LEAVE ME BREATHLESS by JODI ELLEN MALPAS

“I don’t want this to end yet.”
“This never ends, Hannah.”
“Everything ends.”
“This…never…ends…”

If you’re a fan of Jodi Ellen Malpas you’ll no doubt be dying to flip the pages of her latest standalone, Leave Me Breathless. The trademarks of this author are all apparent, the ones we’ve all come to love from her, but in Ryan Willis, although still possessive and commanding, we have hero somewhat ‘softer’ for want of a better word, and we loved him! In saying that, Ryan Willis very much retains the masculine alpha Jodi writes so well. Ex-M15 and army, he’s the guy you’d want on your side…and in your bed. Phwoarrr, he really is very delicious without being overbearing!

We really enjoyed Leave Me Breathless. We adored Hannah Bright, our heroine, who really was, by all regards, a hero herself! As this woman’s past unravelled, we cheered her on and stood behind her every step of the way. A warrior, a survivor – she may have been sweet and quiet in personality, but she was all grit and heart underneath.

“This is me, Ryan. There is nothing else for me to give you, just this. Isn’t it enough?”
I find myself smiling almost immediately, her message received loud and clear. It is more than enough.’

Leave Me Breathless is a romantic suspense as such, with a small-town setting which we loved. The friendly, quirky townsfolk of Hampton were welcoming and entertaining, as was this story. What more could we want, romance, passion, suspense, intrigue, humour and emotion. Tick, tick, tick!

The story opens with Ryan and his partner Jake Sharp (you’ll remember him from The Protector) cheating death on another dangerous case, and they’re done. They want boring. They want quiet. For Jake, he just wants to get home to his wife, Cami, Ryan wants to relax in the idyllic Hampton, spending time with his cute daughter. Lounging back in his cabin without a worry in the world.

“I don’t want to look at you when I tell you what I’m about to tell you,” she says quietly. “I don’t want your sympathy.”

Also wanting a quiet life is Hannah Bright. Opening a cute little arts and crafts store in town, Hannah hopes Hampton, in the Peak District will give her the peace and sanctuary she craves. But what is she running from? What drove her to the out of the way, Hampton? And can she be safe?

Ryan and Hannah quite literally bump into each other and though they didn’t get off on the best footing, sparks soon fly and the chemistry sizzles between them.  Ryan’s ten-year-old (going on thirty) daughter Alex takes a shine to Hannah as well, and for the first time Ryan sees a future, but will Hannah hang around long enough for that to come to fruition, or will her past catch up with her.

‘Ryan wants me. Just the way I am. He’s filling the empty spaces inside me. And I can’t help letting him in.’

We were certainly kept entertained throughout Leave Me Breathless, falling in love with the characters – especially the banter with Ryan and his daughter, Alex. She really was an old soul and gave us quite the giggle. The closing chapters were especially emotional and a perfect place to end Ryan and Hannah’s story. A charming and at times suspenseful story we adored!

“I don’t ever want to scare you.”  I’m not scared of him, not like that. I’m scared because he leaves me completely breathless.’