Unwrapping a Review for FINDING NATHAN, book two in the Jordan Spagnato series by H.J. Harley

In February of 2013, I reviewed an amazing debut novel, FINDING JORDIE by a talented new writer, H.J. Harley that blew me away. Well, I’m so excited to tell you that the sequel, FINDING NATHAN is now here! In this amazing story, Jordie and Nathan’s journey continues and gets a whole lot hotter.

***I was provided with an unedited copy by the author for the purposes of professional editing but by switching hats, I’m providing you an honest and unscripted review.

Blurb for FINDING NATHAN:

The long awaited honeymoon is finally over for leading man, Nathan Harper and his feisty bride, Jordie, but settling into a contented routine as a newly formed family proves as bumpy as their whirlwind love affair and the dangers it drew to them. Now an anonymous internet stalker seems bent on destroying Jordie and upsetting the hard-won balance she’s found with the love of her life. On top of that, she’s never needed her strength more than when her husband puts his private journal into her hands and lets her see the darkest months of her life through his shadowed eyes. Who will wound her more, the man who loves and cherishes her, or her hidden enemy?

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Jordie and Nathan Harper are married, have a son together, are raising Jordie's daughter, Emma together, and after a harrowing experience with Jordie’s ex-husband, and Nathan losing his memory, they are finally together, happy, and starting a new life in a new place.

If only things stayed that simple, that contented, and safe but being married to a sexy movie star comes with its problems and one of them has become a huge pain in the ass for Jordie. An anonymous Internet stalker is determined to upset Jordie, her life with Nathan, and even put her family in danger. Then as if her life isn’t stressed enough, Nathan decides to share his journal from when he lost his memory. He wants her to know what was going through his mind and his heart during that time, but Jordie isn’t too sure she wants to know once she starts reading when she discovers entries mentioning the women in Nathan’s life, especially one who is currently making herself far too available to her husband.

FINDING NATHAN, a Jordan Spagnato novel by H.J. Harley is even more fast-paced, romantic, brimming with affection, tender moments, and definitely sexier than FINDING JORDIE – but then they’re married in this one! The sex is wilder, hotter, and certainly very spontaneous. The journals are interspersed throughout the story and will guarantee to bursts of emotion for both Jordie and Nathan as well as the reader.

If you read FINDING JORDIE then you’re going to thoroughly enjoy revisiting the wonderful characters you came to love in FINDING NATHAN. Frank, Rachel, and Emma are constants that keep Jordie and Nathan on their toes and keep the story real. Jordie is still as rough and tumble as she was when we first met her, motherhood hasn’t softened her attitude or her language but we wouldn't want her any other way. Nathan is still as sexy as before and he makes sure he shows Jordie often just how much he loves and desires her. But all of that aside, there’s the angst that travels through this story that keeps us turning the pages, worrying about Jordie, and whether or not Nathan’s world is going to leak into their happy world causing more harm than good. The suspense is definitely felt throughout the story and in the end, you’re going to be very surprised at the culprit.

H.J. Harley does an excellent job of using redirection to keep us guessing as to who is making life miserable for Jordie and why. Love a good suspense, and this one did it for me.

I highly recommend FINDING NATHAN by H.J. Harley most definitely to anyone who read FINDING JORDIE because this one brings you the answer to every question you had at the end of the first book, and treats you to life after a HEA for Jordie and Nathan. If by chance, you haven’t read FINDING JORDIE, I highly recommend it but honestly, FINDING NATHAN can hold its own as a stand-alone read but frankly, why would you want to miss how they met, fell in love, and came to marry. My suggestion to you is to read them both, and then get ready for the third Jordan Spagnato book that gets a tease at the end of this one. And the fun continues.

Happy Reading Everyone!

FINDING NATHAN, a Jordan Spagnato novel by H.J. Harley, Epublishing Works, available now in print and ebook formats at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and Kobobooks.

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Unwrapping: Review of FINDING JORDIE by H.J. Harley

I was intrigued by the blurb that accompanied a read and review request from a debut author named H.J. Harley. You already know how much I enjoy experiencing debut author's first works. Imagine my surprise when this contemporary romance turned out to be written in first person - a debut author/first person pov/contemporary romance - I was truly challenging myself. But, was I ever surprised by FINDING JORDIE by H.J. Harley.

***eARC provided by author in exchange for an honest and unscripted review

Blurb for FINDING JORDIE:

Jordie is a survivor, tough, and independent. She’s had to be, since her husband was killed in Iraq. For the last eight years, raising her daughter and owning a popular New York City bar has kept Jordie plenty busy, leaving her no time for much of anything else. Aside from her sassy yet squirrely best friend Rachel, Jordie’s social life is bare bones and her love life nonexistent. Truth be told she wouldn’t change a thing; she’s never been happier.

Then she meets Nathan, and he changes everything with one crooked smile, triggering a chain of life altering events for the two of them, filled with romance, chaos and deadly peril. Neither of them could ever imagine their relationship would resurrect an unknown darkness from Jordie’s past, lurking in the shadows, just waiting for the perfect moment to strike. Jordie has never needed to be stronger for all of them to make it out alive.

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Jordie Spagnato has spent the last eight years being independent, self-sufficient, a business owner and a single mom. She's tough, she's gritty, and she's not afraid of even the biggest jerks who wander into her bar and cause trouble. She's also not afraid to let the curses fly when she gets angry. I love her.

When Nathan Harper, a tall gorgeous guy with piercing blue eyes and that somethin' somethin' that she just can't forget, starts hanging around, Jordie tries to dissuade him because she thinks he's way too young for her but ... he's persistent. I like that about him.

If I tell you more about this unusual and very appealing relationship, I fear I'll give away far too much and ruin the story for you because, I do want you to read FINDING JORDIE by H.J. Harley.

FINDING JORDIE is a wonderfully well-written story about a woman who finds love, when she least expects, in a man whom she has no idea who he truly is until she's totally unable to resist him. Nathan Harper is a good man who has feared letting anyone get too close because of trust issues, but opens himself up completely to Jordie and her daughter. He then finds himself in the unexpected role of lover, protector, friend, and father figure. The secondary characters are equally stars in this contemporary romance that features an adorably, intelligent and grown-up daughter named Emma, a quirky yet lovable best friend named Rachel, and a bodyguard named Frank that I just wanted to hug all the time for being so wonderful to Jordie and Emma. The characters are real. They act like normal people, they react like normal people, and they live normal lives even under unusual circumstances.

Ms. Harley is a talented writer who has taken a first person work and made it work so well, you forget it's in first person. We quickly step into the character of Jordie and live in her skin as she falls in love, worries about her daughter, her friends, her bar - and Nathan. A mystery begins to unfold, putting everyone she loves in danger, and nearly costs her everything.

I normally refer to the steaminess of a novel in minimal terms but I will tell you that if I had to give this story a rating, I'd say it was PG for sex, R for language, and R for violence but it all works so amazingly. I do wish that the ending had been a bit more expanded because, for me, it felt as if it had been either cut short or added on. All of that aside, FINDING JORDIE by H.J. Harley is an extraordinary romance well worth reading and I'm looking forward to more wonderful things to come from this debut author.

I highly recommend FINDING JORDIE by H.J. Harley if you love a fast-paced, sweet and tender, emotional and endearing, passionate without blatant sex scenes, love story with a touch of tension, danger, angst, and some moments when you fear it's all coming apart for Jordie but that culminates in a sweet, loving happily-ever-after.

Happy Reading Everyone!

FINDING JORDIE by H.J. Harley, Crimson Romance, release date, February 11, 2013 in ebook formats.