Review: Down to You by M. Leighton

Down To You

Bad Boys #1

Author: M. Leighton

Publisher: M. Leighton Books

Publication Date: September 22, 2012

Genre: Contemporary Romance

~Synopsis~

The scorching tale of one girl, two brothers and a love triangle…that’s not. Olivia Townsend is nothing special. She’s just a girl working her way through college so she can return home to help her father run his business. She’s determined not to be the second woman in his life to abandon him, even if it means putting her own life on hold. To Olivia, it’s clear what she must do. Plain and simple. Black and white. But clear becomes complicated when she meets Cash and Nash Davenport. They’re brothers. Twins. 

Cash is everything she’s always wanted in a guy. He’s a dangerous, sexy bad boy who wants her in his bed at any cost. He turns her insides to mush and, with just one kiss, makes her forget why he’s no good for her. Nash is everything she’s ever needed in a guy. He’s successful, responsible and intensely passionate. But he’s taken. Very taken, by none other than Marissa, Liv’s rich, beautiful cousin. That doesn’t stop Olivia from melting every time he looks at her, though. With just one touch, he makes her forget why they can never be together. 

Black and white turns to shades of gray when Olivia discovers the boys are hiding something, something that should make her run as far and as fast as she can. But it’s too late to run. Olivia’s already involved. And in love. With both of them. Both brothers make her heart tremble. Both brothers set her body on fire. She wants them both. And they want her. How will she ever choose between them?

~Prelude~

I have had Down To You for a while but hadn’t had the opportunity to get to it yet. When I received an ARC for Everything for Us, which releases September 3^rd, I decided I needed to read the first 2 Bad Boys books first.

~Review~

Down To You was a sexy and thrilling book. The romance was steamy and the plot was mysterious, which was a great combination that hooked me in. The love triangle between Olivia, Nash and Cash was definitely unique and held all kinds of twists and surprises that I didn't expect.

I really liked Olivia; she is smart and hardworking. However, she is a little naïve and lusting after your cousin’s boyfriend is kind of shady, even if she is a total bitch. It probably should have bothered me more that she had her insides all bunched up for Nash but he wasn’t exactly an innocent party and the way he flirted and came onto her definitely didn’t help her behave. She was also conflicted by his twin brother, Cash and the lusty feelings she had for him too. They were so different but she was equally attracted to both and that worried her. Cash was the guy she didn’t want to be attracted to but couldn’t help it and Nash was the one that was unattainable but had every quality she wanted.

“He’s the perfect blend of bad boy and successful, driven adult.”

Cash and Nash; where do I begin? First, I have to be honest; I’m disappointed in the creativity of the names however I get that parents in real life actually do this kind of stuff so I’ll let it slide. Cash is the bad boy club owner. He is a ladies man and the type to break a girl’s heart. He doesn’t hide his attraction to Olivia and he shows her what he wants from the very beginning. Their first meeting was hilarious and I was taken with him immediately. Nash, on the other hand, is the elegant, smart and sophisticated brother. He’s the one to settle down and start a family. His first meeting with Olivia is a little less dramatic but equally awkward. He is a little less forward with his attraction for Olivia but considering his relationship with her cousin, it would make sense for him to be less obvious.

“He’s everything I ever wanted and everthing I ever needed. All wrapped up in one gorgeous sexy package.”

I’m not sure what I expected from this book really but I would have to say that they were exceeded. Love triangles make me all sorts of nervous and I am often hesitant about them because of it. I definitely wasn’t expecting the outcome of this one but I was certainly pleased with the way it played out. It was completely unique and mysterious, which I liked. It lacked the tension that normally knots my stomach and it made it easy for me to root for one over the other. I was definitely more taken with one brother over the other and hoped Olivia would make the same choice. I won’t tell you which brother I fancied so I don’t spoil the ending. Aside from the love triangle, I also really liked the plot. There was mystery and suspense and I wondered a time or two what the brothers were up to. I could never have guessed the turn things would take or the outcome in the end and I loved that. I like being thrown for a loop every once and a while and an unpredictable plot.

Down to You was well written, flowed smoothly and drew me in from start to finish. It balanced romance, mystery and suspense perfectly and the sex scenes were steamy and unforgettable.

~IPOD Picks~

“Let Me Down” by Kelly Clarkson

“Teenage Dream” by Boyce Avenue

“Locked Out of Heaven” by Bruno Mars

PURCHASE LINKS:

AMAZON | BARNES & NOBLE