Love Taker

I have many “go to” authors, but my first and foremost is always Erin McCarthy. I have yet to read a book or a series she has written and not thought to myself - she has done it again! “Love Taker” is the third book in Erin’s McCarthy’s newest series, “Nashville Nights,” and it was amazing. In “Heart Breaker,” we met the first Hart family member, Jolene, and watched her fall in love…again with Chance Rivers. In “Dream Maker,” we met confirmed ladies man Shane Hart, and sweet, naive Avery O’Leery and witnessed their love story unfold, with a few fun plot twists (which, I must say, is one of my favorite things about this author - the unexpected side stories and subplots). Here, in “Love Taker,” we meet Elle Hart - the independent, gorgeous, but unlucky in love, sister of Jolene and Shane. And, we meet her best friend, humble, handsome, all-around good guy Jason Michael Tucker….who also happens to be her high school sweetheart and ex-boyfriend. Anyone can tell that there is lust, passion, and unresolved feelings lingering between these two. One crazy night….and their friendship is tried and tested in so many ways. Will this friendship survive or be destroyed? I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I would even rank this as one of my top five favorite Erin McCarthy books —and let me tell you, I do not say that lightly. Erin has A LOT of amazing books. But, this book made me laugh, hold my breath for what would come next, ache for the characters’ situations, and wonder on more than one occasion - how is this going to end? *I voluntarily reviewed an advanced copy of this story, received via NetGalley, and am posting an honest review.

Love Taker is the third book in Erin McCarthy's Nashville Nights series and my favorite. Best friends since they were teenagers Elle Hart and Jason Michael Tucker cross from the "friend zone" to a relationship after pushing things too far one night. Tucker has loved Elle for years, but up until that night Elle had always kept them in the friend zone where Tucker hasn't wanted to be for a very long time now. Elle was afraid that if they ever changed their relationship she would lose the only friend that she's ever had and going there frightened her more than she was ready to admit. I was given an ARC from the author/publisher. All conclusions are mine and mine alone.

Another fantastic addition to the Nashville Nights series!!! Elle Hart can't seem to find the right guy for her, they only seem to love her for what she can do for them or for the fact that her sister is a country superstar. After yet another disastrous date, Elle calls her best friend Tucker to vent about men. Tucker is the sheriff of the town they grew up, before the Harts moved to Nashville. Tucker has had a thing for Elle for years but values their friendship too much to push for more. When Tucker shows up on Elle's doorstep concerned for her after her latest dating disaster, comforting takes on a more physical nature that neither of them excepted. Their friendship returns to normal after their one night of passion except their one night had consequences neither of them know what to do with. Tucker will do whatever it takes to show Elle that he has always been there for her and has never yet let her down, their relationship becoming more serious will not change that. Elle has to work through some self doubt and meet Tucker halfway, he is the only one who has ever seen and excepted her for who she is. Friends to lovers is one of my favorite story lines and this one was done very well. Elle is used to traveling and is free spirited and Tucker is kind of a salt of the earth guy, complete opposites but they complete and complement each other incredibly well.

Third book in the series, but not necessary to have read the first two to get the story. If you've read the first two, it's a nice continuance fot those characters. The book description will tell you about the book, so these are my views. Elle is the main character and she isn't all that likable. She wants what she wants and doesn't want to compromise on anything, for the most part she only thinks of herself. We meet Tucker after some guy tells her what he really thinks of her, and he comes to her emotional rescue, as he has for years. Tucker tries to move on with other women, but always runs to Elle if she needs him, so he gets dumped which you can understand the other women's desire to not be always second to a ghost of his past. Both characters need to man up and really think about what they want and what it's worth to them to get it. Events happen that finally make both of them realize what matters, Elle most of all. I had hope in her and it finally came to fruition, no disappointment.

After reading Love Taker it's abundantly clear why Erin McCarthy's star has been on the rise since 2002 and hasn't slowed down. This story is perfection. Two hardworking, one-time high school sweethearts and forever friends, Tucker and Elle are definitely meant for each other. While growing up, Elle had the worst sort of father — drunk, abusive and all-around mean. She’s been working all her life to never be a victim again. This conviction means she self-sabotages, always picking guys who won’t stick. However, there's one man who has always owned her heart. Tucker is everything that a best friend should be. He's also smoking hot and madly in love with his best friend. A tear laced phone call from Elle finds Tucker racing to provide comfort and that's when things get interesting. If you love a friends to lovers, bliss-filled romance, look no further. This one is worth its weight in gold. I received an ARC of this book, via Net Galley, in exchange for a fair and honest review.

An excellent friends to lovers story that I truly enjoyed. Elle and Tucker were so cute together and all along I wanted to see them together. I thought Elle was a bit ditzy and just a little lost but she came through in the end. Tucker was great! He knew who and what he was and made no apologies for it. Both great characters and a great story that has these two working through some serious issues to get to their HEA. I definitely recommend this one.