Carter Reed - Tijan

“You're mine, Emma. You always have been. I won't let you go.”

Carter Reed is the first book I have read from the author Tijan. What attracted me to try it out was the hot cover. 

This is a story about childhood friends, Emma and Carter. While Emma live her life normally after the death of her brother, Carter on the other hand became part of the family of one of the most powerful mobster.

Told mostly in Emma's POV, it was also nice that there were bits of Carter's insights.

While I found Carter hot and really liked his character, i felt the opposite for Emma. I got confused and irritated at her. One minute she's strong and steadfast, the next minute she's become a weakling with low self esteem. One minute she's determined to ask for Carter's help then suddenly wanted to back out. She's desperate for help yet she chose to waste time before saying anything. Then she wants him but she doesn't want him to touch her. She couldn't handle her feelings and tends to get lost on guilt and misplaced responsibilities. I also couldn't understand Emma's friends, Theresa and Amanda, they hate Carter then they love him. They think he's bad for her, then they tell her that he loves her.  

I got confused with the story as well. From a somewhat dark topic to light topics. From mobs and killers to gushing about work, promotion and pretty shoes. The author was able to constantly shift the setting and the tone of the story from dark to light. I would have preferred it to be steady and more dark romance. The story didn't exactly match the tone because it was heavy and the tone how it was written was light. The only one constant thing is that Carter is hot, the ultimate rich and dangerous bad boy.

I also couldn't feel the connection of Emma and Carter. I think it was too fast and that they weren't together all the time and that they only met again after so many years past. I would have preferred a back story on how their feelings have developed over time.

This book is recommended to those who love mobster type of story but doesn't really like the tone to be heavy all throughout, a mix of suspense and light romance.