Chelsea & Jessica Get Brazen! Protecting What's His by Tessa Bailey

Hi guys! It’s Chelsea and Jessica again! We are so excited over the feedback we’ve gotten for this feature so far! It definitely makes us even more pumped than we already are! So, this week we are getting Brazen with Protecting What’s His by Tessa Bailey! And oh Lord of everything holy! This book was FREAKING HAWT! No- REALLY. I think Chelsea and I both agreed this is one of the hottest books we’ve read in a long time, if EVER. 

She’s running from the law, and the law wants her bad.

The opportunity was just too damn delicious for Ginger Peet to pass up. The purse full of money she finds—$50,000 to be exact—could give her and her teen sister the new start they need. So she grabs the cash, her gothy sibling, and their life-sized statue of Dolly Parton, and blows outta Nashville in a cloud of dust. Chicago, here we come...

Turns out, Chicago has some pretty hot cops. Hot, intense, naughty-lookin’ cops like Derek Tyler, who looks like he could eat a girl up and leave her begging for more. And more. Tempting as he is, getting involved with the sexy homicide lieutenant next door poses a teensy problem for a gal who’s on the lam. But one thing is certain—Derek’s onto her, and he wants more than just a taste. 

And as far as he’s concerned, possession is nine-tenths of the law.

**************************************

I actually first heard of Tessa Bailey from two fellow bloggers, Jessirae and Vi. Vi (from Vi3tbabe) actually dubbed Tessa as the Queen of the Dirty Talking Alphas. Chelsea- do you agree with that title? Because DAMN, I know I do!

Chelsea: Hell yeah! I don’t think I’ve met a man more alpha-male than Derek.

Side Note: Thank you times a TRILLION to Jessirae and Vi. This will NOT be our last Tessa book!

If you were on the run from the police- where would you go?

Jessica: Oh, wow. Not to go all Safe Haven on you guys, but I think I’d head to a small coastal Carolina town, like Wilmington. I wouldn’t mind hiding out in a cute beach town.

Chelsea: Haha, I love your Safe Haven reference! I think I’d go to a cabin deep in the woods and hopefully find a really hot lumberjack. LOL

What did you think of the sexual tension between Derek and Ginger? I thought I was going to internally combust.

Jessica: I thought the tension was absolutely delicious! It was very well done and I loved how they didn’t get off to a very good start at first. Derek acts like an ass and Ginger is really stubborn. It cracked me up.

Chelsea: I totally agree! They complimented each other so well that the sexual tension oozed off the pages. I was so impressed with how palpable it was.

Could you date an alpha male like Derek?

Jessica: I don’t know, honestly. I want to say yes, because there’s something really sexy and hot about not being in control. Yet, the control freak in me would probably freak out. So, maybe I would just to see if I could be subdued. LOL.

Chelsea: Haha, great answer Jess! Honestly, I don’t know if I could. I don’t take well to being bossed around, especially by a man. I usually do exactly what they tell me not to do.

Derek’s drink of choice is whiskey neat. What’s your poison?

Jessica: Midori Sour! I love them so much and can drink them like juice! People always give me weird looks because it’s a bright green, but that’s ok.

Chelsea: Oh, Midori Sour! I love it. I would have to go with a Tequila Sunrise. It has the perfect amount of sweetness for me.

Sexiest scene?

Jessica: Oh man, there are SO MANY. I really like their first kiss in the hallway though. It was incredibly hot!

Chelsea: That is definitely a good one! I’m gonna have to go with the bathroom scene. That scene really got me flushed. (Haha, no pun intended)

What did you think of Ginger’s sister Willa?

Jessica: I really liked her! She reminded me a bit of -Livie from Ten Tiny Breaths! She was sweet and cared about her sister, but is dealing with her own issues too.

Chelsea: I adored Willa! I agree with you that she is so sweet and caring for Ginger but she’s also got an edge to her that I really liked.

Hey Chelsea- Are you a fan of “Dolly motherfucking Parton”?

Bahahahah!

Chelsea: Haha! Oh Dolly, I do love that little southern accent of hers. Not sure I’d have a statue of her in my house though.

So I know these Brazen’s are steamy but Protecting What’s His was beyond that. I don’t even know what word to use to describe the steam in this book. It takes a lot to make me blush, especially when I’m sitting at home and no one is around but my cheeks definitely reddened a time or two.  That being said, I freaking loved every minute.

Ginger has been through a tough childhood and she had to grow up at a young age to look after her sister, Willa, since her mother is always off with a new boyfriend. When Ginger sees an opportunity to take her sister away from Nashville and start over in Chicago, she takes it. The only problem; she had to steal $50,000 from her mom to do it. She ends up moving in across the hall from Lieutenant Derek Tyler and sparks fly. Derek is all about his work and not really looking for a relationship. However, Ginger definitely catches his eye and his need to dominate and his desire for her is off the charts. 

