REVIEW & GIVEAWAY: WRAPPED IN YOU by JULES BENNETT

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Wrapped In You
The Monroes #1

By: Jules Bennett

Releasing March 29, 2016 
Zebra

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In Wrapped in You (The Monroes #1) by Jules Bennett, Zach Monroe hasn't been able to forgive himself for causing the accident that hurt the woman he's always had feelings for and one of his brothers. But when his sister dies, and leaves him and his two brothers a property dating back to the Civil War era, Zach must face his past when Sophie brings him an offer to buy the property. Should he take it or do something with the property that could honor his sister's memory?

Sophie hates the fact that Zach locked her out of his life after the accident that changed both their lives. But when she presents him with an offer to buy the Civil War era property his sister left him and his brothers, she's decided enough is enough. Can she break down the walls he's placed around his heart, and bring other emotions besides guilt and anger to the forefront before it's too late?

This is the first book I've read by Ms. Bennett, but I've got to say that it won't be the last. This fast-paced story encompassing the sister's best friend trope, a heroine determined to get the hero to move beyond his past, and a hero that finally begins to realize that he shouldn't let his past affect his future was riveting from start to finish. I really liked how it started with Sophie ambushing the three brothers (Zach, Liam and Braxton) with the offer she has by forcing them to be in the same room together. Luckily, no fights broke out considering that Liam -- the brother that was injured in the accident -- still carries a lot of resentment towards Zach.   

I really liked both the main characters as well as the secondary ones. Zach's brothers are determined to help him bring their sister's dream to life, even if one of them was hesitant at first. I liked how the project helped them to bond, to reconnect as brothers. They've had so much pain, so much anger towards each other for too long, especially Zach and Liam.  Then there's the young boy, Brock, that Zach takes under his wing. The boy reminds the hero so much of himself when he was the boy's age. How his parents couldn't have cared less about him, and he's not about to let that happen to Brock.

Sophie is strong, brave, determined, and stubborn. She's sick and tired of Zach pushing her away because he thinks he's protecting her from the chaotic mess of his life. But enough is enough. She's determined to convince him that life is precious, that he needs to get over feeling guilty about the accident. She's moved on from it, realizing that she can't live in the past, so why can't he? If she doesn't blame him for what happened, then why is he still blaming himself? He already paid a big enough price when he went to jail, and has definitely done more than enough to atone for it.

While Zach, his point-of-view was such an emotional roller coaster, and I couldn't help but feel sorry for him. The accident and his horrible past has toughened him for sure, and I wasn't sure Sophie would be enough to get Zach to forgive himself. However, I was pleased that he came around and I liked how he got Brock to help him win Sophie back.  

There was such strong chemistry between Zach and Sophie, even though the hero finds it hard to look at the heroine without remembering the accident. Yet, I was glad he could get past it because Sophie needed him just as much as he needed her, if they were to ever heal from everything that happened in the past.  Sophie's determination to get Zach to open up to her, to show him that he deserves to be happy, despite the fact that he believes otherwise was fantastic. Because once Sophie got past his walls, the story heated up through hot sex scenes.

Overall, this was a really good book filled with plenty of emotion, well-written dialogue, and left me wanting more of the Monroe brothers. Ms. Bennett wrapped this story up perfectly, even if Sophie's parents annoyed me with their disapproval of Zach in Sophie's life. Hello! She's an adult, and can be with whoever she wants. However, the words and the picture Zach used to win Sophie back had me cheering for this couple. Because after all they'd been through in the past, they deserved the happiness that was finally coming to them. I would recommend Wrapped in You by Jules Bennett, if you enjoy the sister's best friends trope, or like reading books where a hero and heroine to heal from the hurts of their pasts.

OVERALL RATING:

 

 

BLURB:
The Monroe brothers found a home in Haven, Georgia, thanks to the big-hearted couple who adopted them all. Now, grieving their late sister, these three very different men will come together to honor her memory. And with the help of some unforgettable women, each will find the chance to build a whole new future…
 

Zach Monroe has made mistakes—big ones. The worst left the girl he loved injured, and his own brother barely speaking to him. It was a night Zach won’t let himself forget, even when the girl in question—perfect, polished Sophie Allen—walks back into his life. A realtor, Sophie’s brought an offer for their sister’s dilapidated Civil War era property. But Zach’s determined to renovate the rambling old place himself—though he longs to rebuild Sophie’s trust in him…

A business deal isn’t how Sophie wanted to approach Zach after all this time, but he won’t let anyone get personal. She can’t deny that the accident changed her life in irreparable ways. But watching gruff, quiet Zach beat himself up year after year hurts too. The wounded boy she once adored needed love, and the man is no different. Now Sophie will need every bit of her resolve to convince Zach to let love heal them both…

 

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While Sophie had been raised to worry what others thought, Zach didn’t give a damn. As a teen, she’d wondered how well that would go over with her proper parents, if she just threw caution to the wind and worried about what made her happy and not the rest of the world. Chelsea had hinted more than once that Zach would be good for Sophie, and vice versa.

Nearly a decade had passed since she and Zach had finally stopped dancing around each other. They were heading toward something that could’ve been remarkable, when all of their lives changed in an instant. Since then, Zach Monroe treated her as if she had the plague, as if he couldn’t stand to be in the same room with her. He’d pushed most people away and nearly worked himself to death . . . and all of that was after he’d gotten out of jail.

