Freedom

So I will admit I was excited to get this book but I was also skeptical. I was always more team Devils Reach than team Broken/Blackstone. I mean don't get me wrong I enjoyed the Broken series and the Blackstone series, but I LOVED the Devils Reach series. I knew Trigger was going to be in this book so I was on board. What I didn't expect to happen....was that I would love this book as much as I had loved the Devils Reach!

So let's talk Mike. Mike is a member of Blackstone and has always been the silent tattooed teddy bear to me. Also, he's friends with Trigger. I didn't know how Mike was going to come to the forefront when he has always been in the background. Well, he did and Ms. Drake did it fabulously. Mike was all I wanted and more. This book had it all, bad guys, good guys, tension, romance, all the characters we have grown to love through all Ms. Drake's series, and a great heroine in Catalina and an even better hero in Mike!

The story kept me engaged from start to finish! I stayed up until 5 am to get to the finish line with this book and it was totally worth it. Ms. Drake tied up loose ends, made me love Mike as much as I love Trigger, and made me fall for Catalina. Mike and Catalina had an instant connection, which worked for me! They were two troubled MCs but the way Mike was in this book.... Mike always thought he would be alone because he was so big, and had been tormented as a child but his mom gave him a nickname...that worked and made me fall in love even more:

"“Do they like Banner?” my mother asked from the hallway. I grinned at her. “Of course. They don’t have a choice. He’d crush them all.” “Right, but he only hurts the ones who hurt him. He was misunderstood because of his size, but he has a huge heart. Just like you.” She took a seat on the floor and started to play with me. “I guess we should call you Banner.” I shrugged, but a smile crept over my lips. The name stuck. "' Mike and his mom

He was so sweet, yet alpha too. When he truly understood that Cat was for him he was adorable:

"His eyebrows pinched, and he gave me a lopsided grin. “You think I’m beautiful?” I nodded, and he thought for a moment. “No one has ever called me that.” " Cat and Mike

But the quote that took me over the edge....the scene is Catalina is speaking in Spanish to a friend. He just likes to hear her talk...but what Cat doesn't know is that Mike speaks Spanish too. She starts talking about her feelings and everyone thinks she is just talking and saying random words, but we all know that Mike understands everything she is saying:

"But then there’s you, you walked into my life and made me feel safe. Everyone was silent, and I took a deep breath and shook my head. “Yo te protegere,” Mike whispered, and I froze. I’ll protect you. that did it for me:"

And that did it for me too. "Yo te protegere" yep, done. Ovaries exploded and Mike is now on a level playing field with Trigger. Even though they both come from completely different worlds, they are both determined to make it work:

"We come from very different worlds, Mike,” she whispered sadly. “Worlds that I don’t know can coexist.” “Then let’s create our own and see what happens,” I challenged, not giving her an out. “Mike.” “Catalina.” "

I truly think my ovaries exploded about 10 times reading this book. I couldn't even write the review until I had time to process this. I LOVED THIS BOOK! I loved these characters, I loved the story, I loved the love! I don't give a lot of 5 stars out....but this one got to me and I think I will be reading it again and again. So do I recommend? That would be a great big yes! I have one final quote to leave you with:

"“I thought I was one of those men who was destined to live my life through the happiness of others.” She leaned up and gently kissed my lips before she lay back down. “Then one night, I heard this woman on the phone, and when she looked at me, she really looked at me. No fear, no assumptions. She just saw me.”"

Catalina and Mike forever! Swoon, swoon, swoon! I got everything I wanted out of this book and then some! Happy reading!

Freedom kept me captivated from the first page. I absolutely loved every second of it! J.L. has a way of making you feel like you’re coming home when you read one of her stories and freedom Is no exception. I would highly recommend this book it will not leave you disappointed!