Kendall Grey
Format: ebook provided by author for review
Format: ebook provided by author for review
Strangers in reality, inseparable in dreams…
After years of suffocating under her boss’s scrutiny, whale biologist Zoe Morgan finally lands a job as director of a tagging project in Hervey Bay, Australia. Success Down Under all but guarantees her the promotion of a lifetime, and Zoe won’t let anything—or anyone—stand in her way. Not the whale voices she suddenly hears in her head, not the ex who won’t take no for an answer, and especially not the gorgeous figment of her imagination who keeps saving her from the fiery hell of her dreams.
Gavin Cassidy hasn’t been called to help a human Wyldling in over a year, which is fine by him. Still blaming himself for the death of his partner, he keeps the guilt at bay by indulging in every excess his rock star persona affords. That is, until he’s summoned to protect Zoe from hungry Fyre Elementals and learns his new charge is the key to restoring order in the dying Dreaming. He never expects to fall for the feisty Dr. Morgan…nor does he realize he may have to sacrifice the woman he loves to save an entire country.
*This book contains graphic language, sex, and some violence. Not suitable for readers under the age of 18.
****First ****
Let me say this… if you choose not to read my review, or just skim over, please PLEASE take the time to watch the first video below “I am a whale addict” and listen to Kendall Grey’s own words about whales. If you didn’t love whales before, you will certainly love them after this story. I’m not sure if they are the primary or secondary characters in this book, I suppose it could go either way. But you definitely feel the love this author feels for these magnificent giants. So please, if nothing else, please make sure you watch that video. And then go buy this book. And you can do that below. Now, my review:
What a wonderful and unique story! I’ve not yet
read anything like this book, and it was a fun change to venture into the
Dreaming (our dream-state). In fact,
every night I go to bed I hope to find my own Gavin waiting there to rescue me! Ahem, no luck yet…
This
story is about Zoe, and she loves whales.
She has such an affinity with them, its almost as if they speak to
her. And even better, she’s just gotten
a job in Australia tagging them along with her team. Perfect.
But just before she’s to leave for there she starts having these crazy
dreams. And in these dreams is a man. He doesn’t have a name, but hey, that’s
partly what she likes about him. He’s
hot, tattooed, pierced, and he is all man – and even better, he is totally into
her. Am I the only one reaching for some
warm milk to get to sleep a bit faster?
Gavin is
a Sentinel. Sentinels are tied to the
elements of earth, air, water and fire. His job is to keep the elements
balanced. But now Sentinels need to protect
us regular humans (Wyldings) in our dreams.
Because if you die there, you die in real life. Fyres (fire elementals)
are finding their way into the Dreaming and are wreaking havoc in the worst
way.
Ok, so
maybe I don’t need that milk afterall… Gavin’s next mission is Zoe. Everything about Zoe is a mystery to him (including her name!), but
somehow she ties into the future safety of the world. Hey, no pressure here
Gavin. Just go save the world with
little to no information. Easy peasy!
This
book had some really fresh and fun ideas.
I’ve not read any books that mainly take place in our sleeping mind. Everything felt so real. It helps that Zoe is a lucid dreamer and that
there is a chemistry between our two main characters that could make the ocean
boil. Oh yeah, talk about tension! But even aside from that the scenery was
beyond gorgeous and it really felt like a place I’d like to dream about myself.
There
were times I was a bit confused about the elementals and who had what powers
and certain beings having multiple powers… it became a bit much for me. The beginning had a lot of information and at
times it was a lot to soak in. But once
you got the hang of it and figure out the hierarchy of everything it was just
like riding a bike. But all of that was
totally worth it because in the Dreaming anything you think of can just be. I mean, you are dreaming
afterall. Kind of makes regular life outside
of your sleep not quite compare!
”Her sudden self-consciousness melted his heart. Did she have any idea what she did to him?
Damn, she tore him down and tied him up inside. “
This
book had a lot of interesting aspects, not to mention a slow building romantic
tension that will leave you hooked and waiting for the next book. To torture you even more, Gavin knows that
Zoe is a real person out there in the world.
Ahh! It was killing me! I was happy and sad and anxious all at once! I
found myself racing to the next scene with them together, I couldn’t get
enough.
I
definitely recommend this book. And even more awesome---- Kendall Grey will
donate all profits from the sale of the JUST BREATHE trilogy to programs that
educate people about whales and the challenges they face. So
definitely put this on your “To Buy” list and help the whales <3
Inhale is the first book in the Just Breathe Trilogy. There isn’t a blurb yet for book 2, but
Kendall gave me permission to post an excerpt from book two, so check it out:
Exhale (Just Breathe #2) By Kendall Grey
A bucket of iced champagne sweated on a low-slung glass coffee table in front of a long, blue-upholstered couch. Zoe’s overnight bag sat on the floor beside a small black duffel at the foot of a king-sized bed. Dainty chocolates adorned monster pillows at the headboard, and the corners of the sheets were folded back. Matching ‘His and Hers’ robes draped across the thick, royal blue comforter.
Gulp.
Seeking refuge against the now-closed door, Zoe swept a hand across her forehead, brushing some windblown wisps of hair out of her eyes. Gavin dropped the key and his sunglasses next to a bulbous green lamp on a dresser and turned to her, his colorful, tattooed arms swinging with the spin.
He closed the distance between them, then reached around her head, loosened the rubber band, and tugged it free. Hair tumbled down her back. Heat prickled her skin as a whiff of his woodsy cologne set her belly alight. The loud clack of a lock snapping into place rang out from somewhere near her right arm.
Trapped with Mr. Perfect.