Swearing off bad boys, silent seducers, and that pull toward the mysterious, no matter how heavy the temptation, Sophie had opted to move on. For a while she’d been afraid to date, afraid for a man to see the scars she had hidden beneath her clothes. Eventually she realized the scars weren’t going away and she needed a social life. She’d been dating Martin for six months, and they were quite compatible when they could squeeze in dates between their busy schedules. Well, they weren’t so much compatible as they shared similar backgrounds and Sophie’s parents loved him.

But lately she’d been wondering if there should be more to a relationship. Shouldn’t there be sparks or . . . something? Flynn jumped onto the sofa and curled up next to Sophie.

“Great, I’m the cat lady,” she muttered against the next bite of ice cream. “I’ll die old and alone. You’ll probably outlive me.”

She sighed as she dug in for another spoonful. She needed to call Martin and let him know the guys were going to think about the offer. With the way Zach had left abruptly, and Liam still dead set on selling, she truly had no idea which way this decision would go.

Sophie’s cell chimed from her purse she’d left in the kitchen. Normally she’d ignore it, but she had several new listings and she was known for being prompt and professional.

Eyeing the carton of ice cream, she silently promised to return soon. Running as quick as she could allow herself, she pulled the phone from her purse and smiled at the name lighting up her screen.

“Hey, Braxton,” she answered.

“Hey, Sophie. Are you busy?”

His rich tone flooded the line. Of all the Monroe boys, Braxton was the peacemaker, the comforter, the “brainy” one. Braxton and Liam had always been like brothers to Sophie. They’d always treated her as family, and their friendship ran deeper than any bond she’d ever had with her own family.

Then there was Zach. Regardless of the anger she held toward him, there was always some nugget of attraction. After all this time, she figured it was just something she’d have to live with.

And her anger didn’t stem from the accident. Her years of rage stemmed from him blocking out those who cared for him, those who needed to get through the emotional mess with him. Did he even wonder how she was doing, after all that happened? Did he even care that she’d cried and cursed and broken things when he wouldn’t see her?

Gripping the phone, she focused on Braxton and pushed his frustrating brother to the back of her mind.

“Just digging into a dinner of chocolate-chunk ice cream.” She made her way back to the couch.

“I’m good at multitasking, though.”

“I cannot figure out how you live on junk and don’t weigh—”

 “I’d watch what I said about a woman’s weight,” she warned with a laugh. “I assume you didn’t call to discuss my pounds or my warped version of dinner.”

“Yeah.” Braxton’s sigh came through loud and clear. “I wanted to apologize for everything earlier. I know you’re just trying to help.”

Propping her feet on the low coffee table, Sophie settled deeper into the corner of her couch. “You may be the most considerate man I know. I put you in an awkward position and you’re calling to apologize to me?”

“You were just giving us all the information so we could do what we wanted,” he told her. “I actually appreciate that you didn’t dance around whatever I would be feeling. It’s Zach and Liam’s behavior that I’m apologizing for, though.”

“I know what I’m getting into with you guys. Liam already texted me and said he was sorry.”

“And Zach?”

Sophie laughed. “I think you know the answer to that.”

Even though she hadn’t expected anything from Zach, his dismissal of her still stung. Did he honestly think he was the only one grieving? Not just Chelsea but years of emotions he held on to were surely going to break him at some point.

Not her problem. She’d moved on.

“I’ve backed out of playing the middleman with those two,” Braxton went on. “They’ll have to actually discuss this if they want to come to an agreement.”

Sophie cringed. “Without you between them as referee, how will they have a conversation without shouting and one of them storming off ?”

“They’re adults. They’ll figure it out.”

            “As long as I can tell Martin something by next week, that’s fine.”

“You’ll have an answer,” he promised. “One way or another. I need to get to class, so I’ll talk to you later. Just wanted to apologize for my asshole brother.”

“Can I ask what you’re leaning toward?” Silence answered her question, followed by a sigh. “It’s okay. Just think about it. I’m not judging you guys either way. I know this is hard for everybody.”

“Yeah, it is. That still doesn’t give my brothers the right to go at it in your office. It also doesn’t give Zach the right to be a jerk just because he can’t get a grip on his emotions.”

Sophie dropped her spoon into the carton and set it on the table. “No worries. The animosity with Zach isn’t new.”

“Soph—”

“No.” She came to her feet, sending Flynn to the floor. “It’s fine. I mean, it’s not fine, but it is what it is. Zach has problems he needs to work out on his own. Apparently he’s perfectly content to live inside that shell.”

“I wish someone would knock some sense into him,” Braxton muttered. “I’ll call you in a couple days. Gotta run.”

Placing her cell on the arm of the couch, Sophie couldn’t help but wonder what it would take to get Zach to see that life hadn’t ended that night. Yes, mistakes were made, lives were altered. Why did he feel it was okay to hate the world, to push away those who only wanted to help him?

She had hoped the one silver lining to come from Chelsea’s death would be Zach waking up and seeing that life was fleeting and he still had people here who cared what happened to him.

Chelsea passed away four months ago, and the man was just as introverted and closed up as ever. How long could one person keep so much locked inside? Not to mention his past, before he ever came to live with the Monroes. Zach was a walking bundle of angst when he’d arrived in Haven, Georgia. Then life happened and added even more.

One of these days his emotions were going to explode. Sophie found herself wondering who would be there to catch him when he broke.

 

 

 

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

National bestselling author Jules Bennett is a former salon owner turned full time author. Considering she met her husband at the age of fourteen and they’ve been together since, Jules knows a thing or two about romance and happily ever after. She and her husband live in the Midwest with their two young children. When Jules isn’t creating emotional, witty stories, she’s spending time with her family, working out or procrastinating on social media. She loves to hear from readers. You can connect with her through Facebook, Twitter, or her Website.

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