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She left glitter in his AC vents. He put green dye in her conditioner.
She buttered his bathroom floor, and he kidnapped her precious puppy.
Layla Mullens hates Donovan Donley. His crude language, his wide shoulders, his crystal blue eyes…she hates that she can’t stop herself…from kissing him or landing in his bed.
And Donovan Donley wants nothing more than to knock Layla off her princess pedestal. He hates her stuck up attitude and her soft, tempting lips. He especially hates that her father is his coach.
But he’s fine with their arrangement—act horrible to each other during the day, attack each other naked at night. It works.
But one night changes everything. When Layla doesn’t show, and Donovan’s cold bed stays empty, the lies he tells himself to keep Layla out of his mind aren’t enough to keep him from missing her. And needing her. Something he promised himself would never happen.
The white flags in their prank war have been lowered but their high stakes battle has just begun.
If you've read any of the other books in this Series then you may remember Donovan and Layla and their epic prank wars. Stolen dogs and glittery explosions in the car ring a bell?
In Claiming Serenity, Donovan and Layla begin a friends-with-benefits kind of relationship. They still hate one another, but they can do that while making each other feel good … right? But of course sex complicates things. Feelings start to develop, emotions get in the way, and then what was supposed to be an easy arrangement suddenly becomes very difficult.
I had been eagerly awaiting Donovan’s story from the first time we were introduced to his character in Chasing Serenity. His carefree personality and friendship with Declan had drawn me to him. Then his never-ending prank wars with Layla made me love him. He can be such a douche at times and never seems to think before he speaks. But when this boy does sweet? Holy hell, does he do it well.
I found that I had a love/hate relationship with Layla. There were times when her ‘Princess’ like ways really got on my nerves. She was selfish. Childish. Irritating. But her character definitely progressed as the story went on and I found myself singing a different tune by the end of the book. She just needed time to find herself. To start living for HER and not for those around her.
Eden Butler has a knack for creating stories that I just want to crawl inside of and take up residency in. Overall I would have to give Claiming Serenity 5 entertaining stars. It’s a world that I loved getting lost in and I cannot wait to get my hands on Sayo’s story!!
“I don’t do promises.” His voice was even, composed and Layla didn’t think that declaration was
said to be cruel. It was point of fact, something Donovan clearly thought Layla needed to know.
“I don’t want any.”
“I don’t do emotion.” The slow way he twisted her long hair around his finger didn’t
make her think that emotion was absent in mind. She didn’t care if it was.
“Not asking for that.”
And then Donovan’s gaze left her hair, moved over her face until they stopped at her
eyes. “I like the way you feel. I like how hot and tight and sweet your body is.” He moved closer,
barely touching his hips to hers. “This needs to be between us. The others, they like to
complicate sex. They like for it to mean something or everything. I don’t. You don’t, Layla. Not
with me.”
“Not remotely.”
“If I didn’t like you at least a little bit, then I wouldn’t want to fuck you.”
“I don’t like you, Donovan. I don’t think I ever will.” She didn’t think too much about the
frown that pulled at his lips or how his eyebrows pushed together as though he doubted her.
This was Donovan Donley, her nemesis, her enemy, and she was agreeing to terms and
conditions related to them sleeping together. Insane, sure, but Layla knew it would be hot. She
knew it would feel wonderful. It was that idea that kept her from insulting him completely. “But
when you’re inside me, I don’t have to think. I don’t have to do anything but touch and taste.
That’s enough for me.”
They were silent and Layla let Donovan touch her, take her hair in his fist and lean her
against the wall. There was a moment when their gazes caught and held, expressions shifting,
lips hesitating, holding back as though both Donovan and Layla each pushed away any thought
from their minds.
Donovan’s chin dipped to bring his gaze to her, guiding her head with his fingers twined
in her hair. Layla found it aggressive and insistent and God how she liked Donovan that way.
“Tomorrow night…just walk in.”
“Tomorrow?”
Layla barely caught his nod, the slow lift of his mouth as he pulled his lips into a smile.
“There will be a tomorrow, Layla and a next day. I’m tired of thinking there won’t be.” He
moved closer, held her face up so she couldn’t avoid his eyes. “Aren’t you?” A quick nod that
Layla thought she couldn’t control and Donovan’s smile left his face. “Good. Tomorrow night,
don’t park out front. I have a space in the back.”
“Ok…okay.”
“Don’t knock. You don’t ever have to knock when you come to me. Just fucking come.”
She wanted that little issue cleared up. Layla knew what Donovan’s touch, his lips did to
her, but outside of those moments when the air warmed around them, when they were pulled
together by those licks of heat, she didn’t like him. Had no desire to be around him.
Amazon / Amazon UK / Barnes & Noble
Amazon / Amazon UK / Barnes & Noble
Amazon / Amazon UK / Barnes and Noble
Eden Butler is an editor and writer of New Adult Romance and SciFi and Fantasy novels and the nine-times great-granddaughter of an honest-to-God English pirate. This could explain her affinity for rule breaking and rum. Her debut novel, a New Adult, Contemporary (no cliffie) Romance, “Chasing Serenity” will launch October 2013.
When she’s not writing or wondering about her possibly Jack Sparrowesque ancestor, thinking up impossible plots, Eden edits, reads and spends way too much time watching rugby, Doctor Who and New Orleans Saints football.
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