Vanessa Booked Up's Reviews > Runaway Girl

6 Beauty Queen and Blackbeard Stars!!!

“You want an adventure?” He takes my face in his hands. “Let me help give it to you.”

OMFG...plop! Dead. Why didn't I read this book sooner?! My absolute #1 favorite Tessa Bailey read ever!!! Absolute PERFECTION!!!

There's nothing I love more than a journey for self discovery in a romance novel where the heroine (or hero) meets their soulmate along the way. This book had a very The Edge of Never vibe to it...one of my all-time favorites!!

By the time we meet Naomi in this story, we already know exactly who she is, since she's the runaway bride whose actions launched the story in Getaway Girl. She lands in St. Augustine and is determined to find adventure, a job, oh and maybe herself?

"I’m a cookie-cutter, boring-as-beige debutante who’s never lived outside of the staunch parameters laid out for her. I haven’t experienced anything, unless someone planned it for me. I’m not interesting or worthy of anyone’s undivided attention."

What she doesn't expect is to fall head on into the life of grumpy, alpha, half man/half bear like she called him Jason Bristow.

"Not merely shirtless, however. He’s indecently shirtless. There’s a lit cigar in the corner of his clamped together lips. Dangerous, considering there’s enough black hair on his chest to start a forest fire if one single ember should escape. Lord, I thought men his size only existed in the Bible. Built for fighting lions in dens or carrying giant stone tablets down from the mountaintop. Jason is a modern version of a Bible warrior in a peeled down wetsuit that wraps far, far too low on his hips for decent company. And the tattoos. They’re everywhere."

To say that Jason is a HAWT hunk of man is a massive understatement. He is definitely Tessa's hottest hero yet. Maybe because he's exactly my type but god DAMN was this man all kinda sexy!

"Before you tell me I'm nice for buying you wine..." he rasps into my hair. "Understand I want to drink it out of your belly button. Want to warm it on that perfect skin, sip it into my mouth, then let it drip out all over your pussy."

“You haven’t completely cut ties with your last relationship, but if you can kiss me the way you did, as far as I’m concerned, they’re fucking cut. I want them cut.”

The dynamic here is the whole, we (seemingly) don't have much time together so let's make the best of every minute we have. I am a total goner and masochist for that kind of trope and this story knocks that trope out of the damn park!!!

Naomi was endearing, funny, sweet and compassionate. I didn't once get annoyed with her...something HUGE for me with heroines lately. I actually felt her struggle and the legitimate reasoning for the forces working against them.

This book checked every single box for me.
Gorgeous setting - set mainly in St. Augustine, Florida.
Amazing character development - check.
Overwhelming passion and romance that will fill your heart to the brim- check!
Explosive, off the charts, panty-combusting steam - CHECK!!
Sweet tenderness and intimacy - check
A tender but alpha male hero that will steal your heart and never give it back - CHECK!!!

Oh, and Jason Bristow?



He is officially one of my absolute top fave heroes now and will be very difficult to top. I adored the way he loved her!

"You challenged me to be more. I’m more because of you, but I’m nothing—nothing—without you.”

If you haven't read this gem yet, do yourself a favor and gobble it up. <3