When at war, aim for the heart…
BETWEEN LOVE AND LOYALTY
Shannyn Schroeder
Releasing Oct 18th, 2016
When at
war, aim for the heart…
Connor Duffy is desperate. His
tell-all book on corrupt Chicago alderman Brady Cavanagh isn’t telling enough
to get publisher interest, and in order to get the hot dirt, he must find a way
to get closer to the man who let Connor go to prison to cover for his own son’s
misdeeds. So when fate puts Cavanagh’s lively, artsy daughter across Connor’s
path, he decides to take advantage of the first bit of good luck he’s had in a
long while.
… but don't forget to keep your own
under guard.
Fiona Cavanagh needs a break.
Between assisting with her father’s political campaign, trying to please her
unpleasable mother, and dealing with an ex who won’t go away, she has no time
for a life of her own. One night she meets sexy and mysterious Connor and
everything looks like it’s about to finally turn around… until she discovers
that the one man she thought she could love was using her to get to her father.
As dark family secrets unravel around her, Fiona finds herself caught between
love... and loyalty.
BUY NOW
I thoroughly enjoyed this book (with the exception of Fiona's mother). I actually found this to be more entertaining than the current political debacle currently happening. I really can't find fault with Connor; I understand wanting to seek revenge for what happened and how much he lost because of it. And all Fiona wanted was the chance to just be happy, and she got that when she met Connor. Until the truth came out. It's bad enough having a mother like Fiona's, but how do you recover when you learn that the man you've fallen for had a hidden agenda, and you don't know whether his feelings for you were genuine? That question is what kept me reading well past my bedtime (and became the reason I looked like a racoon the next day!)
Aiden
stared into his eyes, and Connor knew when recognition hit. So much for his
costume being a disguise. The damn thing hadn’t helped at all.
“Holy
fuck. What the hell are you doing here?”
“Aiden.”
A range
of emotions crossed Aiden’s face before Connor could develop an answer for
Aiden’s question. “You’re the guy Fiona’s with? What the fuck are you doing
with my sister?”
A smirk
lifted Connor’s mouth. “You really want the answer?”
Aiden
stepped forward with fists clenched.
Connor
glanced down at Aiden’s hands. “You might want to rethink. Remember what
happened last time.”
“I was
drunk and high last time. I’m in full control of my faculties now. I knew you
hated me, but why the hell would you go after Fiona?”
The
accusation poked at him, but the conversation felt natural. Just like it always
had with his friend. “I didn’t go after
her. She came onto me at a bar and introduced herself as Fiona Wells.”
“But
you knew who she was.” Aiden’s gaze shifted.
“Yeah,
but surprisingly, I never lied about my name and it didn’t ring any bells for
her.”
“She
was away at school. She never knew.” Aiden’s shoulders sagged.
Connor
could almost feel the weight pushing between them, compressing the past into a
flurry of emotions. If only he could turn back the clock. The number of things
he’d do differently. He couldn’t help but wonder if he and Aiden would still be
friends if things had taken a different course.
“You can’t
continue to see her.”
“Why
not? Afraid of the truth?”
Aiden’s
weary gaze met his. “Hell, yeah. I care about her. If you want to come after me
then bring it, but Fiona isn’t part of this.”
Connor
was taken back by Aiden’s honesty. “She made herself part of it.”
“I
tried to make things right. You know I did.”
Old
anger swelled in Connor’s chest. “There is no making this right unless you tell
everyone the truth. Are you prepared to do that?”
Aiden
shook his head. “I can’t.”
“That’s
what I thought.”
“It wouldn’t
change anything anyway.” He took a deep breath and stared out at the street.
“I’ll tell her to stay away from you.”
“I’m
sure you will, but she doesn’t strike me as the type of woman to listen to her
big brother.” Besides, Connor knew Aiden wouldn’t tell Fiona the whole truth
out of fear that Fiona would get to hear Connor’s side of the story. Connor
could tell her and possibly ruin Aiden’s relationship with her, but it wouldn’t
be enough. Brady Cavanagh wouldn’t suffer.
Aiden
took another step. They stood eye-to-eye. “I’ve reformed my life, but if you
hurt her, I will come after you.”
“You
can try.” Deep down, Connor knew he might hurt Fiona, but the chances of her
destroying him were much greater.
Shannyn
Schroeder is the author of the O’Leary series, contemporary
romances centered around a large
Irish-American family in Chicago and the Hot & Nerdy series about 3 nerdy
friends finding love. Her new series (For Your Love) will release this summer
with the first title Under Your Skin. When she’s not wrangling her three kids
or writing, she watches a ton of TV and loves to bake cookies.
