REVIEW & GIVEAWAY: IN YOUR ARMS by SHANNYN SCHROEDER

 

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In Your Arms
For Your Love #2

By: Shannyn Schroeder

Releasing December 27, 2016 
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In In Your Arms (For your Love #2) by Shannyn Schroeder, for years Emma has strived to be an independent woman and not follow in her mother's footsteps when it comes to relationships and barely being able to take care of herself let alone her family. But the moment Sean O'Malley comes to her rescue when her car breaks down, Emma realizes she's about to fall into the same pattern she always does in picking unsuitable men. Can she resist falling for the bad boy; or will Sean find a way to prove to Emma she's misjudged him, so they can have a future together?

Having enjoyed the first book of this series, I couldn't wait to dive into this book to read more about the O'Malley family, and I've got to say that this story was engaging, fast-paced and I loved the obstacles this couple had to overcome to achieve their happy ever after. Right from the beginning, I couldn't help but feel sorry for the heroine. Her family aren't the most reliable, and it made me sympathize with her because brothers are supposed to love and want to protect their sisters, but Emma's brother was a selfish jerk that -- it seemed -- didn't care about anyone but himself.

As for the dialogue, it was intense and a tad emotional due to the main characters back stories, what happens to one of the children that Emma teaches, what lengths Sean will go to in protecting the heroine and the obstacles these two have to overcome to achieve their happy ever after. Growing up, Emma never had stability and it's something she's promised herself she'll always have by working hard and having her own place to come home to. So, it's no wonder she has doubts about Sean because he has no job security, lives somewhere he shouldn't at his age, and doesn't want a serious relationship like Emma does.

I loved Sean. He doesn't misrepresent himself and is pretty much the kind of guy that lives by the words 'what you see is what you get'. Yes, he's definitely not the kind of guy Emma is wanting for her future, yet I  was cheering for him to be able to change her mind the more of this book I read. Because he had what it takes to win her heart by accepting the good advice of the secondary characters and by making changes in his life. Of which, I thought, the changes he planned to make were really good and proved to Emma how much he wanted her in his life by wanting to be a better man for her. While Emma, she's strong, brave I liked how much she's achieved throughout her life, considering she didn't have the easiest of times with her family and in school. However, she did frustrate me at times when it came to dealing with her family and her whole mission to find her future man when she had Sean. She gave into her mother's demands way too easy. Indeed, she let the woman take advantage of her, instead of saying 'enough was enough.'  

Overall, Ms. Schroeder has penned another really good novel for this series, which encompassed some really hot, passionate sex scenes that prove it isn't easy for Emma to resist Sean, even though she believes he's not the right man for her. The way this story ended had me cheering for this couple, as Sean does his best to win Emma back by revealing what his future holds in store for him and how she makes him want to be a better man, so they can eventually have the kind of future the heroine wants with the man she loves - marriage and kids. I would recommend In Your Arms by Shannyn Schroeder, if you enjoy the opposites attract trope; or a story where the hero and heroine become friends that end up as friends with benefits before they realize how right they are for each other.

OVERALL RATING:

 

 

BLURB:
A KNIGHT IN SHINING LEATHER…

Sean O'Malley has never tried to hide who he is. He shows it in the motorcycle thrumming between the legs of his tight jeans…the shaggy hair that falls in his gorgeous eyes…the wicked gleam in his smile when he asks Emma out for a drink. Sean is a rebel, a bad boy, and a ton of fun: exactly the kind of guy she's sworn off forever.

Emma isn't just the prim kindergarten teacher she appears to be. And somehow Sean can tell. As soon as he pulls up to her overheated car he knows that a fast bike and a cold beer will fix her rotten day better than compliments or a bubble bath. Her straitlaced exterior and her wild heart light him up. But Emma wants to escape her past and settle down—and if her desk jockey dates don't understand where she comes from, at least she doesn't worry about them bringing her back.

One weekend of intense connection can't change the paths Sean and Emma have chosen. But with a little space to be themselves together, maybe the rest of the world can wait...

 

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A little more than ten minutes later, she was on her way back. The sight of her knocked the wind from him. Snug jeans and fitted tank top covered her, and she had a sweatshirt tied at her waist. She’d traded the heels for a pair of sneakers. Her hair was now completely down and long brown waves flew around in the breeze. For a moment, he considered that she’d lied about it being her mom’s place because he didn’t know any moms who dressed like that. But her bag was overstuffed, he assumed with her clothes.

He pushed off the bike. “That was fast.”

She offered a crooked smile. “I really need a drink. The radiator hose was the last in a line of things ruining my day.”

“Hop on and you can tell me all about it over a beer. Or wine. Or whatever.”

“Tonight’s a whiskey night.”

Sean liked the sound of that. They mounted the bike and she put the helmet on. Before he started the engine, he asked, “Any place in mind?”

