This is one of my all time favorite series that I have ever had the pleasure of reading. It was the start of my love for this author. How I had never read her work before this time is beyond me because she is a master wordsmith and truly gifted in creating characters that work there way into her reader's hearts. Below is a breakdown of each individual book in this series.

Savage

This book is seriously amazing. It beautifully balances the love between a man who is known as King, and the woman he wants to be his Queen --even when he relishes just being Alexander in her eyes. Call it fate, but the moment Alexander sees Sarah Jane his world will never be the same. Sarah Jane felt the same way as she describes, "Feeling like the little girl once again, I’ve fallen for blue-sky eyes and a smile so bright I swear the stars’ shine was stolen in the night." Their love is pure. He has a secret though and worries that it will taint his beautiful firefly because secrets and omissions are just as much of a sin as lying. He wants to be honest but wants to protect her even more.

“Is that what you are, Alexander? Are you a sin waiting to happen?” “I’m a sin waiting to be confessed.” “Then take me to church because I want to kiss you.”

So many beautiful moments. The characters were well written and the beautiful transitions between the past and the present were intrinsically interwoven to make a beautiful story. Alexander was beautifully portrayed as a man with flaws juxtaposed with heartfelt emotions. Sarah Jane while naive in many ways was feisty and resolute in her love for man. I adored her. She felt real and her emotions or self-doubt were things that any woman would feel.

There are many twists and turns (several I did not see coming AND I DO NOT UNDERSTAND) but I am eagerly awaiting the conclusion next month. I do not normally like cliffhangers in books but knowing that I don't have to wait long for the story to end makes me very happy.

Savior

For months I have been eagerly awaiting Savior. I needed answers to a plethora of questions and to give my heart peace. This book did not let me down in any way. The tumultuous journey of Alexander and Sarah Jane (Firefly) was filled with suspense, secrets, secrets, and betrayals. I found myself sucked in from the get-go. I couldn’t turn the pages fast enough. Just when I thought I had something figured out, SL would change the course of the story. I cannot count the number of ‘what the hell” moments I had. I am pretty sure I might have cussed her out a few times (and by few, I mean at least 25).

This story didn’t have the steam factors in a descriptive way like the first book but that in no way diluted the story. In fact, I am relieved that she did this as an author because it left more time for my questions to be answered from the first book. And let me tell you there were A LOT of them and she ANSWERED them all!

This book was sublime bliss and a much-needed decadent treat. Like I said before, I normally wait until an entire series is out before I start reading them. Largely because I read so much that I forget the key points while I am waiting for the next part. This was one book that I am glad that I did not wait. It changed me. This duet is hands down two of the best in 2017.

I cannot wait to read about James. I also hope that Cruise and Shelly get their own books too. I am invested in these characters.

Sacred

I wish there was a way to rate higher than five stars. If there was, this book would get all the stars. Sacred is technically a standalone story. Cruise was first introduced in the Kingwood Duet. He was an enigma. Yet, I was drawn to him. I found myself wanting to peel back the layers and find the man underneath. I knew that there was a story there. Knowing he was adopted, gave me a connection with him. I knew what he was feeling. OH Lord did I know!

This book gave us that story and so much more. This book did a great job of showing the mindset behind what made him the way he is. It gave us a chance to experience traumatic events that shaped him more than he let on. I don't even think he knew how much until he met Clara. Suzie gave him the answers he needed in the story in such a beautiful way that it was as if she was the angel. She gave him what he needed to heal and in such a beautiful way.

Clara. Dove. This sweet amazing woman. She is proof that beauty can exist among ugliness. And in her case, not just exist but grow. She is proof that bad experiences don't make you a victim but instead can shape your journey in the direction that you should be on. Sometimes, the universe has things already mapped out. It is in those moments that we experience what could be called coincidence. However, it is more than just being a coincidence because it is fate. Without that dark path, it wouldn't have set the chain of events to be where you were meant to be. I lived a very tumultuous childhood. It was brutal, ugly, and the stuff of nightmares. I used to question it but I was given sage advice, "to every season there is a reason." It wasn't until I had my son that I realized that I had to go through that ugliness in order to be right where I was. It was for this reason that I connected with Clara so much. She reminded me of me. And that gave me a punch to the soul. Yet, it reminded me that one slight change would have altered my course. This story is a great example of that. Not only for Clara but for Cruise. It just shows how close their journey was and how it was meant to be.

The details that were given in this story and the flashbacks from the past for both Clara and Cruise were mind-blowing, It made for plot twists that left my mouth agape. I found myself a couple of times muttering, "Well played Suzie", "Oh No SHE DIDN'T", and my favorite, "She is trying to make me cry" (nope, nada. no.) and she totally did. Ugly tears. Big. Ugly. Tears.

The characters were spot on, the side characters of a family of Sarah Jane and Alex added depth in this story. Without them, we would not have had this amazing story. Clara and Cruise are the stuff to dream about. They survived and they loved. Unconditionally. Their coming tougher was hope. The hope that everyone wishes for when they picture finding true love. Their chemistry was off the charts. They loved completely which just shows that true beauty was always supposed to shine. They just needed the other. They had steam, They had all the things that soulmates should have. Together they were perfect.

I am sad to see this series go. I have lost a little piece of my heart with them. Suzie does an excellent job of getting us invested in them; whether as a friend, a couple, or a dream boyfriend. They become our family.

I cannot tell you enough to read this book. I said it with Sarah Jane and Alexander, and with Jason and Delilah but Cruise and Clara are my favorites. Read them all. Review them all. Enjoy the beauty of this entire saga.

Solace

This book was everything. And by everything, I mean EVERYTHING. I didn't think I could love S.L. Scott anymore but I was wrong. After reading the Kingwood Duet I didn't think I could love characters more than Alexander and Sarah Jane. I was wrong. I LOVED Jason and Delilah.

We first met Jason in the Kingwood Duet. He was mysterious. He kept things close to his heart and appeared cold. You only saw the fragmented pieces of him. In Solace he isn't cold. He is delightful. He is romantic. He is warm. He finds his home and in doing so he manages to put the demons to rest. His pieces are no longer fragmented but they become whole. We get to see the glimpses of a man finally finding his solace. He just needed a little faith to get there.

Delilah. Good lord. This girl is like sunshine. She reminds me off all the goodness that the South has to offer. She remains positive and unbroken even though life has not been good to her in the years that Jason was away. She is a fighter and more importantly, she is resilient.

This story is romantic. It is steamy. It is about getting a second chance at love and destiny. Sometimes you have to journey a different route than what you might have dreamed. As long as you get to your destination it doesn't matter in the long run how you got there. Just that you did.

Each book in this series has gotten better and better (how that is even possible considering she is phenomenal in regards to writing I will never know). She has a specific way of making you truly feel the words as tangible emotions. You can close your eyes and picture yourself in the characters shoes-- feeling every smile, tear, pain, and or heartbreak they feel. Not an easy feat.

Do yourself a favor. Read this book. Savor this book. You won't be sorry.


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