I loved Ginger. She is a sassy southern girl and I liked that she wasn't intimidated by Derek, especially since he's a very intimidating guy. She is definitely affected by him but she wants to be a good example for her sister and she never wants to be like her mother. I like how protective and caring she is for Willa. She would do anything to make sure that she has a better life and that she makes something of herself. I definitely felt like Ginger had a lot to offer and she is super smart. She is so selfless to give up all her opportunities to get away and make her own life so that Willa could have the chance. She is super creative and I love the idea behind the furniture she creates., It's different and unique and I like how encouraging Derek is about it.

Derek is a tough guy. He is quickly moving up in his career because he is good at what he does and he is determined to make Chicago a safer city. He is devoted to his men and I think that says a lot about his character. Derek is the kind of guy that wants to focus on his career and he is a workaholic. He knows that this wouldn't be fair to a woman so a relationship is the furthest thing from his mind. However, I think Ginger really surprised him and he never realized he could care that much for a woman. He is definitely an alpha-male and when he wants something, he gets it. He wants Ginger and he doesn't take NO for an answer.

This book doesn't waste anytime getting hot and heavy and Derek certainly doesn't mince words. He lets Ginger know what he wants and how he likes it right away and he's pretty clear. Derek is definitely a dominant guy and he really likes to dominate in the bedroom too. I think Ginger was really surprised by how much she liked it. As strong and independent as she is, something about the way Derek bosses her around is shockingly sexy. Even though he can be a bit gruff in bed, he is fiercely protective and caring. I liked how hard he fought her instinct to push him away. When Ginger gets herself into a little bit of trouble, he protects her with everything he has and I knew then that he was in deep with her. They compliment each other and where Derek brings out the submissive side to Ginger, she brings out his tender side.

This book is exactly why I love the Brazen line and Tessa Bailey is on top of the favorites list. Not only does she write some EXTREME STEAM but she creates a really intriguing plot that is captivating and really likable characters. I'm so glad there are five books in this series because I can only imagine how much better it gets.

Ok. So. First of all. A huge thank you to Vi and Jessirae again for telling me about Tessa! They weren't kidding when they said her books were hot. They are sizzling! And I loved every minute of this one! I am so excited to continue the Line of Duty series! All gushing aside over the amount of steamy goodness this book has to offer, I really enjoyed Tessa's writing style. I was engaged from the minute I opened the book and could NOT stop reading! I also loved all of our characters!  

When we first meet Ginger, she finds herself at a crossroads. She has a tough decision to make concerning not only her own life, but that of her younger sister, Willa, also. Ginger and Willa's mom definitely won't be winning any mother of the year awards. At 23, Ginger is basically Willa's caretaker- ensuring she is provided for and taken care of. Life has been a struggle for the girls and I admire Ginger for sticking around and not abandoning Willa. She wants her to have a future and she knows staying in Nashville where their mother is still present is not the way to go. 

Ginger's decision leads her to Chicago and therefore to Lt. Derek Tyler of Chicago PD. Their 
first meeting is definitely not the best one. Ginger and Willa are moving into the apartment 
across the hall and the girls are definitely on the louder side. I love their vulgar language and their hilarious back and forth banter! Derek, nursing a mega hangover from the previous night, is kind of a jerk to them. Yet, he can't help but blatantly ogle the beautiful woman that has just moved in. He knows he's in trouble.

"Like a living thing, the swift and potent possessiveness she provoked in him stretched and vibrated in his belly. He'd wanted women before, but not like this. He wanted Ginger immediately. To do things to her he'd only ever fantasized about. If another man had happened to be present on the roof at that moment, Derek didn't doubt he'd throw the unlucky bastard over the side before letting him get a glimpse of her lithe body."

Ginger isn't unaffected by Derek either. He is good-looking, strong, and direct. He does not 
play around when it comes to telling Ginger what he wants from her. These two have explosive chemistry and she is surprised to find she likes when he talks dirty. Ginger is afraid of ending up like her mother- she isn't reckless like her and doesn't want to go down the same shameful path her mother did. Derek, however, won't be easily deterred. He wants her and he plans to have her. He works his way into her life and has Ginger running scared. She reassures herself that it can only be physical between them, but the more they spend time together, the more she sees how much he cares. He never expected to feel the things he does with Ginger, but seeing her lay her insecurities and fears out in front of him, he wants to be the one to protect her. I have to give it to Ginger- she definitely held out a lot longer than I would have!  

I really liked Willa, Ginger's younger sister too. She was fun, sweet, and I liked how we got to find out a bit about her. She is really depressed over not having her mother around, but knows moving to Chicago is in her best interest. We do get to see some of Willa's vulnerabilities- she's never been the girl to go to sporting events or dances and now that she's met a boy, she finds herself coming out of her shell. The sisters are very protective of each other and it really made me smile to see Ginger go to bat for Willa and vice versa.

As Ginger and Derek discover they both do want more from one another, Ginger knows she will have to come clean with him and tell him everything about where she came from. I don't want to spoil anything, but Ginger makes some decisions that she feels are for the best to get her on the right track, but could really jeopardize her life. I loved that the book took on a more action-packed feel towards the end- Tessa came full circle with her story and I was very satisfied with the ending!

**************************************

Thanks for joining us for another Brazen feature this week! Come back next week as we talk Fighting for Irish by Gina L. Maxwell!