o quote Bruce Springsteen, "From small thing, baby, big things one day come."In this case, the "small thing" is Ettie, a feisty blonde who is somewhat short of stature. She blows into a small town bar one night, determined to drown her frustrations, and meets Wyatt, a sexy, older man. She's drawn to his loneliness, something she understands well, and after spending a few hours drinking and playing pool, she invites herself into his life ... at least for the night.Wyatt is the lonely man she pegs him for, and he finds in Ettie a boldness that attracts him. She's fun and makes him laugh, and she's someone who actively wants to experience life. Wyatt, on the other hand, has shut himself off for nearly a half dozen years, believing he isn't worthy of the joy that Ettie represents.But he gives himself a night with her, which becomes a weekend. It is revelatory for the two of them.There are problems, though, that mean there is no future. For one thing, there is Ettie's on-again, off-again relationship with her boyfriend. For another, there is Wyatt's pain and emotional blockage. Yet they want this, even if neither knows how to make it happen or if it can happen.This, faithful readers, is one hot romance. Strap on your vibrators, girls, because you will need it.Wyatt may shut himself off from romance for a while, but he can still rock that headboard. In fact, he rocks it so astoundingly well that I couldn't figure out how Ettie could leave him. I'd have chained myself to that headboard and begged for more.There is so much to love about this book. Ettie is flawed and occasionally awful, but she's real. Her backstory is a bit murky and forced, one of those things manufactured to give her something that Wyatt can relate to. Wyatt's emotional constipation is also well written, and we can easily see why these two are drawn to each other. Can they stay together? Can they overcome the age gap? Carter Ashby does a good job of giving them a foundation other than great sex, which makes you root for them all the stronger.There is a bit too much time spent with Wyatt and a sort of support mechanism toward the end of the book, and then there is what I think was intended to be a plot twist involving an unforeseen life event that turns out to be unnecessary.But even with those occasional blips, I liked this book a LOT. I received an ARC but immediately bought my own copy. It's hot, it's fun, and it's a good read.Cuddle up to this one on a cold winter's night. You can thank me - and Carter Ashby - later.Published on VoxLibris.net@VoxLibris This is a good book. I liked it. I would recommend it to someone looking for a quick read. This is one of those in between books. It isn't forgettable by no means, but it also won't be one to stay with you. The characters were well written. A few of the plot points were farfetched, but not completely unbelievable. Overall, this book was just good. For some people, three may seem like a bad rating. But, I don't flip my shit for anything. Three is good. Four is reserved for greatness. And, five is for the rare gem.
What do You think about Without You Here (2014)?
DNF could not it was to twisted for my liking ridiculous lol
—arlissareynolds
annoying heroine. annoying hero. unbelievable story line.
—Drea
