ABOUT THE BOOK

One deep breath. Two slow blinks. Three hollow beats.
I’m still here.
After three years, that reminder isn’t as necessary. But everyone has their bad days. This is definitely one of them.
Until an adorable little boy dashes into my store.
His zest for life makes me smile in a way that’s been long lost.
Then I meet his father.
Well, confront is more like it.

Brance Stone is volatile.
Offensive.
Harsh.
And can’t be bothered to care.
Not that I want him to.
I get frostbite just looking into Brance’s glacial stare. But there’s something undeniable about him.

My misery suddenly craves company. The suffocating numbness lifts whenever Brance is near. That alone should have me running in the opposite direction. Try as I might, there’s no avoiding him. If only I could understand why. As if he’d let me.

I don’t ask. He doesn’t tell. A silent, bitter truce settles between us.
That was our first mistake.
It’s certainly not the last.

MY REVIEW

Harloe Rae is my go-to author when I want to read a sexy romance with titillating and realistic dialogue and when I picked up Ask Me Why with an enemies-to-lovers plot, it didn’t disappoint.

When a beautiful and lonely woman is left emotionally broken after surviving a devastating accident meets a sexy and nasty lawyer who despises women, it’s a whirlwind of heartbreaking emotions surrounding a cute and clever little boy who has matchmaking on his mind.

The hole in my chest expands and I’ll never be warm again. Just like Devon, buried six feet under. They said I was lucky to survive—this type of accident is almost always fatal. The fact I’m still standing is some sort of miracle. Why does it feel like I died with him?

Braelyn loves working at her store, Thicket. It is one of the things that has helped her get through the three years of nightmares after the death of her boyfriend, Devon. When a five-year-old boy named Ollie enters her store, her world changes for the better, until she meets his hot and angry father, Brance. That man is a menace. How does he have such a sweet son? 

A crush is the last thing Ollie needs. I scrub my forehead and groan. My son’s standards are stupid low when it comes to women. He will deem anyone with a pulse fit to fill the role of mommy dearest. All I need is another gold digger sinking in her claws where they don’t belong. His desperation for approval is sadly maddening. I hope that bitch who birthed him is real fucking proud of the mess she made.

Brance has only loved one person unconditionally in his life…his son, Ollie.  He would do anything to make him happy considering his mother left him as a baby. Anything but date the “taffy lady”, the owner of a store that sells everything including candy. No, that will never happen. 

I loved all of the characters in this book, including Sadie and Jordan, Brae’s and Brance’s best friends, and Mary, Ollie’s nanny, but little Ollie steals the show. This cutie pie’s matchmaking skills are top-notch and he could charm water out of sand. It goes to show Ms. Rae has a wonderful knack for writing characters of all ages.

Of course, there are some one-star reviews about what a rude sexist pig Brance is in which I agree strongly, and considering what his mother did to him and his son’s mother, I give him some leeway. However, his feelings do change realizing what a prick he was to Brae and he makes up for it. Did these people even read the whole book? He also loves his son very much and admits he doesn’t want his son turning out like him which stands for something. From my experience, I have seen some very emotionally damaged people change for the better. Besides, isn’t it great writing when you can get such a visceral reaction to a character?

Wow!!  The sexy and stinging banter between the characters is fucking awesome. Yes, that good!  It is what pulls me to Ms. Rae’s books. The emotions run the gambit from anger to happiness, to laughter and sadness all within a few sentences. And let’s not forget the sexual tension which is soooo hot!!!  It makes for a fast-paced story worthy of an all-nighter. 

Let’s face it, I’m a big fan of this book. It is a twist on beauty and the beast which is one of my favorite plotlines. Recommend highly!

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Harloe Rae is a USA Today & Amazon Top 10 bestselling author. Her passion for writing and reading has taken on a whole new meaning. Each day is an unforgettable adventure.

Harloe is a Minnesota gal with a serious addiction to romance. She’s always chasing an epic happily ever after. When she’s not buried in the writing cave, Harloe can be found hanging with her hubby and son. If the weather permits, she loves being lakeside or out in the country with her horses.

Harloe is the author of Redefining Us, Forget You Not, Watch Me Follow, GENT, MISS, LASS, and Ask Me Why. These titles are available on Amazon.

Find all the latest on her site www.harloe-rae.blog.  Subscribe to her newsletter at http://bit.ly/HarloesList. Join her reader group, Harloe’s Hotties, at http://www.facebook.com/harloehotties