Review: Four Seconds to Lose

"This is my favourite K.A. Tucker book!"

That's what I say every time I finish one of her books. Every. Time. It was no different when I finished Four Seconds to Lose , the third book in the Ten Tiny Breaths series. I absolutely adored reading Cain's story and Charlie was an intriguing heroine.

Here's the synopsis:

Owning a strip club isn’t the fantasy most guys expect it to be. With long hours, a staff with enough issues to keep a psych ward in business, and the police regularly on his case, twenty-nine-year-old Cain is starting to second guess his unspoken mission to save the women he employs. And then blond, brown-eyed Charlie Rourke walks through his door, and things get really complicated. Cain abides by a strict “no sleeping with the staff” rule. But being around Charlie challenges Cain’s self-control…and it’s been a long time since any woman has done that.
Twenty-two-year-old Charlie Rourke needs a lot of money, really fast, in order to vanish before it’s too late. Taking her clothes off for men makes her stomach curl but Charlie tells herself that at least she’s putting her acting and dancing skills to good use. And though her fellow dancers seem eager to nab their sexy, sophisticated, and genuinely caring boss, she’s not interested. After all, Charlie Rourke doesn’t really exist—and the girl pretending to be her can't get distracted by romance.
Unfortunately, Charlie soon discovers that developing feelings for Cain is inevitable, and that those feelings may not be unrequited—but losing him when he finds out what she’s involved with will be more painful than any other sentence awaiting her.

I always take a break between Tucker's books when they're part of the same series since they are companion novels and I don't always want to leave the perspective I just finished. After I was done One Tiny Lie (review here), I didn't know if I was going to like reading from Cain's POV. Boy, was I wrong. You get a hint of his character from the previous books and you know he's not a stereotypical strip club owner. In this book you really get the chance to find out how he got to where he is and why he acts the way he does. Speaking of the companion books, I really liked having the chance to see what characters from the previous books had been up to.

I liked that there was a bit of mystery surrounding Charlie. You know right off the bat (even if you didn't read the synopsis) that "Charlie" isn't real. But what you don't know is who the girl pretending to be her really is. Or why she's using a fake identity or trying to get a job in a strip club. Tucker sucks you into the story right away and continues to build on the mystery until you're flipping pages as fast as you can to find out what's going to happen next.

You eventually learn Charlie's full history - but I'm not telling you what it is (did you really think I would?). I will tell you that it's pretty intense. And scary. I love how Tucker is able to balance the drama, angst, and sexual tension so perfectly in her books. It's such a gripping story and the hot romance only adds to how good the novel is.

I loved Four Seconds to Lose. Cain is such an interesting character and I'm so happy K.A. Tucker decided to explore his side of the story and give him the woman he deserved. Tucker remains firmly on my "favourite author" list. If you haven't read any of her books yet, I highly suggest you do. They're addictive in the best possible way!

*An ARC was provided by the publisher, Simon & Schuster Canada, in exchange for review consideration. Opinions are honest and my own.*

*Note: I finished Five Ways to Fall  (courtesy of my library) not long after this one and that honestly is my favourite one of the series. There was just something about Ben and Reese that I absolutely adored. It was the best way to end the series.

Top Ten Tuesday: Best of 2015 So Far

Top Ten Tuesday is weekly meme created by the lovely folks at The Broke and the Bookish. They created it because they're "particularly fond of lists" and since I also enjoy lists, I've decided to participate in this fun feature.

We're halfway through 2015 (how did that happen?) so it's fitting that this week's TTT topic has us listing our favourite reads of the year so far. Yikes. It's hard! Apparently I've read a lot of good books this year. I managed to get it down to 10 but if you want to see all the books I've loved this year, check out my Goodreads page! What have some of your favourite reads been this year? Links will lead to reviews or, more likely, the Goodreads page. (I'm soooo behind on reviews!)