“No. You pick.”

Since he normally didn’t drink in the area, he drove closer to his neighborhood and parked beside his favorite dive bar. It was dark and relatively quiet. They could shoot pool or play darts or just listen to music. He helped Emma off the bike and locked his helmet down. Then he led her into the bar and directly to a corner table.

“This okay?” he asked before sitting.

She glanced around. “Fine.”

She swung her bag over her head and plopped it on the free chair between them.

A waitress came to the table. “Hey, Sean. Haven’t seen you in a while. You could give a girl a complex.”

When he chose the bar, he hadn’t thought about Amanda possibly working. “Hi, Amanda.”

He became acutely aware of Emma watching Amanda and him. He prayed Amanda wouldn’t say anything else.

She smiled broadly and looked at Emma. “What can I get for you?”

“A shot of Jack and light beer.”

“Miller,” Sean added.

“Bottle or tap?”

“Bottle,” both he and Emma said.

Amanda tucked a tray under her arm. “That question was for the lady. I’m pretty sure I know how you like it.” Then she spun on her heel and walked off.

Emma’s mouth eased into a small smile. He wanted to believe she was just being friendly.

“So how long did you two go out?”

“Uh . . .”

Emma waved a hand. “Forget I asked. It was obvious though. You might want to rethink bringing dates here if you’re going to run into your ex.”

He searched for the words to let her know that Amanda wasn’t exactly an ex when Amanda reappeared with their drinks. She set them down quietly without comment, thank God.

Emma picked up her beer and took a swig. “Well, you obviously didn’t screw her over too badly, or you’d probably be wearing your beer.”

“It’s not like that. We had a good night together. Maybe two. Doesn’t quite give her ex status.”

Sean pointed to the shot and asked, “So what makes this a whiskey night, other than your brother screwing up your car?”

“Work stuff.”

“What do you do?”

Emma grabbed the shot and slammed it back. When she set the glass back down, he noticed a butterfly tattoo peeking out from the tank top on the back of her shoulder. She looked at him. “I’m a teacher.”

He froze. He hadn’t expected that. One look at the suit she’d worn and he’d assumed some kind of office job, secretary or something. She was a teacher. He laughed as she took a gulp of beer.

“What’s so funny?”

“I can’t imagine any teacher I ever had doing a shot of Jack in a bar like this.”

A dark look passed over her face, but then she covered it with a smile. “I guess we all have some surprises.”

He reached over and brushed her hair off her shoulder. “I can guarantee I never had a teacher as hot as you. I never would’ve gotten out of school otherwise.”

Emma snorted at him and then took another drink of beer. “You already got me to the bar, buddy, no need for compliments.”

Sean’s hand slid away. He didn’t know how to read that. Women usually liked some sweet talk. “Being honest. If you were my teacher, I’d spend all my time imagining you naked.”

“Show me a good time and you might not have to imagine it.” Her voice was low and a little husky.

“You mean rigging your car to get you to safety, giving you a ride on my bike, and buying you a drink wasn’t enough?”

She laughed. That too was a low, sexy sound. “I might be easy, but not that easy.”

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Shannyn Schroeder is the author of the O’Leary series, contemporary romances centered around a large Irish-American family in Chicago and the Hot & Nerdy series about 3 nerdy friends finding love. Her new series (For Your Love) will release this summer with the first title Under Your Skin. When she’s not wrangling her three kids or writing, she watches a ton of TV and loves to bake cookies.

Author Links: Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads

 

Meet the Hero (In Your Arms) – Sean O’Malley

By: Shannyn Schroeder

 I love the O’Malleys. From the first moment I wrote about them in my O’Learys series, I fell for them. And Sean is one of my favorites. Everyone describes him as a live-and-let-live kind of guy who happens to be quick with his fists. And that really sums up who he is.

Sean is all about enjoying life. He works as a mechanic because he likes working on cars. It’s not a stepping-stone to some other career. He plays hockey every chance he gets and rides his motorcycle until the weather prohibits it. He does whatever he wants, pretty much no matter what. When he has a chance to enjoy a long motorcycle ride due to some unexpected awesome weather, he goes, even though it costs him his job. He knows he won’t have a problem getting a new one.

Sean loves his family and likes having them around. It’s part of why he continues to live at home. He can afford to live in his own place, but he chooses not to. He’s very protective of everyone he cares about, and that’s the reason he’s usually so quick to use his fists.

Part of why Sean refuses to be more than an “overgrown boy” is because he grew up watching his older brother Jimmy take care of everyone. Jimmy is ultra-responsible and Sean doesn’t want to live with that kind of burden.

When he meets Emma, he starts to want a relationship with her and doesn’t understand how he could fall for a woman who is a female version of Jimmy. She expects him to be something he can’t be, but for her he’s willing to try.