First Light - Isabel Jolie

First Light
Isabel Jolie
Publication date: September 28th 2021
Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance

He could be my savior…or my downfall…

I was living a lie.

No one knew who I really was. Letting someone in could’ve been devastating for my family.

For the most part, isolation wasn’t a hardship. It’s not like I was looking for love or any kind of serious relationship.

But then I met Logan.

I tried to keep my distance. He wouldn’t let me.

Logan is gentle, kind, and loving. Everything I never knew I needed in my life.

He’s also a cop—exactly the kind of man who’d never understand my truth.

So, while he shared his deepest, darkest secrets, I kept mine hidden.

Too bad I couldn’t keep my heart locked away, too.

Because now, I’m falling for a man who can never be mine. Not truly, anyway.

How can I ask him to be my future when I can’t even let him help me survive my present?

First Light, book three in the Haven Island series, is a lightly angsty, sometimes suspenseful, small town, military contemporary romance featuring a grumpy protective, over hero and the heroine who steals his heart. All of the books in the series are standalone contemporary romance novels and can be read in any order.

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Author Bio:

Isabel Jolie, or Izzy to her friends, is an Amazon bestselling indie author with an unquenchable thirst for a good, sexy love story. Izzy’s heart pumps faster for stories with strong heroines, down-to-earth realism, and an unexpected twist.

When she’s not writing or reading, she can often be found with a glass of wine in hand relaxing with her husband, daughters, and good friends lakeside.

Izzy fills her Instagram feed with funnies, inspirational “brain candy”, and anything that meshes with her mood of the day. #mood.

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My Review

First Light is the third book set on Haven Island. Although previous characters are mentioned in each book and they are set in the same place, each one is very different and can easily be read as a standalone novel. This book deals with Cali and Logan. Logan has moved to the island after a messy divorce. He doesn't see his role as head of the police (which aren't even called police over there, there's so little crime) as a permanent position, but it's ideal for the time being. When he meets fellow divorcee Cali, he begins to hope that perhaps their growing relationship might be more than a simple rebound. The only problem is, that Cali isn't all she appears to be.

I really enjoyed the dynamic between Logan and Cali. They work really well together as a couple. Cali is lying to Logan, but it's not something that she's doing willingly or easily. Instead, she's found herself in a situation that she can't find her way out of. This is a romance and there's plenty of that, but it's also a story about hacking and cybercrime. This book only touches on that really, but I suspect with a book to follow this one, that will deal with at least one of the other characters that we briefly met, there's more of this to come.

Like all of Isabel Jolie's books that I've read so far, this is more than a light romance, it touches on darker and deeper themes. I'm really enjoying these books and would recommend them if you're looking for a little more than a light romance. First Light certainly gives you more than that. 

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Adrift - Isabel Jolie

Adrift
Isabel Jolie
(Haven Island)
Publication date: June 8th 2021
Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance

I can be your dream girl…for a price…

Ever heard of Only Fans? It’s not my ideal job, but it pays the bills.
It’s even made me somewhat of a celebrity. My subscribers love my provocative shots, and I’m oh-so-good at teasing them.
Then he shows up in my small town and complicates everything.
See, Mr. Green-Eyed Gazillionaire is so far out of my league it’s ridiculous. We’re polar opposites.
That doesn’t change the fact that even though I’m a fantasy to most men, I only want to be his reality.
But nothing real can ever happen between us. Logically, I know that.
Too bad logic and I have never had anything but a passing acquaintance.
Because now, if I’m not careful, I’m afraid this sexy billionaire will smash my poor, pathetic heart into oblivion…

A delicious hot billionaire romance featuring two polar opposites adrift on a resort island with a small-town atmosphere, right of the coast of North Carolina.

This is a steamy contemporary romance with a happily ever after, no cliffhanger, and no cheating.

Goodreads / Amazon / Barnes & Noble / iBooks / Kobo / Google Play

Author Bio:

Isabel Jolie, or Izzy to her friends, is an Amazon bestselling indie author with an unquenchable thirst for a good, sexy love story. Izzy’s heart pumps faster for stories with strong heroines, down-to-earth realism, and an unexpected twist.

When she’s not writing or reading, she can often be found with a glass of wine in hand relaxing with her husband, daughters, and good friends lakeside.

Izzy fills her Instagram feed with funnies, inspirational “brain candy”, and anything that meshes with her mood of the day. #mood.

Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Twitter / Instagram

My Review

We met our hero and heroine in this book in Rogue Wave which I reviewed a little while ago. While it was clear in that book that there was something going on between Poppy and Gabe in that book, we don't really see much of their relationship and there is plenty to discover here.

Gabe seems to have it all, he's rich, successful and doing well in life. Poppy is in a very different situation, she dreams of running her own restaurant but having lost her job after Covid, she is now making money using Only Fans. While it might be a good way to keep money coming in, when combined with her very low self-esteem, it's clear that it's not something that she can keep up for long.

I have to admit that I struggled with Gabe somewhat in this book. Poppy has a lot of issues and I'm not sure that he is the best to deal with them. She has been treated very poorly in the past by men and she sees him doing the same. In some ways, he is no better and doesn't see her as much more than a project and something that he can fix. Even with his plans to help her feel better about herself, he doesn't really understand her and I'm not sure that he makes a great effort to do so.

Having said that, this isn't just a story about Poppy realising her true worth. Gabe has a lot of growing to do and while it might not be as obvious to begin with as for Poppy, he does change over the course of the book. Ultimately, becoming someone worthy of Poppy's love.

I enjoyed this read, Isabel Jolie's books aren't light and fluffy romances, there's far more depth here with bigger issues dealt with. 

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