Deacon by Kristen Ashley, Book Review

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Book Summary: (Per the author's website)

Deacon has an ugly history, a history that broke him, leaving him a ghost of a man. Out of necessity, he left the normal world to descend into the criminal world and found he fit. So he stayed. Cold as ice and living off the grid, Deacon has no intention to connect, not with anyone.

Then he returns to some remote cabins in the Colorado Mountains and finds they have new owners. One of them is Cassidy Swallow, a young woman willing to work hard to live her quiet dream in a house by a river surrounded by aspen and pine.

Suddenly, Deacon finds he’s at war. Cassidy’s pull for him to connect is strong. He fights it, but he loses, always coming back for more. But when he does, he gives her nothing.

From the first time she sees him, Cassidy knows Deacon is dead inside. She knows he’s the kind of man who could destroy a woman. But one night when Deacon’s control slips, Cassidy takes a chance.

He might break her. He also might be her dream come true.

My Thoughts:

Deacon is the fourth book in KA’s Unfinished Hero’s series.  This is not your typical romance series, but it does have a strong male and strong female role, has scenes where your heart will flutter, where you will cry, where you will hope for a certain ending.  This series takes on topics not usually approached as honestly and bluntly as KA does.  This is not a shades of gray type play, but it does address some of the same erotic by-plays.

Every time I read a new KA book, and I have read them all, I am like that is it, this Alpha is my favorite!! But I feel confident in saying that this time Deacon is definitely a favorite and will remain in my top favorite Alphas. He is tall, confident, dark, dominant, but somehow shows his absolute love and devotion to Cassidy by the end of the book.  His comments to her our some that I am sure all women hope for, or if not the wording the emotion behind them. His back story will break your heart and make you cheer for him even when he is not at his best and treats Cassidy horribly.  By the end I was like I bet most women are saying God please let me be strong enough to handle all that he comes with if I ever meet a man as scarred but as capable of such amazing love as Deacon.

Cassidy is one of my favorite females as well because she is a take charge female and does not wait around for someone to make everything better.  Yes she dreams and hopes, but she can take on what comes and make the best situation out of it possible.  I saw myself in her in reaching for my dreams when others said that might not be the best decision, that I should think about it a bit more, etc.  I cheered for her successes and wept for her obstacles.

Additionally the side characters are so tangible where I can feel I want Milagros to be one of my adult friends, that I hope I have that same type of relationship with my parents, I can imagine how playful and friendly the dogs are, how awe-inspiring the scenery is and that yes I want to now take a vacation where I can breathe in and absorb the gorgeous nature that KA so effortlessly paints with her words.

     Memorable Quotations:

"I'd been right all those years ago.  His eyes had the power to make you feel what he was feeling.  Cold to your soul.  Or warm in a way you'd never again feel a chill."

"Heart and soul, gut and balls, I love you. There's no one I'd rather hold. Not until I am eighty.  Not until I die."...

"Do you love me too, my Cassie?"

My Cassie.

"Heart and soul, belly and womb, I love you too, Deacon."

“Yes, just not the clingy, psycho variety, though I am the ornery, stubborn variety,” I replied and just got it out when his arm gave me a tight squeeze.”

“That’s me,” I stated, still firm, totally unyielding. “Your Cassie. And you’re my Deacon.”

“No boundaries. That’s us, Cassidy. That’s who we are. That’s what we were both searchin’ for. That’s what you gave me. That’s what you wanted from me. That’s the way it has to be.”

“People do many things for many reasons, and those reasons are the right reasons even if another person might think they’re wrong. That other person, they do not live in those shoes.”- Milagros

“People had to find you, know you, and call you something, so what were you known as?”

“Ghost.”

That was kind of cool.

“Because you were hard to get a handle on?” I asked.

“Because I was dead man walking.”

Important Links:
Website
Facebook
Twitter
Goodreads

Additional Items: 

These are songs mentioned in her book and just hearing the words after reading the book and going back and reading in the right area...wow..just tears, tissues and deep breath out wow..

A Great Big World

Passenger- Let Her Go

Kings of Leon- Beautiful War

Links to Purchase the Book:

Amazon
Apple
Barnes & Noble
Google Play
Kobo

Had you read any of Kristen Ashley's books before this? If so who is your favorite Alpha?  If not was this book all you thought it would be? Hope you enjoyed it and the start of many more books to come!

I was not paid to review this book.  I purchased this book on my own as I am an avid reader and love KA's books!