_votes":0},"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.escapistbookblog.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/Cruel-North.jpg?fit=200%2C300&ssl=1","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p7gaNL-hwc","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.escapistbookblog.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/67344","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.escapistbookblog.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.escapistbookblog.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.escapistbookblog.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.escapistbookblog.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=67344"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.escapistbookblog.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/67344\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.escapistbookblog.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/66539"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.escapistbookblog.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=67344"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.escapistbookblog.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=67344"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.escapistbookblog.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=67344"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}Amazon\u00a0<\/a> |\u00a0 Amazon Worldwide<\/a> |\u00a0 Apple\u00a0<\/a> |\u00a0 Nook\u00a0<\/a> |\u00a0 <\/strong>Kobo<\/a><\/strong><\/h4>\n
\n\r\n <\/div><\/div><\/strong><\/h4>\n
\nBlurb<\/strong><\/h4>\n
\nReview<\/b><\/h4>\n
\n\u201cMostly, yes. Because I had to hold onto it to make me stronger. The angrier I was, the more I wanted to prove I could raise her on my own.\u201d
\n\u201cJesus, Ness.\u201d He runs both hands down his face \u2026 \u201cI\u2019m so fucking sorry you had to do this alone.\u201d<\/i><\/p><\/blockquote>\n
\n\u201cNot what I was expecting.\u201d
\n\u201cAnd\u2026\u201d her gaze darts between my legs before jumping forward to the skyline. \u201cI don\u2019t know if dudes know what wearing sweatpants does to their\u2026their\u2026\u201d
\n\u201cDicks.\u201d
\n\u201cYeah.\u201d
\n\u201cWe know.\u201d
\nShe jerks her heard around. \u201cYou do?\u201d
\nI smirk.
\nHer eyes narrow. \u201cThat\u2019s just mean.\u201d
\n\u201cMean? Or effective?\u201d<\/i><\/p><\/blockquote>\nThe North Brothers<\/strong><\/h4>\n
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\nReview<\/a>
\nBuy:\u00a0 Amazon \u00a0<\/a>|\u00a0 Apple Books<\/a>\u00a0 |\u00a0 B&N<\/a>\u00a0 |\u00a0\u00a0Kobo<\/a><\/p>\n
\nReview<\/a>
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\nReview<\/a>
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\n<\/strong>Buy: \u00a0Amazon\u00a0<\/a> |\u00a0\u00a0Apple\u00a0 Books<\/a>\u00a0|\u00a0\u00a0B&N <\/a>\u00a0|\u00a0\u00a0Kobo<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n
\nExcerpt<\/strong><\/h4>\n
\nAbout the Author<\/strong><\/h4>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.escapistbookblog.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/JBSalsbury.jpg?resize=176%2C246&ssl=1\")
JB Salsbury, New York Times Best Selling author of The Fighting Series, lives in Phoenix, Arizona, with her husband and two kids. She spends the majority of her day lost in a world of battling alphas, budding romance, and impossible obstacles as stories claw away at her subconscious, begging to be released to the page.<\/p>\nCheck out more awesome reads on our\u00a0JB Salsbury Author Spotlight<\/a>\u00a0page<\/strong><\/h4>\n