Anne of Green Gables/Avonlea/the Island/Windy Poplars - Lucy Maud Montgomery
Lindsey of Reeder Reads decided to do a Green Gables Readalong that, if I'm being honest, a lot of us are failing at. BUT! It is an amazing idea. I adored the Anne books when I was younger and rereading them has been fabulous. I'd forgotten how lovely the story and writing is. I can't wait to get my TBR list down a bit and continue reading the last four books. If I had to pick a winner of the four I've reread so far though, Anne of the Island would definitely come out on top.

Saint Anything - Sarah Dessen
Guys. I cannot tell you how much I loved Dessen's latest book. I wasn't crazy about her last two so I wasn't sure what to expect with Saint Anything. This one is a bit darker than her others (and I'm SO GLAD the cover design reflects that and didn't make it all girly like they tend to be for hers...but I'm veering off into another topic altogether...) but that's kind of what makes it oh so good. It's real and raw and just amazing. Read it.

99 Days - Katie Cotugno
I heard about this YA novel through Jamie (who, you should already know, is behind Broke and Bookish and also her fab blog The Perpetual Page-Turner). I totally trust her YA recommendations because she is a contemporary lover and that's really the only YA I read. I haven't read Cotugno's first, How to Love, yet but I imagine I will soon because I just really loved how her latest novel was written and I loved Molly, the main character. She's in a crazy messy situation, which won't be for everyone, but I thought the feelings Molly was having were totally spot on.

Four Seconds to Lose - KA Tucker
I keep reading the next in Tucker's series (this one is the third in the Ten Tiny Breaths, which I loved) and saying to myself, "Oh, there's no way I could love the next one more." That's why I give myself breaks between them because I don't think I can handle jumping into another character's life. But. I really think Four Seconds to Lose is my favourite of the three I've read (just put the last one on reserve at my library!) so far. Maybe. Oh, I don't know anymore. Long story short: I just effing love Tucker's books.

The Royal We - Heather Cocks and Jessica Morgan
I could not stop reading this book! You don't have to be a royals lover to enjoy it but having at least some sense of Will and Kate's relationship will probably make you like the book more. The book is hilarious but it has all the emotions you want and need packed in its (many, many, many) pages.

At the Water's Edge - Sara Gruen
I adored this historical fiction novel. I loved that it was set in Scotland but I equally loved reading as the main character, Maddie, learned about herself. The story gets a little harrowing at times, you're not entirely sure how stable her husband is, but the high emotions and tension are what suck you into this story.

The Marrying Type - Laura Chapman
I love books about wedding planners, I love books that are a subtle nod or homage to Jane Austen's novels, and I love Laura. So, it's no surprise that I loved her latest, The Marrying Type. It's a fun book with a lot of heart.

In the Unlikely Event - Judy Blume
I admit that I actually couldn't tell you exactly what Judy Blume books I read growing up. Are you there God? It's me, Margaret, for sure. But other than that? No clue. But that didn't stop me from wanting to read her new book. She's a legend for a reason. And oh man am I ever glad I read this one. The story is so captivating and I actually loved that so many characters were able to tell their part of the story. It sounds like it wouldn't work, and from any other author it might not, but in Blume's hands, it adds to the crazy nature of the story. Make sure you read this one.

The Knockoff - Lucy Sykes and Jo Piazza
Another admission: I wasn't sure how much I'd love this book. But the good news is I loved it a lot! The story takes a very real problem (those who don't understand the technology being shoved at them by the younger and (generally) more tech-savvy generation) and makes it extreme. And it's awesome that it's extreme because that's what you expect in a novel about the fashion world. It's the perfect read for the summer.

China Rich Girlfriend - Kevin Kwan
This one was probably my most anticipated read of 2015. I freaking loved Crazy Rich Asians when I read it two years ago and could not wait to get back into the insane life of these characters. The imagery in this one is amazing and the story is so crazy but so good. I'm already impatient for the third book! And the film adaptation! Whee!